I've Got All This Ringing in My Ears, and None on My Fingers

Veronica walked into the Three Broomsticks and ordered a butterbeer. She sat down, realizing this was the loneliest year she's ever had at Hogwarts. It just seemed there was no one to talk to, to strike up a friendly conversation with. As she sipped her drink, she looked around hoping to see someone to talk to.

'Maybe it's an obsession' she thought, looking out the window she was facing. 'Maybe it's some kind of addiction of talking and there's no one to talk to.. Maybe they have some kind of support group...' she smiled and continued her witty thoughts, continuously looking toward the door whenever it opened and a new costumer walked in.

Charles entered the three broomsticks and ordered a butter bear. He heard they were very good here. He saw a girl sitting alone. He approached her. "Hey you need any company?" He asked with a grin.

"Erm.. yea thanks." she said smiling back to him. "I haven't seen you around much.. I'm Veronica." she said with a slightly cocky smile and holding out her hand for him to shake. "I'm in Ravenclaw." she added, thanking god she now had company.

Charles took her hand and shook it. "I'm Charles" He added before sitting down. "I'm in Gryffindor, so what brings you to the Three Broom Sticks to sit all alone?"

"Erm.. well I like the drinks here.." she said. "And the castle's been quiet for me lately. My brother has a wedding.. my boyfriend broke up with me and.. I dunno I guess I just came to think. But I'm glad I have some company now." she smiled friendly.

"Oh seems like you have a lot on your plate," Charles spoke friendly. "This place is quite empty" He added with a smile. "usually its packed,"

"Yea.. go figure. The one time it's empty and I'm here." she laughed, her ex boyfriends words printed on the paper ringing through her head. She took another drink and looked around.

"Do you have anything bothering you?" Charles asked gently. Veronica looked troubled.

"It's nothing.. I'm just being stupid trust me you don't want to know." she said. She wanted to talk, but somehow she felt like she couldn't find the words to say.

Charles looked at her. "You can tell me, I've got plenty of secrets of my own," He said to her quickly flashing the devilish mark that was on his wrist

"Erm.. it's just.. it's my boyfriend.. we were together since we were like 10, and... I dont know I guess I'm just hurt a little." she said, ashamed to admit that it hurt just to think about him. She was planning on telling him that she loved him the next time she saw him, so it came as a bit of a surprise when he snapped her heart in two.

Suddenly the door to the Three Broomsticks opened and a way too familiar guy walked in with dark hair. He was tall and muscular and he was wearing jeans, a black tee shirt and sneakers. Veronica gave him a shocked look as she watched him order a butterbeer and sit in the corner of the room.

"Oh my god." she said. There he was, in the flesh, Cory McFlander. She turned the opposite way so he couldn't see her. It was kind of hard not to be recognized with her unique hair color, but it couldn't help to try.

This was the first time she'd seen him since she left for school, and now there he was, out of the blue. She lost her craving of her drink and she put it down onto the table.

Charles just look at her and laughed. "So who is he?" He laughed.

"Shut up." she laughed a little, continuing to use her hand to hide her face.

"It's him." she whispered. Corey seemed to be looking at Veronica, but didn't want to say anything either. "it's my boyfriend......e- " she couldn't say it. Now she was gonna look stupid. "e-ex.. boyfriend... " There.. she said it.

"ohhh la la, well can i ask you a question, is he mean?" He laughed a little.

She wasn't sure if it was supposed to be a joke or not, but she took it as one. She smiled, and, getting more compfortable with the new atmosphere of the room, turned around to look at Charles. He was smiling.

"No. I mean... I should be saying he is.... but he's not." her smile faded a little as she glanced at Cory quickly then looked back to Charles.

"oh well wanna see something funny? Charles asked her wanting to try out a new spell he learned at the library. "Evanesco!" The drink the boy was drinking vanished in thin air. He laughed,

She smiled at him. Corey stood up and walked over.

"You got a problem?"he asked, looking at Charles. Both Veronica and Corey avoided eye contact with each other. His tone wasn't aggressive, just curious and a bit sarcastic.

Charles turned around feeling a bit playful. He smiled at the guy "Langlock," He spoke. The boy's tongue stuck to the top of his mouth and he tried to talk but couldn't. Charles laughed a lot, this was another spell he learned.

Veronica couldn't help but laugh. Corey turned to her and tried saying something but all that came out was "ehh ehhh ehhhhh eh". She looked to Charles, then back up at him with a sarcastic 'beat that' smirk. Corey rolled his eyes and walked out, pulling his wand out and trying to reverse the curse without saying anything. Veronica laughed again, smiling widely.

"You didn't have to do that." she said, still kind of laughing.

Charles laughed. "He's lucky I did it right, if its done wrong the person loses their tongue" He laughed and smiled.

She smiled again.

"Well, I'm glad you did.. Can you say 'lawsuit'?" she said, feeling a little better.

"What's that thing on your wrist?" she asked, still smiling a little.

Charles stood dumbfounded. His fixed his sleeve and cleared his throat. He looked around the room but couln't find anything to say. "Err umm a birthmark"

"Really?" her eye brows were raised, looking like she didn't believe him.

"What happened to....'You can tell me, I have plenty of secrets of my own'." she smiled, resting her elbow against the table and taking a large drink of her butterbeer.

Charlie didn't feel like explaining anything. He stretched out his arm and pulled up his sleeve. it revealed the dark mark.

Veronica stopped, eyes widening. She put her hand over her mouth, shocked.

"Oh.. my.." she said not knowing what to say. She looked from him to the mark, then reached over and then touched it, barely, with her fingertips. She looked back up at him, letting go.