Games Are Afoot Chapter 18
Games Are Afoot Chapter 18
Magical
Disclaimer: JKR owns it all; I am merely toying with the fruits imagination.
Fred and George had returned to their usual jovial state now that Arthur Weasley was on the mend. In fact, all the residents of Grimmauld Place were feeling merrier than they had all week. Sirius was decorating up a storm, enlisting the help of any poor unsuspecting Order member who happened to drop by. Remus found his enthusiasm contagious and with the help of a couple of glasses of firewhiskey, the two old friends had even begun singing Christmas carols. Fred and George found them inspiring. They had been locked up in their room all afternoon working on a special project. They considered it their contribution to the Christmas spirit.
Ron and Harry were in the lounge coercing stories out of the two marauders. Sirius seemed to understand how important it was for Harry to feel connected to his Dad, so he was more than happy to relive his fondest memories and adventures. Molly was bouncing around the kitchen humming happily to herself as she prepared the Christmas Eve feast they would be sharing that evening. Arthur would be coming home in two days and she was as happy as a niffler in a gold mine.
Hermione and Ginny were holed up in their room wrapping presents when a knock came at the door. Ginny leapt over three rolls of wrapping paper and slid on some ribbon into the door with a thud that caused both girls to collapse in a fit of giggles. Ginny finally managed to open the door and squealed with joy to find Bill and Charlie on the other side.
"You're back!" She cried joyfully throwing her arms around Bill. She then did the same to Charlie.
"Can we come in?" Bill asked moving towards the room.
"NO!" Both girls shouted as Hermione moved to block the doorway with Ginny.
"We are wrapping Christmas gifts, you can't come in." Ginny declared sternly.
"We didn't really want to come in anyway," teased Charlie, "we just came to tell you we are sleeping here tonight so don't get too rowdy and mess up our beauty sleep." He winked at Hermione over Ginny's shoulder. Bill chuckled suspecting why Hermione's face had suddenly blossomed into a bright pink. The brothers moved to the stairs to head up to their room on the next floor while the girls returned to their project.
Ginny studied Hermione intently. Hermione could feel her penetrating gaze boring into the top of her head as she concentrated on a very tricky piece of tape.
"Hermione, why are you fidgeting with that tape and why won't you look at me?" She asked suspiciously.
Hermione slowly lifted her eyes to meet Ginny's. She had the dopiest smile on her face and her eyes were twinkling like the lights Sirius had charmed on the tree.
"Why do you look so sappy all of a sudden? Ginny demanded.
Hermione sighed happily and shrugged her shoulders. She couldn't contain the grin that plagued her cheeks.
"Come on…out with it! Or I am going to grab the Flinch quill."
Hermione tried hard to reign in the joy she was feeling but she just couldn't. "Oh, Ginny. I feel stupid, but I can't help smiling. Charlie winked at me."
Ginny felt her mouth drop open. "Charlie…winked….at…you…" she finally choked out. Her face was frozen in shock as if she had been hit with a stunning spell.
"Uh huh." Hermione nodded happily.
"My brother, Charlie. Not so tall. Red hair. Freckles. Works with dragons, Charlie?" Ginny asked stupidly, trying to understand what was going on.
"Yes, your handsome, interesting, funny brother, Charlie." Hermione confirmed.
"Handsome now is he?" Hermione nodded sappily in response.
"What about Ron?" Ginny asked still in a state halfway between shock and confusion.
"What about him?"
"I thought you fancied Ron." Ginny blurted out.
"I did fancy him for a while, but it's hard to sustain interest in someone who doesn't realize that you are a person—a female person at that—with feelings and thoughts an—"
Ginny interrupted her. "So, Ron's ignorant. That's nothing new. When did you start blushing because of Charlie?" Ginny's face was breaking into a huge grin thinking of the two of them together.
"I don't know." Giggled Hermione as she shrugged her shoulders again.
"This is the most girly I have ever seen you." Ginny declared. She couldn't help laughing at the dreamy look in Hermione's eyes. "You should watch it though, you're starting wear an expression that looks at little like Luna Lovegood's." She teased.
Hermione sobered her face to stone. "Oh please tell me it isn't that bad!" She begged.
Ginny laughed at her. "Maybe not yet…but you still haven't told me when all this started.
Hermione began wrapping one of the gifts piled on the floor as she thought about what to tell her.
"I guess the first time I noticed him was at the Quidditch World Cup. I thought he was cute, but I didn't really think much past that. We bumped into each other a few times during the game and he hugged me with everyone else when Ireland won, but then I didn't see him for a whole year." Hermione began.
"Go on." Ginny said uncharacteristically refraining from comment.
"Then last summer, you know when we all had to be at The Burrow and then here, when we played all those fun games? Well, we talked a bit here and there and we decided to write to each other as you know." Hermione put her package down and looked toward Ginny to assess her reaction so far. She was looking right back, curiosity burning in her eyes and a slight smile tugging on her lips.
"So, you've been writing to Charlie since we went back to school, we already talked about that one. He was trying to help you overcome your fear of flying right?" Ginny finally asked, picking up a bow and putting it on one of the gifts.
"Actually, since he went back to Romania." Hermione replied placing a present in the done pile.
"Really, and how often were these letters then? I hadn't realized they had gotten deeper than fear of flying."
"Couple of times a month. Since August."
"That often?"
"Yes."
"So it wasn't just Viktor you were filling parchment for then was it?" Ginny astutely questioned.
"Nope." Said a beaming Hermione.
"Well, then, how was it spending two days with him?" Ginny asked casually, but her insides were about to burst with excitement. Charlie was a great brother and she could completely see why Hermione would like him.
"Great! We talked and laughed and he took me for a ride on one of the brooms in the broom shed."
Ginny couldn't help it. Her mouth gaped open once again. "You. You rode on a…a broom? Hermione Granger WILLINGLY got on a broom." Hermione nodded grinning like an idiot.
"How did you keep up with Char—wait a minute. You said a broom from the broom shed. You rode TOGETHER?!" Ginny practically screamed.
"SHHHHHH!! Hermione hissed. She covered Ginny's mouth with her hand. "Please, I don't want to announce it to the entire household!" Her face was bright red again. "I told you because you are my friend, but please, please don't embarrass me."
Ginny nodded her agreement and Hermione removed her hand. Ginny started to giggle. Hermione joined in. They sat there finishing up the wrapping as hysterics overtook them.
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"What do suppose they are laughing at?" Ron asked Harry as they stood on the stairs.
"I dunno. I can't think of anything that would be that funny."
"Me either. Let's go nick some of mum's chocolate biscuits before Bill gets at them." Ron suggested.
Just as they headed down the stairs, Fred and George popped open their door and greeted the two boys.
"Where are you off to?" Fred asked.
"And in such a rush too." George continued.
"You think we should join them?" Fred suggested as they moved onto the stairs right behind Harry and Ron.
"Most definitely!" Chirped George as he passed them all sliding down the banister.
"What have you two been doing all day?" Ron asked finally noticing that their pockets were bulging.
"We have been creating." George answered in a low voice creeping quietly past Mrs. Black's portrait.
Once they were safely past, Harry felt brave enough to ask, "Creating what?"
"Christmas Magic." The twins replied simultaneously while smiling deviously.
Ron and Harry shrugged as they entered the kitchen.
Fred and George didn't show up right away, but when they finally did, they set about hanging up some Christmas decorations. Ron assumed Sirius had trapped them into helping him finish up.
"Ron, will you go ask Ginny to come down and set the table for me please." Mrs. Weasley said as she stirred a pot on the stove. The knives were chopping vegetables near the sink and her wand was pointing at some seasonings hovering over another pot.
"Sure mum," Ron answered as he ran out of the kitchen and up the stairs. The twins were standing in the hallway.
"Harry, mate, could we have a word?" Fred asked innocently from his position.
"Sure." Harry said as he got up to join them.
"We want you to know that whatever happens this evening is in your best interest." George said as he put his arm around Harry's shoulder.
"Why do I suddenly feel nervous?" Harry said looking at Fred and then over to George.
"Because YOU are a smart lad." Fred laughed.
George patted him on the back as he started to head back to the kitchen. He had just made it through the doorway when he heard Ginny call to him and he stopped to wait for her.
"Hi Harry. Mum got you working too?" Ginny asked. They turned to walk through the doorway when they seemed to get stuck. Harry tried to back out to give Ginny some room, but found that he couldn't move. They heard guffaws and hoots behind them.
Ginny rolled her eyes. "All right. What have you done?" She demanded of the twins.
"Look up!" Snorted a very amused Fred.
"Ugh. Mistletoe? You couldn't get any more creative?" Ginny asked disgustedly.
"Oh Ginny. It's not just ordinary mistletoe. It's special. You can't leave until you give poor Harry there a proper kiss." George said breaking into a new round of laughter at the look of utter panic on Harry's face.
"What do you mean we can't leave?" Harry asked nervously, wiping his now sweaty palms on his jeans.
"We enchanted the mistletoe with a charm." Fred said proudly.
"The only way to break the charm is to kiss." Added George.
Ginny looked at her brothers and then at Harry. She pecked him quickly on the cheek and they almost fell into the kitchen.
"AW! You ruined all our fun." George whined.
"What kind of a kiss was that?" Fred called after them.
Ginny smiled triumphantly at outsmarting Fred and George. Harry fled to the table to escape any more potentially dangerous Christmas decorations. Ron soon joined him wondering what all the fuss was.
"Hermione will be right down. Said she had one more thing to finish." Ron said as he plopped down at the table completely ignorant what had just happened. Soon he and Harry were involved in an intense Quidditch discussion and the twins and their pranks were forgotten.
Fred and George looked at each other plotting with their eyes. They realized they had another potential candidate coming down the stairs shortly. Ginny watched this exchange with a wicked gleam in her eye. She sauntered over to Fred and whispered in his ear. His eyes grew large as he pulled away to make sure she was serious. When he saw her face he nodded and pulled George further into the hall to whisper privately. Ginny smiled and returned to her table setting.
As Hermione arrived in the kitchen, George met her just outside the doorway. "Mum wants you to go call Charlie and Bill to come eat. She doesn't want to anyone yell in case Mrs. Black gets stirred up. She figures she'll go off enough when Tonks get here." Hermione agreed and climbed the stairs once more, returning soon after with Charlie and Bill close behind her. George called to Bill and he stopped to answer as Hermione headed through the doorway. Fred conveniently blocked her path separating her from the view of those at the table and she backed up a step causing her to bump into Charlie who was close behind her. Charlie reflexively reached a hand to her waist to steady her. She turned partly around to smile her thanks. As she tried to continue, she discovered that she couldn't move forward.
By now, George and Bill were chuckling loudly behind them and Charlie had made eye contact with Fred who was positively beaming back.
"What's up, Fred?" Charlie asked menacingly realizing that he had been set up.
"Up? What makes you think something is up?' Fred asked trying to keep a mockingly innocent look on his face.
"Oh, I would definitely agree with the up part," Bill snickered.
Charlie looked up and saw the mistletoe. He grinned. He tapped Hermione on the shoulder and pointed up toward the top of the doorway. Her face was priceless with the emotions flitting through her eyes. Shock. Joy. Shock. Hermione suddenly found her shoes incredibly interesting as she now heard the chuckles on both sides of the doorway. Her face felt like a dragon had been breathing on it. She could feel Charlie's good humor as his chest shook with quiet laughter.
He leaned down to whisper in her ear. "I don't bite." Her head jerked up in surprise. It was not the first time he had said that to her. "Well, not very hard anyway." He teased with a wink. If she thought her face was red before, it was nothing to how it felt now. She looked sideways so no one could look her in the eye and tried to slide out of the cramped space. It didn't work.
Charlie slid his hand to her lower back and gently turned her toward him. He was smiling down at her as she shyly looked up at him. She couldn't maintain the eye contact so she found herself staring at his broad muscular chest. He practically filled the doorway. He drew her closer until she put her hands out to brace herself against his chest. She could feel his heart betting firmly against her palms. What seemed like eternity beating painfully through her own heart was in reality only a short minute.
Charlie leaned down to her ear once more. "I'm not sorry I got stuck here with you." His low rumbly baritone voice was meant only for her ears to hear. "I hope you're ok with this, but I am going to kiss you now." She nodded slightly and lifted her eyes to his. Suddenly it seemed like the world had disappeared. She couldn't hear the laughter or the teasing anymore. The only things in her world were the incredibly blue eyes of Charlie Weasley that were locked on hers. Her heart hammered in her chest. She forgot how to breathe. Her mind could not make her eyes look away from his. She could feel his heart accelerate too. His head lowered and very gently he touched his lips to hers.
The electric shock of their connection caused her eyes to close and she inadvertently leaned in closer. The pressure of his warm lips increased on hers and she felt lost in the new feelings that were flooding through her. He pulled away slightly and she opened her eyes. He was smiling at her so she timidly smiled back as he gently led her backwards into the kitchen where reality came crashing back. Charlie let go of her to shove Fred out of his way.
"Thanks mate." Charlie said as he passed Fred on his way to the table.
Hermione felt unsteady on her feet but someone was tugging at her elbow. Ginny spun her around. "Now that you are finally here," she teased, "you can help me finish the table." Hermione scanned the room to see who had noticed the incident in the doorway. Mrs. Weasley was occupied with cooking and Harry and Ron seemed oblivious. Ginny however, had a twinkle in her eye.
Hermione got to work quickly, grateful to have something to keep her hands busy while her mind replayed the kiss over and over. Charlie noticed her face tinged pink every so often and he chuckled as he realized what she must be thinking about.
Mrs. Weasley announced that dinner was ready and Sirius and Remus turned up in time to sit down at the far end of the room. Ron, Harry and Ginny filled the remainder of the far side of the food laden table and Mrs. Weasley was planning to sit at the head closest to the stove. Fred and George sat down next to Sirius while Bill and Charlie sat at the other end of the same bench. Hermione placed the bowl of potatoes on the table and glanced around. Ron pointed at the plate across from him and motioned for her to sit there. She slid in between Charlie and Fred.
Dinner was an exercise in patience. Every time Charlie moved, his knee or leg would brush Hermione's. She felt like she was blushing constantly. Fred would bump into her too, but it just didn't generate the same reaction. She began to wonder if Charlie was playing with her and doing it on purpose, but she couldn't muster up the courage to look at him. She made the mistake of looking up at Ron once across the table but his mouth was so full she looked back down. After the longest meal of her life, Hermione decided to take action.
"Mrs. Weasley, why don't you relax and let me take care of the dishes tonight," Hermione offered as she rose from the table. Ron, Fred, and George bolted past her out of the kitchen before they got roped into helping her.
"Are you sure, dear? Would you like Ginny to stay and help you?" Mrs. Weasley asked frowning. She didn't want to take advantage of Hermione's generosity.
"I'll dry," Charlie announced easing his mother's mind. Hermione continued clearing off the counter and did not acknowledge his comment. Eventually they found themselves alone with the dishes. Without saying a word Hermione chucked a towel at Charlie. He immediately chucked it back and took out his wand.
"Why Mr. Weasley, I thought you offered to dry." Hermione turned to look at him placing her hands on her hips.
"I could get this done much faster," he replied suggestively as he twirled his wand.
"That anxious to get away from me, eh?" Hermione chuckled.
Charlie stopped twirling his wand, "If I get this mess sorted out quickly, we would have more time to play."
Hermione backed away from the sink. "By all means then, show me some magic."
Charlie laughed and started to clean, waving his wand and muttering spells as he went. All in all it took about three minutes for him to finish.
"I will never look at cleaning the kitchen the same way again." Sighed Hermione.
"You almost sound disappointed." Charlie replied watching her gaze at the now spotless countertops.
"No, I'm not disappointed, I am just thinking that I can't wait until I can use magic anytime. That was bloody awesome. They definitely don't teach us useful stuff like that at Hogwarts."
"Well, when you are old enough, you'll have to have someone teach you," Charlie shot back giving her a knowing smile.
"You're right," Hermione replied cheekily, "I will have to ask your mom."
"Granger. You're cruel." Charlie countered trying to look wounded that she would pass him over.
"Tsk. Tsk. I only go for the best…." She darted out of the way as Charlie aimed his wand at her playfully. "You shouldn't point that thing at people—it might go off."
Charlie moved closer to her. "Do I scare you?" He said playfully. She kept backing away from him.
"No, but this is hardly fair. How am I supposed to defend myself?" Hermione asked dramatically opening her arms wide. Charlie lowered his wand.
"Well, since I believe in fair play," Charlie said thoughtfully, "I guess we will have to continue this when you are old enough to play." He eyes glowed with delight at the thought of picking this up later.
"Why Mr. Weasley, are you flirting with me?" Hermione boldly teased.
"Of course." Hermione didn't know what to say so she turned to head out of the room. Charlie tapped her shoulder to stop her.
"Where are you going?"
"I thought you wanted to play games." Hermione bantered playfully.
"Maybe I just want to play one game."
"And what would that be?"
"I believe I was promised a game of Flinch this holiday season."
"Promised? Are you sure?"
"Aye, a lovely witch was writing me letters and getting my hopes up." Charlie looked expectantly toward her.
"I am an honorable witch, so I guess I better fulfill my obligations." Hermione drawled in return over her shoulder as she turned to walk out.
"Obligations, huh? Aren't you the least little bit enthusiastic?" Charlie challenged following her.
"I could be persuaded—"Charlie stopped her by tugging on the back of her shirt.
"That's my shirt." Hermione said stating the obvious, smiling but facing away from him.
"I thought of how I might persuade you."
"Did you now?"
"Look up."
Hermione looked up and realized she was in the doorway with the magic mistletoe. She could feel Charlie take a step closer to her, the heat from his body permeating the tight space. He reached down and took her left hand in his as he moved even closer.
"Should I persuade you?" He asked quietly.
Hermione turned to the left and he released her hand so she could continue to turn until she was facing him. His outdoorsy scent was intoxicating to her at this close range. She was excited and scared and hopeful all at once, but she was not blushing. He reached for her hand again and moved it to his chest pulling her closer in the process. She could feel his rapid pulse beating time against the tips of her fingers. Her heart matched his pace as they leaned toward each other. There was no pause or hesitation as their lips came together, the heat sealing them in the moment. Charlie moved his lips against hers and she found herself following his lead.
"So, have you been able to muster up some enthusiasm for our game?" Charlie asked quietly brushing a strand of hair behind Hermione's ear.
"You can be very persuasive." Hermione whispered.
"Meet me in the upstairs parlor after Ginny goes to sleep."
Author's Note: If there is a question you would like answered in the flinch game, pm me and I will do my best to fit your questions into the game!