Undying Devotion: A Weasley Love Story.

Chapter 52: A talk with Charlie.

**Fred’s POV**

“She left.” I say miserably. Charlie puts his hands in his face. It is just the two of us. The triplets are staying the night with the Diggory’s and Guinevere’s dad left with her.

“Allura is so sad.” Charlie tells me. I nod in agreement. “I can’t believe she left as soon as she woke up.”

“She did what she had to.” He replies assuring himself rather than myself. I look at Charlie’s heartbroken posture and I can’t help but to chuckle.

“What’s funny?” He asks me. His eyes bore into mine as he gives me the most hateful look he can muster.

“It’s just that you’re—I don’t know—heartbroken. The mysterious, adventurous dragon tamer is hurt by none other than the aspect of life we never thought would touch him.” I say giving him a small smile. He sighs before looking regretfully at me.

“You still love her, don’t you?”

I sit in silence for a few moments before I decide to respond. Nothing comes out like I want it to. I choke on my words and whatever comes out of my mouth is intelligible. I continue to stammer until Charlie responds.

“I’m sorry, Fred--to both you and George.” Charlie murmurs before walking out of the front door. I follow him and swiftly grab his shoulder.

“For what?” I ask heatedly.

“For all of this. I knew you guys had a history. If I would have left well enough alone none of this would have happened!”

“If we had more faith in Guinevere none of this would have happened. It’s not your fault. Both George and I had our chance. It’s gone. Use yours. Don’t make the same mistake we did. Trust me, I regret it every day. And I know George does too.”

Charlie stares at me. Finally, understanding dawns across his face.

“How did it happen?”  I ask. I feel somewhat sick to my stomach at the thought of how they met. I mean I know they have been together for a while now but I suppressed my feelings and purposely never thought of them together.

“Are you sure you want to know?” He asks reading my mind. I nod not able to sputter a word.

“Well it was the night I came home. Well, you know how I was late and told everyone that I was held up? I lied. I actually arrived early. I was walking through the tall grass anxiously longing to see everyone. I had heard about the death of Guinevere so she was the last person I expected to see laying outside staring the sky. Yet she was there. The moonlight radiated off of her pale, beautiful skin.

Her long, dark hair glistened as it cascaded down her back. Her pure beauty mesmerized me. After that, I’m not completely sure what was said. We just talked and one thing lead to another. The next thing I know we are sneaking around and I’m following her around like a lost puppy. Jealousy and rage consuming me when you or George looked at her.” Charlie tells me looking back on a happy time in his life. He is smiling as he speaks so fondly of his memory.  “What about you and Guinevere?”

I try to suppress a smile as I think about the first time I seen Guin. My memory changes to our first kiss and then to being in the hospital when Kay’s dad nearly killed her. I remember me bringing her flowers only to see her ever so happy in Cedric’s arms. I remember her before she left and was captured by Voldemort. “She’s very prone to near death experiences.” I say to myself completely forgetting Charlie. He gazes upon my face with a bewildered expression. “We just have a lot of history.” I tell him ending it there. Thinking about our past was too painful. I was regretting the conversation.

“What should we tell the family tomorrow?” I ask. Charlie shrugs.

“Let’s hit that hurdle when it comes. But we better make it realistic. – Who is that?”

I shrug peering into the distance.

“Vanessa?” Charlie questions completely stunned.

“Hey,” she replies breathlessly. “I know I shouldn’t be here—but I need closure. If your wife is here I can come back later.”

I glare at her.

“She’s gone. She’s not coming back.” He tells her. My mouth drops. I want to slap him. I know the story but this wasn’t the time to tell it, especially not to her.

“Oh—,” she smiles triumphantly. “Give us a minute, will you?” She says brushing me off. The two of them walk into the house leaving me to gape after them.

All I know is that whatever that was had no way of being good.