Towers||Charlie Weasley.

22

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Hattie followed Harry, Ron, Ginny, Fred and George onto the train, keeping her head down, once in the carriage she muttered a low "goodbye" before walking in the opposite direction. She found and empty carriage, curled up in the seat and leant against the window. Her Peter Pan book was clutched in her grip, still closed, but it was a good feeling having it in her hands.

She heard the final whistle sound and she stared out onto the platform, catching Charlie's eye. He winked at her and waited until the train started rolling out of the station and the sigh of Hattie in the window disappeared before he turned away.

Hattie stayed alone in her compartment for at least an hour, watching the scenery change from streets to never ending fields and hills. She grew sleepier, it seemed as if that was all she did lately. But, what else is there for her to do?

It didn't last long, however. Ever since meeting her in his mum's shop, Dallin wanted to know more about a certain Hattie Black. He searched up and down the train for her, knowing that she wouldn't be sat with anyone, even if that did sound mean. He had seen her around school and it certainly didn't look as if she had friends at all, been as she stayed alone from what he had seen.

He found her curled up, asleep and alone. Quietly slipping into the compartment, he sat opposite her where he could see her face underneath the mass of curls. Noticeably the same bags that sat upon her eyes yesterday were there again today and even when she was asleep she looked on edge, her knuckles stark white from her tight clutch on her book.

He often wondered if it was because of her father. He had heard about Sirius Black and how he was disowned for being in Gryffindor and how much he hated those in Slytherin. It made Dallin curious to know how Sirius took the news of his daughter dancing in the snake pit like Dallin himself. Since there has been no news of her being disowned, he took that as the answer of tolerable.

The younger girl shuffled in her sleep, the book slipping through her fingers and into the floor on the compartment. Dallin dives down quickly, picking it up and looking at it. "Peter Pan." He muttered looking at the front and back cover. "It must be a muggle book. Her dad must have given it to her."

He opened it up and slowly read the first few pages. "What is this?" He asked himself. "This cannot be possible!"

"It's a story. It's not real." Dallin looked up to see Hattie rubbing her eyes, yawning slightly. "I take it you've never heard of it?"

"Nope, muggle is it?" She nodded. "I take it your dad gave it to you? Or one of his Gryffindor friends?" He raised his eyebrows as she took the book back, placing it beside her on the seat.

"Yeah..." She fibbed, running her fingers through her wild hair, they got stuck a little way down and she tugged them out. "Have you been in here long?"

"Not long, no," replied Dallin, smirking, "I see you're wearing your necklace." He pointed at the blue crystal laying at the bake of her neck and top of her chest. She nodded her head, fumbling the crystal between her index finger and her thumb. "It really does suit you."

"Thanks." Her cheeks heated up, "um, why aren't you with your friends?"

"You are my friend, remember? And I wouldn't pass up and opportunity to sit with a pretty girl with a very easy to remember face," he winked much like he did back in the shop. "Ooh, that's what I was going to ask you, have you heard about that guy Lord Voldemort coming back? He's on the uprise, gaining his old and some new followers!"

Hattie sat puzzled. Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?

"No, who is he?" She asked Dallin, her chin resting on her knees that she had brought up to her chest.

"You're joking right?...Oh, you aren't. Well, Voldemort is this wizard who people claim is evil because he bumped off a few people. I think he sounds marvellous. He is feared by those who think he is wrong but he is worshipped by so many! My parents adore him, they say he is a better wizard than Dumbledore! I think so too!"

Hattie sat in shock. A wizard better than Professor Dumbledore? Impossible? That surely can't be true! "Seriously?"

"Deadly."

The girl listened to the older boy tell all about Lord Voldemort, the wizard sounding like a powerful and amazing man. She wondered why nobody had ever mentioned him before because he sounded amazing! "Will you join his followers?" She asked Dallin.

He nodded his head, "definitely! You?"

"He sounds great. Of course I will." She replied. If I live that long that is... Shaking the thought out of her mind she continued to listen to Dallin who later threw in a new subject like it was connected to Lord Voldemort.

"I do think you are beautiful." He told her.

"Don't lie." She replied.

Standing up he hopped to the seat beside her, sliding her book further away from her. "I'm not. You're beautiful and not to mention adorable with these coloured clips in your hair." He poked a butterfly clip, "I don't understand how you don't see it."

"Is this what friends do? Compliment each other? Because I like your eyes." She replied, he cheeks burning.

"Yes." He answered sharply, "and thank you."

"You know, no ones ever called me beautiful except for my dad and- it doesn't matter." She stopped herself from saying Charlie. Similar to what happened with Charlie yesterday, something was telling her not to tell Dallin about Charlie, like she stopped herself from telling him about Dallin.

"and who?" Dallin asked her rather abruptly and his eyes hardened.

"You." She covered up.

"Well it's true." He placed his arm around her, pulling her body into his side. "You smell nice? Is that vanilla and...?"

"Toffee."

"Toffee?"

"It's a body wash, my aunt got it for me for Christmas."

Dipping his head into the crook of her neck he inhaled. "It smells so good!" He exclaimed.

"You smell nice too? Mint?"

"A body wash." He winked at her after he brought his head away from her neck.

"Funny." She rolled her eyes.

He clenched his jaw, "did you just roll your eyes at me?"

"No...?" She squeaked quietly.

"Thought not," He smiled softly again and made her lay her head on his shoulder by guiding her head down with his other hand, "Good girl."