"…So… you're serious? You're not kidding with me, are you Teddy?" Victoire's eyes shone with worry and fear.
NO… it's not possible… I thought…
Victoire felt like she was going to cry.
Teddy stood in front of her, completely devoid of his joking and humorous self.
His eyes shone as well… with truth and… something else…
"It… it's true, Victoire. I discovered it last full moon."
A tear made its path down Victoire's porcelain face.
Teddy hesitantly lifted his hand to wipe it away… but it dropped to his side again. Victoire looked up into his face, searching his brown eyes.
His hair had remained brown this whole time, meaning he wasn't joking around or lying. His hair always gave himself away.
"Teddy… I…"
"There's nothing you can do, Victoire. It is how it is. My father thought it could happen… and he was right. He passed his werewolf genes onto me."
"So… last full moon, you… you transformed?"
"Yeah. That day, I didn't feel well… so I went outside to get fresh air… and the last I remember was excruciating pain and my body feeling like it was getting ripped apart. I woke up in the woods early the next morning."
He hated seeing Victoire cry, especially for him. He had known her since she had been born. He was a little over a year old at the time, but she was his closest friend, and he hers. However, along the way, he had fallen in love with her. At first, he didn't accept it, because he thought it was wrong… but it didn't feel wrong. They weren't related, after all. He was the son of Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks. He was all Marauder… as Remus was a Marauder, and his mother was the cousin of Sirius Black… another Marauder. He had been raised by Harry Potter, son of James Potter, yet another Marauder. He was known for his joking ways and pranks…
This happened to be one. He wasn't really a werewolf. But, he was too shy to admit his feelings to Victoire. He knew she felt something for him. Otherwise, she wouldn't be crying for him right now. His plan was to make her admit it first. And this plan would help it along.
Teddy knew she broke the rules as well. After all, they did grow up together. He rubbed off on her.
Victoire hated having Teddy see her cry. She was not a weak girly girl. She was a Weasley. Uncle Ron always reminded her of that. Aunt Hermione always rolled her eyes when Uncle Ron went on his Weasley spews. She would just smile and nod. Then Uncle Ron would turn to her and say, "Am I right?" and Hermione would pat his cheek, smile, and say, "I wouldn't know, Ronnie." Harry would just chuckle, and he and Teddy would share a look. Teddy was always at the Burrow when Victoire was. They practically grew up together. It had never felt like a brother-sister relationship. They were best friends. But Victoire knew, that for her, it was a lot more. She loved Teddy. Scratch that, she was in love with Teddy Lupin. Her best friend. She didn't want to tell him, though, because, what if he didn't feel the same? What if he saw her as a sister, and when she told him he would only laugh, scoff and think she was crazy? They were like siblings!
This was too much for Victoire. She had heard many stories about Remus from Harry. Heroic tales, sad stories… stories of hesitant love. And now her best friend was a werewolf. She knew what she would do next full moon. She was, after all, a secret animagus. Harry had told her that his godfather, Sirius, and his father, James, were animagi secretly to be with their friend during his transition. This had inspired her, and she had read up on animagi during her third and fourth year. At the end of the summer before her fifth year, she had successfully transformed into a strawberry blonde fox. She had told no one, not even Teddy. But next full moon, she would join Teddy, to be with him, much like James and Sirius had done for Remus years and years ago.
Victoire turned her face away from Teddy. Teddy just stood in front of her, awkwardly, like he was waiting for something.
She believed me. But… she didn't admit anything.
He had failed. Time for a new plan.
"I… goodnight, Teddy."
Victoire left the Gryffindor common room and made her way up the girl's staircase. She didn't have to look back to know Teddy was watching her until she entered the girl's sixth year dorms.
Teddy gazed into the fire. He felt so guilty lying to Victoire. His hair turned purple, and his eyes, a brilliant electric blue. He sat down in front of the fire. He almost wanted to get her back down here, and tell her the whole thing was a joke, and then snog the living daylights out of her, but she needed to realize for herself that she had feelings for him. She couldn't hide them that well. He saw her gazing at him in the Great Hall, he noticed her edging closer to him on the couch during late night conversations…
Victoire crawled into bed.
Stupid… you should have just told him how you felt! He seemed so sad…
But no. He would've just laughed. He didn't feel that way about her. She tried to give subtle hints about how she felt, but he didn't seem to pick up on them. And if he did, he blatantly ignored them.
He would know how she felt when he saw her transform into a fox, to be with him and support him, just before he transformed.
Weeks past.
Teddy still hadn't thought of a new plan.
Victoire knew tonight was the night.
It was a full moon tonight.
She and Teddy had avoided each other.
Teddy thought it was because she truly thought he was a werewolf, and didn't want to be around him anymore. He had royally screwed things up between himself and Victoire.
Victoire thought it was because he was ashamed, and didn't want to put her in danger, being in the company of a werewolf.
Just like Remus.
But Victoire would still go out tonight.
She would be with him during his painful time.
Teddy looked extremely pale in the Great Hall.
He's feeling sick, because of what will happen tonight.
Teddy didn't feel so good. He hadn't spent time with Vic in weeks. It took a toll on him, being away from the woman he loved. He was going to tell her how he felt tonight. And he was nervous.
Victoire sat at her window, looking out at the Forbidden Forest. It was late afternoon. Her book lay open, unread, on the window seat.
All she could think about was Teddy. And the extreme pain he would experience for the second time tonight.
Teddy couldn't think when he was cooped up inside in his room. He was looking out his window at the Black Lake. No one was outside right now. The sun was almost completely down. He had to think. He had to prepare himself. He had to think about what he was going to tell Vic tonight.
He got up, his hair turning green, his eyes turning grey. He pulled up his jeans a bit, straightened his Weird Sisters shirt, and shrugged on a leather jacket. He crawled out the portrait hole and made his way outside towards the Black Lake.
Victoire had dozed off, but woke up with a start. The sun was almost down. She rubbed her eyes, and looked out her window. A figure was making his way towards the Forest. A figure with green hair.
Teddy. He's getting ready!
Victoire got up so quickly she tripped over her feet and crashed to the ground.
Ow.
She got up again pulling up her jeans and putting on a Gryffindor Quidditch hoodie. Teddy's, actually. It still smelled like him. She rushed out the door of her dorm and crawled out the portrait hole.
Victoire ran out the doors. She could still see Teddy, but he was just standing by the Lake, not moving.
Teddy looked away from the Lake. He should probably start heading inside now. The sun was at the horizon. It was getting dark quickly. He turned and started back towards the door, but stopped when he saw…
Victoire saw Teddy turn to come back.
What is he thinking? He's not coming back inside! He'll put everyone in danger!
Victoire concentrated as she ran. She could feel the familiar tingling in her veins, the morphing of her limbs and torso. Suddenly, she wasn't thinking anymore. Her ears turned in and out, alert. Eyes glowing in the night. The sun was completely down now. She could see the figure in front of her, and she ran at it. She had to force him back into the woods to transform. No one could see him turn.
"What the hell?"
Teddy rubbed his eyes. He wasn't sure he trusted what he just saw. Victoire had been running at him, strawberry blonde hair waving behind her, wearing his hoodie… and then… there was a fox running at him full blast, seemingly set on tackling him. He did all he could think of doing. He turned and ran.
Victoire saw Teddy turn and run. Her fox senses heightened and she sped up.
She caught up in no time, and pounced on him, just as they reached the interior of the Forest. He rolled onto his back, Victoire growling on top of him.
Teddy felt the impact of the fox, and could not stop himself from falling. They tumbled for awhile, and he landed on his back, the fox inches from his face, teeth bared.
"Vic… Victoire?"
The fox stopped growling.
"Vic… Victoire?"
She stopped growling. She closed her eyes and felt her body changing again. She was Victoire again, and a blush immediately crept to her face. She was lying on top of Teddy, who was staring incredulously at her.
What she said next surprised him.
"Why… why aren't you a werewolf?"
"Er…" He barely had control of himself as his hands crept to her sides and grabbed her hips.
Victoire felt his hands grasp her hips. She licked her lips and looked down at Teddy's mouth. Their faces were inches away. Her hands were splayed across his chest. One of his legs was bent at the knee, his foot on the ground. Victoire was lying in between his legs.
Teddy gulped. Several times, in fact. He was very aware of their current position.
Victoire watched as Teddy's hair turned red.
"Well?" She looked into his eyes as they turned their natural color: a golden brown.
"I uh… I'm… not exactly a, uh… werewolf."
"What?"
"I sort of made that story up." Brace yourself for the Weasley wrath…
Victoire said nothing. Only looked at Teddy. He could see the wheels turn in her head.
"You… you're not a werewolf?"
"No… but, I think you have something to tell me, Foxy Lady."
He smirked, an exact replica of Remus', though neither of them knew that.
He had lied to her… and now he was making fun of her?
"Well, I'm a fox."
"Clearly."
"I'm sorry… I couldn't tell you. No one knows… well, you do now… but… that's not the point! You lied to me… you aren't a werewolf! Why would you make something up like that? Do you know how worried I've been… how much I've missed you these past few weeks? I thought you were ashamed… and didn't want to put me in danger! And now that I know you aren't a werewolf… we could've been… we wouldn't have had to stay away… I… I came out here to be with you during your transformation… just like how… I just didn't want you to be alone…"
"Vic."
"What?"
"I'm sorry… I lied. I'm sorry. I felt… so guilty… I thought that you would… I was wrong."
It was cute when he stuttered. He was so nervous. Victoire smiled without thinking.
"Wrong about what, Teddy?"
"I thought that when you thought I was… that you would finally…" He looked away.
They began talking at the same time.
Victoire: "After you told me you were a werewolf, I wanted to tell you that I… I love you, Teddy! And I don't care if you don't feel the same way…"
Teddy: "I wanted you to admit that you loved me, because I know you do… and I was just too shy to tell you myself, but I love you, Vic."
They both stopped, and simultaneously said,
"Wait, what?"
"I said I love you."
"WHAT?"
They both stopped, and just looked at each other. Victoire sighed.
"Let me try this again… I…"
But found her speaking abilities incapacitated.
Teddy had lifted his head and found her mouth with his lips.
Victoire's eyes were wide open.
No way. He… feels the same.
After a few seconds, Victoire responded. Vigorously.
Their mouths moved in sync, both deepening the kiss.
Teddy's head moved back down to the ground, and Victoire's followed, their lips still attached.
Teddy slid his tongue across Victoire's lips, and she instantly opened her mouth to allow Teddy's tongue to explore it.
She was in heaven.
He was in heaven.
It was such a perfect moment.
Teddy's hands grasped Victoire's hips harder.
Victoire's hands snagged Teddy's rapidly color-changing hair, pulling him closer. Their heads tilted, gaining more access to each other.
After a few minutes, they stopped kissing, foreheads together, panting.
"I didn't know you felt the same, Teddy."
"Vic… I've always loved you. Always."
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"…Because… I'm shy."
"Harry said your father was, too."
Teddy smiled.
"He's told me that, too."
Victoire kissed Teddy again.
"Well, you may be just like your father, but you're my Teddy."
"Always have been yours. Are you mine, now?"
"Teddy. You should know that I've always been yours."
They both smiled, and entered bliss once again.
"Teddy?"
"Mmm?"
"Never trick me again."
Teddy knew enough not to. And he wouldn't.
