CHAPTER FORTY NINE
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December 25th 2006 PT2
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Charlie and Arty had been playing on the floor, thoroughly enjoying his new gifts and having a lot of fun, before the floo roared and Harry fell out of the fireplace carrying two suit bags of different sizes. Charlie frowned as he took in Harry's own suit and left Arty playing on the floor, kicking his way through the piles of discarded wrapping paper and offering his hand to his brother-in-law.
"What the hell are you wearing mate?" He frowned and Harry groaned, rolling his eyes.
"Don't start," he sighed, "your mum's been at ours for an hour, apparently Kingsley is coming for Christmas lunch and your mum's driving herself to madness over it. She wants us all to wear a suit to dinner."
"You've got to be kidding me," Charlie groaned, slapping his hand to his forehead, "we work with the man every day!"
"Well I know that, but Molly seems to think that as he's the minister, we need to impress him," he sighed, shrugging as he thrust the suit bags at Charlie's chest, "Arty is required to wear one too. Honestly, mate, you'd think it was a new law or something, the way your mum is going on about it."
"Bloody hell," Charlie groaned, taking the bags, "I hope your present was worth it, by the way. What did Ginny break this time?"
"Uh… They were still working on it when I left," Harry shrugged, scratching the back of his neck, "I'll let you know if it was worth it when I finally see it myself!"
"Alright then," Charlie said, frowning at Harry's strange answer and wondering what was big enough to require so much repairing, "I guess we better get dressed, then. You headed home?"
"I might as well walk to the Burrow with you," Harry shrugged, "I can tidy up in here while you two get ready, if you want?"
Charlie snorted and gestured for Harry to feel free before he picked up Arty and carried him, plus the two suit bags, into his and Hermione's bedroom. Considering that Christmas was usually one of the more insane days of the year anyway, this one was turning out to be the most bizarre he had ever experienced. First Hermione leaving him and Arty to fix Ginny's mistakes and now his mum going absolutely mental. He sighed as he unzipped the bags, snorting as he looked at them.
"Why are we dressing up?" Arty asked, eyeing the suits disdainfully and Charlie shrugged, chuckling.
"Because Grandma has gone mad, buddy," he laughed, scratching his head, "and we don't want to make grandma mad, do we?"
"No!" Arty cried, having seen Molly angry before and Charlie snorted as he ruffled his son's hair, "today has been weird."
"I couldn't agree more, buddy." Charlie sighed, handing Arty the small suit and both Weasleys began changing clothes.
They were sitting in the living room, Charlie feeling like a complete fool in a full suit, when the Harry's hand suddenly flew to his trouser pocket. Arty frowned up at his dad, who merely shrugged with a deep sigh as Harry jumped up and walked to the window, stretching his arms above his head. As he gazed out of the window, he gasped and turned to look at Charlie and Arty, both father and son wearing equal expressions of confusion.
"Now what?" Charlie groaned, dragging his hand down his face.
"Any idea why your entire family is headed this way?" Harry frowned and Charlie growled as he jumped up, throwing the front door open and heading straight into the glade, directly to a grinning Molly.
"Merry Christmas!" She shouted, hugging him tightly, "I can't tell you how nice it is not to cook! I mean, the theme is a bit-"
"Slow down," Charlie grumbled, stepping back and looking at his entire gathered family and friends, including Neville, Hannah and Lavender, "what are you all doing here? What theme?"
"Did Hermione not tell you that she's doing dinner this year?" Ron frowned and Charlie turned to him with wide eyes, "that's weird."
"Why fancy dress, son?" Arthur asked, frowning down at his suit and Charlie groaned as he covered his face, desperately trying to stay calm.
"What the bloody hell is going on?" He ground out as he clenched his teeth.
Suddenly, in true Weasley fashion, everyone started to talk over one another and bicker amongst themselves. Charlie was inundated with questions and the volume kept increasing until Charlie thought his head might explode from the noise. It wasn't until Arty started pulling on his arm that he reached the end of his tether, though and he screamed.
"WILL SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHAT'S GOING ON!!!" He roared and everyone in front of him fell completely silent, their jaws dropping as their eyes widened.
"We're getting married." Came a shout from behind him and Charlie sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Yes, I'm well aware," he snapped, turning around to look at her, "but I meant-"
It was probably quite comical, the way that Charlie did a double take and his jaw and eyes both opened wide as he took in the sight before him. Hermione, the mother of his two children and woman who owned his heart was grinning at him from across the glade, her hand in Kingsley's elbow and her entire body adorned in the most beautiful white lace. Her shoulders were bare and a trail of lace went from the bottom of her stunning dress to her hand, attached by a loop around her middle finger. Her lips, usually so rosy and plump were painted plum, beckoning to him as she looked into his eyes. Her words finally sunk in and his knees buckled as Harry suddenly appeared next to him, supporting his weight.
"Shit…" Charlie whimpered, covering his mouth with a violently tremoring hand as she slowly approached, coming to a stop in front of him as he drank in the sight of her.
"We're getting married, Charlie," she grinned, reaching a hand out and placing it on his cheek, "right here, right now. If you want t-"
He couldn't take it. She looked so damn beautiful, so angelic and perfect to him, that he shoved himself away from Harry and launched himself at her. His hands roughly grabbed her jaw and his lips collided with hers, pouring every single tiny ounce of love he felt for her into a kiss that put all others to shame. She whimpered into his mouth as they kissed and he felt a tear fall from his eye, breathing heavily as he pulled away when he felt a hand gently pull them apart.
"Save some for the wedding, yeah?" Kingsley chuckled.
