((...It has been far, far too long since I updated this. If you're still with me, thank you for your patience. Thanks, once again, for the reviews - now that I'm settled into college life, I should be able to submit chapters a bit more frequently...if the work load doesn't get any crazier than it already is...yay for going to one of the most rigorous schools in the nation...? Anyway, this is honestly just a bit of fluff and fun, but should set the stage for the general trajectory of this. Hope you enjoy it! ))

"Charlie?"

Shay stood quickly, blinking sleep from her eyes, peering through the half-lit kitchen. The door had swung open about six inches, and rain was falling through the gap.
"It's alright, it's just me."

"Charlie, what…"

"I may need some help here, love."

Shay released her grip on her wand, letting it fall back to the table beside her as she dashed toward the door, nearly slipping on the floor where the rain had slicked it to waxy slipperiness. She pulled the door open and Charlie blew in with the wind and the rain and fell into a kitchen chair, dripping water from his cloak.

"Charlie, what happened?" Shay asked, trying not to let panic fray her voice as she fought with the wind to close the door.

"It's nothing, Shay," Charlie said. "I'm a little chilled, that's all."

Shay turned, leaning against the finally-closed door.

"Charlie, don't you dare lie to me."

"I'm…"

"That is not the whole story, and I know you know I know that."

"English, please?" Charlie said with a weak chuckle. Shay's glare, however, was unrelenting. Charlie sighed and dropped his head.

"It…didn't exactly go well," he said, and hitched up the leg of his pants to show a nasty-looking gash swiping down his leg. Shay inhaled sharply, but had the presence of mind to turn and retrieve her wand from the other room. She'd had to learn many healing spells in order to gain her position on the farm, and though they hadn't said it, she was sure that her proficiency in them had helped her to gain her position on the reserve. Following the spell, Charlie's skin began to knit itself back together, still an angry red but no longer freely bleeding.

"You'll have a nice scar, there," Shay said when she had finished. She pocketed her wand and stood, leaning close to Charlie in order to take his cloak. It was still dripping rain water - Shay wrinkled her nose at it as she hung it in front of the fire.
"You're soaked to the skin," she murmured, returning to the kitchen where Charlie still sat. She ran her fingers through his sopping-wet hair, unable to help the gentle, sleepy smile that crept across her face as Charlie's eyes slipped closed. "Don't fall asleep yet, love, you'll get sick with all of these wet clothes. Go get changed, okay?"
Charlie nodded and shuffled off into the bedroom. Shay could hear him rustling through drawers. She boiled water magically, to make it happen just a bit faster, and had a large mug of tea waiting when Charlie reappeared.

"Charlie..."

"What?"

Bits of his hair were still dripping water onto Charlie's shoulders. "Oh," he blinked as a drip hit his neck. "That."

"Sit down, silly man," Shay instructed. Charlie all but fell into the chair again. Shay directed a jet of warm air from her wand onto Charlie's head, and combed through his hair with her fingers until it was finally dry.

"Better?" She asked. Charlie nodded.

"A bit," he replied, then yawned, making no attempt to stifle it.

"As much as I want to know what happened, I think it's high time you slept," Shay said. Charlie looked up at her gratefully.

"Come with me?" He asked softly, taking her hand.

"Charlie, I...I mean, I just...we've talked about this..."

"What? No. Shay, no, I just mean..." he raised her hand up and pressed his lips to her knuckles. "I just don't want to be alone, right now, love. That's all."

The look in his eyes was what made Shay agree - the aftermath of hardly-contained fear striking her the most.

"I also don't want you out in all of that," Charlie said, gesturing to the window. Shay shook her head, but laughed.
"Alright, alright," she said. "You win."
Charlie grinned a lopsided, sleepy grin.
"Come on, then," he said, tugging her gently down the hall. He released her hand when they came to the doorway and collapsed onto his bed. Shay stood in the doorway for a moment, tugging the sleeves of her shirt down over her fingers.
"Shay? Come on."
He sounded as if he was close to sleep already. Shay took a few hesitating steps toward the bed and crawled in next to Charlie. He looped an arm around her waist and pulled her close, tangling their feet together. With his other hand he pulled the blankets up over both of them.

"Warm enough?"

"Mmhmm."

Almost on instinct, Shay nestled her head under Charlie's chin, the warmth and feeling of safety, as well as the uncomfortable hour or so of sleep she'd gotten at the kitchen table making her sleepy, as well. Charlie sighed a deep, contented sigh.

"Better?" Shay whispered.
Charlie chuckled, then kissed the top of her head.

"Much," he was asleep within moments, his breathing deep and even, the arm around Shay's waist relaxed. Shay fell asleep to the steady rise and fall of his chest and the sound of his heartbeat close to her ear.

"Well I have to say, this is not what I was expecting to find..."

Shay blinked at the sudden burst of sunlight that blasted into the room and Clifford's very amused voice. She tried to sit up, but Charlie's arm around her waist was holding her in place.

"Go away," Charlie muttered, eyes closed but clearly awake, "We're trying to sleep, here."

"I can see that," Clifford replied, raising an eyebrow at Shay. She smiled sheepishly and shrugged. "Glad to see you're both dressed, by the way. Are you planning on working today, Weasley, or what?"

"Yeah, yeah," Charlie said. "I have plenty of unused sick time, leave me alone."

"Charlie," Shay muttered, "be nice."

"Sorry."

Clifford shook his head.

"Fine, then," he said. "Sleep all day, see if I care."

"Just because you used up all of your sick days..." Charlie muttered. Clifford rolled his eyes and left, the door shutting a bit too forcefully behind him. Shay looked up at Charlie, who seemed to be doing his best to get back to sleep.

"Charlie."

"Mmm."

"Charlie!"

Finally, his eyes opened.

"Mornin'," he said, reaching up with the hand that had been around her waist to run his fingers through her hair. He leaned in and kissed her, and for a moment Shay was distracted enough to forget what it was she'd wanted to ask. Finally, the thought returned and she pushed Charlie away gently.

"Charlie." She said a third time, firmly. He winced.

"You're going to make me talk, aren't you?"

"Of course I am - you came home bleeding last night, Charlie Weasley. From a mission you would tell me nothing about..."

"Because I couldn't! Shay..."

"Hush. Charlie, please. Tell me what happened?"

Charlie sighed and for several long, silent moments, Shay thought he might refuse to speak.

"We went out into the countryside to look for someone," Charlie said. "I can't tell you who, Shay. I wish I could. Suffice it to say, he's a very powerful wizard that would have been an asset to the Order."

Shay nodded, understanding yet still not liking the secrecy.

"We got there and the house was in ruins," Charlie said. He took a rather unsteady breath, and buried his face against Shay's shoulder, just at the base of her neck. "It was terrible, Shay. When we went in. Blood everywhere. They were all dead, the whole household, torn to shreds...it went beyond Avada Kedavra. We found a wand that had used the killing curse, so it was clearly the cause of death, but then they'd...mutilated them. And then, just as we were clearing out, we were attacked. They were everywhere, they hadn't left, and there were spells shooting everywhere. We fired back as best we could...one of our number got hit with some awful slicing spell, there was blood everywhere, he almost didn't make it back..." Charlie fell silent, and all Shay could do was wait.

"It was awful," Charlie said. "When it was finished, I stuck around to help clear up. And then, of course, I was too...distracted...to Apparate, and I got stuck in that awful storm. I was so glad to hear your voice, Shay, I can't even tell you how glad..."

For a long time they sat in the still, silent room, letting the memories of last night wash over them. Charlie drifted off to sleep again but Shay couldn't follow. She propped herself up on her elbow and watched him for a moment with a puzzled smile - how she got here, sleeping next to Charlie Weasley, was a mystery to her. How she'd spent so long on the reserve - over a year, by now - was even more difficult to believe. Extracting herself from her own thoughts, Shay carefully got up and left the room without waking Charlie. Barefoot, she padded into the kitchen where Turnip was waiting impatiently at the window.

"Sorry, 'Nip," She said as she opened the window. The owl hooted unhappily, but nibbled affectionately at Shay's knuckle, anyway.
"I'll make it up to you," Shay told him, "Promise."

Aside from her usual correspondence with Oliver, (who was now playing Quidditch for Puddlemere United...and who was still with his former Chaser, Katie Bell, who he wrote to and visited fairly regularly, when his Quidditch schedule allowed.) there was a letter from Cat and a note from Luna Lovegood. Both were cause for concern.

She gave Sarah Everwood detention last week, Cat wrote of the new Defense teacher. And Sarah came back to the Common Room crying, with words carved into her hand - Umbridge made her write lines with a quill that used her blood for ink! She's awful, Shay, really. I've never had a worse teacher. And she doesn't teach anything, we don't even use wands in her class...

Thankfully, it didn't seem that Cat had garnered any attention, good or bad, from this new professor. Shay unfolded Luna's letter, next.

...Daddy says it's nothing but an infestation of Nargles, but I'm not so sure. Anyway, we have a new Professor for Defense Against the Dark Arts, but she doesn't really do much, you know, and she doesn't believe in the existence of...
Shay shook her head at the listing of unlikely magical creatures, and scanned down the message.
I can't tell you much, because I think the mail is being read...I got a letter with a broken seal the other day, but I'm making friends with some Gryffindors, which is lovely, you know. Anyway, I thought you'd enjoy this photo...hope to see you soon!

Shay tipped the envelope, and a small photograph slipped into her hand. It appeared to be just a group of people enjoying a Hogsmeade afternoon (...though if Shay didn't know better, she could've sworn they were in the Hog's Head, an unusual meeting place for Hogwarts students). The Weasley twins were there, as were their younger brother and sister. Cho Chang waved from a corner, Neville Longbottom blinked nervously, and there, in the midst of the group, was Harry Potter.

"Some Gryffindors, right, Luna?" Shay whispered. If Harry Potter and the Weasley siblings were involved, she was certain this was more than just a gathering of friends. The students were, apparently, taking some kind of action against this new Professor...the thought of it made Shay grin. She tossed the mail on the table and left the cabin, headed back to her own. She managed to slip in without much notice - Claire and Ana were already at work. She changed clothing, ran a brush through her hair, and twisted it back into a rather messy bun. Throwing a coat over her sweater, she left the cabin again, headed for the nursery.

The nursery was a long, low building on the outskirts of the reserve. It didn't have many occupants - most dragons were more than capable of taking care of their young. But for those who weren't, or for orphan eggs and chicks placed in the reserve's care, then nursery was home.

"Hello," Shay called as she shut the door behind her, grateful for the warmth of the nursery's entryway.

"Hello, Shay" Henry said. He'd been assigned to the nursery a few months ago - his gentle-but-firm demeanor made him naturally suited for the position. "Where's Charlie?"

"Not feeling well this morning," Shay replied, hanging her coat on a hook in the entryway. "He might be in later, but it's just me for now."

"No problem, there," Henry replied. "It's getting strange to see one of you without the other."
Shay laughed and brushed the comment aside.

"Any new arrivals?" She asked, instead. Henry nodded, but without the usual enthusiasm a new dragon chick usually brought.

"Just one," he said. "But not for long, I'm afraid."

"What do you mean?"

Henry glanced at her, then tipped his chin toward the door behind him.

"Come on," he said. "I'll show you."

Shay followed him through the door and into a dim, narrow room - almost a corridor - full of eggs set in glass containers that seemed to hum with magic - a kind of incubator that mimicked the extreme heat the eggs would be kept in under the care of a mother. There were ten eggs, at the moment, but Henry didn't stop to look at them. He led Shay through a door at the far end of the room and into another, wider room. Hatchlings were kept in nest replicas secured by magic. Keepers wandered between the nests. At this age, anything could happen - it was at this age and in their oldest years that dragons were at all susceptible to illness. Middle-aged dragons tended to die in fights or run-ins with wizards. They rarely, if ever, got sick. But baby dragons, like baby humans, were especially susceptible, and sickness could set in very quickly. The keepers were there to ensure quick treatment, as well as to separate any squabbling hatchlings and take care of any other immediate problems.

"He's back here," Henry said, leading Shay toward the furthest nest. There, smaller than Shay had ever seen a dragon chick and curled up cat-like, head under paws, was a Welsh-Green chick. He was beautiful, except for one small problem - he had a severely under-developed left wing. While the right was full and beautiful, the left was tiny and frayed, hanging limply against the dragon's side. As Henry and Shay watched, the tiny thing coughed, its body shaking - tiny puffs of smoke emerged from its mouth with each cough.

"What's wrong with him?" Shay asked, kneeling to get a better look at the hatchling.

"His egg was brought to us just before he hatched," Henry said. "There was a crack along one side - we're not sure what happened. A wizard was enjoying his morning walk when he came across this egg in the bushes, or so his story goes. The damage to the egg obviously caused problems. He's small and weak, already sick, he'll never be able to fly. We're not sure whether or not he'll even be able to roar or breathe fire - he was born without the glands to secrete poison, as well. He'll never be able to hold his own among our dragons."

"What will happen to him?"

Henry sighed, dragging a hand through his hair.
"I hate this part," he admitted, "but it wouldn't be kind to keep him, here. Our only other choices are to release him into the wild, or to put a fast-acting poison into his food. Of the two, the latter is the more humane."

"There's no one to care for him?" Shay asked, horror mounting.

"He's a liability," Henry explained. "And we're understaffed as it is. Our Keepers have enough on their plates without having to look after a runt who'll probably die of natural causes any..."

"Give him to me."

"What?"

"You heard me, Henry. Give him to me. I'll take care of him."

"Shay, I can't allow..."

"Give me a month," Shay said. "If he's not healthy in a month, you can take him. Just give me a month."
Henry stared.

"Charlie's gonna kill me," he muttered. "Really, though, I'm dead. But fine. One month, Morse. That's all. I'll get everything you need. You know the feeding drill and all of that ,right?"

Shay nodded.

"For what it's worth, I'll make sure Charlie doesn't kill you," she said as he walked away. Henry simply waved a hand over his shoulder. When he returned it was with gloves and other dragon-care elements.

"He'll be shy," Henry warned. "He might lash out at you..."

"Henry. I know."

"I know you know, Shay. I just have to say it, anyway. I'll crate up the dragon for you."

Henry spent the next few minutes curling blankets into a nest inside of a wooden crate. Using his gloved hands, he lifted the baby dragon into the crate and shut the lid.
"Remember, every half hour," he said. "That's important."

"Henry, I know the feeding process. I wasn't one of Hagrid's favorite students for no reason."

"Hagrid?"

"Oh. Right. I always forget you didn't go to Hogwarts."

Henry grinned and passed the crate to Shay.
"Good luck with Charlie," he said. "Heaven knows you'll need it."

"With everything else going on, this is the least of our worries," she said with a laugh. "I'll see you later, Henry."

"Bye, Shay."

With a baby dragon in tow, Shay began the walk back to Charlie's cabin. Might as well spring this on him while he had no work to do.