Harry Potter - Series Fan Fiction ❯ The Green-Eyed Orphan ❯ Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

 

Christiana was desperately lost in his kiss. All the anger at him ebbed away as he pulled her closer than she had thought possible. He tangled a hand in her hair, the other hand gliding down her back. Finally, she remembered that she had been angry with Charlie. She pushed herself back from him to look at his face. She lightly slapped his chest with her open palm, the other hand still in his hair. “I'm still mad at you, though.” She arched her eyebrow. He just grinned.

“No, you're not,” he replied, and pulled her back into the embrace easily. But a moment later, she pulled away again. “What is it now?” he asked, sounding a bit agitated that she kept interrupting the wonderfulness that was kissing her.

“You know my big secret. And honestly, I don't think that bit about the dragon egg you told me in the bar that night was your true big secret. I want to know what it is.” She firmly crossed her arms, barring his hopes of getting back into that kiss. He sighed.

“Do we have to get into this now?” Charlie was looking uncomfortable, but it wasn't as uncomfortable as she'd felt when she'd found out he'd read her diary.

“There is no better time than the present. Losing people will make you come to realize that. Come on, Charlie. You can kiss me to your heart's content when you're through with the story.” She grinned up at him as she sat on the edge of the bed.

“Such shameless bribery!” he exclaimed, pretending to be outraged. “All right, I'll tell you, but please promise me one thing before I get into the story.”

“Anything,” Christiana agreed, nodding. “I do love a good story.”

“This one doesn't have such a happy ending,” Charlie replied frowning. “But no matter; I want you to promise me that you won't go feeling sorry for me or looking at me like I'm a pitiful lost puppy or anything.”

“Oh, I would never look at you like that, although, you would make a darling puppy with those eyes.” She giggled at the thought as Charlie sank down on the bed beside her.

“Well it was about four years ago, around the time I was required to help out with the Triwizard Tournament at Hogwarts…”

 

FOUR YEARS EARLIER

 

Ivana Tudor's long brown hair shimmered in the sunlight as Charlie Weasley approached her for the first time. Ivana was the cousin of the newest intern who was working for Charlie and learning how to handle dragons. He and his cousin were to go with him and some other guys as a team to take four dragons to Hogwarts for the Triwizard Tournament. Ivana was going at her cousin's insistence and pleading with Charlie, because according to her cousin, she, too, wanted to pursue a career with dragons and this was the best exposure she was going to have to decide if it was her best path or if she would do better choosing something else. She had the typical brown eyes and dark skin of Romanian women and although she spoke English well, she spoke it with an accent. Charlie, however, had been smitten with her from the moment he saw her conversing with her cousin, Alin. According to Alin, she had been out of school for quite some time, but had yet to choose a career. She was already twenty-two which was five years past being of age. Charlie, however, did not care about her age or her career. He wanted a date with this vision of a woman.

“Hello,” he said. She stood leaning against a fence watching seven men trying to herd one of the mother dragons into a cage. It was making quite a racket, and he hoped she had heard him. The sun was fading in the distance behind the hills.

“Hello, yourself,” she replied, and grinned at him. “I appreciate you allowing me to go with your team to this Hogwarts, but don't go doing me any favors. If you don't want me to go, just say so and I will stay here and find something else to do. I'm not lacking money, but I'm bored staying at home all the time.” She pouted her lips. He briefly wondered why anyone with money would want this career, but then again, he knew he would choose the same career path if he had money.

“I don't mind. It will be a nice change to have a woman along on the team. It's always the same guys and one intern. Besides, if you don't like it, you can always just stay in Hogsmeade.”

“What is Hogsmeade?” Ivana replied, turning to face him as the dragon finally was caged.

“It's the wizarding village we always stay in.”

Two weeks later, the team, dragons, and Ivana had safely arrived at Hogsmeade, and Charlie was having a drink at Madame Rosmerta's. Ivana walked in and sat directly across from Charlie after ordering a firewhiskey. “I think we would make a great match, you and I,” she stated bluntly, looking him directly in the eyes. Her hair fell around her shoulders and he was mesmerized. “What do you say?”

“You want us to be boyfriend and girlfriend?” Charlie managed.

“That is what I said,” she replied, her voice husky. “I have a friend in south London that I need to visit before our time here is finished. Is it all right if I go this Saturday, or will you need me around for anything?”

“No, you can go. What on earth made you decide that you wanted me to be your boyfriend?”

“I need someone new. It's been a long time since I was with someone.” She winked at him.

“So you were bored?” Charlie raised his eyebrows.

“Trust me, I never get bored.” Ivana stood. “Are you coming with me?” she asked. Charlie nodded and followed.

 

PRESENT

 

“So we started dating. We dated for about eight months. She kept working with my team and made trips to south London about once a month. I didn't think anything about it at the time. Then, things started going downhill.” Charlie stood to pace as he continued the story. Christiana was quite enraptured with it.

“What happened?” she asked, clearly wanting to know the ending.

“Well, first she came to me and told me she was pregnant. I was happy about it but she asked me not to tell my family yet. Of course, I had to tell someone, so I sent a letter to Dad at the Ministry. I told him not to tell Mum or anyone else and he swore not to breathe a word. But then, about six months later, she disappeared. Coincidentally, it was on one of her trips to south London. They had become more and more frequent, and she was going twice a week by that point. I should have seen through it.”

“Was she seeing someone else?” Christiana asked, biting her lip with suspense.

“It was much worse than that.”

 

FOUR YEARS EARLIER

 

“Alin, I'm telling you! She's gone! She went to south London two days ago and hasn't sent me an owl or anything. You've got to help me!” Charlie was frantic. She usually wasn't gone more than a day and sent an owl otherwise. Ivana was a pretty trustworthy girl.

“I can't tell you! I mean, I could, but she made me swear. I can tell you this though. I am not her cousin or any other kind of relation to her.”

“Then why did you both say you were? What was the point in that? She could have just as easily gotten an internship here without being related to you or anyone else.” Charlie was annoyed now.

“Look, she just wanted a way in, and that seemed the way for her. I agreed to do it because she paid me well. That girl's got a lot of money.”

“Did you really even want a job here?” Charlie asked, hoping that it was not complete dishonesty. Ivana being a sham was one thing, but he seriously hoped he had not trained Alin for nothing.

“Yes, and that made it easier. She didn't want to have to pay someone who didn't want a job because it would have cost her more. Not that she didn't have it, but it was just easier for her.” Alin crossed his arms.

“You've got to tell me something about how to find her or something. All I know is that she goes to south London. London is a big place. I'll never find her without some help. Come on, man, I'm desperate!” Charlie pleaded.

“Yes, I can see that you are desperate, but you're not going to like what you find. Don't go after her. I know what's there. I know you're going to be hurt. It would be better for you to hurt just knowing that she left you. Don't hurt yourself more finding out why she left you. Some reasons are better left unsaid.” Alin turned away.

“If you won't help me—”

“I won't. And that's final.” Alin walked away shaking his head and muttering under his breath. Charlie took a deep breath. There was only one other way to find her and that was to Disapparate with her face in his mind, and hopefully he would turn up wherever she was.

 

PRESENT

 

“Did you find her?” Christiana asked eagerly. She was on the edge of the bed looking like she was about to fall off.

“Well, not exactly. I mean, I did, but that's not what I got when I first got there. I arrived outside a pub in south London. I gave quite a few people a shock and the Ministry was there all night straightening it out. It turned out she worked there and had only left moments before. I had to walk a while before I found a deserted alleyway to use for Apparition again.”

“What happened that time?” she asked.

“Well, that time, I arrived outside an older house. When I went to the door, an old lady answered. I asked for her, and she said that Ivana had in fact been by just moments before but had never lived there. She was nosy, that one, and wanted to know how I knew she had been there. I let the word Muggle slip and that was all I needed to know. She wasn't wizarding kind and I couldn't very well explain the ins and outs of Apparition to her. I just said that she had told me she might drop by here and I might be able to catch her. I don't think the lady believed me, but it didn't much matter. I again had to walk to find a spot for Apparition, and this time, I got the shock of my life.”

 

FOUR YEARS EARLIER

 

Charlie had arrived in front of a beautiful two-story home with white columns and a brick walkway leading to the front porch. He knew by the looks of this place that this must be where Ivana lived. She had such expensive tastes and this fit her personality. He rang the doorbell and the door opened. Charlie was looking at a four-year-old little girl that looked like Ivana's clone. Charlie didn't like where this was going, but perhaps it was a niece. He knelt down on one knee. She was already wearing pajamas seeing as it was evening and her hair was neatly combed.

“Hi there,” he said sweetly.

“Hi,” she replied. “Who are you?”

“My name is Charlie. What's your name?”

“My name is Sabina Tudor. Are you my daddy's friend?”

“Actually, no, I'm a friend of a nice lady named Ivana and I was told that she was here. Do you know her?” The little girl giggled.

“Of course I know her! That's my mommy! But she's in the bath right now. I'll get Daddy.” Charlie felt his heart hit the floor. Ivana was this little girl's mother? “DADDY!!!!” Sabina called into the house. Almost instantaneously, a tall man appeared behind Sabina and Charlie stood. They were the same height, but Charlie still felt intimidated. The man was obviously of Romanian descent with the dark hair, eyes, and skin coloring and the long nose. His muscles rippled beneath his tight shirt and Charlie hoped that he wouldn't pound him to a pulp when he told him why he was here.

“Hi, I'm Emil Tudor. What can I do for you?” Sabina chose that moment to run off into the house.

“She's beautiful,” Charlie stated by way of reply.

“Thank you. We think so.” Emil stared at him.

“Is Ivana here?” Charlie asked.

“She is, but she's in the bath. Can I help you with something?”

“How long have you been married?” Charlie asked congenially, not wanting to reveal his reason for being there yet.

“We've been married five years. Ivana was fresh out of school. I couldn't believe she was able to graduate boarding school at seventeen, but she's smart, my Ivana.” Charlie understood then that Emil didn't know that Ivana was a witch or anything about the wizarding world. Suddenly, Ivana wrapped in a bathrobe with a towel on her head appeared behind Emil. Her belly was obviously growing with child. She smiled.

“Ah, Charlie, how are you? Emil, Charlie and I went to school together. I'm sure he doesn't have time to stay, so if you will just go make down Sabina's bed, I'll chat with him a moment and be in there for her bedtime story.” Emil nodded, and kissed Ivana. He stepped out of the doorway and back into the house, allowing Ivana to take over the doorway.

“Charlie, what are you doing here?” she hissed in a hushed tone.

“I came looking for you. You're supposed to be my girlfriend who's pregnant with my child, but I find you with a husband and a daughter. It is fine, Ivana, I understand now. You were bored with him and your life so you came back to Romania to have a little fun, promising to visit home as often as you could. But then things became a lot different when you found out you were pregnant and didn't know if it was your husband's child or mine. You were still staying with me and visiting him until you had that doctor's visit before you came back to London this time. The wizarding doctor was supposed to tell you if the baby was a boy or a girl. I suppose you went ahead and asked him to tell you who it belonged to.” Ivana looked guilty as charged. “So—correct me if I'm wrong, now—you found out it was Emil's and you came straight home to him. What story did you feed him as to why you were home to stay?”

“I told him that I was just getting too big and tired to keep up the travel. I wanted to be home with him and my little girl. She's practically been a year without me.”

“So, Ivana, what was I? Was I just a time-filler? Or did you really have feelings for me? Or was I just different from the same old thing you were used to? I'll tell you. You never cared about me. You were bored! You're still bored. You're here out of obligation. When are you going to tell him you're a witch? What are you going to do when Sabina turns eleven and she gets that letter? He's going to leave you then, for sure. He's not one of us, Ivana! Can't you see that? I'm not asking you to leave him for me. I'm just telling you what's going to happen.” Charlie turned to walk away. He was crying and he didn't want her to see it.

“Wait, Charlie.” He stopped but did not turn back to face her. “I did care about you. But this is my family. You're right that I wanted something different, because, you see, this was an arranged marriage. I was unhappy, but now I see that this is where I belong. I cannot desert my daughter. And you're right about Emil—he probably will leave me. But that I cannot help. Don't wait for me, Charlie. Go find someone who deserves you.”

 

PRESENT

 

Christiana stood now with her hands pressed over her mouth in disbelief. She was speechless. Charlie stood looking out the window and he turned to face her. His face was streaked with tears at the memories.

“What kind of a person does that to someone else?” she whispered.

“Ivana,” he replied. “You're the only one who knows outside of Mum and Dad. Even my brothers don't know. I never brought her home. Now, I'm glad I didn't.” He shoved his hands in his pockets. Christiana walked over to him.

“I am sorry it happened for you, but I won't treat you pitifully. However, I do think now is a good time for a hug.” She embraced him with all the passion she had in her and he resumed kissing her, only this time with more fervor than before, if that were possible. She threaded her hand through his curls as he was pulling her close. She knew somewhere in the back of her mind that this was the man with which she wanted to share her life.