The Red Dragon | Charlie Weasley

Chapter 10

As they walk back to where Josué's grandmother lives, making their way through the small streets of Andorra la Vella, Haela can't help but replay the events of the evening over and over in her head. She looks over at Charlie who is walking beside her. He seems to have given up on the messy bun he was sporting at the beginning of the evening as his red hair now hangs loose. Haela can still feel the ghost of Charlie's body heat against her back and the cold of the night only feels harsher.

When they finally arrive back at Josué's grandmother's house, the four of them head for the living room. Josué and Kadrick fall onto the couch and Haela finally gets the chance to say what has been on her mind. She unties her heels and crosses her arms in front of her chest, the heels dangling from her hands, turning to Charlie.

"Doll? Seriously, Weasley?"

Charlie looks up surprised from where he is busy taking off his cufflinks. "What's wrong with doll?"

"It sounds demeaning," Haela answers and after a moment of silence, she adds: "And kind of misogynistic."

Josué and Kadrick have stopped talking and are now paying attention to Haela and Charlie. Charlie places the cufflinks on the small table on his left and fully turns to Haela. He raises his eyebrows.

"What would you prefer then? Sweetie pie, pumpkin, kitten?"

Haela makes a retching sound and shakes her head, "Those are all horrible. Can't you really come up with something better?"

Charlie crosses his arms in front of his chest as well, copying Haela's stance. She ignores the way the man's biceps budge and how her heart seems to react to the sight. The Dragonologist's eyes are twinkling when he suggests: "What about darling?"

"Eh," Haela shrugs, "Darling is better than doll."

"Ok, then, darling," Charlie sends her a dashing smile, "Happy?"

Haela gives in to the urge to stick out her tongue to the man which only causes Charlie's smile to widen.

"I'm a little lost, I think," Kadrick pipes up from his spot on the couch, "What are you talking about?"

Charlie remains silent for a moment and Haela gestures for him to explain. When he doesn't say something, Haela presses: "You started it so you can explain it, Weasley. Go on."

The Dragonologist glares at her but Haela ignores it. After a deep sigh, Charlie explains how he got talking to Rafael Rius – as the man in the mint-coloured suit is apparently called – after he spotted the golden dragon claw necklace on one of Rafael's arm candy. He had recognized it was the claw of a Norwegian Ridgeback which are pretty rare in Andorra. When he asked about it, the man regarded him suspiciously and Charlie quickly came up with the excuse of how he had been looking for Norwegian Ridgeback hide since Haela – his girl, the word makes Haela's heart speed up and she really needs to stop that – said it will be in fashion next autumn.

Apparently, Charlie had spun this story about how he was willing to spend all the money he had on authentic Norwegian Ridgeback hide and Rafael had said he might know a guy, but it was going to be costly. Haela stares in disbelief at Charlie as he shrugs and says: "I'm supposed to meet him at a nightclub tomorrow to see if he can secure me a meeting with the man."

Josué and Kadrick are gaping at the Dragonologist before Kadrick bursts out laughing.

"Did you know?" Josué asks Haela who shakes her head and protests: "He came up with that all alone. I only played along because he looked like he was panicking!"

The Hit Wizard pinches the bridge of his nose with a pained expression. Kadrick slowly calms down and exclaims gleefully: "If you are going to pretend to be a couple, you both need nicknames for one another."

"Wait," Haela backtracks, "When did I agree with Charlie's plan?"

Josué sighs and looks up to the sky for a moment (for strength, Haela thinks) before turning to Haela. "You don't have a choice, Peucag. If the man Charlie's new friend knows is the man we are looking for, this might be our only chance."

Haela glares at Charlie who shrugs sheepishly. Gritting her teeth, Haela relents: "Fine. What should I call Charlie then?"

She turns to Kadrick, as do Josué and Charlie. The dark-skinned wizard holds up his hands in surrender. "Don't look at me!"

Haela narrows her eyes and moves her hands to her hips, "You were the one who suggested we needed to come up with another nickname!"

Kadrick shrugs.

"Do we really need another nickname?" Charlie asks, looking a little nervous although Haela isn't sure why – after all, this was his idea, "It's for one night. This man might not even be the one we are looking for."

"If you get to call me darling, I get to call you something back," Haela retorts.

"That's fair, yes," Josué adds helpfully, ignoring the glare Charlie sends in his direction.

Haela beams at the Andorran Hit Wizard and wracks her brain trying to come up with a nickname for Charlie. She can't remember Percy ever calling Acelina a nickname. Edric and Draco call each other stupid names all the time but none of them fit this situation.

"Hun?" She tries, to which Charlie wrinkles his nose, "Honey then?"

"No," Charlie says, immediately, even as his face goes very, very red, matching his hair.

A slow smile spreads across Haela's face and Charlie scowls at her.

"See, you are saying no," the woman says, sounding smug which only has Charlie scowling harder, "But it feels like you mean the opposite, honey."

She lets the nickname roll off her tongue and winks at Charlie who is still blushing. The redhead wants to protest, but before he can utter a word, Josué has stood up from the couch. He yawns and grabs his jacket from where he hung it over one of the chairs.

"Great, that's settled then. Now, let's head to bed. We need to discuss this in the morning and come up with a plan, but I'm too tired to deal with this now."

Later, when Haela has changed out of her clothes, taken off her make-up, reapplied the bandages around her arm, and is finally in bed, it takes ages before sleep finds her. As she listens to Kadrick snore and stares up to the ceiling, Haela can't help but analyse the way Charlie's touch makes her feel so safe. In the few days she has known the red-haired Dragonologist, Charlie Weasley managed to break through her defences sooner than she likes and Haela vouches not to let her heart lead her actions any longer. They are here to find the poachers and avoid another dragon getting hurt, that's all.