Charlie groaned and jostled his sheets. What does a man have to do to get some water? He was flustered, and a bit put out that his wife was too sick to come to be with him. Yes, he was worried. Yes, he hated that she was under the weather, but she couldn't be sick next to him? He wanted her here.

He tossed off his blankets, and a hand went to his shoulder. "You shouldn't be moving, Char," Tatiana's voice announced in the dim light.

"This is dragon shite. If she's too sick to come to me, I'm going to her," he growled and attempted to climb from the bed.

"It's not even four yet, relax. I'm sure she had her reasons," the witch responded as the lights flickered to life.

"Tai, I'm going to go see my wife. Now, you either fashion me a crutch, or help me hobble to the portkey, but it's going to happen."

The witch crawled from her chair and offered him an arm. "Well, I suppose I'll help you then. I've never met anyone as stubborn as a dragon."

"My wife is," he reminded her and winced at the discomfort.

"Char, if you don't let your leg heal right, you're going not to be able to move it properly," Tatiana reminded him.

He waved her off, and they headed down the staircase in a tight embrace. The witch was quiet, and he exhaled when they landed on the floor. "I know, I know you think I'm bloody mental, but she was extremely ill today. I can't lose her; you know that."

"I know, Char."

They moved out into the darkness after she slid on a boot on his uninjured leg and transfigured a crutch. He was uneased the further they traversed in the early morning. His body felt on fire, but he knew he needed to see her. Nothing else mattered. Charlie wasn't sure how well he would take traveling by portkey, but he would get to that when he got to that point.

"Charlie, what if she's dying?" Tatiana asked him as they rounded one of the cabins.

"Don't ask me that. I refuse to accept that witch will die of anything but old age. We're going to be telling my siblings grandchildren about dragons and enjoy the quiet solitude of greying before that's every a thought."

She paused before the barrier and turned him to her. "Then I have to ask you what the hell you're doing here. You love dragons, but you love her so much more. Why risk your life if she'd be just as angry if I asked her that question."

He exhaled and shifted on his foot. "Well, what else is there? She won't go back to domestic life easily after this year is up. We are wild and a bit mental, but I don't want my wife to decide this life was a mistake. I have nothing else to give her."

"Then give her what no one else has been able to get from you, Char," she said and pressed her hand to his chest. "It's time to fly away from the nest. I don't want to worry about your wife dying from heartbreak if you die."

He snatched his crutch from her and huffed. "Tai, I won't be dying any time soon. She knows exactly what we do here. If anything she's angry that I will be hobbling about for a week instead of training with her."

Charlie left the female dragon keeper on the other side of the boundary and retrieved the rusty pot from the ground. It flung him about and caused the air to leave his chest as he grappled with the crutch while trying to hold onto the portkey. He let go and landed roughly on his good leg, making him let out a loud groan.

The garden was dark with the only light shining from the pixie lights she had around the porch. It was beautiful, and he rarely admired his wife's tastes.

"Charles? What are you doing here?" Hermione's sleepy voice sounded from the house.

He glanced over at her huddled in her robe and rubbing her eyes as she stood at the back door. "I wanted to see you."

"Let me help you inside, it looks like that dragon did a number on you," she murmured and walked up to his wounded form.

Charlie chuckled and rested his weight on her. "You remember the first time you saw me remotely like this how upset you were?"

Hermione snorted and hobbled with him to the door. "You were a shite then, you still are, but now I'm unfazed by it."

She led him into the sitting room and assisted in him reclining in the armchair before disappearing into the kitchen. "Hermione? Why are you awake?" He asked loudly.

"Well, I had just fallen asleep an hour ago," she called back into the room.

Hermione reappeared with teacups in hand and gave him one. "Are you still ill?" he questioned as he shuddered at the pain in his side.

The witch stood in front of him for a moment and sipped her tea. "Before you take a pain draught, I want to talk."

Charlie nearly choked on his tea as his eyes grew. "Please tell me you're not deathly ill?"

"No," Hermione shook her head with a smile.

"What a relief, then what is it?" He questioned as his body slumped.

Hermione ran a hand through her hair and chewed her lower lip. "Can we talk about our life for a moment?"

"Is this the divorce talk? Okay, I was irresponsible, but I won't again," Charlie retorted with a scowl.

"Divorce? Why do you have to jump to such extremes, Charles?" Hermione inquired with a grimace.

"Then what about our life is unappealing? I'll fix it, I promise. I want you, my love," he huffed and scrubbed his face.

Hermione ducked down to him and tilted her head. "I know this is the pain talking, but I want to have a normal conversation with my husband a quick moment, alright? The conversation we're having is life changing."

Charlie gulped and bobbed his head. "Alright, bok jente," he sighed.

"Charlie, we can't keep doing what we're doing after this, alright? If it's going to disappoint you, I understand if this might end with it."

"You're not improving my irregular heartbeat, Hermione," He grumbled.

Hermione leaned closer and nipped her lower lip before exhaling. "Charlie, I'm pregnant."

He blinked as his body went numb. "What?"

She rocked her head and stood up. "When you left today Ginny forced me to take a muggle test. When that was positive, Harry called in a favor for me to get checked discreetly. It's true," she finished and rubbed the side of her neck. "Are you upset?"

"You took a test?" He questioned as his eyes were the size of snitches.

"Yes."

"And then had Hippocrates check you?"

Hermione groaned and nodded. "Yes. Please focus, Charlie."

Charlie jolted from the chair and screamed. "My baby?"

Hermione grimaced and flicked her hand out. "Who's baby would I be pregnant with, drakon?"

He grabbed her and started to kiss her face. "My baby, our baby, it's, it's real!" He shouted through his attack.

The witch started laughing and attempted to push him away. "I know, catch up," she teased and set her cup down.

"We need to change the second room to his bedroom. We'll go get supplies and paint the mural this week," He exclaimed and waved his fingers toward the staircase.

Hermione held up her hand and giggled. "Okay, now I see why Gin reacted the way she did. Hold on, Dragon Keeper. We have several months to go."

Charlie reached for her and lifted her, but forgot about his bum leg and they fell to the ground in a heap. "Are you alright?" he asked urgently as he checked her on the floor.

She laughed while shaking her head against the rug. "I'm fine. I'm more than fine. Charlie, we're going to have a baby."

He maneuvered next to her and kissed her deeply, ignoring the sharp pain in his side. "My love, my wife, my mate for life. You're extraordinary," he whispered as he showered her face in kisses again.

"There are some things I'm not too horrible at," she grumbled with a grin.

He smirked and rubbed her cheek with his fingers. "You're pretty perfect, Hermione, but I always knew that."

"So, I had this plan for tomorrow when you came home on how to tell you, but you ruined it by coming home earlier."

He arched an eyebrow and tilted his head. "What was that?"

"Well, I was going to leave you the little plastic test on the counter," she teased with a toothy smile.

"I liked this better," he chuckled.

Hermione sat up and helped Charlie to face her. "We need to make some big decisions, Charles. I can't handle dragons pregnant, and I surely won't be on a broom for a good year after."

He nodded and scrubbed his face. "I know."

"I'm not going to ask you to do the same, but I want to live here. I want Gin in walking distance, and I think I owe it to your mother if she can come to see us when she wants."

Charlie blinked at her and his lips peeled apart. "You don't want me to quit being a Dragon Keeper?"

Hermione laughed and swayed her head. "No, why would I ask you to change your life? I fell in love with you for it."

"What about things like this?" Charlie waved at his bandaged leg.

Her expression tightened. "Well, I'd request you to be safer. I'd rather not have to rush to Romania every month and have to explain to your child that mummy has to go mend their father," she expressed with a sigh. "Charlie, I don't ever want you to feel that it's a choice between this and that," she stated and pressed his fingers over her abdomen.

It was like a shock was sent through his system as realization kicked into gear. He was going to be a father. "We'll talk about this the closer we get. From now on, I won't change my routine unless you're too sickly at home, understood."

Hermione smiled and traced his fingers over her. "That's what I want too."

Charlie pulled her into a deep kiss and groaned. "If I weren't such a gimp I'd have climbed off this floor and shagged you sideways," he grumbled after they parted.

"No shagging for another month, doctor's orders," Hermione whimpered with a pout.

"What a miserable time to be married," He teased and traced her cheek.

"Can we go back to bed, Charles? We have a handful of people to tell tomorrow," she whispered as her hand ran through his beard.

"I can't carry you, but I would if I could," he chuckled as she climbed off the floor.

Hermione held out her hand and helped him to his feet. "That's alright, drakon. I'm far stronger than I look," she jested and took his hand. "Let's go snuggle and enjoy the quiet before the world steps into our privacy."

They were fumbling up the staircase when he sighed. "My mother is going to be over every day."

"Don't I know it…" she trailed off with a pinched face. "Maybe we wait until we can hide it to tell her."

Charlie laughed and pinched her shoulder lightly. "Not going to happen, Hermione. I'm a mum's boy."

"I know, unfortunately," she retorted with a smile, and they hobbled to their bedroom.

Author's Notes: Well, we're getting there, my Potterheads. Seems things are going to be buttoned up nicely soon. I won't lie, I've put this off because frankly I'm going to be sad when it's over, but then again, is it ever really?