Charlie had no idea why everyone was looking at him like some sort of saint. As far as he knew he had come back from lunch to a very pissed off sister-in-law that had half the men on the reserve drooling and the other half fearing for their life. By the time she grabbed him the rapidly-spoken, accented English was too hard to follow and he found himself porting an incredibly long distance without explanation.
Fleur barely gave him another moment's notice before dragging him through multiple floos and apparitions until they finally landed in the orchard of his childhood home. He was so sick and dizzy from the past two hours of transport he could only stumble after the veela as she threw open the door to his house.
Now he was sick, confused, and- was his mum drinking firewhiskey?
"Who died?" Charlie asked, shaking off the rain that had hit them somewhere in France off of his dark green outer robe. He tossed in onto the coat rack and shook out his hair as well. Fleur had skipped over to Bill who had his arms wrapped around her tightly and was whispering praise in a voice that was not considered family friendly. It made Charlie feel like a dead bird that a cat had dragged home.
"Your bachelor lifestyle!" One of the twins —George from the lack of ear— stood up and threw his arm around Charlie.
"It was a good run while it lasted! But it is time to settle down." Fred mirrored his twin and Charlie caught sight of the simple gold bands on their left hands.
"Dragon's teeth! You idiots got married!" Charlie's eyes fell on their recently acquired girlfriends, Katie and Angelina. He had only heard about the two through letters. "And since I wasn't invited I can only imagine you eloped. No wonder mum is drinking!"
He quickly scurried over to his new sister-in-laws and hugged them tightly. This was such a nice surprise. With the way Fleur had been dragging him across the continent he was sure it was something grievous and terrible.
"How did those spare parts trick two beautiful women like you two into marriage?" Charlie asked, wanting to charm his new family members. If the veela was any indication of his future interactions with them he wanted to start out on the best foot possible.
"The Ministry played no small part in it," Angelina scoffed but still smiled at a bashful George.
"Where's my hug big brother?" Harry Potter stood from the table unwrapping his arm from Ginny's shoulder, another plain gold band on his ring finger. Charlie glanced down to a smug little sister with a diamond the size of a sickle on her hand. His eyes narrowed dangerously and Harry paled.
"We don't have time for this," Percy said as he stood. "Charlie did you get an owl this morning from the Ministry?"
"Perce you know it takes days to get owls to us."
"I was afraid of that," his younger brother groaned. Percy looked like he had aged five years since the last time Charlie had seen him. He was clearly working too much.
"So you sent Fleur to come get me. I get that this was wonderful news but couldn't it have waited a few hours rest in between? I think I left my liver back in Germany."
"Charlie," his father said, stepping forward with none of his usual easy demeanor present. "This is no laughing matter."
It was at that moment he realized he hadn't been crushed by his mother's strong arms or told off for having too long of hair. He was all but shocked to find her within prime hugging distance but instead, her arms were around a rather frazzled looking Hermione Granger.
She looked stressed, her hair exploding in wild ringlets from between where her fingers were buried in it. She was dressed in a muggle shirt that clung to her skin and cut low enough on her chest that Charlie had to remind himself that she was his little brother's ex-girlfriend and thus not an appropriate target for checking out. Her eyes seemed hollow and there was a glowing yellow ball of magic floating behind her. When he looked at it, his skin crawled.
"What on earth is that thing?" Charlie asked, feeling the room collectively hold their breath.
"You better have a seat son."
00000000
"Absolutely not!" Charlie said as soon as the explanation was out. It was bad enough he had to find a wife within six months, he could begrudging manage that. The fact that they wanted him shacked up with Hermione of all people… He supposed it did sort of make sense. He was familiar and gentle. For all his bachelor way his family knew he was a good man and would take proper care of her. Hell, if he were a member of any other pureblood family he probably wouldn't have been able to pick his wife anyway.
God, pick his wife. Like she was just a broomstick to pull off the shelf. He turned toward the witch in question, her hands folded primly in her lap and her perfectly white teeth poking out to chew an already worried lip. She certainly was one hell of a catch; proven strong, wickedly intelligent and intensely compassionate. He had been sending her copies of his research for years and she always owled him with feedback and ideas but they had never dissolved into anything other than academic. A phenomenal catch indeed, just not for him.
"I can't marry you." He saw Hermione flinch and instantly felt a powerful stab of guilt. "Er… sorry but… I barely know you. There has to be someone else-"
"There are plenty of someone's alright," Bill scoffed. "Dolohov, Crabbe, Goyle, McNair, Lestrange. All Senior not their children by the by. They'll all see her as close to death as they can legally leave her within ten minutes."
"What about…" Charlie tried to dreg up the names of his old classmate. "Travis Yaxley or Orpheus Rowle or-"
"We've tried them all," Percy said. "This is it. You are the only non-dark pureblood left unattached in England."
"I…" Charlie blinked at the hopeful looks around him. Merlin he would rather take the dragon fire than these looks. He glanced down at Hermione seated next to him, her bright round eyes were staring at the floor while she chewed her lip. He knew she was smart, and according to Ginny's letters fiercer than fire. But right now she was just sitting there, letting the people around her seemingly decide her future for her.
"I can't do it," he said, watching her hands clench. "I'm sorry Hermione but… I… I cannot believe I have to think of a reason not to marry you. It should be obvious from our ages or-"
"It's fine Charlie." Her voice was so weak, he was taken aback. It sounded nothing like the small snippy thing bossing around his loud younger brother at the quidditch world cup a few years back. "Thank you for coming. I'll just… I'll just pick from my other options."
"The hell you will!" Ron pushed off from the wall.
"Ron don't-"
"I'll marry you," he shouted to the room.
Charlie looked around blankly at everyone's horrified expression. To Charlie it was the perfect solution. Sure their little romance had broken up a while back but they could just have marriage on convenience until they could find a way out of it. At worse they could just have other partners and-
"Absolutely not!" A girl stood from the couch. Judging from the small melon under her shirt, Charlie placed her as the bird his brother had gotten up in the duff. His mother lectured Charlie for weeks about settling down after that.
"Ron don't," Hermione pleaded. Her eyes were shining with tears and Charlie resisted the urge to reach an arm around her shoulder to comfort her. It would send all the wrong messages and get her hopes up.
"Lavender," Ron sighed, folding the girl's hands in his. "I know. And I'm still going to be there for you. But Hermione may very well die-"
Charlie shivered at that word. Surely it couldn't be-
"How? How will you be there for me and your child while you are married and trying to get her pregnant?" Charlie jumped back to attention at that. "Are you going to move me in? Ask her to just stick around long enough for you to stick a baby in her before you leave?"
"Pregnant?" he asked Percy off to his left.
Percy just sighed and handed him a document open to a marked passage. Charlie frowned deeply, not only did she have to marry one of these assholes, she had to get pregnant within a year or they would hand her off to someone else. Fucking hell, what what going on in the Ministry. God Godric, would they force her to visit her husband in Azkaban?!
"I have to do something ! I can't just leave her to those monsters," Ron shouted. "Lav, I love you and I want to marry you more than anyone else. But she is my friend and I can't just give her up to a bunch of Death Eaters on a silver platter."
"It's fine Ron-" Hermione started.
"No it's not fine!" Ron interrupted shocking Charlie with his rage. He had missed Ron growing up and the war had turned the pampered youngest son into a force to be reckoned with. "It is bad enough you are being auctioned off to the first claim on you. I can't do anything about that. But I can do this."
"At the cost of your relationship with Lavender!" Hermione shouted back, practically startling Charlie from his seat as she stood. "She is the mother of your child Ron!"
Hermione's eyes were sparking with that missing fire from earlier and her fist was clenched tightly around her wand. The girl had good instincts, and held herself up on long strong legs that braced her body in a fighting stance. It wasn't particularly fair of him, but Charlie's eyes roved up her legs, widening slightly at the gentle curve of her hips and chest. He saw Bill glaring at him from the other side of the room and swore lowly in Romanian. He'd probably be getting a lecture about that soon.
"And you are my best friend!" Ron continued.
"I wouldn't ever ask you to give her up!"
"And I am telling you that I won't give you up either!" Ron shouted. "Do you think they'll ever let you see us? Do you think that even if they leave you in healthy enough shape to move let alone allow you pursue your own passions or even leave the house? You'll be a doll Hermione. A slave!"
"That's not-"
"Ron that's too far," Harry cautioned standing up slowly. Lavender had blanched behind his youngest brother and Katie was helping to lower her onto the couch.
"It's not far enough," Ron said, turning his focus back on Hermione. "They will ruin you. You will be nothing but a shell to put a baby in. After that, the bastard will probably just share you with his sick friends for fun. Everything that is Hermione Granger will disappear from this world and we will never see you again. Is that clear enough 'Mione? Do you understand why I can't let this happened?"
"I don't care what happens to me!" she screamed. "I won't take the happiness from someone else's life so we can all be miserable. I still have six hours to find someone."
"It's the middle of the night Hermione. There is no one left!"
"Then I will give up my magic." Hermione crossed her arms and the kitchen gasped. Charlie's mouth hung open. There was little worse to a wizard than a life without magic. He knew she had grown up in the muggle world but this was… to give up her magic would be like taking away a part of her soul. She would never be the same again.
Hermione was the first to break the silence.
"You deserve happiness too, Ron," she said, slipping back into her small voice. "You and Lavender both."
000000000000000000000000000
"I'll do it." Hermione jumped at the deep rolling voice behind her.
"What?" she asked, not daring to hope.
Charlie stood, dragging a hand through his shaggy hair. The action pulled his linen shirt tight against his arms, outlining thick muscles with the way his strange leather harness pulled taut against his stomach. His heavy leather gloves were clipped to the belt of dark brown trousers that hugged his sculpted legs tightly before tucking tightly into mud (she hoped it was mud) caked work boots that should have Molly going spare. Fleur must have grabbed him directly from work.
"I'll marry you," Charlie growled to the air, tilting his head back to stare at the ceiling. Hermione could just make out the dragon tattoo his mother hated poking out over the loose-laced collar of his shirt before it disappeared. A small braid that was woven with a few carved beads and a feather clipped around his ear and trailed along his neck. She was willing to bet that was some sort of dragon tamer right of passage.
"Hermione?" Harry's voice cut through her ogling. There were certain worse prospects than Charlie Weasley. Hell, this morning she was genuinely considering Cormac McLaggen.
"What?" Hermione asked, turning to her best friend.
"Are you okay with this?" he asked. "Everyone is kind of assuming you'll just take him… but... if you'd rather not…"
"You can still keep looking," Charlie said. "I don't mind waiting until the very last minute. I know I'm pretty much the dead-last choice over here."
"That's not- '' Hermione was about to say true, but it would have been a lie. He hadn't even crossed anyone's mind as a consideration except for Fleur's. Bless her.
"Who are you going to find Charlie?" Molly asked, floating a bottle of firewhiskey and tea kettle around the room. "We had just paired the last of the half-blood witches we knew hours ago. This law still applies to you."
"And I'll figure it out," Charlie snapped. "I'm not forcing her into it if she has a better choice. I have six months to figure out my problem, she has...Perce?"
"Six...well five and a half hours," Percy provided glaring at his pocket watch as if it would grant them more time.
"Thank you," Charlie finished. "She doesn't need to be pushed together with me just because it's convenient for you lot."
At that everyone turned to Hermione, waiting for her answer. Her face flushed bright red when she realized they were waiting for her response Four in the morning did not seem like the appropriate time to be making life changing decisions. Still when she looked at her only non-Death Eater prospect for a husband she was able to manage a small smile.
"Charlie," she started drawing his attention up. Unlike the rest of the Weasley boys, his eyes weren't the soft ice blue of the winter sky. His were blue-flecked hazel, a carry over from his mother's side of the family. They were incredibly open even in spite of the tension and she only barely noticed that he was holding his breath. Forcing herself to be more bold than she was feeling she grabbed his large hand in hers. They were rough and calloused from the years of hard labor on the reserve, but he still held hers so gently.
"You are kind, caring, intelligent, and if I'm allowed to say it," she flicked her eyes around the room flushing quite strongly. "Very handsome. You are certainly not a last choice. If… If you would be willing to marry me I would consider it an honor."
"Gods, it shouldn't be a matter of willing or not." Charlie groaned, rubbing his thumb over his hand. "This is so unfair for you. I'm so bloody sorry."
"We're all sorry Hermione," Arthur added. "Wizarding kind has let you down for the second time now."
The air in the room seemed stagnant and dead as the burrow creaked above them in the wind. Hermione realized belatedly she was still holding Charlie's hand but couldn't bear to let it go. They were going to be married shortly anyway, so why get hung up on it now.
"I never expected my wedding to be so dour," Hermione laughed weakly.
"It won't be," Molly stated, standing up stalwartly. The matron wiped away watery tears and set her mouth into a firm line. "At the very least we can give you that. Fred, George, with me in the garden. Fleur, Bill find something suitable for Charlie to wear, and cut his hair if you can. It's too long for a proper groom."
"Ginny, boys," she said, turning to Ron and Harry. "Get Hermione upstairs. Lavender honey, if you are up for it, can you whip up a cake? Percy find the Minister and help him take care of the Objection. We are going to be doing this right."
The kitchen jumped into motion as Weasleys leapt to do as instructed. Hermione found herself being dragged towards Ginny's old room by her friends. Ron and Harry were useless for getting ready but did serve to make her laugh while threatening Charlie in great detail if he managed to screw this up. Ron withdrew a sun dress with large sunflowers on the skirt and Harry charmed it white instead of blue while Ginny worked on her hair. Lavender sheepishly appeared to help with makeup and tried to apologize but Hermione just waved her off. It wasn't her fault that Ron was an unmitigated arse. A thoughtful, kind, loyal arse but still an arse.
An hour later she didn't feel like a bride, but she certainly felt pretty at least. Dawn was peeking up over the hilltops when she stepped out into the garden. True to her word, Molly had made it all spectacular. Her cucumber vines had been transfigured to fresh smelling wisteria leading down a makeshift aisle. Fred and George had managed a silencing spell on their fireworks so that bright colors flashed silently in the sky above them in reds and golds.
Charlie was waiting at the end of the aisle in a white dress shirt with too tight shoulders and the sleeves rolled halfway up his forearms. Unsurprisingly, Bill had not cut his hair, but Fleur had at least brushed it and swept it to either side. Kingsley stood next to him, resplendent but exhausted looking in his most official robes
"Your wedding wasn't this nice," Ron grumbled to Harry.
"Yeah well I got to marry who I wanted so I think it's only fair she gets a big to-do."
"My parents aren't here," Hermione said when the realization struck her. Her father and her had fought teasingly for years about how she would never let her give him away at her wedding. That the tradition was archaic and sexist. Now she would give anything to have him by her side. But he didn't know who she was and was still half a world away.
"I'm so sorry 'Mione," Ron said softly.
"Everyone is sorry," Hermione responded, taking the offered bouquet from Katie before the girl hurried over to Angelina. The two raised their wands, soft music flowing through the air.
"Can we…" Harry coughed awkwardly clearing his throat. "I know it's not the same but can me and Ron walk you down the aisle?"
Hermione breathing hitched as she fought off tears. She would not cry, not where Charlie could see. He already felt bad enough about all of this.
"Yes, please," she managed, not being able to face it alone.
Both boys looped their arms through hers, waiting for her to start the procession. Hermione took a deep breath, aware that this was not how it was ever supposed to be. Still she allowed herself the little bit of wonder when her foot first stepped into the tunnel.
A gold dragon made of embers and sparks burst into existence above her, curling in the air as they moved. The magical firework swept up into the sky, looping forward in time with her steps. It was honestly some of the twin's best work... wasted on a sham of a wedding.
She couldn't look at Charlie so she kept her head tilted down, focusing on the wildflowers that had been gathered from the nearby field. Harry and Ron guided her, which was a good thing, she wasn't sure she would have moved otherwise. Still, it felt all too sudden when she was discovered herself surrounded by family and friends, under an umbrella of tomato vines transfigured into roses.
"Under the loving eyes of relationships forged and chosen we have gathered here today-" Kingsley's voice was scratchy from overuse but it wasn't as nearly as rushed as the other weddings that had taken place at the Burrow that day. Still Hermione jumped when she recognized the familiar words prompting her to withdraw her wand.
"May magic bless this union. May your home never hunger. May love grow and flourish between the two of you. To fulfill this wish, the intended shall offer a gift. Charlie Weasley what is your gift?"
"I offer my magic, to be bound to hers freely." Charlie turned to her and held out his wand.
"By what do you swear to hold and protect her," Hermione gulped. It just occurred to her that she didn't have time to research or write her vows. She was going to fumble desperately over them. Charlie seemed to have the same realization and his eyes shifted around them in a panic.
"By the love of my family and friends I swear."
His wand glowed with a rich copper light, pulsing in slow constant waves. The visual soothed her, calling to her own magic like a beacon. Calm, steady… like Charlie.
"Hermione Granger, what is your gift?" She took a breath.
"I offer my magic, to be bound to his freely." The ceremony seemed to have very loose definitions of 'freely' as she carefully laid her vinewood over his. She didn't even know what wood his wand was made of. His first one had been ash but-
"By what do you swear to hold and protect him?"
She chewed her lip. Charlie had already chosen family and friends. She glanced around hoping the words would appear in front of her. She needed something strong, something that would seal the binding tightly. She couldn't risk it failing.
The life growing in the garden died in winter, it was too temporary. The fireworks burning around them would go out eventually. The stars above, too far away and cold. None of it was right. If only she had more time.
"Hermione?" Charlie whispered. She looked up for the first time, his focused hazel eyes locked on hers. She saw the sliver of fear etched across his freckled face and she took solace in the fact that at least she wasn't alone. The sunrise chose that moment to peek up in earnest behind him, illuminating his hair to a vibrant curtain of reds and golds. It was so warm and comforting that the next words slide from her mouth easily and sure.
"By the ever-rising sun, I swear."
Hermione had to blink away the brightness from her eyes. Her own magic glowed a yellow so luminous that it was nearly white. The spiked and scattered patterns shifted and slid about before eventually coming back to her wand tip once again. It pulled towards Charlie's magic but did not touch, sparking around it while his seemed to curl around hers.
"On our magic we promise this," Kingsley boomed, his hand hovering under the tips of the wands, guiding them upward. "This union will be one of care and respect. May these two be joined as partners in life and in soul."
When Kingsley's hand dropped away there was a collective exhale and Hermione's magic rushed over Charlie's. Hermione saw the copper greet it warmly, swirling with the white-yellow until it looked like liquid flame, tempering her panic and soothing her soul.
"As it was, as it is, as it had been, and as it will be. You are bound by the ancient laws of magic. Rejoice and may this bonding bear fruit."
Just as suddenly as it had all started the magic of the ceremony whipped away in a gust of wind radiating from their wands. It took with it the fireworks, charms and transfigurations until Hermione was standing in a blue dress, with her hair a wreck, under the spicy vines of a tomato plant that were slowly tilting over.
"This is usually the part where you kiss your bride," Kingsley whispered softly, his eyes filled with regret and sorrow. "The binding is strong, you are well suited. But you need to do the rest on your own."
Hermione was about to insist that it wasn't necessary. The banns would be satisfied, the marriage just needed to be consummate. Oh god, she hadn't even-
A pleased shiver rolled down her spine as Charlie stepped closer, his fingers carefully guided her face back to him. His eyes were anything but regretfully, they all but shimmered in pride and affection. Hermione knew it wasn't real, just as much as she knew her own emotions were skewed from the intimacy of the bond. The bone-shaking allure and warmth were nothing but a lie... But still, she let herself be weak, pretending that he loved her and it was the wedding she had never known she wanted. She let her eyes drift closed and raised up on her tiptoes. Somehow she had forgotten shoes and the bare earth seemed to hum beneath her feet.
Charlie dropped his head and she felt his breath ghost across her cheek once before there was an almost imperceivable pressure against her lips. Her brain rioted, endorphins of joy and relief washing through her system after the impossibly long day. She wanted to kiss back, to let him know that she was grateful and even pleased by the match but just as quickly he pulled away.
There was no rice or birdseed or bubbles. As a matter of fact when Hermione opened her eyes and glanced around she wasn't met by any celebration at all. Just the slightly sad smiles of her friends and family as they watched her.
She didn't flinch when Charlie took her hand, it was warm and felt like the only stable thing in her life right now. With only the slightest hesitation she stepped closer to him until her shoulder brushed his, instinctively wanting to be near. He looked down at her, the hazel eyes reading her face with a gentle smile. After a moment he cleared his throat.
"Er… mum. You said something about cake?"