Dragon's Heart

Chapter One: The Burrow

             Charlie regretted not coming a day later. His Mother was in a frenzy cleaning and cooking. Not to mention she was making Bill and him make sure that the rooms were all tidy. Not that he would complain to her face and he was rather excited that there were more rooms now.
             Ron had said that it was thanks to Aurora Black that they were able to expand the house. Which had gotten him curious on how the girl had been the last two years. He hadnt seen her since Lupin's funeral and she took custody of her brother.
                      "Oi! I am not doing this by myself! Mom wants this done by lunch! Rory is coming earlier than she thought!" Bill says shoving him lightly out of his own thoughts. Groaning Charlie moves on to the next room. But he could already hear the twins outside messing around.
          Ginny was going to be pissed if they messed up her mock Quidditch field at the back of the house. She may have been the only girl but she was bloody scary, when she needed to be.
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          Aurora stood several feet from the front door of The Burrow. Teddy playfully smacking her neck as she held him. She turns her blue eyes toward the two year old and smiled.
                                         "Ready to see Uncle Harry?" Teddy squealed in excitement. Aurora laughs gently before looking over her outfit. She had decided on a long sleeved form fitting black v-neck shirt and a pair of faded ripped jeans. Aurora wasnt one to keep up with the latest fashion. But she had made sure that Ginny was. She would send her clothes from her travels regularly.
The door to the Burrow opened making Aurora stiffen and look up. Harry stood grinning like a lunatic. Aurora gives him a breathless smile as he rushes  to her throwing his arms around her and Teddy tightly. Aurora giggles hugging him with her first arm.
                                           "Hey Little brother." Harry groaned playful and pulled away.
                           "Really? I thought I would have grown out of that by now." Aurora smirks and shakes her head.
                                          "Not in this life time." Harry takes Teddy from her and begins toward the door. Aurora bites down the inside of her cheek and follows behind him slowly. She had prepared herself for the mountain of questions that she was going to have thrown at her.
        She gasps as a red head bolts to her wrapping her in a bone crushing hug. Aurora grunts as Ginny giggles. Aurora instantly relaxes and wraps her arms around Ginny.
                                         "Hey Gin. Did you miss me?" Ginny sniffles a little and pulls back smiling brightly.
                           "Of course she missed you. We all did. But we are glad that you are home." Harry says gently passing Teddy to an awaiting Molly. Aurora smiles warmly at Molly who wanders off toward the kitchen with Teddy.
                                       "And where is everyone else? GEORGIE, FREDDIE!!!" Aurora laughs at the thundering footsteps that came from above her, then came the two towering red heads fighting each other to get down the stairs first. Harry laughed and shook his head at their behaviors.
               "RORY!" They yelled in unison and then Aurora was crushed between them. A squeal in happiness left her lips as she peered up at them.
                                           "And how are my favorite twins?" The twins laughed and leaned down each giving her a quick kiss on the cheek, making her frown,
                                          "Still flirts I see." Fred smirks at George who wags his eyebrows at Aurora.
                    "Yes, but we are older now Rory! And as we here it, you are single." Aurora rolls her eyes and smacks them both in the arms.
                                         "And still to old for you two twits!"
        "Hey I warned you two, not to flirt with MY best friend." Aurora swung after fast and spotted Percy with his wife and little girl. Aurora grinned and took off for Percy, crashing into him giggling. Percy chuckled and squeezed her back.
                                        "Hey Perc!" Percy snorts at her.
       "I havent heard that nickname since seventh year." Aurora rolls her eyes playfuly at Audrey who winks at her. She pulls away from Percy as laughter fills the air. She stiffened and slowly turned her head.....Bill and Charlie stood there with amused look on their faces.               Aurora's face flushed and her ears burned as she looked between them, She tried to make sure that she didnt look at Charlie for to long, but she could feel his brown eyes on her.
        She smiles nervously as Bill walks over to her collecting her in his arms gently.
                    "Hello pup." Aurora blinks rapidly, as her heartaches and her vision blurs. Bill stiffens and pulls away enough to look down at her. Aurora wipes her face quickly, trying to laugh.
                                              "I'm sorry. No one's called me that in a long time." Bill smiles sadly at her. Charlie pulls Aurora from Bill's arms wrapping his arms around her. Aurora's eyes widen and her whole body blushes.
                                "Hey, little Dragon!" Charlie says happily. Aurora's heart beat rapidly in her chest as she pats his back awkwardly.
                                             "Hey, Red." She hated that she used the nickname and she didnt think she could blush any harder. Charlie pulls away and smiles down at her before placing a hand on top of her head and chuckles.
                              "Still as short as ever." Aurora freaks an offended expression.
                                          "Says the six foot something troll!" She teases trying to contain her own laughter. Charlie arches an amused eyebrow at her.
         A toddler squeals pulls Aurora's attention as she sees Teddy running through the hallway as Ginny chased him bright smile on her face. Teddy ran straight into the back of Charlie's leg, Aurora shot down, steadyng Teddy from falling over.
                "RO!" He squealed happliy wrapping his arms around Aurora's neck, clinging to her and taking his feet off the floor. Aurora laughs lightly and picks him up,
                                 "You're a good mom little dragon." Aurora's face turned bright red as she peeks up at Charlie. He smiles down at her gently.
              "LUNCH!" Molly calls from the Kitchen giving Aurora the perfect escape. She hauled Teddy with her, sinking into a chair next to Ron, Ginny sat on the other side her and helped Aurora make her plate, which Aurora distracted Teddy.

           Charlie sat across from Ginny but had a clear view of Aurora as she ate around Teddy and fed him straight from her own plate. Teddy smiled and kept trying to grab the fork from Aurora but she was calm and patient with him. Charlie's chest tightened as he watched.     Aurora's face light up when she turned her attention to Audrey and Percy.            Charlie couldnt understand how Aurora had ended up as Percy's best friend. He was so calm and collected al of the time.
            And Aurora had been wild and fearless about everything and when the war came she saved Fred without even blinking. He had been grateful to her for saving his younger brother. But, had any of them actually thanked her for saving him? He couldnt remember and Charlie would have remembered something like that.
                                  "Thank you, for saving Freddie little Dragon." The words flooded out of Charlie's mouth before he could stop them. Aurora's surprised icy irises turned toward him as her cheeks colored. She was adorable. The room fell into silence as everyone looked between the two.
                                                "You're my family. Any of you would have done it for me." Her eyes wandered over to Harry, who smiled and nodded toward her. But had they? Could they had at least saved one of them for her? That had plagued Charlie's mind for two years. The only ones that she had left were, Teddy and Harry and they were both younger than her.
                "Rory Dear how was visiting The Malfoys?" Aurora turns her attention to Molly as Teddy shoves both his hands into the mashed potatoes, making Charlie chuckle.
                                                   "Uh, yes Narcissa sends her love. And Draco says Hello." Molly smiles warmly and laughs.
       "Rory? Where's your locket?" Percy's worried voice draws her attention and Rory lets out a clipped sigh and looks slightly annoyed.
                                             "Stupid Niffler knicked it. Ralph promised to fetch it for me." Both of Charlie's eyebrows shoot up. She was working with Nifflers?
         "Ralph Scamander?" Charlie didnt like the way that Percy said his name. His eye twitched and then Aurora scoffs and rolls her eyes at him.
                                            "Don't imply something that isnt there. Ralph is a good friend and he is also seeing Luna Lovegood. She's a lovely girl." Aurora said a little to quickly and tried to not look at Charlie. Which Percy had caught and realization flashed in his eyes as smiled brightly. Aurora openly glares at Percy for a long moment before shaking her head and rolling her eyes.