Mia couldn't help it. She broke. Irrevocably.

Every boundary, every wall that she had ever built up around her to protect herself had crumbled to dust and were now nonexistent as she curled into a ball on the floor, wrapping her shaking arms around her legs, burying her head into her knees.

Euphemia had never been one for bottling up her emotions, usually preferring to release all of her feelings in the form of an angry whirlwind or emotional breakdown but the extent of her crying fit at that moment was the most extreme her outward feelings had ever been expressed.

She could still feel the aura of Orion's hands on her skin, crawling to places where they weren't wanted and she shivered involuntarily at the mere thought of his slobbering mouth commandeering hers as she screamed out in distress.

Shaking uncontrollably, Mia managed to wipe her eyes that were continually offloading tears onto her face so that she could look around at her unfamiliar surroundings. Having rushed through the door with such alarming speed a few minutes prior, Euphemia hadn't taken time to admire the room that she was in.

Where was she, exactly? Euphemia didn't remember ever seeing a room such as this one in all of her years at Hogwarts and she had explored a lot of the castle, whether to find prospective places to hide from family members or discover secret passageways with her friends.

The small room that she was in was rather cosy and secluded with comfy sofas dotted around the area with fluffy rugs littering the wooden floor. If Mia wasn't emotionally unstable at that moment, she would've happily slid across the rugs in her socks.

There were some treats placed out on a small coffee table that was situated in front of a massive, comfy red armchair, not unlike the one in the Gryffindor common room that Minnie had described to her. It looked like she could just sink into it softly without a care in the world.

Mia hurled herself at it with all of her minimal energy, feeling the hot and furious tears pour down her cheeks as the sorrow rushed through her bloodstream, making her feel weak whilst her breathing became laboured and gasping, her chest heaving.

The sobs racked through her body so violently that she physically shook with misery and it smothered the poor girl from head to toe, filling and covering every essence and crevice of her body.

Finding it hard to breathe, Euphemia threw herself on the comfy armchair, curling up on the seat and burying her head on top of the cushion that laid there, feeling it gradually get more damp as her tears transferred from her face onto the soft satin that coated the cushion.

Shuddering and feeling rather sick, Euphemia reflected on how much she detested everything that she had grown up with even more so than she normally did - how could the Black Family act like that? Mia knew they were awful but she didn't think they would stoop that low.

They were supposed to be her family, her flesh and blood - they were meant to let her love whoever she wanted, not force some slimy pure blood boy onto her, a boy that happened to be her cousin and also a cruel and disgusting human being that couldn't take 'no' for an answer.

Mia had known what she was getting herself into when Cassiopeia had told her that she was getting married to Orion (not like she had actually had a choice) but, no matter how much she had protested and tried to avoid him, she had ended up being in his grasp. Literally.

Euphemia couldn't help but feel like she was just Orion's object, Orion's possession that he could play with from time to time, hit or curse for his own entertainment and bully whenever he felt like it.

Mia had endured his violent tactics without resistance up until now, she had just accepted it as being part of her arranged marriage with Orion - what on earth could she do to stop him?

Even if she did manage to prevent the abuse, she had always known that it was inevitable that she would be trapped in a marriage with the git.

The fact that he had even placed his hands on her without her permission made Euphemia feel physically sick and she shuddered once more as the tears leaked out of her eyes again and again, like she was a broken tap that needed fixing. And Mia did need fixing. Desperately.

Disgust crawled into every crevice of her body and she felt dirty, like she didn't matter, as if she was simply nothing. Wasn't she just nothing now? Nobody cared about her, nobody treated her like the person that she was.

Even Charlus didn't care about her anymore - Euphemia had pushed him away  to the point where he had been kissing another girl. She had blown her chance with him and now Mia would have to replay the image of Charlus and Imogen snogging in her mind over and over again.

No one loves me. No one wants me to be happy, they just are using me she thought to herself as her body convulsed with tears as she took huge, gasping breaths to try and calm herself down but they were to no avail, only sending her into further hyperventilation.

Euphemia rocked back and forth, sobbing madly, feeling the shivers tremble up and down her spine as goosebumps ran races up and down her arms, the hairs standing to attention in slight fear, as if she didn't know what to expect next.

What else could they do to me? Mia wondered, her heart beating furiously in her chest as she hugged her knees, still able to feel Orion's hands over her skin and she gagged, scratching at her skin furiously to rid the feeling of his touch.

The fear of what her family would do next doused her body, so much so that she was practically drowning in it, feeling as if she couldn't breathe - she was trapped and claustrophobic, being held back and restrained from what she really wanted by the cruel senses of time and her family.

Euphemia pushed her brown hair out of her tear ridden face, feeling the wetness on her palms and she quickly wiped them on her robes, which were rather disheveled and gaping open where they had been grabbed viciously by Orion when he had shoved her against the wall.

Mia noticed that her shirt and tie were wonky, leading her to shake uncontrollably and cry even more, the tears dribbling off her chin as her nose became clogged up, due to her sniffling.

She really could've done with a handkerchief at that moment but she wanted to stay where she was and cry it all out, until the memories of Orion forcing himself upon her finally disappeared from her mind.

Not that it was ever going to go away...the horrific images were burned into her brain and her head felt like it was on fire, her skin burning accordingly. Mia had to rid herself of the memories!

In order to do this, Euphemia whacked her head harshly, pounding on her forehead and temple to try and diminish the horrifying images of what might've happened had she not ran away when she did.

Her head ached now and a sharp pain was surging relentlessly through her mind but the worse pain was in her heart, which had felt like it had cracked in half, never to be repaired whatsoever.

Mia had been feeling heartbroken enough due to seeing Charlus kissing Imogen Walsh, which had sent a rush of sorrow through her body though she told herself she didn't care about who Charlus bloody Potter was snogging. Well...

Euphemia knew secretly that she had been jealous - she knew that she liked Charlus a lot and seeing him kissing another girl that wasn't her had made her feel so upset that she hadn't really thought about what could happen if she went down to the dungeons alone in such a state.

If it hadn't have been for Mia being taken aback by Charlus and Imogen kissing, she probably wouldn't have rushed down to the dungeons in such a rattled demeanour, one that was easy to take advantage of. But she couldn't blame for Charlus for what Orion did....that was despicable and it was so unlike Euphemia even think that.

Mia felt sick to her stomach and she grabbed hold of her aching head as the tears continued to flow down her face, as the emotional pain rushed through her very veins, making even her heart pump in despair.

Her face was completely sodden in tears now and so was the rest of the armchair, the side of it and the entire cushion that Euphemia had burrowed her face in earlier. She raised her head slowly and ran a hand through her hair with a sigh that echoed throughout her entire body.

Upon inspection, Mia noticed that her hair was messy from being in Orion's grip and from when she had run her hands through her hair to desperately try and rid the events from her mind, as they insisted on playing over and over again, like a broken record.

Suddenly, a strong, muscular arm clad in a black leather jacket wrapped around her from behind, gripping tightly on her shoulders, pulling Euphemia into a hug and squeezing her comfortably.

Not even caring who it was at that moment, Mia turned into the jacket for some sort of comfort, the scent emanating off the clothing becoming rather hypnotic and intoxicating as she sobbed her heart out, gripping onto the black leather with shaking hands.

"There, there," said a soothing voice, one that was very familiar to Euphemia though she couldn't place who it was due to her whirring ears and her blurry eyesight, affected by all the tears she had shed since arriving.

Mia rubbed an arm over her eyes, nestling into the unknown person's arms and feeling safe in this mysterious figure's comforting hold, a warm, bubbling feeling flooding through her body that submerged her from head to toe.

A soft, warm hand suddenly brushed her eyes, wiping away her tears from her spiked eyelashes and drying her cheeks gently before tilting her chin upwards so Euphemia could look into their face.

She emitted a small gasp when she saw who it was. Charlus Potter. Charlus Potter was right there, concern in his usually sparkling hazel eyes, a gentle and worried smile gracing his features instead of the arrogant and playful smirk he so often wore, the one that infuriated and amused Euphemia the most.

He actually looked human to Mia there, his arms still wrapped around her as he looked down at her, concern creeping into every crevice and section of his face that nearly took her breath away because she didn't think that he could be concerned for her in such a way after she had treated him so horribly.

Euphemia was taken aback, her tears still flowing down her cheeks as she took heaving, uneven breaths, still astounded that Charlus Potter, out of everyone, had come to comfort her when she was at her lowest moment.

"You..." she whispered, her throat sore and croaky from disuse, cracking as she looked up into Charlus' eyes. He nodded, a hint of nervousness coming into his expression, which startled Euphemia a little. What did Charlus have to be nervous about?

The girl was actually still convinced that Charlus didn't like her back, no matter what both Eugenia and Florean had told her in the past when she was figuring out her feelings for the boy.

"Why you?" Mia questioned and she shifted so she was looking directly into his eyes, her own still red and raw around the edges which had little tear tracks trailing down her cheeks, ones that were slowly drying out.

Despite their friendship that had been rekindled, a paranoid part of Euphemia had always been so sure that Charlus only tolerated her because of their mutual friends, that he hadn't really forgiven her over everything that had happened and yet now he was here, comforting her willingly, even after she had spoken so harshly to him.

They had nearly kissed numerous times but half of those times, except perhaps when she had admitted to being abused at home, she had been convinced that Charlus was still a playboy and was only after her because she was playing hard to get and he liked the challenge.

Her eyelashes still felt heavy and Mia knew she was about to cry all over again, as her breathing became uneven yet again.

"I was worried about you, Mia," Charlus said softly, his expression sincere and serious as he tightened his grip on Euphemia, sensing that she was about to cry again and he didn't want to witness that as his heart would break into little tiny pieces upon seeing her suffer yet again.

At that moment, it didn't matter that Mia had rejected his offer of help back at the hospital wing, it didn't matter that she had spoken in such cruel terms towards him. All that mattered was that she was clearly upset and Charlus wanted to make it all better.

"Me?" she asked incredulously, not being able to believe that Charlus Potter actually cared for her that much that he would become worried about her welfare, feeling herself on the verge on tears again.

Charlus had proven that he cared about her many times in the past, through saving and comforting her from her family's bullying and looking after her when she was struggling with her memory in St Mungo's. But never like this.

"What happened to get you into this state, Mia?" Charlus asked, fearing internally that it was because of Imogen, before Euphemia burst into tears again, shaking in his grip so much that he was alarmed and slid over the top of the armchair to drop next to her with a thunk.

Wincing slightly but now being able to comfort her much more due to being closer, Charlus slid his arm around her again, pulling her into his chest and an even tighter hug.

Euphemia didn't even know why she was seeking comfort from Charlus of all people but she found herself burying her face in his chest, breathing in his intoxicating scent which seemed to relax her and put her entirely at ease.

There was something about this hug that was making Euphemia feel entirely safe, like nothing bad could ever happen to her again because she was in Charlus Potter's hold, a warm feeling starting bubble inside of her again.

As for Charlus, well, his heart was thumping wildly in his chest as he hugged Euphemia closer, a small smile settling on his face as he just felt totally suited to this position, he just felt so right like it was what he needed right then. And what Mia needed too, evidently.

He just wanted to know what was upsetting her so much, he wanted to make it better and the fact that he couldn't at the moment was really hurting him. Charlus was praying that she wasn't upset over Imogen because then he would be riddled with guilt.

However, no matter how much he worried that he had caused her distress, Charlus knew that Euphemia wasn't the type of girl to sob so uncontrollably over a boy - something else must've happened to cause her to become this upset.

The fact that Euphemia Black was cuddling him did manage to distract him from his thoughts in some way as he rested his head on top of hers, whispering reassuring words in her ear, reminding her to breath deeply and to just calm down and think of relaxing things.

"You ready to tell me yet?" he asked tentatively, after about five minutes of the two simply soaking in each other's company, each of them feeling relaxed and comforted by the other, both feeling completely at ease - it just felt so right.

Euphemia's entrancing, deep blue- grey eyes found his caring, warm hazel ones and they seemed to lock gazes for ages until Mia breathed deeply and nodded slowly, the simple movement appearing to require all of her energy, that seemed minimised anyway.

Sensing it was quite a big deal now, Charlus went to remove his arm from around her, wanting to give her some space but their bodies seemed to have moulded together like a jigsaw, fitting perfectly and so it was quite hard to move.

Besides, Euphemia shook her head firmly and pulled him back so he was still wrapped around her, causing a happy grin to flit across his face quickly as his heart soared before he focused his attention on her, only her.

"Don't freak out, okay?" Euphemia asked him nervously, her anxious gaze meeting his and he grabbed her hand to squeeze reassuringly, causing her to smile softly as tears prickled at her eyelids again.

"If it's too hard to talk about then-" Charlus started but Euphemia shook her head again, dazzling him as her long brown hair fell about her shoulders, just about catching the light at the right moment which resulted in it gleaming and for Charlus' eyes to widen as his stomach fluttered wildly.

"No I want to say," she said determinedly, her eyes swimming with tears again that she tried to desperately blink away but she carried on.

"Before, I was in the Entrance Hall when you and that Ravenclaw were-" she broke off and Charlus felt his eyes close in regret as he kicked himself for not pushing Imogen off him when she had approached him with that dazzling smile.

If he had known that Euphemia was there, he would've immediately stopped but what was done was done. It was his mistake and if it was the reason as to why Mia was so distraught, he would never forgive himself.

As Minerva said 'once a player, always a player' and Imogen sure did have the looks to attract Charlus' attention. Charlus opened his mouth to apologise but she held her hand up, signalling for him to be quiet which he did so immediately.

Euphemia cleared her throat awkwardly, "Well, anyway, I went down the dungeon steps away from you two and so I was alone, heading to my common room when - when...."

Mia took a deep breath, hating to relive this again but she knew it would be better to get it off her chest and confide in someone that she trusted.

Charlus was waiting patiently, concern and curiosity written all over his face and she knew she could trust him, for some reason.

"Orion was there," she started carefully, trying not to shake as she tightened her hold on Charlus' hand, her stomach turning at the mere mention of his name.

"And he grabbed me, he started kissing me and he wouldn't stop. He had me pressed up against the wall, one hand up my skirt and he was slobbering all over me, it was awful and I begged him to stop but he wouldn't - he wouldn't stop-" she managed to gabble out, as the horrifying images overtook her mind again, the tears choking her now as they spilled over again, her breathing speeding up considerably.

Charlus felt a sick and hot, angry feeling fill his stomach, making it churn and he pushed aside all barriers and literally squeezed the life out of her, letting her sob into his chest yet again.

This time, though, he was running his hand over her hair in a soothing manner to try and calm her down. He had to calm her down.

Charlus just felt so angry, his jaw was clenched and the fury surged through his body like a raging wildfire as he thought about Orion and how horrible he was and what he had done to Euphemia.

He wanted to go and curse Orion, wanted to make him hurt and feel pain, make him pay for how he had hurt his Mia but all he could do now was hold her as she cried.

Charlus' hand hovered across her tear ridden cheeks and there was a moment before he touched her face, a split second where he found her eyes, to check for permission to touch her face, upon which she nodded - loving how he was so respectful. The complete opposite to Orion.

Charlus then very gently wiped away the tears that were still flowing freely down her cheeks, his hands soft and caring, unlike Orion's rough and unkind ones that had grabbed that very same face just an hour prior.

Then, all of a sudden, Euphemia nuzzled into his hand as he gently swept some of her tears off her face, which took Charlus by surprise.

A lump rose in his throat as his stomach turned somersaults but he let her rest against his hand, exhausted from all the sobbing before he gently moved her so she was resting against his chest, her head drooping and her eyes fluttering closed.

Within moments, Mia was fast asleep against his chest. Charlus looked at her sleeping face for a while, tears tracks still staining her cheeks in little trails, her eyelashes spiked from the moisture.

She was breathing normally now that she was asleep and therefore relaxed, making his chest rise up and down as she cuddled further into him, making Charlus smile widely, a warm feeling spreading through his chest.

His heart was beating furiously and he felt almost overwhelmed by the feelings he felt for her that were swarming up inside of him like angry bees fighting to get out of the hive, Charlus' love for her engulfing and trapping him.

However, underneath it all was an underlying layer of brimming anger, hate and disgust for Orion and he knew that he had to make the horrid man pay for what he had done to Euphemia.

Gulping, Charlus pushed Euphemia's brown hair off her forehead softly and kissed her gently there, praying to Merlin that she wouldn't wake up because that would be utterly embarrassing.

I love you so much, Euphemia Black were the words he thought but didn't say.

~~~

Charlus groaned as he woke up from his slumber, his back hurting like hell from being cramped all night and he looked blearily around to try and work out what was happening and why he was here when it all sunk in slowly, dawning on him like a sun rising gradually in a morning.

He glanced down to see that Euphemia was still sleeping against his chest, her hands clutching the front of his shirt as tears tracks were still evident on her flushed cheeks, pressed up against the dampness of his robes where she had shed her tears.

Still hardly believing that Euphemia Black was actually lying on his chest willingly, he breathed in and out for a while, just relishing in her touch and the warmth that it made him feel, spreading to every inch of his body.

No other girl had ever made him feel like this and he had had his fair share of girlfriends (like Imogen) who had worshipped the ground he walked on, which had not helped his ego whatsoever.

Mia was different and had always been different, they had only ever hung out because of their mutual friends and had always argued, they had never really got on and a lot had been said between them in the past that was cruel and hateful.

With the exception of their date in fourth year that went disastrously wrong, Charlus and Euphemia had always been nothing but friends.

Even after they began to prank together with Al and Minnie, the two had still been wary around each other and Charlus had been sure that Mia still didn't like him and was simply tolerating him for the sake of the group.

Mostly Charlus' fault, really. She had always been distant from him and up until third year he had actually detested her for her surname. A part of himself that he hated now that he knew the real Euphemia behind her surname.

Charlus had assumed that she had always thought that he still held those same ill founded beliefs, despite all the progress they made before the entire fiasco of the Hogsmeade attack happened. Then it had all been ruined.

Charlus remembered how betrayed and hurt he had felt when he had been told that Euphemia was a spy - it had been like his heart had actually been crushed into smithereens completely.

And when Mia had attacked him, with those blank eyes, he had had a feeling that something wasn't right but it had been easier to pretend to hate her and convince himself that she was in the wrong.

It had been easier to push her away in order to save his own heart from breaking even further and it had been easier to let her think that he hated her. so that she didn't figure out his feelings for her.

Charlus didn't hate Mia, of course he didn't. Ever since he had actually gotten to know Euphemia, he had realised how different she was to the rest of her family, how unique and special and how good looking she was.

Of course it had taken the boy a while to truly get his head around the feelings that he was harbouring for Euphemia deep down. When the feelings had started to develop in third year, he had been in denial because he had refused to admit that he had a crush on Mia Black of all people.

Charlus had been confused at first but now he was completely and utterly sure that he was irrevocably and most definitely in love with Euphemia Cassiopeia Ophelia Black.

The weight of her head resting on his chest was rather comforting to Charlus and he smiled to himself before remembering the exact reason why he was here, how he had ended up comforting Mia as she cried herself into an hysterical sleep.

It broke his heart to see her so broken and so desperate for some sort of comfort, even from the boy she had simply put up with, despite being annoyed and hated on by him.

She had turned to Charlus Potter of all people because she was so upset and traumatised by what Orion had done to her and that really brought a lump to his throat as well as a bubbling layer of anger to spread through the depths of his body.

He really wanted to punch Orion until he bled, to hex and curse him until the foul boy begged for mercy and actually felt remorse for what he had done to Euphemia because Charlus was going to make him pay, he was sure of it.

Trying not to wake up the sleeping Euphemia lay on his chest, he gently attempted to disentangle himself from her, holding his breath and hoping that she wouldn't wake, as much as he wanted to stay holding her forever, to be there when she woke.

And that was what stopped him. Charlus froze completely and looked down at Mia's peaceful and innocent face, her cheeks flushed from sleep and her eyelashes still spiked from the tears that had spilled from her eyes the day prior.

He couldn't leave her like this, couldn't allow for her to wake up and find that he had gone already, he had to stay and be there for her. What kind of friend would he be if he left her?

You want to be more than a friend, though a little voice in his head said and Charlus sighed, leaning back into his earlier position, though his back ached from how uncomfortable it was.

He was happy to lie in any position so long as Euphemia could sleep that fitfully, not bothered or plagued by any bad dreams of any sort that might disturb her sleep. Because if Euphemia was happy, he was happy.

About half an hour later, these thoughts were still lingering on Charlus' mind as his arm was wrapped around Mia's slumped shoulders.

Charlus yawned, started to getting a little bored and his left foot was starting to fall asleep, sending a tingling up and down his leg so he wiggled it to try and rid it of the 'pins and needles' feeling.

He could've stayed hugging Euphemia forever but Charlus was starting to get a little distracted and restless now, looking around and taking in the room.

He hadn't really noticed it earlier, having been too preoccupied with following Euphemia after she had brushed past him (and Imogen, unfortunately) in the corridor with tears streaming down her face.

Charlus had never seen the room before but he had been so intent in making sure that Euphemia was okay, to find where Euphemia had gone that he didn't really notice that the door appeared from nowhere. Where had that door come from?

Frowning, Charlus tried to think of where the door had appeared from, it was as if it was not there before and had just appeared there to help him, not that he was complaining.

Charlus was just brooding over these thoughts silently when he caught a small movement out of the corner of his eye, immediately bringing his gaze down to Euphemia's eyes fluttering open slowly, looking dazed and confused as to what had happened.

Indeed, Euphemia was incredibly confused and befuddled as to how and why she had ended up sleeping practically on top of Charlus Potter, his arm was wrapped around her and she...she had been sleeping on his chest.

What the hell, Mia? she thought to herself before blinking herself awake and propping herself up on Charlus' chest, flushing at how their bodies had moulded together, their legs intertwined together.

Mia looked up into Charlus' face, expecting to see him smirking at the position that they had ended up in but she instead found herself gazing into his concerned hazel eyes that continuously managed to suck the remaining air out of her body.

His concerned expression jogged her memories back into action, jolting her back to when she had been last looking into his concerned eyes and with a gasp, it all came flooding back to her.

Charlus and Imogen kissing....Orion in the dungeons....her running....her crying into Charlus' chest. Charlus actually caring and stroking her hair and telling her everything would be alright...

Charlus closed his eyes - he had been hoping that the peaceful expression on her face would stay there for all eternity so that she didn't have to be plagued by all the bad memories that were evidently haunting her.

But now her troubled expression was back and she was staring up at him speechlessly, on the verge of tears again as her lip trembled uncontrollably.

Charlus quickly grabbed Mia's hand in his before she could protest and squeezed it as some sort of comfort, feeling the warmth radiating off her skin.

Euphemia seemed to relax again as he instructed her to breathe and something about his calming tone of voice and his intense stare really calmed her down, allowing her to relax.

Mia was able to lean back, the two of them squished side by side on the armchair only really meant for one person. Comfy, much? she thought with a slight flicker of amusement.

Charlus waited cautiously, still holding her hand as butterflies fluttered through his stomach and he gulped, not being able to take his eyes off her though.

As Mia looked up, he quickly removed his gaze and suddenly became incredibly interested in his knees, hoping that Euphemia didn't see him staring at her.

Euphemia had, as a matter of fact, glimpsed Charlus staring almost longingly at her and it had made her feel a whole manner of things, her emotions were haywire.

Mia became suddenly light headed and the fact that she fancied Charlus was not helping, making her heart beat furiously as a pink flush slowly rose up her cheeks.

Euphemia pressed her lips together as her mind started imagining what would happen if she just kissed Charlus right there and then, whether he would react or not and Mia suddenly became flustered, shaking her head slightly.

Charlus was watching her in slight amusement, a warm smile growing on his face and he spoke for the first time since she had woken up, breaking the slightly uncomfortable silence.

"What's on your mind, Mia?" he asked her softly and she glanced up gently, surprised to see a genuine smile lighting his features and not an arrogant smirk or an infuriating grin.

"Nothing," Euphemia muttered, turning even pinker as she fiddled with her nails nervously, her stomach flipping crazily as if Chocolate Frogs were jumping about in there.

She fidgeted a little and looked at their current position - they were squashed next to each other, with her legs resting over the top of Charlus' lap rather like a seatbelt or like she was using him as a footrest.

Euphemia was practically sat in Charlus' lap, much to his immense joy and satisfaction though he still felt distinctly uncomfortable in case she didn't feel the same way and he had just set himself up for heartbreak.

Euphemia cleared her throat awkwardly and gestured at their intertwined bodies with a blush which Charlus took as a sign to move, much to his complete and utter disappointment, a dull feeling settling in his stomach.

However, when Mia attempted to move off his lap, she accidentally slipped and landed in his lap with a thunk before scrambling up immediately, turning brick red as Charlus sniggered, "Clumsy, much?"

Euphemia fixed him with a warning glare, immediately quietening him though he was secretly glad to see the usually fiery Mia returning slowly through her broken exterior.

"That was pretty impressive," Charlus commented, trying to make the situation more lighthearted and he succeeded because Euphemia giggled a little before narrowing her eyes at him, "Shut up," she scowled.

Charlus mimed sealing his mouth shut and Mia rolled her eyes before spinning around to walk away, only she managed to slip again on the rug and she fell onto her behind, emitting a small noise of pain as she collided with the floor.

Charlus winced slightly before leaping up from his seat and, like the gentleman that he was, offering her his hand to help her up. Euphemia took it gratefully, being pulled into his chest.

Mia stopped breathing. Charlus was so close to her that she couldn't actually comprehend anything that was going on, his scent and warmth enveloping her and making her rather dizzy.

"Charlus, I-" she stopped, not really sure why she was about to say what she was but if the churning in her stomach was anything to go by then this definitely had to be said.

Charlus made a non committal noise, nodding for her to go on but his nod 'accidentally' brought him a little closer to her face which took Euphemia's breath away. "Yes?" he asked, also trying to control his breathing as he just longed to pull her into his arms properly.

There was a moment of comfortable silence as the two just looked at each other, unknowing that both of them were harbouring intense feelings for the other deep down.

Charlus felt his heart skip a few beats as she smiled nervously at him, the dazzling grin practically sending him dizzy. Mia looked bashfully away, a red tint lining her cheeks again that Charlus found adorably cute.

"Mia," Charlus said so quietly and softly he thought she wouldn't hear him but she did, looking up from where she was still about an arm's length away from him, due to his helping her up earlier.

He leaned slowly towards Euphemia in a cautious manner, his heart practically jumping out of his chest, and took it as a good sign that she didn't push him away as he pulled her slightly closer to him.

Charlus tenderly reached out a hand to gently caress her cheek. Mia felt all of the breath leave her body but she nuzzled slightly into his hand again, her heart beating furiously underneath her Slytherin jumper as she played with the sleeve nervously.

"Charlus-" Euphemia started to say but her speech was suddenly cut off by the distraction of him pressing his mouth against hers softly at first before it turned much more passionate and eager when he realised she wasn't resisting.

It took Mia completely by surprise as Charlus kissed her, their lips connecting in a rush of passion and need and she felt like she was exploding, her heart was pumping furiously and she felt so elated she could fly.

Suddenly, she was kissing him back eagerly and he was smiling into the kiss, holding her by her waist and pulling her closer to him, his body exploding with happiness and relief.

Euphemia cautiously raised her hand to his head and ran it through his hair, something she had secretly wanted to do since first year. His eyes widened in surprise but she kept kissing him back, becoming much more confident now.

All Charlus could smell was the heavenly scent of toffees and strawberry shampoo as Euphemia pressed herself willingly against him, his mouth exploring hers.

Charlus just couldn't believe that he was finally kissing Euphemia, finally kissing her after so long of fantasising about it, after all the close calls that they had had over the years.

He carefully cupped her face with his hands, not stopping for breath, and now Mia smiled into his kiss, not wanting to pull away as they stared into each other's eyes.

Tingles ran through Euphemia's body and it just felt so right, kissing Charlus. It felt like all of her dreams were coming true at once and everything negative to do with Orion disappeared from her mind as she relaxed and kissed the boy that she had liked for so long.

Euphemia eventually broke away, much to Charlus' disappointment but she looked at him with such emotion in her eyes, her cheeks flushed as she breathed deeply in and out, her lips rather puffy.

Charlus waited for her to speak, his heart thumping wildly underneath his jumper, awaiting her answer with trepidation and suspense. It had been a great kiss but would she still reject him?

The longer he waited, the longer the torture was for him and he started thinking Mia was going to regret kissing him when she suddenly opened her mouth.

"Charlus, I don't think-" she started and Charlus' heart sunk at her words and he started shaking his head, much to the puzzlement of Euphemia as she looked at him in confusion as he looked genuinely upset, thinking she was about to reject him.

"Don't say it, please don't say it," Charlus pleaded with her, not wanting Mia to turn him away so easily, not after he had gotten his hopes up - he thought his heart might just about break.

Charlus leant forward again, his breathing heavy and kissed her again as his hands rested in her long hair this time, running his fingers through the soft strands.

Euphemia nearly giggled as he pulled her into him but her mouth was a little preoccupied, her eyes widening as Charlus kissed her so passionately that she had to place a hand gently on his chest to steady herself as her legs turned to jelly.

I wasn't going to reject him but hey, I'm not complaining Mia thought to herself in amusement as she continued kissing him, her entire body exploding with contentment.

Tongues flitted over lower lips and Charlus deepened the kiss, shifting so that Euphemia was in his arms, her own arms snaking around his neck and resting behind his head, her fingertips tickling his messy hair.

There was so much emotion behind the kiss - there was a sense of curiosity from Euphemia's side as she had only ever kissed one or two boys in her five years at Hogwarts, if you didn't count Orion slobbering all over her in the dungeons the day before.

Charlus just needed this, after everything that had happened, he couldn't have felt more comfortable kissing Mia, she was different to all the other girls. He felt different about her than the other girls.

Besides, Charlus had waited so long for this exact moment and now it was finally happening and the boy felt like he was floating on a cloud. He hadn't even known that she liked him, let alone was willing to kiss him and so he was elated.

Euphemia couldn't deny that she wasn't enjoying the kiss, it just felt so perfect and right, as if all the pieces to the jigsaw had connected together and made her heart whole again.

Her eyes fluttered closed in bliss as she felt Charlus' warm hand gently trail over her cheeks, feeling the tears that had dried there and she blinked at him in surprise as his other hand on her waist gripped her tightly, sending tingles down that part of her body.

Now that she was completely and irrevocably out of breath, Euphemia carefully pulled away this time and the sounds of heavy breathing from both of the teens filled the room.

Both of them were waiting for the other one to say something and Charlus ran a hand over the back of his neck nervously which made Euphemia chuckle to herself.

"What?" he asked subconsciously, wondering whether he looked strange or something. Maybe it was all a joke to her? Was that why she was laughing?

It had been before...Mia hadn't taken their date seriously and had believed that he was still a player and then it had been ruined by the attack in Hogsmeade anyway.

What if she didn't actually think seriously about this? Just the thought of it broke Charlus' heart into little pieces.

"Nothing," Euphemia giggled, her cheeks going even pinker than they were before which made Charlus practically swoon, just finding her so adorably cute.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that," he breathed, longing to pull her into him but he didn't want to push Mia's boundaries, especially seeing as she had been attacked only yesterday.

Euphemia looked surprised but also rather flattered as she hitched herself up onto the arm of the chair that they had been seated on before.

Charlus was slightly disappointed that Mia didn't lean on him or sit on his lap again but he was still waiting for her to say what she thought of them...though whether he would be able to take the rejection he didn't know.

At least he could say that he kissed her, that would be enough for now. But Charlus also knew he wouldn't be satisfied with just that. He wanted more.

Luckily, Euphemia voiced the question they were both thinking, "Charlus...you can't just kiss me like that and leave me in suspense. What are we? You and me?" she asked him, her eyes widening earnestly.

All of the breath was sucked out of Charlus at that point and he looked at her speechless for a second. He wanted to ask her to be his girlfriend but wasn't that moving too fast?

All of Charlus' many relationships with girls in the past had never been serious and he had never loved the other person as fiercely as he did Mia. So, despite his previous reputation as a playboy, he was completely lost.

"Because I don't just want to be another one of your play things," Mia added, with a touch of melancholy and warning to her tone that shook Charlus to the core.

Taken aback, he gaped at her before reaching forward and grabbing Euphemia's hands in his, squeezing them tightly and yanking her gently off the arm of the chair, tugging her closer to him.

"Never. You mean so much to me," he breathed, his voice choked with emotion as he faltered on whether to tell her that he loved her yet or not. What if she ran a mile?

"You promise?" Mia smiled, the first true, radiant smile directed at him that Charlus had seen from her since what seemed like forever and it warmed his heart just to see it.

The dazzling beam that came from Mia lit up the entire room and made everything just feel okay because Euphemia Black was happy and that made Charlus happy.

Charlus nodded, reminded of another time that those soulful eyes gazed into his, asking for his promise and he whispered, "I promise," back at her with a smile.

Mia and Charlus looked at each other intensely for a fraction of a second before they both leaned in with a smile and kissed again, this time being more gentle and soft than the other kisses.

And suddenly everything in the world was right.

To quote Charlus...YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW LONG I'VE WAITED TO DO THAT!

Mia and Charlus' first kiss has been a long time coming for both me and you :)

This chapter was originally an one shot for my one shot book that was taken down ages ago. It never got published because it inspired me to write this entire book.

Obviously, it has undertaken A LOT of editing and improvements since that first draft but the general chapter has been sat in the drafts of this book FOREVER.

I really hope that you enjoyed this chapter now that they have FINALLY kissed and that it met all of your expectations :)

I've never written a first kiss scene so this was new for me, hope you liked! I hope it wasn't too cringey, cheesy etc.

Also, this is the longest chapter I've ever written, I'm pretty sure aha <3 (7517 words, not including this author's note).

Thank you for reading!