Hi guys! Here's the next installment of my new Harry Potter fic! I hope you love it!
Chapter Two
"Where are you going?" Oliver asked his sister, poking his head into the guest room she had been occupying since signing with England.
"Out. So you and Katie can be alone."
Katie had gotten her real date from Oliver, but it hadn't stopped there. They had seen each other more nights than not since Ron and Hermione's wedding.
"A lot of good that'll do me," he sighed.
"It's been a little over a week, Oliver," Adair laughed. She stood in front of the bureau mirror and put in a pair of understated diamond earrings.
"Well I'm used to easy Quidditch players or fans."
Adair arched an eyebrow at her brother.
"No offense, but you know it's true." He continued to study his sister. Adair had on dark jeans, a tight black sweater, and black flats. "Are you going out with Seamus wearing diamonds?"
In the past, he thought they never really went out in public and Adair would go to his flat in sweats.
"Mind your business, Oliver." Adair moved her hair behind her shoulders and then back in front of them.
"George told me you and Charlie-" he was cut off by knocking at the door.
Adair followed him and slipped out as Oliver ushered Katie into the flat, preventing questions from either of them.
When hammering out the details of getting together, Adair had requested they go to a Muggle bar. Since the announcement that she had signed to play with England, the media attention had been more ferocious than normal .
She had no desire for a news story to be made of her and Charlie's "date."
Apparating from one alley to another across the city, Adair found the hole in the wall bar they had decided on.
In the dim lighting, she saw Charlie sitting in a back booth.
"We could have gone somewhere nicer," he said when she sat down across from him.
"I love these types of places," she replied.
Charlie had a Muggle beer in front of him. Adair ordered a whiskey.
They sat in silence for a minute, not sure what to say or even what they were doing their together.
"Did you tell Oliver where you were going?" Charlie asked as Adair's whiskey was set in front of her.
"I did not," she replied, taking a sip of her drink. It didn't have quite the same burn she was used to. "Your brother George can't keep his mouth shut apparently."
Charlie sighed. "He told Oliver?"
"Seemed like it, but I didn't stick around for the entire conversation."
"I could kill him. He's driven me nuts his entire life."
Adair laughed. "I can't imagine growing up with any of your siblings."
"That's why I moved to Romania." Charlie grinned.
"You had the right idea," Adair said. "I'm currently living and working with my brother."
"Big mistake," Charlie agreed. "But you didn't come from a family of seven."
"Thank goodness."
Charlie nodded. "It was chaotic, but I don't think I'd change it."
"What was it like?" Adair asked.
He shook his head. "Hard to describe. Bill and I were..are pretty close because we're so close in age. Percy is Percy, but I tried to be a buffer between him and the twins. They were terrors. Especially to Percy and Ron. I tried to keep the twins in line while we were at Hogwarts, but that was nearly impossible." He took a drink of his beer.
"They were always good to me on the pitch," Adair said. "Very protective. Especially after Oliver left."
"They weren't the worst people," Charlie said. "Ron and Ginny and I didn't spend any time together at Hogwarts and they were two and three when I went to school. Ginny and I are close now. Ron has always been distant. I think he thought he had certain shoes to fill and that got in the way of him being friends with the rest of us. It's getting better now that he's older. He did his own thing, he's an Auror. None of us have done that."
"Your parents are saints," Adair said. Being as close as she was to Ginny she had met Mr. and Mrs. Weasley on multiple occasions and they were were always warm and friendly to her.
Charlie smiled, thinking of his parents. "They are the best parents and grandparents. I can't think of anyone else who could've handled all of us and maintained their sanity."
Adair smiled and took a sip of her whiskey.
"What about your parents?" Charlie asked. "What are they like?"
Adair took a long drink of her whiskey before responding.
"Both ex-Quidditch players," she finally said. "They were really busy when I was young."
"I can imagine. Seems like a fairly demanding career. They must be proud of you though."
She nodded. "Now that I signed with England. Germany wasn't grand enough and Texas certainly wasn't."
Charlie seemed to sense that she wanted to say very little about her parents and so he homed in on something else. "Texas?"
Adair nodded with a light laugh. "Before I signed with Germany, I played in the American league for three seasons for the Sweetwater All-Stars."
"You've been all over," Charlie said.
Adair shrugged. "It was a very fun learning experience down there," she said. "They do almost everything differently," she started to smile. "But in that league, it wasn't so serious and so we didn't have to be. There weren't photographers and reporters."
She polished off her drink and they lapsed into silence. After a while she looked at him. "You can tell your sister you took me out," she said gathering her bag to leave.
"Adair…"he began.
"Look Charlie, not every drunken fling leads to something. You know that and I know that.I think it's just your sister that doesn't know that. Frankly, it's weird that we even went out."
Charlie gave her a small smile and a nod. "Have a good night, Adair."
She stood and left with a small wave.
Charlie sat and stared after her as she left the bar. He was struggling to sort through his feelings after the date.
He had wanted to take her out after their encounter at Ron and Hermione's wedding even if Ginny hadn't insisted on it. After the hour or so he had spent with Adair though, he wasn't sure what he had learned about her.
The woman had given absolutely nothing away about her personal life and he felt as though that had been calculated and intentional.
He sat there, growing frustrated with himself and Adair. He had been excited to meet up with her and get to know her, but apparently the sentiment had not been mutual. He would be sure to tell his little sister all about the horrible date she had insisted upon.
ooooOoooo
Adair knocked on the very familiar door on the other side of London.
Dean opened the door. "Hey Adair," he said. He turned around and went back to whatever he'd been doing. "Seamus!" he yelled. "Adair is here!"
A minute later, Seamus appeared at the door in jeans and a rumpled Ireland jumper.
"Rubbish team," Adair said.
"That's rich," he replied with a grin. "I'm sure they'll beat the piss out of England. I heard they just signed an awful Chaser." He ushered her in. "Can I get you anything?" he asked, closing the door behind her.
"No," she said quickly.
Talking to Charlie about playing for England had rattled her nerves and Seamus wasn't helping. The anxiety of starting for a new, very good team settled over her. Expectations were high for her to perform well. The managers wanted to sell more tickets, Oliver wanted them to be some sort of dynamic duo, and her parents…
Even mentioning them to Charlie had really rattled Adair.
Seamus paused and looked at her for a second before he took her hand and led her to his bedroom. She never gave him any real warning when she was going to appear and so she was used to seeing his room a mess and he wasn't embarrassed.
Nearly before he had shut the door and put a silencing charm on it, Adair was upon him, kissing roughly and pulling the jumper over his head. She undid the button and zipper of his jeans and shoved them to his ankles.
ooooOoooo
Less than an hour later, they were sweat soaked and breathing heavily.
Seamus was ready for it when Adair stood not a minute after they were finished. Not once had she ever lingered.
He watched as she pulled her jeans back over her long, lean legs and pulled her hair out of her sweater.
The roles were reversed with them it seemed. Sometimes Seamus wished she'd stay in his bed, just for a little bit.
"See you later," she said, waving over her shoulder.
He heard her yell goodbye to Dean and she was gone.
ooooOoooo
Katie and Oliver were on the couch, radio on with a bottle of wine when Adair returned to her brother's flat.
Both of them turned to look at her.
"Where are you back from?" Oliver asked, noticing her rumpled appearance.
"Don't worry about it," she replied, going into the kitchen for a bottle of Firewhiskey and a tumbler.
"That's not free, you know," Oliver said as Adair passed back through the living room.
"Oh I think you can afford it," she replied, disappearing into the spare room she was staying in.
Adair stripped out of her clothes once more and took the Firewhiskey into the bathroom, drawing a scalding hot bath.
She swallowed the first tumbler in one go after she settled herself in the tub, trying to numb her mind as quickly as possible.
ooooOoooo
Three days later, Adair and Oliver walked onto the English practice pitch together for the first time.
Coach Williams was a huge man who had once been a Beater for Scotland. It wasn't often that a Beater became a coach, but Oliver assured his sister that Coach Williams knew everything there was to know about the sport. If she was going to trust anyone on that assessment it would be Oliver, who thought he knew the most about Quidditch out of anyone who had ever lived.
Adair was introduced to her fellow Chasers Sienna and Jasmine, as well as the Beaters Ethan and Leo, and the Seeker Logan.
They didn't have much time to get acquainted before they were taken into the weight room for the beginning of the practice.
Oliver and Adair paired up and she was put through the most brutal workout she had ever gone through in her life. She squatted such heavy weight that her legs shook and the bar once came crashing down on her chest while she was chest pressing because Oliver wasn't paying attention when he was supposed to be spotting her.
"Wood!" Leo the Beater exclaimed. He hustled over and lifted the bar as though it were nothing.
Oliver was laughing at his sister's pain.
"Are you alright?" the huge man asked.
Adair nodded, pressing a hand to her chest where the bar had collided with bone.
"I guess I'll have to come up with a better name for your brother than Wood, seeing as that's your name too," he said with a laugh.
"Adair will work and I'll try not to answer to Wood," she returned with a smile. Her legs were still shaking as they walked out to the practice pitch where they commenced running drills.
She had tried to stay in shape in the off season, but it was quickly apparent that the practices in England were going to be nothing like those she had gone through in Germany or Texas.
"This is why is England is so good," Oliver said over his shoulder, passing her as they did a lap around the entire pitch.
After that they did wind sprints across the width of the pitch. Besides the Beaters, Adair came in last every time.
She very nearly collapsed after the last one, hands on her knees, chest heaving.
"On your brooms!" Coach Williams thundered.
Adair could barely kick off the ground, the physical part of practice had been so grueling.
The Chasers ran practice drills with the Quaffle, passing it back and forth, tossing it through the goalposts.
Practice on their brooms lasted for two hours. Adair landed sweat soaked and weak. Oliver came up laughing at her as he slung an arm around her waist.
"You'll be alright, little sister," he said. The other teammates clapped her on the shoulders as they passed by.
She really wasn't sure if she'd be able to get through the shower and back to Oliver's flat.
"You'll get the hang of it," Coach Williams assured her as she passed by him. "Give it a couple of weeks and you'll be able to keep up and those workouts will be nothing."
"I hope so," she said with a sigh.
Sienna and Jasmine pulled into the women's locker room. It was all wood panelled. They had huge cubbies for their clothes, that housed their uniforms and brooms and other equipment when they weren't playing. The showers were tiled and luxurious.
Adair could barely move her arms to wash the sweat from her body. When she was done she pulled her long, wet hair into a heavy bun on top of her head and pulled her sweats back on.
Oliver was waiting for her outside the pitch. "I'll make dinner tonight," he offered, still grinning at her pitiful condition.
"I'm too exhausted to eat," she replied.
ooooOoooo
A week and a half later she did feel better. She was keeping up and learning the flow and rhythm of the team that had existed long before she had been signed. Her teammates had been more than welcoming.
She had found a great flat. It was huge and modern and sleek, mostly black and white. The only problem was that it wasn't far enough away from her brother. It was right around the corner from his building. She hoped Katie could keep him distracted most of the time. She hadn't lived in the same country as her brother since her last year at Hogwarts and it was proving difficult to see him every day. He was completely obsessed with Quidditch as was the whole team, Adair included, but Oliver was aggressive and he felt he could be particularly so with his sister because they were related and she was new.
It was a Sunday afternoon and Adair was putting things away in her new flat. She was guiding things onto shelves and into drawers with her wand, a glass of red wine in her hand. It felt so good to be out of Oliver's flat and into her very own space again. She had forgotten how much she enjoyed living alone and not having anyone else to answer to.
As she finished organizing her closet she heard a voice in the living room.
"Adair?"
It was Harry. She went flying out to see his stag Patronus in the middle of her living room.
"Ginny had the baby. St. Mungo's room 619." And with that he was gone.
Adair quickly finished the glass of wine and pulled on her ball cap and sunglasses before rushing out the front door. When she got to a nearby alley, she apparated into the lobby of St. Mungo's, heading for the elevator.
When she got to the sixth floor, she looked around wildly and then hurried to room 619. She skidded around the door frame and into the room.
Harry was lying on the bed next to his wife, who looked exhausted, but happy. Adair looked around the room to find that Charlie was the only other one there, holding the baby, staring down at the bundle in his arms.
Ginny was laughing when Adair turned back to her.
"What's funny?" Adair asked, before she could even get out a congratulations or ask about the baby.
"You two would be the first ones here," she laughed.
"Excuse me?" Charlie asked. "Mum and dad have already been here."
"Besides them. Of course we called them first. You're alone. Both of you. Even George has to get Angelina and everyone else has a family to organize."
Adair met Charlie's eyes, before turning back to the new parents.
"I'm going to pretend you didn't say that," she said, walking toward them. She hugged Harry first and then Ginny. "You look great, Gin," she said genuinely.
"I feel bloody awful," she sighed.
Harry grinned. "But was it worth it?"
"Yet to be determined," she replied with a grin. "Only joking. Of course it was. He's perfect."
Adair moved toward Charlie and moved the blankets so she could peer down into the bundle. The tiny, wrinkled, babe was sleeping soundly in his uncle's arms.
"James Sirius Potter," Charlie said quietly.
Adair couldn't help but smile.
"Do you want to hold him?"
She looked up at him uncertainly and gave a small shake of her head.
"Have you ever held a baby, Adair?" Ginny asked.
She shook her head again, but her attention was diverted as Charlie was already handing her the bundle even though she had said no.
"Relax," he said in his low voice, with a chuckle.
"Charlie is an expert by now," Ginny said.
Adair looked up at him, terrified. She felt his huge hands on her elbows, adjusting them under the infant.
"There you go," he said, still looking down at her. "A natural."
"Well that is quite the scene," Ginny said with her conspiratorial grin. "The baby looks good on you both."
"Ginny," Charlie said, turning to his sister. "I know you just had a baby and all, but if you don't shut the bloody hell up-"
He was cut off by Bill and his family entering the room, Victoire boisterously trying to see the baby.
"Adair!" Victoire exclaimed, seeing her friend from the wedding reception.
Adair crouched as best she could, balancing herself and the baby so that Victoire could see her new cousin.
"Why are you threatening our sister?" Bill asked, clapping his brother on the shoulder before he kissed Ginny's cheek and shook Harry's hand.
"No reason," Charlie said, shooting a glare over Adair at his sister.
Shortly after Bill and his family arrived, George and Angelina joined the group and the room started to get crowded.
Adair went back over to the new parents and congratulated them once more. "I'll let you have some family time."
"You are my family," Ginny said, tearing up.
"Ginny! What in the world?"
"I'm just emotional," she said, frustrated.
Adair laughed and kissed her forehead. "He's gorgeous. I'll see you all soon."
She squeezed through everyone and got a breath of cool air outside of the crowded room.
She headed back down the hallway toward the elevator, ready to pour another glass of wine and get back to unpacking.
"Adair!"
She turned and Charlie was following her, hustling after her.
"Did I forget something?" She touched the hat on her head and the sunglasses she had looped on the collar of her shirt.
"No...I...I uh...was wondering if you wanted to grab a drink."
Adair looked at him, puzzled. "A drink?"
"A Butterbeer? A Firewhiskey? A glass of wine? Whatever you like. My treat," he said, with a smile.
"I'm in the middle of unpacking," she said.
"Congratulations on getting your own place. I want to hear about it. Let me buy you a drink." He was not going to let her say no. He was frustrated with how things had ended with their last 'date.' He wanted to try again.
"Charlie," she began. "Your sister and her husband are like wizarding world royalty. Did you see the media outside of this place? Rita Skeeter is here."
"And?"
"And when I walk out of here, they'll take pictures of me too. Especially with the England announcement so fresh. If you walk out with me or meet me somewhere, they'll take pictures of you and you'll be my squeeze of the week." She sighed. "I learned all that the hard way."
"I don't care what some stupid gossip column says." He took her by the arm and started dragging her down the hallway.
"Seriously Charlie!" she exclaimed.
"Adair. I don't give a damn."
Before she knew it they were in the lobby and heading out in the throng of reporters who had originally been there to report on the birth of the Golden Boy's first baby.
Cameras flashed at them.
"Adair! Adair! How's practice going?"
"Adair! Are you and your brother going to take England to the World Cup?"
"Who's the new guy?"
"He's not a Quidditch player!"
"It's Charlie Weasley! The dragon wrangler."
Adair recognized the voice immediately. She turned and locked eyes on Rita Skeeter. She hated that woman more than anything. She had been in her column more than once and it was never flattering.
Adair ducked her head and dropped a shoulder, pushing through the crowd. A few trailed them down the street, but they ducked into the Leaky Cauldron and found a table as far away from the door as they could.
"Does that happen all the time?" Charlie asked, breathing heavily.
"That was more intense than usual due to your sister and her husband," Adair said, removing her sunglasses and swiping a hand over her face.
"Two Firewhiskies," Charlie said when the waitress came over.
A minute later they were in front of them and Adair downed hers in one gulp.
ooooOoooo
Charlie went back to Romania a few days later. One day when he made it back to his small flat after a long day with a Peruvian Vipertooth, there was a letter from Bill waiting for him.
He opened it and a newspaper clipping fell out. The letter read:
"What the bloody hell is this about? Mum is having a fit. Good luck."
Charlie picked up the clipping and laughed out loud. In the moving picture, he and Adair were ducking through the door of the Leaky Cauldron. He hadn't realized it in the moment, but he had been trying to shield her from the flash of the cameras with his large body and they had been holding hands. The headline said:
"QUIDDITCH PRINCESS AND DRAGON WRANGLER CAUGHT ON DATE"
There you have it! I'd love to know what you're thinking so far! I'm open to praise, constructive criticism, ideas! Anything but hate comments and flames!
Happy reading,
Avonmora