An American Professor

April faded into May and the weather at the castle became almost unbearable. No word had come from Severus or Sirius, and Dumbledore had brought in a substitute Potions Professor so that the students wouldn’t fall behind. None of the students seemed to miss Snape, except for Erin and Hermione who complained loudly that, “he just doesn’t challenge us as much as Professor Snape.”

Erin wasn’t concerned about not being challenged by the substitute professor, she was concerned about Severus' status. Sirius had not sent word and Professor Dumbledore would not tell her if the assignment he’d been sent on was to check on Severus. To make matters worse Charlie had written her many times and had expressed his interest in definitely taking their friendship to the next level, but she'd kept writing him back, putting him off.

Erin was so distracted that she could barely concentrate on her fourth year assignments. So, she took advantage of the heat one Saturday in May and put on a pair of shorts and a tank top and went outside to soak up some sun. Many of the other students had had the same thought, as there were people all over the lawns of Hogwarts basking in the sun. Erin made her way to the lake and settled on a soft patch of grass. Lying on her stomach she stretched out with her novel and planned on having a nice quiet afternoon.

She’d been settled for about a half hour when a shadow passed over her. Looking up to see who the offender was she saw Charlie standing next to her with his hair flashing in the sun. Shielding her eyes she smiled coyly, “Hey stranger.”

“Hey yourself. What are you doing?”

“Reading. What are you doing here? You didn’t tell me you were coming.”

“It’s a surprise.”

“I don’t like surprises you know that.”

“Come on, we’ll go into the castle and I’ll prove to you that I’m who I say I am.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? I don’t think I want to go anywhere.” Erin answered suspiciously as she rose to a sitting position and reached for her wand.

“Ok, ok, calm down. I just wanted some privacy.” He reached into his pocket and Erin pulled her wand and aimed it at him. “Whoa, watch where you’re pointing that thing. I just wanted to show you that I have your letters, and that should prove that I am Charlie.”

Without putting her wand down, she said tensely, “Ok, let’s see them.”

He pulled the letters from his pocket, “See, I told you that it was me, now will you put your wand away.”

Looking carefully at the letters, she recognized her handwriting, and apologized, “Sorry about that, I just can’t ever be too careful.”

“I understand, I just wonder if there will ever be a time when I can surprise you without you being suspicious.”

Feeling badly for being so demanding, Erin shrugged and asked, “So, where’s my hello hug?”

Joining her on the ground he pulled her to him in a warm embrace. Erin breathed in his spicy, smoky scent deeply and sighed feeling comfortable in his arms. Charlie pulled away slightly and reached for her chin and brushed his lips against hers in a gentle kiss. A gentle humming took over in her ears punctuated distinctly by loud catcalls. Their display had caught the attention of the surrounding students.

Erin felt her face flush deeply and looked at Charlie long enough to see that he also had flushed in embarrassment. “So, this was why you wanted to go inside, huh?”

“Yep.”

“Sorry,” she said with a giggle.

He smiled back at her so warmly that Erin’s breath caught in her chest looking at how handsome he was with the sun shining down on his red hair causing golden highlights. His freckles seemed more pronounced, but made him all the more charming in her eyes. “What are you thinking about?” he asked as she continued to stare.

“I was just thinking about how incredibly handsome you are.”

His blush deepened, “Well, I couldn’t help but notice how exquisite your legs look in those incredibly short shorts.”

Looking around them Erin saw that they were still causing quite a scene. “Maybe we should get out of here.”

“Actually, I wanted to take you to Hogsmeade for dinner and drinks, what do you think?”

“It sounds good, but I need to change, so why don’t you come with me.”

Erin brought Charlie back to her room and told him to wait in her sitting room. Changing quickly into a comfortable khaki skirt and soft white short-sleeved blouse she brushed her hair and added a bit of lip gloss and perfume before joining him in the sitting room on the couch. He took her hand in his and smiled at her. Tiny shivers ran up Erin’s spine as she anticipated his kiss, maybe it would make her decision easier. He did not make her wait very long as he closed the distance between their faces to kiss her. His kiss contained an intensity that his previous kisses had not, and it wasn’t long before Erin found her head spinning and pushed him away.

“Charlie, I learned a long time ago not to start a date out like this because men seem to lose interest in the rest of the date when you do.”

He chuckled softly, “What date?” he asked pulling her face back to his to capture her lips softly for another brief kiss. Standing up abruptly he pulled Erin to her feet. “Well, let’s hurry and go out so we can get back to this sooner.” Erin laughed and grabbed a sweater just in case it got cooler later that evening.

They had a nice meal and later went for drinks at the Three Broomsticks. Erin liked Butterbeer, but Charlie kept trying to get her to try other drinks. He kept pointing out foaming, frothing creations in all sorts of colors and forms of matter. “Charlie, I think you’re trying to get me drunk.”

He blushed a little and then denied this was his intention, but after that he quit asking her if she wanted anything else. By the time he was on his third pint of ale Erin began to wonder how long they would be at the pub. She silently wondered if he was trying to get up his courage for something. Finally breaking the silence she asked, “So, Charlie what brought you to Hogwarts?”

“You.”

“Besides that, I mean, there must have been a reason you wanted to see me?”

“Yep.”

“Well, would you like to share your reason with me?”

He sighed deeply before turning to her with a roguish grin. “I can’t tell you, I have to show you.”

“Ok. So, what are you waiting for?”

He leaned over and putting his hand behind her head in one swift motion pulled her face to his in a slightly sloppy kiss. Erin pulled back and discreetly wiped her mouth with her napkin. “What was that for?”

“Erin, I like you. I like you a lot. I want to be exclusive with you. I want to be able to call you my girlfriend.”

Erin stared at him for several moments trying to form words. “Charlie, I don’t know what to say. I don’t think that this is the place to discuss this. Let’s go back to the school.”

He nodded, but looked defeated as he followed her from the bar back up to the school in silence. “I know what you’re going to say,” he said glumly as they entered her rooms. “You’re going to say that you aren’t ready to make a commitment.”

“God, isn’t the woman supposed to be worried about things like commitment?”

“I’m right aren’t I?”

“Charlie, is this the only reason you came to Hogwarts? To ask me to be with you exclusively?”

“Yes. You didn’t see this coming? I had a great time that week we spent together. I thought you enjoyed yourself as well. Isn’t this the next step?”

“No, I mean, yes, shoot. No, I didn’t really see it coming, but I guess normally it would be the next step, but I’m not sure that I am ready to be exclusive right now. I’m not even sure I want to be in a romantic relationship right now.”

“Then why would you let me kiss you, and visit you and lead me on?”

“I wouldn’t say I was leading you on. We talked about having a good time together, but not taking it too seriously. I like you, too, a lot actually. I like when you kiss me, and normally I could see us taking this further, I just don’t feel ready yet. I’m sorry if you can’t accept that, but keeping our relationship the way that it is, well, that’s the best I can do right now.”

Charlie stared at his hands for quite awhile before looking up at her. “Can you give me an idea of how long before you’ll know that you want to be with me?”

Erin sat down next to him on the couch, “I don’t know, I’m sorry. I understand completely if you don’t want to see me anymore, or if there’s someone else that you want to be with.”

He stood abruptly and began pacing back and forth waving his arms furiously, “No, that’s just it. I don’t want to be with anyone else, I want to be with you and I want you to be with me and no one else. The thought of you in another man’s arms makes me crazy. Erin, I can wait for you, I have waited for you, but I can’t wait forever, and I can’t stand that I may be sharing you with someone else.”

Erin stood and stopped him from pacing by standing directly in front of him. She gazed up into his troubled brown eyes. “I wish there was something I could do or say to make this easier. To be completely honest, I don’t know what to do. I just can’t do what you want me to. I just want things to stay the same for now, but I can’t offer you more, at least not yet.”

“Well, this is a little embarrassing. See, I guess I was jumping the gun, but I figured that if I asked you to be my girlfriend you’d say yes, and then I wouldn’t have to find some place to sleep, but now that you haven’t I didn’t make other arrangements for the night.”

Erin was a little offended that he’d expected her to sleep with him if he asked her to be his girlfriend, but conceeded when she saw his sheepish face, “You’re welcome to my sofa for the night.”

“Are you sure?”

He looks so cute when he’s unsure of himself. “Yes, I’m sure. Are you ready to go to bed already? I was hoping we could talk a little longer.” There’s so much you don’t know about me, and it might just change your mind about me.

“Sounds good, I guess,” he said as he settled onto the sofa.

She joined him and the conversation progressed until by her watch Erin saw that it was well after one in the morning, and she still hadn't been able to bring herself to reveal her darkest secrets. Sighing she said, “Well, I guess I should let you get to sleep,” with a smile.

“Maybe you can help me get to sleep,” he said with a grin as he leaned forward and wrapped his arms around her pulling her to him until there wasn’t an inch of air separating them. He kissed her long and hard before coming up for air. “Erin, your lips are so soft and warm, you make me want you so badly,” he groaned before covering her lips with his again.

His hands began to roam over her body and Erin wasn’t positive this wasn't an effect of the alcohol. Pushing away, she smiled and told him, “Charlie, I think we should stop, and you should go to sleep.” Although it would be so easy to sleep with you right now, I sort of feel like I’d be taking advantage. Screw your conscience Erin, he wants you and you want him. It’s been months since you had sex, this is possibly your longest dry spell ever, just sleep with him! I can’t do that, I would be leading him on even more than he thinks I am already. I really need to stop arguing with myself in my head, I’m sure it is a symptom of some type of mental illness! “I’ll get you a blanket and a pillow, I’ll be right back,” she said struggling to pull herself away. I can’t believe you’d consider sleeping with him just because he’s there, what happened to morals? “I need to quit beating myself up about this,” she muttered, “I aslo need to stop talking to myself,” she added.

Retrieving the pillow and blanket for Charlie she saw that he was already almost asleep. Yeah, that would have done wonders for my ego if he had fallen asleep in the middle of sex. “Good night, Charlie, hope you have sweet dreams.” She turned on her heel and left the room closing and locking her bedroom door behind her. After lying down in her bed she drifted off slowly to a troubled sleep.

The next morning Charlie was still on her couch sleeping off his hangover, and Erin’s stomach was growling. So, after going through her morning routine, she slipped quietly out of her rooms for breakfast in the Great Hall.

About halfway through breakfast, the mail arrived. Erin waited with baited breath while the owls dropped their letters and packages. When nothing came her way, she sighed deeply and focused her attention on her breakfast again. She had just picked up a second slice of toast when a commotion at the Gryffindor table caught her attention. The four Weasleys were doing some type of jig. Before she could ask what was going on with them, Professor Flitwick handed her a newspaper.

Front page of the Daily Prophet read, “Wizarding World’s Most Eligible Bachelorette Off the Market?” The byline read, “And She Took One of Our Most Eligible Bachelors with Her!” There for all the world to see was a moving picture of her kiss with Charlie from the previous night at the Three Broomsticks complete with him pulling her face to his and laying one on her. Erin didn't even have a chance to be thankful that her photographed self didn't publicly wipe her mouth after the kiss as her actual self had the night before.

“Oh, my God,” she managed to mutter with her hand to her mouth. Looking up at the Gryffindor table again, she saw the Weasleys literally running towards her shrieking. “Oh, my God,” she repeated, and folded the paper in half.

“Erin, is it true, are you and Charlie a couple?” Ginny asked breathlessly reaching the staff table first.

“I don’t think that this is the place to discuss my personal life, Ginny.”

“But they were already a couple, after Easter break, just now it’s official!” Ron exclaimed.

“No, Ron, we were just friends, we are just friends, I mean, I need to leave,” she said abruptly and stood up to bolt from the Great Hall. Harry caught her eye and she could tell that he wanted to talk, but her primary thought was to escape the questions and exclamations of the Weasleys. Gathering the newspaper, she fled the hall tossing various comments to the Weasleys as she went. They were a few paces behind her as she reached her rooms, so she entered quickly and left them still chattering in the hallway.

Leaning against the wall her eyes found Charlie’s as he stood up when she entered the room. Just staring at him for a few moments she thought, Is it so bad that people think you two are together? People love a good romance. It’s not like dating your professor or a fugitive, which certainly would not put you in a favorable eye in the public. Dammit, since when do you care what other people think? Calming herself she asked, “Have you seen this?” as she flung the paper towards him.

He quickly scanned the article, his face going from red to redder if possible. Reading aloud, “‘Are wedding bells to be ringing soon? When Mrs. Molly Weasley was reached for comment she responded, “Erin’s a charming girl, perfect for my Charlie. I had hoped he would take my advice about not waiting too long. I’m so happy to see that he’s snapped her up.”’ They even got my mum in on this.”

“I hadn’t read the whole article. I hadn’t gotten past the headline and picture. Your brothers and sister are ecstatic by the way, they pretty much chased me out of the Great Hall.”

“Erin, I’m so sorry, I never meant for this to happen. By the way, what did happen last night?”

“Nothing, well, not for a lack of trying, but no, nothing happened.”

He put his hands to his face, and then strode over to where she was and began rubbing his hands up and down her arms, sending chills up her back. Slumping against him Erin sighed deeply. “Erin, I’m sorry for whatever happened last night. I remember some of it. I shouldn’t have tried to get you to sleep with me. I know you aren’t that kind of person, I’m sorry.”

“Well, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t tempted,” she said with a laugh, “so, maybe I’m not such a good girl after all.”

He pulled her closer and she breathed in his smell while appreciating the warmth and strength of his arms. She couldn’t help but think again how easy it would all be if she were in love with Charlie. “So, now what?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” she answered honestly. “We decided last night that we would just keep our relationship the way that it is. I can’t help but think that if we demand that the paper print a retraction it will appear on the bottom of the last page in the smallest possible print, and nobody would see it anyway. As it is, people are excited about this, and they want to talk about us, so I guess that there’s no harm in letting them think whatever they want to think. But, I am going to repeat to your family that we are friends only, who happen to go out on a few dates when we can.”

“I’ll tell you right now, my family will have a hard time believing that. They are pretty much going to think whatever it is that they want to think.”

“That’s fine, I can keep up appearances, so long as we know the truth. I just can't believe the damn newspaper doesn't have better things to print. ”

Chuckling, Charlie answered, “Ok, it’s a deal. I probably should get going.”

“Let me scout out the hall before you go. I can only imagine the scandal that that would cause.”

He laughed as he pulled her chin up and kissed her softly. He released her and Erin went into the hall to check that it was empty. As it was she signaled to Charlie that it was safe to leave. “I’ll miss you, and I’ll write to you soon.”

“I look forward to it, be safe, and don’t let those dragons burn you too much. Bye.”

“Bye Erin,” he echoed and kissed her on the cheek before looking both ways in the hall and darting away.