As Charlie stepped into the cool interior of Weasley's Sweeties, cries of excitement filled the already energetic store front. "Charlie!" He was barely able to brace himself before his personal space was filled by his only sister. Ginny laughed happily as she squeezed her arms around his shoulders, "We didn't expect you until Christmas!"
He spun her around for a moment, sending her skirts aflutter before setting her down on steady feet. "One of the other keepers on the reserve canceled their holiday plans suddenly, so I was able to get more time off." He explained with a grin even wider than Ginny's, "I'll be around to annoy everyone for the entire month."
"Mum will be so excited! You and the twins are the only ones who were able to come back for an extended stay." She said with a small cheer and grabbed his hand, proceeding to drag him through the aisles and into the kitchen. A strong scent of peppermint filled his nose causing it to scrunch.
Molly was standing behind a cauldron, taking spoonfuls of the seemingly smooth liquid inside and pouring them into a sheet of snowflake shaped molds. Without looking up she called out with a fond smile, "Charlie! Come, come!" She waved with one hand and he walked over to hug her from the side.
"Hey Mum! What are you into this winter?" Charlie questioned as he looked curiously at a neat stack of finished snowflakes. They were a creamy mixture of white and silver. He lifted one from the tray and when it did nothing, he broke of a piece and popped it into his mouth. A chill rushed over him, causing him to shiver, as a flurry of snowflakes surrounded him.
"Isn't it brilliant?!" Ginny said with a proud glance to their mother, "They give you your own personal snow storm!" He huffed and his breath coming out in a chilled fog, bringing an impressed expression over his features.
Tinkling filled the air and Charlie glanced over his shoulder towards the kitchen entrance, watching as Ginny disappeared into the front of the store. Just moments later she came back through the swinging door and called to her mother, "Mum, I think you'll want to meet with this customer before I ring them up."
A confused look crossed Molly's face and Charlie followed her out into the store. "Hello, Mr. Malfoy! How can I help you?" At his mother's greeting to the customer Charlie glanced towards the register, expecting to find the Malfoy Patriarch, only to find a young blonde haired man with flashing sapphire eyes.
His expression was broody, but he gave Molly a respectful nod, "I would just like to check out please." Immediately, Molly gave a wide smile and rung up the young man's items. Charlie noticed that Ginny's mouth pinched into a frown, though she didn't say a word.
"Thank you for your business Mr. Malfoy. Give your parents my greetings." The young man gave a rueful smirk before nodding and sweeping out of the store. As soon as he was out of earshot, Ginny began complaining to their mother.
"You know that he probably takes those candies and gives them to his mother to copy Mum! Why do you accept his business?!" Ginny gave Molly an affronted look and the woman returned the expression with a frown of her own.
"Ginevra Weasley, that young man has been in this shop twice a week for the last ten years and I will not turn him away." Molly went back into the kitchen and Charlie looked to his sister, who rolled her eyes so hard that he was sure they would roll out of her head.
Before going to help his mother, Charlie glanced out of the windows at the blonde who was making his way down the street. It was only when he had left his line of sight that Charlie went back into the kitchen.
oOo
When Draco walked into the back of his mother's store as he felt the familiar rushing water feeling as he stepped through the wards. Narcissa sat scribbling quick-hand notes into a small notebook at her desk. There were several candy concoctions sitting around boiling and bubbling. He sat on a stool across from her and reached into the bag that held his purchased sweets.
"Is it Tuesday again?" Narcissa questioned with an amused smile flitting on her lips. A single eyebrow rose, a trait that he inherited, and he showed a lack of decency; snorting in response. "So, how did the Weasley woman appear?"
He paused in his devouring the Snapper Pastie that he held, "Because appearances are everything." It was his mother's turn to snort. Draco smirked, "She was in a good mood."
Narcissa ran a hand through her hair in frustration, even though her face looked nothing less than collected, "She must have finished her new Winter treat." Though her tone was hushed, Draco heard her clearly and sighed. As he finished off the last of the candy, he stood and left his mother to her devices.
It was the same every year, on every day of every year. From the moment that his father gifted his mother with the sweets shop upon his birth, Draco had been nearly raised in the world of sweets and business. He was well aware of the rivalry between his mother and the Weasley matriarch; between Cissa's Confectioneries and Weasley Sweeties.
oOo
Draco held back a sigh of contentment as he made his way down the aisles of Weasley Sweeties. It was Friday, the day that he truly allowed himself to indulge his sweet tooth with no ulterior motives. Tuesdays were devoted to delivering his observations to his mother, but Fridays were allowed to his happiness alone.
It was nice to be able to walk the aisles freely, to be allowed to be a customer when the family had every right to deny his business. As he turned a display counter, he watched as a man that he didn't recognize walked out of what he assumed to be the kitchen with a tray full of snowflake shaped candies.
They gleamed in the sunlight that spilled through the windows and Draco lifted an eyebrow in interest. The man walked straight over to the display at which Draco stood and with a smile began levitating the candy onto the turnabout, "They're great, they'll send chills up your spine they will."
Sapphire eyes gleamed brightly at him and Draco found himself distracted by the man. He was quite handsome in his own rugged way; with dark ginger hair and freckles to spare. It was only when one of the beautiful snowflakes was held up for him to take that he snapped out of his daze. "What's this?" He asked as his eyes narrowed in on the piece of candy.
A deep chuckle answered him and his shoulders tensed. "This one's on the house," The man said with a smirk waiting patiently for Draco to take it. When he was sure that he wasn't being fooled, he took the hard candy carefully. "You'll have to let me know how you like it!"
There was a strange twisting in his gut at the mention of speaking with the man again and Draco nodded, "I may." His retort brought a strange grin to the man's face that filled Draco's stomach with butterflies.
"Names' Charlie," The hand held out to him was rough with callouses and completely engulfed his own when he took it. Draco felt as if the man's hand held his for moments too long, though he really didn't feel all too rushed to let go.
"Draco," Draco barely contained a nervous chuckle as Charlie's face lit up with that same grin.
The laugh that accompanied Charlie's answering words brought a scowl to his face, "It was nice to meet you Dragon."
oOo
"Dragon!" Draco hissed as he paced around his mother's warded work-space, "How dare he call me something so casual! We just bloody met!" Narcissa watched as her son worked himself into a nervous wreck.
It was several days after the incident as Draco had taken to calling it. When he had come back to the shop on Friday, he had been furious to find out that Charlie was the second oldest son of the Weasley matriarch. Narcissa was highly amused by the situation.
"Now Draco, your father was the same with me when I was being courted. He completely shattered my expectations and picked on every one of my annoyances." Her son sent her a slightly betrayed glance at her words of comfort.
"Courting?!" Draco cried with a huff, "As if I'd ever allow it. He is the son of your rival! I would never!" At this his mother sighed with a shake of her head.
Narcissa finished scribbling down the last of her thoughts on a new type of candy as she looked up at Draco with a frown, "Draco, I have raised you better than that. No matter what your father claims, the Weasley's are a good sort." She easily avoided the rivalry subject. It mattered not.
Placing his face in his hands, Draco sighed heavily, "What am I supposed to do? When he realizes who I am he'll want nothing to do with me."
A hand on his shoulder had him looking up into his mother's eyes, "You are going to go into the back alley, try that candy, and go to tell him what you thought." Draco glared at her, but he knew that she was right.
oOo
Early in the afternoon on Christmas Eve, Charlie was helping his mother and sister straighten up the shop. It was ten minutes until closing and then they would be heading off to spend the holidays with the rest of his family. He was quite excited as several of his brothers hadn't been able to get off work except for Christmas Eve and Day.
A tinkling noise filled the shop as the entrance doors swung open, sending a gust of cool air up the aisles. Charlie shivered before the door was shut and he glanced up to see who entered. At the sight of familiar blonde hair, Charlie grinned and waved Draco over.
"I haven't seen you in weeks!" He called and the slighter man gave a careless shrug as he wandered over. "What brings you in? Last minute gifts?"
Draco simply stepped up into what he supposed was Charlie's personal space, before taking a small package out of his pocket. He handed it out to the ginger with a flush running along his cheeks.
"What's this?" Charlie asked and Draco smirked.
"It's on the house." At the familiar words, Charlie smirked as well before carefully opening the package. Inside he found a deep red dragon shaped candy that smelled of cinnamon. It was very small; enough so that he popped the entire thing into his mouth.
The moment that the candy touched his tongue, it roared to life; setting his mouth ablaze. It was hot, extremely so. His eyes watered as he quickly chewed the candy, swallowing it down as quickly as possible. "To counter the chill," Draco explained.
When Charlie was able to process the words, he began laughing, "That's got bite!" Draco smirked at the statement before it was wiped off his face as he found his lips covered by Charlie's own. It was quick and shocking before the man pulled away.
"Dread Dragons," Draco said with a small smile.
Charlie grinned, "Flutter Flakes."
Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed!