Originally posted on January 8, 2018, crossposted to ao3. New Year's Fic for hkthauer. Prompt was: 'First kiss as a couple when the new year begins'.

Enjoy!

Hermione squeezed Charlie's hand, allowing her head to fall to his shoulder. The fire crackled in the fireplace of the family room in the Burrow. Not for the first time, he fidgeted in his seat.

He felt nervous. The excited sort of nervous, not the bad sort. Things had been going so well with Hermione. After waiting for so long to confess his feelings, it almost didn't feel real.

He turned slightly, pressing his lips softly to her forehead. He inhaled the scent of her hair, letting it wash over him. It stirred something deep inside him and for once, he wanted to explore those feelings

She rubbed her thumb over the back of his hand and sighed happily. "I'm glad to finally be starting the new year where I belong…"

A smile tugged at his lips and he hummed in agreement. "Me too…"

It seemed as if they were fated to be here, together, now, like this. He might have taken forever to confess his feelings, but he wasted no time once he'd told her. He didn't have to mince his words any longer. So he didn't.

The pace might have seemed quick to someone on the outside looking in, but it felt perfect to Charlie. And apparently to Hermione as well, because not once had they been anything but in sync.

It was as if they were making up for lost time, with all the physical displays of affection in which they'd been engaging.

There were a couple of steps that hadn't been taken yet, but he was hoping to get one of those out of the way once the clock struck midnight.

It was a new year and a new life. He was single no longer. He was very much part of a duo.

The countdown promised to be very subdued this year. The Burrow was surprisingly empty as opposed to previous years.

The twins were out of the country, Ginny was snoring softly on the floor in front of the fireplace, while Harry supported her head in his lap. His eyelids drooping as their firstborn cooed and giggled across the room. James was enamored with his Grammy, and Molly was just as enamored of him.

Ron was out carousing with chums tonight. Bill and Fleur were in the kitchen with Dad. Percy and Audrey were on holiday in the States.

Hermione turned towards him, nuzzling his cheek before kissing him there. The press of her lips was just lovely and Charlie had a difficult time not sighing aloud.

"Thirty seconds until midnight," Bill called from the kitchen, earning a unanimous 'shhh' from everyone in the living room for disturbing their quiet.

Charlie freed his hand and draped it around Hermione's shoulder, tugging her flush against his side.

"You know, Charlie, you could just sew your jumpers together at the shoulder…" Harry quipped from the floor.

Hermione shot him a look that silenced his snark, but it didn't stop the mirthful glances.

"Don't ever change," she said, reaching up to ruffle his hair.

"No danger of that," Charlie replied.

"Happy New Year!" Bill and Fleur whisper-shouted from the kitchen.

Harry waved his hands in the air in a lackluster show of excitement before leaning down to kiss Ginny awake.

Charlie turned towards Hermione and traced along her jaw with his thumb, crooking her chin up slightly so he could softly, chastely, press his lips to hers.

He felt her exhale, felt the shiver run through her body as she ran her fingers through his hair.

Everyone was wishing everyone else a muted happy new year, but Charlie and Hermione did not. They simply pressed their foreheads together briefly before Hermione kissed him once more.

The meaning was implicit. Obvious.

All their new years would be happy from now on.

If you liked it, leave me some sugar, I've got a helluva sweet tooth! *wink*