Just Like Home | Charlie Weasley

Chapter 47

Hellooooooooo!!!! Okay so I don't really know what happened, but this story kind of fell off a cliff when life got super busy. I can't believe how many reads this has since I've come back!!!! You'll never know how thankful I am. Please enjoy this one <3

Charlie had stayed the night with Eleanor, him falling asleep almost immediately as they got into bed. He wrapped his arms around Eleanor tighter than he had before and didn't let go all night. He was still wrapped around her when he slowly roused the next morning. Charlie hadn't had such a restful sleep since he'd come home to find his dead brother sitting in the kitchen of his childhood home. Eleanor, on the other hand, had spent most of the night awake listening to the gentle sounds of Charlie's breathing and relishing in the warmth that his broad body provided. She should be ecstatic to have him back with her, and she was happy that he was okay, but she felt odd. She felt sick. She'd grown to care for not just Charlie and George, but the whole Weasley family and she couldn't imagine what they must have gone through. Poor Fred. She'd obviously never met him, but she'd seen the impact his loss had on the family. It made her feel better to know that their family was once again complete, but she had a feeling that none of them would be able to rest until they found out what happened to him. Why was he taken from them for two years? And why had he returned now, completely none-the-wiser? Eleanor's first thought when Charlie told her was that it couldn't be Fred. That somebody must be playing some sort of sick joke, but they'd had him checked out. It was definitely him.

When she felt Charlie start to stir, a sleepy groan emitting from him, Eleanor twisted in his arms to face him. Her stomach fluttered violently when he opened his eyes, a small smile appearing on his lips when he spotted her.

"Morning," he said, his voice thick with sleep. Eleanor reached up to run her hand through his hair and loved the way his eyes fluttered closed again at the feeling.

"Did you sleep okay?" she asked him. In response, he pulled her a little bit closer and nestled his head into the crook of her neck.

"I honestly think that's the best I've ever slept."

Another violent flutter. "Good. You needed it."

Charlie cracked an eye open. "Are you saying I looked like shit?". His tone was light, playful even, and Eleanor felt herself relax slightly.

"You could never. I just mean that you've been through a lot and a good night's sleep always helps," she giggled. After a pause, she spoke again. "Can you stay for breakfast or do you need to get back?".

Charlie lifted onto his elbow to peer at the clock sitting on the bedside table. 7am. He dropped back down and rolled Eleanor on top of him, wrapping his arms around her back and holding her close to him.

"I'd love to stay for a bit," he spoke into the crook of her neck, his words leaving a warmth on her skin. "They're going to the ministry again today and I honestly don't think I can face it. Don't you need to work?".

"They'll be fine without me for a couple of hours." Eleanor worried that she was squashing Charlie, but he seemed to need her comfort, her touch, more than ever so she settled down on top of him.

"Okay, then we're going out for breakfast, love." Charlie pressed a soft peppering of kisses to Eleanor's neck, sending millions of tiny electric shocks hurtling all around her body.

The weather had turned for the better since the night before, the only evidence of the storm being the lingering puddles clinging to the cobblestones and the scent of damp in the air. Charlie clutched onto Eleanor's hand like a lifeline as they made their way through the alley towards a small cafe at the other end. She wrapped her free arm around his forearm, almost wishing she could keep him with her all day to do everything she could to keep a smile on his face. She could clearly see that he felt better than he had last night, but there was still a stiffness in his shoulders, his eyes not quite as bright as they usually were. It made her heart ache. Was it even possible to feel this way about someone over such a short space of time? That their sadness, their pain, causes a physical ache in one's chest? That you would rather take on all the worries yourself? Eleanor wasn't sure, and she wasn't about to admit it, but she would do it if she could. For the whole family. Nobody should have to go through that.

After Charlie had given Eleanor a final kiss goodbye, holding her in his arms as long as he possibly could, he found himself making the sickening journey back to The Burrow. He wanted to see Fred, of course he did, but he felt sick every time he looked at him because of what it made him think about. Cold and lifeless laying on the cracked stone floor. Blood spilling out. His family's cries of anguish. He just wanted to be happy that his little brother was in fact alive and well, no recollection of anything that might have happened to him, but all Charlie wanted to know was what the fuck did happen?

When he arrived at the house, it was quiet. Aside from the usual creaking of the ancient wooden floors and the odd squeak here and there, Charlie couldn't sense the presence of anybody else around. With a frown, he treaded carefully through the house until he reached the kitchen. He stopped when he spotted somebody sitting at the table, hands folded around a mug as they stared at it. Fred clearly hadn't heard Charlie come in. Charlie felt his throat constrict as he observed his brother. He looked better than he had a few days ago. It's amazing what a decent haircut, shave and a week's worth of your mother's cooking can do for you. He almost looked like the Fred he remembered from before and he had the urge to squeeze him in the biggest hug ever.

"You okay, mate?" Charlie asked gently, stepping into the room quietly as not to startle him.

Fred's head snapped up, leaving whatever thoughts were occupying his mind behind as he smiled warmly at his older brother. "Yeah. Didn't realise I'd forgotten how to make a decent coffee, though." He turned his nose up as he looked down at the mug in his hands and Charlie found a small laugh escaping him.

"I'll make you a fresh one. Have you eaten?".

"Are you offering?" Fred raised an eyebrow, exuding his signature mischief. Charlie nodded. "Then yes, I've eaten and I'm in fact very full."

"Pardon?" Charlie laughed in disbelief.

"I've tried your cooking before, buddy, and no offence but I think it'd take more than 2 years for you to learn to make something edible."

Charlie laughed properly this time. It felt great. Fred certainly wasn't wrong, either, and Charlie couldn't blame him one bit. The exchange had allowed Charlie to relax slightly and he slid into the chair opposite Fred as he handed him a mug of coffee, taking one for himself too.

"Georgie tells me you've got yourself a girlfriend," Fred spoke up after a moment.

"You two have been speaking, then?" Charlie smiled. Usually, he wouldn't have been one to talk about his love life with his little brothers, but he wanted to tell Fred everything. Catch him up on all the things he'd missed, what he'd had taken away from him.

"Here and there." Charlie could see that Fred was missing his twin terribly. Nobody could blame George for taking a while to come around, but they needed each other now more than ever. Charlie was sure that George just needed a gentle shove. "I think he's scared of me."

Charlie shook his head adamantly. "He's not scared of you, mate. He's just in shock. He's not been...". Charlie had to choose his words carefully. He didn't want to upset Fred. "He's been finding things a bit difficult without you."

"People normally experience difficulty with me around. This is new," Fred laughed, although it was clear to see he probably didn't feel like laughing.

"He'll come around soon, don't worry." Charlie took a long sip from his own mug. "How did it go this morning?".

As it turns out, no headway had been made in finding out what happened to Fred. It was hardly surprising, Charlie supposed that it would probably take a while before anybody had any leads. The visit to the ministry had worn his parents out to the point they had to take an afternoon nap, and neither Fred nor Charlie knew where George was. They were worried, obviously, but he just needed some time. The rest of the family were back at work which left Charlie and Fred to keep each other company for a bit.

"Fancy a walk?" Charlie suggested eventually.