AN:I know, my English is not the best, and I wanna thank alicerosemalfoy very much because she read over this after I finished the translation. And I promise, reviewing won't kill you (but I will maybe if you don't). I tried it on the german version of this called fanfiktion; and so, here I am. So give peace reviews a chance.
She held her head low and she hugged her books like a good, long lost friend. It was warm and the sun shone, and yeat she still wore an ankle-length skirt and a long-sleeved blouse under the light, black cape. Her thick, black curls fell glossy over her shoulders, restrained by a red headscarf, and flew over the back down to the hip. The chocolate brown doe eyes glistened and the slender hands were tense.
Suddenly she felt a crash, didn't let the books fall down, but almost stumbled. A pair of muscular arms wound around and caught her.
"Pardon, mea greşeală." When she looked up with compressed lips, she looked into a face, framed by fire red hair and full of freckles. A rare sight. She smiled and dragged herself away from him.
"Bine."
„Vorbiţi engleză?" He gave her a doubtful look. Her eyes scampered like she was looking for something threatening.
"Yes, no good and no long."
"I am so very sorry, I was lost in thoughts."
"Nothing happened."
"My name is Charlie."
"Ramona."
„Are you very busy at the moment?" His eyes were brown, but they glowed and flashed with every word he spoke. She swallowed and looked around again. Then her eyes fell on his left arm.
"What happened over there?" she asked quietly and frowning.
"A…" He stopped and eyeballed her again; gazing at the three ornate tomes. Then he smiled lightly again. "A dragon."
When he lowered his voice and grinned at her conspiratorial she felt reminded of two little children who shared a big secret.
"Dragon...Dragon... Ah, Balaur. I understand."
„So…Are you busy or not?" He was definitely too old but he was acting like a school boy: the mischievous smile, his bearing, how he talked to her.
"No." Her deep voice became a little hoarser. "I come by bookshop."
"May I invite you to a tot of Berezero?" She smiled and a hint of rose appeared on her cheeks.
"Bine înţeles."
-v-
"You coming from Great Britain?" They sat in a small Cafe called Farfurie Auria; Charlie's Romanian was good enough to understand the context of the name and the golden plates, which flew to the tables on their own.
"That's right, rather Scotland, but yes, Great Britain." He took a sip of the ice cold butter beer and put his glass on the table again. At the next table two women sat down next to a Pricolici whose eyes glowed almost orange. His coat was shaggy and felted, and the tongue hung out of his mouth through many yellow, sharp teeth. But he didn't bite the taller woman, when she petted his head affectionately.
"You work at the..." She interrupted herself, looking for the right word determined.
"Dragons."
"Wanted I to say, but I forgot." She brushed a strand of hair - that slipped out of the scarf - behind her ear.
"Why are you such a good English speaker? Most of the people here don't understand a word of what I say."
"My big brother lived in England. He has English wife and she cannot speak our language."
Two Sânziene fluttered by, each wearing a pitcher, which bubbled low. A light smell of flowers surrounded the little fairies, their blonde hair was braided to short braids and their wings caused a gentle buzz. The sound of the tiny, magic women always had a calm effect on Ramona.
The pub was not void, but there were some free tables and a buzz of activity same times. About a dozen of the Romanian fairies whirred through the air, served the customers or cleared the vacant places. Their bell-like laughter interlaced the many, subdued talks.
"How long are you in Romania now?"
"Some years."
"You have family here?"
"No, that's why my Romanian is pretty bad."
"Charlie? I understand, what you say, but my own English speaking is not very good." He looked at her like a caught thief. The door opened and she turned to the door jerky. Any colour disappeared out of her face, her eyes narrowed and she tensed her jaw muscles. Her back ramrod straight, Ramona stared at the person who came in.
"Ramona?" Charlie's voice was far away. Suddenly her glass burst. Without sparing a thought about the splinters in her hand, she sat there with a painfully straight back.
The woman, who had almost destroyed the door when she entered, had a pale skin, and would have been beautiful, if her black hair wasn't greasy and full of dandruff. Her cold eyes ran through the room and when it reached Ramona, the inexpressiveness sent shivers down her spine. She shuddered. Finally the woman fixated the table that stood right next to Ramona and Charlie.
The Pricoli growled and his companions turned pale when the scruffy person approached them. Her heavy boots drowned everything. It became silent. The fairies panicked and left the taproom as fast as they could.
"Jivina! Tu fi misel…" The voice seemed to be millenniums-old, sounded musty and emotionless; and concurrent it was powerful and every single word was easy to understand.
"It is better to go away. Come!" She stood up grabbed the books and left the Café without casting one more glance at Charlie, the woman or anything inside the Farfurie Auria.
"What's going on?"
"That was Moroi und Picolici. Very strong enmity."
"Who was Moroi?" Charlie gave her a confused look while he tried to keep in step with her.
"I think, you not understand. The Moroi's name is Andrada and the other's name I don't know. Andrada is a strong leader. Moroi are not good, they make you weak and tired. But they are powerful and can destroy very much. Pricolici are not a danger every time, but they bite and a victim is a wolf too. There is war and Andrada is not a woman a lot, most times she is huge snake or dragon. She is nearly blind as an animal but her nose and ears are better then. When she is human and Pricolici are in the same room, there will be a fight."
"Who or what are these Moroi? I never heard about them."
"And that is good. Many are in Romania, but not in cities. There you find never more than four. Moru means 'Dead' and they are very much together with vampires. The wolves and demons, Pricoloci, are only enemy and it is good that encounters are not often. I am sorry because of the Berezo."
"Without you I would still sit in there."
„I owed you because you catched me."
"Oh please, that was my fault, I ran into you." Again, he looked like the mischievous boy. "May I…?" He pulled his wand and touched her hand lightly. Currently the gashes on her hand healed and the bleeding stopped.
"Thank you. Why are you able to cure?"
"I learned it in my old school."
"In Scotland?"
"Right."
"Here is not a real school. Some parents show children defense, other give a kind of lessons in charms and then children swap knowledge. But school would be very dangerous for children." She stopped to draw a deep breath and watched the wispy, white scars that showed instead of the bleeding cuts.
"I never had real friends who told me what their parents teached them. Just my brothers, sisters and parents." He looked at her thoughtful and played with something at his shoulder bag. Some minutes passed and they just walked down the road, without one of them even opened the mouth.
"I have a sister and five brothers too." Something very far away - she couldn't see what - made him smile his warm smile.
"Really? I have one sister, two brothers and…. How do you say, not real sister and brother. My mother married two times."
"Step sister?"
"Maybe. One... Step brother and two sisters. We are four girls and three boys together." He nodded.
"I have to go to work later."
"What are you doing with the dragons?"
"I take care of them when they are ill or there are babies, some have to be restrained first. But most of the time I take care of the young and very strong female ones."
"I think I have a little afraid of dragons."
"You have to be very careful."
"Is someone burned sometimes?"
"We learned how to protect oneself and there is a certain material, our clothes are made of." His eyes reflected pure enthusiasm when they wandered to a place, no one else could see again.
Ramona considered him from the corner of her eyes and asked herself, what the rest of his family looked like. Would they have the same ginger hair? Freckles? His eyes? And how old would his brothers and the sister be?
Rude shouting blast out of one shop and Ramona quickened her pace automatically when a green light flashed behind the windows. A loud bang let some passers-by scream and Charlie winced.
"I will never become accustomed to that."
"I wish you will never have to. When war comes to your home, it is normal too fast."
"Only a very few believe in it, but I am sure, war is not far from England." His otherwise so life loving face darkened and his voice that was like a clear summer sky clouded as before a thunderstorm. "Albus Dumbledore is a wise man and he knows what he is talking about. You should never say it aloud but it seems probable that You-Know-Who comes back soon."
"Never mention again. Too many evil creatures here too long. They will no hesitate and follow when they see chance for blood and dead."
She bit her lips and walked faster for the third time but he effortless kept up with her. Her fingertips cooled down and she breathed heavily. Dark clouds covered the sky, that was bright blue before (just like his face, she thought and she was on the point of smile), and Ramona shivered.
When the books slid out of her embrace and fell on her feet, she groaned low and stooped to lift them. But the Brit was faster and gave it to her.
"What's wrong? May I help you?"
"No. Everything perfect, no problem."
"Hey, a blind man could see that there is something wrong. Shall I leave?" She shook her head, once to the right, once to the left, and lowered it again.
And then, without any warning, she collapsed, like her body was a balloon and someone deflated it. He caught her. For the second time that day he saved her of crashing hard against the asphalt. Nobody helped, some gave him compassionate looks, but the witches, wizards and magic creatures in one of the biggest magic shopping streets of Romania passed by without taking note of him and the young, unconscious woman in his arms.
Worry loomed on the features of the second eldest Weasley boy and he raised the dainty, short woman. One twitch of his wand and her books hovered behind him in a bag while he looked for a place where he could take a break and take care of Ramona.
„Pardon? Ajuta eu, vă rog!" He looked pleading at the first wizard who gave Charlie the impression of being reasonably normal.
"You speak very strange Romanian, Sir. How exactly can I help you?" Charlie gazed at him thunderstruck. The black haired man had a strong accent, like Ramona, but his grammar was correct.
"Seems like a blessing in disguise… She collapsed. Where can I help her and contact her family?"
"What relationship do you have with this woman?" the man asked, exposing a row of silver glistening teeth.
„We barely know each other."
"Leave her to me." Thousands of thoughts crossed Charlie Weasley's mind but one was most present from the beginning.
"That is not possible, Sir. She is my friend." The rain started falling in sheets and the stranger eyeballed him distrustfully and then presented a knowing grin.
"I understand. Your friend. What is her name then?"
"Ramona." The other man darted a glance at the woman, who could also be sleeping.
"And her family name?" The question came way too fast.
"Unfortunately I don't know."
"I'm afraid I cannot help you."
„Please, Sir, I…"
„No, I have to meet a dead line." While the water dripped from his hair onto her face and the stranger turned around, Charlie deliberated as fast as he could, then took a deep breath again.
"Sir? I offer you a deal." The Romanian paused. Turned around. Came back.
„What? I do not take any money, if…"
"Dragon scales. If you help me now, you'll be owner of the scale of a Liondragon." When his opponent cocked his head and raised the left eyebrow, Charlie opened his mouth again. "Chinese Fireball."
If the words wouldn't have done their job, then the conspiratorial voice and the mysterious look had convinced the black haired, stocky man.
"Okay, agreed. I want the scale now."
"You get it after she is safe."
"And how do I know you are not a liar?"
"Is that enough?" Charlie uncovered a brand mark that decorated his right upperarm. "And now I want to know if you have seen her before."
"Ramona Sadoveano is the daughter of Lord Sadoveano, one of the most powerful men in the Romanian wizarding world. She can see the future, but she is ill as well. Nobody knows more."
"Where can I find the Lord?" The laughter which resounded resembled a rusty door hinge.
"You don't really think, he would even see her?"
"She is his daughter."
"She was banned after…"
"Enough, stop now! That's enough. Thank you."
-v-
"Unde…?"
"Shhh…. You broke down and were knocked out. We are in my home." Ramona panicky opened her eyes wide and tried to sit up, but she fell back in the pillows without any energy. Charlie took a step backwards and defencively raised his armes.
"It's okay, if you want to go… The books are in the bag at the entrance."
"Thanks you took it. They cost very much and I need for become Teacher." She closed her eyes and sighed quietly, both asked themselves if because of relief, effort or any other reason. "If I disturb, I go."
"No, please. If you have some time, it is better to rest a moment." He turned around and when he came back, he put down a steaming cup on the little table, which stood right next to the dark red sofa she lay on, under a colourful blanket, head and shoulders on many handmade pillows.
"What is that?" she asked quietly and took the mug for her fingers became a little warmer.
"Hot butter beer… Berezeo, with a shot of firewhiskey. Brilliant when you are cold, believe me, it helps."
She sipped the drink and faced him, and when she blinked he first noticed her long, full lashes. "When did you apparate? I missed that."
"I didn't. It's nothing I'm good at and I don't like the feeling."
"You carried me?"
"Of course, it was a pleasure to me." She smiled and stared at her fingers and the still very hot mug. He was handsome, and it was not the first time she thought this, but it was the first time she realized what was in her mind. The worried line around his mouth put her to the blush.
"Thank you very much." He had to have a girlfriend. Ramona searched carefully for signs of this. Charlie leaned his back against the Sofa, if he retroverted his head, he would have touched her arm. His hair had a scent of fire and honey. She let her hand slide down the sofa and touch his shoulder like it was a mistake.
He did not move, no, it didn't even made him cringe. Charlie just lifted his hand, and took her small in his own, rough oned. A nondescriptive feeling of luck flooded through her body and Ramona couldn't suppress the happy grin anymore.
He smiled likewise and stroked her back with his tumb. Maybe he would tell her, what he knew, and ask her questions.
Another time.
Anytime.
Maybe.
AN: Don't forget to review!