Dead leaves and the dirty ground
When I know you're not around
Shiny tops and soda pops
When I hear your lips make a sound
Fire. Carving a path straight past the Hogwarts warriors and cutting directly into the death eaters. A large dragon, scales glinting in the light cast by a thousand spells flew right over their heads and Hermione gasped "what on earth…" she said mostly to herself, astounded by the large red beast. "Charlie! He's here, bloody hell he looks like a badass."
"He's riding a dragon?!" Harry exclaimed "Willingly! He's controlling it too"
The dragon landed and Charlie approached them, a swagger that told Hermione he knew exactly how cool he looked. The sight of his tanned, broad body and leather trousers made Hermione release a breath she didn't know she'd been holding.
The dragon was circling them, keeping them safe and Ron ran to greet his brother.
"Wow" Hermione said, as she felt a slight tingle beneath her corduroy trousers.
"Someone's impressed" Harry chuckled, nudging her playfully.
"Someone's lightened up" She replied, equally teasing
The tension had subsided for a brief moment as the dragon had killed most of Voldemort's approaching army and the school had not yet been infiltrated, though they knew it was coming.
Ron and Charlie had finished talking and the two joined Harry and Hermione, who were both immediately hugged by the new Weasley.
"Harry! Good to see you again, if only the circumstances were better"
Hermione glimpsed the flick of a dragons tail on Charlies forearm and longed to remove his jacket so she could investigate further. She was lost in thought when said forearm was suddenly behind her neck as Charlie hugged her. She hugged back and exhaled, not realising quite how much she had needed that hug. Zing. She didn't know what it was but some tiny jolt of electricity had hit her. From his reaction, she knew Charlie had felt the same thing.
"Nice to see you again, Granger"
"You too, Charlie."
"Well I'd best go help the others prepare, this school will not be safe for long." He glanced back and met her eyes. Hermione whimpered in a way she thought strong women should not whimper.
"The bloody hell was that" Ron asked, bewildered at Hermione's wide eyes and flushed cheeks
"I think Hermione here has a little crush" Harry chuckled
"Never took you for the kind of girl to be dazzled by a man on a dragon" Ron said, poking her teasingly
"To be fair, Ron, it was quite the entrance." Harry said
"Charlie I love you, Charlie I do…" The boys began, throwing their arms around Hermione and leading her into the castle singing all the way.
"I do not love Charlie!" she squealed repeatedly, her voice always got about 800 octaves higher when she was annoyed and embarrassed
They reached the castle and became somber, the faces of their classmates; scarred, bruised, torn chasing out any of the childish joy they had felt.
They went to stand by Charlie, despite the dark atmosphere Harry and Ron still repositioned themselves so Hermione was next to him. She rolled her eyes, but was internally grateful because he smelled smoky and woody and wonderful. He had rolled his sleeves up now and she could see the rest of the dragons tail, azure and beautifully detailed. She reached out without thinking and touched it. The tail flicked and she pulled back.
"He's a twitchy fellow that one" Charlie commented
"I didn't realise wizard tattoos moved" she said, looking up to meet his beautiful eyes.
"Want to see the rest?" He asked, finding her fascination adorable. Of course he knew Hermione Granger was the curious type so didn't think anything of it, even if she was quite possibly the most beguiling witch he had come accross. Remembering the zing he had felt earlier he removed his jacket without hearing her answer. No matter how innocent it was, he wanted her touch.
"I hardly think this is th-oh" She began, but his jacket was already off and a large, amazingly detailed dragon was wriggling, curled around his bicep.
"Wow" she breathed, stroking the dragon and watching it respond.
She heard Harry and Ron whispering and turned to look at them. Harry waggled his eyebrows and Ron still looked shocked, very amused, but shocked. Charlie was too busy looking at Hermione to notice.
"CHARLIE" came a squeal and suddenly Molly Weasley was pushing her way through the crowd to hug her son "Darling I can't believe you're here" she suddenly changed, hitting his arm. The dragon blew a firebolt at that "what on earth were you thinking, riding that great beast through the castle like some sort of dragon-riding fool! Those things are dangerous, it's bad enough you insist on living in another country with them, now you have to give your mother a heart attack by bringing them here and riding them around like some kind of overgrown broomstick!" She ranted, but hugged him again
"That was quite the show, Charlie" Fred began
"Yeah, our brother comes sweeping into battle on a great ruddy dragon"
"Flaming Voldemorts fierce army"
"Bet the witches will be after you, mate"
"Oh Charlie, you're a hero" George mock swooned into Fred
"Perhaps later you could ride my dragon" Fred said, imitating Charlie
Charlie just laughed and Ginny swotted the twins
The walls rumbled and a cat patronus slinked into the hall "The school has been invaded. The defenses still lie in place, but they are coming. Prepare for battle." and the silver cat slinked away, to deliver the message throughout the castle. The fighters in the hall stood in a circle, shoulder to shoulder, facing out, hand in hand. They were ready.