Chapter 7
It was a sunny day in June, and Charlie and Louse prepared to go to England. Charlie went home every summer, and now he had persuaded Louise to come with him.
"Just don't eat anything Fred and George offer you," he warned. "You never know what you'll turn into."
"I thought you'd protect me from such things," Louise said, and gave Charlie her most innocent smile.
"No way, you're on your own."
In reply, Louise stuck her tongue out at him.
They were going by Portkey from Bucharest to England. In order to get to Bucharest they Disapparated, and Apparated close to the Portkey point. Charlie had always liked to Apparate. It was quicker than going by broom or using a Portkey, and besides he didn't like the feeling when using a Portkey. When Apparating you hardly felt anything, even if it could be dangerous before you had learned how to do it properly.
At the inn they quickly discovered that they were not the only ones going to England. Charlie and Louise gathered around the two wizards in charge of the Portkey, and waited for their turn to step up to the old map. With their bags in a firm grip in one hand they put the other hand on the map and waited.
"Countdown! Three… two… one…"
Suddenly Charlie felt the familiar pull behind his navel that indicated that they were moving, and after a few moments of floating through the soaring air and seeing brilliant colours around him he hit the ground.
"Two thirty-five from Bucharest!" a voice said. It belonged to one of the two wizards in charge of the Portkey in London.
Charlie and Louise picked themselves off the ground, and followed the others out of the biggish, square room and found themselves in a street bustling with people. Diagon Alley.
"It's been years since I've been here," Louse said, looking around.
"Are you hungry?"
"Yeah, actually."
"Then let's get something to eat. How about going to the Leaky Cauldron?"
"Good choice."
They hurried to the inn, got a table and ordered what they wanted to eat and drink. It wasn't long before the barkeeper placed two plates and two glasses in front of them, and they ate in silence. Charlie was really hungry, and devoured his food in no time. Soon Louse had finished her meal as well, and after paying for their meal they stepped out of the dark, cool inn and out into the warm sunlight. They decided to Apparate to the Burrow, and Charlie noticed that Louise got a worried expression on her face.
"I'm nervous!" she complained.
Charlie hugged her tightly. "You don't have to worry. It's going to be okay."
"I'm not sure if I believe you," Louise said in a half serious half joking tone of voice as she felt the inside of her robes for her wand. "Shall we?"
Louse suddenly realised that it was not long before she was going to meet Charlie's family for the first time. At the thought her stomach turned. What if they didn't like her? What would she do then? Go back to Romania and wait for Charlie to return when his vacation was over?
At that moment she regretted that she had accepted to come with Charlie to the Burrow. The thought of meeting the rest of his family was intimidating, but since she did not have anywhere else to spend her summer vacation she had might as well go with Charlie to England. And his family seemed really nice from what he had told her, so she had decided to give it a try.
They Disapparated, and after floating around in a colourful nothingness for a couple of seconds they Apparated on a narrow, gravelled road.
"So, here we are," Charlie said. "We'll be home in a few minutes."
He took Louise's hand, and they started walking. After five minutes they saw a house, and Louise had to remind herself to breathe. That must be it. It was the most curious house she had ever seen, and she wondered how on earth there could be enough room for nine people in there.
"Home sweet home," Charlie said brightly and quickened his pace.
Louise didn't answer, because they just walked into the garden. It was large and well attended, and it contained many different kinds of flowers, trees and bushes. Charlie walked ahead of her towards a narrow door, and pushed it open. It led straight into the kitchen, and what a kitchen it was! Louise had never seen anything like it, but she did not have time to look around properly before Charlie yelled, "Hello everybody! We're home!"
The kitchen was suddenly full of people with red hair, and Louise had no time to count them all before a woman who must be the siblings' mother came up to her and Charlie. She gave Charlie a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
"Welcome home, how was the trip?"
"We survived. This is Louise, Louise, this is my Mum Molly."
"Welcome to the Burrow dear, it's lovely to meet you," Molly said and smiled at Louise before giving her a hug. "I'll leave it to Charlie to introduce you to the others. Bill's not here yet though, he'll come tomorrow."
"Thanks, it's nice to meet you too Mrs Weasley" Louise said and hugged her back, slightly taken aback by this sudden display of affection. It was something she was not used to.
"He's bringing his girlfriend too," a voice said. It belonged to what looked like the youngest boy in the family, and Louise guessed that he must be Ron.
"Ron! He's said she's just a friend," Mrs Weasley corrected her youngest son, who just smirked.
Charlie introduced Louise to the rest of the family. First in line was Arthur, the siblings' father, who, to Louise's relief, also seemed pleased to meet her. Then there were Fred and George, the twins who, according to Charlie, never missed an opportunity to pull a prank. They looked exactly alike; the only way Louise could tell them apart was to remember that Fred had on a red sweater and George a green one.
"And you two better behave," Charlie warned them, not without seriousness in his voice. The twins just smiled at him with a look on their faces that clearly told Louise that they didn't promise anything. Then she was introduced to Charlie's youngest brother, who came up to her and shook hands. He introduced himself as Ron.
"Just tell Fred and George if Charlie gets out of hand. They'll take care of him."
Fred nodded vigorously. "We're on duty twenty-four hours a day."
Charlie laughed. "That's enough, don't give her any ideas. Don't listen to them," he said to Louise, and introduced her to Percy. He shook her hand and gave her a polite little nod. "It is nice to make your acquaintance."
This caused Fred, George and Ron to burst into a fit of giggles, and Percy seemed clearly annoyed about this.
When Louise had been introduced to Percy, Charlie introduced her to a young girl, who was standing behind the others.
"This is Ginny, the only girl in the family."
"I'm glad you're here," Ginny said and gave Louise the usual Weasley-smile. "It's nice to finally have another girl in the house."
Louise smiled back and looked at Charlie. "I can imagine what it's like. I mean, I work with him, and having several of him around must be hard."
When Louise had met Ginny, Ron introduced her and Charlie to a girl and a boy who seemed to be the same age as Ron; Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. Louise quickly realised that Harry was none other than Harry Potter. For a second she wondered what he was doing at the Burrow, but remembered that Charlie had mentioned that he was friends with Ron.
After an afternoon in the Weasley household, Louise was grateful when Mrs Weasley decided that it was time to start making dinner; despite the lunch at Diagon Alley she had become hungry. Everybody helped with gettin the table ready, and meanwhile Fred and George told her about their plans of opening a jokeshop. They even offered her to try some of their candy. Louise turned down the offer however, remembering what Charlie had told her.
"Did you invent those yourself?"
Fred nodded. "Mum hates it, but we want to open our own jokeshop when we've graduated."
"So you're constantly inventing new things?"
This time it was George's turn to nod. "Mum says it takes concentration of our school work, but at least we use our knowledge to do something good for mankind."
Charlie, who had just come over to them, put his arms around Louise's shoulders. "Good for those who don't get exposed to your crazy inventions."
The twins smiled innocently at their older brother.
"There's no other way we'd know if they're working properly, is there?" George asked.
Charlie sighed. "I give up. Louise, try and see if you can sort them out."
He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before walking over to Harry and Ron. Louie was about to follow him, but didn't have time before George started to talk to her again.
"Anyway, we're sure it'll be a success."
"I hope so," Louise said honestly. "It's great that you've found something you really want to do, even though the rest of the family doesn't seem all too happy about it." She smiled at the many times Charlie had told her about the twins and their ability to cause trouble.
"Now that is a problem," Fred admitted with a look of mock concern on his face. "I guess George and I will have to go into hiding if they continue to act like this."
"Yes, start a new life somewhere else. And you must not, under any circumstances, forget to change your last names. Preferably dye your hair as well," Louise said.
George nodded. "Yeah, we'll have to take all necessary precautions so they won't be able to track us down and kill us."
They were interrupted when Mr Weasley came to tell them that dinner was ready. Fred and George must have realised that Louise supported their plans of opening a joke shop, because they continued to tell her about all the things they wanted to invent and already had invented. They also told her about some of their adventures at school, and together with Ron, Harry and Hermione they shared their opinions on their teachers and other students. Louise enjoyed listening to their stories, and she had such a great time that she did not keep track of time until Mr Weasley announced that it was eight o' clock. By then all the food was eaten, and everybody were just sitting around talking to eachother.
When the table had been cleared and everything had been carried inside Charlie and Louise went out into the garden again. They were sitting under a tree, enjoying the warm night. Louise leaned against Charlie's chest, and he had wrapped his arms around her.
"So wasn't I right?"
"Yeah. I've actually had a great time."
"I'll remember to give Fred and George credit for that."
Louise laughed. "I had expected the worst based on what you had told me, but they're absolutely hilarious!"
"Just wait until they expose you to some prank. Then they won't be so hilarious anymore."
"I'll make them love me so much that they won't have a heart to do that. Or maybe I'll just threaten with exposing them to the unforgivables if they even think about pulling a prank on me," Louise said and smiled sweetly at Charlie.
"We'll see about that."
When Bill had asked Nikki to come with him to the Burrow over the summer she had been surprised, but after checking with her aunt and Michael she had decided to go. Now, however, she had started to regret it. She wasn't sure if she looked forward to the prospect of being hurled through nothingness, holding only an old boot or a football or whatever, instead of going by airplane, even though Bill had ensured her that Muggles could use Portkeys as well. And it was a chance to get some time off from work, so she was willing to take the risk.
At the moment she was standing, bag in hand and her heart beating fast, with Bill beside her in the wizard part of Cairo. They were soon o leave for England. She had never travelled by Portkey, and was still not sure if it worked for Muggles. What if she would be left behind? But if Bill said that Muggles could use it she guessed that it must be true.
While waiting she had a look around the people standing around them. Almost everybody was dressed in cloaks, and she received quite a few curious looks from some of the wizards and witches who also were going to London.
Soon it was their turn to step up to the Portkey.
"It'll be okay, just do what I do," Bill whispered in her ear, squeezing her hand.
The wizard was holding out an old, broken football, and Nikki saw that the others put a hand on it. She did the same, gripping her bag tightly with the other hand.
"Beginning countdown!" said the little wizard. "Three... two... one..."
Nikki was jerked forward. She gasped in surprise as she was lifted off the ground, noticing that her hand was firmly attached to the football. She could feel Bill on her right side and a witch on her left; their bodies kept banging into eachother as they were rapidly hauled forward. The howling wind blew through her hair, and through her closed eyelids she saw dozens of different colours swirl by.
Suddenly her feet hit the ground, and she fell over.
"Two thirty from Cairo," said a voice.
"Are you all right Nikki?" she heard Bill ask somewhere from above. She opened her eyes, lifted her head and saw him bend over her.
"Think so. That wasn't so bad after all."
Bill grabbed her hands and helped her to her feet. "I told you so. Now, are you ready to see Diagon Alley?"
He had told her about the street in London where wizards from all over UK came to shop, and Nikki looked forward to seeing it with her own eyes. Taking her hand Bill led her towards a door with a sign saying DIAGON ALLEY. People were walking through it, and sunlight was flowing into the room.
As they stepped out into the street Nikki gasped. It did not look like she had imagined it, it was by far more amazing. It was as if she had stepped right into some fairy-tale, and she tried to take in everything she saw at once. Shops lined the street as far as she could se, and people were walking past. Most of them were wearing cloaks, and some wore tall, pointy hats as well. They were talking and laughing, and different smells that Nikki didn't recognize filled the air.
"Wow!"
Bill smiled. "I thought you'd like a look around here before we go home."
As he took her hand and led her down the street she kept turning her head to look at everything they passed. It was amazing; never in her life had she thought that something like this existed.
She noticed that Bill seemed more confident than usual. During their first dates in Cairo he had been almost unsure of himself, but now he moved with a new poise and Nikki realised that this was his territory. He didn't belong in the Muggle world. He belonged here, in this world, among other wizards and witches. This was his home, and she was a visitor, just as lost as she imagined that Bill must feel in the Muggle world.
He guided her through the street, and one and a half hour later Nikki had looked at books, broomsticks, clothes, cauldrons, animals, wizard sweets and a number of other things, and now it was time to go to the Burrow.
"Now, where do we go to floo-powder ourselves to your home?" she asked.
"The Leaky Cauldron."
They headed back to the inn, where they had to pay a knut each for using the fireplace. After paying the fee they were shown into a room with only a large fire place and a wooden table.
"Just throw the floo-powder into the fire, step into it and say 'the Burrow'. But you must speak clearly, and keep your arms close to your body until you slow down. Then put them in front of you," Bill instructed Nikki, who nodded.
"I'll go first. See you."
Once again Nikki realised that this was Bill's territory. He took some powder from the bag that the inns' keeper held out, and as if it was the most natural thing in the world he threw it into the fire. It roared and turned green before Bill casually stepped into it and said; "The Burrow!"
Nikki watched him disappear, and took a deep breath. She took a pinch of powder, which felt like sand against her palm, and threw it into the fire. It turned green once again, and reluctantly she stepped into it. To her surprise the flames felt cool against her skin.
"The Burrow!"
She fell; it was as if something pulled her downwards. Then she began to spin, and wind roared around her. She wanted to see what went on around her, but the strong wind made her close her eyes.
Suddenly things seemed to slow down, and she put her arms up in front of her just before she felt ground beneath her. She stumbled out of a fire place, and almost fell over before someone grabbed hold of her.
"Are you okay?" Bill asked as he took hold of Nikki to prevent her from falling.
"Yeah." Nikki straightened herself up and looked around. She had just opened her mouth as if to speak again when a door opened and they heard someone come into the house.
"I wonder when Bill and Nikki are coming," a female voice said. Bill immediately recognized his mum's voice.
"We're in the living room!" he called.
She came into the living room, followed by his father.
"There you are!" she exclaimed and hugged him. "How was the trip?"
"Good. Mum, Dad, this is Nikki, Nikki, this is my Mum Molly and my Dad Arthur."
Mrs Weasley smiled at Nikki and hugged her. "It's lovely to meet you dear. Welcome to the Burrow."
"Thanks Mrs Weasley," Nikki replied, returning the hug. After that she said hello to his dad, and shook his hand.
"Nice to meet you, Mr Weasly."
"Where are the others?" Bill asked his mum.
"Still in the garden."
Bill took Nikki outside, and there was the rest of the Weasley clan.
"And don't go near Fred and George again, you wouldn't want to be in the way when they get started," a boy who must be Bill's youngest brother said as she shook hand with the twins. They gave Nikki one identical, not so innocent, grin each before the twin named Fred smacked Ron playfully on the shoulder.
"You weren't supposed to tell her that, you prat!" he said good-naturally.
Nikki giggled. "I'll try and stay out of trouble."
"Seriously, you two," their mother said. "Try and behave tonight as well." She gave the twins a stern but loving look, and they nodded.
Bill then introduced Nikki to Charlie. "I hope my dear brother here treats you well," Charlie said as they shook hands.
"He does, mostly. Can I come to you and complain when he doesn't?"
"Any time. Or better still, I'll teach you what to do if he gets on your nerves."
Bill pretended to make an attempt to drag her away from his at the moment annoying younger brother. "I do not think that you two should talk anymore. I don't want Chas to give you any crazy ideas."
Nikki just smiled at him. "No, I'd love to see what he could teach me. I mean, I have to know what to do when you get impossible."
"I'll see what I can do," Charlie promised. "This is Louise, my girlfriend," he continued, motioning towards the short brunette by his side.
The girls shook hands, and Bill gave Louise a hug and asked her if she still liked Romania before introducing Nikki to Ron. Thankfully his youngest brother behaved.
"And this is Harry and Hermione," he said, motioning towards the two others without red hair.
Bill and Nikki both shook hands with them. It was the first time Bill stood face to face with the Boy Who Lived, and before he could help it he was looking for the scar. However, he had not much time to look for it since there was one more person to introduce to Nikki. His brother Percy, who just greeted Nikki with a formal "Pleased to meet you".
When everybody had been introduced Bill gave Nikki the grand tour of the house. Nikki had never seen anything like it, and asked him abbout all the different magical items she had never seen before.
Afterwards they joined the others in the garden, and soon dinner was on the table. They all gathered around, and during dinner his father talked to Nikki about Muggle life. He was really interested in all things Muggle, and Nikki seemed to have a good time telling him about things he wanted to know. She also talked to Charlie and Louise a lot questioning them about Romania and the dragons.
Charlie sat cross-legged on the veranda, talking to Bill. Nikki, Louise and the two brothers were the only ones at home, since Percy and their dad was at work and the others had gone to Diagon Alley to by the school supplies for the ones still at school.
He watched Louise, who was sitting on the grass further away in the garden, talking to Nikki. It was almost a week since they had come to the Burrow, and Louise seemed happier than he had ever seen her. The two girls laughed at something, and Charlie was satisfied that they seemed to get along so well. Louise needed to see that people did like her, no matter what she thought.
"So, when are you and Nikki going to hook up?" he asked Bill.
"Huh?"
"You heard me."
"I did. And I don't know."
"But there's something there."
"Maybe there is, maybe there isn't. I don't know."
"You don't know? You must know if you have feelings for her!" Charlie protested.
"Well... It's weird. We're friends, but still we hold hands and cuddle like we're a couple."
Charlie frowned. He had never heard of two friends who acted like that. "So you're not in love with her?"
"No, or at least I don't think so. And I don't think she's in love with me either."
"Then what's going on? If you hold hands and cuddle there must be something there."
Bill shrugged. "Well... I guess so, or we wouldn't be able to hold hands and cuddle like we do, but it's not... We haven't discussed our... relationship, or whatever it is. I don't know how else to describe it, it just comes natural."
"Let me get this straight. You guys are not going out, but you act like it?"
"Something like that. Why?"
"Well, I happen to believe that there is more to this than just friendship," Charlie stated. "You don't cuddle with a person who's just a friend."
"Don't you think I know that?" Bill retorted, harsher than he had intended to. "What exactly are you implying, by the way?" he continued, this time in his normal tone of voice.
"Nothing. Just that you'd be crazy to miss out on an opportunity like this. We all see that there's something going on between you guys, so don't deny it."
Bill groaned. "Charlie, please stop it! You don't need to play matchmaker!"
Charlie held up his hands defensively and suppressed a smile. "Okay, calm down."
The fact that his brother had not realised that something was going on between him and Nikki amazed him. Then again, Charlie had been oblivious to his feelings towards Louise, he reminded himself. Sometimes he wondered if anything would have happened between them if they had not been sent to Germany. Well, maybe eventually.
Talking to Charlie had made Bill realise that his and Nikki's relationship was unusual, or as his dear brother so elegantly had put it; "You don't cuddle with a person who's just a friend". And he was right, wasn't he? The thing was that Bill did not know what do to about the situation. He was content with things being as they were, so why would he want to change anything between him and Nikki? They were friends who shared something that normally only couples did, and it had never seemed strange to him. However, Bill suspected that his brother was on to something. Why, exactly, did he and Nikki cuddle and hold hands if there wasn't something going on between them?
"You know what? I have to talk to her."
"About what?" Charlie asked.
"Us."
"Then I'll take Louise for a walk."
Simultaneously the two brothers rose, and walked over to the girls.
"Hey, what are you two talking about?" Bill asked.
"Girl stuff," Nikki answered. "Want to join?"
"No thanks. I need help with deciding what to get Ginny for her birthday, and my dear brother here turned out to be of no help at all," Charlie said. "So Louse, could you help me with that?"
"Absolutely." She got to her feet.
"And Nikki, could you make sure that your friend stays out here please?" Charlie continued. "I don't want him to come with any more of his more or less useless ideas."
"Does that require me tying him to a tree?" Nikki asked innocently, narrowly avoiding Bill's attempt to swat her arm.
Charlie and Louise laughed.
"Come to think of it that would be best. Then we could let the gnomes have him." Charlie's eyes twinkled mischievously.
"Hey! I'll remember that!" Bill huffed.
"Whatever. See you guys later."
Charlie took Louise's hand, and they left Bill and Nikki alone. Bill looked after them, suddenly very aware of what he had to do.
"So, when's Ginny's birthday?" Louise asked as she and Charlie walked back to the house.
"Not until August. We just need to give Bill some time alone with Nikki."
Louise wasn't surprised. She had seen that there was something going on between Charlie's older brother and Nikki, and she had wondered when the two of them would get together.
"Has he got feelings for her?"
"That's the thing. He doesn't know," Charlie said, and told Louise what Bill had told him earlier.
"Well, it certainly looks like they've got something going on," she agreed. "So, what do we do while they try to figure things out?"
Charlie pulled her in for a hug. He let his hands slid underneath her shirt, and caressed her bare back. "I can think of a number of things I would like to do right now."
Louise let her lips brush against his. "And just what did you have in mind, if I may ask?"
"You have to guess."
"Hmm... cook lunch for the four of us the Muggle way?"
"No."
"Oh, then I know. Clean the house from top to bottom the Muggle way."
"Wrong again." Charlie said and kissed her.
Louise wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer to her, and it was not long before they were on their way up the stairs to Charlie and Bill's room.
With thirteen people around most of the day there was no such thing as privacy, and they spent the next hour making up for lost quality time. Afterwards they dressed again, and remained on Charlie's bed. Louse rested her head on his shoulder, tracing little circles on his stomach with a finger.
"You know what?"
"No."
"I'm still not quite used to the fact that people actually seem to like me and am interested in who I am. Nobody ever wanted my opinion on something before I arrived in Romania, for example. I've never really experienced anything like it, especially not like here with your family."
Charlie kissed her forehead and tightened his grip around her. "I'm sorry you had to go through all that. And I'll always be here, no matter what. I want you to be happy."
Louise smiled. "I am happy, thanks to you and the others at the reserve."
"Good. And promise me that you will stay happy, because I don't want to see you sad."
She kissed him. "I'll do my best."
Then she closed her eyes, and soon she fell asleep with her head still on Charlie's shoulder.
Nikki had realised that life at the Burrow wasn't very different from life in an ordinary Muggle family. Well, apart from the fact that magic was part of everyday life. Each day she found new things to marvel at; Quidditch for example. She also had to get used to kitchen supplies doing their work on their own accord, and Bill and the others doing magic.
Being the only Muggle, and thus the only non-magic person, at the Burrow Nikki sometimes felt somewhat excluded. Even though everybody seemed to like her and made her feel welcome she felt like an outsider by the fact that the others shared something she was not part of. They spoke the same language; they were familiar with things, places and people she had never even heard about.
She was sitting in the garden talking to Louise, when Bill and Charlie came over to them. It turned out that Charlie needed Louise's help with a birthday present for Ginny, so she and Bill were left alone.
"So, when's Ginny's birthday?" she asked.
"In August."
"And why does Charlie need help with her gift three months in advance? Is it something big he's planning?"
"Not really, no."
"I hope they'll come up with something good. By the way, want to take a walk?"
"A walk sounds good, so yes."
They left the garden, and after a few minutes they arrived at a group of birches. Bill lay down under one of the trees, and Nikki did the same.
"I come here when I need some privacy," Bill said. "You don't get a lot of that with nine people or more around."
"I wish I would have had a place like this to go to at home, in Manchester."
"Then you should see Hogwarts. It's amazing."
"But I can't, can I? Doesn't it have charms and stuff protecting it from Muggles?" Nikki asked, disappointed. Bill had told her about his old school, and she would really like to see it.
"Unfortunately it does."
"Shame."
"But you've seen pictures, haven't you?"
Nikki rolled over on her stomach, facing Bill. "That's not the same, duh."
"I know. And I really wish I could take you there."
"Ha! You'd just leave me as soon as you knew I wouldn't be able to find my way back to the entrance."
"Now that you mention it that would have been a great idea," Bill said, smiling slyly.
"I bet. Too bad that you won't get the chance," Nikki retorted.
Bill laughed. "I guess I deserved that," he said and brushed a strand of hair from her face.
"You know, if this had been a movie this would be the right moment to kiss me."
Nikki had meant it to be a joke, but to her surprise Bill did just that. Suddenly his lips were on hers, and without thinking Nikki responded to the kiss.
Bill was the one who broke the kiss. They looked at eachother for a couple of seconds, and Nikki could see surprise in his eyes. She too was surprised. Kissing him had felt as natural as holding hands and cuddle, and she could not understand why. They were only supposed to be friends, weren't they?
She was brought back to reality when Bill spoke. "Can I ask you something?"
"Go ahead."
"What are we? Really?"
Before the kiss she would have said that they were friends, but now she was not so sure. The kiss had definitely woken something inside her. "I don't know. Do you?"
"Well... Actually it was my dear brother who pointed out that there was more than friendship between us, and maybe he's right. So what would you say if I suggested that we could try to figure out if this hunch of his is something worth building a relationship on?"
What if Bill was wrong, what if they were just meant to be friends? But, Nikki thought, why else did it feel so good to hold him, to be held by him, to kiss him? They had something special, and she would be a fool if she did not want to find out exactly what that special thing was.
"I'd definitely have to say yes."
"Are you sure? Just because I think there might be something else between us it doesn't mean that you have to agree with me. And if you don't I want you to tell me."
"No, I'm sure."
"So... does that mean that we're going out?"
"I guess so."
They smiled at eachother, and Bill hugged her. "Let's just take things one day at a time."
"That sounds like a good plan."
They kissed again, and an hour later they left the birches. Nikki rested his head against Bill's shoulder, and he held an arm around her waist.
When they came back to the Burrow Charlie and Louise were nowhere to be seen.
"They're probably inside, not wanting to be disturbed," Bill said.
"So that's the first thing you think about when your brother and his girlfriend aren't in the garden?"
"Yes, wouldn't you?"
"No. And there is only one way to find out, isn't there?"
"You mean walk in on them having sex on the livingroom floor or on the kitchen table?"
Nikki laughed. "Well, if you want to put it that way. Besides, I'm thirsty."
Once inside they were not surprised to find the house completely quiet. Apparently the others had not returned from Diagon Alley, and Charlie and Louise were nowhere to be seen.
"Maybe they're in your and Charlie's bedroom," Nikki said.
Quietly she and Bill tiptoed upstairs. The door to Charlie and Bill's room was closed, and Bill put his ear to it.
"Not a sound," he whispered.
"Maybe they've gone for a walk or something."
Slowly Bill pushed the door open, and the sight that met them made him and Nikki smile. Charlie and Louise lay on Charlie's bed, sleeping peacefully.
"Let's go, so we don't wake them," Bill whispered.
Quietly they closed the door again and padded downstairs.
