At 6:45, after chasing Ginny from her flat with threats of bodily harm, Venice dropped onto the sofa, trying her best to control her racing heart and shaking hands.

What are you doing?

“I have no idea,” she whispered, staring at her hands. Ginny had helped her pick out an outfit, had helped her do her hair and her makeup, all the while giving her pointers and hints on how to impress her older brother.

Venice hadn’t listened to any of them.

She didn’t want to impress Charlie. She didn’t want him thinking she’d only said yes to dinner so it would lead to other dates. She’d said yes because she knew he’d wanted her to say yes, because he wanted to apologize, properly.

She scrubbed her palms up and down the legs of her brown corduroys. Ginny had all but forced her into the pants, explaining in great detail the way brown brought out her eyes, even though Venice wasn’t listening at all.

She had to admit, the brown pants and the cropped brown jacket did look good together, especially when paired with the deep blue tee that was the exact same shade as her eyes. She just wasn’t sure she wanted her eyes to be noticed.

“Charlie likes blue eyes,” Ginny’s words came floating back, as though the girl were still in the room with her. “He’ll die when he sees yours.”

“He saw mine last night, Ginny, and he’s still alive, so I don’t know why you’re going on and on about it.” Her response hadn’t thrilled her friend, who had proceeded to brandish a hairbrush at her in a rather threatening manner. After that, Venice had kept her comments to herself.

She didn’t need another lump on her head.

At precisely ten to seven her doorbell rang. She walked on wooden legs to the door, praying her shaking knees wouldn’t give away just how nervous she was.

Charlie’s smile lit up his eyes when she opened the door. He held out a bouquet of flowers before she could even offer a greeting.

“Before you say anything, I have a confession—I asked Ginny for help picking out the flowers. I didn’t want to get something that you hated, or that would make you sneeze.”

“They’re lovely, Charlie.”

The bouquet of lilacs and lilies was gorgeous, the smell nearly intoxicating as it filled her small flat. He followed her into the kitchen, where she set the vase in the middle of the table. She opened her mouth to speak but he cut her off before she could utter a single word.

“And don’t say I didn’t need to get flowers, because I can tell you’re just dying to tell me that. I know I didn’t need to. I wanted to.”

Her cheeks flushed as he stepped back and looked her up and down.

“Now, I hate to say this, but nice as you look, you’re going to want a warmer jacket than that.”

“Are you going to tell me why, or where we’re going, or are you going to kill me with the suspense?”

“Suspense. If I tell you, it’ll ruin everything.”

He followed her back into the living room, where she snatched a heavy sweater from its hook in the closet.

“Is this going to be warm enough?”

He nodded.

“Absolutely. Let’s go.”

He offered her his arm as they stepped into the hall; she took it, pausing to cast the usual wards on the door of her flat, and then looked up expectantly.

“So where are we going?”

He laughed aloud, his eyes dancing as he cast her an amused glance.

“I’m not telling. Now close your eyes so I can Apparate us.”

Huffing an over-exaggerated sigh, she slid her eyes shut, felt Charlie cover her fingers with his hand. His palm was calloused, yet smooth, as it slid over her skin.

After the always uncomfortable sensation of Apparition had faded, Charlie released her arm.

“You can open your eyes now.”

It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the dim lighting, but when she did her jaw fell open.

“Please, please tell me that look is a good thing.”

He’d stepped in front of her, watching her reaction apprehensively. She stared up at him, trying to find her voice, and then...

“What else did Ginny tell you? You got the flowers spot on, and then this?”

They were standing in the middle of an ice-skating rink, their breath pluming out before them in clouds. Charlie had already added blades to the bottom of their shoes. She spun effortlessly in a circle.

“What makes you think I talked to Ginny?” Charlie’s tone was falsely innocent, and she wasn’t fooled for a second.

“Oh please! Ginny is the only person in the wizarding world I’ve ever told about ice-skating, there’s absolutely no way you could have found that out unless she talked to you!”

“Talked to me about what? About your fifteen skating medals? All fifteen of which you won before age eleven, before Hogwarts? About how much you love to skate but never do anymore, because you claim you don’t have the time? Nope, I definitely didn’t talk to Ginny about that.”

He skated smoothly out of reach before she could hit him, his laughter rumbling out of his chest and echoing around the otherwise silent rink. For a few laps she chased him around the ice, trying her hardest to hold in a laugh every time he stumbled. Watching Charlie Weasley on ice skates was a bit like watching Hagrid waltz: hilarious and a bit awkward.

When he finally found his rhythm, they skated in circles for a while. After lapping him for the seventh time she slowed and drifted toward the middle, spinning slowly in a circle. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Charlie hoist himself up onto the low wall, watching her.

She didn’t want to think about how much he made her nervous.

Taking a deep breath, she folded her arms in closer, spinning faster. For a moment she let the sensation carry her, and then broke out of the spin. She made a few laps around the rink, gathering speed. When the walls became a blur, speeding past, she closed her eyes and jumped.

For an instant she was weightless, carefree...and then she crashed back onto the ice. Pain rippled through her ankle and she went down. She heard Charlie shout, and the next moment he was bending over her.

“Are you okay? Where are you hurt?”

His voice was anxious, his eyes were wide. A giggle bubbled out of her before she could stop it.

“Gods, I knew I was out of practice, but I didn’t think it had been quite that long!”

“Venice?”

“I’m fine, Charlie, honest. That’s just what I get for thinking I can do something I haven’t done since I was eleven. That was horrible. I’m sort of embarrassed that you saw it.”

He helped her sit up, still watching her carefully.

“Are you sure you’re okay? I saw you go down and I thought for sure you’d broken something.”

She got slowly to her feet, shaking herself out, brushing the ice from her pants.

“Yeah, I’m quite sure. I’m all right Charlie, you can stop hovering now.” She giggled again. “Are you going to be all right, Mr. Weasley?”

He smiled sheepishly.

“Be quiet, you. If you were me you’d be worried too after seeing that crash.”

“Sure, sure. Should I call for your mum though, just in case you need looking at?”

“Venice!”

He caught her hand as she tried to glide away, pulled her back easily. For a moment their eyes locked. She couldn’t breathe. Charlie’s eyes were such a lovely, warm shade of brown…

He pulled away, clearing his throat loudly.

“Well. I, erm, I think it’s time we ate.”

He didn’t look up as he waved his wand, Vanishing their skates.

He held out his arm, waiting for her to take it. He met her eyes for a second, just a brief second. There was something lurking there just below the surface that she couldn’t quite read.

She took his arm and closed her eyes, trying to ignore the nervous knot in her stomach.

As the sensation of Apparition washed over her, Ginny’s words again echoed in her head.

When she opened her eyes they were standing outside the Leaky Cauldron.

“I know you’re probably tired of this place, but Tom makes the best roast beef sandwiches in the world.”

He opened the door for her; she paused halfway through.

“I have a confession: I’ve never actually eaten here.”

His face was incredulous.

“You work in Diagon Alley, you live in Diagon Alley, and you’ve never eaten at the Leaky Cauldron? Oh Venice…how do you get through life?”

She elbowed him as he ushered her into a chair, trying to pretend she didn’t notice the cozy table for two he’d picked out in the back corner, near the fireplace. She pulled off her sweater and slung it over the back of her chair; Charlie’s eyes drifted to her tee.

“Did you know that’s the same color as your eyes? It’s such a pretty blue.”

She was going to kill Ginny with her bare hands. Gritting her teeth, she nodded

“Your sister helped me pick it out. Apparently, I’m just not capable of dressing myself for a date. I never would have guessed she was hiding such a...a girly side.”

She stuck her tongue out at him. Across the table, Charlie laughed a bit uncomfortably.

“Who said it was a date?”

“Oh, please! You said you wanted to take me out to dinner. You never said anything about ice-skating first. An outing such as that, plus dinner, equals a date.”

“Really? Well, in that case, I suppose I’m guilty as charged.”

He leaned back in his chair, looking rather pleased with himself.

“So what if I said I wouldn’t go on a date with you?”

“I’d call you a liar.”

“Charlie Weasley, I’m not so sure I like you.”

“And I’m sure you do, otherwise you wouldn’t be here right now. And of course now you’re not going to leave, even if you don’t like me, because then I’d be right. And you hate being wrong, don’t you? I bet, knowing my sister, that she told you that I liked you. And knowing my sister, she all but smothered you with the information. And part of you agreed to come out with me tonight just so you could prove her wrong. But she’s right, you know. I do like you. There’s something about you, Venice. I know I just met you last night, but you have no idea how much I’ve heard about you over the years. When my mother started raving about this girl, Venice Moon, and how wonderful she was, working for Fred and George for so long, and being so damned amazing, I got interested. And then, seeing you last night, it was like everything finally fell into place. I’d never seen your picture, and nobody had ever told me what you looked like, but you were exactly how I imagined you. Exactly. And I truly didn’t mean to hit you with that Quaffle last night, but once it happened…there’s no way I would have passed up the opportunity to take you out, and see for myself if you were as amazing as the rest of my family thinks you are.”

She folded her arms about her chest and gazed at him evenly for a moment, trying her hardest not to reveal just how hard her heart was pounding in her chest.

“So what’s your verdict? Is your family right, or are they just all out of their minds?”

“My family is definitely out of their minds, but they’re absolutely spot-on about you, Venice.”

She couldn’t pull her eyes away from his. He leaned forward, stretched his arm across the table, and stroked a finger gently down her arm.

“And don’t you dare tell me that you’re not at least interested. I can see it in your face. Ginny might have dressed you in that outfit, but you didn’t change out of it, did you? You know, it’s sort of funny: your face turns red when I mention how gorgeous your eyes are, but what you don’t realize is how much your blush makes your eyes stand out.”

If she hadn’t been rooted to her seat, Venice would have been tempted to run. Charlie’s eyes stared deep into hers; she got the feeling he was seeing much more than just the color of her eyes.

“Venice?”

“Yes, Charlie?”

“You’re still blushing.”

Calmly, she raised an eyebrow.

“Weasley, you better hope my wand is not easily accessible at the moment.”

Tom the barkeeper turned a curious eye on both of them as Charlie roared with laughter.

“Ah, Bill was so right about you.”

She kept her eyebrow up.

“And what did that wonderful brother of yours say about me?”

“He said you’d keep me on my toes.”

Her hand twitched toward her wand.

Charlie’s eyes caught the movement and he smiled.

“Now, now, no hexing before dinner. I don’t relish the thought of eating my sandwich with an overlarge tongue.”

She lost a rather valiant fight to keep a straight face. Charlie’s eyes sparkled when she finally let out a reluctant giggle.

His eyes were downright attractive when they sparkled like that…

She jumped as Tom appeared at the table, bearing two plates piled with food. He set them down without a word, shuffling away to slide behind the bar once more, casting them an odd look as he picked up a rag and began wiping glasses.

Charlie leaned in across the table.

“I think he’s jealous,” he whispered conspiratorially, “because I’m here with such a beautiful lady, and he hasn’t got one.”

She snorted into her mashed potatoes.

They lingered over dinner, and then over scones and coffee. As much as she didn’t want to admit it, she didn’t want the evening to end.

Charlie was such fun; even the twins hadn’t made her laugh this hard, this often.

It doesn’t hurt that he’s completely adorable.

When they Apparated back to her flat, Charlie leaned against the doorjamb as she released the wards.

“Would you like to come in?” she finally asked, glancing over to find him watching her face. He shook his head.

“It’s late. I should let you get your rest for tomorrow.”

“What’s tomorrow?”

“Sunday dinner with my family. You’re coming. As my date.”

She leaned against the wall beside him, staring up at him.

“As your date?”

“As my date.”

She nodded once.

“Alright. As your date.”

He grabbed her hand as she stepped around him, intent on going inside. He met her gaze, smiled into her eyes, and pressed a kiss to her fingers.

“Have a good night, Venice. I’ll pick you up tomorrow, around three.”

“Thank you for the date, Charlie.”

Another kiss on the back of her hand, and he let her go.

She closed the door with a smile on her face.