Hermione smiled to herself as a familiar weight pressed her down into the couch. Charlie propped himself up on his elbows and leaned down to kiss her. "We can't do this."
"Why not?" he whispered huskily, leaning down to plaint kisses along her jaw line.
"Hermione where are your towels? I can't find any in the bathroom."
"That's why not." Hermione laughed as Charlie rolled off the couch and onto the floor as she sat up. "Towels are in the closet in the hallway Gin."
"Why didn't you tell me my sister was here?" he hissed.
"Me? I do believe you were the one who attacked a sleeping girl in her living room."
By the time Ginny emerged from the shower Charlie was gone, "Hermione who was here earlier?"
"Just your brother, he was dropping off something I had left when we portkeyed in yesterday."
"Oh, okay. I've got to head back home. Can you come over for dinner tonight? Harry's was going on last night about how it's unfair that I got to see you when you came home and he had to wait."
"You know he's just jealous that he wasn't here for movies and ice cream last night. He'll have to wait even longer though. I have to run to the office here and I'll be busy for the rest of the night."
"Fine, but don't blame me when you get in trouble with your best friend."
Hermione laughed and shooed Ginny into the fireplace.
"Hermione, over here!" she heard Charlie call out to her. He pulled her into a hug and wrapped his arm around her waist as he escorted her into the building. "You're taller than normal tonight."
Hermione stuck out her foot, showing off the stiletto boots she was wearing. "These might be the cause of that." She laughed as Charlie's eyes widened. "I've never met your friends before, I wanted to look nice." She grinned and opened her coat, modeling the well fitting jeans and maroon long sleeved t-shirt she was wearing.
"You do know you went to school with some of them."
"It's not the same Charlie."
Charlie was still laughing when they apparated onto the front steps of Justin Green's home.
Two hours later Charlie was looking for Hermione; he hadn't seen her for about twenty minutes and was curious. Since they had graduated from Hogwarts he and his friends had gotten together around Christmas every year to catch up with each other. The majority had moved off and even those who still lived nearby rarely saw each other but everyone came home for Christmas or at least apparated in for the night. Justin came up to Charlie and handed him a glass, "Lots bigger than it used to be."
"From the ten of us that we started with, yeah lots bigger."
"Well once we started marrying and bringing our spouses with us it was bound to expand. Speaking of which, what happened to our spouses' only rule. Last time we checked you weren't married, unless there's something you need to tell us."
"Oh yeah mate I ran off and got married sorry I forgot to tell anyone." He laughed at the startled expression on his friends face. "Calm down mate, we aren't even engaged yet. I just wanted her to come with me tonight, thought you all would like her."
Hermione looked up from the game she was playing and caught Charlie's gaze and smiled. "Hermione Granger! Pay attention!" Padma exclaimed.
Hermione blushed and looked back down to the game board and moved her piece. "You know," Rachel said from across the board, "You're the first girl Charlie's ever brought to one of these things. There is actually a rule against bringing someone you aren't married too."
"It's true," one of the other women piped in, "I dated Randall for four years before we got married and I was never allowed to come. So what we want to know is how you convinced Charlie to let you."
Hermione smiled, "He asked me to come with him tonight. I didn't even know about this until about a week ago."
"Uh oh, I think our Charlie's got it bad girls." Hermione shook her head at Rachel's comment and tried to get the focus back on the game.
The guys came over to investigate the laughter and the six of them started a new game, Charlie was winning until Hermione sent his piece back to his home base, "Oh take that Weasley!" she exclaimed, as his piece whizzed back, putting him in last place.
The whole room erupted in laughter as Charlie pouted, "This isn't fair! It's an enchanted Muggle game! She's had more practice!"
"Wipe your tears you big baby," Hermione responded, sticking her tongue out at him.
The rest of the night went along the same lines. Hermione fit right in with Charlie's friends, he had been right she already knew quite a few of them, from both Hogwarts and her work at the Ministry. She was taken by surprise when Charlie came over to get her from her spot gossiping with some of the girls it was getting late and Charlie had to get back to the Burrow.
Charlie helped Hermione into her coat as they said goodbye to the people in the room. "Hermione, stay just a little longer." Padma said wrapping her in a hug, "I haven't seen you in ages!" She swayed a bit on her feet as Justin came over to steady her.
"Don't be a stranger, Charlie." He said wrapping his arms around his wife. "Seeing you once a year is really not enough." Charlie agreed and they hugged before Charlie grabbed Hermione and apparated them out.
Charlie let go of her when they landed back at her apartment. "I had a lot of fun tonight Charlie." Hermione said, collapsing onto the couch and struggling to pull off her boots. Charlie sat down next to her and grabbed her legs, pulling her shoes off for her and settling back into the couch.
"I'm glad you came tonight. I told you that you would know people." He said as he began massaging her feet.
"It was nice to see Padma and Oliver. I had no idea that Hannah Abbott had married Jonathon Greengrass."
"Yeah, several years ago, he's a couple years younger than I am. She was in your year right?"
"Oh Charlie." She groaned as his fingers kneaded a sensitive spot. He grinned at her and slowly started massaging his way up her legs.
He stopped suddenly, "Do you have anymore of my siblings hiding in your bathroom?"
"I don't think so." Hermione opened her eyes; Charlie was standing in the nearly dark room, his wand drawn.
She opened her mouth to speak but he silenced her with his hand. "Stay here." Charlie edged from the room and disappeared down the dark hallway. When he didn't come right back laughing Hermione grabbed her wand and followed.
Hermione sped up as she heard a giant crash; she pulled herself up against the wall, as she heard a dark voice, "Crucio!" It was dark and menacing, full of hate.
She whirled around the corner and threw a stunning spell in the direction the voice had come from. She hit her target, but barely yelled "Protego" in time to stop the spell from the second man in the room. She stunned him and sent her patronus running for the Aurors as she flicked her wand and tied up the two men in the room.
