1 YEAR LATER

I had been working at the reserve for over a year now and hadn't visited home since I had moved to Romania. My parents had been disappointed. But I hadn't wanted to spend a short amount of time with them, only to have to return to Romania until I could find time to visit them again. I had been planning on visiting them for Christmas but it appeared that Charlie had other plans. He had gone behind my back and arranged with the minister of all people for me to get a couple of weeks off. We had both headed home and after arriving in my parents' home yesterday, I had already been smothered by all the affection that I could have possibly wanted.

"Love?" Charlie called out as he walked in through the front door, "Are you in?"

"I'm in the front room Charlie," I called out, rising to my feet to meet him by the front door. He instantly took me in his arms, lifting me off to ground a little and holding me as if he hadn't seen me in weeks. I giggled a little when he set me back on the ground, and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. "What are you doing here?"

"Your parents are out right?"

I nodded, furrowing my eyebrows a little. "Why?"

"Because I promised them that I wouldn't let you starve today."

"You're acting as if I don't do most of the cooking back in Romania," I pointed out, brushing some of his hair behind his ear. It really was getting too long and I had told him as much, stating that long hair was Bill's thing. "So, what have you got planned then?"

"Mum's invited you to outs for lunch," he admitted, "She said she'd missed seeing you around."

"You didn't happen to tell her –"

"That we're engaged?" He raised both eyebrows, looking down at me with an incredulous expression, "Of course not, are you mad? The woman would kill me for not having told her first."

"Then what's the plan for today?"

"You," he dropped a kiss to the tip of my nose, "Are going to charm mum and therefore get me out of trouble."

I narrowed my eyes at him, "You Weasley brothers claim to be all brave and dashing but the moment it comes to dealing with your mother you turn into scared little boys."

"She's less likely to hex you," he pointed out as he started to usher me out of the house, without even bothering to let me change. He dismissed my protests that I needed to look presentable, by reminding me that Molly, as she liked to tell me, had changed my nappy when I was a baby.

We walked to short distance between our homes, side by side. I glanced down at our joined hands as they swung between us and releasing that Charlie had been looking at me curiously, I raised my eyes to his and gave him a reassuring smile.

"It's nothing," I insisted and he smiled, raising our joined hands to press a kiss to the back of my hand.

When we arrived at the burrow, we headed inside without bothering to knock on the door. And before I could make a detour to the kitchen, as I normally would have, I took a hold of Charlie's arm. He glanced at me curiously.

"Wish me luck?"

He grinned, pressing a kiss to my forehead, "Good luck, love."

"Trust me, I'm going to need it."

He was clearly amused by my words but I made no comment on his amusement as I headed into the kitchen. I paused in the doorway and took a moment to steady myself. When I was composed, I stepped into the kitchen and my eyes instantly went to the woman who had her back to me as she cooked.

"Is there room for one more?" I asked tentatively.

Molly turned instantly at the sound of my voice. Her eyes roved across my figure before she rushed towards me to take me in her arms, "There's always room for you."

I returned her hug wholeheartedly, "I'm glad."

She drew back from me a little, keeping me at arm's length. "Merlin, look at you. Do you have any idea the amount of heartache you've caused me, young lady? I understand you and Charlie broke up but you could have still come and seen us – we're family, aren't we?"

"We are." I said a little shamefaced.

Molly smiled warmly, dropping her pretend annoyance, "Godric am I glad that you and Charlie are back together again – I was beginning to worry about whether or not he was ever going to settle down."

"I'm sorry –"

"Don't be silly," she dismissed as she looked over me again. "I knew that becoming a healer would run you ragged. But Merlin, just look at you – you've lost so much weight." She frowned. "How long are you here for? Your mother and I are going to have to put some meat on your bones."

I smiled, feeling more than a little relieved that she didn't resent me for breaking up with Charlie. "I'm here for a few weeks." Brushing my hair behind my ear, I asked, "That's enough time, isn't it?"

Molly frowned openly, staring at my hand as she murmured, "That's more than enough time."

"Mrs Weasley?"

Brining herself out of her thoughts, Molly crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow, "So when did Charlie ask you to marry him then?"

"I –" I cleared my throat, "How did you know?"

"The ring on your finger dear, it's a dead giveaway." She pursed her lips a little, "Well?"

I fiddle with said ring as I avoided her eyes, "A couple of weeks ago. We thought that we'd delayed things long enough," I trailed off uncertainly.

Molly eyed me closely before taking me in another crushing hug, "Do you know how long I've been waiting to actually be able to call you my daughter-in-law and for it to be true?"

I patted her back slowly, "So does this mean that Charlie's not in trouble then?"

"I didn't say that. He's in a lot of trouble."

"And me?" I bit my lip as she pulled away. "Am I in trouble?"

"You could never be in trouble." She smoothed my hair back. "You're my favourite."