Written for Morning Lilies' Connect the Weasleys challenge at HPFC. Prompts: Teddy-Victoire, first kiss


Changing is what people do when they have no options left. -Holly Black

PART 1

Shift

Teddy Lupin is a quiet boy with a quiet life.

In school, he never stuck out in any way—he inherited his father's muted features and his mother's slight build, and his grades were comfortably camped in the E to A range. The desire to cook up trouble eluded him, and his participation in Quidditch was limited to respectfully clapping for his house's team when they score. Sometimes, when he was feeling bold, he would congratulate the team captain for a good game. Supposedly, he could turn his hair pink (by reports, his mother's favorite hair color), or switch his nose for a pig snout, but it remains supposed.

He is a quiet boy with a quiet life.

Work is at St. Mungo's, brewing antidotes and tonics for the ailing magical folk who visit the hospital. Few of the Healers ever get his name right, but they nod at him in the hallways. None of them visit the Potions unit, and he preferred it that way. Silence is perfect ingredient ratios.

Also, he can't quite accommodate any more excitement, as his personal provocation quota is fulfilled exclusively by the Weasley family. As such, the recent development he has introduced in his life struck him as true to form. For one, it involves a couple of Weasleys. Well, it used to involve only one, but now the entire family might be.

He can't get over the irregularity of his current situation. He was Teddy Lupin, he didn't skip work to see people off to anywhere, not even people he fancied. He certainly didn't attempt to kiss people goodbye, only to be discovered by James Potter.

"Go away, James," he said, pushing his godfather's son into the throng of people. He stared at the scarlet paint of the Hogwarts Express, at the students with their school trunks, at anyone but the girl in front of him, who was trying very hard not to laugh.

"Well, so much for a memorable good bye. I tried," he said. He did, really. He spent a week planning the perfect send off for Victoire—rehearsing what he would say, picking out the robes he would wear, and even considering the logistics of how he could kiss her memorably for the first time before she could board the train back to Hogwarts.

This moment would be remembered, all right, but for the wrong reasons. Now she would leave for school. Beautiful, smart Victoire, could have any guy she wants. He was starting to feel nauseated. Maybe this was fate's way of telling him that he's over reaching. She's out of his league, and no amount of time he'd spend with her family would make him good enough. Nervously, he checked his watch. A little before eleven; what a disaster.

"Teddy," she said, and his head snapped back up. She had her face so close to him he was going cross-eyed. "How do you honestly feel about me?"

Was she one of those twisted types who loved rubbing salt on injuries? He searched her face, but all he saw was her usual sunniness. Since he didn't have much time, he thought he might as well get on with it.

He held her face in his hands and leaned in, and everything seemed to slow down.

"Well," she said, after they broke off, "That was very clear."

He nodded, and absently watched her climb the train. She moved out of his view as the doors slammed shut, only to reappear at a window a while later. She waved at him, half laughing, half crying.

"Teddy! I feel the same way!" she said. "I always have!"

As the train rounded a corner and disappeared from view, Teddy reflected that he would need to start getting used to plenty of excitement.


The first in (hopefully) 78. Do tell me what you think! Send me a message or a review. Hope you enjoyed :)