GINGERSNAPS

88. Arm Sling

"Reid stop saying sorry. I'm fine." She told him, "Who gave you the black eye?" She said pointing with her right arm, because the left with in a sling.

Reid's face flattened, and his gaze dropped to the floor and then up at something behind her. She turned to see him looking at Charlie.

"Charlie!" She scolded.

"What!" He said. Snape smiled faintly behind Charlie.

"Apologize!" She yelled.

"Why!" Charlie complained.

"Because me getting splinched is not Reid's fault. I could splinch myself any day as much as I could with someone else." She told him sternly.

"He should have protected you."

"For Fucks sake." She yelled, everyone's eyes widened. She stomped passed Reid, "This is a bloody war. I can protect myself! And if you haven't noticed people get hurt in wars, I'm not the only one that's going to be injured. I'll heal like everyone else, and you will not put the blame on anyone but me. Because it is my choice to go out there and put myself in risk. I'm a grown woman in case you have forgotten." She said going down the stairs towards the kitchen.

Footsteps followed after her. But she was already putting a kettle on the stove. Snape, Charlie, Reid and Kreacher came in the room.

"Are you done, now? Can we move on from the feuding and jealousy shit. Because I've had enough of it." She yelled at Charlie, he looked back at her in shock.

She had never spoken to him or anyone like this. She must be pissed beyond belief.

"Because if you haven't noticed, my arm is in a sling, I lost a lot of blood, and I don't have the energy to coddle your male egos. Charlie, stop blaming Reid. Reid, stop blaming yourself. And Dad." She said facing Snape. "Could you get me a cup down from the cupboard please." She said sternly but still polite somehow.

Snape got her a teacup down. Olivia poured herself some tea, slamming the kettle back on the stove. She tried to cut a lemon with her one arm and was struggling.

Charlie came around the counter taking the knife from her. Looking her in the eyes, "I'm sorry I was such a git." He said softly. Charlie looked to Reid and then back to the lemon he cut. "I'm sorry I blamed you, Hawthorne."

Olivia looked to Reid, who was shocked to hear Charlie apologize. "All is forgiven." He said.

"Now can we just move on?" She said to the room. Everyone muttered their agreements. "Good, because Dad you need to let Dumbledore know that the vampires are with us. I made a blood oath with Silas Sullivan-" Snape cut his eyes are her getting ready to scold her, "-which is done and over with and there's nothing you can do about it now, because he didn't turn me into a vampire and now we have his full trust."

"It's true, I still don't know how we walked away from him with our heads attached to our bodies. She really laid down the law for him." Reid said from where he stood.

"I'll inform the headmaster as soon as possible. As for now-" Snape began.

"Oh save your breathe, I'm not getting back in bed. I've got things to do." She said drinking her tea.

"Like what?" Charlie asked, leaning on the counter behind her.

"Like get Harry a birthday present." She answered. She watched as Kreacher cleaned up after them. He cleaned off the knife and the cutting board of the lemon. Wiped down the counter top and put things away. "Hey Kreacher." She said nicely.

"Yes, Miss Olivia." He said putting the knife in a drawer.

"I don't think you should be alone by yourself here anymore. With us not staying here I hate that you probably get very lonely." She said bending down to be level with him. "How about you go and work at Hogwarts with the other house elves?" She asked

"That's not a bad idea, he would stay there and not have to worry about him running off or anything." Snape said, Olivia glared at him but turned her attention back to the elf.

"I worry about you, Kreacher. I think Hogwarts will be the best place for you." She said.

Kreachers mouth was pulled to the side. "If that is what Miss Olivia wishes, Kreacher will go." He said

"I'll come visit you, and while I'm gone I'll know you will have people to keep you company. Does that sound okay?" Olivia told him. He nodded his head.

"I'll inform Dumbledore that Kreacher will be joining us at school. I better go on." Snape said looking to the clock on the wall.

Olivia said her goodbyes to her dad and Reid, she invited him to come to Harry's party at the burrow later, and then said goodbye to Kreacher.

•••

Olivia decide to get Harry a new pair of Quidditch boots. Ones that were light weight and laced up all by themselves when putting them on.

Charlie helped her wrap them after he picked them up at the shop down the alley from the flat.

She put her finger on the ribbon so he could tie the bow in place. "Why don't you use your wand for this kind of stuff?" He asked.

"Because I like taking the time to do, doesn't hurt to put a little extra love and care into a present you got for someone. Plus I never got to do this for anyway when I was little, so I take the time to do it now so I can enjoy it. I didn't have anyone to get a present for let alone anyone to wrap something for." She explained as she scribbled with her right hand on the card.

Olivia could use her other hand to write with but it was so messy but you could still read it.

Charlie tucked the card under the ribbon. And stood up off the floor, helping Olivia up as well. The twins would close the shop soon to go the burrow for the party.

She stood in front of the mirror in the living room, trying to put up her hair with one hand. Charlie laughed at her struggling. She had done it all day, to do things that required both arms.

She was dedicated to trying, he'd give her that. "Let me," he said coming behind her. He took all her hair and pulled it together wrapping a hair tie around it. "I use to have to help mum get the other kids ready, Ginny would only let me fix her hair because Percy took to long and Bill threaten to shave her hair if she didn't sit still." Olivia laughed.

He put her hair in a ponytail on the top of her head. Little curls came free framing her face.

He forgot often that Olivia didn't grow up the same with he did. That she didn't have siblings or a normal childhood. Because of the way she was with his family it was like that's all she's ever known.

"It's good that you know how to fix hair, what if we had a little girl one day and I wasn't there to do it." She joked. But instantly her cheeks stained with a blush at the realization of what she said. "That's if you want kids or if we are together that long to even have them, but you know I was-" She rambled on.

Charlie just smiled, "Honey, I plan to be with you as long as you'll have me." He said sliding his arms around her hips looking in the mirror in front of her. "And one day if you still keep me around I'd love to have kids with you." He kissed her temple.

She smiled at him in the mirror. "I guess that's settled because I'm never going to give you up." She said sweetly.

Someone made a loud YUCKKKK sound behind them. They turned to see Fred coming through the door, "Could you keep the lovey dovey crap to a minimum, unless you plan to name your kids Fred Junior or Freda." He said taking off his tie.

"Or Georgina!" Said George coming in from behind his brother.

She laughed at the face Charlie made at the horrible name suggestions of their nonexistent children. They gathered their things and left for the Burrow.