June – Fathering Sunday
Charlie's next trip home was for Fathering Sunday. Molly was throwing a huge feast to celebrate both Arthur and Bill, so it wasn't an opportunity for much alone time. The time apart was starting to wear on me and I was finding myself overly emotional as the thought of seeing him got closer.
There was plenty of excitement for sure, but knowing I wouldn't be able to be open about our relationship and have some alone time was difficult. Keeping it from the family still seemed like the right thing to do, but that didn't mean it was easy.
Finally, it was time to leave for the brunch. Ginny had owled and asked if I could come a few minutes early to help set up. Figuring that getting there early would keep me from dwelling too much, I arrived an hour before anyone else.
Ginny was pacing the sitting room when I arrived and she immediately held her finger to her lips to shush me. I gave her a questioning glare, but she simply grabbed my hand and started leading me ever so quietly up the stairs.
"Dad is out in the shed tinkering and mum is picking items from the garden. Charlie got here a little bit ago and told mum he was tired from a late shift and that he was going to nap until everyone gets here. Time your entrance downstairs just right as everyone is filling in and mum will never know you got here early." she spoke in hushed tones and I was still completely confused.
She stopped in front of a door that I knew led to Bill and Charlie's old room, though I had never been in there before. I looked at my best friend and she nodded for me to open it. And there was Charlie, laying casually in bed with a book in his hand.
"Just... use a silencing spell if you must."
Ginny shuddered a bit and then turned and left.
I didn't waste a second before hurrying over to join Charlie. "Did you have this planned the whole time?"
"I wasn't quite sure how to make it work. It's not ideal to only have an hour, but I needed some time alone with you."
It was amazing how in tune we seemed to be with each other and it made me happy to know that he wanted that time with just us as much as I did. "I've missed you so much."
Since the last time I had seen Charlie, I had really come to terms with just how strongly I felt for him. Perhaps it was getting to spend a few days in with him that did it, or it was the long conversation I had with Harry the week after he left. Either way, I knew that as hard as the distance was and how some days I hated it so much I was ready to give him up to avoid the longing, that I wouldn't be able to.
I'd rather have Charlie a few days a month than nothing at all.
He began nuzzling my neck and planting kisses on the spot he knew I liked best. "I've missed you too, love. It's maddening without you. Not just being able to touch you." He backed away, cradling my head carefully so he could look me in the eyes. "I miss your smile, your humor, the passion you show when you're excited about something, the sound of your voice, your laugh, all of it. It's safe to say that I have completely fallen in love with you."
I took in a sharp inhale of breath. That hadn't been what I was expecting today, but without a doubt I knew how to respond. "I love you too Charlie."
A smile lit up his face as he moved in to finally kiss me properly. Before I could lose myself completely, I pulled away.
"Char, we can't do this here. Someone will hear."
He wasn't to be deterred. "I silenced the room. No one can hear us."
His husky tone touched me in just the right way that I found myself giving in. We were quick about it, but we couldn't resist the opportunity to be close with each other.
As our hour drew to a close, we reveled in the closeness of the moment.
"It sounds like people are arriving. I better get down there."
Reluctantly, he agreed. "Ginny said she would come up to 'wake me' when it seemed appropriate."
I laughed. "It's coming in handy having someone on the inside. Isn't it?"
"Mmmm." He agreed before giving me one last kiss.
Ok, maybe this whole sneaking around thing wasn't so bad. Actually, it was a bit of a thrill to know what we had just done.
Checking around every corner, I snuck downstairs. Ginny seemed to have been looking for me and was able to draw people's attraction away from the floo. It was so loud already from the sheer number of people that no one would notice I didn't actually just step out from it.
I pretended to brush myself off and Ginny rushed over.
"Hermione! I haven't seen you in days. How's it going?" She stealthily fixed my hair which had apparently come undone a bit. Talk about embarrassing. "You know what? I think that's everyone. Mum, should I go wake Charlie?"
"Oh yes, thank you, dear. He won't want to miss everyone being here." Molly didn't seem to pick up on the ulterior motive in the slightest, but rather continued putting the final touches on the meal.
A few minutes later, while I was talking to Harry and studiously ignoring Ron and Padma who were trying to engage the twins and their wives in Diagon Alley gossip, Charlie descended from the stairs. His hair was slightly rumpled which I found adorable, and also leant to the story that he had just woken up.
He made his stop at Bill first. The two of them were extremely close still and I knew it was hard on Charlie to be away from him so often. They hugged and I couldn't help but notice Charlie wink at me from over his brother's shoulder. I flushed a bit and looked away so as not to get caught.
"You really do have it bad. I'm not sure how none of us picked up on it." Harry's tone was quiet enough not to be heard by any of the others, but it was still not something I was comfortable talking about here.
"So, how's the Auror office been treating you this week? Anything exciting?" The back of my neck burned and I knew Charlie's eyes were on me. It took everything I had not to return his stare.
"Oh, you know. The normal stuff. Misuse of magic, thieves, illegal objects. Things have died down quite a bit."
Ginny joined us hen and Charlie came a minute later wrapping an arm around his little sister's shoulder, but also positioning himself next to me. The knuckles on the backs of our hands kept brushing and I was grateful he seemed to need the small bit of contact as much as I did.
"So, how's the wedding planning coming?" Charlie asked, seeming genuinely curious.
Molly joined us then. She had a habit of knowing when the upcoming nuptials had been mentioned and immediately inserted herself to the conversation.
"Oh Charlie, just you wait and see. It's going to be spectacular! I can't believe my baby is getting married. We are so excited to have you as an official member of the family, Harry." She smiled warmly at her future son in law before turning to Charlie. "Have you found a date to bring yet?"
I stiffened as I waited to see how he was going to answer.
"I'm afraid not mum. There's just no one at the reserve that catches my eye. You know that. We've been over it at least a hundred times."
"I know dear. I just wish you would find someone. I can't tell you how happy your father makes me and I want that for you too."
I was beginning to sweat and was thankful that Ginny once again stepped in to help us out. "It's a shame. The only other person who has RSVP'd that they will be attending solo that's our age is Hermione."
Charlie quirked a brow. "Is that so? I can't imagine an intelligent woman like yourself is unable to get a date for a wedding."
Hmm, keep your cool! I admonished myself. "I suppose I'm as big of a workaholic as you are. I don't have time for dating and a wedding hardly seems the place for a first date. I'd ask a friend, but they're all taken already."
He pretended to ponder the situation. "Well, I'd really prefer not to spend the entire evening dancing with Aunt Murial. Maybe we can be each other's moral support and dancing partner?"
I, too, gave the thought mock consideration. "Yeah, I suppose that would work. We'll both be there any ways."
Molly eyed us curiously, but couldn't seem to find anything beyond just two people how were going to be at the same place agreeing to keep each other company. She didn't comment further and instead went to go set the table.
Inside, I was celebrating. I couldn't believe Charlie had pulled that off! He winked at me and I smiled back subtly. Knowing that he and I would be able to be each other's date out in the open was a balm I didn't know I needed. Maybe it wasn't so much the long distance that had me feeling uneasy as of late, but the fact that we were having to hide it while we were with family.
Molly called us then to the table and we managed to be seated together. Bill was sitting across from us and gave his brother a questioning glare. To my surprise, Charlie, who always seemed to have a confident answer lowered his gaze bashfully. Bill turned to stare at me instead and I felt my face heat.
Now I knew why Charlie had turned away. Bill knew. I don't know how he knew. But he knew. My thoughts were consumed wondering if we were doing the right thing in continuing to keep this a secret as more and more people were let in. It made it hard to concentrate on the various conversations but I did my best.
My mind also kept drifting to the look on Bill's face. Did he approve of our relationship? Obviously he didn't know any details, but he has always been protective of his siblings and he is particularly close with Charlie. What if he doesn't think I'm good enough? What if he just thinks I'm the girl with no family making my way through the available Weasley's to try and trap one of them?
Charlie could sense my tension. His hand came to rest on my knee and gave is a small squeeze. A few minutes later, he made the excuse reaching for something over me as cover to whisper, "Stop over thinking it."
As difficult as it was to get my brain to stop spiraling, I took his advice and tried to enjoy the rest of the meal. When the dishes were put away and we began breaking off into groups of small discussions, I found myself tucked into the corner with Bill and Charlie.
"So how long has this been going on?" Bill asked, trying to keep his posture light and friendly to keep others from wandering over.
"Does it matter?" Charlie responded, slightly defiantly.
Bill seemed to think that over. "No. Just more curious than anything. Mum's been trying to set you up on dates for a decade and all this time you had a thing for our favorite little bookworm?"
"Hey!" I protested. There was no denying I liked books, but I didn't really appreciate the backhanded compliment.
Inside, I let out a sigh of relief. I know how much Bill's opinion means to Charlie and knowing that he approves of our relationship is a big weight lifted.
"It's not like that. We just sort of ended up together and I'm glad we did. We're in love." At the last bit, Charlie drew his gaze to me and I couldn't help the softening of my face.
Really what I wanted to do was to jump on him, but I knew that would be frowned upon regardless of our secrecy.
"Merlin. You two are lucky I'm the only part werewolf around. I can taste your attraction when you're close to each other. It's actually quite distracting."
My hands flew to my face in embarrassment while Charlie chuckled.
Ginny joined us then. "Hey, Harry and I were going to go for a walk before we go. Anyone want to join us?"
It was clear she was opening the invitation to anyone, but I could see what her motive was and Bill caught on too. The three of us agreed and Bill went to tell Fleur he would be back before meeting us at the back door.
We walked far enough away from the house that no one could see us.
"Well, I think we're going to stop here. How about you Bill?" Harry said casually.
"Yeah. My legs feel pretty stretched. I'm good just standing here a for at least the next twenty minutes."
I looked at them all gratefully, trying not to tear up. This was such a great example of the lengths this family went to help their siblings. Charlie, on the other hand, didn't waste any time grabbing my hand and pulling me further down the path.
"How are you?" He cupped my face and looked at me worriedly. "Are you ok with how I handled the wedding? Are you ok with Bill knowing?"
"I'm ok, Char. What you pulled with the wedding is fine. And yeah, I'm ok with Bill knowing, but I'm concerned. Should we keep hiding this? I'll admit it was a bit of a thrill what we did this afternoon, but I don't want to keep have to sneaking around." My voice was hurried and panicked.
"Shhhh, Mione, it's ok." He placed a soft, lingering kiss on my lips. "We have free reign to be together next month at the wedding, just without PDA. Which, quite frankly, I don't care to be intimate in front of my family so that's just fine. Then the next two months I'm spending my leave at your place. How about this. When I'm in town for your birthday, we'll talk further and see how it's going and where we go from there. Ok?"
I considered this. This whole relationship was starting to wear on me a bit. But I loved Charlie and he knew his family best. If this is what he felt was right...
"Ok."
His lips came crashing down. "I'm going to miss you, love. Write me tomorrow?"
"I'll miss, too. And I'll write you tonight."
"Even better." He kissed me again with even more feeling.
We finished up our goodbye and headed back to the others to return to their house. I was getting used to parting ways at this point, but that didn't make it any easier.