This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Please R&R!

After the war, Harry had told Hermione and Ron that he was gay. Because of everything that happened, Harry knew he shouldn't be alone, so as much as he wanted to disappear of the radar for a while, he knew he needed the Weasley family to help him grieve and keep him grounded. When Harry had broken things of with Ginny, she had shocked the entire family by just storming of to have a good cry. Ginny, it seemed, realized rather soon that things between her and Harry were not what they should be. She had deceived herself by thinking that the problem was that Harry was busy with the war, and after it all, they would settle down and be a family.

She knew it was better to find out now, rather than later. Harry was like a brother to her, and she would accept him and no matter whom he chose to love. After she had made peace with the fact that Harry was gay, they made peace, but Harry still did not feel like spending all his time with her. That was how things between him and Charlie started.

The romance blossoms between the two friends almost without them realizing it. The first night Harry spent at the Burrow, he couldn't sleep. He was rooming with Ron, who was out like a light. He grabbed a bottle full of firewiskey and went downstairs not to wake his friend.

Harry started drinking, and wondered when Ron would ask Hermione to get married. The two of them have been together for two years. This led him to wondering if they would be allowed to sleep in the same room then. Harry had no illusions about the lack of his two best friends' virginity status, but still Mrs Weasley insisted on keeping them in different rooms. "Not like they don't shag like bunnies whenever her back is turned." Harry said aloud and got the shock of his life when he saw Charlie smile at him from the stairs.

"Fuck, Charlie. I almost hexed you. Do you spy on your house guests often?" Harry said but his voice betrayed his amusement. Charlie smiled at him and said in a mock whisper: "Only the good looking one's. So who is shagging like bunnies? What the fuck is a bunny anyway?" Charlie asked.

This caused Harry to fall to the ground in laughter. "Bunnies are little furry creatures that jump around and have lots of babies. But if you don't know I'm not sure the reference is adequate." Harry explained his stomach sore from laughing so hard. "Come on mate, hand that bottle over." Charlie said and took a large swig.

"Couldn't sleep either?" Harry asked as he saw the older Weasley male drink with him.

"Nope, thought I'd sneak a drink out of dad's alcohol cabinet, but this is a lot better." Charlie explained and sat down next to the brunet on the floor.

'"Such a pity you are straight." Harry said at one point when they were both drunk because he could see Charlie's muscled chest under his shirt, but luckily for him he was way too wasted to show the effect that Charlie's body was having on his own. Charlie just laughed. "I know hey, but don't worry, if I decide to swing that way, you will be the first to know." Charlie said with a wink.

After they had worked through way to much alcohol to be considered normal for just two young men, Harry had started leaning against the wall, and Charlie could tell the younger male was busy falling asleep. "Mate, can you stand?" Charlie asked him, being only slightly less drunk than the brunet. Harry just shook his head.

"Sleep here." He muttered before his eyes closed again. Charlie knew what his mother would say if she went down stairs the next morning and saw the saviour sleeping on the ground, propped up against the wall. So without considering magic, he just pulled the sleeping man into his arms and walked with him up the stairs. Then he somehow managed to open the door to Ron's room, and laid Harry down on his bed. Charlie was still laughing softly to himself when he reached his own room again, and fell to the bed, falling asleep as his head hit the pillow.

The next morning Harry was surprised to wake without any trace of a hangover. He remembered more or less what happened with Charlie, a reference to bunnies and drinking firewiskey like there was no tomorrow. But one thing he did not know was how he had gotten to bed, since he remembered falling asleep downstairs.

For the first time since the war ended, Harry had not spent the second half of his night plagued by nightmares, and he wondered whether it was the alcohol, Charlie's presence, or both. He figured perhaps he and Charlie could become better friends; he needed someone who could tell him he was being a prick when he was drinking and feeling sorry for himself in the middle of the night. This was more or less how it happened. After that drunken night of trash talking in the middle of the night, Harry instantly liked the older Weasley. He did not see him as he saw Ron, Ron who he knew since he was 11, who was like a brother to him. Harry was still deciding how he would describe his relationship with Charlie. Then he noticed what a girl thing that was, trying to label his relationships, so he forgot about it, and just relished the feeling of having a new friend, someone who did not care about his title.

From the next morning, Charlie and Harry talked and laughed as they sat at the table. "You not hung over, Harry? You must have polished three bottles by yourself." Charlie joked impressed; this young man could hold his liquor. He could tell the brunet did not seem to be any worse for ware, even though he did have a faint headache himself. "Oh no, and I slept so much better after. Although, how did I get to bed Charlie?" Harry asked with no trace of shame. A faint blush tainted the straight males face. "I carried you." He admitted. At this Harry just gave him a grateful smile. "Thanks." He said before tucking into his breakfast without another word.