A/N: This is the sequel to "Charlie's Dumb Luck." He should have known it wasn't going to last. Charlie goes home to visit his parents and is confronted by a very pissed off Ron. In my little world, Charlie lives in America, plays professional quidditch and spends the off season working at the only American dragon preserve and fights dark wizards with his friends.
Based on characters created by J. K. Rowling
When Charlie's Luck Ran Out
Charlie was having a wonderful season. His Reds were ranked number one in America and all the signs pointed to a playoff and a chance at the North American tournament. The league had decided to follow English rules, so they would be eligible to play in the Quidditch World Cup if they could just win in Hamilton this year. The team's new keeper, Jordan Kingsley, who just happened to be his best friend, Joanna's new husband was phenomenal. The team, who had been screwed out of a chance to play in the World Cup the season before were determined that this year the Reds were going to the World Cup and nothing was going to stop them.
The beaters were seasoned and experienced. His best friend Joanna was deliriously happy, and was the best chaser he had ever seen. The other chasers were apparently in a committed relationship and they seemed to play better when they had been fighting.
The coach was, well you really couldn't tell if he was happy or not, he always complained about how poorly the team played and they needed to get off their asses and get to work. The owners, however, were very happy, and offered bonuses and incentives to the players. They promised all the players, staff and support a vacation all expenses paid if they made it to the North American tournament. The Reds eliminated the Sweetwater All-Stars in a déjà vu repeat of last year's victory. They were going to the North American Tournament, which was THE qualifier for the Quidditch World Cup.
The last vacation the owners paid for was a vacation in the Caribbean on board a luxury yacht, which made Charlie seasick. No, he decided he was going home to see his parents, and if he was honest with himself, he was hoping to get some alone time with Hermione. He knew that was a bad idea, but since their affair earlier this year, he couldn't stop thinking about her.
Yes, she was still engaged to his snot-nosed little brother who didn't deserve her. He had cheated on her and that made her run to him. They both knew that their relationship would never work out, but he still wanted her one more time. Not that she would sleep with him again. She was too loyal to his idiot brother.
He only had one week for the visit before he returned to the training camp to prepare for the North American tournament. When he told Joanna and Jordan that he planned to go home, Joanna decided she wanted to go to Scotland and show off her handsome new husband. They were traveling together. Travel to another hemisphere was very complicated, but they worked out the details and before long they were on their way.
Joanna and Jordan made it home before Charlie, but they promised to meet up half way and party their asses off before they got into some serious quidditch practice. They would meet and get pissed together. Joanna would make all the arrangements.
Joanna knew all about Hermione. "Don't get your fucking head knocked off," she warned. "I'd never forgive you."
He kissed her good bye and apparated at the gate outside the Burrow. It was late when he got in, but Arthur and Molly were waiting up for him. That made him smile. He couldn't wait to taste his mum's cooking. He could smell his favorite dish from outside. His dad had become his biggest fan. That gave him a lot of pride as well. He had the perfect parents. Molly looked outside the back door and saw him standing them watching the house. She ran outside and grabbed her son in a smothering embrace, and he hugged her back. Her eyes were wet with welcome home tears. He wiped them away and kissed her on her forehead. Arthur stood at the door and waited until they came up to the door. He shook his hand, but Charlie grabbed him in a crushing bear hug.
"It's great to be home," he said.
"I'm so happy you're here. Come in, come in. I bet your hungry, I've made your favorite. Daddy, help him with his bag." She and Charlie left Arthur struggling with an over sized duffle bag while Molly brought her son inside. He turned when he heard his father grunt and took the bag away from him. It was crammed with souvenirs and food and dirty laundry, which Charlie insisted he was going to do and not to worry about it.
Molly bustled around the tiny kitchen humming to herself while she got out the bowls for the hearty stew she made. She had thick crusty homemade bread and his favorite dessert, bread pudding. Charlie and Arthur talked about his quidditch team, and he gave them some souvenirs from the team. He had an autographed team picture, which Arthur had specifically asked for and some shirts adorned with their logo and name: The Flying American Red Dragons. They talked about the upcoming North American tournament and the Quidditch World Cup in a few months. If the Reds got in, Charlie promised he would give them tickets.
He did not want to talk about the fiasco of last season when the Reds were protested out of the World Cup. His father was livid and talked about it like it had just happened.
"It's okay, Dad, because this year we'll be there."
Arthur sat back and relaxed. Charlie never lied to his parents. The Reds were going to make it to the World Cup.
"But Hamilton is going to give us a fight. They're still reeling from the short game last year." Charlie said. Charlie had captured the golden snitch after only twenty-two minutes of play, a new tournament record.
"That made the quidditch papers over here," his father said, proudly.
"I got lucky," he shrugged.
Suddenly, Ron bounded into the kitchen. He looked happy to see his brother and gave him a big hug. Charlie stiffened up a little, but relaxed and hugged him back. Ron wanted to know all about the trip.
"You've got to come with me to this really cool pub," he said.
"Not tonight, Ronald." His mother said. "Can't you see he's tired?"
"No," Charlie said. "I feel like a night out, but we can wait until you've gone to bed, yes?"
Ronald nodded. "Sure. No hurry. The place doesn't start hopping until late anyway."
Charlie ate his supper and talked to his parents until they started drifting off to sleep. They said their good nights, and went upstairs.
"It's not so much a pub as a titty bar." Ronald said, excitedly. "The women are wild there."
Charlie nodded. Prick, he thought. But he smiled. "What would Hermione say if she caught your sorry ass in a bar like that?" He couldn't really bring himself to say "titty." He just didn't like the sound of the word.
"What she doesn't know—besides when did you start caring what a woman thought?" he asked.
Good point, thought Charlie. But he did care what Hermione thought. "What's she up to these days?" he asked casually. "I mean I haven't heard from here since she came back from America for her visit." Now he was just rambling.
Ron didn't seem to notice. He was helping Charlie carry his bag to George's old room. At least he wouldn't have to sleep in the same room as Ron, Charlie thought. He was getting on his nerves.
"Charlie, tell me all about your muggle girlfriend. How was it? Is it like witches' pussy?"
"Jeez, Ron, where'd you get that mouth? If mum heard you talking like that she's wash your mouth out with soap."
Ron's face fell. He just looked at his brother. "What the hell's wrong with you?" he asked. "Any other time you'd be giving me the details of every woman you ever fucked, but now I've somehow offended your sensibilities?"
"Sorry, it's just that I have to pay a fine very time I swear," he lied. "So I'm kind of out of practice." He slapped his brother on the back. "Let's party." He said.
Ron took Charlie to the club on the outskirts of a wizard community not far from the Burrow. As promised, the club was teeming with barely of age girls. And some were quite nude or semi-nude. Ron seemed to know his way around the bar. Several of the girls waved and threw him kisses. He waved and grinned back at them.
He bought drinks and Charlie told him all about mescal, his drink of choice these days. Mescal was a liquor made from cactus that usually was bottled with a worm floating in it. He learned to drink it at the dragon preserve. He brought a bottle with him for his brother, but he didn't think he'd share it with him any time soon.
Ron danced with one witch after another while Charlie sat at the table and drank. Ron introduced him to a cute little witch who said she was a big quidditch fan. It was obvious she wasn't but he played along asking her about her favorite teams, and she answered, "Why yours, of course," and gave a little giggle.
"What team do I play for?" he asked, grinning.
"Uh, I forgot, but you're very good," she cooed.
"That's what I thought." And he bought her another drink. Ron had run off somewhere and Charlie was afraid he wasn't coming back. But 10 minutes later, he came back dragging another pretty young witch behind him.
"Look bro, I've invited to a party at –"
"Jasmine," she said playfully.
"Jasmine's house. You want to come? It'll be great fun, I promise you."
Charlie shook his head. "No thanks. Sounds good, but I'm really tired from the trip. You go on. I'll make it back to the Burrow. You have a good time."
Jasmine began pulling him away from the table. "You're sure?" He said, laughing as Jasmine pulled him further into the crowded dance floor."
"Absolutely," he said to himself after Ron had disappeared.
Charlie paid for his drinks and brushed off the silly girl and walked outside in the cool air. He took in several deep breaths and suddenly decided what he wanted to do. He decided that he wanted to visit his sister Ginny, who just happened to live with Hermione. He looked at his watch. They would probably still be up. He disapparated with a distinctive "crack."
He apparated outside Ginny's and Hermione's flat. There was one light on in the sitting room. He knocked on the door and waited. Expecting to see his sister, he was totally shocked to find Hermione at the door. He saw the look of pleasure at seeing him flash across her face, she smiled shyly at him.
"Charlie!" she said, happily. But before she would say another word, they were in each other's arms, kissing with a pent up desire that felt like they both were going to explode.
"Oh baby," he moaned as he kissed her deeper and deeper. "I've missed you."
"I had to see you again," he said between kisses and moans of pleasure. He almost took her outside her door, but came to his senses when he heard a dog barking.
"Oh shit, I'm sorry Hermione. Damn! Can I come in? Is Ginny here?"
Hermione shook her head. She's gone out with Harry."
She wrapped her legs around his waist and he took her there in the middle of the living room, standing up.
"Oops," he said comically. "I really had this better planned," he said as they sank into the sofa. "See what you do to me? Damn, I've missed you."
"I've missed you, too," she said honestly. "But I—"
He held up his hand. "Please do not say a word about Ron. Promise? Not tonight."
She looked at him shyly. "Okay. How long are you here?"
"Just a week. But I might be back if we make it to the World Cup. You'll come won't you? I'll be getting tickets." He was babbling again. God, it felt so good to be in her arms. She was so soft and she smelled so good.
"Lock the door," he said to her gruffly. "I want to go to bed."
Hermione did as she was told, locking the door with a spell that couldn't be broken. She led Charlie into her bedroom and closed the door. They struggled with each other's clothing until they both fell naked on to her bed. He kissed her and made love to her until she cried out with pleasure.
He kissed her and held her and within minutes of their lovemaking, Charlie drifted off to sleep with her in his arms. He was satisfied and happy and was exactly where he wanted to be.
Charlie awoke suddenly to the sound of someone beating on the door. Startled, he looked at Hermione who had just woke up.
"Oh, shit," said Charlie jumping up, dressing quickly. "He's going to kill me."
"Hermy," said a drunken voice, "What the bloody hell, open the door." He banged on the door loudly.
"You stay here and don't say a word," cautioned Hermione as she got out of bed and put on her robe. She ran out the door and closed it behind her.
"What are you doing here?" she asked. "I thought you were going out with your brother," she improvised. "I was asleep. You go home."
" He dumped me. I wuv you, Hermy," he said in a little boy voice. "I need your loving. Come on, baby, open the door."
"No!" she snapped. "Go home!" I'll see you tomorrow."
"I'm not leaving until you open the door and give me a big kiss." He said sloppily. "You've got to feel how much I want you, Baby."
"You're disgusting. Go home. I will talk to you tomorrow."
Ron kept beating on the door. "You know you want me," he said playfully.
"No," she said seriously. "I don't. Go home."
Any other wizard would have given up and left, but not Ron. He was stupid drunk and he wasn't going anywhere.
Charlie got up and left Hermione's bedroom. She gasped when she saw him. "No, Charlie please," she whispered. "Don't."
He pushed passed her as she tried to stop him. "Please you'll ruin everything."
"I won't let him treat you this way. He's an asshole."
"He can't know about you and me," she said.
"Oh, he's going to know about us all right because as soon as I get the door open, I'm going to beat the shit out of him."
"Please don't, Charlie." She begged.
Charlie shook his head, took a deep breath, and pulled the door open. Ron was braced against the door and fell into the room when Charlie opened the door.
"What the hell are you doing here?" he asked comically.
"Hermione asked you to leave. I think you should."
"I think you should blow it out your ass." He said.
Ron finally looked like he understood what was going on. He pulled himself to his full height; he was several inches taller than his brother. "What the fuck? What are you doing here with my fiancée? Hermione?"
But Hermione had already turned four shades of red. She didn't say anything. She was pissed off at both of them: Ron because he had come beating on her door in the middle of the night drunk and Charlie for bounding out thinking she needed to be rescued.
Ron leaped at Charlie with a force that seemed impossible in his drunken state. Wands forgotten, it became a free-for-all. Charlie hit him hard in the head, and he staggered for a moment and went after him again. Ron punched Charlie in the stomach and in the eye. They rounded on each other time and again until they were both bloodied and bruised and exhausted.
Hermione stood back, horrified at the scene. She yelled at them to both stop, and she was crying hysterically. "Stop it!" She finally separated them magically with a protective spell, but not before the damage was done. They kept trying to get to each other, but were unable. It looked comically, but the murderous look in Ron's eyes told Hermione not to release the spell any time soon.
Finally they were too exhausted to fight the protective curse or each other. They went to opposite ends of the sitting room and sat down. Charlie's eye was blackened and swollen and Ron's nose was broken.
Hermione tried to keep Ron still enough so she could fix his nose, but he pulled away from her. He was hurt and angry at the betrayal.
"My own brother? How could you do that?" he asked bitterly.
Charlie started to say something but Hermione's look shut him up. He sat on the chair, seething.
Hermione was finally calm. She was in control now. She was still angry, but now she knew what she needed to say. She pushed Ron's hand away from his nose and pointed her wand at it and Ron felt warmth and tingling sensation as his nose snapped back into place. He touched the side to make sure it was all right and that Hermione hadn't turned it into rabbit's nose or something.
"Thank you," he said grudgingly. He had a pouty, moody look on his face.
Hermione sighed. "Ron," she began slowly. "I love you with all my heart. I always have, and I want to tell you something."
Charlie sat nursing his swollen eye. He blew out a breath loudly. He already knew what Hermione was going to say. Hermione looked at him with a sad smile, noticed that his nose, while not broken, was definitely bleeding. She stopped the bleeding and gave him a towel to hold on his nose.
"While I was in America, Charlie and I slept together. He comforted me because right before I left for America, I saw you and Lavender together. I followed you and saw you kissing her and when you went into her apartment, I followed you there, too. I watched as you undressed her and make love to her. It was an awful thing for me to do. I should have never followed you. I always trusted you, Ron. I thought that you loved me as much as I loved you. It broke my heart.
"Charlie was so kind and good to me. Maybe I wanted to pay you back." She shrugged, "but while I was with him, I wanted him and I didn't even think about you or hurting you."
Ron shifted uncomfortably. He didn't want to hear any more. He never wanted her to find out about the women he cheated with. He didn't know why he did it. Maybe he was afraid. He loved Hermione. He wasn't sure he could get over her betrayal.
Hermione must have been reading his mind. She said, "We could call it even. Or we can go our separate ways."
Ron and Charlie both looked at her stunned. What was she saying? Did she want to break up with Ron?
Ron looked horrified while Charlie laughed. Good girl, he thought.
"Hermione? Are you saying you don't want to marry me?"
"Of course that's what's she saying, dumb ass." Charlie said.
Hermione shook her head. "That's one of the choices," she said calmly. "Do you want to call it even? You slept with Lavender and I slept with Charlie. We can either forgive each other or we can break it off right now."
"Hermione, he's going to cheat on you again." Charlie said. "You know that."
"Shut up, asshole," commanded Ron. "No, I wouldn't. I promise. It's hard to forgive, though."
Hermione nodded knowingly. "Don't I know it? Well, want to think about it for a day or two? I'll give you the space."
"What about him?" Ron pointed at Charlie.
She sighed. "I won't do anything. I promise you."
"Yeah, well. You better not."
"Or what?" Charlie challenged, but was quelled with a withering look from Hermione. He shut up.
"Now, I want you both to leave." She started to release the protective charm. "Do not fight anymore."
The brothers eyed each other cautiously. Charlie believed that what Hermione said had sunken into Ron's thick skull. He was going to do some thinking, Charlie was sure. He wasn't sure they wouldn't fight again, because Charlie was still pissed off at his brother for hurting Hermione, but he wouldn't fight him again while they were still in the apartment in front of her.
They both nodded. She released the charm. Ron stood in place opening and closing his fists, trying to decide what to do. Charlie disapparated while he left Ron alone with her. He knew by the look in her eyes she would never stop loving Ron. They would work it out somehow. He didn't believe that his brother would ever see the good that Charlie did for her and ultimately for them, but he knew Ron would make the right decision. He knew that if Ron and Hermione stayed together, it would be completely over between him and her and she would never make love with him again.
He sighed. "The stupid prick." He said. He had apparated outside the Burrow. It was dark, but his mum had left a light on for him. He found his way into bed and fell into a dreamless sleep.
When he came down for breakfast the next morning, Arthur had already left for work. Molly looked at his face and gasped.
"The other guy looks worse," he joked. "Or at least I hope so."
She fussed over his bloodied nose and black eye. She knew better enough not to ask. She was the mother of six high-spirited boys and it looked like that would never change.
Ron stayed away the rest of the week. He made excuses to his parents and didn't say a word to Charlie. His parents felt the tension in the air, but didn't ask either one. On the last night of Charlie's visit Ron announced to his family that he and Hermione were going on a holiday. They were renewing their commitment to each other. Charlie just sniffed and walked away. He had to pack, he told them.
Charlie met his friends Joanna and Jordan at a club in London. As promised they got pissed. Charlie told his friends what had happened. Joanna, who was never one to winced words, slapped him on the back and said, "Fuck 'em. They'll come crawling back to you once you've got World Cup tickets, right?"
Charlie laughed. She always made him put his life in proper prospective. That's why he loved her.
"And besides, you were no good for her. You would have cheated on her, too. I know you too well, Charlie Weasley. Stop feeling sorry for yourself."
He laughed again and bought another round. "Let's get the fuck out of here," he said. "I want to go home."