Home for the holidays -- December 1995

" You did put it in our heads more.." I said sadly agreeing with my friend who was grinning like an idiot. Knowing how long I had a thing for Bill not entirely sure when Charlie noticed Bill. He noticed me way to fast. " We should probably get to the group before your mum hears.." I said quietly. We would never hear the end of it. How we met and all that other stuff. I sighed, looking over to Ginny who seemed to be having lots of fun. I am glad I got along with her to be able to talk to her and have her come talk to me.

I laughed.  "Mum probably knew you two were going to hook back up before any of us did," I said with a shrug, grabbing another drink.  I gave them both a hug again and headed back towards the living room.  "Are we going to start dinner, Ma?" I asked, thinking that she would probably appreciate some help with such a big house full of people.

I laughed as all the kids agreed and said they were starving.  It was ridiculous that we all acted that way... we had been munching on snacks like crazy all afternoon.  "If you need help, Mum, Charlie is always the first one to jump right in," I teased, having to give my brother a hard time.

I couldn't stop grinning like an idiot. Charlie is ridiculous, I gave Bill a quick peck and went to see Des. I sat down beside her, " How long have you guys been dating?" I asked her. I was happy to be here and I couldn't stop smiling.

I was so glad to finally meet Tonks.  Charlie always talked about their escapades they had when in school and I found it entirely entertaining.  I smiled at her and said, "About six months or so.  I work at the clinic they bring their dragons to... so I've had to put up with Charlie's shenanigans for about six months before he finally asked me out.  Was he always such a flirt?"  Charlie was always evasive when I asked about his ways with the ladies.  It just always intrigued me to know if he was always flirtatious or if it was due to liking me and not sure what to do about it.  And the fact he was evasive made me the more curious.

I burst into laughter, " I think he tried to practice. He was cute for trying. It was just awkward to watch him flirt." I said with a grin. " I give him a for effort...but, he has gotten a lot better I assume." I said teasing Charlie. Looking to Bill, " I guess he could help only so much."

I looked over at the two ladies.  "Hey, now, I'm not that bad.  First, I don't flirt that much... and second, Tonks, it was just awkward because you had to put up with the beginnings of it," I said, shaking my head at them.

"Aw, he's getting all defensive," I teased, laughing.  I was sure that he would try to reach me to hit me, so I backed out of his arm's length.  "And I wasn't going to help him.  Because then I'd get blamed for all the lack of action."

" Aw poor guy." I laughed as I sat over by Bill, " It's not like he expected to be made fun of. But sometimes it is just fun sometimes...." I said with a smirk to Charlie as I knew the look I would end up getting. " Don't worry....He got a little better. Yeah I definitely saw the early stage of him flirting. " I said as I looked back from Des to Charlie. " The one time in particular when he didn't know what to say or do." I said, biting my lip. " Oh you know she would love to hear that story!"

I put my arm around Tonks when she sat down and I looked at Charlie.  "Oh, you have to tell it... if you don't, you know one of us will have to.  And you know that we'd over exaggerate every detail.  This is what happens when you bring girls home... we get to embarrass the shit out of you," I said with a grin to my younger brother.

I laughed and nodded.  "You have to tell me this story!  And I don't know... I think I'd prefer it to be told by Tonks or Bill... you'll sugar coat everything," I added playfully.

I burst into laughter, trying to give charlie a clue to which story I was talking about. " Well, there was this one girl he liked a LONG time ago. She didn't know he did. So, naturally when boy asks girl on a date. She accepts. Then it tears Charlie apart that she accepted a date. " I said hoping he knew where I was going with this. " Well, after a while she broke up with him. Then Charlie and I had been in Hogsmeade and he saw her. Well, the moons aligned perfectly and he was going to do it...he would ask her out. Her name was Lisa I believe?" I looked at Charlie who was about as bright as his hair. " Oh you know you'll just tell that story....relax..." I said giving him the look of now revenge as the smirk entered his face.

I know him far to well. " Anyway...getting side tracked. He had told me about fifty times he was going to talk to her. So, I waited while he went two steps and got nervous and turned back to me. I ended up going up to where she was and spoke to her a bit. I knew her from Transfiguration. We always got partnered up. " I went on. " So, I invited her to our table where Charlie said about two words....which were hi...how..." I said with a smile to my friend who was so red right now. " You want to tell the rest?"

Oh, I hated Tonks right now.  I was just shaking my head at her.  "I don't think it was that bad," I said, knowing for sure that it was much worse than what Tonks was saying.  It had totally sucked that day.  I don't think I ever started to date Lisa at all... I made such a big moron out of myself hat ay.

I had to give him some credit to him, " it could have been a lot worse..." I said with a grin to my best friend. " it took him a while but he got better." I said with a grin. Figuring he would now tell the story of me and keeping my mouth shut when it came to bill because anytime I tried to talk to him I shut up almost instantly. " I love telling that one, I've got some good ones." I told her with an added nod.

I grinned, taking  drink of the wine that Bill had topped off.  "Now Charlie.. why had it taken you so long to introduce us?  I need to hear these stories of you," I teased, knowing exactly what had taken so long.  Neither one of us really wanted to define our relationship.  "I bet Bill has some great stories of you, too."  I was sure that Charlie would definitely be getting Tonks back with some stories of his own.  I loved these family dynamics right now.  I missed things like this.  I did not come home enough to really see all the dynamics all the time when I visited Remus's family.  And really, I was slightly stuck in the middle at those functions... not exactly an adult over there but not a kid as well.  Here, there was such an age range that anyone would be able to fit in.