A/N: Sorry for the short chapter. I'm still having trouble knowing the proper place to stop, so I just keep wait till it feels right. I wrote and reviewed this late at night so, if there are any mistakes that's why. I kind of feel like I should wait till I have a few chapters written in advance before I post them, but I'm just so excited to get this all out there. Especially because my laptop already crashed twice and deleted large chunks of the story. Well, read and enjoy! Thanks again to everyone taking their time to read this!

Love, Cordelia

Chapter 3

"Charlie..."

He was just the way she remembered. Shorter than Bill or Ron, but with muscles that rippled under his dragon hide vest. His red hair had grown down to his shoulders and was tied back with a string of leather. It was a slightly darker shade than his brothers, closer to Ginny's auburn strands and pin straight. His face and arms were so covered in freckles it looked like he was tanned from the sun. Worn black jeans were tucked into dragon hide boots. A gray T-shirt was under the vest, and stretched enticingly over his arms and chest. Shiny burns crisscrossed over his forearms. One large scar wrapped from his left elbow and disappeared under his shirt peaking out at the top along his collarbone and ending in the middle of his neck. His right arm was covered by a large tattoo of a Romanian Longhorn. It's dark green scales stood out against the light dusting of ginger hair. It's golden horns glittered and sparkled in the light in a way that could only be accomplished by magic. The tail reached from the knuckle of middle finger wrapping around his wrist, the wings curved around his bulging biceps. It's head covered his shoulder; the horns mirrored the scar on the opposite side, running on either side of his collarbone. His round face looked carefree and rugged. His beard was trimmed short and accentuated his sharp jawline. His mouth was pulled into a devilish smirk, but it was his eyes that drew her in. They were the steely blue, but his emotions danced inside them like flames. The scorching passion for life, blazing anger, twinkling mischief, burning curiosity. They consumed her.

"Need some help, love?" Charlie's voice broke her out of her daze. She looked at his still outstretched hand. Her cheeks flamed at her undignified position. 'Merlin, how do I always manage to make an ass out of myself around this man?' She huffed internally. She put her small hand inside his large calloused one and he tugged hard once, easily pulling her to her feet. Still slightly off balance, she crashed into his broad chest. She shivered at the feel of his hard pecs beneath her fingers as her knickers dampened by his proximity. The smell of him engulfed her senses. Pine, leather, and a slightly sulfuric scent like that of an extinguished match. His laughter shook in his chest.

"Falling for me already Granger?' He teased. He wrapped his arms around her in a hug before she could pull away.

"Your humility is awe inspiring, as always, Charlie." She answered sarcastically.

He let out a booming laughter, releasing her. "I sure have missed your wit Hermione. Keeps me on my toes." He grabbed her bag before she could and slung it over his shoulder. "I'll show you to your cabin first before the main tour of the grounds." He called over his shoulder walking to the exit of the visitors lobby and into the main building. Having no choice but to follow him she quickened her pace to fall into step with him.

"So, you're the one the Ministry sent to solve our mystery?" He asked as they left through the back door and down the dirt path to the Tamers cabins in the distance.

"Mmmm..." she hummed noncommittally. She didn't know how much he was privy to.

"It's okay, I'm actually the lead Tamer caring for the infected in the sanctuary. Wrote the reports requesting help to Kingsley myself." He replied picking up on her hesitation.

She glanced over and noted his darkening features. His thoughts on the sick dragons in his care.

"Kingsley didn't mention that." She contemplated aloud. "Yes, I'm hoping to at least. It's honestly kind of intimidating. There's so much riding on this, and I can't stand the thought of those magnificent beasts suffering." She answered him shaking her head sadly.

His head snapped up in surprise at the mournful tone in her voice. His feet faltered and she looked back to him concerned. He was staring at her with an expression she had never seen before. His eyes penetrating into her soul and lighting stroking the heat that raced down between her legs. He looked at her like he was seeing something inside her that he had never noticed. Like she was a puzzle he couldn't wait to figure out.

"What?" She questioned him.

"Nothing." He said still staring at her. "I just didn't know you liked dragons so much." He muttered sheepishly, rubbing a hand across the back of his neck. "I was kind of expecting the person the ministry sent over to be interested in solving this problem for the notoriety, or the even just the money. I didn't think they would care about the beasts that were suffering to be honest. Most wizards keep clear of dragons, and are only interested in what they can take from them. Us Tamers are usually the only ones barmy enough to want to take care of the nasty tempered overgrown lizards." He chuckled. "Sorry for underestimating you." He apologized with a smile.

"It's alright." She smiled up at him. "I guess it's surprising to most people. I'm rather outspoken about Creatures rights at the DRCMC, but that mostly focuses on trying to establish rights for those that have been taken advantage of. Not that any of my proposals have been approved lately." She shook her head. "One of the reasons I accepted this was to hopefully make a difference, and get away from the bureaucracy."

"Tired of paperwork, eh?" Charlie chuckled. "Not surprising with all the adventures you lot used to get up to. I couldn't imagine being stuck in an office all day. Think I'd go spare without the risk of catching fire to add some spice to life." He laughed self deprecatingly.

Hermione looked him over and smirked.

"No, I don't think you'd quite fit into the standard office employee mold." She answered honestly and he grinned in response. Obviously taking it as a compliment. "It's not that I mind the paperwork..." She answered his earlier question. "It's more the monotony of everything. I thought I would enjoy having a quite normal life after the war, but.." She trailed off not sure how to put the feeling into words.

Charlie snorted indelicately. "You were always the brains of your little group Mione, but you were always right along side them in the thick of it. You've got a fire in your heart, and no desk job, no matter how rewarding it is, is going to quench that need that's bubbling right under the surface. I could have told you that."

It was Hermione's turn to look at him in shock. 'How could he have possibly known that. The way he worded it was like he knew personally what that feeling was. How it feels to have this burning desire for excitement that never faded, always simmering in the depths of your soul, reminding you time and time again that something was missing, and you couldn't help but feel that life was slowly slipping through your fingers without anything ever happening around you." She looked at him searching to see if he truly got it. She realized they had stopped walking again. Just standing on the dirt path lined with old wood cabins.

His eyes met hers and she saw them flash with a knowledge before settling into a familiar burn. "It's the way I felt before I started Taming. Quidditch was thing that came close to matching it. Still wasn't enough though." He shrugged and started walking again. "Just you wait till you taste some real fire, love. You'll never want to leave." He called over his shoulder with a smile that set her knickers ablaze and made her pussy clench with need.

"Hurry up, we're almost at yours!" He gestured to the row of single cottage style homes. Racing to catch up Hermione only had one thought that went through her head.

'Fucking hell, if he keeps talking to me like that I'll never be able to go back to filling out damn proposals.'