October 6th, 1888 - Padmore Park

It was that time of the month again and it was perhaps the one time of the month that Charles looked forward to the most. It was the first since the Hogwarts school term had started that he'd be able to see her and though he wrote to her often, Charles found himself counting down the days to which he could once again see Emmeline Woodcroft. The wide and inviting smile she always had on her when they met was something not easily forgotten and it enamoured Charles more than anything had done-so in his past.

He’d been sure to finish his work as quickly as he could to ensure he was able to leave on time for a change. With his job, it had becoming a common occurrence for Charles to work late into the evening going through paperwork and assignments, ensuring his department was running smoothly and, for the most part, it did. Thankfully, there hadn’t been too many major incidents his department needed to be on top of in the last few months – which had left Charles with not much to do beyond menial administrative work.

It was quite early into the evening when he arrived at the Woodcroft residence for dinner – something he suspected would become tradition over the coming year as he was currently two for two at having dinner with the Woodcroft’s during the Hogsmeade weekend – and the sun had gone for its nightly slumber by the time they had finished eating.

Once the dinnerware had been put away, Charles requested to walk with Emmeline for a bit. Her father hesitantly obliged though not before requesting they had a chaperone. And they did.

Charles didn’t mind, though. He didn’t want anything to put Emmeline’s schooling – and future – into jeopardy.

Walking through Padmore Park, Charles smiled softly as he turned his head to face Emmeline. She truly was awe-inspiring.

“How is your last year going? Have you settled?” He asked quietly. He thought it best to begin with small-talk before declaring how much he’d missed her.

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Emmeline had always enjoyed Hogsmeade weekends, always looked forward to them, but now they carried even more excitement for her. Not only did she make a little extra money doing monthly piano lessons but she got to see Charlie. The very thought of him made her smile and maybe even blush a little. He always made her blush even if he wasn't trying to. Luckily, though, her father had mostly forgiven the Hit Wizard for their transgressions before school had started back up.

Dinner had turned into a rather jovial affair with plenty of laughter along with good food and a bit of wine. Emmy had been all but content to remain home and just chat the rest of the night away but it seemed Charlie had other thoughts and before she knew it, they were bundled up and walking in the park with her mother walking a few paces behind them.

"It's been going rather well," she answered honestly with a smile up to him. She was counting down the days she was done but she was at least enjoying herself in the meantime. "How has the new job been treating you?"

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#LovelyLadySet

Charles nodded at her words – and her smile – and returned with a soft and sweet smile of his own. He looked into her eyes as she asked how his job had been and there was a glimmer of genuine curiosity that sent a shudder of comfort through his being.

The way she spoke and acted – the way she always was – was a comfort to Charles that he simply could not shake from.

He nodded and shrugged a little, “it’s a lot of busy work at the moment which isn’t bad, I’d suppose,” Charles began, “Less chance for getting injured.”
Charles then chuckled and moved his hand to brush across her cheek softly. He’d been longing to see her and as they walked, it became more and more evident just how much he had missed her so.

“You’re looking as beautiful as you oft do.”

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Emmeline nodded as he spoke, glad to hear he was at least staying out of harms way. She was pretty sure that wasn't his favorite sort of thing to do though. Charlie had always been a man of action from the first night she'd met him. Sitting around doing paperwork certainly didn't sound like him. She had a feeling it wouldn't last long before he went stir crazy though. The thought had her smiling.

And then she was blushing, as was her usual whenever he complimented her in such a way. It wasn't even so much the fact that he'd brushed a hand across her cheek but the way he said it and the way he looked at her when he said it. She wasn't sure if she'd ever truly get used to such a thing. Having never really seen herself as being beautiful and just as a plain sort of girl, it was a lot to take in no matter all they'd been through.

"You only say that to make me blush," she said with a smile, but while still managing to keep her gaze focused on his own. She'd at least gotten over the looking away bit though so perhaps in time the blushing would cease altogether as well.

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#LovelyLadySet

As Charles eyes drifted briefly to examine her facial features, he took note of the rose-red hue that had struck her cheeks and made her beautifully vibrant and alluring brown eyes compliment her very being and for the briefest of moments which felt as if it had spanned an eternity, Charles felt his stomach stir into a swirl of happy bliss.

He quickly realised where he was however and let out a soft cough, turning his gaze to where they were walking – his eyes fixed on the path in front of them – before turning to the sky.

“If only you weren’t so adorable when you blushed then perhaps I wouldn’t have to,” the Squad Chief said with an almost nonchalant tone-of-voice, his eyes drifting downward to meet the path once more.

“And anyway, Miss Woodcroft, I don’t recall you minding my comments too much,” he said in jest.

If time could stand still, Charles decided now would be a good moment for it. There was nothing special about what was happening; it just was.
And that’s what he was enjoying.

He was with her.
It was good.
They just… were.
And that was everything

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Further mention of being adorable only made Emmeline's cheeks flush that much brighter. It definitely didn't help with the way he looked at her, either. But it was all worth it. She was fairly certain of that. In the short time they had known one another, they'd been on a bit of a roller coaster. Ups and downs with plenty of twists and turns in between. It was strange to think that they had really known one another a few months. She sincerely felt as if she'd known him for years.

"Valid point," she said as she looked back to the path before them to try and avoid the temptation to reach out and hold his hand as they walked. They weren't quite at that point, at least, not publicly. She could hardly wait until she was finished with school and things could be made official. Or, at least, she hoped they could be made official. Hopefully he wouldn't have grown bored of her by then.

"There's not much about you that bothers me, if at all," she added as an after thought, quite certain she liked most everything about him.

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#LovelyLadySet

Charles chuckled a little then; it wasn’t because of anything she had done though more the way she had said it – how casual it was – that made him laugh. She was perhaps the one being alive who – were Charles not a stubborn Ministry official who was all work and no play – might have actually made him speechless. She had yet to truly do that (mostly: - out of anger or upset was another matter) and Charles would loathe the day she did; he knew she’d hold it above him for a long time.

“I could say the same to you, Miss Woodcroft. Though I’d be more inclined to say – with certainty – that everything about you is absolute perfection,” Charles replied with a grin.

As they continued their stroll through the park, Charles glanced behind very quickly to be reminded of the chaperone. It was nice that he was allowed to spend time with Emmeline though they were very limited in what they could do – and that pained him. His eyes glanced down to her hands before looking forward once again, a soft sigh escaping himself.

“I don’t like this,” Charles mused very quietly to himself hoping she wouldn’t hear. All he wanted to do was hold her close and truly be alone with her if for nothing else than to just spend time in one anothers company without worry for what others would say or do.

Huffing once again (quite audibly this time), Charles stopped by a bench and gestured toward it, “Let’s sit down for a moment, I need to rest and actually look you in the eyes without being shuffled along on our walk.”

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Emmeline's cheeks flushed all over again at his overly exaggerated and blatant compliment. It was absurd to think that she didn't have any faults and she knew better than to even remotely think what he said was true. However, she also knew it was pointless to argue with him on it. She did roll her eyes slightly with a smirk in response though.

She didn't hear what he said though did know he had said something. It caused her to regard him with a raised brow, clearly asking what he had said without actually saying a word herself. But before she got a response, he was huffing again and gesturing toward a bench. she laughed lightly at that, his frustration now evident though her mother didn't make a sound in regards to them moving to sit down. Instead, she kept on walking at a much slower pace and simply loitered around the area but without being too close.

"If I didn't know any better I'd say someone was a bit frustrated," she said with a humorous sort of sound to her tone as she settled on the bench he'd gestured to.

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As they sat on the bench, Charles let out a contended smile; finally able to drink her in as much as he could.

Of course he was frustrated; he couldn’t spend some genuine time with her, and though he was okay with it – knowing full well the implications and social scandal that would occur if they had met in another way – Charles still didn’t appreciate it. It was as if he was being looked on like a hawk and it made him uneasy.

The only comfort here was being with Emmeline.

“Of course I am,” He jested and they began talking properly for a few hours before they had to go home…

[FIN]

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