Author's note:

This chapter is the chapter you've all been waiting so long to read. I'm so sorry that I couldn't update it any sooner, but I was on holiday with my parents and I didn't have any internet connection there ;-)
About the chapter, in the end it might seem a little weird, and when I reread it, it felt a little strange to me too, but every attempt to make it better just made it way worse. So if you have any ideas that might be helpful, always welcome ;-)
I would also like to say that I have the whole story mapped out now, I know exactly where it's going to go from here, just not what will happen between the big pointers.
Okay, enough of my rambling, enjoy reading, and leave me some reviews?
Love,

Saphire.

At the Lair(Hermione's pov)

After reading the book, or rather parts of the book on dragons and their habits, It was nearly dark outside. Ariel let out a small cloud of smoke and I immediately knew that she was hungry, because I too had a rumbling stomach. So I took out a piece of the carcass that I had saved for her and laid it on the ground in front of her. Then stepped away and started preparing my own dinner. All the while I could hear the bones cracking and the wild swallowing, like she hadn't eaten in weeks. When I was finished warming up the canned spaghetti, I ate it straight out of the pot, to save me from washing too much dishes and then we just sat at the entrance of the cave together waiting for it to be dark enough to go flying and swimming.

It wasn't dark soon enough though, because after a while of waiting, Ariel started puffing out small clouds of smoke. And while I did my best to keep her calm by petting her and saying soothing words to her, I too was very excited to go out and play. So when the night had finally fallen over the land and I was sure that we wouldn't be caught, I got onto her back and coaxed her into flying.

As always, at first, being in the air was the scariest thing in the world, but after a while, when the feeling in the pit of my stomach subsided, I could enjoy every second and I could feel free. It felt like heaven, being in the air. Not like anything I had ever felt before. It felt satisfying, completing, in a strange way.

After a while I made Ariel touch down, so I could do the dishes in the water of the lake and so I could take my bath. Of course, right after I got off her back, she was back in the air, making loopings. But then, I guess in retrospect it would be the equivalent of a sneeze, suddenly she let out a huge fireball in the air. It lit up the sky and I was sure it would have been seen from miles and miles away. I was on high alert for what seemed like an endless time, but when my wards didn't react to any changes in the environment, I went about the business I had still to finish. I think Ariel must have noticed that I was on high alert, because she too had come down to earth and sat beside me as if to protect me or take me away at any time necessary. And when I calmed down, she just copied my lead.

I got undressed and I stepped into the cool water. I waded into the water until It came about as high as my hip and then I took off swimming around a little. I submerged myself in the water and when I put my feet back onto the ground I came back up for air. Then I walked back to shore to dry myself off, this time I had thought off bringing a towel, so I didn't need Ariel to blow dry me, and I put my clothes back on.

Suddenly, my wards began screaming at me. What happened... I saw a flash of red hair. Ariel was still swimming in the lake, and I was half naked. What to do?

At the Den(Charlie's pov)

When Max and I had talked it was almost dark, but when we were finished it was pitch black and we still needed to get back to the reserve. So we decided it would be best if we would just apparate instead of fly, it would be safer. We apparated straight into the command post and from there I walked to The Den, my home to get some food and some sleep.

I took out a lump of bread and some peanut-butter and jelly and made myself a nice peanut-butter sandwich. It tasted good after a hard days work. But while I was eating all by myself, my thoughts had a chance to wander. A chance they took gladly to wander to the lake and the magic there that intertwined with mine. It was probably Bast's magic I was sensing, maybe he had found a danger there or a shelter or a resting place... But it was something in the air around the lake that told me Bast had been there, or was still there. So I would go check it out again soon, look for changes.

After dinner I tried to set my mind on other things, I tried to clean my dirty clothes, I tried to clean up my house, I tried to do a lot of things, but none of them seemed to work on keeping a restless mind from wandering. So I decided that I would just go to sleep and deal with it in the morning.

But my restless mind had a different thought. I was tossing and turning for a good hour before I fell into a creepy dream about Bast being stolen by a poacher. I woke up in sweat, shaking, but it wasn't too bad. After calming myself down enough I could find sleep once again, to wake up again from another night-terror. This time I had had enough. If every time I closed my eyes I would have a night terror, I would just stay awake.

So I started reading a book, one that I had read before. But it bored me. I got out of bed and looked at the sky, it was a clear night and I decided to take my broom out and fly a little. I was only just making altitude, when I saw a fireball light up the horizon.

My mind went on a rant. THIS IS NO COINCIDENCE. I need to find the origin of that fire. WHY THE FUCK CAN'T THIS BROOM GO ANY FASTER? Maybe it was Bast. I hope she's okay. Maybe she's in a fight? Oh Merlin protect her, let her not be injured.

I started to slow down when I started to recognize my surroundings. I was near the lake. I knew it. I knew I sensed Bast. Max should have just gone with my gut. I knew it.

I got of near the end of the forest and started walking my way to the lake with my broom in one hand and my wand in the other, ready to attack anything and everyone that was attacking my Bast. But what I saw there wasn't at all what I expected.

I saw a beautiful young woman with long dark brown hair climb out of the water. NAKED. I started to blush. I was peeping on a young woman bathing in the lake, how dare I. But I found myself unable to look away, she was enchanting, the moonlight highlighting her skin, showing off her scars, giving her a ethereal glow. She came out of the water and started to rub herself dry, putting her clothes back on. In the corner of my eye I could see Bast flying about and plunging into the water, but I only had eyes for the girl.

Unaware of myself I walked closer to her while she was getting dressed. Not really considering how weird it would look if a stranger came up to you when you were getting dressed. So when she noticed me and freaked out I was stunned for a moment before my brain started to act again.

I threw up a protego just to protect myself from any of the attacks coming. Because first, I needed to get to Bast. First I needed to make sure she was okay. But then I looked closer at the girl that was standing there and she looked so familiar. She looked...no...NO... This could not be happening to me.. I stumbled backwards a little, almost fell down. The girl, I had been watching was Hermione. I wanted to scream, but I needed to let her know that I meant no harm, before she was gone again. Before I had lost her again.

"Hermione, don't be afraid, It's me.. Charlie, don't you remember?" I said in a soft voice, but loud enough so she could hear. I payed close attention to her reaction and to her surroundings, because apparently Bast didn't recognize me or she just chose Hermione over me. Because when she landed, she had landed right behind Hermione with her teeth bared as if she was ready to attack, as if she didn't even recognized me.

"Please Hermione, please remember me.." I begged.

At the lake(Hermione's pov)

A flash of red hair. My mind numbed for a second, but then I started to get back my strength and I guess that Ariel must have felt my distress, because not long after the red head had showed up she was by my side again with bared teeth and little puffs of smoke coming out of her nostrils. I was still deciding if I wanted to fight or flight.

On one hand I had a dragon who could take me anywhere and everywhere I wanted, so fleeing would be a good option. But I had to get past him first, although a simple stunningspell would probably do. On the other hand I had a new home here and I didn't want to leave it all behind. But then again I didn't want Ariel to have to live with the fact that she or I had killed a person. Decisions, decisions.

"Hermione, don't be afraid. It's me... Charlie, Don't you remember?" The red head spoke with hesitation. Wait what did he just say. Charlie, as in Ron's brother, Dragon taming, living in Romania, Charlie? Oh dear Merlin, I ran away from him, twice, I tried to hex him more than once, and I stunned him pretty bad. Oh dear.

"Please Hermione, please remember me..." he was begging now.

"Charlie?...Is it really you? IT CAN'T BE! WHO ARE YOU?" I screamed at him, knowing that Charlie would never have attacked me if he knew it was me.

"No please, Hermione, please... I can prove it. I'm Ron's brother, you have to believe me." He said in a small voice, his voice almost giving out.

"Charlie, no, it can't be, please, noo...Don't be... Don't..." I fell to my knees and started sobbing. I knew deep down that if he knew that I was here, it was only a matter of time before Ron and Harry knew that I was here too. They would be coming to get me soon.

Ariels reaction to my breakdown was big. She thought it was Charlie who made me cry and started to blow hot smoke in his face when he tried to comfort me, so he stayed on a safe distance. Instead of having him comfort me, she laid herself around me and started to lick away the tears and dry my face with hot puffs of air. Strangely enough the sweet affections of my dragon calmed me down from my hysteria and got me back to a point where I could function again.

"Okay, so say that I do believe you are Charlie, answer me this, What happened with Ron's leg at the end of his Third year?" I asked him. I knew that this was the security question used for Weasley familymembers only. I asked him this question, while I rose my wand again. CONSTANT VIGILANCE, flashed through my mind.

"Easy! He was bitten by Sirius Black in animagus form, while being dragged into the tunnel under the Whomping Willow." Charlie answered confidently. "Is that complete enough for you?"

"Okay, I guess that is enough indeed." I mumbled ashamed. "I'm sorry, but I'm not too trusting, and a girl in my position can't be too trusting anyway."

"I think it's time you got some real food in you, and slept in a real bed, don't you think? I'm taking you and Bast home. They will be glad at the reserve that Bast is still alive and well!" Charlie said.

Ariel started huffing and growling at the use of her old name. So I automatically started petting her to calm her down.

"Charlie, I should mention, a couple of things happened, you probably should call her Ariel from now, she likes it better, chose it herself actually..." I fell silent after the first remark. There was so much I had to tell him, but how? How was I going to tell him that I was a werewolf, assuming that he didn't know already? And how was I going to tell him that I was bound to a dragon from his reserve? And how was I going to tell him that I wasn't going to come with him?

"She what? You what...Ariel...Ariel...Pretty name, Ariel...My sweet sweet Ariel." Charlie replied, murmuring the name over and over softly.

"There are some other things. I'mawerewolfandI'mboundtoArielbybloodandIcan'tlivewithyouatthereserve!" I blurted out.

"Breathe Hermione, breathe. I didn't catch anything from what you were trying to say, so do you mind saying it again, but slower this time?" Charlie said, a laugh apparent in his voice.

I took a couple of deep breaths and started the sentence again: "I'll start with the easy one, I can't live at the reserve with you..."

"Why not?" Charlie immediately interrupted me.

"Maybe you should let me finish my reasoning, and then you can judge."I said in a serious voice. "First off, It would be bad for business, because I'm a werewolf and second, I'm bound to Ariel by blood. It would be too complicated."

When I finished talking, Charlie just stood there and watched me, his mouth hanging open, his eyes looking from Ariel to me and back. Like he was trying to figure out what had happened and how he could fix it.

"No, Hermione, You have to come with me, even if it's just for a few days. Please?" Charlie spoke softly. I almost didn't catch it and I probably wouldn't have if it wasn't for my wolf-hearing. "Please, we need to make sure Ariel is okay, I need to make sure you are both okay. Please..." He begged. I could hear his voice breaking and his throat closing up, I felt so bad.

Maybe a few days at the reserve couldn't hurt. I would get good food and maybe the comfort of an actual shower and soap. Not the comfort of a bed though, because I couldn't bare the thought of leaving Ariel alone at night. But my decision was made. I would go, for just a couple of days.

"Okay, fine. I will come with you for a couple of days. But I will be gone before the full moon. Before the danger starts. And don't make me leave Ariel or I swear, I'll burn everything down to the ground." I said, somewhat threatening him.

He let out a breath he had been holding and started breathing a little more freely now. "Thanks." He whispered.

"Will you please wait here, I will get all my stuff and then I will come with you." I said to him. And as if on cue, Ariel lowered her neck for me to get on and flew to the cave. I quickly packed all our stuff, which wasn't much and we flew back down, where Charlie was watching in awe.

"She lets you ride her?" was his only question, when his eyes stopped bulging out of their sockets.

"Well, it's a perk of being bound to a dragon." I answered with a smile.