Having finally regained their breath they took the two remaining seats at the table, next to each other. Dinner was a strained affair and didn't really lighten up once everyone returned from the Leaky Cauldron, Fleur and Bill helped to wash up and then Mrs Weasley finally came to a decision about the long awaited sleeping arrangements. By that time everyone was packed into the sitting room, Hermione was squashed between Charlie and Harry. Molly stood up and, with a look that dared them to argue, she told them all where they would be spending the next couple of nights.

Molly and Arthur would retain their room, Bill and Fleur would share Bill's old room. Percy would move in with the twins so that Aunt Muriel could have his old room. Harry and Ron would stay as they were, Ginny would share with Susan and Hermione would share with Charlie. Charlie looked distinctly uncomfortable at this idea but Hermione squeezed his arm gently to prevent him from doing so.

"It's alright" she whispered in his ear "we'll work something out but she's at the end of her tether and the last thing she needs is for us to add to her problems"

This was a lovely thought and all very well until it became time to actually go to bed, at which point things became ridiculously uncomfortable. They both stood in the room just staring at the bed (they had tried to move another mattress in but the room was so small that it was impossible).

"Well, this is ridiculous" Hermione huffed finally "I'll sleep on the floor"

Charlie, ever the gentleman, felt it his duty to object "no, it's alright, I will"

"It's your bed"

"But you're a guest"

"Well you're…" Hermione never finished, she just laughed "I can't believe we're fighting over who gets to sleep on the floor, as if either of us actually wants to"

"I can't let you sleep on the floor" he protested stubbornly

She looked a little surprised "well, perhaps chivalry isn't dead" she said softly "why don't we just share the bed?"

"What?"

"Charlie, don't be such a girl" she teased

"I'm offended by the very idea" he said, she would have believed him if it weren't for the twinkle in his eyes

"Your honour is safe with me, Charlie, I promise. We'll make a barrier of pillows down the bed or something"

Even so, there was a lot of embarrassed coughing and Charlie cursed the fact that he blushed so easily. There was a soft knock at the door and Ginny poked her head around it.

"Hermione" she whispered "are you awake?"

Hermione raised an eyebrow at her "Ginny, I'm sat up and looking at you. Of course I'm awake" Charlie snorted "what's wrong?"

Ginny bit her lip and perched on the end of the bed "I'm nervous about tomorrow"

Hermione scooted to the end of the bed and wrapped an around Ginny's shoulders "It will all be fine" she promised soothingly "What could possibly go wrong?" She was acting like the older sister Ginny had always wanted. Charlie had heard from Ron that Hermione was an only child and relished her role as adopted sister to Harry, Ron, Ginny and the twins.

"I could make a total fool of myself and fall down the aisle or something"

Charlie grinned "well, it would give everyone a good laugh"

Ginny glared at him, "Charlie, that isn't funny" said Hermione sternly but the laughter in her eyes gave her away. She turned back to Ginny "Look, do you want me to get you a sleeping draft?" Ginny nodded mutely.

Hermione got up, climbing as carefully as possible across Charlie and rummaged in her suitcase for a moment, eventually she pulled out a pale blue vial which she handed to Ginny. Ginny immediately uncorked it and downed the entire contents before Hermione could stop her.

"Ginny! You were supposed to wait until you got back to your room!"

"Why?" Ginny yawned

"Because you'll never make it down the stairs now"

Ginny looked at her, bleary eyed but defiant "Of course I w-" she fell forwards onto the bed and began to snore

Charlie prodded her arm slightly but to no effect, he heaved a sigh "I'll carry her" he offered. Hermione couldn't help but be impressed by the easy way in which he picked Ginny up and slung her over his shoulder as if she weighed no more than a doll.

After he left with Ginny, Hermione had a few moments to contemplate her relationship with Charlie. She liked him, he was sweet and he made her laugh, she could be herself and it was just like spending time with Harry or Ron. Then she wondered if they would ever be more than friends, he was certainly good looking and charming but she couldn't see herself feeling more than friendship towards him. That was a good thing, she thought, it wouldn't do to develop too strong an attachment to him, it would all be over in 5 years and by that time they would have a child. It was best not to make things any more tangled or difficult than they already were.

She was denied the chance to analyse further because Harry knocked on the door looking pale. "Can't sleep?" she smiled at him

He nodded "I'm a little nervous and Ron's snoring really loudly" she hugged him tightly and he hugged her back just as fiercely. At that moment Charlie walked into the room and stopped dead, looking at them

"Is no room private anymore?" he joked "I finally get rid of my little sister and when I come back, my fiancée has invited my brother in law in. I may never get any sleep tonight"

Hermione didn't answer, she just watched Harry intently, he had paled even further at the phrase "brother in law". She handed him a vial of sleeping draught and patted him gently on the back "You'll be fine Harry, drink this when you get up to your bed and not before and you'll sleep like a baby"

He nodded and shuffled out of the room, smiling sheepishly at Charlie as he went. Hermione crawled back into her side of the bed and picked up her book, they didn't talk much, both of them content to sit in silence, he had a couple of letters to read and then he began to read the quidditch section of the Daily Prophet. He heard a deep sigh from the other side of the bed and glanced across, Hermione had fallen asleep and was lying, curled up on her side and sleeping so soundly that he briefly wondered whether she had taken a sleeping draft too. He carefully moved the book out from under her head and slid a scrap of paper in to mark her place. Only then did he glance at the title of the book 'A Comprehensive Guide to Dragons (different breeds and their habits)', he grinned, turned the light off and quickly fell asleep.

A/N I'm sorry it's taken so long to update, I was doing so well with this but then university happened and life happened and apart from the fact that I had horrendous writers block I just didn't have time so I'm hoping to make it up to you by posting two chapters really close together, review please!