Chapter Twelve

Charlie

First thing Monday morning there was already a purple interdepartmental memo waiting for Charlie on his desk. He groaned as he picked it up to see who was bothering him so early. His head pounded and the harsh lights of the Ministry of Magic hurt his eyes and only made the pain worse. Already he was regretting his decision to not send an owl to his supervisor claiming he was sick and unable to work that day. The little white lie really wouldn't have hurt anyone.

Sunday was a long afternoon and evening celebrating the birth of his new niece. He hadn't been the only Weasley who overindulged. Not even Bill dared to make a snide remark about his drinking. With so much loss in the world and the distinctive hole left behind by the absence of his brother Fred after so many years, they took advantage of the happy celebrations. One never could be really sure, especially in a family that large, if the next time they were all together would be because of another tragic loss.

He hadn't slept well when he finally made it back to his cold, depressing flat. Just one more reason he should've stayed home in bed for the day. How could he possibly rest comfortably when he couldn't stop worrying about Hermione? She was all he could think about after their private conversations in the hospital broom cupboard.

More than once he was tempted to go to her flat, damn the late hour, to see how she was. She ran out of St. Mungo's so quickly he wasn't sure where she would go or what she might have done. Had she gone to some pub somewhere in the city where no one knew her to drink away her sorrows while the Weasleys clinked glasses over and over again to toast their own joy? Or did she go straight back to her flat to hide away behind locked doors to deal with her sadness in private? Charlie even put his boots on once before he talked himself out of seeking her out.

Hermione was a grown, capable, and intelligent woman who didn't need him bothering her just to assuage his own conscience. So soon after her confession, he also worried she would be too embarrassed to see him again to even open her front door. Finally, after a good deal of going back and forth, he had to remind himself that it wasn't his place to offer her comfort. Friends they might claim to be, but they weren't close enough for that level of attention. Unless she made some sign that she wanted him near, Charlie was determined to give her her space.

The purple memo on his desk was from Kingsley. Following a cancellation on his busy schedule that morning, the Minister hoped they could talk about the dragon reserve again. At the end of the short letter, Charlie groaned. Kingsley wasn't going to give up on him easily, was he? Knowing he couldn't just ignore the memo and pretend he never received it, before he sat down he popped his head into his direct supervisor's office to tell him about the meeting request.

"Best not to leave the Minister waiting. I suggest you go right now."

Mildly disappointed that his supervisor didn't insist he go straight to work on the forms piled on top of his desk, Charlie took his time walking to Kingsley's office. There was a good chance it might be awkward between the two men when they were alone.

"Good morning, Mr. Weasley. The Minister is waiting inside for you."

Kingsley's assistant was happy to see him approach her desk. Too happy. Her flirtatious smile made him uncomfortable. He had never been all that great around strange women despite his reputation. It always seemed to take him a while to build up the courage to approach a woman he fancied. Took him nearly a year before he was confident enough to approach Anca. He made a fool out of himself too. Why she ever agreed to meet him for that first drink he would never understand.

For some reason, it wasn't that way with Hermione. He assumed it was just because he had known her for years. Maybe also because he didn't approach her because he was interested in something serious. It never would've occurred to him to make his very inappropriate proposal if they weren't already talking alone in his parents' garden.

Before he could reach for the doorknob, Kingsley was pushing open the door to his office. He greeted his visitor warmly, like he was genuinely pleased to see him there. Charlie pushed away his thoughts about Hermione. It seemed inappropriate to think that way about her when Kingsley was actively pursuing her for a real, substantial relationship.

"Ouch! That bruise on your chin looks awful, Charlie. Did you not have any bruise salves or healing potions at home?"

Recognizing that the older wizard was making a joke about the injury he was personally responsible for, Charlie chuckled. There hadn't been time to worry about the dark bruise. Besides, that wasn't the reason his head hurt so much.

"This little bruise? I'd already forgotten about it. Maybe you should try to hit the bludger a little harder next time."

Kingsley laughed.

"Don't worry. I will."

Inside his office, Kingsley led his guest over to the comfortable armchairs again. At least it appeared as if it was just going to be a friendly chat. Charlie felt some comfort in that. Several times since he last left the same office he reconsidered the generous job offer. If Kingsley exerted too much pressure, he was liable to crack and accept before he was done considering all of his options. Even though there was a quiet voice in the back of his head screaming at him to do so, he hadn't yet fully given up on his hope to return to Romania one day.

"We have narrowed down the location of our reserve to two possible locations. The final decision should be made in the next month."

Charlie nodded, unsure what he was expected to say to that news. It was good to know that the Ministry was making progress but he didn't know ultimately what his part in it all would be yet.

"It's going to be a massive project, one we hope to get started on soon."

"I imagine it will be."

"I'm not here to pressure you to make a decision, Charlie. I respect that you need some time to consider what you wish to do."

Knowing he wasn't going to immediately start trying to make him respond put Charlie at ease. He wasn't ready to give up on the hope he might one day return to his former reserve. Maybe he would be much better off if he did so.

"But, I will say one thing to you as a friend and not the Minister for Magic who very selfishly hopes you'll accept the job offer."

Intrigued against his better judgment of what Kingsley wanted to tell him, Charlie nodded once to let him know it was all right to continue. Maybe there was something he could say to make him rethink his choices. Considering he hadn't exactly been making the best ones on his own, getting outside advice could be for the best.

"It's not always possible to go back again no matter how much we might wish we could."

"Romania was my home for over twenty years."

"I understand."

Nothing further was said about Charlie returning to Romania. Kingsley made his simple point and it was effective. So far no one had been able to bluntly state the truth. Not even his family members. As pleased as so many of them were that he was back to his home country, none of them were brave enough yet to ask him not to leave again. Maybe they were scared that saying the words out loud would put the idea that he could leave in his head. No need to worry about that. The thought was there before he even left Romania.

"Now, I have some questions I very much hope you can answer or, at least, tell me who can."

"I will try my best."

Still nervous about how the rest of the meeting would go, Charlie wasn't sure how he could help. It was entirely the fault of his guilty conscience where Kingsley was concerned.

"You are already aware we've started searching for land to build our dragon reserve."

"Yes, you told me that."

"This is going to be a big project, one the Ministry hopes we can get started on very soon. It's going to take time to get it built once we have our location."

Charlie nodded. Having never been a part of the process to start a reserve from the very beginning, he wasn't even sure where one would start. Location, of course, was a necessary start. After that, it all had the potential to be very overwhelming. He couldn't deny though that a big part of him was fascinated and quite curious.

Being a part of its inception would give him an opportunity to build it how he thought it would work best. As efficient as his reserve back in Romania was, he had plenty of ideas to improve it. Even the one in Sweden he was fortunate to work at for a few months when they were short handed could use some of his suggestions to work better and be safer for both the dragons and the humans who lived there.

"Could you explain to me how the reserve in Romania is set up? How many dragons are there? How many dragon keepers? What sort of buildings are required? Your expertise will help us determine how much land we need to set aside."

There was very little else that Charlie enjoyed talking about more than his dragons. Once he got started, it was usually difficult to get him to stop. Many times in his past he had to be reined in by a family member when they feared he wouldn't ever shut up. He didn't think it was necessarily bad that he was passionate.

Kingsley never once interrupted him or tried to move the conversation along. All he did was ask at least a dozen different questions and scribble down notes as Charlie spoke. For the first time since he stepped foot in the Ministry nearly a year earlier, he felt animated and actually excited to talk about work.

Nearly an hour had gone by before Kingsley dropped his quill to the parchment that held all of his notes. Though he looked a little dazed by all of the information that was sent his way, he might have allowed his guest to keep going if they hadn't been interrupted by his assistant reminding him of a secure floo call with the Minister for Magic in Russia that was scheduled and could not be missed. Before Charlie could leave the room, Kingsley made the offer again.

"Your name has always been at the top of my list. If you want the job, it would be yours."

"Thank you, Kingsley."

"Promise me you'll think about it?"

With a nod, Charlie promised without words that he would give the offer more consideration. Moments later he made his exit from the office to return to his own department. Sitting at his desk shuffling the neverending pile of parchment didn't help his mood. He felt too keenly what he lost accepting the position he did in the Ministry. Not for a single moment since he arrived on his first day did he feel any pride or joy in his work. He'd hated every second. Discussing the dragon reserve reminded him that his life used to be a lot more fulfilling.

All he did for the rest of the day was think about whether or not he should accept the offered position. There were a number of pros and just as many cons. While he shuffled through his boring work, he considered both sides in his head. If any of his family members knew about the job, they would call him a fool for not jumping at it immediately. So would his fellow dragon keepers at the reserve. It truly was a once in a lifetime sort of offer.

No matter how much he tried not to, his thoughts repeatedly returned to Anca. He wished he could stop. She was driving him mad and they weren't even in the same country. Accepting the job meant giving up entirely on the hope that they might somehow get back together again. Charlie wasn't sure he was ready to do that. Despite the jagged pieces of his broken heart causing him pain with each breath, he still loved the horrible witch. It seemed impossible that he would ever stop.

When worked ended for the day, he was actually glad to return to his horrible flat. There was nothing edible to be found in his cupboard, but he was pleased to find a full, unopened bottle of fire whiskey. Food wasn't necessary when he could drink to forget.

A loud knock on his front door woke Charlie out of a sound sleep. Surprised to be disturbed, few people ever just dropped by his flat. As he got up from his bed, he noticed how dark it was outside his window. He couldn't even remember falling asleep, but he must have been out for hours.

Finding Hermione standing outside his flat was an even bigger surprise. She pushed a small box in his hands and stepped inside.

Hermione

Monday was a busy day from beginning to end to Hermione's relief. She was thankful that there had been more than enough work to keep her mind occupied. The previous day at the hospital had been far too emotional. Having a break from those thoughts was what she needed.

She still felt embarrassed by how she acted with Charlie in the broom cupboard. Why did she keep rambling on? He didn't need to know all of the details of her past. It was humiliating. What would he say when they saw each other next?

Once nearly everyone in the building had gone home for the day, there was a knock on her office door. She could have left already herself except she didn't like the thought of being alone where her mind could freely wander to topics she was trying to ignore.

"It's unlocked."

Assuming her unannounced visitor to be Charlie to either continue their conversation from the day before or find some other position to bend her over her desk, she didn't expect to be disappointed when she saw Kingsley step through the doorway. Her cheeks flushed slightly as she thought the Minister probably wasn't there to get in her knickers.

"Am I interrupting?"

"Not at all. I was just about to leave."

It was a lie, but he didn't need to know that. Her initial plan was to work until she could no longer keep her eyes open. Maybe then she could hope to spend the night sleeping instead of tossing and turning, wishing she hadn't been so open with Charlie.

"Then may I take you out for dinner to try to make up for how our date ended the other night?"

There was no reason that she could think of to say no. Perhaps getting out in public would help her get out of her own head.

"That would be lovely."

Thanks to Apparition and his status as the Minister for Magic, they were sitting down at another nice restaurant in Diagon Alley just a quarter of an hour later. She wasn't used to her dates being willing to spend so much on her. It was something she thought she could easily get used to if she wasn't careful. Not that she would ever consider herself one of those women who demanded all of the finery that so many others seemed to demand. Usually she had quite simple taste and didn't need to show off. She never saw the point.

"I don't wish to tempt fate, as they might say, but I think I left nothing undone in my office that might require me to leave early again."

She smiled, desperate to push away the thoughts of what she had done after their last date ended so abruptly during dessert. Kingsley certainly wouldn't want to know anything about that either.

"Barring the return of Voldemort, I have no intention of running off and leaving you again this evening. Any owls can wait."

"I understand that your time is valuable, Kingsley."

"And I assure you I would much rather spend it here with you than with my head in the floo trying to convince the Russian Minister that maybe now isn't the time for…"

Realizing he was on the verge of saying more than he intended, Kingsley cleared his throat. A cheeky grin appeared on his lips that also made her smile. No matter how curious she might be for more details, she knew it would be wrong to push him.

"Well, perhaps you were working on something interesting earlier when I barged in."

Conversation was kept fairly light over their meal. Towards the bottom of the expensive bottle of wine he ordered for them to share, his tongue grew a little looser.

"I am in the midst of an exciting and rather large project, but I can't say much about it yet."

His dropping of crumbs piqued her curiosity. If they were married, would he be more able to tell her what was going on inside his office? As soon as that thought crossed her mind, she felt foolish. They had yet to even kiss each other on the lips. Marriage was a bit premature.

"Do you remember weeks ago when I suggested you come with me when I went on my next trip to MACUSA?"

She nodded. How could she forget? It sounded fascinating to her even when he tried to tell her it wasn't.

"Of course. Are you going back soon?"

"Not there, but I do have another official visit soon. Would you like to accompany me on that one?"

"I would love to."

Maybe a short holiday was exactly what she needed to get her mind off unpleasant thoughts. It didn't really matter where they went. Somewhere else was better than right where they were.

"We will have separate rooms. It will all be above board. I will be a perfect gentleman… until you no longer want me to be."

Though she could feel her cheeks burn with the promise of his words, Hermione returned his smile. Yes, maybe a trip with the handsome Minister was exactly what she needed. Perhaps they would have the opportunity to see if their relationship had the same potential that everyone looking in from the outside seemed to believe was there. It had been several years since she was last in a relationship that she thought might have a future. Kingsley ticked off all of the necessary boxes of an excellent partner.

"I know I shouldn't indulge, but since I missed out on dessert the other night, I will."

Something shifted between them after they placed their orders for a sweet treat to end the meal. No longer light and easy, the atmosphere became serious. He was still smiling, but everything changed once he made his remark about being a gentleman. She didn't know what was going to happen next. Why was she so nervous? She trusted Kingsley with her life.

"Before we go anywhere together, I want to make my intentions very clear."

Knots formed in her stomach when he said those words. It was the appropriate time to have that conversation. If they'd had it sooner, she might even have been able to spare herself some embarrassment where Charlie was concerned. No matter how terrible a relationship had been in the past, she was proud of the fact that she had never cheated when she was in one where the decision to be exclusive was made very clear.

"I have cared about you for a long time, Hermione. As much as I have truly valued our friendship all of these years, I have been selfishly hoping there could be more between us for the last couple of years."

Hermione had no idea he had been interested in her for that long. Was she really that unobservant? Apparently so. Unsure what to say in response to his confession, she just smiled. The boost to her self-esteem knowing a handsome, powerful man like Kingsley wanted her wasn't insignificant.

"I hope you agree with me that we would be really good together."

The knots in her stomach only got tighter and more uncomfortable. She knew it was time to have the discussion she didn't want to have. Before they could hope to go further, she had some questions she was nearly certain she wouldn't like the answers to.

"Kingsley…"

She cleared her throat before she could even get her next word out. Why was it so difficult to be honest?

"What kind of future are you hoping for?"

It wasn't usually a simple question for anyone to answer. Most people had complicated dreams. Kingsley took a moment to consider how he would answer.

"It may surprise you to know this, but I'm actually fairly traditional."

Her stomach churned. Those were not the words she was hoping to hear. How many times had she had that exact same conversation with a potential mate since she broke Ron's heart? Far too many to even count. Expecting Kingsley to be any different was foolish.

"I want to be married and I very much hope to one day be a father."

Of course he did. Marriage was never a problem for her. She thought she would like it with the right person, but only if they didn't also want the second half of his statement. Hermione tried to keep a smile on her face. Sadly, it appeared that Molly was wrong about Kingsley.

"How does that sound to you?"

Even the Minister for Magic could be nervous about such a serious discussion. The almost shy way he asked the question was endearing. She knew she should be blunt and honest with him, but for some reason in that moment she couldn't bear to dash his hope. With a smile she knew to be forced, she told a small lie.

"Lovely."

Their desserts arrived just as Kingsley's smile grew wider. No longer having any appetite whatsoever, the decadent slice of chocolate cake that sounded so good when she ordered it held not even the slightest temptation.

"You know, I'm not feeling so well. I think I should go home."

Kingsley's concern was evident.

"Do you need any help getting home?"

"No, thank you. I'll be fine. You should take your time and enjoy your dessert."

Her slice of cake was quickly boxed up by their server. With the same forced smile on her face, she apologized to Kingsley and all but ran out of the restaurant feeling like a terrible fool.

Children, or lack thereof, was always going to be an issue. No matter who she dated, it was going to end the same. Why did she even bother? She was going to die alone.

Just up ahead she saw the building she knew Charlie lived in. Unlike him a few nights earlier, it really was an accident that she just happened to walk past his flat. Hermione wasn't even really aware of what she was doing when she pushed open the front door to the small lobby shared by all of the residents. Her feet just seemed to have mind of their own.

A row of letterboxes with each resident's name on them hung on the wall. She didn't understand why those were necessary if everyone in the magical world used post owls, but she didn't care. Charlie's name was on number eight.

The security in his building was terrible, nonexistent even. Just anyone could wander in whenever they liked. No one stopped her from finding the stairs and finally his flat. Before she could talk herself out of it, she knocked loudly on his front door.

When he opened up the door, it was easy to tell Charlie had just woken up. He looked adorably ruffled with his red hair sticking out in multiple directions. Clearly surprised to see her there, he didn't stop her when she pushed the box holding her chocolate cake in his hands and stepped inside.

"I didn't wake you up, did I?"

The shrug of his shoulders made her laugh. It had been a bad idea to just drop in unannounced.

"Sorry. I should go. Enjoy the cake."

She was only one step towards the door when he gently grabbed her arm.

"Hermione, what's wrong?"

She had been holding back the truth since Kingsley asked his question. Somehow she knew she could be open and honest with Charlie without judgment.

"I'm going to die alone, but I didn't want to spend tonight alone."

Shrugging off his hand, she leaned up to kiss him.