This Clock Never Seemed So Alive

Teddy Lupin leaned against the wall of his dormitory in the Gryffindor tower, gazing around and trying to take everything in before he had to leave it all behind. Teddy's seven years at Hogwarts seemed like they would never end as they were progressing, but as he looked back, it seemed like the time flew by. So much had happened though. Most notably, he thought as he smirked, was his relationship with Victoire, which started last year. It took a while for both of them to get out of that 'we're-like-family' thing, because, well, that's how it had been for many, many years.

The thing that changed it, Teddy thought, was last year for him – Victoire was in fourth year – and Hogwarts had a Halloween ball for the first time in years. Vic came down looking incredibly gorgeous, but Teddy had been expecting that – that wasn't even what had shifted his point of view. She caught his eye, headed straight for him with a huge smile on her face – not her date, which Teddy was just a bit cocky about – and straightened his purple dress robes, telling him, "You're robes are kind of ridiculous," and he said, "Hey! I think they're quite nice on me, thank you very much," and she grinned, replying, "I wasn't finished. I think your robes are ridiculous – but you look really handsome tonight, Ted," and she looked at him in a way she'd never done so before. It made his eyes go wide, his lips to part, and he was pretty sure his hair turned a bright pink, but never mind that.

The point was, Teddy couldn't keep his eyes off her for the rest of the night. And he kind of wanted to curse her date.

Teddy sighed and looked around one more time. He was about to leave when something under his bed caught his eye. He turned back around and lifted his wand, levitating what he found was a picture toward him. He took it in his hands and chuckled softly.

It was him and Victoire, last summer. He'd almost forgotten about it, but was glad he didn't now. The picture had been taken from the side. They were in the backyard of the Burrow, and they were sitting on one of the white benches. Teddy had his arm around Victoire, and she was sleeping on his shoulder. You could see her chest move up and down, and Teddy leaned down and kissed her head softly, oblivious to the person who took the picture – who was Aunt Ginny, but the way. She'd sent it to him in the beginning of the year, and he suppose he'd set it on his nightstand, only for it to be knocked to the ground by one of the four rowdy boys in the dorm.

He smiled slightly and was about to put it in his pocket when he heard someone coming up the stairs.

"Teddy? You up here?" He smiled at Victoire's voice and turned to find her jogging up the steps.

"Hey, you're not allowed to be up here." he teased, half-smiling.

She popped a hip and pointed to her badge. "Prefect, Teddy." she said like it was obvious.

He shoved his hand sin his pockets. "Oh, so I guess you'd be mad if I told McGonagall you were up in the boys dorms then, huh?" he said, making a mock-apologetic face.

She started to laugh, but then she smiled sadly and shoved his shoulder weakly. "Wouldn't really matter anyway, would it? You're not even going to be a student here anymore."

He didn't say anything, but pulled her into a hug. "We'll get to see each other over the holidays," He pointed out, running his fingers through her long, blonde hair softly. "And I'll write whenever I can."

"But you'll be busy," she murmured into his shoulder, "You're an Auror in training, Ted."

"Vic," he sighed, pulling away and putting his hands on either side of her face instead. "We'll make it work, alright?"

She hesitated, but nodded. Then she whispered, "I love you."

He put his lips to her forehead and murmured, "I love you, too."

Then, she brought his lips to hers and they kissed each other feverently before they were so rudely interrupted by –

"Teddy, where the bloody – Oi! Save that for later, you two, we're gonna miss the bleedin' train!"

Teddy's best friend, Greg, stopped in the middle of the staircase, where he could clearly see them. Teddy sighed in annoyance and put his hand on the wall behind Victoire.

"I'll be there in a minute, Greg." He said wearily.

"No, no, I know you, Ted. When you say one minute with Victoire, you really mean ten. And we don't have time for that unless you want to be stranded here with bloody Filch for the rest of the summer! Besides, you have plenty of time to snog on the train." he said, grabbing his best friends arm and dragging him down the staircase. Teddy grabbed Victoire's hand, giving her an apologetic look, and they made a sort of human train down the staircase.

Before they were forced out of the common room by Greg, Teddy glanced back once more at the Gryffindor common room, his heart wrenching. Never again would he sit in her and study, or laugh with his friends, or talk with Victoire. Vic squeezed his hand at the look and smiled sadly at her before they exited through the Fat Lady's portrait.

"C'mon, Ted, we said our goodbyes all last night and this morning. Time to move on, mate!" Greg exclaimed, completely unaffected.

Ted rolled his eyes. "Greg, you are the most insensitive person I have ever met. And will you let go of my arm?"

"Right, sorry. And no, I just have some balls unlike you. Stop being so sentimental, it creeps me out when you get like that." Greg said and grimaced, 'shivering'.

"Greg, this is why you don't have a girlfriend." Victoire said, taking Teddy's hand in both of hers. Teddy smirked at his best friend.

Greg snorted. "See, what you don't realize is that I don't want a woman to hold me back, Vic," he said, inconspicuously flexing his so-called 'muscles', except Greg was one of the gangliest people Teddy knew. "Got ol' boom and pow to keep me company."

"I can't believe you named your biceps."

"Oh, loads of guys do it, Victoire, Teddy's just weird."

"Yeah? Maybe you're the weird one."

Teddy wasn't listening to their conversation anymore, though. He looked around the familiar corridors, the moving portraits that waved goodbye to him, the occasional ghost who nodded politely, the outside grounds with the grass fresh and the sky blue. It was a beautiful day – so unfitting for the day he had to leave Hogwarts, a place full of memories. Maybe he could end up being a teacher or something – Defense against the Dark Arts, maybe?

"Teddy? Ted. C'mon, you're laggin' behind." Greg said, lightly punching his arm.

Teddy had lingered by the doors to the castle, looking back into the Great Hall. He sighed and Vic touched his arm.

"Ted? You ready?" she murmured.

He turned to her and smiled. "Yeah. I'm ready."

And he really meant it now. Leaving Hogwarts didn't have to be a depressing thing – he just needed to look at it as a new beginning. And the best part was, he got to share it all with Victoire, and Greg, and everyone waiting back home. Yeah, he was ready.