A/N: I wanted to take a quick moment to thank each and every one of you for favoriting, following, and most of all reviewing! Thank you sosososo much! I'm always happy to see when my work is enjoyed and even more to see people's reactions or thoughts on what's going to happen. Keep 'em coming!
Chapter 6: Sixth Year
The weeks seemed to pass by like molasses. Hermione sent him a letter every few days but only a few had books attached, mostly she was chatting and telling him about Hogwarts.
Fred and George had made an extraordinary exit, a portable swamp still hadn't been removed even though it was probably a very simple piece of magic on Flitwick's part. It was a big middle finger to Umbridge.
Dumbledore had gone, been pushed out by Umbridge and her tyrannical rule only to be deposed herself by what Hermione called the D.A. They had used the floo in her office to try and communicate with someone for help only to be caught and everyone involved with the diversion punished. They don't honestly know what happened to her since she was carried off into the Forbidden Forest by Hagrid's half-brother and a bunch of centaurs.
Then there was the fact that they had stolen thestrals and brooms and travelled all the way to London to break into the Ministry of Magic and save Sirius. Turns out though, that he wasn't really there and it was a ruse from You-Know-Who to get Harry and his friends there for an attack. Which would have worked had the Order not shown up and help beat them all down, or if Dumbledore hadn't arrived and dueled with You-Know-Who. And of course, it really would have worked if the Minister for Magic hadn't showed up and declared that he was really back putting everyone in Britain on high alert.
She had written to him from the infirmary at Hogwarts in the days following their escape and battle. Someone had cursed her but there didn't seem to be any effects that could be detrimental in the long run. Still, Charlie got anxious.
On a different note, Hermione had received ten O.W.L.s and as a result could pick practically any job she wanted after leaving Hogwarts.
The news was all always sporadic and different making him happy and worried all at the same time.
So, that summer he made a point to visit home even though it had moved from the warmth and space of the Burrow to Grimmauld Place. Sirius was gone now, the house seemed almost worthless without his presence and everyone else could feel it too.
There had never been a portrait made of him but there were a few pictures from his time after Azkaban and they had made sure to hang them up wherever they could.
The visit was short and he left after only a few days promising to return for Christmas.
That year was more glum than previous years, with the loss of Sirius and the now widely known return of You-Know-Who tended to put a damper on things.
Still, it was Christmas and there was nothing getting in the way of the Weasley's from having a good time.
So Charlie deposited his bag in the hall and made way down to the kitchen where everyone was joking around and helping his mum set the table for dinner.
"Wotcher there Charlie," Tonks said spying him first. "How was the trip?"
"Uneventful thankfully." It was then that everyone else heard him and came running over to greet him. "Yes, yes I missed you all too. Now let go of me George I can't breathe."
Only his family had raced over to hug him, the others stayed seated waiting until the barrage was over before assaulting him once more. Remus gave him a quick hug before passing him off to shake hands with Mad-Eye, kiss Fleur's cheek, shake hands with Harry, and finally wrap his arms around Hermione in a bone crushing hug.
The hug didn't last as long as either of them would have liked, but Charlie smiled when he noticed that she was wearing the locket tucked neatly underneath the longsleeved blue shirt she was wearing.
Scooping his mother up in a hug and turning them once he reveled in the scream and the feel of the wooden spoon she was hitting him with. "Charles Weasley you put me down this instant!" But the smile on her face wasn't angry, she has happy that he was here and more importantly that he seemed happy himself.
"How's Romania, Charlie?" Ginny asked pulling him down into the chair next to her. "Any more dragons?"
"Any more scars?" Ron included earning a scowl from their mother.
"Romania is wonderful, I'll miss it while I'm gone but I'm much happier to be here with you lot." He looked around the table and found Hermione hanging on his words, he was going to love being here with his family but it was the brunette he really wanted to see. "No new dragons so far this year but we're in the talks of getting another Chinese Fireball soon. And no new injuries Ron, sorry to disappoint."
"Any new friends out there?" Mad-eye was standing in the corner as usual 'constant vigilance' being his one and only motto.
The Order members looked to him waiting for an answer, Molly looked between them and the younger ones trying to understand what the code meant.
"No, the sanctuary has kept the same staff since last year and the surrounding town is wary of anyone coming out of the sanctuary." The words seemed to deflate everyone until Charlie added something worse. "Especially a Brit."
The rest of the wizarding world didn't want to get involved with the war in Britain and that meant staying away from anyone from there, even if it was in a different country altogether.
Even with the news no one let their Christmas spirit dampen and the feast Molly prepared was the best in ages. There was barely any conversation after the dishes were served.
"How's school guys?" Charlie tried to ask but most of them had food shoveled in their mouths.
"Fine." Ron was able to answer without spitting food across the table.
Ginny was actually able to give her answer eloquently telling Charlie about being co-captain of quidditch and being in The Slug Club.
"The what club?"
Ron stabbed a potato with his fork, so whatever kind of club it was he hadn't been invited.
"Our potions professor, he has these dinner parties and calls it The Slug Club. He's trying to 'collect' us in a way so he can brag about who he knows." Thank Merlin there was someone who could actually answer things with that group. "Obviously Harry was invited."
"And I'm guessing you were too."
There were a few people staring at Charlie as he said it to Hermione across the table.
"Why would you think that?" She asked not meeting his eyes and instead focusing on the meal in front of her.
"Smartest witch of your age? Ring any bells?"
Ron was slowly getting more red in the face and with a shrug everyone dropped the Slug Club conversation, but it still stood that Hermione had been called brilliant.
Charlie had offered to sleep in the den so no one would be put out of their rooms. So when he heard the patter of small feet making their way towards him he couldn't help but smile, there was only one person who would be out of bed at this hour to talk to him.
She missed all the right steps so there was no squeaking boards, and tiptoed past the screeching portrait of Mrs. Black until the door to the den opened quietly.
"Couldn't sleep?" He asked with a bit of cheek.
"I wanted to be able to talk with you." She said sitting on the floor, he had already made a makeshift bed and was tucked neatly underneath the covers. However, he was also currently only in a t-shirt and boxer shorts making it impossible to leave the decency of the blanket. "How are you?
"I've been well, staying out of trouble and not getting hurt or anything like that." She smiled knowing fully that Charlie could protect himself. "I suppose you're doing well in school this year?"
"I was made a prefect again this year, plus the Slug Club so they take up most of the free time I have after school work. Everyone wants the D.A to start meeting again but I'm not even sure that's possible with Snape teaching defense against the dark arts he would notice-"
"Hold on, Snape is teaching defense against the dark arts?"
The thought alone terrified him but it didn't seem like anyone was mentally scarred about it so far.
"He's done a good job so far Charlie you can't condemn him just because of who he is."
She talked to him like his mother would have in a situation like this, but he couldn't stop thinking about how beautiful she was while doing so.
Her hair was longer than the last time they had seen each other, it fell across her shoulders in waves and accentuated her face. Her brown eyes were wide with wonder and the dying embers made the brown stick out just a bit more than usual.
"So, what did you want to talk about?"
Hermione grabbed a throw pillow and wrapped her arms around it. "Whatever you wanted. I thought there might have been something exciting with the dragons that weren't in the letters."
It was endearing the way she wanted to talk about dragons with him, almost as if she just wanted to learn more about them herself. Charlie couldn't help but roll onto his side facing her and smile.
"Unfortunately we haven't gotten any new dragons but one of the Common Welsh Greens is starting to show signs of nesting so everyone is preparing for that fiasco."
"Why would it be a fiasco?"
"You've seen nesting mothers before, imagine when a bunch of people try to check in on the egg every day and make sure that there's nothing wrong with it." Charlie smiled at the way she tried to understand, placing her bottom lip between her teeth and worrying it. "Dragons are scary on a good day and even more dangerous, give them an egg to protect and it increases tenfold. We actually have to try and separate the male and female in the enclosure so they don't attack us at once."
They talked for hours about the safety procedures involved with the dragons and how they differ depending on species. It wasn't until Hermione's eyelids started getting heavy that Charlie sent her back off to bed with the promise of seeing her in the morning.
She stood there for a moment and it seemed almost as if she wanted to say something before leaving, instead leaning down and tucking a stray strand of hair out of his face before going back upstairs.
That girl is going to be the death of me.
When the sun finally rose Charlie rose with it as he was accustomed to doing in Romania, his mum was making her way down to the kitchen and so he followed her to help with breakfast.
"I thought you would still be sleeping." She said patting his cheek affectionately and starting the tea. "I didn't wake you did I?"
"No mum."
Molly Weasley was not the type of woman who held her tongue easily, even less so when it came to her sons and getting married. "So, are you seeing anyone?"
Of course, they had all built up an immunity and a repertoire of excuses but that didn't stop her. "Not at the moment."
"What happened to that one from when we came to visit?"
"You mean the girl I went on a single date with five years ago?" Molly shrugged only making her son shake his head. "It didn't work out."
"You should be thinking about settling down soon you know, working with dragons your whole life is no way to live."
They had this discussion almost every year, Charlie just smiled. "For now it is. My job pays the bills, let's me save up money, and I get to be happy while I do it. What's there to think about?"
"Grandchildren for your father and I for one thing."
"You can let Bill take care of that for you. He'll be married before I will."
"But you're not just out of Hogwarts anymore. At your age I had already welcomed Bill into the world, it's your turn."
Sighing it seemed like there was no changing his mother's mind on this point, so it was easier to say that he would start seriously dating.
"I will actually try mum, but I can't promise that the girls at the sanctuary will be what you want for a daughter-in-law."
Molly almost laughed and looked toward the stairs as a group came trotting down for breakfast. "I'm sure they're nothing like Hermione here."
"No one is like Hermione." The rebuttal was lost on Molly as she started cooking and the others launched into a conversation about something or another, but Hermione and Charlie locked eyes for a moment the meaning not lost on either of them.
"What do you think Charlie?" Ginny grabbed his attention down at the end of the table. "Do you think we should be able to go to Diagon Alley today?"
"I told you all that you couldn't go without someone from the Order with you."
With a wink to his sister Charlie straightened his back. "Which I am. I'll go with them. It'll look less conspicuous anyway since I'm actually related to these fools."
So it was decided, and everyone ate quickly before running off to clean up and get dressed.
When they were all finally ready each went through the floo one at a time following Charlie into the bustling Alley where all of Wizarding London was last minute shopping for gifts.
"Why did you all want to come out here?"
"Quidditch stuff." Ron, Ginny, and Harry said together as Hermione deviated with "Books."
"You three go together, I'll go with Hermione so she's not alone. Meet at the Leaky Cauldron in an hour?" Everyone agreed and set off in opposite directions. "What books do you need?"
It might have been the cold weather making her cheeks pink or it could be her blushing, only Hermione knew. But from the close proximity Charlie was walking with her it was probably the latter. "Just wanted to pick up something on potions."
The only teenager in the world that wanted to buy books about school to read for fun. "Any specific topic?"
Hermione seemed to cringe away from the question but only slightly, pursing her lips to find a reason. The hesitation was only for a second, not enough for anyone else to really see but for Charlie it was odd. "Dittany and the properties it has outside of healing."
So they set out looking for anything like that, the stacks upon stacks of books piled around the shop only gave them one book with anything on dittany not healing related. Along with it Hermione bought a book on protective charms.
"Time to meet the others." She said cheerily walking out with the parcels under one arm. "I wanted to pop into the apothecary to get some supplies for school as well, I'll meet you at the pub."
Not giving Charlie the time to say she shouldn't wander off alone Hermione bolted away towards the shop leaving him standing in the snow. Deciding though that she was more than capable should something happen he started off for the pub to find the others already there.
"Where's Hermione?"
"Apothecary, needed supplies for school."
If Charlie hadn't been trained to handle dragons and notice tiny idiosyncrasies he wouldn't have noticed the millisecond long look Harry and Ron shot each other before changing the subject just like he wouldn't have noticed the pause Hermione gave.
The three of them were up to something and didn't want anyone else to know about it. He would have to figure out what it was and soon.
Unfortunately, he didn't get the chance as they had to return to Hogwarts the day after Christmas and Charlie returned to Romania shortly after. But the locket kept warm against Hermione's skin and it was his thoughts of her keeping it that way.