yet another disclaimer: if you recognize it, it's Jo's if not, it's mine!
authors note: thank you for all the lovely reviews and encouragement!
Chapter 15
Charlie was awake when I opened my eyes. "Hi," I said to him feeling none of the usual awkwardness that comes with the first time. We felt so obviously right, I couldn't help but grin at him like an idiot.
He just smiled back and pulled me closer, "that," he said after a few seconds, "was brilliant."
I looked over at the clock on the night stand, it said 2:15 AM, we'd fallen asleep around midnight.
"Shouldn't we go back to sleep?" I suggested.
"I'm not sleepy," he said. He lifted my chin with a finger and kissed me, being quite obvious what he was in the mood for. "Want another go?" he asked, suggestively. I just grinned mischievously,
and kissed him back.
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When I woke up the next time, the clock on the night stand told me that it was 9:30 AM. I could hear water running in the shower, and Binks was purring in my ear, loudly. I picked up the sleeping kitten and put him on the end of the bed, then I wandered into the bathroom. Charlie poked his wet head out from the shower curtain. "Morning, love!" he said with the wide grin of a morning person. I just mumbled a bit and got under the shower with him. The water was pleasantly warm, I just stood under the shower head, as Charlie gently shampooed my hair.
"I love your hair," he said as he ran his fingers through it to make sure the soap was out.
"Thank you," I answered. "I think it's a bit of a pain in the rear end, I haven't been able to cut it since the island. My nails won't cut either, I have to file them."
"Like a dragon's claws," he mused, studying my hands.
"So Beautiful," he asked as I sat on the bed, brushing my hair out. "What would you like to do today?"
"Dunno, you have anything in mind?"
Charlie wiggled is eyebrows suggestively and grinned.
"Besides that, you nut!" As much as the idea of spending the day in bed appealed to me, I didn't want our relationship to be about just that.
"Breakfast?" he suggested. "There's a great coffee shop about two doors down, the lady who runs it makes great scones. If you're interested, there's going to be a book signing at Flourish and Blotts at noon."
"Really, whose book?"
"Chap by the name of Rolf Scamander, he and his wife are are reissuing his grandfather's Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them. They've added a lot too it, including three new dragon species. Would you like to go?"
"All right, sounds interesting."
Charlie looked like a little boy who's been promised a trip to the world's biggest candy store, with an unlimited credit line. We finished dressing, and fed Binks his breakfast, a can of kitten food and a few bits of left over pork, and then headed to Charlie's favorite coffee shop.
I kept my spectacles on and wrapped my hair in a scarf. I couldn't do anything about my skin, if anyone asked, I'd just tell them I worked third shift, in an insane asylum. It worked on those rare occasions when I had to venture out into Boston. We walked down the street hand in hand, Charlie was grinning like an idiot. "Why are you smiling like a fool?" I asked teasingly.
He pulled me into a kiss in the middle of the sidewalk, with passer's-by staring at us. After some vigorous applause and some wolf whistles, we heard a voice shout, "If you're gonna shag her, get a room, mate!" from an open window.
After we separated, he said in all seriousness, "last night, the most amazing witch in the world told me that she loves me." He kissed the tip of my nose, "that's why."
"You're pretty spectacular yourself, Mr Weasley," I replied quietly.
Charlie greeted the proprietress of the coffee shop with a cheerful wave and a colorful sounding greeting in a language I'd never heard before. She greeted him back in the same language, she pointed to me, and asked him "who is dis?" in heavily accented english.
"Mrs Drahzi," he said pulling me forward, "this is Miss Glinda Goode."
I smiled at her with out showing my fangs, "pleasure to meet you."
"American?" she asked, obviously noticing my accent.
"Yes," I answered, "from Boston."
"Vent to Florida for vacation once, many years ago," Mrs Drahzi said, "nice place, but very hot."
"It's a bit warm for my taste as well," I agreed.
"You vant scones and coffee?" she asked us.
Charlie said, "yes please, you know how I like it. How about you, love?"
"Yes, thank you, very light, no sugar."
"You got it, sit down, I bring to you."
We sat down at a table near the window and watched the world go by. Charlie was right, the scones were excellent, and the coffee was perfect. "What language were you speaking?" I asked as we ate and sipped our coffee.
"Romanian," he explained. "I picked up the language while working at the dragon reservation.
The Drahzi's immigrated to England about ten years ago."
"Well," I said as I munched on a scone. "Romania's loss is England's gain."
When we finished and got up to leave, Mrs Drahzi came out from behind the counter, and handed Charlie a wrapped package, she whispered something to him, in Romanian, and kissed him on both cheeks.
"What's in the package?" I asked.
"Scones," he said.
"So what did she whisper to you?"
Charlie blushed and said, "it's kind of silly actually."
"You can tell me," I grinned at him, he's so cute when he turns purple.
"She offered us a discount on our wedding cake."
"Oh." I changed the subject quickly, "if there's a market around here, we can pick up some supplies and I can make you breakfast tomorrow morning."
"You cook? Like a muggle?"
"Exactly like a muggle, I love to cook."
"Only cooking I know is heating soup tins, and using the microwave. Mum gave me a set of pots and some dishes when I moved into the apartment, but I don't think I've ever really used any of them."
"I wanted to do some cooking in the kitchen at Hogwarts but the house elves looked totally scandalized that I even suggested it. I'd love to cook for you."
We got back to the apartment. Charlie stashed the scones away, then we hopped onto the bike, and headed for Diagon Alley. It was only 11:00am when we arrived at the Leaky Cauldron. I suggested to Charlie that I'd like to visit the Magical Menagerie. I wanted to let Mrs Switch know how Pitch was doing at Hogwarts, and I wanted to pick up some more rat treats for him. Charlie also mentioned stopping at his brothers' shop. Apparently, Rose had been boasting that she'd gotten to meet the "famous" American teacher. Her cousins wanted to meet me as well, and Charlie explained that on a Saturday it was almost a guarantee that one or two of the Weasley children would be about.
Mrs Switch was delighted to see us, and quite pleased that he was doing so well. "Why didn't you bring him for a visit?" She asked as I paid her for the rat treats.
"He's spending the weekend with Professor Hagrid," I explained. "I didn't think he would really enjoy the ride on Charlie's motorcycle. I'll bring him in for a visit, I promise."
"Lovely Dear, I hope that Olivia's behaving herself."
"She's a delightful student," I assured her. "She's one of the brightest students in her year, if not the brightest, I have it on good authority that she excels at Herbology, Potions and Care of Magical Creatures."
"Wonderful, that's my girl! Thank you so much for visiting Miss Goode."
"Oi George!" Charlie shouted to his brother as we entered the shop.
"That you Charlie," We heard a voice come from behind a shelving unit.
"Yeah, it's me and a friend. Are any of the kids around?"
I was amazed at how empty the store was on a Saturday morning, George Weasley, who resembled Charlie to an almost frightening extent, but for the eye color, came to greet us with a bunch of small packages in his hand. "Just getting the owl orders ready, school's in session, you know." He noticed me, and said "you must be the american teacher Rosie and Ron mentioned. Ron's right, you are stacked." My jaw dropped at his candor.
"Excuse me?" I asked. Charlie just cuffed him on the back of the head.
"Don't be a git!" Charlie scolded his brother.
"Oh sorry, miss." George said, rubbing the back of his head and giving Charlie dirty looks. He dropped his packages on the counter next to us.
"It's Glinda," I said. I offered my hand.
He shook my hand and said, "George Weasley, at your service." I tried not to notice the horrible scaring where his ear used to be. "You were asking about the kids? They're all upstairs giving the missus a nervous breakdown." George walked over to the staircase and shouted, "Oi Urchins! Come down here you lot."
It sounded like we were going to be invaded from above by a herd of tiny elephants. Eight small figures came marching down the stairs. "OK troops," George said to them, sounding like a marine drill sergeant. "Uncle Charlie has brought a guest, make formation, and introduce yourselves."
The kids lined up from tallest to smallest, the tallest, a fairly solid looking boy with reddish black hair, hazel eyes, and cafe au lait skin stepped forward and introduced himself. "I'm Fred Weasley the second," he said, "age ten, son of George and Angelina, elder brother to Roxanne."
"Hello Fred," I said, shaking his hand.
Fred stepped back, and the second child, a girl with flaming red curls and bright blue eyes, came next. "I am Dominique Appoline Weasley, age nine second daughter of Bill and Fleur, younger sister to Victiore."
"You 're just as pretty as your sister," I said to her, as we shook hands.
"Thank you," she said as she grinned at me and stepped back.
"You're welcome."
The next child stepped forward and said, "I am Roxanne Weasley, age nine, daughter of George and Angelina, younger sister of Fred." Although, her eyes were bright blue, her coloring matched her brothers in every other aspect.
"Nice to meet you, Roxanne," I said as we shook hands.
She stepped back and the next child introduced himself, an auburn haired, browned eyed tyke
said, "I'm James Sirius Potter, age six, oldest son of Harry and Ginny, big brother to Al and Lily." I was quite surprised that when I offered my hand, he kissed it, instead of shaking. "Uncle Ron was right, you are stacked."
I was stunned into silence. Roxanne grabbed her cousin and clamped her hand over his mouth.
"Don't be a git, Jimmy," she said, as she pulled him back.
Rosie stepped forward next. "Hi Miss Glinda!" she said.
"Rosie, you're supposed to do it like Uncle Percy taught us."
"Shut up, Freddie, she already knows me," at Fred's glare she said, "Oh all right, I'm Rose Granger Weasley, daughter of Ronald and Hermione Granger Weasley, elder sister of Hugo Granger Weasley, that's him," She motioned to the second to last child in line. In stead of shaking my hand, she hugged me.
"I guess that'll work," I heard Freddie mutter.
I knew that the next child was Harry's even before he stepped forward. I was sure he must've been a clone. "I'm Albus Severus Potter, age five. Second son to Harry and Ginny, younger brother of
James, elder brother of Lily. Please, call me Al." He sounded quite shy.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Al." I said shaking his hand.
The next child who stepped forward was brown haired and browned eyed, a toddler with pure mischief in his eyes. "I'm Hugo, I'm three." He was already as tall as Al, had he been american, I'd have suggested basketball camp to his parents.
The last child on the line was absolutely tiny, with dark red hair and hazel eyes, and already wearing glasses. She said, "I'm Lily Luna Potter," in a high pitched voice. "I'm three like Hugo." She just gave me a bright smile and we shook hands.
"Percy got tired of the chaos when ever he tried to introduce them to his girlfriends," George explained. "So, he taught them the drill. They think it's a game." He just shrugged, and said to the kids. "All right troops, you're dismissed."
We went upstairs with the kids, and I got to meet George's 'Missus' Angelina. I knew right away how where Fred and Roxanne's exotic coloring came from. We spent some time with the kids till it was time for us to go to the book signing.
AN: I thought that it would be quite ironic for George to have a son who was a bit like Percy. Don't worry though, James has enough mischief in him to make up for it.