Neverland||Charlie Weasley [2]

17

* * *

It wasn't quite the answer Charlie was expecting to hear. He at least expected her to say 'I love you back' but clearly that was not the answer he received. Either way, he had her back and was happy to know that she didn't hate him as much as she had said so in those not-to-be-sent letters. Hattie nestled into his chest and he held her tightly but not too tight like one of his mother's hugs.

"How is Seamus?" He asked her softly.

"We broke up."

"I'll kill him."

"No don't, Charlie," she pushed him back down as he attempted to get up. "We agreed on it mutually."

Charlie settled down and took a deep breath. He searched Hattie's eyes for any sign of pain and he couldn't find any, in fact, they seemed brighter than he had ever seen. Like the brightest star in a clear night's sky, the twinkled and shone. Her cheeks bore a light red flush and her skin, in general, seemed brighter rather than the meagre yellow it had morphed into as her eating habits worsened. Now, she seemed perfectly healthy body-wise, it was her mind that still needed to do some development and after that, she should be right as rain. Hopefully.

Hattie got off of Charlie's lap and trotted over to the cabinet beneath the bookshelf where she pulled out a box that had been forgotten about for a couple of years. Turning to Charlie, she held it up with a cheeky grin. The man couldn't resist cracking a smile and nodding his head. The pair battled, round after round on Connect 4 and, try as he might, no matter what Charlie did, Hattie won. He didn't let her. She was simply too good.

"How do you always win?" Charlie whined loudly as the rest of the large family pooled into the room and settled themselves down.

"I have many a tactic up here," Hattie tapped her forehead.

Harry snickered and ruffled her hair, "Now I can see why you're a Slytherin, you're so cunning."

"Bruh!"

"What? You are, Hat, how else would you win so much?"

"She's a Black, we always win, Potter." Sirius piped up and joined his daughter, putting his arm around her.

James guffawed, "That's a load! I have won more things than you and so has Moony! Wormy, you've probably won more wizard's chess than him. Face it, Pads, it's all just a fantasy, you're awful at games."

"I am not!"

"Children! Children! Stop this before it goes any further if you want to prove who is better, I am sure Hattie and Charlie will let you have the game for a while." Said Lily who was sat braiding Hermione's hair because it was getting rather warm and the humidity was making her bushiness get even more out of hand.

Hattie slid the set over towards her uncle, "fill your boots," she said, "I'm going out for a while anyway."

Charlie's eyes furrowed as she stood up, he clasped her wrist gently to stop her. "Where are you off to?"

"I'm just popping out for a few hours, don't worry, I'll be back in time to stargaze with you. That is if you want to?"

Charlie nodded his head but didn't say another word. He let the girl go and heard her go into the drawing-room to use the floo network. He turned to his family with a puzzled face. "Is this normal? Does she go out a lot?"

"Recently, yes. However, we always check her when she gets back and she's not doing anything to herself. She's happier than ever so we believe she's visiting Seamus."

"Not Seamus, they broke up." He told his mother.

"Oh."

"Well, whoever she is visiting or whatever she is doing is aiding her to get better so we will leave her to it. There is no point interfering if it's not harming her."

"But, Dad, aren't you even the slightest bit concerned now that it can't be Seamus? Surely, alarm bells should be ringing in your ears?"

"Char, I'm sure she's fine. If you're that worried wait for her to come back and then ask her about it. I'm certainly more curious about it now but there isn't anything wrong with it at the moment."

* * *

Diagon Alley was full of its usual hustle and bustle so Hattie sped up her pace to get to the Winter's shop. When she got there Anne greeted her with a bright smile and pointed up the stairs to where Dallin would be in one of the stock rooms. Hattie thanked her as usual and scurried up the stairs, practically pouncing on her boyfriend who was just finishing up labelling a box.

"Hey, beautiful," he wrapped her up in a tight hug, "someone's cheery."

"Charlie's home!"

Dallin's smile faltered slightly but nevertheless he managed to hide it from Hattie and appeared happy for her. "That's great," he said even though he believed that meant he might not see her as much as he had been. He respected Charlie and knew that he certainly owed the man an apology for how he acted the night of the astronomy tower. In fact, he owed everyone of her family members an apology for all that he had put Hattie through, he hated the way he was, he wished he could take it all back.

Hattie poked his side making him squirm, "whatcha workin' on?" She asked.

"We had a delivery of old-style clothes, from nightwear to robes to suits, you name it there is one in any of these boxes," he chuckled slithering his arms around her waist and leaning down to rest his head on her shoulder. "I need to go through and price everything and make a piled of things that can go up for sale immediately and what can wait for a while. Want to help? Maybe then I can get off early and treat my lady to some ice cream?"

"Sounds like a plan, Stan."

"Stan?"

"Oh, please tell me you've heard that saying? 'Sounds like a plan, Stan'?"

"Nope, can't say I have, Tee."

"Tee?"

Dallin shrugged, "I have no idea where that came from but it's cute, like you. Can I call you that?"

"As long as it's not Harriet, you can call me by any name."

"Can I call you by my name?"

"Call me by your name? Huh?"

"Don't worry, it was a joke, Tee, but one day, hopefully, it'll be true."

"Call me by your name?... Your name? Are you saying you want to marry me?"Hattie's eyes widened to the size of saucers.

"Not yet, but one day, of course. I love you, Hattie."

Her lips curled at the edges and she put her arms around his next, "I love you too, Dallin."