Chapter Text
The room was dark and cold. The silence only added to the feeling of dread making goosebumps crawl up her spine. She tried to drown out the sound of her own heart racing to hear if anyone was coming.
All she could hear was the crunch of broken glass and debris under her feet as she slowly turned the corner into the next aisle. The exit had to be around here somewhere but she didn’t want to use a lumos, afraid it would draw attention to her location.
Up ahead she heard a shout and saw a small light that illuminated a doorway. Finally she found the way out. Taking a deep breath she went to make a break for it.
She had barely gotten two steps when she slammed into something hard, falling on to her back. Not having time to draw her own wand she blinked as a bright light erupted from the wand above her, temporarily blinding her.
As her eyes focused they took in just who it was who she collided with. His robes hung off his gaunt frame. His sunken cheeks were covered by a dark beard that matched the color of his hair. His thick eyebrows only drew attention to the pale blue of his eyes, the pupils unevenly dilated showing the true madness within. He smiled down at her. Dry lips cracked over the shark-like grin that showed too many of his stained teeth.
“Hello again little witch.” He drawled, his accent heavy. He slowly pointed his wand at her.
“I told you I would see you again.”
His hand had flicked her way as his mouth went to form words. In a panic she threw up her own wand casting a hasty silencing spell his way before he could finish the incantation. The purple light burst from the top of his wand and she watched it reflect in his eyes as he stared at her in pure hatred.
There was no getting away. It was headed right towards her. Perhaps this was the end.
Hermione shouted out a yell, bolting up right in the bed as her hand went to her chest to stop the pounding of her heart. She looked down to see a person on the floor next to her bed caught in a pile of her covers as they cursed trying to free themselves.
“Charlie?” She asked, her voice cracking from a night of silenced nightmares. “What are you doing in here? Why are you on the floor”
The redhead on her floor managed to free himself from his quilted imprisonment before turning and giving her an annoyed look. He let off a huff as he plopped down next to her on the bed.
“I didn’t intend to be on the floor, Granger. I came in here to wake you up since you, sleeping beauty slept through breakfast and mum was worried. I assumed you would rather have my handsome face waking you than the troublesome twins or ickle Ronniekins or even worse Percy.” He faux shivered at the thought.
“But nooo what do I get for my gallant effort? A shriek and a shove. I’ve never been pushed out of a witches bed Granger. I don't know how I feel about this.” He grinned at her and she blushed without meaning to.
Charlie Weasley was a natural born flirt. She never knew what he would say and she found she was never prepared for what he did. Where the twins were obvious in their jokes sometimes she couldn’t tell if Charlie was. He had this wicked glint in his eyes and would pull the lines even when they were alone like they were now.
“I’m sure your reputation will live to see another day Charles.” She rolled her eyes but smirked to lessen the heat in the retort. “Honestly I’m sorry. I didn’t even know you had come in. You must have startled me.”
“Well I consider myself lucky. I heard you hexed the twins silly the other day. I merely got a shove. All the more reason to believe you just wanted to get your hands on me.” He winked.
She scoffed. “That’s because Fred and George decided the best way to wake me up was climbing into bed with me. I was only wearing a shirt and knickers. The pervs..”
His deep chuckle echoed off the walls in the room. His head was tossed back and his red hair bounced off his shoulders as they shook in glee.
“Can’t say I blame them, now I feel cheated.” He waggled his brows. “Honestly though, you better get up. Mom made you a plate but there’s no telling how long it will last with Ron in the house.” He held out a hand to help her out of bed.
Taking it she slowly pulled herself up and to her feet. Her free hand came to press against the scarred skin of her chest. The nightmare brought the pain back. Charlie watched the move with a sad frown.
“You alright Granger?” He asked softly.
She nodded, moving her hand out of his grasp to straighten her clothes and hair.
“I’m alright Charlie. Just a little stiff is all and moving pulls at the scar tissue. Madam Pomphrey told me it would be like this occasionally. There wasn’t much else she could do. No one knew the spell so I’m lucky to even be alive. I won’t complain about a little stiffness from time to time.”
He gave her an appreciative look as well as a small smile. He couldn’t help but think she really was amazing. He had heard from his father that the spell very nearly sliced her in half and yet she never made a fuss or scene about it. She had been taking multiple potions a day for months to heal and even now over a year later she still had nightmares about it. He wished there was something he could do to help but didn’t know what. He and the twins went out of their way to make her smile and he figured that was a start.
“Have the nightmares gotten any better?” He asked her softly not wanting anyone else to overhear lest she be embarrassed.
She gave a small shrug.
“Sometimes I think they have but then I have nights like the last. It took me a long time to be able to remember what actually happened, and now it’s like I can’t forget. There are still moments where I am confused but I just keep reliving the same moments leading up to my attack over and over. It’s so tiring. I don’t want to be afraid anymore.”
Charlie crossed the room and pulled her into a tight hug. Trying to convey with touch alone how sorry he was and how brave he found her to be. Coming from someone who worked with dragons for a living that said a lot.
“There’s nothing wrong with being afraid Mione. Dolohov is one scary son of a bitch. I don’t think there is a sane person alive who isn’t afraid of him.” He told her as he rubbed her back.
She reached a hand up to wipe away a fallen tear. Pulling back to give him a small smile.
“Thanks Charlie. It’s just, well, it’s odd. I had never seen him before but when he met me at the department of mysteries he acted like he knew me. He even said ‘I told you I’d see you again.’ But clearly I had never seen him before. Even before that I felt him staring at me through his mask and once the fight broke out he made a beeline to me. I don’t know why he would focus on me when there were so many others there that would have been more important than the lowly muggleborn. I don’t know why I was his priority.” She shivered thinking of the intensity of his gaze on her that day. “Then Remus told me he was at Hogwarts when the school was invaded. I can only thank God, Merlin, and all the founders that Harry gave us that last bit of liquid luck to use. I can’t believe I fought him on it before, but we somehow managed to never be around Dolohov that night. But Remus said he acted like he was looking for someone in particular. It worries me thinking it could have been me.”
Charlie listened diligently as she spoke hearing this news for the first time. He had heard bits and pieces throughout the order meetings about what a wild card Dolohov was. He was insanely dangerous, not just because he was in fact insane but also because prior to his madness he was one of the most intelligent wizards. He knew he was responsible for his uncles murder and it added to Charlie’s hatred of the man, now to hear he had some sort of sick fixation on his favorite muggleborn witch made him see red.
He reached out and pulled her to another hug. Pressing his lips against her hairline and taking in her distinctive scent of lemons and coconut.
“Come On kiddo, let’s get you fed before mom puts us all to work.”