A/N: I don't own Harry Potter or any related characters
This is for the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Fantasy February - Day Thirteen
Every year, a single person is chosen from the village as a sacrifice. This year, you were the lucky- or unlucky- chosen one; bathed and dressed in the finest ceremonial robes, you were escorted to the mountain-top and left behind
Word Count: 1584
Hermione didn't scream when her name was drawn. She wasn't surprised. She'd been fairly outspoken about how things were being done, she'd made a few too many accusations, done a few too many things that made everyone suspect her of being different. It didn't help she was an orphan with no family to call her own.
The village had taken her in as a child, but she'd never been like them. It had been over ten years now since the dragon had first appeared. It had flown over the village, burning houses, eating livestock, just being a dragon. Hermione wasn't sure who had decided that the dragon needed virgin sacrifices to appease it. Of course, every virgin had to be of age, they would never sacrifice a child. She was certain that person was an idiot!
Either way, it didn't matter. Today was her turn. They arrived at dawn, pulling her from the workhouse. She was dressed in lavender robes, her hair braided into a crown on the top of her head. That had been a feat since her hair was a curly mess that refused to do anyone's bidding. In the end, it had finally been forced into submission.
Hermione fought back the tears as she was blessed with oils and perfumes. She wondered how the dragon could eat anything that smelled so horrible. Maybe the dragon didn't have a sense of smell? After she was appropriately dressed and bless, she was chained to the wooden cart. The cart made it's way through town, everyone wailing and pretending they cared about the sacrifice. If anyone of them had ever cared about Hermione, she might not be in this situation.
It was useless to struggle against the chains. Hermione could feel her arms growing weak. There must have been something in the perfume, or the oils, or something. She wasn't surprised the sacrifices were drugged. How many girls, and guys, were resourceful enough to escape if they had their own minds?
Boys... Hermione remembered there being at least one, no two, male sacrifices. Those had been huge displays. She laughed softly, marveling at how blue the sky was today. It wouldn't do to have the sacrifice on a rainy day, no one would want to come see the poor damsel in distress being flown away by the dragon. Not that anyone stayed for that part. They all turned and ran the moment they heard the sound of those large leathery wings.
The cart jolted to a stop and Hermione was led off, her feet not working very well. She was led to a large wooden post and tied to it. Her hands were tied above her head, her feet to the bottom. If it wasn't for the chains and ropes holding her up, she would have fallen to the ground. They had definitely drugged her.
The crowd watched, waiting. Hermione could see them staring at her. People who never would have given her a second look in the streets. Now, now they were all watching her. She laughed again, everything was so bright, so funny. The air hummed. Hermione's laughter grew louder as she watched the people scatter.
"Can't stomach what you're making me do?" she asked, yelling at the now empty field.
The dragon flew over head, circling a few times before landing in front of Hermione. He, she was certain the dragon was a he, had bright red scales. There was a ridge of spikes down his back, leading to the tip of his tail. He had two spikes on his head, right above his ears. His wings folded as he regarded the vulnerable Hermione. She watched him, looking into his eyes, his golden yellow eyes. For a moment, she nearly swooned as a wave of emotion flooded over her, a wave of what she could only describe as pure bliss.
"Another one then, come along," the dragon said. Hermione blinked, wondering why he spoke English, why he seemed so annoyed at her being there. Slowly, the dragon undid the chains, picking up Hermione in his arms. He was gentle, so gentle even with the large claws. Hermione finally passed out from either shock or the drugs they'd used on her.
The next thing she knew, she was waking up in a warm bed of hay. There was a blanket laying over her. She could smell something baking, like fresh bread. She pushed the blanket off and rose to her feet. Thankfully, the world didn't spin. Whatever they'd given her had worn off. Her feet were still bare as she started looking around the room.
"Up already? That's got to be a record."
"Sirius, just because she's upright doesn't mean anything. Are you alright, miss?"
Hermione looked to the doorway where two men were standing.
One had long dark hair pulled into a ponytail. He was wearing a pair of leather trousers and nothing else. Hermione couldn't help but notice how muscular his chest was. There was a small mark on his left shoulder, the Mark of the house of Black. Hermione blinked, staring at it. So this was what had happened to missing heir, not missing after all.
The other man had sandy brown hair and brown eyes. Those eyes were full of concern, watching her. He was dressed more modestly in a pair of pine green tights and a cream colored tunic top. Hermione didn't remember ever seeing him before. She knew he must have been on of the sacrifices though.
"I'm alright. Just extremely confused? I think?"
"Don't worry, love, Charlie will explain everything in a bit. I'm Sirius and this is Remus."
"Hermione."
"Sirius? Remus?"
"Come along, love, that would be our Charlie, finally back to his normal form. He'll answer all your questions," Sirius said, reaching out and taking Hermione's hand and leading her from the stone room.
The rest of the rooms were also stone. Hermione was pretty sure this was all a network of underground caves going throughout the mountain. They finally reached a large room with a round wooden table in the center. A girl with red hair was sitting there playing with a dagger. She looked up when they entered.
"Morning," she stated. Sirius nodded to her, grabbing the dagger and tossing it aside.
"Really? I was using that," she muttered, wrapping an arm around Sirius' neck and pulling him into the chair next to her. Remus only shook his head.
"Go ahead and have a seat, Hermione," he said, pulling out a chair for her. Hermione sank into the chair. Nothing was making sense, she only hoped this Charlie would actually be able to explain things.
"Hermione, this is Ginny, she's Charlie's sister, and the main reason we're here," Sirius explained. Ginny stuck out a forked tongue at him.
"See, when my little sister made her first transformation, she lost control," a voice said, moving from one of the dark tunnels off the room. A man a bit older than Hermione walked in. He, too, was shirtless, wearing only a pair of tanned leather slacks. Hermione stared at him. He had long red hair, freckles cover the bridge of his nose. He was also muscular, but in a different way than Sirius. He wore a single earring, a dragon claw, from his left ear.
"I'm Charlie, and I'm the one who took you," he added, giving her a grin. Hermione gasped when she realized his teeth were all jagged like those of the dragon.
"You're a dragon. She's a dragon too?"
"Exactly. We come from a long family that possesses dragon blood. Once we reach maturity we transform into the creatures. After the first transformation, it becomes easier to control, something Ginny here took a while to learn."
"Bite me!" Ginny snapped. Sirius laughed, nipping her neck. She playfully pushed him away.
"So... she ravaged the country side?"
"I couldn't help it. Of course, I'm better now," Ginny added. Sirius shook his head. "Am so!"
"Enough you two," Charlie snapped. "It doesn't matter. Either way, they suddenly decided they needed to start sacrificing virgins to appease the dragon."
"What happened to all the other sacrifices?" Hermione asked, realizing there was only she, Remus and Sirius in the room.
"Good thing about dragon families, plenty of kids. Fleur married Bill. Alicia married Fred. Angelina George," Charlie said, counting off the people on his fingers. Hermione nodded.
"So what about them?"
"Sirius is Ginny's current toy," Remus stated. "And mine."
Ginny laughed, giving them both a toothy smile.
"That just leaves you, Hermione. I'm the last son, and unless you'd like to join Ginny's little.. whatever it is."
"Harem? Hoping they'll send another boy next year," Ginny laughed. Charlie rolled his eyes.
"I don't think so, and you seem decent enough, you didn't kill and eat me at least," Hermione said, looking at Charlie. He wasn't too hard on the eyes, and she could see herself kissing him at least.
"Why don't we go the library, get to know each other a bit more, somewhere these two won't follow?" he said, nodding to Sirius and Ginny. Hermione glanced at Remus, who was staring at her and Charlie.
"And him?"
"He might follow," Charlie laughed. Hermione decided she wouldn't mind getting to know Remus a bit better either.
"Alright, show me your library," she stated, secretly glad she'd been chosen as the latest sacrifice. At least here, she wasn't an outsider and Charlie had promised her a library, what more could a girl ask for?
