Butterflies and Dragons by luvscharlie
"Come on, Alicia, I promise, I'll hold your hand." He stuck his bottom lip out in a fabulous pout, mocking her. "Don't be such a baby."
"I'm not acting like a baby." This was what she typically liked about Charlie Weasley. He kept her on her toes. Then, there were times like these, when it was completely frustrating to be forced to think so quickly. Standing in Wizards' Ink Tattoo Parlour with her handsome boyfriend was not the best place to make a snap decision. "It's just I've never seen this tattoo artist's work… and er, he might mess it up and I think I should be careful. After all, Charlie, it is rather permanent. I'll be the one stuck with it on me forever."
Charlie winked at her. This was not a good sign. He grinned and began to roll up his sleeve revealing more and more of the Chinese Fireball she knew graced his bicep. She asked the question, although she felt certain she knew the answer. "Charlie, what are you doing?" It was simply a tactic for stalling him further, and judging by his knowing smirk, he bloody well knew it. Prat.
"I'm showing you a sample of his work."
Yes, I figured as much.
"I do believe you've expressed a certain appreciation for this particular piece of body art many times in the past."
His smirk was rather infuriating. Oh, how she hated it when he bested her, and these days it was happening far too often.
"Am I wrong, darling? Have you decided you don't like my dragon any longer?" He stuck out his lower lip again, and this time it caused his cheek to dip with the dimple that was the final straw in breaking her resolve.
She whimpered an unintelligible response knowing she was beaten. His statement was all too true. She had expressed her deep appreciation for that particular tattoo on many, many occasions, most recently the previous night in ways that were currently causing her cheeks to redden.
"Come on, babe, you told me you've always wanted one. It's my birthday present to you."
She took a deep breath, climbed onto the table and raised her shirt.
"You're going to look even sexier with a tattoo," Charlie whispered into her ear as he held her hand.
Later that night, as they drank a bottle of Ogden's finest by a crackling fire in her flat, Charlie gave her a wicked grin and tipped his glass towards her. "A toast?"
She raised her glass in response. "To my birthday?" she asked.
"Um, that too," Charlie said, "but it wasn't what I had in mind. I was going to toast butterflies and dragons and exploring them completely tonight."
She matched his grin with one of her own, then pulled her shirt over her head to reveal a glorious scarlet and gold butterfly on her lower back. In the beautifully intricate design of the wings were the initials "C.W."
"Be careful, love," she whispered. "It's a bit sore."
His lips were feather light when he touched the sensitive skin, and she felt a slight tickle as the butterfly flapped its wings. It seemed her tattoo was powerless to resist the charm of Charlie Weasley… much like its owner.
Fin.