Silence is a beautiful thing, sometimes. If you are in an empty field and it's silent, you can appreciate its beauty. The same goes for being caught in the middle of any area, when it's snowing gently because you can stop to appreciate the pureness of the snow and its colour and you can also relax, because there are no noises to disturb you from the splendour of the scene before you. Reading a book requires silence if you are to be completely absorbed into this book, whether by your own choice of reading a novel or by choice of your professor who wishes you to read something for class.
However, silence can also be a terrible thing. Somewhere in the world, there is always a terrible silence, even if we aren't aware of it. These silences can be terrible because they are for people who have died fighting, because you have stopped and are currently observing a scene so terrible that no sound can reach you in your stupor. Some silences are silences of shock and disgust, filled to the brim with tension as all those present wait for someone, anyone, to break the silence. Those present in the kitchen of the Burrow were currently experiencing one of these terrible, tension filled silences.
Charlie Weasley was aware of everything in the long moments of quiet which produced themselves after he spoke the words, the truth of his relationship with Luna Lovegood. He was aware of the lone drop of cold sweat which rolled down the back of his neck and soaked into the material of his t-shirt. He was aware of his heart which was pounding heavily and so loudly he worried that everyone could hear it, but then he realised he could feel Luna's pulse which was just as quick as his but there was no sound to give it away. He was also conscious of the fact that no-one in the kitchen seemed to be blinking.
There was sudden movement and Bill was by his side, clapping a hand to his shoulder and beaming at him.
"It's about bloody time you admitted to your secret relationship!" Was it just Charlie, or was Bill talking extremely loudly? His booming voice seemed to make Luna wince and Charlie relaxed slightly, realising it wasn't just him who thought so. "I've always wondered what was going on when you snuck out of the house, and you were always sending letters, but I had no idea it was Luna you were keeping a secret from us! Good for you Charlie, I hope you two are happy together." He moved back to Fleur and took her hand, silently leading her from her seat into the living room. The tension in the room seemed to break slightly as Ginny moved forwards next.
"Well, I've known since yesterday morning but I haven't been able to express my opinion to both of you so I guess now is as good an opportunity I'm going to get. I always thought there was chemistry between you two, ever since I learnt that chemistry isn't just a sort of science, not that I'm really sure what that is anyway. Muggles are so odd, but then I suppose they can't exactly do things as easily as we can... Anyway, I think you two are very well suited to each other and I hope nothing tries to come between you." She smiled sweetly, moved back to the table and began to clear more dishes.
Charlie looked back up anxiously. Verity had drifted through to the living room and he could hear her talking to Bill and Fleur, obviously she wasn't concerned as she didn't really know either of them. After a few minutes Lupin followed, never one to pass judgement on relationships. Ron, Harry, Fred, George and his parents hadn't moved and were all still staring at them. Luna shrunk back slightly and Harry seemed to shake himself out of a trance and came forward. The way they were all coming forward one at a time reminded Charlie of when Ginny had been born and everyone had gone up to Molly one by one to gaze at adorable baby Ginny while gushing away to Molly.
"It's quite a shock, I must admit, but it isn't an unpleasant one. I hope you two will be happy together." Harry glanced sneakily at Ginny who didn't acknowledge him, and made his way into the living room.
"Ummmmm..." Ron mumbled. "It's quite weird, to be honest, especially given that you, um, live in different countries and never see each other. And, er, I think it'd be quite uncomfortable for other people to be around a couple with an age difference of nine years..." he trailed off awkwardly and started to make his way into the living room but Ginny stopped him.
"Oh no you don't, I'm not clearing this entire table by myself, even if you are uncomfortable being around them." She glared fiercely at her brother who flushed red and started to gather plates, avoiding looking at Luna and Charlie.
"Well, that was no fun, because..."
"...we were hoping to embarrass you in front of everyone." The twins sighed unhappily but didn't move, both of them looking at Luna intensely. She shifted uneasily under their strong gaze and Charlie frowned reproachfully at his brothers but then turned his focus onto his parents.
"Mum... Dad...?" Charlie asked quietly, his voice uncertain. His mother blinked twice and concentrated her gaze on her second eldest.
"Well it's certainly a shock dear, and I can't say I'm pleased due to the age difference, but then it could be worse and you're obviously happy. And if you're happy then I'm happy, and happiness is all that matters I suppose?" She looked to her husband for support for a moment and seemed to gather some courage just from the sight of her partner regarding them calmly. "No, forget what I said. Of course I'm happy for you, you've always seemed to be the lonely one in the family but obviously you're not. Oh Charlie, how could you not tell us though? Two years? It's such a big secret to keep for such a long time." Molly smiled at them, patted her son's cheek and turned to the sink to instruct Ron and Ginny in how to properly wash dishes by hand.
"Charlie, you know you'll have to be careful," his father warned. "If anyone who isn't trustworthy finds out about you, they could let the ministry know that you're having an inappropriate relationship with a minor and you could be sent to Azkaban for at least two years, as it could be seen as rape." Arthur polished his glasses on the edge of his robes and put them back on, then peered at them, smiling slightly.
"We know the risks, Dad. Besides, neither of us are ready for that and I refuse to do anything more until Luna is of age, which is only two years away now. Actually, I told her we wouldn't be doing anything extremely serious until she's left school, in two and a half years." He squeezed Luna's shoulder and she smiled up at him.
"Well, if you're prepared to face the risks and take the consequences, then what can I say other than congratulations? I'm happy for you, son. I would never try to oppose you in a relationship, and who could be more suitable than one of Ginny's oldest, closest friends?" He nodded to the two of them and stood, kissing his wife's cheek and then making his way out of the door, looking haggard.
"Where's he going, Mum?" Charlie chuckled as Molly sighed, tutted and shooed Ron and Ginny into the living room so she could clear up their mess of bubbles and clean the dishes properly.
"Oh, he's just off to work, we received an owl just a few minutes before you two came back in with your news. Something about a wizard selling faulty Portkeys on Diagon Alley, apparently people touched them and reappeared ten miles away from their destination, some with Splinching effects similar to what happens when inexperienced people apparate without concentrating hard enough." She pointed her wand at the sink which filled with hot, soapy water and then watched with satisfaction as the dishes began to wash and dry themselves. "That should do it. Luna, be a dear and go and ask if anyone wants hot chocolate, please." Luna nodded and disappeared into the living room as Molly made her way over to the fireplace and stood beside her son who had sat down.
"Charlie, I'm not going to echo your father's warnings about being careful, because I know you will be, and obviously you've already been doing that as you've gone two years without anyone finding out, so you're clearly not being careless. But I am going to give you two other warnings." She sat down in Luna's vacated chair beside him.
"I'm listening, Mum."
"First of all, be wary of Fred and George. You may not be aware of this, but for some reason they aren't fond of Luna as we all are. I don't know why they don't like her, but you should know to be careful. I hope my own sons wouldn't attempt to ruin their own brother's happiness but I can never be sure with those two." Molly sighed and shook her head in an exasperated manner. "And secondly, know that if you hurt Luna, I don't think Ginny would stop to consider the fact that you're her brother. It is awfully strange to be warning one of my children against three of my other children but I felt I had to say something."
"Thanks for the warning, Mum. I know Fred and George, so I'll keep an eye on them but you don't need to worry about Ginny, I would never hurt Luna."
"Alright dear, I was less worried about Ginny anyway, as now that you've told us, it's obvious that you care a great deal for Luna. I wonder that we never noticed before, it just shows how good at acting you both are." Molly patted his cheek again and bustled over to the stove, pulling out a large pan as Luna came back into the room.
"Harry, Ginny, Ron, Bill and Verity all said yes please, Fleur declined and so did Professor Lupin because he says he's about to leave, and Fred and George weren't in the living room," Luna informed her as Lupin appeared in the doorway.
"There's no need to call me 'Professor' now Luna, I haven't been your teacher for nearly three years. Please, call me Remus as everyone else does. Molly, thank you for such a lovely dinner and for the wonderful company," He kissed Molly's cheek, then turned to Luna and Charlie. "Be careful, you two. I know from personal experience how some relationships can be deeply frowned upon. I, especially have to be careful if I am to have any relationships, given the nature of my... problem." His mouth twisted as he thought and then he seemed to shake himself out of a daze. "Anyway, congratulations and I hope you are happy." He nodded to them both and left.
"Luna, Charlie, would either of you like some hot chocolate?" A delicious smell was rising from a bubbling pot on the stove which Molly was watching closely, occasionally adding various spices.
"Oh, no thank you Mrs Weasley. I should probably get going, Daddy will be wondering where I am." Luna's eyes widened suddenly and she gasped. "Oh my goodness, he won't have had any lunch! I shouldn't have left him to fend for himself," she fretted, wringing her hands in distress.
"No worries dear, we've plenty left over from lunch and I never do like seeing things going to waste." Molly gestured to a few plates full of food, and a small jug of gravy. "You can take it home through the Floo Network."
"I probably wouldn't be able to, Daddy doesn't like keeping the fire on all day so he will have probably extinguished it all day. He says the smoke can affect the Dirigible Plums." Luna's eyes were still wide and she sighed unhappily.
"Well, Charlie why don't you apparate Luna home, then you can start a fire and I'll send it through?" Molly suggested and Luna hesitated before nodding.
"Thank you for your kindness, and the spare clothes." Luna was slightly shocked when Molly bustled over and enveloped her in a warm hug, but she relaxed into it with a soft sigh. It had been so long since she been hugged in such a motherly way. When she was released, Charlie folded her into her thick cloak and helped her pull her boots on before leading her out of the house and past the gate.
"Why do we have to go so far from the house?" Luna wondered, leaning against Charlie as he wrapped his arms around her.
"There's lots of spells up to protect Harry while he's here, so no-one unwelcome can apparate directly into the house and surprise us. Sure, they can still pass through the wards on foot but all our wands are keyed into the wards, so we'll feel if someone with dark intentions enters the area," he explained. "Have you apparated before?"
"Only once, when I was nine and Daddy had no other way of getting us to Ireland for funeral. I can't remember it at all though, I've tried to block out most of my bad memories from that year." Charlie hugged her close and dropped a kiss onto the top of her head.
"Hold on tight," he warned and turned them in a circle.
All the memories of apparition suddenly came rushing back to Luna as she was subjected to a feeling similar to being squeezed through a tube which was just a little bit too small for her. She felt like there was a metal circle around her body, squeezing in on all sides and forcing the air out of her. Thankfully, the sensation didn't last long and the tube relinquished her to the crisp air. She gulped in great breaths of the frosty night gratefully.
"Are you alright?" Charlie was gently rubbing her back as she breathed heavily. "It can be quite a shock to those not used to the phenomenon." Luna straightened up from her slightly bent position and smiled shakily at him.
"I'll be alright. Will I see you again before I go back to school?"
"Of course you will, I'll come by later. I still need to give you your present," he reminded her as she opened the gate and walked up the path to the front door.
"And after that?"
"I'll come up whenever I have time, and now that the family knows, you're perfectly welcome to pop by for lunch or something." Charlie smiled at her as they reached the door.
"Good, because I'm not quite ready to return to letters as our only means of communication."
"And the mirrors," Charlie said.
"How could I forget those? I'll see you later." Charlie's arms tightened around her waist and he bent down to press a gentle kiss to her lips.
"You will indeed, Merry Christmas Luna."
"Merry Christmas Charlie, hurry back." He chuckled and kissed her again then made his way back down the path and through the gate. She blew him a kiss as he waved and then watched as he turned and disappeared. Sighing softly she opened the door and stepped through, hurrying to start the fire up again.