"Can you keep holding my hand, please?" Harry was surprised by the worry in the elder's voice, but kept his fingers secure in the dragon tamer's.
Perhaps a trip to Muggle London was the not the greatest idea?
"There's so many people," Charlie whispered to Harry, clutching Harry's hand and elbow in a grip that should hurt, but Harry was more worried about why Charlie was so anxious. Charlie was much like his brothers, always extroverted and not letting anyone kill his spirit. So, why were a bunch of muggles causing him to tremble.
"I got you, just stay with me," Harry coaxed him into a side alley, backing the older into the wall and blocking his view of the street. Charlie was a couple inches taller than Harry and way more muscular, but Harry wasn't the one having a panic attack currently. Harry braced his arms around Charlie's head and tried his best to muffle the noises from the muggles.
"Count with me, Charlie?" He asked, smiling gently when the red haired man scoffed at him. He hated this method, but it was the only one that worked on Charlie without fail.
"Don't know how to count now, chosen one?" The words were meant to taunt, but a kitten wouldn't be scared with the trembles in Charlie's voice.
"Indulge me, love?" Harry asked once more, pressing a sweet kiss to Charlie's jaw that him melting into the wall behind. Harry was never quick with affection or pet names and the older man savored each time Harry let one slip while talking with him. Harry mouthed at Charlie's jaw for a second or two before pulling back to begin counting.
They made it to fifteen before Charlie's voice stopped trembling and to fifty before his death grip on Harry's arms loosen. He sagged, exhausted after his attack, letting a soft smile slip on his lips as Harry's seeker reflexes quickly caught him before he hit the pavement.
"Don't fall now, what will the dragons think?" Harry teased, watching the exhaustion cover itself with a scowl. There was the Charlie he knew.
"Bloody lizard gits, the lot of them," Charlie grumbled, burying his face into Harry's shoulder. Charlie had wanted to see if Harry's parseltongue could be understood by the dragons and had begged him to come to the reserve to test his theory. It quickly backfired on him when all Harry and the dragons did was gossip about Charlie. The ginger couldn't even understand parseltongue and he could tell that the dragons were laughing at him whenever they spotted him limping.
That was the last time he allowed Harry to be the top before one of his shifts.
Harry pressed a soft kiss to Charlie's hair and rubbed his back reassuringly. "I'll make sure to tell them that next time I see them," he let out a laugh at Charlie's thunderous expression and let the older push him away playfully.
"You will do no such thing," he huffed, linking his arm over Harry's neck and pulling him back towards the street. It was easier to focus and remain calm when thinking of his dragons and the heat of Harry at his side. The smaller Gryffindor grinned up at his partner and held his waist tightly as he guided them towards a toy store near the Three Broomsticks.
Teddy would never forgive him if he showed up with Charlie without a toy. Harry knew he shouldn't spoil his godson, but he rationalized that Andy didn't have much money for toys and Teddy didn't see Harry and Charlie a lot. He missed the days where Charlie himself was the present, but that didn't last after Teddy's fourth birthday.
"A toy store? You are mental Potter!" Charlie raved, looking very much like his mother, but Harry would never tell him that.
"First living with the muggles and now shopping with them?" Harry grinned happily, leading his partner into the toy store, their fingers linked over Harry's shoulder.
I hope you guys like this one! See you guys next week!
