A/N: Look at me, updating so soon. I'm extremely proud of myself because usually I get through a few chapters and then get really bored of my story. Not with this one, so all of you who are actually reading this, not to worry. Not that there are that many of you out there. Anyway, review please!
Disclaimer: I'm not JK Rowling, I'm not making any money off this.
Charlie woke up in a good mood the next day morning. He couldn't believe how good of a time he had the previous night, with Leah. It wasn't that she wasn't a gorgeous, interesting girl, but he hadn't been on a date in forever, and well, he forgot how much fun it was. Actually, he didn't remember it being that enjoyable. Maybe it was just the girl. When he had received her reply that day, and confronted George, who gladly admitted to forging a letter form him, all he wanted to do was hex his brother. He hated dating and he hated being a gentleman and all that. Now, all he wanted to do was go thank his brother. It was a strange, strange feeling.
The best part of living at home was breakfast, and the smell wafting up from the kitchen was extremely tempting. He was the only one at home aside from his mother; Billy was at his house, George was in his apartment above his shop in Diagon Alley, Ron was up at Auror boot camp, and Ginny was away at school. It was weird to have the house so quiet; but he knew in mare hours it would be full of people, as it always was for Sunday dinner.
The burrow would never change, but over the summer, with the funds the family had received for fighting in the war, a giant dinning room had been added next to the kitchen, in an extension. Now it was never a problem to have millions of people over for dinner.
"Good morning, mum." He said cheerfully, entering the kitchen.
"Good morning, Charlie. Help yourself to some bacon, roast potatoes, and toast. There are eggs, but I'm guessing you don't want any." The fact that Charlie hated eggs was always such a disappointment to Molly.
"Thanks mum. Are you cooking for dinner already?" he glanced around at the many things in process.
"Yes, dear, it's past noon already. Some of us can't sleep all day, you know." She shot him a dark glance.
"I'm on vacation! Usually I get up at six every morning. You know that."
"Ok, ok. Can you please help by setting up the table? And is that girl of yours coming to dinner?"
"Yup, and her friend Audrey. So how may people is that?"
"Lets see… Me, your father, you, Bill and Fleur, Angelina and George, Percy, Leah and Audrey, Kingsley and his new girlfriend, some woman named Leslie, and Teddy and Dromeda."
"So what's that, only fourteen? Oh, mum, that's so few."
"Stop your teasing and get on with your chores. After that, I want you to clean your room, your sheets are dirty and there are clothes and papers everywhere."
"Yes, mum." He sighed and got to work, setting up the dinning room nicely and then tiding up his disaster of a room. The peace and quiet was nice; Christmas was going to be crazy. Everyone slept over on Christmas Eve, and the house was going to be overstuffed with people, no doubt about it.
He showered and picked out a pair of dark jeans, a thin, light grey t-shirt, and dark green dragon skin jacket (a Christmas gift from the twins). He wanted to look good for Audrey. He had told her to come at five; that's when everyone except family came. Family had to be there by four forty-five at the latest or their heads were on the chopping block. George always showed up on the dot, to annoy his parents.
But today, of all days, George decided to show up almost an hour earlier. "Charlie! How was your date with Leah?" he called loudly.
All eyes turned to hm. Charlie sent a murderous glance at his younger brother.
"Date? You went on a date with this girl last night? I thought you were only friends! Oh, Charlie, this is fantastic! You're bringing a girl home!" Molly practically shrieked with joy.
"Technically, George is the one who invited her over." Charlie protested, but his mother ignored that. She was surveying him.
"You should change out of that ridiculous jacket, dear, into some nice robes. And go and wash your face again. I want my boy looking as handsome as can be."
"Mum? I'm twenty-five. Let me take care of myself, please."
***
Leah was having a hard time deciding what to wear to Charlie's. According to the many magazines she read, guys liked girls who looked effortlessly gorgeous sometimes, not always dressed up. In the end, she picked a pair of dark jeans, fluffy tall Uggs (all the rage in the muggle world) and the v-neck cream cashmere sweater she'd bought last weekend. Audrey danced into her room in a pair of ripped up light wash skinny jeans and a tight pink pullover, her curls bouncing.
"You ready for the whole family?"
"How bad can it be?" Leah asked. "I'm just trying to pick a jacket to wear."
"Go with something casual, like that small navy one." Her friend suggested. "We should probably go, its past five already."
"I know, I know, just a sec." Leah made sure her long hair was straight, her black eyeliner and mascara were unsmudged, and then grabbed the coat Audrey had suggested. "Did I mention I love you for coming with me?"
"Yeah, you did, but I don't mind hearing it again." Audrey pointed her wand at the small, magic-only fireplace in Leah's room and green flames shot up. "You do first."
Sighing, Leah pinched some floo powder and threw them in the flames. She stepped in. "The burrow." She said in a bored voice, and instantly she was spinning with dizzying speed. She landed in a low-ceilinged room already full of people, and of course tripped and was caught by Charlie.
"Hello, there." He smiled, a slightly teasing look on his face.
"Yeah, I'm a klutz." She admitted. "Thanks for the catch."
They moved out of the way just as Audrey came spinning in much more gracefully.
"Let me introduce you two to the rest of us." He said, motioning around to the rest of the people in the room. "This is my brother Bill, and his wife Fleur. Where you at Hogwarts during the time of the Triwizard tournament?"
"Yeah, Fleur, I remember you, we sat together a few times at the Ravenclaw table. Nice to meet both of you." Audrey answered for both of them.
"George and Angelina are over there, but you know them… and this is my brother Percy. He was what, a year above you at Hogwarts."
"You dated Clearwater." Audrey informed him. Leah chuckled and her and Charlie turned away.
"The rest of them are already at the table. The old ones, I guess." He informed her.
"Wow, so there are a lot of people here for dinner?"
"Just fourteen. Trust me; it can get a lot worse sometimes. Up to twenty sometimes."
"And your mum doesn't mind cooking for everyone?"
"Are you kidding? Mum loves to cook. I've been telling her for years that she should open a restaurant, but she says she might think about it only when all of her kids have moved out."
"Who's left, then?"
"Just Ginny, the youngest and the only girl."
"So the one that's dating Harry?"
"Yeah, that git." Charlie muttered.
"How is he a git?"
"He's dating my baby sister, he's automatically a git. Actually, he's the only guy who can date her. Anyone else and I'd kill them. She's precious."
"That's cute, you're so protective." Leah teased.
"I can't help it!" he said defensively. "Come on, we should probably head to the table before mum gets mad."
Everyone followed them to a much airier room with a giant table, nicely set and smelling amazing. More introductions went around; the minister of magic was there, and Leah did her best to act completely normal. Mrs. Weasley gave her a giant hug and called her dear many times; Mr. Weasley shook her hand and asked if about airplanes until his wife gave him a smoldering look. Teddy, the son of war heroes Tonks and Lupin, was an adorable little baby who charmed everyone.
Charlie was right, the food was delicious.
"Mrs. Weasley, your son is right; I think you should open a restaurant." Leah told her hostess after swallowing.
"Please, dear, call me Molly." She smiled warmly. "Thank you, Charlie is quite insistent that I open one, but perhaps when Ginny has moved out…"
"Mum, you know as well as I do that in six months, when she graduates form high school and starts Auror training, she will always be away at boot camp, just like Ron and Harry, and she will be living with Harry." Bill replied from the other end of the table. "We aren't going to rest until you get yourself a little restaurant."
"Boys, boys, calm down. Molly will do what she wants." Mr. Weasley quieted them down. "They're right though." He told his wife quietly.
"Hush." She scolded. "So, Leah, you're a healer, right?"
"She's the one that saved my life, remember?" Angelina added.
"Of course! I knew I recognized you. You are quite the young healer."
"Really, I'm just as good as the rest of them."
"Leah's exceptionally modest." Charlie added.
"Yeah, I'm her roommate and I never see her; that's how much she works." Audrey put in.
"Oh, so you two live together?"
"Yeah, after being roommates at Hogwarts for seven years one would think we'd get bored of each other, but we tried living apart after Hogwarts and found that we like it better together." Leah explained. "Audrey works for the Daily Prophet."
"That's very interesting! How long have you worked there?"
"Just since this summer. I refused to work there when they were so heavily influenced by the ministry, so before that I did a lot of freelance work."
The conversation was animated and interesting all through the many course meal. By the time dessert was finished, Leah was so full she thought she would never be able to move. Everyone else seemed to be thinking along the same lines, since they all stayed in their spots until Molly got up and started moving dished; then they all hastened to join in the clean-up (although Molly refused to let Leah, Audrey, the Minister's date, or Dromeda to help). People started to leave; it was almost nine and most of them had work in the morning.
"How about you stay for a coffee?" Charlie asked Leah quietly. "I'm sure Audrey will stay as well, it looks like her and Percy are having a good time."
It was true; Audrey and Percy were fast friends. There was nothing flirty or sexual about they way they talked and talked, but all the energy that flowed out of Audrey was influencing Percy.
"I've never seen him so talkative." Charlie muttered in Leah's ear, and she giggled. In the end, it was only the four of them that sat down in the sitting room and had some tea and biscuits in Charlie and Percy's case.
"I do not understand how you can eat more." Leah groaned. "I'm so full I don't plan on eating for at least a week."
"Well, mum said you're invited next Sunday too, so I guess that will be your weekly meal then."
"You family is so nice and welcoming." Leah yawned. "You're lucky."
"I know." He put his arm around him and her head fell onto his shoulder. "Tired?"
"It's been a long week. I had to work another six to eleven shift this morning."
"You really are a workaholic, aren't you?"
"I am. But hey, in less then two weeks I'll be on vacation."
"Then you'll be able to catch up on all that sleep you missed." He couldn't help but keep smiling. Leah just made him happy.
"Mhm." She muttered sleepily. Charlie looked down at her; he eyes were closed.
"Come on; let's get you home before you fall asleep on me."
"Don't worry; I'll take care of her." Audrey stood up. "Leah? There's a warm bed with your favorite cashmere pajamas waiting for you at home."
Leah stood up robotically. "Yeah, that's really tempting. Thanks for dinner, Charlie." She gave him a hug.
"Don't fall asleep standing up!" he teased. "I'll owl you, ok?"
"You better." She smiled at him. "Bye, Charlie." She waved goodbye as she stepped in the fire and muttered her address. He watched her spin away, all cute and half-asleep. Audrey waved at him from the fire, and then she too was gone.
Even though Leah was tired, Charlie had done pretty much nothing all day and wasn't in the mood for bed, or even sitting. He felt restless.
"I'm going out for a ride." He told Percy, and went out t the broom shed to get his broom. He didn't play quidditch anymore, but he still loved flying at night. Whenever he was bored or couldn't sleep he would sit on his broom, cast a disillusionment charm on himself and fly around for hours.
This particular night, he flew around the countryside, over the hills and snowy villages. It was late, much later then he expected when he returned. He has been flying for hours, and was finally tired. He sank into his soft bed and fell asleep quickly, his dreams full of a particular brown-haired girl.