Chapter 3- Reactions

Charlie sat eating pancakes at the kitchen table. On top of everything else that made him realize how much he missed home, it was his mother's cooking that topped everything off. "These are great, Mum," he said, piling three more onto his plate. "Are you going to make eggs sometime this week?" he asked before shoveling in another mouthful of food.

"I'll make you an omlet, if you leave enough room in your stomach," Molly said.

"If you make it, there will be room," Charlie declared.

Molly had a small smile on her plump features; one that indicated being pleased with herself. "Leave some for Ron and Harry. They went out to play Quidditch for a bit, but they'll be back soon."

Charlie gave a half nod, but continued eating. He was halfway through another bite when Tonks walked through the kitchen door, hair in bright violet order and Ginny following in behind. "Wotcher, Molly," Tonks said in a tired voice.

"Wotcher?" Charlie asked, his fork now neglected. "You can't use 'wotcher', I started 'wotcher'," he said.

"I didn't know you made up that word," Ginny said with a wink.

This didn't calm Charlie. Instead, he started sulking into his pancakes. "I've always said 'wotcher', so it shouldn't be such a surprise to you," Tonks informed Charlie.

"And I would know what friendly terms you use how?" Charlie called her on.

"You're the one telling me you started it."

"And like you wouldn't realize that it was mine and N—" Charlie trailed off, looking over at Ginny. "Never mind," he said and continued eating without another word.

"Dad got tickets to a Muggle fair nearby," Ginny told Charlie with excitement. "Did you want to come with me?" Ginny asked.

Charlie gave his sister a smile. She always seemed willing to make him happier. "I'd love to," he said.

"Good," Ginny said with a nod. "We'll leave in two hours then."

"Who's we?" Charlie asked.

"Harry, me, Ron, Hermione, you and Tonks."

Charlie noticed that Tonks was already looking sour while gazing at her plate of food. "So what? Like a pairing off sort of thing?" he asked.

"Sure, if you want it to be," Ginny said, eating the second of her pancakes.

Tonks and Charlie glared at each other then looked away. "All of you must be cautious if you're going into that town," Molly said. "And have Hermione make sure you all look Muggle enough," she added. "I'll send you with a picnic lunch, too, and Hermione can drive the car, if you don't want to walk."

"Car? I thought Ron lost the car," Charlie said.

"Dad got a new one last summer," Ginny said. "Completely Muggle this time. Mum wouldn't let him make any adjustments."

"Of course I wouldn't let him," Molly said incredulously. "Look what happened the last time one of my boys got an idea with it."

"You do know they were flying it long before something bad actually happened," Ginny said and watched as her mother got huffy about this information.

"All the more reason to not tamper with it," she said. "Who knows what could happen?"

Charlie started laughing as Ginny sniggered, but stopped when he saw Tonks joining in on the little joke. "I think I'm going to go upstairs and sleep for a bit more, since we're going," Charlie announced, taking his plate to the sink.

Ginny took her own dishes to the sink, doing them and her brother's as he walked out of the kitchen. "I told you," Tonks said to Ginny, placing another pancake on her plate.

"You two, really," Molly exclaimed. "Just get along, or it'll be the room for you," she warned.

Tonks had heard about 'the room'. It locked itself until the occupants had fulfilled Molly's consequences for fighting. Clever, really, but Tonks didn't feel like entering it. "I'll behave myself," Tonks said. "I'm not the one holding a grudge."

"But you still call him 'Charred'," Ginny pointed out.

"Think of it as a pet name," Tonks said. "What shall we do until they're ready?"


"Exploding Snaps Champion of The Burrow!" Ginny exclaimed, arms waving in the air while she did a ridiculous dance.

Harry and Ron came down the stairs, dressed in Muggle attire, Hermione following behind. "What's going on?" Harry asked.

"I just beat Tonks at Exploding Snaps again," Ginny explained with a casual expression while cleaning up all the cards.

"She's cheating, I'm sure of it," Tonks joked. "I just have to figure out how."

Molly opened the door from the kitchen. "Here's your lunch and dinner, just in case," she said. Ron almost grabbed the basket, but Molly turned and handed it to her daughter. "It won't open until noon. Make sure you have enough for dinner in case you're out that late."

Ginny nodded and took the basket. "Where's Charlie?" she asked.

"I'm coming," he called down from the room he was occupying. Just after they all heard a thump thump on the stairs as Charlie rushed down, wearing jeans and a polo shirt. "Does this work Hermione?" he asked, raising his arms and turning around.

"Perfect," she said, tucking her wand away in her light jacket. Charlie noticed Tonks putting her own in oneof the long socks she was wearing.

"Ready?" Tonks asked.

Everyone started out the doors, Harry leading and Hermione falling to the back as Molly gave her instructions to keep her two boys under careful watch around the Muggles. Hermione nodded and smiled all the way to the car.

"And if you need to, apparate right back," she said with firm emphasis. She looked over at Ginny. "You have the tickets?" Ginny nodded. "Good, have fun then," she said, giving each of them a quick hug and watching as Hermione started up the car and drove down the road.

Charlie felt squished against the window, but looked out. It had been so long since he had gone anywhere that was meant for pure enjoyment. He was glad to be going. "Is the fair close?" he asked.

"Just two towns over. Shouldn't take too long," Hermione announced.

Ron and Harry were discussing Quidditch players, more so a rookie that they were arguing potential over. Hermione was talking to Ginny about navigation, and Tonks was looking out the opposite window. He noticed that her hair looked normal. The color was blonde and it was long in length, pulled up into a ponytail. It was odd to see her without bright and vivid hair. Charlie didn't remember a time at Hogwarts when this had occurred.

"What?" Tonks asked, now looking towards Charlie.

"Nothing," he said, the usual spite apparent in his voice. "Your side just seems to be more scenic," he excused.

"Right," Tonks said, turning her head back to what she was looking at before.

"You should wear it blonde more often," Charlie finally said. Tonks turned once more with a curious expression. "It makes you look almost human."

Tonks glared at Charlie. "At least I act it. You've been around dragons too long; their manners are reflecting."

Charlie ground his teeth together trying to think of something, but Hermione's words kept ringing in his ears: she doesn't like being called by her first name…

"So what are you doing these days Tonks?" he asked.

Tonks was taken aback. The reaction better than when he tried pushing her buttons, Charlie noted. "Not a lot," she said with vague caution. She turned back to looking out the window, and Charlie smiled to himself as they pulled up to the fair.

They had spent the morning wandering around and took a ride on the Ferris wheel. It happened that three people could fit in a carriage, so instead of forcing Tonks and Charlie to sit together, Ron and Hermione took Charlie while Tonks joined the other two. When walking from stand to stand, Ginny would keep Charlie occupied while one of the others would talk with Tonks. It all seemed to work well, everyone seeming happy.

"Corned beef, I hate corned beef," Ron said.

"There's more than just the sandwiches," Hermione pointed out, putting an apple on his plate. Ron followed the advice—while ignoring the apple—and grabbed at the cookies still in the basket.

"Cut that out," Ginny said, slapping Ron's hand. "Only one."

"Fine," Ron said and started to sulk, until Hermione leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.

"You two," Tonks said with a shake of her head. "Ginny, can you pass the juice?"

Charlie stayed quiet, contemplating and observing. He watched as the other five ate, talked, joked. His focus was on the one person he had never gotten along with. He tried to remember where it started and how they had stepped on each other's toes. Somehow it was too far away, and all he could think of was that she was smiling. Charlie didn't remember a time when she had done this in front of him before. Maybe she was different… maybe he was. Maybe he just saw things differently now.

Charlie shook himself back into watching the rest of them, never letting his attentions fall on Tonks too much. It was too odd to be looking on someone he once had thought of with such distaste with even the smallest hint of normalcy.

When they had all eaten lunch, Ginny packed up the food and put it in the car so they could wander around again.

"Let's go on that one," Ginny said, pointing out a roller coaster.

Charlie noticed this one was a two seater, and watched Tonks looking at the ride as well. "I'm not big on fast rides," Tonks said. "Why don't you go and I'll wait here," she said with a smile.

"Are you sure?" Ginny asked, concerned.

"Yes, very," she said and sat down on a bench nearby.

"I'll stay here too," Charlie said.

Hermione and Ron exchanged looks. "Come on Charlie," Harry said. "You're not afraid of a little ride are you?"

Charlie scoffed at this. "Right, afraid. Very funny," he said, but sat down instead of accepting the challenge, knowing it was just a way to keep him and Tonks apart again. There was no need for that, if they were going to be forced into each other's company for the next month. In fact, he was itching to talk to Tonks alone. One of two things would happen: he would be able to win a word war (hopefully) or they'd at least make peace. Charlie knew his mother would appreciate the later of the two options. "Go on then," he said. The four younger adults looked reluctant, but headed towards the ride. "Enjoying yourself?" Charlie asked Tonks.

"Sure," she replied, her attentions at looking around.

"You know when people are talking to you, it's polite to pay attention," Charlie said.

"I'm a bit preoccupied, Charred," Tonks said. "Catch me at another time, if you must."

"You're just being stubborn now," Charlie accused.

Tonks sighed and looked at Charlie. "I'm actually busy at the moment, if you don't mind."

"Busy with what?"

"Keeping an eye on the young 'uns, as the Yanks would say," she said, then looked back.

Charlie almost didn't respond, but wasn't about to give up. If he was going to fold on the rivalry first, he wouldn't lose. "I'm pretty sure they can take care of themselves," he retorted. "If those four could face Voldemort like they had to, I'm certain they can handle a little Roller Coaster." With his hand, the pulled Tonks's face towards his, holding it by the chin. "So what are we going to do about this whole forced to live together thing?"

"Nothing," Tonks said, jerking her face out of his hands. "As far as I'm concerned, you're not there… or here, for that matter. There are more important things than worrying about what happened so many years ago."

"Now that we can agree on," Charlie said.

Tonks kept looking through crowds, sitting upright and alert. "Good. Anything else you wanted?"

Charlie got a smirk on his face. "You," he said, wiping away the smile and looking serious as Tonks looked at him, dumbfounded. In a moment of impulse, he pulled Tonks to him and kissed her. Charlie didn't take kissing too serious, most of the time, and right now, it made for a fun mind game. When he pulled away, Tonks's eyes were wide with shock. "Good eh?" he asked cockily.

Before he knew what was coming, Charlie felt a hand hit his face hard. So worth it! Charlie thought as he watched Tonks stand up with abrupt furry and make her way over to the exit of the ride the others had gone on.


"He kissed you?" Ginny asked with excitement.

Tonks had been quiet the rest of the time at the fair and had made certain she didn't come within a meter of Charlie the entire time. "Yes, the idiot."

"Come on, he likes you," Hermione said.

Tonks gave a frustrated growl. "Likes me? You should have seen him, so condescending and… and…" Tonks made a nice incoherent noise and wrung her hands over one another. "Really, he's crossed the line," Tonks said.

Ginny and Hermione looked at one another and started to laugh a bit.

"What's so funny?" Tonks asked, turning to them. In her frustration, Tonks went around the room she was staying in and started picking things up that she had left there the prior week. Whenever Tonks was in a bad mood, she cleaned. Sometimes her mother would tease her that the only way to get her to do her chores was to bring up something Tonks didn't like.

"You don't even see it," Ginny said. "I mean, really, why would he just kiss you?"

"Trust me, Ginny, it's not because he likes me."


"You kissed her?" Ron asked his brother.

Percy's old room wouldn't have been recognizable beneath the mess Charlie was calling a room. "Yup."

"So things are patched up between you two then?" Ron asked.

"Nope."

Ron looked confused by this. "No? What do you mean no? You kissed her."

"Ronald, my dear little brother," Charlie said, shaking his head. "You still don't understand girls, do you? Have you ever tried kissing Hermione when she's mad at you?"

"Hermione doesn't get mad at me," he said.

Harry, who had been listening to bits and pieces of the conversation, started to laugh lightly. It grew until he was almost on the floor rolling. "Say that again, Ron… it was great."

"Somehow, I believe Harry," Charlie said. "Still, you don't dare kiss a woman while she's mad. It never turns out right, for future reference."

"So why did you?" Ron asked.

"Because I'm already stuck with her on my vacation, I might as well have some form of entertainment out of it," Charlie said with a smile.

"You know, she's an auror. I would be careful," Ron said.

Charlie gave an unconcerned expression. "I work with dragons, Ron, I think I can handle Tonks."

"You'd be surprised."


A/N: Chapter three done! Hehehe… I love Charlie! I love this version of him! Hopefully Rowling wouldn't be too repulsed. Then again, I hope she's more busy writing another book instead of reading my fanfics… so chances are she'll never see this!

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