"Stop staring Charlie, she's off limits." Charlie Weasley looked away from her to see his elder brother stood in the entrance to the tent.
The object of their conversation was a few feet away, playing some sort of muggle game with Harry and the rest of the Weasley siblings; except Percy, who hadn't come on the family holiday.
"I wasn't staring, I was observing." Bill laughed slightly. Charlie had been staring at her, not that he didn't blame his younger brother. She was a very attractive young woman with her honey-brown hair that seemed to shimmer in the dying sunlight. Her smile radiated off her face and her eyes always seemed to sparkle. If he wasn't already in a relationship then he would be tempted to try and make a move on her, but he was dating someone and also, she was off limits. Ron had unofficially claimed her as his girl though they were not actually going out. Bill knew his youngest brother could be very protective of things he cared about, and Hermione was someone that he defiantly cared about. The way he sat with her by the fire, listened so intently to what she was saying even when she wasn't talking to him and yet he would not get up the nerve to ask her out. It was ridiculous.
"You were staring." Charlie glared at his brother slightly as they carried on watching her as the twins wrestled her to the ground during some muggle game they were playing.
"She is stunning though, isn't she?" Bill put his head in his hands. Charlie didn't get it. The girl was off-limits, unless he wanted Ron to beat him to death out of anger. She was beautiful, yes there was no denying that, but their father had warned them about Ron's jealousy. They knew first hand how bad Ron could get and yet Charlie was still staring into waters that were far too deep for him.
"Don't go there Charlie, please don't go there." Charlie chuckled, looking at his brother with a large grin on his face.
"Don't worry, I won't. You know me." Bill sighed, grimacing slightly as his brother walked away.
"Yeah I know you, you'll be all over her by tomorrow evening I bet." He muttered to him self as he too wandered over to the group of teenagers that made up his family.
Hermione found her laughing hard as Fred and George collapsed beside her both laughing as well from tickling her. Ron, Harry and Ginny were also laughing, falling to the ground as well.
"Muggle games are so much fun." Ron said, stretching out on the soft grass, staring up at the sky.
"What muggle games?" The 6 of them looked up to see the 2 elder members of the Weasley family walking towards them through the field.
Fred and George sat up, resting on their elbows, Hermione lying between them, grinning at him as he walked closer.
She could feel hr cheeks blushing as their eyes met for a second. Charlie Weasley was a very strange man, though many of the Weasley were really. He was strong, intelligent, kind and handsome. But he didn't know he was. He was shy around people; she'd noticed it at the celebration party after the war. He'd hardly spoken to anyone, just sitting a corner, watching people. But despite that, he seemed so much better than Ron. It was annoying that Ron had named her as his. She didn't even fancy Ron, in any shape or form. She loved him as a brother, nothing more, nothing less, but the thick-sculled dunderhead didn't seen to get that. With Charlie, well, they hardly knew each other, there was no way he felt the same way about her.
"It's called Tig. One person is 'it' and they have to chase after other people until they touch someone and shout 'Tig'. Then that person becomes 'it'."
Hermione hardly heard what Ron was saying, her eyes focused so closely on Charlie as he steadily held her gaze.
"Sounds fun, mind if we join in?" Bill nudged his brother on the arm causing he to look around from Hermione.
"Yeah, sure I'll join in, if you'll let us."
Ron looked over at the twins and Hermione. They nodded, as did Harry and Ginny, grins spreading across their faces.
"Um, you're it Fred!" Ron called as they charged off in all directions, Fred running after them as fast as he could.
Charlie couldn't contain his laughter as Hermione and Ginny hid behind a tree as Fred tried to find them. She looked beautiful as she laughed, peering around the edge of the trunk, her brown hair blending into the bark, falling across her shoulders as it did so. As if sensing that he was looking at, she turned her head towards him and their eyes made contact for a second time before she was running away from Fred who tapped him on the shoulder shouting "Charlie's it!"
He ran after her, determined to catch her, eve if it was just for a second. She was teasing him, her laughter floating on the air as she ran from him, changing course suddenly, always slipping through his grip at the last second.
Finally he caught her arm, but as she tried to turn, he tripped on a tree root, falling to the ground and pulling her down with him, her landing on top of him, their faces inches apart.
The twins started wolf whistling and cat calling, which caused Hermione to go bright red.
"You alright?" Her voice was barely above a whisper, but he could sense her concern.
"I'm fine, had worse falls anyway, trust me." Her lips showed a slight smile as she got off him, pulling him to feet, gently brushing grass off his shirt, as though it was her fault he'd fallen.
"Charlie and Hermione sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" The twins had started to chant, which annoyed Ron big time. Everyone knew he liked Hermione and that he intended to ask her out…at some point…in the future.
"Shut up!" Bill yelled, turning to his brother who was still gazing at Hermione. "Snap out of it!" He hissed, walking past him to Hermione as she stood with Harry and Ron. "You okay to carry on?" She nodded, smiling up at him.
"Yeah, I'm fine." He nodded, patting her arm, glancing at the rest of them, trying to decide who should be it.
"Ginny, you're it!"