Thank Merlin He Can't Read My Mind; Can He?

~Hermione's pov~


I can't think of anything that felt quite as good as Charlie's mouth on mine, not even getting all the OWLs and NEWTs available. And for me, that is saying something. Ron and Harry got me out of there right quick once Charlie and I were detached, but I ached for him while I showered to get rid of any remnants of what the twins put on my shirt. Ginny had laid out a new outfit for me while I showered, part of my gift from the girls; well, the girls, save Ginny. She was my best girlfriend, and she always liked to pick something for me by herself. It is people like Ginny that define 'best friend', I thought as I pulled on the outfit from Padma, Lavender and Luna.


Ugh, I thought as I peered in the mirror. Those three put together strange colors for a living, but this actually. . . wasn't as bad as it could have been. Black pants that zipped off at the knee to become shorts, platform sandals I'd been eyeing every London trip, and a red and gold Gryffindor tank top that had last year's victory on it, charmed so it replayed highlights. Cool.


"'Mione? You ready?" Ginny knocked as she entered, and I mock-glared at her.


"What if I had been half-naked? You should wait to be acknowledged," I said, trying to keep a straight face.


"Come on, now, Hermione. If you had been half-naked, I would have just called Ron. Or maybe Charlie," Ginny said, her smile wicked.


"You wouldn't," I said, my jaw dropping. "Everything has been a misunderstanding. You can go ask him yourself ~ I'm sure he'd agree with me."


"That wouldn't be a problem. If he hadn't streaked off back to his dragons," Ginny said, watching me for a reaction.


"I thought he had leave to spend the rest of the summer here," I said before I could stop myself. "D'you think he left bec~"


"All I know is that whether or not a tamer is on leave, if his dragon needs him, he goes back to the dragon. It is why so many of them make bad boyfriends and husbands, Hermione," Ginny said pointedly. I glared at her.


"And Aurors are so much better?" Why am I arguing this?! Sooner or later, Ron and I will be together, and this will be just a memory. Charlie will be my brother in law. And that's the end of the story.


"Apparently, they're good girlfriends, too. I don’t want to fight about this, Hermione; I'm just warning you. Charlie's had his fair share of flings, and broken more than a few hearts. He never means to, but my dear older brother is an intense person, and often ensnares a witch before even he realizes it," Ginny said, walking over to me and giving me a hug. "Now, we have partying to do. And Sirius has already claimed first dance."


"There'll be music and dancing?"


"There had better be, or Mum will castrate Sirius for his impertinence."

55555


~Charlie's pov~


I apparated to different spots, hop-scotching across the Isles and the mainland until I reached my home reserve. I was in charge of about fourteen other men and their dragons. Including my dragon and me, there were thirty adult occupants, not including the eggs in our charge or the youngest dragons that had yet to bond to a tamer.


Although, if you think about it, 'dragon-tamer' has to be one of the biggest misnomers in the wizarding world. Dragons are never tamed. They bond with a wizard, or witch, and work together, tethering one another, and fighting alongside one another if the need arises. Wizards haven't fought atop dragons in centuries, but we can get strength from the bond, even when we aren't riding them. Most of our dragons are native to Europe, but when my last sire died form old age (he was only six or seven centuries old, but he had a penchant for eating first and questioning later; the last thing he'd eaten had been a bit of mistletoe, on a dare ~ bloody arse), I bonded with an Asian transplant with no name.


"Ryou!" I called as I marched onto the reserve. "Ryou, you old bat, where are you, and what do you need?"


Ryou was magnificent. Gold, red, orange, and everything in between, I got his name form the Japanese word for dragon, which I came across when I was researching how to treat him. He'd shown up with almost all the hide flayed from his tail. He'd gotten into a fight with the Dragon-king back home in Japan, and flown here, where he'd immediately gotten into a fight with a dragonsire from another reserve. His mind had found mine, and he dragged himself here overland, and I nursed him back to help.


"Charlie-san!" Ryou's mind-voice came to me, and though it held urgency, it also held pride and affection. Ryou had turned out to be quite an affectionate being, for a dragon. If only he'd stop using the damned honorifics, I'd feel a lot better and closer to him. "I missed you. You've been gone a long time!"


"Ryou," I sent the thought out so only he could hear me. "Why did you summon me? Are you alright? I was at home with my family. My hatchmate's mate is celebrating her hatching anniversary." Dragons only understood family and friends in relation to hatch order and anniversary.


"I'm sorry, Charlie-san, but the sire with the beard has come for you. Actually, for us, and he needs to speak with you. Is the orange flying thing with him a treat for me to eat on the way?"


I choked at the idea of Ryou trying to snack on Fawkes. I would probably bet against Ryou, but only in that fight. I sighed as I wondered what Albus would need me for, but I knew he'd sent me to the reserves for a reason. And I feared that reason was about to come back and haunt me.


It would be only fair to explain why the hell I'm on the backside of nowhere with the dragons.


~*~flashback~*~


I had been having nightmares for years before everything finally came to a head. I was asleep one winter night, back early from the holidays to get away from the hustle of the Burrow; Ginny was just a tot and Ron was a complete and utter pest. Bill was dating and had no time for me, Percy hated me because he's always hated being a Weasley, and the twins had always been too busy with their jokes. Mum was upset, but she let me go back first anyway.


Where was I? Ah, yes. Those bloody nightmares. For a while, I dreamed of normal monsters, like every other kid. Then they started to get weird. I would dream of seeing horrible acts, but through some sort of barrier. Finally, I woke screaming from a particularly awful one where I was torturing some girl; someone was shaking me awake. Severus Snape was the one shaking me awake, and I didn't even have a chance to ask him what the hell was happening before he dragged me off to Dumbledore's office.


"I found our little wanderer, Albus. And a Weasley, no less. Now what would you have me do?" Severus asked, and I was so scared. He wasn't even supposed to be there.


"I'm so sorry, Professor," I said, trying to squirm out of Snape's grip. Dumbledore motioned with his hand, and Snape dumped me in a chair. "I'll stop, I promise. Don't tell my mum. She'll be so angry that she's been called to the school again, after letting me come back early."


"Hush, my boy," the kindly headmaster had said, his eyes twinkling. "You have nothing to be ashamed of, or to fear, from us. We are going to help you hone your abilities. All I ask is utter discretion on your part. Agreed?"


I'd nodded so fast I thought my head would fly off my shoulders. Dumbledore smiled and turned form me to Snape.


"A wandless Legilimens, Severus. Teach him well, for he will be needed in times to come."


Severus Snape taught me from that night on; he was a Legilimens without peer, except for me. I grasped things quickly, and I didn't realize the depth of my commitment until my graduation, when I was trying to decide what department to join.


"Charlie, you've done very well. All those wonderful scores on your exams, and your Legilimency rivals even Severus's. I've spoken with a few friends, and you've been invited to the Romanian Dragon reserves. They'll expect you within a week of your graduation," Albus had said, and my jaw dropped.


"But, Professor. My mum," I said, and he tapped one long finger alongside his nose.


"Complete and utter discretion, my friend. Only Legilimens can become dragon-tamers, and you are the strongest wandless Legilimens we have. The Order will thank you for the sacrifice," Albus said, and his voice was even a little sad. I nodded my agreement, and he clapped a hand on my shoulder before he left.


Exactly five days later, I was on the reserve.


~*~end flashback~*~


"Ryou, meet me at my quarters. I'm sure Albus is there waiting for us," I said, swallowing my anger. Albus had only done what he'd had to, but it sometimes seemed like us Weasleys were the ones paying the price. Ryou swooped away, grabbing a sheep on the hoof before he settled near my small house, barely larger than Hagrid's hut. All things considered, though, with as large as Hagrid is, that isn't a very small hut, is it?


I opened the door, and Albus was inside, waiting. Fawkes was perched by the window, preening, though he did acknowledge my entrance. I sat down opposite the old man, and waited.


"Funny how we often have to go back to move forward, isn't it, my boy?" Albus said, peeling an apple as he spoke.


"How far back, Old Man?" I said. I wasn't in the mood for his mind games at that point. I've rarely gone on active missions, but this had the taste of it.


"Back to where things began."


"Where things began? Did something happen at the Burrow while I was schlepping back here to meet you?" I shot out of my chair and paced while Albus chuckled.


"Funny how we have multiple beginnings in our life, isn't it? First breath, first day at school, first dreams, nightmares. First loves," Albus said, and I stopped pacing to stare at him.


"Spit it out, Albus. Where do you need me to go, and who am I protecting?" I said, hoping this had nothing to do with my performance at the Burrow. Ron would kill me if anyone implied that Hermione meant anything more to me.


"I need you back at Hogwart's. Hagrid's gone with Maxine to work with the giants. And I need a Care of Magical Creatures teacher."


"And the dragons."


"And the dragons."


"Just like that?"


"Yes. Except. . . "


"What?"


"There will be some. . . bodyguarding. . . involved. And perhaps some practical things as well."


"We'll gather everyone and~"


"Just you and Ryou, by the way. Nice name."


"I gave it to him. He didn't have another one."


"Didn't, did he? How strange."


"Indeed. We'll be there in two days, maybe less."


"Take your time. You should stop by the Burrow, first."


55555


AN: At this point, I'll point out that in this story, which is set in the Trio's 7th year, diverges from canon: Dumbledore is not dead, but people outside the order don't know that. Severus is on the lamb, but Draco. . . well, I'm undecided about him in this story thus far. Probably won't be much of him, anyway.


Tchau!