When George said everyone knew, he was not exaggerating. Bill and Fleur managed to make it to dinner the next day, and Harry could feel the eyes blistering holes in his skin every time he said a word to Charlie. Everyone was still talking, but he could feel them glancing consistently in their direction. He had tried to maintain a normal relationship. He and Charlie got on quite well, and he did not wish to ruin that for anything.

However, the others were making it quite awkward. He could tell Charlie sensed it as well. He had only said a few select words since dinner started. Harry could feel the tension, thick as concrete around him. He needed air.

"If you'll excuse me, Mrs. Weasley, I'm not feeling too well," was all Harry said before standing abruptly from the table and heading out the doors to the garden. He walked until the only sounds surrounding him were those of nature, and then collapsed to the earth below him. All was quiet. Calm. Then the door clicked shut.

Harry didn't bother turning his head to see who had joined him. Instead, he continued to lay defeated amongst the sod. "Well that went well, didn't it?"

"Hey Ginny," Harry barely murmured, his words slightly muffled due to the angle. He heard the grass rustle behind him as Ginny settled herself. She said nothing at first, just ran her hand through his hair. It was quiet again, for a moment.

"Charlie was almost the one who chased after you, but I figured I'd save you the embarrassment for a little bit longer. Might've been a bit awkward." Ginny didn't stop her ministrations, but she slowed them. Harry could tell there was a talk coming and he sighed. "Oh don't sound so frustrated, you knew this would be coming eventually. It seems like everyone but mum and dad have had their go, and I think they're just being polite."

"But you had the first go-"

"And apparently it was not very effective seeing as that was almost a year ago. Honestly, Harry. For being the Savior of the Wizarding World, you are probably the most ginormous chicken I have ever met."

"Ginny, I know what you're doing and it's not going to work."

"And what exactly am I doing?"

"You're doing the thing where you try to get me to do something by saying I can't because you know how stupidly competitive I get."

"Well at least you admit to being overly competitive," she said, before laying back in the grass. Her hair sprawled around her as she turned her eyes to the sky. A million eyes winked back as they burned among the abyss. A few moments of silence passed and Harry relished in the peace and quiet, trying not to think what's going on behind the doors that lead inside.

"Did Charlie really about follow me out?" Harry asked, almost hating himself for voicing the question aloud. Plus, there could be plenty of explanations as to why, such as the fact that Charlie is a decent human being and wanted to make sure that Harry was alright because he considers him family. Harry really hoped it's not that one.

"Harry, that man is about as obsessed with you as you are with him. Yes, he about followed you out. He looked extremely concerned for your well-being, and before you get started it's not because he views you as family, if ya know what I mean." Ginny always has had a way of reading Harry's mind. If Harry weren't gay, he could almost picture a future for them. Maybe that's what he liked about Charlie. He was like a male Ginny: strong, independent, with a fire that just draws you in. Charlie, however, has the physique that Harry prefers.

"But I'm not even Charlie's type. We all know he goes for older men. Bill made sure of that," Harry said, remembering back to an awkward game of truth or dare about a year ago.

Ron had asked what the most disturbing thing Bill had ever seen was and Bill had quite an odd reaction. He turned toward Charlie with a giant grin and Charlie immediately caught on. "You wouldn't," he said, shooting daggers at his brother. Bill's grin only widened.

"The most disturbing thing I've ever seen? Well, let's see. Oh yes! So, being the wonderful brother I am I had a weekend off at work and I decided to pay Charlie a visit. He was aware of this, we were supposed to go to a bar, ya know, just have a guys' night. However, Charlie got his weekends mixed up." Charlie had buried his head deep in his hands, avoiding eye contact with everyone. Harry remembers thinking how cute he looked with a flush slowly creeping up his neck. "So, when I flooed in, apparently unexpected, I became a firsthand witness of Charlie's orgasm face, which, might I mention, was with a man that was probably a solid 12 years older than Charlie."

Everyone already knew Charlie was gay, but they all turned at the mention of his preferred type. Charlie refused eye contact with anyone other than Bill, and that was only to glare at his smug brother. "I hate you."

"Ah, yes, but this finally feels like payback," Bill laughed.

"In more detail than I'm sure any of us cared for," Percy added, looking as though he might hurl. Ginny just laughed along with Bill. Ron shared Percy's distaste for detail. Harry felt flustered. He laughed in an attempt to mask the redness spreading through his face, but inside he felt stupid. Ridiculous. Of course, Bill preferred older men, he was always the type with a thirst for adventure. What would a young man like Harry have to offer? Surely not the experience that Charlie so desperately craved.

"Oh don't be ridiculous, Charlie likes you just the way you are. Just the age you are, whatever age you are. Okay, this sentence seems to have gotten away from me. Charlie likes you, you daft thing. Now go in there, invite him out for drinks, get sloshed, and then snog or shag or whatever him like there's no tomorrow."

"Ginny," Harry whines, feeling his face flush. She simply shakes her head.

"None of your prude nonsense right now, Harry Potter, you have hormones just like the rest of us."

"Oh my Merlin, Ginny, we are not having this conversation right now. I agreed to let you berate me about Charlie, not my sex life."

"Same thing."

"Ginny!" Ginny breaks out into a fit of laughter she has been restraining for the past few minutes at the affronted look on Harry's face. Harry stares hard for a minute before a smile breaks out on his own face. "You're absolutely ridiculous," Harry says as he begins chuckling, shaking his head at the woman beside him.

Their laughter is loud enough to mask the clicking as the front door closes, and they do not realize someone is near until they hear footsteps padding near them in the grass. Ginny turns first and a wicked grin breaks out on her face. "Hey, Charlie!"

Harry immediately loses his breath as he jumps, turning to face the newcomer. His hand shoots to his hair with all intention of trying to fix it. He shoots a glare at Ginny when he sees Ron standing there. She breaks into another round of hysterics. "My gods you should have seen your face mate," Ron laughs, joining his sister on the ground. "How Charlie hasn't figured out you want to bugger him yet is beyond me."

"Oh my- how many times tonight is someone going to mention buggering and Charlie in the same sentence?"

"Not sure, but I am pretty sure Bill and George were talking about it during dinner too."

"Oh my gods," Harry says, laughing as he feels his face turn red as rubies. "Okay, answer me this, if Charlie supposedly likes me then why hasn't he said anything to me? Hm? It's not as if he's shy-"

"The same could be said for you, Harry. Have you never thought that maybe Charlie is asking himself these questions?" Ginny asks, knowing all too well what Harry's comeback is going to be.

"Well- but- shut up," he huffs, not exactly having anything logical to fight back with. After all, Charlie was their brother, they had known him their whole lives. Harry had only really gotten to know him last year over Christmas. Anytime before that he was just a pretty face and a set of muscles that Harry practically drooled over. Now he is all that plus a glimmering personality.

I took another thirty minutes of joking around at Harry's expense before Harry got the courage to finally head back inside. When he enters he is honestly not expecting everyone to still be downstairs but sure enough they are still there, seated at the dining table, although now all the plates have been cleared. George, Fleur, and Bill abruptly stop their conversation when Harry enters the house and Harry tries very hard to ignore the shade of red that has taken over Charlie's face. He cannot help but wonder if they had been giving Charlie the same treatment that Harry had been receiving outside.

"Harry! Are you alright? I was going to come out and check on you but Ginny insisted that it would be better if she went." Charlie almost looks sad as he says this and Harry's heart gives another stupid hopeful thud against his chest. Charlie had wanted to check on him. He seems upset that Ginny insisted it be her. "Harry? You alright?" Charlie repeats his question and it is only then that Harry realizes he never answered.

"Uh, yeah, fine. I'm fine," Harry says, and Charlie nods his head. The sad looks returns and he looks like he wants to say something else but only nods his head and moves to sit down.

"I really appreciate you wanting to check on me. It um… it's a little hard to explain. I really do appreciate the concern though. Truly." Harry does not feel like he can say it enough, because when Charlie smiles at him the smile is weak and Charlie almost looks hurt. He had not intended to hurt Charlie. Harry looks around him to see that everyone is watching them, even though they are all pretending to be busy with other conversations. Ron and Ginny have taken a seat once more, speaking tonelessly of Quidditch while Hermione pretends to listen in.

"No problem mate just wanted to make sure you're alright. That's what family does." He just had to use that word.

"Right, family," Harry says, rubbing the back of his neck. He fakes a cough and looks up at the clock on the wall, the one that actually tells the time and not the location of the members of the household. "Well, uh, it's getting late. I'm just gonna head upstairs. Night everyone," Harry says because he does not think he can bear to look Charlie in the face right now. Of course, he sees him as family. Why would he see him as anything more? Harry is nearly the same age as Charlie's two youngest siblings. Charlie does not go for younger guys. Perhaps everyone was just misreading him, simply thinking that he liked Harry. After all, Harry had never heard him say it, so why would it be true?

"Charlie you bloody- why? Do you not want to be happy?" Ginny asks, looking at her older brother with complete annoyance.

"What do you-"

"You very bloody well know what I mean Charlie. Sorry if you feel a little offended that I asked you to stay inside while I talked to Harry, but did you really have to pull that? I mean honestly, if Harry thinks that you view him as family he is never going to get the courage to-"

"Ginny I do see him as family. Just how I view you, or Ron, or Bill, or any of you guys for that matter."

"Dear gods I bloody hope not," Ron says, his face turning green. Charlie cocks an eyebrow at him.

"Children, maybe we should just let those two figure it out on their own," Molly says as she pours herself a glass of water. "Bickering about something that Charlie is not willing to fess up to quite yet will get you nowhere."

"Oh not you too mum!" Charlie huffs, rolling his eyes.

"Alright I'm just gonna lay it on the table," Bill says, standing up from his seat so that his eyes are level with Charlie's, "Every single person in this household knows that you and Harry have a thing for each other. Anyone that is around you two for more than five minutes can see that. You can lie about it all you want, but the only person who believes you is Harry and the only thing you are doing is pushing you two farther apart when you say stupid stuff like that."

Charlie takes pause, mulling over the whole thing in his head. "Surely not everyone-"

"Yes, everyone!" they all say in unison, and Charlie just scrunches his nose.

"You know what, bed does sound great right about now," Charlie says and walks from the room, cursing himself internally.