The Burrow Feelings
Disclaimer: I own nothing save for characters not recognized within the book.
Summary: Something's tarnished what was meant to be, but who's to say what's about to happen not meant to be? Hermione has a choice to make, and there's no turning back on neither one. HGxCW and other couplings
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Chapter One:
Finally a free man, Charlie Weasley took in the dirty, smog, magical air of Diagon Alley. Not precisely the fresh, clean, pine smell of the Reserve, but he'd prefer dung bombs over the stifling hospital smell.
A foolish, newb, dragon trainee shot a stunning spell at a Hebridean Black dragon later, and there he was, unconscious, then run down by the dragon, and lay "mortal peril" as the clock so kindly put. He was shipped immediately to St. Mungo's and on his still partially conscious mind he gruff out, "Get that bloody trainee off the bloody damn Reserve and send him back to whatever the hell school he came from. Stunning spells do nothing but bounce off dragons and anger them! Send the bloody bastard back before he fucking hurts some bloody one else!"
Arthur, Molly, Bill, Percy, Fred, Geroge, Ron, Ginny, Harry, Fleur, Angelina, Katie, and Hermione all came to the hospital that night. Molly sent out an alarm upon jolting awake in the middle of the night through some motherly sixth sense of hers and ran for the clock, according to Arthur. His family, he heard, had all come worried out of their minds while their significant others comforted them. His mother, however, had been beside herself – wailing and shrieking; she was by no means comforted by her husband, sons, daughter, and their friends and hospital staff. That was until a brunette walked in and calmly put her jacket down and came over to the mother. In but minutes, she calmed the shrill cries to murmur sobs. Charlie knew immediately for the brunette to be Hermione Granger.
Speaking of the witch, he looked down at his "Get Well Cards" that various people sent him – co-workers, friends, and family. He remembered seeing one from her. Digging through the pile, he found hers. The cover was but of a band aid and fire whiskey bottle. "Get well soon. Strong enough to wrestle ten dragons and more," and in her own handwriting, "Especially you since it's your life story. Haha. Hermione Granger." Perfect penmanship, as expected of the smartest witch her age. He had to admit, out of all the cards, hers stood out amongst them.
Sipping his unsweetened, black coffee, he relaxed into his seat at the Alley's Café. As soon as the doctor told him he could leave, he left and owled his mother saying he didn't want to be visited today by anyone. Ever since he came into the hospital, he's been overcrowded by visits and really he was fine – just another scar down his shoulder to his elbow and another on the right side of his chest.
So, here he was, in a white collared shirt with a couple buttons loose to show his various necklaces of dragon's teeth and dragons, rolled up sleeves to his elbow, faded jeans, and white shoes. He noticed several women give him a look over and giggled flirtatiously at him. He had to admit, what he really needed right now is a good shag.
"Ron, let go, or I will make you," he suddenly heard. Couldn't possibly be his little, baby, brother, could it? He thought. Turning to look, and just around the corner of the café is his brother holding tightly to someone's arm. He couldn't exactly tell, but the brown curls gave it away.
"'Mione," Ron started, his right arm still holding onto Hermione's, "Please! I know you still care for me! Otherwise, you wouldn't have come to see Charlie last week!"
"I came," the girl started, her eyes narrowing dangerously, "for Molly. I'll tell you one more time, Ronald," she said angrily, "Let go, or I'll make you."
"'Mione!" Ron growled, "Admit it! You still love me! If you didn't, you wouldn't give a rat's ass for my family!"
Hermione glared at Ron in shock and anger. She yanked her arm out of his death grip, ignoring the searing pain, she slapped him hard, causing him to fall back. "You might not have the courtesy or capability to understand why I would still care for your family, so I shall do you the favor of explaining before you make an ass of yourself in front of anyone else. Molly is like a surrogate mother to me, Arther a surrogate father, Bill a brother, Fred and George close friends that could turn anyone's frown to a smile, even Percy serves as a guidance for me, not to mention I'm girlfriends with Angelina, Katie, and Ginny. In all honesty, you're the pathetic one since we broke up, but I associate myself with –you, even when you do me no good, save for anger me for no particular reason from time to time – but I respected you and continued our friendship. Now stop embarrassing me, and stop harassing me, or it won't be a simple slap the next time."
Ron, completely broken on the ground in front of the crowd, suddenly jumped up, full of uncontrolled anger at the embarrassment when he noticed the crowd about him. "You mudblood bitch!" he screamed, "Unlike you, I still have to live here! I can't just runaway to the Muggle World like you!" he suddenly lunged himself at her, fist raised.
"Control yourself, Ronald!" Charlie suddenly came in, as he jumped in front of Hermione and caught Ron's fist like nothing. He really was nothing compared to the dragons he dealt with. Charlie leaned in and said coldly, "You did not just raise your hand against a woman, much less Hermione." Seeing the fear in Ron's eyes at Charlie's sudden appearance, Charlie smirked, he knew his little brother, "Now go home before you make a fool of yourself any further."
"But she – "
"Now," Charlie steeled his tone and face. "I will deal with you later." He added.
Ron, scared, immediately left the scene and fled.
Charlie turned around to see Hermione not in the least bit phased by the situation she had got herself into and smiled as the crowd dispersed.
"Thank you," she smiled calmly, "but aren't you supposed to be in the hospital bed-ridden?"
Charlie chuckled, "You got that from Mom. I was up and myself five days ago."
She nodded, cracking a tired smile. "Again, thank you."
"You do realize that you could have gotten yourself into a lot of trouble just now didn't you?" Charlie shook his head. "Weak or not, he's still a man, and you're a woman."
Hermione shrugged, "I could have dealt with it."
Charlie raised an eyebrow at her.
"Not as cleanly as you," she conceded, "but just as well."
Charlie chuckled, nodding. "Of course," he bowed playfully.
"Shouldn't you be in the hospital?" Hermione smirked. "I know I talked to Molly this morning, and she said that you'd still be there should I visit."
"Oh?" Charlie smiled, "You were planning on visiting me today?" At her nod, he added with a grin, "Maybe I should have stayed at the hospital then if a brown haired beauty were going to visit me." He winked.
Hermione laughed then. "I'm sorry that I didn't get to know you better now. How long will you be staying?"
Charlie shrugged, "A week or two. We can get together sometime if you like or better yet, just drop by for dinner at the Burrow. You know you're always welcome despite what happened with Ron."
Hermione shook her head, "I'd rather not. It's good to see you up again though – send my regards to Molly please." She waved him off, walking away.
Charlie looked smugly at her behind. His little brother's friend has certainly grown up. She wore a loose unbuttoned blouse and a black tight fitting tank top and jeans that complimented her curves and boots. Her brown hair remained wild and just like the first time he saw her, he still want to run his fingers through it. Wow, he thought, he did not just want to make a move on his little brother's prize.
Damn, Hermione thought, he looked as good as ever. Sighing, she correctly read the measurements for the healing potion.
"And what ails the smartest witch her age?" Malfoy snidely commented behind her, resting his head on her shoulder.
"Stuff it, Malfoy." Hermione roughly shrugged him off. "And where were you when Ron came through here and dragged me outside?" she asked accusingly.
"HE WHAT?" Draco roared, looking frantically about. "Where's the Weasel? Are you all right? He didn't do anything did he?"
Hermione laughed. "Finally some guilt. Anger before guilt, huh? Just like a shag before friends," she pouted.
"All right, spiteful bitch," Draco started, raising his hands to the sky and rolling his eyes, "I'm sorry. You happy?"
"Yes." Hermione grinned. "And I'm all right. Charlie rescued me when he tried something. Not that I couldn't handle it." She shrugged.
Draco's eyes widened, "The Charlie Weasley?"
Hermione laughed, "The?" she shook her head, "What's with the "The?""
Draco wiggled his eyebrows, "The one our little bookworm Granger's been so head over heels in that she had to break it off with the Weasel. The one where you spent fifteen minutes pacing about in worry before even his family got there and hid as you further paced when they did get there."
Hermione immediately blushed, and turned away, focusing on the potion. "Stuff it, Draco, please."
Draco took note of her soft, sad tone and sighed. Honestly, the bravest, cleverest witch their age is the best in every aspect save for when it came to her feelings.
Charlie, never one to shirk his duties, immediately made a call to the Reserve to see where the idiot trainee had gone. If his orders were followed, the idiot had better be sent back as a student and no longer a trainee. Honestly, he thought, a stunning spell. No matter how panicked you are, the first lesson everyone learned is to not send reckless spells at them for it will only anger them. Reporting back that he was at full health and ready to go back to Romania caused a slight tug at his heart. He didn't know what it was, but he didn't like it.
Upon apparating home after a long walk over the hills as he contemplated over the tug as something but just wanting a shag, he sneaked into the kitchen and hugged his mom from behind. "I'm home."
Molly shrieked, "Charlie!" she hugged him back hard, squeezing the air out of him when he groaned. She jumped back with a shriek and angrily whacked him on the head with a nearby pan.
"Mom!" Charlie exasperated, "I just did got back from the hospital and you want to send me there again?"
Molly huffed, "You idiot!" she started, bringing down the pan every now and then on his arm. "What are you doing here? You better have been released from the hospital! What were you doing? Were you even thinking when that dragon came for you? You're just like your father! Your head were probably in the clouds when that dragon came for your life! You selfish, idiot!" she continued like that for a while, hitting him every now and then with the pan.
Charlie waited for it - waited for his mother to finish her pent up concern until she broke down in tears. When she did, Charlie hugged her close and sighed, "I'm sorry, Mom. I'll never do that again. I won't scare you like that again, I promise."
Molly nodded, sniffling. "If you still love this old Mother of yours and don't want her to go anytime soon, you better not."
"I got it, Mom."
"I told you, he's all right," Aruther started from the dining table, quickly dodging the wooden spoon thrown at him.
"You!" she pointed, "This is all your fault! You let him take that job!"
Charlie started weakly, chuckling, "Dad…" he shook his head, "she was fine before you said that," he held his hands up in helplessness when his Dad turned towards him for help.
"Oh, wait," Charlie came in between the two, "Mom, where's Ron?"
At Charlie's tone, Arthur and Molly immediately stopped and turned towards him seriously, "In his room, why?" Molly asked, narrowing her eyes, "I saw him apparte in with a bruise cheek. Was that you?" she eyed him, eyebrow raised.
"No, I would've done much worse if it was me."
Realization came to Molly as she gasped, "Not Hermione! What did that idiot do now?" she huffed, "First he cost me a daughter-in-law, he better not did anything else!"
"Charlie," Arthur took a serious tone, pushing him down to a seat in the dining table, "Talk now, please, surely you don't want your mother to be curious and angry now would you?"
Looking between his Mother and Father, he knew he stood no chance. Not being in the living room is a real disadvantage too since he can't apparate to Diagon Alley or outside the Burrow period.
"RONALD WEASLEY!" Charlie called. The three waited, and upon hearing no reply, the parents once more eyed Charlie.
Crap, he thought. Now his little brother's going to pissed for ratting him out, and for stealing his girl.
"No, Ronald Weasley," Molly said sternly, "You will sit through this apology dinner with Hermione. I will not have you be so petty. Calling her such foul things when you know you're the one at fault in her breaking off your engagement."
"Thanks a lot, Charlie!" Ron threw a glare at him.
"No," Molly pulled on Ron's ear, "Don't blame this on anyone else, Mister! It's all your fault and you know it! The whole family is here to help you apologize."
"Yeah, Ron," Fred said.
"Man up." George finished.
"She said bad things about me, too!" Ron tried again.
"Nothing offensive like what you said!" Ginny replied, rolling her eyes. "We love you, bro, but what you did was unforgivable." She folded her arms.
Ron looked at Harry for help, who merely turned away. "They're right, Ron."
"Ron," Arthur started, "I know this may seem like it's all everyone else's fault right now, but when you look back, you'll realize that we're right."
Ron begrudgingly nodded, and sunk into his seat.
"That's right," Molly looked about, "Where's Fleur?"
Arthur saw that all the children seemed to look away at the question and instead commented how cute Helena was as she gripped Harry's thumb and giggled, causing Ginny to squeal.
Charlie, having not been home long enough for his family's attention to shift from him for being home to someone else, noticed that everyone was practically on Hermione's side. He wasn't even clear on how their engagement broke off when he heard the news, all he knew was that he wasn't complaining and the embarrassing cheerful, "Really?" when his mother and Ginny told him.
"All right," Molly smiled, "Now everything's set for when Bill comes back with Hermione, hopefully."
Charlie, Fred, George, and Percy all scoffed at that. Hopefully? She knew that Hermione will come no matter what considering she told Bill not to come back without her, and Hermione upon hearing that will definitely come.
"I'm back!" Bill called, spreading his arms out to hug people as they all came over.
"Hermione!" everyone practically screamed and left Bill hanging.
Charlie laughed, "Welcome back, Bill." He slapped his brother on his back. Harry also came over, and gave Helena back to Bill. Helena, upon seeing her father, laughed and hugged Bill's large arm tight.
"Some welcome back that was," Bill muttered, smiling at how his mom fawned over Hermione, saying how thin she was, as the girls all tried to speak to Hermione. Fred and George were even trying to get in on the action and dragged Hermione towards the table away from the women. "Only Helena didn't forget her Daddy, huh?"
"What about us?" Charlie feigned hurt, "Harry and I are here you know?"
"This is why no one greets him," Harry kidded, as he and Charlie walked back to their seats.
"Long time no see, Mr. Weasley," Hermione smiled, as she graciously accepted her seat, next to Charlie to his delight. "Charlie."
"Now, don't be like that," Arthur winked, "It's Arthur until I say otherwise."
"Thank you."
"Good to see you seated in one piece," Charlie sat next to her, grinning charmingly.
Hermione looked at him, confused.
"I saw you for one second, and you were gone the next with my Mom and the girls crowding around you – Fred and George included." He chuckled.
"Hey!" Fred and George yelled.
"Hello, Ronald," Hermione smiled politely at Ron, slightly awkwardly.
He mumbled in return, "Hi."
Everyone turned to look at Ron then, who shuffled under their gaze, looking smaller and smaller if possible. Everyone expected him to start his apology speech then, but nothing came even after waiting for thirty seconds. Hermione guessed the situation and sighed softly, shaking her head.
"Molly," Hermione started, "Dinner looks delicious! I hope you'd forgive my rudeness in asking Arthur to start dinner so we can dig in rather than letting the food get cold."
Arthur smiled, Good ole Hermione, he thought, "Of course. Let's dig in!"
During dinner, Charlie talked to Hermione animatedly and they banter about a bit. He couldn't get enough of how she would question his profession, and gain more knowledge through it from him. It got ridiculous at some points when she would use what she learned and argue against him. Of course, he would win considering that it's his forte, but she would learn from it and have another go at it from a different angle.
"Know-it-all," he muttered under his breath, knowing full well she heard it.
"Better knowledgeable then idiocy, yeah?" she grinned. "Besides, keeping you on your toes is good for you." She winked.
"All right, Charlie," Fred started.
"Quit hogging her," George finished.
"Or flirting." Fred shrugged, earning a glare from both and a blush as well from Hermione.
Goodness, she thought, was I really flirting with Charlie in front of his whole family?
"Quit teasing Hermione," Ginny snapped, and smiled back at Hermione and Charlie innocently, "Please do continue. I want her as a sister."
"Ginny!" Hermione gaped.
Arthur suddenly cleared his throat loudly, and everyone noticed Ron's ears turning extremely red.
"What?" Ron started, trying his best to keep his voice down. Turning to Hermione, he took her gaze full on, "I'm sorry, Hermione," and added snidely, "Sorry I didn't realize what a…scarlet woman, you are."
"Ronald!" Molly shrieked.
"They were teasing," Arthur said sternly. "Apologize Ronald."
"No need," Hermione cut in.
"See," Ron said spitefully, "She knows she's wrong. That's why."
Something flashed across Hermione's eyes that Charlie couldn't place and she looked down, nodding.
"Excuse me," Hermione stood up, "but I'm afraid that I'm going to have to cut dinner short. Thank you for a lovely meal, Molly, and for your hospitality, Arthur." She walked stiffly but quickly to the living room before anyone had a chance to follow her. "Bye everyone," she smiled sadly.
"Good riddance." Ron scoffed as he stuffed his mouth with more mashed potatoes.
He didn't know what brought him to his feet, but an unknown force made Charlie get up and he strode towards his baby brother. Ron, and everyone at the table looked up at him in shock as smiled and shoved Ron's face into his plate. "Have some more mashed potatoes little, baby brother. Being the baby you are, try not to bother Mom to clean your face up." With that said, he strode to the living room and apparated to Diagon Alley. He had seen her disappear into that Potions shop this afternoon. Might as well give that a shot, but Merlin, what the hell is he thinking? What gives him the right to be the one to run after her? He wasn't even in the little speech she made earlier. What was he thinking really? But whatever it was, he didn't like it, because the whole time, there was that same tug at his heart again.
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