Rose Among the Thorns

Chapter 13- Of Getting to Know Your Fiancé

Hermione had suggested that she and Charlie have dinner Sunday evening, with the purpose of 'getting to know each other.' Charlie whole-heartedly agreed. They planned to meet at a nice muggle restaurant in London Hermione's parents often went to for special occasions.

"How do I look?" Charlie asked Bill, who had come to Charlie's flat in Cardiff drop off some muggle money he had exchanged at Gringotts. Charlie had never been very preoccupied with clothes, as dragons didn't really care what he wore. He had chosen a white dress shirt, black trousers, and a dark blue necktie.

"Not bad, little brother. If you dressed like this more often you'd already be married with three kids by now," Bill said with a laugh, straightening Charlie's tie.

Charlie scowled. "Sod off. I just want to look presentable."

"You think Hermione'd be embarrassed of you?" Bill asked. "Frankly, I don't think she's the type."

"I know," Charlie responded. "I just want to make her...proud, I guess."

Bill cocked his head. "Little brother, I might be mistaken, but it sounds like you're falling for her."

Charlie scowled. "Well, we are going to be married in a week! Why shouldn't I be 'emotionally invested' in our relationship?"

"Emotionally invested?" Bill laughed. "It sounds like a hell of a lot more than that."

Charlie rounded on his brother. "So what if I'm starting to like her more than my kid brother's ex-girlfriend and love of his life?" he shouted. "D'you have a problem with that?"

Bill exhaled slowly, comprehension dawning on him. "So that's it. You're worried that she's never stopped loving Ron and she never will."

Charlie flopped down on his battered sofa and put his head in his hands. " I don't want to be a replacement. She told me that she had never thought of me as one, but..."

"Hermione's not the kind of girl to lie." Bill sagely advised. "She's taking this as seriously as you are. She'll not make you a fool."

"I hope you're right," Charlie sighed.

"Actually, I think she may be warming up to you as well," Bill said with a grin.

Charlie lifted his head. "How d'you know that?" he asked in astonishment.

"Ginny," Bill said, still smiling.

Charlie stood and straightened his tie. "I'll have to talk to our little sister about this."

With a laugh Bill Disapparated, and moments later Charlie did the same.

~~~~~~~

Charlie took out his pocket watch. It was five 'til seven. Hermione said she'd meet him at seven, so he gave the maître d' his last name and waited in the lobby for his fiancé. He was momentarily stunned when she flew breathlessly through the doors. Her hair had been pulled back in a loose French plait, leaving wispy curls to frame her face. Charlie noted with slight surprise that she was actually wearing lipstick. She wore a mid-thigh length black dress that perfectly accented her curvy frame. He smiled and offered her his arm. They followed the maître d' to their table, and Charlie noticed that several of the male patrons gave Hermione admiring glances.

They took their seats and didn't speak much until after they ordered their food.

"Busy day?" Charlie asked pleasantly.

Hermione smiled. "I've been in Australia all morning. Telling my parents about all this... us" she added at his inquiring glance.

"And they're alright. They approve?" he asked gently.

"They don't quite understand how the wizarding community could be so positively medieval regarding arranged marriages and all, but they're perfectly alright with my decision to marry you," she said pleasantly, taking a sip of wine. "They remember you. Dad said he thinks you're a 'nice chap,' and mum likes your family."

The Grangers had been invited to Harry and Ginny's wedding and had spoken at length with the Weasley family.

Charlie sighed with relief. "Well at least we've got their permission and I don't have to fear for my life from your father's murderous rage at being unsuitable as his daughter's husband."

Hermione laughed. "My dad's not the type."

They immersed themselves in pleasant reminisces about their families until their dinner arrived. After a few moments of eating in silence, Hermione took a sip of wine and cleared her throat.

"As we're getting married in a week there are some things we need to discuss," she began. "We already know nearly all of each other's life stories, courtesy of your mum, but there are some details we need to go over regarding the wedding and our life afterwards."

Charlie took a drink of wine and stared across the table at her. He had no clue where this was going.

Hermione took a piece of parchment out of her handbag and unfolded it. She looked up at Charlie, who was grinning.

"Typical me," she said wryly. "We haven't really talked about the ceremony."

Charlie shrugged. "Whatever you want. Isn't it supposed to be the bride's day anyways?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Typical man. Anyways, I have made a few tentative arrangements and I wanted to make sure you agreed before I went ahead with them."

"Fine with me," Charlie said, still smiling.

"Well, if you don't mind I'd like the bridesmaid's dresses to be periwinkle blue, and the groomsmen to have matching vests." She looked up at him expectantly.

"Blue's a good color. As long as it isn't green," he said.

"I was a Gryffindor as well," she reminded him primly. "Besides, Harry'd have a fit, and the twins probably would too."

Charlie laughed. "I wouldn't doubt it, knowing those two they'd charm the dresses red and gold in the middle of the ceremony."

Hermione giggled as well. "We'll definitely have to go with blue then." She grew serious again. "I also wanted wildflowers as well. Ginny wondered about doves but I thought it wouldn't be a great idea. Imagine one of them pooing all over your Aunt Muriel."

Charlie nearly choked on his dinner as he goggled at his fiancé. She had a much better sense of humor than he had previously thought.

"Anything else?" he managed to gasp.

Hermione scanned her list. "Oh, there is the question of where we'll be living after Saturday," she said, the fainted hint of blush creeping into her cheeks.

He suddenly remembered that they hadn't discussed whose flat they would be giving up after they married. He wiped his mouth with his napkin.

"Well, my place isn't very big," he began.

"Mine isn't either," Hermione agreed.

Charlie scratched his head, trying to come up with a compromise. "We could give mine up and stay in yours long enough to find a place halfway between London and Cardiff."

Hermione nodded. "Good idea." She blushed deeper at the next item on her list.

"What?" Charlie said between mouthfuls.

"Honeymoon," she responded.

Charlie put down his fork. "Oh, that. Well, is there anywhere special you want to go?"

Hermione was growing pinker by the second. "Now that you mention it," she said, mumbling into her parchment, "I'd rather like to go to Greece."

"Greece?" Charlie asked thoughtfully. "Greece sounds like a great place for a honeymoon."

"Really?" Hermione asked hopefully.

Charlie smiled. "Really."

Beaming widely, she looked back down at her list. "I think that takes care of everything. Your mum helped me take care of the invitations so we should be nearly set."

"If you need help with anything let me know," he offered. She hadn't asked for any kind of help organizing the wedding and Charlie hadn't been sure she wanted any.

She smiled at him again. "Thanks, I will."

Charlie inwardly congratulated himself on saying the right thing to make her face light up like that.

"If you want, you can come over a night this week and we can finish any last minute preparations," he told her.

Hermione hesitated, a hint of pink rising in her cheeks again. "That would be...lovely, Charlie," she replied. "Thursday evening sound good?"

"Thursday's alright by me," he responded.

She nodded. The waiter came with the bill and Charlie fumbled with the muggle money Bill had exchanged for him at the bank.

"Let me," Hermione said, opening the clasp of her handbag.

Charlie shook his head. "Nope, I got extra hazard pay this week so I might as well cough this up."

He paid for their dinner and escorted her out the door. They joined the swarm of people walking briskly down the sidewalk. After six blocks they arrived at one of the designated Apparition points.

Charlie stuck his hands in his pockets. "I had fun," he said, half questioningly, hoping she would say the same.

"Me too," Hermione replied, smiling up at him.

As this was usually the time of the date in which someone plucks up the courage to kiss the other person, Charlie wondered if he should do so, but thought better of it. After all, they'd only been engaged a week and had hardly spoken to each other before that.

"Goodnight," he said, brushing his lips on her cheek. "See you Thursday, then."

"Yes," Hermione replied, rather dazed. "Thursday."

Charlie smiled and Disapparated. Hermione stood in the darkened alleyway next to a garbage bin, holding her hand against her cheek and smiling in a bemused way before Disapparating herself.

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