Charlie Weasley woke early the next morning to the sound of feet stomping about the Burrow and the smell of his mother's cooking. Charlie glanced over at Bill's empty bed and concluded that his brother was already downstairs, probably eating more than his share of breakfast. He considered trudging to the bathroom for a shower, then remembered there were seven kids running around trying to get ready to go back to school. With only one bathroom, he was sure it would be near impossible to get in there. So instead he rolled out of bed, threw on a shirt, and followed in Bill's footsteps down to the kitchen.
"Good morning Charlie." Bill said looking up as Charlie entered the room.
"Morning Bill." Charlie said reaching for some toast.
"Leave some for the others." Mrs. Weasley snapped, slapping a piece of bacon from Bill's hand.
Charlie sniggered as Bill stared at his mother open-mouthed. Charley and George entered the kitchen carrying George's trunk between them. They set it down by two trunks that were apparently ready to go.
"Oh good, only four more trunks and then we're ready." Mrs. Weasley said glancing over at them.
"Morning Chuck, George." Charlie said as Charley and George sat next to him.
"Morning Charlie." the two said together.
"Oh Bill, the bathroom is free by the way." George said to his brother.
"Dibs!" Charlie shouted jumping up and bounding up the stairs to the bathroom.
"I don't think so little brother!" Bill said chasing Charlie.
Charley and George laughed as Bill and Charlie fought their way upstairs. Mrs. Weasley watched the two with a disapproving look, although a slight smile played across her lips.
"Alight so who's left to finish packing?" Mrs. Weasley asked George and Charley.
"Well, Hermione is helping Ginny, Ron and Harry are still packing and then Chuck." George said grinning.
"Charley dear, no breakfast till your packed." Mrs. Weasley said pulling her plate away.
"Alright." Charley said jumping up.
She leaned into George, who was smirking at her and said:
"See that bus?"
"What bus?" George asked. He had no idea what she was talking about.
"Oh the one you just threw me under." said Charley.
"Oh that one, yes, I saw it." George nodded with a laugh.
"Upstairs Charley." Mrs. Weasley said shortly.
"Yes, Mrs. Weasley." Charley said pushing George's head as she passed him.
She walked up the stairs and smiled as she saw Bill walking towards her, looking extremely annoyed.
"Stupid git, I've been waiting all morning for a shower." he grumbled.
Charley giggled as he walked by and ran upstairs to meet Hermione and Ginny in Ginny's room. Ginny was scampering around her room throwing things at her trunk, while Hermione organized them nicely for her.
"Hey Chuck, are you finished packing?" Ginny asked when she saw Charley.
"Nope, almost though." Charley said. She took a seat in front of her mostly full trunk and began filling it with the rest of her clothes and books.
"Hello ladies!" Fred exclaimed standing in the doorway of Ginny's room.
"Hello Fred." the three girls mumbled simultaneously.
"Ladies, ladies, let's not all get excited. There's enough Fred for everyone." he said striding into the room and casting himself upon Ginny's bed.
"Fred that's kind of disgusting." Ginny said crinkling her nose.
"Now, now Sis, you know I was only referring to the lovely Miss Granger and of course the most beautiful Miss Rook." Fred said with a wink.
"Well, I think you're out of luck Freddie, Hermione isn't into the obnoxious prankster type, and I think someone else has made their mark on our dear Charley." Ginny said grinning slyly at Charley.
"What on Earth are you talking about Gin?" Charley asked looking up from her packing utterly confused.
"Oh nothing." Ginny said smiling mischievously.
"Ginny, no one owns Chuck, but she should browse the menu before she orders," Fred said lounging back against Ginny's headboard.
"Menu, what menu?" Charley asked.
Hermione and Ginny began to giggle.
"Seriously you guys, what are you talking about?" Charley asked looking up at Fred.
"C'mon Charley, don't tell me you haven't noticed?" Fred scoffed.
"Noticed what?" Charley sighed angrily.
"My big brother Charlie has very obviously fallen for you." Fred replied.
"I can't believe how silly you all are, Charlie has not fallen for me in the slightest." Charley said laughing.
"Oh please Chuck, his eyes light up when you enter a room." said Ginny.
"Well, I think you're wrong. He's been a really good friend to me and that's all." Charley said simply.
"If you say so Chuck." Fred shrugged.
Charley glanced at the three of them. Even Hermione, who Charley had pegged as very level headed, was grinning.
"You three are crazy." Charley said standing, "Fred is my potions book still in your room?"
"Er, yes, I believe so. George and I were working in there the other night, so yeah." Fred nodded.
"Thanks." she said beginning to leave.
"Oh, Chuck." Ginny called.
Charley turned back to look at the three.
"We aren't the only ones who've noticed. Go ahead, ask anyone." Ginny smirked.
Charley glared at her and waltzed out of the room. As she marched to the twin's room she thought back to the conversation she and Charlie had had the first night she'd met him. He had said that he was taken with her, but it was impractical for him to fall for her. He hadn't acted any differently since then, so what was everyone talking about.
"Oh hey, Bill." Charley said as she entered the twins' room.
Bill was packing his things away in the small bag he had brought, while cleaning up some of the mess he and Charlie had made in Fred and George's room.
"Hello Chuck, looking for someone?" he asked grinning mildly.
"Just my potions book." she said. His comment suddenly dawned on her. "What do you mean am I looking for someone?" she asked quickly.
"Oh nothing." he replied shaking his head.
"No you meant something by it. Don't lie to me." Charley said narrowing her eyes at him.
"I didn't, honest." he said throwing up his hands, "I just though that maybe you were looking for Charlie." he admitted.
"Why would I be looking for him? Just…why?" she asked.
"You two are friends," Bill shrugged innocently.
"Exactly, we're friends. Just friends." she sighed with relief.
Bill crossed his arms, chuckling.
"Chuck, I know my brother and believe me he is not a one woman man, Mum loathes it. He used to go through four girls a week, back at school. And he has a new girl nearly every time he comes home. It's always the same, he find a girl, claims she's 'the one' then gets bored and dumps her. We've all seen it." Bill explained.
"So what you're saying is, he thinks I'm the one until he gets back to Romania and realizes I'm sixteen?" Charley asked skeptically.
"No, what I'm saying is that I've seen him with a lot of girls. I know his tricks, I know how he works around girls and let me tell you, I've never seen him act the way he does when he's around you." Bill replied.
"That's because we're friends." Charley said shaking a finger at him.
"Why are you so afraid of it Chuck?" Bill asked.
"I'm not afraid of anything. I am going to Hogwarts and Charlie is going to Romania. There isn't anything to even consider. We are friends." Charley replied frantically.
"Alright, if you insist. Your book is probably on the desk over there." he said nodding his head to the desk.
"Thanks." Charley said curtly.
She turned quickly to the desk just as a shirtless, wet-haired Charlie walked into the room. The two collided in an instant.
"Whoa, watch where you're going Chuck." Charlie said blushing as he steadied Charley.
"Honestly Charlie, you're getting a shirt for Christmas from me." Charley smirked shaking her head.
"Is it really my fault that you seem to be a magnet to my bare chest? You know you like it." Charlie grinned.
"Well, I'll just be going then." Bill said quickly with a wink at Charley.
Charlie smiled and walked passed Charley to his bag on George's bed. He began grabbing his clothes from off the floor and throwing them into his bag.
"Did you find your book?" he asked pleasantly.
"Oh, yeah I did." Charley replied.
She waited a moment, but Charlie seemed busy with his packing. She had been foolish to believe what everyone had been saying for even a second.
"Well, I'm going to finish my packing." she said awkwardly.
"Chuck wait." Charlie said quickly. He crossed the room to her and looked down at her awkwardly.
"What is it?" Charley asked nervously.
Charlie laughed sheepishly and scratched the back of his neck.
"Well, I was just thinking," he began meeting her eyes cautiously, "I was sort of thinking that I'm going to miss you." he finished.
"Well, I'm going to miss you too Weasley." Charley said grinning.
"I'm glad we covered that then." Charlie laughed.
He beamed down at her making it extremely hard for her to think straight. It didn't help either, that he still hadn't put a shirt on.
"Come here." he said pulling her into a hug.
She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. He held her tightly. She couldn't help but think how right it felt in Charlie's arms.
Charlie's cheeks had gone red as they pulled away. He smiled at her again and everything ceased to matter. Time seemed to halt. She wasn't boarding a train in a few hours that would take her far away from him. He wasn't twenty one and living his own life in Romania. No one's opinions mattered. It was just them, Chuck and Charlie, and she knew exactly what she wanted.
She stood in her tip toes and pulled Charlie's lips to hers. She could feel his lips form a smile as he kissed her back. He pulled her closer to him, their kiss growing more and more passionate. Charley could feel Charlie's heart racing in his chest against hers. She understood that the others had been right, Charlie did have feelings for her, and she had feelings for him.
Charley pulled away, despite never wanting the kiss to end. She gently placed one last kiss across his lips and looked up at him apprehensively.
"I'm sorry." she said quickly, before he could say anything.
Charlie's expression went from sheer happiness to confusion in an instant. He met her eyes questioningly, trying to read her.
"Sorry?" he asked.
"Charlie, you know this isn't going to happen. Not now anyway." Charley said sadly. "I'm so sorry." she whispered.
Charlie sighed heavily, then wrapped his arms around her, bringing her into him and resting his chin atop her head. The kiss had been amazing and Charley knew it was meant to happen. There was no denying that they were connected, but Charley couldn't fool herself into believing that they could make a relationship work. They were in two entirely different places, not only geographically, but also in their lives.
"I know Chuck, you're right." Charlie breathed.
Charley pulled away, tears streaming silently down her cheek. She smiled up at him sadly and gave him one last, lingering kiss on his cheek.
Charlie watched with a heavy heart as she left the room. She had climbed through a window and into his life, just days ago, and yet he knew that he would be waiting for her for as long as it took and there was absolutely nothing he could do about it. So he would go back to Romania, work with his dragons and wait until the day that he could make Chuck his.