The first time Hermione thought about the dragon was when she went into Gringott's to switch over her accounts. It was just responsible to create separate accounts for savings and retirement, even if the goblins thought she was insane. Not to mention Ron.

"Mione, why would you need to have a separate vault? Just only spend what's in your budget."

"Ronald, I've worked it all out magically, when I receive my paycheck, a portion goes straight into my savings and self directed personal pension, or I mean my retirement fund. Then I have money transferred over to a muggle bank through the muggle banking liaison for The London Stock Exchange. It's simple. Frankly I can't believe more muggleborns aren't equally as sensible with their finances. After a year, I plan to diversify."

"Whatever you say Mione, I'm pretty sure you're the only witch to make banking so complicated," he chuckled.

She rolled her eyes thinking back on the exchange. Every time she tried to plan ahead in her life, one of those silly boys had something to say. Were they laughing now that she had 10 NEWTS? She didn't think so.

Were they laughing when she planned all their social engagements? No, they just showed up to the weekly trivia night without a care in the world. But it turns out planning the weekly event was extremely difficult thank you very much.

The night had to be rotated based off schedules, relationships, jobs, and sports for Merlin sakes. Ginny's Quidditch career didn't help, and nobody wanted to take on the responsibility. So it was left to her. As always.

Throw in a pesky wizard flu and it could be a disaster. She created a system of course, and if she had to owl each person to input their schedules every week, it was worth it. Even if poor Barnaby had to peck all their fingers to get them to comply.

It meant that the event was a success. It maximized the amount of people that could attend every week. And everyone was grateful, even if they did give her a hard time about it. She didn't care if Padma and Ron were fighting again, but it was still left to her to figure out if the twins would be in attendance each week without ruffling too many feathers.

Sometimes she just wanted to relax, sometimes she just wanted to show up to an event without planning the damn thing. Sometimes she wanted to let loose for fucks sake. Was that too much to ask? Apparently so.

She stomped up to the bank, her anxieties taking hold during her walk. Did Harry remember to give Kreacher the day off on Sunday? A house elf must have two days off a week under the new law!

Would Draco remember to bring the dip on Saturday? He had a special French recipe that was just divine! The pretentious bastard.

Would Neville bring the book he was talking about the other night or should she send a quick owl? She should probably owl him, just to be safe. She could buy the book, because Merlin knows she had enough money these days, but she had been teased relentlessly about her library. She didn't NEED to reread this particular book, she was quite sure of it. One read through would be enough, no reason to have the book take up prime real estate on her shelves.

Maybe she just needed a bigger flat? She mused as the goblin greeted her.

She was lost in thought as he led her deep below on the cart to the higher security vaults. She had opened each vault with a substantial amount of galleons and therefore had to survive the long ride on the cart.

That's when she saw him. The dragon.

"YOU'RE STILL USING DRAGONS TO GUARD VAULTS?" She was furious.

"Now miss, we agreed under the new law not to take on any more dragons for future vaults, but the law did not say anything about the vaults already utilizing dragons. This particular dragon has been here for over 30 years, and since YOU, set his mother free, he has no way of surviving on the outside." He gave her a smug grimace.

That wasn't true… was that true? She had not learned that in care of magical creatures. This goblin was lying, she was certain! A dragon could survive without its mother in the wild. There were individual dragons all over the continent. She wouldn't think about this another second.

Sure, she would have to go down to the office to get the law changed, perhaps a visit to Hagrid would be in order, but that was it! This was not her responsibility. She didn't even like dragons! She didn't feel guilty. It was war time! She had to do what she had to do… she didn't feel guilty. She was indifferent. She could care less about the dragon. Even if it was technically a baby dragon. Not even a baby. An adolescent dragon. Adolescents of all creatures were terrible. She didn't care. At all.

—

It turns out dragons DID need their mothers for a few years in the wild before they could go off by themselves. She was very disgruntled to find out. Most people at the ministry did NOT want to change the law.

"Granger, those dragons were hatched at Gringott's, they won't survive in the wild."

What did Malfoy know anyway. Just because she tolerated him these days for Harry, didn't mean he was the leading expert in dragons. Okay, so his name DID mean Dragon, but her name means "well born" and she was called a mudblood for half her life. What did names have to do with anything anyway? Why did he have to be so blunt all the time? Stupid Malfoy with his old world logic.

"Granger, please don't make this into one of your agendas. The house elves are still boycotting their holidays."

First of all she didn't appreciate his air quotes when he said the word agendas, and second of all, well she wasn't going to make this an agenda.

Just because it was human decency not to trap animals or magical creatures in dark caves attached to a chain did not mean she had to do anything about it.

She didn't even talk about it all that much. So when Ron called her "obsessive," well that stung just a little bit. She wasn't obsessive. Just because she felt one tenth responsible for the poor baby dragon, did not mean she was obsessive. Adolescent be damned, he was a sweet little 30 year old baby dragon.

Hagrid thought her new plight was brilliant! He wanted all the dragons free, his only caveat was that she find the dragon's mummy first.

"You'd be doing them an unkindness to set them free in the wild without their mums."He said.

The only reason Norbert had survived was because he never knew his mum and the dragon sanctuary they had sent him to, had nesting mothers ready to adopt him and this particular dragon was too old for another nesting mother to accept him.

That was it! She had an epiphany! Charlie! Charlie Weasley would know what to do. She wrote a letter at once.

—

She expected Charlie to owl back with information, she did not expect to see Charlie's face in her floo at 6:00 in the morning on a Saturday.

She did not expect to see Charlie in her floo when she was half naked.

He grinned at her, "morning Mione."

"Please call me Hermione. I hate that fucking nickname." She replied. Okay so she was not a morning person.

"Sorry," He grinned at her, "didn't interrupt anything did I?"

"Of course not, it's 6:00 in the bloody morning! I expected an owl Charlie. What is the meaning of this?"

"I COULD have owled you perhaps. However there was just too much to go over for the trip."

"The trip? What trip?" She gripped the blanket tightly around her body.

"To find the dragon's mum."

"Excuse me?"

"You want to find the dragon's mum and set it free in the wild, correct?"

"Well… Yes. Theoretically. Someone would find its mother and reunite them."

"Great! We should probably leave at once. This could get a little tricky and I know you're on a bit of a time frame. What with the hoopla and everything, and you should probably pack more substantial clothes, could get chilly." He winked.

"We? Hoopla? Chilly?" She thought it through. "Do you mean Harry's wedding? Excuse me, do you think I am to be accompanying you on some sort of dragon mission?"

"Yes."

She supposed Harry's wedding WAS becoming a bit of a hoopla, but according to Malfoy, that's just how these things were done in Pureblood marriages. He thought everything was quite sensible.

"I can't go with you Charlie. I have a job. A career. A life."

He raised his eyebrow at her last comment.

"Oh don't you start with me. You're abroad, you can't possibly know that I don't have a life." She put her hands on her hips in a familiar telling off gesture. Unfortunately it exposed her skimpy sleep shirt.

Charlie grinned slowly looking her up and down, "I get owls, you know Hermione." He enunciated her name carefully, "I've been told you need to get laid."

"Excuse me! Excuse me! Who said that?"

"I've had several interesting correspondences regarding you." He winked at her again. Hermione rubbed her forehead in exasperation.

"Charlie, I can't go with you. I'm far too busy." Hermione said.

"Suit yourself. Let me know if you change your mind." And with a smile he disappeared from the floo.

—

The second time she really dwelled on the dragon was at Teddy's birthday party.

"You did it dragon themed? Really?" Hermione raised her brow at Harry.

"Well it was you that gave me the idea. All that dragon talk. Pretty neat for a 5 year old right?" He sat down next to Malfoy and Ron.

"Mione, why did you turn down Charlie? He's the best person for the job you know." Ron asked.

Malfoy rolled his eyes and said something under his breath.

"What exactly is your problem Malfoy?" Hermione stood up to face him. Harry reached over to squeeze Malfoy's hand to calm him.

"Granger. We ALL know you are going to go on this little adventure with Charlie to save all the world's dragons. So why don't you do us all a favor and just agree to go already so that I don't have to hear about it anymore! I have much more on my plate than worrying about all your silly plights. Like maybe the wedding! Frankly you exhaust me."

"I don't know what you see in him," She fumed at Harry, before storming out of the room.

—

The third and final straw had been a letter from Luna.

Thought you might enjoy the latest copy of The Quibbler. Much love, Luna.

The headline: Dragon's forced to mate with Nargles for survival?

"Oh bloody bollocks. I'm going to go." She said to herself with a sigh.

The most challenging part of Hermione's life was making decisions. After that, it was simple. Follow through with your decision and make a plan. She wrote her letters, attached them to Barnaby, and started to pack.

Then she floo called Charlie.

"I'm in."

"Of course you're in. I already have everything prepared on my end. I'll pick you up tomorrow morning at 10 sharp at The Burrow, since we've got more room." And with a wink, he was gone.

What exactly did he mean when he said he would pick her up? Why did they need more room? Now she was nervous. And what was with all the winking! She got in the floo: "Grimmauld Place"

She stepped out to see Harry and Malfoy reading on the couch.

"You're lucky you came when you did Granger, another hour and you would have seen us naked." He closed his book and gave her a smirk.

Harry swatted his fiancé on the arm, "don't antagonize her. What's going on Mione?"

"She's obviously come over to say goodbye for her trip." Malfoy drawled.

"You think you are so smart Malfoy!" Hermione retorted.

"Well are you?" He inquired.

"Of course I am!" She wedged in between them on the couch, "now Harry, I've made you a list. Please do not forget to water the flitterbloom plant that Neville gave me. I have killed the last three birthday presents he gave me and I do not intend to let it happen again. Now Barnaby, as you know, is a finicky owl." She began.

"Granger! We know! Barnaby cannot stomach the owl treats from the menagerie, he must have the homemade owl treats from the green bowl on the table. Every morning at 8:00, and every evening at 7:30. He does not like room temperature water. He must have exactly 5 ice cubes in his bowl before he will drink it. Must we go through this every single time you go anywhere?"

She turned to face Malfoy.

"Look Malfoy, you may have a solid memory but Harry will not remember unless I tell him every time. I reinforce it with a list because he tunes me out most of the time."

"HE IS MARRYING ME! You do not need to bother with this ridiculous song and dance anymore. Never again." He took the list and vanished it with his wand. Then he crossed his arms and looked away from her.

"Why Malfoy!" She softened, "you're going to make sure everything gets done for me? In the particular way it needs to be done?" She smiled at the surly blond.

"Yes. Of course. Now go." He waved her off. Harry grinned at the pair of them as if they had just became best friends.

"What would I do without either of you," Harry asked grinning wider.

"Maybe you'd learn to actually take care of yourself," Hermione replied pulling him into a hug.

"You'll be back for the wedding?" He whispered in her ear.

"Of course I will be. I'm best woman aren't

I?"

He kissed her cheek. She turned to Malfoy.

"I won't tolerate you slacking in your responsibilities to Harry just because of some daft dragon adventure." Malfoy scolded her.

She reluctantly air kissed his cheek, "I will handle the preparations. You don't need to worry. I'll be back in plenty of time."

"You'd better." He responded.

—

Hermione paced back and forth in the field behind The Burrow.

"How do you think we'll be traveling?" she nervously asked the Weasleys that had come out back to watch her leave. They had all conjured comfortable chairs and were sitting there watching her. George glanced at Bill with an evil grin.

"Oh I'm sure the standard way Mione." He told her. Bill summoned some popcorn from inside and handed some to George.

"The standard way?" She inquired.

"Of course," said George while Ron laughed.

Mrs. Weasley shushed them as she came to hug Hermione goodbye.

"I'm sure he'll be extra safe with you dear. He knows how much you mean to all of us."

"Extra safe with what now?" She started biting her nails.

"Don't you worry for a bit Hermione. When I rode the dragon at Christmas, he seemed perfectly tame. Charlie has him wrapped around his finger. Extremely docile." Mr. Weasley answered her.

"Dragon?" She choked out. Just then in the distance came a loud roar.

"Aw here comes Deathclaw now." George grinned again throwing up a handful of popcorn and catching each piece in his mouth. It was impressive.

"Deathclaw?" Good heavens no. Hermione panicked as the dragon landed safely 5 yards away. Charlie hopped off the dragon easily. Hermione looked from him to the dragon then back to him… and the dragon.

"No. No. Not going to happen."

Charlie laughed as he hugged his family.

"Now Hermione? Where is your sense of adventure. We have to ride a dragon where we are going. There's no other way." He came over and grasped her hand, giving it a squeeze without letting go.

Merlin what was that feeling? She asked herself as she looked the redhead up and down. Charlie looked good. Damnit. All those muscles. She was distracted by the anxiety in her chest and the warm feeling in her core as she surveyed her companion.

Her hands started to shake as she pulled away and stepped back. She needed to refocus on the task at hand and not her libido. She stared at the dragon while the buzz of conversation swirled around her.

"Hermione."

She turned to look back at Charlie and his outstretched hand. She couldn't explain what led her to take his hand.

"I put a saddle on him just for you doll." Charlie told her cheekily.

"I'm not sure I like that nickname any better than Mione." She teased him back.

—

Before she knew it they had landed. She didn't know how long they had been flying, because she was clinging on for dear life to Charlie. She would be surprised if he didn't have marks on his skin from how tightly she held him.

It was terrifying. She never wanted to do that again. And she was pretty sure that his dragon did not like her. Maybe it was the way the dragon kept dropping all of a sudden for no reason before picking back up the speed into the sky. If dragons could laugh, he certainly was at her expense.

"Am I alive?" She asked Charlie when he peeled her off his body.

"Of course. You can open your eyes now. Wasn't that exhilarating? Would have been better without you scratching me up though. Not even the good kind of scratches."

She turned bright red.

"I'll have you know I'm not the scratching type. I think your dragon hates me." She looked pointedly from him to the beast. The dragon blew fire into the air.

"Now Deathclaw. That's no way to treat a lady. Have some manners yeah?" He patted the dragon on his back.

"Why exactly is he called Deathclaw? Certainly you could have come up with something else to call him."

"He was named before I got him! Kept killing tourists. See his right leg? His claw is extra long. Smart thing used it to his advantage." He beamed like a proud papa.

"Lovely. Tell me did you spend a lot of time with Hagrid when you were at Hogwarts?"

"Yes, in fact I did. Why?"

"No reason" she murmured, "why did we stop here?"

"The next part of the journey is too difficult at night. We'll leave Deathclaw here and venture onto some cabins a mile up for the night. They're muggle cabins so we have to be careful about magic when we're there."

"Charlie, can you tell me more about what we're going to do?" She asked as they walked.

"Always the planner. Can't you ever just relax and let someone else take the reigns?" He looked at her pointedly.

"I can. Of course I can. I'd be happy to in fact.

I'd prefer it. To just go on willy nilly without a care in the world, trusting someone else to take care of all the necessary particulars. What a relief."

"It's killing you not to know, isn't it?"

"Yes! Look Charlie, I am a planner, I agonize over plans. I will make every plan efficient and successful. Please tell me what we're doing?"

"Not a chance! Who is the dragon expert here?"

She stamped her foot, rolled her eyes, and sighed.

"You are."

He laughed. "That's right! So relax, enjoy your dragon finding vacation. I simply desire your presence and conversation. I'll take care of the rest."

She paused. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do you desire my presence and conversation?"

He turned back to give her a significant look.

"Because I like you. I enjoy being around you. You're the smartest, most ballsy, sexiest witch I know, and I think you're right for the job." With that he walked further up the path.

"Oh dear," thought Hermione. Did he like her? Maybe. Did she like him? Yes. Wait what? Yes. She liked him. She was totally into him. His sexy face, his strong body, his knowledge.

Merlin, she was into him. What if his comment had been hypothetical. Like, maybe if we lived in the same area and you weren't such a workaholic we could date type thing. Maybe if you had never dated my younger brother I would shag you type thing.

Yes. Surely that was the thing. No man had every really been able to handle her before. Best not set herself up for disappointment. She walked on after him.