Summer 96'
Life at the Burrow always felt light, bright and colourful. The amount of cheerful children made natural noise around, the kind of noise that only could bring comfort and happiness. Those were the exact things Charlie needed after a stressful year of working so far away from childhood house. Even with his parents leaving to visit the eldest brother, he knew he wouldn’t be bored. With his siblings and their closest friends filling the home, he was going to relax but also recharge the need for love and company.
He smiled, raising his eyes to meet the focused face of his little sister. Little sister that wasn’t so little anymore, in a month she would be fifteen, so grown up. Her brows were furrowed, eyes running around the board of Wizard’s Chess they were playing, thinking of the next move. Her and Ron’s friend, Hermione, was sitting not far away from them reading a book. He wasn’t surprised to see it was a student’s book for the next year of her education.
Ginny liked to offload everything that was going on in school so Charlie gladly took that position, letting his sister blab about anything she wanted the first few nights after his arrival back home. Thanks to that he knew a lot about all of their friends, including those who would spend the entire summer here. His mother even reprimanded him for listening to the gossip at the age of twenty four but he couldn’t help that the problems of teenage girls were more interesting than adults from work.
A loud thud signalled the arrival of his brothers with the last two guests. A second later all three of them had a clear view of falling out of the fireplace Ronald. Tall and slim boy picked himself up quickly checking for witnesses, disappointment in his eyes when he noticed Hermione with his siblings. They won’t let it go.
“Really elegantly Ronald.” Commented Hermione with her brows raised in amusement.
“Like a ballerina.” Charlie couldn’t help but wink his way, listening to girls’ laugh and brother’s huff in annoyance. With a chuckle he watched red blush cover the younger one's face, making his move in the game using the distraction of Ginny.
“Where’s the rest?” Asked the Granger girl watching Ron’s struggle with a trunk he brought with him. It must be Harry’s.
“Coming.” Answered shortly before putting an obviously heavy trunk out of the walking way. “Fred and George couldn’t leave without doing anything to this cousin, Dudley or something.”
“I hope they won’t do something stupid, using magic in front of the Muggles is forbidden.” Chided soon to be a sixth year girl. Charlie and Ginny smirked to themselves, they knew that watching Hermione the whole summer without any parents around would be fun. She loved rules and parenting her friends.
“It’s Fred and George we’re talking about, of course it will be stupid.” Giggled the youngest Weasley making her move on the board. “But it will be fair, this Dudley is an arse.”
“Ginny, language!” Scolded Mrs.Weasley coming from the garden and immediately taking care of her things in the kitchen.
“Sorry mum!” Apologised quickly the redhead focusing on the game, rather than the conversation about the twins, in case she let something slip again.
Again even louder voices came from the fireplace soon showing a brunette boy with George following and another pair right behind them. Their loud laugher could be heard around the house, making the mother of the family get her nose out of the kitchen.
“Harry!” Hermione jumped out of her seat running towards brunet who opened his arms for her. He was a little taller than her but still looked quite short around Weasley brothers. His hair was shorter than Ron’s and very messy, his eyes were hidden behind round glasses.
Harry, that had to be the newest object of desire of his little sister.
Ginny followed her friend greeting the boy with a way more awkward hug. Charlie wanted to laugh seeing blush on both of their cheeks.
“Sage!” Another Hermione’s scream brought his attention, he forgot that the last person was Harry’s older sister and twins’ best friend. When the younger girl finally moved the laughing twins, she wrapped her arms around the standing girl. Charlie couldn’t see her from here, the only thing he could tell was her height that had to be around Hermione’s. Ginny was next to tightly hug the last girl that would be in the house, while the younger Potter was already profusely greeted by Molly.
“Sage honey, you look amazing!” The woman complimented giving the same greeting to the girl.
The eldest of the present brothers waited patiently to see Sage. By now he could only hear her voice when she thanked his mother for complimenting and letting them stay. It was warm and sweet.
When finally his mother stepped aside, he could see her. And it cost him a lot to not let his eyes go too wide.
Her skin was a little more tanned than her brother’s, her hair in similar brown to his with some highlights was curly. Big eyes probably in some darker shade he couldn’t see in distance, little freckled nose and lips, full and pink curved in a smile. His eyes arbitrarily went further down and that was a big mistake.
Her body was curvy, he could clearly see that in the loose jean short and t-shirt, that clung tightly to her chest. He tried to take his eyes off her chest, her breasts were big and looked like they wanted to run free from tight and covering shirt.
Charlie knew he shouldn’t at all let his eyes fall there, let alone open the door for those thoughts. She was the age of his brother’s, eighteen for no longer than a few months or maybe even not of age yet. With shame his eyes focused on the board, if anyone from his family or her heard his thoughts he wouldn’t be able to look in the mirror.
“Harry, Sage I don’t think you’ve ever met, that’s Charlie.” The red head man stood up putting a smile on his face to act as natural as possible.
“Hi, it’s nice to meet you.” He shook Harry’s hand, then took another step to do the same with the brunette. Now he could clearly see how short she was. As the tallest of the Weasley siblings, she wasn’t reaching further than to his shoulder. He swallowed hard when she looked up at him, now he could clearly see her eyes that were the colour of honey mixed with chocolate. He could see that she had some freckles scattered around her nose and cheeks. Shy smile on her lips when she greeted him back, her voice even sweeter when she said his name.
Charlie contained himself, stepping back and leaning against the table. He didn’t want to scare her off with his weird behaviour and definitely didn’t want anyone to notice.
“Alright kids, you can go and unpack, lunch will be ready soon.” Mrs.Weasley managed everyone, shooing everyone away. No one dared to protest, Ron and Harry taking his trunk to Ron’s room, while Fred lifted Sage’s one to take it to the girl's room. Already in the middle of the talk, three girls disappeared on the stairs.
The man let out a sigh, suddenly a summer looked way more difficult. He felt embarrassed reacting like a little, teenage boy. Even more when he knew his brothers didn’t react at all. He didn’t know why his mind was so strongly affected in just one look, the lack of intercourse with a woman in some time might be responsible for it. Or maybe it was her sweet aura followed by goddess body and hint of innocence in her eyes.
Ginny’s bedroom was cosy and colourful, it was exactly someone who knew her would expect. Posters of her favourite quidditch team and bands on every wall, weird little things she collected without any real reason, scattered around. Her quidditch attire tossed in the corner, some books, mostly about her beloved sport with some hint of romances, arranged neatly on the bookshelf in order of size and subject. Sage was certain it was Hermione’s doing, since Ginny never cared about those things, she just wanted them to fit in one place, order wasn’t her concern.
In the corner, close to the window was a big bed filled with cushions and crochet blankets. Closer to the door on the floor was a thick mattress decorated similar to the main bed. Potter knew it was for her, for years now whenever three girls were present at the Burrow, two younger were sleeping together in the redheads bed with the only brunette taking the surprisingly comfortable mattress.
“Merlin, I can’t wait to properly start this vacation.” Exclaimed Ginny the second door closed behind Hermione. “It’s going to be the greatest summer, without parents we will have so much fun!”
Sage chuckled at the enthusiasm of the youngest one, it wasn’t a secret the redhead could be positively wild. Despide young age she loved to tag along with twins and older Potter in their antics. The girl lived by rule to try anything the world had to offer, which was highly appreciated by all three best friends.
“I’m sure we will.” Agreed brown eyed girl with a squeal falling onto the mattress after being pushed by no other than Weasley. “I brought some things I’m certain you will like.”
Ginny opened her eyes widely, letting herself fall right beside the brunette.
“Really?” Asked in delight, eyes shining as if Sage was a gold treasure. The reaction of the almost fifteen year old made her laugh, even bringing giggles out of Granger.
“Really but we will go through those after your parents leave.” Giggling at the wink sent her way, Ginny got up, now even more excited for the time they would spend together. “With it maybe even Hermione will get loose.”
A playful smile appeared on Sage’s lips, both her and the redhead looking at the middle one suggestively. Teen girl huffed in response, nevertheless her gaze curiously eyed the adult who already engaged in a talk with Ginny.
The lunch at the Burrow was as chaotic as everyone could remember it. The whole Weasley family seemed loud, especially if they were together. Sage understood that with this amount of people you had to be loud enough to be heard. In the Dursleys house she’d never experienced that, both her and Harry were obliged to act as if they were not there. The only possible sound disturbing the perfect silence was tv or alternatively Dudley’s video games.
The loud laughter could never be heard at the Privet Drive 4, not until it was Dudley laughing at someone and it usually wasn’t funny. Pleasant, playful conversations among family were believed to be ill-mannered by their uncle Vernon. Small talk about weather, school, work and neighbours was one and only type accepted over the table.
With those circumstances the domestic house of the redhead family was a favourite change of scenery for an eighteen year old girl. With a smile on her face she listened to every word that left Fred’s mouth about another idea to their store that he and his twin brother were going to bring to life right after summer.
Her sparkling eyes captured the whole table. Harry, Hermione and Ron were talking to Arthur probably about his work and muggle’s items. Molly with high colour listened to her eldest present son talk about his job, every few sentences checking if he surely wasn’t sad about coming home for the summer only for his parents to leave. George and Ginny were giggling in the corner about the prank the twins made today to Dudley.
Sage flashed even a brighter smile bringing her eyes back to Fred. It felt like home and she knew that the summer, despite the sadness and stress it naturally brought, would be the one to remember the most.