Disclaimer: Find it on chapter 1.
I do own Ellie and the entire Roone family and Aidan McGinty, so please don't steal.
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Thanks to those of you who added this story to your favourites list, much appreciated.
A Special thank you to SnobbyCow and BrokenAngel1753 for reviewing, glad you're both enjoying the story.
A/N: Okay just so you all know, I wrote this chapter whilst suffering with writers block. So needless to say I struggled to get it finished, however, now that I have I'm still not entirely happy with it. Any and all suggestions on how to better it are very welcome.
Also individual thoughts and dreams are in Italics.
Chapter 2.
Brushing the last remnants of soot from his clothes, Bill stepped into the cosy front room of Ellie's apartment. He glanced around for a moment, surprised to see she'd decorated since he'd been there last. Instead of the pale cream walls they were painted a comforting shade of terracotta red. The chocolate brown sofas and armchair were still there, but the large cream cushions had been replaced with lighter brown ones and were decorated with patterns of red thread and sequins to tie with the walls.
He smiled to himself, as he realised his partner had managed to make it feel almost like they were back in Egypt. She'd used the same combination of colours that they'd had in the apartment in Cairo.
He had to admit she wasn't the only one missing the hustle and bustle of busy side streets, packed with market stalls and people dressed in linens every colour you cared to imagine. The warm air awash with the tantalising aroma of herbs and spices, he glanced out the nearby window to see it was snowing again. He definitely missed the heat, the ever constant sunshine that turned even his lily white skin golden brown.
Maybe when everything returned to some sort of normalcy they could get reposted in Cairo, after all Egypt was still relatively undiscovered when it came to ancient curses.
Slipping off his boots so as not to traipse soot over the floors, Bill headed into the brightly lit kitchen. The sweet smell of freshly baked cakes drawing his attention and making his stomach rumble.
Ellie placed her rucksack on the kitchen table and carefully placed the cooled cake in an empty Tupperware and made sure the lid was on tight, before shrinking it and placing it in her bag.
"You know, we've got time to eat before we Floo to Charlie's,"
"Bloody hell, Bill," Ellie cursed as she jumped, placing a hand over her heart. "Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"
Leaning against the kitchen counter, Bill grinned as he peeked inside her rucksack. "Then you should set proper wards around your apartment, love. There's no telling what sort of man might just drop in, hoping to take advantage of a pretty young witch."
Ellie paused in her cleaning up to look at him as her heart fluttered in her chest at his wayward compliment, before she mentally shook herself for being so ridiculous.
"Well I actually lowered the wards for you, but I'll remember that next time and you can get hexed into next week."
Bill regarded her seriously for a moment, his blue eyes darkening slightly. She hadn't changed out of her work clothes yet, but Merlin she really did look amazing in red.
"Right, if you're hungry feel free to raid the fridge," Ellie told him as she slipped past him and into the hallway. "I'm just going to grab a quick shower and get changed."
'Merlin, give me strength!'
Bill gritted his teeth as he wrenched open the fridge door. The unheralded image of his very naked partner in the shower, rushing to the forefront of his mind and here he was thinking he'd managed to get his erotic thoughts about Ellie under control.
Evidently the cold showers weren't doing the trick anymore.
After almost 4 years of working together and at times living together, all it had taken for Bill's plutonic feelings to crash around his ears had been a god honest mistake.
6 months ago while they were sharing a flat in Cairo, he'd inadvertently walked in on Ellie in the shower. He'd only caught a glimpse of her tanned flesh before she'd blushed and nudged the bathroom door shut in his face.
He'd barely seen anything really, but it had been enough. Enough that every morning he woke so aroused it was almost painful. Teased and tormented by images of himself and Ellie naked, sweaty and entangled in his bed sheets, hearing her sweet moans as he made love to her in every position he could think up.
Bill groaned and squeezed his eyes shut; he needed to get a grip. She was off limits, they were friends and worked together, anything else in their line of work could prove a dangerous distraction.
20 minutes later, Ellie re-entered the kitchen, bag of toiletries in hand. Freshly showered and wearing a black and grey floral dress and black leggings. Bill let his gaze wander over her figure for a moment, the dress clinging appealingly to her curves. Her long chocolate coloured hair, hung loose around her elbows and Bill found he was itching to tread his fingers through it and kiss her senseless. Merlin he was in trouble.
She smiled as he offered her a thick sandwich filled with cheese and salad. "Thank," taking a bite she hastily moved to finished packing the last of her things.
As she moved past him to slip on her simple black ballerina pumps, Bill almost groaned as the tantalising scent of vanilla and spices washed over him and made his mouth water. Now all he wanted to do was kiss her skin to see how good she tasted.
"What time are we leaving?"
Her question made his stomach drop unexpectedly, which surprised him. He wanted to see Charlie, he missed his younger brother, but right now he wanted to spend some time with Ellie. Selfish really, considering he worked with her every day.
Clearing his throat, Bill glanced at the clock hanging on the wall opposite him.
'7 o'clock'.
"Anytime. Charlie said he'd open the Floo once he got back from work, he was hoping to be finished early."
Ellie nodded picking up her rucksack from the side. "I thought he'd finished for the holidays," she mused as they moved back into the living room.
"He has," Bill nodded, watching as she picked up her coat and scarf and shrinking them both. "Mentioned something about Welsh Green hatchlings, in his note," Bill shrugged.
Ellie chuckled softly, placing her coat and scarf in the rucksack. "Typical Charlie," she sighed shaking her head affectionately.
Zipping up her bag, Ellie straightened to her feet and smiled brightly at her partner. "Right, I'm all set. You can Floo first; I need to reset the wards before I leave."
Picking up Ellie's bag, Bill nodded and moved towards the fireplace, where he slipped his boots back on and grabbed a handful of Floo powder from the pot on the mantle piece.
"I'll see you in a few minutes."
Charlie Weasley placed a bottle of Fire Whiskey and three empty glasses on the coffee table as his fireplace flared green.
He grinned as Bill stepped out of the hearth stomping excess soot from his boots.
"Bill, mate it's good to see you," he grinned clapping his older brother of the shoulder.
Bill returned the grin, "Alright Char?" Placing Ellie's bag on the nearby chair, Bill was again struck by the fact that Charlie, like Ellie, had redecorated since his last visit.
Everything was light and fresh and extremely modern. Pale coloured walls and matching cream sofas, all tied in with dark brown cushions and a large chocolate coloured rug adorned the newly varnished wooden floor.
While one wall was nothing more that huge window, over looking the entire Dragon Reserve.
"Wow, Char, you've been busy," Bill commented as he moved to inspect the view.
Charlie nodded, moving to stand beside him, his hands tucked in the pockets of his jeans. "Fancied a change, I've been renovating the whole flat one room at a time."
"You're definitely staying put then?" Bill asked, casting his gaze around the rest of the room.
"For now, unless things take a turn for the worst, but it's like Dumbledore says. I'm more use here at the moment." Charlie reminded himself just as the fireplace flashed green for a second time.
Smiling broadly, Charlie strode over to the fireplace and wrapped the petite arrival in a warm hug. "Ellie how's my favourite Chaser?" he laughed lifting her off her feet in his embrace.
Ellie laughed in response, wrapping her arms as far around her broad friend as she could reach. "Oh Charlie, it's so good to see you," She breathed once he set her back on her feet.
She smiled brightly at him, overjoyed to see her best friend again. Casting her gaze over him, Ellie noted a few more scars on his hands and one above his left eyebrow, he was still solid muscle and broad shouldered a testament to his work and love of Quidditch.
His hair was longer, falling around his eyes and curling just under his ears. It suited him, gave her loveable Charlie a roguish air.
"Oh Charlie, you've redecorated it looks amazing," she commented looking around the room. "You actually took my advice on the colours."
Charlie grinned at her, "Sweetheart, I've been taking your advice since my 2nd year, I'd be concerned about bad luck if I stopped now. You right anyway, dark colours would have made the place feel small and claustrophobic."
Ellie chuckled and moved around him to regard the rest of the room, before her gaze settled on several framed photo's hanging on the far wall. "Oh no," she gasped as she moved closer to inspect the moving pictures.
The first one was a picture taken at Hogwarts during hers and Charlie's 4th year, they were both dressed in Gryffindor quidditch robes grinning like a pair of idiots, muddy and soaking wet. Her hair was a mass of unruly, dark curls because of the rain and hung wet around her face, while Charlie's was the ever vibrant red stuck up in every direction possible.
He had an arm wrapped around her waist, while in his free hand hovered the Golden Snitch, its small delicate wings glinting in the fine rain that fell.
"Oh god, Charlie. I can't believe you kept that picture." Ellie cringed, "Look at the state of us."
Behind her Charlie chuckled, his chin resting on her shoulder as he looked at the photos with her. "I like it."
Bill grinned as he looked at the next photo, a picture of the entire Gryffindor Quidditch team in his final year, taken after an aggressive and memorable match against Slytherin.
He, Charlie and Ellie all stood together in matching team colours, their faces flushed from the game and robes dishevelled and ripped in Ellie's case. He had the beginnings of a bruise forming around his right eye, thanks to a well placed elbow from Slytherin's Captain, Edger Flint.
He chuckled in satisfaction, "Ellie do you remember the Slytherin game at the end of my last year?"
The petite brunette's features darkened instantly, "How could I not? That smarmy twat, Edger Flint tried to grope me on the way to the changing room," Ellie shuddered in disgust. "He made my skin crawl." She paused to look at the photo Bill had been studying before. "I made him regret it though."
Charlie laughed as he moved across the room to the bottle of fire whiskey, "Poor bugger had multi coloured nose hair for weeks that he had to trim daily, if I remember right."
Ellie looked smug for a moment, "I broke his shoulder a week later too, after our friendly match with Ravenclaw."
"I heard that was Aidan McGinty," Charlie spoke again, as he poured three healthy measures of liquor into the empty glasses.
Bill watched as Ellie blushed slightly, obviously she'd had a soft spot for the Ravenclaw Beater during their school days, like almost every girl in Hogwarts. He remembered being jealous of McGinty, the Irish wizard only had to mutter one word and girls were practically throwing themselves at his bloody feet.
"Flint blamed Aidan, the two hated each other and I suppose it sounded better that Flint was injured in a fight with another bloke, rather than the actual truth that he was caught unaware by a girl half his size." Ellie grinned.
"And McGinty was happy to take the blame?" Bill asked.
The pretty brunette nodded, "He found the whole thing hilarious."
Charlie handed her a glass of fire whiskey and shook his head, "You hit Flint hard enough to break his shoulder? Remind me never to get on your bad side."
Accepting the glass, Ellie grinned at him, "Thing is now, I'm senior Curse breaker and you'd never know what hit you."
Bill chuckled despite himself and sipped at the amber liquor Charlie had given him. He had a feeling the next few days would be full of memories and laughter.
Panic rose in tight coils, as Ellie fought the need to vomit. The sickening medley of blood, sweat and the acidic smell of fear were so strong that her stomach seemed to turn somersaults and her nose twitched in revulsion.
Drawing her gaze from the blackened doorway, behind the perverted Wizard, she hissed as viciously as she could manage. All the while his mouth was pulled into the same, unfaltering, disturbing leer.
Her midnight fur rose along the length of her body, as he took several leisurely steps towards her, a deep growl rumbling up from his chest.
He stopped a few feet from her, his eyes glowing yellow as he continued to smile at her.
An overwhelming, unnatural scent of canine washed over her, pulling an instinctive deep, raspy growl from her throat, just as a horrifying realisation made her blood run cold.
Hunching low to the ground she snarled long and deep, this man wasn't just a wizard he was a werewolf.
His smile seemed to stretch his mouth even wider and he chuckled darkly. "You won't be able to save him." He told her, his gazing flicking towards the doorway behind him. "The Dark Lord has returned and nothing will stop him this time!"
Ellie bolted upright, her hand already clamped over her mouth stifling her horrified cry, so as not to disturb the two sleeping occupants in the small flat. She knew from previous experience that sounded travelled well in Charlie's home.
Bill's off key singing whilst in the shower had rung out through the whole flat during one weekend visit.
As soon as the memory rose in her mind, Ellie felt the panic uncoil in her chest.
'It was just a dream; it was just a dream…'
Ellie repeated the same words over and over in her head like a mantra. As she felt the panic loosen and slip away a heavy uneasy settled over her instead.
'Just a dream, that's all it was.'
Placing a cold hand over her eyes, Ellie sighed heavily to herself and winced. The first signs of a devastating Hangover making themselves felt.
Taking a steady breath, she rose quietly from her bed and immediately regretted the action. The room span dizzily for a moment before the sharp throbbing pain pounded ruthlessly through her temples and her stomach rolled.
'Bloody Charlie and his Fire whiskey.'
Padded to the door of her room, Ellie reached for the handle and hesitated as a small smile tugging at her mouth, as the sound of two sets of soft snores rose from opposing ends of the hallway. Charlie slept in his room to the right of hers and Bill was in the living room on the fold out sofa.
Moving silently on bare feet, Ellie entered the living room on her way to the kitchen in search of a hangover cure. She knew Charlie kept a bottle of it in the cupboard above the cooker.
Thanks to the large floor to ceiling window and clear night, the living room was light enough in the pre dawn grey, that Ellie could navigate her way without the worry of stubbing her toes or tripping on an unseen coffee table.
Ellie paused in mid stride as Bill stirred in his sleep and rolled onto his side, murmuring incoherently.
Watching him for a moment, she nibbled on her bottom lip the last thing she wanted was to wake Bill. Just because her nights were disrupted, didn't mean his had to be. Once she was certain he was still asleep, Ellie crept into the kitchen.
Pouring some of the bitter tasting potion into a glass, Ellie gulped the contents down quickly. "Uck," she cringed, it still tasted just as vile as it always did.
Placing the bottle back in the cupboard and putting her glass in the sink, Ellie sighed as the potion began to take immediate effect and her headache eased marginally.
Tiptoeing back into the living room, her gaze was instantly drawn back to her sleeping partner.
Bill was snoring gently again, his body twisted so that he was sprawled across the bed on his stomach rather than lying along the length of it, his feet hanging over the edge. The bed sheet was rumpled from his tossing and turning and the duvet was bunched up around his knees, revealing pale pyjama pants and no top.
Even as he flinched in his sleep, Ellie could see the bands of muscle ripple across his shoulders as he moved.
Bill murmured hoarsely, his words too muffled to make out and Ellie inched closer.
Watching as he clenched his hand into a fist, she was curious to know what he was dreaming about.
Pausing to watch him for a few more moments, Ellie smiled softly as he appeared to quiet again and moved back towards her room.
Half way across the room Bill groaned and Ellie froze, turning back to see he was still fast asleep.
He groaned again low and throaty, Ellie felt her heart speed up in response as something instinctively feminine uncoiled inside.
Another husky moan and she almost gasped her cheeks heating up. She definitely had a good idea what type of dream Bill seemed to be enjoying.
Ellie took a step back if she stayed any longer she wouldn't be able to look him in the face at breakfast, without blushing.
Just as she reached her door, Bill's tortured, breathy moan reached her ears. "Ellie…."
Snapping her head back to the living room, she felt her breath hitch in her throat. 'Merlin, Bill was dreaming about her!'
Now she wasn't going to be able to face him in the morning without blushing.