A/N: Thank you to all my reviewers. I'm sorry about not updating, but I had writers block. Should be more frequent now though, and this is the longest chapter yet.

I won't reply to individual reviews, but thank you everyone, and a couple of points.

First, I know Charlie is now on the character list, he wasn't when I first started writing.

Second, sorry it's moving too fast, it will slow down a bit soon.

Third, I know Hermione's a bit out of character, and she will start to question this soon.

And thank you once again, especially to anyone who's English is limited. The fact that you'd review in a foreign language is great.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognise, i.e. everything.

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By the time Charlie made his way downstairs breakfast was well under way. Hermione was immersed in a book at the opposite end of the table to Ron, who was looking more than slightly apprehensive at the thought of facing his best friend and brothers later that day. 'Then again,' mused Charlie, 'I doubt anyone could be excited at the thought of testing the Twins products for three months starting today.'

His parents were seated opposite each other near the middle of the table, but slightly closer to 'Mione than to Ron. Charlie dropped into the seat next to his unofficial girlfriend and started to pile his plate with bacon, eggs and all the other aspects of a Weasley breakfast.

"Morning Charlie. Sleep well?" came the usual morning banter from his mother. No matter how long he stayed away she always treated him like the eleven year old that first went off to Hogwarts. He supposed that having all the kids leave home to go to school and then on to work must make her desperate for someone to mother. Ginny certainly complained about it enough. His mum never did know when to back off.

"Fine thanks." Charlie glanced at Hermione. At least she looked more alive than yesterday morning. And she seemed perfectly in control. 'Lucky her,' he thought. For his own part he knew that one look from her would undo what little self-control he had managed to retain after their encounter that morning.

"Remember that Harry and the Twins are arriving at eleven," reminded Mrs Weasley as she bustled round clearing up breakfast pots. "That only gives you an hour to laze around."

Charlie would have bet good money on Ron using this time to write his will before submitting to the Twins products.

He and Hermione, however, went for a walk around the garden. The Weasley's had a large amount of garden, one of the reasons de-gnoming it was such a pain. Nevertheless, it made an excellent walk, going past some farmland and then right down to the edge of Ottery Saint Catchpole, the nearby village. Charlie had loved the walk when he was younger, often escaping to the bottom of the garden to hide from his brothers. He'd introduced it to Hermione earlier that summer, when she wanted to get away from Ron.

They took their time, talking about random things of no real importance. It was about half way round, though, when Charlie noticed the younger girl was more tense than usual. He didn't say anything, but altered their course to take them past an old garden shelter the family used to use for summer picnics. Guiding Hermione inside, he gently sat her down, sitting next to her and slipping an arm around her waist.

"What's wrong, 'Mione?" came his gently question. It proved to be the final straw, as she broke down sobbing, twisting to bury her face in his shirt. Charlie just held her, murmuring nonsense until she'd calmed down enough to talk.

"Now, what was that about?"

She sniffed, wiping her eyes on her sleeve. "I was just thinking how badly people are going to react when I tell them what Ron did," she replied softly, head down.

Charlie could tell that there was more to it than that, and just waited patiently.

Finally she stirred from her position. "Did you mean what you said this morning? About us?"

He looked at her in some astonishment. "Is that what's been bothering you?"

"Yes."

He shifted, wrapping both arms firmly around her. "Of course I meant it. I'm there for you whatever happens, no matter how they react."

"You really want to be with me? Even after what Ron did?"

"Ron is a stupid git who has no notion of good manners. Of course I want to be with you. You're charming and intelligent and downright sexy, and my brother was stupid to do what he did to you. You're my girlfriend, no matter what others say."

Hermione just stared at him in amazement. To think that he was willing to be with her even if his family objected! She didn't understand it.

Charlie could se she was a bit dazed by the idea, so he took the matter of moving into his own hands, stood up and swept her into his arms. She shrieked.

"Charlie, put me down! Someone might see us"

"So?" he said, a roguish grin on his face. "I thought we agreed that we were the only people who mattered. Anyway, it would solve the problem of how to tell the family."

"Charlie!"

"Fine," he relented, depositing her on her feet as they approached the back door. Harry, Fred and George were meant to arrive any minute. They'd all been working on a new product at the shop, and would all be arriving together.

Harry was living at Grimmauld Place with Remus and Tonks for the summer, but he was spending most of his free time at the twins shop helping experiment, and sell the finished items. He was now considered a full partner, and the twins had now made over a million galleons, and had bought a second shop in Hogsmeade.

Molly Weasley had now shifted her focus from their work to the fact that neither of them had girlfriends. Charlie was included in this focus, as Molly considered grandkids a necessity, so was extremely unhappy at only having one son who was married. Ron and Ginny were considered too young to settle down yet, so the twins and Charlie took the brunt of her wrath.

As the pair made their way inside they heard the tell tale yells and bumps that signalled a floo arrival. They reached the living room in time to see the twins picking themselves up off the floor, and then giving Harry a hand up from where he'd been squashed underneath them.

The twins were observant, and they noticed right away that Ron was sat on his own, and the closeness of Charlie and Hermione. That was all they had time to see, however, before they were swept into a famous Weasley hug.

"Mum!"

"Let go…"

Both twins managed to extract themselves, before diving back in to rescue Harry, who was still trapped in Molly's arms, and whose glasses had been knocked skewed. After straitening their friend out the twins turned to the family.

"What's going on?"

Molly and Arthur glanced at each other.

"Sit down boys."

They sat, looking expectantly at their parents.

The pause turned into a silence.

The silence got longer.

Finally Charlie spoke up from his perch on the settee next to Hermione.

"Ron tried to rape Hermione."

The reaction this statement got was instantaneous. The twins lunged for their brother and had to be held back by a worried Harry, while Ron just cowered further into a corner. When they finally calmed down enough to talk, Fred turned to his younger brother.

"Is this true?" His tone had enough ice in it to make a skating rink.

All Ron could manage was a small whimper and a nod of his head.

Fred turned back to his mother. "I take it we're here for a reason?"

She nodded. "Ron has to test all your new products for three months, starting today."

Identical grins bloomed on the twins faces. They would make their brother's life hell.

Harry spoke up from his place on the floor. "What happened? Are you alright Hermione?"

"Ron tried to rape me twice, but yes I'm fine. The first time I escaped and the second time Charlie pulled him off me."

The twins exchanged glances at the looks they saw their brother and Hermione share. There was more to this than they were telling, they could feel it.

Charlie decided that it was better to tell them now whilst they were in shock from the last news.

"Um, you lot, there's something else I should tell you. Me and Hermione are together." He slipped his arm around her waist and stared at the defiantly.

Fred and George grinned again, and Harry just smirked. He'd suspected something like this would happen. Molly and Arthur looked shell-shocked.

"Mum, Dad? Are you alright with this?" Charlie's question broke the spell.

Molly replied by moving to grasp them both in a hug. Of course we don't mind dear, it's just a bit unexpected, that's all." Arthur nodded his agreement.

"Don't worry mum, it only happened this morning, so it's new to us too."

Hermione just grinned and leant into Charlie's embrace.

Through all this no-one had paid any attention to Ron, until he suddenly stood up, fuming.

"YOU!" he growled pointing at Hermione. "You ruined everything. Before you came along I was normal. I liked loads of girls at once, didn't care if I got turned down. Then you came along. Made me want you with everything I had. I became obsessed. Then you turn me down, and get me charged with rape. And NOW you go and start seeing my brother! Seeing me humiliated wasn't enough for you, was it? You had to kick me when I was down. Well I don't care. I'm finished with you, finished with your stupid study timetables, your idiotic revision sessions. I can't even think of home as safe anymore, not with you snogging my brother!"

During this he moved in, closer to Hermione. In the background the twins were itching to attack, but Harry stopped them. "See how Charlie handles it," he mouthed.

It wasn't a question for much longer. As soon as Ron was in range Charlie stood, and , in one swift motion, pinned him to a wall.

"I've done it before and I'll do it again. I'm quite happy to give you the same treatment as I gave you when you attacked Hermione last time, but I'll give you one last chance. Stay away from me, stay away from my girlfriend, 'cause if you don't you're going to have more than just a broken nose to deal with."

With that Charlie dropped him to the floor and headed back to the sofa. He gathered the trembling girl in his arms and glared at Ron before trying to soothe his girlfriend. Looking at his parents he scooped her up and carried her upstairs.

The twins watched in glee. Their brother deserved ever bit of the torture they were going to give him over the next three months.