Let It Go
Disclaimer- J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter
A/N - Written for QL round 8
Prompt- Headcanon [Seeker, Marvelgeek42, Puddlemere United]-[Charlie Weasley is an aromantic asexual]
Additional prompts- (word) elegant
(restriction) no Hogwarts staff is to be mentioned
(word) Possible
'It's wasn't right, it wasn't right, something was wrong with him,' thought fourteen year
old Charlie Weasley. Currently, he was in front of the mirror, combing his hair furiously. All this summer the only thing Bill had babbled about was girls, girls and girls. And he didn't understand why didn't he feel excited. He should feel excited... right?
"What's eating you up?" Bill asked, seeing his brother's distress.
"I'm not sure. I-I think there's something wrong with me, I didn't feel anything when you were telling me about those girls," Charlie said glumly, meeting his brother's eyes in the mirror.
"Huh?" Bill didn't understand what his brother was saying, but tried to comfort him anyway. "Look there's nothing to be worried about. Puberty works for everyone differently, you're only fourteen," he explained, before adding teasingly, "or maybe you're into blokes."
Charlie groaned.
Charlie felt suffocated. His back was pressed hard against the wall of the broom closet, with Clarisse Renaldi from Ravenclaw snogging the life out of him. He knew it should have been the other way around, but after the Quidditch match, she had dragged him away and here they were. It was like a wet fish was pressed to his mouth. She must have sensed a lack of response from him, because she soon pulled away.
"Why aren't you doing anything?" she asked angrily.
"I-I don't know what you mean?" Charlie asked confusedly.
At this the girl's face darkened, looking extremely pissed.
"Oh Merlin, are you kidding? You're inside a broom closet with me and you're going to do nothing?" she shouted incredulously. Now Charlie was feeling uncomfortable. He didn't know why she was so angry, he didn't know what he should have done.
"Do you even find me attractive?" she asked defeatedly, turning her eyes to the floor.
'What kind of question was that?' Charlie thought. Sure, Clarisse was good looking; what else did she want to hear? When he said nothing, still struggling for a response, she huffed.
"You know what? Fuck off. I can find blokes way better than you."
With that she opened the door and left, leaving Charlie more confused than ever.
Tonks was one of his good friends, and going on a date with her wasn't a great idea. Tonks was good looking, she really was - even a blind person could see that. She wore an elegant bubble gum pink dress which matched her hair. Though everything was perfect, he felt like he was on date with Ginny or worse his mum - it wasn't as if Tonks looked like his mum or anything.
"I-I think this isn't working," Charlie said, gesturing between himself and Tonks, though he regretted his words immediately when he saw Tonks face.
"Maybe you would like me better if I looked like this," Tonks said teasingly . Much to Charlie's horror, she turned into Clarisse Renaldi. He abruptly got up, unable to stand it anymore.
"No Tonks it's not like that. I-I don't like her. I'm not even sure what's wrong with me I-I. should go," he stuttered. With that he left hurriedly, leaving a worried-looking Tonks behind.
After graduation, Charlie moved to Romania to get away from everything. He got lost in his work as a Dragonologist. There he came across Vlad. He was four year younger than him, around the same age as Percy, and was a bright boy. One night, Charlie entered his tent, exhausted after taking a look at a newly hatched baby dragon. Vlad entered almost right behind him.
"Hey Charlie, I was thinking... Will you have dinner with me?" he asked nervously.
"Yeah, sure mate," Charlie said absentmindedly.
"No, I meant to ask: will you go out with me, as in a date?"
Immediately, Charlie looked up.
"Vlad, mate I-I never saw you that way. You're a nice guy, really nice-"
Vlad interrupted before Charlie could rant any more.
"It-it's alright mate. Uh I-I thought since you never go out with women and you don't have a girlfriend... I'm sorry."
Charlie noticed that the other boy had tears in his eyes and tried to reassure him.
"You're a great guy. Any man would be lucky to have you, you could have anyone, man," he said, smiling awkwardly
"That's the problem, Charlie. I don't want anyone, I want you."
With that Vlad left.
"There's nothing wrong with you, Mr. Weasley. You're physically and mentally fit," said the Healer. She was an elderly woman, only a bit younger than great aunt Muriel.
"But Healer, there must be something wrong with me! After hitting puberty, I was unable to develop romantic or sexual feelings for anyone. It's not like I don't love anyone. I love my family, my friends, even dragons- I really love dragons but, but-"
Before he could say anything else, the Healer spoke.
"What you're saying is not possible Mr. Weasley. As per my diagnosis you're
physically fit and you're fertile too."
Charlie's ears turned red with embarrassment.
After returning from the Healer's, Charlie was frustrated. He didn't like the way that Healer had talked to him as if he was a child. Though it had been months since that incident, he still couldn't face Vlad. If Healers couldn't help him, maybe he should get one of those Muggle doctors' help. Quickly, he sent a letter to Hermione.
After exiting the therapist's office in London, Charlie was feeling much more relieved. Unlike that old Healer, this therapist was a man in his mid thirties. He was a friendly and patient man. He listened to everything carefully, then answered his questions. Charlie was glad to know that there wasn't anything wrong with him. And what he felt his whole life wasn't abnormal, just rare.
It was a day after Christmas and the Burrow was filled with people as always. Charlie watched his brothers and sister cozying up with their spouses and playing with their children. He could feel his parents' eyes on his back. He knew what they were going to say. Though he had answers, he didn't think now was the right time.
He wasn't going tell his parents that he was an aromatic asexual in front of everyone. He wasn't even sure if his parents would understand. Maybe his dad would, but his mum would definitely freak out.
After dinner Molly cornered Charlie in the kitchen. Soon after, Arthur joined them. He cleared his throat and spoke.
"Son, there's something your mum and I needed to talk to you about," Arthur started, but before he could say anything Molly interrupted.
"We wanted to say that we're worried about you Charlie. All your brothers are happily married; even Ginny is expecting her first child. Don't you think you should have family of your own? Though we'll always be there for you, you need someone in your life. Don't you feel incomplete?" she asked worriedly.
"Nah, I'm better off with dragons" Charlie said, a smile spreading across his face.
