This is the second-to-last part, uploaded as I promised.
I'm very sad this is coming to an end, with the last bit due to be uploaded on Friday.
Thank you to all you who have reviewed, favourited (even though this isn't finished yet!) and put this on alerts. The response has been amazing.

After apperating to St Mungo's and following the trail of destruction that was the Weasley family, Hermione and Charlie found Harry, Ron and Percy asleep in a corridor. Charlie toed Harry in the ribs and when he was coming around, moved on to Ron and Percy. Fred and George were coming back with one of Molly's emergency food parcels and flasks of pumpkin juice.

"Aaaaah, the wonderers return," Fred called as he and his twin rounded the last corner.

"So tell us, does it usually take you more than an hour to get some food and apperate to Big Brother's house and then come here?" George pondered aloud. Hermione blushed furiously at this while Charlie just smirked at his younger siblings.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Charlie said smoothly, his smirk still covering his face. "Where's the new Daddy?"

"In there," Harry said pointing to the closed door with one hand as he rubbed his eyes with the other, his voice groggy from sleep. "Watch out for Molly, she went into baby-2overdrive about an hour ago so we came out here."

Charlie tentatively put his hand on the handle and turned it, moving it slowly to stop the hinges from squeaking too much. The sight that greeted him was one radiating peace and quiet after what he was sure was a stressful night. Fleur was dozing on the bed while Bill lay next to her, stroking her hair from her face. His face was bright and shining through the extreme fatigue he must be feeling as he looked lovingly down at his wife. Molly and Arthur were on the small, two-seat sofa under the window while a tiny, fresh baby snuffled and gurgled in Arthur's arms.

"Can we come in?" Charlie whispered across the room. Arthur looked up; a permanent smile on his face while Molly shushed him from across the room. Bill nodded and mouthed 'outside' to Charlie as Hermione made a beeline to the tiny bundle Arthur was holding.

Bill pressed a kiss into Fleur's hair and moved to walk to Charlie. As the door shut behind them, Charlie pulled his big brother into a blinding, bone-breaking hug.

"Congratulations Billy Boy," Charlie said. Charlie's smile was causing his cheeks to ache as pride for his brother grew and grew.

"Get a room boys!" Fred called from his uncomfortable looking seat on the floor.

"Come on, I need a walk," Bill suggested, causing the twins to wolf-whistle. He and Charlie walked along the corridor towards the lift where there was a cafeteria and uncomfortable looking chairs and tables. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm sure I should be asking you that," Charlie said, looking over his cup of coffee at Bill. "So do I have a new niece or nephew to spoil rotten?"

"Neice," Bill said, his eyes shining with love for his new daughter. "Victoire Aimee Weasley. She's perfect."

"I'll give her a kiss when we go back," Charlie promised. They took a moment while they sipped their scolding coffee. "You look happy."

"I am. I've got a wife and a beautiful baby girl. I wouldn't change it for the world," Bill mused with a mad smile still plastering his face. Charlie allowed a flash of sorrow to cross his face for less than a second; a gesture that wasn't missed by Bill. "I'm sorry, I should have thought."

Charlie put a smile on his face, which was trying its best to be convincing.

"It's all water under the bridge," he said. "I've got Hermione now," he added which made his smile genuine. It was the first time he'd ever said it out loud, but sounded familiar on his tongue. Genuine, like love should be.

"Someone's smitten," Bill observed with a curious look. "Just keep an eye on Ron and Harry. They'll take any excuse to curse you if it means protecting her. The twins too, not that's they'd admit it any time soon."

"That won't be necessary," Charlie said. "I won't do anything to hurt that woman. She understands me more than most people do and I like her, Bill. I really like her."

"Just don't be a dick and rush into anything," Bill advised. "You only stopped mourning Carley a couple of days ago."

"I stopped mourning her a lot longer than then, I think. I was just never ready to admit it," Charlie said quietly. "That day at St Anne's, everything from the past three years caught up with me and I couldn't hack it anymore. Thanks for making me face up to it, I mean it Bill."

"You're welcome," Bill smiled across the table. "Do you think you can make our Hermione happy?"

"I fucking hope so. After the war and everything she's gone through she needs it more than most."

"More than you?" Bill asked.

"More than me," Charlie agreed. He'd put his happiness on the line for Hermione without question. "I know I've been dragged through the shit, but we all have and my loss is no more important than anyone else's loss. Losing someone close to you is a big deal and we need to get through it somehow and if I can help her then I will. She helped me." Charlie didn't often speak about feelings, at the reserve in Romania and growing up he had to be tough and look out for the younger ones but Bill had always seen through that. If anyone could get Charlie talking from the heart it was his big brother.

"Just remember who she is, Charlie," Bill warned. "She's a strong girl who won't let happen anything she's uncomfortable with. She knows about Carley, and that will always be at the back of her mind now that she knows but don't let it dictate how you want to live your life with her. She isn't Carley and she does things her own way."

"Your wife has just given birth and you look like you've gone without sleep for three months. Why can you string a coherent sentence together?" Charlie asked while eyeing his empty coffee mug suspiciously causing Bill to laugh.

"Lucky guess," Bill reasoned, but Charlie didn't buy it. "And the argument she had with Fleur when they stayed at mine when they were off hunting Horcruxes was massive. Don't bring up different ways to make an omelet if you want to keep your balls intact."

Charlie chuckled deeply and threw his head back at that, imagining a tense Bill stood between two furious witches. Bill raised his eyebrows at Charlie just as he was calming down.

"So that explains the extended shopping trip," he said with a smile as he tapped a finger to his neck. Charlie grabbed a spoon and stared at his neck in it, a noticeable bite mark on his skin.

"A gentleman would never kiss and tell," he said with a satisfied smile. "And besides, we ended up in the middle of London trying to find somewhere to buy food for YOUR house."

"You've never been a gentleman, Charlie," Bill pointed out with a laugh. "Just so long as you didn't go anywhere near my bedroom. How much do I owe you for the food?"

"Don't worry about the food, I just hope you can repay the favour one day." Charlie said with a smile as he moved to stand. Bill followed suit and they walked in silence back to the room where their family had congregated. Just as they rounded the last corner and saw Harry asleep with his head on Percy's shoulder did Charlie break the silence.

"Your bedroom is untouched but I don't know if we cleaned up the mango in the kitchen."

Bill stopped in his tracks, a half-amused expression on his face as he watched Charlie enter the room where his new family was waiting for him. He shook his head slightly and smiled; happy for Charlie that his life was finally moving in a direction he wanted it to.

Charlie opened the door slowly and peeked in. Molly and Arthur were sat next to Fleur's bed, fussing over her in her sleepy state while Hermione had Baby Victoire in her arms on the sofa. Hermione was beaming down at the tiny child as she wrapped tiny fingers around Hermione's thumb. Charlie's chest swelled with untold emotion as he sat beside them and leaned to look at his new niece.

"She's beautiful," Charlie breathed. "Just like her aunt."

Hermione tore her eyes away from the baby and looked straight into Charlie's. She could sense something was different, unable to put her finger on what it was.

"Just like her uncle," she whispered back before Charlie captured her lips in a searing kiss.

Bill looked on knowingly as he watched Charlie and Hermione with his daughter. This was going to work out for them both, and no one deserved a happy ending like they did.

For now…
What do we think? Charlie and Hermione have come a long way since that food fight and they finally have something they both love. They can both finally see what everyone else has been able to see for ages.
There is one more part after this, due to be uploaded on Friday 9th March.
Please review and thank you all for reading. X