Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter nor do make money.

Forgotten

Charlie had carefully planned this moment.

As the days had turned into weeks and the weeks had progressed to months, he kept expecting Ron and Pansy to move out of his place and into a home of their own but they hadn't. In fact, they it hadn't appeared to Charlie that they had any intention to do so.

He hadn't minded really, it was nice having Ron around to make him laugh and Pansy to take care of him and to make sure he took care of himself. Together, they had filled the hole where Finny had been. It just hurt to know that he finally had the life he had wanted with Finny though his bed remained cold and his body ached for the hint of his touch.

Charlie just hated waiting for Ron and Pansy to pull the rug out from under his feet bringing this new, peaceful, and happy life that had found him to an end. Unfortunately, his heart and mind, couldn't take the wait and anticipation any longer.

So he had planned a half-day without telling either one as the baby's arrival drew closer, so that he could talk to Pansy without Ron while still giving them enough time to get settled into their own place if needed before the baby arrived. He felt somewhat guilty for planning to confront Pansy instead of Ron. However, Charlie figured that Pansy would be honest with him while Ron would only tell him what he wanted to hear.

Walking up to the cottage, he was surprised to find Pansy outside stretched out in a chaise with sugar curled up sleeping on what was left of her lap and her face buried into a book that was half-way balanced on her belly while her free hand rubbed it in a soothing manner.

The creaky first step to the porch caused her to look up and quickly say, "Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm not."

"Ron's not hurt is he?"

"No he's not hurt either."

Pansy looked at him puzzled and said, 'Then why are you home early?"

"I just wanted to talk to you," he mumbled more than said, as he took a seat next to her legs on the chaise before adding, "Without Ron."

"Why?"

"Figured you wouldn't lie to me."

"Ron wouldn't lie to you."

He hated when she was right. Correcting himself, he said, "Okay...how about I wanted your version of the truth."

"What is going on Charlie?"

"When are you two moving out?" His question more abrupt, his tone much sharper than he intended but his desperation of having an answer whether he liked it or not overcame any sense of decorum or politeness he had.

While he sat waiting for her to say the words that would bring his world tumbling down, he didn't realize that Pansy hadn't given an answer immediately. Instead, she had waited for several moments before calmly asking, "Do you need us out of your hair?"

Charlie started to respond but stopped when he realized exactly what she had said. Quickly, trying to recover, he stuttered, "No, it's just..."

"I understand," she softly said, grabbing his hand. "Ron knew this would come up and don't worry, we will get out of your hair soon."

"What do you mean...you've talked...I mean, what...I mean...okay, I'm confused."

"What's there to be confused about," she asked, looking at him like he was crazy. "You want us to move out and Ron said you would eventually, I just kind of hope you would forget and we could just stay here with you."

"What?...Why?" Charlie wasn't exactly sure if he completely knew for himself which way was up at this exact moment.

Pansy looked at him equally as confused before shaking her head and saying, "Okay, let's start from the beginning. Why did you want to talk to me?"

"Because I wanted to know when you two were going to move out," Charlie replied honestly, before continuing softly, "I'm tired of waiting for you to drop the bomb on me."

"Charlie...do you want us to stay? If you do, just say the word."

Charlie whipped his head around to look at her. Looking over her carefully, trying to determine if she was not only telling the truth but meant it.

He must have been taking too long for her because she pulled Sugar from her lap and scooted as close to him as her swollen stomach would allow and softly said, "I asked Ron if we could stay a couple of months ago after finding a picture of you and Finny. The one in your office. The one of you kissing under the mistletoe I held above your heads. Well, he agreed to stay here with you only if you were okay with it. I just never had the guts to ask you outright and instead relied on you forgetting...

His heart didn't want to believe what his ears were hearing. It was too good to be true. So instead, he asked, "Why would you want to stay?"

"Because there are times that Ron and I see the Charlie of our childhoods – the one who loved my brother."

"But what about wanting your own place?"

"In all honesty, I would rather be responsible for one household than two," Pansy gently teased him. Charlie appreciated her attempt at levity at a time like this. "However, if you want us to stay, we will because we want to but if you need us to go, we will do that for you too."

"Why are you doing this for me?"

"Charlie, you may not want a new beginning but that doesn't mean Ron and I are going to let you muddle through this life by running away from one."

"Thank you," he whispered, wrapping his arms around her and burying his face into her hair and neck. "Thank you."

"No problem," she whispered. "But how about you tell us that after dealing with an infant waking you up at three in the morning day in and day out."