And She Ran
Chapter two: Girlie
Disclaimer: Not mine.
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The head keeper of the reserve was the first person she ran into. To be completely honest he had been the only one she had seen since she entered the encampment. Before she had even had the chance to look for anyone else she had been shuffled into what she could only consider an office tent. Similar to the tent that they had used during the World Cup, the tent was magically enlarged. The only thing that was different from a normal business office was the fabric that made up the roof and walls.
With a gesture of the older man's hand as a sign of welcome, Hermione sat herself before the desk. "It's not often we get unannounced visitors all the way out here. What can I do for you?" Hermione was a little surprised by the mans attitude. He was a welcoming sort of bloke but was ratter rude. As proven by the fact that Hermione had yet to learn the man's name. She shuffled around in her mind trying to remember if Charlie had even given his boss's name but she came up blank.
"Sir, my name is Hermione Granger." She introduced herself with a genuine smile. If this name was rude then she would take it happily. Hermione would much ratter have someone treat her like they would treat anyone else then be treated differently because of her war hero status. "I'm sorry that I just showed up like this but I was in a bit of a rush. To be frank I am here to become a Dragon Keeper."
"Well, if you are planning to stick around then you can call me Matt like the rest of the lot does. Before I okay you staying, I'm going to have to ask you quite a few questions. First of all I need to make sure you aren't here because you are in some sort of trouble." Matt eyed Hermione with suspicion laced eyes. The suspicion she could understand. Just like she was trying to get away from the wake of the war, so were the sympathizers that would find themselves in Azkaban if the stuck around.
"No, I'm in no sort of trouble but I did need to get away from everything. I've wanted to work with dragons since I was in my fourth year. If I didn't leave when I did I don't think that I would have been able to get here." He watched her with confusion and Hermione couldn't help but feel sorry for the man, the way she expected this conversation to go would bring more confusion.
"No offence and don't take me as a sexist but girls don't last long in the profession. The last girl left after three months and our whole crew is male. Is this actually something that you are serious about? Do you even thing you are in the physical condition to handle what we do here? Are you going to be able to handle a slew of blokes, very little personal space and less then five star living conditions?" He asked looking over her short height and lean muscular build.
Hermione sighed with a small amount of disappointment, knowing that she was going to have to give up a bit more personal information then she would have liked. "Working with dragons has always been the one thing I knew I wanted to do if I made it out of the war alive. I am physically fit enough to stay alive until I am perfect condition brought on by experience. Being around guys has never and will never buy me. I have grown up and lived with boys so much so that if you put me in a room full of girls for a long period of time then either I wouldn't make it out or the other girls wouldn't make it out. This is absolutely something that I will give my all to."
"Alright, so the serious question was a stupid one. I see the fire in your eyes, it's the reason I didn't send your stunning little ass right back the village." Hermione raised her eye at the ass comment but didn't bother caring. "I won't know if you have what it makes until I put you right next to one of our lovely beasts so how about recommendations. If you've been wanting this for a while you would have brought some of them with you. We aren't stupid brutes after all, the lot of us all have above average intellect,"
The witch winced, she had no recommendations and she didn't plan on getting any anytime soon. "Look Matt, I don't have recommendation and I don't plan on letting anyone know I am here which cancels out the idea of owling for one. My intelligence is not something you have to worry about but I understand that you can't just take my word for it." She paused for a few breaths before considering something. "If one of your keepers vouched for me would it be good enough?"
"See here girlie, I wont have you hanging around her to get into one of my keeper's pants. If you are one of their girls and are wanting some attention just turn around and head straight back to that village."
"First of all I thought you said something about not being sexist. I am in no way romantically involved with any of your keepers. I just happen to know one enough for him to vouch for both my intelligence and character. I assure you that I am in no way here to get into anyone's pants."
"Yeah sure," He waved of her words easily. "I'll let ya stay around for a trial basis. At least until your keeper tells me that you don't have the makings or you decide you are in over you head. But I'm not going to spend eight thousand on your living arrangements when I don't know if you'll be sticking around so you will be rooming with one of my men."
"Just put me with the one that is the least likely to rape me." He chuckled at her remark.
"You'll be rooming with Deven then. Welcome to Romania Miss Granger." His last remark was a bit teasing and she was forever grateful for those five words.