Disclaimer: Nothing but Nancee, Olette, and the plot is mine. Enjoy the story!

Chapter Four- Charlie Weasley

"So what do you two have planned for the wedding?" Mrs. Weasley asked as she sat alone with Charlie and Hermione and the table.

"I was thinking of a small wedding. Family only," Hermione replied.

Charlie nodded in agreement. "I like that idea. Something small but beautiful. More intimate."

Hermione blushed at his statement, for some how it seemed that it had been directed towards her, and though she loved the attention, she couldn't help but wonder what he was trying to do. He seemed genuinely thrilled that they were getting married, and kept either flirting with her or making little suggestive comments here and there.

Mrs. Weasley smiled and replied, "That's wonderful, already thinking like a husband and wife. Now, what kind of wedding dress would you like, Hermione?"

There was also the fact that over the last few days, Charlie had begun to buy her a lot of gifts. Some clothes like the outfit she was now wearing, a short skirt with a tight t-shirt, others jewelry or books. In response to Mrs. Weasley's question, she replied, "I was thinking something along the line of a embroidered corset top, strapless, and a big skirt."

Charlie placed a light kiss on her neck and rubbed her leg. "I think that will look beautiful, love."

Charlie had also gotten in the habit of kissing her or touching her, all of these combined had begun to make her think that maybe Charlie really was in love with her, she knew she was going have to confront him at some time, but for now just chose to enjoy it. "Nice to know I'll have the approval of the groom," she replied.

"And aren't I the only one that matters?" Charlie questioned.

"Of course, you're the most important person to me."

Mrs. Weasley grinned along with Charlie. Cautiously, she asked, "Tell me, how many children are you two planning to have? Outside of the one required?"

Charlie replied, "I was thinking about seven or eight, myself. What do you think dear?"

Seven or eight? In one house, at one time? We'd all die. "Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of three or four," Hermione answered.

Charlie nodded. "All right, well, we can discuss the option of more after the first two are born."

"Sounds good," Hermione commented, receiving a kiss on the cheek from her fiancé. The rest of the wedding planning time, Hermione was barely listening, she was too preoccupied with Charlie and the way he was acting. Seven or eight? I think Charlie really wants to stay with me forever.

Later that same day, Hermione and Ginny were lying on the bed in Ginny's room, Hermione having moved into the attic with Charlie as soon as they had announced their engagement. They shared a bed, but so far nothing had happened, besides that they had become comfortable sleeping along side each other.

Ginny asked, "So how goes everything? I love that new outfit of yours. Charlie give it to you?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes and thank you. Actually, I don't know how everything is going."

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"It's just that Charlie has been acting so strange."

"Really? To me, he just seems to be the average fellow in love."

Hermione looked at her. "That's just it. I think Charlie actually loves me. I mean, he buys me things I obviously don't need, he keeps kissing me, and he says he wants us to have eight children. Eight, when we're only required one. It's the reason I can think of that makes sense."

Ginny thought about her friend's problem for a moment before answering, "Would it really be that bad if Charlie loved you? Is there something wrong with him?"

Hermione shook her head vigorously. "No, there's nothing wrong with Charlie."

"Do you just not want to have eight children? Because I'm sure Charlie would listen to any reason you might have for not wanting that many."

"Well, no. I guess that as long as they weren't all in the house at the same time, eight would be fine. And it wouldn't be as though Charlie and I couldn't support them. I mean, Charlie has a very dangerous and profiting job, and I would be a healer, so the children would be fine."

Anger flared in Ginny's eyes. "Is that why you agreed to marry my brother, because he was rich? You only thought of the money and nothing else? Didn't think about what Charlie might want? How he might feel? I'll tell you now that if he does love you, he's even stupider than I thought he was."

Hermione shook her head and answered, "Ginny, it's nothing like that. I agreed to marry Charlie because I needed help and because he seemed so kind. Like he actually cared, I knew he wouldn't hurt me or force me into anything."

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "Do you love Charlie?"

"I think I'm in love with him, yes," Hermione replied after taking a deep breath. "But now I know why that is. What is strange to me is that he seems head over heels in love with me for no apparent reason. And I want to know why."

Ginny grinned, "I know one way we could find out what's going through my brother's head."

"Ginny, we are not going to test any spell out of a book on my fiancé. And we don't know oculemcy."

"Hermione, Hermione, we're not going to do either of those things. No, instead we're going to do what every sibling has done when looking for blackmail."

"Which is? You seem to be forgetting that I am an only child."

"We're going to go through his things. And don't give me all that crap about how wrong it is, you're going to be married soon, and then it will be yours. Just think of it as checking his background, making sure he isn't too loony or has any pictures of old girlfriends."

Hermione smiled and stood up. "Race you to the attic."

Hermione and Ginny were shifting through Charlie's things, though they had yet to find anything incriminating. "Shoes, clothes, clothes, and more clothes. Come on, Charlie, where do you hide the good stuff," Ginny said as she looked through the old dresser that held Charlie and Hermione's clothes.

Hermione sat on the bed trying to think. "Now, if I were a fellow, where would I hide my secrets?"

Hermione and Ginny looked at each other for a moment, before Hermione got off the bed, crouched down, and began looking under the bed. It wasn't long before she pulled out a medium-sized wooden box. She took off the lid to discover that it was full of old pictures and newspapers.

She held up one and told Ginny, "It's of your entire family along with Harry and me." Then she took out another one and said, "A picture of him and Bill." Another, "Him with Fred and George as babies. Ahh, they were so cute and innocent looking. What in the world happened to them between now and then?"

Ginny shook her head and pulled out an old newspaper article. She scanned it before hitting Hermione on the arm and saying, "Hermione, look. It's an article from three years ago, when you were in fourth year."

Hermione took the paper to look at. "It's that article that Rita Skeeter wrote about me and Harry being a couple. And look, Harry's been blacked out in the picture and in the article."

"Wow, I think my brother was a bit of a stalker back then. And apparently, he still is," Ginny added when she saw another picture in the box, this one of Charlie staring at Hermione while she danced with Harry at Bill's wedding.

"Ginny, no offence, but is everyone in your family a stalker?"

"Hey, I resent that statement."

"Ginny, it's the truth. Listen, you were stalking Harry when you were twelve—"

"I wasn't stalking him," Ginny retorted.

"Yes, you were Ginny. Then there's Ron who is practically stalking Luna, Fred and George who do stalk their girlfriends, along with Bill was stalking Fleur when they were first dating. Percy has always been the stalkerish sort, and now we know that Charlie was obsessed with me. I have to admit that that is really strange."

Ginny was just about to say something when she heard a step creak. "Hermione, quick, put everything back where it was, I think Charlie's coming."

Hermione's eyes widened but she did as Ginny had said. The girls had just finished straightening the room when the door opened to reveal Charlie Weasley standing there in only a towel.

Ginny covered her eyes while Hermione stared at his chest. Apparently, he had kept playing Quittich in Romania, because he looked good. Taking notice of the girls, he grinned, "Hello, love. And good afternoon, Ginny. You can uncover your eyes, sis, I have no intention of removing this towel while you are here. Once you are gone, however, I can't guarantee anything."

Ginny jumped up and ran for the door. "Eww, eww, eww, I did so not want to know that about you, Charlie. Now I'm leaving before you can say anything else that might mentally scar me." Then she was gone.

Charlie laughed and turned back to Hermione. "Something wrong, love?"

Hermione shook her head, trying to clear her head of her thoughts. "No, of course not, Charlie. But I think I should go find your sister, before she does something stupid."

"You can stop her from doing stupid things? Wow, miracles really do happen," Charlie replied. But then more seriously, he added, "You can stay don't worry, love. I'm not going to pressure you into anything."

Hermione nodded but stood up, walking toward the door to the stairs. "I know, Charlie. I know, I think it would just be better if I left for a moment. Though before I go, I want to tell you something."

Charlie turned his full attention to Hermione as she stood in the open doorway. "Yes, love."

"I love you, Charlie Weasley," Hermione said before she shut the door and went looking for Ginny.

And Charlie just stood in the middle of the attic room, clutching the towel around his waist, shocked beyond words.