Just Like Home | Charlie Weasley

Chapter 42

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Mature content ;) ;)

As she stood in Charlie's bathroom getting herself ready to leave, Eleanor couldn't help the sinking feeling she was experiencing in her stomach. She had the most wonderful two nights away with Charlie and the thought of going back home to her own flat, the place that was usually where she felt most happy, filled her with disappointment. She knew she'd be seeing him again on New Year's Eve, which was practically only a day away, but nevertheless she knew she would miss him terribly. They had grown much closer in the time spent together and Eleanor could feel herself come alive when she was with him; he made everything, every experience, every mundane task, feel exciting and new. He was beginning to feel almost like her home. It was a thought that did intimidate Eleanor slightly. She knew she had never felt like this about anyone else before, and it was a little scary to suddenly place that much importance onto one single person, but Charlie was so worth it.

As she was lost in her thoughts, Charlie appeared in the doorway behind Eleanor. With his body leaning against the doorframe, his arms crossed over his chest, he watched her with a soft smile on his face as she collected her things from the bathroom to pack into her bag. He observed the way her brow furrowed slightly in concentration and how she mindlessly blew the stray curls away from her face that fell into her eyes and experienced a rush of affection that he was completely unfamiliar with. His stomach flipped upside-down and he could feel his heart rate increase slightly as the realisation hit him; he was falling hard and fast for this woman.

"You don't look too pleased, love," Charlie announced gently, but still startling Eleanor who had no idea he was standing behind her.

She snapped her head up, immediately meeting his eye in the mirror. As soon as she caught his gaze, her brow relaxed and she offered him a smile and a shrug.

"I don't want to leave," she pouted.

Charlie stepped away from the door, bringing his chest flush against her back. He softly moved her hair aside, placing a feather-like kiss to the base of her neck before wrapping his arms around her waist.

"I don't want you to leave either," he murmured. Resting his chin against her shoulder, he caught her eye once again in the mirror. "But I'm sure you'll have a lovely dinner with your dad tonight and I'll see you at the party tomorrow night, okay?".

Eleanor sighed and dropped her head back against his chest and Charlie tightened his arms around her. His bright blue eyes gazed at her with a handsome half-smile on his face and she couldn't help the smile that spread on her own face as she looked at him.

"You're really pretty," she muttered quietly.

Charlie let out a deep chuckle before leaning down to kiss her cheek. "So you've told me before," he teased. "You know what I think, though?".

"What's that?".

"I think..." Charlie whispered, ducking his head to graze his lips against the shell of her ear. She shuddered delightfully as his warm breath lingered on her skin. "That you are much prettier. Rather beautiful, in fact."

His deep, low voice in her ear had Eleanor's mind reeling as he spoke. Goosebumps erupted all over her skin and she could feel a warmth building inside of her. God, this man knew exactly what he was doing.

He continued to watch her reaction in the mirror, a smirk creeping across his face when he observed her eyes momentarily flutter closed when he oh-so-gently nibbled on her earlobe.