Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all related material belongs to JK Rowling
A/N: this isn't a songfic, it was just inspired by some of the lyrics from Mr Brightside by the Killers.
It started out with a kiss how did it end up like this?
It all began with a kiss and it ended in heartbreak but don't the best stories always go like that. I'd been friends with Teddy for years, we practically grew up together. And then everything went wrong.
It was September 1st and Teddy came to see everyone off to Hogwarts before starting work in the Auror office under Uncle Harry. I hugged him goodbye and told him I'd see him at Christmas and then Victoire pulled him off to talk to her. It was James who caught them and proceeded to tell the whole of Platform 9 ¾ that they'd kissed. On one hand I was unsurprised, they were best friends, he was nineteen and she was beautiful. But I still felt a bitter stab of jealousy as I waved goodbye to my parents and boarded the train promptly ignoring Victoire.
We had a Hogsmeade trip in the middle of October and Victoire walked down with me enthusiastically telling me about how she was meeting Teddy and checking she looked alright. I told her she looked amazing and she did. I hated the bitterness I felt; Victoire was my sister, we'd always been so close and now because of my inability to get over a childish crush on Teddy I was drifting away from her.
Teddy was talking to Lucy and Molly when we arrived who were on their first trip to Hogwarts being in third year. I decided to show them around hoping to avoid Teddy and Victoire. Teddy told us to have a good time before Victoire intertwined their fingers and pulled him off towards Madam Puddifoot's. I rolled my eyes and led the twins towards Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. I knew Teddy hated the pink café and come to think of it, Victoire must know that too but it was infamous for its cliché dates. I walked back to the castle early to avoid them but there was nothing I could do but smile and listen as Victoire gushed about her date when she arrived back for dinner.
"I think I might be falling in love with him, Mini!" she told be not bothering to hide her excitement.
I smiled, I was happy for her even though it hurt "do you think he feels the same?"
"I hope so," Victoire grinned "maybe he'll tell me at Christmas … or at New Year's! How romantic would that be?"
When Christmas came, I considered staying at Hogwarts after I heard Victoire had invited Teddy to stay with us – though this wasn't entirely unusual, he always saw us at Christmas. What was unusual was Mum pulling him into a bone-crushing hug to rival that of Grandma and telling him how thrilled she was and how she always thought he might get together with Victoire. Dad good naturedly gave him the 'don't-hurt-my-daughter' talk. I secretly wished he was talking about his other daughter.
It turned out Teddy had told her he loved her on New Year's after all. Victoire spent most of January and February telling anyone who would listen about it. Lucy teased her saying she had best be a bridesmaid at the wedding. Victoire laughed and promised her she would be. Louis rolled his eyes and told Victoire that Teddy would have to be crazy to spend his whole life married to her. I'd never agreed with my brother more.
I didn't see Teddy again till Easter when I decided to go home so I'd have peace to get work done for my OWLs. Mum and Dad asked how Victoire and Louis were and told me they were glad to see me. I had the sneaking suspicion they'd have been happier to see Victoire. A few days before the end of the holidays, I went to visit Harry and Ginny. Ginny was my godmother and had always been my favourite aunt. We had a great two days until Harry brought Teddy home from work on the second evening. After dinner, Harry and Ginny were going to Ron and Hermione's to pick Lily up who'd been there overnight. Harry told Teddy he could stay the night if he wanted.
"I'd be best just getting home," he insisted.
Ginny frowned "well you'd better come visit more often, we don't see you as much as we used too."
Teddy laughed "well if Dominique will be here, I'll come every week."
Ginny and Harry both found this funny but I froze. We'd hardly spoken in months. A few minutes later they'd gone and I was left alone with Teddy. He asked me if I wanted to go get a coffee with him as if wasn't too late yet. I suggested he take me to the Leaky Cauldron and buy me Firewhiskey instead. He grinned "that's the spirit" and we did just that.
A couple of drinks later Teddy said he'd leave me back to Harry's.
At the door he turned to me "I miss you Dominique, I hardly see you and you never write anymore."
I smiled sadly "and I miss you more than you can imagine."
Then he kissed me. After the initial shock, I kissed him back and every inch of me felt like it was on fire. It was even better than I imagined it would be as my hands roamed up his chest and into his hair. He pressed me up against the door, his hands finding the small of my back as he kissed down my jaw-line, causing me to moan aloud. The noise drew me to my senses and I remembered where we where.
"We should stop," I whispered breathlessly.
"Yeah, we should," he responded huskily.
I thanked him for a great night and quickly disappeared inside breathing heavily, hardly able to believe what had happened. It wasn't until three o'clock in the morning when I woke up abruptly that I remembered Victoire.
Teddy came to see me back off to Hogwarts along with Ginny. Ginny told me I was a pleasure and was welcome anytime and wished me luck in my exams. I eyed Teddy warily. What did he think of that night? Had he told Victoire? Should I tell Victoire? He smiled at me and pulled me into a tight hug, whispering in my ear "I feel it too" and briefly kissed my cheek. I turned quickly and boarded the train not daring to look at Ginny, afraid she'd seen what passed between us.
A week later I received a letter from Teddy. He asked if we could meet up in Hogsmeade so he could talk to me. I deliberated before sending a yes in response. I hadn't been able to look Victoire in the eyes since I returned from Easter. When she told me Teddy wasn't able to go to Hogsmeade because of work and thus she was staying in Hogwarts to revise for her NEWTs, I felt sick with guilt.
But two weeks later I walked out of the gates of Hogwarts to find Teddy leaning against a pillar drumming his wand against his leg; something he did when he was nervous. We walked out of the village to the Shrieking Shack.
"Got to commend you on location," I snorted causing Teddy to laugh.
"Well they say its haunted you know, so no one will bother us out here," he explained.
"So you wanted to talk," I sighed.
Teddy nodded "I need to explain everything. Please just listen because I need to get it all out."
"Of course," I agreed encouragingly.
He took a deep sigh before telling me the whole thing. How it was Victoire who had kissed him back in September. How he loved Victoire but wasn't in love with her. How he couldn't break up with her because it would break her heart and because of the family. How he had felt so much more alive kissing me than he had kissing Victoire. How he worried because I was only 16 and he had just turned 20. And how he wanted to kiss me again, only this time when he wasn't slightly drunk.
And in return I told him how I'd had feelings for him for over a year. And how I'd always had a small crush on him. How I didn't mind the age gap. How I couldn't bear to hurt Victoire.
"For once in my life I want to take something for myself," I explain pushing the guilt down. Instead anger surfaces. Victoire has always got what she wanted. I deserve this one thing.
"Then take it," Teddy replies moving the hair out of my eyes and I don't think twice about pulling his face closer and pressing my lips to his.
By the time summer came, Teddy and I had been writing to each other almost daily and Victoire was none the wiser. At the station Victoire flung herself at Teddy and he kissed her. James and Fred mimed vomiting beside them. They broke apart and Teddy caught my eye and his whole face lit up. I smiled back weakly but I felt betrayed. I hadn't really thought Teddy would continue to act like this with Victoire. I thought he would find it in him to break it off with her. I knew it couldn't go on like this with him seeing me behind my sister's back.
Five weeks later I woke to a tapping sound and saw an owl at my bedroom window. I got up and quickly let it in before it woke the whole house. The letter was short, simply saying 'be ready in five'. I knew I shouldn't as I thought of Victoire sleeping across the hall but I'd missed Teddy so much since I'd decided to estrange myself from him. I got dressed and grabbing my wand snuck outside. Teddy stood in the darkness, the moonlight reflecting off his pale blue hair. He produced his broom from behind his back and motioned for me to climb on. He said nothing and it unnerved me a bit. We flew for what seemed like hours due to the tension that you could cut with a knife; neither of us had said anything and I was pressed tightly up against his chest.
"You've been avoiding me," he said once we landed about twenty feet in from the edge of a cliff overlooking over the sea. I didn't reply instead looking around. The view was magnificent and there was a picnic rug and basket sitting a couple of metres away.
I turned to look at him, "I'm sorry. It hurts seeing you with Victoire around everyone else and only being with me behind their backs. It had to stop."
He brought his hand up to my face "Dominique, I want you to know that I am not ashamed of you, I want to break up with her but I can't hurt her any more than I can hurt you."
"You have hurt me," I snap.
Teddy interlocked our fingers "Then let me make it up to you."
He guided me to the rug and pulled out two bottles of Butterbeer, a bowl of chocolate strawberries and cinnamon rolls. All of my favourites, I grinned despite myself and reached for a strawberry. He caught my wrist and lifted one himself and fed it to me. The look he gave me made me forget I was angry with him. It made me forget everything but him. So I laughed at him for being cheesy and fed him one too.
We were silent for a while as we ate and I could tell Teddy was fighting an internal battle from the way his hair was darkening every so often. I was about to ask him about it when he turned to look me straight in the eye and I couldn't look away from what could only be described as adoration. No one but my parents had ever looked at me like that but I knew this was different. Teddy certainly wasn't my parent.
"Dominique, I'm so in love with you."
I felt my eyes go wide and my breathing hitch, "what."
"I love you," he stared at me. "Despite how I may have acted over the past few months and how I've treated you, please believe me. I love you."
I nodded slowly and leant forward pressing my lips to his softly and then pulled back slightly "I love you too, Teddy."
He captured my lips again and I pushed him down so I was leaning over him. He eventually told me to stop. I told him no. He told me I was too young. I told him I was only a month of 17 and being of age. Then I silenced with a kiss and slowly things went further and further until there was no further to go.
Later when the sun rose, I disentangled myself from his sleeping form and pulled my clothes on, kissed his forehead and grabbed his broom – he could Apparate. It had finally gone too far. I only wished that it hadn't felt so good.
It was a week later at Aunt Ginny's birthday when I next saw Teddy. He was sitting with Victoire in his lap sneaking kisses and laughing. In that moment I hated him. At dinner I ended up seated between Teddy and Ginny. Teddy rested his hand on my knee and offered me his best charming smile. I tensed and pushed his hand away. I'm sure Ginny saw the whole thing.
The next letter I received from him asked for an explanation. I didn't reply. I saw him again at Hugo's birthday but ignored him. I went back to Hogwarts in September. Teddy and Victoire came to say goodbye.
"Have a good year, Mini," Victoire hugged me tightly "I can't believe I'm not going back."
"Well at least you have Teddy," I glanced at him; this was my way of telling him to forget me. "You better look after her Teddy."
He sent me a confused look "I will."
Victoire kissed his cheek before he went over to wish Lily all the best in starting Hogwarts.
"Maybe you'll finally find someone this year," Victoire grinned at me.
I smiled tersely "yeah, I might."
I didn't come home at Christmas. I didn't meet him in Hogsmeade. It was the last day of term when I stepped off the Hogwarts Express that I saw him again. He gave me a look of longing but at the same time held Victoire close to his side. Victoire hugged me and made me promise to come home at Christmas next year.
"It's just not the same without you," she sighed "you left me with Louis and all he did was talk about Quidditch – which don't get me wrong I love but it's a bit much when its not supplemented with other conversation."
I laughed "if anyone, I feel sorry for Louis being left with you."
She playfully whacked my shoulder "just make sure you come home next Christmas."
"Okay, I'll be there," I grinned. Maybe we were back to normal. But of course it wasn't that easy. Every time I looked at Teddy, our eyes met and I had to restrain myself from kissing him right there and then.
Mid-August I found myself alone with Teddy putting Grandad's chickens away.
"Why did you leave that night?"
"I had too."
"You told me you loved me."
"I did … I still do but Teddy you know we can't…"
He wrapped his arms around me "You still love me?"
"Teddy, we can't go here again," I snapped twisting away from him and closing the chicken coup.
"Please Dominique, I've thought of nothing but you for the past year."
"Then why are you still with Victoire?" I growled at him.
"You know why," Teddy had a pleading look in his eyes.
"It's the most stupid reason I've ever heard of! You've been with her for almost two years and you say you aren't even in love with her. Then you say you are in love with me but you won't break up with her! Can you not see how messed up that is?"
"Yes I can but … look why don't you come over for dinner tonight, please?"
"No! I spent the past year trying to forget everything I've ever felt for you," I tried not to be tempted.
"But you can't, can you," He leant down and kissed me forcefully and all my resolve disappeared as I collapsed into him pulling him closer. I'd been stupid to think I could run from this. His hands played at the hem of my shirt and I pulled away breathing heavily.
"You have your own place now?" He nodded. "Let's go then."
And so it began again.
I spent most of the rest of August at Teddy's house. Then I went back to school for my last year and every Hogsmeade weekend I met him upstairs in the Three Broomsticks. I loved him and he loved me and that was all that mattered. I told myself that I didn't care about what he did with Victoire when I wasn't around. He promised me he had never let her stay the night.
When Louis and I arrived home for the Christmas Holidays – as I'd promised Victoire – she met us in the yard and all but screamed that she was getting married to Teddy. I felt a thousand knives twist in my gut. Louis saw my face and quickly started asking Victoire questions, allowing me to escape. I went straight to the Ministry and stormed up to the Auror office. Harry greeted me warmly but looked slightly suspicious when I asked to see Teddy. He gave me directions to his office though.
Teddy was writing a letter when I entered.
"I'm almost finished Jacobs."
I wanted to hit him "I'm not Jacobs, you asshole."
Teddy looked up and his turquoise hair immediately turned a rather sickly green colour.
"So you heard," he sighed.
I stared at him in disbelief, my anger momentarily gone. "I heard? Of course I heard! Victoire is waving the monstrous diamond around at anything that moves! What the hell, Teddy?"
"Keep you voice down please."
"Silencio! There, happy? No one can hear you getting yelled at by your fiancée's sister who you've been sleeping with for the past four months!"
"Dom, it's not like that…"
"Oh really? So you aren't getting married?"
"Of course I'm not!" he stated like this like it was obvious.
"Then why in the name of Merlin is my mother at home making an invitation list while Victoire plans the perfect dress!"
"Because we are engaged but I'm going to break it off."
"Oh yes, like the time you broke up with her! Just admit it Teddy, you're in love with her." I knew he'd marry her and where would that leave me? His sister-in-law who he sneaked off with the odd time while Victoire waited home as the perfect adoring wife.
"She was the one who asked me if I was ever going to propose and I said of course without thinking and then she was kissing me and telling me she knew what ring she wanted!"
"Why are so damn weak Teddy? Breaking up with someone isn't that difficult!"
"How would you know you never the guts to do it, you just left me for a year with no explanation!" he was angry now too.
"We weren't even going out! You were cheating on my sister with me … its so wrong Teddy, so bloody wrong!"
"That's not what you said when you were screaming my name for the whole of Hogsmeade to hear two weeks ago."
I slapped him "How dare you! You're blaming this on me! I'm not the one who is going out with two people at once! What do you think your parents would think of you now?"
Teddy stepped back as if he'd been punched and I immediately regretted it.
"Ted – I didn't mean that," I backtracked.
"Get out!" he snapped.
"I'm sorry," I said.
"Go!"
"Alright, I'm going. But this is it! I'm telling you. We're done."
I closed the office door behind me as the tears began to run. Harry found me a couple of minutes later as I was leaving.
"Please make sure Teddy knows I'm sorry."
Harry nodded but didn't ask what for, I was grateful.
By the time summer came I was very ill. When I walked off the train, I expected my parents to start babbling about the wedding but instead Dad lifted me up with both arms and Mum told Louis to take my trunk home. The next thing I saw was the waiting room of St Mungo's. My parents didn't leave my side once. Mum cried a lot when I was diagnosed with anorexia. I hadn't meant for this to happen; I'd just focussed on nothing but my NEWTs and Quidditch once I got back to school after Christmas. I had stopped going to Hogsmeade, I didn't get drunk, I didn't party, I barely spoke to my friends or cousins and it looked like I'd forgotten to eat as well. Louis had written to Mum and Dad just before the end of term. Victoire turned up at the hospital the next morning. I couldn't bear to see how upset she was. If only she knew what I'd done. Mum and Dad took turns to stay with me for the next two weeks, sometimes Louis brought Fred and James and to cheer me up. Roxanne came with her parents. The Potters came. Lucy and Molly turned up with what looked like half of Honeydukes and threatened that I'd better eat every last sweet. Rose and Hugo came with their parents. Audrey and Percy didn't stay long but I was glad to see them all the same. My grandparents came from The Burrow and from France. Even Aunt Gabrielle showed up. Charlie turned up on the last day I was in hospital. Apparently if I'd continued the way I had been it could have ended a lot worse. But one person I both wanted to see and never wanted to lay eyes on again didn't come. Teddy.
After I was discharged mid-July, Victoire took care of me as I recovered at home. I helped with the wedding plans pretending it was someone else she was marrying; it made it a lot easier. I got a beautiful blue bridesmaid dress and Victoire asked me to be Maid of Honour. We made table decorations and order of services and curled ribbons and I remembered better times when we'd been the best of friends and inseparable. I wanted that again but I couldn't shake the guilt. It was when Victoire confessed she was nervous about her wedding night that I broke down in tears. Victoire asked why. I said I was just going to miss her so much. It wasn't a complete lie.
It was the night before the wedding, the third week of August. It was Teddy's Stag night. It was Victoire's Hen night. I got very drunk and somehow ended up at Teddy's house at three in the morning. He pulled me inside and all I can remember was that he tasted of Firewhiskey.
The next morning I woke up and threw up over the side of the bed before realising where I was. I threw up again at the thought. I grabbed my dress from the night before off the end of the bed and grabbed my bag, wand and shoes. What had I done? Downstairs I walked into the kitchen to find Andromeda and Ginny sitting at the table with mugs of coffee, clearly there to help Teddy get ready for the wedding. They stared at me in shock for a minute before I burst into tears. Ginny got up and pulled me into a hug. I couldn't understand why they weren't looking disapproving. Ginny told Andromeda she'd be back later and Apparated home with me. Lily and Albus were eating breakfast as Ginny guided me through the kitchen. I don't know what they thought of me in last night's clothes smelling of alcohol and my own vomit. I was disgusting and I'd never felt more ashamed. Never again was I going to so much as kiss Teddy. And this time I meant it.
Upstairs, Ginny helped me out of my clothes and put me in a warm bath and washed my hair. She left and came back with a hot mug of hot chocolate mixed with a hangover potion, a warm fuzzy towel and Mum.
"I don't know what happened with Teddy but I know something has been going on since Easter two years ago. I'm your godmother, I notice these things." Ginny finally said.
"You don't have to tell us darling, but we'll listen," Mum added.
So I explained everything from the past two years. Ginny listened patiently while Mum started to cry.
"I have to tell Victoire," I finally said.
"No you don't, it'll break her heart," Mum disagreed.
I shook my head, "no, I've lied long enough."
Ginny gave me a clean pair of jeans and a shirt of Lily's and I Apparated back to Shell Cottage. I all but ran to Victoire's room and opened the door. Victoire was standing in her wedding dress, tears running down her face holding the back of her armchair for support. Teddy was sitting on the bed, his head in his hands. I hated him for being the one to tell her. Victoire stared at me like she'd never seen her before.
"How could you, Mini?" she sobbed "how could you? You're my sister."
"I wanted to tell you Victoire," I replied, crying myself "I really did but I couldn't hurt you. I couldn't make you feel as awful as I do."
"Then why did you let it go on!" Victoire fell into the armchair "Two years? You've been sneaking around behind my back for two years and you know what the worst part is? I had absolutely no idea!"
"I –" I wanted to apologize but I knew a simple apology wasn't going to make up for this betrayal. And how could I explain that I'd tried to stop our affair so many times but Teddy was like a drug to me; I just kept going back for more.
"Just go, Mini, please just go."
And so I did, leaving the room without so much of a glance at Teddy I crossed the hall to my own room and packed a bag. Within half an hour I was flying away from home. Away from Victoire and away from Teddy. As I flew only one thing played itself over in my head. Leaving my sister hurt so much more than leaving Teddy.
Two weeks later I ended up in London with a job in a run down muggle pub which paid me by letting me stay in one of the rooms upstairs. I had no idea what had happened to Teddy and Victoire but I could only assume they hadn't got married. I missed my family but I couldn't stand the shame of facing them after they found out it was because of me that Teddy and Victoire's wedding had broken down.
It was December when one of my colleagues at work teased me that I was putting on a bit of weight and suggested I had a bun in the oven. I froze because although she was joking, I realised she had a point. I wanted to scream. I thought I was free from the pain of Teddy but of course it was just my luck that I couldn't seem to ever escape him.
Five months later I went into labour and Apparated to St Mungo's. One of the healers asked my name and when I gave it the woman told me she would contact my parents. Apparently they'd been searching for me for months. And I'd thought I couldn't possibly feel any guiltier.
The baby was born hours later. I had never loved anyone more. He had my blonde hair but there was a small tuft of blue as well. I started crying and so did he. I didn't know what to do so the nurse showed me how to feed him. Soon he fell asleep and I did too. Crying woke me up later on. I sat up pulling the baby cot closer to my bed so I could pick my son up. I was soothing him when the ward doors were flung open with a crash.
I was shocked to see Victoire running towards me with tears flowing down her face. Behind her my parents followed her with looks of disbelief and happiness intermingled on their faces.
Victoire reached me first pulling me into a tight embrace "I'm sorry, Mini. I'm so sorry!"
I was too shocked to ask what for; if anything I should be the one apologizing. I looked up at my parents. Mum's eyes wide in shock and disbelief but also joy. Dad stood to the left, confusion and happiness mingled on his face.
"I didn't dare to believe the letter," Mum whispered reaching out to stroke the baby's head "Is this really happening, Dominique?"
I nodded "I'm sorry Mum, I should have written to you."
"It's okay, we're here now," Mum pulled me into a hug. "We've been so worried."
I got the idea they were trying not to overwhelm me. Dad still hadn't said anything so I squeezed his hand "are you alright?"
"Just in shock, I think," he responded "normally you have a few months to adjust to becoming a grandfather, not a few hours."
"I'm sorry, really I am," I said feeling tears welling in my eyes.
"I know," he told me "I'm just glad to have you safe again. I don't know what we'd have done without our Mini."
Mum asked if she could hold the baby. I nodded, reluctant to let him go. I watched Mum and Dad walk down the ward and realised they were purposely leaving Victoire and me alone. We looked at each other for a moment before simultaneously bursting into tears.
"I love you Vic, I'm sorry, I'm sorry a million times."
"I know and I'm sorry too and I love you."
"How can you even look at me?"
"You're my sister. I need you and I'll always forgive you. You're far more important to me than Teddy. Please know that. That morning I was just so hurt. We were going to still get married but then we couldn't find you and I postponed the wedding till I found you but even with the whole family looking you were nowhere. Eventually Teddy and I decided mutually to break it off."
"But you loved him." I protested.
She smiled sadly "and so did you. And he loved us both; it was never going to work."
"Did he tell you he was in love you?" I wondered.
She nodded "he explained it all to me. Said how he was in love with you but loved me. And how he planned to call off our engagement but then he realised he was in love with me as well."
"What's he doing now?"
"I don't know, I haven't seen him since Christmas," Victoire sighed "but maybe he'll meet some nice girl at work and they'll be happy."
"And what about us? It's not going to be the same is it?" I feared her answer.
She shook her head "no, its not. We have a little boy to look after now."
I looked up at her in surprise "you want to help with him?"
"Of course, he's my nephew and you're my sister," Victoire said it like it was obvious.
"But he's Teddy's."
"I don't care," she said firmly. "Mini, Teddy was the first man I ever loved and that means a small part of me will always love him but I'm not going to spend the rest of my life angry with you and him. I'm still friends with him and I hope we can still be friends and one day I'm going to find someone else and I'll be happy. And I want the same for you."
"All I want is to never lose you again," I smiled.
"That, I can promise," Victoire grinned.
A/N: Thanks for reading :)
Normally I only write in canon stories but I decided to try twisting Victoire and Teddy's story and it ended kind of horribly with a lot of heartbreak. That's why I added the sort of last bit. Orginally it ended after Victoire told DOminique to get out of her room. But I couldn't bear to leave it on such a sad note.
I know its kind of cheesy at the end but there's too many stories going around were everyone ends up with the first person they fall up but that doesn't always happen in real life.
Anyway, thanks for reading!
Published: 18/04/2014