Disclaimer: I do not own the world of H. P. Belongs to J. K. Rowling. For the "Decisions, Decisions... Competition" and "The If You Dare Challenge".
The If You Dare Challenge Prompt: Choices (#138)
Decisions, Decisions Competition Prompts: "Milk Carton Kid" by The Milk Carton Kids, "I just need some air.", inappropriate.
"Home was just a broken heart
A driveway to park a car
A memory of a dream, long since in discard."
-Milk Carton Kid by The Milk Carton Kids
"I just need some air-" that was her excuse. A smile flashed, was all that was necessary to reassure her fiance that everything was all right.
But nothing was all right.
It was more than just being overwhelmed by all the smiling faces. It was more than cold feet, because everything was about to change and yes, that was more than just a little bit scary.
She just couldn't breathe! And as she made it out into the cool backyard, she felt like she was barely keeping it together.
It wasn't even a solid thought, or a wisp of a plan. Suddenly her wand was simply in her hand, and before she could think about what she was doing, or what people might think, she'd apparated away.
X
"You look terrible," were the first words out of the older blonde's mouth, her french accent changing how the english words sounded.
Victoire looked up at her aunt and smiled weakly. Having trekked about half a mile through snow-covered grounds... she felt a little more calm then she'd had half an hour ago. Her Aunt Gabrielle, while a caring and simple kind of person, had always been very direct. It was one of the things that Victoire liked so much about her, and she wished that she could see more of her.
"Well what are you waiting for, come in," Gabrielle stated with a small, fond smile, moving so as to allow her niece entrance into her home.
Victoire stepped in, feeling somewhat guilty for tracking water and into the entrance hall. However, a moment later, she felt her clothes suddenly become dry. The puddle of water at her feet, vanished.
Looking up with surprise, she found her aunt staring at her with a perfectly sculpted brow, arched. Her wand was in her hand as she smiled gently at Victoire.
"Now, 'ow about some tea?"
"Do you have anything stronger?" Victoire asked with a self-deprecating smile, feeling her gut clenching.
She wasn't sure why she'd chosen her Aunt Gabi's, of all places, to go. Perhaps it was because all of the Weasley's were gathered at her parents' house. Perhaps it was because, she missed her Aunt Gabi. Perhaps it was because despite whatever it was that happened all those years ago... the woman was still family, and always gave sensible advice.
"Oui," her aunt replied, before leading the way to the parlor.
"Where is Genevieve?" Victoire stated as she sunk into the plush sofa, removing her flats and curling her legs beneath her self as her aunt poured out two wine glasses.
"She chose to stay at Beauxbaton. There is a ball, you understand," her Aunt Gabi replied, and it wasn't lost upon Victoire that there was a sad note in her tone.
Victoire felt herself frown, wondering how lonely most holidays must be for her Aunt Gabrielle. Especially with her daughter, Genevieve at school.
For a moment, Victoire chewed on her bottom lip, as the questions she'd wondered a million times in the past, resurfaced. Absently, she took the wine glass that was offered to her and sipped it while Gabrielle sat opposite of her on a chaise, from where she studied her while Victoire stared at the roaring fire heating the room.
Victoire lost herself in her thoughts, basking in the relief that they were not of her fiance.
She wondered why, when she was just about four, everyone seemed so angry with her Aunt Gabrielle, even mother. She wondered why her Aunt Gabrielle, as beautiful as she was, had never been married. More than anything, she wondered why no one spoke of her cousin, Genevieve's, father.
Victoire had always gotten the strange impression, that Aunt Gabrielle had done something that was wrong or inappropriate, and so had- to an extent- been cast out of the family. That Genevieve and the circumstances surrounding her birth and upbringing, were some great secret that no one spoke of or even hinted at.
"What is on your mind, ma petite fleur?" Gabrielle asked gently, causing Victoire to look to her aunt. Victoire shook her head, which caused her aunt to shake hers in turn. "Non, non.. you will not lie to me. Tell me what has you in such a state. I thought you were celebrating you're engagement tonight. You should be happy, non?"
"I am happy," Victoire argued, but in a small and confused voice.
"But you are here, mon cher," Gabrielle pointed out smoothly, taking a sip from her glass.
For a while, silence reined between the two women. Looking down at her glass, Victoire took a deep drink before looking up at her aunt.
"How do I know, I'm not making a mistake?" Victoire asked in a small voice.
"I don't know, mon cher. You are asking the wrong person, I've never been married," Gabrielle replied, taking another dainty sip from her own glass and looking very elegant.
Once more, Victoire was struck by her aunt's beauty. Though the woman was in her early thirties, she looked like she was in her early twenties. And in spite of having a child, her figure remained slender and toned, so as to make her look more beautiful than the models one would see in magazines.
"Why did you never marry, Aunt Gabi?" Victoire asked curiously, pinning her aunt with her deep blue gaze.
"Because I never found a man to love or trust enough, to allow him near my daughter," Gabrielle replied simply.
"What about Genevieve's father?" Victoire asked, though her heart was beating hard in her chest. Though she was afraid of upsetting her aunt, Victoire couldn't help asking.
"I had Genevieve when I was about your age, Victoire," Gabrielle explained with a sigh. "I was naïve and stupid. I let my emotions overrule my good judgement. He was a married man, you see. He married just at about your age... he was a little drunk that night and despairing that he hadn't allowed himself to live and there I was. I'd always adored him and finally he was seeing me, 'ow stupid I was. But of course he noticed me, I was young and beautiful!
"Of course what happened is a story as old as time. He went back to his wife after two weeks with me, and she, like so many other little wives, took him back," Gabrielle stated in tones that were subdued, but free of any bitterness. Her rich, french accent made it sound like she was speaking of something from a dark and smoky past. It was almost as if she was speaking of some dark comedy that she found amusing, instead of her own life.
For a moment, all Victoire could do was stare at her Aunt Gabrielle, and it was like she'd grown another head. And her own was spinning.
To her, Aunt Gabrielle had always been a softer, more playful version of her mother. Still loving, and overwhelmingly beautiful, but a little mischievous around the edges. But now... she sounded so jaded and even cynical.
It wasn't that she thought of her aunt any less, for what had happened, not loved her any less for this side to her that she'd never seen before. But she couldn't help feeling, that her aunt must've been irreparably hurt by what happened when she was only seventeen and wondering if love could twist someone so, what would happen to her if she were wrong.
"No one can guarantee you will be happy, Victoire," Gabrielle stated gently. "It is natural to worry about these things. If you are having many doubts, ask Teddy to postpone, I am sure he will understand. And if you don't want to get married to him, the family won't hold it against you, and Teddy will get over it in time. But if you can't picture living without him, than marry him."
Victoire nodded. She knew it made sense, but she was still uncertain about what she wanted.
"Thank you, Aunt Gabi."
X
Later that night, as she lay back on Genevieve's bed because her aunt insisted she didn't apparate if she'd never apparated under the influence, she found that she wasn't any less confused. But the idea of returning, and facing everyone in the morning was completely unappealing. And the idea of explaining why she'd run off to Teddy made her stomach violently revolt.
Turning on her side in exasperation at her inability to sort out her sentiments, she stared at the picture frame on the nightstand next to her cousin's bed for a few moments.
It was a picture of Genevieve, bent over and laughing uncontrollably at something the boy next to her had said. As it was a magical photograph, she watched her cousin straighten, and the brunette boy tenderly brush the hair out of her face, his eyes sparkling down at Genevieve with love. A gaze that was reflected in her cousin's gaze.
I don't think Teddy's ever made me laugh like that, or that we've look at one another with that kind of quiet intensity and devotion, she thought with a frown.
As she began to drift off, with images of her cousin Genevieve floating through her mind, she wondered why her cousin's emerald eyes were so familiar.
~END~
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