Change Your Mind
By: pengz
Disclaimer: Song is owned by The Killers and the book & characters to J.K. Rowling.
Chapter Four
'Admitting you're wrong is hard enough as a normal person.' Charlie mused inwardly as he watched the witch before him struggle with herself. 'It must be hell on earth for anal perfectionists and know-it-alls like Hermione.'
Indeed Hermione looked as though she had just been ushered through the gates of Hades itself. Actually, when Charlie discreetly scrutinized her, he noted she looked more constipated than anything else. Was acknowledging she was in the wrong and out of line that hard for her? He would have gladly rescued her from Hell de Awkward but figured the experience would teach he that he was no doormat and that she was, at times, wrong.
"That was very rude of me and I apologize." Hermione said, avoiding his eyes and looking at his chest instead.
Charlie blinked, his mouth hanging open in surprise. Hermione, too, looked properly gobsmacked at her own words.
With his many years of experience as an older brother whose patience was thicker than that of his mother's, Charlie knew apologies were courageous and left the apologizer felling quite vulnerable. Hence, his understanding words followed.
"Now, that wasn't too difficult was it sugarplum?"
She shot him a dirty look that plainly wished to condemn him to a thousand drawn out deaths and huffed into Diagon Alley.
Lovely, right back to square one for Charlie. Yet, in his defense, he meant it to lighten up the tension filled air between them. Hermione was so like Percy sometimes; couldn't take a joke as easily as kid a piece of candy. And so he found himself keeping pace with a mildly annoyed Hermione who was heading to Flourish and Blotts.
"I've got something to pick up." she muttered without looking at Charlie. "Then we can go to the Burrow."
When he opened the door for her, she showed a sign of appreciation with a curt nod and a nearly silent 'thank you'. Charlie followed behind her all the way to the counter where and old wizard greeted her with a familiarity that suggested she was a regular in these part.
"...These out-of-print books were an especially difficult find, Miss Granger, but your loyalty to this store considerably speeded up the hunt for them." the old wizard said, handing Hermione a large bag of books she had just.
As Hermione said a few find words of thanks, Charlie too the bag from her grasp and smiled, saying, "I'll take them, love."
The wizard's wrinkled face pulled into an expression fo surprise. "Are you Miss Granger's boyfriend?"
"Her fiancee as of today, actually, and proudly so." Charlie answered jauntily and even put an arm around Hermione's stiff, smiling figure. With a jolly wave to the wizard (who wished them a happy and child-filled future together), they left the shop. Once outside, Hermione dropped her smile with a crash and marched into an alley between two shops with Charlie and her books in tow. When in seclusion from the main street, she turned to face Charlie with a most incensed expression tarnishing her otherwise attractive face.
"What are you playing at Charlie? Honestly, what?" she bit out, trying to control her emotions.
Simply smashing. Another row with Hermione and they hadn't even told his parents yet.
"Like I said, I'm trying to get along with you and your sodding attitude. But if you'd rather I be a brute about this, I can do that instead." His tone, compared to Hermione's, was calm but threatened something vehement if pushed.
"No, no. That's not what you're doing!" she cried in frustration. "You're being a complete idiot about this, acting as though it's all fine and dandy. It's not! You're in the way of my life and I'm very sure I'm in the way of yours as well So stop pretending you can stand the idea of marrying me because I know it's the last thing you want to do. No one who really knows me would want to get involved in a marriage where he's second banana to my job that I love more that myself. Just stop pretending." Hermione finished her speech in heavy breaths, a light pink tinge on her cheeks.
Then Charlie saw it, saw the crack in her armor and attacked, knowing it was the only way to get her back to humble earth.
"So that's you're problem, that's the reason you've managed to stay single all this time? Because you don't think it's possible that anyone could relate to you? That everyone is so below your status like you're some reigning queen from another galaxy? Then you're right, no one would have to get involved with you, but only because you're pathetic.
"I'm making the best of what's been put in front of us. I figured I was only getting married once if I could help it so I tried to do it right. But here you are, making every little thing a battle. I don't want this anymore than you do, but that's life so grow up because not everything will run your way." He paused, looking more galled and disappointed than angry at this point. "Now if you'll excuse me, your highness, I'll be making my way to the Burrow to tell my parents about us." With that, he disapparated with a pop, leaving Hermione in the alley with her bag of out-of-print tomes, stunned.
He had just done the impossible, he disarmed her, stripped her bare of her defenses and left her more emotionally vulnerable than she had ever been. His words, however stinging, were true. So true they cut her down to a fetal size. Was it too much? She did not know. It was brutal, surely, why else would she feel wounded and naked?
Apparating back her flat, she promptly collapsed into her love seat. As her physical defenses crumbled, shame infiltrated her mind, slowly, painfully realizing that Charlie was right. More right than anyone could ever dream. He saw her for what she truly was– an arrogant, self-absorbed, bitch who fooled everyone into thinking otherwise by having their attention focused on her obsession for her job.
Perhaps it was the publicity raining down on her that made her this way (she surely hadn't been like this before she became the "Press' Princess"). It brought her above others, a subconscious effect she covered up with her illustrious occupation. Never she expect for anyone to dare her, challenge her to move from beyond her power. She had gotten so accustomed to no one coming close to her abilities and accomplishments (save for Harry and Ron who she counted were her equals in many ways) she had forgotten to take a spoonful of humility with every bite of success but hid the deficiency of it well enough. She wasn't single because she put her department and the Ministry before all else. No, it was all due to her mentality that non one would ever be worthy of her.
For Charlie to have just been picked by the Ministry for her felt like a slap in the face to her. It was injustice that she would have to marry Charlie Weasley, a dragon keeper, not someone who held a lofty Ministry position like her. She thought, if she were ever to marry, he'd have to be the male version of herself, someone to compete with.
But now, as she lay on her couch, it hit her. Charlie did compete with her, his actions and reasoning were his way of showing that he could deal with even the most life-changing events. While he sailed through that challenge, she failed miserably, treating him like dirt on her shoe and exposing herself to being found out. What took years for Hermione to build up only took Charlie mere moments to discover and take down. He saw through her shiny facade.
With the Weasleys, nothing stayed quiet for long, especially when Ginny was the first to know. Luckily for Charlie, he made it to the Burrow before anyone else caught wind of his engagement to Hermione. Both his mother and his retired father were home to receive the news.
"That's simply marvelous, Charlie, dear!" trilled Molly as she hugged her son tightly. "Did you hear that, Arthur?"
"Yes, dear." Arthur replied, beaming as his wife bustled around the kitchen to make some tea for them. "Your mum has been aching to Floo both you and Hermione since dawn broke, to see who the Ministry put you with. But I managed to keep her at bay so you could collect your thoughts on it."
"Anyway," Molly said loudly, choosing not to hear her husband's words, "have you met with Hermione about this?"
Charlie fought to keep his features and tone neutral and did so successfully. "We had lunch together then she had do run some errands so I came here."
"Oh, have her by on Sunday for tea with the Ginny, Luna and all the rest. She'll have to come now, seeing as she'll really be a part of the family. We're all discussing wedding plans, what with four, now five, couples getting ready for theirs..." His mother went on about a flurry of other details that Charlie sincerely hoped Hermione would have the patience to sit through.
After their altercation in Diagon Alley, he still felt a twinge of irritation at Hermione's stubborn and high-and-mighty attitude. He brushed it off, though, feeling that perhaps he was too harsh. No, she really did need to hear that from him because he was definitely not going to put up with it. They were going to get along as normally as two people forced to marry should. Granted their situation would make things awkward at first, but it just had to work. They had to get along enough to have a child and work as a team in raising him or her , didn't they?
When his parents waved him from the door of the Burrow an hour later, Charlie was caught in sudden inspiration. There was a way to do this right. He was no Fabio, but he wasn't hopeless with women either. All he needed was that book...
It took a while for Charlie to find Twelve Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches amidst the boxes in his attic where he stored all the items he didn't particularly need.
When Fred and George gave him this book many Christmases ago, he had cracked it open and skimmed through it just for laughs but found it held some useful information. Armed with this, Charlie knew how to charm the knickers off any female in the vicinity if he ever felt the need to (his muscles and good looks helped as well but he never put too much store in the latter quality). Prior to Hermione becoming his intended, he hadn't felt the need to stretch himself out in the wooing department, for if he ever needed some carnal fulfillment (a rare occasion, considering his like of a solitary life), he'd get a nice looking bird at the bar. After a few drinks both were sloshed enough to consent to a one-night-stand and left it at that. Basically, Charlie didn't put too much effort in getting girls– his laziness and independence saw to that.
Settling down in his living room, Charlie opened the dusty hardcover and riffled to the chapter concerning the dating game.
After giving Hermione a day to recover from their spat, Charlie decided he would Floo her to see if she was alright and if she would join him for dinner that same evening. According to various chapters of Twelve Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches he was to compliment her appearance and let her know he would enjoy her company. He was about to throw some powder into the grate of his fireplace and shout 'Hermione Granger' when the lanky form of his youngest brother tumbled out and bowled him over on the hearth.
Before he could so much as get up and dust himself off, Ron was bellowing like an angry centaur.
"What the hell did you do, Charlie? I've just been to see Hermione and she's in pieces!" Ron watched as Charlie stood, coughing slightly.
"There's always two sides to every tale, little brother." Charlie said in an unappreciative tone.
Ron crossed his arms, a mutinous look on his pale features. "Tell me your side then."
Charlie raised an eyebrow and spoke slowly, as though speaking to a child, "It's between me and Hermione, so nose out, Ron, if you know what's good for you."
"No! She's my best friend, I deserve to know!" Ron ground out.
"Tough luck, then." Charlie replied also crossing his arms.
"Just tell me Charlie and I won't hex you six ways to next week."
"Good luck with that one, too." the elder scoffed.
"Tell me!"
"No."
"CHARLIE!" Ron roared, pulling his wand out in the process and pointing it directly between his brother's eyes. An angry Ron was one thing, but an angry, wand waving Ron was something to deal with (not his skill, but the lack of it that could cause more damage than initially meant).
"Fine, you twitchy prat. Put your wand down, will you?"
"Fine." He dropped his wand arm down but did not put his weapon away.
Charlie sighed, knowing this was as safe as he could get and began speaking. "Hermione said she didn't want to marry me. I said I didn't want to marry her either. Then we had a row after I told the clerk at Flourish and Blotts that was proud she was my fiancee." He paused, thinking it would be best to curve the next details so as not to make Hermione lose face in Ron's eyes. "We both said things that were out of line and I left."
Ron did not seem satisfied with Charlie's explanation and pressed further. "What exactly did you say to her?"
"She called me an idiot and I told her to grow up is all." Charlie shrugged, trying to keep what happened on the mild side.
"You don't tell her that!" Ron exploded. "You don't!"
"She called me an idiot. I bet my house, if she knew how to swear she would've said something loads more rude than that."
"But you don't tell her to grow up. Hermione is grown up, if you haven't noticed." Ron said weakly as he did manage to see Charlie's point. "She's more mature than me and Harry most of the time."
"Obviously you haven't seen her the way I have." Charlie said, resting the case in a final sort of tone, then added to himself, 'More like seen through her.'
"Right." Ron said shortly before pulling a face that plainly expressed, 'Do I even want to know?' "Well, I'll just nip back to Hermione's and see if I can do anything to calm her down."
"That's my job now, but thanks for the offer."
"What do you mean by that?"
Charlie rolled his eyes; sometimes Ron could be so daft. "I'm the one marrying her, remember?"
Ron left minutes later, citing he was to meet Luna for dinner. Once her was alone again, Charlie crouched in front of his fire, threw a bit of Floo powder in, and said 'Hermione Granger'. The connection took a bit longer to make since he didn't know the name of her house but, a moment, later, he was seeing directly into a neat living room with a couch behind a smart coffee table.
"Hello?" He called out. "Hermione? It's me, Charlie."
He heard the creaking of a door out of his line of vision and a slow padding of slippers against carpet. Moments later, Hermione appeared in front of the flames, her eyes puffy and red.
"Did Ron give you a hard time?" She asked without pretext. "I didn't mean for him to go off like that."
Charlie watched her wipe her face with her sleeve and felt a small tug at the corner of his heart. "Er, it's alright, I sorted him out." He felt obscenely discomforted in their still silence then remembered why he had Flooed her in the first place. "Listen, how's about dinner tonight? So we can get off on the right foot.."
"You're not still mad at me?" Hermione asked, astounded at Charlie's offer.
"No, in the first place I was just annoyed, really." He replied. "So how about dinner? It'll be like our first date."
"But I was absolutely horrid!"
Charlie raised an eyebrow at her. "And now I'm asking you to have dinner with me." She said nothing, her mouth hanging open to welcome flies. "Look, do you want to start over or not?"
Then, without warning and much to Charlie's utter dismay, Hermione promptly burst into tears.
lemonicelolly: Thanks for reading, I'm glad you look forward to it so much.
Katyes: Whenever I think of Charlie, I think he's traditional and completely no nonsense. That clashes with Hermione's need for perfection and independence so he really smacks her with a dose of reality. Hope you like this chapter!
Right or Ryn: Their interactions are fun to write. As for having Hermione cut loose, that will be something else!
mysticpammy: Charlie's a nice guy, but he won't take crap from anybody, even Hermione! Thanks for reading.
Winters'Darkened'Reflection: Hermione, unlike Charlie, is so well trained she won't even think about him physically yet, such a PRUDE!
another stars hallow freak: Woo for Brad Pitt! hahaha. Charlie's just a great guy, he should've had more to him in the books. Thanks for R&R-ing!
Toxxic-hugs: An attitude like Hermione's should be a turn-ff to any man!
Monnbeam: Thanks! Hope you liked this chapter as well!
xx Zenon xx: 'Tis a beautiful thing! Thanks for reading!
llamadelagua: Well, thank you! There should be more Charlie/Hermione pairing stories out there. A real opposites attract kind of thing, I think.
I would have had this up sooner but there was a whole mess of things going on at my end. I'm tired. I start college next week so I'm trying to savor these last days as much as possible! Anywhoo, next chapter, I think we'll be seeing some changes for nearly everyone around.
xxx
pengz 08152007// 504p PAC