Paparazzi by WeasleyForMe
This is a (belated) birthday story for Clover Bay! Thanks for your patience! And thanks to Prince Charming for beta reading!
With her new celebrity status after the war, Hermione finds it difficult to maintain romantic relationships. But what if she is thrown into one inadvertently? With Charlie Weasley? A birthday gift for Clover Bay :)
Hermione found it surprisingly easy to walk hand in hand out the front door of Charlie's flat and into the slightly dissipated crowd of photographers and fans. As soon as her pink heels hit the sidewalk, flashbulbs and questions were fired in their direction, and her confidence started to waver.
"Oh bugger," Hermione mumbled. "Why did we come out here again?"
"Because we aren't afraid of anything!" Charlie boomed rather loudly as he waved to some journalists. "Chin up, princess. It'll be over soon," he whispered to his companion who was clinging to his arm.
He couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of her. Hermione had donned her clothing from the previous day, only after altering the blouse with a colour changing charm; he didn't see much of a point, since everyone clearly knew she had spend the evening at his place. Regardless, she looked cute in the blue shirt and his old, oversized Muggle-styled sunglasses, like some sort of film star.
Hermione squeaked as an interviewer jumped in their path as they made their way briskly down the sidewalk toward Diagon Alley. Charlie, on the other hand, was simply amazed by how fast this man could walk backward while taking notes.
"Are you quite aware that you are one of many in a strand of lovers that Miss Granger has had since The War?" the interviewer asked Charlie, holding his notebook up to capture a response. "Are you aware, Mr. Weasley, of her tendency to leave multiple men in her wake as she flirts relentlessly every time she goes out?"
"I beg your pardon?!" Hermione gasped at the man's ludicrous questions. She could already feel the burning sensation behind her eyes as tears started to spring to the surface. They could say the most hurtful things about her. And this time they were saying them to Charlie. Didn't they know he meant something to her?!
Unluckily for Hermione, the interviewer now seemed more interested in her response, but she didn't want them to see her cry as she pushed the sunglasses higher on her nose. Luckily for Hermione, Charlie piped up once again in his booming voice.
"Sir, are you aware that I don't happen to give a damn about some supposed strand of lovers?" he asked in his best 'nosy interviewer' voice. Some of the other journalists began to scribble furiously on their notepads. "And, are you quite aware that your zipper is down?" Charlie added for good measure, causing the man to blush and bend to check the status of his trousers.
Hermione was unable to stifle her laughter as the flustered interviewer fell back behind them as they rushed along. Charlie smiled brilliantly for photographer after relentless photographer as he whispered, "Pick up the pace, princess," out of the side of his mouth.
"I'm trying!" she replied, pulling him quickly down her cobblestone street once they had passed Diagon Alley. "It's just up at the end of the block…. next to that other herd of photographers," Hermione added dejectedly as she saw another crowd waiting on her front steps. Another blinding round of flashbulbs erupted in front of them as Hermione pulled her keys from her pocket.
"Don't you people give up?!" she shouted over their many questions and comments.
"I don't think they heard you!" Charlie yelled to her as he muscled their way to the front door.
While she fumbled with the keys, Charlie blocked the crowd from bumping into her. They were like a bunch of boarhounds licking their chops at the sight of dinner, but Charlie still wasn't intimidated. In fact, Hermione was alarmed to find he seemed to be enjoying himself as she was finally able to turn the key in the lock and bypass her security charms.
"Thank you all so much for seeing us home safely!" Charlie yelled to the endless, noisy crowd. "We're just going to retire for a quiet afternoon. You've all been truly wonderful! Bless you! Bless you!" He waved to everyone with a bright smile, as if he were the Minister of Magic or even a clone of Gilderoy Lockhart.
"Are you finished?" asked a bemused Hermione as she pushed the door open into her living room.
"What? I was having a good time!" Charlie whined as she slammed and locked her door, blocking out the flashbulbs and discourteous questions.
Hermione raised one eyebrow at her lover. "That didn't bother you?"
"Not really. Should it have?" Charlie asked as he started to saunter around her living room, checking out her collection of potted flowers.
"Honestly?" she asked quietly, scuffing the tip of her pink shoe along the edge of her area rug.
Charlie picked up a photograph of Hermione, Ron and Harry and examined it for a moment. "Honestly. It wasn't such a nuisance, Hermione. I know they are all full of dragon dung." He carefully placed the frame back where he found it and turned to face her.
"Well, you say that now…but they are relentless. They won't even let me-"
"Hermione, what is it going to take for you to believe me?"
He examined her right where she stood. She looked nervous as she bit her lower lip, and she could barely meet his eyes. Charlie closed the distance between them and ran his hands up her arms until they skimmed across her shoulders and came to stop as he cupped her cheeks. She finally met his deep blue eyes, but offered no words of her own.
"Would you believe me if I were to tell you that no woman has ever affected me as much as you have in just two short days?"
Hermione could feel her heart pounding in her ears at his words.
"Would you believe me if I told you that you've grown into the most glorious kind of woman, and I'm not afraid to give this a try if you're willing to?"
As her eyes fluttered closed, she pulled him against her until their lips crashed together. She felt dizzy and drunk and she almost sizzled with delight. Perhaps, with a bit of luck, this might work out.
"Yes, I would believe you." She whispered the promise against his lips and pulled back to smile up at him.
Charlie chuckled and scooped her up. "Good. I was more afraid of your response than I was of the rabid mob!"
Hermione laughed as he spun her around before depositing her back on her heels. "Hey, why did you buy those crazy pink shoes anyway?" he asked, eying the heels that peeked out of the bottom of her jeans.
"For Ron's wedding. They match my dress perfectly. And I don't care if they aren't at all practical. They happen to be cute." Hermione crossed her arms as if daring him to disagree.
"Would you accompany me?" Charlie abruptly asked.
"Accompany you? Where?"
"To Ron's wedding. As my date?"
Could she be Charlie's date? And his lover? And possibly his girlfriend? Well, not without losing her heart in the process. But would she mind losing that to him?
"I think that could be arranged," she answered with a firm nod, causing a lopsided grin to appear on Charlie's face.
He leaned down and kissed her gently. Everything would work out. He believed it and now he knew she did, too.
"Now will you take me on a tour of your castle, princess?" he asked teasingly. "We've been here for nearly a half hour, and I've only seen one room."
Hermione took him by the hand and led him toward the hallway.
"Oh, and make sure you spend plenty of time showing me around your bedroom," he added with a wink, for good measure.
"Charlie Weasley, you are relentless."
I am so, so, SO sorry for the delay with this chapter! :\ Please bear with me and leave a reivew! There is one chapter left, and hopefully it will be posted within the next week!! Thanks for reading!
