A/N: Once again, thank you to the wonderful Burgundy Hope for editing this collection for me. She publishes here on , so check her out if you haven't already. And, I know it goes without saying, but you'll leave lots of nice reviews. I'd like to thank keeptheotherone for giving the basic idea for this chapter. And, of course, thank you to all the readers!

A/N2: I like to write cannon stories as much as possible. However, I never liked the idea of hunky Charlie Weasley being so in love with dragons he never married. The following is my work around…

Disclaimer: All the characters and their world belong to JK Rowling (except one).

Mum

Striding through the kitchen, Charlie nearly tripped over the small, black and tan body of one Minnie the Weiner Dog. With an exasperated chuckle, he scooped the little nuisance up, flipping her ear over. The damn little dog was always in the way.

"And where is your mistress?" Charlie asked.

Minnie licked his arm, ignoring him completely.

Leaning against the balustrade, Charlie yelled, "Mum!"

"Charlie, really, must you shout?"

The woman in question appeared from the scullery, wiping her hands on her apron. Mum was still pleasantly plump, her red hair having long ago gone white. She told whichever child was about that they were the reason for her white hair, but Charlie knew the real cause was the war. Her face was lined, and she wore glasses all the time now. Yet, she still had that comforting, loving aura that was all Mum.

"Now, Minnie, why didn't you tell me we had company," she cooed at the dog, scratching her around the collar. "She barks her head off whenever Bill comes about."

"That's because Bill doesn't like animals," Charlie replied.

"Can't imagine why," Mum retorted wryly.

Charlie chuckled. Growing up sharing a room, Bill had been on the receiving end of all of Charlie's animal misadventures. Bill had been shat upon by countless critters, and apparently found the experience objectionable.

"She doesn't care for George much either," Mum commented.

'That's because George pulls on her ears, miserable sod that he is."

"True. You would have thought he'd grow out it by now." She looked at Charlie. "What brings you by today? I wasn't expecting to see you until the end of term."

Charlie was saved from answering right away by Mum's insistence on making tea. The truth was, Charlie had two reasons for this unexpected visit, and he wasn't sure how his mum was going to react to either. Taking his regular seat at the kitchen table, Minnie in his lap, he watched his mum bustle around the kitchen.

In all of his life, Charlie had never known anyone with a larger capacity for love than his mother. There were times she made a person work for it—as she had done with Fleur, and to a lesser extent with Audrey—but once that love was given, it was with full force. Many times Charlie had reason to be thankful for her loving acceptance, but never so much as when he'd become the sole parent to a child who was only his in his heart.

Charlie's twenties had been marked in two halves. The first half was filled by his love of dragons. The second half was his love for the child who would eventually become his son. All of it was marred by the war.

When his son, Pax, was just five-years-old, his mother died, leaving him an orphan. Charlie was the only father the boy had ever known, and there had never been any question in Charlie's heart that he would raise the boy. He'd had to rearrange his entire life to do so. He left his fantastic dragons, and the only home the boy had ever known, for the Burrow. The love Mum had lavished on Pax in those first months had healed Charlie as much as it had worked its magic on the boy.

All of that was ten years ago. Charlie had taken the job of Care of Magical Creatures professor at Hogwarts. A job he was sure that Hagrid hadn't really wanted to leave, despite his protestations that he would be happier returning to being only Gamekeeper and Keeper of the Keys. Regardless, Charlie was grateful to at least be able to continue working with animals and having the vast grounds of Hogwarts to raise Pax. Over the years, Charlie had watched the children of his friends and brothers come up to Hogwarts, which had been a joy of its own. Now, however, things had changed.

"Well," Mum said, setting two steaming mugs on the table. "What did you have to talk to me about?"

Charlie scratched Minnie behind the ears. "Why is it, after all those years of begging for a pet, you got a dog after I'm grown?"

"Honestly, I was lonely in this big house with no children about. Minnie provides me company. Although, your father will retire next year and I fear I'll have too many bodies underfoot."

"It's about time."

"Well, yes." Mum gave him a look. "But you didn't make the trip all the way from Hogwarts to talk about Minnie, or your father."

Charlie took a sip of tea. "I reckon you're right. Mum, I met somebody."

"Oh?!" She clapped her hands together, her utterance more exclamation than question.

"She's a bit younger than me, Ron's age actually. You might remember her… Lavender Brown?"

He hadn't meant to say Lavender's name like a question, but Charlie suddenly felt seventeen instead of forty. He kept a steady gaze locked with his mother's as she tried to work out how she knew Lavender. She was a rather famous designer of handbags and shoes, George was even one of her first investors. She'd also been a member of Dumbledore's Army that final year of the war. Lavender had fought in the final battle and ended up being mauled by Greyback like Bill. But if Charlie knew his mother, what she would remember about Lavender would be something completely different.

"Wasn't she…" Mum's eyes narrowed.

"Ron's girlfriend for a time at Hogwarts?" Charlie supplied. "Yes, she's also Seamus Finnegan's ex-wife. All of that is ancient history."

Mum opened her mouth, then deflated. "Oh, Charlie. Does Ron know? Does Hermione?"

"Yes, Ron was rather flabbergasted, but Hermione was congratulatory."

"How long having you been seeing her?"

"Nine months."

"And this is the first I'm hearing of it!"

It was not a question.

Charlie smiled sheepishly. "We've been taking it slow… We've both been hurt before."

Mum covered his hand, her face crumpling.

"Don't cry, Mum, all of that is ancient history, too."

"Have you introduced her to Pax?"

One thing about being a Weasley was that blushing was an uncontrollable reflex. Pax had in fact met Lavender at the end of the last term. When she was naked in Charlie's bed, that was in his cottage, that was on the grounds of Hogwarts. It had been awkward, but Pax finally learned the value of knocking.

"Er, yes. They get on quite well."

"I think there's a story there," Mum grumbled, but let it go. "Well, I'm glad he likes your… your girlfriend?"

"That's as good a word for her as any."

"Do you think you'll marry her?"

This was a point of contention for Charlie and Lavender. He'd long ago given up being conventional, but somehow Lavender brought out a long-buried desire in Charlie to get married. They had talked about it, though Charlie had not come right out and asked. Lavender was firm in her reasons to never marry again, even if Charlie didn't agree.

"I would like to, but she won't agree to it," Charlie asked.

Mum puffed up like an indignant hen. "And why not?"

"This is between you and me," Charlie warned. "She was attacked by Greyback in the war, and she can't carry a pregnancy to term. The grief of all those miscarriages ended her first marriage, and now she won't tie me to a childless marriage. Her words, not mine."

Tears were in Mum's eyes. "Oh, the poor girl."

Lavender was many things, but girl was not one of them. Charlie had tried to talk her around. He had a son, after all, he didn't need more children to make his life complete. He loved Lavender and wanted to be with her, the rest didn't matter. But he stopped when he saw all of his arguments were just hurting her. There was an unspoken promise between them as ironclad as any marriage contract, that would be enough for now.

"I'd like to bring Lavender to dinner this Sunday," Charlie said. "And it would mean a lot to me if you could accept her… without reservation."

Mum looked at him for a long time, her mouth pulled tight in the corners, then she nodded. "Yes, I can do that for you."

Charlie smiled. "Thanks, Mum. Now that I have that out of the way…"

"There's more? Why do I think I should lay down for awhile once you've left?"

"Not a bad idea probably." Charlie let his smile slip because he knew this next part wasn't going to sit well with her. "I'm leaving Hogwarts at the end of the term."

"What? Where will you go?"

"Romania."

Mum's eyes went round, her fingers curling into her palm. "Charlie!"

"The dragon reserve contacted me about a month ago."

"Charlie, no."

"Yes, and Lavender's coming with me."

"What about Pax?"

"He's at Hogwarts most of the year now, and he'll be of age before I know it. He doesn't need me to be safe and sound in England anymore."

"Yes, he does, and he's not the only one."

"And he wants to go back to Romania as much as I do. Remember, Pax spent the first five years of his life on that reserve, it's still his home in some ways. In fact, that's what he's hoping to do after graduation."

"Like father, like son," Mum grumbled, then sighed. "Oh Charlie, you have known so much disappointment in your life. I-I'm glad that you'll get a second chance at your dream."

Charlie's hand froze on the back of the dog, and it was a moment before he could look at his mum again. He knew exactly how hard it was for her to be happy for him where the dragons were concerned. What she said was the truth, however, the dragons had been his dream since he was a child. It hadn't been easy to give them up for Pax's sake, but it was the right thing to do and Charlie couldn't regret it. Adopting Pax had been a dream he'd never expected and Charlie was honored to have it come true.

"Cheers," Charlie muttered thickly.

"Oh! Come here!"

Mum stood, her arms open, and Charlie obeyed.

"I expect you to be at every Sunday dinner from now until you leave. Your birthday, Christmas, and New Year's, too! I want every moment I can have with you before you go."

"It's just Romania, Mum. I'll still come visit."

She pulled away, wiping tears from her cheeks. "Not nearly enough."

"Love you," Charlie said.

"Not as much as I love you."

And he was crushed in her embrace once more.

A/N3: Thanks again! Don't forget to review….