Lost and Abandoned

I posted this a week or so ago, but it disappeared so I'm trying again. I wrote this for one of my many sisters, she loved it she said and hopefully you will at least like it. Let me know, please.

snapeisthebest is my fabu beta.

Lost and Abandoned

Suzanne was pissed. She had known she had no business going with that arsehole Andy to the ends of nowhere.

‘...and just because I didn't put out fast enough.’ She felt the tears start to pool in her eyes again, which made her even angrier. "I am not going to cry over that ass." She told the dense forest around her, daring the woodland to try and make her.

Suzanne had no idea where she was. That man, hah! talked her into coming on this trip to no fucking where to see the world. All the hell she was seeing was fucking trees; big mean trees. "Let's go camping, he said. It'll be fun, he said. It'll be the time of our lives, he said. Why would someone take you all the way to Romania just to get lucky? I told him, do you hear me forest creatures, I told that bastard that I was not interested in sex! I was going to wait this time; be sure it really meant what I want it to mean. Ha, I guess I was smart to stick to my guns, 'cause as soon as he realized I meant what I said, he left me in the middle of nowhere." She wanted to stamp her feet in temper, she did smack herself on the forehead several times punctuating each slap with "Stupid, stupid, and stupid." She was angry at herself, for sleeping on the way out here, and not following him out of the tent when he left. She had no idea which way they came in or which way he went out. "Dumbass that I am."

She went on like that, walking around in no discernable direction, cursing Andy and herself. Suddenly, she noticed it had gotten very quite in the forest. The constant background sounds of bugs, birds and other woodsy creatures she didn't necessarily want to know what they were had stopped. Now, she was no country girl who knew all about woodsman ship, or whatever the hell you call it. But, something told her it meant things were not like they should be. After all, if they kept up their noise while she raged it would take something really scary to shut them up. She froze listening carefully; Suzanne even closed her eyes so she could concentrate on the sounds, or lack thereof. She stood for maybe five minutes like that, nearly trembling in her anticipation to hear something. She heard nothing.

She felt a warm, strong breeze parted around her. It made her shiver for some reason. Maybe it had something to do with the faintly sour smell of the wind. She thought to herself that it would be just her luck to be moving toward some kind of yucky stinky place. She opened her eyes and quickly closed them again.

She began to chant mantra like "Can't be real, can't be real. They just aren't real. Can't be real, can't be real" She was sure she was having some kind of crazy nightmare, maybe she was still in the tent sleeping and Andy had never left her to fend for herself. "Can't be real, can't be real, and can't be real."

"What can't be real?" A voice that could make butter melt during a blizzard asked amusement evident.

She opened her eyes again and again closed them quickly. "I'm going to talk to you; even though you are only another part of my nightmare." She told the voice. "I know that dragons are not real and they damn sure don't talk."

The beautiful, masculine voice chuckled, "Well, two out of three isn't bad. First, you are not dreaming, although you won't open your eyes. Second, dragons are very much real. And thirdly, dragons do not talk. We heard you ranting and wanted to offer our assistance."

Suzanne couldn't help herself, she opened her eyes again, slowly this time one eye at a time looking down at the ground. The first thing she saw was the claws of one huge foot. She began to breathe shallowly. It took all of her will power not to turn and run. But, she had heard that if you run from a predator it will think you are prey and give chase. She didn't want that thing to give chase.

Suzanne made herself look up and she completely stopped breathing. The dragon was beautiful; it was enormous and everything her adolescent heart had dreamed of when she was a young pure girl. (I think I want that to be the entire description of the dragon so that people can kinda fill in the blanks with what their adolescent heart s had dreamed of when they were young pure girls or boys or boys wanting to be girls or boys wanting boys or girls or girls wanting boys or girls). On the back of the breathtaking dragon sitting where the neck and shoulders joined was the most beautiful ginger haired man she had ever seen. The young woman began to breathe again, short shallow breaths as her body warmed in reaction to the shear masculinity of him. She could almost feel the testosterone exuding in waves from him; he was riding a dragon after all.

The manly man slid from the back of the dragon, bending his legs slightly on impact with the ground. He turned to her, a bashful smile on his face making him seem very young. "It's okay, miss, he wouldn't harm a hair on your head."

"It's not my hair I'm worried about" Suzanne said before she could stop herself.

The man smiled bigger "He won't hurt any part of you. I however may not be able to make the same promise. You are ravishing."

He must have seen the sudden wave of fear she felt, because he frowned. "No, I would never hurt you, never. I was only teasing you. You were so angry before...and so beautiful just now. I just wanted to see you laugh." His voice caught "I would never hurt anyone without very good cause." He smiled again "Please milady, grant me the boon of a second chance. I live alone in the forest with dragons; I forget how to be civilized at times."

Suzanne giggled, the combination of the British accent and the little speech were just too much. "Oh you are smooth. Since I have little choice, you're the only person I've seen after all, I will forgive you your impertinence and allow you to remain in my company. Besides, you have a great big dragon."

The man bowed deeply, "Thank you milady. Your generosity will not soon be forgotten." He stood and held out his right hand "I'm Charlie, by the way."

She smiled and said "It is my pleasure to make your acquaintance Charlie By The Way."

"Oh, I do like you. It's Charlie Weasley." He chuckled.

"I am Suzanne McClellan. Are you my knight in shining armor? Here to rescue me and take me back to civilization?"

Charlie's face dropped a bit, "As much as I would like to be just that, the best I can do is take you back to my camp. I can't leave for at least another week. No one else will be this way until then. Why are you so far out in the woods anyway?"

"That's a long story. Let's just say, I was bamboozled into taking a wonderful trip to Romania and got dropped like a, well, something you drop really fast."

"You mean someone brought you out here and than just left you here on your own? Do you even know anything about surviving in the wild? No offense, but you really don't seem like the roughing it in the woods type."

"You're right about that. I am not a roughing it type, at least not by myself. And yes, that bas…I mean, yes, I was brought here and then abandoned by a man who said he cared about me. I know what he cared about." She realized she had begun to rant again. "Sorry, I'm a little mad right now."

"Understandably. It will be dark soon, we should head toward camp. Do you want to walk or do you want to ride Uti?"

"Uti? Oh, my God. Uti, you call a dragon Uti. I think I'm scared of him. How the hell did I forget there was a dragon standing in front of me?"

"It's my winning personality." Charlie smirked.

"Or something like that."

"He really is very gentle, and he likes women."

"That's what I'm worried about, him liking women."

Charlie laughed, "Not like that, he's a gentleman, very chivalrous."

"Even so, I think I would rather walk, if it's not too far."

"It's not, maybe a fifteen minute walk. Let me take your things, at least let him carry them for you. He would be devastated if you did not allow him to help you."

Suzanne agreed. That stuff was getting heavy.

"What kind of name is Uti anyway?"

"It's short for Uther Pendragon."

"King Arthur's father?"

"Yes, I'm quite fond of the tale, being British and all. Once I told him about it, he wanted the name. He feels Uther was truly the king who united the tribes, and that Arthur just finished the job."

"I've had that thought a time or two myself. It's one of my favorite stories."


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Suzanne was very comfortable at Charlie's camp, which surprised her beyond belief. The last couple of days have been full of surprises. Charlie's camp was much more than she would have dreamed. No little tent or falling down lean to, an actual little cabin stood in the middle of a clearing; crazy thing was that it seemed to be a lot bigger on the inside, it boggled the mind. When Suzanne asked Charlie how it was possible he told her it was magic, which she scoffed at and asked again. With an expression of sorrow on his face Charlie mumbled that part of it being underground or something. For some reason Suzanne nodded as if she accepted his explanation, and she tried to accept it, but something tickled at the base of her brain. She just knew there was something going on. Not only did they have all of the luxuries of a home in any town, except electricity, but maybe even more than some had. Suzanne thought the electricity thing would drive her crazy, but she found she preferred the softer light of candle, torches and lanterns. Charlie had some kind of skinny flashlight that really lit things up. She had her own room that was decorated for a woman, which inexplicable made her very uncomfortable more and more as time passed. She wondered if a woman stayed at the cabin regularly. She could see no other reason for such a feminine room. She didn't want to ask Charlie because she wasn't sure she could handle the answer. Against her will she had become very fond of Charlie's big kid demeanor, as well as the way he could just take care of things, like a man. She smiled at that thought, as she watched him from the small porch on the front of the cabin as Charlie worked with a wild dragon.

That was another thing; she was no longer nearly as frightened of the dragons as she had been. Uti was practically her lap dog now. Suzanne had found herself pitching in to help him with his work. Both with the dragons and upkeep of the cabin and surrounding area. It made for very tiresome days, and wonderfully restful nights. They would work from just before dawn until just after dark. Then, they would take turns cleaning up and prepare supper together, enjoy the meal and spend an hour or so just relaxing. Charlie would never let her help with the clean up. He was very forceful about it. He always had the chore completed long before he really should have; yet another thing that made her cock her head and that tickle start up again.

They were due to leave in the morning of the day after tomorrow. Another dragon tamer would come in for a couple of days while Charlie took her back to the town, whatever the name of it was, where the airport was. He would also replenish his supplies and take care of a few other odds and ends that needed tending to. As he only left the forest every third month, he only had two days to complete everything. So, he told her he would have to take her directly to a hotel and that they would be sure she was on the proper plane back to the states.

Suzanne did not want to leave. Which was absolutely absurd! She was a girl from the United States; born and raised in towns. She had lived her entire adult hood in them. Yet, here she was in a foreign country, in the middle of the deep dark forest, surrounded by dragons; and the thought of leaving made her stomach cramp. She loved it there. And Charlie, well Charlie was an enigma himself. Suzanne silently scolded herself as she watched him, 'Stop it, it's just infatuation and he doesn't feel the same way, probably has a woman somewhere, a man like that.' He glanced at her and smiled, that smile eclipsed the sun it was so brilliant and beautiful. He went back to the dragon as if he had not just taken her breath away.

"I gotta get out of here before it's too late." She whispered. It was already too late for her.

Later, Suzanne had Charlie shower while she prepared dinner. It had taken all day to get that young dragon to a safe level of cooperation. Charlie had worked harder than most days and Suzanne had not.

She thought she would give him a treat and prepare something her sister had introduced her to. It was quick, easy and very yummy. Pizza burgers (which were pretty much what they sounded like and really yummy) were the main course with corn and macaroni and cheese, fancy fixin’s. She was plating the food when she heard a deep inhale from behind her.

"MMM, something smells good." Charlie's wonderful voice sounded even deeper than usual.

Suzanne shivered as she imagined she could feel his breath on the back of her neck. She turned her head and Charlie was indeed standing right behind her; close enough that she would barely have to move to brush his lips with hers. She used every bit of her willpower to take control of herself.

"Thanks, I hope you will like it, my sister introduced me to these and I love them." She took the plates to the small kitchen table.

Charlie followed her. "I already love them."

"You're silly."

"Well, yeah, I work with dragons for a living; no one fully sane would do that, right?"

"Too true, too true." She laughed with him, as she thought to herself, 'yeah what kind of girls wants to stay in the forest with a man who works with dragons for a living.'

They ate mostly in silence; Charlie complementing the meal. She teased him that to like this food as much as he did, he must have some yank blood. Again, Charlie insisted on the cleanup, urging her to go sit in front of the fireplace. After a token show of resistance, she complied. She literally decided to sit on the soft plush rug lying before the fireplace. She was reading a book Charlie had lent her when the fireplace flared up. It startled her a bit, the sudden whoosh of fire; but nowhere near as frightening as what followed. A woman's face appeared in the fire place.

"Charlie dear, its mum. Oh, I'm sorry, I was flooing my son. I don't know how I got the wrong connection. I'm terribly sorry. Goodbye."

Suzanne sat slack jawed, insects and small birds flying in and out of her mouth.

"I'm here Mum." Charlie said as he walked into the room. He looked down at Suzanne and a slight smile touched his lips. "Mum, this is Suzanne, the lady I told you about. She is a bit dumfounded right now."

"I'm so sorry dear. I didn't even think that she might be in the room when I flooed. I thought you were going to tell her about us?"

"Yes, I was. I just haven't had the chance yet."

Suzanne watched the conversation in awe. She was no longer as shocked and her natural curiosity reared its head.

"Oh, sorry darling. I was calling to be sure you would be coming home in a few days and rather or not Miss Suzanne would be coming as well." Suzanne's eyes grew in size at the implications of what the lady in the fire said.

"Mum, I don't know. I haven't talked to her yet."

"Yes, I'll be coming." Suzanne found herself saying, surprising Charlie, his Mum and herself.

"You will?" was said in stereo.

"Yes."

"Mum, I'll floo you in the morning."

Mrs. Weasley smiled knowingly "Okay dear. Nice to have met you Suzanne."

"Yes ma'am; it was nice to have met you." Suzanne replied absently, eyes only for Charlie and the grin on his face.

As the fire fell to a more normal level, Charlie walked over to the fireplace and did something. He turned toward Suzanne an almost predatory look on his face.

"Do you mean it? You will come with me home?"

Before he could say more she told him, "I would go anywhere with you."

He stammered "But..."

Suzanne found herself very clear headed, "No buts, if you want me, you have me. I have a lot of questions, a lot of questions. But, I have found myself falling in love with you. Until I heard the conversation you just had with your Mom?" Charlie nodded as he sat on the rug beside her. "I didn't dare hope that you felt even remotely the same. As I look back over the last several days, I can see it. But, I think I talked myself out of it. I also talked myself out of believing the other thing right in front of me; it really is magic isn't it?" Suzanne wasn't sure if she wanted it to be true or not. She could feel that not only did real magic exist; but that this wonderful man sitting next to her was real. And he was falling for her, just as she had fallen for him.

"Yes, magic is real. I was frightened that I had read you wrong and that you didn't feel the same way. So, I had not said or done anything, even though I want to kiss you all the time. I told my Mum. I always go home for a day when I replenish. She wanted me to bring you when I came. I knew I had to tell you about the magic. My world is so different than yours, Suzanne."

"I can see that it is. You'll explain things to me, right?" Again Charlie nodded at her question. "Well, if you will help me understand and deal with things, it will all work out. I would love to meet your family; the things you've told me about them…The explanations can wait, that kiss you spoke of can't, I have needed that for a long time now." She smiled bashfully, her cheeks pinking as she looked him in the eye.

Charlie raised his eyebrows in question, and then leaned toward her. He tucked a piece of stray hair behind her ear, gently stroking her cheek as he did. He cupped her face in his hands as he leaned closer. When he was close enough she could feel his breath on her face, he whispered "Beautiful." And kissed her forehead, lips ghosting her skin; he then kissed the tip of her nose before placing a nearly chaste kiss on her bottom lip. Someone moaned. Suzanne wasn't sure if it was her or him. It didn't matter; she felt it to her core. Charlie's tongue traced the curve of her bottom lip tenderly.

She moaned and this time she knew it was her. She turned more toward him, her breasts just touching his chest. It was his turn to moan, deep in his throat, a sound that sent electricity up and down her spine and made her tingle in places she had not tingled in for a long while, and in a way she never had.
Charlie kissed her properly now, done with teasing. Her mouth was slightly opened so he did not even need to ask admittance. As their tongues touched they both lost all sense of time and place; there were only each other and the most heavenly feeling. When the kiss had to pause for shallow breaths of air, Suzanne found her fingers at the base of Charlie's neck and his at the small of her back, they clung to each other as if the other was the only real thing in the world. Suzanne briefly thought to herself how funny it was that her entire view of the world had just been turned upside down, and she had never felt more safe or grounded.

Suzanne touched her lips to Charlie's, not quite kissing.

"I want you, I need you so much. I love you." Charlie whispered, his voice becoming rougher with each word, proving the truth of his words.

Suzanne was overwhelmed, "I am yours. I love you." Everything else would be fine; she knew that with Charlie she could do anything.