This is a little one-shot I wrote for a friend. The guidelines were I had to write a fic in which the main character was apprenticing under Charlie Weasley, and they had to be part dragon. The rest was up to me. This was the result. It isn't what I normally write (I generally write Severitus) but I was pleased with the result. For now it is a one-shot, but I had been considering continuing it.

After trying hard to decide on what we wanted to call a half dragon/half human, we found the name Androdracon and stuck with it.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters (With the exception of my OC) They all belong to J.K. Rowling, I just enjoy putting them into different situations.

I watched indifferently as the dragon keeper was carried to the infirmary tent on a stretcher. Perhaps I should have felt something more, perhaps pity, but that was close to impossible. The sod should have known better than to approach a hatchling without acknowledging the mother. Dragons were very protective over their children, a protectiveness that did not wither as the child grew older and reached maturity. For all of the knowledge he supposedly had of dragons, he sure did not know how to handle a mother and her hatchling. For his sudden loss of commonsense Peter Flynn now had third degree burns on his arms. The mediwitch would heal him, and before he knew it he would be as good as new, but the mediwitch could not save his pride. Already the jokes were starting about his "glowing complexion". Dragon keepers were very much aware of the danger, thus when someone was hurt due to lack of foresight, the person had to deal with a lot of ribbing. Dragon keeping was not for those who acted before thinking. Charlie approached me.

"Well, looks like another man is down for the next few days. I suppose I'll be the next to face the beast."

I had to fight back a snarl at the word "beast". I knew that Charlie said it affectionately, he more than anyone else on the reserve held a special regard for the creatures, but it still stung to hear the word beast used to describe the majestic creature.

"Why don't you let me give it a go?"

"I'm not sure Aodh. You're new here after all, and though you have proven yourself many times over, I still don't know if I feel comfortable letting you face a mother yet."

I cursed under my breath, after all I knew I wouldn't be harmed, but he didn't know that. Charlie did not know of my little secret. In fact, not many did. It wasn't something the Ministry acknowledged; rather they chose to believe that my kind was mere myth. Because of this, unlike animagi and werewolves, we androdracons were not forced to register with the Ministry. It was almost like being an animagus, but not exactly. The dragon was engrained into our being; it was not something we could choose. Like the dragons on the reserve, my kind was slowly dying out. Not many were born with the dragon anymore.

"I will be extremely careful. Besides, if you were hurt the reserve couldn't afford to have its best keeper injured, but a mere intern wouldn't be missed for a few days."

I could tell Charlie was on the verge of relenting.

"Listen, Charlie, if I get hurt I'll put myself on cage cleaning duty for a month."

Cage cleaning duty was a menial job, one that no one ever wanted. Usually we flipped a coin to see who would have to do the unfortunate task.

"Make it two months and we have a deal."

I grinned. Tomorrow was going to be a good day.

"Oi, mate! What the bloody hell do you think you're doing," Charlie exclaimed, though quietly as not to startle the large dragon that towered over me.

The dragon's mouth opened, revealing a mouthful of razor sharp teeth. I couldn't help but flash my teeth back, establishing my dominance over the creature in front of me. I made sure to keep my mouth hidden from my onlookers. I grinned inwardly, revealing in how close I was to the dragon. The showing of teeth was a way to show power in the dragon culture; it was not to be seen as a threat, unless a snarl was involved in the process. It was similar to men flashing their muscles in order to show their strength. To any onlookers, Charlie included, I was on the brink of danger, to anyone who knew of my inner beast I was simply giving my cousin a friendly hello.

"Seriously Aodh, you need to back up. She doesn't look very happy. Your usual disregard for your safety is going to get you hurt."

My normal disregard for my safety was actually my knowledge that the dragons would not hurt me, just like I made sure to promise them I would not hurt them. They could sense the dragon and it unnerved them. Androdracon were considered superior to our dragon cousins, and the dragons knew it.

"Relax Charlie, I'm not going to get hurt."

I promised myself at that moment that I would tell Charlie the truth that night. It was best he knew; besides, with the truth out no one would constantly be on my back about safety. Perhaps I should have told him when he had agreed to take me on as his intern. I hadn't, however, due to the reactions I normally got. They ranged from "get the bloody hell away from me lest you rip me to pieces" to "if we put you in the circus we could make millions". Needless to say, I didn't want to scare people, nor did I want to be viewed as a sideshow; being able to be set on fire without even breaking into a sweat tended to cause people to stare.

"Aodh, I will say this one time, and one time only. Get the bloody hell out of that cage or the only time you will be allowed near the cages will be when you are cleaning them. I can assure you that you will become intimately acquainted with them as you will be cleaning them for a year."

Realizing he was completely serious and would not hear reason, I slowly began to back out of the cage, feeling disappointment as I backed out. The reason for going into the cage was to ascertain the health of a hatchling who was only a week old; I had been looking forward to meeting the little guy, or girl, the sex was one thing I was supposed to determine. I halted my steps as a small form, or rather small in terms of dragon size as it stood at only three feet tall and five feet long, slowly edged around it's mothers side. Granted, that seemed rather large for a week old hatchling, but baby dragons grew fast. Had I not had an audience I would have reassured the dragon, but when one spoke dragon tongue it seemed to have the same effect as when one spoke parseltongue. In fact, they sounded very similar, so similar that people usually associated you with the dark arts, specifically the dark lord, if it was heard coming from your mouth. Keeping my eyes on the hatchling, I turned my head slightly and spoke out of the corner of my mouth.

"Charlie, I'm going to try to go ahead with examination. This might be the only chance we get, and the mother doesn't seem to mind. If I am able to do this successfully I will clean the cages for the two months, as promised. If for some reason something goes wrong, I will gladly clean the cages for a year."

Turning my full attention back to the beautiful creatures in front of me, I reassured both mother and child by allowing the dragon to come out in my eyes. This seemed to do what I wanted; the mother gave her hatchling a reassuring nudge towards me and the hatchlings steps became surer. I slowly drew my wand, preparing to do the necessary medical examination, as well as determine the sex of the hatchling. With a flick of my wand, Charlie was holding in his hand a full medical report, as well as the sex of the hatchling. Ignoring the murmurs of astonishment, that I, a mere intern, was able to do the examination without a hitch, I raised my hand in the direction of the dragon. Suddenly, the hatchling seemed to completely understand that I was no threat for it began to scramble playfully towards me. One minute I was standing and the next I was on my back with a dragon that weighed around 18 stones(A/N: around 252 pounds) playfully digging its claws into my side. I heard shouts all around me, calling for backup, calling for the mediwitch as she would be extremely necessary. Loudest of all was Charlie's voice.

"Damn it Aodh MacKenna! You sure as bloody hell will be cleaning those cages for a year. How the bloody hell am I supposed to tell your mother that you got gouged in the side by a hatchling?"

Had I been able to completely draw a breath I would have been able to assure him that I wasn't gouged, and that even if I had been my mum wouldn't have worried because I would be healed by the time she got here to flog me. Instead I was too busy trying to hold in laughter. You see, the hatchling, or rather Ceara as her mother had hissed out in admonishment, was tickling me, or the dragon equivalent of tickling. Her claws were in no way penetrating my skin. Sadly, my superiors did not know that. Within seconds the dragons were stunned in the corner of their cage, and I was trying to fight Charlie off of me as he frantically tried to rip my shirt off. I just as frantically tried to keep my shirt down for more reason than one. The first was simply because I had no wound, and if that was discovered in front of everyone the whole camp would find out before the night was over that I was part dragon. The second was because of a slightly embarrassing tattoo I had received one night after drinking too much firewhisky in a pub. Let's just say the tattoo was similar to what muggles call "tramp stamps".

"Bloody hell Charlie, would you please stop trying to take my clothes off."

"Aodh, a mediwitch will have to tend to the wound. I'm just trying to make it easily accessible."

It seemed I would not be able to keep my secret a secret any longer. Inwardly I had known that at some point I would have to reveal to everyone the truth, I suppose I had just wanted to prove myself before that had happened. Now they would acquaint my success to my dragon, not because I was simply good with the big, regal creatures. Granted, my dragon side did help, but I was still uncommonly good with dragons. Not all androdracons got along with our animal counterparts.

"Charlie, do stop trying to take my shirt off before I begin to question your motives. There is no wound."

"Of course there is a wound. And it is probably a bloody big wound, if the size of those claws is any indication."

"Charlie, do you see any blood?"

This brought my frantic superior back to earth.

"Well, no…"

I spoke slowly, as if speaking to a child.

"And if I had been 'gouged' as you so eloquently put it wouldn't there be a significant amount of blood. Yet here I lay, and there is a noticeable lack of blood."

"How the bloody hell would that even be possible?"

I figured an abrupt approach was the best way to go.

"I'm an androdracon. Ceara was just being playful, you know tickling me."

For the first time in my life I was completely shocked as I, Aodh MacKellan, descendant of Fionntán MacCionaoith, was witness to the great Charlie Weasley fainting. Though many had questions for me, everyone agreed it was best if I spoke to Charlie first. We levitated him to his bed. The mediwitch said it was best to let him wake naturally so I sat patiently at his bedside, waiting for him to come to. He slowly began to stir and seemed to remember everything because suddenly his eyes flew open.

"Tickling you? The dragon was TICKLING YOU?"

"Now Charlie, come on mate, don't get worked up. I would hate to have to go get the mediwitch because you fainted twice in a matter of hours."

"Perhaps I need to go get a mind healer, because you seem to be under the impression that you are part BLOODY DRAGAON. I wanted to be a dragon once. I was eight. Do you want to know what happened Aodh? I fell and broke my arm because I was under the impression that I would be able to fly just if I wished to be part dragon. Then I decide that maybe, MAYBE if I bathed myself in fire that would be the trick. Don't chuckle, Aodh, I never said I was a bright child. Anyways, I almost did it to, had Mum not caught me I would have done more than just singe my eyebrows. There is no way in bloody hell you are part dragon. It just isn't possible. Androdracons don't exist."

I chuckled sardonically," And it is attitudes like yours that will keep us safe. I'm not quite sure what you want me to tell you Charlie. I could show you, but I would hate to upset your delicate nerves."

"Even if it was true, how would it be possible? How would you have been born?"

"Well when a Mummy and a Daddy love each other veerrryyy much…"

Charlie scowled at me," Not how you were conceived you great git. I meant how would it be possible for there to be a human born from a dragon. It isn't as if a dragon and a witch or wizard you know…conceived you."

I sighed. That was the one difficult question to answer. I could talk all day about my powers, what I could do, and the like, but explaining the Androdracons origin was not easy. After all, we ourselves weren't quite sure if the story was true. It was centered on myth after all. A long time ago, before Merlin and King Arthur, before Hogwarts was even thought about, dragons roamed the lands of Ireland. No one in the small wizarding town that lay in the hills could step foot out of their house without being singed by the flames that licked the sky at every hour, every minute of the day. Many fought against the beasts, and many lost their lives.

-if this was a movie this is when the Claymation would start ;) –

One valiant warrior, the leader of the witches and wizards that resided in the village, Garbhán led a group of wizards into battle. Leaving behind a pregnant wife, Ciar, Garbhán traveled into the mountains determine to rid his village of what plagued them. All that returned of Garbhán and his men were ashes, ashes that rained down on the village, filling the air with the stench of burnt flesh. In a fit of rage Ciar climbed the mountain, determined to kill the beast that had left her a widow. Caring not for her delicate state, she put on her warriors garb and went to face the dragons. No one went with her, though they did try to stop her. But Ciar was lost to the sorrow and rage that consumed her; she would hear no reason, not even for the sake of her unborn child. Many dragons were slain that day, and all by the hand of Ciar. Her magic was strong, her sword was sharp, and her sorrow drove her to great lengths. Hours into her fierce battle, Ciar felt a sharp pain in her abdomen. The child was coming and there was nothing she could do to stop it. Writhing in agony, an agony only experience in childbirth, Ciar dropped to the ground, preparing herself to deliver the child. The process was fast, and soon she held a strong baby boy in her arms. The baby's first bath was not in water, it was in dragon's blood. Despite being weary, Ciar found the strength to apparate back to the village. The picture described by those who saw her was one hard to imagine. It was said she stood in the middle of the town, holding a baby dripping in crimson to her breast, black hair blowing behind her as the wind picked up to a roar. Fionntán was his name, and he would become something no one had seen before. He would become an Androdracon.

-end claymation-

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, so what you are telling me is a witch killed many dragons, birthed a baby, and somehow that baby became part dragon?"

"Don't mock it, Charlie. It is my family's origin after all. I can't tell you if it is true or not. That is the story I have grown up being told, the story that my parents, grandparents, and so on were told. The theory is that the dragon's blood somehow fused with the child's magic. That being a newborn, the baby was susceptible to outside agents, and when bathed in the blood his magic fused with that of the dragons."

"So this Ciar would be your…."

I interrupted," Way back in my ancestry there is someone by the name of Fintan, son of Ciar and Garbhán. He would have been my grandfather with like ten greats attached to the front."

"Let's say I believed you, what would you be able to do?"

"Ah, now we get to the fun questions. Contrary to popular belief I cannot transform into a dragon. Well, I mean, I can transform a bit, but I don't turn into a huge creature. I take on elements of the dragon, while keeping my human body."

"Flight?"

"I have wings, yes, but only if and when I want them. The best way to describe it, I've found, is that I'm kind of like an animagus. The difference would be that I don't turn into the creature, rather I take on elements of the creature. I have wings, I can breathe fire, my teeth sharpen, my nails sharpen to claw consistency, and my eyes change. I keep my skin, however, it doesn't turn into scales. The texture changes to a scale consistency, but unless you are touching it you wouldn't know because it still looks like skin. I'm capable of a partial transformation, which basically means I only take on one element of the dragon. For example, earlier I flashed my teeth at the dragon to show my power."

"And you only have dragon elements when you transform?"

I grinned," You are referring to the fact that I didn't get hurt aren't you? No, I have some dragon elements without the transformation. Mainly, my skin is always fire resistant, and very durable. I don't get hurt easily."

"Show me."

"What?"

"You know what, show me."

"That was more of an are you absolutely certain you want to see what."

Charlie grinned," Of course I want to see! You can apparently transform AND you get wings in the process. When I'm allowed out of this bed, which bloody well better be in the next fifteen minutes, I want you in the yard, showing me your flying skills as well as how far you can breathe fire. In fact, let's go RIGHT NOW."

With that, Charlie leapt out of bed and grabbed my hand, dragging me out the door.

"Everyone clear the yard! Aodh is about to breathe fire and I would hate to send more people to the mediwitch."

Despite being amused by his antics- I knew he meant well and was truly just curious- I couldn't help but feel the slight anxiety that I had felt as a child. Mum wouldn't let me go to Hogwarts due to it. Being part dragon led to most either making fun of you, resenting you for it, wanting you to transform for their amusement like a sideshow, or people being your friend simply so they could say they had an androdracon friend. I tried to go first year, but after all the drama, and partially because Mum was so damn protective, I ended up being homeschooled.

"Charlie, perhaps I could have less of an audience? I'm not so sure I feel completely comfortable transforming in front of all these people."

"Oh, come on Aodh, we're all friends here."

Well that sure did take me back. I was no longer standing on the reserve but on the courtyard at Hogwarts and Draco Malfoy was saying the exact same thing. Next thing I knew the other Slytherins' were making a spectacle of me. I hated when people stared at me when I transformed. It reminded me too much of when someone captured my father to use as a sideshow in a magical circus. We had gotten him out, of course, but he still bore the scars from them forcing him to perform. At the time my dragon was as mature as a hatchling- the dragon matured more slowly than the human side of my nature- and when I got shy or nervous I tended to spurt bits of fire out. When a poor Hufflepuff's robes had caught on fire, and I lost points for Ravenclaw I had wrote home begging to be taken out of school. Mum had immediately agreed, Dumbledore had changed the memories of the students so no one would remember that I was part dragon, and I was content to be back at home where I was taught under a strict curriculum. Steeling myself, knowing that Charlie was not going to capture me, or try to exploit my powers, I slowly took my jacket off, as well as my shirt.

"What are you doing?"

"Well, I don't want to rip a perfectly good shirt. My wings can't just magically appear on the outside of my shirt. Now, hush, I have to concentrate."

Slowly I allowed the dragon to fill me up. It wasn't that I wasn't still aware, I was still completely human. Again, it was hard to describe. I still retained my human qualities, but a part of me turned dragon. Thus, most of us referred to that side of our nature as "our dragon" or "the dragon". I heard gasp of shock, or perhaps amazement.

"Whoa, mate! Look at your wings! They are bloody awesome!"

"Oh, you think that's great, wait until you see what I can do with fire."

Flashing a mischievous grin, I inhaled and then prepared myself for the lovely burn that would come upon exhale.

Well, that is the end. I apologize for any grammar or spelling mistakes.

On a random note, the names have meaning. I put far too much time into the character names, but I had fun looking for names with meaning. I used the following websites for name sources.

.

Aodh MacKenna:

1. Aodh-Fire

2. MacKenna- Fire-sprung

Garbhán MacCionnaith (I realize I didn't give them a last name in the story, but MacCionnaith is

the old Gaelic form of MacKenna):

1. Garbhán- Rough

Ciar MacCionnaith:

1. Ciar- Black (I picture her with long, raven hair, thus her name)

Fionntán MacCionnaith:

1. Fionntán- White ancient, white fire

Ceara:

1. Ceara- fiery red

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it!