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Chapter 10

Emily and Charlie approached the Burrow; he could tell she was anxious about facing his family. But after the events of last night he didn't really blame her for her timidity. She had only willingly told two people in her entire life and the first one had reacted so violently to the idea of her affliction she probably would have never recovered if not for her sisters' love and comfort. He had been excited and supportive through each transformation but he knew she still held those emotional scars from her ex-fiancés rebuke. Now she had to face a whole house full of people that she had barley meet that all knew her deepest secret. He had tried to comfort her and tell her they would not hate her or think differently about her. But Emily was a worrier and all she could think about was the awful night her Ex had found out the truth.

It had been two days before the wedding and she still hadn't told him the secret. It was a full moon that night so the bachelorette party was going to be spent dancing and flying rather than drinking the night away. He had been a little drunk already, when he had seen the girls leaving the house to go on their chick night. Somehow he had ditched the guys and followed his girl to a small clearing in the woods near the Bryant's estate. He watched them dance almost drooling with the anticipation for the night when she would finally allow him to make love with her. He was debating whether he should come out of his hiding spot and try to talk her into letting him spend the night when all of a sudden the change happened. He couldn't believe it, she was not even human, and he had planned on marrying that. Aghast he ran back to his fiancés house and told her father that the wedding was off and he never wanted to see any of them again. Emily's dad tried to calm him down but he was too drunk and mad to be calmed. Emily never saw him again. Her father told her the next day what had happened.

Emily knew she would not be able to handle that kind of rejection again. Charlie had told her repeatedly that his family would accept her, they had werewolves for friends after all, but she just couldn't shake the feeling that something dreadful was going to happen now that his entire family knew her secret. She trembled a little as they came into view of the Burrow. He took her hands in his, reassuring her once again, like he had been doing all morning. Slowly he led her toward the house, stopping occasionally when he thought she was about to bolt. It took all his skills as a Dragon Keeper to keep this frightened, skittish, gorgeous woman from running away from him.

"Fire they aren't going to hurt you. Not a single one of them is going to mind that sometimes you turn into the prettiest dragon to grace the skies. I won't let anyone hurt you; you are way too precious to me for me to allow that." Reassured that she at least had someone to lean on if things went bad she decided to go ahead and enter the house. They had entered into the kitchen where Molly had gathered all the wives and girlfriends of her brood to cook a fabulous lunch. Upon seeing them enter Molly dropped what she was doing and gathered up the nervous girl in a huge hug.

"Emily, Charlie it is so good to see you. How did you sleep last night dear?" Emily couldn't believe it; she was acting as if she hadn't tried to hex her silly for 'eating' her son last night. Somehow she stammered out an answer, stunned that the Weasley Matriarch was so accepting. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad, maybe just maybe Charlie was right and that it wouldn't matter to his family. Soon Molly had integrated her into the Gaggle of women preparing lunch in the tiny kitchen, working with Hermione and Ginny on the ham casserole. Both of them were very polite in the questions they asked, and kept chatting with her life they had been friends for life. Molly soon shooed Charlie out of the Kitchen telling him that his father needed to talk to him. Giving his girlfriend a peck on the cheek he obediently set out in search of his dad.

"Mom said you were looking for me Dad, what's up?" Charlie asked when he finally found him in the small shed packed with broken Muggle devises. Arthur looked up from a picture of a printing press with a bemused expression on his face.

"Oh yes, I had a few questions to ask you son." Arthur looked at Charlie with an intensely curious expression on his face. "First off are you planning on marrying Emily?"

"Well I had planned on asking her to marry me tonight, why do you guys not approve of her after all?"

"Oh no, nothing like that at all." Arthur replied hastily. "Your Mom and I are quite proud of you and want you two to be very happy together. Your Mother is ecstatic that you've finally settled down and gotten a girlfriend. We just had some questions to ask you, we are not trying to pry or anything, but you know your Mother. I convinced Molly it would be best to ask these things in private rather than the typical grilling she gives her prospective daughter-in-laws."

"Ah those kind of questions, so is she grilling Emily in the kitchen while you interrogate me?"

"No, for once she decided that it might not be such a good idea to just charge in and ask her questions randomly. We discussed it last night and she gave me a list of things to ask you or find out from you how to ask her. We don't want to insult Emily with your Mom's need to know things."

"Alright Dad lay it on me I'll answer what I can."

"First couple of questions, will you two be able to have Children? Will any kids you have also turn into dragons?"

"Let me guess Mom is feeling to need to be a grandmother again, huh? Well since Emily's Mom is a Dragon who morphs into a human form once a month and her father is a pure-blooded wizard I would think it safe to say that we could also conceive a child together. Whether or not the children conceived are born or hatched or even if they change between dragon and human we would just have to wait to find out. As far as I know she only has the two sisters and they both follow the same pattern of transformations as she did, but I can't be sure that our children would as well."

"That should be enough information to keep Molly from embarrassing her at the table with awkward questions. I just wanted you to know that we are fine with the choice you've made and will support you all the way. I'm here if you ever need me."

As evening approached Charlie's nerves began to get the better of him. His whole body was tense and tight from worry and he could hardly swallow much less talk. His concentration was shot to pieces, Bill and he had been playing wizard chess for the last two hours and he couldn't even recall what pieces he had on the board. Bill looked at him across the board, grinned at his brother and just told him to get it over with or else he'd never survive the night. Running his fingers through his hair he stood up and approached his girlfriend, she had settled on the couch with Hermione and they were talking about Animal Rights Laws.

"May I steel her away Hermione? I would like to take a walk with my Girlfriend."

"Sure Charlie. You guys might want to bundle up really tight, it's freezing outside. Have fun."

"See you in a little while" Charlie called as he escorted his love out into the night. They walked hand in hand enjoining the solitude for awhile. Soon he led her to the top of a nearby hill and they gazed at the stars that were out that night. As the two of them talked and snuggled in the cold winter air Molly was reliving the moment when Arthur had purposed, and how she knew then that they would live 'happily ever after', she had a feeling that her son had found his 'happily ever after' moment as well.

"They grow up so fast don't they?" Molly turned and looked at Arthur as he wrapped his arms around the woman he'd promise long ago to treasure and protect.

"Yes they do I can't believe it, my little dragon loving baby is all grown up and ready to start his own family. Do you think they will make it work like me and you did Arthur? I just can't bear the thought of my babies getting hurt."

"They will be alright; I think those two will be able to weather anything together. Look they are coming back to the house, I'm sure they will announce their engagement and you will have another wedding to plan. Molly dearest just be happy for them, leave off the worrying for a night."