Just Like Home | Charlie Weasley

Chapter 18

Charlie's heart was in his mouth as he got himself ready for a day that would either make his entire year, or cause him to feel even more defeated than he already did. He desperately wanted to see her, needed to see her, but he wasn't sure he could handle being given the cold shoulder by her. He had no idea how it would go, but he honestly hoped she'd at least... Shout at him? Who was he kidding. He knew that Eleanor wasn't like that. He pulled on a pair of khaki-green cuffed trousers, a white t-shirt and slipped on his denim button-up. The shirt that had become a firm favourite of his, simply because it had that miniscule tie to the girl that somehow owned his heart. Not that she knew it.

After a small pep-talk from George, he knew it was time to make his way down to that familiar far corner of Diagon Alley. He could have apparated, heaven knows it would be quicker, but he needed the walk to stem his wild nerves. The worst thing that would happen, he thought, would be that she simply didn't want to see him. The mere thought of that happening was enough to send him insane. In the space of a few weeks, he'd turned from a man who couldn't care less about dating, to a lovesick fool who would do anything just to get the girl to smile in his direction. How she had such a hold over him, he would never know. It was laughable, really. If Fred could see him now...

Not able to drag his walk out any longer, his heart began hammering as the familiar blue shop exterior came into view. He stood for a moment, gazing at the large sunflower on the shop window, before sucking in a deep breath and walking towards the door. A kindly old wizard was just leaving, and held the door open for Charlie as he stepped outside. Charlie offered him a brief smile and thanked him, before turning his attention inside the shop. From the corner of his eye, he caught a mere flash of brown and navy-blue before it disappeared behind the counter.

He watched in confusion as the tall blonde behind the counter, whom he recognised from the other times he'd been in here, plastered a smile on her face as she hissed something out of the corner of her mouth. Her eyes flicked between him and the space behind the counter, almost as though there was something on the floor. He stepped forward, clearing his throat awkwardly.

"Oh! Good morning, sir, I didn't see you there," the blonde spoke robotically, her eyes desperately trying not to flick to side. "H-how can I help you?".

"Uh... Hi," he muttered. "I'm just looking for Ellie. Is she here?". It took him a while to get his words out, and whatever he said, it seemed to make the blonde incredibly jittery.

"N-no, she's not here," she said. As she spoke, Charlie heard a loud and familiar pop come from somewhere behind the counter. He would know that sound anywhere. Apparition. "She's on holiday," the blonde practically shouted at him. "Yeah, she's on holiday. Don't know when she's coming back,".

"Right," he answered dejectedly. "Thanks." He turned to leave, his heart sinking further than he ever thought possible. He knew a bare-faced lie when he saw one, and it was clear that Eleanor didn't want to speak to him. What now?

When she was sure the red-haired man was gone, Darcie walked through the doorway to find Eleanor leaning against the freezer, brushing flour from her navy-blue jumper.

"Did you really have to hide?" Darcie huffed. "I am a terrible liar!".

"I'm sorry!" Eleanor squeaked. "I just... I wasn't ready. What am I supposed to say? Oh hello, thanks for standing me up, how can I help you?".

"No, you silly girl, you should have shouted at him! It's what I would have done,".

Eleanor sighed. "Oh well. It's done now. Hopefully he won't come back." As she said the words, she knew she didn't mean them. If he didn't come back... Well that really would mean things were over.

"That was quick," George observed when he spotted Charlie walking back through Weasley's Wizard Wheezes.

"She didn't wanna see me," Charlie grumbled. "I think she was hiding."

George couldn't help but let out a laugh, the thought of Eleanor hiding somewhere in her tiny little shop amusing him greatly. "I can't say I blame her, Charles. She thinks you stood her up, purposely, like a cold-hearted bastard,".

Charlie rolled his eyes. "Yeah, thanks buddy."

George reached up to continue restocking the shelves of Skiving Snackboxes, the multitude of memories of him and Fred at Hogwarts hitting him like a train, before he paused for a second. "I think I might have an idea."