Just Like Home | Charlie Weasley

Chapter 31

Sorry it's been a while longer than I'd hoped since the last update- been a busy old time at work! But in the meantime... this little story has hit 20k reads!!??!! So baffled but thank you so much! Just a little filler chapter before the good stuff begins!

7pm on Christmas Eve and Eleanor was probably more stressed than she'd ever been. Her dad had absolutely no idea of the size of the bomb that he'd dropped upon her over dinner, so now she found herself darting around Diagon Alley before all of the shops closed to find a present for each of the Weasley family. Despite it being the height of the winter with occasional flurries of snow, she was sweating as she manically entered each shop that looked as though it might hold the key to a successful Christmas tomorrow. She'd managed to buy for Ginny, Angelina, Ron, Percy and Mrs Weasley from the small things that Charlie had told her about them, but she was completely stumped for the rest of them. She felt like she should know what to get George at least, but it was still a struggle. And Charlie... Well she wasn't exactly sure where her and Charlie stood in terms of their relationship, so what was she supposed to buy for the man she felt head over feels for but had only snogged a couple of times?

She was about ready to stand in the middle of Diagon Alley and cry when she spotted what she could only describe as a beacon of hope in a desolate, hopeless wasteland. Spotting a head of bright red hair, a familiar freckled face, Eleanor pushed her way through the hoards of people in the shop until she reached the person she was so desperately happy to see.

"Ginny!" she all but shouted.

Ginny, slightly startled until she turned around to see the pleading face of Eleanor, beamed at her.

"Ellie! Are you okay?" she laughed, reaching out to hug the unsuspecting girl tightly. Right... Family of huggers.

"You have to help me," Eleanor cried helplessly. "Apparently your dad invited my dad and me to yours for Christmas tomorrow and now I need to buy all the presents and I don't know what to get and I'm freaking out!".

"Whoa whoa whoa, hold your horses," Ginny soothed. "Your dad knows my dad! That's so cool!".

"Apparently so," Eleanor shrugged.

"You know you don't need to buy us all a present though right?".

"What? Of course I do! It's the least I can do!".

"Ah, I see, first impressions as Charlie's girlfriend," Ginny teased. "I got ya,".

"I am not!" Eleanor protested, face flushing red.

"I'm gonna assume he doesn't know you're coming based on the fact that he was moaning only an hour ago about how he doesn't know when he'll see you again..".

"Really? You think?".

"Mmhm," she confirmed. "Reckon it'll be the perfect surprise! Now... What have you got and who's left? I'd say we have about half an hour,".

A couple of months ago, Eleanor would never have dreamed of approaching somebody she'd met only twice and begging them to help her. The mere thought of it was totally absurd, but there was something about Ginny, and all of the Weasley's she'd met so far, that made her feel so entirely comfortable. The shoot amount or time that Eleanor and Ginny spend together shopping for presents was a pleasant time indeed and Eleanor found herself wishing that they could do it again soon. Ginny was a total powerhouse and Eleanor was envious of her devil-may-care, boisterous attitude. It was clear to see she'd been brought up in a house full of brothers, but that she was the one who could always get what she wanted. She was great.

They managed to get everybody's present fairly easily with Ginny's help, but they both got rather stuck on Charlie. As much as Ginny loved her brother, she couldn't think of anything else that Charlie loved as much as dragons, and he had possibly every single dragon item available in the wizarding world. Eleanor was at the end of her tether, about to give in and lose all hope, until she spotted something. As soon as she laid eyes on it, it was practically calling out Charlie's name. She didn't know why, but she just felt as though it was perfect for him. With an excited flurry of butterflies in her stomach, she made the purchase and eventually, she and Ginny parted ways. Ginny had promised to keep quiet to Charlie, and George also, about her appearance tomorrow seeing as neither of them knew who their dad's 'dear friend and lovely daughter' were who'd be joining them for Christmas dinner.