- CHAPTER 10-
"I'll be spending the day with Bill," Charlie announced while running down the stairs, to the room at large and fled to the fire place shouting 'Shell Cottage' without making eye contact with anyone, especially a particular brunette sitting at the table.
Molly wondered if the couple had a spat while Hermione and Ginny smirked at each other. That clears up my day pretty neatly thought Hermione. After breakfast both girls left the Burrow for Diagon Alley. They had finished their Christmas shopping before Charlie's arrival so they only had their personal errands to run. They thought they'd grab a bite for lunch and then visit George later, before going back to the Burrow for the Christmas Eve party in the evening.
They stopped first at Madam Malkin's Robes shop and got new dresses for the evening's party as well as something for the New Year's. After that, they went to Rhubab's Lingerie Boutique, the brand new lingerie store in Diagon Alley that was the talk of most young witches these days. After shopping at both these places they walked over to the Leaky Cauldron for lunch.
!
Meanwhile, Bill was laughing his head off at the Shell Cottage listening to Charlie whine about how their mother was trying to kill him. "Tell me again, why aren't you making love to your own wife?"
"It's not that simple Bill."
"I'm coming to realise that with you it rarely is," joked his elder brother.
"Ours wasn't a love match Bill. But in spite of that I've fallen for her. Hard. But I need to know she is feeling the same about me too, to take it to the next level. Last time was different. We were both way too high on emotions but this is different, it's permanent. She is unlike anyone I've ever been with and I don't want to rush her. I don't want her to be with me yet again in a moment of heated passion and repent it later. I want her to be as invested in it as I am. I need her to know that she is the one for me and I am it for her. I don't want to cloud her judgement with my abilities in bed. I need her to make this call independently, devoid my interference."
"Unfortunately little brother, I can't argue that logic. What you're trying to do seems pretty decent to me, difficult but decent."
"Yeah…. I was looking forward to spending these two weeks with her, that was before mum decided to kill me. Now, half the time I want to bed her hard, making her scream my name with abandonment and the other half I want to tuck my tail in and run for the hills. I'm going crazy Bill and it has not even been 24 hours yet."
"I had never thought I'd see you so worked up over a girl, Charlie, your wife no less. Come let's go down to the Leaky Cauldron. Let's get some firewhisky in you. Then maybe we could round up the guys and celebrate a little before heading down to the Burrow for the evening."
"Oh sweet Merlin! She'll be all dressed up tonight! Bill I'm a dead man."
"Come on, drama queen, it's the hunger talking. Let's get some food and alcohol in you. Now." Saying this, he grabbed Charlie by the collar and side-apparated him to Diagon Alley. They quietly made their way to the Leaky Cauldron. One lost in thought, and the other in laughter!
!
He saw them the minute they entered the busy bar. Just my luck.
"It's just not your day today, is it?" mused Bill, laughter in his voice. "Well, at least they have a table big enough to fit all four of us. Come lover boy, let's go."
"Hi there girls!" Bill greeted Hermione and Ginny.
"Bill, Charlie, what a pleasant surprise!" their sister cooed.
Charlie froze seeing a small bag on the table. It looked suspiciously like a lingerie bag. A look at the icon and all his doubts were clear. It indeed was a lingerie bag! "AAAHHHH!" he groaned out loud, from behind Bill and pulled at his hair with both his hands in the process. All three heads turned in his direction. Hermione saw his line of sight and immediately picked the bag up and threw in down on the floor kicking it between herself and Ginny. That spoke volumes about its ownership, thought Charlie bitterly. Now my wife is helping my mum kill me!
"Just avada me now Bill, don't make me live through this."
"You'll be fine with some food and firewhisky." Bill ordered for them both, Charlie had no idea what!
Charlie shrugged out of his jacket and opened up the top two buttons of his polo necked t-shirt, suddenly feeling way too warm for a December afternoon, and sat beside Hermione while Bill took the seat beside Ginny. Charlie drank and ate without having any clue about his food or his surroundings. He was only aware of Hermione. Her light blushes, her laugh, the way she scrunched up her nose after her first sip of firewhisky, her beautiful voice….. All in all he was a goner.
They all decided to walk to WWW together. Bill hung back and let the girls precede them, before grabbing Charlie's arm.
"What's wrong with you?" he asked Charlie angrily.
"She bought lingerie."
"So? It's not like she is parading it in front of you! Grow up, will you!"
"That's the problem! If she paraded it around, I'd know. But now, I'll be imagining. I can't take this anymore Bill, please do something. Anything. Something."
"You're begging to the wrong person, brother. Go speak to her. Explain why your acting like a lunatic and take it from there. And you better solve this before the party tonight. There are gonna be many important dignitaries present there and she has a reputation to maintain."
Charlie hung his head and nodded. He thought about everything for a few seconds before running off towards Hermione and Ginny, Bill pacing behind him.
"Could I please have a word with you Hermione?" he asked, his voice sounding strained. She looked at him, gulped and nodded. Bill caught up with Ginny and they both moved ahead giving them some privacy. Charlie held her hand and apparated them straight from the street to the lake near the Burrow. Before she could even get her bearings, he pushed her against a tree placing both his arms just under her shoulders, and kissed her. Soundly. Until she really was rendered senseless.