The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to JK Rowling. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this story.

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This is a little gruesome and rough in the beginning. It will get better, but you have been warned.

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Charlie Weasley did not spend a great deal of time with his family. He had always been more comfortable in the animal kingdom. For him growing up with the chaos of so many man brothers and a little sister meant that being with the animals was welcomed solitude.

Coming home for a visit always took a lot out of Charlie. The noise and the people were great but inevitably he longed for his life in Romania. This trip back to England was to attend the naming ceremony for the first born of his youngest brother, Ron.

Monica, Ron's wife, had given birth to a little girl three weeks ago and yesterday everyone gathered to welcome her into their family.

Jane Molly Weasley had the prerequisite red hair and a yowl to match her paternal grandmother's. She was a cherished member of the Weasley clan and Charlie loved seeing his brother so happy. When Ron had married Monica it was a surprise to Charlie, he liked her well enough but he had assumed that Ron would marry Hermione, the female member of the trio that had changed the world. Charlie wondered were Hermione was. She wasn't at the ceremony and she was the godmother.

Hermione was also Charlie's sister-in-law. She had married his brother Percy six weeks ago. The story Charlie had heard from his mother was that Hermione and Percy had eloped to a small Caribbean island that catered to wizards and magically inclined. No one from the family had been included in the wedding and as far as Charlie knew Hermione had not been to any of the family dinners since the first one when she and Percy announced their marriage. It was all very odd.

Percy was at baby Jane's naming ceremony and making excuses for his wife's absence. When he was asked about Hermione he made some excuse about her not feeling well and with a wink he hinted at the possibility they would be having a similar ceremony in the future.

"We weren't feeling well." Percy was explaining to yet another guest. Charlie hated it when husbands referred to their wives in the third person. "We are cranky or we are out of sorts." Percy always did that, never calling her his wife or using her name instead it was "We needed to rest this morning."

It made Charlie's skin crawl.

Percy had been a prat since he could walk. Now he was an even bigger prat, his advances position with the Ministry had swelled his head.

Swallowing his disgust, Charlie knew that he would have to speak to Percy before he left. The Ministry was thinking of hosting a dragon exhibition and Charlie was the liaison for the dragon handlers' federation. Percy was his counterpart at the Ministry. However the ceremony did not seem like to place to discuss business so Charlie made a decision to pop into Percy's townhouse tomorrow before he left for Romania. Tomorrow was Sunday, everyone was home on Sunday.

After saying his goodbyes to his mum and dad, Charlie disapparated from the Burrow into the front hall of Percy and Hermione's townhouse. The family had long ago set their wards to allow family members the ability to apparate between Weasley homes. The only exception was Charlie's flat in Romania because it would mean crossing too many international borders.

Charlie had not been to Percy's before and looking around for a minute he was impressed. Everything was picture perfect. Nothing was out of place, the mirror glistened and the floor was spotless. Charlie could see his reflection in the polished marble.

"Perc? Perc are you here?" Charlie felt uncomfortable wandering around his brother's home uninvited.

"Percy it's me, Charlie." He still did not get a response.

"Percy, Hermione are you here?" Charlie was listening for a reply there wasn't one. Charlie turned to leave when he heard something.

"Hello is anyone there?" Charlie strained to listen; there it was a small whimper.

Walking down the hall towards the sound Charlie could hear a voice. "No, please no… I am sorry…I will be …"

Charlie drew out his wand and ventured toward the whisper.

"I didn't…please" Charlie crossed the living room, he was certain the voice was coming from the kitchen.

"No, no, no…" Charlie followed the small whimper into the kitchen; looking over the immaculate granite countertop he saw a huddled shape on the floor.

Charlie jumped over the counter. He was stunned. "Hermione?"

She was curled up in the fetal position lying nude on the cold marble floor. Her hair was covering her face. Charlie could see her eyes they were desperate with fear.

She was rocking and whispering to herself, "Please don't punish me again…I'll try harder…please you hurt me."

Charlie saw bruises, cuts, and what looked like bite marks all over her body.

"Hermione, sweetheart, who did this to you?" Charlie's fear was in his voice.

Hermione put her hand up to cover her head. "Please…Percy not again…I'm sorry…please…no!"

Charlie realized that his sister-in-law did not even know he was there. Slowly he stopped down just like he would with a frightened animal and very carefully he put his hand out. He whispered, "Hermione you are safe. It is me Charlie. Hermione love, did Percy do this to you?"

Hermione stopped rocking at the mention of his name. She looked at Charlie and sobbed.

Charlie pulled her into his arms. He wanted to feel safe and was sure she fit in his lap but he could tell she was having trouble moving. Charlie had to lift her into his lap and just as he would with a hurt animal he started stroking her back, trying to calm her as she shook.

"Hermione did Percy do this to you?" Charlie thought he already knew the answer.

Hermione nodded her head against Charlie's chest.

Charlie continued, "Why didn't you leave?"

Hermione tried to talk but the sobs just kept coming. Charlie tried another approach. "Hermione where are your clothes?"

"Gone" was all she could say.

"Okay where is your wand?" Charlie asked.

"He took it away…" sobs ended her sentence.

"Why did you stay?"

Hermione looked at Charlie, her sobs under control for the moment, "He said he would hunt me down and make me watch as he killed everyone I loved before he killed me."

Charlie was horrified; apparently his brother was a monster. "Do you think you can stand?"

Hermione shook her head. "That is where he hurt me the most; he said animals should always grovel on the floor." Hermione's sobs returned.

Charlie could not believe what he was seeing or hearing. "I am taking you out of here Hermione, do you understand?"

Hermione tried to pull away. "He will kill you and me! He will find me…please he'll make it hurt worse."

Charlie shifted her in his arms and using his wand he summoned Hermione's wand. He was hoping against hope that it was hidden somewhere in the townhouse. Broken wands automatically register at the Ministry and Charlie figured Percy wouldn't risk any questions.

Hermione's wand sailed into the kitchen and landed in Charlie's hand.

"Hermione this is belongs to you."

Hermione grabbed her wand with shaky hands.

"Okay first we need to cover you up." Taking off his travelling cloak, Charlie wrapped it around her.

"Next I am going to carry you out of here. The less magic we use inside the less likely he is to trace us. If we apparate outside he should not be able use a tracing spell."

Hermione tried to stand but the pain radiating from her abdomen and hips was excruciating.

Charlie held her as she started to fall. "It is okay I've got you. Can you put your arms around my neck?"

He lifted her up. "Which way to the yard?"

Hermione pointed through the living room. Charlie opened the French door and Hermione smelled the outdoors for the first time in six weeks.

"You okay?" Charlie asked he was worried about internal injuries. The bruises looked very serious.

Hermione nodded with a groan.

"On the count of three I am going to disapparated, you keep your arms around my neck."

Charlie started to count, "One…"

Hermione lifted her head, "Wait!" Pointing her wand "Incendio" and the townhouse burst into flames. "Let him think I burned to death."

Together with Hermione Charlie disapparated to his flat in Romania.

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This is a Charlie- Hermione romance.

Percy always seemed to me to be one hard push away from obsessive. In this story, I pushed him very hard. He is only used where necessary; even writers should be kind to their mentally ill characters.

deaudle