Games are Afoot Chapter 8
Confessions
Author's Note:
Thank you so much for all the reviews and encouragement. A special thanks to Enthralled who kicked my butt into posting and who continues to encourage me! You are a gem!!!!!
Bill and Charlie returned to the Burrow later that night. After making sure it was secure and adding some safety wards, they entered the kitchen and opened the box their mum had sent them home with. Chocolate biscuits. What a wonderful woman. As Bill made tea, Charlie got out the cups and plates and sat down at the kitchen table.
A tapping sound at the window drew his attention. It was an owl. Bill was closer so he opened the window and removed the parchment from its leg. He smiled to himself as the owl flew off and out the window.
"I take it that letter is for you?" Charlie prodded gently.
"Yeah, it surely is," Bill, said with a sigh sniffing the wonderful scent that permeated the letter. "I have been waiting for this all day."
"So are you going to tell me who it's from or do I have to sit here and wonder all night?" Charlie pressed, amusement filling his eyes.
"Oh, it's just from a sweet little thing I am, oh, I guess you could call it tutoring." Bill answered evasively.
"Tutoring, huh. You hardly seem the type. What exactly are you tutoring this bird in?"
"English." Bill responded with a grin. "She's a very quick learner."
"So where did you meet her?" Charlie asked curiously.
"Well, I saw her at Hogwarts…. just before the last task." Bill said slowly, willing Charlie to figure it out.
"Wasn't that when you and mum went to spend the day with Harry? The day all hell broke loose?"
"Yep."
"So you said saw, didn't you talk to her?" Charlie pushed.
"Naw, she was a little busy." Bill said looking right into Charlie's eyes.
"Busy with wh---oh. Her." Charlie said finally catching on. "The one that looks like—that has the hair that---her."
"Yep. That's the one." Bill replied knowingly. Visions of a blond goddess filled his mind. He could see her walking away from him as she seductively looked back at him over her shoulder.
"So how did you get from longing looks to tutoring?" Charlie asked with a barely contained smirk.
"Oh, the tutoring is real enough…convenient enough. When I transferred from Egypt to London for Gringotts a couple of weeks ago, I found they had hired a new intern. Apparently she came to learn English and the Goblins are fulfilling their international magical cooperation quota. She was having some trouble with understanding a couple of British sayings—"
"And you being the gentleman mum raised swooped in to rescue fair damsel." Charlie chortled.
"Of course. Couldn't be shaming the Weasley name now could I?" Bill said with a wink.
"And she's a quick learner?" Charlie asked with feigned innocence.
"Aye, that she is mate." Bill replied with a sigh. He sniffed the envelope again. "Everything about her is enticing. The way she looks at me. The way she walks. The way she says 'Beel'…. I feel like a dirty old man."
"Why do you feel that?" Charlie snorted.
"Because, she's just barely eighteen and I, I am older than eighteen brother." Bill said sadly.
"But, if you're of age and SHE's of age…. what's the problem?" Charlie challenged.
"It just feels a little weird. She's about the same age as the twins…."
"Or Percy. He's already working at the ministry. Might as well round up. Sounds like she doesn't have a problem with the age issue." Charlie encouraged.
"No. She doesn't. Said she rather likes a mysterious man with some life experience." Bill said fondly remembering the conversation he and Fleur had had over lunch a few days before.
"You like this bird." Charlie stated with authority. "I know this sappy look on your face. She's hooked you she has."
"Yes. Yes she has. I can't believe it but yeah. Ever since I first looked at her and she stared right back…it was like we connected or something. Even before I had ever said a word to her, I could just feel something…." Bill drifted off.
"I think it's called—"
"Don't say it Charlie." Bill warned. "This one is special. Different. I don't know how to explain it, but I can't stop thinking about her."
"Oh, you have it bad, Bill. How often do you tutor your French maiden?"
"Everyday at lunch and a couple of those very important errands I had to run over the weekend opportunely gave me the chance to run into her."
Charlie stared at his brother in amazement. His cool, calm, collected older brother was gushing. This must be some girl! Charlie decided to move to a new topic.
"I think a lot of these younger girls have knocked you for a loop this week." Charlie chuckled. "I should get a pensieve so you can see the look on your face when Hermione solved that riddle in what—two minutes?"
"Ugh, you would have to bring that up. When did she get so smart? They must be teaching them more at a younger age than I remember." Bill answered in annoyance. "Ginny too. She just finished third year and even she got it. I feel like I am losing it."
Charlie laughed out loud. "Oi Bill, it's not you mate. Ron was telling me about her. Hermione I mean. She's got 115 percent in all her classes or something like that. He said she reads N.E.W.T. level books for kicks. And, she brewed polyjuice potion in her second year."
"No way. How did you find that out?" Bill said stunned.
"Ron told me. They were trying to figure out who that heir of slytherin mess was and figured that Malfoy kid might know. I couldn't believe it when he told me. Wasn't that sixth year we learned about that?"
"Sure was." Bill said with obvious awe in his voice. "You know, Ron told me summer after his first year that she remembers everything she learns. When they were trying to protect the sorcerer's stone, they almost got strangled with devil's snare, but she remembered Professor Sprout MENTIONING that it doesn't like light and saved Ron and Harry's backsides."
"Ron sure seems impressed with her—even though the daft idiot would deny it." Charlie muttered grumpily with a sour look.
"Ron doesn't seem like the only one impressed with her…" Bill laughed as he ducked Charlie's punch.
"A little sensitive are we?" Teased Bill.
Bill stopped when he saw the look in Charlie's eyes.
"We are sensitive." Bill answered himself. "What's up Char?"
"I just…well…. I guess I can understand how you could feel like a dirty old man." Charlie finally spit out. "At least Fleur is already of age."
"Hermione has really grown up this past year hasn't she?" Bill offered.
"Yeah, she sure has. Did you see that picture Ginny showed mum of Hermione with Viktor Krum at the Yule Ball?"
"No, how'd she look?"
Charlie gave Bill an incredulous look. "She looked bloody amazing that's how she looked."
"Ginny told me Ron threw a right nasty tantrum because she went with Krum. Told her she was fraternizing with the enemy or some such rubbish." Bill replied, curiosity burning within him.
"I don't understand why Ron didn't ask her." Charlie mumbled. "Seems like he likes her ya' know?" Charlie looked toward Bill questioningly.
"At times he does, but boy do they fight. The last couple of weeks have been interesting at the Burrow too. Sometimes I think he ticks her off so she'll yell at him and notice him." Bill answered thoughtfully.
"Ginny also told me that it's taken ages for Ron to even notice Hermione was a girl." Bill added.
"He's bloody blind then isn't he?" Charlie said more loudly than he intended.
"So do you fancy her too?" Bill asked with a knowing look.
"I don't know. I guess I just realized she's a girl too." Charlie began sheepishly. "She just seems so much older than at the world cup last year. And watching her mind work today was fascinating. I guess she intrigues me, but I am so much older than her…."
"No older than I am to Fleur," Bill interjected.
"But Fleur is eighteen, and of age, and out of school. Hermione is what, fifteen? In school. Not of age. Argh. I am a dirty old man!" Charlie countered disgusted with himself.
"Don't be so hard on yourself. She definitely leaves an impression." Bill tried to be comforting.
"Yes. Yes she does leave an impression. Quite an impression." Charlie said as his mind recounted the morning. He remembered her elegantly arched eyebrow. He remembered the fierce competitive look in her eye as she figured things out. He remembered how good her hair smelled in the nook upstairs, and in the panty, when he was teaching her to shuffle and when he apparated with her.
"Char—Hey Char! You still with me?" Bill asked waving his hand in front of Charlie's face.
"Yeah, I am still here. Sorry, I was thinking."
"I could tell. I wonder about who…" Bill sarcastically faded off. He ducked as Charlie tried to cuff him upside the head.
"Don't be teasing now, I already feel bad enough as it is. I guess it's a good thing Dumbledore wants me to stay in Romania. Out of sight and all that sort of rubbish." Charlie said dejectedly.
"Oh for sure. Being in Romania will certainly make you forget…. or torture you more!" Bill teased. "Absence can also make the heart grow fonder…."
"Oh eat a biscuit!" Charlie muttered, his face turning as red as his hair. "I'm going to bed. You better read your letter before the fumes overpower you and cause me to throw cold water on you when you start dreaming…." Charlie teased back with a glint in his eye.
"I don't dream—" Bill started before Charlie burst out laughing.
"No, no you don't dream…'Oui mademoiselle, your accent is near perfect…please call me Bill….'" Charlie imitated.
Now it was Bill's turn to blush a scarlet red and for the second time that day he was completely speechless.
Charlie patted his shoulder as he walked past him towards the stairs. "At least she's of age mate." He murmured in passing.
Bill nodded. "Good night Char."
"Good night Bill."
Bill opened his letter.
My dear Beel,Eet 'as only been one day and I mees you terribly. My eengleesh is still troubling me, but not as much as 'ow lonely I feel since you left. The kees you placed upon my leeps felt like fire and now I am cold wis out them. You are an amazing man, Beel Weasley. Don't you keep me waiting.
Fleur
Bill read and reread the letter. Then he sighed. How could one short letter make him feel agonized? He couldn't wait to see her again.
A soft tap at their door caused the girls to sit up suddenly.
"Who is it?" Ginny whispered loudly.
"Ron. Let me in before Mum hears me!"
Ginny hopped out of bed and quickly made her way to the door to let him in. "What's up? Is something wrong?"
"No. Nothings wrong. I just wanted to know what you thought of Dumbledore's speech before dinner." Ron importuned looking through the dim light toward Hermione.
"I think he doesn't want us to send Harry any news." Hermione said bluntly.
"No, I guess he doesn't." Ron replied staring at Hermione.
"Don't mind me." Ginny said airily. "I guess I will just go back to bed since you two obviously only want to talk to each other."
Ron turned to her. "Sorry Gin. It's just…not knowing anything is going to make Harry really upset. He wasn't doing so well when he had to go back to the Dursleys. He'd been having some fairly horrific nightmares. Not getting any news is likely to kill him. Or us when he gets here." Ron explained.
"Oh. Well I guess I can understand the whole nightmare thing better than most." Ginny said sitting on Hermione's bed and waving Ron over to hers. "Why do you suppose Dumbledore won't let him come any earlier?"
Ron and Hermione shared a look that did not escape Ginny's notice.
"What aren't you telling me?" Ginny demanded.
"Nothing." Ron stated firmly never breaking his eyes from Hermione's.
"We don't really KNOW anything Ginny. We just suspect some things, but we haven't any proof. We just really worry about Harry." Hermione answered also continuing to speak to Ron with her eyes.
"As if I don't?" Ginny said sullenly folding her arms across her chest.
"I didn't say that Ginny." Hermione said quietly turning her gaze to Ginny.
Ginny's eyes were blazing under her calm exterior. "Well, I do care. I always have. You know that."
"Yes, I do." Hermione answered softly.
"Wait, what about Michael or Dean or whoever you're going out with now?" Ron practically yelled, shocked about the stunning news he thought had just heard.
"Calm down Ron or mum'll be in here so fast your head will spin!" Ginny hissed.
"She didn't say she liked Harry, Ronald, she merely mentioned that she cares about him too. Just like we do." Hermione stated firmly. Ginny shot her a grateful look.
"Oh. It just sounded like she fancied him again." Ron whispered.
"Well sometimes you have to listen past the words to know what people mean Ron." Hermione suggested.
"What the hell does that mean?" Ron asked in exasperation.
"Oh Ron! You are such a boy!" Ginny shot at him. "You don't understand anything unless Hermione lays it out for you step by step. Of course I care about what happens to and with Harry. I am perfectly capable and emotionally mature enough to have a boyfriend and a friend a the same time!"
"Okay, calm down. No need to get your knickers in a twist." Ron replied snottily to Ginny.
"Get my—how dare you—Ron—AAHHH!!!" Ginny sputtered.
"Both of you need to calm down or your mum will hear!" Hermione hissed.
Ginny and Ron both sat huffily.
"Now then, what are we going to do about Harry?"