A/N I dont own any of this I just use it.
Chapter 3 Padma and Charlie
Charlie stood up and turned away from the fire place. "I gave them a hint as to to our whereabouts. I'm pretty sure they will be here soon. We should probably wait on them to sort out the key business."
"I agree." Padma said. Then she looked at Charlie worriedly "Do you know if Parvati made it to safety?"
"Dad said that they had heard from everyone else so I am assuming they did." Charlie stated. He smiled confidently to help ease her worry. He looked out the window and then turned back to Padma. "The sky is starting to lighten up now. It's almost morning and we have a bit of free time. If you're hungry we are in a position where I can finally cook for you."
"Sounds good." Padma said as she watched Charlie pulled out ingredients and began to expertly cook breakfast. She couldn't help but smile. She and Charlie had secretly been sending each other letters for over a year now and he had bragged about how good of a cook he was. Now she was about to find out first hand. After a minute she smiled to herself again. When they had first started writing letters they were barely acquaintances but they had gotten to know each other through the letters, and oddly enough feelings had started to grow on each side and on New Years they had officially (and secretly) became a couple. If her parents ever found out, there would be hell pay. They already had herself and Parvati practically engaged to two of their of business colleagues who Padma despised.
Padma had tried to find something likable about the man her parents had intended for her to marry, but he was mean, ugly, wore terrible cologne and was old. He was at least as old her parents. Ironically it was his fault that she had bumped into Charlie in the first place. It was the day after Harry and his friends had left Hogwarts to go to the Ministry of Magic during fifth year. A couple of students had been hurt and her parents had sent a letter threatening to make her come home and marry so she could be away from the trouble at Hogwarts. She had been upset and was crying as she made her way up the owlery stairs to send back a letter when she bumped into Charlie.
Padma tried to stop the tears as she walked toward the owlery. Her parents couldn't make her quit school now. She only had two more years. She had just taken her OWL exams and was convinced she had done fairly well, despite all the craziness that had taken place this year. Besides, she didn't want to get married now, or anytime soon to anyone. She had plans to be a healer and would need more training after Hogwarts.
Tears were flowing faster than before as she started up the long, winding staircase to the Owlery. She wasn't paying any attention to where she was going and bumped into something large. She shrieked as she lost her balance, and started to fall, but before she knew what was happening a large hand shot out and caught her.
"Whoa, careful there." A man with red hair and lots of muscles said as he steadied her on her feet. He looked at her wet cheeks and red puffy eyes and became immediately concerned. "Are you alright, Miss?"
"My name is Padma, Padma Patil and yes I'm fine." she said as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "I'm just upset at my parents that's all."
"Well Padma, I'm Charlie, Charlie Weasley" He said as he stuck out his hand.
Padma eyed his hand wearily.
"What's the matter, Do I have something on my hand" he asked as he wiped his palm on the pant leg of his muggle jeans.
"No, but you're a Weasley." Padma said slowly, then seeing him take offense she quickly added.
"Your Fred and George's brother, there is no telling what could be on your hand."
Charlie grinned. "You've got a point there. But I could be more like Ron or Ginny."
"Well if you're nice like Ginny, I suppose I could shake your hand. But if you're like Ron, I might be tempted to slug you."
"Oh, not a Ron fan I see." Charlie said. "May I ask why not?"
"He was my date for the Yule Ball last year, and he spent the entire time mad because Hermione Granger went with Victor Krum. He wouldn't even dance with me." she informed him shortly.
"That was probably fortunate for you." He said with a laugh, "Ron has two left feet and both of them are clubbed."
Padma chuckled and held out her hand. "Yep, you are definitely more like Ginny. Anything to get a dig at Ron."
"Yes, well now that I know he is going to live, it's fun again." he said shaking her hand.
"Oh, I'm so sorry." She said as she colored slightly. "I didn't mean to be so.."
"It's alright, no harm done. Charlie said lightly. "Besides, when you came up those stairs you didn't seem to be thinking straight, and talking about Ron, distracted you."
"Thank you, I was rather upset." Padma admitted.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" Charlie asked.
"No, it's just my parents." Then before she realized what she was doing she had told Charlie all about how her parents wanted her to leave school to get married and how she really wanted to stay so she could train to be healer.
"And besides that," she heard herself saying, "The man they want me to marry is old, and disgusting, and I would be only one of his wives. Apparently he has a whole harem. I wouldn't be aloud to do anything but serve him and bare his children."
Charlie smiled sympathetically. "Well the good news is they can't make you get married until you're seventeen, and by then you will be of age. But they can take you out of Hogwarts. I guess you will have to work on them over the summer."
"Well, at least I know I don't have to get married yet. That's a small relief anyway." Then she realized they had been sitting on the stairs for long time. "Oh, gosh, I hope my 'cry on your shoulder' session hasn't kept you from anything."
"Not at all, I was just sending a letter to let my boss know that my family is fine and that I'll be back to work the day after tomorrow."
"Where do you work?" she asked as she stood up and started to climb the stairs with him following.
"I work with dragons in Romania." He replied.
"I think I have heard Ron mention you before. Dragons, huh. That sounds scary and dangerous." she laughed.
"It can be but it's very exciting too." He said enthusiastically.
"I'll bet." she said as she reached for an owl. She couldn't quite reach the one she was wanting, so Charlie reached over and got it for her.
"Thanks." she said as she tied the letter to legs.
"No problem." he said. They both stood quietly and watched the bird as it flew away and out of sight.
"Well, I should probably be getting back." she said.
"Me too." said Charlie. They were both quiet as they walked back down the staircase. When they were back on the ground Padma started to walk toward the castle when Charlie spoke again. "Watch out for Fred and George, they are in the castle somewhere, and make sure you are real careful about shaking their hand."
Padma laughed. "I will, and you try not to get eaten by dragons, and thanks for listening. It was nice to have someone to talk to."
"Well if you ever need to talk, you can send me a letter in Romania. Just address it to Charlie Weasley, the Dragon colonies, Romania, and it will get to me."
They both said a quick goodbye and went their separate ways.
Charlie came back to Hogwarts the next day to check on his brother and to see about Hermione's progress. As he was walking through the hall he was greeted by a familiar voice.
"Charlie!" Padma said sounding happy to see him "Are you back again?"
"I am, and I promise there is nothing on my hand if you want to shake it." He said with a laugh. Padma laughed and shook his hand, this time noticing how large it was compared to her own small one and how the burns and callouses on it added to the intrigue of Charlie Weasley.
"Where are you headed?" He asked.
"The Library, if I don't return this book Madam Pince will have my head. Would you like to walk with me?"
"Sure." he replied. "You seem to be in a better mood today."
"My parents sent a letter this morning and they are going to discuss letting us come back to Hogwarts next year. My Mum seems to agree with my sister and I that Hogwarts is the safest place to be with the return of You-know-who. So getting to come back next year sounds promising."
"You will definitely have to send me a letter and let me know for sure." He said.
They talked all the way to the library and back to the Great Hall entrance. Padma went in for dinner and Charlie left to go home to the Burrow. They didn't see each again all summer, but Padma wrote to him two weeks later to tell him that she was definitely getting to return to Hogwarts. And she gave him her OWL results as well. After her first letter they spent the remainder of summer writing to each other, and just learning about each other. They both began to look forward to each letter they would receive from the other.
When her parents would ask who the letters were from she would say school friends. She told Parvati they were from fellow Ravenclaws. At the end of the summer she wrote to him informing him that she was getting to go to Diagon Alley the day before term started, to pick up her school books and supplies, And though she wasn't sure why she included in the letter that they would stay at the Leaky Cauldron that night since it was closer to Kings Cross.
Charlie surprised her by showing up at Flourish and Blotts where he bought her a book on healing magic. During their conversation in the book she found out that he staying at the Leaky Cauldron as well. That night when Parvati went across the hall to stay in the room of her friend Lavender Brown, a very bold feeling Padma walked down to Charlie's door and knocked on it. She had been afraid things would be awkward, but she and Charlie had gotten to know each very well through their letters so they were like old friends. When she left his room that night they both gave each other a hug and that was when they both realized that their feelings might go a little deeper than just friendship.
They continued to write to each other over the next few months. Charlie hinted in a few of his letters that he would like to be more than friends, and Padma wanted more as well but was always worried about what her parents would say or do. They still wanted her to marry.
For Christmas that year he bought her a small heart shaped locket that would only open with a pass word that she set. Inside was a picture of him smiling and winking at her.
They finally got to see each other again on New Year's Eve at a bash that was being thrown by an old friend of her parents. Apparently this old friend had a son who worked with Charlie. They sat by each other at dinner and made polite conversation then when the dancing started they danced several times. Padma made him laugh by stating that she was glad he didn't have two clubbed left feet reminding him of what he had said about Ron the day they met at Hogwarts
At ten minutes to Midnight, Charlie, found a secluded parlor.
"What are we doing in here?" Padma asked "Shouldn't we be in the ballroom getting ready for the count down."
"Yes, we probably should." he admitted. "But you have to kiss someone at midnight and I want to kiss you. I can't do that in the ballroom in front of your parents who want you to marry some other guy."
"You want to kiss me at midnight?" she asked quietly.
"Yes?"
"Why?" she asked even softer than before.
"Because, I love you, and I want to be with you. I want you to be my girlfriend."
"Charlie, I care about you very much, and I could easily fall in love with you too, but my parents won't let us be together." Padma cried. "If they ever found out about our friendship they would pull me out of school and try to keep us from talking. They want me to Marry..."
"I don't care what they want," Charlie interrupted trying to hold in his anger, "I only care about you and what you want, and I know you don't want to marry Rakesh. If you care about me we can be together. We can keep our relationship secret until you are out of Hogwarts then we can be together."
"Where, in Romania?" she asked quietly. "Charlie I can't do my healer's training in Romania."
" You can't do them married to Rakesh Nayar either. Look I don't have the details figured out just yet." he said desperately. "We'll work it out somehow. But for now, I just want the security of knowing you're mine, and that some Hogwarts boy isn't going to come and take you away from me."
Padma looked at Charlie and smiled softly. "Oh Charlie, no one is going to take me from you." She was quiet for the space a few heartbeats then she sighed in agreement. "Alright, we will let the future work itself out, but for now, yes, I'll be your girlfriend, yes, I'll kiss you at midnight, and yes, I love you too."
Charlie smiled. "I know we have to keep this quiet, but we won't have to much longer, I promise, just until your out of school."
In the background they could hear the countdown starting. Charlie pulled Padma close and brushed his thumb across her cheek as he started into her dark brown eyes, then at the stroke of Midnight, he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. Padma had never been kissed by anyone before and she was glad that her first kiss was with Charlie. His lips was soft but firm and just touched hers lightly at first then after a few seconds added more pressure to deepen the kiss. When Padma felt his tongue run across her lower lip she shyly opened her mouth granting his tongue access but when his tongue darted into her mouth she wasn't sure what to do, so she timidly pulled back.
"What's wrong? He asked with confusion written on his face.
"I've never kissed anyone before, especially like that. "She whispered turning a very becoming shade of red.
"Oh." Charlie said as he smiled. "Well, than I shall have to teach you the proper way to kiss someone." He leaned in and kissed her again, this time getting a better response with her timidly moving her tongue along with his. "See, nothing to it." he said when he pulled back.
"You're not disappointed?" She asked.
"Not in the least." He leaned in one last time and kissed her again, but quickly broke apart when he heard voices in the hall. Padma recognized her parents voices and Charlie apperated from the room before they came in looking for her. She had told them she missed the countdown due to headache, so she and her family left soon after.
After that she and Charlie continued to write each other. When Dumbledore was killed in June she didn't get to stay at Hogwarts long enough for Charlie to see her. Her father came and removed her and Parvati from the school. They still wrote to each other but still hadn't gotten to see each other until this morning.
"Here you go." Charlie said as he sat a plate of eggs and sausage in front of Padma, bringing her out of her thoughts. "It's nothing fancy but it's the best I could do under the circumstances."
