Charlie Bartlett's 18th Birthday

[little_moons]

Another day, another party. Seems like every time you turn around, there's another one. But this one's special. An eighteenth birthday party, a fucking milestone, and a birthday of a pretty damn good friend

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[dreamily_luna]

Luna has only been to one other party. While she might not really have understood why Harry would choose to bring her along-- though she suspects it's her lack of political ambition-- she remembers the feeling of getting dressed and walking there and going in, knowing she's welcome.

And now, possibly better, she knows Charlie wants to have her there, and she finds a table to set down the box in her hands. Everything looks so lovely that she's hardly sure where to start.

Oh, dear. Does she even know any of these people?

[teenagerenegade]

He sneaks up behind her and wraps both arms around her shoulders, tugging her back against his chest and dropping a kiss into her hair. For the first time in about a week, he feels really still and calm and good.

"Thanks for coming," he murmurs.

[dreamily_luna]

She lets out a little surprised cry, but it only takes her a moment or two to put the information together and she looks up with a bright smile. There's probably never going to be a part of her that doesn't check every startle response for the Carrows or any masked wizards, but most wouldn't give her a kiss.

"It's very much my pleasure to be here," Luna says. "Happy Birthday, Charlie. It's a lovely party."

[teenagerenegade]

"Neil and Ed did an amazing job, right?" says Charlie, looking really, genuinely pleased, his arms still around her. "I wasn't expecting any of it, y'know? I don't remember the last time I had a birthday party."

[dreamily_luna]

"It's wonderful," Luna enthuses. "The only party I've ever been to before was back at school, for Christmas. I met a vampire there, but I think this will be even better."

She peers around. "I've never met either of them before."

[teenagerenegade]

Charlie frowns. He can't believe that he's never introduced them, but then it sort of makes sense; if he's not with one of them, he's with the other. He keeps his arms wrapped around her and leans his chin on her shoulder.

"You'll like Ed," he promises.

[dreamily_luna]

"I think the question has always been how well other people will like me," Luna says, perhaps a little nervous when she sorts out who Edmund is. "I must warn you, Charlie, I'm not a terribly popular kind of person."

[teenagerenegade]

"Yeah, me either, but I do okay now," he reminds her, keeping his arms tight around her. "And, anyway, I love you, and Ed knows that, and that makes him predisposed to like you. He'll see what I see. I promise."

[dreamily_luna]

The words make her beam and her shoulders lighten up a little. No one has ever said anything like that to her except her dad. "All right, then. It will turn out fine, I'm sure."

It always does, in the end.

[teenagerenegade]

"He'll love you," he says, reassuring her and planting another kiss on her cheek. "And there's more, anyway, before you meet him. We can introduce to Neil, too. And there's cake. And weed."

[dreamily_luna]

Luna catalogs the things she does know, and then blinks. "Weed? Is that Muggle slang for something?" How many times in her life has she heard LOVEGOOD PUT DOWN THAT WEED AND-- well, whatever the teacher in question is yelling about. But those were always plants.

[teenagerenegade]

Charlie nods. He's used to taking things slowly with Luna sometimes.

"It's a drug. Marijuiana. Endorphins. Gets you high."

[dreamily_luna]

Her eyes get very wide. "Oh? I've never heard of it. There's wizarding equivalents, I think. But you'd have to ask someone like the Weasley twins...."

[teenagerenegade]

"It's good," says Charlie, with a broad grin. "I had a short lived but very successful career selling it."

And then he'd moved on to other things. But he's not thinking about that, now. He shakes his head as though to clear it.

"It's all free here, though."