September 18th 2005 PT2

Hermione had told Charlie to give her 10 minutes to prepare Arty to meet him, and explain in a way that the five year old would understand, before she stepped through the floo and appeared in her own living room. Ginny's eyes were immediately upon her and she smiled, nodding, seeing her friend grin as she felt small arms wrap around her waist. She looked down and found a grinning Arty looking up at her, excited to see her.

"Hello my little love," Hermione said, kneeling down before him to give him a proper cuddle, "Mummy would like to tell you something very important, could we go into your bedroom so mummy can talk to you?"

"Are you still upset, mummy?" He asked sweetly and she smiled.

"No darling," she reassured as she stroked his hair and stood up, lifting him with her and walking towards his room, "I'm scared and nervous, but I'm not upset."

"Why are you scared, mummy?" He asked as she sat down on the bed, putting him down next to her and taking his hands with a deep breath.

"Do you remember, a long time ago that I told you about your daddy?" She asked and he frowned, "That he had to stay with the dragons?"

"Because the dragons would be sad!" Arty said loudly and she chuckled, nodding.

"Yes, well, the dragons are moving to Britain, where we live." She said and he gasped excitedly, bouncing up and down slightly.

"The dragons are coming here?" He exclaimed, "I'll get to see dragons?"

"You will, but that's not all. Do you want to know something else?" She asked and he nodded energetically, "Your daddy is coming, too."

"My daddy?" He asked, his face showing his confusion, "My daddy is coming here?"

Hermione heard the floo roar in the other room, turning towards Arty's open door and Ginny greet her brother. She smiled and looked back at her son, whose eyes were very wide. She stroked a hand down his hair and pulled him into a cuddle.

"Your daddy is here," she whispered as she nodded, "He's with auntie Ginny and James, would you like to meet him?"

"Do you think he will like me, Mummy?" He asked sadly and Hermione squeezed her eyes shut, nodding.

"How could he not?" She asked, snorting, "You are a wonderful, brilliant little boy."

She felt him nod against her shoulder and stood up from the bed, offering her hand to him. Slowly, Arty reached out for it and she pulled him up, smiling down at him. He wiped his face of the tears she didn't even know had fallen and slowly walk with him, leaving his room and going into the living room where Charlie was stood with his back to them. She ushered Arty forward and nodded when he pointed at Charlie, his face confused.

She felt it when he let go of her hand and watched as he hesitantly took tiny steps forward towards his dad, stopping when he was within reaching distance and turning back to Hermione unsurely. Despite the tears that were pooled in her eyes, she smiled and nodded encouragingly, watching as he slowly lifted his hand and tugged on the back of Charlie's jumper. Charlie went incredibly stiff before turning round and looking down at the little boy in front of him, his own eyes wide and filled with tears as he dropped to knees before the child.

"Are you my daddy?" Arty asked, causing Hermione to sob as she felt Ginny's arm come around her shoulder and Charlie nodded, sobbing himself when Arty launched himself into his arms.

It was a heart warming and extremely emotional scene as Hermione covered her mouth and sobbed into Ginny's shoulder, watching her son meet his father for the first time. Charlie was bawling his eyes out as he wrapped his muscled arms around the little boy he didn't know he had, and Hermione heard sniffling coming from her son as Ginny wiped her eyes from next to her. The only person in the room who wasn't sobbing was James, who was looking at them as though they'd lost their minds.

When Arty pulled away from him, Charlie rubbed his eyes with the sleeve of his jumper before smiling at the little boy and Hermione crossed over to crouch next to him in front of their son.

"Arty, would you like to show daddy all of your Dragons, love?" She nudged and Arty gasped.

"Daddy!" Hermione heard as Charlie fought a sob, "You're a dragon keeper!"

"I am," Charlie croaked, clearing his throat, "do you like dragons?"

"I love dragons!" Arty yelled excitedly, "What are real dragons like, daddy? I've never seen a real dragon? Are they big?…"

The questions kept coming, not leaving any room for Charlie to answer as Hermione shook her head and laughed at the little boy. Charlie was wide eyed when the boy suddenly pulled on his hand, hastily standing up and allowing himself to be dragged towards his son's room, looking over his shoulder with a stunned expression before he disappeared through the door. Hermione laughed and shook her head, sighing as she stood up and moved to collapse on the sofa, where she felt Ginny collapse beside her.

"It never fails to amaze me," Ginny started, "How kids seem to take massive news in their stride."

"I know!" Hermione snorted, "then again, Charlie's job has crossed all the bridges between them."

"He took it well," Ginny smiled, turning towards Arty's room when she heard Charlie laugh loudly, "I've never seen Charlie so emotional."

"He just found out about and met his five year old son, all within 24 hours," She said, giggling when James climber into her lap and patted her cheek, "of course he was going to be emotional."

She and Ginny remained on the sofa playing with James, as he was demanding their attention, for a long time as Arty presumably told Charlie the names of all his dragons and Charlie told his son all about their real life counterparts. It wasn't until a couple of hours later that Charlie emerged from the room, grinning, with his son's hand in his.

"Daddy told me all about real dragons!" Arty said happily as he let go of Charlie's hand and hopped up on Hermiones lap, "and he said that maybe if I'm a good boy he would take me to see some!"

"Oh he did, did he?" Hermione chuckled, raising her eyebrow towards Charlie who shrugged sheepishly.

"Its safe, there's no risk of him getting hurt." He told her and she rolled her eyes, though she was still smiling.

"Alright, How about a deal my little love?" She chuckled, turning to Arty, "You keep your bedroom clean and tidy all by yourself from now until the new reserve opens, and I will come with you and daddy to see the dragons, ok?"

Arty nodded excitedly and hopped off her lap, running off to presumably tidy his room. Charlie turned, watching as he ran past him before moving to collapse on the arm chair. Ginny told them that she was going to head home to give them some time alone, seeing as there didn't seem to be any problems. They said their goodbyes and she left, leaving Hermione and Charlie together while their son crashed around in his room.