A/N: Update number TWO for the week, hopefully we'll have another one on Friday. Will all depend on how the rest of my week goes. I'm currently on standby waiting for a birth (working as a birth doula, so working on a baby's schedule not my own) therefore, I cannot make any promises on what will or will not get done.
ISO beta readers, so if you're interested let me know (or if you know someone point them in my direction) I'd really appreciate the help!
For anyone who was wondering my Hogwarts house, I'm a Gryffindor. I know, surprise. I embody all the traits, the hot headedness is by far my biggest flaw.
The rest of my family is: husband is a Ravenclaw, oldest child is a Slytherin, second child is a Hufflepuff, then third and forth are Gryffindors like me.
I guess that's all I have to say this time around.
Back to the story…
Week Nine
Hermione,
Harry said that he heard a rumor that someone from Britain was attacked by a vampire in Romania. I told him; it COULDN'T be Hermione because there's no way that she would ever keep something like that from us.
So, I just want you to imagine our shock when we run into Luna at St. Mungo's for a baby appoint and she asks how you're doing after your attack on the SEVENTH. You know, TWENTY DAYS AGO.
Hermione Jean Granger, you are very lucky this isn't a Howler like the one mum sent to Charlie. She was with me and Harry, so no I'm not just running to her to spill your secrets.
Why wouldn't you tell anyone about this? And another thing, why didn't Amos send for you to come home early? I know Dad stopped by and is having a talk with him about your safety, but Merlin Hermione. Why wouldn't you ever mention that. I'm guessing that's why you had to use a self-writing quill.
I know that you have to get the sanctuary in Scotland up and running, but from the way Luna made it sound like Rolf told her you almost lost an arm. Harry and Ron have been driving me mental, just so you know. They're ready to get a portkey and drag you home right now.
-Ginny
Hermione read Ginny's letter twice before she heard the howler she referenced letting loose in the courtyard. Hermione grabbed for the cane that the healers had set her up with just yesterday and hobbled her way out and saw a floating red envelope in front of a stunned Charlie.
CHARLIE PREWETT WEASLEY, HOW DARE YOU ALLOW HERMIONE OUT ON A DEATH MISSION! SHE COULD HAVE DIED! WHAT WHERE YOU THINKING! I'D THINK AFTER ALL THERE YEARS YOU WOULD HAVE LEARNED TO BE MORE CAREFUL! I HAVE A GOOD MIND TO PORTKEY STRAIGHT TO ROMANIA MYSELF! YOU BETTER TAKE BETTER CARE OF HER!
Molly's voice rang through the court yard, then suddenly exploded into flames after the ribbon stuck it's tongue out at Charlie. Hermione was watching Charlie's face, but the most he had done was run his fingers through his hair making it a ruffled mess.
A handful of dragon keepers that weren't busy had congregated in the courtyard and had watched the full exchange. Not knowing how many of them knew how to speak English, it was pretty clear who could because they were looking back and forth between herself standing in the doorway to the women's quarters and Charlie who still hadn't moved.
"Damn, no wonder Charlie never blinked an eye going up to a dragon. Could you imagine growing up with someone that scary as a mother." Casey was standing behind her now and Hermione turned to look up at the witch.
She still had her arm wrapped in a cast. The vampire had fractured her ulna, and just like with Hermione, the venom in from the bite was causing the wounds to heal much slower than magic would typically take.
"Molly Weasley is not someone you want to cross." Hermione confirmed to the witch, and slowly started to hobble her way out to Charlie. Before she'd even made it halfway down the steps from the entrance, Charlie had looked over at her and quickly made his way to help her.
"So, I guess mum found out that you got attacked by a vampire?" Charlie asked, still struggling to meet her eye.
"Uh, yeah. I just got a letter from Ginny. She said they ran into Luna at St. Mungo's for a baby appointment and that Luna asked if they knew how I was doing. I'm guessing that Rolf told Luna I'd been injured. I thought about telling them, but I didn't want them to worry so I kind of just left it out of my updates to Ginny." Hermione bit on her bottom lip, she was worried that Charlie would be upset with her since she had been the one who neglected on relaying the information to her friends.
"Well, it's not the first time she's sent a howler and I'm sure that it won't be the last." Charlie ran his fingers through the hair on the top of his head messing it up even more. "So, what's the plans for today ladies?" Charlie asked looking between Hermione and Casey, clearly ready to move on from the very public tongue lashing that his mother had sent him.
"I've got those meetings with Vlad and Ivo about your transfer and then you being able to come back next September. They actually suggested that it would be a good idea for you to come to Scotland mid to late January to help start getting things set for the opening." Hermione had been meeting with Vlad and Ivo all week going over all the things that she should expect help with Charlie. They had just last night made the suggestion that Charlie come earlier to make sure that the set up goes smoothly.
Charlie was nodding his head at this information, "yeah that would be the best approach to this, did you need help with going over any applicants?" Hermione shook her head at his offer. While she knew that starting in January that Charlie would be involved in the hiring process, right now he still had work that he was needing to do here, in Romanian.
"Vlad actually was helping me and was going to show me a few portfolios of different people from here that I might want to talk to as well. I'm supposed to meet him in about an hour though."
"And I'm here to help her get around until she can walk properly." Casey commented behind Hermione. Part of Ivo's punishment to Casey was that since she had been directly involved in Hermione's injuries that she was going to make sure that she got to where she needed to go and get all the help she needed.
"Okay, well then I guess I'll see you two later." Charlie bent down and gave Hermione a quick peck on the lips and waved to Casey before turning and heading back out of the courtyard.
"I get the feeling, that my best friend isn't going to be coming back next September." Casey commented watching Hermione closely.
With a blush rising up her neck, Hermione couldn't help but admit to herself that the thought of Charlie living and working with her for nine months sounded amazing. Even though their relationship had been casual to begin with, Hermione knew that being so close with Charlie for so long that her feelings with him were just going to continue to grow.
"We should get moving if you were still wanting to check in on the longhorn hatchling. Did you come up with a name for her yet?" Hermione turned to Casey, wanting to change the subject.
"Oh, well yeah. Named her Clover since we found her egg in that field." Casey had a wide smirk across her face.
"That's a great name, what's her new mother's name?" Hermione asked while slowly making her way down into the courtyard. Casey kept her steps slow so that she was close enough to try and catch Hermione if she fell.
"The mother's name is Emerald. You know, because she's green. That was all Charlie and Anton though. They aren't very creative when it comes to names. Bless them though, they still try." Casey quickly summoned her broom and offered a hand to Hermione so that could climb onto the back.
Unlike when she had recently ridden with Charlie, Casey still had her riding on the back on the broom. Her arm was working a lot better now, so that she could hang onto someone's waist. She was still struggling with holding onto a quill and writing though, so the self-writing quill had been getting lots of use until her hand was steady again.
Casey kicked off from the ground and they shot into the air heading where the office buildings were located. The longhorn enclosure was on the way, that's why they had felt that they would have time to stop for a quick check in before her meeting.
After just a few minutes in the air, Casey easily landed and helped Hermione off the broom and held out the cane. With wobbling steps, Hermione started to make her way towards where she could see Clover, the baby longhorn running circles around its mother's legs.
The rate at with the dragon had grown shocked Hermione. It had hardly been two weeks, but the hatchling was already the size of a baby elephant. Her bright green color shone in the morning light making her look like she was shimmering. Small bulges on her forehead showed where her horns would be growing in as she grew.
Emerald, the mother dragon, laid lazily napping, occasionally opening an eye and batting at her infant causing a squeal of joy to erupt from her daughter. Hermione could feel the tear in her eyes as she watched the pair. They seemed so content and at peace, but she remembered how worried they had been that Clover wasn't going to make it.
"This is what makes it all worth it." Looking up at Casey, she had a soft smile on her lips and Hermione could tell she was thinking about what all they had done getting Clover here safely.
"I really am glad we saved her. She deserves the best life possible." Hermione sat herself down on a rock and just enjoyed watching the small dragon with her mother.
Hermione could feel the dull ache brewing as she thought about motherhood. She swept the feelings aside and buried them down. There was no need to sit and ponder over something when she had this beautiful view and this new life beginning right in front of her.
They watched until a group of keepers came in and started feeding Emerald and Clover their breakfast. Grabbing her cane, Hermione was able to stand. Casey didn't make her walk, as she summoned her broom right to where they were sitting.
Hermione again climbed onto the back of Casey's broom and they made their way to the offices for Hermione to continue working with Vlad.
Vlad was standing outside speaking with another dragon keeper when they landed.
"Mi-ninny, Vase." He greeted them as Hermione slowly made her way up the three steps that were at the front of the office building. He held the door open as the two witches entered first. Casey waved to Hermione, as she really didn't need to be sitting in these meetings, and she went to see what potion work she could help with.
They took the short walk down the corridor and into Vlad's office. His office was about the size of the room Hermione had for her living quarters. On the walls hung pictures of Vlad and Ivo in front of various dragons that they had helped.
There was also a picture of very young Vlad and Ivo with their great-grandfather, Harvey Ridgebit. She had learned that Harvey was the dragonologist who had first established and owned the Romanian Dragon Sanctuary until his death in 1970's. Vlad's father had taken over until Vlad and Ivo were old enough to take dual ownership in the late 1990's.
Hermione settled into the same plush brown armchair that she'd occupied all week and looked across the desk at Vlad. The resemblance between Vlad and his great-grandfather was startling. There was no difference between than man sitting in front of her and the man in the picture behind him on the wall.
"Mi-ninny, I ave des portfolios for you. De new recruits from last years class I have omitted. Dey are not ready and de training hasn't finished. Der are a few in here dat ave asked to transfer to Sweden or China. One even had talked to the MacFusty clan to go to Scotland and elp with the Hebridean Black dragon, but dey turned him away. He as seven years' experience, he'd be good. He's from Scotland." Vlad handed over the stack and Hermione skimmed the first few in the pile. This would be really helpful for Amos, as he was going to be in charge of recruitment. She would send them to him with her report from this past week.
"Yes, thank you Vlad. I really appreciate all the help with this. Also, I spoke with Charlie about your suggestion of him coming in January. He agreed, but obviously I'll let the two of you discuss it further. If I have Charlie coming in January with a March opening, do you think then we'll want the rest of the keepers to being in February?"
"Certainly, Charlie coming to work in January, give him a few veeks to get the set up he vants and then ave the rest joining him. Late January would be the latest I vould ave dem begin. It will take time to set the wards and set up de layout." Vlad explained as Hermione nodded her head. She had her self-writing quill working, but it felt wrong not writing her notes herself.
The conversation continued on and Hermione asked more questions on what they should do and get done before all the dragon keepers come to help with the set up. Vlad had a lot of good suggestions and even provided Hermione with the journals that his great-grandfather had written in the early years of the Romanian Rescue.
Hermione was feeling like she was ready to head back to England and get to work on this with Amos and Rolf and the rest of the team. It was really starting to feel less like a dream and something that she was going to be able to see with her own eyes so quickly.
As Vlad and Hermione were wrapping up for the night, there was a knock at the door. Hermione turned and was excited when she saw Charlie standing in the doorway. The white shirt that he had started the day in was now filthy. He had his dragon hide gloves sticking out of his pocket and the dragon hide boots were coated in mud.
"Charlie, velcome. Ve vere just finishing up ere." Vlad greeted the redhead with a warm smile.
"Thank Vlad, I ran into Casey and she had a potion blown up and was heading to the infirmary for a few burns. I told her that I'd grab Hermione for her."
"Oh, is she okay?" Hermione asked and she felt the worry rise up in her chest.
"Casey will be just fine. Potions wasn't exactly her strongest subject in school." Charlie chuckled to himself. "This isn't the first burn she's gotten and I'm sure it's not going to be her last."
Walking over to Hermione Charlie held out his hand. Hermione happily took his hand as he helped her out of her feet. Hermione had her cane, but as she reached for her bag, Charlie had already swung it over his shoulder.
"Vell, enjoy de weekend. I'll be out the next few veeks, but I'll see you before you leave Mi-ninny." Vlad said as he escorted them out of his office.
With final handshakes, Hermione and Charlie left the office buildings together. "Did you get a few names to invite to join us in Scotland?" Charlie asked as he helped Hermione onto the front of his broom.
"Yes, I'm going to have plenty of portfolios to send to Amos. He's going to be pleased, I know he's been struggling with finding enough dragon keepers that have experience." Hermione settled back against Charlie's chest and she couldn't help but feel the warmth in her abdomen.
With a blush, Hermione cursed her injuries and looked forward to being able to spend more, quality, time with Charlie in the last few weeks of her stay in Romania.
Week Ten
Hermione,
I have arranged for your return portkey to depart on the twentieth of September at ten in the morning. We look forward to your safe return.
-Amos
Hermione was enjoying being able to walk without a cane, but she still wasn't completely steady on her feet. It was frustrating beyond belief that she couldn't just be better for her last weeks, but at the same time it was a weight off her shoulders to know that she wasn't going to have to struggle once she was back home.
Charlie had been beyond helpful in everything that her injuries had limited. He'd also been willing this past week to speak with a few of the dragon keepers that she had been looking at inviting to join them in Scotland. Out of the ten they approached, five had agreed.
"We're having a party tonight." Casey dropped into the seat next to Hermione in the mess hall. Looking up from the reports that she had been reading while she ate her fruit, Hermione looked up at the witch with a raised eyebrow.
"Who's we?" Hermione asked, because since she'd been in Romania, the only party she had been to was in the small wizarding village and not on the reserve.
"Well, everyone. We've been so damn busy with no time off that there has been a lag in the partying. Usually every Friday and Saturday night, the living quarters are just a big drinking fest. Since things are starting to calm down a bit and we don't have any transfers or eggs due to hatch, we're going to blow off some steam." Casey threw a piece of bacon in her mouth.
She still had her arm wrapped, but it was no longer in a cast. Hermione had found herself equally struggling with having to keep her injuries bandaged as they would occasionally start to bleed still.
Hermione had decided that she was just going to accept a party with the dragon keepers. The last time she'd tried to decline had ended up with her fighting with Charlie, and she just didn't want to fight with him over something that was supposed to be fun.
As if summoned by Merlin himself, Charlie Weasley appeared and dropped into the open seat on her other side.
"Case, want to help with getting some dragon dung to the villages for their crops? We can show Hermione the contracts we have with them and how the trade is set up." Charlie had his plate filled with eggs, bacon, sausages, and toast. He didn't eat as franticly as Ron did, but she could see that he had the Weasley appetite.
Casey shoved back the plate she had been eating from and shot a glare Charlie's way. "Charles, if you must talk about dragon shit then wait until we're not at the breakfast table."
Charlie chuckled to himself and shrugged his shoulders, continuing to shovel food into his mouth as if it didn't bother him in the least that he had ruined Casey's breakfast.
Casey shoved herself out from the table and swung her back over her shoulder, making sure that the bag managed to make contact with the back of Charlie's head. "Hermione, if you want to see this part of the job then you can meet me by the Opaleye enclosure, that's close to the building that stores what we sell to the village."
With on last glare at Charlie, Casey turned and marched out of the hall. Hermione looked back to Charlie and saw that he looked completely unphased by Casey's irritation with him.
"You don't even care that she's upset with you?"
"Huh?" Charlie looked up from his food as if he didn't understand what Hermione was asking.
"Casey, she's obviously upset with you."
"Oh, well, yeah. She's not really upset with breakfast, and there's nothing that I can do that's going to help her or make her feel better." Charlie said as a matter of fact.
"Do you know what's upsetting her then?" Hermione had a feeling that it had something to do with Charlie leaving the reserve in December. He had decided that he was going to take the month of December off so that he could relocate and spend sometime with his family before starting work with her.
Ever since Casey found out that her time with her best friend was limited, she'd been on the rampage and picking fights with Charlie over anything. Luckily, Hermione had managed to not get between the two.
"Yeah, but what am I supposed to do? She didn't have an issue until she found out I was leaving in three months. I offered her to come with me, but she turned me down." Charlie shrugged and finished his last few bites.
"She refused the offer?" Hermione was shocked, she had known that Charlie was going to offer Casey to help with the opening, but she hadn't thought that Casey would turn him away.
"Well, ready to go see the wonders of the selling of dragon dung?" Charlie finished with a wicked grin, and Hermione couldn't do anything but laugh as he led her out onto the grounds.
The language barrier made it hard to understand in real time the conversations and the trade negotiations. Casey was helpful with the translating of what was happening though. Hermione was grateful that she was there while Charlie was speaking with the merchants that were haggling with him.
It wasn't all that complicated, it was just as it would be with any other trade deal, but this did open up that they'd be able to do business with Hogwarts to have to fertilizer in herbology. Hermione jotted down a quick note to remind herself to contact Neville Longbottom, the Hogwarts herbology professor, to see if they could set up an agreement.
Charlie had explained on the way, that they really did need to do these trade deals with the villages. It helped with the economy of the surrounding villages, but also it kept the waste that the reservation had to deal with to a minimum. Hermione liked the idea of community, and this reservation showed more and more just how it really was a central idea and they were not just keeping themselves secluded from the rest of wizarding Romania.
After flying back with Casey, since Charlie said that he had a few more things to do, Hermione set to working quickly filling out reports that she was needing to send out by the end of today for Amos and Rolf. Hermione had thought about sending a letter to Ginny to reassure her that she was alright and that the vampire attack hadn't been Charlie's fault in the slightest.
She knew that her friends were just worried about her safety, and it had to be hard since she hadn't even gotten to say goodbye in person to them. She knew she was going to have to face the wrath of them when she saw them in person, but hoped that maybe the time apart would help.
As Hermione was busy trying to come up with a plan on what to say to Ginny, Harry, and Ron a knock at her door interrupted her train of though.
Turning to see who was knocking, Hermione smiled when she saw Charlie. He had clearly already gotten cleaned up; she didn't smell the odor of dragon dung coming off him anymore. His course red hair was pulled back with a string at the base of his neck. Since he'd been able to work for the last month outdoors, he'd gotten a lot tanner also. His dark brown eye was making her lose herself before she could think of anything to say.
"Did you have any reports that you needed taken to the owlery?" Charlie hadn't crossed her doorway, but he'd folded his arms across his chest making the muscles look even larger and firmer.
"Er, yes I do." Hermione quickly turned to her desk and she found all the envelopes that she was needing to send out. Standing, she only had a moment to process that Charlie had already crossed the room before he was pulling her into his arms and rubbing his face in her wild curls.
"I've missed you so much" he whispered against her ear; she could feel him breathing in the scent of her shampoo.
Turning her body, Hermione molded herself against him. Her soft petite frame fitting perfectly now that she was able to put weight on her left leg. Hermione couldn't hold in the sigh that threatened to escape her lips. It had been so long since she'd felt he warm strong body like this with her.
Hermione threaded her fingers into his hair and pulled his face closer to hers. His warm breath so close, all other thoughts had left her. Pulling him closer she let her lips meet his. Charlie's hands gently cupping her face, she could feel his thumbs rubbing against her jaw line.
The softness of his touch made her feel like he was afraid if he was too rough with her that she could disappear from under him. Hermione opened her mouth for him and tried to convey through her kiss that he didn't have to fear her breaking. That she was here and that she wasn't going to slip away from him.
Charlie pulled back from her shaking his head "your shoulder bled through the bandage."
Hermione looked over and saw that there was a crimson stain on her shirt, before she could even look down at her leg, Charlie had already lifted her and had sat her onto her bed. She could see that an identical stain had formed on denim she was wearing.
"I'll get these to the owlery and you to the infirmary" Charlie walked over to her desk and collected the envelopes. Hermione had attempted to walk towards the door, but Charlie had already lifted her into his arms and was carrying her into the courtyard.
"I can replace the bandaging myself; you really don't need to take me to be seen."
"You're bleeding enough that it went through your clothing, and it's from vampire bites. You need to be seen and checked over." Charlie's tone gave her the impression that this was not up for debate and that she didn't have any say in it. Being dismissed like that annoyed her more than anything, and she was not going to let him treat her like a child.
"I was just seen yesterday and cleared to try getting back to normal activities. This isn't the worst I've been through and I'm perfectly capable of treating myself, thank you very much." Hermione began to squirm in his grip, forcing Charlie to set her down.
"Why can't you just let me take care of you, there's nothing wrong with being seen and that's too much blood to lose without getting a blood replenishing potion." While she knew that Charlie had a point, Hermione couldn't help but feel irritated that he was forcing his will on her.
"Fine, take me to the infirmary then stop by the owlery." She slowly limped her way over and swung her foot over his broom and waited for him to join her with her arms crossed.
She swore that she was going to figure out a better way for her to get around her sanctuary than having to fly around on a broom.
"Hermione, come on. You can't be upset with me over this." Hermione stuck her chin in the air and refused to respond. She wasn't mad at him, but she was upset at the circumstances she found herself in. It'd been almost a full month since she'd been attacked. She had watched as Casey was getting back into work and how no one was fumbling over her.
They flew in silence, and once Charlie landed, she saw him hesitate as he was about to help her and then thought better of it.
Sighing to herself, Hermione leaned in and gave Charlie a gentle kiss on his cheek and walked away without another word. She could head him take off, and watched as he soared away into the sky.
Walking into the building she was met by a healer, who's eyes gave away that she had indeed lost too much blood. She was taken in and with a flick of the healer's wand, she was changed into a gown. Multiple vials of blood replenishing potion appeared on the bedside table next to her. The healer gestured towards one, and Hermione understood that she was needing to drink it.
The healer worked quickly and kept throwing up a diagnostic every so often to make sure that Hermione's blood count was fine. No more than an hour had passed when the healer seemed satisfied, and Hermione was bandaged back up and sent on her way.
Walking out into the courtyard in front of the infirmary, Hermione didn't see Charlie waiting for her. With a sigh, she knew that it wasn't a terribly far walk to get back to her quarters and she needed a little bit of time to clear her head anyway.
Where did she ultimately see things going with Charlie? What sort of life was she wanting if she kept seeing him? What would his family and her friends think of them being a couple? How did Charlie feel about her and what was he willing to give up to be with her?
It wasn't much, but it was a start to a list of things she wanted to address with him over these next two weeks. Before she was back in England without him for two and a half months, before they would be working closely together. These where the things that she needed to discuss with him and open up to him.
She needed to tell him her trauma, she knew that he deserved to know the truth about what the war had done to her. What it had taken from her. She knew that she wanted to be with Charlie, but she didn't want to sway him into wanting to be with her. She wanted him to decide on his own, because she feared that he would resent her one day if he didn't find his answers alone.
When she reached the courtyard, she saw that there were already signs of everyone getting ready for the upcoming party for tonight. Hermione decided that she was not going to be up for a party tonight. She quickly made her way into her room and wrote a note for Casey letting her know that she wouldn't be coming, and sent it flying to the witch's room with a flick of her wand.
She wrote a second note to Charlie and sent it flying to his room as well. Chewing on her lip she cast a silencing charm and settled herself in bed with a book. She'd made her move, now she just had to wait for Charlie to see what would happen next.