Chapter 5- Can You Feel The Love Tonight
Disclaimer: Characters belong to JK Rowling except Charolette and family :)
(Can You Feel the Love Tonight is a song by Elton John)
That night Charolette sat alone in her room, staring out at the lake. She was wearing a soft really thin white nightgown that draped down past her ankles. Sitting in a chair, she sighed when she thought of what had happened in Dumbledore's office.
Why could she recognize Sirius when no one was supposed to? Had she somehow been the odd ball exception? She couldn't think of a reasonable explanation and instead gave up.
She pondered with the thought of going to visit Sirius, seeing as to how his room was next door to her's. But she figured he'd need some time alone.
Instead, she curled up in her feather soft bed the elves had prepared for her, and fell soundly asleep, praying the nightmares didn't haunt her this night.
~*~
Sirius was used to being alone. Afterall, he'd been on the run for a long time with nothing but a hippogriff for company. He'd given Buckbeak back to Hagrid when he'd arrived.
Hagrid was most happy about this, and welcomed Sirius back with open arms when he learned of his innocence. He didn't remember the meeting after.
That charm worked good enough, Sirius thought, almost too good. He had thought about her, Charolette, and it had hurt him that she'd never recognize him again.
That was probably why when she did recognize him, he felt panic in his stomach. At first he had thought the charm had worn off, meaning that it couldn't be cast again.
For once the charm was cast, it was impossible for it to work again.
He clung to the memory of her soft cheek touching his when she hugged him, and the sweet scent of lavender in her hair. He'd been so happy to know she recognized him, but covered it up with the saddness he felt that no one else could.
This was the price one has to pay, he thought to himself, when your stuck in the wrong place at the wrong time...
~*~
A week passed, and Charolette and Sirius did hardly more then wave in the halls when they passed eachother and then slink down, thinking the other could never understand.
They had talked, once or twice, during meals. But the conversation had been so casual as to not include anything but food and the school. Oh yes, it also had included Emma.
Sirius had seen Emma, who didn't recognize him but smiled at him all the same, and he was proud to note that she was good friends with his godson, Harry.
Harry saw him for the first time since he'd heard about him being back and the charm and all, and ran up and hugged him, forgetting that Hermione and Ron would be clueless.
He didn't care, he had his godfather back.
Emma didn't seem to care, and figured that the man and Harry had a past relationship, even though she could never remember what he looked like after she'd left his sight.
Soon enough, the second week of classes was over, and Friday night plans loomed in everyones minds. Parties, study clubs, anything the students could do for fun was hanging in the air.
Sirius had left a note at Charolette's door, inviting her to dinner with him that evening in his room. He had decided that he could discuss things with her over dinner. Nothing more, he told himself when he had placed the note on her doornob.
Charolette picked up the letter, bringing it into her room. She read it and couldn't hold back a smile. Of course she'd go, she thought. She had things she needed to tell him.
She went into her wardrobe and searched through for her dress that she usually wore for business parties and such. It was a long black dress with embroidery on the top of it. It was spaghetti strap and accented her hourglass figure.
Picking it out and some really uncomfortable but nice black shoes, she laid them on the bed and went in to take a shower and get her hair ready. She wanted to look good when she told him, because she wanted what was sure to be their last speaking night to be at least kind of memorable for at least something nice.
~*~
Pulling out his wand, Sirius looked over his room. He had cleared his small living room of the couch and added floating candles to the ceiling for light. Outside on his balcony he'd set up a small table and two chairs, overlooking the lake.
Romantic, He thought. It was just what Charolette reminded him of. Sheer beauty.
He heard a knock at the door and turned around, walking to the door and opening it slowly. When he saw her he was lost for words.
"Are you just going to stand there or invite me in?" she asked, a wide grin on her face.
Charolette had her long dark brown almost black hair off to one side, softly curled. Her eyes shone brighter then anything else in the room, bright amber gems in a sea of candlelight.
Sirius stepped back and motioned for her to enter, smiling as she looked up at the candles floating around the ceiling.
"Wow," she said, turning to Sirius, who motioned her out onto the balcony and to sit down at the small table. She sat and looked out over at the lake.
"The lake it really beautiful at night," Sirius said quietly, as he poured her a glass of white wine.
"Yeah...tell me about it," she muttered, awestruck by how the full moon bounced off the water. In the distance she heard the faint howl of a wolf.
Sirius sat across from her, and with his wand made food appear in front of them.
"The main course, my lady," Sirius said, grinning at her and laughing.
Charolette laughed, and following along with his playful yet fake ettiqute, picked up her wine glass and made a toast.
"To Trans Air, for being a good airline," she said, a broad smile showcasing her white teeth.
Sirius broke out laughing and almost spilled his wine. "To Trans Air!"
They clinked glasses and sipped the wine.
"I've never tasted such divine wine!" Charolette said in a fake proper english accent.
"Funny cause it's the cheap kind," Sirius said, raising an eyebrow and winking at her, then downing the glass.
Charolette laughed playfully and drank some more of the wine. They began to eat, occasionally breaking out into laughter about something random.
When they'd finished eating, Sirius pulled out his wand again and made the plates clean with a few words.
"Magic never ceases to amaze me..." Charolette said, "At home I'd have to wash those by hand, didn't have a dishwasher..."
Sirius smiled and looked at her, gazing into her amber eyes.
"Would you care to dance?" he said softly, standing up when she nodded. He grabbed her hand gently and led her into the living room. He pulled out his wand and made music turn on. His song of choice: 'Beauty and the Beast by Celine Dion'
Charolette stopped and closed her eyes.
"I love this song...it's my favorite song in the whole world...so romantic..."
Sirius grinned and swept her into his arms, then holding her out, her hand on his shoulder and her other hand in his. They began to sweep across the floor, following the beat, gazing into eachothers eyes. The candles got brighter and lower so that they surrounded the dancers.
Charolette got closer to Sirius, and he twirled her around, sending the bottom of her dress twirling after her. The song got softer, and Charolette leaned her head on Sirius's shoulder, slow dancing now. He buried his face in her hair, taking in the scent of lavender.
The song ended slowly, and Sirius dipped Charolette till her head almost touched the ground, then pulled her back up into his arms. They stood there for a moment, then Charolette leaned forward slightly till their lips were almost touching.
Suddenly Charolette realized what she was doing and Sirius must have realized it too because he backed away slightly.
"I'm sorry Charolette," he said softly, watching her eyes.
"Don't be sorry Sirius...it could never work out..." They both stared at the ground, and realized they were still in eachothers arms as if they didn't want to let go.
Charolette looked up into his eyes. So deep blue, it was like gazing into the deepest end of the ocean. She could see the hurt in his eyes, and the longing. Oh how she wanted to fill that longing.
"Sirius...I need to explain some things to you...it might help explain why I act the way I do," She said finally, then leading him over to the couch that was against the wall.
When he'd sat down next to her, Charolette took his hand in hers and looked at it, caressing his palm and fingers. Then she began to speak, looking up into his eyes again.
"Have you ever wondered why I have a daughter, but no husband?"
"I figured you'd gotten a divorce...why?"
"I got pregnant when I was 19. I was foolish and in love with my boyfriend who when he found out about the baby clearly showed no interest in me anymore. I walked in on him sleeping with another woman in the same bed I'd conceived Emma in..."
Charolette fought back the tears that threatened to fall, keeping a strong and calm gaze on Sirius.
"I was so...furious and upset I didn't know what to do...so I ran," she paused. "And he never came after me."
Sirius looked into her eyes and touched her cheek with his hand, brushing back the hair in her face.
"I brought up Emma on my own, trying to give her the best life possible. My father died when I was younger, and my mother was all I had left. When she'd learned I'd been associating with a muggle and now carried his child, she disowned me and I was left out on the streets with nothing." Charolette sniffed and continued, feeling pain rush through her.
"I got a job as a journalist, and then rose to be one of the best in my company. I still hardly made enough money to support Emma and I, so we lived in a rather small but cozy apartment. Oh god I wanted out so badly. When my sister wrote me and told me she had gotten Emma into Hogwarts I felt that this was an answer to my prayers. My way out..."
She paused again, looking down at her hands.
"Because of my ex boyfriend, I never trusted men again. Never. I swore them off, and was good at keeping it up too...that is...until I met you."
Charolette looked up at him now, and saw tears welling in his eyes.
"It was like the light at the end of the tunnel. I felt like my destiny sat before me...but I tried to hide it and block it out of my mind. I had forced such strict discipline on myself that I wouldn't let myself admit I liked you."
Sirius saw how tears were falling on Charolette's cheeks and wrapped her up in his strong arms.
"I'm so sorry you had to go through that, baby," he said softly, kissing her forehead.
"I felt so alone...god I don't want to be alone anymore..." she said quietly, giving into the sobs that shook her whole body.
"Your not alone, Charolette, I'm here for you...I'll always be here," he said, and then realized that for once in his life, his own lonliness was fading away.
When Charolette had stopped crying, she backed out of his arms and told him sorry. He looked into her eyes, which were red rimmed but still a beautiful burning amber.
"I've never opened up to anybody before...I can't explain why it was so easy with you, your just...different then other men...I can't explain what it is..." Charolette paused, listening to the silence of the room.
Sirius leaned over and before she could resist kissed her lips. It was soft at first, then became fueled with need and desire. He let his tongue explore her mouth and his lips pursue her soul.
Charolette backed away slowly, shaking softly. She felt more lonely emotions rushing through her and slipped into his arms, resting comfortably in his embrace.
He held on to her small frame so tightly, he'd waited so long for someone to hold.
Charolette choked back what she wanted to do, and went for what was for the best. She stood up and walked to the door, watching hazily as he followed her and picked up her hand, kissing her palm.
"Goodnight Charolette," he said softly.
"Goodnight...Sirius." The name shuddered throughout her body as she walked out the door and into her room.
~*~