Sanctuarii.

A place that Hermione called home for the past decade. Sitting on the highest point of the flying fortress, Hermione scanned the horizon as she did every day during the twinkling hours of twilight. It had been a long decade since she had seen her family and friends; something that she knew she was going to have to endure when she approached the Ministry of Magic with Charlie Weasley, Luna Lovegood, Neville Longbottom and Blaise Zabini. The five of them made a pact: Alit familiam amicitia.

Friendship breeds family.

An unlikely quintet, but Hermione was glad that they were by her side throughout the years… especially Blaise Zabini. He was an unlikely comrade, but their house differences were long set aside when he took on the role of Ignis Carceris – Fire Guard.

With the sun fully set, Hermione stood up from her seat and dusted off her dragonhide pants. Underneath her clothing were burns, cuts, and scars from her decade long career of being Draconis Domina – Master of Dragons. She was the ruler of Sanctuarii, the flying fortress that served as a sanctuary for dragons in Magic England.

The only other sanctuary that was close was in Romania, where Charlie used to work. Deciding that Romania was too far, Hermione took it upon herself to create her band of Dragon Guards.

And she served as the Master of the band.

Withdrawing a dragon bone carved whistle from underneath her off-white blouse, Hermione covered the first of the four holes that donned the whistle. A sound, the cross between a flute and an ocarina, sounded in a sharp A-minor and instantaneously, a grand fire dragon shot down from the skies and came to a halt in front of Hermione.

Her eyes were trained onto the dragon's eyes and she lowered her head ever so slightly without breaking eye contact. The dragon returned the bow and Hermione leaned forward to rub her snout. A decade ago, Hermione implemented the bow with her dragons to signify respect and equality and it had stuck ever since.

"Are you well, Arcania?"

A puff of smoke billowed from the fire dragon – Arcania's – nostrils. With the beat of her wings, Arcania adjusted positioning so that her torso was beside Hermione. With a swiftness unmatched, Hermione mounted Arcania and kicked her legs twice.

"To the Canyon."

The Canyon – Hermione's chambers located in the epicentre of Sanctuarii. It was where her books, her journal logs, and all incubating drac'ovum – dragon eggs – were kept safe. Arcania let out another billow of smoke from her nostrils before nosediving straight to the center of her flying sanctuary.

Third of May, 2016

Magnus Igne – Blaise

Three new hatchlings; purebred. Incubating on the third shelf from the top in the Canyon. Reis and Ling to be in heat in three days—previous cycle ended a fortnight ago. Reis first.

Aquatilium - Luna

No new hatchlings. No drakaina ready for mating.

Zephyri – Charlie

One new hatchling, transferred to Zephyri. Charlie to keep a close eye on him, seems to have a birth defect but with monitor, we can help him overcome it.

Aera to be in heat in five days. Aera scheduled to mate with Requiem.

Meditaris Avena – Neville

Two new hatchlings, incubating on first shelf from top. Water and Earth crossbreed displaying more earth-like tendencies. Moved her into Meditaris Avena, Neville to keep a close eye on her. If powers to shift, will transfer to Luna.

Successful breeding of perfect-quad. Incubating on second shelf from top—potential to be the legendary dragon, but will not be able to tell until hatched.

xxH

Hermione returned her quill into the inkwell and looked through her notes once more. Recollecting her thoughts from the day was the most daunting task, but it had to be done. Satisfied with her summary, Hermione shut the green leather journal and returned it to the ceiling high shelf in her room. Apart from her favourite texts from school, Hermione kept her Dragon Logs for the last ten years—she never knew when she would need to review one of them.

She ran her fingers over the spines of a few of her journals and closed her eyes, just for a moment.

Ten years… such a long time, but insignificant to the lifespan of a dragon. Inhaling deeply, Hermione exuded a long sigh. It was her body's way of resetting.

Draconis Domina! Get your butt to the kitchens now! We are STARVING!

Hermione heard Charlie's voice bellow through Sanctuarii and rolled her eyes. She was obviously late for dinner. Withdrawing her wand from her thigh holster, Hermione waved it with a precise swish and disapparated from her bedroom.

"And then, Avantii puffs out a ring of smoke and haphazardly tosses it at me and it settles around my neck and stays there for a good, I dunno, four hours?"

Hermione apparated in to the kitchen to find a piece of chicken dangling from Blaise's mouth as he recounted a story from earlier that day. Walking up behind him, she thwapped him upside the head before sitting down between Neville and Luna.

"Are you making up stories again, Ignis?" Hermione used Blaise's title instead of his name which, for Blaise, was quite a normal occurrence.

Blaise glowered at her. "They aren't stories, signora Tigre. They're fabrication of the truth."

"That means they're lies. And don't call me that." Hermione placed her hands on her hips. "I represent the great house of lion, not tiger."

Charlie, Neville, and Luna's heads ping ponged between the two verbal combatants. Blaise was quick to serve his jests, but Hermione would smash it right back at him.

"… yeah well…"

"Game set and match!" Neville slammed his hands on the table. "You two need to grow up!"

Hermione eyed him warily. "How do you even know what a game set and match is?"

"I watched a lot of tennis with Harry before moving here." Neville shrugged as if it was the most normal possible answer ever. Hermione exchanged glances with Charlie before both threw their heads back in laughter. Shaking her head in amusement, Hermione began to serve herself Luna's dinner special.

"Anyway!" Blaise said in between chewing. "Before our fearless leader interrupted me! Avantii puffs this smoke necklace onto me which lasts quite some time! Then, later that eve, Reis comes along and tries to inhale my smoke necklace!"

"Oh! Speaking of," Hermione glanced at him, "I need Reis and Vicer, Ignis."

"You're not using Reis to crossbreed?" Charlie voiced his question and Hermione shook her head.

"No, purebreds are dwindling so I need to ensure healthy ones are being bred." Along with the title of Master of Dragons, Hermione had the formidable task of breeding dragons as well. She didn't mind it, but it became overwhelming when she had to keep track of her crossbred-to-purebred ratio as well as when each drakaina was to be in heat and which drake to use to mount her.

"Oh!" Luna looked up from her squash soup. "I saw larüa drakes today while I was flying with Iona."

Blaise cocked an eyebrow "Aqua," he used her title—he tended to use his peers' titles versus their real names. "They do not exist."

Luna idly glanced at him before turning back to Hermione. Her and Blaise had a ongoing quip; she would see legendary or mystical creatures, and he would reject their very existence. It had come to a point where Neville, Hermione, and Charlie doubted that Blaise even meant what he said, he just wanted to get a rise out of Luna.

One hundred percent of the time, though, it worked. Blaise proved to be the formidable court jester.

"They do, Ignis." Luna had a sarcastic tone when she used his title. "But you must've experienced a near-death experience with a dragon to be able to see larüa drakes."

Luna sipped her soup loudly before adding: "Which you haven't."

She's become a snarky little thing throughout the years. Hermione mused.

"Fine, little miss always-experiencing-death," it was now Hermione, Charlie, and Neville's turn to ping pong between two people. "What do larüa drakes look like?"

Luna exhaled loudly. "Ignis, I could tell you but you wouldn't know if I were telling the truth or fibbing because you've never seen one."

"Game set and match!" Neville hollered again and Charlie snorted before playfully shoving Neville.

"Will you stop with the 'game-set-and-match'?!"

Neville feigned pain. "You didn't have to shove so hard." He mumbled before turning to his meal. "Great dinner tonight, Lune." He said, affectionately. Luna smiled at him as Blaise made gagging noises in the background.

"Quit being immature, Blaise." Charlie muttered. "You should be happy for those two for finding love."

"Hermione doesn't let me find love." Blaise mumbled which earned him a bread roll being tossed at his head. Smirking, Blaise picked up the bread roll Hermione threw at him and bit into it slowly.

"The fruits of my love."

"That's a carb, you obese troll" Hermione snorted.

And the playful banter began once again… It was the same routine, night after night, week after week, year after year… And they wouldn't change it for the world.

Alit familiam amicitia.

In the dead of night, Blaise crept through Sanctuarii with his special visitor, Marietta Edgecombe. Their fearless leader had to make a trip to the Romania sanctuary and had taken Charlie with her, leaving Neville, Blaise, and Luna to overlook the operations. With his peers retired for the night, Blaise made his moves to sneak his lover into their secret haven.

He wasn't allowed to bring outside visitors; Hermione's strict rules. He was allowed to go home for one holiday every year, but was never allowed to bring any one to their place of employment. But Blaise Zabini was a Slytherin through and through and never followed the rules—he did, however, respect a few of Hermione's wishes: 1) Never disclose to anybody she was the Draconis Domina. Why? He didn't know. She just didn't want people to know she ran the show. And 2) Never let anybody know their location. Sure they were a floating fortress over Wiltshire that was cloaked under the guise of invisibility, but nobody was to know they existed, save a few members in the Ministry.

So, Blaise did just those two: never told Marietta who his boss was, and certainly did not show her how to get to Sanctuarii. He blindfolded her every time he picked her up from Keevil.

"Is your boss here today, Blaise?" Marietta murmured as he undid her blindfold after they touched feet onto Sanctuarii.

"Nope." He refused to say more.

Sure, he broke the rules, but he did hold a certain level of respect for his boss. After all, she saved him ten years ago and he was forever in her debt.

"DRAGON GUARDS!" The raw power of Hermione's voice echoed through the fortress at the crack of dawn. Within seconds, the four guards apparated in to the Canyon with looks of worry and confusion.

"What's wrong?!" Charlie was the first to speak but was taken aback when Hermione whirled onto them with fire in her eyes, mixed with tears.

"Hermione?!" Luna rushed forward to wrap an arm around Hermione's shoulder but the latter girl took a step back.

"Which one of you was it?" Hermione's voice was lethal, which led to more confusion on the part of the guards. Neville took a step forward.

"What do you mean?"

"Which one of you snuck somebody in?" Hermione's eyes scanned over her friends. "One of my drac'ovum is missing and I know none of you would take it. So tell me, Ignis," Hermione's eyes locked with Blaise. "Who did you bring?"

Blaise looked shocked. "… Me?! Why would you think it's me?" Blaise's eyes darkened. "Is it because I'm a Slytherin?!"

"You damn well know that isn't it!" Hermione roared. "But you know as well as I do that you're the one most likely to bring somebody here—so who was it?!"

Blaise gulped. Sure, he could play macho manly man in front of Hermione but that never lasted long. His eyes were locked with hers as she took a few steps to stand directly in front of him.

"Who, Blaise?"

It was one of the rare times Hermione called him by his name and not his title. It unnerved him slightly.

"…Marietta Edgecombe?"

It was as if all the air was sucked out of the room. Neville and Luna glanced at each other and Charlie managed to squeeze in between Blaise and Hermione. He was the only one slightly confused over what the drama with this Marietta girl was, but he knew that Hermione was very close to hexing their Fire Guard.

"Marietta Edgecombe?" Hermione's whisper was lethal.

"Relax," Charlie placed his hands on Hermione's shoulders. "Whatever vendetta you have against this girl can wait. We need to find the drac'ova; who was the drakaina?"

Hermione shot Blaise one last glare before glancing over her shoulder to look at Neville.

"Terra," she used his title as the Earth Guard, "Basileaf is the drakaina, can you prepare her for flight?" Neville nodded and quickly ran out of Hermione's room, completely forgetting that he could've apparated. Luna took out her wand and held it in front of her.

"I'll meet you on the Flight Deck." With a flick of her wand, she was gone.

Charlie looked over his shoulder. "Best you follow her too, Ignis."

Blaise was hesitant for a moment but chose to heed Charlie's recommendation and apparated out of there. Finally, with his hands still on Hermione's shoulders, Charlie turned back to her and studied her intently.

"Are you sure it's stolen?"

Hermione nodded. "Absolutely. I ensure the drac'ovum are well secured on the shelf; no way could it have simply rolled anywhere."

Charlie nodded. "Okay. You are aware that Basileaf will be able to find her drac'ova anywhere in the world. Are you prepared for such a flight?"

Hermione nodded, again. "Absolutely. We talked about this, Charlie—it's my role as their alpha." She tilted her head to the side and managed a weak smile. "You did it for the first year we were here… remember?"

Charlie let out a hesitant chuckle and released his hold on her shoulder and brought his hands up to straighten the rose gold circlet adorning Hermione's head. The Drakon Circlet, the mark that proved that she was the alpha over the dragons. Whoever wore the circlet assumed all control over every beast born and raised in Sanctuarii. He had worn it for the first year they were there before passing the torch onto Hermione.

"I recall, but you haven't done something like this before. Do you wish for me to come with you?"

Hermione shook her head. "No. You need to be here to make sure all breeding and operations happen as per usual."

Charlie nodded while bringing his left hand up to caress Hermione's cheeks. Ten years was a long time, and they had, on occasions, sought each other for comfort. But that was simply it: comfort. Neither wanted more from the other and it was an agreement they both decided on.

Hermione did not react to his touch, but simply took a step back. "See you up top, Caeli?" His title. Air Guard.

Charlie nodded. "Aye, Draconis Domina."

Her title.

Master of Dragons.

Withdrawing her wand from her thigh holster, Hermione swished it once and apparated out of her bedroom in a heartbeat. Charlie shoved his hand through his hair and shakily exhaled. Sure it was an agreement they both decided upon… but that didn't mean his heart didn't ached for more.

Deciding he needed a moment to compose himself, he took the long way to the Flight Deck.

Her white blouse tucked into her dragonhide pants, with her knee-high boots of the same material made Hermione look more like a warrior than a Master of Dragons. Around her hip was her toolkit: herbs and ointments for tussles against dragons, four vials of Polyjuice potion in case she needed to look like one of her dragon guards, and a small dagger.

She never left Sanctuarii without them. And since this was one mission she didn't know where she would be, she most certainly had to be prepared. Mounted atop of a jadeite dragon, Hermione watched her four dragon guards gathered around Basileaf.

"Charlie, you run the show. Luna and Neville, do as he says."

Her eyes flickered to Blaise. "And you," she neither said his name nor title and he cringed. "You do not leave your sanctuary until I get back. Remain inside of Magum Ignes until further notice. Understood?"

Blaise ducked his head.

"Understood."

"Good." Hermione picked the dragon bone whistle and pressed it to her lips, covering the fourth hole before letting out a long breath. Basileaf's wings spread wide before she kicked off the ground and straight to the sky. The four dragon guards watched quietly for a long time before Blaise sunk to the ground and sat with his legs crossed.

"I'm in serious shite, aren't I?"

"Absolutely." Luna didn't spare his feelings as she strode past him. Blaise decided to lie down on the Flight Deck altogether.

Screw me from behind.

Being the Draconis Domina did not give Hermione any more magic power than she already had. Sure, the circlet she perpetually adorned gave her the slight ability to sense dragon aura and give her authority over her dragons, but that was about it. She simply asserted her dominance over her hatchlings and they grow to know her to be the alpha.

It was simply how the animal kingdom worked. Dragons were no exception to the rule.

The only difference was was that she needed to wear her circlet to be able to properly assert dominance.

It was one of those times, though, that Hermione wished she could do more to scout her drac'ova. Lucky for her, though, Basileaf would be able to sense the aura of her young no matter where she was in the world. And, based on where Basileaf was flying, Hermione was certain that the drac'ova was still in England.

I recognize this place. Hermione thought as she saw Basileaf beginning to fly circles over Gringotts Bank.

"We're in Diagon Alley." Hermione whispered. "Is he here, Basileaf?"

Basileaf made a sound that was a mix between a grunt and a roar. She was ensuring that she was circling high enough overhead that nobody would be able to spot her. Hermione hadn't a clue how long they were flying for, but it was clearly well in to the day that people were out and about in Diagon Alley. Hermione should be tired, as she had been flying all night with Charlie, but she couldn't be. She wouldn't be.

She had to find her drac'ova. She just had to.

"Is he in there, Basileaf?" Hermione asked as she pointed at Gringotts.

Basileaf made another sound akin to a growl. Hermione nodded, knowingly. "Okay. You stay up here. When you sense us, meet us by the skyline." Hermione pointed to the glass ceiling that she had broken out of once.

With a comforting pat, Hermione released the reins of her dragon and tilted herself sideways, effectively falling off from an incredible height. With the years of Voldemort fighting and Hogwarts training behind her, Hermione was able to stop herself from a fatal landing and quickly scrambled to her feet. She was behind Gringotts; she began to sprint to the front while formulating a plan.

Bill! Bill works here! Without a second thought, she pulled the vial of Polyjuice that would make her look like Charlie. Head tilting back, she simultaneously drank the potion while using a glamour charm to change her outfit and her voice.

Within seconds, she was the second of the Weasley children. The circlet around Hermione's head began to heat up (and, luckily, it was hidden discreetly under the glamour charm) as she approached the front of Gringotts.

So it's definitely here.

Pushing the door open, she made her way to the front desk as flashbacks of her and Ron trying to sneak their way through filled her memory—it had been ten years since she saw anybody. A conscious choice on her part, but painful nonetheless.

"Ahem," Hermione finally said as she approached a desk. "I am here to see William Weasley—my brother."

The goblin looked at Hermione – Charlie – over his crooked nose before glancing over his shoulder. "Mr. William Weasley. A guest, for you."

Hermione wasn't expecting Bill to be right there. Okay, that was a good thing. Straightening up her chest, Hermione approached Bill as he walked in her direction, confusion evident in his face.

"Charlie?"

"Mother needs me to collect funds from George's vault."

The confusion deepened. "… mother? Why would she send for you when you hardly leave work?"

Shoot! Hermione hadn't thought of that. "It was important."

"Why wouldn't she owl me?"

Double shoot! "Must we contemplate trivialities, Bill? Let's just get the funds from George's vault. You know how mother can be."

Bill's eyes were narrowed but he complied with his 'brother's' request. Attaining special permission to escort his brother to the vaults, Bill and 'Charlie' boarded a trolley and were promptly on their way. Hermione was surprised that Bill hadn't said anything—she was expecting him to engage in conversation with his younger brother; one whom he hardly ever saw.

"What's the game this time, Hermione?"

Her eyes snapped to Bill. "H-how…?!"

"Oh please," Bill snorted. "You've done this once before. And you're the only one who can brew Polyjuice potion effectively and has access to Charlie's DNA. So. What's the game this time?"

Apart from the four guards and select ministry officials, Bill was the only other person that knew of her profession. After all, he did approve her loan to start the flying fortress ten years prior.

"One of my drac'ovum was stolen," she revealed as they went under the Thief's Downfall. Immediately, the effects of her glamour charm and Polyjuice were gone.

Bill frowned. "How? Your fortress is impossible to navigate to—unless…"

"One of my dragon guards snuck in a significant other. I believe she has something to do with this but I can't be sure." Hermione murmured as she tried to concentrate on where her drac'ova's aura was coming from. They were going deeper and deeper into Gringotts and, if memory served her right, she would be approaching the Lestrange vault sometime soon.

"That doesn't sound particularly fun." Bill mused and Hermione nodded.

"No. It doesn't. I have to deal with him after I save my drac'ova— there!" Hermione pointed at an unmarked vault before warily eyeing the Lestrange dragon. She was right, they were exactly where she thought they were and was both surprised and not when she spotted a dragon in front of the Lestrange vault.

"Is she new?"

Bill nodded. "Yes. The old one ahh… expired."

Hermione clenched her fist. They must've killed the dragon. Ohhhh, she hated the Lestrange's with a passion. Lucky for her, she didn't have to deal with them much anymore—in fact, nobody really dealt with them. Delphini Lestrange (she took her mother's married name versus her muggle father's surname) was in Azkaban and she was the only living Lestrange that anybody knew of. If others were alive, they were in hiding.

Delphini must've, somehow, arranged for this dragon to take the place of the expired one. Even from Azkaban, she was a bitch.

"Alright, this is as far as I go." Bill nodded as Hermione managed to disembark from the trolley and gingerly balance herself on the crumbling ledge. "Whatever happens after this, I am no way involved. Understood?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes."

With one final look, Bill directed the trolley to go back where it came from. When Hermione was sure the trolley was out of sight, she turned her eyes to the dragon. The dragon was watching her, her ochre eyes being a source of light in the darkened dungeons of Gringotts Banks.

"Drakaina," Hermione called out and the dragon began to straighten up. Drakaina was a term that referred to female dragon and, when Hermione was met with a dragon of unknown name, she referred to them by their gender. "Is it your desire to serve the Lestranges?"

The dragon watched Hermione for a brief moment before lowering her eyes in sadness.

Thought so. Hermione thought. "Aid me, drakaina, and I will take you to my sanctuary." Hermione tilted her head so that her circlet was in view. "I am Draconis Domina – Mistress of Dragons of Sanctuarii."

By then, the dragon was fully standing. Their eyes were locked onto one another and Hermione knew the dragon was trying to gauge if Hermione was trustworthy or not. Finally, deciding to side with this stranger, the dragon was quick to approach her.

"Assist me in breaking into this vault," she gestured at the unmarked vault. "One of my precious drac'ovum is in there. Fly us out, and my dragon friend will guide you back to my sanctuary." Hermione noted that the dragon was a crossbreed—she had yet to determine what type, though.

With one fell swoop, the dragon smashed the door open and immediately, the alarm bells began blaring. Lockdown ensued but Hermione paid it no heed—she saw it. The charcoal grey drac'ova that emitted a wispy smoke. Reaching in, she gingerly picked it up and turned back to the dragon who was preparing herself to be mounted.

"Let's go, drakaina." She murmured as she quickly mounted the dragon who began her ascent to the skyline. Déjà vu rocked Hermione, but she was in no position to reminisce. Using her wand to create a shield, she protected herself, her drac'ova, and the dragon from the shattering of the glass as the dragon broke free from the confines of Gringotts. The alarms kept blaring and Hermione knew the Aurors would be there soon.

Pulling her necklace out from under her blouse, she used it to alert her earth elemental dragon that she was safe. Within a manner of seconds, Basileaf came in to view, a blood curdling scream sounding from her throat. Their eyes locked, Hermione nodded and was ready to guide her dragon into the air when a familiar voice stopped her.

"Granger. I do believe you're breaking the law."

Hermione's head whipped to the side to see an old friend floating a few feet away from her on his broom, his arms crossed impeccably over his Slytherin green Auror robes.

"Malfoy."

The idea just came to me. It's canon but not canon at the same time? A few questions you may have (like about her necklace) but I will reveal those answers as the story goes along :)

Hope you like it!