Note: story is set November 1998. Charlie's twenty-six, and Hermione's nineteen.

From last time: Hermione wrenched the door open, and a shock of red hair stunned her.

"Charlie?"

"Hermione Granger? What're you doing here?"

Hermione gestured to herself. "Yes...yes, it's me. Here… What're you doing here?" she asked slowly, only realizing after the fact that it was a bit of a dim question. Very rarely was Hermione Granger hard-pressed to find something to say, but this was probably one of the only times the young woman struggled finding words to speak. There was sixteen reserves in Romania, and this one wasn't even close to being very large, and out of all of the Wizarding world of Britain… great Godric.

"Worked here for almost ten years. It's… wow, it's quite the surprise to see you here. Out of all places, and I didn't even know… Merlin, it's been a long time, hasn't it?" He asked, leaning against the doorway. He was stocky, she noticed, with well-developed muscles and slightly shaggy hair, the same bright red tone as the rest of his family.

"Yes, it certainly has…"

"If I woulda known you were coming her, Hermione, I would've made you more welcome. What's for the change in scenery?"

She was almost surprised in the way he talked to her; very polite, and very generous. She didn't know him well at all - in fact, they'd probably spoken maybe two words to each other privately before. He did have Molly Weasley for a mother, however, she thought.

"Er… lingering effects of the war, I'd say. Although I really hadn't expected to see you here - it's such a small reserve."

"Right you are," Charlie agreed. He stopped in front of her desk, inviting himself to sit on it. He chuckled deeply at the expression of shock she had on her face.

"Varive wanted me to drop these off and say hello to the newest member of the team. Hi, Miss Granger. Charlie Weasley here," he held out his hand, winking at her. In an offhand way, he reminded her slightly of a tiny-bit-more-mature Fred and George… or just George now. Hermione bit her lip.

She shook his offered hand teasingly. "Nice to meet you, Mr Weasley." Charlie just grinned at her, and flopped the hair that Molly always went mad over out of his eyes.

"Lots of blokes here, innit? You're the second female here. You and Anne, that's all."

"Too many, I'd say," she replied, taking the papers he had offered to her and flipping through them. She liked the fact she felt immediately comfortable around him - maybe, like her mother, he had that effect on people.

Hermione sighed at the stack of papers he had handed her.

More filed sightings was exactly what she needed right now.

"Unless you'd rather do some paper-pushing, I'd like to take you and show you 'round the reserve. The places that Varive doesn't show on the standard tour. It's quite nice to see a familiar face, y'know..." He teasingly waggled his eyebrows at her, and she reciprocated by rolling her eyes with a tiny smile gracing her mouth.

"I suppose this will still be here in the morning," Hermione said uncertainly. There was something that had always irked her as a child, and even now - leaving something unfinished for the next day. She had always bristled at the thought of waiting until later to do something - it was in her nature, after all.

"That's the spirit," he said cheerily. She slung on her robes, and followed him out the door of her little office.

The Romanian sun was like a fire in the sky - burning, bright and beautiful. Hermione had to avert her eyes for a moment to get used to the setting sun. Charlie, evidently used to it, had noticed her awestruck expression.

He leaned over. "That's something you wouldn't find in a book." His warm breath tickled her ear.

He had led her silently for a few moments before he spoke. "Joking aside, what are you doing here?" She could tell Charlie's voice was serious and sombre, and she knew he wanted more than a vague description.

"I'm as surprised as you are to see you here. I really didn't expect… anyway. I don't know, it's quite hard to pinpoint the exact reason, and…" Well, there was another reason. She wasn't ready - or interested - in a relationship with Ron, whom she considered her all but blood brother. But she wasn't sure she was going to say that to Charlie - his older brother.

"You don't have to go into details if you don't want to," he assured. "How did you get the idea for Romania, anyway?"

"Your mother, actually," she said, and he raised his eyebrows, jamming his hands into his robe pockets.

"Why's that?"

"I was unsure about pursuing a career at the Ministry. I want to do something - to actually do something, and I don't know if I'm ready to sit in an office all day as a junior secretary, until I can earn my ranks. I couldn't go back to Hogwarts, and except for your family, there was nothing tying me down to Britain. Your mother gave me some brochures - this was the only dragon reserve one, peculiarly."

Charlie groaned. "That's my mum. I know what she's doing - a set up. Very clever, she is. She's tried before."

"I don't doubt it." Hermione thought about the words that he just spoke - I know what she's doing - a set up. Why would Molly purposely implement the idea of going to Romania in Hermione's head? To see Charlie? She hardly knew him, and he was being quite hospitable towards her.

Charlie looked at her for a moment, frowned, and looked away. Hermione felt a little bit of hurt. Was he not happy she was here? He had probably heard stories from Ron and the twins about how stuffy and bossy and bookish she could be. Maybe he thought she was boring, and only talking to her out of familial obligation. That could be it, she thought. It was the most obvious answer - she wasn't exactly in high demand to be around, even after the war.

He was silent for a little bit longer, setting a fast pace that she struggled to keep up to. Although shorter than his brothers, he was still taller than her and able to take longer strides.

"I have something to show you," he said, eventually.

Never being able to wait on a secret, she asked, "what is it?"

"We're almost there," he said, picking up his pace. She was almost running next to him.

Behind an alcove of small little shacks, there was a thick, dense, coniferous forest with a trail winding through it. He took the lead, her following close behind.

They blazed through the bush, and several times thick branches smacked her in the legs and roots twisted around her ankle, almost as if they were trying to persuade her to fall on top of Charlie.

They came to the edge of a cliff. About twenty feet below was a startling shock from the forest behind her - dry, barren, almost desert-like land that extended for about a kilometer squared. She could sense the see-through protective barrier.

"We replicate dragon's habitats - this Egyptian Herald, one of a kind, came from, well, Egypt. He prefers the sand."

It was then that she noticed the coppery scales of the dragon sitting in the barren sand. The intense, sinking sun rays bounced off of the coppery scales, creating an illusion of burning fire. The rays ricocheted off of the dragon and hit the ground below him, creating almost what one would call a pit of light.

"The most spectacular thing I've ever seen in my life," he admitted. "During sunset, too. Best place to see it is here, from above. I figured I'd show you something nice. Show you that this place can be kind of hellish sometimes, y'know, but it's really great. The burns are worth staying here," Charlie admitted, shrugging almost sheepishly.

"This is amazing," she breathed. "It's… magic," Hermione said.

"Well, yes," Charlie laughed. "I was just worried for a moment before. That you'd be uncomfortable or something."

Maybe that could explain the frowning. Maybe. "Why'd that be? I don't particularly see how anyone would dislike this. It's brilliant."

"Ah. Well, I don't know you too well, do I? Little awkward, I think. Not that I don't mind, of course, but I imagine it'd be a bit odd for you."

"You aren't a complete stranger, Charlie," replied Hermione. "I met you over four years ago, and I've seen you a few times."

"Well," shrugged Charlie, "you'll probably be seeing a bit more of me, now, then, right?

Yes. I know. I haven't updated for over six months... but now I have! Cookies to all of you who actually stuck around despite my lack of updating. How's it going so far, guys? How've I done with Charlie?