Harry Potter gets smart and takes control - The Goblet

Chapter 56: Another Talk with Charlie

Harry slipped out onto the roof on the 'Hung Drawn n Quarters' that night during his break before the dinner rush. Bill had called him sweetheart. He and Charlie had both called him kiddo before. That wasn't new, they'd done it over the summer too, and used it on their siblings all the time.

But sweetheart was new and he couldn't get it out of his head. Charlie had done it too. And he had called Harry Love.

Why? It made him feel oddly warm and fuzzy. He liked it. Too much. But it was strangely alien too. It had been happening for a little while now. But at first, it was just every so often. Harry had dismissed it as a slip of habit, from being used to talking to siblings or friends. But he didn't think he could dismiss it now.

He didn't understand.

That wasn't how the world worked. He was Harry, Boy, the freak under the stairs. He was Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived-To-Be-A-Weapon. He could get his head around being allowed to have friends and hugs. But terms of affection? It seemed too strange for anyone to use it on the likes of him...

Letting out a huff, he took out his mirror; he'd ask Charlie about it. Charlie would be able to explain it. He often talked to Charlie on his break via the mirrors. And Charlie didn't seem to mind waking (however briefly) to talk to him.

"Bill called me Sweetheart again," Harry said instead of a greeting.

Charlie smiled in a fondly indulgent way. As if Harry was missing something obvious.

"Yeah, he does that. I do to actually come to think of it. He's very affectionate with those he likes. Does it bother you? He'll stop," Charlie said earnestly. It reminded Harry very much of the same conversation he had had with Bill about Charlie's hugging. And Harry wondered if Charlie was talking about himself as well.

"I don't understand. I've never been called anything affectionate. At all, ever. Why would he? Why would either of you?! I don't get it. People don't talk about me affectionately. Why would you do that?" Harry said bluntly, with honest confusion.

Charlie looked at him for a long moment through the mirror, and Harry felt like Charlie was looking into his very soul.

Charlie's voice was full of affection and a deep sadness Harry didn't understand, as he said, "Harry, sweetheart..." as if the name just slipped out. And again Harry felt a bit warm and fuzzy, and as if his world was slightly off-kilter.

"Names like that, nicknames or terms of endearments, are used for people you like and care for. It's one of the ways Bill shows he cares."

When Harry just stared at him dumbfounded, Charlie's brow furrowed, and he asked, "shall I tell Bill to stop? Does it make you uncomfortable?"

"No? I... I think I like it?" Harry said, frowning slightly, "I'm just not used to it. It's just weird."

Charlie smiled, "well if you don't dislike it, sweetheart, you'd better get used to it then. It will happen a lot. Especially once Bill knows you don't mind." Charlie said.

It was as if Harry admitting he didn't mind the names had given Charlie the excuse to finally allow himself to use them a lot more than he'd previously been allowing himself.

"I'm a hermit," Charlie continued, "I don't like people. And Bill's an introvert too, -ish, but he likes people, more than I do, and can talk to them. They make sense to him, I think. but with the people he really likes-"

"like your exception list?" Harry cut in.

"Just so," Charlie nodded, "he has an exception list too. But while he doesn't mind being around most people, as long as he gets time alone to recharge, his list is who he really likes enough to use names with. He's a hugger too, but he likes using names to show he cares about people."