Chapter 2: Third Year

After his week vacation was up Charlie said goodbye to his parents and Bill as the six younger ones had already gone back to Hogwarts and took his portkey back to Romania.

The heat was welcoming and thawed the frozen parts of his body from standing out in the snow.

His flat had been left untouched as it was every year he left and yet there was a parcel sitting on his counter.

This came for you while you were gone. Figured you wouldn't mind if I laid it here. - Greg

Greg was his neighbor who also worked in the offices at the sanctuary. They had access to each other's flats in case of emergencies, and of course to put mail on counters when the other is out of town.

Opening the carefully folded packaging Charlie realized that it was a pair of books with a piece of parchment tucked neatly into the pages of the top one.

I realized that I took your book with me to Hogwarts, thought it would be nice to return the favor along with it. Here's my copy of my favorite book The Great Gatsby, it's an American book but it has a lot of great symbolism. Let me know how you like it and thanks again for loaning me the books. - Hermione

Charlie couldn't help it, a giant smile erupted across his face. The book was well read but was also very well taken care of and while there were a few marks the spine was intact and the corners of the pages were straight.

While he didn't understand a lot of the book he appreciated that Hermione shared a muggle story with him and decided to write her a letter asking for clarification on some things. But along with that he had to remember the age difference and while it was ok to be pen pals and exchange books with each other there was a line that couldn't be crossed with Ron's best friend.

That was another thing. Ron obviously fancied her and while everyone was teaming up to keep them from being together he didn't realize it and Hermione didn't seem to care for him other than as friends.

It was something he would have to get out of them both in letters.

Ron, Ginny, and the twins both kept them updated on their school year with a letter from each every week or so. It was only when Ginny's letters stopped did Charlie ask if everything was really alright.

Wish we could tell you Char, she's got this diary that she won't let out of her sight. It seems to be taking up most of her focus now and she's just gotten much quieter than before. We keep asking her to play games or something with us and she just shakes her head and runs to her dorm.

Ron's letters got sparse as well even though he and Hermione exchanged books every two weeks her letters too seemed to be hurried towards the end of the year. He attributed it to the end of year exams.

Sorry for not sending this one sooner, we had a bit of an event here at Hogwarts and I was petrified. I'm fine now though! Also, I really enjoyed the last book on Antipodian Opaleyes, they seem brilliant! Do you have any that you work with?

Charlie was dumbstruck. Petrified? What did that mean! Ron's letter was a little more annoyed than Hermione's though.

Not only did Hermione turn herself into a cat a few months ago from polyjuice potion (don't tell mum) but now she's gone and gotten herself turned to stone or something.

The twins, who could always be relied on to crack a joke or two, also had a serious letter.

This Chamber of Secrets business is really getting out of hand. I'll bet it's Malfoy.

Each letter that he received made Charlie increasingly worried about his siblings. Hogwarts wasn't the same as when he was there, everything was dangerous now and of course that could be traced back to Harry...not that it was his fault.

Instead of sending a book back to Hermione he decided to just send a note asking if she was alright. How on earth did you turn yourself into a cat? I'm glad you're alright.

Fred and George clearly cared for the girl and watched over her like they did with Ginny, it was nice knowing that his brothers could protect the small witch, not that she needed it but in case something happened and from what he had heard there was a lot more bullying from the Slytherins.

It wasn't until that Christmas that he really knew how much.

Ron had undoubtedly said or done something stupid to Hermione causing her to be angry with him, but she had still come to Christmas to be with Harry and Ginny.

The day before Christmas Eve the kids were all in the sitting room late playing exploding snap and it was getting more and more obvious that Ron was trying to make them explode at Hermione. It was normal to find one person you tried to get out of the game but really it was just depressing seeing him throw card after card to her feet hoping one would blow up.

"Give up on it Ron," Fred shot a look throwing his own card and watching it explode at Ron's toe.

"We're on her team." George finished. "You're not going to win."

It was odd how dark Ron's eyes got in the firelight but you could still see how angry he was. "I don't have to win I just have to make them explode at her."

"Oi!"

"Honestly Ronald, just because Crookshanks has been chasing Scabbers around is not a reason for you to be acting this way."

"Maybe not but you turning in Harry's broomstick to McGongall is!"

Everyone stared at him watching as color ran up his neck and into his ears. Finally, it was Harry who spoke.

"I was angry at first but I understand why she did it Ron. She was just making sure I was safe."

Throwing the cards in a heap on the floor Ron stomped up the stairs possibly waking their parents in the process.

"Right git that one." One of the twins mumbled picking up the cards and shuffling.

Charlie handed them his and started towards the kitchen. "Anyone for tea?" Grabbing six mugs, cream, and sugar he set everything on a serving platter and waited until the tea was boiling before pouring.

Everyone was lounging on the floor when Charlie came back in, hanging out in the sitting room was something that they had grown accustomed to when Charlie came home.

"So what's this about turning in Harry's broom?" He asked nestling in between the boy who could and George.

Her cheeks were tinted pink as Hermione gave an apologetic smile to Harry. "Harry's broom was destroyed by the Whomping Willow, and he got a new one the other morning and I assumed it was from Sirius Black, I didn't want there to be any hexes on it so I told McGonagall who took it to test."

"Ron's problem is that since Harry doesn't have a broom he couldn't play quidditch as well since he would have to use an old one from the broom closet."

"Yeah well Ron's priorities aren't exactly in the right order sometimes."

They spent the next couple of hours drinking tea and talking before finally heading up to bed. Christmas Eve at the Burrow was all about Molly and Arthur as their children cooked breakfast, cleaned the house and then played quidditch so the couple could relax.

For Hermione it meant sitting underneath of a tree reading with a bubble of warmth surrounding her while also watching the boys (and Ginny) play.

This year was no exception.

When everyone woke up the next morning there was no interest in getting dressed properly as they were all tired from staying up so late the night before. Ron of course was the first to sit at the table and wait for food while the others started preparing breakfast.

"You could at least set the table Ron," Fred spat to him while cooking the sausages. "This breakfast is for mum and dad not you."

Reluctantly and with numerous dirty looks from the twins and Ginny he finally rose from the chair and started setting the dishes down in a sloppy manner.

Coffee and tea was made for everyone and when the food was set on the table in platters Molly and Arthur arrived excited about the meal.

"It's not as good as yours mum but we hope you like it."

Each of the kids gave her a kiss on the cheek as she passed them until reaching the head of the table where she got to sit twice a year, Christmas and her birthday.

"I see Ron set the table." Reddening he slouched in the chair listening to the snickers from the rest of the group.

"Anyone for coffee?" Charlie offered holding up the carafe.

Arthur and Bill held out their cups to be filled while the others passed around the pots of tea.

"Charlie, I didn't get to ask you yesterday if there was anything new at work."

Normally Molly didn't enjoy hearing about the dangerous work her second oldest son did, but she couldn't deny that it was interesting and better to know from him now rather than get an owl that he had been eaten.

"We did get a new dragon from the reserve in India, an Antipodian Opaleye." The eggs on Hermione's fork were close to falling off as her head rose and met Charlie's gaze. "He's gorgeous! His name is Vasuki."

"What kind of name is that for a dragon?" Ron snorted.

"It's a famous dragon from Hindu mythology. He was the god Shiva's snake and had a gem on his head. He was a symbol of the oceans and seas." Leave it to Hermione to know something like that, but it made sense for an Opaleye to be named after a dragon with a gem on it's head. "And what kind of name was Norbert, you still liked that."

Hermione was definitely not ingratiating herself back into Ron's good graces, but he was still being a jerk and they both knew that his brothers would back Hermione in this fight. So instead he just shook his head and continued eating.

After cleaning up the kitchen everyone got changed and headed outside for their quidditch game. Hermione had several layers of clothes on as well as a scarf, hat, gloves, and a blanket.

"I thought you might like to read this while we're playing today." The book Charlie handed over was thicker than the others she had borrowed from him with red leather binding and nothing on the covers indicating a title. "I got it when we found out the Opaleye was coming to us, it's everything there is on their origins and characteristics. It seems like they're one of your favorites and I thought you'd enjoy it."

With a smile they followed everyone outside and before flying up Charlie cast the warmth charm around Hermione and she waited to release the snitch and send the quaffle up to them.

Honestly, Weasley Christmas' were a little hectic and reading during the match was some of the most peaceful time that Hermione could get here. Not that she didn't love it but all six of them could be a bit much to handle sometimes.

Bill wasn't terrible as he was much older and more of the protective type to put the others in their place when it was needed, the twins of course loved her for some unknown reason as she only ever got them into trouble with their inventions, Ron was a prat most of the time, and Percy wasn't someone she associated herself with since he had disowned his family. Ginny of course was her best girlfriend and could be tolerated at all times. And then there was Charlie, the one she could talk to about books and didn't have to try and not act like the complete nerdy bookworm that she was. He didn't mind how she looked and enjoyed writing to her or else he would have stopped doing it long ago.

There was also no denying that all the Weasley men were attractive in their own way, if Ron was a little more sensitive and mature sometimes Hermione would have been in love with him long ago. But somehow it seemed as though the two of them would stay really good friends instead of dating.

The rest she couldn't think about that way, Bill was too old for her and the twins were too carefree for them to be a good match, and while Charlie was slowly becoming her favorite Weasley he was still much older and there was no way she could even remotely think of him as anything other than a penpal.

So she continued reading about dragons and tried not to let her thoughts run away.