Nearly Christmas - 9/18 - All Ages - Charlie/Hermione
Title: Nearly Christmas (9/18)
Author: silvernatasha
Rating: All Ages
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Summary: Charlie isn't very good at wrapping presents. Asking questions is a different matter. Charlie/Hermione.
A/N: Written for books_freckles weekly challenge #32: Wrapping Paper. Sequel to Aroma.
Word Count: 500.
Warily, Hermione stepped over a large pile of brightly coloured paper. "Um. Charlie? Was there an explosion of wrapping paper or something?"
Charlie scowled up at her from where he was sitting on the floor. A small pile of presents teetered precariously beside him, threatening to topple over at any moment. "I'm not very good at wrapping presents," he admitted sullenly, pulling a strip of paper from his shoulder.
Narrowly holding back a snort of laughter, Hermione nodded. "So I can see." She sighed, clearing a space on the sofa, sending a cascade of ripped paper onto the floor. "Do you need any help?" She curiously picked up a shopping bag.
With a growl of annoyance and dismay, Charlie's arm darted out, snatching the bag from her hands. "No peeking," he warned. "That's your present." He looked up at her almost apprehensively and Hermione bit her lip.
"Sorry," she apologised.
Charlie rubbed her leg reassuringly. "That's alright. You weren't to know. Besides, you didn't see anything, so it's still a surprise." He squeezed her knee. "What are you doing home so early? I thought you said you were working until late."
"I decided that seeing as it's nearly Christmas I could leave a little early." She grinned at him. "This isn't home, anyway."
"Not yet," Charlie agreed.
Hermione raised her eyebrows. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means move in with me."
"Oh. Right."
Charlie frowned. "That didn't sound like a 'yes'."
"It wasn't." Hermione felt a little hot. Was Charlie serious?
He looked downcast. "If you don't want to, just say 'no'. I won't mind. Just thought you'd want to. Half your stuff's here, anyway."
Hermione gently stroked Charlie's hair. It always surprised her how soft it was, and she loved to run her fingers through it. "I'm not saying 'no'," she said quietly. "It's just%u2026 we've never talked about moving in together. And%u2026 and this place isn't really big enough for both of us, is it? All my stuff - my books!"
Charlie rested his head on her lap, looking up at her. "Well, we could get a new place. I hadn't really thought about that, but that would work, wouldn't it? Somewhere bigger. Somewhere that's just ours."
He reached up, taking her hand in his and squeezing gently. "What do you say?"
Hermione bit her lip. Moving in with him would be a very big step. A definite sign of commitment. Solidity. Permanence. "Are you absolutely sure?"
"I wouldn't ask if I wasn't." He gave her hand another squeeze. "You can think about it. It's not urgent. I'll ask again after Christmas, if you want."
Looking around at the mess of paper, Hermione smiled. "Have you finished your present wrapping?"
Slightly confused, Charlie nodded. "I've still got to do yours, but I can't do that while you're here."
Hermione bent down, kissing him softly. "Good. Because we need to go and celebrate."
Charlie's eyes lit up. "You'll move in with me?"
She kissed him again. "Of course."
C H A R L I E A N D H E R M I O N E
Author: silvernatasha
Rating: All Ages
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Summary: Charlie isn't very good at wrapping presents. Asking questions is a different matter. Charlie/Hermione.
A/N: Written for books_freckles weekly challenge #32: Wrapping Paper. Sequel to Aroma.
Word Count: 500.
Warily, Hermione stepped over a large pile of brightly coloured paper. "Um. Charlie? Was there an explosion of wrapping paper or something?"
Charlie scowled up at her from where he was sitting on the floor. A small pile of presents teetered precariously beside him, threatening to topple over at any moment. "I'm not very good at wrapping presents," he admitted sullenly, pulling a strip of paper from his shoulder.
Narrowly holding back a snort of laughter, Hermione nodded. "So I can see." She sighed, clearing a space on the sofa, sending a cascade of ripped paper onto the floor. "Do you need any help?" She curiously picked up a shopping bag.
With a growl of annoyance and dismay, Charlie's arm darted out, snatching the bag from her hands. "No peeking," he warned. "That's your present." He looked up at her almost apprehensively and Hermione bit her lip.
"Sorry," she apologised.
Charlie rubbed her leg reassuringly. "That's alright. You weren't to know. Besides, you didn't see anything, so it's still a surprise." He squeezed her knee. "What are you doing home so early? I thought you said you were working until late."
"I decided that seeing as it's nearly Christmas I could leave a little early." She grinned at him. "This isn't home, anyway."
"Not yet," Charlie agreed.
Hermione raised her eyebrows. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means move in with me."
"Oh. Right."
Charlie frowned. "That didn't sound like a 'yes'."
"It wasn't." Hermione felt a little hot. Was Charlie serious?
He looked downcast. "If you don't want to, just say 'no'. I won't mind. Just thought you'd want to. Half your stuff's here, anyway."
Hermione gently stroked Charlie's hair. It always surprised her how soft it was, and she loved to run her fingers through it. "I'm not saying 'no'," she said quietly. "It's just%u2026 we've never talked about moving in together. And%u2026 and this place isn't really big enough for both of us, is it? All my stuff - my books!"
Charlie rested his head on her lap, looking up at her. "Well, we could get a new place. I hadn't really thought about that, but that would work, wouldn't it? Somewhere bigger. Somewhere that's just ours."
He reached up, taking her hand in his and squeezing gently. "What do you say?"
Hermione bit her lip. Moving in with him would be a very big step. A definite sign of commitment. Solidity. Permanence. "Are you absolutely sure?"
"I wouldn't ask if I wasn't." He gave her hand another squeeze. "You can think about it. It's not urgent. I'll ask again after Christmas, if you want."
Looking around at the mess of paper, Hermione smiled. "Have you finished your present wrapping?"
Slightly confused, Charlie nodded. "I've still got to do yours, but I can't do that while you're here."
Hermione bent down, kissing him softly. "Good. Because we need to go and celebrate."
Charlie's eyes lit up. "You'll move in with me?"
She kissed him again. "Of course."
C H A R L I E A N D H E R M I O N E