Winning a Witch's Heart
Ginny's cooling charm was beginning to show cracks, warm spots skewed randomly through the house. The spot before Charlie's dresser was one of these cracks. It made him sad whenever he got dressed in the morning, the last proof his little sister was there was slowly beginning to fade. He wondered if Hermione had noticed these warm spots too, if they haunted her as much as they haunted him. He didn't have the heart to ask her though, she seemed so happy lately and he didn't want to draw her back into the all-consuming sadness his siblings absence had coated the Burrow in.
The Ministry gave their workers the day off for various long forgotten holidays, this particular Monday was one of those days. Hermione had taken advantage of the long weekend and spent most of her time in London with Seamus and other friends from her year. Charlie had spent much of the weekend repairing the garden in his plaid pajama pants and dragon-hide boots. The twins had taken to calling this "lumberjack-chic" and teased him mercilessly.
He had just taken on a particularly nasty part of the garden, filled with angry gnomes that somehow managed to escape his grasp, when he heard the familiar pop! of apparition and Hermione appeared on the opposite side of the fence, her face flushed and a smile so wide dimples appeared in her cheeks. Charlie took a moment to appreciate the sight before him. She looked lovely, her legs clad in tight jeans and tall brown suede boots and a loose peasant top hanging freely from her upper body.
"Hullo Charlie!" She waved earnestly at him, letting herself in through the gate and bounding over to him.
He wiped his dirty hands on his pants before accepting her hug, he was a bit thrown off by her cheerfulness.
"What's got you in such a good mood?" He asked when they separated, smiling down at her.
Hermione reached up to wipe a smudge of dirt of his nose before responding, "Seamus helped me find an apartment in London!"
And just like that his world split in two. She was leaving them, leaving him.
"Oh, that's good."
"What's wrong?" She asked, genuinely perplexed by his sudden lack of emotion.
Charlie instantly plastered on a fake smile, forcing out the cheer he knew she was expecting, "Nothings wrong Hermione, I'm happy for you!"
Hermione knew he was faking it, but she wanted to believe it and so she did. It was easier this way. The two shared one last long glance and then Hermione headed inside and Charlie returned to his gardening. It was easier this way.
xXx
Sometimes Hermione questioned her judgement, for the smartest witch of the age she sure made some questionable decisions when it came to the company she kept. Taking her lunch break with Fred and George Weasley was one such mistake. Spending that time with the two when they were exceptionally annoyed was even worse.
The two had nearly carried her into the Leaky Cauldron and forced her into a corner booth, George pressed close to her to prevent her escape. Neither was smiling nor joking and if looks could kill...
"You're leaving us?"
So that was what it was all about, of course Charlie would have told the two about it.
"Fred, George, it isn't like that. You know it isn't like that. I had to move out sometime."
Fred shook his head, "No you didn't, Mum and Dad would've left the house to you and Charlie if you'd just stuck it out."
Hermione almost laughed until she realized he was dead serious. So her leaving wasn't the real problem, her leaving Charlie was.
"This is about Charlie isn't it?"
George chuckled, humorlessly, "Smartest witch of her age..."
He received a sharp elbow in the ribs for that comment.
"It really is none of your business boys. Charlie and I are friends, that's all. You two also thought I belonged with Ron, look how well that went."
Fred rolled his eyes to the heavens and turned up his hands with a heaving sigh, "Sue us. We got it wrong once, we aren't wrong this time Hermione."
The two locked eyes across the table. George had always been easier to break, he was the gentler of the two. Fred was Hermione's biggest challenge; one of the few people who dared to go toe-to-toe with the headstrong witch.
"Yes. You. Are."
"No. We. Aren't."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."
"No -"
Hermione groaned, interjecting, "This is ridiculous, we aren't five. I don't want to be with Charlie and Charlie doesn't want to be with me. Now if you'll excuse me I have to get back to work or else I won't be employed much longer and you two don't want to piss me off that badly."
Hermione nearly shoved George off the bench, making to stomp away from the duo when George said something that made her turn around.
"Then why did he ask us to help win you back?" George had let Fred take the reigns throughout the conversation so his outburst was shocking.
"Come again?"
"Don't play at that Hermione, you heard him loud and clear. Charlie wanted to win you back from Seamus; it's been his plan for weeks now."
"Does that change your mind?"
"You can't win back what you never had."
Then she was gone.
xXx
The boxes were neatly labeled and perfectly stacked at her bedroom door. Every season marked off, the few pieces of furniture she had already sent over to the flat. She would have to go shopping soon.
"So this is it then?"
Bill had offered to help her move, the other three were staunchly against her leaving and wanted no part of it. At least one brother is mature she thought with a small sigh.
"Yes thank you Bill, now we just need to send it over thru the floo. Thanks again for doing this, especially since your brothers, were, uh, not so helpful."
Bill nodded, he understood. True he was Charlie's biggest supporter in the "Win Hermione" campaign, but he wasn't going to punish the girl for having her limits.
"I'll start bringing this down to the fireplace, the boys are outside if you want to say goodbye."
The two parted ways at the bottom of the stairs as Bill lead the now floating boxes to the family room and Hermione made her way out to the garden. She found the three flying aimlessly around the area, their feet skimming the tree tops as they spoke. They looked at ease, it was a happy image that had become rare around the Burrow. She instantly regretted coming out and interrupting it.
George was the first to notice, swooping down to the ground. The twins had been colder to her since their lunch but not completely disagreeable and she knew they would want to say goodbye.
"Off then Hermione?" He asked, extending his arms for a quick hug.
She nodded into his chest responding as they pulled away, "Bill's sending my things over now then I'm as good as gone."
Fred and Charlie had reached the two by this point and Fred was the first to speak up, "Sure you don't wanna stay just one more night?"
"I really need to get used to everything over there and get a good sleep if I'm going to get anything done tomorrow."
Charlie caught her gaze between his brothers shoulders, drat, that had been what she was trying to avoid. His blue eyes pierced her brown, not even a trace of a smile on his face. The emotion on his face was unrecognizable at first, it was loneliness, he missed her and she wasn't even gone yet.
"Wanna floo over with me quick Charlie? Just to get everything in order." It was a proverbial olive branch and completely out of the blue. She hadn't planned to say anything to him but the look on his face compelled her.
An almost inaudible blush appeared on his face, "Yeah sure."
He hopped the short distance of his broom and caught it in his hand, following her into the house amidst the twins cat calls. He settled it against the side of the Burrow and stomped his boots clean, more for the sake of her new apartment than his little home. Nobody was around to clean anymore and a layer of ding had settled everywhere Hermione's wand forgot to reach in the little house.
Bill was waiting by the fire, the only sign he had floo'd recently a bit of char on his boots. He raised his eyebrows at Charlie's presence but said nothing instead offering Hermione one last goodbye hug and then leaving the two to floo in peace.
"Floo with me then? Since you don't know the address." Hermione asked, a slight pink tinge to her face at the idea.
Charlie nodded agreeably and followed her into the fire.
"My apartment!" Hermione cried out and the unpleasant feeling of flooing took over, knocking both of them on their behinds in her sitting room.
Charlie struggled up first, wiping his hands on his jeans and then helping her up as well before he took a look around. The entire place was very, Hermione. The room they were presently occupying was a stark white with dark wood floors, one wall was entirely lined with full bookshelves and the opposing one featured an inviting window seat overlooking the street below. It was very cozy.
"Nice place." He commented, gruffly, determined not to like it.
Hermione nodded in agreement, too busy making sure her things were in order to notice his obvious distaste, "Yes, Seamus is really good with real estate. Did a bang up job of getting my a cut rate price."
"Thank gods for Seamus." He mumbled sarcastically.
"Attitude." Hermione warned, with a reproachful look.
Hermione set about straightening things up, disappearing into the entryway to the kitchen. Left very much alone in the unfamiliar place, Charlie made his way over to the window, surveying the street below. It was there he saw it and the idea began.
"Hermione, I've got to go!" He yelled, far too excited, jumping into the fireplace and yelling "THE BURROW!" before she could react.
When she did reappear, he was already gone, the only sign of his presence being a sooty shoe mark on the floor. She shook her head, that was Charlie for you. At least he wasn't angry and she was sure he would be back.
Meanwhile Charlie had landed in a heap on the floor of the Burrow, three pairs of eyes trained on him in surprise.
"Very graceful o' great dragon tamer." Fred teased, nudging him with his foot.
Charlie ignored the quip, righting himself excitedly, "I'm moving out!"
"What!" His brothers protested, all three clearly shocked.
Bill was the first to ask a coherent question, "Did Hermione invite you to move in then?"
"Not quite..."
George contemplated this, "Not quite as in you're going to move into her closet like the peeping tom I always knew you were?"
"The flat next to hers is for rent."
"He's gone completely nutters." Fred whispered to his twin who nodded in agreement.
Bill merely shook his head, "That's completely insane Charlie and quite possibly illegal. You can't stalk Hermione into liking you and I don't think she would appreciate finding you as her new neighbor."
"Plus imagine how you'd feel bumping into Seamus every morning when you got the post..."
Charlie growled low in his throat at George's statement, "Hermione's too sensible to let him spend the night."
Fred laughed, "Especially when it only takes a couple minutes."
Charlie lunged for the troublesome duo but was stopped by Bill whose wolf-like strength still surprised his younger, and bigger brother. Charlie sunk into an empty chair across from the three, glaring hard at the twins. For their part, they seemed entirely unfazed.
"This could work," Fred mused, "how much a month?"
Charlie shrugged, "Didn't look, doesn't matter."
Bill sighed, "No changing your mind then?"
"Nope."
"Heaven help us." He said, looking up at the ceiling as if waiting for a sign.
"We'll do you one better, - "
"we'll help you!" George finished, slinging an arm over his twins shoulder.
"Let's go get a lease drawn up then."
The four trouped out of the Burrow to the apparition point, unaware of just what their actions were about to bring about.
xXx
Hermione loved her breakfast nook and her little office, she loved her window seat and the warm yellow of her kitchen walls; simply put Hermione Granger loved her new apartment. She loved the freedom that it brought, freedom from the prying eyes of hormonally charged boys. She loved the twins and Charlie, but living with them could get old; fast. Her own apartment was a quiet place, peaceful and made for a scholar such as herself.
She smiled happily as she prepared dinner that night, she had only been in her new home for a few days and Seamus was coming over for dinner and to see how everything had been put together. He would be her first visitor, aside from Charlie's two second visit.
Three stirs clockwise, two counter clockwise, she stirred the boiling sauce before returning her attention to the linguine. She wasn't known for her cooking skills, but even she couldn't ruin pasta, she hoped. The oven alarm went off, signaling the garlic bread was done and fighting the urge to simply use her wand she grabbed a pot holder, removing the pan and setting it on the cutting board.
The pasta had just finished cooking when the doorbell rang, realizing she was behind she used her wand to set the table and finish the rest then removed her apron, hanging it on the peg by the entryway and making her way to answer the door.
She smiled broadly at her visitor, Seamus was looking particularly smart in a new pair of jeans and a maroon button-up rolled up to his elbows, his hair tousled just so. She greeted him with a chaste kiss and lead him in.
"You look great." He complimented, taking in her tan figure-hugging dress appreciatively.
"Thanks Seamus." She lead him into the kitchen, smiling when he pulled out her chair for her.
"Looks delicious."
"Thank you."
They ate in relative silence, a comfortable silence of a couple secure in their relationship. Only when the last few bites were gone from his plate did Seamus speak again.
"You didn't tell me Charlie was moving in next door."