A/N: For Without You Challenge. This is a sequel to The Charlie Fix. Charlie Weasley's gone back to America to rejoin his Quidditch team, leaving a very lonely Hermione behind. This is actually a Hermione/Charlie pairing, although he really isn't present physically. Really, you should read The Charlie Fix to understand this one, but just in case you don't want to read it, Hermione and Ron broke up, Charlie's visiting from America, he takes advantage of the situation and Hermione who hadn't gotten loving like that really had a good time, and yes, I was pretty mean to Ron.--Rita
Based on characters created by J. K. Rowling
Doing Without
Hermione tried to concentrate on the History of Magical Law but her eyes wandered to the margins where she'd written "Mrs. Charlie Weasley" in curly-Q's and hearts and flowers. Oh how disgusting, she thought. The problem was not that she wrote those words during a mind-numbingly boring lecture on international law; the problem was that when Charlie visited last time, he actually saw the scribbling.
She was completely humiliated when she discovered Charlie grabbed that particular volume for a little bed time reading. When she went into the sitting room to pick up her books, she discovered Charlie was awake and her magical law book was at his feet. He managed to take full advantage of her weakness and seduced her, reducing her insides to jelly.
He made love to her so thoroughly and passionately that she literally craved his touch. When he returned to America to rejoin his Quidditch team, the Flying American Red Dragons, Hermione went through a withdrawal that would rival a heroin addict going cold turkey. No, she decided, it was more like crack cocaine; the first hit is so incredibly powerful, she wanted to spend a lifetime trying to duplicate the high.
She refused to wash her pillow because it "still has his scent," she told her best friend and roommate Ginny Weasley. Ginny had little tolerance for her because she understood how her brother was and he was unlikely to drop everything he was doing and profess his undying love for Hermione. That just wasn't going to happen.
Not that Hermione believed it either, but she was finding it hard, if not impossible to get Charlie out of her head. It wasn't love on her part, either. It was pure lust. The feeling was so real to her that when she closed her eyes, she could feel his warm breath on her face and his large calloused hands caressing her body, making her cry out with such an intensity that she was sure she had awakened the whole apartment building. She'd bit his shoulder so hard to keep from crying out louder that she almost drew blood. She'd been embarrassed at leaving such a painful mark, but he assured her he'd been bitten a lot worse.
He was insatiable. Having pleased her in every possible way, he'd reached for her two more times that night, bringing her to the heights of pleasure she'd never experienced before.
He was also a cuddler. After they made love, he held her and stroked her hair and back until he fell asleep. The few times Hermione and Ron had sex, as soon as he was finished, he rolled off her and immediately went to sleep, leaving her, for the most part, wanting.
The professor droned on and on about borders and tariffs and trade agreements for the regulation and sanction of cauldrons manufacturing limitations and Hermione finally the blocked the lecture altogether and started writing a letter to Charlie.
She started the letter a chatty friendly letter telling him about the weather and asking about how the Quidditch season was going. She moved on to talk about Ginny and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, mentioning that she'd been invited to their anniversary dinner in two weeks but wasn't looking forward to seeing Ron. She coyly asked when he might return to England, hoping that his team makes it to the World Quidditch Cup (and of course his team would win! Ha ha.) She said she missed his, oops, him; she missed HIM. She blushed as she crossed out the word his, but she did it so messily that she wadded up the parchment, then smoothed it out, pointed her wand discreetly at the paper and whispered, "Tergeo!" erasing every word she'd written.
This is no good, she thought. Concentrate, Hermione, she scolded herself. Tariffs, locatio conductio, who cares? She drummed her fingers on her face and then closed her eyes. Her hand moved slowly, sensuously down her jaw line and throat to the small space between her breasts. Her lips parted and she flicked her tongue around her teeth, and moaned involuntarily. She quickly snapped up when the boy sitting next to her fell off his chair while he was watching her.
Hermione blushed and covered her face with her hands. Luckily the professor hadn't noticed anything unusual. He did harangue the boy for disturbing the class, and Hermione smiled at him simpathically.
She explained to Ginny what happened in class today; making it sound funny and not tragically embarrassing as she had actually felt. Ginny shook her head sadly.
"You know what you need, right?" Ginny asked.
"Killing curse?" she replied drolly.
"No. You need a date." Ginny looked serious.
"You're kidding, right? There's no possible way I can go out in the state I'm in. Besides, who would go out with me? I frighten most men off. This whole "Golden Trio" nonsense is very intimidating to most wizards."
Ginny thought about that for a moment. "You might be right. But who would you want to go out with? I mean, if you had the choice?"
Hermione said without thinking, "Charlie."
Ginny slapped the back of her head. "Someone here, Hermione."
Hermione shrugged. "I think I'd rather do without."
"But you're driving everyone, meaning me crazy. You don't have to shag the guy, just pick someone you'd feel comfortable with. Who knows, you might even meet the man of your dreams."
"Been there. Done that. Unfortunately, he's half a world away fighting off Quidditch witch groupies. No, he's not fighting them off. He's having a great time and all I can think of is the way he—"
Ginny held up her hand. "Uh, no thanks. I do not want to hear the grisly details about my brother's sex life." She shuttered. "Oh great, I'll have that image in my head all day now."
"You're the one who brought it up." She reminded her friend. "He really was wonderful."
Ginny made a face. "Will you at least consider going out on a double date with Harry and me? I'm sure he knows someone in Auror training. They're macho guys, right? You just need someone to get your mind off Charlie."
Hermione shrugged.
Ginny frowned. "You know he isn't in love with you, right?"
Hermione sighed heavily. "Of course I do. I'm not stupid. He took advantage of the situation. I know that. But I let him. And now I'm the one paying the price."
Ginny was starting to get annoyed. If she could hook Hermione up with someone, maybe she wouldn't walk around the flat like she was in a trance all the time. She thought hard, and the only person that kept popping into her head was Ronald. No, not now. Ron was the forever until- death-do-us-part part of her future. Hermione needed someone now to help her get over her Charlie addiction.
Harry was sweet enough to talk a wizard named Joseph Brinks into going on a double date with Hermione. Joseph was nervous about being around Harry and had held a secret crush on Hermione since after the war. But he seemed thrilled at the offer. They chose a nice quiet restaurant near Ginny's and Hermione's flat and they met there at 6 o'clock.
Joseph was very good looking and brought her flowers. But he wasn't Charlie. He was too clean. He was sophisticated and knew all about the finer things in life. He was perfect. But to Hermione, he was boring. At the end of the evening Ginny and Harry went discreetly into Ginny's room to talk, leaving Joseph and Hermione alone. Both were very shy, but Joseph managed to work up the courage to try to kiss Hermione.
He leaned into her and put his hand on her chin. He brought his lips to hers. It was pleasant, and when she didn't pull away, he deepened the kiss. Okay, thought Hermione. Not bad.
He put his arms around her bringing her closer to him. His warm tongue lightly outlined her lips. Nice. She moaned. His tongue parted her lips and he playfully slid his tongue deep inside her mouth. Ugh. I don't want to swallow the damn thing. You're not doing to right. Charlie knew exactly how far to go.
Hermione pushed him away. "Uh, it's late. You really should go."
Joseph was breathless and panting, but he was enough of a gentleman to back off when she told him to. I, uh I'm sorry, I thought, you," he stuttered.
"No, it's perfectly all right. It's just that it really is getting late and I really have to get up early." She said more politely than she felt.
"Uh, I'd like to see you again." Joseph said, playing with the top button of her blouse. "Would that be all right?"
Hermione started to tell him hell, no, but she quickly closed her mouth. Gritting her teeth, she nodded. "Sure. Call me."
She gently pushed him to the door and when he tried to kiss her again, she turned her head slightly so that he missed her mouth. "Good night, Joseph. I had a wonderful time. Really." She closed the door in his face as he'd turned to tell her something.
She stood with her back against the door and sighed. No. It was no good. Joseph was handsome and sophisticated but he might as well be a troll for all she cared about him.
"Oh Charlie," she said out loud. "I'm afraid you've ruined me. I'd rather have a life without passion than to be without you." She sighed heavily and went into her bed room for another night of restless dreams.
