December 1999

It was supposed to have been a random lotto draw that picked which members of the team got invited to the Ministry Christmas Ball on behalf of the Auror office, but Harry didn't think it was much of a coincidence that the three lucky winners were also owners of a shiny Order of Merlin, First Class. He was horrified when he learned that he, Neville and Ron had been selected, but the reaction of the rest of the team – incessant mocking – reassured him that the function was more of a wooden spoon prize than the blue ribbon.

Still.

Ron had a date in Hermione, and Neville had Ginny, and he couldn't fall back on his old trick of inviting Luna to anything where he was required to bring a date because she was in the Congo searching for one nonexistent creature or other. He'd tried bringing a male date once, but that was a disaster from the get- go. He decided, in the end, to go it alone.

"Butterbeer," he said to the witch behind the bar, grateful that the speeches were over with and they still had dessert to come.

"Hey, Harry," came a voice from behind him, a voice that he'd recognise anywhere.

He managed to suppress the cry of surprise as he whirled around to the unintentionally erotic sight of Charlie in dress robes. He couldn't, however, suppress his smile.

"Hi. Drink?" he asked as casually as possible, given the current circumstances.

"Please."

When they were both armed with bottles, Harry turned back to his one time crush. "I don't know how to best say this, but-"

"Why the hell am I here?" Charlie supplied.

"Yeah, something like that," Harry laughed.

"I was invited by RCMC because of some training work I did with a group of dragons in Wales," he said, taking a long pull on the bottle.

"Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures?"

"Yeah."

"Hermione's department?"

"Yeah," Charlie said, suspicion colouring his words. "She told me not to bring a date…"

Harry laughed again, dropping his head to hide the pink of embarrassment in his cheeks. "I think we've been set up."

He looked across the wide, grand ballroom to where his nearest and dearest friends had all huddled around the seat he had vacated, watching the conversation at the bar with rapt attention. On being caught, Ron's ears burned red, Neville looked sheepish, Ginny laughed, and Hermione waved at them coquettishly.

"Do you want to get out of here?" Charlie asked, draining his bottle. "I know a great place in Kensington where we can get the most amazing chocolate cake…"

"Yeah," Harry agreed immediately. "Lets go."

Charlie offered him a hand and Harry immediately slipped his own into the dry heat, gripping tightly. They both laughed as they waved at the table across the room, then Harry felt the pull of Side- Along Apparition and the ballroom disappeared altogether.

They removed and shrunk their outer robes to reveal what could pass for a very strange suit in the Muggle cake shop, although the girl behind the counter still gave them a look as Charlie made their order.

"I've got it," Harry said, reaching in his pocket for the ten pound note he always kept in there for occasions such as these.

"Thanks," Charlie said as he took the cake and two bottles of coca cola across to a little booth in the corner. "I'm always scared I'll end up looking like my dad when I have to deal with Muggle money."

"You are starting to look like him," Harry said as he pocketed his change.

Charlie slapped his forehead dramatically. "Oh god." He shrugged it off good-naturedly. "How are you, anyway?"

"Busy," Harry answered truthfully. "Since we qualified we've barely had two consecutive days off. We've just been on one assignment after another."

"But you're enjoying it."

"Oh, yeah."

"Are you seeing anyone?" Charlie asked. He dug his fork into his cake and took a large bite, humming with pleasure when the chocolate hit his tongue. Harry followed suit and groaned unashamedly.

"That is good cake. And no. I'm not seeing anyone." He refused to ask the question back.

Charlie nudged his knee under the table playfully and moved on to the next subject.

He hadn't even realised how long they had been talking until the girl from behind the counter started stacking chairs on tables around them. Harry checked the watch on his wrist that had once belonged to Fabian Prewett, which showed that it was a few minutes before 10pm.

"We should go," he said, letting the tone of his voice tell how little he liked this idea.

Charlie nodded and stretched. "I'm sorry. Did you have plans for tonight?"

"Pub with Neville and Gin," Harry said, shrugging. "Back to the flat on my own."

"Where's Ron?"

"In Hermione somewhere."

"Oh, I could have done without that mental image," Charlie groaned.

"Do you… want to come with me?" Harry asked, not knowing if this was the right question.

Charlie nodded. "That would be good.

It was awkward, inviting Charlie into a place where he'd been plenty of times before, but not like this. As he'd expected, Ron and Hermione were out, most likely at her place but possibly at Neville and Ginny's.

"What the hell is that?" Charlie asked, pointing to a large, vaguely phallic shaped ornament in the corner of the living room.

Harry grinned. "Oh. It was a present from Fred and George. I think they thought it was a joke and we'd hate it but Ron said it was cool and put it pride of place."

"Does Ron know it looks like a cock?"

"I haven't ever asked him."

Charlie laughed as he turned and suddenly he was right there... Harry wanted to reach out and touch but he wasn't sure if he was allowed to quite yet.

"I waited," Harry said. "For a year."

"And?" Charlie asked.

"And you made me wait a year," Harry said, smirking. "Nothing changed, Charlie. I just want you a hell of a lot more."

"You waited," Charlie said.

Harry nodded.

"Without even knowing if I'd come back."

"I knew you'd come back." At Charlie's raised eyebrow, Harry continued. "I have a theory... that you want me just as much as I want you."

Charlie pressed his lips together but amusement shone in his eyes. "Maybe."

They closed the gap then, clinging to each other and finding a kiss that they shouldn't have had to wait for. Harry pulled them both over to the sofa and around their kisses, they started to slowly remove the formal dress robes they both still wore.

"Harry... I... there's something you should know," Charlie said. Harry frowned. "If this is going where I think it's going then... fuck. Have you been with anyone else? We should talk about this. You know... for protection."

Harry wet his lips with his tongue. "I haven't had sex with anyone. There might have been a few blowjobs."

"Okay. I'm clean. Tested, I mean."

"Okay."

"And... I don't know if this going to be a problem or not, really. I don't know what you want, but I don't really top all that much."

Harry's eyebrows raised in surprise, and in question. "Oh."

"I mean, I can, if that's what you want."

"Oh. I, um, I think that's okay."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, good," Charlie said, finishing the task of unbuttoning Harry's shirt and running his hands over the smooth chest. "Because I want this a lot."

Harry nodded. "Me too."

A/N: That was far too long for a flashback chapter. I better leave it there and finish this scene later... *smirk*