Hermione and Charlie's first Christmas eve.


Charlie sat quietly in his quarters at the reserve, normally by this time of the year he had packed and portkeyed home. Normally, his family was a busy this year, mourning and working and having babies, he however had volunteered to stay at the reserve. He had grieved the loss of his brother privately and still found it too hard to see George without his other half, he had been home for a visit within the last little while though, when Fleur and Bill had announced their news of a new Weasley, he had been the one to show the twins the joy of pranking and encouraged their tom foolery as young children, taking the blame for them from time to time and the loss of Fred still stung when he was at the Burrow.

Of course last month when she walked into his boss's office while he was waiting for the new healer who he had been tasked with showing around, he knew she would pester him to come back with her for the hols. She had surprised him by admitting she hadn't planned on visiting the Burrow as his youngest brother would be there with his latest conquest and while she no longer had feelings for him, she couldn't bear the thought of his mother pushing her to once again try to date her youngest child. She told him she would spend Christmas eve with her parents family and then head back to the reserve either after the supper hour Christmas day or Boxing Day.

Hermione Granger was too proud, he thought, she wouldn't let the his mother embarrass her in front of the family by showing up without a date. It wasn't that Molly Weasley was malicious, no he could never say that of his own mother, she meant the best, and more so she just wanted the young witch as part of her family. There weren't many options for her to join anymore either, Bill was married to Fleur, Percy was married to his job, George was still grieving his twin and was in no shape to be courting a lady and most certainly not Hermione, Ron was bouncing from model to quiditch groupie every week, Gin was well she was a girl and he was quite sure neither of them swung that way and his little sister was still quite besotted with the Chosen One, Hermione had even alluded that a ring may be in her future. Fred had passed, and then there was him, he of course thought the bird was right fit, but so did the majority of the men working on the reserve. She was intelligent and funny in a very dry way, he enjoyed her company but it had always played in the back of his mind that his youngest brother's temper would surely reach it's boiling point if they announced to the family that they were even considering pursuing a romantic relationship. No, he and Hermione would stay just friends.

She had left that morning for London via international floo and so he sat watching the stars start to sparkle in the sky, wondering what Christmas eve was like for the rest of his loved ones. He had almost given up on finding any happiness in that night and as he started to regret not joining his family in the festivities his floo roared open with a green flame. She stumbled out and almost right into the coffee table he had in front of the fireplace.

"Hi," she said with a weak smile, pushing some tears away, " Sorry, I had to floo to your place I locked my floo before I left I was supposed to return by portkey." Her explanation was rushed.

"Whoa slow down Hermione, why are you back you just left this morning," He said getting up from his wing back chair and picking her up into a tight hug. "Not that I'm upset to see you."

"I couldn't stay it was too hard, they all pitied me, like they knew about why my parents weren't there. They don't know, they have no idea, they aren't dead that just took them from everyone with a stupid spell too strong for anyone to break." She broke down in his arms as he guided them to couch.

"Oh, Mione, you did was was safest for all of you," He whispered stroking her hair.

"I couldn't go to the Burrow because I would have had to explain everything a million times and your mother would have tried to have Ron and I together again. Oh Charlie, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to come and ruin your holiday, I know you were hoping for the alone time." She said starting to pull away.

"No no Mione, you're going to stay here, I was just thinking about floo calling Kingsley to see if he could get me a portkey home. Now I have a reason to stay, have Christmas with me." He said as brushed a stray strand of her curls away from her face.

"You're sure?" She questioned, he nodded and pulled her close again.