CHARLIE WEASLEY'S BEST FRIEND.

Darcy finally found Charlie and walked over to him, who was getting a drink of wine. She tapped him on the shoulder and he turned quickly, swallowing the wine in his mouth and smiling. "Hello," he said happily. "How did I do? Was I a good best man?"

"The best!" Darcy replied and they both laughed. "All you had to do was stand there and look good the whole time! You nailed it."

They stood there, looking at each other for a moment, and Darcy tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Would you like to dance?" Charlie asked and he held out his hand. Darcy eagerly agreed and took his hand. He led her to the dance floor and with one of her hands in his, he placed the other on her waist. Darcy rested her hand on his shoulder. "Mum is convinced that we're going to marry each other."

"Oh, she's already asked me if we're going to get married," Darcy chuckled. "I had to break the unfortunate news to her myself. She said that our wedding would be the wedding of the century."

"She was a bit disappointed when I told her we were just friends and that's all we were going to be."

"How do you know that? We could very well end up married, you know. Remember our little deal?"

"No, I don't think we'll be getting married," Charlie grinned and Darcy raised an eyebrow. "I know that you've still got your heart set on a certain Remus Lupin."

Darcy blushed fiercely and Charlie raised his eyebrows and smirked. "I don't!" she protested, but Charlie knew that to be a lie. They both laughed and just as quick as it had come, the smile was wiped from her face. "I'm leaving tomorrow." Charlie was about as tall as her and she only had to look up a little to look right into his blue eyes that resembled Ron's so much.

Charlie considered that for a moment before answering. "And you still won't tell me where it is you'll be going?" he asked her.

"I could and would tell you if I knew," she sighed honestly. "But I have no idea where I'll be. I just can't tell you what it is we'll be doing. I wish I'd be able to send you letters or something, but the Ministry is going crazy. They'll intercept every letter and find me."

Charlie breathed out his long nose and pursed his thin lips together.

"I'm glad you're here, though. Really, truly glad. It's nice having a friend like you, Charlie. It's been so long since I could talk to someone like I talk to you. It's been so long since someone has really appreciated me like you do."

Charlie smiled weakly and Darcy rested her cheek on Charlie's shoulder; her nose just gently brushed the skin on his neck and she suddenly realized that he smelled strongly of cinnamon. Their feet moved in sync quite impressively to the slow string music, seeing as most of the people dancing were a bit tipsy and flailing about. "I'm glad you're here, too, Darcy. You're a fantastic person. I'm so glad I met you," he whispered, kissing the top of her head. "It'll be a shame when I return to Romania. The dragons just aren't as friendly as you are. You – you're my best friend."

Darcy giggled.

Back at another table, Ron and Harry were sitting together, incredibly bored. Ron was viciously watching Hermione dance with Viktor Krum, who had shown up because of an invitation he received from Fleur. Ron's eyes landed on yet another redhead in the crowed, getting cozy with Darcy. Ron snorted; Harry hadn't noticed his sister dancing yet and hardly cared who she was dancing with. He was too busy watching Ginny. But Ron's odd noise got Harry's attention. "What?" he asked Ron dully.

"It's just – it's your sister," Ron chuckled and Harry gave his best friend a threatening glance. "She's got – interesting – taste in men. First, it's Remus, who's like, way older than her and boring and old fashioned and a werewolf and now it's Charlie – Charlie! Blimey, I reckon Percy's better looking than him!"

Harry then proceeded to look for Charlie. When he found the handsome, stocky Weasley, he saw that he was indeed dancing with his sister. Her head was resting on his shoulder and she looked awfully sad. "She doesn't love Charlie," Harry said in reply. "She still loves Remus."

"I don't know about that," Ron shrugged. "Look at how close they are. I just saw him kiss her head."

"She's not used to having friends like him." Harry waved a hand at his best friend impatiently as if Darcy Potter was the easiest person in the world to figure out. "Remus never really trusted her, Tonks stole the man she loved, and Snape hardly looked at her. But Charlie is legitimately interested in her and shows that he cares, unlike Snape."

Ron turned to Harry. "You think Snape actually cared about Darcy?" he asked, sounding quite shocked at what Harry had just said. "The git only cared about himself."

Harry hesitated. "No, that's not true," Harry continued, not quite understanding why he was arguing for Snape. He was still watching his sister dance with Charlie. "I think he did care about her, he just didn't want to admit it to anyone – especially himself." He paused. "Snape would have done anything to keep her out of danger, even though he acted as if he hated watching over her."

"But Remus watched over her," Ron pointed out. Their eyes found Lupin next, who was talking to Mrs. Weasley while holding Tonks's hand. "Snape was just intervening on their relationship."

Harry's forehead creased as he thought hard. "No, Remus would do anything to have her safe, but I think he overestimates her ability a bit. He believes her when she tells him she doesn't need help. She thinks she's independent, but she needs people. He didn't come running to save her like Snape did. Snape keeps her head out of the clouds and her feet grounded. He reminds her that she's not extraordinary – well, I think she is – but he made sure her head didn't get too big. If he hadn't done that, I think Darcy would be dead."

"Last year, during the fire –"

"But Snape was the one who healed her injuries. All the time."

"I've never heard you say anything like that before," Ron laughed hesitantly, wondering if his best friend had gone mad.

"Come on," Harry muttered. "Let's go get something eat. We'll say 'hi' to Luna, too."

"Good idea," Ron agreed, standing up quickly. He took one last glance at Darcy and Charlie. "I'm starved. You know, Luna's not that bad of a girl… quite funny… I think she's grown on me…"

Over by the corner of the marquee, Tonks had gone to congratulate Bill and Fleur, leaving Lupin and Mrs. Weasley alone. Lupin looked and felt slightly uncomfortable and kept reaching up to touch his black eye, but then played it off by quickly running his fingers through his hair. It had grown since last year.

"Tonks - she's very young, yes?" Mrs. Weasley finally asked. Lupin shrugged.

"She's about Darcy's age. Little bit older," Lupin said coolly, stuffing his hands in his pockets. He rocked back and forth on his heels.

"Darcy and Charlie have gotten comfortable during the last few days," Mrs. Weasley nodded towards her son and Darcy, who were still dancing silently to the slow, string music playing. Mrs. Weasley smiled at her son and Darcy.

"They're roughly the same age," replied Lupin calmly. "Stick them together for twelve hours a day and they'll learn to like each other."

Mrs. Weasley didn't seem to like his answer. She lowered her voice and it became harsher. Lupin felt like he was being scolded by his mother. "I can't believe you did it, though. Breaking her heart. She's still a child. She still needs to be loved."

Lupin sighed deeply. "So we're back to this? I thought you didn't approve of our relationship."

"I seemed like the only one," Mrs. Weasley finally admitted. "I suppose it's too late to give you my blessing?" Lupin looked at the plump woman before him and blinked a few times. Of course she was too late! "She's miserable. I hate seeing her like that; she's like my own daughter."

"She's got Charlie and her brother," Lupin said, grinding his teeth. "And Hermione and Ron. She's got all of you Weasleys. The twins seem to enjoy her company, as well."

"She's been looking after Harry for seventeen years now. I've known her for six years and that girl needs and deserves a break."

"So you're saying I could look after Harry like he's my son or something while she lays back and kicks her feet up?"

"You are her break," Mrs. Weasley explained. "Sometimes you don't have to talk or go somewhere. You don't have to take over for her responsibilities. Sometimes just being together in complete silence is enough. When she's with you, she feels at peace. She relaxes around you and that's why you're her break." Mrs. Weasley looked at Darcy again and smiled weakly. Darcy was laughing at something Charlie said; they were still dancing. "Let me tell you something about Darcy. She's an old soul stuck in a young woman's body. She's seen the world and she's been through things a girl her age shouldn't ever be through. She's a mother and a sister and a great girl. She raised Harry all on her own; that takes patience and gentleness. A certain kindness that can't be found in every girl. She can argue her opinions well, challenge someone's intelligence, and keep a conversation going for a long time. She has love in her heart for everyone. She loved Snape – that's got to say something."

"I know that," Lupin said softly, looking at the girl who he had fallen quickly in love with over the years.

"But she cares too much about what people think of her," Mrs. Weasley kept saying. "Kind of like you." Mrs. Weasley now fixed her gaze on Lupin.

"I hardly believe that to be true, Molly," Lupin answered. "She's got thick skin."

Mrs. Weasley raised her eyebrows. "Perhaps before she met you. You didn't know her before you met her, obviously. She was a much different girl back then. A tougher, meaner, angrier girl. If you really paid attention to her, you would realize that she does not quite have the same tough exterior that she used to. You broke her down, Remus. Albus paid me a visit at the end of her first year as an intern." This caught Lupin's attention and he bit down hard on his bottom lip. "You don't know what she told Severus, do you?"

Lupin felt defeated. He had lost. He had been put second to Snape and he felt a bit humiliated. "No," he rasped. "No, I don't."

"She would sit in his office," Mrs. Weasley told Lupin sadly. "And he would read her or show her the articles about herself after she begged him to let her see and she'd stay in his office crying. Most days she wouldn't get back to her quarters until ten o'clock that night."

Lupin licked his lips.

"I may hate to say it, but Darcy needs someone like Severus. She won't cry in front of Harry or Hermione or Ron. I don't think she'd cry in front of you like she did Severus."

"I just – why Severus… why him? Why would she only cry like that in front of him?"

"She's independent, you know."

"I know," Lupin gritted his teeth.

"Severus would never hold her and tell her it was okay and to stop crying. He wouldn't reassure her that she was fine. Severus kept his distance from her, by letting her cry and not overwhelming her, but he also didn't quite ever let her out of his sight." Mrs. Weasley paused. "She cried in front of Severus because he never told her it was wrong of her to cry. He never told her to stop. She never wanted to cry in front of you because you were the one who taught her it was okay to cry. It made her feel weak. You changed her. It was embarrassing for her to cry in front of you."

At that moment, Tonks had bounded over with a smile, wrapping her hands around Lupin's arm. "What did I miss?"

Back on the crowded dance floor, Charlie looked down at Darcy in the eyes. "We've been dancing for a while," he chuckled. "You tired yet?"

"No," she replied with a shy smile and rested her chin on his shoulder. "Not at all."

"I've got a question for you. Well, I've got something to say to you," he said and Darcy looked at him again. "I won't pry anymore. I understand that you can't tell me what you're doing, but stay safe, okay?" Charlie sighed. "And I don't want you to think that you deserve to die for all of this. I care about you – everyone here cares about you. I don't want you to go out there, expecting to die. I want you to go out there and do what you have to do, expecting to come home when you're done and see me. Can you do that?"

"I – I –"

"Do it for me?"

She was choked up. A tear ran down her cheek and Charlie reached up and wiped it away with his thumb. He kissed her cheek. Darcy breathed in sharply and pulled slowly away from Charlie. "Will you excuse me for a second?" she asked and Charlie, a frown on his face, released her hand and let her go.

Darcy walked off the dance floor and passed tons of red-headed men and women. She gave up looking for Ron, who she knew would be with her brother. Lupin coughed loudly as Darcy passed him, Tonks, and Mrs. Weasley. He was the only one to see Darcy leave in a hurry, for her red hair disguised her and the other two thought her to be just another Weasley.

"I'm just going to pop inside for a second," Lupin told Tonks. "Do you mind?"

"Oh," she released her grip on Lupin's arm. "Not at all. Go ahead, sweetheart."

Lupin brushed past her and squeezed past Fred and George, who snickered and grabbed his arms, pulling him back. "Where are you going?" George cocked an eyebrow.

"Nowhere," Lupin muttered, quite frustrated by the hassle the twins had given him the past few days.

"You're following Darcy," Fred said in an accusatory tone.

"Maybe I am. Aren't I allowed to talk to her?" Lupin hissed and George pursed his lips and let his arm ago; Fred did the same and they both walked away in the sea of Weasleys.

Lupin saw a black figure to his right – Darcy's dress. He jogged around the corner of the lit marquee and saw her sitting down on the step before the back door. She had her legs stretched out in front of her and she leaned back on her hands. She was looking up at the sky, her long hair falling in waves, nearly touching the ground.

Lupin approached her and cleared his throat. She sat up straight. "Can I join you?"

"I suppose if you really want to." She moved over to her right, making room for him to sit down on the step. Lupin sat down, stretching his legs out in front of him as well. Their shoulders were touching, but neither one of them made an effort of moving away. "I'm leaving tomorrow," she blurted out. Lupin looked sadly at her, but she was staring at the ground.

"You say it like I've somehow forgotten," he replied in a low voice. "But I know. I haven't forgotten."

"I'm terrified."

"I can imagine. You don't where you'll be half the time and you've got not just yourself to take care of, but three other kids and you're still just a kid yourself."

"Well," she sighed. "I can't say this time that you don't understand, because you sort of do."

Lupin smiled weakly. "I'm getting better at the whole understanding thing. I'm trying." There was a short silence between them. "You've got to promise me two things before you leave."

Darcy knew he was going to say the same things Charlie had just said. She was ready for it. "Or what? You'll keep me hostage here at the Burrow?" she half-heartedly teased. Lupin looked seriously at Darcy, not in the mood for her jokes. "Alright. What do I have to promise you? The same thing I've promised everyone else?"

Lupin ignored her statement. "The first thing is you have to promise me that you'll stay safe and come see me when all of this is over. No matter how long you take, you have to visit me, even if I'm on my deathbed. And if that's the case, then you have to take care of me until I die."

"Okay, I promise."

He smiled slightly. "The second promise is that you'll always remember that you're not alone. Always remember that people are fighting for you because they love you. And to help you remember," he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the shiny, silver bracelet that Darcy had returned to him only a few months ago. "I want you to have this."

Darcy shook her head, but Lupin took her wrist and put it on her.

"It doesn't have to mean what it did before," Lupin told her, holding up her wrist and admiring it. "It can mean whatever you want. It can mean that I'm always going to back you up and support you and fight for you, as will many, many others."

"I promise I won't forget." She smiled.

"That's my girl."

"And I'm sorry about the Boxing Telescope… It was foolish and immature of me to agree to let Fred and George prank you."

"It's nothing," Lupin smiled. It cheered Darcy up slightly. He touched his black eye gently. "It's a bit funny, actually. You mustn't forget that I was once friends with your dad and Sirius. They would have loved the twins and their pranks."

"Just be thankful it was the telescope I picked."

"Do I want to know what the other choices were?" he asked.

"Well, out of everything, I narrowed it down to two options," she smiled brightly. "The telescope or U-No-Poo."

Lupin was quiet for a second and then, the two chuckled together.

"I need to tell you something before I leave."

"Why now?" Lupin asked. She didn't answer. "You're scared that you won't ever be able to tell me…"

Darcy nodded. "I love you, no matter how many times I deny it. I love you and I'm upset that Tonks has gotten everything I've dreamed of. She's an Auror and she has you. That's all I ever wanted in my life and she has it. I'm jealous of her and I should apologize because I've so rude to you these past few days. It's been confusing for me. But it's for the best because I might not see you ever again."

Lupin turned to face her. She closed her eyes and felt a tear roll down her cheek.

"But I don't know how to say goodbye to you."

Lupin took her hands. "We aren't saying goodbye," he whispered. "Look at me." He touched Darcy's chin and lifted her face. "Open your eyes." Darcy opened her eyes and more tears fell down her cheeks. "That's better."

She sniffed and looked away again.

"No, Darcy, stop. Please, look at me," he pleaded and took her face gingerly in his hands. "You've been my best friend. We aren't really saying goodbye. It's more of a – a – 'see you later'." He pressed his lips softly to her forehead and Darcy began to sob. Lupin knew she wasn't crying just for him; he knew that the Weasleys were her family. "We'll see each other again."

Darcy nodded and he hugged her for a very long time, holding her for what she thought, would be the last time.

"You've left a mark upon me, Darcy. You amaze me. You'll do great things," Lupin spoke into her hair. "You are strong. You'll make it. And when it's all over, you'll be able to come home."

"I have no home," Darcy admitted shyly.

"But you have people that love you," Lupin said, stroking her hair. "And they are always willing to welcome you into their home. Their home – my home – it's your home, too."