Her laughter drew him out of the hut. Soft and melodious, making him smile even before he stepped outside. His eyes scanned the surrounding area, finding her sitting on a stump near the vegetable garden. She was smiling, her cheeks a pale pink, and her eyes didn’t have the haunted look that had become far too familiar in the past four months.


Hagrid moved so she and her boy couldn’t see him. He was good at watching her without her realizing it, having a lot of practice since he’d started taking care of her. She’d been brought to him broken and bloody, skittish and fearful. Caught by Death Eaters during a raid in her village, she’d been with Macnair for two weeks before they’d been able to rescue her. No one had been able to get near her save for Charlie Weasley, who was the one who found her in the cold cell, and him.


That night, she’d been a lot like a lokat he’d had when he was fifteen. The creature had been beaten and left for dead, and it had required patience and understanding before he’d started to move and live again. With ‘ermione, it had taken two months before she’d speak. Large eyes following him around his hut, not letting anyone but him and Charlie close to her, nightmares that left her tossing and turning, screaming until she was hoarse.


He was good at taking care of hurt creatures, patient and gentle, fixing her wounds and just letting her have time to heal. ‘twas only natural he’d started to care. He loved all his creatures, after all. True, ‘ermione was a special one, pretty little thing and brilliant, really. Sitting with her at night, just watching her slowly begin to live again, he’d seen she was a beautiful creature, full of life and potential, brave and proud.


Watching her now, he couldn’t stop grinning. First time she’d laughed since before she’d been taken. First time she’d truly smiled, one that lit up her whole face and made her eyes shine. He watched her shyly look away from the redhead who was talking to her quietly, knowing exactly what Charlie was saying. Saying the things he, himself, felt. Talking ‘bout love and desire, giving her a future that he’d never be able to give her even if she‘d ever consider him as anything more than Hagrid, which wasn‘t bloody likely.


Charlie was kissing her now, gentle and sweet, not aggressive like Hagrid knew he could be, treating her the way she deserved. Nodding once, content his girl would be taken care of, he turned to give them privacy. He may like watching her, may love her just a little, but he knew what he had to do next. She was healed, ready to live again, and she’d chosen Charlie. Smiling a proud smile, he walked back into his hut. It was time let his beautiful creature go.


The End