Rose Among the Thorns

Chapter 11- No Regrets?

"If I get one more memo saying congratulations I'll make sure St. Mungo's doesn't have an empty bed from now until next June!" Hermione bellowed over the top of her cubicle at her office mates. She thumped back down into her chair and muttered a cleaning charm to get rid of all of the interdepartmental memos. They were piled up to her ankles on the floor and covered every inch of her desk.

Apparently word travels fast at the Ministry. So fast, that the ink on Hermione's acceptance of Charlie's petition was barely dry before half of her office was buzzing. In the lift this morning she had heard snatches of people discussing Hermione and Charlie's recent engagement. They hastily began discussing the upcoming Montrose Magpies vs. Falmouth Falcons Quidditch match when she glared at them. When she finally made it to her cubicle she found a large basket of Honeydukes' best chocolate from the Minister's office and an enormous flower arrangement from the Auror Department, likely at Harry's instigating. Didn't anyone actually work here? Her romantic pursuits weren't THAT interesting, were they?

Hermione huffed and got back to work. The maddening thing was that she hadn't even seen Charlie since he petitioned for her two nights ago. She hoped they weren't being rash about everything. After all, they barely knew each other.

"Daydreaming about your fiancé?" a male voice asked from behind her.

Hermione's eyebrows knitted together as she drew her wand.

"I wasn't joking about St. Mungo's when I told everyone to sod off about my love life," she said. "And I might have to hex off certain extremities to make my point," Hermione added, turning to face her assaulter.

"Well, that'll make the two offspring section of the Marriage Law a little difficult to fulfill," he teased.

Hermione blanched. It was Charlie. Suddenly it sounded as though a colony of bees had descended upon the room, so she turned back and glared at her coworkers, who had begun whispering fervently when Charlie entered the room. They quickly shrank back into their own cubicles.

Charlie laughed. "That bad, eh?"

Hermione glowered. "You have no bloody idea."

"Lunch?" he asked, offering her his arm.

"Anything to get me out of this place," she responded, taking his arm and dragging him out into the corridor.

~~~~~~~

They sat outside of Fortescue's Ice cream parlor, both eating large helpings of ice cream sundaes. They discussed both Hermione's work at the Ministry and the Dragon Reserve Charlie worked at in Wales.

Charlie cleared his throat. "You're not sorry?" he asked her.

Hermione looked at him. "About this? Us?" she replied. "No. I just hope I didn't force you into..."

"You didn't," he interrupted.

Hermione nodded. "Good. I didn't want you to think you were obligated to 'rescue' me."

Charlie smiled. "Of course not."

Hermione looked back down at her sundae, nervously twisting the sleeve of her robes between her hands.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, then Charlie spoke again.

"I know I'm not Ron," he began.

"Of course you're not Ron!" Hermione exclaimed. "I've never been under the delusion that you are."

Charlie looked rather relieved. "Well, that's settled, then," he said, running a hand through his thick ginger hair.

Hermione sighed. "I feel like a bit of fresh air."

Charlie looked at her. "We're already outside, Hermione."

"At the park," she told him, standing.

They Apparated to the magical area of Hyde Park, where dozens of laughing children flew around on brooms and wizarding families sat picnicking in the summer sun.

"Good idea," Charlie said appreciatively.

They strolled in silence around the large pond in the center of the park were small children were splashing and giggling. They approached an empty bench and sat down.

Charlie took her hand in his. "Listen, I know we haven't come together under the most ideal circumstances." He grinned as Hermione snorted. "But we've come together anyways. This isn't going to be easy, but I'm willing to try." He started to blush under her gaze and looked back at his lap. "What I mean is, I want this to work, us. I know we might not ever have what mum and dad have got, but I'd like to at least have a go at it."

Hermione squeezed his hand. "Thank you. For everything." He looked up at her as she beamed at him. Her happiness made him blush even deeper.

He took a deep breath and pulled a small box out of his pocket.

"Even though neither of us had much of a choice in all this," he began. "I didn't think it would be right not to get you a ring."

He handed Hermione the small box. She nervously opened it to find a small diamond ring. It was the most exquisite ring she had ever seen; an emerald cut diamond with small sapphires on either side.

Hermione gasped. "Oh, Charlie, this is too much!"

He smiled. "Bill and Dad figured you'd say that." He slipped the ring out of the box and onto her finger. "I know it's already official, but Hermione, will you marry me?"

Hermione's stomach did an unexpected backflip as she looked into his sincere brown eyes. It was as though she had never really looked at him before. He looked a bit like Ron, but his nose wasn't as pointed and his freckles had become so dense that it looked as though he was rather tanned. His eyes were a rich brown with the slightest hint of laugh creases both at his eyes and at the sides of his wide mouth. His hair was windswept, falling haphazardly across his forehead.

Hermione looked down at the ring on her left hand, which he still held in his considerably larger and more calloused hand. She looked back into his eyes.

"I will."

He smiled. Hermione's stomach backflipped again.

~~~~~~~

Charlie had to use every ounce of self-restraint he had to keep himself from pulling Hermione into his lap and snogging her senseless. The way she looked in Diagon Alley, so tentative and confused made him want to hold her and soothe her fears. She grew slightly more assured as they walked through the park, the wind tousling her heavy brown curls as she brushed them away with her slim, long fingered hand.

The way she stared straight into his eyes, looking hopeful and vulnerable at the same time made his heart stop for a moment. Was there really a chance for them? Could they really make this work? He desperately hoped so.

*******

notes: I figured that the Ministry is just as gossipy as every other workplace, so I thought it might be funny to add in a gossipy workplace.