Chapter twelve

Harry had helped Charlie shower the following morning, then very gently and carefully applied his creams to all his wounds before helping Charlie put his bathrobe on then Harry put his work clothes and auror robes on and walked slowly down the stairs. Harry got Charlie comfortable on the settee, went into the office and grabbed a large book, quill and ink for Charlie. Harry just sat down when Mrs. Weasley arrived and insisted on making them both breakfast.

'I really don't want to leave you,' Harry picked up Charlie's hand and placed it against his cheek.

Charlie gazed at Harry, 'I know, I feel the same, but I'm fine here with mum and she can't come near us.'

'I know, but it's the fact your hurt, I have to protect you,' Harry sighed then put his head against Charlie's chest, 'This is so strong right now.'

'I know Harry, but just try and focus on work. You need to learn all this stuff to keep yourself safe.'

'Here you go,' Molly placed a tray over Charlie's lap, then handed Harry the other, 'Now eat. Did the healer say you needed anything?'

'Just my creams which Harry already did mum, it's fine, I had my potion when I first woke up,' Charlie started eating but noticed Harry picking at his food, 'Eat Harry, I'll be fine.'

Harry sighed, 'I know,' he said then started to eat, but he only got through half, then floated his tray to the kitchen, 'I better go,' Harry kissed Charlie then they just stared into each other's eyes.

'Go love,' Charlie gently caressed Harry's face then kissed him again.

'Okay,' Harry tried to smile, but couldn't, so he quickly kissed Charlie again then left the house.

Molly noticed Charlie sag the moment Harry was gone, 'Are you alright Charlie?'

'It's not this mum, it's the bond, when one of us is hurt we need to stay together, so right now the urge is at its strongest. I tried not to let Harry see how bad I was feeling because I knew he had to go. But I want to talk to you and hopefully that will keep my mind off this.'

'Okay, so what do you want?'

'Harry and I have decided to do the bonding ceremony; we both want it at the Burrow. It's my home and Harry always felt at home there and like he said, it made him feel normal when he was there.'

'That's wonderful, I might get your father to hide Ginny's wand until she can understand that nothing will change.'

'She could always buy another or take one of yours.'

'I'll talk it over with your father. So have you decided when you want the ceremony?'

'Harry said for me to discuss it with you, he's not worried when as long as it isn't too long away,' Charlie smiled.

'Alright, but it hasn't been that long since you both got together. Are you sure you're not rushing this Charlie?'

'It's not like a normal relationship mum. This Morphixen bonding is more than that and it's like we've been together our whole lives. We know each other in every way there is, we know how we feel and that we are meant to be together. So to us, it's like we've been together for years.'

'I suppose I can't really understand. So we need to start on arrangements, food, the guest list, who will perform the ceremony.'

'There are a few friends from Romania I want to invite so I'll need to work on letting them know to give them enough time to organise their plans. Right now it's cold, maybe once the weather turns, so let's say May?'

'Then make sure it's later in the month.'

'Why?'

'Charlie, the fight, Hogwarts, him, it was the second of May.'

'Oh right, I haven't thought of that. We definitely have to keep our ceremony away from that date. Okay, we'll work on the last Saturday of May, I'll see how Harry feels about that.'

'Okay, now I want to ask you something about what happened yesterday.'

'You can ask anything mum.'

'Was she deliberately trying to kill you?'

Charlie sighed, 'No, she was trying to make sure I was permanently damaged so Harry could never have sex with me again. She screamed that out after hitting my arse. She thought if we couldn't then Harry would go back to her because he could have sex with her. I didn't want to say anything but I don't want you to think that Ginny was trying to kill me.'

'At least she wasn't going as far as killing you, what she did was bad enough.'

'Yeah, it was. One thing that has got me concerned though. If we do this bonding at the Burrow, she might disrupt it in some way even if she can't curse us, there are other things she could do.'

'Let me talk it over with your father, there might be something we can do.'

'This is not a nice thing to say about someone in the family, but I don't want her there. After me, she might decide to attack Harry. Hermione is going to tell her about our bonding, that even if we can't have sex we still need to be with each other. But there's a chance that she still might try to hurt Harry.'

'She might, let me talk to her, I'll be going to see her tonight. Now no more about that, start working on your shop and a guest list. I can start working on the menu.'

'Mum, I know you love cooking and you're the best, but let's get it catered that way you can just be the mother of one of the grooms. You can fuss all you want over both of us, except in one way. I will not be getting my hair cut, so don't start on that. Harry likes my long hair, I like my long hair, so it stays, I'll just tidy it up and don't go making Bill cut he's, he likes he's hair as well.'

Molly sighs, 'Alright, but you mentioned this while you're injured because you knew I wouldn't say no to you, didn't you?'

'Yep, you've never been able to say no to us when we were sick or hurt. But I'm serious anyway, I love my hair, so does Harry, so it stays. Now if you go into Harry's office you can find some parchment and another quill, let's sit and do our list for the wedding.'

Molly smiled, kissed Charlie's cheek then went into Harry's office. She looked around and thought it was a very nice room. She spotted the wedding picture of James and Lily Potter which made her sad, Harry's life would have been so different if his parent's survived. She shook herself from those thoughts then she found what she needed before sitting back with her son ready to start on the lists for his bonding ceremony.

At the auror office, everyone noticed how distracted Harry was. He couldn't concentrate on spells or any of the work that involved being head of department. Everyone tried to keep Harry's mind on work and off Charlie, but nothing seemed to work. Finally Kingsley gathered a heap of reading material and handed it to Harry.

'Go home, you're no use for anything right now. Read all that while you've got time.'

Harry sagged, 'Thanks…Minister, it's the bond, I can't help it.'

'I know, I was hoping it had been long enough that you could stay away from Charlie, but you can't and it's only because he's hurt. So go, we'll see you in a week, but no longer.'

'It won't, thanks,' Harry hurried from the office and headed straight home. The moment he stepped into the house, he dropped all the material Kingsley had given him and ran to Charlie, kissing him passionately, they kept kissing until they needed to come up for air.

As soon as their lips parted, they smiled, 'Even though I love it, why are you home early?'

'I couldn't concentrate on anything, so Kingsley told me to go home. I tried, but nothing worked, all I kept seeing was you, blood and, oh god Charlie,' Harry put his head on Charlie's chest, 'We could have lost each other.'

'We could have, but we didn't. Now why don't you pick up what you dropped, then sit with me?'

'Okay,' Harry kissed Charlie again then faced his mother, 'Hi Mrs. Weasley.'

'Hello Harry, he's fine you know.'

'I know, it's the bond,' Harry floated all his reading material into his office then changed out of his robes before sitting beside Charlie, but could see two different lists, 'So you've been writing down everything you need for the shop?'

'Yes, it's going to need to be big,' Charlie picked up the other list, 'This about the bonding ceremony, see what you think so far. Mum and I have been working on this all morning.'

Harry started to read, 'So we'll get bonded in May. I'm glad it's at the end of the month.'

'Mum reminded me about the battle,' Charlie shrugged.

'We can't have our ceremony near that day. That's one day I want to forget. But all this looks good Charlie, there's a few more names I'll add though.'

'I knew you would. I know a lot of your friends but not all of them.'

'There's a few more, but I want people like McGonagall and Aberforth added as well, Hagrid naturally.'

'Even though I like Hagrid and always did, you know, we both have a thing for creatures. But why are you and Hagrid so close?'

'I'll go Charlie since Harry is here, do you need me to come back tomorrow?'

'No, Kingsley said I can take the week. But you can visit anytime, even if I can look after him now.'

'Alright, if you need anything just let me know,' Molly kissed Charlie then Harry on the cheek before leaving her son and the young man she has thought of a son since he became friends with Ron.