The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to JK Rowling. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this story.

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I know two chapters in one day. It is guilt for not having updated in so long. Enjoy!

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Charlie was sitting in the kitchen at the table. Hermione was asleep and he was left to his thoughts. It had helped to have Ron know, but is also made the whole thing seem more real.

"Charlie!" The scream was coming from his bedroom and Charlie was there instantly to find Hermione awake. She had woken up from a realistic nightmare and despite that fact that she knew where she was she was still terrified of being alone.

Charlie smiled at her once she began to breathe normally. "Bad dream?"

She nodded and smiled back. "It is great to know that it was just a dream. Before, I would pray not to wake up because being awake was a nightmare."

Charlie unthinkingly plopped down on the empty side of the bed. Hermione gave a small gasp of pain from the movement of the mattress. Charlie felt horrible. "I am so sorry!"

Hermione turned her head and wiping a tear away she smiled. "Well, it is your bed right? Stay for a while and talk to me. Tell me all about how beautiful and brilliant my goddaughter was today."

Charlie settled in and described the event being careful to lave out any mention on Percy. Hermione's face was glowing; she was thrilled to hear about all the people she loved.

"Tell me again about Jane is she talking and casting spells yet?" Hermione gave a small laugh at the thought.

"No, no spells yet but she is a great judge of character, she spit up all over Percy's dress robes!" Charlie saw the immediate change in Hermione's face. The mere mention of his name and the sacred, haunted look was back.

"I am so sorry, I didn't think." Charlie felt bad for ruining the pleasant conversation they had been having.

"I know," Hermione's eyes were fixed on a far off point. She looked at Charlie. "You want to know the best part?"

Charlie nodded.

"I wake up in the morning and I am not afraid. Before I was always punished first thing the morning. He wouldn't even wait until after I had a chance to go to the bathroom. He would force me on the floor and punish me. Of course I wouldn't be able to hold it…it was so humiliating and it hurt so much I couldn't move to clean my self up. He said I needed daily reminders to be obedient and I deserved to lie in filth." Hermione sighed and turned back to look at Charlie.

"Now, I wake up smiling! It still hurts, but even that is getting better. You better watch out Charlie Weasley one of these days I will be sitting up and walking!"

Charlie leaned over and kissed her forehead. "I promise."

"Are you ready?" Charlie had asked her the same question every morning for weeks now. Each morning Hermione would nod and cover her face with a pillow and scream as Charlie tended to her wounds. Today was different in that she whimpered instead of screamed.

"You are healing." Charlie remarked once he was finished. Hermione smiled once the stinging had lessened. "At this pace I will be dancing any day now."

Charlie came back from putting the salve away and washing his hands. "I would settle for walking."

Hermione retorted, "Sitting would be great."

Charlie laughed as he headed toward the kitchen. "My, you are ambitious."

By the end of the next week Hermione had convinced Charlie to help her try and stand. Her legs were weak from lack of use but with Charlie's help she was able manage a little more each day.

Hermione had ventured as far as the kitchen and was leaning against the counter watching him cook breakfast. Sitting was still to painful but she was proud of how far she had come and was determined to continue. Looking out of the window Hermione realized she wasn't sure where she was.

"I know this may seem like a stupid question but where are we?" Hermione was trying to recognize the skyline.

Charlie stopped copping the green peppers for the omelets. He had not realized that she had been that altered when he brought her here that she had no clue as to where she was.

"This is my apartment near the dragon reserve. We are in northeast Romania."

She turned her attention back to the view from the window. "That is far from London."

"Yes, Hermione it is very far from London." Charlie pushed away the peppers and began dicing onions.

Hermione was playing with the peeled onion skin. "Is the dragon reserve very secluded?"

Charlie put his knife down for a second time and looked at her. "Yes it is secluded for the safety of everyone concerned, why do you ask?"

Hermione turned to face him. "Charlie, would it be possible for me to go there? I would love to be out in the open…to be able smell the fresh air." She was looking at him intently.

Charlie thought about it. "How about a swim? There is a crystal clear lake on the southern edge of the reserve that has a local reputation for its healing properties. It is late in the season, we probably wouldn't run into any body there."

Hermione was grinning. "Really? I don't think I could handle a swim suit but if I could borrow one of your T-shirts it would cover what needed to be covered."

Charlie asked, "Want to go today?"

Hermione was beaming. "I would love to."

Charlie dumped all of the ingredients into the sauté pan and began to make the omelets. "I have to warn you the water is cold."

After breakfast they collected towels, extra T-shirts, and Charlie's swim trunks. Charlie stuffed everything into his backpack and wrapping his arms around Hermione securely, they apparated to the lake. Hermione took a deep breath to steady herself. This was the most she had done in a long time. Once her head cleared she looked out over Charlie's shoulder.

"It is lovely." She was holding on to Charlie for support as she took in all of the sights and smells. "I…" She couldn't complete her thoughts. Charlie watched her face and she realized she was free. He could see the emotions pass one right after another across her face. He was afraid it would all be too overwhelming.

"Hermione…are you sure about this? We can leave if you want." Charlie hoped she wanted to stay to start living again.

"You are sure there are no dragons?" She was a little hesitant in letting go of his arm.

Charlie laughed. "No dragons only a dragon handler and by the look of it no people either. So ready to take a dip?"

Putting down the towels and leaving all the rest in the sack. Hermione nodded, she looked as if she wasn't sure. "Stay next to me?" She whispered to Charlie.

He kissed the top of her head and led her into the water. Hermione gasped, "It is icy!!"

Charlie grinned.

The frigid water felt wonderful against Hermione's battered body. The cold temperature had a numbing effect easing her aches. Hermione floated on her back drifting with the slight waves the breeze was causing.

Charlie felt invigorated swimming and diving under the water but always staying close to Hermione.

Hermione finally had to admit the water was too cold for her when her teeth began to chatter. Charlie noticed how blue her lips were and agreed it was time to head in and towel off. The warm sun felt great on Charlie's back as they walked to their belongings. Charlie grabbed a towel and began drying off. He was almost done before he realized Hermione was standing next to him shivering. He hadn't handed her a towel.

Charlie bent down and got her a towel then hesitated. "It might be better if you took off the T-shirt."

Hermione's teeth were chattering too much for her to speak but she nodded. Charlie helped her pull off the soaked shirt and using the towel he rubbed warmth back into her extremities. It took a couple of minutes for Hermione to warm up enough to stop shivering but between the warm towel and the warm sun she began to thaw.

Charlie dug through his bag and pulled out a dry shirt. Hermione laughed when he handed it to her. "That is my favorite one." It was the one about the abilities of dragon handlers. Charlie chuckled. "It is yours."

Charlie's head turn as soon as he had said that. There was a rustling in the underbrush. Charlie pushed Hermione behind him and handed her the wet towel. She heard the noise and was quickly pulling on the shirt as he pulled out his wand, preparing himself for anything.

"Charlie?" Hermione was shaking again.

"It sounds like a person. Wrap the towel around your bottom." Charlie whispered.

Hermione had just covered herself when Charlie's supervisor Mr. Solomon emerged from the trees.

"Charlie Weasley, fancy seeing you here…you I do apologize did I disturb something? Of course I did."

Mr. Solomon's eyes rested on Hermione. In all of the years that Charlie Wesley had worked at the reserve Greg Solomon had never seen him the company of anyone let alone a woman. This was delightful.

Charlie was tongue tied, he couldn't figure out how to get out of this predicament. "Mr. Solomon, we were just finishing a swim." Charlie looked at Hermione.

Mr. Solomon followed Charlie's glance and studied Hermione. He noticed the faint traces of bruising on her face. "Are you a dragon handler too?"

Hermione just stood mute.

Mr. Solomon pointed to her T-shirt. "I couldn't help but notice that you must have come up against a brute." He gestured to her face. "Was it a Norwegian Ridgeback?"

Hermione turned to Charlie her eyes pleading for help. Mr. Solomon wasn't stopping. "Those Ridgebacks can be a handful." He looked back up at Hermione. "I did not catch your name?"

Hermione held out her right hand, "Jane it is nice to meet you!" Hermione was shaking Mr. Solomon's hand. Charlie came up behind her putting his hand on her waist. "Yes, you found me out…this is Jane…a friend."

Mr. Solomon was beaming. "Of course, of course, a friend; was the water refreshing?"

Both nodded. "Great!"

Mr. Solomon looked as if he had won the lottery he was smiling so much. Charlie just kept his arm around Hermione drawing her to him and looking out over the lake.

"Yes, well," blustered Mr. Solomon, "I'll leave you to enjoy your day. Charlie, my boy, I think, no, I do believe you are up for another week of leave. So that would mean I won't see back at the reserve for at least two more weeks." With that Mr. Solomon stomped off back into the forest surrounding the lake.

"Jane? That's original!" Charlie groaned once his heart rate had returned to a normal pace.

Hermione gave him a hard look. "What should I have said 'Hello I am Hermione Weasley, Charlie's dead sister-in-law'?"

Charlie sat down hard on the sandy beach. "No, that might not have gone over well!" He was laughing, "Okay but why Jane?"

Hermione shrugged as she looked down at him. "It is my middle name; I figured I would remember it."

Charlie looked up and saw that she was picking at her bottom lip. From having spent so much time with her lately he knew it was a nervous habit she had when she was worried.

"Do you think it will get back to him?" Charlie could see fear in her face.

Charlie shook his head. "No, Solomon was so surprised to see with another person and not a dragon. It will take weeks for the shock to wear off."

Hermione smile and cocking her head to the side she looked at Charlie who was now standing in front of her. "Well at least now I know what you do with your spare time!"

Charlie grabbed her waist and held her tight. "Be careful little girl, I am a proficient tickler."

Hermione wiggled in his grasp. "You wouldn't dare Charlie Weasley!"

She felt his fingers starting to wriggle against her stomach. She looked up into his eyes and she saw a mischievous spark. Charlie looked down into her eyes and for the first time he saw that her eyes looked alive. Fighting back the temptation to make her shriek by tickling her, Charlie hoarsely said, "Let's go home."

Hermione held his arms as they apparated.