Disclaimer: insert standard "I'm not JK Rowling", "I own nothing", "Please don't sue" disclaimer here
Summary: I'm not Victorie Weasley. I'm just your average, plain Jane Douglas.
A/N: For Chasing Sunlight's He Is We One-Shot Contest on HPFC. Song: Pardon Me. Pairing: Teddy/OC Not a songfic, just inspired by the bittersweet song; go listen to it!
A/N 2: This was a good challenge for me. It's the first time I've written Next-Gen. It's also my first time writing a first-person POV, as well as present tense (for parts of it anyway). So please, read and review! Let me know if there are any grammatical errors, characterization problems, and/or what you think in general. Thanks! :-)
Unrequited
-x-x-x-x-
"Hey Janey, have you seen Tom? I need to borrow his Potions notes," Teddy Lupin asks me as I make my way to the Hufflepuff table for breakfast. I immediately start worrying my lip and shuffling my feet. I always turn into a nervous wreck around him.
"Um, no. Sorry," I say quietly, trying not to stare at his eyes. They're such a lovely, clear blue today.
Teddy notices my fidgeting and gives me a funny look before shrugging it off as my usual quirkiness. "Well, if you see him, let him know I'm looking for him, 'Kay?"
"Sure," I reply, giving him a small smile as he walks to the Gryffindor table. I eventually make my way to the end of Hufflepuff table and fall onto the bench. "Merlin, I'm such a ditz!" I berate myself silently, dropping my head onto the table in front of me. Why do I always turn into a shy, star-struck 11-year-old whenever he talks to me? Why can't I ever be normal in front of him?
"Mornin' Jane," my best friend, Maria Peterson, says as she sits next to me and grabs some toast. She looks knowingly at me. "I take it Lupin talked to you."
"Yeah. And of course, I turned into mute deaf girl again," I growl sarcastically.
"Have some toast," she says as she shoves a plate of toast in my face. "Maybe it will make you feel better." Always so sensible, that Maria.
"I'll try, thanks." I take a sip of pumpkin juice and nibble on the toast. It does help calm the butterflies in my stomach.
"You need to give up on him, Jane," Maria states as she adds potatoes to her plate. "He just started going out with Victorie. They're so madly in love and perfect together, it's a bit revolting."
"I know, I know," I groan to her. "But I can't help it! He's just so nice and friendly! He used to help me when I was younger, you know. And I love how his hair changes color to match his feelings and -"
I know Maria can't help but tune me out as I continue to babble about Teddy. She's heard me wax poetic about him millions of times, but I really can't stop myself. He's my white knight in shining armor; a fairytale prince come true. I remember the very first time I met him...
-x-x-x-x-
It was my first day of classes at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I'm muggleborn, so I knew nothing about magic, the castle, or anything really and was shy and scared. I hadn't made any friends yet, so even though the corridors were full of students, I was lonely and confused. All of the sudden, someone running down the hall knocked into me from behind. Like a domino, I fell into the person in front of me. My bag fell open and all my school supplies scattered onto the floor. The person I had bumped into turned around to find me kneeling on the floor, trying to gather my things.
"Do you need any help?" I heard a kind voice ask.
Looking up, I saw the most beautiful boy in the whole wide world. I couldn't help but stare; his hair had changed from ginger to black right before my eyes! He had bright emerald eyes, a heart-shaped face and the nicest smile I'd ever seen. "Wingardium Leviosa!" he said as he waved his wand. All my things slowly began to float in the air.
"Here, " he said, moving my supplies towards me. I hurriedly stood up and opened my bag for him. He dropped everything inside it.
"Thank you," I murmured while looking at the floor.
"No problem. This your first year?" the beautiful boy asked me. I nodded to his scuffed trainers.
"Are you lost?" he asked. I nodded again.
"What's your first class?"
"Potions."
"Alright then. Go down this hall, make a left, and go down the spiral staircase into the dungeons. You can't miss it."
I raised my head a bit and found him pointing down the hall. "Thank you," I said as I looked up into his cheerful face, giving him a shy smile.
"I'm Teddy Lupin, by the way," he said pleasantly, holding out his hand.
"Jane Douglas," I replied meekly, shaking his hand. It was soft and warm.
"Well, you better get going. You don't want to be late on your first day," he told me as he let go of my hand. "See ya, Janey!" With a grin, he turned and ran down the hall while I stood, rooted to the floor, watching him go.
-x-x-x-x-
"Jane!" Maria hisses in my ear while waving her hand in my face. "Earth to Jane!"
"Sorry," I reply, pulling myself out of my reverie.
"You really need help. Maybe next year will be better, you know, since he won't be here anymore."
I turn around and look at Teddy at the Gryffindor table. He's sitting with his friends, his new girlfriend at his side. They look like they're having a grand time, eating and chatting and just enjoying each other's company. And in my head, I have to agree with Maria. I'm not Victorie Weasley, who's smart and beautiful. I'm not someone Teddy's known his whole life. I'm just your average, plain Jane Douglas, a little girl he helped in the corridor all those years ago. I'll never have a chance with him because his hair only changes into the perfect shade of blue when he's around her; his eyes only light up and shine when he looks at her.
"You're right, Maria. Maybe next year will be better," I sigh as I watch them leave the Great Hall together, hand in hand. I can tell that he truly loves her; not me, never me.
But as Teddy looks down on his beloved Victorie, her eyes sparkle just like his. Only when I see her sincerely return his love can my heart stop fighting my head. A piece of me dies inside as I give up my first crush; my first and only love.
I hope she'll make Teddy happy.