Magical Hogwarts

Fflur offered him a half-hearted grin. Sobriety was only a bit of a shame, really, but she was a good sport about it, at least, or, she thought she was, anyway; she wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót being a killjoy just because he wanted to have a drink. She could joke (and let him joke) about it: ?óÔé¼?ôQuite.?óÔé¼?Ø Besides the good things that came with sobriety--the obvious things--she couldn?óÔé¼Ôäót deny she was a bit of a bore now. She was still wrapping her head around that one, that her entire personality was so wrapped up in alcohol. She was circling back to her fun Tuesday morning introspection, and she tried to circle right back out of it.

She was happy, though, with it, with Robin. But Charlie was right, too; they had had fun. She smiled again, just a bit, trying not to reminisce too much. She shrugged and took another bite of her sandwich, trying to still be a little cool about it.

He asked about it, then, all of it, and Fflur?óÔé¼Ôäós eyebrows went up. ?óÔé¼?ôEr-- well.?óÔé¼?Ø And it was, all things considered. They had really only talked about it--her sobriety--a couple of times; the last time had been back whenever she got back off the wagon, when she surprised him with properly toasting his engagement. (Awkward.) She cleared her throat, set her sandwich back on her plate, brushing crumbs from her hands off with her jeans.

There was a beat of silence--no follow up questions--and she wondered if they could drop it, but she cleared her throat again after another second. ?óÔé¼?ôWill be a year next week, actually.?óÔé¼?Ø She?óÔé¼Ôäós made it longer this time around than her previous attempt, which had to be a good thing. ?óÔé¼?ôHere?óÔé¼Ôäós hoping for another,?óÔé¼?Ø she said casually as she reached for her tea in a mock-toast, a poor attempt to lighten the mood again.

Charlie nodded, glad that it was going well ?óÔé¼ÔÇØ if it was. She didn?óÔé¼Ôäót sound like she was lying, anyway. He wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót really sure what else to add to that, given it was her thing to elaborate on, if she was going to. He hesitated for a moment before picking up another chip and dipping it into ketchup.

He paused?óÔé¼ÔÇØchip halfway into his mouth?óÔé¼ÔÇØand flicked his eyes up to meet Fflur?óÔé¼Ôäós. ?óÔé¼?ôReally??óÔé¼?Ø he asked, lowering the chip to give her his full attention. Well, her and his own mental arithmetic ?óÔé¼ÔÇØ if it had been a year?óÔé¼ÔÇØ Christ. A year ago he?óÔé¼Ôäód been fresh back from his honeymoon. If he?óÔé¼Ôäód been told then what would transpire across the next twelve months, well, he probably would have believed it, to be fair. He?óÔé¼Ôäód never held himself in particularly high regard when it came to relationships ?óÔé¼ÔÇØ and for good reason, evidently.

Fflur was holding her teacup aloft, Charlie quickly picked up his lager to join her, catching up to what was going on, then grimaced. ?óÔé¼?ôMaybe next time we can catch up somewhere that ain?óÔé¼Ôäót a pub,?óÔé¼?Ø he suggested, having a sip anyway because he wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót about to waste it (and he was sure Fflur wouldn?óÔé¼Ôäót want him to anyway). ?óÔé¼?ôCan see if anything decent?óÔé¼Ôäós coming out at the cinema or summat.?óÔé¼?Ø He picked up his knife and fork and ate more of his fish.

?óÔé¼?ôOr you can come over, if you like. Can get some DVDs?óÔé¼ÔÇØ?óÔé¼?Ø he paused, under the pretence of chewing, when really he was trying how best to word it: ?óÔé¼?ôIf you think Rob won?óÔé¼Ôäót mind.?óÔé¼?Ø It wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót like he was suggesting a sleepover, but if Fflur wanted to stay the night he wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót going to kick her out ?óÔé¼ÔÇØ but he was still acutely aware that Robin didn?óÔé¼Ôäót come up in conversation as much as he had before Charlie had had fuck up after fuck up.

Fflur nodded. ?óÔé¼?ôReally.?óÔé¼?Ø She couldn?óÔé¼Ôäót remember the details of the Last Drink, which was probably for the best; it wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót there in the back of her mind, constantly reminding her of what she thought she was missing.

He suggested they meet somewhere that wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót a pub, and while that was a genuinely nice suggestion, Fflur?óÔé¼Ôäós smile was closer to a grin. ?óÔé¼?ôI kind of like how Madam Rosmerta hates you, though.?óÔé¼?Ø They hadn?óÔé¼Ôäót really discussed it, but the looks were obvious enough, and if Fflur thought about it hard enough, it had started right around when Charlie had gotten married. And then Fflur?óÔé¼Ôäós dinner had been on the house for a week after breaking his nose-- she hadn?óÔé¼Ôäót mentioned that yet, wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót about to now.

The cinema was a good idea, at least. Quiet, something to keep her occupied. Fflur nodded and sipped at her tea again.

She liked his follow up idea more, though; the less crowd there was, the better. There was a film she?óÔé¼Ôäód heard about, couldn?óÔé¼Ôäót remember the name-- if she thought Robin wouldn?óÔé¼Ôäót mind. It took her a second to realize what he was getting at, a whole second to remember what they had just been talking about. Did she need to remind Charlie that she had told Robin about how horribly bad that Night was?

Needless to say, she didn?óÔé¼Ôäót think Robin was worried about Charlie; or, he wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót worried about Charlie and Fflur. There were plenty of reasons to worry about Charlie. Besides: ?óÔé¼?ôHe knows I?óÔé¼Ôäóll break your nose if you try anything,?óÔé¼?Ø she said with a shrug, picking up her sandwich again.

[out]

Fflur grinned and Charlie mirrored her expression?óÔé¼ÔÇØ though his face quickly fell when she confirmed the hatred he?óÔé¼Ôäód long suspected the landlady for him. Admittedly, he probably deserved it. He shrugged and picked up his lager to have another sip, pausing just before he did so to say ?óÔé¼?ôShe?óÔé¼Ôäós probably just jealous,?óÔé¼?Ø without thinking it through.

But she nodded at his suggestion of the cinema, which was good because he could be a lot more supportive of her not drinking when he wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót doing the same ?óÔé¼ÔÇØ and it was easier not to be tempted where it wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót available.

Charlie watched as Fflur cottoned onto what exactly he was getting at?óÔé¼ÔÇØchecking in with the boyfriend?óÔé¼ÔÇØand then scowled, bottom lip protruding in a soft pout, when she threatened to break his nose again. ?óÔé¼?ôNot funny,?óÔé¼?Ø he said, putting a chip in his mouth and chewing (it would?óÔé¼Ôäóve been funny had it been anyone else of course). Nevermind that he wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót going to try anything anyway; subconsciously, he turned to look out the window, across the street to Honeydukes.

He blinked and focused back on his food, cutlery back in hand. ?óÔé¼?ôRight then. Let me know when suits and I?óÔé¼Ôäóll go to Blockbusters. Or we can go together, whatever you want.?óÔé¼?Ø
 

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