Chapter 11

Charlie landed uncertainly on the bottom step of the basement. He steadied himself, then froze when he heard a frightened yelp just beyond where he stood.

"Sorry," he said in a stage whisper, "I didn't mean to scare you."

He walked into the light and there were Xan and Jack wrapped in each others' arms. He had obviously interrupted them while they were making out. Both their clothes and Xan's hair were disheveled.

"God, you're fast, mate," Charlie said.

"Uh, we were just trying to get away from all the people in the house," Xan said quickly.

"Uh huh. Right. You two carry on, I won't bother you. But I expect Gretchen will be down here in a matter of seconds."

Just then, the basement door creaked open. "Charlie?" Gretchen called down. "Are you down there?"

Charlie turned around and started toward the steps. "Yep," he said. "Come join the party."

"Roxie's right behind me," Gretchen said, descending the stairs. "What party? Oh."

Xan and Jack looked at her rather guiltily as they looked up and waved at Gretchen.

"Uh oh," Gretchen said. She slammed the door shut quickly and skipped down the steps to Charlie. "This is going to look very suspicious when my dad comes looking for us," she said with a grin. Charlie took her hand and helped down the last couple of steps.

"Not at all," Charlie said, pointing his wand to the middle of the room. Suddenly there was a three dimensional Quidditch pitch game. "Just say this was our gift."

The game was one of the more popular high end games available. It was worth several thousand in gold. Now they had an excuse to be down in the basement.

Xan squealed with delight as she watched her favorite players fly around the pitch.

"Wow, this is cool," Jack said.

Charlie nodded. "My brothers' company markets them; George and Ron sent it to me two weeks ago. I'll never play it."

"This game is expensive, it is the most popular game ever made," Xan said.

Charlie shrugged. "I guess. My brothers' company has a contract with the USA Quidditch League and another one. All those silly promotional items and the fireworks; that's Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. They always put up their "W" at the end of the fireworks shows."

"Can we play?" Xan asked, still excited.

"It's your game," he said.

"For real?" she squealed.

Gretchen watched as Jack and Xan started playing the game. She touched Charlie's arm. "That's very sweet of you."

"It gives us an excuse to be down here in the dark," he said, reaching for her.

Gretchen slid a sideward glance at Xan and Jack who were acting like typical teenagers around a video game. Jack kept insisting that he played himself, while Xan kept saying she wanted to be him.

Charlie picked up her hair and began kissing her neck.

"I thought you wanted to take things slow," she said; her eyes closed as he kissed the back of her neck. His hands were moving over her body deliberately, caressing her.

"I never said that I wanted to take this slow; I said I would. Right now, you've got me so hot that if the kids weren't in here, I'd take you right now," he whispered in her ear.

"I doubt that," she said.

"Take one step back, and I'll prove it," he said thickly, pulling her back into him.

"Oh!" Her first instinct was to settle back into him, but she stiffened. "Charlie, we mustn't."

"I know. Let's get rid of Jack and Xan and we can…"

Gretchen laughed. "No. I meant no."

"Fuck," he said in a frustrated huff. "It's all your fault, you know, that I can't keep my hands off you."

She took two steps away from him. "I have to get back upstairs," she said coldly. She started to walk away, but he grabbed her arm.

"What's that about?" he asked.

"Nothing," she shook him off.

"Gretchen," he said. "What?"

She threw his hand off. "Nothing, I have to go." He watched her as she headed up the stairs. After she closed the door behind her, Charlie turned around to see Jack and Xan looking at him.

"What?" he growled.

"Nothing," Jack said and returned to the game.

"Your sister's an idiot," Charlie said to Xan as he turned and bounded up the stairs.

The front room was beginning to get very crowded. Apparently Dan and Tilly also informed the neighbors that there were two famous Quidditch players in their house. Charlie smiled his way through the room and pushed his way outside. Most of the people were afraid to approach him, but they gave him enough looks. The kids ran up for autographs and pictures, which Charlie graciously complied, but the whole thing was getting on his nerves. He was supposed to be having an intimate dinner with Gretchen so they could get to know each other better; not this circus. And he'd upset her. Again. He had no idea what set her off, but he needed to find her so he could apologize or do whatever he needed to do.

He found Dan outside and approached him. "Have you seen Gretchen?" he asked.

"I think she's in the kitchen," he said. "You want something to drink?"

"Sure," Charlie said. "Tequila if you have it."

Dan looked at him blankly. "We have water, soda and juice."

"Oh." Are you fucking kidding me? "Water, then." He took the bottled water and was thinking about a good spell he knew that would turn the water into vodka, when he spotted Gretchen through the kitchen window. "Excuse me, please," he said politely.

He stormed in through the side door, and before she could react, Charlie was yelling at her, "Why the fuck do you run away from me?" he said, angrily. "Why can't you believe that I want you so bad I can't see straight and that it's so much more than that? Yes, I want to fuck you until you can't breathe. Goddammit, Gretchen, you are driving me fucking crazy." He threw up his hands. "And where's the goddamn alcohol in this place?"

"Uh," Gretchen said, "Grandma Wallace, I'd like for you to meet my friend, Charlie Weasley." She smiled uncomfortably.

"Oh, fuck me," Charlie said quietly. "Hello, Mrs. Wallace, it's a pleasure to meet you." Charlie smiled his most winning smile.