Just Like Home | Charlie Weasley

Chapter 8

Eleanor's stomach was a swarm of butterflies as Charlie led her out of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, her entire body almost combusting when he placed a gentle hand on the small of her back after opening the door for her. She was sure her face turned scarlet at the gesture, but Charlie wasn't much more composed himself. The cold air nipped as their faces as they walked side-by-side along the cobbled street, easily avoiding the oncoming flow of shoppers as they weaved in and out. Charlie pushed his hand into his pockets as they walked, his eyes subtly gazing at Eleanor every few minutes. It was by no means a long walk, but Eleanor felt her heart sink when the familiar sight of her shop and flat came into view.
"So are you uh... Looking forward to coming over soon then?" Charlie questioned. He internally scolded himself for letting this opportunity go to waste; here he was walking the beautiful woman home and he couldn't find anything better to say to her, even though he knew their time would be over soon.
A pure, genuine smile took over Eleanor's face. She truly was very excited. She didn't tend to get invited to things very often, considering her circle of friends consisted of Hayley, Darcie and well... Her dad. Shamefully, Eleanor was a certified loner, and she often found herself struggling to know how to act in social situations. It didn't help that Charlie made her incredibly nervous. "I am, very much," she responded, turning her head slightly to send Charlie a beaming smile. "I don't uh... I don't often go to things like that, so it will be good for me," she admitted.
They stopped as they reached the door of Eleanor's tiny shop. Charlie turned around to face the smiling brunette, his heart tugging at the way she looked so effortlessly ethereal, her chocolate-brown curls being blown slightly by the breeze. She had the type of eyes that always sparkled, and Charlie was intoxicated by them. He had never seen a pair of eyes in the same shade of green before; they reminded him of the miles and miles of endless, lush hills and fields behind his childhood home. Places where he'd spent countless hours as a child, and places he still very much loved now. "You don't?" he questioned, breaking out of his trance and cocking his head slightly. "Is there a reason for that or?".
Eleanor gave a small shrug. "I'm not sure... I don't tend to keep my circle very big, and I dare say my dad doesn't make a habit of having parties at his house," she joked. Charlie wasn't sure he understood the joke, but he chuckled nevertheless.
"Well I'm glad you've made an exception for m—us. I think you'll have a great time," he said earnestly. Eleanor gazed up at him, her breath catching slightly when their eyes met. It was like a tiny bolt of lightning coursing through her veins, something she'd never felt before.
"Me too," she smiled, her cheeks turning a pale shade of pink. "Thank you for walking me back, Charlie,". She spared a glance inside the shop where she could see Darcie pretending to wipe the top of the counter as she ogled the scene outside, immediately averting her gaze when she saw Eleanor looking. Eleanor stifled a laugh and turned back to Charlie. "Sorry, I didn't realise we had an audience".
"You're very welcome, Ellie. I'm quite used to never having a second of privacy, growing up in a household of nine and all," he grinned back. "I'll see you soon, yeah?". Eleanor nodded shyly, contemplating her actions before allowing herself to step forward and hug him again. This time, Charlie didn't let the opportunity go to waste. He gingerly placed his arms around her waist and hugged her back as Eleanor's arms connected around his neck. She felt giddy as she felt his warm body, smelling his delightfully attractive scent. After a few seconds, she pulled away, blushing like a schoolgirl.
"You definitely will,". She turned around and walked into her shop, leaving Charlie standing dumbfounded on the pavement for a moment before he collected himself and walked back to George. His heart was a-flutter, a Cheshire Cat-like grin on his face.
Darcie squealed like a piglet when Eleanor walked back inside in a bit of a daze.
"That was so stinking cute!" she gushed, flinging the cloth in her hand about. "Merlin, you lucky girl!".
"Oh stop," Eleanor blushed again. "It's nothing. He just walked me back. George invited me round for drinks, though. Can you believe it?".
Darcie smiled. She was so glad that Eleanor seemed to be growing more and more confident in the days that passed. She remembered when she started working for her, and how painfully shy Eleanor was, always apologising for asking Darcie to do things, or stumbling over her words. It would be so good for her to branch out and experience different things, especially if they involved the handsome red-head that she seemed to be becoming fond of.
"Do you think they'd mind if I asked if you could come?" Eleanor asked, chewing on her nail nervously. "It just... it might be nice to have a familiar person there,".
"Don't be silly!" Darcie cried out. "You don't need me there. You'll go, have a great time, and the handsome man will be about to keep you company," she winked.

A/N: Sorry, this is more of a filler chapter and it's not the best! The next will be much better ❤️