Chapter seven
Charlie talked Harry into going to the Burrow to get him a hangover potion, so after showering and dressing, Charlie took Harry's hand and they apparated together. They stepped inside and Ginny's eyes widened in surprise then she smirked.
'So, it seems Harry can't just give up on us red heads, tell me, did Charlie get you to react?'
'None of your business Ginny,' Charlie said but nodded as he smirked.
Harry slapped Charlie's arm, 'Stop Charlie, now I thought you were going to get me a hangover potion.'
'Keep your hair on Potter,' Charlie smirked then kissed Harry before heading into his mother's laundry where she kept all her potions.
'So what happened, why have you got a hangover, Charlie trying to get into your pants and thought he'd get you drunk first?' Ginny chuckled.
'No if you must know,' Harry sat down, 'We were having a good time last night, but Charlie's very aggressive, he came on a bit strong and I wasn't sure what to do, so I left. I was confused, so I decided to have a drink and went a bit far.'
'Yeah, I found him passed out on his living room floor,' Charlie and his mother walked in and Charlie put a potion in front of Harry, 'Drink.'
'Still being bossy Charlie,' Harry grinned then drank the potion.
'So he did try?' Ginny smirked again.
'No, well, yes, it's complicated Ginny and you're too young to hear any of it,' Charlie shakes his head at his sister but he noticed his mother looking concerned, 'I let Harry know I was interested, but I went about it a bit over the top and Harry didn't know how to deal with that. I forget his is only eighteen, he seems so much older, so confident.'
'Yes, Harry is like that, but not with this Charlie, even when we were together he was always unsure and hesitant.'
'Yeah, I worked that out, so we're together but taking it slow, so mum don't worry, there won't be any sex just yet, no pushing on my part.'
'Good, I know you like that type of life Charlie, but Harry has not had a chance to be a normal boy, you need to give him a chance to learn about himself and life before your strong personality overwhelms him.'
'It already has,' Harry said softly as he gave Charlie a small smile.
'I already apologised Harry, I'm not doing it again.'
'I know, relax, geez,' Harry moved slightly as he looks down at the table.
'Sorry, this is going to take time for both of us, we're so different,' Charlie picks up Harry's hand and kisses each knuckle.
Harry sighed, 'Yeah, we are. I was different before because I had no choice, I knew what I had to do then. I was confident and self-assured because facing him, facing that life was my life and had been for so long. This, us, you, it's so different, so new to me that I just don't know how to handle it. I had to be so careful how I acted, what I said that I just kept to myself,' Harry glanced at Ginny, 'We never really did the dating thing, we were just together, but not like other couples. I have no idea about any of this. I get told I'm like my father, but I'm not, not in that way.'
'Sorry baby,' Charlie said softly then grins.
Harry chuckles, 'Baby blimey.'
'Yeah, but we'll get to know each other, for now, how about a fly?'
'I don't have a broom anymore; I really should buy another one.'
'We'll use the old things in the shed for now, it's not like we're going out to win the cup for Gryffindor. Come on Gin, you join us, we'll have some fun.'
'I'm in, what about it Harry?'
'Yeah, sounds good and I always love to fly,' Harry stands and hands Mrs. Weasley the empty potion bottle, 'Thanks, it helped.'
'Try not to drink so much next time Harry. I know you're an adult, but like you said, you never had a normal life, so you never did all the partying and drinking in your teenage years.'
'No, not something any of us did.'
'Speak for yourself,' Charlie smirked, 'I often partied at Hogwarts.'
'You did, where,' Harry asked when they walked outside and down towards the small shed that held the Weasley's old brooms.
'Gryffindor tower, in our dorm rooms sometimes, in the quidditch changing rooms, all over the place really. This right now shows how different our lives have been, so for the last time, sorry, I'll take it easy.'
'You should Charlie, you are very overwhelming sometimes, very assertive, aggressive. In fighting Harry would overshadow you, but not with this,' Ginny said grabbing three brooms and handed one to Harry and one to Charlie.
'You're the same in a lot of ways Ginny, you probably didn't realise it. Maybe it's how you were raised, all the siblings you had. You had to yell to be heard, fight for the bathroom, the fights you all had, sort of toughed you up in that way that you know how to be, to act, you know what I mean.'
'It was like that here, we had to assert ourselves or we'd never get heard and always be last to use the bathroom, there were a lot of things that were like that. You might have spent time here, but by then I was gone, Bill was, Percy, well he never spent any time with the rest of us and the twins were always working on their jokes. So you never really got involved in how we all were when we were together.'
'No, I didn't and being at Privet drive I was basically treated like a house elf or ignored. With Voldemort and the last few years, I could handle that, it's just the way it's been since I was eleven. This life, I really don't know how to be anymore. It's like I'm someone different to who I was, so I need to figure out who I am.'
'Yeah, you do and you're doing that, first with getting your own place, now you know you're gay, so it's getting there. Now come on, let's fly and maybe a swim after,' Charlie saw Harry tense slightly, 'What?'
'Well, I can't swim, never learned and well,' Harry shrugged as he looked down, 'my scars.'
'Okay, well I'm covered in scars, so yours are not going to bother me and as for swimming, I taught Ginny to swim, I'll teach you.'
Harry slowly lifted his head, 'Okay,' he said shyly.
'Let's fly,' Ginny said then mounted her broom and took off waving at the two men to join her.
'I'm glad we can stay friends, I always liked Ginny, she was fun to be with.'
'Yep, it's made it easier especially with us. Now I can snog you whenever I want and not worry that my sister will hex me.'
Harry laughed, 'Yeah, I was worried about that myself,' Harry mounted his broom, 'Come on…babe,' he smirks and takes off with Charlie chasing him while he laughs.
