Hey yall, this is my first ever story so be nice, I have read stories on here for years and i finally worked up the courage and patience to finally write my own, so here is the start of what I hope to be a very good story and hopefully you will enjoy it.

p.s. I do not own any of the characters except for Leo and the plot is mine, but anything else that is familiar to you is J.K. Rowlings

I was warm. The fire roared on in the hearth paying no mind to the biting snowstorm outside. I was relaxed. Hot chocolate soothes even the tightest muscle until you're just a sluggish mess. I was happy. It was Christmas and I was here at The Burrow warm and cozy. Life was good. But like all good things, there is always room for more. Charlie was coming home. My best friend, the one that helped me through my breakup with Ron, the one that knows all of my deepest desires and dreams, the one that knows everything there is to know about me and even some things I don't really know myself. I've missed him, and I am so excited that he is due home tonight because I think if I had needed to wait much longer I would have probably apparated to the dragon reserve in Romania to see him. Six months is really too long. But it wasn't so bad considering we wrote constantly to each other, I'd update him on my job and relationship status (single) and he would tell me all about the dragons that came in. But his last letter had me a little nervous; he mentioned that someone might accompany him home to The Burrow. I just hope it's not another girlfriend. I swear that boy's only type is dumb blonde. The last girl he brought home was, let's just say he didn't choose her for her brain. But hey they lasted for three weeks before he broke it off with her, which is longer than any of my relationships, if you can even call them that, have lasted since Ron.

I don't know what it is but as soon as a guy takes me out on a date and realizes I'd rather talk and debate and actually participate in a conversation instead of listen to them talk on and on about themselves, Quidditch or any other topic where my response is not necessary just my acquiesce, they decide I'm too opinionated for them, and that's the end of that. They may be right, I may be overly opinionated but at least I have an opinion instead of just nodding my head like a robot to whatever they say. I shouldn't get off topic like that, now I'm all worked up when I should be relaxed.

POP

POP

"Charlie!" I jumped into his arms and just hugged him like I hadn't seen him in ages, which is exactly how it felt.

"Hermione!" he squeezed me tight and lifted me off the ground.

"Charlie let go of the poor girl she's turning blue," a deep velvet voice chuckled.

"Sorry 'Mione I just missed you so much! Didn't mean to crush you, anyways I would like to introduce my friend Leo, Leo this is Hermione, the only girl to steal my heart, Hermione, this is Leo, Dragon Tamer and a good friend who has saved my arse a time or two," came the dimpled reply.

"Well I couldn't very well let that Hungarian Horntail kill you now could I? I would've had to get a new partner, not to mention all the broken hearted women I would've had to deal with." His voice was as smooth as syrup with a sweet lilt to it, was that an Irish accent I heard?

"Oh don't even act like you wouldn't have missed me, I'm your best friend, don't shake your head, I know that even though you've never told me I was, I know I am. Besides who else is supposed to make sure you stay out of fights with the other males? Hmmm?"

"I have only gotten in three fights on the Reserve, you should know, you were in two of them."

"'Mione don't believe a word he says, I was only in one of them, 'Mione?"

Throughout this little exchange I managed to squeeze out of Charlie's arms and peek around him to stare up at a very handsome man. I kid you not, he was taller and more muscular than Charlie, who is about 6'4 and wrestles dragons for a living. I never thought I would find someone who's bigger than him but this man, Leo I think Charlie said, Leo had a good two inches on him and was a little bit thicker in the arms. But besides that basic difference, there was not one similarity between him and Charlie that I could find. He had dark brown almost black hair and where Charlie's hair was cut close to his head Leo had it shaggy and long enough that the tips covered his eyes. Where Charlie had dimples and a slight softness to his cheeks making him appear friendlier despite his intimating size, Leo had no soft places and unlike Charlie he reveled in his intimidating appearance. All in all he looked dangerous and rough, sexy as hell but someone I could picture fighting multiple attackers at once and winning, without a wand.

"'Mione?" my name snapped me out of my thoughts and it wasn't until I saw Charlie's questioning eyes that I realized I had been staring for a while.

My cheeks burned as I replied "Nice to meet you Leo, sorry about that I guess I'm just tired, everyone else went to bed but I wanted to stay up to meet you when you got here."

"It's fine, nice to meet you too, I have heard so much about you, you've got my boy Charlie here wrapped around your little finger," came a smiled reply. I smiled back and stared into his deep forest green eyes. Dammit, my cheeks heated up again as I looked away quickly.

"'Mione I told you that it wouldn't be until very early in the morning that I could leave, you should've been in bed I could've seen you later, you need your rest, otherwise you won't be able to function at all tomorrow." Sometimes Charlie can be a bit of a mother hen.

Sigh. "I know but I was too excited to sleep so I thought, 'well since I'm up ill just wait for Charlie and his mysterious friend'."

"Well I'm very glad you did but let's get you up to bed, we can talk more in the morning, come on up the stairs we go."

"Fine, I'm going I'm going; it was nice to meet you Leo. I'll see you both in the morning" and after I kissed Charlie's cheek I ran up the stairs to my room and fell into a dreamless sleep the only thoughts on my mind were how happy I was that Charlie was finally here and my curiosity for Charlie's friend Leo.

Sorry this is a very short chapter, they will be longer in the future but i just wanted something to kind of start everything off. I know there wasn't much action, but if you bear with me i can promise you that it will get alot better and more exciting.