Charles watched as she moved to the sink and just… stood there. Great. This was the last thing he wanted. He hated seeing her like this. He could see she wasn’t confident in herself. She was insecure and he’d gone and made it worse.

Placing the glass on the table, Charles moved to stand behind her. He placed his hand on her shoulder gently and turned her to face him, smiling softly.

“Ems, sorry. I just… I hate seeing you put yourself in this… pit as if you are nothing but dirt. You’re more than that and I just wish you’d believe it sometimes,” Charles spoke quietly.

He raised his hand to brush her cheek softly with his thumb and then left it planted against her skin for a moment, his eyes looking deeply into her own.

“Please don’t be upset.”

---

  

Emmeline moved easily enough as he turned her to face him. She had to bite down on her bottom lip to prevent herself from crying at his words though. In such a short amount of time, he already knew her more than people she'd known at school. He seemed to understand Just how deep her insecurities ran. It was scary.

"I'm not," she said softly, unable to meet his gaze, "Not upset I mean. I just feel..bad for bringing it up again. I'm sorry."

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#LovelyLadySet

She may have said one thing but the way she had said them had conveyed an entirely different meaning and Charles could feel his heart drop as her eyes looked deeply into his own. Ugh. Why were emotions a thing?

“You’ve nothing to apologise for,” Charles stated as he tried a soft smile, “There’s nothing to feel bad for.”

Charles then leaned against the back of one of the chairs, holding onto the back of it firmly, “Did you enjoy your sweet?”

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Emmeline wanted to argue about having nothing to apologize for but she bit her tongue. She needed to just let it go for the time being and listen to him. It was a hard thing to do but she did it regardless. She was grateful when he changed the topic though and a true smile spread over her features in that moment.

"Yes, very much. Thank you," she answered honestly, "As much as I love cinnamon rolls, I don't often get to indulge in them and I'm not the greatest of bakers so I leave that to the professionals."

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#LovelyLadySet

 Returning her smile with one of his own, Charles shook his head with a jovial look in his eyes.

"I'll have to make sure to get you more then. But not a baker?" Charles scoffed playfully, "How would you ever make a good wife of mine if you can't bake? That's dreadful!"

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Emmeline had started to shake her head when he mentioned not being a baker but found herself stopping mid shake and blushing furiously as he said the word wife.

"I...no," she said still blushing, "Definitely not a baker. I'm decent enough in the kitchen. I took more to the piano than anything else though." The admission was actually hard for her, only adding to the blush, but she felt as if she had to bring something to the table in regards to her talents.

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#LovelyLadySet

Charles couldn't help but smile widely as if he had seen true beauty for the first time in her life as she blushed at his remark. He hadn't meant he would actually wed her - that was an absurd notion. He was joking though her very obvious reaction to him using the W-Word had him thinking. Had she wanted to marry him?

The thoughts were silly, of course; she'd made it very clear what her plans were and they didn't involve marriage. Charles was beyond okay with that.

"Music, oh?" Charles questioned, he hadn't pegged her as the musical type but it only stood to reason that she was full of surprises.

"What made you learn piano? I'd like nothing more than to hear you play one day, though. I imagine you are phenomenal." He said with a smug look drawn across his features.

She had a talent in music - specifically piano - and Charles knew she had difficulty when it came to her own esteem so an opportunity had arisen.

And he was going to take advantage of that opportunity and help her to see herself for who she was.

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Emmeline was still blushing and likely to not stop anytime soon. Especially as he continued complimenting her and saying he wanted to hear her play. Luckily, they didn't have a piano anymore so she could put that off for as long as possible.

"We had a piano once," she answered simply with a shrug, playing it off as if it wasn't any big deal, "And I was just drawn to it so I managed to talk my parents into lessons. I took them for as long as I could but ended up having to teach myself for the most part." Another obvious indication for her determination when it came to getting something she wanted. She didn't need to tell him that she'd picked up teaching piano to children during the summers to make some extra money for the family though. Or the fact she stashed some of that said money so she could one day get a piano for herself again.

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#LovelyLadySet

Charles shrugged at her noncomittal shrug. He wasn't particularly keen on that gesture; it showed a certain lack of interest in something you were clearly interested in. But he wasn't going to press too much - the last thing he wanted was to have Emmeline be upset again. It hurt him. He could put two and two together on this one.

"And I presume you enjoyed the lessons?" Charles queried as he moved to sit down once again, "and maybe one day you can start learning again. A girl who enjoys both animals and music. Seems very cliché." He joked.

"But with honesty, I do think you are better than it sounds like you're giving yourself credit for. Perhaps you could be one of the greats."

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Emmeline nodded though before she could say anything he'd made a joke about her interest in animals and love of music being cliche. She laughed at it but stuck her tongue out in response much like one would expect from a child.

"I doubt I'd take more lessons," she ended up saying, "But I do give them." The words left her mouth before she'd really even realized it and as a result she blushed again. She hadn't planned on admitting that.

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#LovelyLadySet

"Merlin, Ems, if you keep blushing you're going to end up redder than a tomato," Charles teased as he patted the chair next to him.

She really did act like a child sometimes and for some strange reason it was kind of endearing.

"And you give lessons. So you are brilliant at piano. I'll add that to the list of things Miss Woodcroft excels at, then. Any other talents I should know about?"

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Pointing out that she was blushing surely wasn't going to end the blush on Emmeline's cheeks. She did, however, wander over to the chair he had patted and sat down in it. She even dared to reach for his cup of rum and take a small drink of it.

"I excel in blushing at the drop of a hat and I'm probably the only one of the family that still talks to everyone in the family so perhaps I could be known as a peacekeeper," she answered perhaps a bit too bluntly.

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#LovelyLadySet

He could give her the first one, at least. She was an exceptionally good blusher. Though peacekeeper, Charles wasn’t too sure. He’d recalled she had quite a temper on her when they’d argued, however brief it was. Though given what he knew of her family, that was quite a feat.

“A blusher, a peacekeeper, and a pianist,” Charles nodded as he took his glass from her and took a sip himself, “That’s an interesting trio of traits, Ems. Not that I mind. At least I know who’s going to keep who entertained now. I’m just good at… hitting things and drinking rum, I guess,” he jested a little though the sincerity in his tone was evident; he believed it.

He was good at his job – and he knew that. Though his job involved hitting, maiming, or killing people whenever the Ministry saw it fit. So was that really a talent? Charles didn’t particularly think so.

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Emmeline smiled easily at him, though the blush had finally faded from her cheeks. She didn't think they sounded like an awful collection of traits either. Though, she'd certainly never be one to boast about them. She did shake her head just slightly when he listed his traits.

"I'm sure there's much more to you than just those things," she answered, "You're also very compassionate and protective." At least, that was what she thought of him. Why else would he have saw a girl he didn't even know home in the middle of the night? Or show up at her house when he thought she could have been in danger?

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#LovelyLadySet

“That’s part of the job,” Charles shrugged dismissively, “wouldn’t be a good Hit Wizard if I didn’t protect the people now, would I, Ems?”

Sticking his tongue out a little, Charles reached over the table and grabbed the rum; topping up his glass and placing it back on the table, “But I’m good at what I do and know I’m good. Wouldn’t be going for a promotion otherwise,” He said as he took a swig of his drink.

Once he’d placed the glass back on the table and slid it toward her so she could have a drink, Charles exhaled, “And anyway – most people don’t think what you think of me, I can assure you. You’re just different. In a good way.”

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Emmeline watched him with a calm and relaxed sort of expression. He was clearly confident in more than just his job. He just..had an air about him. Even when it came to simple things like pouring a glass of rum or even just taking a drink of it. And though every part of her should be wary and cautious, especially being alone with a man, she was the exact opposite. She'd certainly changed. The summer before she'd have been a blushing and stammering fool. Now she was just a blushing one. Though that only happened when he made his compliments of her. Perhaps, over time, that would fade, too.

She took the glass when it was slid into her direction but still only took a small drink of it. She had no plans on getting drunk. Ever again.

"I'm okay with that," she said simply, "With all of it. I don't mind being different and I like you just the way you are." Though that was a bit forward to say, she surprisingly didn't blush in the process.

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#LovelyLadySet