A/N: This is a small story that popped into my head the other night. A note on ages cause it's not said in the story. Teddy is 17 and in his 7th year. Victoire is 16 and in her 6th year. Rose and Albus are 10 and not yet at Hogwarts.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of what is recognizable.
It was Christmas at The Burrow and, as usual, it was a madhouse. This fact suited Albus just fine, as it allowed him to put his "master plan", as he called it, in motion.
"Albus, why are we doing this?" Albus' cousin Rose asks, standing in the doorway of the attic room, where the boys all sleep when staying over.
"Just pay attention," Albus answers, "and tell me if you see Teddy coming." Albus quickly walks to a cot set up in the corner and begins to search it. "It's gotta be here someplace, he never leaves without it," he says aloud.
"What? What are you looking for?" Rose snaps.
"Ah-ha!" Albus says, holding aloft a worn leather satchel.
"What is that?" Rose asks, even more frustrated.
"All will be clear in a minute, Rosie. Just keep watching," Albus says
"Don't call me that!" Rose hisses.
Albus opens the satchel and removes a portfolio bound in matching leather. He holds the notebook under one arm, closes the satchel, and places it back in its hiding place. He tucks the book under his shirt and walks out the door past Rose.
"Follow me," he says out of the corner of his mouth.
"This isn't gonna get us in trouble is it?" Rose asks nervously, her face showing her worry.
"You worry too much cousin of mine." Albus says. "Quick, in here," he says ducking into the hall closet, grabbing Rose by the arm.
"What are we doing!" Rose says loudly, pausing after each word.
"Keep it down." Albus says putting his hand over Rose's mouth. "Ow...ow..ow...quit biting." Albus quickly removes his hand.
"Here's the deal," Albus starts explaining, "you don't live with Teddy so you don't know, but he is driving me nuts." Albus says running his hand through his hair messing it up, a nervous habit he has already picked up from his father. "I am just so sick of him moping around, looking like someone just ran over his pet kneazle. I heard mum and dad talking the other night, and she said Teddy loves Victoire."
"Victoire!" Rose exclaims, putting her hand over her mouth. "Oh, they're perfect together!"
"Mum said the same thing," Albus says, pulling the notebook out from under his shirt. "She also said that all you had to do was look at this, and it was obvious."
"Well let's see!" Rose says, snatching the book from Albus' hands and opening it up.
Every page is covered with depictions of Victoire, in various artistic mediums.
Oh my!" Rose gasps.
"What?" Albus asks, looking over Rose's shoulder. "They're just pictures of Vic."
"You have no soul, Albus," Rose huffs. "Your mum was right, these were drawn with love," she says, tracing a drawing with her thumb.
"Well whatever they were drawn with, they are my key to some peace and quiet," Albus says.
Albus scratches his chin and smiles slyly. "Here's what we're gonna do."
-ooo-
Rose and Albus are sitting close together, on a couch in the sitting room, at The Burrow. Between them, they are holding Teddy's portfolio. Victoire is sitting across the room, in a high backed rocking chair, reading a Teen Witch magazine.
Albus looks at Rose and nods. They both start to giggle and snicker. Every time they turn a page in the book, they break into more giggles and "Awes." After five minutes of the staged revelry, Victoire has had enough. Dropping the magazine beside the chair, Victoire stands and approaches her giggling cousins.
"What're you two looking at that's so interesting?" She asks.
"Oh nothing, it's just a book I found in our room," Albus says, innocently. "Wanna see?"
"Oh Albus! I don't think Teddy would like that," Rose chimes in, sounding a bit too rehearsed for Albus' liking, but Victoire doesn't seem to notice.
"I'm sure it's ok Rose. It's not like they mean anything," Albus says.
"What are you two talking about." Victoire says in frustration. "Let me see that," she says, taking the book off the laps of her cousins, and sitting down between them.
Victoire's face goes through a myriad of emotions, as she flips through the book. Starting with shock, moving to anger, finally softening a bit and ending with resolution.
Victoire stands up, holds the book in one hand, and smooths her dress with the other. "Of all the stupid boneheaded... Too proud to... Would serve him right." Victoire rants and fumes, as she paces back and forth, in front of the couch.
As if on queue, Teddy walks through the front door, carrying his broom over his shoulder, while talking to Harry and James, who are trailing him.
"I swear, Harry, if she gets any better, she is going to the the best in the fam..." Teddy stops mid-stride, seeing Victoire standing in front of him holding his portfolio.
"YOU!" Victoire says, pointing at Teddy. Harry and James move away from Teddy, happy that they aren't the cause of Victoire's state. "We need to talk," she says. "The rest of you ...OUT!" All the other occupants of the sitting room, including the newly arrived Harry and James, scamper out of the room.
"What's that all about?" Harry asks Albus, amidst their retreat.
"Got me," Albus says, "probably a girl thing... Ow!" Albus whines, rubbing his arm, while looking at Rose. "Why are you so violent?"
"Where did you get that?" Teddy asks,breaking the uncomfortable silence, that had fallen since the room emptied.
"Never mind that." Victoire says, sitting down and patting the cushion next to her.
"Why haven't you told me?" She asks, as Teddy sits down.
"I don't know, maybe it's because I'm me, ya know?" Teddy says, his hair changing colors as he talks. "I mean, I'm not the great quidditch player like Reynolds. I'm not super smart like Ian or funny like Malcolm. I'm just plain old me." Teddy says, naming off Victoire's former boyfriends.
"You remember two years ago on the train? You had half the boys in school following you around. I could never compete with that. You're part of the popular crowd. I like writing, drawing and stuff like that."
"Why didn't you just ask me out?" Victoire asks.
"I assumed you would say no." Teddy answers, honestly.
"Well I wouldn't have," she says, looking in his eyes. "You know, those other boys all had a common problem."
"What was that?" Teddy asks, looking up from the floor he had been staring at.
Victoire stands up and strokes Teddy's cheek with her hand. She leans down and gently kisses his cheek and whispers, "They weren't you."
Victoire leaves a very stunned, but smiling, Teddy sitting alone on the couch.