Here Right Now | Charlie Weasley

Chapter 25 : Christmas Day

CHRISTMAS day wasn't quite as a wonderful as Charlotte thought it would be. Her relationship with Charlie declined steadily into an awkward, fumbling friendship. She still couldn't believe the way she reacted or didn't react, to his admission. 

Mrs. Weasley had knitted her a green sweater with a silver C, earning a big, tearful hug from Charlotte. The rest of the family had given her small gifts and she had bestowed them all generously with various things, including a beautiful set of knitting needles for Mrs. Weasley, a few miniature flying figures of the Hollyhead Harpies for Ginny. Charlie had received a little miniature of an Antipodean Opaleye, a beautiful opal coloured dragon. He had stared down at the miniature, his silence making her blush.

However, the rest of the evening, Charlie looked on at the interactions between his family and Charlotte with a sadness on his face. Only Bill noticed and it worried the young man.

Bill had tried to figure out what was going on, but it really was like talking to a wall. He tried many times to get his brother to tell him but he would be avoided by Charlie, going off with their younger brothers. It was close to the New Year and Bill decided that it was time to figure things out through Charlotte.

"Hey, you slept okay?" Bill asked, seating himself next to Charlotte on the sofa.

It was early in the morning and the two were the only ones awake. Bill found a kindred spirit in Charlotte when it came to being an early riser. It was dark outside but there was a glimmer of orange peeping through, the living room window frosted over.

"Oh good morning. Yeah, I did. How about you?" Her voice was sad and she had cuddled into the sweater she got from his mother for Christmas. 

She had started a fire, the warmth evading the coldness of the house.

"I slept well. I'm quite excited to go back to Egypt. Excited to be back at Hogwarts?" He asked, his gaze penetrating.

She shrugged in a non-committal way.

"Yeah, would be nice to see my friends again."

"Do you have any friends besides Charlie in Gryffindor?"

She shook her head.

"He's my only friend." 

Bill heard the sadness in her voice. Her face had tweaked a little at the word 'friend' and he had a growing suspicion of what happened between the two.

"Merlin." He breathed out and Charlotte looked at him, her face now shuttered.

"What's wrong?" She asked, scolding herself for showing her emotions so easily.

"You two had the 'talk', didn't you?" His question made her wince but nod.

"He tried to, but I froze up. I was too confused and shocked to reply to him and now he doesn't even want to speak to me." She muttered, her eyes on the fire.

"He doesn't want to talk to me either, so you're not alone. Do you even fancy him?" Bill asked, stretching his lanky frame out.

"Yes, I think so." 

"You think so or know so? If you're not even sure of how you feel, why did you lead him on or encourage a burgeoning romance?" Bill's question made her sigh.

"I don't know, I think I fancy him." Her reply was quiet but it angered Bill.

"I think you should just leave him alone then. He doesn't deserve this indecisiveness and you know it. Don't be a typical Slytherin and be selfish about your feelings. Do the good thing for once and think of him instead of yourself. Don't be a selfish git."

Charlotte nodded, her face withdrawn and sad. She had moved away from him and had stood up, her arms protecting her from his awful words.

"I didn't realise that was how it seemed. I think I will be leaving today." She left Bill, who watched as she ran up the stairs and came back down after 10 minutes. 

Her things were floating behind her and she looked at him, her face now stoic and cold. His face was impassive, trying to control his guilt for the rash words he spoke. 

"Please thank your mother for a great Christmas and tell her that I am sorry that I didn't say goodbye." 

Before he could reply, to beg her to stay and not listen to him, she left the house.

He heard the crack of her apparating and he visibly sank back into the sofa. He stretched out his neck, now thinking of his harsh actions. He was going to have hell to pay when his family finds out what he said and did towards their guest. Suddenly, he heard the hurried footsteps coming from Ginny's room. 

"Mum! Mum!" Ginny's voice was panicked. 

He heard the doors open in the house and sleepy voices converge on the landing of the stairs, as they descended down the stairs.

"Yes dear?" His mum yawned, trudging down the stairs with her kids in front of her.

 Bill felt a twinge of guilt when he saw Ginny's frantic face. He knew he needed to say something but he wanted to see what Charlie was going to do. He hated that this was going to hurt his best friend.

"Charlotte, she's gone!" Ginny shouted, Charlie's head flying to watch them talk.

"Don't be ridiculous!"

"No, mum, her things are gone and her bed is made and she's not here." Ginny said, while their mum rolled her eyes and walked up the stairs after her to placate her.

"Bill!" He cringed when he heard his mum call him.

"Yes mum?" He called back, feeling his brothers look at him in confusion.

 Charlie looked panicked now, hearing the confusion in his mum's voice.

"You were awake early, did you see Charlotte this morning?" Mrs. Weasley walked down the stairs, a worried expression marring her merry face.  

Mr. Weasley had joined the two women after hearing all the commotion. His dad's face mirrored his wife's and Bill cringed even more. His dad was a happy go lucky guy, so it was rare to see such a serious expression on his face. Charlie was standing by the fireplace, staring at Bill and his parents, his face showing how troubled he was with Charlotte's sudden departure.

"Can we talk privately mum?" Bill asked, his mother's face now curious. 

He glanced at his brother and Charlie was frowning at him. She nodded and he joined his parents in the kitchen, his father using the muffling spell to stop prying ears from hearing. His mother looked at him expectantly, and he sighed.

"She left back to Hogwarts this morning. She said thank you for everything and that she's sorry for leaving so unexpectedly."

"But then why did she leave son?" Came his dad's voice. 

He rubbed his neck as he searched for an answer but he gave up and just decided to tell them the truth.

"She left because of me." Bill admitted, looking down ashamed.

"Why son?" His father asked.

"I was just trying to protect Charlie. From her. I regret it now, it was harsh and I shouldn't have said anything." His admission made his parents look at him, both startled. 

Mr. Weasley sighed and shook his head, his mother frowning at him, anger on her face. He braced himself for the tongue lashing he knew was coming.

Mrs. Weasley suddenly enveloped him in her arms, hugging him tight. His dad pat him on the shoulder and left the room, no doubt going to explain what happened to Charlie and the rest of the family.

"Oh sweetheart, I wish you would've just let it go. Charlie is a man now but you are a very sweet boy for trying to protect him. We won't tell him about what you did, that is your job." Mrs. Weasley kissed his head, on her tip toes. 

Her boys were much taller than her but she could still make them cower under her ferocious gaze and temper. Now was not the time however, as her heart ached for her second oldest son and the coming heartbreak. Bill had meant well, but she knew that it came at the wrong time for the burgeoning relationship between the two teenagers, who loved magical creatures together.