AN: This is a gift for SMJL's birthday. Her ask was "Can you please write: dragon tamer Ron & Professor Hermione reunite at a triwizard tournament? With "I'd be breaking all my rules to see you" from the Fearless prompts for good measure?" and I cheated and wrote a meet cute instead!
Hermione has a bone to pick about the new Triwizard Tournament. Will she get distracted as she sets out on her mission?
Hermione Granger marches down the path towards the Forbidden Forest. Discarded autumn leaves crunch with every fall of her step. Her cheeks are flushed, and her face is set in a determined frown, giving her the look of a deranged witch, especially as the old foliage collects in the train of her cloak as she moves. The wind pulls at her robes, and she shivers before wrapping it tighter around her body in an attempt to stave off the late October chill.
"I can't believe they're doing this. Dragons!" she shrieks to herself. "It's not like running the competition again, especially after 1994, wasn't a bad enough idea but now they think it's okay to bring dragons over here? What are they thinking?"
Hermione had vehemently protested when McGonagall announced the Triwizard Tournament would be making a return to the castle.
Having attended Beaubaxtons instead of Hogwarts as a child, Hermione hadn't been allowed to travel to the tournament. Instead, she relied on reading about it in the news, as well as hearing second hand when her fellow students returned. Of course, their professors tried to keep them as up to date as possible with their champion's progress, but it wasn't the same as being there.
The sound of a door closing only slows her down a little. A colleague falls into step with her, but she doesn't bother to glance at them. She already knows who it is.
"Lovely evening," he says in his thick west-country drawl that's still prevalent even after years of living in North Scotland. "Not like you to be out this late for a walk."
Rolling her eyes, Hermione turns her head to take in the half-giant. She waits until they're under the cover of the almost naked trees before replying, "Yes, well. When the welfare of creatures is at risk, I have to step in."
"I…uh…don't know what you—"
"Oh don't play dumb, Hagrid. I know that the dragons have arrived for the first task. I overheard Minevra talking to Filch about it this morning. Being shut down in the dungeons doesn't mean I'm oblivious to the goings on in the castle."
"Dragons?"
"Hagrid." Hermione raises her eyebrows at him. "If there aren't dragons, then why are you heading into the Forbidden Forest at dusk?"
"For no reason."
"Well, then you won't mind if I join you then."
The pair fall silent, and Hermione concentrates on following the path Hagrid picks through the undergrowth. The last thing she wants is to trip over a tree root. Pretty soon, he slows down, and they step out into a massive clearing that she's never come across before.
"Oh, Merlin."
Dragon Tamers swarm the meadow, and it looks as if they're working hard to subdue the beasts that fill the metal cages. Shouts, curses and roars fly around the place. It's absolute chaos, and the whole menagerie fuels Hermione's annoyance at the situation. The poor things shouldn't be here.
Her body shakes, and it's not only the chill in the weather that's causing it. How dare the Ministry drag the poor beings all this way purely for the school's entertainment. Dragons are not amenities, and although they're sentient creatures, they're unable to give their permission or consent to being hauled across the continent.
She paces through the area, her rage growing as she spots the nests the dragons are protecting. The poor beasts are mothers, too.
Having seen enough, Hermione storms over to the nearest tamer. She locks her slim fingers around the arm on his dragon hide jacket and spins him around to face her. He'll be the perfect person to receive a piece of her mind.
Oh.
The man greets her with a flash of brilliant blue eyes that light up and sparkle in another flare of dragon breath. Strands of flame-red hair poke out from underneath his bobble hat, and freckles decorate every inch of the wizard's face. He glances at Hermione, and, immediately, a lop-sided grin spreads across his lips.
"Can I help you, Miss?"
Hermione finds herself lost for words, a sensation she doesn't experience all that often. She gazes up at the man, craning her neck to take in all of him. He's tall, and she barely reaches his shoulders.
Why am I even here again?
The roar of a dragon pulls Hermione out of her stupor. She shakes away the spell that coming face to face with the stranger has put her under before chastising herself. Get a grip, Hermione. It's not like her to get flustered over a man she doesn't even know, and especially not one who has a profession that goes against every fibre of her being.
The man raises his red bushy eyebrows as he waits for her response. "Miss?"
Hermione grasps hold of the final strands of her concentration and yanks them back to her. She spits out, "It's Ms Granger," before letting go of the man's arm. Her hands drop to her hips as she widens her stance, preparing herself for a battle.
"I'm here to demand why you think bringing dragons over here is a good idea?"
The man's wonky grin grows wider as he casts his eyes up and down her body.
Is he…is he checking me out?!
Most women would be flattered by the action, but it only serves to fuel Hermione's rage even further. She's at breaking point, but she bites her lower lip to stop herself from shouting out in indignation. He deserves a chance to have his say before she releases the full assault of her debate.
"Well," he replies in a languid voice. "I thought the dragons were here for the Triwizard Tournament. Although, if you're looking to cheat, then I can't tell you the exact nature of the task. We need to mix it up after last time."
Hermione scoffs. "Yes, after last time. Didn't a child die?"
"Cedric was of age. Anyway, the first task didn't cause any issues in 1994. I should know, I was there."
She narrows her eyes at him. "I've researched the 1994 tournament. You weren't a contestant."
"Nope! But my best mate was. Did pretty well, too. He was the Hogwarts champion that didn't die."
In the man's defence, he grimaces as soon as the last of the words slip out of his mouth, but his abashed look doesn't stay on his face for long. Soon the cheesy grin reappears.
Desperate to find out more, Hermione pushes all her reservations aside and tries to form a new set of questions in her brain. But their conversation is rudely interrupted when Hagrid shoves her out of the way and wraps his arms around the man, squeezing him in a bone-crushing hug.
"Ron! It's good to see you again. How've you been? Is your brother here too?"
Ron laughs against the half-giant's chest but greets him like an old friend anyway. When he replies, Hagrid's big wiry beard muffles his words.
"I'm good, thanks mate. It's been a while, hasn't it? Charlie is here. He was over by the Horntail the last I saw of him."
Hagrid pulls away and beams down at the dragon tamer. "And how's Harry?"
"Oh, he's the same ol' specky git. Got promoted to Senior Auror the other week, of course. I think he's planning on coming up to the castle for the first task. Wouldn't miss it for the world. 'Course, he's hesitant about us hosting the competition, even sent a letter of concern to Ludo, but he ignored it. But I reckon under McGonagall's watchful eye, it'll all be okay.
"At least we know that this time, You-Know-Who won't make his return."
The half-giant's laugh booms around the dell, shaking the ground and disturbing the dragons into a furore. "You're not wrong. Right, well I better go and say hi to Charlie so he doesn't think I'm being rude. Then we have to get back up to the castle for dinner. Hermione. You're to wait for me before you go storming through that forest, okay?"
Ron waves goodbye to Hagrid then turns back to Hermione, who is so shocked that she's frozen to the spot.
"You're Ron Weasley?" she questions once she's picked her mouth up from the floor. "Your best friend is Harry Potter?"
"He sure is. And to answer your first question, I promise you that the dragons receive the best care possible. Fresh sheep five times a day, and a good rub down before they go to bed. They love travelling, mostly because there are different flavoured humans to eat in other countries.
"I can show you, if you want? Give you a tour when it's a little quieter and put your mind at ease. Would that help stop your worries?"
All of Ron's words spew out of his mouth in a fast flurry, but she doesn't miss the invitation hidden amongst the rest of it. Hermione is hesitant to respond. She knows bringing the dragons over here is the worst idea. It goes against everything she believes in. Magical creatures are not here to serve the Wizarding World. They should be free and roaming the countryside away from anyone they may harm.
But there's something charming about Ron that draws her in and makes her want to find out more about him and the work he does.
"I'd be breaking all my rules to see you," she admits. Her cheeks heat up as she realises what she said. "I mean. I'm not sure. You're a stranger, after all. And I know that all of this is wrong. I don't think there's much you can say that will persuade me to change my mind."
"Why not give it a shot? And hey, if we get on then maybe we can go to the Yule Ball together?"
"Are you staying that long?"
"Nah." Ron's grin grows even wider. "We'll be home by then. But a guy can dream, can't he?"
A slight buzz of excitement rushes through Hermione's veins, replacing her earlier anger. Despite her best efforts to suppress it, a matching smile unfolds on her face. Ron is intriguing, and she's always been interested in finding out more about the duo who saved the world from Voldemort. Maybe if their evening goes well, she'll get the opportunity to ask her questions.
In spite of herself, she nods and replies, "Okay. When?"
"How about at ten tonight? Make sure you wrap up warm. We can't rely on the dragons to keep the temperature up in this place."
Hagrid marches back over, once again breaking the connection between Ron and Hermione. A confusing sense of loss tugs at her heart, and she frowns at the sensation.
What's that all about?
"Come on Professor Granger, time for me to escort you back to the castle. Don't want the centaurs getting at you after surviving your first encounter with dragons, do we? Speak to you later, Ron?"
"Sure! Professor Granger, I'll meet you at the Entrance Hall, shall I?"
"O-okay."
Ron gives her a wink then turns back to tending the dragon, which Hermione can see is a Ukrainian Ironbelly.
As she follows Hagrid back towards the depths of the forest, a lightness fills her body, making her feel like she's walking on air. Before she slips into the darkness, she turns to check that Ron exists and that he isn't a figment of her imagination. Maybe she fell asleep in the library? It wouldn't be the first time.
But the dragon tamer is still standing next to his cage. He looks up, and their eyes meet across the thicket. He gives her a cheery wave then continues to stare.
Yeah, he's real.
The forest swallows her back up, and there's only one task on Hermione's mind. She must go to the library before dinner and research everything about dragon welfare and the Triwizard Tournament of 1994. Just because this is his job, and he was there at the competition, does not make him an expert.
Plus, there's no way she will make it easy for Ron Weasley to change her mind.
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