Written for CoS's Holiday Advent Calendar 2011.
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"I am her friend."
"You're her cousin," Quincy spoke.
"God-cousin at that," Patrick added.
"I'm her friend."
"Well, I like her," Dana said.
"You would," Nicole retorted.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"She's two years younger."
"She's just a kid," said Iris.
"She's a first year," finished Quincy.
Tears streamed down Victoire's cheeks. She was such a fool. Why had she wanted to spend the Christmas holidays at Hogwarts with Teddy's friends? She knew they didn't like her. They didn't want her around. She was just a kid. A stupid, little kid who should have been home with her parents, sister, and brother.
Victoire didn't know what to do. She had been sitting on the stairs listening to Teddy and his friends in the common room. She hadn't meant to eavesdrop, but when she heard them talking about her she couldn't make an entrance. The only choices she had were to go back to her empty dormitory or go downstairs and face the kids.
Why did she want to stay at Hogwarts over the holidays so badly? Why did she think it would be fun? None of her friends were staying. Except Teddy.
Teddy.
He was the reason she was here.
His friend, Dana, the one who said she liked Victoire, once again had nowhere to go for Christmas with her parents taking another trip, so she was stuck at the school. Her friends, that would be Quincy, Patrick, Iris, Nicole, and Teddy decided to stay with her for the time they were off. Victoire thought it would be fun to stay with him, well, mostly with her best friend, Teddy.
But, no one wanted her around. Teddy said he was her friend, but he wasn't with her. He was with them. Dana said she liked her, but what did that mean? She was with them and they were her better friends.
Victoire was alone.
"Why do you even hang out with her anyway?" Nicole asked. "Is it because you love her?"
"No!" Teddy exclaimed.
The biggest fool on the planet, that's what she was. Victoire picked herself up and ran up the stairs to the first year dormitory.
"Teddy's been looking all over for you." Dana entered the room an hour later. "We're going to the Great Hall for dinner."
Victoire turned away so she couldn't see Dana's face and Dana couldn't see hers.
"I'll just tell Teddy you're up here. If you get hungry we'll be at dinner."
She heard Dana close the door. Victoire's stomach growled. She wanted to go to dinner. But, she didn't want to see them knowing they didn't want to see her. She could wait until they came back, but they might not come back until dinner was all over and anyway, how would she know they came back since none of them were in her dormitory?
After what she determined to be a reasonable amount of time, Victoire crept out of her room, down the stairs, and slowly into the common room.
"There you are."
She stopped in her tracks, spotting the speaker standing near the fire.
"I've been looking all over for you."
She couldn't look at him. She didn't want him to know she'd been crying and besides, he didn't want to be with her, so what was the point?
"Dana coulda told you where I was."
"She did."
Of course.
"Is there something wrong? Did I do something?"
She shook her head. What did it matter?
"Look at me."
She shook her head again.
"Something is wrong. Victa, I'm your friend. I care about you."
"No, you don't! All you care about is your stupid friends! They don't like me so you don't like me, either. That's what you told Nicole!"
"What are you talking about? I like you."
"That's not what you told Nicole."
"What are you talking about? What do you know I told Nicole?"
"I—I," she sighed. "I heard you all talking about me earlier. None of your friends want me around and when Nicole asked if you love me, you said no."
"Oh Victa, I didn't mean it like that! You have to believe me."
"No, I don't." She wiped the tears coming down her cheeks. She didn't want to cry in front of Teddy.
"I'm your friend. I wouldn't lie to you."
"I shouldn't have stayed here. I shoulda gone home to spend Christmas with my family. They're going to see our grandparents in France."
"Why did you stay? None of your friends stayed."
Victoire looked down at the carpet.
"Because of you," she responded shyly.
Out of the corner of her eye, Victoire saw a smile appear on Teddy's face.
"I'm glad you stayed. I really like spending Christmas with you."
Victoire tried to hide it, but a smile grew on her face.
"There's the Victoire I know and like." He pulled a box out of his pocket. "I know it's only Christmas Eve, but how about I give you your present early?"
She ripped into the paper and opened the lid of the box to reveal a small silver charm with the words "Best Friend" etched into it.
"No matter what, you're my best friend." Teddy pulled her into a hug. "Happy Christmas, Victa."
"Happy Christmas, Teddy."
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For my readers of Aftermath, I am still working on it. I have not forgotten about it. Yes, I've hit writer's block with it, but I think I'm overcoming that. This new year should bring many many chapters. Hope you all had a Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year!