Written For:
Quidditch Fanfiction League Competition: Round 6
Captain - Month: April / Character: Teddy
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: Postal
Section 7 - Relationship: Godfather & Godson
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: Potions
Task 2 - Standard Ingredient: Write a canon pairing.
Just Kidding
XX
"Teddy?" Harry lightly queried when he walked into his house to see Teddy sitting on the couch and staring forlornly at the floor.
"Hi," he answered without looking up from his silent study of the very ordinary floor.
"Uh, is it just you in the house?"
"Ginny took Lily shopping. Albus is over at Scorpius' place, and James is with Roxie and Freddie," Teddy said without looking up.
Harry nodded. "Okay." There was silence, and Harry felt the need to break it. "Not that you aren't always welcomed here, but is there a reason that you're here? I thought you'd be knee deep in wedding planning with the girls."
Teddy licked his bottom lip before he finally lifted his head to meet Harry's gaze. His hair was a mossy brown, a normal color, but one Teddy very rarely used. He only used the color when his mood was in a downward spiral. His eyes matched the hair, and his shoulders were hunched as if he was trying to protect himself. All in all, he was a pathetic picture.
"What's wrong?"
Teddy stayed silent.
Harry wasn't deterred. "Okay, you're here so I know you want to talk. Just tell me what's bothering you."
"I'm getting married in three months."
A slow smile formed on his face. He was beginning to figure out the reason for Teddy's visit. He remembered Ron before his marriage to Lavender, and Draco before his marriage to Hermione. "Yes, you are."
"I should be the happiest guy in the world, right? Victoire is beautiful and smart. She's funny and talented in whatever she does. Her biggest flaw is she spends too much time in the bathroom!"
Harry chuckled. "First of all, and don't tell Ginny that I told you this, but pretty much all women spend too much time in the bathroom. Second of all, are you saying you're having doubts?"
"Maybe. I mean, I only had one other girlfriend. Maybe I'm making a mistake. Maybe Victoire isn't the right one for me." Teddy's shoulders slumped even more as he averted his eyes guiltily. "Maybe I'm the worst person in the world to be thinking like this now, just two months before my wedding."
Harry chuckled and moved to sit down now to his godson. Their shoulders brushed together as they both leaned back against the couch. "You are not the worst person in the world. You're a typical guy. You're getting cold feet before your wedding. Ron and Draco both did. And your Grandpa Arthur told me when I was younger that he was terrified that your Grandma Molly wasn't the right girl for him. That fear stayed with him until the moment he said his vows."
Teddy smiled slightly. "Okay, I feel a bit better now. But what about you? Did you have those doubts?"
Harry tilted his head back, allowing it to rest on the top of the couch. He closed his eyes and pictured back to that crazy time. Ginny was at her happiest. She was never the typical girly-girl, being more interested in Quidditch than clothes and makeup, but even she got caught up in wedding planning. He remembered thinking about his vows, imagining his future with Ginny.
Harry opened his eyes and stared at Teddy. "I was never worried that Ginny wasn't the right one. I grew up without a loving family, and I knew I wanted to be with her. My fears were about whether I would be a good husband. I never really saw a healthy form of love, other than Molly and Arthur, and I was scared I wouldn't know how to be a good husband or father since I didn't have a good example for so long. So, I had doubts, but not the kind you're experiencing."
"You think Victoire is the one for me?"
Harry put his arm around Teddy's shoulder. "Let me ask you this. When you think about your future without Victoire at your side, what do you feel?"
"Pain. Heartbreak. Like I'll never be happy," Teddy admitted.
Harry nodded. "That's how I feel when I think about a future without Ginny, so I think you have your answer."
Teddy scrunched his nose. "So I'm just like every other normal guy about to get married."
"Pretty much," Harry replied with a nod. "I'm the weird one, not you."
"Well, Harry, you could never be normal. Or at least that's what Ron and Hermione used to tell me."
"They would know." Harry shook his head, banishing some of his memories about how 'not normal' he actually was. "Anyways, stop obsessing about it. Deep down, you know you love Victoire. Your relationship is going to change, but it will only get better."
Teddy nodded. "Thanks. I knew you would be about to make me feel better."
He grabbed Teddy in a one-arm hug. "Any time, kiddo." Teddy was far from a kiddo now, but it felt like a 'kiddo moment.'
Naturally, Teddy rolled his eyes, and the two started talking about the upcoming World Cup that was only weeks away, debating who would be the victor.
X
Three Months Later
Teddy stared into Victoire's eyes as he was given the go-ahead to say his vows. "I'm looking at you, and I'm thinking about my memorized speech, and it feels inadequate. There are no words to describe how I feel about you. I think back to months ago. I was terrified of getting married, scared it was a mistake."
Victoire frowned.
He laughed nervously. "I know I'm taking a risk, admitting that to you, and I might end up sleeping on the couch on our wedding night, but I don't want to get married with any secrets between us. I knew I loved you, but I didn't feel ready for marriage, especially since I only had one girlfriend before you. I thought it was all too fast. Harry set me straight and made me see without you, I would have no happiness or love. I would have no life. You are my everything, and I feel like an idiot for thinking even for a moment, that you aren't my soulmate. I love you."
Victoire's frown disappeared. "You are an idiot, Teddy, but I love you too, and I would be lying if I didn't have the same doubt as you. Like you, I had someone who made me see reason. Thankfully, we have our family. Otherwise, we might not be standing here. You are my soulmate, Teddy. I love you."
The rest of the wedding passed in a blur, but Teddy did it. He took the plunge. He was a married man. As Victoire and Teddy walked down the aisle, hand-in-hand, as husband and wife, Victoire leaned closer and whispered, "So, when do we start trying for our first baby?"
Teddy's eyes widened. No, not yet! They just got married! Too soon! Too fast! "Baby?" he squeaked.
Victoire gaily laughed. "Just kidding."
Teddy breathed a sigh of relief. He wanted to be a dad but not yet.
XX
(word count: 1,172)