Sequel to "The Wrong Weasley".
Better Than Dragons
"Please tell me it's not Fred or George!" were Lavender's first words when Parvati finally dared to confess to her friend that she was dating a Weasley. This was the moment she had been dreading for the past fortnight, ever since Ron's and Hermione's wedding and her fateful meeting with Charlie in the broom shed. Half of her wanted to put this moment off as far as possible, the other half insisted she'd better do it now when she could still leave the relationship without getting hurt, but the whole of her knew it was already too late for that.
During those two weeks since Ron's wedding, Parvati's relationship with his brother had progressed fast, from a chance meeting in the broom shed to what it was now, although she didn't want to put a label on it yet, not before she'd got Lavender's approval. The first few days both her and Charlie had called in sick at their respective jobs and spent that time together at the Burrow. Mr and Mrs Weasley had welcomed her with open arms, Mrs Weasley engulfing her into a warm and teary hug and announcing how glad she was that her son had finally found himself such a nice girl.
Fred and George still bickered over who should get the credit for bringing them together, but they stopped annoying her and Charlie with it under the threat that their little mischief would be brought to the notice of their Mother – Parvati had learned that the only threat that worked with the Weasley twins was that of telling on them to Mrs Weasley, even though they were now both grown-ups and lived away from home. Then she learned that the threat worked with all the Weasleys, including Charlie and Mr Weasley.
After those few golden days Charlie had returned to Romania and she to the Prophet, both promising to Owl the other. Then, two days later, having spent most of her working hours debating whether it was too soon to send an owl or not, she had bumped into Charlie himself on her way home. At first he'd justified his being in London as having a work-related errand to run at the Ministry. As she later discovered, he had been to the Ministry, but it had nothing to do with dragons. He'd gone there to ask for a permanent Floo connection to be established between the Burrow and his quarters in Romania.
After that, Parvati had been a very frequent visitor with Mr and Mrs Weasley, and although Charlie did Floo home every night he could, not all of those nights were spent at the Burrow.
She still got a little restless whenever she thought just how fast everything had happened. But being scared was a bad reason to ruin a good thing, and besides, Parvati had other things to worry about.
Lavender was happy. She looked happy. She was with Ernie now and they were both happy. And she had reacted to the news of Ron marrying Hermione without a sign of regret or pain. But it was one thing to see a photo in the paper, and another to be closely connected to the family by her best friend. Her relationship with Charlie meant that sooner or later Lavender would be thrown in the same room with Ron, and it would happen more than once. Lavender was happy. Parvati did not want to ruin that happiness by bringing the past back to her mind, and forcing her to deal with it.
It was a very ugly and miserable perspective, but if Lavender even looked as if this was something that she could not be comfortable with, Parvati would end everything with Charlie. She had not shared this information with him, although he knew she worried about the reaction of her friend. Lavender was her friend. And Parvati would not give her up for any man. She was fiercely loyal, like Charlie said, even though he didn't know what that loyalty might mean to him.
Even as Parvati was enjoying her relationship with Charlie, she had lived in more or less constant fear of what Lavender would think of it. True, there were times when Lavender was very far from her mind, but whenever she got serious, she was troubled with all the possible scenarios, one worse than the other.
Lavender would get angry, Lavender would be sad, Lavender would try to look happy for her sake. The third would be the worst, and yet, in Parvati's opinion, it was also the most likely. So that's why when the horrible moment finally came, when she confessed it all, she gave Lavender a very careful look, to gauge her real thoughts and feelings beneath her expression.
Lavender had looked shocked, and Parvati had held her breath, but then Lavender had spoken, and now it was Parvati's turn to be shocked.
"Please tell me it's not Fred or George!"
Of all the things Parvati had expected her to say, this had not been one of them.
"No, it's not them," she barely managed to utter.
"Hmm," Lavender looked thoughtful. "It's not Percy, is it? Because he's so... boring."
Parvati smiled at the tact, knowing that Lavender had meant something a lot less savoury.
"It's not Percy."
"His brother Bill is married, I think, and so is Ginny, just for the record, not that I would have suspected her to be the object of your affection, but you know I would have still loved you even then, although not in the romantic way, no offence, really, it's just that you're not my type and I do have Ernie..."
"It's Charlie," Parvati cut off the rest of her ramblings. "The second oldest brother."
"He has so many," Lavender complained.
"Only five," Parvati smiled.
"Only!" Lavender exclaimed, but also smiled, "What's he like then? I really don't know much about him."
"Oh, he's nice. Polite. Funny. Handsome as hell. Cute. Really sweet, too. Kind. Good-hearted. Quite sly sometimes, in the good sense, of course."
"Of course," Lavender repeated, now grinning, "and you're desperately in love with him."
"Am I?" Parvati startled, half-surprised and half-guilty. "I don't know. It's been only a fortnight. It's too soon—"
"That's rubbish and you know it," Lavender cut her through.
"Blah," she added, waving her hand to brush off the silly idea. "Don't go letting your hesitations ruin your happiness. I've been long saying this, you need a good man in your life. And you do look positively radiant."
"I do?" Parvati asked, blushing.
"Simply glowing. At least now that you don't fear I might disapprove of your relationship because Ron was once a bastard to me."
Parvati started, now entirely guilty. But she had to ask it. "So you don't mind me dating Ron's brother? You truly have nothing against it? Even though this means you would have to see Ron?"
"Phah, silly Parvati!" Lavender admonished. "Do you really think I haven't seen Ron since we left school? We've met several times since then, in Diagon Alley, or in the Ministry, or at Quidditch matches. We even said more than hello to each other the last time."
"But this wouldn't be the same as an accidental meeting," Parvati argued. "You'd be in the same company. At birthdays, and parties, and other celebrations. You might have to see him quite often. Maybe even talk to him. And his... I mean, Hermione would be there, too."
"Do you want me to disapprove of your relationship with Charlie?" Lavender inquired, narrowing her eyes. "Do you want me to say that if you continue seeing him, I would never speak with you again? Do you want that to happen?"
"No," Parvati confessed, staring at the table.
"Then stop the silly cross-examination, please!" Lavender exclaimed. "As if I were interrogated by the Wizengamot. Give me some peace, woman. I told you I was okay with your relationship with Charlie, didn't I?"
"Yes," Parvati said, smiling a little at her friend's fierce reaction. "I just want to know if you're saying this because you mean it, and not because you are my friend and you want me to be happy."
"I am your friend and I do want you to be happy. And if you need a Weasley for that, well, it's your choice. Although, I have to say it, I saw Dean Thomas the other day, and he was looking simply delicious. And he's made quite a name for himself, too, playing professional Quidditch. He would be one sweet catch, so if you're not sure about the Weasley, just say a word, and Auntie Lavender will do her magic."
Parvati laughed. "Thanks for the offer, I do appreciate the thought."
"But you're happy with Charlie."
"I am," she confessed. "I really am."
"Then I'm happy with you," Lavender spoke sincerely, "even if this means I have to hang out with Ron and Hermione on a regular basis."
"Are you sure you don't mind—"
"For the hundredth time, Parvati, I don't mind it. Sheesh! What must I do to make you believe me?" Lavender rolled her eyes. "How about this? I'll come with you right now, and we'll go to the Weasley residence, and I'll spend the whole evening with Ron and Hermione? How's that? Would that convince you that I am, and have long been, over Ron. It's not like he was that fabulous to begin with. Poor Hermione, I say. He was quite an awful kisser."
Parvati couldn't help but laugh again. Lavender was just so Lavender. And very funny.
"Is that what you told him the last time you met?" she asked between giggles. "When you actually conversed with him?"
"No, I think I said something about the weather," Lavender said, trying to look pensive. "But I can tell him that tonight when I go with you to see him."
"You don't have to do that to prove you're over him, I believe you. Sorry for the interrogation."
"Ah, don't mention it," Lavender grinned. "You're a reporter, it's in your nature. But I do want to come with you to the Weasley residence. Maybe not today. But I want to meet with this Charlie as soon as possible. I mean, while I do approve of you finally dating, I suppose I can't truly approve of this Charlie before I meet with him."
"Hey!" Parvati protested. "You didn't ask for my approval when you started dating Ernie. You just told me about it and said, "You better love him, or else! And make that sisterly love, or else!""
"Yes," Lavender grinned, "I did say that. But you didn't. You came here seeking my blessing, and before you can get it, I have to see this man of yours."
"It's not like I'm keeping him from you..." Parvati started.
"... you're just afraid that if he sees me, he will fall hopelessly in love with me and forget you ever existed," Lavender smoothly finished. "Yes, I have that effect on men."
"Idiot."
"Moron."
They smiled at each other.
"So, when do I get to see your Charlie?" Lavender inquired.
"I don't know. Are you going to scare him away from me?" Parvati smirked.
"Maybe. So when?"
Parvati tried and failed to suppress her laugh. It was probably weird, giggling all the time, but it was impossible not to laugh when Lavender got like this, and besides, Parvati was happy. She was happy with Charlie, she was happy with Lavender, and she was happy that Lavender was happy with her being happy with Charlie. No wonder then that she couldn't hold back the laughter.
"Stop stalling and tell me," Lavender demanded. "You know I won't stop asking until you tell me."
"Yes, I know. How about Friday? He comes home then and I'll be going to the Burrow – the Weasley residence – to meet him there."
Lavender's expression was triumphant for several seconds, and then it suddenly turned dark and she frowned, "You have to go there alone? He won't even come to pick you up?"
Parvati laughed; again. "Don't you dare turn against him before you've even seen him. He goes there because he has the International Floo connection established with the Burrow. Of course he could come to me then and take me there, but I'd like to be already there when he comes. Besides, his family is away then and won't be back till Sunday evening. So we'll have the whole house pretty much to ourselves."
Lavender grinned very suggestively. "And since this whole house is a lot bigger than your apartment, you two would have a lot more places to occupy. Are you sure you want me to come at all? Maybe you'd rather wait for him, naked, on the living-room did you say International Floo? Is he coming back from a business trip or something?"
Lavender's change of subject was so fast that Parvati needed a moment before she was able to reply. "No, he works and lives abroad. Didn't... uh... I tell you this?"
"You did not!" Lavender exclaimed, and Parvati flinched at the pitch of her voice. "He lives and works abroad! Parvati, you know what they say about long distance relationships!"
"Frankly, I don't care what anyone says about them," Parvati said fiercely and she must have sounded rather dark and threatening because Lavender didn't pursue the topic.
"Where does he lives, then?" she asked instead.
"In Romania. He's a dragon-wrangler."
"He's a what?" Lavender shouted, making her last exclamation seem nothing but the softest of whisper in comparison. People around them turned towards the voice to see who was causing all that ruckus, but Parvati was suddenly too angry to care.
"A dragon-wrangler," she repeated in a growl. "I suppose they have something to say about this, too."
Lavender's mouth was open and her eyes were wide, and when Parvati's anger passed as quickly as it had came over her, she could not guess what was so shocking about a dragon-wrangler to render Lavender like this. She knew most things that they said about long-distance relationships, but she had never heard them say anything about dragon-wranglers.
"But Parvati!" Lavender exclaimed, and Parvati prepared her defiant not-caring expression to react to whatever her friend might sat next. "A dragon-wrangler is even cooler than a professional Quidditch player!"
She had, of course, not expected Lavender to say this. It was now Parvati's turn to stare, mouth open and eyes wide, before she could speak a word. They must have presented quite an odd scene to any onlooker, but once again, she did not care.
"It is?" she finally managed weakly.
"Damn right it is!" Lavender beamed. "If only I'd known Ron's brother was a dragon-wrangler, I would have forced him to introduce us!"
"How much exactly do you love Ernie?" Parvati reminded.
"Oh, hush! I would never steal your boyfriend away. And I am happy with Ernie. But a dragon-wrangler... if I was single now..." she paused, her gaze turning dreamy.
"But you're not single!" Parvati said, waving her hand in front of her friend's face.
"Damn, Parvati," Lavender said with admiration and something that sounded quite like jealousy. "I start thinking that you're a ready spinster and then you go and catch yourself a dragon-wrangler. You haven't lost your touch at all."
"I will forget what you just said about me being a spinster," Parvati announced with fake indignation. "If you stop looking so damn dreamy about my boyfriend and remember your own."
"Idiot!" Lavender snapped, without an ounce of real anger, "I remember all about... ehh... what was his name again?"
Parvati rolled her eyes. "Moron."
"No, that wasn't it. I think it started with an 'E'."
-o-
Despite Lavender's silliness, or possibly thanks to it, Parvati felt immensely relieved after their meeting. A great burden had been lifted from her heart, she was free, and happy, and in love. Life was beautiful. Even her boss looked amiable. More or less. Possibly less. But Parvati was radiating happiness those couple of days before Friday. She was happy on Wednesday. She was exhilarated on Thursday. And she was nauseatingly cheerful on Friday, as many of her colleagues noted. Parvati couldn't care less.
She left work on Friday as soon as possible, to rush into her apartment, grab her things that she had had ready for several days, and Apparate to Lavender's door. She knocked once, cheerful, she knocked again, impatient, she went on knocking, very impatient and loud.
"Stop murdering the door," a groggy voice sounded from inside. "I'm coming."
Parvati actually jumped in surprise when she saw Lavender's face. The three days between their last meeting that she had spent floating in the clouds, it looked as if Lavender had spent floating in liquor. It was possible she had.
"Oh, it's you," Lavender said, almost disappointed, and moved away, leaving the door open.
"You are looking like crap," Parvati said in all honesty.
"Thanks," Lavender muttered from somewhere under a heap of blankets on the sofa.
"You're hungover!" Parvati exclaimed accusingly.
"That's a very nice thing to say to a friend," Lavender complained. "Maybe I'm ill, haven't you considered that?"
"Are you ill?"
"No," Lavender admitted after a small pause. "But I'm not hungover either. I'm just tired."
A part of Parvati wondered what had been keeping Lavender up and how long it had been keeping her up, but an even bigger part of her wailed over how it messed up with their plans for the evening.
"Lavender!" she cried out, "we had plans for tonight. Don't you remember?"
"Oh yeah," her friend muttered, half asleep. "Don't worry, I'll be with you in a sec, I'll..."
"Fine!" Parvati snapped, when it became obvious that Lavender was not going to say anything else. "I'll just go without you!"
But apparently Lavender was not going to miss out on her chance to meet a dragon-wrangler, because she dragged herself off the sofa and into a refreshing shower, and after half an hour, during which Parvati had gone calling at the bathroom door more than once to make sure that she hadn't drowned herself yet, Lavender reappeared, looking more or less presentable. Possibly less.
"I'm fine," she insisted. "Maybe I'll just lie down for a moment when we get there, but you better wake me up when your dragon-wrangler comes, because otherwise I might just stumble upon you occupying the house, and while perhaps I wouldn't mind that so much..."
"Remember Ernie?" Parvati remarked acidly.
"All night long," Lavender grinned, and Parvati made her 'too much information' face, although Lavender could do a lot worse and usually did, too.
-o-
Ron flew out of the fireplace and landed spread-eagled on the floor with his face in the carpet.
"Stupid Floo," he muttered.
"Oh, get up, Ron," Hermione said, grabbing his arm and helping him up. Ron smiled sheepishly and she rolled her eyes, but then kissed him on the cheek, which made his grin a lot less sheepish.
"Where is everybody?" Hermione wondered, while Ron was having quite different, and a lot more pleasant thoughts. "I thought your slamming into the floor would bring everyone here, running."
Ron shrugged, "Maybe they're out. They don't expect us back until next week, you know."
"That's true," Hermione admitted. "But they're usually home at Friday night, so... let's check the house, maybe they're outside."
"Yes," Ron nodded, "let's check the house. Let's start with my old bedroom, though."
"Oh, Ron. Is that all you think about?"
"Pretty much yes," Ron confessed without shame. "But how can I not, what with the way you are looking? And remembering all the things we did during these last two weeks?"
"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed, blushing.
"What? You were rather eager yourself last night, when you—"
"Ron! What if your mother hears you!"
"She doesn't," Ron said, but swept a surreptitious glance round the room just in case. "There's nobody here. We're all alone, Hermione. The whole house all for ourselves."
Hermione rolled her eyes again, but she had the expression that said she was in a persuadable mood. And lately Ron had realized that he was actually quite good at this kind of persuasion.
"How about this?" he suggested. "I'll check outside while you go into my room and maybe... huh... change into something more comfortable."
"But we didn't bring the luggage..."
"I'm sure you think of something," Ron said, kissing her lightly on the lips. "The incredibly bright, incredibly hot witch you are."
"Ron!" Hermione admonished, blushing again, but she didn't protest as he headed out of the door. Ron made a circle round the house, forcing himself not to run. He had, after all, to give Hermione some time to get ready. There was no person in sight, and Ron hoped that wherever his family were, they wouldn't come back any time soon. He wondered whether to leave a note on the kitchen table to tell them not to come into his room under any circumstances, but when he finally re-entered the house, this clever thought had been wiped from his head with all the rest of his thinking process, and he ran up the stairs, completely oblivious to anything but what waited him in his bedroom.
He threw open the door and was a little taken aback when he didn't see Hermione in the room. In fact, he didn't see much at all, because the curtains were drawn, and the light was rather dim. But when his eyes got adjusted to this half-darkness, he noticed a figure on his bed under the blankets and grinned. He closed the door softly, although she had probably heard his coming, and made it towards the bed, quickly undressing as he went. This of course meant that when he was jumping on one foot removing the sock from the other, in his rush he lost his balance and crashed to the floor yet again. He looked towards the bed, grinned sheepishly, grinned less sheepishly as his imagination took him under the covers, and then jumped up to follow his imagination. There was no time to remove the other sock. He could let Hermione do it for him.
He soon found the hot – and naked! - figure of his wife since his bed wasn't all that wide, and orientating by touch, he took her face in his hands and gave her a passionate kiss on the mouth. She muttered something in appreciation, and he drew a little back to hear her better.
"Oh, Ernie..."
Ron was way too shocked to cry out as he wanted, and the next moment the opportunity was robbed from him, as the door was flung open and the sound of Hermione's voice reached her, "Sorry, Ron, I didn't mean to keep you waiting, I just went into the bathroom to refresh myself a little, and then I found this book, I mean, who leaves a book in the bathroom, it gets all moist and wet there..."
Ron's brain was not functioning right. It was functioning all wrong. He had just heard something that couldn't have been true, and now his arms were holding the figure of Hermione while her voice came from a totally different direction. Something was highly amiss here and Ron did not want to lose his mind now, not when he had Hermione naked in his bed and was about to...
"Ernie?" Hermione muttered next to him.
"Hermione," he muttered back, confused and desperate. The voice of Hermione coming from the doorway had stopped, which was good, but the voice of Hermione coming from beside him was calling the name of Ernie, which was not good.
Ron pushed the blanket off them just as someone pushed away the curtains and let full light enter the room. Ron yelped as it assaulted his eyes that had got used to the dimness, and raised an arm to protect them, while Hermione hid her face into his shoulder. He blinked a few times and then chanced a look at the room now basking in the ample light of a setting sun. Damn, Hermione did look nice with that golden light behind her, it made her hair shine and gave her face a magical glow, and it made her unbelievably gorgeous, even when her mouth was hanging open and her eyes were wide like this... wait, what?
"Damn, Ernie, close the curtains," Hermione muttered into his neck. He turned his head automatically, without thinking, not that he could have thought anything in the circumstances, and definitely not when he finally saw that his precious and most beloved wife had somehow transformed into none other than Lavender Brown.
For one moment, all three held their breaths. And then all three started screaming.
Lavender was screaming and grabbing for the blanket to cover her nudeness, Ron was screaming and scrambling away from Lavender, unmindful of his semi-nudeness, Hermione was standing by the window, clad in one of Ginny's most provocative nightgowns, and staring at his husband of no more than two weeks in bed with his former girlfriend. She, too, was screaming.
Then the screaming turned into a rapid flow of words and exclamations. Ron and Lavender were shouting at each other to get away from them, and Hermione was shouting at them both to get away from each other. This went on without a break or a rational thought, at least until the door was opened with a bang, and someone else rushed into the room.
"Lavender!" Parvati shouted. She had thought to add the question of "Are you all right?" or possibly "What's wrong?" but both of these died at her lips when she saw the scene in room: Lavender kneeling on the bed and pressing the blanket against her, looking frightened, while a half naked Ron was sitting on the floor and pointing his finger at her. She didn't even notice Hermione, because what she saw was quite more than enough for her. And in less than five seconds, Parvati reacted.
"You bastard!" she shouted, ran into Ron and grabbed him by his hair, "you incredible bastard. Leave her alone, dammit! She doesn't want you any more, she's over you, you hurt her once, you dung-bag, I won't let you harm her again!"
"Parvati, he..." Lavender was just about able to say, when Hermione, too, reacted.
"You bitch!" she shouted, grabbing Parvati's arm and trying to pull her away from Ron, which made Parvati yank even harder at Ron's hair, so that the latter shouted out in pain. "Leave my husband alone!"
"I'll leave him alone if he leaves her alone!" Parvati cried, refusing to let go of Ron's hair.
"You come into our home, trying to seduce my husband, and then you dare tell me what to do!" Hermione screeched, her pitch raising with each word, until it achieved the glass-breaking range. Parvati flinched since it had been shouted quite near to her ear, and Hermione's rather sharp nails where digging into the flesh of her arm. She assessed the situation the best she could in these circumstances, and after another moment let go of Ron's hair. Hermione's grip on her loosened, but only a bit, and Parvati hissed in pain as she wriggled out of her gasp and crossed to room to where Lavender was sitting on the bed.
She took her friend gently by her shoulders, and sending a look of warning to the Weasleys, told her, "Let's go."
Lavender nodded and gathered the blanket around her, getting quickly and quietly off the bed. Parvati helped her as well as she could, and they made it past the bed, round the still one socked Ron on the floor and the murderous-looking Hermione at his side. They even made it out of the room and down the stairs, in total silence, because it seemed there was nothing to say, or that there was too much to say.
Only when they were both seated on the sofa in the living-room did Parvati manage to speak the question that had been on her lips ever since she heard the screaming,
"Are you alright?"
Lavender nodded, shook her head, stared into the void with an entirely blank expression and then – burst out laughing.
"Lavender!" Parvati cried with worry and admonishment.
Lavender was still laughing. "One moment I'm tired and lie down for a little nap, and the next there's a half naked Ron in bed with me. I mean, you can't really prepare yourself for a thing like that."
"Did he try anything?" Parvati demanded. "Did he hurt you?"
"He kissed me," Lavender admitted. "But I was asleep, and I thought he was Ernie... and he must have thought I was Hermione. He was definitely more shocked than me when it all came out. But of course, I didn't have Ernie standing beside the bed. Poor Hermione, to find her husband in bed with his former girlfriend only a fortnight after the wedding."
Parvati was in no mood to sympathise with Hermione, with her arm bearing the marks of her nails. She was more concerned about Lavender, but now that her crazy laughter had subsided, she looked her normal self, though shaken and shocked, but that was inevitable. With her concern for her friend slowly dissolving, Parvati's attention turned to the situation.
"What the hell are they doing back so soon!" she exclaimed. "They aren't expected till the next week! I mean, who in their right mind comes back from their honeymoon early?"
"Maybe kissing isn't the only thing Ron is not so good at?" Lavender offered suggestively.
Parvati frowned at her, looked round the room as if to make sure Hermione wasn't there to hear it, then sighed and fell down to the sofa.
"This did not start out fine," she said.
"Oh cheer up, it wasn't that bad," Lavender encouraged her.
"Not that bad?" she turned to stare at her, incredulous. "Hermione found you naked in bed with Ron and it's not that bad?" She stared some more, and her frown deepened. "By the way, what were you doing naked in Ron's bed?"
"I often sleep in the nude," Lavender shrugged. "I didn't think I'd have to give up my habit on the chance of Ron coming back early from his honeymoon and mistaking me for his wife. Poor Hermione."
Parvati rubbed her arm. "Maybe we should leave."
"Without meeting your dragon-wrangler? No way!" Lavender cried.
"But with Hermione and Ron back... and what just happened..."
"Maybe I should ask you if you're fine with being with Charlie if this means you have to see Ron and Hermione on a regular basis. I said I was. Although when I said that, I didn't mean exactly this," she grinned.
"Sush," Parvati said, with a look of warning. "Someone's coming."
That someone was Hermione and she stopped in the doorway, giving them a threatening glare. She didn't look quite as murderous as she had been before, but she was still dark and stormy, more so for the fact that she was holding her wand, though fortunately not pointing it at anyone yet.
"You have thirty seconds to tell me a good reason not to curse you and hand you over to the Aurors," she announced with full seriousness.
"We are not dark wizards!" Parvati exclaimed, taken aback by such a threat, though she shouldn't have been too surprised, not by what had transpired upstairs. But then they had all been in shock and now they had had time to calm down, and they had gone to school with Hermione for seven years, and now she was threatening to call the Aurors.
"We are not any kind of wizards," Lavender added. "And I didn't know Aurors dealt with family dramas."
Hermione narrowed her eyes, "This is not—"
"It's not what you think it is," Parvati quickly interrupted. "I know what it may look like, but it's not."
"Really? You didn't come here to frame my husband and write an article about it in the Prophet?"
"No!" Parvati exclaimed. "How could we have known you'd be coming back today? Or that you'd be coming here? You weren't expected till next week."
"But you do know when we were expected," Hermione said, narrowing her eyes.
"But we didn't know you'd come here today! We're not here to frame anyone in anything!"
"Then what was she -" Hermione pointed at Lavender with her wand "- doing in Ron's bed?"
"I was taking a nap, if you want to know," Lavender replied. "You see, I was with Ernie, my boyfriend, last night and I didn't get much sleep, so I decided to take a nap."
"In Ron's bed?"
"Yes. It's not like he lives here any longer."
"You expect me to believe that it was just a coincidence you were naked in Ron's bed?" Hermione asked, incredulous.
"I often sleep naked, not that it's any of your business. But yes, it just happened to be Ron's bed."
"Of all the houses of the world, and of all the beds in them, you just happened to lie down, naked, in Ron's?" Hermione said, with sarcasm now.
"Obviously not of all the houses," Lavender replied, more or less unperturbed, and looking slightly as if she enjoyed this. Parvati tried to give her a look of warning since this was not the time to mess with Hermione, especially not with an armed and furious Hermione, but Lavender was not paying her any attention, unfortunately. "But in this house, I did pick the room randomly. Alright, perhaps half-randomly, because Parvati had warned me against stepping foot into Fred and George's room."
"Don't you get sassy with me!" Hermione snapped, because this made sense, at least the part about Fred and George's room. "Your thirty seconds is almost over and I haven't heard a sound explanation yet."
"Look, Hermione, this is all a big misunderstanding," Parvati said, trying and failing to keep her cool. For some reason, she couldn't quite imagine them sitting together and laughing about this in the future, and that was a bad sign. The worse sign was that she didn't know if they had any hope of Hermione believing one word they had to say in their defence.
"Is that all you have to say for yourselves?" Hermione demanded.
"No, we have a lot to say for ourselves," Lavender replied and glanced at Parvati, but since her friend said nothing, she started the story herself. "I don't even work for the Prophet, you know. Parvati does, but that's not why she's here today. And we didn't brake in here. Parvati has the keys. Show her your keys, Parvati."
Parvati shook herself from whatever reverie she had sunk into and turned towards Lavender, who patiently repeated the suggestion.
"Oh," Parvati said, searching her pockets in vain. "I don't know where I left them."
"Doesn't matter," Lavender quickly spoke. "She has them. Somewhere. You can check the door for residue magic if you don't believe me."
By her expression, Hermione didn't believe her, but she didn't leave the room either.
"Forget about the door for a moment. You haven't yet said what it is you have come here to do."
"Isn't that obvious?" Lavender asked, "we didn't know you would be back today, so we couldn't have come here to see you. So obviously we came here to see someone else."
"The Weasleys? What business do you have with them?"
"Not so much business as a personal issue," Lavender said, suddenly grinning. "Come on, Parvati. If you don't drop the bombshell, then I will."
"What are you talking about?" Hermione demanded, looking from one to the other.
"Come on, Parvati," Lavender poked her friend. "Tell Hermione what we came here to do and who we came here to meet."
"I... we..." Parvati muttered, falling silent. She wasn't feeling very well. True, she had to admit, that Lavender had received a bigger shock tonight and had more reason to be disturbed, yet wasn't. But this was not quite how she had expected the day to turn out, or anything like she had imagined her first confrontation with Hermione and Ron. She glanced at the clock on the mantelpiece, Charlie's hand still pointing to "at work". Which meant he would not be arriving any second now to save the day. Which meant Parvati had to fend for herself. Usually she wouldn't have minded, but tonight she rather did. Therefore it was a good thing that Lavender was there to fend for her.
"Molly and Arthur have gone to visit Ginny and Harry, so we're not here to see them," she said.
"Enough with the hints," Hermione snapped, losing her patience. "What are you doing here?"
"We came here to see Charlie," Parvati suddenly confessed.
"Charlie?" Hermione asked, surprised, automatically glancing at the clock which still pointed to "at work".
"Yes," Lavender nodded. "Tell her, Parvati, why are we here to meet Charlie."
"We..." Parvati began, but didn't get any further, because steps were heard at that point of someone coming down the stairs. It wasn't hard to guess who the steps belonged to, and a moment later Ron's face appeared in the doorway next to his wife's.
"Have they confessed yet?" he asked darkly.
Hermione shook her head. "They say they're here to meet with Charlie."
"Charlie?" Ron repeated, puzzled. "But Charlie's in Romania." He, too, glanced at the clock to find confirmation to his words and that he did.
"Even so," Hermione continued. "What possible business could the two of you have with Charlie? You don't even know him!"
"Oh, I beg to differ," Lavender grinned. "And it's not so much as business as a—"
"Personal issue, yes," Hermione finished the sentence.
"What personal issue?" Ron inquired, and then thought to add, "If they are not confessing, I just learned a new interrogation tactic at the Auror school and I've been wanting to try it out."
"We are not dark wizards so you better keep your torment techniques to yourself," Lavender said, "besides, we are confessing. Parvati, confess already."
"We're here to see Charlie because I'm... because I... because I am... I am... doing an interview with him!" Parvati exclaimed, very much aware of the three surprised faces looking at her, Lavender the most shocked of them.
"An interview?"
"Yes, because he's a dragon-wrangler and dragon-wrangling is currently one of the most hottest... trendiest jobs there is," Parvati rambled on. "According to one of our latest polls, 68 per cent of witches prefer having a romantic dinner with a dragon-wrangler than with a professional Quidditch star."
Why did I say that? Why? Parvati silently berated herself, but the words were out. Because of all the many reactions Ron and Hermione might have to her news of dating Charlie, she couldn't imagine believing her as one of them. But even so, what could she possibly gain by telling such lies? By the look on Hermione's face, she didn't believe this either.
"Well, Charlie could do with the attention," Ron was saying. "Maybe then he'll finally get himself a girlfriend."
"You're here to do an interview with Charlie," Hermione repeated, ignoring her husband. "Are you really expecting us to believe that?"
Now, Parvati thought. Now.
"No," she said, and then quickly continued before she could change her mind. "No, don't believe that. That's a lie."
"Ah. Are we starting to get somewhere?" Hermione said, pleased, "Go on."
"So dragon-wrangling is not the trendiest job?" Ron inquired, perplexed. "Because Charlie does need a girlfriend. It's not a healthy life, being with dragons all the time."
"Ron..." Hermione began.
"Charlie doesn't need a girlfriend," Lavender remarked. "Charlie already has a girlfriend."
"Who? You?" Ron mocked.
"No. I have Ernie, remember?"
"Then—"
"Me," Parvati said, convinced that things could only go worse, and in her anger daring them to do so. "I am Charlie's girlfriend."
Both Ron and Hermione stared at her for one glorious moment, struck speechless. But then the moment sadly ended and they recovered.
"Nice try," Hermione sneered, while Ron burst into laughter, "You? Charlie's girlfriend?"
"We met at your wedding," Parvati explained, trying to ignore the sneers and laughter, and repress a growing wish to launch at them and pull both of their hair. "I wasn't invited but I came with Terry, and there I met your brother, and we've been dating ever since. It's only been two weeks, I know, but sometimes people just... click."
Ron was still laughing and not paying her words any attention, but Hermione was giving her a careful look, a thoughtful expression on her face. She didn't say anything until Ron had finally stopped laughing, and then she spoke softly,
"Is it true?"
"Y-yes," Parvati replied, shocked at the question. Did she actually believe her? Could she?
"So it's true," Hermione repeated. "You are messing with Charlie to get inside information about our lives?"
"What?" Parvati and Ron exclaimed together.
"Messing with my brother!"
"I am not messing with him! For bloody hell, I'm not married to the Prophet. My work is not all my life. I'm not with Charlie because I want some bloody gossip."
"No?" Hermione asked nastily. "Because there were times when gossip seemed to be the whole of your life."
"There were never such times," Lavender cried out, jumping up from the sofa. "Parvati has always been the most loyal, most passionate person and friend, and if you never saw that, well, that's your fault!"
"Lavender, don't..." Parvati tried.
"Then stop insulting my friend," Lavender demanded, advancing on her.
"I'm just stating the facts," Hermione narrowed her eyes. "Another fact is that you broke into the house..."
"We didn't break into! Parvati has the keys!"
"The keys she so conveniently misplaced, you mean."
"Well, she didn't expect you to be here, accusing her of all these horrible things, she's such a sweet, kind girl, if you'd only know."
"Oh yes, I'm sure she is," Hermione snapped. "Very hard-working, too."
She shook her head, "Just when I think the Prophet can't stoop any lower it does exactly that. I'm going to have to talk to someone about this."
"No!" Lavender exclaimed, pushing Parvati away and standing face to face with Hermione. "I'm not letting you get Parvati fired because of your insecurities."
"My insecurities?" Hermione repeated, surprised and sarcastic.
"Yes. You stubbornly believe that we came here to seduce Ron and write about in the Prophet. Or you believe that Parvati is messing with Charlie as a way to get close to your family and trash it. You continue blaming us, blind to reason, in doing all those things, because you secretly fear them. You fear that someday someone really comes and seduces your husband, and because of that you are waving your wand at us."
"Excuse me?" Hermione screeched, "that is the most ridiculous thing—"
"No, the most ridiculous thing is that you continue blaming Parvati for being a cold heartless bitch, and refusing to see, refusing to even consider, anything else. The moment you saw us, you decided we were up to something bad, and now you go on stubbornly believing it, without even doubting, without even thinking for a moment that truth might be something else, that maybe, maybe we are telling the truth. No. You have simply decided not to believe a thing we say, and that proves you are an arrogant, narrow-minded fool, and as such, you have every reason to fear that one day those around you are going to realize it as well, and get as far from you as possible."
Parvati held her breath. For one more glorious moment Hermione and Ron were too shocked to react, but just as the last one, this moment too ended soon.
-o-
Charlie Weasley was annoyed and still somewhat agitated. He had not been having a good evening. They had been brought a new Welsh Green, whose nest of unhatched babies had fallen prey to some dragon-egg poachers, and whose sole purpose now seemed to roast everything that moved. It had been a difficult and hazardous task bringing her down, and just when they had her cornered and where about to Stupefy her, some idiotic brainless newbie just had to 'play the hero', running out and hitting her with a sleeping spell.
He had survived, barely, and was now under the careful eye of the healers at their local hospital. From what they'd heard, he was facing a long and painful recovery. As if that in itself wasn't bad enough, there had been an immediate investigation into the accident, to determine whether it was not the fault of insufficient safety measures, so that Charlie and others present were required for a long and tiring interrogation. For a time he was afraid they might be forbidden to leave the country, but fortunately things did not go this far.
In any case, it had been a bad and miserable day, and Charlie felt an even stronger need and wish to escape the loneliness of his lodgings in Romania to spend a nice and quiet evening with his girlfriend. He was always zealous to see her, but today he yearned for her company and comfort even more. Nothing could be done to change what had happened, but at least Parvati could make him feel a little better. She could stop him thinking about the accident, if only for a little while, and maybe if he lied down for the night with his arms around her, the bad dreams would be less likely to come or at least easier to bear with.
On the way to his apartment, Charlie reflected on the weekend to come. His parents were out of the house, so it would be just him and Parvati. They could stay at the Burrow or go to her place if she preferred that, he didn't care either way. As long as he could be at her side. Charlie had once had the good fortune to hear Ron's description of Hermione, which ran along the lines of "She's so... she's just so... and so... and when she does that, she's like... and then when she looks at me like that... and when she... and then... and I...". Charlie was still a bit more eloquent than Ron, but he was also beginning to understand his brother better. Sometimes words just failed to convey thoughts and feelings.
He could say that the sight of her lit up his day, but that was just a corny expression that did good to no one. Her smile took away his breath, and sometimes he simply couldn't stop looking at her. Bill had long teased him with remaining a bachelor for the rest of his life; soon he'd find something even better to tease him about. Charlie knew he thought like an enamoured fool. He hadn't yet spoken out as one, from his fear of scaring her away. Women were like dragons, a colleague had told him. You had to be slow and gentle with them, because if you spooked them in any way they would scorch you alive. He didn't think it was the most brilliant piece of advise he'd ever heard, but just in case there was some truth in it, he tried to take things slow and gentle.
In fact, he was rather surprised that he had to hold himself back on this. He had been alone for a long time, and he would have figured that if anyone needed time to enter into a serious relationship, it would be him. That it would be his wish to get to know her better, to adjust to these new circumstances, before rushing into anything head-first, blindly. That it would be him who needed things to go slowly and gently, that he was the easily spooked dragon.
But actually it had taken no more than three days for Charlie to reach the surprising yet unmoveable conviction that this was it. That whatever sacrifices would be needed from him to make it work, he would give them with pleasure. That this made up, made sense of all those years he had been alone. That this was more than just good. That this was worth fighting for. That this was worth going all the way. That this was worth the risk. And somehow, some way, in the end, everything would turn out just fabulous. Charlie had never suspected that he was this optimistic, or that he was a sappy romantic. Well, he could live with these revelations.
However, as confident he was about his happy future, he couldn't quite shake off all his fears and suspicions. He was somewhat afraid of doing something wrong, but here too he was optimistic enough to believe in his skills of making it better. What he feared most was that unlike him, she was not an enamoured fool. That even if he did everything right, and slow, and gentle, still she wouldn't come to the same feelings and convictions that he'd already reached. He tried not to discriminate, but she was younger than him. She didn't have to take things seriously. After all, hadn't she told him herself that her relationship with Terry Boot was just for fun, and that she was not looking for anything serious.
He knew, of course, what she would think of such reasoning. She would tell him that the eight years of their age difference was nothing in respect to the life span of wizards. That good men had married at the age of hundred, and that he himself was young enough not to be looking for anything serious yet.
It had nothing to do with age, then. But he never looked for anything fickle. He'd been raised to take such things with all seriousness. She apparently hadn't, as she'd confessed him that much. Of course, maybe it was a different situation with Terry Boot. Maybe she'd only said it to warn him, since she had used him for crashing the wedding. Maybe she usually took things with all seriousness as well. After all, she had been very serious about avenging her best friend. And she was truly dedicated to that friendship, she was truly loyal to her friend.
She was passionate, loyal, and true. She couldn't just be toying with him. But even if she wasn't, on purpose, perhaps she still didn't feel so strongly about him as he felt about her, and worse yet, maybe she never would, no matter how long and hard he fought for her. That was what frightened him the most, whenever he allowed himself to dwell on the topic.
On this particular evening, Charlie did not allow himself to dwell upon it. Enough bad things had happened during the day for him to bring his mood down even more. Instead he concentrated on the good stuff. In only a few minutes' time he would be at the Burrow, and there he would spend a nice quiet evening with Parvati, followed by two more days in her company. If they never left the house, or his bedroom, during that time, Charlie would be a happy man. He would be a happy man even if they did leave, but he preferred staying in, being with her and only her.
He arrived at his apartment, and went straight to the fireplace. There, yet another misfortune hit him, when he reached for the Floo powder and realized there was none of it left. He let out a string of curses, despaired at the fates apparently set against him, and was about to Apparate to the nearest shop, when he suddenly remembered that he had bought Floo powder, and simply forgot to fill the bowl on the mantelpiece with it. Now he cursed his own forgetfulness and rushed into the other room for it. He still didn't pour it into its bowl, but merely grabbed a handful and without further ado stepped into the flames.
Travelling by Floo had stopped confusing Charlie a long time ago. Ron, he knew, still had the habit of landing face down on the floor, but when it came to the spinning, tossing, and rough landing, the Floo came nowhere close to handling a dragon. Therefore it was a surprise that when Charlie did arrive at the Burrow, he was actually rather confused. But he soon realized that it had nothing to do with the way he had come here, and everything to do with what was happening before his eyes and ears.
He cringed at the level of the noise; apparently his dream of a nice quiet evening was going to stay a dream. Then he looked at who was causing all the noise. And then, for a few moments, he stared.
There was Parvati, the object of all his affection, her hands fisted in the hair of – it was impossible to mistake that hair – Hermione, who was grabbing at her arms and trying to pull them off her. A few steps away there was Ron, very red in the face, screaming at a blonde girl dressed in a bed sheet. He was able to recognize her as Lavender, having seen a photo of her at Parvati's.
Coming face to face with such a scene, it was understandable that for a little while all that he could do was stare. He might have done it for a while longer, had he not be roused by a cry of pain. Hermione had once again sunk her nails into Parvati's arm, but it would have yielded no success, since Parvati was too angry to let go of her hair, had it not prompted Charlie to make his presence known.
"Stop," he said, and then, when his word simply disappeared into all the noise, shouted the command at almost the top of his voice.
Ron and Lavender ceased their argument at once, and although neither Parvati nor Hermione let go of each other yet, at least each loosened their hold enough not to hurt the other any longer.
With the noise ended and things somewhat calmed, Charlie took a deep breath and tried to assess the situation quickly. Judging by the people present, it wasn't too hard to realize what must have happened. Hermione and Ron hadn't been expected back till the next week, so they must have come early and dropped in to surprise the family. They must have surprised Parvati and had been even more surprised themselves at finding her there. He couldn't quite explain Lavender, other than Parvati must have brought her, and he definitely couldn't – and didn't want to – explain Lavender's current attire of a bed sheet.
But even though he knew that it would be a bad idea to throw Ron and Hermione together with Parvati and Lavender, without giving the formers a thorough explanation, and perhaps even then, he hadn't expected things to go this bad. He glanced at Parvati and Hermione, frozen in the pose he had first seen them, in a physical fight with each other. Ron and Lavender had been just arguing, but they had been arguing in very loud voices, and even though Ron wouldn't have started a fight with a girl, it was possible that very soon Lavender would have done it herself.
He had expected this to be bad. He hadn't expected it to be this bad.
"Charlie!" Ron suddenly exclaimed, ending his moment of silent assessment, and prompting him to some more action.
"What is going on here?" he asked, aware that the girl Lavender was examining him from head to toe and trying to ignore it.
"Charlie," Hermione now seconded, and glanced to the clock which now indeed pointed "at home" as if she doubted the vision before her eyes. "What are you doing here?"
"What are you doing?"
"Ron has to continue his Auror training on Monday," Hermione explained, "so we thought we'd come back now and spend the weekend at our own home. We just dropped in to tell you that we're back. But no one's home."
"They're visiting Ginny and Harry," Charlie replied absently, then looked demonstratively round the room. "No, I mean, what are you doing? What is happening?"
"Oh," Hermione said, and looked around as well. She had detected a note of disapproval in Charlie's voice, and though she understood it, she was also aware that Charlie didn't know all the facts.
"Good thing we got back now," Ron continued. "Because we caught these two lurking in the house, Merlin knows how they got in."
"How many times do I have to tell you?" Lavender through up her arms, then quickly lowered them to hold her sheet in place. "Parvati has got the keys."
"The keys she accidentally misplaced, yes," Ron laughed. "Can you believe the things they are saying? By the way, that is not the worst of them. Prepare yourself, Charlie. One of these intruders actually claims that she's your girlfriend. Can you believe that? Haha."
"Parvati is my girlfriend."
"That's what I'm saying. It's totally ridiculous and... wait, what?"
"Hah!" Lavender snapped at him. "Told you."
"Parvati is my girlfriend," Charlie repeated. "I'd very much appreciate it, Hermione, if you'd unhand her now."
"She pulled my hair," Hermione justified herself, but nevertheless let go of Parvati, who now released her hair, too, and stepped away from her. She didn't go to Charlie, though, but remained standing where she was, with the defiant expression of a child who knows she's done wrong but is not going to admit it.
Lavender noticed this, too, and frowned. But when she glanced back at Charlie she saw that his reproachful look was aimed at Hermione and Ron, not at Parvati. This much discerned, she thought to express her own opinion. This moment was as good as any other.
"You were right, Parvati," she gave her friend a meaningful look. "He is hot. You have my blessing to date him, even if every of our get-togethers ends like this. Although, next time, Ron," she turned her glance towards him, "keep your hands to yourself, okay?"
"That was not my fault!" Ron burst out, growing redder in the face again. "I come to my home, go to my room, decide to have a bit of a nap in my bed, and the next thing I know there's my ex-girlfriend, naked, in my bed! How can I possibly prepare for such a thing?"
"How can you?" Lavender snapped back. "I come here with my best friend to meet her new boyfriend, go to lie down for a moment, and the next thing I know there's my ex-boyfriend cuddling and kissing me. How can I prepare for such a thing?"
Ron opened his mouth to reply.
"Next time," Lavender continued, "please make sure it is your wife before you start kissing and cuddling people. Although, I would have thought you'd know your wife's body enough not to confuse it with mine. After all, I am rather more curvy."
Hermione drew in a sharp breath, but didn't rise to the bait. Neither did Ron, who just opened and closed his mouth a few times, as if unsure what to say or unable to pick one from the many things he wanted to say. Lavender winked, happy with such reaction, and sat down on the sofa to enjoy the rest of the show. Parvati remained silent, not really looking at anyone, but now and then throwing a glance at Hermione.
It was indeed Hermione who spoke next.
"Charlie, I... I don't want you to take it the wrong way, but are you sure she's with you because she truly likes you? You've only known her for a couple of weeks, but I went to school with her seven years, so I know her a little better. I'm not saying she's a bad person," she hurried to explain, as Charlie's expression turned dark, "but she's the kind of person who will do everything to get what she wants."
Hermione fidgeted a little under his glare, but bore it.
"Oh, for Merlin's sake, Hermione, say what you mean," Parvati now spoke. "Say that you think that the only reason why I'm with Charlie is to get close to this family so that I could get the best inside information and publish it in the Prophet."
"Like the lot of you are the only people worth writing about," she added sourly.
Hermione had stared at her while she was speaking, now she turned back to Charlie.
"I know her longer and better," she implored. "She is the kind of person who'd do anything to get what she wants. She would just use you to get her own end."
Well, Parvati thought. I pretty much did it with Terry. And he knows I did it with Terry.
"Come on, dragon-boy," Lavender said, "defend her, or I'll do it myself."
There was a moment of heavy silence, and then...
"I'm not," Parvati said softly, facing Hermione. "I'm not using him. I didn't expect this to happen, but it did. I came to your wedding, and I met him, and I... it has nothing to do with any of you. Can't you believe that I like Charlie for who he is, and not who his relatives are?"
"About that," Hermione remarked. "What were you doing at our wedding in the first place? I don't remember inviting you."
"I came with Terry," Parvati admitted reluctantly. Reluctantly, because now Charlie was reminded of the way she had used Terry.
"With the purpose of writing an article for the Prophet, I gather."
"No, I..." Parvati hesitated. She couldn't say the real reason of her coming to the wedding. "I was curious. And maybe I did want to write about it. But I didn't. You can check the Prophets. And there I met Charlie and..."
"Let me guess, it was love at first sight," Hermione offered sarcastically.
"Maybe not at the very first sight," Parvati replied, and then started at her own words. It had sounded almost as if... but surely no one would take it as that. Surely.
"What?" Hermione continued just as sarcastically. "You've know him for two weeks and already you love him?"
The way she had spoken the word 'love' made Parvati want to pull her hair, and pull it hard. Worst of all, Hermione was right. It had only been two weeks. She couldn't. She wasn't supposed to. She definitely couldn't admit to it.
"Just because it took the two of you seven years to figure out you have the hots for each other," Lavender said, "doesn't mean that everyone else is so slow."
"Is that what you're claiming?" Hermione demanded, ignoring Lavender. "That after only two weeks of knowing Charlie, you already love him?"
Parvati was silent.
"So you don't love him?" Hermione prompted.
"I might," Parvati replied carefully. "In any case, you're not the first person I would tell about it. No offence."
"Not the second either," Lavender added. "No offence."
Hermione shook her head, "This is ridiculous. You can't truly believe it, Charlie? Charlie?"
But Charlie was not looking at her any longer. His gaze was now focused on Parvati, who stubbornly refused to answer it. She was currently staring at her arms. She could still see the scratches on them from Hermione's sharp nails.
"Charlie?" Hermione asked again.
Reluctantly, Charlie turned to look at her.
"Alright," he said. "In the kitchen. Now. Both of you."
Hermione stared at him in confusion.
"Kitchen," Charlie repeated, pointing at the door. Hermione hesitated a moment, then stepped forward, taking Ron's hand on the way. They had almost left the room, when Ron suddenly looked at his brother, and announced,
"Hey! You're not in love with her, are you?"
Charlie started, and the look on his face was nothing less than guilty.
"You know, we'd much rather you'd continue your conversation here," Lavender remarked. "Save us the trouble of having to go all the way to the door to listen."
Charlie looked at her, then at Parvati who was still avoiding his gaze, and then relented.
"Fine. We could do it here, as well. Hermione, Ron, I understand it was a surprise for you coming here and finding Parvati, although I had expected you to behave a little better," he said, looking pointedly at Hermione, "but in the future, I would appreciate it if you treated my girlfriend with a little more respect and welcome. I'm sure it isn't too much to ask. You are family now."
"I am, but she isn't," Hermione huffed.
Charlie glanced longingly toward the kitchen. In the kitchen he could have said things he couldn't say here. But if Lavender had been planning to listen at the door, then perhaps it was a good thing he hadn't gone to the kitchen.
"Nevertheless," he said, "out of the respect for me you should also respect my judgement. If you don't trust her yet, trust me. I know you went to school with her for seven years, but I also know you were not friends with her there. Besides, it has been several years since you left school. You don't know her now, do you?"
"Oh, Charlie, people don't change..."
"So Ron still has the emotional range of a teaspoon?"
"I'm hoping it's more like a dessert spoon now," Ron smiled, nudging Hermione.
"Even so..." she hesitated. "Charlie, she works for the Prophet."
"She's not Rita Skeeter."
"Yes, but..."
"Is this it?" Parvati demanded. "Is this all about my job? Would you stop suspecting me if I didn't write for the Prophet? Could you then be just a little nice to me?"
"But you do work for the Prophet," Hermione insisted stubbornly.
"Then I'll quit," Parvati announced.
"What?" Lavender cried. "You can't quit your job! Not for these morons! You love your job!"
"Yes, but I love..." she stopped. Once again, she had said too much. And judging by the surprised silence in the room – she still didn't dare to look at Charlie – they had heard enough to realize her meaning.
She glanced around in search of an escape, then focused her sight on Lavender. Lavender was grinning. Bad Lavender!
"Lavender," she hissed, "kitchen."
"What?" Lavender asked in confusion.
"Get into the kitchen. Now," she said, and started towards it, grabbing Lavender's arm on the way and dragging her along.
"But they can just listen at the door, like we planned!"
Parvati stopped. "You're right. Let's go outside."
"Wait!" Lavender cried, as Parvati was dragging her into a whole new direction. "I'm wearing a sheet."
"It's not windy."
"Not windy!"
-o-
Once alone in the house, Ron glanced at Charlie, and then at his wife.
"Wow," he said then. "So she's fallen for you, too, ah? Way to go, brother. It was high time you got yourself a girlfriend."
"Ron!" Hermione admonished.
Ron looked at her and smiled. "Well, we'd better be off, too. Let us know when Mum and Dad are back and we'll come over then. And Charlie? She's hot."
Ron winked, and only then remembered himself.
"I mean, nothing like you, of course," he quickly told Hermione. "She's nothing compared to you. You're so... and so... woah!"
"I'm so woah?" Hermione asked.
"Yeah," Ron replied, grinning. "Come on, let's go home."
Hermione looked at Charlie again, "I do hope you know what you are doing..."
"He's a big boy. He can look out for himself. Let's go."
Ron was standing at the fireplace. With another meaningful look, she went to his side. Charlie watched them Floo away, then walked to the window to glance outside.
Parvati and Lavender were standing at the pond in the garden, gazing into it. Well, Parvati was gazing, while Lavender was telling her something, getting nothing in reply. Then he saw them hug and the next moment Lavender was coming back toward the house. Now Parvati raised her head and called something after her. Lavender stopped, listened, and then continued walking.
Charlie remained at the window, his back to the room, when Lavender entered.
"Where are Ron and Hermione?" she asked.
"They went home," Charlie replied without turning.
"Good," Lavender replied, paused, and went on lightly. "Poor Hermione. She comes back from her honeymoon and finds her husband in bed with his ex-girlfriend. I can understand her willingness to believe the worst of me. I'm sure she will calm down soon enough. At our next meeting we'll be all laughing about this."
He didn't reply.
"Well, I'll be going now, too," she said. "It was nice meeting you, Charlie Weasley. I'll look forward to meeting you again."
He heard her run up the steps. He waited at the window. Parvati hadn't moved since the moment Lavender left her. She just stood there, her arms crossed, and stared into the pond. A few minutes later Lavender came back downstairs, now fully clothed. She stopped at the sight of Charlie and stood gazing at his back for a moment.
"Go," she said. "Go and tell her that you do, too."
Charlie didn't move, so Lavender repeated it in a more commanding voice, "Go!"
She watched him disappear through the door into the garden, she saw him approaching the pond through the window.
"It's none of my business," she said, turning toward the fireplace.
"To hell with that," she added and rushed to the window.
-o-
"It's about time," Parvati grumbled, without looking up. "What took you so long?"
"I'm sorry, I—"
She wheeled towards him at his first word,
"Where's Lavender?"
"She went home."
"But she promised—" she fell quiet, and turned her eyes away. "Fine."
"Hermione and Ron went away, as well."
"Good. I don't like them at the moment."
"You have every right not to like them at the moment," Charlie said.
"Do I?" Parvati wondered. "I saw the look you gave Hermione for not behaving well."
"She didn't behave well."
"Actually," she said, paused, and then turned her gaze at him with such sudden force that he almost felt the impact. "I started that fight. I attacked her first. She was just trying to get me off her hair."
"Okay."
"Okay?"
"Okay," Charlie repeated and moved to hold her. He felt her startle, then relax. He wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin against her hair.
"Are you all right?" he asked.
"Am I all right?"
"Are you?"
"But... I thought," she muttered.
"You thought what?"
"They are your family! And they hate me!"
He tightened his hold on her. "They don't hate you. They were just shocked. I'm sure they'll calm down. Ron already congratulated me on finally getting a girlfriend. He even said you're hot."
"He did? I bet Hermione didn't like it. Another reason for her to hate me."
"She doesn't hate you," Charlie patiently repeated.
"Well, what if she does?" Parvati demanded.
"Then it's her problem," he shrugged.
"But she's family," Parvati argued.
"Yes," Charlie said. He stopped a moment and considered Lavender's words. She knew Parvati better than the person who had said that women were like dragons. Add that to what Parvati had herself said, or almost said, even twice, and maybe, maybe, maybe it was worth the risk.
"Yes, she is family," Charlie continued, crossing his fingers and hoping for the best. "She is my sister and I do love her dearly. But I—"
Parvati was silent. She didn't even breathe.
Charlie hesitated. He had so much to lose, if he messed everything up now.
"Are you going to be spooked away?" he asked, just in case.
"Are you?"
"No, I'm not."
"Good," she said, raising her arm to slither her fingers into his hair. She waited a moment, and then pulled, gently.
Charlie raised his head and looked her in the eyes.
"Haven't you pulled enough hair for today?" he asked playfully.
"What?" she said. "You've known me for two weeks and already you... are afraid to spook me away."
"Yes, I do," he said, now serious.
"And you don't think I'm here to get information about your famous relatives?"
He kissed her instead of replying.
"Are you sure?" she asked.
He kissed her again.
"A colleague told me that women are dragons," he then told her. "That you have to be slow and gentle with them, or else they spook and scorch you alive."
"Did he?" Parvati chuckled. "Well? Am I a dragon?"
"No, you're better."
"Better than dragons? How's that possible?"
"I do love dragons," he said. "But I—"
"But you are more afraid to spook me," she guessed.
"But I love you more."
End note: Awww! That is just so sweet! :)
So, I'm thinking about (at least) one more sequel to this. But that's going to be somewhat longer and a little more dramatic (but still sweet and happy!), so it's probably going to be a multi-chapter story.
Yay. The more I write about these two, the more I start to like them.