Where the Wild Things Are

Chapter 1

Hermione Granger shook herself as she landed roughly on the grass. Her boots she was wearing sunk in as she placed the portkey down and glanced around. She fixed her clothes slightly and sighed; she was not used to wearing such protective clothing. The witch walked forward and into the boundary line. She was immediately grabbed making her gasp and glare.

"Slow down there, book witch, they don't know you yet," A gruff voice told her and she turned to see Charlie Weasley.

She blushed and glowered at him, "Charles Weasley, that was not polite," she spat and he grinned and pointed at the dragons sitting on the hill.

Her jaw grew slack and she covered it with a hand, "Oh," was all she got out. He was still smiling brightly at her and nodded, pulling her gently.

"They will get used to your smell after a time or two," he told her and she sniffed her clothes making him laugh. "Are you worried you don't have a decent smell? You do, trust me- I meant you, in general, Hermione." He snickered and she blushed as he let her to a small building.

She maneuvered inside and he offered her a chair. Charlie sat at the desk and raised an eyebrow, "so tell me, what does the Ministry want from me that they sent someone down here?"

Hermione blushed and chewed her bottom lip a moment before answering, "well, I asked to come down here. They mentioned dragon regulations and I knew you would be the man to talk to."

Charlie skewed his face and glared at her, "you? My brother's squeeze, came down here?" He asked and she cleared her throat.

"Former," she corrected him and raised a finger, "I want to publish your findings. You have been studying dragons for so long, I thought it would be great for the ministry to value your research." She declared and his expression turned playful.

"You want to learn about my beasties?" He asked her and she glared at him.

She was unsure about this Weasley, she hardly knew him. "I want to educate others."

He leaned over the desk, his form intimidating and odd. His face was scarred a bit, his hair long and wild and his smile was predatory. "You do?"

She puffed up and folded her arms, "are you jeering me, Charles?" She growled and he chuckled.

"Hermione, I haven't seen you in three years and you randomly write me two days ago. Can a man catch up? Not everyone is used to listening to orders." He declared, a smile still playing on his lips.

The witch turned scarlet and her jaw dropped again. "I was not bossing you around, Charlie!" She retorted and he feigned surprise.

"Really? My mistake," he responded and she growled at him.

"Just forget it!" She stood up and he followed suit, stopping her at the door.

"Now, don't leave here all twitchy, the Ridgebacks hate angry females. You want to see my research, I can show you." He declared and his face eased.

He smiled and touched a rough thumb to her chin in a hold, "you might become enthralled by them. They are magical." He told her and walked back over to his desk, "now, where were we?" He asked and she was recovering from her stupor.

She straightened her posture and wandered over, "you were going to show me what you have."

He gave her a lopsided grin, "alright, book witch, sit."

Hermione was shuffling through the sheets of pages on his desk for a long time, to Charlie's surprise. She would make noises and make faces, but she would not glance up at him. He scratched his chest and watched the bushy-haired witch engrossed in the notes. He moved to leave and she cleared her throat.