It was 5 o'clock the previous day when Charlie awoke feeling more healed and awake than he had in days. Emmiline Valance had come earlier that day to dress the wound to his waist with a clean bandage. However, Charlie had had one unexpected visitor that had made his life turn upside down. Dumbledore had arrived at 8 with some disturbing news. It was now 11 o'clock and Charlie was reliving the events in his head.

Dumbledore entered the room and sat down on the corner of Charlie's bed. He had felt like he had on the day when he had first come off his broomstick in a quidditch match against Hufflepuff. It had been a cold October day then to. Dumbledore cleared his throat and began.

"MrWeasley. It is glad to see that you are finally awake and in the land of the living, however much you feel like death right now."

Charlie had laughed.

"I have come here to tell you some rather disturbing news, as much as I would like to be jovial with you. Charlie, you're aware that the three death eaters in the forest died after your attack to protect yourself and MissTonksCharlie," Dumbledore had pulled out a letter. "This is a letter from the ministry. Your father and I are the only order members who know what it contains. Charlie there is a trial to be held on the 5th of November. If you are found guilty you will be sentenced to life in Azkaban, no matter who these people were. We can't lose you to that foul place. Not only are you a dear friend but the order needs you…

"Charlie… you must return to Romania until I can find away to clear you…"

His life had never been easy but this? This was torture. How could he leave his family again not knowing when he would return?

How could he leave Tonks?

Charlie sat up in his bed and stared outside at the landscape surrounding the Burrow. The fog had been replaced with a misty rain that had the familiar chill of autumn and Charlie longed to just stand outside in it and feel the cool water drench his skin. Many times while he had worked with dragons, had Charlie gone flying in the rain. Being on a dragon gave him nearly as much elation as being on a broomstick - a feeling that not much could rival.

Would being with Tonks rival it?

Of course it would. Tonks would win hands down.

He reached over to his night stand for a glass of water when he noticed a green letter perched on the edge of the table. He unfolded the letter carefully, noticing immediately that it was written in the fine Victorian script that belonged to his good friend Drake.

Charlie

We got news that you and coming home. It will be good to see you again. You'll notice a big change over here. The death eaters are gaining force by the day and the few we have on our side are too weak to make a difference.

Come home soon Char,

Drake

x

Charlie felt his eyes sting and had to throw the letter back onto the stand to stop the tears flow. So it was settled. Charlie was returning to Romania and would never see Tonks again. How he wished that his only problem could've been how he was going to impress Tonks at the ball.

He wouldn't go to the dance. He couldn't. He would leave the following day and make it easy for both of them. She didn't need a partner and perhaps a swift goodbye would be best. Charlie sank under the covers and rolled onto his side. His thoughts when awake were full of Tonks, his dreams haunted by the same soul. It seemed that he would have to be content with just dreams.

--

Charlie ran a hand through his hair and stared at his family and Tonks feeling a wait of guilt pool in his stomach. It was the following day and Charlie was now waiting to tell them all of Dumbledore's decision. He had made it down the stairs in surprisingly reasonable health and had found the pain was virtually non-existent.

Thank heaven for Phoenix's.

His family were all watching him with anticipation but Tonks' gaze seemed to be full of understanding and hurt. It taunted him. Charlie cleared his throat. "I know it's the ball tonight…" he began. As soon as he had spoken the words he had seen Tonks' shoulders slump and felt a stab of pain hit his heart. He made a resolution with himself not to look at her again. "Well, I had an owl from the ministry today. I'm up for trial on the 5th November. It doesn't look good. I could… I could be sent to Azkaban." Charlie looked as his mother dapped at her eyes and sobbed loudly. Bill was holding her tightly, looking as though someone had punched him.

"Drake also sent me an owl. The situation in Romania is bad again. Really bad. I uh… I have to go somewhere where the ministry won't find me until Dumbledore can clear my name and Drake needs me back anyway. They - he and Dumbledore that is - want me to go…" Charlie hated lying about Drake but there wasn't any other way. How was he going to do this? "I'm going back tonight," he finished with a loud sigh, his heart beating madly inside. He wondered vaguely if Tonks could read his mind that was currently yelling 'don't leave Tonks' as he chanced another look at her and saw her looking at the floor resolutely.

"You're not staying for the ball even?" his mother asked, her eyes red and puffy.

"I'm sorry mum. It's just… It would be better if I left straight away." Bill was nodding and his mother was smiling in a sad and yet agreeing way. Tonks however had yet to move.

"I'm sorry I can't take you to the ball tomorrow Tonks." He swallowed hard as Tonks looked up at him with blazing eyes and stood up quickly.

"Please excuse me, Bill, Molly."

Tonks almost ran out of the room and Charlie felt him shoulders slouch unintentionally.

"Go and follow Tonks," said Bill as his mother walked off into the kitchen to answer the calling voices of Fred and George who had appeared to just apparate into the kitchen.

"What good will it do?" spat Charlie, glaring at his eldest brother.

"Lupin was attacked last night. Their house was broken into and 2 death eaters were found trying to curse Remus. He managed to hold them off but only just. He was pretty busted up."

Charlie felt a wave of nausea sweep over him. He felt retched. Here was he, trying to have Tonks when he didn't even consider the implications that would come from her having Remus. But he had known along time ago that over him and Remus, Remus would be the won to win Tonks heart.

"I should go after her and say sorry again," agreed Charlie, slapping his brother on the arm. Charlie ran out into the corridor where he found Tonks to the immediate left of him. She was pulling on her gloves and scarf, her cloak wrapped tight around her.

"Where are you going?" Charlie stared at Tonks who was avoiding his gaze.

"Work."

"Today? After the attacks?"

"Someone's got to do it."

"Tonks… please speak to me…" Charlie reached for Tonks arm.

"No!" Tonks shook Charlie's hand off her. "I'll see you later. Oh no. Wait. You'll be gone…"

"NO! I'll say goodbye."

Tonks paused. "In the forest--" she said suddenly. "Just before we were attacked. You said… I asked you were you excited about the ball and you were really sarcastic. You didn't want to go did you?"

Charlie thought back until his mind landed on the incident and felt a slab of embarrassment rise in him. How was he meant to tell Tonks that, yes, he didn't want to go to the ball with her for the simple reason that there was no way he could be her date for the evening and control himself around her. It would look great. 'Hi Remus. Sorry I got a hard on from being with your girlfriend.' Charlie shook his head.

"Of course I did."

Tonks smiled bitterly. "I'll see you later." And with that, she was gone. Charlie felt awful and it was because of the woman he couldn't have.

--

Charlie found few things that could always cure his stress and anger levels. One was quidditch. One was flying. And the last was boxing. It was a muggle sport truth be told but his father had put a "punch bag" up in the basement of their old house and he had gone down there as often as he could ever since.

His first swipe at the bag made him realise that his body was no where near healed. His side felt as though it had been ripped open but he continued the lashes, eager to release thee pent up anger inside. After hours of fury he finally collapsed into the darkest corner of the room, tired and desperate to be on his own. He would be leaving soon. That thought made his stomach flip and he reached inside his trouser pocket to grab a cigarette, another muggle invention that was an expert at curing stress. It apparently killed those in the muggle world. Being a wizard meant that he would not be affected. He still felt wrong in using the white stick though.

A loud rhythm of footsteps made him drop the stick and he watched intently as Tonks jogged down the steps to the basement. She was wearing much similar to him, jogging bottoms and a vest. However, he couldn't stop staring at how beautiful she looked. Her top clung to her perfectly making her usual tom boy look evaporate and be replaced by something entirely feminine. Her hair (long today) was tired loosely in a knot at the base of her neck and stray tendrils were springing out, framing her heart shaped face.

After minutes of silence she began laying into the bag and Charlie had a huge urge well up inside him to make her stop. However, he understood her motivation and watched until she made her knuckles bleed.

"Either you've had a bad day or you really like the colour red." He liked being facetious with her. To see her smile, however sarcastic it was. They bantered back and forth until at last Tonks had take his bate and begun fighting him. It was near the end that Charlie began to lose interest in the fight, desperate only to talk to her. However, a blow landed to his side made his eyes water with a brilliant pain. He felt as though he had been hit with a cruticious curse. He had had enough of playing.

Lust, love, anger, desperation, helplessness.

They all intermingled and he had finally given up fighting for her.

"You really want to know what's wrong?" Tonks suddenly said. Charlie felt his heart prick.

"Hit me." He found it ironic that had she physically hit him one more time her would've collapsed infront of her. He wasn't weak but the injuries that he had sustained in the recent days were throbbing with pain and the ache of not knowing where he stood in Tonks' affections hurt him more than his physical injuries.

"It's your entire fault! Your stupid idiotic fault! You. All you! You're… you're leaving--"

"Well Azkaban isn't exactly what I had in mind for my retirement…" he retorted, feeling the unjustness weighing him down.

"--You're leaving ME Charlie!"

Charlie wanted to speak but he couldn't open his mouth. Did this mean?

"Why do you care?" he responded, eager to know once and for all.

"Because I… thought you cared for your family more than that."

Charlie felt his heart literally crack. The blood was pounding against his ear drums making his head ring. Desperate to say anything that may make him believe there was some hope for them he said, "You can't hide your feelings forever."

"What do you mean?"

Oh damn. She didn't feel the same! Okay.

One more try.

He had to know.

"One day you'll have to choose and no matter how angry you are, you'll only get one choice. The only problem is I don't know if I can cope with your choice." Charlie waited. Perhaps now, after he had revealed his all. Perhaps she would say she felt the same. He waited some more. Some more. Charlie couldn't bear it any longer. Feeling the frustration meet its maximum, Charlie ran towards the door.

"So this is our goodbye?"

The red head stopped, feeling his heart give another familiar and painful jolt. He was close to turning around when he felt his throat constrict and he threw a look of contempt towards Tonks before leaving the room loudly.

"Merlin!" Charlie hit the wall hard and slouched down felling the cool plaster calm his aching body. He would be gone in an hour or two and everything would be okay.

Could he leave?

Charlie sighed. One more night. He had to stay one more night, even if he could only watch Tonks form afar. She couldn't know that he was still there; he didn't want to hurt her. What he would give to have the nerve to be her date. He would make her so proud to be his partner. Charlie spat some blood out of his mouth and walked into his bedroom. He would leave tomorrow and if that meant hiding from Tonks then that's what he'd do.

And if it meant getting drunk it would only be a bonus really, he thought as he reached for the Fire whiskey in his cupboard.