CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN
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April 5th 2006
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Two days after what turned out to be a very emotional reunion between mother and son, Hermione finally returned home with Arty in front of her and breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that everything was back to the way it should be. Charlie was at work, having not been allowed to take any more time off, but he was to be coming home shortly after lunch, when the three of them would be heading to the Burrow for what Molly had promised would be a feast of epic proportions, to honour Arty's return home. Crouching down before her little boy, Hermione began to unbutton his jacket, frowning when he sniffled and looking up to find his eyes tearful.
"Oh, my little love," she sighed, taking his hands, "what's wrong?"
"I love you, mummy." He hiccuped and Hermione's frown deepened as she pulled him in for a tight hug, "I didn't mean to forget you."
"Arty," Hermione sighed, pulling back and holding him with her hands on his sides, "it was just a problem because you hit your head when you fell, that's all. I'm not upset because of it, darling."
"You were," he nodded, "at the hospital, you were crying."
"Of course I was upset at the time," she nodded, smiling at him and brushing his hair out of his face, reminding herself to get his hair cut as soon as possible, "but that was before I knew that your memory could be fixed. Now look, you're all better and everything is fine."
"But I don't like upsetting you, Mummy." He said very seriously and Hermione shrugged.
"Everyone upsets the people they love sometimes," she sighed, thinking of Charlie and wishing he were here with them, "but this time it wasn't your fault, so please stop worrying."
"Ok." He nodded and Hermione frowned, raising her eyebrow at him.
"You promise?" She asked and Arty, finally, giggled.
"Yes, Mummy," he chuckled, making Hermione smile brightly, "I promise."
"Good boy," she grinned, moving back to his buttons and undoing his coat before standing and draping it over her arm, "what do you want to do until Daddy comes home in a couple of hours?"
"Oh!" He gasped, taking off at a sprint towards his bedroom and Hermione chuckled, shaking her head as she followed, "can we play with my dragons, pleaae?"
"Of course!"
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It was in this way that Charlie found them, grinning as he stepped into the bedroom and found Hermione pinned into the corner by three figurines, charmed to act just like real dragons without the danger, as Arty ran around with a 'wand', which was actually a ruler, trying to subdue them. As he hadn't been noticed, he leaned on the door frame with a soft smile on his face, enjoying the wonderful scene before him until he heard a inhuman screech and was suddenly knocked backwards by a very excitable five year old.
"Hello buddy," Charlie grinned, hugging him tightly as he laughed, "shouldn't you be saving Mummy from the dragons?"
"Oh!" Arty gasped, his eyes flying wide and Charlie snorted, lowering himself to Arty's level and whispering in his ear.
"Do you need a little help?" He asked and Arty sighed, nodding as Charlie stood straight again and pulled his wand out, pointing it towards Hermione, who yelped.
"Please don't accidentally hit me," she laughed, pointing towards the dragons and re-entering her imagined role as damsel in distress, "get these ferocious beasts away from me!"
Considering that the 'ferocious beasts' were only about 8 inches tall, it took all of Charlie's willpower not to burst out laughing, but he somehow managed. Together, he and Arty rounded up the miniature flying lizards and corralled them into a makeshift pen, comprised of books that Charlie charmed to stand upright as Hermione cheered for her 'rescuers'. Arty, by this time, was jumping on his bed, celebrating their victory over the dragons and Hermione laughed as she reversed the charms on the toys and walked to Charlie, kissing him on the lips as Arty made noises of disgust in the background.
"My hero," she sighed dramatically and Charlie snorted, "the fair maiden wishes to give you a token of her gratitude."
"Oh yeah," he grinned, raising his eyebrow at her and she nodded, biting her lip as he laid his hand on her side, "and just was kind of token was the fair maiden thinking?"
"Well," she sighed, leaning up and pressing her cheek to his, whispering in his ear, "you'll find out later tonight, won't you."
Charlie groaned as she kissed him on the cheek, patted his chest and left the room, leaving him standing there somewhat surprised but obviously not in any hurry to complain about her promises. He snorted, shaking his head and turned to Arty, crossing to stand next to his bed and watching as he jumped.
"We're going to grandma and grandpas soon," he chuckled, his head bobbing up and down with each jump as he attempted to keep eye contact, "you should try and save some of this energy!"
"I'm not tired, Daddy!" Arty yelled, shaking his head and Charlie rolled his eyes, laughing as Arty opened his eyes really wide, "look! I'm really awake!"
"I can see that," his father smiled as he turned to leave the room, "just be careful, please. We definitely don't want any more accidents!"
"Ok daddy!"
Charlie shook his head in amusement as he entered the living room, expecting to find Hermione on the sofa or at the dining table but he frowned when she was nowhere in sight. Calling her name, he followed her answering shout into the bedroom, where he found her folding their laundry by hand, the muggle way. He chuckled as he walked behind her and slid his hands over her sides until they met on her stomach, resting his chin on her shoulder as he sighed contentedly.
"You know where's a spell for that?" He grinned and Hermione smiled, shrugging and causing his head to jerk with her shoulder.
"I like doing it this way," she murmured happily, "it gives me time to think."
"What are you thinking about?" He asked and Hermione hummed as she dropped a freshly folded tshirt on the bed, rested her hands on his and relaxed her head back against his shoulder, giving him the opportunity to kiss her neck and he happily took it.
"You, us," she sighed, grinning, "how much I love everything about you being here. How wonderful you are with Arty and to me."
"It should always have been like this," he sighed, pulling away and turning her to face him, "it's crazy how much I needed all of this in my life, without even realising it."
"All of this?" She asked, frowning as she slid her hands up his arms and rested them on his shoulders as Charlie nodded.
"You and Arty," he shrugged, smiling, "love, a home and a family. You've completed me, Hermione. I don't know how to thank you for giving me a second chance to be by your side."
"Oh Charlie," Hermione sighed, her eyes filling with tears, "you thank me every single day that you're here. We've both been given a second chance at a life together and I don't intend to waste it. I love you."
"I love you too," he croaked, clearing his throat before continuing, "maybe one day I'll have another opportunity to see you preg-"
"Mummy! Daddy!" Arty squealed, flying into the room as Charlie groaned, leaning his forehead against Hermiones as she laughed.
"What's up, buddy?" Charlie asked, turning to his son and releasing Hermione, who returned to her folding.
"I'm bleeding." Arty said calmly and Charlie groaned again, smacking his hand against his forehead as Arty lifted his arm to show him a cut on his elbow.
"What was the last thing I said before I left your room, huh?" Charlie sighed, picking Arty up and carrying him through to the kitchen, where he had left his wand when he had gone looking for Hermione, sitting Arty on the counter before he picked up the piece of wood.
"No more accidents," Arty sighed, rolling his eyes, "but it wasn't my fault!"
"Oh?" Charlie snorted, lifting Arty's arm and pointing his wand at it as he silently healed it, before looking back at Arty's face, "so what happened?"
"One of my dragons flew at me and cut me!" Arty said dramatically and Charlie scoffed as he lifted him off of the counter and put him on the floor.
"What do mummy and I always say about lying, Arty?" Charlie frowned and Arty groaned, stomping his foot.
"I'm not lying!"
"You're not lying about what?" Hermione asked as she entered and Arty sighed, turning to face her.
"A dragon flew at me and banged my elbow!" He said again and Hermione frowned, shaking her head.
"I removed all of the charms, Arty, I'm absolutely sure of that." She said certainly and Arty shrieked.
"Look out!" Charlie yelled as a mug flew from the stand and only just managed to pull Hermione out of its flight path as both parents turned, stunned, to a very confused Arty.
"See!" He sighed, tutting as he walked off, back in the direction of his bedroom.
"Did he just…"
"I think so," Charlie muttered as Hermione turned to look at him, "he's so young though!"
"I was six the first time I used accidental magic," Hermione shrugged, sighing, "how do we deal with any outbursts?"
"You know what? I've got no idea," Charlie sighed, vanishing the smashed pieces of mug from where they had fallen next to the sink, "Good job we're going to mums, huh? If anyone will know about that sort of thing, it's her."
"I hope so," she sighed, shaking her head as a slow frown spread over her face, "I guess we should apologise for doubting him."
"I'll protect you from flying objects, I promise." Charlie snorted and she shook her head, grinning.
"My hero."