Disclaimer: The well-known characters are JK Rowling's. I make no money from this. The plot is mine.
A/N: My second HP fic, a product of bed-rest. I hope you enjoy it.
==One of Teddy's Good Days==
Teddy was floating between sleep and awareness.
He was trying his best to block the hustle and bustle around him. He had a pillow covering his head, nearly suffocated him, but Mrs. Weasley and Hermione's chat was still seeping out of the kitchen.
He was also almost sure that the occasional thumps and clanks on the second floor were coming from George's six-years-old twins.
To add extra noise, a female miniature of Percy was reading out loud in the kitchen. From the exaggerated drawl of every vowel Teddy could tell that Molly junior was trying her best to show her Granddad that she can read well.
How would he fall asleep and dream of his latest crush if he was lying in the middle of this chaos? People were talking, children crying and things blowing almost every hour.
Yeah, as usual, once in a year, he was spending his holiday in The Burrow, this busy beehive that was Weasley's property.
Teddy could name every major holiday on the calendar and there would always be a throng of people inside this house. The Weasleys, The Potters, and a Lupin were faithful participants of the party. Sometimes, there were the Longbotttoms, the Hagrids, and others too, just to cram things up.
Teddy liked throng of people, especially this throng of people that he called family. He just hoped he could get his own room and some privacy to make a move on Victoire.
It was hard to charm a girl if the girl's uncles kept on staring at you like they were lions and you were a chunk of fresh meat.
Victoire. The beautiful, adorable, and full-of-life Victoire. Victoire whose eyes were shimmering like ocean in the afternoon. Victoire whom he could only meet occasionally.
Victoire….
"Teddy, catch him!"
"Whoa there James!"
"Stop!"
"Teddy! George! Stop him!"
Teddy popped his eyes open and rose from his lying position on the couch. There was a blur passing above him, followed by the commotions that were Ginny and Angelina; both were running after the blur.
Angelina halted her steps right in front of the couch though, hands on hips and eyes glaring. "You should catch him!"
"I.." Teddy wheezed his answer but George, his companion on the couch, beat him to it.
"Relax Angie… James will be fine." George stretched his lanky body, not so accidentally kicking Teddy's knee in his wake.
"Fine? He is five and he is riding Harry's broom for God's sake!"
"He is?" Teddy could not contain his excitement. He always wanted to ride his Godfather's broom.
"Wow James! Cool!" Little Fred and his twin dashed downstairs, heading straight outside. Teddy sighed and looked up warily at the kitchen door, waiting for Molly, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and Hermione to pop up.
It only took a millisecond.
Mrs. Weasley stomped out of the kitchen, wiping her hands with her apron. "Did you just say that James is riding Harry's broom?" You could tell by the crease of her brows that Mrs. Weasley was on the edge of panic attack.
"Yes mum." Angelina's answer was barely audible among the gasps.
"No…James.. My little James." The ever affectionate mother hen dashed for the door.
"Oh my God, He really is riding Harry's broom" Hermione clasped her hand on her mouth while pointed up at a blur passing outside the window. Little Molly and Mr. Weasley looked up too; both seemingly terrified and oddly curious at the same time.
"He is Harry's son, what else could you expect?" George finally sat up, a cheeky grin on his face.
"What else could I expect? What else could I expect?!" Angelina's burst of anger nearly knocked Teddy off the couch. "I expect my husband to pay attention to his nephew's well being!"
"What if James falls from the broom?" Little Molly added for good measure.
"I…," George started to defend himself but his sentence was cut by a screaming from outside the house.
"James." Angelina dashed outside but not before grabbing her husband by his collar. The others followed in a rush.
"Hold on the fort for me lad." George winked at Teddy as he was being dragged away.
Teddy stood up, ready to go outside and be another eye-witness of James's latest mischievous show. But he suddenly sensed something odd, something rather unusual.
The House was quiet.
It was two days before Christmas, in a snowy afternoon, and the house was quiet.
Teddy swiveled his head to the right and to the left, but nobody was in the living room. He glanced at the second floor and still heard no sound.
Wow, this was a world record? Weasley's shack was finally quiet.
His stomach growled and Teddy had to cancel his previous plan of watching James' attraction. James had showed him many of his acrobatic actions anyway. He decided it would be more productive if he searches for food in the kitchen.
Sadly the kitchen was empty and quiet too. There were various banters in mixing bowls, uncooked chicken and meat and vegetables. But there was nothing ready to eat, except fruits. Teddy hated fruits.
He sat on one of the stools and poked at an apple. "Bloody apple." He grumbled.
"Hungry?"
He didn't need to turn around to know who it was. A whiff of vanilla that suddenly filled the room was undeniable proof that it was Victoire who asked the question.
"Yeah." He propped his head with one hand as Victoire dragged another stool and sat on it.
The girl leaned over the counter, inspecting a mixing bowl that was half filled with banter. Then she moved her wand, causing various ingredients to jump out of cupboard and drawers.
"Don't you want to see what James can do with the broom?" She asked casually while stirring the banter in the mixing bowl.
"Nope. I've seen him doing a three-sixty with his mini-broom. Besides there are three Quidditch pros chasing after him. He's save." Teddy poked at the apple again. "I just want to eat."
"Be patient. I'll make you pancakes." Victoire smiled and Teddy's heart nearly jumped out of his throat. "I'm hungry too."
"Aren't you too young to cook?" Teddy looked down at Victoire's hand as if her fingers were doing something more magical than whipping pancake banter.
"My Grandméré told me how." She smiled again. "She has taught me several kitchen spells too." Victoire reached for her wand and flicked it slightly. The stove ignited and a pan landed on top of it as she did so.
"Cool." Teddy gaped. He already admired Victoire enough without her cooking skill.
She made more movements with her wand and in the blink of an eye the pan was sizzling with pancake banter in it.
Teddy couldn't help his nose from flaring; the smell of pancake filled his nostril. "Yummm." He licked his lips while observing the girl beside him.
Her golden hair, her smile, her friendly trait, were all intoxicating and served as magnetic powers that brought Teddy closer to Victoire. He hadn't realized it before last Christmas. That the noisy baby that used to drool and scream at him had became a beautiful girl. Too bad she spent most of her time in Paris with her parents.
"Choco chips?"
"Uh?"
Victoire smiled smugly, probably knowing that she had succeeded taming Teddy's stomach and heart. "Do you want Choco chips for your pancake?"
"Yeah! Choco chips! Of course!." He exclaimed, probably too loud because Victoire leaned back a little bit.
"Okay." She did the move with the wand again; making a plastic container flew across the room and sprinkled Choco chips onto the pancake.
"Umm… I haven't seen your mom and dad all day." Teddy tried to start on more intelligent conversation.
"They have gone to Hogwart with Uncle Ron and Uncle Harry." A pancake was set on a plate and presented in front of Teddy as Victoire answered. "Sugar or syrup?"
"Syrup." Teddy tried to charm the fork closer but failed miserably. He had to bend down and picked it up from the floor. "No wonder the house is quiet."
"Yeah. I heard that the rest of the Percys are doing last minute shopping"
"They always wait for the cheapest." Teddy mumbled.
"Teddy…"
"Yeah." Teddy looked up from his plate. Their eyes met.
"We're moving back to England."
"Wha… What?"
"We're moving back to England next month. Dad is probably filling papers to move me in to Hogwarts now."
A large chunk of sweet pancake stuck in his throat and Teddy cursed for his lack of better respond. "Re.. Really?" He stuttered.
"Yeah. And although my uncles and my father told you not to, it's okay if you want to be… you know… to be with me." The girl was blushing as she said the words.
Teddy saw uncertainty in Victoire's eyes along with bravery that he had never seen in any girl's eyes before. He realized then and there that it wasn't just a teenager crush.
He might be young but he knew that the tightening in his chest that occurred as he saw the blush on Victoire's cheeks was something beyond a crush.
"You want to be with me?" He leaned closer.
"Uh uh." Victoire nodded.
"Like with me, with me?"
"Yes." She nodded again.
Teddy moved his trembling hand, slowly and gently clasped Victoire's. "Thank you." He whispered.
"You're welcome." Victoire smiled and Teddy felt some strange urge to move closer.
Closer.
Those beautiful lips.
Those eyes.
Their fingers entwined and Teddy knew that today would be his good day.
Just a little bit closer.
The sweet scent of Vanilla surrounding her.
Closer.
"Don't you do that again!" Ginny's shriek could be heard from the living room, along with footsteps, mumbles, and sobs.
The unexpected commotion startled both of them. Teddy loosened his grab on Vicoire's hand but Victoire didn't let go.
They stood and hid their united hands behind them as Ginny entered the kitchen, a crying James in her arms.
"We should bring him to Saint Mungo. George! Prepare the floo powder." Mrs. Weasley ordered as she and the rest of Weasley clan barged into the kitchen.
"Oh my God, is James okay?" Victoire asked, concern etched in her voice.
"He's fine. Just scratches." George leaned on the counter, grabbing an apple. "Do I smell pancakes?"
"Scratches? Scratches! What if he has inner bleeding?" Mrs. Weasley glared at his son.
"He's fine Molly. Ginny caught him before he hit the tree." Mr. Weasley snatched a washcloth and handed it to Angelina. "Here use this to clean his wound."
"No Angie. We need disinfectant." Mrs. Weasley moved noisily about the kitchen. "Where did I put that… what are you doing here? There are too many people in this kitchen. James needs air. Go to your room!!" She yelled at three Victoire's cousins, causing the kids to scramble outside.
"Mom, please, relax. You're scaring James. Hermione knows healing spell." Ginny stood and rocked the trembling child in her arms. "Hush now James. It's okay. Mommy not mad at you."
"Harry will be mad. Really mad." As if on cue, Hermione joined the crowd, bringing a broken broom in her hands. "This is his favorite broom."
"I'm the one who will be mad at him. He should know better than to put his broom on the floor when there are kids around." Angelina chirped in, snatching the apple from George's hand. "Is that chocolate chips pancake on the plate?"
"Mom, wanna pancake." James said between sobs.
"I can cook him Choco chips pancake." Victoire said eagerly finally letting go of Teddy's hand.
Teddy moaned silently at the lost of contact. He had been enjoying watching the fuss with Victoire's slender fingers in his clasp. It wasn't everyday he could witness something oddly funny like this while holding the hand of a beautiful girl, a beautiful girl that had allowed him to be her boyfriend.
Well, she hadn't said boyfriend yet. But she had allowed him to be with her.
"You'll end up burning the whole kitchen, Victoire." Mrs. Weasley moved closer to the stove. "Grandma will cook you sweet pancakes, James bug." She cooed at her grandson. "Arthur, George, go keep the broom somewhere far from my house. Hermione, heal James already, his knee is bleeding. Angie, could you fix our little James a glass of milk." Mrs. Weasley effectively shouted orders.
As the others occupant of the small kitchens did what they had been told to do. Teddy glanced at Victoire and whispered. "Your pancake is delicious. You're a fine cook, you won't burn the kitchen."
"Thank you." She whispered back. "Now get out, I'll meet you outside in a minute."
Teddy nodded and went out with a spring on his step. Only to be stopped by George at the front door.
The owner of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes leaned on the door jam, grinning smugly at the last Lupin.
"I saw you."
Teddy looked up, feigning innocence. "Saw what?"
"If I tell Ron and Bill, and Percy, and Charlie you held Victoire's hand like that. They will eat you raw lad." George leaned closer to Teddy, his eyes narrowed in threat.
"I.. um… Pancake…" Teddy couldn't believe it. His tongue failed him when he needed it the most.
"Busted." George grinned again. "Just don't break her heart. I f you do, I'll tie you up in Harry's broom and order that bloody fast thing to fly to hell."
"O…kay." Teddy responded submissively.
"And I take the couch tonight. You're on the floor." George said as he walked away.
Teddy gulped. So much for his own room.
But hell, the floor had never sounded more comfortable before. The day just started to look brighter for Teddy. So, he grinned, manically.
This was his good day.
END
Thank you for reading and let me know what you think of it:)