A/N: Thanks to all those who have reviewed (which is very, very few). Please, if you read this, please review! They mean a lot to me! I mean, I'm still going to write this because I enjoy the characters but…please?

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Mrs. Weasley stood quietly in the doorway and smiled at her son and his new girlfriend. She tried not to sigh so as not to disturb them. Charlie was reading Dragon's Quarterly magazine and Leah was reading a very old and decrepit book – Mrs. Weasley could only make out the word 'vampire'. She was sitting against the arm of the couch, her legs draped over his lap. Mrs. Weasley couldn't help but smile as Charlie absentmindedly drew circles on the tops of her feet where skin was exposed. Mrs. Weasley smiled again, even though they were reading together rather innocently, she still felt as though she were intruding.

Charlie closed his magazine and yawned, stretching his arms above her head. He couldn't help but shake his head when he looked over at Leah who was still reading, not even noticing that her legs had shifted slightly when Charlie yawned. He brought his hands back down to the tops of her feet – he didn't quite understand why she was wearing short socks in the winter, but he didn't ask. He noticed a rather long scar – he could only see part of it since it looked like it ran all the way to her toes. Intrigued, he lifted her jeans up a little. His eyes darted to her face, but she was still too involved in her reading. He noticed a few more scars around and above her ankles. He ran the pad of his finger down one, trying to grab her attention, to not avail. "Where have you gone hiking?"

"Hm?" She still hadn't looked up or even made any facial movement.

"Didn't you say you'd been hiking?"

No response.

"Did you get into gang fights with munchkins?"

He was surprised when he heard, "Hm-hm." She should have been proud of his Wizard of Oz reference – a movie he watched one afternoon when she had fallen asleep during a visit to her flat. Smiling ruefully, he put his hand on the top of her book and pushed it down, laughing as her eyes to continued to follow the words.

She looked up and pouted, "I was reading!"

"And I was having a one-sided conversation. Now, where have you gone hiking?"

She looked confused and knowing that she wanted nothing more than to turn back to her book, he took it from her hand and closed it, holding it above and behind his head. "Charlie!" She pouted again, "How did you know I'd been hiking?"

"You mentioned that was one of the ways you've gotten scars," he nodded towards her foot, "and how else would you get scars on your ankles?"

She laughed softly, "Danny took me to a park near London and we wandered into the woods because I like nature – but since there were no paths and I was clumsy in my younger days, a lot of branches and thorns scratched my legs up."

"That was the only time you'd been hiking?"

"I was a city girl, leaving on the streets," she laughed, "I didn't really get to the country much. Once I was of age, I Apparated to the countryside a few times briefly, just to see it."

Charlie nodded, "Well, let's go hiking." He made to stand up and Leah laughed.

"Charlie! Where?"

"Well, right out back! It's not much, but you're a beginner, we should start easy. You can borrow Ginny's old trainers."

Leah laughed again, "You're serious?"

"Very," he grinned and pushed her legs off his lap playfully.

"Charlie! It's getting dark!"

Charlie, however, ignored her and made his way into the kitchen, "Mum, Ginny has some old trainers in her room, right?"

Mrs. Weasley looked very confused but told her son that she thought so and watched as Charlie summoned them without a wand, turning towards Leah. "You have a hat and gloves, I suppose?"

"And scarf, yea," she took the old trainers from his outstretched hands, slipping them on. "I'm assuming these woods are relatively safe?"

Mrs. Weasley smiled warmly, "They are," she turned to Charlie, "be back for supper?"

Charlie tugged on his thick brown jacket and Mrs. Weasley tried not to frown at the apparent wornness of it: the frayed bottom, the worn elbows, the worn and torn up collar. "She's only a beginner, Mum, she won't last long."

"Oi." Leah said indignantly as she tugged on her old red-plaid jacket and pulled her black beanie on furiously. Charlie ignored her however and headed towards the black door. Leah turned to Mrs. Weasley who shrugged, "He's just teasing you. There's no one who likes the outdoors more than Charlie."

Leah's face softened, "Thanks, Mrs. Weasley." She ran out the door after Charlie and Mrs. Weasley watched through her kitchen window as Leah leapt onto his back, both of them laughing.

She smiled to herself, laughing. They were like two teenagers. She flicked her dish towel, drying the dishes by hand to keep her busy, but her mind wandered and she couldn't help but worry about her son and the girl who was already like her daughter. She was afraid of losing both to Romania, but was even more afraid of keeping one heartbroken and miserable in England.

They were walking close together, but not yet holding hands. Charlie looked at Leah from the corner of his eyes and tried not to smile. "At least you haven't fallen yet."

Leah humphed and pulled another burr off her coat sleeve, "It's not like I ever had the opportunity as a child, considering I lived in the middle of London, far away from any nature."

Charlie tried not to laugh, but Leah continued, "And anyway I'd like to see you survive in my neighborhood without magic."

"Is wearing that coat a kind of Muggle defense-mechanism?" Leah punched the side of his arm. "Ow!"

"Serves you right. You don't even know what kind of damage I could inflict on you."

Charlie winced, remembering the creep at the club only a few weeks earlier. "Fine, fine. You'd have a tough time in real nature and I'd have a tough time on the streets," he pointed out a rock before she slipped on it. "But seriously, about that jacket –"

Leah tried not to blush and pulled her hat down slightly, causing her hair to flip out around her ears. "What can I say? Once a punk, always a punk."

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Mira and George came to the Burrow for dinner that night. They were supposed to have dinner with her father that night, but he had to cancel at the last minute to work. Dinner was a quiet a simple affair, most of the talk focused on Mira and her job promotion. Much to Leah's relief, Mira made no mention of Reed.

Leah and Mira offered to help clean, but Mrs. Weasley told them she was fine – Mr. Weasley explained that she was doing the household chores by herself to calm her nerves. The wedding was completely planned and all she could do was wait. He explained the next few days would be extremely hard for her until all of the supplies and relatives started to come in.

Charlie left the Burrow without either of his parents noticing. He took his coat off when they Apparated into her flat and started to say something when he noticed Leah frowning. "What?" He looked in the direction she was looking and noticed a black box blinking red, something he had never noticed before.

"It's my Muggle answering machine," she went to push a button, "but I never have a message." She hesitated, "This can't be good."

Charlie moved to rub her back comfortably but was startled when he heard a man's deep voice. He opened his mouth to demand where the voice was coming from but he saw Leah's pained face and saw her eyes were on the Muggle message box. "And I know it's him, but we need an outside confirmation and since you're his only relative and the only one who will come down here unwillingly – Lee I know you're not going to let me know you're upset, but I'll be here until 11 and I'll help you sell his flat and set up the funeral. And I won't mention anything to Mira." The voice stopped and Leah pressed a button making a female voice say, "Message deleted."

She turned to Charlie frowning, "I missed the beginning – who was that? What happened? Why did the voice mention Mira?"

Leah walked into her kitchen, "That was Mira's dad, he's a Detective at the police station and he helped me a lot when I was younger – he worked in my district – but he called to tell me they found my uncle dead." She heaved a sigh. "And so I have to go down there how to confirm it's him and than I'll have to sell his flat and all his belongings and organize a funeral or maybe just a burial." She opened her fridge and grabbed a beer, turning around again, "Oh, sorry, forgot you were here – you can go home if you'd like."

Charlie moved closer to her and rubbed her arms, "I'll go with you," he lifted her chin up when she frowned, "I know you're not going to admit you're upset, but come on, Leah, you don't have to do this alone."

Leah attempted a rueful smile, "But you don't know the first thing about selling a Muggle's flat."

Charlie rolled his eyes, "You want to go to the station now?"

Leah nodded towards her beer, "Lemme finish?" She downed the beer quickly and groaned, "Thankfully I had off tomorrow."

Charlie rolled his eyes as Leah went to grab their coats, "I guess you'll be okay wearing regular clothes," she sighed and looked at his attire quickly, "maybe I can transfigure some stuff tomorrow…"

Charlie shook his head and pushed her out the door, "Come on, Leah, let's go."

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Leah had insisted on taking the underground to prolong the journey – she had no desire to see her uncle or alive or dead, but wouldn't let herself feel guilty over such admissions. Charlie didn't protest, knowing that she wasn't going to ask for anything else and feeling bad that he didn't know how to help. His hand found hers when they stepped off and Leah looked up at him briefly and tried to smile. His heart nearly broke.

Leah led the way into the station, stopping at a front desk where an older man was sitting. "Now, if I didn't know any better, I'd swear you looked just like this little troublemaker –"

Leah grinned, leaning against the counter, "Hullo, Bob. It's been a while."

"I'll say. You were but a little babe when they assigned me to these damn offices. Lou said you were still out making trouble, beating up those hooligans –"

"Now, Bob, you know they deserved it."

Bob turned to Charlie, "Don't mess with this one – when she's done with you, you'll be begging us to lock you up."

"Bob, you know I don't date lawbreakers. Now, I'd love to stay and chat, but we're here to see Tom."

"Yes, yes, he's in his office. But will you promise to come visit me again?"

"Of course, Bob. It was lovely to see you."

"Not as lovely as it was seeing you, Fox."

Leah walked away from the desk and led Charlie through a large double door before he could ask her about the nickname. "The officers called me Fox because I was clever, well, compared to the idiots in my neighborhood, and because I fought them a lot too – and always won."

Charlie was about to say something when Leah knocked on a closed door. She opened the door as a man whom Charlie could recognize easily as Mira's father stood up to giver her a hug. "How you holding up?"

Leah waved her hand, "I'm fine, just aggravated that I have to do all this stuff for him – and no, you are too busy to help me!"

Tom nodded, "Fine, fine, fine," he turned towards Charlie. "And I'm assuming you're a Weasley," he paused for a moment, "and since the only two I haven't met are Bill and Charlie, and Bill's married," he stuck out his hand, "Thomas Dean. Wonderful to meet you, Charlie Weasley. How are you?"

Charlie grinned, "Fine, thanks, Mr. Dean."

Tom turned serious, "I hope you're taking good care of my surrogate daughter. I doubt I have to tell you that she will kick your arse."

"Tom! Come on – he already got all of this from his brothers –"

"And Mira," Charlie grinned, "don't worry, Mr. Dean. I think I'm more afraid of Leah here than I am my dragons."

Tom nodded, "Right, right you're the dragon tamer."

Leah rolled her eyes, "Let's get this over with Tom, Charlie and I have to wake up early to run over to his flat."

Tom froze, "You're taking him to your uncle's?"

Leah nodded, "He'll be fine. He'll be with me, remember?"

Tom gave Leah a look that made Charlie slightly nervous, but Tom quickly led them out of his office before Charlie could demand to know what was going on.

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Charlie's hand found hers as they stood over the table; Leah nodded as she looked at the grey face of her uncle. "Did they do an autopsy?"

Tom covered the body again, but Leah continued to stare, her face set in a grim frown. "Only if you sign off on one, Lee."

Leah tore her eyes away to look at Tom, "You sure they don't need a cadaver for the coroner's to practice on?"

Tom frowned, "Leah –"

She laughed and Charlie nearly winced at how fake and pained it sounded. He rubbed his thumb over the top of her hand. "Well, no one's going to go to a service anyway-"

Tom tried to hide his worry for the girl – young woman – he considered to be his second daughter. "If you want to donate –" he struggled for the right word.

Leah still trying to make light of the situation said, "Where do I sign?"

Charlie did not let go of her hand as they walked back to Tom's office. "And you'll let me know when they figure out what he overdosed on?"

Tom nodded and said seriously, "Leah, call me if you need anything, okay?"

Leah smiled and nodded, "I'll be fine, Tom," she turned around as she followed Charlie out, "but you can help me by taking Mira and George out to celebrate her promotion."

Tom tried not to roll his eyes but he looked at Charlie and mouthed, "Take care of her!"

Charlie nodded, knowing he would.

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Neither said much on their way back to Leah's flat. "Your mum won't mind if you stay?" She had asked almost timidly as they walked through the front door of her building.

He rubbed her back as she unlocked her door, "Has she seemed to mind the past week?"

She laughed softly and took off her coat, "We should wake up early." Charlie nodded and wrapped his arms around her waist slowly, not really paying attention to what she was saying, but staring into her eyes. "You'll have to do exactly as I say tomorrow," he nodded again, inching his face closer and closer to hers, causing her to speak breathily. "It's going to be risky, Charlie, and I don't want you to lose any limbs."

Charlie's lips curved upwards as his nose touched hers lightly, "I trust you to protect me, Ms. Cooper," he left a ghost of a kiss on her lips, "Shall we go to sleep?" He looked into her eyes again, noticing the sadness that was still there, "Want to sleep everything off?"

Leah hugged him tighter, "Thanks, Charlie."

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"Charlie!" He groaned and rolled over, feeling for Leah. He could hear her laughing from somewhere else in the room as his hand continued to feel for her. "Come on, get up, we need to eat quick and leave. I already transfigured your clothes."

"The sun is barely up!"

Leah laughed again and he could feel the bed dip slightly from her weight as she ran her hands ups his bare back, "It's nearly 9! Now come on, or I'll make you fend for yourself!"

Charlie rubbed his eyes, "You'd let me fend for myself! Against Muggles! In an unknown territory?"

Leah kissed his cheek quickly, "Muggles with pocket knives," she got up and smacked his arse, "Up and at 'em, Weasley!"

He opened his eye slightly to see her tying her shoes. "Merlin, put those away! They're blinding me!"

He drew away slightly when he saw her menacing glare. "Mock my shoes, and you'll regret it, Weasley. No one mocks my shoes and gets away with it."

"I was just making note of how bright they were, love! I adore your shoes! Nothing wrong with them, not at all! Now," he leapt from bed, "where are my clothes that you so wonderfully transfigured for me?"

A few minutes later they were riding on the underground, when Charlie leaned over to whisper in her ear, "Seems I'm not the only one here who likes your attire." Her only response was a cocked eyebrow and the slight nudge of her hip. He, like nearly everyone on the car couldn't keep his eyes off of her. She was wearing skin-tight black jeans that made Charlie wonder how she could even walk, a faded purple 'Run DMC' t-shirt (which she had explained was some sort of American Muggle musical group. He still wasn't quite sure since he found just nodding and pretending to understand was easier than actually trying to understand), and her bright neon green Converse "high tops" (what she had referred to them as). He hair was pulled into a tight, high ponytail with her bangs whipped up into one of the highest and most intimidating poofs he had ever seen. Her brown eyes popped with her heavy black eyeliner and Charlie realized how utterly intimidating she looked: terribly sexy and terribly frightening. A terrifying combination.

Charlie was slightly nervous when they got off the tube, but he just repeated what Leah had told him over in his head; "Stay close to her, act confident, try not to talk to anyone." She winked at him as they walked out to the street. He followed her down a completely commonplace street and felt at ease. Everyone had made her neighborhood to be so bad, but it seemed perfectly normal!

But then she turned a corner and his jaw almost dropped. He followed Leah past the dozens of overflowing garbage cans, the people sitting on the curb, the man cleaning his knife on a stoop. He tried not to openly stare and instead focused on following Leah. So far it seemed as though no one had noticed them.

"Oi!" The hairs on Charlie's neck pricked, but he and Leah kept walking. "Oi! Oi! Ya wank'r where ya think yer goin'?"

Before Charlie knew what was going on, Leah turned around rapidly, her hands in fists on her side and nearly growling in a low voice, "There a problem?"

The man falter slightly, "What you doin' here, pretty lady?" He went to touch her arm, but she had grabbed his wrist and twisted it. The man let out a strangled yell, the fag falling from his lips. "You undercover or somethin'?"

Leah let out a harsh laugh, "I live here." She dropped the man's arm and continued to walk down the street, Charlie at her side.

They passed a few more houses and a few more people sitting on stoops, asking for drugs, getting into fights. Charlie tried not to notice these things, but he couldn't help it. Leah had lived here?"

She stopped outside a grimy stoop where a group of guys were sitting and smoking. Charlie noticed the number of the house was nearly falling off, as was the Muggle post box. There was a half broken flower pot on the adjacent stoop that looked as though it was at least 70 years old. "Ah, lil lady, what can we do fer ya?"

"Oi, ya want a lil somethin'?"

Another boy laughed and passed what Charlie could only assume wasn't a typical fag. "Maybe she wants a lil lovin' and a lil smoke."

"Want us to git rid of your boy here?"

"Git you sloshed and riddy tah-"

Leah laughed for a moment, but in a second her face was inches from the boys, serious and fierce, her eyes blazing. She leaned on her knee that she had put on a step. "Get off ma stoop."

Charlie noticed the slight change in the way she talked, but was so distracted by her actions, how she was handling herself, that he filed it away for the moment.

"Yer stoop?"

"Ol' man Smith lived here."

"Oi, we'd 'member ya suga-"

One of the men stood up, but Leah pushed him hard, in between the shoulder and collarbone, forcing him to stumbled back to his seat. "Get off ma stoop."

One of the men opened his mouth, "Bloody 'ell, it's Lil Coops."

Another man stood, throwing his fag on the ground, "Apologies, Lil Coops-" and ran off.

Leah cocked an eyebrow at the others menacingly "What about ya nancy boys? Get off ma stoop."

"Who you calling –" but another boy nudged him.

"Don' ya know Lil Coops?"

"I'm not 'fraid a some broad."

Leah leaned towards him, "I'd listen to yer friend here, yea? Unless you wanna end up like Stevens."

The man's eyes grew, "You're the one-"

Leah took the guys fag out of his mouth, "Get off ma property."

The remaining men nearly ran off the stoop, muttering and eyeing Leah. But Leah and Charlie walked up the steps and Leah heaved a sigh as she opened the door. Charlie looked around the practically bare flat. "At least it will be quick to clean."

Leah turned around and punched Charlie's arm lightly. "Were you scared?"

Charlie smiled, "What happened to Stevens?"

Leah grinned mischievously, "Don't you worry about that. Come on, let's go see what we're working with." She led him through the cramped kitchen, "All original," she motioned towards the Muggle appliances, "I doubt they've been used in years." She stopped in front of two doors right off the kitchen. She took a deep breath and opened the door to the right to reveal a small room with only a ratty mattress and few tattered clothes spread about the floor. "His room," she said quietly and waved her wand to shrink everything. "Easier to throw out," she shrugged.

Charlie gripped her shoulder to comfort her as they crossed the narrow hall. She attempted to turn the knob. "That wanker."

"What?"

"That bloody arse locked my fucking door – look he put bloody glue in the cracks –"

"Why would he do that?"

"That –" she whipped out her wand and angrily waved it at the door causing to nearly fall off the hinges with a loud groan. She waved her wand again and placed the door back on its hinges Leah entered the room, still fuming and nodded curtly when she saw her room was entirely empty.

"Come on, let's go throw these things out so we can find someone to buy this bloody hell hole."

"Leah, are you all right?"

"Of course I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be fine?" She had conjured up some garbage bags and opened the front door to throw the bags to the trash outside when she saw another man on her stoop. "Oi! Are you lot dumb or just arseholed? Get off ma bloody stoop!"

A very large man stood up and even Charlie was intimidated Leah, however, was not. "They told me you were back, Lil Coops, but I didn't believe them."

"Julio," she nodded coldly, "unless you plan on buying this flat, get off ma stoop."

He took a long drag of his fag. "What happened to your old man?"

Her jaw tightened; she tried to stay clam as she said through gritted teeth, "He wasn't ma ol' man."

Julio let out a low, rumbling, patronizing laugh, "Right, Lil Coops, cause you got out, you couldn't be related to him." Charlie could almost see the smoke from her ears and tried to intervene. "Who's the new guy?"

Leah ignored this last comment, "Julio, get off ma stoop."

He put out his fag, "Calm down, Lil Coops, I'm not doin' nothing, just mindin' ma own business." He chuckled again, "Look atcha," he slowly looked her up and down and even Charlie felt violated, "ya haven't changed one bit."

"Julio. Leave."

He cocked a challenging eyebrow, "Maybe I want to buy yer ol' man's flat."

One second Leah was smiling sweetly, and the next she was twisting Julio's arm around his back, pushing up against the side of the stoop, her knee digging into his back. She leaned down to whisper something Charlie couldn't hear in his ear and he watched as Julio responded. Leah stomped on his left ankle, causing him to let out a strangled yell. Leah let go of his arm, but not before she dug her knee into his back again.

Without a glance back, Julio stumbled down the stoop. Leah sighed deeply and turned to Charlie, "Sorry you had to see that."

He took her hand and pulled her back into the flat, closing the door before he could even respond. "You okay?" he asked as he ran his thumb over her cheek, "that could not have been fun for you."

She leaned into his hand as he held her face lightly, "No, it wasn't. But it's fine, we should go. I'm sure no one's going to want to buy this flat for a while."

But as Leah opened the door, there was a young, shy looking woman standing there, poised to knock. "Um, Ms. Cooper?"

Leah smiled warmly, "Laura? Is that you?" She beckoned the younger woman inside, asking her questions about her obviously pregnant belly, the baby's father, and a few other things Charlie barely paid attention to before the selling of the flat came up. After a few more minutes of arguing, Laura agreed to take the flat for a relatively cheap fee, and signed the contract before she read it.

"So how much do I owe you?"

Leah smiled, "Next time, read before you sign. Twenty quid."

As Charlie and Leah were walking out of her neighborhood, he turned to her, "That was probably the nicest thing anyone has ever done with that girl."

She shrugged, "She and her boyfriend have never done drugs, and I figure something good should come from that house," she smiled reluctantly as she kissed Charlie fleetingly, "and I'd probably make very little money off the flat anyway."

Charlie laughed and kissed her head, "Thanks for protecting me today, Lil Coops."

She groaned and put her head in her hands, "No, don't call me that too!"

Charlie laughed and tugged her onto the car when he heard the invisible lady yell, "Mind the gap." "Fine, fine, I won't. But you did good today, kid."

Leah smiled and intertwined their fingers, "I thought so," she hesitated and rubbed her thumb over his hand, "Thanks for coming with me, love."

He kissed her cheek, "Love you too." He looked at her seriously, "Can we never go back there though, please?"

Leah laughed triumphantly. "I knew it!"

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