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“Love, you are worrying for nothing,” Charlie said as he rubbed his hands up and down your arms to ward off the cold.
You were standing in the gravel path that denoted the entry to the Weasley family home. The sun was setting off in the distance, just beyond the forest that began at the edge of the property, emphasizing the warm, inviting lights coming from the curtain covered windows of each floor of the rather eccentric home. The smoke from the chimney seemed cozy, like a promise of the comforts that laid within.
You let out a shuttered breath, causing Charlie to sigh.
“Bill already loves you,” Charlie started.
“But Percy doesn’t.”
Charlie pulled you further into his arms, saying, “Percy loves… that you earn a lot of house points? Sorry, I know that’s not helpful. Percy has a hard time looking past the rule-breaking. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t like you.”
“So I’m batting five hundred?” you said with a nervous laugh, though Charlie just quirked his head at you in confusion. “Fifty percent,” you added to help your adorable pureblood wizard.
“Well, six-seven percent if I count for anything,” he corrected, “And even if you only win over half of them, that’s still four people who will love you. That’s the joy of a big family.”
You smiled at that and Charlie couldn’t resist leaning down to kiss your curved lips.
“See, no biggie,” he tried to assure again, cupping your chin, “And mum already loved you because she knows how happy I am. I promise it will be fine.” And with those words, he leaned forward and kissed you again, this one slow and intentional, like he was determined to pull the anxiety from you, to bear the burden he knew you carried so you might walk a little easier.
Just as you wrapped your arms around his waist, to pull him closer to your chest and allow your stress to ease, you heard a loud whistle from the house.
Both you and Charlie turned to the doorway to see two young boys, almost spitting images of the Charlie you remembered from that first day at Hogwarts, still just a nervous young boy who hardly got the sorting hat on his head before it was roaring “Gryffindor.”
“Ew,” called the one on the left with a wiggle of his tongue.
“Mum says to stop making out with your girlfriend and come in for dinner. It’s getting cold and she isn’t happy about it,” said the other.
You buried your head in Charlie’s shoulder in sheer embarrassment, but Charlie didn’t seem to mind. He simply held on to your hips a little tighter before calling out to his younger brothers.
“Be right there.”
As the door shut, Charlie turned once again to you, “Ready, love?”
You just sighed, “Now I’m one for four,” before flopping again against your shoulder.
“George?” Charlie asked, “And Fred? Goodness, no. They love you! You’re like their hero of mischief-making. Just tell them about all the dungbombs you own and you’re set.”
“So tell the twins about the dungbombs and just make sure Percy doesn’t overhear me?”
Charlie just laughed, pulling you towards the front door.
“And what about Ron?”
“Quidditch.”
“And Ginny?” you asked as you reached the door. Charlie gave you with a smile and simply turned the handle, inviting you into the world he called his own.
Before you could even take a step forward, a tiny ball of flowing skirts and long red locks flung itself into your arms.
“A girl! Another girl!” Ginny screamed, squeezing tightly to your stomach. You patted Ginny’s back as you looked up at your boyfriend, who was all smiles and softness upon seeing his sister nestled against your waist.
“Told you,” he whispered before pulling his sister up into his arms. Once she was settled against his shoulder, he took your hand to lead you to the dining table where sat the family with whom were now five for nine.
Well, six, if Charlie counted for anything.