Hermione was trying not to focus on the pain, but instead on Charlie's scent, always so woodsy and fresh. She focused on his muscular chest that she was leaning against, and she tried to listen to the words he was mumbling.

"You're gonna be okay Hermione, you're gonna be okay." Hermione's plan wasn't working and she moaned in pain. It was just too much, and she welcomed the blackness as she passed out. Meanwhile Charlie had just reached the tent. He set Hermione down on one of the beds, and quickly began to take off her shirt and her pants to assess the damage. The gash was very deep, and he was immediately concerned that the dragon may have slashed through one of her vital organs. He gave her a potion to help with the pain, and he hoped that she would be alright. All of the dragon tamers had to learn medical spells, and he quickly began performing all the spells and tests to see what he was dealing with.

Finally after an agonizing five minutes he found out that the dragon had just missed her right lung and liver. With a sigh of relief he began to carefully clean out the wound and then stitch it back together, he had only had to do this once before, and he took great care so that she wouldn't scar much. He suddenly felt very lucky that she was unconscious. Once he was done with his work on Hermione he gave her more potion to help with the pain and then watched her for a long time.

He felt like an idiot, this was his fault. He should have warned her not to get so close. Of course this was a freak accident, something like this never happened. Neither of them had done anything wrong, she was just in the wrong place, and Charlie had never seen a dragon twitch before falling to the tranquilizer. There was no way he could have predicted this, so the warning would have seemed pointless. He knew he did the best he could, and he hoped that she would forgive him in the morning. He traced his fingers gently over the stitching, and hoped with all his heart that it wouldn't scar her too bad. He knew he would love her no matter what, and always think she was beautiful, but he knew how scars could weigh on your self esteem, and he liked Hermione to be confident. He sighed, trying to get rid of the guilt that plagued him. His mom was going to kill him. Finally he decided to lay down beside her and try to get some sleep. She wouldn't be waking for quite sometime.

"Hermione" a voice called, and Hermione groggily opened her eyes. Before her she saw herself… that was weird, and Charlie was bent over her tending to a wound. She suddenly remembered what had happened, but this was way strange, like some freaky dream, out of body experience. She watched with love in her heart for how tenderly Charlie was tending to her. He looked so guilty and immediately she wanted to hug him and tell him that it wasn't her fault, and to never look that sad again. She was pulled out of her thoughts by a presence beside her. She turned to look and couldn't believe her eyes.

"Ron?!" she asked incredulously.

"It's me" he said with a smile. Hermione jumped into his arms and hugged him.

"What's going on?" she asked, confused.

"I don't know, this is your weird brain."

"Am I dreaming?"

"I think so, but I've never tried to understand your weird head." Hermione snorted in response, and focused back in on the scene in front of her.

"He loves you, you know?"

"If you're a dream you're just telling me what I want to hear. So I'm not really sure I believe that."

"No Hermione, it's true. I'm not a figment of your imagination. I really am Ron, it was like you summoned me or something… I don't know how the hell you did that."

"Maybe I'm dead" she said in a weird tone.

"No, no. I would know if you're dead and you're not dead. Like I said, you just have a freaky brain. But seriously, Charlie really does love you, and I'm really glad that you've found as great of a guy as Charlie. I think he's the only one I would deem acceptable for you." Hermione blanched, and then suddenly became very emotional.

"But Ron… I feel so bad. I still do love you, and now I think I'm in love with your brother, and it almost feels wrong, like I'm betraying you."

"Look Hermione" he said as he put his hands on his shoulders and turned her to face him. "No one expects you to mope about forever. You're doing what you're supposed to and moving on. I know I'm still in you're heart, but I'm among the dead now, and you're among the living, so you've got to go on and give your heart to someone else who is also living. I already told you that I'm very glad you chose to give your heart to Charlie. I'm very happy for you, it's great to see you living your dreams." Hermione's tears were freely streaking down her face at this point.

"Thank you Ron. I miss you, and it means so much to me to know that I'm not hurting you somehow."

"Hermione you've never hurt me. You don't have it in you to hurt people. But I've gotta go now. Remember, I'm always here" he said pointing to her heart. Suddenly he was gone, and dream Hermione remained alone watching herself and Charlie sleep. In the morning it went black and real Hermione opened her eyes.

Upon awaking, Hermione groaned a little in pain as she felt a dull throbbing ache come from her torso. Charlie immediately woke up, and even though he had been sleeping, his eyes looked alert, as he looked her over.

"How are you feeling?" he asked her seriously. Hermione closed her eyes hard and rolled her head into her pillow.

"It aches" she said breahthlessy, and Charlie was immediately up and rummaging through a bag that was near the bed. Finally he pulled out a flask of light blue liquid and he held it to her lips to drink.

"This should help" he told her as he brought the flask away from her mouth and stored it back in the bag. "It's a numbing potion." Hermione weakly nodded and Charlie sat on the bed next to her.

"Mind if I take a look?" he asked, and Hermione nodded in consent. He gingerly pulled her shirt off, careful not to graze her wound. He was actually quite pleased with his work, if they were lucky it would only leave a very faint line as a scar. Already the wound seemed to be healing very well. Usually it took about 2 days. Charlie rolled her shirt back down and then grabbed the hand at her side and began massaging circles into her palm.

"You're healing really well Hermione. The stitches will glow blue when you're completely healed and then I can take them out. I'd expect another day or two. While you're healing we probably shouldn't move you too much, though I was thinking I could appparate you back to the house…"

"No" she said her voice a little stronger this time. "Let's wait it out here, I'm plenty comfortable here and we have everything we need. We still have a job to do and I don't intend on leaving until it's done." Charlie's eyes widened in surprise.

"Hermione, are you sure? I was just thinking that we could call someone else to come finish it…" he hesitated here, as he became a little emotional. "Hermione, I couldn't bear it if something happened to you again. I already feel horrible that I let something happen to you. I just…"

"Stop beating yourself up Charlie. You know as well as I do, that that was a complete freak accident. There was no way you could have known that something like that was going to happen, so there was no way to warn me to stay further away. Honestly, it's my fault. I knew I didn't have to be that close to the dragon to cast the spell, it was my curiosity that got the better of me. You did everything right, Charlie. You were amazing."

Charlie squeezed her hand and thought about everything she had said as he studied her face. She had a look of determination in her eyes, and he recognized it as the look that he had in his eyes the first time he got hurt at the reserve and his mother was trying to make him come home and get a different job. He knew that Hermione had already made her decision and there would be no swaying her, and he felt a little bit of pride well up in his heart, that she already felt so much passion for the dragons. He was however very curious about her current feelings toward the situation. Hermione had been watching him the whole time he thought, with expectant eyes.

"Well, if you still really want to do this, then we can wait and continue when you're all the way better" he told her finally. "But aren't you afraid?" Hermione looked down and her lips tightened into a line.

"Of course I am a little, but not enough to keep me away" she replied with stony determination. Charlie had to marvel at her for a moment.

"You really are one of a kind Hermione Granger. Now let me make you some breakfast." Hermione nodded and quickly fell back asleep, the pain potion was making her sleepy and her whole conversation with Charlie she had had to battle the drowsiness. She found herself once again having very strange dreams.

When Charlie woke her up next it was with a tray of delicious looking food, and some more of the numbing potion to drink when she was done. They sat together eating breakfast, mostly in silence. Charlie was watching her closely though, to make sure that she was okay, and it did not go unnoticed by Hermione.

"Charlie thank you for saving my life. You did amazing work, and I don't know what I would have done without you."

"Without me you wouldn't have gotten hurt" he replied roughly.

"Charlie" she chided. "We went over this, it's not your fault. I made my own decisions, and there was a weird accident. That's all."

"Okay fine, I'll take that. But still, it's absurd to thank me for that. Of course I'd save your life Hermione. I think at this point your life means more to me than my own, I couldn't live with out you, and I would do everything in my power to keep you around. It's like you're oxygen and I can't live without you." Charlie suddenly looked away, as he realized that he had just spoken those words aloud, it was almost like he had just told her that he was completely in love with her. Truly madly deeply.

Hermione felt touched by the intensity and passion of his words, and she knew in an instant, although, it scared her a little, that she felt the exact same way about him. Every time she made a decision she usually thought about how her decision would first affect Charlie and then herself. In many ways she had started putting his life before her own.

Hermione tried to sit up in an effort to get closer to him but he put out his arm in a gesture to keep her mostly laying down and propped against pillows, and instead he moved closer to her. He took the tray that was across her lap and put it on the floor, and scooted close to her.

Hermione reached out to him and stroked his cheek with the back of her hand and then ran her fingers up through her hair. Charlie closed his eyes and enjoyed her touch. With her other hand she grabbed his and placed it over her heart.

"I've never felt anything like this before Charlie.. and it's a little scary" she admitted. His eyes darkened for a minute in sadness but she continued. "A little scary but completely wonderful. It was never like this with Ron, never so intense. But with you I feel like I would do anything for you, anything at all if it meant it would make you smile. You're the first thing I think of when I wake up in the morning and it puts a smile on my face. Then throughout the rest of my day you influence all my big decisions, and I never want to do anything if I think it will make you unhappy at all. I've never so willingly put so much weight on someone else's feelings in my decision making process."

Charlie smiled at her and took her hand that was in his hair and placed it over his heart, and then brought his hand to her face, cupping her cheek. Charlie knew he could have lost Hermione the night before, and he had just about told her exactly how he felt, but he knew it was time. He had to tell her, she had to know just how much she meant to him.

"Hermione" he breathed. "I am very much in love with you, and I need you to know that. I understand if you don't quite feel the same way yet, I realize this may feel very fast to you, but I just needed you to know, because last night…"

"Charlie" she said as she brought a finger to his lips "You worry too much. I know without a doubt that I am also very much in love with you" she said. A most brilliant smile filled Charlie's face and Hermione couldn't help but smile either. Charlie brought his forehead to hers, and they looked into each other's eyes for a long while.

"I feel so lucky to have you" he said breaking the silence. Hermione felt his breath on her cheek and she felt her heart flip in desire.

"Oh Charlie, I feel the exact same way" she told him back. Charlie lowered his gaze to her lips for a moment and then looked back into her warm eyes, as if he was asking permission and Hermione shot him a small smile and then his glorious lips were on hers. His lips moved so naturally with hers, and they were as soft and warm as she had imagined them to be. Charlie had to hold in a small moan of pleasure as Hermione parted her lips and his tongue gingerly touched hers. She tasted as sweet as he had imagined her to. They broke the kiss off before too long, and then were content to lay there for quite a while cuddling and partaking in one of their newest favorite activities with each other, kissing.

At one point when they were spooning Charlie moved his hand from around her waist and felt one of her stitches where her shirt had ridden up and he was reminded that she was still hurt. He had almost forgotten after all of the amazing things that had happened in the morning. It seemed like so long ago that he had treated her wound.

"How are you feeling?" He asked. Hermione looked over her shoulder at him and smiled.

"Amazing" she replied. Charlie gave her a skeptical look. "Well I mean I do feel amazing, I'm so happy and content…. I probably could use a little more of that numbing potion though" she admitted. So Charlie got up to retrieve the potion. "Honestly though, I do feel like I'm slowly getting better."

"Good" he said as he handed her the potion. "That's what I like to hear. After you get some lunch in you I bet you'll feel even better and stronger."

Hermione nodded and then drank a sip of the potion, but before handing it back to Charlie, she studied the label on the bottle. When her thoughts weren't on Charlie, which wasn't often, they kept drifting back to her dream with Ron and the other weird dreams she had had, and she puzzled for awhile at what was causing the dreams. When she had drank the potion she realized that there must be something in it that was causing the dreams. She studied the label for a minute and found the ingredient she was looking for.

"What are you doing?" Charlie asked, pulling her out of her thoughts.

Hermione looked up at him and handed him back the potion as she explained. "I just had the strangest dream last night, it was like an out of body experience. I was watching you care for my wound and then Ron showed up, and we talked. He told me that he approved of us. Anyway, I just realized that it's the potion, there's a certain ingredient in there that can cause those sort of dreams."

"Hmm, that seems pretty interesting. I've had that potion a lot and that's never happened to me. It must be a rare side effect."

"Yea I think so. I'm glad though, I feel like I got a little more closure with Ron, and that was good, even though quite possibly he was a figment of my imagination… but he said he wasn't. I may never know, but the point is, that I feel better." Charlie looked very confused by her ramblings, he wasn't quite sure what she was talking about, but he was glad she felt better, and that Ron, figment of the imagination or not, approved of their relationship.

Charlie was right, after lunch Hermione did feel a lot better, she still wasn't allowed to move much though because of her stitches. They began discussing her notes and observations of the dragon, and came up with a game plan for the next time they would try and retrieve him. When they were all done talking business they talked and cuddled, they read to each other, and despite being restless, Hermione was very happy.

Charlie again slept by her side at night, and she woke in the morning to him examining her stomach.

"Your stitches are starting to glow" he told her. "It'll probably only take a couple more hours, and you should be good to go. How are you feeling?" Hermione yawned, still waking up, but tried to focus on her stomach and her wound. She didn't feel anything, she felt rather good actually.

"I feel really good, I don't feel the wound at all" and for the first time she lifted up her shirt and sat up a little to look at the wound. She held her breath for a moment as she started to look, afraid to see a horrible looking scar. She was astounded by what she saw. Under the stitches was the faintest little line. Her mouth fell open in astonishment in the incredible job that Charlie had done. Charlie was looking at her intently, studying her face trying to figure out the splay of emotions displayed across her face.

"Charlie, I can never thank you enough. You did amazingly, you definitely have a natural talent for healing, I was expecting to see something much worse." Charlie smiled, glad that she thought he did a good job, and then Hermione kissed him passionately. Even though they had done quite a bit of it yesterday, it was still a thrill every time their lips touched.

They waited a couple more hours until Hermione's stitches were glowing a brilliant blue, and Hermione watched with amazement at how skillfully Charlie took out her stitches. When he claimed that she was all healed, Hermione gratefully hopped out of bed, happy to be able to move around again.

After a few minutes of preparation they were all ready to go. The plan was to go back to the clearing they had seen the dragon at before. Charlie hoped that the dragon would still be there, but if not thy might be able to find a clue as to where the dragon went. This time they took down their tent and took everything with them, prepared to make camp somewhere else at night if they needed to.

It didn't take them long to get to the clearing, and when they got there they approached it cautiously, just In case. However, the dragon was not still there. They entered the clearing and Hermione watched as Charlie tried to find some tracks. At last they had found some tracks heading to the west, and they cautiously set back out again.

After about an hour of walking they heard a tremendous cry from a little in the distance. Hermione and Charlie both looked at each other, both wondering what was going on. They pressed on and finally they saw it. A little in the distance the dragon was flailing around bleeding. Upon closer examination they saw a trap around its foot.

Charlie fumed in anger and Hermione put a hand on his shoulder to calm him.

"Charlie what's going on?" she whispered.

"This is how the villagers like to try and take care of dragons, once they've decided it has been here too long. They set these traps hoping the dragon will come along, it's primitive and without help the dragon will die, but it is a very slow and torturous death as the dragon bleeds out. Many great dragons have died this way, people just misunderstand them. This is why we get sent out as soon as we hear any rumors, we like to try and save them."

"is there anything we can do to help?" Charlie nodded, his jaw set in a straight line, and he began to tell her the plan. Hermione was very nervous being this close to a dragon that almost killed her, but she knew she had to help. She couldn't let it die. They wordlessly started making a circle so they could walk towards the dragon, instead of coming from behind and scaring it. When the dragon caught sight of them Charlie put his hands out in peace and bowed his head, trying to show respect. Dragons were very prideful creatures.

The dragon made no aggressive moves and they both began to slowly move towards it. When they were about an arms length away Charlie held his hand out again and allowed the dragon to examine him, when the dragon turned his head to Hermione, he let out a sound that sounded like a purr, and Hermione stiffened a little bit.

"I think he recognizes you from before, and he likes you. Dragons have great memories and they are very good judges of character, he trusts you." Hermione felt her mouth fall open in shock, a dragon liked her?! That was weird. Charlie smiled a little at the expression on her face. He knew they were safe now, the dragon would accept their help.

"Hermione, put your hand out" he told her. Hermione wearily did as she was told and the dragon nuzzled her hand, Hermione almost shrieked as she thought it was going to bite her, but then relaxed when she realized he was being friendly. She could not believe this was happening to her.

"We're going to help you now" Charlie told the dragon, in what he hoped was a soothing voice. At the sound of Charlies voice, the dragon turned his attention back to Charlie and watched charlies every movement. Charlie crouched down to see the injured, caught leg a little closer and then got out his wand to release the trap, and a piece of gauze and tape. He enlarged the gauze and tape and then gestured to Hermione, to come closer.

"I need you to put this gauze on the wound and wrap it with a lot of pressure, as soon as his leg is out of the trap" he told her seriously, and she nodded.

As Charlie released the trap the dragon let out a roar of pain and Hermione set to work on covering the wound as Charlie grabbed the tranquilizer from his pocket and injected it into the dragon. Charlie grabbed Hermione and pulled her away as the dragon started to fall asleep, and slump to the ground.

"Is he gonna be okay" she asked worriedly as they walked back towards the sleeping dragon.

"He should be" Charlie replied. "He can't have been caught for long, he didn't lose very much blood yet." Hermione let out a breath of relief and then together they levitated him off the ground and began walking again. There plan was to walk to the nearest clearing, and from there Charlie would call the other tamers from the reserve and they would come be picked up in a truck.

As they continued to walk, Hermione couldn't suppress her curiosity any longer.

"Why did that dragon like me?" she asked, and Charlie chuckled at the disbelief in Hermione's tone.

"Dragons are very wise and intelligent, He must have seen that you are pure of heart, and that you really did want to help him. Dragons have always been misunderstood. They're not out to get people, but they are very prideful, and when they are not treated with respect they react badly" he explained.

"that makes sense, but wow… I just never thought something like that would happen to me. I can hardly believe it. But I'm so glad we were able to help. He's magnificent" she said as she looked the dragon over. "I should write a book about dragons, help people understand."

Charlie smiled, if anyone would write a book about dragons, it would have to be her. None of the tamers, including him, had enough motivation to write a book. Although they all agreed, that people did need to be more informed about dragons. Thank merlin for Hermione he thought.

"That's actually a really great idea Hermione. It's about time that someone does." And with that they launched into a discussion about all the topics she should include in her book. It wasn't long before they reached a good place to be picked up, and as they waited for the truck they continued their discussion about the book. Once they were picked up, on the way back the tamers were all surprised to hear about Hermione's freak accident with the dragon, but pleased to hear that the dragon in fact really liked her. They also thought her idea about the book was great.

All of the men on that truck were envious of Charlie, and his one of a kind catch of a girlfriend, and when it was loud enough so nobody could hear, Silas leaned over and poked Charlie in the ribs.

"What's your secret. Where in the world did you find a girl like her?" silas asked, and Charlie just laughed in joy.

Once they were back from their little expedition, life for Charlie and Hermione flew by. Their relationship and love for each other continued to grow stronger, and they were very much enjoying discovering each other, and all of the new aspects of a romantic relationship. Hermione hardly ever slept in her own bed anymore, it was her favorite thing to wake up to Charlie in the morning. However, they had not actually "slept together" Hermione didn't think she was quite ready for that, and she was enjoying the pace they were moving at.

Hermione also continued work on her book, and all of the guys at the reserve gladly helped, contributing stories and personal wisdom. She was whipping it out faster than she ever could have imagined. It was now mid September, about a month after they had gotten back from rescuing the dragon. She spent a lot of time with the dragon she had helped rescue, whom she named Bowser, and he was a big star in the book. All the men on the reserve were amazed at how much Bowser had come to love Hermione. She had experienced many incredible events and she got to experience one more to add to her book just days before she was to send it in to the publisher.

She was in her office filling out papers for the ministry when Charlie came bursting through her door.

"Hermione come quick!" he said as she came forward from behind her desk, and he grabbed her hand and ran out the door pulling her along. They were on their way to Kelia's, a Swedish short-snout's compound and Hermione immediately knew what was happening, Kelia's egg was hatching.

They ran over to where a crowd of tamers was, breathlessly, and waited with the others in anticipation. Afterwards, Hermione thought that that was the most amazing thing she had ever seen, and it turns out that another dragon really liked Hermione. Newly out of the egg it turned to look and it saw Hermione, and upon seeing Hermione it let out a purr. Hermione was flabbergasted, and all the men amazed, yet again. Hermione clearly had something about her that dragons just loved.

Before they left the compound Charlie had an idea, and discretely bent down to pick up a piece of the brilliant blue, spackled with silver egg shell, and then ran to catch up with Hermione.

"That was amazing" she exclaimed as he caught up and took her hand.

"It was, it always is" he agreed, and looked into her passion filled eyes. It only took them a moment to get back to Hermione's office where Charlie pulled her into a loving, intense kiss.

After a very steamy makeout session Hermione practically had to push Charlie out of her office.

"Come on, out with you. I've gotta add that birth into my book, it goes to the publisher in two days." Charlie gave her the puppy dog face, and Hermione looked at the clock on the wall. "I'll see you in two hours" she said with a laugh, "Now out!" and he left with a smile.