One Thousand Miles

Summary: CW/HG, GW/HP, LB/RW

Twenty two year old Charlie Weasley is home for the summer, but a lot's changed since he's been in Romania. For one thing he can't get his little brother's best friend off his mind.

Hermione is staying at the burrow for the summer before her final year at Hogwarts, but a familiar face isn't making it easy for her. She knows that dating a guy five years her senior isn't the best idea, but you can't help who you fall in love with, can you?

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize!
One Thousand Miles
Chapter One: A Slice Of Paradise
"What do you reckon I should do when I leave school then?" Hermione asked, as she lay against Charlie as he plaited daises through her hair. He thought for a minute.

"I think you should move to Romania and live with me," he grinned and leant down to kiss her. She kissed him back enthusiastically, not wanting to miss a drop of his affection. He laughed at her enthusiasm, but intensified the kiss, scooping her onto his lap, his arms locked around her waist.

"I'm not Romania's biggest fan – I think you should stay in England," she said in between kisses. Charlie grinned and shook his head. Hermione shifted her position so she was straddling him and pushed him back onto the grass, sitting astride his chest.

"Tell me you're staying or I won't move," she issued the ultimatum firmly. Charlie grinned then reached up and tickled her and she rolled of him in a fit of hysterical giggles.

"Round one to me!" Charlie laughed, kissing her forehead and fixing the daisies back in her hair.

"Are you really going to leave me in four weeks?" she asked, gazing u pat him from under her eyelashes. Charlie sighed.

"Are you really going to go back to Hogwarts in four months?"

"Yes. Of course."

"Ditto," he replied.

Hermione ducked out from under him and stood up, brushing the grass off her dress. Charlie watched her from the grass.

"Hermione, where are you going?" he asked, as she avoided his gaze and began to march across the grass. He jumped to his feet and followed, falling in step beside her, his fingers linking with hers.

They walked without a purpose for ten minutes, until they had left the privacy of the clearing and Charlie abruptly loosened his fingers from hers. She gave him a sad look.

"What?" he sighed, knowing exactly what was wrong.

"Every time Charlie. Every bloody time," she replied sourly.

"Look, were still testing the waters okay. We still need to see if this works before we go telling the world!" he protested.

"Were still testing the waters? I'm not – I know this works Charlie. Look at us. We're incredible together!" Hermione cried passionately and Charlie couldn't help but smile.

They really were incredible together. They fitted together so perfectly. The conversation never faltered, the laughter never stopped and he grew more and more attracted to Hermione as the days passed.

"Maybe you're right," he murmured and Hermione paused, staring at him in shock.

"What did you say?" she asked. Charlie grinned at her.

"I said you're right," he repeated, and then he linked his fingers through hers again.

"Mum, Dad…err...everyone else" Charlie announced as he pulled Hermione through he kitchen door after him as soon as they arrived back at the burrow. The eight Weasley's, fleur and Harry all looked up at the pair as they hovered in the doorway, entwined fingers hidden behind their backs.

"Hermione and I are dating. We're a couple and…yeah... that's about it," he said ineloquently.

No one said anything for a minute, then Mrs. Weasley dropped the bowl of custard she was holding on the floor, where it broke and sent a puddle of yellow gloop everywhere, Percy spluttered incoherently, Ron turned a furious red colour and Ginny let out an enthusiastic whoop of celebration.

The twins thought now was an opportune moment to let off their new never ending party poppers, which fortunately hadn't been perfected so only lasted four hours at a time, but drenched everyone in the multicoloured paper streamers.

Mr. Weasley and Harry glanced at each other, then as quietly as possible retired to the living room to continue their discussion on the orders next movements. Fleur simply ignored them all and continued to flick through her bridal magazine as if the world hadn't just erupted around her.

Hermione glanced warily across at Charlie who was helping his mother to clean up the custard from the floor and trying to stem her shrill warnings at the same time.

He shrugged at her and she ducked out of the kitchen, away from the mess she'd just caused.

"So that didn't go to plan really, did it?" Charlie observed, an hour later, when he joined Hermione in the tree house away from the chaos that still reigned in the burrow.

"That's the understatement of the centaury," Hermione replied, dejectedly, as he wrapped an arm round her shoulder.

"Your mother hates me now doesn't she?"

"Well, she said something about you using your womanly charms to further your hold over the Weasley men – I'm assuming she still thinks you and Ron had something going on…" he laughed and Hermione forced a smile.

"Hermione, I wouldn't worry about it. They'll come around eventually. I mean its just my mother and Ron who have a little trouble dealing with it. Percy was actually very supportive once he'd stopped panicking about whether it would affect his job at the ministry. You're my girlfriend and nothing can change that."

"I'm your girlfriend?" Hermione repeated, a broad smile creeping over her face.

"Yes – unless you don't want to be that exclusive…?"

"Of course I want to!" Hermione cried, kissing him passionately. He laughed and kissed her back.

"Look how happy they are," Ginny Weasley sighed wistfully as she watched Charlie give Hermione a piggyback in the field and spin her around, laughing.

"I wish I could find that," she added, drying the plate that Harry handed her. They were washing up in the kitchen, one Saturday morning, whilst the others were in London at a meeting for the order.

Harry paused and turned to look at her.

"Gin…" he started and she glanced across at him, tearing her eyes away from the happy couple, who were now chasing each other with bottles of water.

"You do know that I'm in love with you, don't you?"

Ginny dropped the plate she'd been drying.

"Ah dammit. We'll have no crockery left at this rate!" she muttered as she bent down to pick up the pieces. Harry crouched down beside, taking the pieces from her and putting them to one side.

"Ginny?"

She looked up at him and he leant forward and kissed her softly. He pulled away when she started to cry.

"Why is it girls always cry when I kiss them?" he wondered aloud, thing back to when Cho Chang had kissed him in his fifth year. Ginny laughed brokenly through her tears.

"I'm sorry," she said finally, wiping her eyes, "I guess I just didn't think you and me would ever happen."

Harry held out his arms to her and she stepped into them, resting her head against his chest, listening to his steady breathing.

"I love you," he whispered and she smiled against him.

"I love you too."

"Did you realise we only have thirty days left until I have to go back to Hogwarts?"

Hermione flopped down onto Charlie's bed with a disgruntled air, flinging the calendar onto the floor beside it. Charlie shifted his position so that he was lying next her, and kissed her forehead whilst she sulked.

"Thirty days and then you disappear off to Romania to play with your dragons and leave me alone," she sighed.

"Ah no. Don't start this again!" Charlie warned her, as she rolled over, so she was resting her head on his chest.

"Aren't there dragon reserves in Britain?" she asked and Charlie sighed.

"Yes, but I love my job and I love my colleagues and I would have to leave Petey and Amie and all the other guys if I moved over here"

"Would you not miss me if you left?"

"Mione," Charlie groaned, sitting up and walking across the room, pulling on his jumper as he went and flinging it into his drawer.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry, I sorry! I won't mention it again," Hermione promised, pulling herself into an upright position.

"I will miss you, you know that. I can't imagine how hard it's going to-"

Charlie was cut off however by a postal owl crashing through his window. He untied the letter from its leg and scanned it quickly. Then he broke into a smile.

"This is amazing!" he exclaimed.

"What does it say?" Hermione asked as she watched Charlie re-read the letter.

"Petey and Amie are coming to visit. They've just done a release in France and are stopping over in England to visit me! Isn't this great? You'll get to meet my friends"

Hermione forced a smile.

"Yeah, I can't wait," she smiled happily. Charlie picked her up and spun her round in the air, kissing her deeply.

"You're going to love Amie – you two have so much in common" he added and Hermione felt her world falling apart. If they were so alike, what would happen when Charlie was back in Romania with Amie and not her?

Ron was sulking. And not only was he sulking, he had also discovered the only bar in Ottery St. Catchpole that served whisky without asking for I.D.

"Ron? Ron?"

Upon hearing his name Ron tried to focus on the person calling it, but with little success.

"Bloody hell Ron! You're as drunk as a house elf on butter beer!"

The person finally swam into view and Ron was so surprised he nearly fell off his stool.

"Lavender? What are you doing here? This is not a good part of town…" he lowered his voice for the last bit, but the barman heard every word and glowered at him. Ron gulped.

"Your not the only one who occasionally likes to get royally pissed," lavender grinned, pulling up a stool next to him.

"Whisky?" Ron asked lavender and she shrugged then nodded.

"One whisky, one water," she ordered, sliding the glass of water in front of Ron.

"You've drunk enough for the both of us" she reprimanded him when he protested. He scowled but downed the water anyway.

"So then, why are you here tonight? Must have been a rough day if you're getting wasted!" lavender observed and Ron gave a dramatic sigh.

"Harry and Ginny spend all their time together. They think their in love. Hermione's in love with my brother and I have no one!" he wobbled precariously on his stool and lavender grabbed his arm.

"Which brother?" she asked curiously and Ron shrugged.

"I don't know! All of them probably! I think she's got a thing for Weasley men" he divulged with a wink.

"So she's dated one of your brothers before?"

"No. Not really" Ron called the barman across.

"I'll have another one of those things… the thing I just had… what d'you call it?"

"Water?"

"Yes! Water! Good stuff!" Ron yelled excitedly. Lavender stifled a laugh.

"What about you then?" Ron turned on lavender, "why are you drinking?"

"Same reason as you," she replied, staring at him assuredly.

"Your water mate. That'll be six galleons, eighty – five"

Ron ignored the barman, and a ten galleon note on the bar.

"Keep the change," he said in between kissing lavender.

"Ron? Ronald! Get the hell out of bed! I want a word with you!"

Ron bolted upright in his bed and instantly regretted it. His head was pounding ferociously and his stomach was churning unpleasantly.

"Er… Ron... Your mother would like a word…"

Arthur Weasley poked his head round the door to Ron's bedroom. He surveyed the scene before him then spoke again.

"I think it would be best if you let the girl sleep… at least until your mother's calmed down…"

Ron frowned at his father then looked over to the other side of the bed and jumped in surprise as he saw Lavender sleeping beside him.

"Ronald Weasley! How could you bring shame on this family like that?! Mr. Patterson had to bring you home after you and that girl you were with passed out in her fish pond! Reeking of alcohol! Only seventeen years old! Alcoholic!"

The various accusations flew past Ron as he attempted to keep his headache and feeling of nausea at bay.

"I want you on de-gnoming duty for the rest of the month! And your to be back home by eight every night! I don't care if you think it's fair or not!"

"Mum…"

"What?"

"I think I'm going to be sick…"

Two hours later, Ron had recovered slightly and lavender had surface, blushing furiously.

"I'll call you tomorrow – if I'm allowed to use dad's phone," he promised as he said goodbye to lavender at the door. Lavender's parents were muggle born so were already fully equipped phone users.

"Okay, great. I speak to you then," she agreed, then leant forward kissing him sweetly on the cheek. Ron turned pink.

"So you want to see me again then?" he asked, somewhat surprised. Lavender giggled.

"Ron, I've had a crush on you since our fourth year. Yes, I want to see you again"

Ron waved goodbye to her and then floated back into the kitchen, to catcalls and congratulations from the twins.

"Lavender brown hey Ron!"

"Nice one, Bro!"

"Shut up!" he yelled at them, but grinned in spite of himself. His mother stormed through the kitchen and glared at him.

"I want a family meeting now!" she yelled, "and stop grinning Ronald – your not allowed to be happy when I'm this angry with you!"

"Now then. Tomorrow Charlie's friends will be arriving and I want them to think this household is a normal one!"

Molly Weasley glared at her offspring as if daring them to defy her. No one spoke.

"Ron, try not to get drunk and sleep with a random girl again," Hermione, Harry and Ginny all gaped at Ron as molly spoke. Ron blushed beetroot again.

"Fred, George – don't even think about it!" she warned and the twins pouted.

"Ginny, Harry – please try to speak to other people apart from each other and Charlie… I do hope your friends approve of your … younger girlfriend"

Molly frowned at Hermione who stared defiantly back at her. Charlie cleared his throat and both of them looked away.

"You may leave..." Molly shooed them away with her hands and collapsing into a chair. Where the hell had she gone wrong this summer?!

"Bill and Fleur have gone back to France so Amie's having his room and Petey's sharing mine," Charlie informed Hermione, when she inquired as to where everyone would be sleeping.

"Oh right. I didn't realise they were leaving so soon," she frowned.

"Well, Fleur has decided she hates England and has thrown one of her impressive tantrums," he gave Hermione a wry smile and she grinned. Fleur's mood swings were infamous.

Charlie finished making up a spare bed on the couch that sat underneath his bedroom window and turned to face his girlfriend.

"Mione, they'll love you. Don't listen to what mum said okay?" he held out his arms for and she ran into them, allowing him to hold her against his chest, whilst she breathed in his scent that she was now completely addicted to. She fiddled with the dragon tooth necklace round her neck, remembering the first time she'd breathed in this unique scent and smiled happily. There was no way this Amie girl could take him from her. She wouldn't let her.

"They're here!" Ron yelled up the stairs. He'd been allowed to invite Lavender for the huge dinner Mrs. Weasley had planned and was walking on air.

Charlie grinned and letting go of Hermione, bounded out of the room. Hermione stared after him miserably. Then she laughed as he came bounding back in, threw his arms round her and kissed her passionately, before puling her after him down the stairs.

"Petey! Amie!" Charlie hugged his two friends enthusiastically, and then introduced them to those who hadn't met them before.

"And this is Hermione. She's my girlfriend" he pulled Hermione to the front of the clan of Weasley's and she smiled shyly at Charlie's friends.

Petey was good looking in a boyish way, with a cheeky grin and eyes that shone with mischief. His brown hair fell into his eyes and Hermione couldn't get over how tall he was. Amie was also tall, but she had honey coloured curls that bounced on her shoulders and quiet, observant blue eyes, that Hermione could feel x-raying her as they shook hands. She noticed the older girl's eyes never strayed from Charlie for more then a minute or two and this made her uncomfortable.

"So then, do you guys want to unpack and then well go for a drink? It's a shame you can't stay longer" Charlie said, beckoning for them to follow him up the stairs.

"Hermione, can you show Amie her room?"

Hermione nodded and slowly followed the three of them up to the third floor, then led Amie up a further two floors to bill's room.

"So this is it," she pushed wide the door and allowed Amie to walk through. The blonde girl slung her bag onto the bed and unzipped it.

"I'll see you downstairs then," Hermione said, not really knowing what to say or do next.

"No, stay. Ill only be a minute. I want to hear all about you and Charlie. How did you finally manage to tame him?" she laughed, but Hermione detected an envious tone. She remembered that Amie and Charlie used to date and wondered why it had ended.

"Erm... well... he came back for the summer and I always stay at the burrow with Harry and Ron and we just kinda clicked I guess," Hermione filled the older girl in as she sat on the chair beside the wardrobe.

"Interesting," Amie replied, as she threw her toiletries onto the window sill.

"So you're in love with him?" she asked suddenly and Hermione faltered. Did she love Charlie?

"Yes, I am," she answered softly. Amie gave her a long look.

"And is Charlie in love with you?" she continued with her questioning. Hermione shrugged.

"You would have to ask him that," she replied, holding Amie's gaze.

"Don't worry, I will," she winked and then threw a black silk nightdress onto her pillow. Hermione swallowed. How on earth was she meant to hold onto Charlie with a black silk nightdress wearing model fluttering round the house?!

"I don't like her," said Ginny flatly, as she and Hermione peeled carrots in the kitchen, as they watched Amie chat with Charlie outside. There was much flicking of her hair and her hand kept touching his arm. Hermione turned to her friend in surprise.

"Really?" She asked desperate to relay her earlier conversation with Amie, to someone.

"Yeah. She's obviously still trying to get her claws into Charlie. I can tell by the way she looks at him. She's a nasty piece of work"

Hermione sighed and relayed the conversation to Ginny.

"I'll kill her if she attempts anything with him!" Ginny cried, peeling a carrot too hard so that the end snapped off and bounced across the floor.

"Not if I get there first!" Hermione vowed, and then ducked down to locate the missing carrot.

"So Charlie, how have you been? It's only been four weeks but it seems like forever!"

Charlie laughed as Amie slid into the seat next to him and handed him a beer.

"I know – it's strange not seeing you guys every day" he agreed.

"I was talking to your little girlfriend earlier. She seems very… keen on you" Amie's tone was mocking and Charlie frowned at it.

"Yeah, and I'm very keen on her. Were deadly serious about each other Amie," he told her and she smiled.

"So you wont be retuning to the camp then?" she proved him.

"Yeah I will be and Hermione will return to school fro her final year. Its only eight months then we'll reassess the situation," he explained.

"Really Charlie! It's ridiculous! She's a little girl, a teenager and you're nearly twenty three. Can you honestly see this working out in the long term?"

Charlie shifted uncomfortably as Amie moved closer to him. She took the drink from his hand and placed it next to hers on the table, keeping hold of his hand in hers.

"Do you remember when you and I dated – we had fun didn't we?"

"Well... I guess," he replied and Amie smiled.

"Don't you think you belong in a mature relationship with someone your own age?"

She leant forward and slowly placed a kiss on the edge of his lips. Charlie froze, allowing time for Amie to kiss him again, this time on directly on his lips.

"Fuck you Charlie Weasley!" came a shrill voice from the other side of the patio. Hermione was standing in the doorway of the kitchen, staring in disbelief at the pair still sitting at the picnic table.

"Geez! Hermione! Wait!" he yelled, shoving Amie aside and darting after his girlfriend.

"Mione, she kissed me! I swear!" he pounded on Ginny's bedroom door, but Hermione had locked it. He could hear her crying through it however and it broke his heart.

"Did you stop her?!" Hermione yelled back at him.

"Yes – I mean I didn't kiss her back! She's just a friend"

"Do all your friends go around kissing you?"

"No, of course not!" he yelled, "I don't know what she was thinking!"

"Oh wake up Charlie – she's still crazy about you. She's been trying to get her claws into you since she arrived here!" Hermione yelled at him, stealing Ginny's words.

"Hermione, I'm sorry. I don't know what else I can say?" Charlie slid done onto the floor, leaning up against the closed door. Hermione didn't speak for a long time.

"I don't think there's anything else to say Charlie. You were right; this whole relationship was a joke. Go and finish you're cosy chat with your friend"

Charlie shook his head, even though she couldn't see him.

"Mione, I'm not moving until you come out here and talk to me" he replied.

"Fine. I'm going to bed" he heard her say and he leant back against the door and shut his eyes.

"I'm still here Mione" he muttered but she didn't reply.

A/N: I want to thank my reviewers and I hope I've amended the story to fit some of your suggestions. I needed Amie as another obstacle n their romance and I threw Petey in because he's adorable! Lol

I hope I've also played up some of the other minor characters a bit – like Ron and molly. Anymore suggestions would be great!