I just had a little muse to do a short brotherly fic. I thought of Charlie/Tonks as well, and I thought I should just mix them! So I did!

If it is unclear around the end of the story, Charlie is going into his Fifth years at Hogwarts. Bill in Seventh or just graduated (I didn't want to do the math and be wrong, so it's a good thing the story is mostly about Charlie). The twins would be ten.... I think.

Ahhh my math and I.

----

"Er… Bill?"

Charlie watched as his brother turned to face him with a nonchalant nod. "Yeah?" He glanced around them for the third time to make sure they were alone. None of their younger brothers were anywhere in sight, so he looked back at Bill.

"Have you ever liked someone?"

They had always been close. But Charlie was never good at sharing his feelings with anyone. Not even one of his best friends and older brother could break that barrier.

"What's on your mind Charlie? Who's the bird?"

That did not stop Bill from reading him like a book though. Sometimes Charlie swore they had a better mental connection than the twins.

He sighed and flopped back into the grass. His hands covered his face and he groaned before feeling the sun off of his hands. Then he peeked through a crack in his fingers and Bill was watching him with concern.

Charlie opened his mouth to speak, but just then they heard a rustling in the bushes. Fred poked his head out. George soon followed. He jumped up at the sudden movement, clonking heads with Bill.

"Ow," he rubbed his head as the twins giggled and disappeared into the greenery around them. It was nice living near a river where they could swim with trees all around. Yet when you had little brothers…

"Fred! George! Get back here this instant!" they heard from the outskirts of the trees behind their home. Quiet laughing, and then "NOW!" All of the sudden, there seemed to be a mad rush to their mother's side and then silence ensued.

Charlie thanked his mother in his mind and stopped rubbing his head, seeing that Bill had been doing the same. Now that he was sitting up, he turned to face Bill.

"Nymphadora Tonks," he said at last.

"The Metamorphmagus?"

Charlie nodded.

"Hmm," Bill looked deep in thought for a moment. "Isn't she your best friend? The one in Hufflepuff?"

"Yes she is."

"I see the dilemma. You don't want to ruin the friendship if it doesn't work out. Or if she rejects you, which would be ten times worse-"

"Lovely chat we had I'm so glad I came to you-"

"Let me finish," Bill had put out a hand to stop Charlie, but he had rambled on anyway. Now he placed the hand on Charlie's shoulder. "Remember Caroline?"

"Your girlfriend of two and a half years."

"She was my best friend before we got together. Or, a really close one. It's a hard decision to make. When we broke apart it was because we had drifted apart. That and I found her in a broom closet with some Ravenclaw," Bill frowned at the ground and Charlie felt the hand clench around his shoulder. Then he looked back into Charlie's eyes and continued speaking in a softer voice.

"It's a big risk. The real question is; is it worth it? Do you think the chance to be with her is worth the risk of losing what you have? In my case, I could no longer go without holding her in my arms. I don't know what it is like for you, but that's the only question you need to ask yourself. Don't do it just to make the dreams stop. Don't do it just because you might be jealous of some bloke. Don't do it because everyone else thinks you should be together. You need to know that it is right."

Letting out a deep breath, Charlie smiled.

"Thanks Bill."

"Are you going to tell her?"

"That I love her? That I've been in love with her since we met on the train five years ago? That I spend every waking moment, awake and asleep, thinking about her? That every time I get a letter from her my heart soars? That it broke my heart when I saw her with another guy?" Charlie shrugged. "She's a lot to lose. I'm not sure yet if I am willing to risk her."

"I'm glad you are going to think about it. Remember that it doesn't always work out."

"I would rather let time tell before making that leap. I need some hint that she also likes me before I throw our friendship out there."

Bill stood up and stretched his arms, throwing his shirt back on. "Well that was a great swim, little brother. Ready to go back to school in a week?"

Charlie smiled thinking of Tonks, and being able to see her almost every day in the Great Hall, in class, and around the corridors. "Yeah, I am."