Late July 1997
When he answered the door, she was standing there. She looked much the same as when he saw her last. She was wearing too much eye shadow, very short shorts, a tank top that only reached her midriff, brightly colored flip-flops, big designer sunglasses, and her blond hair in a sloppy ponytail. She was looking a little… plumper, though.
In her hands was a bundle, which she shoved into his hands. “Here,” she said. “Take it.”
He looked down. It was a baby. A fairly young baby, he guessed. “Mine?” he asked.
“Yours,” she confirmed.
A million questions filled his head. “How did you find me?” he inquired.
“Private detective,” she said.
He swore. They were supposed to be hidden with magical protection, and yet a mere private investigator found him!
“Well, goodbye, then,” she said.
“You’re leaving?” he asked stupidly.
“You think I could put up with that thing any longer?” she snapped as the baby gave a wail.
“Wait, just a minute,” he said. “How old is the baby? Is it a boy or a girl?”
“It’s a girl,” she said. “She’s seven months old.”
“One last thing,” he requested. “Does she have a name?”
“Ella,” she said. “Ella Dursley.”
~*~
August 2011
Thinking back, Dudley realized how much his life had changed that day. Being a single father was hard work. His parents had given him a place to stay, but his father made it abundantly clear that he expected Dudley to provide for the baby and take care of her on his own. His mother helped some, showing him how to change diapers and rocking the baby to sleep, but this was only when she thought her husband wasn’t working.
Ella must be so scared. The thought came to him unbidden. I was too harsh. After all, I made the same mistake when I was older than her.
When Ella had gotten pregnant at fourteen, Dudley threatened to throw her out of the house. He eventually relented and let her stay, but he’d made her life horrible.
It's going to be tough for her anyways, he thought. Why did I have to make it worse?
“Dandelion,” she’d told him with a small smirk on her face. “The baby’s name is Dandelion. I think you know why.”
He did. Ella had grown up in her grandparents’ house, where dandelions were an enemy to be fought at all costs. As she’d become older, she’d come to hate the way her grandparents (and arguably her father) lived. By naming her daughter after the hated plant, she was committing one more act of teenage rebellion.
At that, Dudley had stormed out of his daughter’s room and gone to get some crisps at the vending machines a floor below. He threw the now-empty bag into the garbage and headed back up. It was time to stop acting like his father and try a new strategy with his child and grandchild.
Eyes Wide Open by sorrow_of_severus
Chapter Notes: J.K. Rowling owns Dudley Dursley, his parents, and the HP world. I'm just playing with it for a little while.
Chapter Endnotes: Thank you to my wonderful, supportive beta, Becca (twilightHPgirl18). Also, padfoot_returns gets many thanks for coming up with the title.