A while ago, our friend LaBelladoneX wrote a beautiful story called "Saving Grace" and since her life has become crazy busy, we thought we'd surprise her with a little Christmas story based on some of the aspects of that fic.

While her story had a different main pairing, we kept her favourite characters, added some random ones of our own, threw in a couple of fire-breathing dragons, stirred it up a bit and came up with this!

A big thanks also to coyg_81 for encouraging the madness xx

And much love to the wonderful PotionChemist for writing this with me.

Merry Christmas, LaBelladoneX

Thank you for everything you do for us.

xx PotionChemist and smithandbarrowman xx

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CHAPTER 1

Three Days Before Christmas

It was almost ten o'clock and Hermione wanted nothing more than to go home and sleep off the fourteen hour shift she'd just endured. But the voice calling her name stopped her in her tracks.

Chadwick Harrington, St Mungo's director, was calling after her. "Healer Granger!"

Tell him no, Hermione. Whatever he wants, tell him no.

"Healer Granger." He was almost breathless. "So glad I caught you."

"Of course, Sir." Hermione smiled brightly — at least she hoped it was brightly. She wanted to go home, she didn't want another emergency keeping her here for one more minute.

It was three days away from Christmas and the hospital was crazy. She'd worked the night shift and the alcohol-fueled Christmas parties that seemed to be neverending had made her night hell. Drunken broom accidents and several horrific splinchings were the major cause of trauma and she'd spent most of her fourteen hours in the emergency room mending bones and putting bodies back together.

And now all Hermione wanted to do was get home, have a perfectly brewed cup of tea, and then sleep for at least twelve hours. But with Director Harrington standing in front of her, that seemed like a pipe dream.

"Healer Granger, we've had an emergency." His breath was coming back and he looked concerned. "Healer Singh has been hurt and is being rushed to St Luc's in Paris as we speak."

"Is she okay?" Hermione's heart dropped. She didn't know her well, but Aashi Singh was a highly respected healer. Her Dragon Pox research had seen her published in several prominent magical journals.

"She will be. Healer Moreau is taking care of her," he said. "But the Sanctuary is now short a healer."

"Oh, of course." Hermione nodded, and then realisation hit her. "Oh!"

"I know it's Christmas, Granger, but we need a healer to replace her, just for a few weeks."

Hermione's stomach flipped. Rodna Dragon Sanctuary in Romania had the best research hospital in Europe housed within its fences. She had long dreamed of being asked to work there, either in the hospital itself or the research lab — she didn't care which — but positions there were so coveted they rarely became available.

A few weeks wasn't much, but it might be the foot in the door she needed.

Plus… Charlie was there.

Well, Charlie might be there.

For the first time since she'd met them, the Weasleys would not be having Christmas at the Burrow. Molly and Arthur had been invited to celebrate with Bill, Fleur, and the Delacours in France. Ginny was already in Italy with Blaise, Percy would be with Audrey's family and George with Angelina's. Ron would be off with Lavender doing… whatever it was that Ron and Lavender did.

And because the family wouldn't be around, Ginny had told her that Charlie had jumped at the chance to trek in South America, looking for the Peruvian Vipertooth that had been spotted several times in the jungles there.

Harry and Pansy had invited Hermione to join them at Pansy's parents, but she'd declined. Christmas had become meaningless since her own parents were no longer with her. Her once favourite holiday had become a day she now dreaded — it was why she always worked. And at the end of her shift she would simply pretend it was just another day.

But now, with this opportunity, it would certainly be easier to forget it was the holidays.

"When would I leave?" Hermione asked, attempting to keep her voice even.

"As soon as possible." Chadwick looked about to burst with relief. "We have a Portkey available and you can leave the minute you're ready."

Hermione glanced at her watch, "An hour?"

"Perfect. My assistant will have everything you need when you return." He smiled and nodded. "Your help is much appreciated, Healer Granger."

"Oh, I'm delighted that I was considered." Hermione's polite response belied her want to punch the air in victory.

She took off down the hallway, the exhaustion of just minutes ago all but disappearing. Rodna Dragon Sanctuary. Rodna Dragon Sanctuary. The words repeated over and over inside her head until she stepped out of the floo in her flat and panic set in.

What should she take? What clothes? What… underwear?

Her crush on Charlie had begun when she'd stayed at The Burrow during the summer prior to the Quidditch World Cup. They hadn't known then that the Tri-Wizard Tournament was being held, but Charlie's arrival had caused a stir amongst the younger Weasleys — he was clearly the favourite brother.

Hermione's growing feelings for Ron all but vanished at the first sight of his older brother. Charlie was so different from them all. Stocky and muscular, his skin was tanned, his arms covered with tattoos and scars. His smile was always present, and his blue eyes sparkled with mischief. She remembered clearly the t-shirt he was wearing; Rammstein was printed on it. And when she had timidly asked him about it, her love of hard rock and metal music began.

And her crush on Charlie never diminished. Her short-lived romance with Ron was a disaster. Every time Ron kissed her, she couldn't help imagining that it was Charlie, and her constant comparisons weren't fair to Ron. And when she broke it off after just a few weeks, the relief was palpable. Ron turned to Lavender — the pair much better suited — and she turned to constant fantasies involving Charlie.

It was, however, a rarity that she got to see him, but they communicated regularly through the owl post, and the occasions when he would pop into St Mungos with Dragon Scales for the potion department, were occasions that she cherished.

But it had been months since she'd heard from him, and she knew if she asked Ginny more than a few times how he was doing, her friend would suspect something was up. So she kept quiet, all the time wondering why he'd stopped sending owls, wondering if she was too late, that he'd found some woman who was more adventurous and daring than she would ever be.

She sighed, flicking her wand over her suitcase and murmuring an Extension Charm. She emptied her entire wardrobe into it, and her cheeks reddened as she imagined stripping for Charlie, showing him the underwear she was now shoving unceremoniously into the bag.

It would do no good to worry, she told herself. There would be a perfectly sensible reason he'd not written. And she was sure she would see him in just a few hours, sure that she could somehow make him see her as more than the bookworm he had named her as.

Sure that she would find the perfect man waiting for her when she arrived.

When her Portkey arrived at the Dragon Sanctuary, Hermione landed roughly and nearly toppled over. Luckily for her, there was a pair of strong arms there to catch her, and they were covered in scars and tattoos. She'd fantasised about those arms hundreds of times, and she knew they belonged to Charlie Weasley. When she looked up, his blue eyes sparkled down at her.

"Pages! I can't believe you've come to work here!" he greeted, squeezing her in a tight hug.

Hermione relaxed into his embrace and savoured the feel of his muscular body against hers. "I wouldn't pass up the chance to spend time with my favourite Weasley," she teased, trying to flirt even though she felt a bit awkward.

His face fell, and he released her. "Didn't Ginny tell you? I'm off to South America on holiday while you're here… Well, sort of a working holiday, but I'm still going to be gone for quite awhile."

"She did, but I thought you might…" She paused, unsure of how to continue.

Should she be bold and just say, "I thought you might like to stay and shag me for the entire time I'm here" or "I've been infatuated with you for so long that I was hoping you returned my feelings" or…?

He snapped her out of her thoughts. "I'm sorry, Pages, but this really can't wait. There is a Peruvian Vipertooth that needs to be tracked down as soon as possible. It's been sighted by Muggles a few times now." He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "You know I'd stay and spend time with you if it wasn't important."

Hermione nodded. "I was just hoping there would be someone I knew around. That's all."

"I've asked the other dragon keepers to watch out for you, but I'm sure they'll adopt you and adore you as soon as they meet you. Just ask them to teach you about dragons, and you're in." After a moment, he continued, "And I guess I'd better tell you before we get upstairs. There's someone else here who's going to be excited to see you—"

He was cut off by the appearance of a wildly exuberant Sirius Black. "Hermione! It's so good to see you, love!"

She smiled and hugged him, as well. "Aren't you supposed to be in China? Or Thailand or something?"

He ran a hand through his dark wavy hair. "Well, I ran into Charlie here and got a bit sidetracked with my world tour."

Mentally calculating how long Sirius had been gone, Hermione's eyes widened. "You haven't been here for nearly six months, have you?"

Both men let out laughs — Charlie's deep and rumbling, and Sirius' still sounding a bit like a bark to her ears.

"As a matter of fact, I have, kitten," Sirius confessed.

Hermione looked between the two men, and Charlie moved closer to Sirius, wrapping an arm around his waist. "I take it Ginny didn't tell you we were together?"

Her heart plummeted and felt like it had smashed against the floor. The years of pining, the fantasies, the ridiculous way she compared all other men to Charlie — it was all for nothing. He was with Sirius, and it seemed other people knew about it, as well.

When I get my hands on Ginevra Zabini…

"Pages, we've only told the family," Charlie explained, reading her expression. "This is… new for both of us, and we're still adjusting. That's why we're going on holiday at Christmas instead of going back to England. We're not ready to share it with the world."

Hermione cleared her throat. "Right. I understand that, of course, Charlie. Especially with the size of your family and all the publicity after the war. It wouldn't be kept quiet long."

"Are you okay, kitten? You look upset, and I didn't take you for the type to be put off by this."

"Oh, Sirius, I'm not. I'm sorry if it seemed that way. I'm just surprised, and I've not slept much. I came here straight after a long shift at the hospital," Hermione answered. "I'm honestly so happy for both of you."

Sirius embraced her again, picking her up off the floor. "Good, because I haven't been this happy in a very long time."

He passed her off to Charlie, and they walked quietly to her hospital quarters. "I know it's probably hard for you around this time of year, with your parents being gone and everyone being married—"

"I'm fine," she said quickly, cutting him off. "I'll obviously be working so there's no need to worry, Charlie."

"I'm just trying to say, I kind of know what it's like to feel like the last man — or woman, in your case — standing."

Hermione sighed. Those words made her feel even more pathetic, even though she knew he was trying to help. And she really was so happy for him and Sirius, but the feeling of rejection was still fresh in her mind.

"Thank you, Charlie. It's definitely not easy," she replied, knowing she had to answer. "But being here will help."

Smiling at her, he said, "And who knows, there are lots of single blokes working here. You might even get to have some fun."

Hermione's mind started to spin at the thought. Maybe all those racy knickers and lingerie she'd packed wouldn't sit unused in the bottom of her suitcase after all.

"Maybe. At the very least, I'll get to check out the research that's going on here, so my mind will most definitely be busy."

Charlie stopped and grabbed her by the shoulders. "Do not get lost in the books, Pages. Have a good time. Go out with the others. There is a lounge in the dragon keepers' quarters. Go there and have drinks and spend time with people. Do not be a hermit!"

Hermione laughed, knowing she could very easily do just that — hide out in her room with nothing but research notes and a bottle of wine.

"I'll give being social a go," she said. "But I'm not going to promise I'll do it every day."

"Fair enough," Charlie said, wrapping his arm around her and continuing towards the hospital wing. When he got to the healers' quarters, he opened the door to room number seven. "The rooms here aren't as big as the dragon keepers, especially for visiting healers. Sorry about that."

"I'll make do. I'll be working a lot anyway, I'm sure," she answered. "Are you and Sirius all packed up and ready to go?"

Charlie checked his watch. "Yeah. Portkey leaves in an hour. I was going to recheck everything, but if you need someone to show you around, I can do it."

"No, go get ready! I'll wander around later and learn the place on my own. It'll be better that way."

"You sure?" he asked. "It's easy to get lost here."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I have a wand. Don't you know the Point Me spell? I taught it to Harry in fourth year."

Laughing once more, Charlie hugged her. "You're too smart for your own good, Pages. Hopefully I'll be back before you leave, and you'll have quite the affair to tell me about."

"We'll see," she said, a blush burning her cheeks.

I had been planning to have quite the affair with you, and that didn't really pan out.

Charlie kissed the top of her head and left her on her own once more. With a resigned sigh, she began unpacking her suitcase, tucking all the knickers into the back of one drawer.

After settling into her quarters, Hermione had several hours to kill before she was considered on shift. Rather than trying to sleep — a feat that would be damn near impossible currently — she decided to wander the grounds of the sanctuary to familiarise herself with her temporary home. As she roamed through the large building, she felt herself calming down. Her embarrassment about her feelings for Charlie was starting to fade; there was no way she ever would've guessed he was gay. At the very least, she knew now and could let go of the crush she'd harboured for so long.

Glancing around, she found signs much like the ones present in St Mungo's, and thank the Gods, they were written in English. Hermione knew she could go anywhere on the grounds, but she didn't fancy stumbling across a dragon on her own. While she felt she could handle her own in most situations, that certainly was one where she'd be at a loss. Reading the sign, she saw she could either head towards the Visitor Centre or Dragon Keepers' Areas.

"I wonder if I know any of the other dragon keepers," she thought to herself, trying to recall any students who had moved on to NEWT level Care of Magical Creatures.

Figuring it couldn't hurt to check, she headed away from the Visitor Centre and down towards the dragon keepers, hoping someone would be around during the holidays. Maybe they could teach her a thing or two about dragons that she didn't already know, and she was still eager to learn something new whenever she could. However, as she roamed the hallways, it seemed like a ghost town.

The doors were labeled with numbers rather than names, obscuring the identities of the dragon keepers. She watched as the numbers kept rising, and before she knew it, she was nearing the end of the hallway. The final door was labeled with a silver number 20, and she deduced there were likely only twenty keepers at maximum.

She was left with the option to turn left or right, and she looked both ways. To the right, there was a lounge area. Couches, armchairs, a bar, a pool table… It definitely looked like a place that would normally be occupied. However, it was vacant today. With a sigh, she turned around and looked straight ahead. What she saw nearly took her breath away. There was a large balcony, partially open air and partially closed off and likely climate controlled, but it boasted floor-to-ceiling windows. It overlooked the grounds of the sanctuary, and Hermione was shocked to see dragons of all breeds just wandering around. She stepped up to the railing and wished she had a set of binoculars handy so she could take in more of her surroundings.

"Duh, Hermione, you're a witch," she mumbled to herself, removing her wand from her pocket and conjuring a set.

A chuckle sounded from behind her, and she nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Still forgetting you have magic, Granger? That really makes me question the title of Brightest Witch of the Age."

She'd know that taunting drawl anywhere.

Why was Draco Malfoy at the dragon sanctuary?