Merciless Flirt

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! I love to hear feedback! Sorry this chapter is a little short, but the next one should make up for it!

It was Friday. Over a week had passed since there had been anyone in the Burrow. Hermione was grateful for Molly and Arthur’s return. A big summer dinner was in order, but the weather had other plans. With heavy rain drenching the backyard, she’d helped Molly expand the table in the dining room to accommodate a dinner that was akin to the Christmas holiday. It would be the usual everyone, except for Ron and his fiancée who were busy meeting with an exotic wedding planner.

A big pot of beef stew was the table centerpiece but the conversation’s sole focus was Molly and Arthur’s holiday. Questions arose by what seemed like the dozen, coming from every member of the family except Hermione. She seemed quite content to let everyone else do the talking while she sat pushing her spoon aimlessly about in her stew. She smiled and nodded politely when Arthur or Molly would address her, and she laughed whenever the table laughed, but her mind was far from focused on the discussion at hand.

Every few moments, when she thought that everyone else’s attentions were focused on Molly and Arthur, she would chance a glance across the table at Charlie. He seemed to be the only other person not asking any questions, and his gaze remained focused down in his stew. She couldn’t catch his eyes, but was a bit relieved at her lack of success for she wasn’t sure what exactly she would do other than frantically look away if she had caught his gaze.

The conversation was lively, the children asking questions about whether the colour of the sand in Jamaica was the same as the sand at the beaches they had been to or not; and Arthur telling tales of interacting with the muggle natives. Despite the many interesting thing said, Hermione heard less than half of them and could hardly keep her mind off Charlie.

“Did you manage to get that muggle camera working?” Ginny asked.

“Well, yes, but we only shot one roll of film, wanted most of the pictures to move so you kids could see the experience,” Arthur said. “I’ll have to have Hermione help me with the development of it, though.”

Her ears perked up and she smiled. “Yes, that would be lovely.” She said.

The conversation seemed to lull as the stew pot was dwindling down, after all, there was only so much one could say about an elaborate tropical week-long holiday. Lily was snoozing in Ginny’s lap while James was trying to flick his butter knife across the table with little success. It was then that Charlie cleared his throat and spoke up.

“So I’ve decided to start seeing someone.”

Hermione swallowed hard. Of all the things he could have said that was certainly not one she had expected.

“Oh, that’s wonderful, dear.” Molly smiled.

“Congrats, little brother,” Bill smirked.

“What made you change your mind?” Percy teased.

“And when are you going—” Fred started.

“—to bring her round so that—” George continued.

“—we can meet her?” they said together.

“Ah,” said Charlie, his cheeks slightly redder than usual. “Well, about that…”

“I bet it ees zat girl from ze shop,” Fleur smiled. “Linda or whatever.”

“Lisa,” Charlie corrected her.

“She’s very beautiful,” said the Veela.

Hermione’s heart sank. She hadn’t expected this. It proved that all of her suspicions about misreading his playful banter had been correct. So he was seeing someone else. It didn’t matter, how on earth she ever thought she had stood a chance with him was beyond her. Her attention turned back to her now empty stew bowl.

“She is, but I’m not seeing Lisa. Lisa’s very strong Quidditch playing girlfriend might have something to say about that,” Charlie chuckled. Lisa was the shop assistant where Charlie worked. She answered most of the incoming owls and inter-shop memos, did clerical work and things of the like. She was a tall slender girl with long black hair and stunning silver eyes, but batted for the other team, and was thus out of Charlie’s league by a long shot.

“Oh, well then, who is she, son?” Arthur asked.

“Well, I’ve decided I’m seeing a girl...” He said.

Percy snorted. “I should hope so.”

Charlie rolled his eyes. “I’ve decided I’m seeing a girl. She doesn’t know that I’m seeing her yet.” There was an awkward silence at the table before the twins burst into raucous laughter. Charlie sighed. Leave it to his younger twin brothers to make a mockery out of something he’d meant as serious news.

“Well goodness, brother, how can you be certain you’re seeing her if she doesn’t even know it?” Fred nearly fell out of his chair he was laughing so hard.

“Maybe she’s blind, Fred,” George chuckled, slapping his hand on the top of his knee.

“Oh, knock it off, you two.” Molly chastised her twins and then turned her eyes to Charlie. “Well, I hope it works out, whatever it is you’re doing,” she said. “Who’s for a spot of tea in the living room?”

Everyone shuffled out of the dining room, making their way in for tea. Hermione found herself dashing out to the back porch. The rain was in full swing, not quite a storm, but certainly a heavy downpour. She closed her eyes and leaned against the wooden banister that supported the steps leading down into the backyard. He was seeing someone.

A hand gripped her shoulder and she nearly jumped out of her skin. Whirling around her eyes went wide. “Charlie.” She said.

“You rushed out, I wanted to talk to you.”

“Oh,” she said.

“You seemed upset,” he said. “By my news…”

“Oh, it’s nothing,” she muttered and then bit her bottom lip. “Actually, you’re right, I was a bit upset.” She could hardly believe the words coming out of her mouth, but before she could stop herself to think, she’d parted her lips once more to speak. “I was upset that the girl you’re seeing—”

“Isn’t you?” he teased.

Hermione was caught completely off-guard and had to swallow hard to keep from choking on a gasp of air. She regained herself and shook her head. “It upset me that she doesn’t know. Girls should know that you intend to see them, especially if you’re going to tell your whole family about it.” She said.

“I see.” He said. The rain thundered down, spraying up against the porch and whipped little droplets of water against his face. “Hermione…” he let his voice trail off for a moment. Charlie’s large hands grasped both of hers for a moment and he pulled her close to him.

Her eyes were innocent, gazing up at him as he blinked and then spoke again. “Could I take you to dinner tomorrow night?” he asked.

Her heart stilled, her lips quivered, and her ears were thudding with the sound of rushing blood.

“Hermione!” Arthur called from inside the house.

“Yes!” she cried answering Arthur, and pulled away from Charlie. “I’m out back.”

“Come in out of that rain, you silly girl, and help me with this blasted camera.”

She took off with a run, darting the short distance back into the house, leaving Charlie standing on the porch in the rain.


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