AN: For Lo because I know how much she wanted the Asexual prompt :)
broken (or so it seems)
Charlie thinks his first time will be special. That's all he has heard growing up, so why should it be any different to what he expects? He thinks he'll find a nice girl—or boy—and fall in love, and then, when the time comes, they'll have sex and it will be this special moment that neither of them will forget for the rest of their lives.
In reality, it's awkward, neither of them know what they're doing, and Charlie doesn't enjoy it at all. Afterwards, they go their separate ways. Charlie's friends tell him that it obviously wasn't the right person. He believes them. It's not like he has any other information to base it on, after all.
The second time, he knows his friends are wrong. It's not that it's the wrong person—he's perfect—but it still doesn't feel right. Charlie still doesn't enjoy it. He doesn't want to tell his friends, though, so he smiles, pretends he likes it, and carries on with his life as if nothing is wrong. As if he's normal. But he's not, he knows he's not.
Draco, on the other hand, doesn't expect his first time to be special. He knows nothing about sex, so why should he be good at it the first time he tries? He did expect to enjoy it more than he does, though. He slept with Pansy, and she has the experience, she's supposed to be good.
So Draco throws himself into the act. He sleeps with any girl that throws herself at him—and the older Draco gets, the more there are—and tries to improve, to learn as much as he can to get some satisfaction out of it. And he does improve. He leaves the girls he's with satisfied, sure, but there's no pleasure on his end.
Then he wonders if he's gay. He sleeps with men. It's different, and at first, Draco thinks it's because he's finally figured out who he is. But then it fades. It still isn't right and Draco doesn't know what else he can do. He just wants to feel something.
Even before Charlie graduates Hogwarts, he throws all his time into dragons (and Quidditch). He tells his friends he doesn't have time for relationships. It's a lie, but it does give him an excuse to throw himself into research for the future, to give himself a head start in his career.
When he does graduate, he really doesn't have any time for relationships. The dragon reserve in Romania are hiring and Charlie spends every waking minute trying to get into the program. What tips him over the edge, is his time as Quidditch Captain. The Reserve's best flier had decided to retire, and they needed someone who could keep up with the dragons.
After he gets in, Charlie tries dating again. It seems to be going well at first, everyone he meets is nice and they're not desperate for sex like the people he dated as a teenager, but none of them understand Charlie's lack of interest. If the long hours needed for his work doesn't put them off, then his lack of interest in sex does. The women ask if he's gay, if he's really interested in women. The men aren't as hurtful, but the relationship always fizzles out after he drops the bombshell.
Not for the first time, Charlie wonders if there's something wrong with him. If he'll ever fall in love and enjoy sex like he's supposed to, or if he'll be flawed forever.
The first time Draco somewhat enjoys sex is in his first real relationship. They're dating for almost four months before they sleep together. He isn't sure if it's the sex he's enjoying or the emotional intimacy, but Draco relishes the moment. It's over too soon, and then they break up.
Draco doesn't experience it again. Eventually, he stops trying.
Three years into working at the Reserve, they get a new recruit. She's the first person Charlie has ever met that understands that he doesn't enjoy sex. They get to talking one night, and she explains to Charlie that she's asexual.
It's like a switch flips in Charlie's mind and suddenly everything makes sense. He no longer feels alone. He no longer feels broken. He no longer feels like his existence is inherently wrong. Finally, he has a word that fits him, that feels right, that explains why he feels the way he does.
Charlie is asexual, and that one little word provides all the security he could ever need.
Draco finds a job—he's doing medical research for St Mungos—and throws himself into his work. He busies himself so that he doesn't have to think about how lacking his love life is. He gets to travel all over the world, and he thinks that the experience he gains from educating himself about the new cultures is more fulfilling than a relationship would be anyway.
He forgets about wanting a boyfriend, and he's generally happy with his life. Well, that is until he goes to Romania.
He's sent to the dragon reserve there to gather more information about Dragon Pox and the breeds that carry it—St Mungo's are attempting to find a cure—and it's there that he meets Charlie Weasley. It's the first time Draco has ever met someone who is as invested in their work as he is. It's refreshing, actually, to have a conversation that's only about work, that has no underlying meaning. Except Draco finds himself wishing there was. He never thought he'd find talking to a Weasley pleasant, but it is, and it doesn't hurt that Charlie is nice to look at, too.
Draco purposefully doesn't get quite as much information as he needs. He wants an excuse to come back.
Charlie goes on a few dates when he figures out he isn't broken, but still nothing seems to go right for him. Either they're not right for him, or they have a problem with him being asexual. The biggest blow is when his boyfriend of three months gets annoyed, saying he thought Charlie was just going through a phase and that he'd man up and they'd have sex soon.
He doesn't trust himself in relationships after that. He can't for fear of hurting again.
Of course, that doesn't stop his brain from lingering on those thoughts. Especially when Draco Malfoy, who is smart, witty, and charming—the complete opposite of everything he heard from Ron—visits the reserve. He seems genuinely interested in everything Charlie has to say, and from the questions he asks, has clearly done his research on dragons. That gives anyone an automatic approval in Charlie's book.
Draco is there for a week, and they talk well into the night every day. Charlie keeps it professional, albeit casual, but there is something inside that seems to be screaming at Charlie to make it more personal. He wants to get to know Draco, not just his work. And although he's very aware that Draco could easily hurt him if they got to close, Charlie can't help but want to see Draco again when he leaves.
Draco gets sent back a few weeks later and he couldn't be happier. This time, he notices the little things about Charlie that he hadn't before; the strong arm muscles from physical work, the tiny dimples in his cheeks when he smiles, and the way Charlie's eyes seem to sparkle when he's talking about the dragons. Their conversations turn more personal, too, and Draco finds himself struggling to force himself to get back on topic.
Charlie has probably become Draco's favourite person by the time he leaves, and the two keep in contact after he's back home.
When Draco is asked to choose an area of research to specialise in, he tells them Dragon Pox with no hesitation. Strangely, he finds that it's not just an excuse to see Charlie. Draco has actually become interested in learning more about dragons. They truly are fascinating creatures.
Charlie isn't sure why he agrees to go on a date with Draco, but he does. The two meet at an upscale restaurant on the outskirts of London and Draco pays. Charlie tries to, but Draco insists. Then they go for a walk around a nearby park.
It's there that Charlie decides he may as well be upfront with Draco. He likes the man, and if he's going to be scared off by Charlie's asexuality, then he'd rather it be now than further into the relationship.
It doesn't, though, and surprisingly Draco really does seem to understand. He's happy for their relationship to be purely romantic and not sexual, and it feels like Charlie's heart starts beating twice as fast as he realises this is a relationship that might actually be successful.
Draco still isn't sure about his sexuality, but they're both too happy about being together for it to bother them.
Word Count: 1,479.
This is for:
Hogwarts April Event – Auction;
Asexual.
Hogwarts Assignment Nine – Sex Ed;
Task 4 – Write about one or both parts of a relationship deciding that they don't want sex in their relationship.
Hogwarts Yearly Event – Insane House Challenge;
936. (restriction) No dialogue.
Hogwarts Yearly Event – 365 Prompts;
260. Asexual.
Hogwarts Yearly Event – Fanfiction Resolutions;
67. Write a gift fic for a Hufflepuff.
Hogwarts April Event – Scavenger Hunt;
Write a gift fic for Lo (Someone aka Me).
Hogwarts April Event – Easter Bingo;
2. (word) Flawed.
Hogwarts April Event – Piñata;
Hard Piñata – Charlie/Draco.
Hogwarts Writing Club – Character Appreciation;
48. (word) Successful.
Hogwarts Writing Club – Showtime;
14. Summer Sequence – Write a fic involving time skips.
Hogwarts Writing Club – Days of the Month;
Find a Rainbow Day – Only feature queer characters or pairings.