I can't believe we're at 20 chapters for this story! A huge thank you to all of you who have stuck with me and sent their ideas and feedback! It is more appreciated than you'll ever know! Keep it up for Chapter Twenty! Enjoy!
Chapter Twenty
As the weather warmed up, Adair found herself in a giddy state. After the trip to Paris, she had allowed Charlie to spend more time with her and travel with her when he could. It was very much unlike the first time they had gotten together. This time, they went on dates and Charlie came to her apartment nearly every night. It wasn't as complicated as when he had been in Romania.
Adair had to admit that she was really enjoying it. A part of her hoped that he would never return to the sanctuary, but she knew she couldn't say that to him.
Their careers were different than almost everyone they knew, almost more personal in a certain way and she never wanted to be the person to tell him what to do. After all the work she had done on herself, she knew what kind of partner she wanted to be and so she quietly enjoyed the time they had together, not knowing how long it would last.
ooooOoooo
The sun was coming through Adair's bedroom window, landing right on Charlie's face. He blinked awake and then rolled away from the light, facing Adair's back.
He could've slept for half a day longer. They hadn't gotten back from her match in Johannesburg until nearly three in the morning and he was exhausted.
Not so exhausted, it turned out, that he wasn't interested in Adair as he caught a whiff of her scent. She had been too tired to take a shower and had fallen into bed a sweaty mess, which she rarely did. Charlie always loved how she smelled after a match or practice and he found himself scooting closer to her and wrapping his arms around her.
Adair's eyes shot open as his thumb brushed over her nipple. She allowed herself to be pulled tight against his chest.
Charlie carefully moved her hair so that he could kiss and lick her neck, enjoying the taste of salt on his tongue.
Adair found her back involuntarily arching, pressing her backside against his groin, causing him to moan in her ear, which in turn caused her to press harder.
His hands traveled from her breasts down across her flat stomach, until they were moving lower and lower.
"We're going to be late," Adair murmured.
"Late for what?" Charlie said, against her neck.
"Victoire's birthday party," she responded, turning in his arms to look at him. It was May 2nd. A very important day for many reasons, but the Weasleys always tried to have Victoire's party on her actual birthday so that there was something to celebrate.
"We're not going," Charlie said quickly. "How do you even know about the party?" Bill had owled him at the school to invite them, but he had sent their regrets and kept it to himself.
"Ginny told me when we had lunch a week or so ago. What do you mean we're not going?" Adair's brow furrowed as she looked into his brown eyes.
"I told my mum we're not going to be around her until she starts acting better," he said, sitting up and propping himself against the pillows.
"What?" Adair shook her head.
"She can't keep treating you like that and I don't know what it's going to take to get her to understand that. What she did after the Quidditch match was unacceptable."
Adair was quiet for a moment. "That isn't Victoire's problem." She sat up as well. "The party is at Bill and Fleur's, not the Burrow. It's not her place to make a scene."
"You think the location matters? In March, she did it in a public place; a restaurant for fuck's sake!"
Adair took a deep breath. "Charlie, I appreciate what you're trying to do here. Not many people in my life have wanted to protect me for unselfish reasons, but you have to put this aside at least for today. Victoire shouldn't be without her favorite uncle on her birthday because of some petty adult drama that she doesn't understand."
"But how will she ever know I'm serious if I give in on this?" Charlie demanded.
"I don't know, Charlie. I really don't. What I do know is that I'm going to pretend like this isn't happening and go to your niece's birthday party. You can join me or not," Adair threw the covers back and stood up. She headed for the bathroom and then turned back around.
"This is new to you, isn't it?"
"What is?" he asked.
"Having real conflict with your family."
Charlie thought for a moment. "I suppose it is."
Adair nodded and disappeared into the bathroom. When Charlie heard the water turn on, he slammed his fist on the mattress and let out a growl, before throwing the covers off of him as well and following Adair.
ooooOoooo
Just over an hour later, Charlie and Adair arrived with a POP! on the beach near Shell Cottage. In the early spring so close to the shore, it wasn't as warm as it had been in the city. Adair pulled the thick, cable knit cardigan she wore tighter around her and looked over at Charlie, whose fiery hair was being blown out of it's bun. His face was grim at the prospect of facing his mother.
They entered the cottage to see that it had been magically expanded to fit the whole family. A fire was going and the place felt positively cozy.
"Charlie!" Bill exclaimed, when he saw his brother. "I thought you were still out of town for a match!" The two men hugged tightly.
Adair smiled at Bill. "Can't read a calendar, this one," she said quickly, when Charlie just stood there trying to figure out what to say.
"We are so glad you are 'ere," Fleur said happily, joining her husband, Dominique propped on her hip. "Victoire was devastated when we told 'er you would not be able to come. She will be delighted to see you!"
"Adair!"
The little girl had already spotted Charlie and Adair and bolted over to them, knocking into people as she went. A pregnant and disgruntled Hermione rolled her eyes at the blonde streak.
"Why do I bother?" Charlie mumbled.
Adair hugged the birthday girl tightly. "Happy birthday!"
Victoire quickly took the wrapped present out of Adair's hands and took it to the pile on the dining room table.
"Mum and Dad wouldn't let me stay up for the whole match last night!" she said indignantly, glaring at her parents behind her. "But I heard you won! Aren't you so close to going to the World Cup again?"
Adair laughed. "Trust me, I wish I hadn't been up so late!" She gave a shrug in regards to the World Cup question. "That's what they're saying. We'll see, I guess."
"I know you can do it! And this time you'll win!"
"Do I even get a hello these days?" Charlie asked, trying to draw the conversation away from Adair's last appearance at the World Cup.
"You're boring," Victoire said bluntly before flouncing away to join the other kids.
Charlie stood there in shock as those around the pair tried to hide their laughter.
"Tough break," George said. "But she said what we were all thinking."
Angelina elbowed him in the ribs, but she laughed nonetheless.
"I don't think you're boring," Adair offered with a grin.
"Don't. It's condescending coming from you," Charlie replied, going to look over the food table that was laden with brunch platters.
"I never understood why the kids liked him so much," George said with a laugh. "I think it was the dragons, but Victoire is right. Not nearly as cool as Quidditch."
"You're terrible, "Adair said with another laugh, going to follow Charlie.
When she joined him at the food table, she wrapped an arm around his waist.
"I can't stomach much more of this humiliation," he grumbled, but she could see the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Hungry?" he asked, holding his plate out to her.
Adair shook her head and detached herself.
"The birthday girl is demanding to open presents!" Bill called across the room.
Everyone mosied over and stood around Victoire as she settled on the floor near the pile of gifts that Bill had levitated over.
Victoire unwrapped books, toys, and clothes but Adair noticed that she saved her and Charlie's gift for last.
The little girl pulled out an exactly replicated set of Adair's English Quidditch robes. She gasped in delight and turned the red robe around so she could see the entire thing.
To Adair's dismay, Victoire frowned at her. "It doesn't have your name on the back."
"I didn't want to assume I was your favorite player. I just thought you could wear them to another match sometime."
With a sigh, Charlie pulled his wand from his back pocket and with a flick "A. Wood" was splashed across the back of the robe in ocher letters, just like Adair's.
Victoire squealed. "Thanks Adair!"
"Am I invisible?" Charlie asked.
After cake and ice cream, the adults meandered into the enlarged kitchen, leaving the kids to fight over who was playing which Quidditch position in their imaginary game.
"Obviously, I'm the Chaser!" Victoire exclaimed to the amused laughter of the adults.
Everyone chatted amongst themselves, eating and drinking.
Adair found herself in a conversation with a very heavily pregnant Ginny and Angelina, talking about the Quidditch season.
Once Adair glanced up and caught Mrs. Weasley, who was talking to Harry, Ron, and Hermione, looking right at her. Adair quickly looked away.
After a while, George cleared his throat and Angelina went over to him. "We have some pretty exciting news to share." He said with a wide grin.
Adair felt someone tug on her belt loop and she was wrapped in Charlie's arms with his stubbled chin resting on the top of her head.
"We didn't want to take away from Victoire's day," he said, glancing into the living room to make sure none of the children were paying attention. "But it felt like a fitting day to share good news as it's often been an emotional day for me." George took a moment to regain his composure after his voice hitched.
Everyone seemed to take a moment to think about the one missing Weasley.
"Well anyways we wanted to share this in honor of Fred's memory," George said. "We're having a baby!"
They all cheered and clapped and hugged the couple.
"It's early though!" Angelina said. "Very early."
"You would've missed this if you'd had your way," Adair said to Charlie amidst the chaos.
"I"m glad I didn't," he said, stamping a kiss to her forehead before going to shake his brother's hand and hug Angelina.
They stayed and celebrated for a couple more hours before Charlie caught Adair yawning in a corner.
"Let's go," he said, quietly. "I need a nap after yesterday and I'd like to continue where we left off this morning once we're rested."
As far as Adair knew, Charlie hadn't spoken at all to his mother.
"Okay."
They bid their farewells to everyone and Adair practically had to peel Victoire, in her new robes, from her side.
"When can I come to another match?"
"Ask your Uncle Charlie," Adair responded. "He'll take you if your parents can't."
"Uncle Charlie!"
"Oh now you want to talk to me. I see how it is," Charlie replied.
Victoire gave him an impatient huff.
"How about in two weeks? I'll arrange it with your mum and dad."
Victoire quickly hugged her uncle and then bounded away.
"I should've turned her down," Charlie said, holding the door open for Adair. Once more they were clutching their sweaters about them as they walked down the beach and outside of Shell Cottage's protective enchantments so they could Apparate back to the flat.
"Adair!"
They both turned to see Mrs. Weasley hurrying down the path towards them.
"Wait a moment, dear!" she called.
Adair paused, but Charlie kept walking.
When the older woman reached Adair, she was huffing and puffing and her skirts were blowing around her legs wildly. She used one hand to hold them in place and the other was on her chest as she tried to catch her breath.
"I'm nowhere near as in shape as you are," she chuckled.
Adair waited to see if it was some sort of barb or underhanded joke.
"I owe you an apology," Mrs. Weasley said, when she had regained her composure. "I'm to blame for this mess between you and I and Charlie. I've been entirely too hard on you from the beginning."
Adair didn't say anything.
"I've been thinking a lot about what Charlie said in March. He owes you his life, which means I owe you a great deal more than that." She took a deep breath. "It's incredibly hard to realize that you can't do all your children need you to do. I'm not sure what would have happened if you hadn't stepped in after his accident at the sanctuary."
"I wanted to," Adair said quietly. "Because I love him."
"I know that, dear. I think I struggle with him more than the others because for the longest time I thought he'd be the only one who would remain mine for his entire life. That was silly to think because he is smart, kind, and handsome and anyone would be lucky to have him. And then he came across you and, despite the things I said in the beginning, he would be the luckiest to have you as a partner."
Adair tried not to let tears well in her eyes. "Thank you," she said.
"And I know things aren't easy with your parents and I am extremely sorry that I brought that up in front of everyone else that day. I could not be more ashamed that I did that to you when you had done such nice things for our entire family. From now on, I want you to feel at home in our family. I don't think Charlie is going to give you up twice and my family adores you from Ginny all the way to Victoire. We would be lucky to count you among us."
She couldn't keep it together anymore. A tear rolled down her cheek as the wind whipped her blonde hair around her.
"Can I give you a hug?" Mrs. Weasley held her arms open and Adair stepped into her embrace.
Adair would be wary for a while, but it was the warmest, softest, most motherly sign of affection anyone had shown her in her entire life.
They stayed like that for a moment and then Mrs. Weasley held Adair at arm's length. "You're going to have to come over for dinner more often. You're skin and bones."
Adair nodded.
"Now, hurry along, dear. Charlie is waiting for you."
They exchanged one more smile and then Adair jogged up the path to meet Charlie.
ooooOoooo
The school term ended and Charlie moved into Adair's flat for the summer. After only a month, she knew she would ask him to stay when school started again in the autumn. She had grown quickly used to him being there every day and again, hated to admit it.
One afternoon, Adair came back from practice and Charlie popped up from the sofa where he had been reading one of his very beat up books on dragons.
"Hey!" He exclaimed. "Are you hungry? I can whip something up for dinner."
Adair shook her head. "I actually just need to grab my sunglasses. I'm going for a run."
"A run?" Charlie raised an eyebrow. "You've been at the pitch for three hours and you didn't eat anything before you left."
"We didn't do any cardio," Adair insisted.
Charlie tried to bite his tongue, but he couldn't. "You're eating when you get back."
Adair sighed. "We are so close to going back to the World Cup. I don't need this right now."
Charlie remembered what Oliver had told him before their first World Cup appearance.
"I'll make something healthy," he said. He saw her sunglasses on the end table and picked them up and handed them to her. "Do you want me to go with you?"
"On a run?"
"Don't be so incredulous. I used to be in very good shape."
"I don't think you've gotten any exercise since you left the sanctuary."
"I could still go for a jog."
Adair shrugged. "Suit yourself."
Charlie hurried into the bedroom to change into shorts and his trainers. It was pretty warm so he left without a shirt, letting his tattoos and scars be exposed.
They left the flat complex and Adair took off immediately. What Charlie thought was going to be a light jog turned out to be an all out run. He had no idea how Adair could be so much faster than him when his legs were so much longer.
At the end of five kilometers he had to stop. He bent over, hands on his knees, chest heaving. Adair continued on.
"I'll see you back at the flat," she called over her shoulder.
"Bloody hell," Charlie muttered when he could speak again. A little bit embarrassed, he turned around and found a dark alley where he could Apparate back.
When Adair returned, sweat dripping off her body, Charlie had already showered and was in the kitchen.
"I'm really more of a weights guy," Charlie said, keeping his back to her as he prepared their dinner.
"I understand," Adair said with a smirk. "In that case, you can come with me to the gym in the off season."
"Go take a shower. This is almost ready," Charlie replied.
He clenched his jaw as he listened to Adair laugh her way down the corridor to the master bathroom.
He was setting two large bowls on the dining room table when she emerged in clean shorts, a tank top, and her wet hair piled on her head.
Adair surveyed her bowl.
"It's just lean protein and leafy greens," Charlie said of the chicken and kale salad, taking a seat.
"I see." Adair walked over to the bar cart and poured herself a liberal glass of Firewhiskey. Charlie raised an eyebrow.
"Do you have a comment about this too?"
"Not that you want to hear, I don't imagine," he replied.
Adair looked at him evenly over the rim of the tumbler as she finished half of her drink in one go.
ooooOoooo
A week later, Charlie and Adair were in a hotel in Reykjavik. They had gotten in earlier that evening after Adair had played in Dubai. The team was playing in Iceland the following morning.
Charlie came into their hotel room as Adair was stepping out of the shower and getting ready for bed.
"There was a message for us at the front desk," he said. "Ginny had the baby."
"We'll have to go when the match is over tomorrow. Can you tell them that?"
Charlie nodded. He watched as she combed her long hair and then rubbed her moisturizer on her face.
"Is it hard for you? All of them having babies?" Charlie said before he could think about it.
Adair immediately sought his eyes in the mirror.
"Don't..I...I'm sorry," he said just as quickly.
"Why would you ask me that?" She turned around, tightening the towel around her chest. "It's been almost two years. Does it bother you?"
"I don't know," he replied. "Let's not talk about it."
Adair nodded and turned back to the mirror. A lot had happened in two years. They had changed. Their relationship had changed. And she wasn't sure how she felt about watching so many people settle down and have babies.
ooooOoooo
After the match was over in Iceland, Adair and Charlie went back to the flat and got cleaned up. It was late afternoon and while Adair wanted nothing more than to relax, she knew she had to get to Ginny.
She took a quick shower and then joined Charlie where he was waiting in the living room.
"About yesterday," he said, grabbing her arm as she headed for the door. "I didn't mean anything by that question. I don't want anything."
"Okay," Adair said.
Charlie took her face in his hands. "I love you so much," he said quietly. There was a fierceness in his eyes as he looked down at her. "And this has been the best summer of my life."
She decided not to pursue the conversation any further. "Mine too," she responded.
Charlie kissed her soundly on the mouth and then they went to St. Mungo's. Luckily, they made it in through the storefront without being spotted. They hurried to the maternity ward and were directed to Harry and Ginny's room.
"You made it!" Ginny exclaimed.
"I'm sorry we couldn't be here sooner," Adair said, sitting carefully on the edge of the bed and hugging her best friend.
"You won though," Ginny said with a smile.
Harry moved to pick up the bundle from the bassinet next to the bed, handing it to Charlie. "Another boy," he said. "Albus."
Adair stood and went behind the chair Charlie sat in; peeking over his shoulder into the bundle.
"He's beautiful," she whispered, running her fingers over the baby's dark hair. "What does James think?"
"Entirely uninterested," Ginny said with a laugh.
"Barely glanced at him," Harry agreed.
Charlie and Adair stayed for over an hour, passing the baby back and forth and chatting with Harry and Ginny.
"Playoffs start next week?" Harry asked.
Adair was sitting in a chair with Albus cradled against her chest. Like she had when all of the kids had been at her flat and she had tended to baby Lucy, she enjoyed the feeling of his soft, warm body. She nodded. "They do. We go to China first."
"This year is your year," Ginny said. "I've been paying close attention to the other teams."
Adair stood with a laugh and deposited the bundle back into his mother's arms. "I hope so." She kissed both Harry and Ginny's cheeks and then they left.
"You know it was almost three years ago exactly that we went to the Leaky Cauldron after visiting James," Charlie said.
"After that horrible first date we had, I'm not sure why we tried again," Adair laughed.
"Let's go right now," he suggested. "Celebrate the anniversary of the first time we had a decent time together."
Adair couldn't help but laugh. "Alright."
Just like the first time, the photographers were thick outside of the St. Mungo's front exit on the Wizarding side. Unlike the first time, Charlie had learned a thing or two.
He put himself in between Adair and the photographers and pulled her into his chest so she could hide her face. He then shielded his own face with his free hand until they could duck into the pub.
ooooOoooo
"What are you doing?" Charlie asked groggily as he came into the kitchen the next morning.
Adair was standing at the counter, cutting something out of the Daily Prophet. She put whatever it was on the refrigerator with a magnet.
Charlie stood over her shoulder to see the photograph from them leaving the hospital the night before. One photographer had caught them as Charlie pulled Adair to him and moved his body to keep her out of sight.
"I like this one," she said.
Charlie kissed the top of her head and went to pour himself a cup of coffee.
There you go! I can't wait to hear what you have to say about this chapter! I love all of your feedback and ideas, but I'm also always open to constructive criticism if you have any!
Please keep sending ideas and headcanons as we go along! I love to write with a prompt!
Happy reading,
Avonmora