The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to JK Rowling. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this story.

I apologize that it took a tad longer than usual to update. This story has been written for over a year but as I was typing, I realized I needed to rethink some timing issues.

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"Coco, Bill!" Charlie was calling out for them as he entered the flat. "Where are you two it is almost noon?"

The loud banging on Hermione's bedroom door startled Bill into full consciousness. Bill disentangled himself from Hermione and after finding his shirt to put on he opened the door.

Charlie was grinning, "So do I have a new sister-in-law?" "Can we skip the whole ceremony thing?"

After steeping into the hallway and quietly closing the door, Bill grabbed his brother's arm and dragged him toward the kitchen. "Shhh you git she is still sleeping!"

Charlie did not fight being manhandled into the kitchen but once they were there he shook his arm lose from Bill's grasp. "So…anything happen?"

Bill ran his hand over his face, "No, that did not happen but I tell you I would be damn lucky if she would have me."

Bill filled the teakettle and put it on to boil. His thoughts racing however, one thought kept repeating 'If she would I would be blessed'.

By the time that the kettle began to whistle Charlie had the mugs ready. As the brothers sat down to have a cup of tea, Charlie had to ask, "Are you thinking of asking Coco?"

Bill did not answer him but rather just sat silent staring at the mug.

Charlie tried to fill up the quite with chatter, "So then I guess we are still on for the completing the ritual then."

Bill nodded.

Charlie finished his tea and after putting the dirty mug in to he sink he turned to face his brother. "Right then how about I go talk to Mum and the others…"

Bill looked up, "Yeah that might be the best idea. Mum is not going to like this…she hated it before and that was with Fleur…I can just imagine how she will react about this with Coco!"

Charlie cleared his throat, "Yes, well it might take some convincing but Mum will come around she loves Coco and tolerates you. It will work out."

Bill gave his brother a halfhearted grin, "I am sure you will charm her. When do you think we should do this?"

Charlie was pushing his chair in when he groaned, "Percy is on that trade mission until the end of the month."

Bill slumped down in his seat. The end of the month was two weeks away. It could not be helped. They would have to wait.

Hermione rolled over and realized the she was alone in the bed. Pulling the empty pillow to her face, she took a deep breath. She smiled the pillow smelled like Bill, wonderful, talented, kind, very good with his hands Bill!

The pillow was still warm so Bill could not have been gone for very long. Hermione wrapped one of the silk robes around her and walked into the hallway. Voices drew her attention towards the kitchen. As she approached, she realized that Charlie and Bill were talking.

"We have to have everyone there." Bill sounded exasperated.

"I know so then we wait until Percy is back – the end of the month…I tell everyone the 30th." Charlie asked.

Hermione was at the kitchen, "What has to wait until the 30th?"

Bill smiled when he looked at her, "Good afternoon sleepyhead."

Hermione suddenly felt very shy. Sitting at the kitchen table was the only man in the world who could make her toes tingle and her mind explode. The idea that he knew her so well made Hermione blush and look away.

Bill laughed, "Coco did you sleep well?"

Hermione tried valiantly to stay composed. Turning to Charlie, she asked again, "What has to wait until the 30th?"

Charlie noticed the lovely hue of Hermione's cheeks and then looked back at his oldest brother. When Bill did not answer Hermione's question Charlie spoke, "The betrothal ritual, Coco. Percy is out of the country and will not be back until the end of the month."

Hermione looked a little puzzled, "Is that a problem, waiting I mean?"

Charlie simply shrugged, "Not necessarily what do you think Bill."

Bill had stood and walked over to the sink to rinse out his tea mug. Bill did not respond and his continued silence was confusing both Charlie and Hermione. Charlie looked at Hermione as if to ask did she know why Bill was not speaking. Hermione shook her head she had no idea.

Charlie gave up, "Look you two I am going to the Burrow to speak to Mum. I will be back later." and with that he left.

Bill was still facing the sink and had not said a word. Hermione walked up next to him, "Please tell me what is wrong. Are you angry with me about having to wait for Percy? Are you disgusted by what happened last night?" Her voice cracked slightly during the last question.

Bill turn to face her, "Coco two weeks, two weeks of wanting to touch you, wanting to hold you, two weeks of wanting you and knowing that I can not trust myself enough to stop. Last night it was all I could do not to…Coco, two weeks is a long time."

Hermione smiled, "Two weeks of frustration you mean?"

Bill took her hands, "Coco we are so good together but you know if we make love right now we are married and I do not think either of us is ready for that right now."

Hermione brought their clasped hands together to her cheeks, "Bill I do not want to wait all that time to feel the way you made me feel last night. Maybe if we set some ground rules."

Bill chuckled, "More Weasley rules…great."

Hermione narrowed her eyes, "What Weasley rules are you talking about?"

Bill cleared his throat, "Nothing, brother stuff."

Hermione was not convinced by decided to let it drop, "Okay how about we make a rule that one of us must always keep their pants on."

Bill shifted back and forth on his feet thinking, "That might work but the rule must stipulate the pants must be fastened and if at all possible the belt buckled!"

Hermione laughed, "Seriously?"

Bill, "Seriously, Coco!"

Hermione wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him hard, "Okay I can live with that."

It was later that night after Charlie had returned from speaking to the rest of the family that Hermione realized she had an awkward question to ask.

Glancing at Bill when Charlie left the living room for a moment she asked, "Bill…I was wondering…well not that I want to be pushy…" She stopped Bill was smiling and not about to let her out of her discomfort.

"Yes Coco?" he replied

Hermione rolled her eyes, "This is hard William!"

Bill pretended to be shocked, "Coco! I can not believe you asked me that!"

Hermione sat on the sofa, "What? What do you think I said?"

Charlie with perfect timing walked back into the room as Bill answered her, "Coco I can not believe that you asked me if I was hard!"

Charlie snorted, looked at both of them and walked back out of the room.

Hermione screamed, "I did not say that…you know I did not say that!"

Bill acted as if he was offended, "Coco if the Daily Prophet knew you were such a naughty little witch…asking an unsuspecting wizard that type of personal question!"

Hermione's face was red, "I did not!"

Bill walked up to her and purred in her ear, "Then what did you say Coco?"

Hermione could not look at him in the eye. Bill gently lifted her chin with his finger, "Coco what do you want to ask me?" His mouth was right next to her ear his breath making her shiver.

Hermione licked her lips in nervousness, "I was just wondering where you were going to sleep tonight" she whispered.

Bill smiled, "Right next you Coco."

Hermione buried her forehead into his chest. She was hiding her smile.

The majority of Bill's clothes had found their way into the closet in Hermione's bedroom by the end of the month. It was not a much-discussed event; it was just the way things were.

On the morning of the 30th, Bill was sitting and brooding over his morning cup of tea. He was usually the first of them to wake in the morning. Bill like to quite time as the sun filtered through the windows. It was when he did his best thinking. This morning was not significantly different his thoughts were about Coco.

The past fortnight had proven to Bill that he wanted Coco as more than his flat mate, more than his bedmate, he wanted a future, he wanted a family, he wanted to watch Coco grow heavy with his child, he wanted to work in the garden of their home with her, he wanted his life with her.

Bill looked at the cold cup of tea in front of him and he suddenly envisioned himself sitting at a similar table with Coco talking as they waited for their oldest daughter to come home from her first date. Bill knew that he wanted to have that moment, the simplicity of being with her. He wanted their children, not as many as his parents perhaps, but still enough to raise a ruckus. Bill knew that he wanted her.

Hermione knew even before she opened her eyes that Bill was not in bed. Smiling she knew he was wool gathering in the kitchen as he did most mornings. She stretched and standing up put on her slippers to join him.

Bill heard the scuffing of her slippers as she approached the kitchen he sighed. Everything was going to change tonight and he did not want it to. He wanted what they had found together and more.

Hermione rubbed the back of his neck and slipped around to sit in his lap rubbing her face into his chest, "Good morning, I missed you." she greeted him.

Bill put his arms around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head, "Morning Coco you are up early."

Hermione yawed, "I missed you; the bed was too cold."

Bill pulled her closer, "I just could not sleep, and I had a lot to think about."

Hermione nodded, rubbing her cheek against his shirt, it smelled just like him. "Percy is back isn't he?"

Bill was playing with the ringlets that had come lose from her braid, "Yes, he owled Charlie when he got in late last night."

Hermione pulled away slightly to see Bill's face, "So then tonight is it?"

Bill nodded, "If you want to still go through with it."

Hermione tilted her head to the side and appeared to consider his words, "what other alternative is there?'

Bill gave her a sad smile, "It is up to you Coco."

Hermione kissed his stubbly cheek, "What do you want Bill?"

Bill's thumb caressed her lips bring his within a hair's breath of hers, "What do I want? Oh Coco if you only…"

"Hello it is me! Hello…oh my there you are…Hermione…well" Molly Weasley had just arrived and found them still in their pajamas with Hermione straddling her oldest son.

Hermione blushed and awkwardly tried to stand. Bill chuckled, 'Hello Mum. It is a little early do you not think."

Molly Weasley was unaffected, "We have a great deal to do before that ghastly…well never find that…there are preparations that need to be made young man! Now off with you. Hermione dear how are you?"

Hermione was desperately trying to pull down her nightgown; the last thing she wanted Molly Weasley to know was that she was not wearing any knickers.

"I am fine Molly, thank you for asking. I was just asking Bill want he..." said Hermione

"Yes, yes dear that is grand; however we must get started if you want to be ready for sunset. The sunsets so early this time of year…" Molly was not so gently pushing Hermione out of the kitchen and away from Bill.

As the two women headed down the hallway Bill heard his mother, chattering on about how archaic she thought all of this was and how no one listened to her. Bill laughed when before the bedroom door closed he heard his mother tell Coco that she was not one to complain but rather help her boys.

Charlie showed up in the kitchen looking as if he had jus rolled out of bed, "Was that a nightmare or did I just hear Mum?"

Bill stood up and started to make his brother a cup of tea. Charlie took the now vacant chair and plopped down.

"You have been keeping late hours lately." Bill offered him a hot steaming mug.

Charlie groaned, "Helen has been working graveyard shift. We only see each other during her meal break at 3 a.m." After taking a sip, Charlie added, "but she is worth it!"

Bill smiled he was happy for his brother. He understood what it was to adore a woman and want to be with her at any cost. He knew he would pay any price for his Coco.

Charlie shook off a yawn and looked at Bill, "So are you and Coco ready for this evening?"

Bill rubbed his eyes before answering, "Charlie…I am not sure I want to share her, us with anyone…it seems perverted."

Charlie rose and started to make a second cup, "I agree it is but, what are your alternatives? I mean think about it you do not do anything, risk Hermione not getting better, and likely get worse. You could go through with the betrothal ceremony curing Hermione but having everyone witness…you know. Thirdly, you could skip the betrothal and go straight to marriage…but as you know that is a one-way street."

Bill took a deep breath, "Would it be so horrible? Marriage I mean. I have always cared about Coco deeply."

Bill's train of thought did not surprise Charlie; he had watched the two together since they rescued her from Sebastian but especially for the past two weeks. Charlie knew that his brother and Coco were deeply in love.

"Only you and Coco can make that decision." Charlie patted Bill on the back, "Good luck figuring it out before sunset."

Charlie waited for Bill to say something, but he did not so Charlie broke the silence, "Come on we have work to do…any ideas what we should do with all this furniture?" Bill followed Charlie into the living room.

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Once more, I find myself overwhelmed by the positive response to this story.

Thanks to everyone who takes the time to review. It means the world.

To those who read and leave - thank you for spending part of your day in my world.