"Mummy, how did you and daddy meet?" three year old Victoire asked, her legs dangling high above from the ground as she sat in a chair. She peered over the kitchen bench, staring at her mother, who was three months pregnant.
"We met at a…" Fleur paused. She'd never told her daughter about the triwizard tournament. She was too young. She glanced at her one year old daughter, Dominique, who was happily sleeping in her pram, to make sure she was asleep, then turned back to Victoire, "At a inter – school competition,"
"What does 'inter' mean?" Victoire pondered. Fleur smiled.
"It means, 'between,'" Fleur told her daughter. Victoire's face screwed up in confusion, but she still managed to look beautiful.
"Oh. Why don't you just say 'between school'?" Victoire asked. Fleur chuckled.
"Because that wouldn't make sense, would it now?" Fleur asked.
"I guess," Victoire shrugged, "Finish the story!"
"Alright," Fleur laughed, "Well, we met, then we fell in love, then we started dating, then, in the war, we got engaged and married,"
"The war was bad," Victoire declared. Fleur sighed.
"It was, Vicky,"
"Will I meet a boy like daddy?" Victoire asked, her blue eyes widened with curiosity.
"Yes. And you'll fall madly in love," Fleur smiled.
"Will that boy be Teddy?" Fleur nearly choked at hearing her daughter ask that.
"You never know," Fleur smiled. She glanced at the calendar hanging on the fridge behind her, then checked the clock which hung on the wall near her.
"Oh, goodness! I almost forgot," Fleur laughed, "Would you like to go with Uncle Harry to pick up Teddy from school, Ma petite princesse?" Teddy went to the newly founded wizarding only pre – Hogwarts school that ran from kindergarten (for the four and five year olds) to the fifth grade (for the ten year olds and just turned eleven year olds).
Teddy, of course, was in the kindergarten. Often Victoire would accompany Harry to pick him up from the small school.
"Yes please, Mummy," Victoire grinned.
"I'll let Harry know now," Fleur smiled, hurrying into the longue room.
:D:D:D:D:D
"Do you have to love Tashie?" Victoire demanded to Teddy.
"It's Tasha," Teddy sniffed, "And yes, Vicky. She bought me a lollipop,"
"So you have to love people who give you lollipops?" Victoire wondered. Teddy laughed.
"No, silly. She bought me a chocolate as well," Teddy corrected her.
"Oh," Victoire's face scrunched up. All the boys seemed to be staring at her in wonder and the girls in jealousy. Teddy immediately felt embarrassed.
"Maybe we could talk more without everyone staring at you?" Teddy suggested.
"Maybe," Victoire shrugged, used to the attention. "J'ai une sucette et le chocolat pour vous,"
"What?" Teddy asked. He was used to a bit of French, and could talk some, but Victoire was fluent because at least half of the conversations in her family were in French.
"I have a lollipop and chocolate for you," Victoire grinned.
"Oh, cool," Teddy shrugged. Victoire's face went red with anger.
"Don't you love me?" She demanded, peering up at him.
"Vicky, it'd be weird if I loved you," Teddy laughed, as if it was extremely obvious, "We're like brother and sister,"
"Oh," Victoire said, and Teddy didn't seem to notice her confused face that was wondering who her 'boy' would be.
:D:D:D:D:D:D
"Teddy," Victoire snarled, "Give it back,"
"Make me," The Metamorphagus grinned, his hair changing to an excited colour of rainbow. Victoire glared at him.
"Dominique will cry!" Victoire yelled angrily. Teddy grinned.
"Catch me if you can!" He shouted, taking off.
"Teddy!" Victoire called, expecting him to stop, turn around and come back right away. He didn't. Instead he changed the shape of his body so that the wind went straight past him, allowing him to run faster. For once Victoire wished she was a Metamorphagus instead of a veela.
Teddy launched for the swinging ladder that hung down from their tree house. He grabbed onto the first rung and changed his body shape back to normal. He scrambled up the ladder, his feet trying to find a foot hold on the tree so he could climb up to the next rung.
By that time, Victoire had caught up to him. She jumped, close at his heels.
"Move!" She yelled, grabbing onto his dangling legs. Teddy stared at the small teddy bear in his hand that belonged to Dominique, Victoire's little sister, and decided to take a risk. He threw it up a couple of rungs, and, due to good luck, it sat there.
"Get off!" Teddy hissed, scrambling up higher and putting his feet on the first rung and his hands on the third. Victoire managed to stand on the first and put her hands on the second. With ease she pushed herself up with her father's natural ability. Her feet stood firmly on the second rung with her hands on the third.
Then she spotted the teddy bear she so desperately wanted. Teddy eyed her and clambered up so his feet were firmly on the third one and his arms on the fifth rung, the teddy bear sitting on the sixth. Teddy reached up as high as he could, but he couldn't reach it, as he was already utterly exhausted.
Victoire may not have been a Metamorphagus, but she indeed was a very clever four year old. When she was completely sure Teddy's attention was fixated on the teddy bear, she slowly enclosed her petite hands around his foot. Then, wincing, she slowly carried it off the rung. Then, sucking in her breath, she let go. Teddy let out a shout of surprise.
"Victoire!" He shouted as one leg dangled just over two metres off the ground. As he tried to get his foot back on, his other foot slipped and he was hanging on by just his fingers.
"Help!" Teddy shouted, scared out of his wits.
"Shush!" Victoire hissed. She clambered up so her feet were on the third and her hands on the fourth rung. Then she pushed herself up again, her hands landing on the fifth rung so she was equal with Teddy.
"Vicky, help," Teddy moaned, his fingers burning from the rope.
"Fine," Victoire muttered. She pulled his knees so they would bend and helped Teddy's feet land safely on the third rung.
"Thank you," Teddy groaned, cradling both of his fingers in turn. Victoire grinned and hauled herself up to the sixth rung. Smirking, self – congratulating herself, she slipped the teddy bear into her jacket, then turned around to smirk at Teddy.
"Chase me to the top!" She called.
"No way, Victoire Weasley, I've had enough for one day," Teddy puffed. Victoire smirked.
"Victory!" She yelled so it was known to all. Then the friends collapsed in laughter.
:D:D:D:D:D:D
Victoire was annoyed. It was her first day of school and Teddy had PROMISED he'd meet her at the canteen at lunch time. And yet, he hadn't turned up.
"Ouch!" Victoire cried as yet another older child stood on her foot.
"Sorry," the boy mumbled, blushing. Victoire huffed angrily.
"Honestly…" She muttered, "Teddy should be here soon,"
Ten minutes later, Teddy still wasn't there. Victoire was growing impatient until she saw Mike, one of Teddy's best friends. She felt nervous about talking to him, as it was only her first day, but they already knew each other so Victoire figured it wouldn't hurt.
"Mike?" Victoire asked, her voice wobbling.
"Yes, Vic?" Mike asked, dragging her into the line - up. Victoire looked around nervously at all the bigger kids before sucking in her breath.
"Teddy was supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago and he's not and now I'm lonely and scared and he's still not here so I was wondering if you knew where he might be," Victoire babbled. Mike laughed.
"Vic, you are a babbler, aren't you?" Mike laughed, "He's in trouble. He gave our teacher a nose bleeding nougat! It was so funny!"
"C'est peu fauteur de troubles! Je vous jure, mon oncle George serait impressionné avec lui!" Victoire groaned.
"Pardon?" Mike asked.
"Je peux en parler dans des langues différentes. Je suis surpris que Teddy ne pas vous le dire. Alors, pouvez-vous s'il vous plaît m'en remettre?" Victoire chuckled at Mike's confused face.
:D:D:D:D:D:D
"Devoirs tellement ... Devoirs tellement ... Je suppose qu'il y aura plus quand je suis à Poudlard, mais je serai plus là! Tout ce que je veux faire est de jouer avec Teddy, mais même lui n'a pas le temps pour moi plus. Qu'ai-je fait de mal?" Victoire muttered under her breath. She slumped down at the closest seat.
Teddy should at least TRY to help me, Victoire thought furiously, he couldn't have THAT much homework. I mean, come on!
Victoire glared down at the sheet on her lap. It had a list of spelling words that she had to say aloud and copy down, then she had to answer some simple plus and subtraction sums.
I've only just entered the first grade! They shouldn't give me THAT much to do, Victoire thought angrily.
"Qu'est-ce qui ne va pas?" Teddy asked, grinning at Victoire as he sat down next to her.
"Devoirs." Victoire sighed, "Will you help me?"
"I suppose. I've finished all of my homework," Teddy smiled, "Is my French good?"
"Getting better," Victoire flashed him a dazzling smile.
Fleur was teaching beginner's French to Louis, Roxanne, Lucy and James, who were all two, Fred, who was three, and Teddy, who was eight. Teddy and Fred were about to move up to harder French, which currently only Dominique and Victoire knew, although Victoire was on a harder level.
Fleur did it for free, happy to teach them the French language and culture. Recently she had started on History with Victoire, which Victoire found tiring but interesting.
Victoire was the only one who knew about Fleur's sadness at the loss of her accent. After living in England for such a long time her accent was slowly fading.
"Thanks," Teddy smiled, his hair turning a proud royal blue. "Now what would you like assistance in?" Victoire frowned, for it took her a second to remember what on earth assistance meant, before smiling.
"I would like help with my sums," Victoire gestured to the right side of the A3 page. Teddy nodded.
"I see. Would you like to work on them first?" Teddy asked, his hair turning a determined aqua. Victoire nodded, her hair gushing out behind her. She picked up her pencil, ready to begin.
"I'm ready, Mr Lupin," Victoire smiled in mockery. Teddy's whole body, including his hair, went bright red at this comment.
"Alright, so let's start here…" And the two friends figured it out.
:D:D:D:D:D
"Dominique! Please stop following me around!" Victoire scowled at her little sister, who had just started school.
"What else am I supposed to do?" Dominique grumbled, her red hair contrasting perfectly to Victoire's.
"I don't know!" Victoire growled, "Mais, pour l'amour de Godric, cessez de me suivre partout comme un chiot perdu! Je n'ai pas fait ça quand je suis arrivé à l'école! Allez jouer! Faire des amis! Autre chose que me suivre partout!" Dominique cocked her head, as she didn't understand all of the French Victoire knew. But she got the gist of it; I didn't do this! Don't follow me and go away to play with kids your age.
"Non, ils sont ennuyeux." Dominique grumbled in French.
"Je ne m'inquiète pas!" Victoire retorted.
"Fine," Dominique hissed, shuffling away. Teddy, who'd witnessed the entire event, ran out towards her, his hair a mix of yellow, red and purple.
"Victoire Weasley!" Teddy said, with a third of amusement, a third of disappointment and a third of mockery, "You are such a bad liar,"
"I don't want her following me around like a lost dog!" Victoire snapped. Teddy shook his head in wonder.
"Don't you remember? How, on your first day, you spent ALL lunch waiting for me at the canteen?" Teddy asked. Victoire went red.
"That was different. That was my first day. Dominique's been here for TWO days, Teddy," Victoire scoffed. Teddy rolled his eyes.
"Like that makes a difference," Teddy chuckled. Victoire went redder.
"Au moins, il ne se souvient pas de temps quand j'avais trois ans et a pensé que j'étais amoureuse de lui," Victoire muttered to herself. Much to Victoire's embarrassment, Teddy understood what she was saying.
"Oh, yes I do," Teddy smirked. Victoire went red.
"What did happen to Natasha?" Victoire asked, still too despised with that girl to bring herself to say her nickname, which was 'Tasha'.
"She moved away to America," Teddy shrugged. Victoire smiled.
"Great," She grinned. Teddy looked disapproving.
"Vicky, that isn't nice," Teddy warned her. Victoire rolled her eyes.
"I suppose so," Victoire replied, a twinkle in her eyes.
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Teddy asked.
"Definitely," Victoire replied.
:D:D:D:D:D:D
It was not the Weasley – Delacour family's first time in France, but it was Teddy Remus Lupin's first time in France.
"Où devrions-nous aller d'abord? La Tour Eiffel? Ou à un charmant café? Ou peut-être que nous pourrions aller voir les peintres! Il ya tellement à choisir!" Victoire asked the group in French. Louis comprehended a couple of these words, whilst Teddy and Dominique could understand three – quarters of what she had said, same as Bill, and Fleur understood all of it.
"Mangeons!" Fleur declared. They all made their way to the closest café, and sat down, watching the world go by.
"Je t'aime," Fleur whispered to Bill, kissing him on the cheek. Dominique, Louis, Teddy and Victoire all groaned in disgust. A waiter came over to them.
"Que voulez-vous, mes chers invités?" The waiter asked.
"Un chocolat glacé et des biscuits en pain d'épice, s'il vous plait," Victoire replied.
They all ordered and sipped their drinks in an orderly fashion.
"Tomorrow we shall go shopping for the wedding clothes," Fleur announced, "For Ma belle soeur, Gabrielle's, mariage,"
"Yay!" Victoire cried. Her Aunt Gabrielle was getting married in a most unusual manner. Her wedding would be completely modern, with modern clothing and music. Then, her reception would be completely old fashioned, with old fashioned clothing and old fashioned music. Dominique and Louis were to be the flower girl and page boy, and Victoire was a bridesmaid, as well as Fleur, who was her maid of honour.
"It'll be fun," Teddy smiled, and Bill winked.
:D:D:D:D:D
They all stayed at Fleur's parents house, in the three guest bedrooms. Dominique and Louis were in one, and had just moved on from Spy Kids: Island of Lost Dreams to The SpongeBob Squarepants Movie to High School Musical.
Victoire and Teddy were in their room, because they were sharing a room as they were best friends. Fleur and Bill had the best room with the balcony, but Victoire had an idea.
"If only the fireworks were tonight," Victoire sighed. The day after her Aunt Gabrielle's wedding was Bastille Day. They were leaving the day after Bastille Day, and Dominique and Louis were looking forward to the fireworks.
"Hmm," Teddy silently agreed.
"What if we could go stand on the balcony; it'd be nearly as good. We could say the Eiffel Tower!" Victoire said excitedly. Teddy shook his head.
"We couldn't do that, we'd have to go through your parents room," Teddy sighed, "Although it would be nice,"
"When Aunt Gabrielle was sixteen, and I was two, she taught me a way to get through the balcony without going through there," Victoire smiled, "That was always her parents' bedroom,"
"How?" Teddy asked, full of excitement.
"Don't rush me!" Victoire hissed, crawling around on the floor, tapping the wall intently. She grinned.
"Here!" She ushered. Teddy crawled on the ground next to her.
"Where is it?" He asked.
"Here," Victoire told him. She pushed hard on the wall, and, sure enough, that part of the wall fell down flat, leaving a corridor that they could crawl through open.
"Wow," Teddy said, his eyes full of wonder. Victoire nodded.
"It's cool, isn't it?" She asked, her voice laced so delicately with excitement.
"Yes!" Teddy exclaimed, slithering through the corridor. Soon, Victoire could see him, "Come on!"
"Coming!" Victoire called. She crawled a tiny bit into the whole, and then checked the fragments of the shattered 'wall'.
Porcelain, she thought, just what I expected.
It was quite fitting.
The Delacour Mansion was something. It was in the Heart of Paris and invisible to the muggle eye. It was four stories with the two top floors having giant balconies, almost like rooms, hanging off them, with a view of the Eiffel Tower so magnificent it was fit for a King.
It was old. The fourth story was for 'guest' bedrooms, although more often than not the permanent residents used them when they were vacated.
Then there was the third floor. It was the home to the kitchen, the sweeping ginormous dining room and they comfortable living area.
Then the second floor had the more secretive areas. There was the opening hall, which led to a dead end if you didn't count the elevators (Yes, elevators!) leading up to the higher rooms.
But then, like the passage to the balcony, there was a porcelain door, easily shattered for long enough for the person to crawl through, then building back up from magic.
They lead to the indoor bar, and the house – elves' quarters from prior to the 2000s, when S.P.E.W was only just coming along. Then there was the 'pool' room, which, of course, had a giant pool table and a magnificent fish tank that was two metres long.
The Delacour Mansion was riddled with secret corridors, all covered by magical porcelain, leading to secret rooms, such as Fleur's old dressing room and Gabrielle's library.
Victoire crawled through the passageway, delighted by the mirror walls and the lace stuck to the floor, almost like a carpet.
"Wow," She heard Teddy say. He was definitely on the balcony already. Eager to meet him there sooner and see the magnificent view for herself, she crawled faster.
And when she got there, well, it was a sight to be seen.
The Eiffel Tower seemed to rise up into the clouds, stretching to no limit. The water from the multiple lakes sparkled under the bright city lights.
"It's dazzling," Victoire gasped.
"I know," Teddy smiled. And, for a second, Victoire felt like he was more right than ever. And that she might cry.
:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D
Victoire, Dominique, Fleur and Gabrielle were all last minute dress shopping for the wedding, which, in fact, was tomorrow.
"We have to be quick," Gabrielle had insisted as they left, "The practise is on at four,"
But, thanks to Gabrielle's old childhood friend, they had been let in one hour before the shop actually opened, so they were allowed in there at seven a.m. They were currently looking for Dominique's dress, as Fleur's dress had been bought in England.
"This is nice," Fleur said, stopping at one of the racks and fingering a lovely blue dress with red ribbon and roses embroidered into it.
"Oh no, she can't wear that," Gabrielle declared firmly, "It will clash terribly with her hair,"
"I suppose," Fleur agreed, longingly fingering the dress before hanging it back on the rack.
They soon found the perfect dress for Dominique; it was a dark blue, and had thin straps holding it on her. It clung to her six year old body perfectly, cutting off modestly just below the knees.
"It's perfect," Fleur and Gabrielle sighed together in union as Dominique twirled around in front of a mirror in the dress.
"I love it!" Dominique grinned, staring at herself in the mirror happily.
"Tu es magnifique, Dominique," Victoire told her sister. This, she understood.
"Je vous remercie," Dominique thanked her.
Next, they went looking for Victoire's bridesmaid dress.
"We need something elegant and ladylike, yet sophisticated and modern," Gabrielle instructed.
After trying on many dresses, they finally found the one. As Victoire spun around elegantly, they all could tell.
It was a silver dress, cut off at the knees, but it expanded around her. It was almost as if she had a tutu on, but it was more elegant. The sleeves reach her elbows, then grew skinnier until they ended with puffy silver sleeves.
"It will look amazing if her hair is curled," Gabrielle said in awe.
"I can do that," Fleur nodded proudly.
"You look amazing!" Dominique gasped. Victoire blushed.
"Je vous remercie, Dominique," Victoire replied.
"You will look brilliant when you walk down the aisle," Gabrielle agreed. Victoire narrowed her eyes.
"Who will I be doing that with?" Victoire asked. She knew it was traditional for the bridesmaids to walk down the aisle with one of the groomsmen, but it hadn't really come to her attention that she might be walking down the aisle with a twenty – something year old man. Which she did NOT want to do.
"Should we tell her?" Fleur asked, turning to her sister and smiling.
"Of course," Gabrielle agreed.
"You know how I was so eager to let Teddy come?" Fleur asked, trying and failing to hide a sly smile.
"Yes?" Victoire wasn't quite sure where this was leading.
"That was because -"
"Teddy is a groomsmen and you'll be walking down the aisle with him!" Gabrielle cut in, obviously too excited to keep it all in.
"Really?" Victoire asked, a mixture of excited and stunned, "Truly?"
"Truly!" Gabrielle confirmed, half – squealing.
"Yay!" Victoire grinned. Dominique was confused.
"What, do you love him or something?" Dominique teased. Victoire went red.
"No!" She assured her. Fleur gave her daughter a stern look.
"Don't tease your sister," She warned. Dominique nodded gravely.
:D:D:D:D:D:D:D
They had just stumbled into their guest bedroom after a long day of shopping and wedding practicing.
"Did you know?" Victoire asked Teddy, stifling a yawn.
"Yes," Teddy smirked, his hair turning pink.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Victoire asked, propping herself up by her elbow in her bed, staring across to Teddy and his bed, which he was sitting on, restlessly fidgeting.
"I was told to keep it a surprise," Teddy confided, "After all, it is a jolly good one,"
"Agreed," Victoire said sleepily, resting her head on her pillow and instantly falling asleep.
:D:D:D:D:D:D
"Good luck," Victoire told her Aunty. Gabrielle smiled.
"Thank you, Vic," She said graciously. Suddenly, Monsieur Delacour appeared.
"How are my little girls?" He asked, hugging Fleur and Gabrielle affectionately, "And my little granddaughter,"
"Grandpapa," Victoire cooed affectionately.
"Quick, Victoire!" Fleur quickly hissed, checking the time on her watch, "You've got to go!"
"Oh," Victoire had a giant lump in her throat, "Alright. Love you all," She hugged her mother, her aunt and her grandpapa in turn before racing into a separate room with the other bridesmaids.
"Dom and Louis just walked down the aisle," Teddy informed her. She nodded.
"This is it," She gasped. Teddy nodded, smiling.
"This is it," He confirmed, hooking his arm around Victoire's.
"You look nice," She told him quickly.
"You're beautiful," Teddy grinned. Another bridesmaid gestured to them that it was time to go.
And they marched out as one, arms hooked, linking each other in a special friendship that would last longer than a lifetime. They were both smiling and happy, and as Victoire walked next to Teddy she felt as if her heart might burst with all the emotions filling her heart.