New post! Don't hate me too much!



It took a while to get used to the new routine. With Quidditch practice every day except the weekends, Christelle had to use the international Floo network, which was set up to the Burrow, to get back to England. And then, she and Ginny would Apparate to the Pitch. After practice, Christelle would either stay at the Burrow for dinner or go back to Romania and hang out with Charlie. Most free days were spent training the dragons, which she found quite fun and interesting. She even had a liking to one of the newborn dragons. Charlie let her name it and she helped in caring for it.

Even though Ginny kept hinting at it, Christelle declared over and over again that she and Charlie were just friends. Nothing more. But nobody would believe it. She was getting frustrated that nobody believed her and would sometimes take it out on Charlie, though he knew she was just stressed that Bobby still hadn’t been found. He did like her. He liked her immensely. He might even be in love with her. But he refused to push her into something if she wasn’t ready, especially if she was looking over her shoulder constantly for her crazy ex-boyfriend.

On one evening, Charlie and Christelle were lounging around Charlie’s flat, reading. Christelle kept sneaking glances at Charlie, scrutinizing his expressions, and it didn’t go unnoticed. Charlie’s lips started forming a thin line to keep from bursting into laughter and Christelle suddenly sighed.

“Charlie?” she asked quietly. He looked up hesitantly, curiously.

“Yeah?”

“Do you like me?” she whispered, her eyes suddenly falling to the carpet.

Charlie swallowed, trying to clear the lump in his throat. “Yes… But I get that you’re not ready for anything yet. I’ll wait,” he whispered.

Christelle stayed quiet for a few minutes, before she suddenly stood, tripping over her own feet in the process. Charlie laughed as he went forward to help her. “No, don’t. This is wrong. I’m taking advantage of you… I’ll just stay with Harry and Ginny for a while,” she said quietly as she pushed herself off the floor. Charlie stood in front of her, flabbergasted.

“Wait! What? Why?” he managed.

“I’m sorry, Charlie… I shouldn’t have stayed with you like this. I just can’t,” she whispered before disappearing through the bedroom door to grab her things. She returned minutes later and Charlie was still in the same place as before.

“Christelle, don’t do this… I promise everything is fine, I don’t mind,” Charlie pleaded.

“I can’t do this to you, Charlie,” Christelle whispered before taking a hand full of Floo powder, stepping in the fireplace, and disappearing to the Burrow. George and Angelina were sitting in the living room when she came up in flames. They both jumped at the surprise as she grabbed her trunk and headed for the door.

“Everything okay, Chris?” George asked. She started before turning around.

“Yeah, sure, I’ll see you around,” she said quietly before leaving the house to Apparate to Harry and Ginny’s.

She knocked on the door three times and waited, her face down as the tears flowed. She missed him. She had been away for maybe ten minutes and she already missed him. The door creaked open, Harry’s face peering around the door.

“Christelle? Are you alright? Did something happen?” he asked urgently as he grabbed her trunk. She shook her head, about to say something.

“Did you say Christelle, Harry? What is she doing here?” Ginny asked as she appeared at his side. “Are you okay?”

“If you’d let me get it out,” she chuckled as they continued to stare at her. “I was wondering if the option to stay here was still available?” she whispered as another tear glided down her cheek.

“Of course,” they both replied.

Christelle nodded once before meeting Ginny’s eyes. “I couldn’t keep doing it to him,” Christelle whispered. “It was wrong, staying with him when I know he likes me as more than a friend… I just couldn’t,” she whispered as Ginny came forward and hugged her tightly. Ginny pulled her toward the living room, where they all sat down quietly, Ginny rubbing soothing circles into her back.

A white form appeared out of thin air in the middle of the room as they all stared at it, speechless. It took the form of a dragon as it slowly stalked toward Christelle and Ginny on the couch.

Come back, please, Charlie’s Patronus said. Christelle let out a sob as Harry and Ginny glanced at each other.

Ginny had never known her brother to act like this; like he was in love and actually needed someone else.

“D-do you mind if I retire for the night?” Christelle whispered as the Patronus disappeared. Harry shook his head, standing up to show her the way. He had already sent her luggage up to her room.

“C’mon, I’ll show you where you can stay…if it’s what you want,” he added. Christelle nodded as they went for the stairs while Ginny went for parchment and a quill.

Christelle curled up on the bed immediately as Harry shut the door on his way out. She cried easily into the comforter as her eyes slid shut. She sighed as her mind pulled up a profile image of a certain redhead.

She liked him more than she liked any other person. And that’s why she couldn’t and wouldn’t get involved with him. Because when he breaks her heart, like all the others, it will hurt so much worse. Worse than worse, if that was possible.


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