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CHAPTER 4


*** CHARLIE ***


I rapped my knuckles on the doorframe and grinned when she looked up, startled. Her hair was pulled back and I could see her face clearly.

"Hey, potion girl." I waited until she nodded before moving into the small room. This was her own private lab; she was picky about who she let in and I didn't want to push her to ban me.

"You were just here yesterday. I thought you weren't coming back until next week." She looked down at the cauldron in front of her, tapped the side twice then stirred the liquid four times. She flipped a small hourglass over then crossed her arms over her chest. "You've got six minutes."

"Or, I could stay longer. I'd love to watch you work."

Her bright green eyes narrowed at me and she crossed her arms over her chest. "Are you some kind of weird perv, Charlie Weasley?"

"Only for the potion girls." I laughed at her scowl. "I didn't go back to Romania last night. I stayed at Mum and Dad's; Mum's been harping on me to actually visit with them for longer than an hour once in a while. So, I thought since I had some time, I'd drop in here and see what my dragon scales are being used for before I returned."

"I've already explained several times what I've been doing with them."

"Yes, but you explaining and me seeing are two different things." I leaned my hip on the bench. "And I know you're one of the best."

"One of the best?" Pansy arched a menacing eyebrow.

"Well, Hermione has a thing for the Malfoy bloke, so she goes on about him a bit."

Pansy grinned. "Maybe, but I'm still way more talented than him."

"I'm certain you are," I agreed. "So, can I see what you're doing?"

She pursed her lips and stared at me for a few seconds before consenting to let me watch. "You need to put gloves on and a lab robe." She pointed to the neatly folded robes on the shelf near the door. "And you can't touch anything. This is something new and I don't know what will happen."

"An explosion, you mean?" I retrieved a robe and pulled it on, then picked up the gloves.

"Possibly, but since it's just a small batch, it shouldn't be too bad if it does explode."

"And here I was thinking my job was dangerous."

"Dragons are nothing compared with exploding cauldrons." She watched as the last few grains of sand trickled into the bottom of the hourglass and then lifted the small cauldron off the heat. She stirred it quickly, her lips moving as she counted the spoon rotations, then picked up her wand and whispered, Glacius, freezing the potion instantly.

She immediately stepped back and I followed suit. We both held our breath, but nothing happened and I noticed her shoulders relaxing.

"It worked?" I asked.

"I think so."

She slowly stepped towards the bench and my protective instincts made me touch my hand to her arm, ready to pull her back if the cauldron so much as rattled. I saw her smile, the way I was behaving like a Neanderthal not bothering her in the least.

"It's fine, Charlie. It's frozen." She smiled brightly, clearly happy with the outcome.

"This is a good result, I'm assuming?"

She nodded. "A very good result. It's a good colour and it's frozen completely, which is what we need."

"I've never seen a frozen potion," I peeked into the cauldron; the pearlescent block of ice was shimmering under the bright laboratory lights.

"I don't think it will explode, but don't get too close." She gripped my shoulder, pulling me back. "It won't stay frozen; it'll thaw quickly and that's the second part. The instant freeze helps the scales bind to the Dittany, but if the colour returns to clear, it means the two have separated and it hasn't worked so I'll have to try again."

"It looks good to me." I shrugged and peered in again, unfazed by her warning. The frozen liquid had indeed begun to thaw, but it appeared the colour was remaining stable. "What's it for?"

"We're trialing a new healing potion. Well, an assistive potion," she explained. "We've been working on adding the dragon scales to a basic Dittany potion. The idea came about from the fact that dragon scales are like armour and could possibly add to the healing process. We thought we could develop a higher strength potion, one which will heal and strengthen skin that has been damaged, say from a dragon flame or a cursed wound. Possibly even werewolf bites."

"It'll stop the werewolf process?"

"No, nothing will ever stop that, but the wounds from the bites are horrific and take forever to heal." She nodded at the scar on my arm. "As are dragon injuries. This should help the skin's natural healing ability and seal the wounds before they can become scars."

"Wow, that's amazing." I squeezed her shoulder. "You truly are brilliant."

"It's a team effort." She dropped her eyes to the cauldron, but I didn't miss the pink tinge on her cheeks or her smile.

"Are you busy on Friday night?"

She glanced quickly up at me, her eyes wide. "Excuse me?"

"I'll be back on Friday. Are you busy?"

"Are you asking me out?"

The look of surprise on her face caused a flicker of concern. Draco and Blaise had assured me she wanted this, but her response had me stumped.

"Yes," I answered. "I'm asking you to have dinner with me."

"But why?"

"I find you quite fascinating, Pansy. And I'd like to get to know you out of these laboratory robes."

Her eyes went wider and I cursed.

"Shit, that's not what I meant. I just meant I wanted to see you away from here."

"I don't know, Charlie. You live so far away and I won't leave here. I helped set up this company and I love it. I won't give it up."

"Pansy," I carefully reached for her hand and squeezed it gently. "I'm not asking anything more than dinner. I'm not sure why you'd think I'd ever ask you to give this up."

"You live in Romania. Dragons are your life, and if I say yes to dinner and this all works out, one of us will have to give up the thing we love."

"So, you've thought about this then?" I asked with a chuckle and her face glowed red. I took her other hand and lifted them both to my lips, kissing her fingers. "Pansy, I just want to have dinner with you. I want to talk to you and get to know you away from here. And if something does work out between us, then we'll deal with it."

"But how?" She was staring at her hands in mine and I could feel her pulse racing. "You live so far away. And I already hate only seeing you once a week. I don't think I could deal with it if we became something more"

My heart thumped in my chest; she had been thinking about us. "I don't have to live at the Sanctuary. I can come and go as I please. There will be times when I do have to stay a few days at a time, but I know well in advance when that will be. Quite a lot of people who work there also live there, but there are more who don't. We come from all over the world and have families and loved ones who work and live elsewhere, so we're given a bit of special treatment from the Ministries across the world and Portkeys are available at any time. I can be here almost every night and leave again each morning if it comes to that."

"That's pretty presumptuous of you," she huffed, but her smile belied her snark. "I haven't even said yes to dinner yet."

"Yet?" I didn't want to sound too hopeful. "You're at least considering it then."

"Fine. I guess I'll have dinner with you," she huffed exasperatedly.

"Oh, well, thank you Ms Parkinson," I couldn't help but grin at her tiny smirk. She was happy that I'd asked; she was just trying to keep up the ice-maiden front she'd perfected. "I'm so pleased that you can spare the time."

"I have a few minutes I can give you."

I laughed and kissed her fingers again. "Friday night, if those minutes are available then?"

She nodded. "Lucky for you, those minutes are available on Friday night."

"Very lucky." I kissed her fingers once more and then reluctantly stepped away. "I'll see you on Friday, potion girl."

She nodded and I could feel her eyes on me as I left the lab. I couldn't stay any longer; I didn't trust myself. I wanted to kiss her. Wanted to lift her to the workbench and spread her thighs. Wanted to taste the very essence of her. Pansy Parkinson had pulled me under her spell and once I finally got my chance with her, I knew I would never be able to let her go.


"You were gone a few days this time," Roger Davies said as I approached the table he was sitting at. "I'm starting to suspect you've met a girl."

I laughed, sitting opposite him and starting the paperwork on the most recent dragon arrival. "The only girl I'm meeting with is Hermione — that's why I'm going back and forth so often. She looks sweet, but she's a tough businesswoman and expects me to deliver scales weekly. Plus, Mum insisted I stay longer this time."

But my explanation fell on deaf ears.

"Granger's with Malfoy, so you're not seeing her, and after what your dumbarse brother did, I'm surprised she even talks to anyone named Weasley." Roger tapped his chin with his finger, his Ravenclaw brain working overtime. "Abbott works with Granger, and I know Katie's there as well. But they're not your type."

"When did you become an expert in my type?"

"I see the women you talk to, they're not the Hannahs and the Katies of this world." He smirked at me and I felt a shot of adrenaline rush through me. "No, I'd say… Parkinson is the one who's got your dick stirring."

I shifted uncomfortably; how the fuck did he know?

"Parkinson?" I frowned as if trying to picture her. "Pansy Parkinson?"

"Charlie, don't even try to deny it." Roger started laughing. "You almost jizzed in your pants when I said her name. You've got it bad for her. Tell me what's happening."

"You want me to get some cosmopolitans and fluffy slippers? And we can do our nails while we talk." I rolled my eyes. This was a conversation I didn't want to have. Roger had become a firm friend, but I wasn't ready to talk about Pansy with him.

"Charlie, come on. I don't want all the details women would want, but lately when I see you, I can tell you're mad for… someone." He watched me glance around the communal dining area and shook his head. "I don't think anyone else knows, but since we work together every day, I know something's going on."

I scrubbed my hands over my face and wondered what I should tell him. Pansy had only just agreed to have dinner with me, so really there wasn't much to tell, but obviously he'd noticed a change in me. A change I hadn't even realised had occurred.

"Fine," I finally said. "But you can't say anything. Not yet."

"Of course not. I can see this girl is much more than just a quick fuck and I'm certain I'd be wearing my arse as a hat if I said anything."

"This is true," I agreed. "And you're right. It is Pansy. But nothing has happened yet. I asked her to dinner on Friday night and that'll be our first date."

"Are you hoping for more?"

"That's not your business."

"I didn't mean… Do you want this to go somewhere?" He held his hands up. "Are you willing to give all this up for her?"

"I don't have to. I can work here even if I don't live here. You know that."

He nodded, conceding my point. "But if you had to give it all up, would you?"

I glanced out the large windows overlooking the Sanctuary. The sky was clear and the mountains were visible for miles. It was lush and green at this time of year, and I loved this place more than anywhere else I'd ever been. I looked back at Roger who was smirking at me as if knowing already what my answer was.

"I'd give it up for her." And I knew without a doubt I would.

"So, she's definitely someone important then."

"She is." I paused and shot him a nervous smile. "At least I hope she is"

"Don't fuck it up and she will be." He tapped the table in front of me. "I made that mistake and your brother benefited from it."

I laughed. Roger had accompanied Fleur to the Yule Ball all those years ago and, as he told me on several occasions, he never should have let her go. He was still annoyed Bill had managed to win her over, but I didn't have the heart to tell him that I didn't think Fleur even gave him a thought after the Tri-Wizard Tournament was over.

"I'll do my best," I told him. "Besides, we might not have anything to talk about outside the lab. Dinner might be a complete disaster."

"I doubt that. From what I remember about Pansy Parkinson, I don't think your evening will be dull."


*** PANSY ***


I stood in my closet, staring at the two outfits hanging in front of me. Charlie had told me he wasn't taking me anywhere fancy, just a casual date to get to know each other. But, of course, every piece of clothing I owned had been scrutinised and tossed aside until I'd finally narrowed it to these two. It was ridiculous. I'd never had this much trouble getting ready for a date. But Charlie was different. He was all tough and rugged and rough around the edges, but on the inside he was manners and proprietary. And I already knew he had a gentle soul.

Like Ginny, he'd disowned his brother. His opinion on what Ronald had done angered him to boiling point. Real men didn't cheat on the woman they loved, he had told me in disgust, and the comment made me swoon.

And Pansy Parkinson didn't swoon.

Pansy Parkinson never used to swoon.

I blamed Charlie completely. He'd made me weak with need, made me want to fall to my knees every time I saw him. Made me want to do dirty things with him. Very dirty things.

Biting my lip, I smiled at the thought, and took in my outfit choices once more. The first was a simple skirt and blouse combo, and it was looking more and more like my regular workday clothes the longer I stood in front of it. The other was a pair of dark skinny jeans and a loose-fitting, sleeveless white top with a scandalously low neckline. I could pair it with my white strappy heels and the tear-drop diamond necklace that rested just at the top of my cleavage. It would be flirty and teasing, and draw Charlie's eyes down.

My choice was obvious.

I slipped off my bathrobe; the white lace underwear I had chosen was simple but pretty. I had no clues what Charlie's beliefs were regarding first dates, but if this date went well and something were to happen after, I didn't want to look like I'd anticipated it. But I also didn't want to wear laundry day underwear either.

I dressed quickly, banishing the unchosen outfit to the work clothes side of my closet, shaking my head for even considering it in the first place. I'd become so accustomed to my work clothes, I'd chosen them automatically.

At the last minute, I'd decided to keep my makeup simple and leave my hair down. My hair was nothing compared with Granger's mad curls, but the natural wave was just enough to give the impression I hadn't put much effort in.

Glancing in the mirror, I allowed myself a smile. I hadn't always liked myself, but now I was completely comfortable in my own skin. Pureblood females weren't supposed to be tenacious, and they certainly weren't supposed to have their own opinions. Most of us did, of course, but we learned to hide it from an early age. My mother, however, was one of the women who lived exactly as she was supposed to. She did everything my father wanted. Her entire life became about him and she completely lost her sense of self — if she ever had it to begin with. She was bred from a long line of purists who lived that life to the letter. And she attempted to mould me in that image.

She failed miserably.

It was my grandmother, my father's mother, who taught me to be strong, to never hold back, to never let a man dictate my life. She'd often said how she'd raised my father to think the same, but upon marrying my mother, he changed. He had a woman who was demure and quiet and did exactly as he wished. He might as well have married a house elf, my grandmother had said, and I had wholeheartedly agreed.

Touching the diamond on my chest, I smiled at the thought of my grandmother. It had been hers, and the uproar in the family when it had been bequeathed to me had been ferocious. It was valuable, very valuable, and apparently I was not to be trusted with it. However I knew it was more about its value than who actually had it. They all wanted it to sell, not to keep. Some of their fortunes had been greatly diminished over the course of the war — their loyalty had come at a great cost. The Dark Lord had to rebuild his own fortune, and his loyal followers were expected to donate. The money in his vault had been frozen by the Ministry, and those who had contributed never stood a chance of reclaiming their contributions.

A diamond worth hundreds of thousands of Galleons, however, would be of great benefit to those depleted vaults.

But my grandmother had been far from stupid, and had magically ensured that I was the only one who could claim ownership of it. She also encouraged me to wear it. It wasn't something to be hidden and protected. It was to be enjoyed.

And to be passed onto my own daughter one day.

My smile slipped; I never planned on having children. This diamond would be buried with me when I died.

Children.

A daughter.

Charlie came from a huge family. Was that something he would expect if we became something? He said he wouldn't expect me to give up my job — and I wouldn't — but children and family were a different matter. Especially knowing the Weasleys.

Stop, I scolded myself. It wouldn't be constructive to start anything with him while I was terrified of what I assumed he would want.

A knock on the door brought my smile back. He was here, and even though I'd allowed him access to my Floo, he'd gone old-school and was at the door.

Grabbing my clutch, I headed down the stairs, trying to rid myself of the giddy grin that had taken over my face.

I opened the door, and my smile grew even more giddy. He was smiling at me, his eyes sparkling with delight.

"Hi," he greeted and held out three gorgeous orange-yellow lilies.

"Hi," I answered and accepted the flowers, and then took a moment to look at him; dark grey t-shirt, worn black jeans with a rip in the knee. Sunglasses folded into the neck of his t-shirt. He looked like a sweet treat, ready to be devoured.

"Peruvian lilies," he explained. "I couldn't bring you a Vipertooth, so I had to settle for these."

I laughed and conjured up a vase with water. "Thank you, they're gorgeous."

I lifted the three blooms to my nose before placing them in the vase and setting it on the hall table. The scent was strong, but not unpleasant, and until they wilted, they would remind me of Charlie Weasley looking like a god outside my door.

"You look incredible," he said, giving me the once over.

"An improvement on the lab robes?"

"I'll say," he chuckled and held out his hand.

I took it and pulled the door closed behind me, the wards I had set locking it safely.

"Where are we headed?" I asked and he squeezed my hand.

"A favourite place of mine."

We stepped off the stoop and he pulled me close, his eyes flicking to my mouth. My heart skipped a beat thinking he was going to kiss me, but instead he just smiled.

"Ready?"

I nodded, and with a wink, he Apparated us away.