(Do not own)

Chapter 14

Ever since her false alarm, she had been thinking. Thinking about Charlie more and more often. He loved her; she didn't love him, did she? The way Michael had acted during the Christmas party, it had been extremely rude. Hermione was confused. Did she love Michael?

That probably wasn't normal for a woman engaged to another man to think like that. She decided to go visit Charlie. Hermione had no idea that in retrospect, it would be the best and worst thing that ever happened to her.
"Michael! I'm going out!" Hermione yelled, hearing the hiss of the shower as it turned off.

"Where you going?" Michael popped his head out.

She thought quickly, obviously she couldn't tell him that she was going to Charlie's to apologize. "I'm going down to the store to pick up some things."

He thought about this for a minute before speaking. "Okay, actually I got to go back to work; I need to finish those papers before next week. I'll see you tonight, sweetie." He wiggled his brows suggestively.

Hermione smiled but didn't feel anything inside. "Alright."

Michael wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close, he kissed her cheek chastely first then kissed her full on the mouth, Hermione closed her eyes and willed herself to feel something. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back, beneath her hands she could feel the rough sinews of his strong chest, and heat rose from his bare skin and steamed around her. After a while Michael pushed her away and smiled, wagging one finger in front of her face.

"Save it for tonight, I've got something special planned."

'Oh, Boy.' She thought and mentally slapped herself. "Sounds like fun." She said in a husky voice. "I'll be counting the minutes."

Michael laughed and disappeared into the bedroom they shared, Hermione watched as he entered the room and shut the door with a soft click, still watching the door she carefully snuck out onto the back porch and apparated to Charlie's apartment door. With trepidation she looked at the door, it was a relatively simple door, wood with a brass knob but it put the fear of God into her heart. Slowly she took a deep breathe and raised her hand to the door, then turned away from the door and closed her eyes tight, who was she kidding, she couldn't do this not so soon after the party. He probably still hated her.

"Dearie?" an elderly woman's voice broke through her fear.

"Yes?" Hermione turned and opened her eyes.

"Are you alright dear?"

"Yes, I'm visiting a friend."

"Charlie?"

"Uh…." She hesitated. "…yes."

"Not many young ladies come to see Charlie, are you a close friend?"

"Yea, I guess."

"Oh good. My name is Mrs. Lamprey."

"Hello, Mrs. Lamprey, My name is Hermione."

"A pretty name for a very pretty girl."

Mrs. Lamprey smiled at her and offered her hand, Hermione clasped the warm leathery hand and shook it gingerly, and the woman smiled once more and shuffled closer.

"Say, are you that young lady who is friends with Harry Potter?"

Hermione flushed. "Yes, he's my best friend in fact."

"Fascinating…"

Suddenly the door creaked open and Charlie stood there in the doorway wearing faded Levi's and a navy blue t shirt, ripped at the left shoulder, his overly long red hair was wet and curled at his ears.

"Hermione?"

She was speechless with awe; it hadn't been that long since she had seen him but somehow it seemed like an eternity, Hermione drank him in from his long scarred arms and the length of his muscular torso to his long thick legs that filled out his jeans so well. Her mouth was dry and her voice refused to work.

"Hello, Charlie! I was just speaking to your lady friend here but I think it must be time for me to return to see what old Emmett is up too."

"Say hello to Emmett for me, will you, my beautiful buttercup?"

"Oh, Charlie you flatter me."

"Anything for the love of my life." He continued and smiled.

Mrs. Lamprey smiled and shuffled off down the hallway, Charlie's attention came back to Hermione but before she could say anything Charlie turned and shut the door in her face. Indignation and surprise flashed through her.

"Charlie!" she yelled through the door. "I want to talk to you!"

"Who says I want to talk to you!" Charlie's voice was muffled.

"I came to apologize!"

"Not accepted!"

"This is ridiculous Charlie, stop being childish and open the door."

Nothing happened. "Charlie!"

"I don't want to talk to you, Hermione."

"Open the goddamn door or so help me God I will call your mother and she will open this damn door!" she bellowed.

Ten seconds later the door opened so fast Hermione tripped on one of her feet trying to step back and fell, hitting her head with a thunk against the wall.

"Hermione! Oh god, I'm so sorry."

Charlie was by her side in a minute, pulling her up. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Fine. " She said glaring at him.

"You sure? Come inside."

Hermione was ushered inside and forced to sit on the black leather couch, Charlie went into the kitchen for a second for some tea. Hermione sat on the couch, her eyes closed in concentration; she had to come up with a way to apologize to Charlie without bringing the subject of that night at the party up. So far, she had nothing. Charlie came back 10 minutes later with a steaming cup of tea, he handed her the cup and sat down on the couch next to her.

"So why did you come here again?"

"I came to apologize for that night at the party…" she trailed off. "… Not yours, my Christmas party." A flush crept across her cheeks.

Charlie was silent. "I overreacted."

It was Hermione's turn to be quiet. Carefully she took a sip of her tea and cringed at the weakness of the tea, he smiled.

"I don't drink tea usually; mum makes it while she's here and Becky…" he trailed off for a moment. "… She drank coffee."

"Charlie, that's the other thing I came here for…. I didn't mean to have you break up with Becky."

"No, that was my fault, I hadn't realized that we just didn't fit until the injury, it wasn't fair to her or me."

"Still, I shouldn't have kissed you while you were dating someone else…" She blushed again.

Both were silent. "Hermione…"

"Charlie…" they said at the same time."I'm sorry."

They laughed for a moment then looked back at each other, for one startling moment all they could do was look at each other, tension flowed between them, and then Hermione broke. A flood of tears burst forth and rolled down her cheek, she muffled the sob by pressing her sleeve to her mouth and turning away from Charlie, his hand rested on her shoulder.

"Hermione, I..."

A sob spilled forth and Charlie couldn't resist from pulling her close to him and placing her head in the alcove of his neck, Hermione leaned into, aware of his masculinity as his heat radiated around her, tears spilled down her cheeks and wet the front of his shirt.

"It's okay..." he crooned.

"N-no... it-it's not..." she stuttered.

"What's the matter, sweetheart?"

"I don't know! Mi-Michael has b-been great..."

Charlie tensed. "When you're here, you don't talk about Michael... ever."

Hermione sensed his anger and stopped talking, but she couldn't stop the sobs that poured forth from her body. She had no idea where all the tears where coming from. She hadn't even known she was holding them in.

"What? What is it?"

"It's nothing." Hermione says. Feeling her tears stop and rubs her face determinedly as though to show Charlie that is really is nothing.

"C'mon Hermione, it's not nothing." Charlie says, he gets up and goes to a cabinet in the kitchen.

"Want a drink?" He comes back brandishing a bottle of fire whiskey and a set of shot glasses.

"Yes." Hermione knocks back the whiskey before Charlie has even sat down.

Charlie looks startled by this un-Hermione like behavior, without skipping a beat he asks "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No, I don't want to talk. I just need another drink." Hermione said holding out her glass. He sits down next to her, and casually rubs her shoulder as she sits. Hermione can feel her skin burning underneath his touch, but she attributes this to the amount of fire whiskey she's been drinking.

Charlie? Would you still like me if..." she trailed off and looked away.

"If what?"

"... If I married Michael."

Charlie looked Hermione; he was stunned that she would even ask. "Hermione..."

"You know what? Never mind." Hermione tried to stand, but was prevented when Charlie's hand wrapped around her wrist like a vice.

"No... Hermione. I would like you even if you married Cornelius Fudge, hell, Hermione I love you."

"Charlie..."

"No, stop." he placed a finger to her mouth. "Please, don't break my heart again."

Hermione placed a hand on his cheek, she smiled through his fingers before pulling him closer and pressing her lips against his, she felt the warmth of his lush lips against hers; Charlie's hand released her and reached around the nape of her neck, pressing her more fully against him. Her breasts brushed the front of his shirt and went diamond hard. Charlie pulled away first, his face was flushed.

"Hermione, are you sure?"

"Please, Charlie, I'm not sure of anything right now. I just want you."

"I don't want you to have sex with me because you're confused, I want to you to make love with me because you want to."

"I want you, I want to." she moaned.

Charlie smiled. "You can't back out now."

Charlie lifted her in his arms, bridal style, he kissed her full on the mouth and traced her lips with his tongue, she opened her mouth willingly the heady taste of fire whiskey and something darker poured into her blood.

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The next morning, Hermione wakes with a pounding head. Where am I? She wonders. Then she sees Charlie's supine form on the bed. "Fuck!" Hermione curses, in a whisper. She slides out of the bed, and quickly throws on all of her clothes.

A faint mumble makes her turn back to the bed, where Charlie is barely awake.

"Hermione? I thought I was dreaming about you being here."

"Charlie, I can't be here! I can't be here! Why was I here?" Hermione is finally starting to freak out, why did this keep happening to her?

Hermione hurries out the door, completely forgetting the jacket, lying abandoned on the floor of Charlie's room.

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A couple days later, Hermione wonders where the hell she left her jacket, she and Michael were going shopping. And it was freezing outside. Why didn't she have her jacket?

It wasn't so bad, after getting home from her night with Charlie she makes up a story about being at Ginny's house. When Ginny was having an emotional crisis, and she needed her best friend. Michael would never double check this story because he isn't that fond of Ginny, due to the fact that she is a witch.

Michael has just dug up one of his fleeces from the laundry room and is telling Hermione about it, and she is gladly accepting it, when the doorbell rings.

"Hang on!" Hermione yells, she is sliding an arm into the fleece when she opens the door and sees Charlie standing there with her jacket. She looks at him; she is quite startled by this turn of events, and takes the jacket from him.

Michael walks into the room. "Hello." he says stiffly.

"Charlie brought me my jacket. I must have left it at Ginny's." Hermione says, looking at Charlie pointedly.

"Yeah, I was at Ginny's flat when she found the jacket, so I volunteered to bring it over. Because Ginny had to go to work." Charlie says playing along, handing Hermione her jacket. Michael is standing next to Hermione with his arm around her. She subtly mouths 'thank you' to Charlie and then he leaves. Michael and Hermione head out to do some shopping.

A/N:

-Hey! Sorry about the long wait in between updates. junior year is busyy. :)

-Thank you to all my lovelyy reviewers!! I love you all. (Honestly)

-if you review you can get a coloring book and crayola crayons. (Don't lie, you know you want it) so review!!

12/6/07