Afire Love

Chapter 5

When Mr Weasley came back from work, everyone came down to have dinner. Ginny did not seem upset anymore; she actually looked cheerful. I was sitting between Ron and Ginny, Charlie in front of me. I remembered how passionate and eager to talk about dragons he was just a couple of hours earlier. No one seemed to know much about his life in Romania. No one knew his friends, his co-workers, they only knew what he would allow them to. He was mysterious, and I found him really intriguing, and really cool. I wanted to know more about him.

After a while he caught me looking at him and had a small questioning smile.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to stare." I said blinking. "I was in my thoughts."

He simply smiled when Mr Weasley called my name. He asked about my day within his "crazy children". Although he didn't ask to single me out, all eyes were turned to me and I could feel my cheeks burning.

"Well, I – I studied, and uh... I–" I stuttered.

"We talked about dragons in the afternoon, and after that we helped mum cooking," Charlie interrupted.

Mr Weasley nodded, said something, and turned to Mrs Weasley. My eyes were focussed on my plater. I was waiting for my cheeks to get cooler, and for my heart to calm down. When I looked up and saw Charlie's look upon me. He seemed a little concerned. I smiled and quietly thanked him.

We helped Mrs Weasley cleaning the table after dinner. Ginny was messing around with Fred and George, and she dropped the plates she was holding. Like I did earlier today, I magically stopped them before they hit the floor. I noticed the eyes turned to me, and I felt the plates falling from my hold. Had it not been for Charlie, they would have crashed on the floor. He made a wand move and the plates left to the sink while I mumbled under my breath. I took some glasses to the kitchen followed by Charlie.

"Everything okay?"

"Yes, sure. I just, uh–"

"It's fine," he interrupted, smiling, "I understand."

After dinner, Mr and Mrs Weasley left the living room, Fred and George left to a friend's house for a couple of days, and Ginny walked Harry outside. I decided to sit on the couch while waiting for her. Charlie appeared at the kitchen's door with two cups of tea. He walked to me and handed me a cup.

"Thank you. It's nice to have someone to make you tea," I joked.

He said nothing and sat next to me.

"Impressive reflexes," Charlie eventually said.

"So are yours."

"Still, you were the first to catch these plates."

I simply smiled and took a sip. A moment later, Ginny entered the living room, and sat heavily on the couch between Charlie and me.

"Why the long face, Gin?" Charlie asked.

"Nothing. I wanted Harry to stay over, but he said he couldn't."

"You seem to have forgotten me in your disgustingly cute relationship," I intervened.

"What do you mean?"

"In case you forgot, I sleep in your room, and I'm not sure I want to be there when Harry is."

Ginny laughed a little and left to the kitchen.

"What was this face about?" I asked Charlie.

"It's my little sister you're talking about."

"So?"

"I don't need to think of whatever you were implying," he said with a small smile.