Amidst The Ashes

They were at the steps to the entrance now and Neville did look. Charlie was tall and had the build of an athlete. Neville had once overheard Lavender and Parvati talking about boys and they had describe one of them as "completely drool-worthy". Neville had chuckled and then pretended not to be listening. Now he reconsidered the description and found that it applied quite nicely to his companion. You are losing it Neville.

Charlie picked that exact moment to turn and smile at him. He dropped his arm from around Neville's shoulders, kissed him quickly and said, "Follow me."

Neville followed. They went up the stairs, through the entrance hall, left through a tapestry-covered arch, right, down five steps, left again, down a long hallway, 27 steps up this time, around a corner, another staircase... Neville lost track.

They were now walking up a curving ramp-like hall. The walls were lined with portraits showing wizards performing ancient tasks. One was weaving some sort of fabric, muttering and making precise movements with his wand. A squat little wizard with a ridiculous mustache was levitating stones one by one, constructing a wall of what appeared to be a castle. A witch in a very tall slender portrait appeared to be fashioning metal into a sword. She stepped away from her heat source (was it called a forge?) when he paused momentarily to look at her. "Nice going," she said, looking at Charlie's retreating back. "You'll be wanting to catch up."

Neville knew it when he blushed spectacularly, he could feel the heat burning on his face. The witch laughed. "I see, so my speculations were not wrong. If I wasn't a painting I'd chase him myself. Off you go then." She pointed down the hall. Neville swallowed, shook his head at being embarrassed by a portrait, and took her advice, walking quickly away before Charlie could disappear entirely.

Charlie was waiting for him at the entrance to an alcove. "Talking to the portraits? Some of them are quite entertaining. My favorite is Halfrect the Healer, she has a collection of leeches that is really quite impressive."

It was easy again for a minute. Charlie had a gift for putting others at ease. "I didn't see her, just the guy with the mustache and the sword-smith, or whatever." Charlie was standing very close, or maybe it was Neville that had moved close. Whichever, it was nice. And here I go with the nerves again.

"Just through this curtain there is a very narrow spiral staircase. It's a mini-turret of sorts, and at the top is my room. It's round and a bit tatty, but I like it, and Dumbledore let me choose." Charlie reached out and took one of Neville's hands between both of his own. "Still okay?"

"Y..yes." Neville's voice had a bit of a squeak to it, and he cringed inwardly. He was acting like a child. It wasn't as if he didn't want to go to Charlie's room, didn't want to be with him, because he did. It was just that he had no prior experience and was worried that he would follow his own well-worn tradition and make a disaster of the whole thing.

Charlie let go of his hand and placed his own hands on either side of Neville's face instead. "Nev, I have no expectations, alright? I just want to spend some more time with you, to be with you. We won't do anything you don't want to do. Promise. And if you really don't want to come with me, I'll take you back to the tower."

Charlie was earnest and his voice was kind. The alcohol still swirling in Neville's veins made him more forthright than normal. "No, it's not that I d..don't want to... I just never... I mean.... And you probably... but....." He broke off, and closed his eyes so that he wouldn't have to see those blue ones watching him. "Bugger! Just kiss me again Charlie and then let's walk through this alcove of yours."

Charlie grinned hugely, and proceeded to kiss Neville very thoroughly. Neville's head swam. He ended up breathless and clinging to Charlie and he didn't even mind when one of the portraits made some sort of catcall. Charlie held his hand and guided him to staircase. They went around and around and around, but Neville was certain that it was not the twisting that was making him dizzy.

Charlie pulled Neville in front of him when they reached the landing and simply molded himself to his back. He drew his wand and reached around Neville to tap the door and mutter the words to his wards. Neville didn't make them out clearly, he was far to busy noticing a certain hard length that was pressing into the small of his back. Then they were through the door and Charlie spun him again, kissing him hard and thoroughly before tearing his mouth away and walking over to the fireplace.

A murmured spell and flames leaped in the grate. The room warmed almost instantly. Neville took a moment to look around, although it took actual physical effort to pull his eyes away from Charlie. It was round, except for a flat space at the back, probably where it met the castle. Three windows, tall deeply set winked darkly. There was a colorful woven rug on the floor, a wing chair that had seen better days leaning drunkenly by a little round table, and a talking hat stand. Neville knew it talked because it said, "Well 'ello Charlie, mate. Give me your cloak then, and that of your friend too I suppose. Good to have the work."

Charlie took off his cloak, hung it on the rack and then proceeded to mutter a stunning spell. He looked sheepishly at Neville, "Gets a bit lonely up here sometimes and Dumbledore said no one had used the thing in years so I let him leave it. Don't need the comments at the moment however. Can I take your cloak?" Neville noticed that Charlie quickly slammed a framed picture down on its face as he walked by. It contained a picture of the entire Weasley clan.

Neville laughed, it was a deep, bubbling, rolling laugh that started in his toes and bled out all of his tension and nervousness as it fell from him. He unfastened his cloak with trembling fingers, all the while laughing so hard that tears sprang to his eyes. He had a mental picture of the Ginny in the portrait discussing their kissing style with the hat rack, while Fred and George shouted out tips, and Mrs. Weasley chastised them.

Charlie began to chuckle too, quickly hung Neville's cloak and then enfolded him in his arms. "I did warn you it was a bit tatty, perhaps I should have mentioned the odd bits." He brought his thumbs up to wipe the tears from Neville's face, and then kissed him again. "Still want to kiss me?" he asked.

How they ended up lying on the bed Neville was not entirely certain. He remembered toeing off his shoes and helping Charlie with the buttons on his shirt and kissing, such kissing! Neville caught his breath and looked up at Charlie. The man was lying on his side, leaning over Neville and had just pulled back from a scorching kiss that would have melted Neville's fillings had he been a Muggle and actually had any. Charlie was lit by the flames from the fire and the dancing glow on his auburn hair made Neville think that it was about to alight as well. Charlie was shirtless and oh so beautiful. He had bronzed skin over well-honed muscle and sinew. His nipples were pale rose, surrounded by a small ring of auburn hair a shade lighter than that on his head. Neville raised his hand and touched a finger to one.

Charlie moaned lowly but did not move. Emboldened by that response Neville ran his finger back and forth across the little bud, surprised and pleased when it pebbled at his touch. He added a thumb to his finger and rolled the bit of tissue between them. Charlie hissed. Neville moved from lying on his back to lying on his side, never moving this hand from Charlie's chest. He watched the other nipple as he lightly pinched the one in his fingers and was pleased to see it harden as well. These were uncharted waters, but he was eager to explore them.

Neville looked up to see Charlie watching him, bottom lip caught firmly between his teeth. At the question in Neville's eyes he released it, "Go on, you're doing fine. Touch me any way you want. It feels wonderful."

Encouragement given in that low, abruptly husky voice, allowed him to give in to his impulse. Neville moved his hand away and replaced it with his lips. Charlie gasped, and Neville brought his hand to fondle the other nipple as he gently laved the one in his mouth. Charlie's skin was warm and soft and just a bit salty. The hair tickled his lips a bit and the bud under his tongue lengthened until Neville was compelled to take it between his teeth.

Charlie trembled. One hand began to gently stroke Neville's hair while the other, the one that had been under Neville's head, moved to the top of his back and began to bunch of the fabric of his shirt in an attempt to get to skin. Neville licked his way to the other nipple, wondering even as he did so if he was doing everything entirely wrong. Charlie had not protested though, and he was enjoying the little sounds that came from his partner. When Neville sucked hard on the second nipple the fingers in his hair tightened. After he worried it with his teeth for a moment the hand in his hair pulled firmly but not harshly.

"Nev, Merlin, Nev. Take... take off this shirt. Want to see you. Please." The hand left his hair and joined its twin in pulling the fabric out of Neville's trousers and up to bunch beneath his arms. "Yes. I want to touch you. Sit up a bit."

Neville complied and his shirt was whisked off over his head and flung somewhere. When the air hit his skin it occurred to him again where he was, whom he was with, and the fact that he had just lost his shirt. He was not bronzed, or toned or in any way beautiful. His belly was a bit rounded though he did have muscles in his chest from working on gardening and dueling. He had never really looked at himself in the mirror unclothed because he didn't want to listen to it delineate his failings. He brought a trembling hand back to touch Charlie, closing his eyes and curling toward him, hoping to lessen his view or distract him.

Charlie must have sensed the tension that flooded him because he put a gentle hand under Neville's chin and tilted his face up. "Neville?" Charlie kissed him, but it was a slow kiss, a soft kiss. He laid a hand on Neville's belly but did not move it. Neville wondered if he was checking to see if he was shaking. He was shaking. "What happened? I won't do anything you don't want me to. I promised, remember? Do you trust me?"

Neville felt like every kind of fool, but the hand on his stomach felt nice and he didn't want Charlie to think that he had done something to make Neville feel bad. He curled close, laying his head on Charlie's shoulder so that he wouldn't have to look at him. He gasped a little at the feel of skin on skin, and noticed that Charlie when very still for a moment before curling his other arm around him. "No... I mean, yes. I do trust you. It's not that.... It's just..... I....." The hand on his stomach rubbed softly, and the one on his back stroked his spine. He was stammering but he needed to explain to Charlie, even if it was only to humiliate himself. "You'resobeautifulandI'mjust... just me." It came out in one long fast sentence that broke at the end. Charlie would agree, he would have to, and he would tell Neville that it was fine, and he didn't mind settling, after all there was a war on.

Charlie ran the hand on his stomach slowly up his torso to his neck, pressing as he did, so that Neville was pushed gently to his back. Neville closed his eyes. Charlie was looking at him. He couldn't bear to watch, even as his pulse quickened with every brush of Charlie's fingers against his skin. Charlie kissed him - his lips, his checks, his neck. "Nev, you're wonderful," kiss, "and sexy," kiss, "and so much more than that. Look at me, please?"

Neville opened his eyes, though it took great effort. "I want to be with you. You. You are attractive, Neville, but that's not the draw." Charlie picked up Neville's hand and kissed it before placing it on his chest. "Do you remember what happened when you touched me here?" Neville's fingers traced over a flat nipple and Charlie breathed a little deeper. "And here?" His fingers were moved to the other nipple. "And here," Charlie drew his hand lower to rest on stomach muscles that quivered at his touch. Neville relaxed a bit and spread his hand out flat against Charlie's skin, meeting his eyes finally to see if that was alright.

"If feels so good when you touch me. I want to make you feel good too. If you moved your hand a bit lower you'd find out how much I want that, but you could see if you looked. More than that though, Nev, I just want to be with you. If you want to stop this, I'd be happy just to hold you."

Neville was flabbergasted. He looked from Charlie's face to his groin, and then blushed at his own boldness. Charlie hadn't lied. Neville could see the obvious bulge pushing against Charlie's zipper. The mound twitched as he looked at it. Neville swallowed and told himself that he should look away, but was unable to force himself to do so for a long moment. When he finally did drag his eyes back to Charlie's face, he felt like his blush must reach to his toes.

Charlie smiled, understanding in his eyes. He ran a hand through Neville's hair and kissed him. "Can I touch you?"

Neville could do nothing but nod.

The kiss started as the barest touches, just a brush of lips. He drew back and the next time there was a little pressure, but not much. Neville let his lips fall apart, and Charlie laid small tiny sucking kisses along his lower lip. Neville moaned and reached up to pull Charlie closer. The hand returned to his stomach, rubbing soft, around, up toward his chest then down toward his waistband then back. Neville sighed. Charlie's tongue traced his lips, sipping and licking at him as if he were some divine sweet. Neville's fingers delved into Charlie's hair and pulled him closer. Neville tongue came to meet Charlie's, licking the slick muscle and inviting it in. Charlie dipped his finger into Neville's navel at the same instant his tongue entered the cavern of Neville's mouth.

Neville's muscles contracted. All the blood that was not pounding in his ears was rushing to his groin. When Charlie slipped a finger between their lips and then brought it to swirl over one of Neville's nipples, he arched into the touch and made a little yelping noise which he did not even bother being embarrassed by. He sucked hard on Charlie's tongue before pushing it away and using his own to explore that other delightful mouth. The kiss did not end until Neville's head was spinning from lack of oxygen, not that he really cared if he ever breathed again.

As Neville sucked in air and panted, Charlie laid kisses across his face to his ear, down his jaw line, stopping to suck and lick the jumping pulse in his neck. At the same time Charlie's hands explored his torso, drawing forth shudders and cries and mewling small noises. When Charlie's mouth finally, finally closed over a nipple Neville cried out his name and arched up toward him.

The hand strayed lower, long fingers traced patterns over his abdomen, followed the trail of hair from his navel to his waistband. The mouth moved to his other nipple. Neville was on fire. His skin burned and tingled and he was more aroused than he had ever been. He'd forgotten to be shy or concerned. He just wanted that tormenting hand to move lower, to touch him. "Please God, before I die, please, please touch me."

He did not realize that he had spoken aloud.

Neville was completely unprepared when everything stopped. The mouth left his tormented chest and the hand at his waist stilled. "Are you sure? Neville?"

Neville opened lust fogged eyes and nodded. "Please, please, yes, anything."

Charlie met his eyes and Neville saw something deep and primal light within them but it was quickly doused. Neville didn't care. Charlie could do anything he wanted. He'd never, ever felt like this, like he was melting and yet that every cell in his body was alive and lit from within by fire.

"Yes, Merlin you make the best sounds. So hot." Charlie's mouth covered his own and he was kissed deeply again, even as fingers went to his button, lowered his zip. Neville moaned, so loud he was certain that the portraits in the corridor would hear him. Charlie broke the kiss, and moved to use both hands. "Lift up just a bit, lift up."

Neville complied and his trousers were pulled carefully down and then pushed towards his ankles. Neville kicked them off, not caring what happened to them. He was wearing boxers only now, but all he wanted was for Charlie to touch him. If he didn't touch him soon he was going to do it himself. The world had narrowed to this room, and the low throb that started in his groin and raced outward to every other part of his body. Charlie kissed him again, hard and intimately and then there was a hand covering his erection, through his pants. "Gods, Charlie! More. Please? Really touch me."

Charlie's fingers slipped under the elastic of his pants and pulled them down over his length, pushing until they rested on his thighs. Neville's erection sprang up to thump against his belly and he felt the wet heat there just before Charlie's fingers found him. Charlie's thumb swirled in the slippery drops leaking from Neville's slit and then ran down along the vein underneath. Fingers wrapped completely around him. Neville's whole lower body came off the bed, thrusting up into that hand. He couldn't see anymore, couldn't breathe. He was dying, but he didn't care. This was madness. This was a miracle. This needed to never end and to end right now.

"Charlie! Ohmygod, ohmygod. Not going to... Yes! Please! Oh!" Up, then down, then up. A squeeze and a bit of a twist, swirl around the tip, down again. "I'm, I'm... Charlie!" The fingers drew back upward again. That hot warm mouth fastened on his nipple. Teeth. Press. Thrust.

Neville had no idea if what came from his mouth was coherent or not. White stars shot across his vision, heat surged from every part of his body, pooled low in his belly, gathered in his tight balls, and then he was coming; coming and yelling and falling. Hot liquid hit his belly. Charlie was saying something, but he couldn't understand it. The world spun. Colors burst behind his eyes. He arched so hard he thought his back would break and still the pleasure crashed over him again and again until he was washed away.

~~~~~~

When Neville finally spiraled back from the heights he found that Charlie was holding him, placing kisses at random spots on his face. "Back with me?" he asked, leaning over to kiss Neville's lips.

Neville nodded, kissing him back. He felt limp and languid and happier than he could ever remember feeling.

"That was the most erotic thing I have ever seen." Charlie waited until Neville was looking at him and then he slowly licked his fingers. "Mmmmm."

Neville groaned and squirmed a bit. "Guharmp."

Charlie laughed. "Really? Couldn't have said it better myself. Don't move." Charlie kissed him again and stood. He was back moments later with a warm damp washcloth, which he used to carefully clean Neville. "There are spells for this of course, but this feels better."

Neville sighed contentedly. As his body began to solidify again from the goo it had become, he pushed himself up onto his elbows and watched Charlie move. It seemed suddenly unfair that he was naked while Charlie still had on his trousers. "That does feel nice. Charlie?"

Charlie finished his task, kissed Neville's stomach, and threw the rag aside. "Hmm?"

"Guh," Neville temporarily lost the ability to speak again, but then grabbed hard at his fleeting lucidity. "Charlie? Can I... Can I see you?" He blushed as he spoke, but he didn't look away.

Charlie grinned. "As you wish, Nev, as you wish." He stood and in one fluid movement husked off both his trousers and his cotton pants. He bent from the waist to remove them from around his ankles, giving Neville a view of the most perfect arse he had ever seen.

Neville's mouth dropped open and blood rushed south again, not as fast, but given a few minutes... Then Charlie turned. The hair at his groin was auburn as well, dark and curled and surrounding. Long. Uncut. Curved just slightly towards his stomach. Neville's mouth went dry. "Ohhhh...."

Charlie crawled onto the bed. Slowly, like some large cat. Neville's fingers itched to touch him. He stretched out beside Neville, on his side, facing him, and leaned over to kiss him again. Lips and the tickling brush of hair against cheek. Those were the only parts of Charlie that touched him.

Charlie drew away and looked at him. He was strung tight as a bowstring. Neville, feeling bold, looked him over, head to toe and back again. Charlie stayed very still, though his erection twitched again when Neville's gaze fell on it. Neville wanted to touch him, to hold that hard length in his hand and see if it was as warm as it looked. He wanted to wet his fingers with precome, and then touch them to his tongue. He was nervous, however, about where it would lead, a bit frightened by what Charlie would expect, but he took a deep breath and reminded himself that he trusted Charlie.

Charlie seemed to read his mind again, when Neville's eyes met his own. "No expectations. Another night for what you are thinking, I believe." He kissed Neville again. "I'm fine. I could even, er, take care of this in the bathroom if you like."

"Don't you dare!" Neville was suddenly less shy, and completely emphatic, though it lasted for only a second. "Can I... will you.... I want to....."

Charlie lay on his back and took Neville's hand, pulling him close. "You can. I wish you would. And I'm glad you want to. Do whatever you'd like, or you can just watch." Charlie wound his closest arm around Neville, then ran the other hand across his chest, fingering his own nipple before beginning to move slowly down.

Neville's mouth was dry again and he moved to press himself, shoulder to thigh, against Charlie. He put his own hand over Charlie's and stopped it's progress. "Charlie," he kissed his neck, his ear, his cheek, "show me how you like to be touched. Would that... um... be alright?" Neville moved to lick around one nipple as he waited for a response. He was a bit nervous, but he knew now that Charlie liked that at least.

Charlie groaned. "Yes! More than alright. Just do that for a minute, gods it feels good." Charlie turned slightly towards him, giving him better access. He took Neville's hand and moved it down over his stomach. He swirled it once, raking Neville's fingers across well-defined muscles.

Now it was Neville that groaned. He moved his lips to Charlie's neck, sucking a bit and then kissing his Adam's apple. It jumped when he touched it with his tongue. Charlie's hand resumed it's progress. Neville's fingers were now dragged to the side, running down over his hip, just brushing through the edge of wiry hair.

Neville and Charlie both gasped.

Charlie moved the hand further, used one of Neville's fingers to trace the line where leg met body - outer thigh to inner. Neville's fingertip nudge something soft. Charlie grunted, pushing the hand down until it rested on his inner thigh, between his now spread legs.

Neville raised his head, kissed Charlie hard and then turned his eyes to watch. "Rub there, Nev, just for a minute. Yes!" he hissed as Neville complied, moving his own hand up to tug downward. Neville gaped, feeling himself harden against Charlie's thigh. "Cradle them now. Tumble my .... OhMerlinyes!!!"

Neville followed directions, looking from Charlie's face to his groin and back again. Neville was only a bit embarrassed when his hips bucked up against Charlie.

"Yes. Oh...." Then Charlie was reaching for something. He had his wand in his hand now, and choked out instructions. "Hand..please...now." Neville brought up his hand and Charlie whispered a spell that covered it in warm, slippery gel. Neville had gone back to sucking random spots on Charlie's chest, never letting his eyes leave the sight lower down. "Stroke me, and please, for the love of all that's holy, kiss me again."

Charlie's voice was deep and husky, like wind over the moors at night. Neville placed a trembling slicked hand around Charlie and the other man cried out. He didn't know what he was doing, had never done this before, but some things don't need to be learned. Neville brought his mouth to cover Charlie's, bucked his hips against him, and stroked as the other man thrust into his hand.

The next few minutes melted into heat and touch and stroke and kiss and Neville opened his eyes when Charlie tensed, tore his mouth away and cried out Neville's name. Neville just had time to focus his eyes, and then Charlie was coming in long, heated, opalescent threads. The sight ripped Neville's second orgasm from him, and he came hard against Charlie's thigh, even as the Charlie shuddered through his own pleasure.

When both of them could speak again, Charlie reached for his wand and murmured a cleaning spell. "Sorry, but there is no way I'm moving." He flicked his wand at the bed linens, which floated up to cover them both. "Stay with me?"

Neville nodded, kissing Charlie's neck and pushing sweat-dampened hair from his face. "I'd love to Charlie. In fact you'd be required to throw me out at this point." He snuggled close. Charlie still lay on his back and Neville was sprawled half across him, head on one strong shoulder, knee resting between strong thighs. Charlie's pulled him close and kissed him again, though this time it was languid and slow.

I never want to leave. If I have to die in this war let it be now, while I sleep in his arms.

"Thank you, Nev," Charlie whispered after breaking the kiss. "Sleep now, morning will come soon."

There were a few more kisses, and soft touches, and then Neville slept. He dreamt of dragons and red hair and happiness so deep he could drown in it.