Chapter 11

Molly's POV

"Charlie dear could you come to the kitchen for a minute?" I called through the house.

He soon appeared in the doorway, I looked around before speaking.

"Your father told me what you were talking about earlier and I couldn't help but ask, are you going to propose to Liz?"

"Mum, I don't know yet. It's still early. When I propose I…"

He was cut off by Alexis walking into the room. "Sorry, wanted a drink. I guess I'll just be going. Congrats Charlie." She mumbled, not meeting our eyes as she left, without the drink she had come for.

"I want to make sure it's with the right girl for the right reasons." Charlie finished quietly, looking at the door Alexis had just left through.

"Charlie I'm so excited. I really do hope you do decide soon and let me organise the wedding." I gushed.

"Of course you can help mum." He said as he left through the door he had been staring at.

I had just turned back to continue preparing dinner when Alexis walked in.

"Hi Molly. I'm really sorry about the short notice, I just got an owl from dad, my mum isn't well and she wants me to go and see her. I've got to go home for a bit, I don't know how long for though." She said, looking me in the eye.

"Alright dear. You just let me know if your family need anything. I hope she feels better soon; I don't know how Ginny and Hermione will cope without you."

"Thanks Molly."

Alexis's POV

I had just managed to tell Molly that my mother was sick before I ran back to Ginny's room making it safely inside before the tears came. The two girls were soon at my side and I explained the conversation I had accidentally overhead.

"That's crazy! He can't do that! What about you? He's meant to get with you. Seriously, my brother is so dumb. I'll hex the crap out of him."

"No Ginny. It's alright, I'm happy for him."

"You don't look happy." Hermione pointed out.

"Happy for him, sad for me. I'm going home. I just told your mum that my mum is sick so I've just got to get some stuff before I can leave."

"You're leaving?"

"Ginny, I can't stay if he's going to propose. I've been alright up til now but I can't handle that. That's not something I can do." I said as I packed my bags, wiping the tears from my eyes. "Alright, I'll see you guys just before school goes back. Have fun!" I said with a false bright smile as I left the room, "Oh and tell the twins what really went on."

Hermione and Ginny nodded as I walked to the fireplace and flooed into my living room.

Needless to say, my parents were shocked to see me. I told the whole story to my mother who had known about my crush on the older Weasley for almost ever before I went up to my room and really let the tears flow.

Charlies POV

I couldn't believe that Alexis had walked in on that conversation and I felt horrible. Even though she didn't like me I still had to explain that I wasn't planning on doing that in the near future. I searched the house starting with Ginny's room then the twin's room. After finding nothing inside I went outside and searched the yard, again to no avail. I headed back in to the kitchen.

"Mum have you seen Alexis?" I asked.

"Yes not too long ago. She had to go home, her mother is ill. I think I heard her leave not two minutes ago. You just missed her. What did you want her for?"

"I just wanted to explain what she heard, just so she doesn't go planning a hen's night or something just yet, you know she's overly enthusiastic sometimes."

"She didn't seem too enthusiastic at all, I thought." Mum stated as she turned back to dinner

"You know what she's like, she'll jump at the chance to organise any party other than her own." I left mum in the kitchen and decided to owl Alexis.

My letter read

Hey Lex,

Sorry you walked in on that conversation between mum and I, just to clarify; I wasn't planning on popping the question to her anytime in the immediate future. I hope your mum gets better soon so you can stay for the rest of the holidays; you're the only one that really understands my love for the dragons.

Hope to see you soon.

Charlie.

I sent the letter with Harry's owl and hoped that she would reply.

Alexis's POV

Harry's owl floated in through my open bedroom. I took the letter from her leg and gave her some of Logan's owl treats before she flew off. I glanced at the envelope and was surprised to see Charlies scrawl. Curiosity got the better of me and I ripped open the envelope and quickly read the letter. I felt better that he wasn't planning on asking her soon but wondered why he was telling me this. He wanted me to come back. I had a short internal debate about writing back and grabbed some parchment and a quill and penned my reply.

Hey Charlie,

I have a habit of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, it's none of my business if you propose to Liz or not. Mum isn't doing too badly, she tends to overreact when she gets sick, she always thinks that she's dying and will never see me again. Might be back soon.

Love Lex.

I tied the letter to Logan's leg and sent him to the Burrow before heading downstairs to tell mum about the letter.

After a long discussion with mum I decided that I would go back to the Burrow in the morning, and tell them that mum was overreacting and had decided to let me enjoy the rest of my holidays.

Charlie's POV.

I watched Alexis's owl fly across the yard and into the kitchen. I hoped that she had replied to me but didn't race downstairs to see if I could be so lucky, it was probably for Hermione, Ginny or the twins.

"Charlie!" mum called, "You've got a letter."

I walked downstairs and took the letter off mum and was pleased to see Alexis's tiny writing on the outside. I retreated to my room and opened the letter. I read it through slowly and stopped at the last line. She had written 'Love' and the crossed it out, before signing her name. Maybe it was nothing but maybe it was. Could she really mean that or was I just jumping to conclusions. I put the letter on the desk in my room and sat on my bed thinking about the possible meanings of the letter.

After an hour my thoughts hadn't gotten me too far other than to the fact that I should stop kidding myself with Liz. I was trying to get my mind off my baby sibling's friend and it wasn't getting me anywhere. Liz was a nice girl and it wouldn't be fair for me to hurt her by continuing to lead her on like this. I decided that now was as good a time as any to talk to her and headed downstairs to the living room where she was curled on the couch reading a book.

"Charlie, I need to talk to you." She said as I approached, putting down her book.

"I wanted to say something too. You first."

"Charlie, I… I don't really think this is working out with us." She said, not meeting my eyes.

I breathed a sigh of relief, "That's exactly what I was going to say."

She smiled, looking relieved, "That makes me feel a whole lot better."

I laughed, "Well now what?"

"I'm going to go and pack my stuff and go. You on the other hand are going to go and talk to Alexis. Don't pretend that you don't know what I'm talking about. I can see it, everyone can. Go and tell her." She hugged me. "Good luck Charlie, I'll see you around."

"Bye Liz, thanks."

Liz left a short time later and I went to the kitchen.

"Charlie dear, what are you after?"

"Mum, I just broke up with Liz. Well, we broke up, it was kind of mutual."

She looked shocked, "But just before you were talking about proposing and everything! I thought that she was the one."
I shook my head, "It's not her mum."

"Is there someone else?"

"Kind of."

"Who?" She asked, intrigued.

"It doesn't matter, it would never work."

"Who is it Charlie? I promise that if you tell me I won't say anything to anyone."

"Alexis."