Twist of Fate: This story is a side story to my story, Twist of Fate. It will not make much sense if you haven't read Twist. Twist is primarily HP/DM.

Pairings: For those who need all pairings, let's see what we have here: CW/OC (Simon), HP/CW (past/present), HP/DM (past/future), HP/GW (past). No infidelity. Additional warnings: Language. Lime. Angst (but nothing like that angst in Twist).

AUGUST 28 2013 UPDATE - I have made small changes to this chapter in order to solve plot problems that could not resolved in any other ways. If you already have read the story, I have italicized the three sentences (just three, but they are critical ones). If you haven't read it before it shouldn't matter to you. I had to make these changes in order to be true to how I want/need this story to develop. It's taken me six months to recognize that all my writing problems with this story go back to the premises set up here, so I decided to fix it so I can finish the story.

I truly am sorry that I couldn't write my way out of the corner I put myself in, but this was the only solution I could come up with. Apologies, Marty.

12:45 a.m. New Year's Day, 2000.

No. 12 Grimmauld Place

Charlie looked around the rooftop terrace until he spotted Malfoy leaning against the house away from the rest of the crowd celebrating the New Year. He turned and made sure that Harry was still talking to a group of friends. Picking up his glass he walked towards Malfoy. Malfoy casually glanced over to see who was coming up to him. He straightened up as he saw Charlie and looked challengingly at him.

"Malfoy."

"Weasley."

"Has Harry told you why he and I stopped seeing each other?" Charlie asked idly as he set down his glass on the railing.

"He gave me some story about not wanting to hurt Ginny and Ron's feelings," Malfoy said, looking back at Charlie. "What was it really?"

"He talks in his sleep," Charlie said, forcing his voice to stay quiet.

Malfoy laughed, "Tell me something I don't know."

Charlie fought the temptation to slap the smile off his face and shrugged, "I'm a pretty easy-going bloke but there is a limit to how many times you can hear your lover calling out someone else's name in his sleep." Malfoy looked over at him sharply and Charlie shook his head, "I knew it wasn't his fault, he couldn't control what was happening in that head of his that you screwed up. But he felt guilty and didn't know what to do. We decided he should take a year to get sorted out. Figure out what he really wanted," Charlie took a sip of his beer and set the glass back down.

"When was the year up?"

"Last week," Charlie glanced over his shoulder at where Harry was still talking. "I think it is pretty obvious who he wants."

"It is his choi-" Malfoy spat back but Charlie cut him off by wrapping his fingers around Malfoy's throat and squeezing.

He leaned forward and whispered in his ear, "I just want to make it perfectly clear. If you give Harry the slightest reason to doubt his decision. If you hurt him, I will come after you and no one will ever find your body when I'm done with you. Then I will pick up the shattered pieces and put Harry back together again like I did last year. I will make love to him night and day until the only name he remembers is mine. Understand?"

Malfoy nodded. Charlie let go and patted him on the shoulder. Picking up his pint glass he smiled at Malfoy, it was worth it seeing the look on the cocky bastard's face. "Glad we had this little chat."

He turned and made his way down the stairs, intent on leaving Harry's house. Someone called out his name but he didn't stop, just continued to make his way through the throngs of partygoers as quickly as he could. At last he was down in the kitchen and he was heading towards the back door when he heard his name shouted out again. Looking over his shoulder he saw Simon coming down the steps towards him.

"Charlie, wait up."

Swearing under his breath he threw open the back door and ran up the stairs to the alleyway, tripping on the last step.

"Charlie, hold up-" Simon was closer now and Charlie hesitated for a moment but then drew his wand intent on apparating away. He would make it up to Simon but right now he just had to get away. He turned, as he did he felt a hand grab ahold of his arm just as he was disaparating.

Charlie stumbled as he landed when Simon crashed into him. Charlie looked at him in shock, "Are you crazy? You could have splinched us both!" he shouted as he pushed Simon away from him.

"I want to help. I know what you are going through," Simon said to him, holding his hands up defensively, "Let me help."

Charlie turned away from Simon, furious that he had intruded, "I don't want help. I just need to be alone. Please leave, Simon," he added wearily. He liked the man but he couldn't mask what he was feeling any longer.

"You are hurting. Let me help," Simon repeated. He took a step closer.

"Just leave, Simon," the words came out raspy, his breathing unsteady.

Simon came up behind Charlie. "Let me help. Close your eyes and let me be who you need me to be tonight."

Charlie turned around to look at him, "What? No!"

"I've been where you are, I understand," Simon said, "Close your eyes."

He reached up and stroked Charlie's face. "Close your eyes," he ghosted a kiss on Charlie's neck, "Let me be him for you tonight."

"You don't know what you're saying," Charlie said angrily. Simon shook his head.

"I do know. It's okay. This isn't about us. I know you love him. I know you're hurting. Just let me be him for you tonight. Say goodbye to him," Simon rubbed himself against Charlie, "Don't think about it just close your eyes and do it." With a moan, Charlie closed his eyes and Simon kissed him again. "What do you need? Rough or gentle?" Simon pulled back Charlie's collar and bit his shoulder blade.

Something snapped and in one fluid move he grabbed Simon and pressed him hard against the table. As he kissed Simon, he remembered back to the acrid smell of smoke from the camp fire and the feel of Harry against him as they came together for the first time. Charlie slipped his hands under his shirt, and for a moment was expecting to feel the scars that criss-crossed Harry's torso but then he lost all thought of who he was touching and why as he just remembered what it had been like with Harry. When Harry had been his and his alone.

OoOOOO

The next morning Charlie woke up and froze when he felt someone's arm draped over his chest. In a rush the events of the night before came back to him. Barely stifling a groan, he remembered Simon's words and his own reaction.

"You're awake," Simon's low voice whispered in his ear, "I can tell."

"Yeah," Charlie admitted reluctantly. He shifted to look over at Simon, "About last night-"

"Don't worry about it. You needed someone and I wanted it to be me," Simon said, "No regrets on my part."

"But, bloody hell. I shouldn't have..." Charlie winced suddenly as he remembered slamming him against the table and biting him...and other things. "Merlin, Simon, why did you let me - do you feel okay?"

"Honestly, a little rougher than I'm used to, but hot enough to make up for every ache I'm feeling now," Simon's hand was still resting on Charlie's chest. He drew his forefinger down it, "I'm more concerned on how you are doing. How do you feel?"

Charlie flopped back on his pillow and cover his eyes with his arm, "I hurt you. Fuck, I'm sorry. I lost my head. I don't usually, I mean I'm not usually so...Godric's left tit be damned, I can't even blame it on being drunk-"

"I said it was okay and I meant it."

"Why did you do it? Why would you even want to..." Charlie turned so he was facing Simon, propping his head up on his hand.

"You needed to get him out of your system. You can call it what you want, a revenge or a good-bye fuck. I know what it is like to be so torn up inside that you are feel like you are going to explode-"

"It isn't like that. I knew Harry wasn't mine, not really," Charlie said slowly, shaking his head. "I knew before he even left Făgăraș. Hell, that was over a year ago."

"Doesn't mean you don't still love him. You've done a decent job of covering up how you feel but I knew behind the smile you had plastered on your face last night that you were hurting. He may have left Romania last year but it had to hurt seeing him with-"

"Don't remind me," Charlie fell back against the pillow. He stared at the ceiling remembering the sight of Harry dancing in Draco Malfoy's arms the night before. Until that moment he'd hung on to some hope that Harry would be able to walk away from whatever power Malfoy held over him. "Still, what you said about..and then I just...used you."

"It is okay, I wanted you to do it. I don't think it is a St. Mungo's approved therapy technique but..." Charlie looked over at Simon as he hesitated, "Someone did it for me a long time ago. And, it was what I needed at the time. It kept me alive when I thought I wasn't going to make it."

"After Cedric..."

Simon nodded, "I never got to say goodbye, no last kiss or I love you. He just walked into that bloody maze with a wave of his hand and the next time I saw him he was dead in Harry's arms," he took a deep breath and shrugged. "I was in rough shape for a long time. The only reason I kept my job at Gringotts was because of your brother, Bill. That first year he covered for me more times than I care to admit."

"How did you come around?"

"One night I ended up in a Muggle bar. It was months after Cedric died and I was horny as hell and was drinking to get the courage to try and have a one-off with someone. I just wanted to feel something other than numb. A bloke came up to me and started talking to me, really talking, asking questions. And I just let loose about Cedric. It felt good, to finally talk about him. And this complete stranger didn't offer platitudes or say that time would heal the pain. He just took me back to his flat and he said what I said to you: Let me be him tonight. Then let him go and start living your life again like he would have wanted you to do."

Charlie nodded, "And you did it, you pretended he was Cedric."

"I protested, like you did, but after a couple of minutes I closed my eyes and suddenly I was just imagining what it would be like to have his kisses be Cedric's. To have one more night with him. To be able to feel him against me one last time. And I did it."

"What happened to the bloke?"

"Never saw him again. He held me as I cried like a baby and I fell asleep in his arms. In the morning he saw me to the door and wished me well. I left and was shocked to realize that I felt a little bit better and every day after that it did get a little easier. It was if he had released the ghost and I could finally move on."

"Is that what you are going to do? Just leave?"

Simon laughed and Charlie was surprised at how much he liked the sound of it, "Yes and no. I want to get to know you better. I had a lot of fun when we went out for dinner last week. But...there is no way we can be more than friends until you've had time to get over Harry. So yeah, I guess for now this was a one-off, but when you think you're ready, really ready, send me an owl. Anytime you want to just talk before then, let me know."

Charlie hesitated, "How about a two-off? This time with my eyes open. With you, not me fucking a memory." He watched the conflicting emotions play across Simon's face. "You were right. I probably did need it last night, but I don't usually-I mean-it was sometimes rough with Harry, at least at the beginning. He had so much anger in him then that it was the only way it could be, but I don't usually -bloody hell. I just don't want that to be your only memory of me, taking you like that. I know what it is like to have someone dreaming about someone else, saying someone else's name. This time I want to do it right."

Simon hesitated and Charlie took that as an answer he moved quickly and straddled Simon's hips. He winced as he saw the red bite marks that he'd left on Simon. Leaning down he gently kissed each one. He heard Simon suck in his breath and he ground against him. "Let me do this, call it a promissory note for when-" he was cut off as Simon reached up and kissed him.

"I don't know where that falls in my unlicensed sex therapy rules but I'd be a fool to turn it down." Simon gasped as Charlie grabbed a hold of his hand and started sucking his fingers, "Sweet Circe." he murmured as Charlie smiled and shifted forward to give him easier access.

OooOO

A couple of hours and one shared shower later Simon sat down on Charlie's bed and started pulling on his jeans. Charlie opened a drawer and tossed him a clean shirt. "Thanks," Simon looked around and hesitated, "Mind if I ask where exactly we are?"

Charlie laughed, "Guess I didn't give you the formal tour last night, did I? This is my brother George's flat, above his shop."

"That makes sense. I was hoping it wasn't your folk's place and we would be sitting down for breakfast with them."

Charlie laughed, "Definitely not the Burrow. That is out in Devon. We are right on Diagon Alley. What would you like for breakfast? We could try and find a place open on New Year's Day or I could rustle something up for us."

"You don't have to feed me, I've intruded enough. I'm sure you just want some time to yourself-"

"I hardly call what you've been doing as an intrusion," Charlie laughed and walked over to Simon and rubbed his hand down his arm, "Well, I guess one could say you did intrude, but it was more than welcome."

"If you are sure, then let's stay in," Simon said, "When is your brother going to be back?"

"George? He'll probably spend the day at Grimmauld Place. I think he promised Harry he would help with the clean-up," Charlie grimaced a little, "I suppose that could change, considering last night's developments. Harry might want the place to himself... and Malfoy."

"I admit this all has put me in a bit of an awkward place. I am friends with both Draco and Harry. I've seen both sides of what they have been going through."

"You want them together," Charlie stated it as a fact.

Simon answered cautiously, "I do, I am probably the only person alive who saw them together back then. They were in love and it seemed pretty real to me. I could see it in how they looked at each other, supported each other."

"I know," Charlie said sadly, "I read Cedric's letters. We read them together in Făgăraș when Harry finally broke down and decided to read them. I could read between the lines what Cedric was saying."

"Harry doesn't know you love him, does he? Can't imagine he would put you through reading them if he knew."

Charlie turned away and went to pick up the dirty laundry from the floor and threw it in the hamper. He felt like telling Simon to mind his own business but felt compelled to tell someone. He had kept it a secret for so long, "No. He was so messed up when he arrived that he just needed someone to take away the pain he was feeling. Everything that had happened. Everything coming out during Malfoy's trial. He was so fucking angry," he turned to look at Simon, "And I gave him what he needed, no strings attached. I wanted to help. Just like you were here for me last night. I was there for him. It isn't his fault I was already half in love with him beforehand and having him with me just tipped the bucket to full."

"You didn't try to tell him?"

"Hell, no. I knew he just needed someone to take his mind off of everything that happened," Charlie shook his head and said, "This it isn't going to get us anywhere. Come on, I'll make us breakfast."

Simon prepared the tea and then sat down to watch Charlie moving easily around the kitchen, pulling out eggs, vegetables and bacon on to the counter. "You seem pretty at ease in the kitchen."

"Well, I've been on my own for years now. We have a cantina at the dragon camps but I don't always feel like joining the crowd, other times I'm out in field retrieving dragons or searching for dragon eggs," Charlie turned to the hob and lit it with his wand, he set the pan on the ring and started to preparing the omelettes.

"Who taught who how to make omelettes?" Charlie heard the question and turned around to stare at Simon who was holding his teacup and looking expectantly at Charlie.

"What?"

"You make omelettes exactly like Harry does. I was just wondering who taught who?"

"You are going to make me talk about him, aren't you?"

Simon nodded, "Somehow, I have the feeling if I don't you are going to go back to Făgăraș and not deal with all of this," he motioned with his hand towards the stove.

"You look like a nice bloke on the outside but you really are a bastard," Charlie muttered as he turned back with a curse to the pan where the bubbling egg mixture was almost ready.

"I do have a vested interest in this, so, yes. I'm going to do whatever it takes to help you," Simon said, "And, you still haven't answered the question."

"I learned from Harry," Charlie admitted looking over his shoulder at Simon, "But I will deny every word if you say something to my mother. She swears that you should add an eggshell of water for every three eggs. Harry taught me otherwise." He flipped the edge of the omelette and then slid it onto the plate. "Harry and I had an omelette cook-off and I had to admit that his were better than how Mum taught me." He turned back and started making the next omelette.

"Tell me about what happened. You said you were already half in love with him when he came to Făgăraș."

Charlie stiffened but didn't turn around to look at Simon, "I really don't think-"

"He was just 18 when he came to the camps, wasn't he?" Simon asked softly.

"Yes, just a kid, but he'd already seen more horror than most see in a lifetime. I'd seen Harry grow up. Not very often mind, just here and there. And Ginny always wrote about him in her owls, of course." Charlie said with a sigh as he slid the finished second omelette onto the next plate and brought them over to the table. He sat down across from Simon. "Why do you want to hear all this?"

"Because you need to talk about it with someone and I would like for it to be me."

"Just like last night?"

Simon laughed and Charlie noticed for the first time the dimple that appeared when he did, "I do want it to be me. I'd forgotten about your sister dating Harry."

"You are probably the only one," Charlie said with a laugh, "Ginny had a rough time when everything came out. She never let it show, kept that chin of hers up in the air and ignored all the gossip and the horrible accounts in the paper."

"That is why you and Harry kept everything quiet?"

Charlie slid the second omelette onto a plate and shrugged, "One of the reasons. But mostly it was because it was just us. I come from a big family, everyone always in each other's business. When I'm in Făgăraș I can escape that and it is nice. And, Harry, he'd already been through hell. He didn't need anyone shoving a camera at us when we were going out for dinner."

"Do you think that-" Whatever Simon was going to say was cut-off by the crack of someone apparating into the flat.

Charlie cursed and then looked at Simon, "Bugger, That is going to be my brother, George. He and I are the only ones who can apparate into the flat. I'll apologize ahead of time for anything-"

"Hey, Charlie! I can't believe you skipped out..." George's voice cut off as he saw them sitting at the table. "Well, I guess you had a good reason to abandon the party." George looked from Charlie to Simon with a loopy grin on his face, "Didn't realize we had company."

"Geoge, this is Simon. Simon, my brother George who is going to behave himself," Charlie said, his mouth stretched taut.

"I'll behave myself if you make me some breakfast."

"Didn't you eat at Harry's?" Charlie grumbled even as he stood up and walked over to the counter and picked up an egg and cracked it into a bowl. He knew that George was a force of nature that couldn't be stopped.

"Always room for more," George sat down on next to Simon, "Besides, it will give me a chance to chat with Simon here. You are on the Foundation board with Harry aren't you?"

Charlie looked over at Simon and shrugged. There wasn't much point in telling George to mind his own business, he always ended up knowing it all anyway.

Simon nodded, "Yes, I'm on the board with Harry, have been from the start."

"And, if I'm not mistaken you were Charlie's date last week." George waggled his eyebrows. "Quick work, brother. Didn't think you moved that fast. It took you how long to-"

"Cut it. George. Or you'll be cooking your own meals all week." Charlie waved the fork that he was using to whisk the eggs at him.

"Right," George turned back to Simon, "So, did you enjoy the fireworks last night?"

"Bloody hell, George! What did I just tell you?" Charlie exclaimed.

"It is okay, Charlie. I liked the fireworks just fine. Yours and the Muggle ones as well."

"And Charlie's?" George said with a wink.

Simon laughed as Charlie whipped around and threw an egg at George who dodged it with no effort, turning to watch it smash against the wall and slither down the wall in a mess of yolk and shattered egg shells.

"Temper, temper. Charlie, remember what Mum always said."

"I seem to recall that she said you would be the death of her," Charlie grumbled as he turned back to the stove, regretting that he hadn't insisted that he and Simon go out for breakfast. He carefully flipped the omelette, "Surprised you're not still sleeping."

"It is nearly noon," George said with a laugh. "I cleared out so that Harry and Malfoy could have some space."

Charlie swore as his hand jerked as he was sliding the omelette onto the plate and it fell on the counter.

Simon said, "Did a lot of people end up spending the night? I know that Harry was worrying about people trying apparate drunk." Charlie knew that Simon was trying to deflect George's attention away from him and was grateful. He flipped the omelette onto the plate and grabbed a towel to wipe the counter, wondering what his family would say if he left to go back to Romania sooner than expected. Even as he thought he knew he couldn't do it, Harry would suspect something and that is the last thing he wanted.

"The anti-apparation charm worked perfectly," George smiled, "Anyone too drunk to apparate ended up just where they started. I think we had twenty or so sleepover. Most had cleared out already. I left because Draco came back. Figured Harry would want us all out."

"Malfoy came back? What do you mean? Didn't he..." Charlie levitated the plate over to George and came over and sat down next to Simon. Simon reached over and rubbed his arm but didn't say anything.

"You would have thought he'd spend the night after the big show that they put on, but he left before two even. I asked Harry why and he just smiled and didn't say anything. Malfoy and Harry? Whoever saw that coming?" George said as he picked up his fork.

"But Malfoy came back this morning?" Charlie said as he rolled his mug in between his palms. He didn't dare look over at Simon, how could he look into the eyes of the man he just had sex with and know that he knew that Charlie was wishing he was still with Harry, that Draco Malfoy was nothing but a forgotten speck in Harry's past.

"Sure, and the two of them disappeared up to the top floor right quick. So, I figured I may as well come home and give you grief. Which brings us back to Simon, here."

Before Charlie could object, Simon shook his head and stood up. "I'm afraid I have to be off. You'll have to save the inquisition for later. I'm sure my flatmate is wondering where I've been." He looked at Charlie, "See me out?"

"Sure. Actually I have let you out, George has the security pretty tight because of the shop you have to be outside to apparate." Charlie turned and gave George two fingers as he headed out with Simon. George just laughed and made a crude gesture back.

"I'm really sorry about that, Simon. I didn't think-"

"Absolutely no worries. You are lucky to have brothers to joke around like that with, who can give you a hard time."

"That's right, you were an only child, weren't you?" Charlie said as they came down to the bottom of the stairs that led to the outside door. Charlie took out his wand and released the wards to unlock the door. They stepped out onto Diagon Alley which was still empty even though it was almost noon.

Simon nodded, "Are you going to be okay?"

Charlie nodded, "Yeah. I'm in a lot better shape than if I had come back and drank the bottle of firewhiskey like I had intended to do last night." He reached out and put his arms around Simon's waist. Simon leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. The gesture was gentle, none of the passion that they had shared just a few hours earlier.

"I'm glad. I may as well say the cliché, even though you may not believe it right now, time does help. I want you to firecall or send me an owl if you ever need to talk."

Charlie smiled and shook his head, "Whinging isn't my style, I just need to get back to the dragons," he hesitated, "Thank you, for everything. No one has ever done anything like that for me before."

Simon laughed, "Let me know when you are next back in town. We can meet up for lunch."

"Not dinner? Dancing?"

Simon shook his head, "Take your time. I like you, a lot. I don't want to catch you on the rebound and have you regret it."

Charlie started to deny that it would be on the rebound but he knew that Simon already knew better. "I'll do that," With a wave of his hand Simon disapparated. Charlie stared at the empty space where he had been. For the first time he wondered how Simon had known how he felt about Harry. Even his family hadn't known that they had had a relationship until last week and even then Charlie had brushed it off as something that had been over a year ago, and they had believed him. For a moment he wondered if Harry knew and had something to Simon, but quickly dismissed the thought. He'd been careful to never let Harry know how much he felt for him. It wasn't fair to burden him with one more thing.

Sighing, he turned and went back up the stairs. The last thing he needed right now was more ribbing from George. To his relief when he walked back into the flat George was stretched out on the sofa, sound asleep with his mouth gaped open. Considering how hard George had been partying the night before it didn't surprise him, it had almost been like George had been trying to make up for Fred not being there.

He quietly went back to his room and closed the door. Throwing himself onto the bed he stared up at the ceiling. As much as he wanted to forget, needed to forget, it was impossible.