Broken Bits

44. Only A Boy

The Weasley family were in near tears, laughing hard as Chiara told the tale of Charlie promptly leaving her on the night of graduation. Chiara was basking under the attention of all the Weasley's. Well, most of them. 

How Charlie quite literally, clammed up and fled. Leaving Chiara standing among the other graduates, on the front lawn of Hogwart's holding his Gryffindor tie. Completely and utterly dumbfounded. 

"You told me you lost it in the dorms!?" Percy bellowed, who had had his eye on the shiny tie since his first year. Admittedly, it was only shiny because Charlie hardly ever wore it. 

"You left her, just standing there!?" George shouted, slightly amused slightly saddened, Chiara and Charlie had been sickeningly in love back when they were in school. It was rare to see one without the other. 

"All alone." Chiara said, pulling the most pitiful voice George had ever heard.

"I was-" Charlie cut himself off in irritation, crossing his arms over his chest he sunk low into his seat.

"He was scared." Chiara smirked, taking her tea up to her lips.

"Charlie Weasley, you fool. Reckon I raised you a hell of a lot better than that." Molly swore, depositing platters of food around the table. Greedy hands reached out to snatch up their own servings, especially the guests. Who had been living off the most unworthy of food the last few weeks. 

"He was plenty fine back in our school days." Chiara waved her hand in dismissal, but Bill snorted in disbelief. 

"Went gallivanting in the woods every chance, did he not?" Bill asked, raising an eyebrow. 

"Charlie!" Arthur bellowed, though his eyes were full of glee. He had always loved his sons stories when he came home for the holidays. 

"I was in those woods." Chiara grinned, waggling her eyebrows at Alicia and Katie, who only turned and pretended to gag into their own hands. 

"As were lots of other interesting creatures." Charlie mumbled, sinking further into his chair. Only his hair seemed to poke up over the lip of the table at this point. 

"Was I the most interesting Char-Bear?" Chiara grinned, a sickly sort of smile that had Bill throwing his head back in laughter. He clutched his stomach, wiping at his eyes as he struggled to talk. 

"I haven't-ehh, I haven't hear that nickname in ages." Bill spluttered, trying to regain his breathing as the laughter consumed him. 

"Say, has anyone seen Fred?" George asked suddenly, peering around the table as everyone continued to enjoy their hearty breakfast. Those that weren't sitting there, were in the living room talking among themselves. 

"Or Hermione?" Angelina asked, leaning back in her seat to peer into the living room. But she didn't spot the curly bushy haired girl anywhere. Nor the tall red head that was usually attached to her elbow. 

"I..they.." Katie cleared her throat, shifting her tea to her other hand. "Hermione was crying, so we slipped away at daybreak." Katie nodded towards Alicia, causing a frown to grace all the faces of the Weasley's. 

"She was crying?" Molly asked gently, reaching over to grasp the young girls arm. 

"Reckon they need some time." Alicia nodded, patting Katie's leg underneath the table. They had woken up early to the sound of Fred comforting Hermione quietly while she sobbed. Katie had been quick to pull Alicia out of the cabin, shutting the door quietly behind them. 

"Time." Molly whispered, rising from the table she hurried into the kitchen to busy her hands. Arthur watched her go with a frown on his face, and a pain in his heart. There was nothing they could do for their kids, but leave them be.