Just Like Home | Charlie Weasley

Chapter 33

"Oh, Eleanor dear, you didn't have to get us anything!" Molly gushed, tears already brewing in her kind brown eyes before she'd even opened the gift that Eleanor handed to her.

Eleanor, who sat on the arm of her dad's chair, smiled softly and laughed. "It's my way of thanking you for putting up with us today,".

"We'll you're always welcome here, yes?". She turned to Charlie and pointed her finger at him. "Don't think you've gotten away with not introducing her to us before now, young man!" she scolded him, earning a laugh from the rest of the room.

Charlie rolled his eyes but nobody missed the smile on his face. "And have you scare her off? No thanks mum," he grinned, leaning over to kiss his mother on the cheek.

"I could say the same to you," Christopher mumbled to his daughter, raising his eyebrows in mock sternness. "You kept that one quiet, didn't you?".

Eleanor groaned, shaking her head. "We're barely dating, Dad! Usually you wait a while before you introduce them to your dad!".

Christopher's eyes landed on Charlie who was laughing at his mum, who was crying because of the gift she'd opened up. "By the way he looks at you, that would be impossible to tell," he stated quietly.

"What do you mean?" Eleanor questioned, following her dad's line of sight, butterflies brewing in her stomach when she accidentally caught Charlie's eye.

Christopher leant back into his chair and looked up at Eleanor, noting the rosy hue on her cheeks and the smile that seemed permanently etched there. "I don't know what you've done to the poor lad but he's smitten," he laughed. "Barely dating? Sounds like rubbish to me!".

"Oh Eleanor, dear, this is so thoughtful of you!" Molly gushed, grasping the colourful knitted scarf in her hands and ambling over to Eleanor to kiss her on both cheeks.

"You're welcome, Mrs Weasley," she giggled. "I'm glad you like it. The colours look beautiful with your eyes,".

"Well this is simply magical!" Arthur beamed, holding up his new muggle-style camcorder that Eleanor bought him. "What is it?".

Ginny cackled at him and sat beside him to explain what it was whilst George knocked his elbow against Eleanor's shin from his spot on the floor.

"Thanks for this," he smiled. "You didn't have to,". He was fiddling with the eccentric tie and cufflink set she'd got for him, and he truly did love it but was finding it a little difficult to find things to be happy about on that day. He felt as though he had a gaping hole in his heart, a huge void that he felt nobody else could see or feel. Eleanor just wanted to scoop him up and hug him, to make it all go away.

"Sorry it's a rubbish gift... I wasn't sure what to get you," she laughed. "Is Angelina with her family today?".

George nodded with a small smile. "She's gonna stop by tonight. And it's not a rubbish gift, I love it. I actually have something for you as well, but it's at my flat seeing as I didn't know you'd be here," he laughed sheepishly.

Eleanor chuckled in response. "You didn't need to do that," she tells him.

George gave a half-smile, looking down at the tie in his hands. "I'm really glad you're here," he muttered. "I haven't seen that old git this happy in a long time. Never actually realised he was the soppy sort if I'm honest,".

Evidently, Charlie heard this and made his way towards the two of them, holding out his hand to help Eleanor up.

"I thought my ears were burning over there," he said. "Whatever he said... it's not true. Unless it makes me look good," he teased. "Mr Birch, do you mind if I steal your daughter away for a little while?".