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Tweak says, "please touch some grass"

Charlie Weasley (tamethebeast) wrote in wished,
@ 2010-02-04 18:07:00

Entry tags:

!1998: 02, !complete, charlie weasley, ginny weasley

WHO: Charlie Weasley | Ginny Weasley
WHEN: Thursday, 04 February 1998
WHERE: Charlie's office
WHAT: Ginny and Charlie have a bit of a chat.
RATING: PG
STATUS: Complete

I hate grading papers, he thought, mulling over a quiz he gave that morning to the sixth years, whose marks fell all over from one spectrum to the other. He considered scrapping the quiz all together, thinking it unfair to give a few of the students no marks when he knew they were smart. Charlie recognised that students only took his class as a filler, and that was fine with him—he was only at Hogwarts as a professor teaching Care of Magical Creatures because McGonagall wanted as many Order members present as possible. Charlie's heart and loyalties lied with the Order and his role in the war, so he had no room to fight a student's disinterest in his class.

Of course, that did not mean he was not teaching with a fire and a passion for the subject. Charlie very much enjoyed teaching about animals, moreso than he thought he would. If he could stay a dragon keeper and teach, Charlie would have likely found a perfectly satisfied life.

"What?" he mumbled, trying to read what a student wrote. "Did they write with their feet? What does that say?" Charlie remembered his own handwriting and how often he was reminded that most of it was difficult to decipher.

Yawning a bit, Charlie was determined to finish grading the papers. He wanted a weekend free from obligation to roam around and, perhaps, get away from the castle.

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born_a_lion
2010-02-05 03:18 am UTC (link)

Although Charlie was her professor and she technically saw him several times a week, she hadn't actually spent much time with her older brother in quite a while. The past few months had been largely taken up with Sam related activities. Not that she was complaining, not at all. Being with Sam made her insanely, giddily, patronus-producing happy, but it also meant she didn't have much time for other people.

Sam had seemed content to puck at her guitar, so Ginny had given her a kiss and left the common room, heading for Charlie's office. "Hallooo," she called out, knocking on his door, loudly and obnoxiously.

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tamethebeast
2010-02-05 06:53 am UTC (link)

Looking up from his papers for a moment to check the time, Charlie made the last mark on the last assignment and tucked them away in a folder. He was thankful to finally be finished with everything just in time for his sister to show up.

Smirking as he looked up at Ginny, Charlie stood. "Perfect timing," he said, getting to his feet and rounding on the desk to pull Ginny into a hug. He squeezed her a bit, glad to have his family so near. Even though he had been at Hogwarts for a while now, he appreciated they were safe, alive, and close enough to touch.

Letting the hug linger a bit, he finally let go and leaned back on his desk a bit. "What's up?"

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born_a_lion
2010-02-05 07:43 am UTC (link)

Grinning into the hug, Ginny took a deep breath, basking in the familiar, homey scent of her brother. She wasn't one for relying on men to protect her but there was something about Charlie, and Bill for that matter, that made her feel so safe. Allowing Charlie to go, albeit reluctantly, she shrugged and ran a hand through her hair.

"Sam was busy with her guitar," she explained, smiling. "So I decided to come visit my favourite brother at Hogwarts." Reminded again of Ron, although she never truly forgot, she only just managed to keep the smile on her face, though it slipped from her eyes. "How are you doing?"

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tamethebeast
2010-02-05 08:13 am UTC (link)

"Have I met her before?" Charlie asked, turning slightly to see if there was any coffee left in his mug. Much to his dismay, he already finished it. "Come on, let's head down to the Great Hall for some coffee and biscuits."

As they headed out of the classroom—a small, dingy room he did his best to clean and organise—Charlie shrugged, "I'm doing all right. And, out of the six blokes in the family, none of which are here but me, you like me the best." Charlie laughed, a grin staying on his face after the fact. He absolutely revered Ginny, loved her unconditionally, and made an attempt to stay out of her social life unless she invited him to become a part of it. They were years enough apart that he was still unsure about how to involve himself in hers and Ron's lives. Still, he thought it wonderful that Ginny at least placed herself in his class. It gave them a few minutes before and after class at times.

Slipping his arm around Ginny's shoulder, he kissed her on the top of her head. He was not affectionate with anyone but his family, especially his mother and sister. "It's nice to have you so close by," he said. Charlie did not seem to care one way or the other what other students thought: he did favour Ginny by a long shot.

Sticking his hands in his pockets, he smiled. "How are you? I hear you're seeing someone. Want to tell me about it or pretend like nothing's going on?"

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born_a_lion
2010-02-05 08:42 am UTC (link)

Of course you know Sam, Ginny started to say, then stopped herself. Maybe Charlie didn't know Sam. He hadn't been home since long before she started at Hogwarts. Chances were he didn't know her, or even of her. That thought stopped her even further and it was only Charlie's arm around her shoulders that kept her moving.

If he didn't know about Sam as her friend, he didn't know about Sam as her girlfriend either. She wasn't sure how she felt about that fact. While she didn't feel there was anything wrong with who she loved, she was keenly aware that many did. While she couldn't see any of her brothers taking issue with Sam, she'd been lucky enough to avoid having a face to face "coming out" so to speak.

She snuggled close to him and gave him a quick hug before unconsciously mimicking his pose and slipping her hands in her pockets. "I'm seeing Sam." She answered, simply, just the sound of her name causing a smile to pass across her face.

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tamethebeast
2010-02-05 09:16 am UTC (link)

Charlie stopped in his tracks for a moment at Ginny's words. It was not that he disapproved, he was simply caught off-guard. "I see," he said, walking once more and reaching his hand up to scratch at the scruff on his chin.

Noticing the look on Ginny's face, he hoped his pause did not cause her to regret telling him. He assumed this was not something obvious and out in the open. As loud and talkative as Ginny had always been, she must have been serious enough to keep it more real.

"Have you told anyone else?" he asked quietly and curiously as they headed into the Great Hall. For the afternoon, it seemed fairly empty. Out of habit, Charlie took a seat at the Gryffindor table, making sure to sit next to Ginny rather than across from her. In a way, he would have very much liked to be the first one in the family to know about this.

Grabbing an oatmeal biscuit, Charlie grinned at his sister. "I think it's brilliant, Ginny. As long as you're happy, nothing else should matter. And who am I to judge you? My girlfriend is scaly and breaths fire."

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born_a_lion
2010-02-05 09:33 am UTC (link)

At her confession, Charlie stopped moving and Ginny's heart clenched, but she schooled her expression and kept on moving, keeping her eyes ahead. Of all her brothers, she hadn't expected Charlie to be the one to react badly. Ron, or Percy, almost certainly Percy... but Charlie?

Almost unthinking, she followed him into the Great Hall and sat down beside him, her entire body tense. At his question, she shook her head, then shook it again to correct herself and nodded. "Mum," she answered, stoically. "And I think Fred and George know. Ron might, too, because Harry certainly does. He caught us - " she cut herself off and raised her eyes to Charlie's, waiting to see what he would say next before she continued.

When he grinned at her, she let out a sigh of relief, her whole body going weak with the rush of it for a moment before she straightened and smiled back at him. "I am," she answered, giddy at his response. "Oh I so am, Charlie." I love her!, her mind supplied and she only just managed to keep the words inside, but was unable to quell the large smile they caused.

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tamethebeast
2010-02-06 06:36 am UTC (link)

Charlie nodded. He usually ended up outside the loop when it came to family matters, or at least was the last to find out about many things. Wondering if it was because his siblings thought him indifferent to their personal lives, Charlie frowned inwardly as Ginny listed those aware of her situation. Teaching at Hogwarts, he thRaought, would put him more on the inside of everyone's lives.

"That's great," he said, stirring sugar into his coffee. He wanted to jump into the 'you're young, you're heart will be broken' speech, but refrained. Charlie and Ginny were worlds apart, and perhaps she and Samantha would work out. His experiences with girlfriends while in school did not mean the same, or they meant hardly anything at all. Charlie had a great disinterest, albeit a couple girlfriends, and nothing serious enough to make it matter.

"And we don't have to talk about the details, Ginny. I'm glad you're happy right now. Merlin knows everyone should be, at least those fighting for the right reason."

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born_a_lion
2010-02-06 07:24 am UTC (link)

"She's so great, Charlie." Ginny smiled and took a cookie off the plate in the middle of the table. Great wasn't a strong enough word to express all that Sam was. The fact that talking about her, thinking about her, hell just hearing her name, made Ginny so happy was important. Especially considering almost all Harry had ever given her were feelings of embarrassment and inadequacy. Thoughts of him still made her heart thump a little faster and she didn't like that.

Pushing Harry out of her mind, she focused on Charlie's last words and frowned, slightly. "Do you know about Sam's mum?"

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tamethebeast
2010-02-06 08:49 am UTC (link)

"Yeah, I do," he said, matching her frown a bit. The Order kept tabs on as much as possible. Though he did not know Samantha personally, he knew her mother was taken. "We're doing as much as we can, Ginny. You know us all well enough. We're doing our damnedest, but we can't fix everything. The Order is already risking so much and we're spread thin."

Brushing crumbs off his fingertips, Charlie downed the cup of coffee in a single swoop. "I'd like to meet her, Ginny. If she's important to you, then she's important to me. And... I won't do anything to embarrass you," he winked, a sly look on his face. "For the love of Merlin! This coffee is horrible. How can anyone drink this?"

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born_a_lion
2010-02-08 09:26 pm UTC (link)

Ginny leaned back slightly, chagrined. She hadn't meant to sound accusing, the whole thing was just driving her mad. She wanted so badly to help Sam, in any way, but there was nothing she could do. Chances were that her mum was not going to be found. She didn't have the heart to bring it up to Sam though, she was only just starting to be a little alright again. She'd sunk low after the owl from her sister and then just when she'd started to show a little bit of the old Sam, she'd had to break the news to her brother and had gone right back down again. The only good thing about it was that it kept her mind off the fact that Luna was still missing. Every time she thought about the Ravenclaw, there was a huge guilty pang in her stomach. She'd been so wrapped up in her own things, in Sam and Harry and everything that she hadn't paid much attention to her friend and she didn't want to regret that forever.

"Really?" It took Ginny a moment to focus her attention back on Charlie. "You would?" This was big. Sam hadn't ever Met any of her family. It wasn't a big deal, but at the same time it was. Her girlfriend was going to be meeting her brother. She grinned inwardly, just at the thought of Sam. "I'd love that." At Charlie's promise, she narrowed her eyes playfully. "Charlie Weasley, I don't believe you!" She cried, grinning widely.

Snagging another cookie, she leaned close, lowering her voice secretively and pulling a serious face, her eyes snapping mischievously. "I hear that some people add a little something to their coffee... if you know what I mean."

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tamethebeast
2010-02-08 10:09 pm UTC (link)

"You probably shouldn't believe me," he said, breaking into a grin as he added copious amounts of cream and sugar in hopes the coffee would be more drinkable. It almost tasted all right afterward. "And yes, invite her to lunch one weekend so I can meet her. Hogsmeade is coming up soon, isn't it?" Charlie did not keep track of the Hogsmeade schedule too much as he typically popped off during the weekends as long as McGonagall had her back turned (and he would only be gone for a few hours, anything longer he did, in fact, talk to her about).

Raising an eyebrow, Charlie paused as he brought the cup to his lips. "Ginny, I rarely drink," he said seriously. Of all the Weasleys, Charlie was far more serious than others would have expected. It was not that he never drank a beer, he was just very hesitant, nor did he go out and drink for the sake of getting drunk. Charlie chose not to distort his preferred image of being responsible in all aspects of his life. Though he loosened up around his family, he refused to show that side while on-duty, so to speak, for the Order and on Hogwarts' grounds.

"But," he said, looking into the cup, "anything would make this taste better. Even something out of Fred and George's shop. Try this, it's horrible," he said, sliding his coffee to Ginny. "But I can't seem to stop drinking it." Charlie had a caffeine addiction, and he certainly knew it. Pouring himself tea instead, he grabbed another biscuit. "And I won't actually embarrass you. I'll treat you and Sam to lunch in Hogsmeade, though, if you'll let me."

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born_a_lion
2010-02-09 03:28 am UTC (link)

"I don't trust any of you lot," Ginny grinned, wrinkling her nose at the coffee in Charlie's hand. "Sam likes the coffee," she pointed out, mildly, wishing she had a watch so she could surreptitiously check the time. She didn't like leaving Sam alone for so long, even though the other girl was perfectly capable of being by herself. Ginny knew it was stupid and girlish, but she missed her girlfriend.

She took the coffee cup Charlie slid to her and took a tentative sip, pulling a face. It was more milk than coffee at this point and it tasted like lukewarm, sugary milk. "Maybe less milk next time?" She suggested, choosing another biscuits and breaking it in half to nibble on, then grabbing a napkin and selecting a variety of biscuits to bring back to Sam.

"If I'll let you?" Ginny winked and nudged Charlie. "My dearest brother, I'll let you buy me lunch any time you like."

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tamethebeast
2010-02-09 04:26 am UTC (link)

"That's the only way it tastes remotely all right," he said, pointing to the cup. He much preferred the tea, a comfort of home he seemed to miss more than he realised. Charlie did not usually drink tea too often until he was away from home and the good British blends for a number of months. He also seemed to think that enough sugar and milk could make any bad cup of tea or coffee taste better.

However, that did not seem to be the case for Ginny, but it amused him slightly. "And if Sam can handle drinking that coffee, she has a stomach of steel." Charlie was beginning to feel slightly nauseated by it.

Grinning Charlie nodded, "all right. Then I'll take you two out for something ridiculously greasy at Hogsmeade. Unfortunately, I have to get going, Ginny. I have a class to teach in about fifteen minutes. Regardless of the weather, I'm taking them outside, so I need to make sure the animals are read for them." Finishing his tea quickly, he kissed his sister on the cheek and stood. "I'll see you later, Gin," he said, heading out.

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