When you wake up to the sound of your sister shrilly screaming that Grunkles and Panda are missing, you know that you're in for a long day. So, you have to go ahead and lock yourself in your room with a few DVDs to keep you company. But when you've watched them both and all the special features, your keyboard starts to glare at you. That's when you know you have to write.

Oh, and I wasn't the one who stole Grunkles, Panda, and friends. That would be my mother.

DISCLAIMER: I find myself seriously wondering if J.K. Rowling has stuffed animals of her own. If so, what kind?

Chapter 9

"When are we going to Romania?" Gilderoy whined. He needed to know Emily was okay. What if he was a really bad person? Yes, once he had bought a robe made entirely from dragon skins, but that had been back in his bad boy phase. He was a completely different person. Plus, that style went out like a candle flame.

"When you figure out how we're getting there." Datura's expression remained the same, her voice infuriatingly even.

It wouldn't hurt to look actually normal once in a while. You know, like smiling or laughing. He, himself, smiled all the time.

"You don't understand the urgency of this."

"It was years ago. It can wait a few more months." She shrugged.

"You don't understand," he said more firmly. "This isn't your life. You're not the one who has to live it every single day."

"Fine. We'll find a way to figure this thing out. Right now I have to check up on some guy from Romania. Remember? I told you about him. He had bad burns and was DYING. I think life and death is more important than your problems. I fixed him up. I SAVED a life." She stood up and crossed over the room to the door.

"Wait. You said he was from Romania. And he had bad burns from a dragon, right?" His eyes lit up, the corners of his mouth twitched.

"Yeah, what's your point?" she said carelessly. Her hand rested on the doorknob.

"Dragons. Romania. Emily."

Her mouth dropped open in an 'O' shape that was really very unbecoming. "That bloke's friend said that if I needed anything…"

He grinned. "We're going to Romania."

xVx

She was standing there, right where he first saw her. Nothing was changed, with the exception of a red-headed man by her side.

He was muscular and stocky. His complexion wasn't so great compared to Gilderoy's own creamy-white skin. This man's face was so freckled that he almost looked tan. But there was just something about him that was pleasing. His face was open and good-natured. Gilderoy wondered if he had that same look.

"Whoa." He felt Datura's breath on his neck. "Who is he?"

Lockhart turned angrily to face her. Her eyes were crinkled around the corners, openly staring at the man.

Instead of smacking her, like he should have done, he strode over to Emily and the man. They both acknowledged his presence with a nod and waited for him to speak. He opened his mouth – and nothing came out.

What was he supposed to say?

"Uh, I'm Gilderoy Lockhart."

Emily smiled kindly. "Emily Patterson. This is Charlie Weasley."

"Err, nice to meet you both." He awkwardly extended a hand. She took it.

xVx

He found himself wanting to listen to her. She loved these dragons and he wanted to love them too. He listened to her jabber on and on about what properties their scales had. He didn't even try to commit the list to his memory. He just wanted to remember her face – the animated, passionate look that overtook her weather-beaten face when she started talking about dragons.

"Obtaining the scales is really hard though, almost impossible if you want to do it without killing the dragon. They get mad when a scale is plucked from them. You know those muggle stories about dragons who guard their treasure?"

Emily looked up at his face. He nodded and smiled, reassuring her that he was listening.

"Well, they have no need for useless, shiny objects when they have their shimmering, swirling scales."

He nodded again.

Emily sighed. "I'm boring you, aren't I?" The light left her eyes.

Gilderoy wanted to beg her to tell him more, but that's when he remembered that he was a 'reporter' in her eyes. And he knew that he would have to eventually write a book called Dueling with Dragons and wipe her memory.

"You aren't boring me," he said, softly stroking her hair. "Let's go steal chocolate from the cook's cabinet."

She grinned at him. "Sure."

xVx

She was falling in love with him. That stupid, silly girl was falling in love with him.

How did he know?

Everyone was telling him.

The cook pulled him aside one day and said, "I know who likes you." It was as if he were still a third year at Hogwarts again.

"Who?" he had asked, not truly curious. A lot of girls had fallen for him over the years.

"I'm waiting for you to figure it out yourself."

Bryce, Emily's understudy, so to speak, slaps his shoulder and grins every time she passes.

There were only a few women at the camp, so unless Bryce was gay, there were few other people who could be falling in love with him.

The more Gilderoy thought about the possibility of her loving him, the more he started loving her.

It was infuriating! The cook could have been lying, for all he knew. And Gilderoy could just be playing the fool.

Emily always sat next to him. Smiled at him over the shoulders of the people who were talking to her. Sometimes there was some flirting going on – so much of it that he barely had time to breathe from all of the excitement.

"Gilderoy Lockhart," she addressed him formally one day. "You think I'm the most beautiful goddess that you have ever seen and you want to beg Cook for some firewhiskey for me."

"Fine," he said after a moment where they both stared into each others eyes, waiting for someone to back down. She flashed him a coy smile decided to inform him about the mating habits of the Chinese Fireball.

Reviews are always appreciated. This was a short chappie, so do you think I deserve reviews?

This story is coming to a close…

-R