From across the table in a softy-lit restaurant, Tonks just stares at Charlie Weasley. He’s going where? “You’re going where?” She hoped that she hadn’t heard him correctly.
“Romania.”
“Why?”
“They have dragons there...”
She just kept staring at him, completely off guard. Charlie may soon regret asking her out to a public place on the night that he was dumping her. Even if it was just the Leaky Cauldron, a spectacle would still be noticed. They had been going out for a while now. This is not what she had expected when he asked her out for a drink.
“Why?” She doesn’t let him speak before adding, “I thought you wanted to be an Auror too.”
“Not really.”
“Not really? What’s that supposed to mean, not really? You were accepted into the program so what do you mean, not really?”
Charlie winced visibly. “I’ve always wanted to work with dragons and the reserve in Romania has a top notch program.”
For a long time she was silent. Occasionally, she looked away from Charlie. A mixture of emotions played across her face. “You could work with dragons here. There’s a reserve in Wales.” Tonks offered as an alternative to Romania. Her tone was very soft.
“But Romania’s program is better and they’ve already accepted me.”
“What?” Tonks just stared. Didn’t he like her? Didn’t they have fun together? “And you’re just now telling me?”
“I didn’t want to upset you.”
“Upset me? Upset me!” She threw her napkin across the table at him. “What do you think you’re doing now? Tonks I’m leaving you for dragons. Sorry. I think I’ll like their company better.”
“It’s not like that.”
“Oh, it’s not? Then how exactly is it?”
”Well…”
“Yeah. That’s what I thought. Were you just using me for a good time?”
“No!”
Tonks entire face fell. “What did I do? I was happy, I thought you were.” She had been very good to him, more generous than some would be in their lovemaking. “Did I do something? Am I too clumsy? What?”
“No! You didn’t do anything wrong. You’re great. It’s just… This is what I want to do. You want to be an Auror. I want to study dragons. I don’t see any alternative.”
Tonks didn’t want to hear anything else. Without another word, she got up from her seat and walked away. Whether or not Charlie decided to chase after her, she’ll never know. Once outside, she apparated away.