...
She's done playing damsel in distress.
running in circles
oh, take me back to the start
(coldplay)
She stands, back tall and chin up, waiting. Her golden-red curls are pulled up at the back of her head, her blue eyes sharp against her pale skin. Her hands are folded neatly in front of her, and she's wearing a stylish black coat.
She looks like a woman who's got it all put together.
Her eyes flicker around the busy station, people standing to the side of the tracks, seeing but not looking. No one bothers her, no one notices or cares enough to stop, too wrapped up in their own lives, in their own little worlds. The woman gives a slight shake of her curls, looking more impatient by the minute.
The train comes with grey steam billowing, and people board, in orderly chaos. The woman quickly finds her seat, and sullenly stares out the window, not in an over-dramatic way, but in a meaningful way.
The ticket-collector comes by, but she's too wrapped up in the different shades of grey the sky is that she doesn't notice.
"Miss? Your ticket?"
Victoire snaps her head around. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry," she says, as she hands him her ticket. He gives her a polite smile and walks on, collecting tickets and giving smiles. Victoire scans the people around her, her eyes landing on a group of teenagers joking around in the compartment across from her.
They look happy, dressed in black clothing and multiple peircings, almost the rock-band type, she thinks. She smiles softly at their antics, until she sees one boy with a tourquoise streak admist his brown hair. Her eyebrows raise slightly, and she turns back to her window, smile forgotten.
"Okay, so what, Teddy? You just decide that you have other dreams for the future? Did you even consider telling me?" Victoire pushes her hair out of her face, trying to stay calm, but her heart is slamming in her chest.
"I'm telling you now, Tor! And I knew I wanted to become an Auror, I knew that, you knew that!" Teddy's hair colour changes, from touquoise to a dark black.
The cold night wind whips her face, and she plants her feet firmly in the grass of the backyard of Shell Cottage. "Yes, we all knew that, Teddy, but all the way in Ireland?"
Her voice drops to a whisper. "I thought you wanted to stay here, train here. With me."
"It's-it's only for a year, Tor, and then I'll be back, I promise, and we can do whatever you want-". He reaches to embrace her, but she draws back.
"Don't touch me." Whatever she wanted? Is that what she was? A burden?
He steps back as though he's been physically slapped. "Victoire, please, I'm sorry, but I really want this. I love you, you know I do." His eyes soften.
Victoire takes three more steps back. "Last time I checked I was included in your future." She turns and runs toward the house, her eighteen years old dreams crushed, and the ocean drowning out her thoughts. She runs to her room and collapses on her bed, waiting for him, but he never comes.
The next morning, she books a train to Sweden and doesn't look back.
Victoire sighs, pushing the memory of a few nights ago out of her mind. She likes to think that her impulse was due to the roaring of the ocean; it drowned out all rational thinking. She's not too sure what she was thinking, anyways.
Her family must be going spare, she thinks, but at the moment that's not something she's worried about. She's eighteen, a legal adult, and no one can stop her from doing what she wants.
A train attendant comes by, and Victoire pays for a bottle of wine. She pours it gently in her goblet, and sips the rich, red liquid slowly. It's biting on her tongue, but she sips anyways, crossing her legs, and keeping a straight face.
It's what girls with heartbreak do.
The train finally comes to a stop after a few more hours of riding, and she gathers her things and departs. Transferring onto a ferry, she enjoys the peaceful ride, watching the dark green waves roll in and out. The sky is still grey as they depart, but it doesn't matter to her.
Asking a woman for directions, Victoire walks herself to a modest-looking hotel, and gives her the last that she has of Muggle money to pay for a night's stay.
Just as she's sliding her key into the door, she hears voices coming from down the hall.
"Sh, Laney, put the wand away, or Muggles will see! For goodness sakes, you'll get a letter from the Ministry, you're not yet seventeen!" A man's voice whispers, with an American accent.
A girl's voice floats out. "Dad, I'll be seventeen in two days time, I really don't think it's that big of a deal."
Cautiously, Victoire makes her way down the hall. "Erm- excuse me?" The door's open, as though the two are ready to go out. She knocks softy.
A plump man turns to her, brow furrowed. "Yes? Can we help you?"
"I-I heard you talking about wands and such-". The teenage witch raises her eyebrows worriedly, and twists a strand of brown hair around her finger. Victoire realizes her mistake and hurries on.
"No, no, it's okay, I mean, I'm a witch, too, I'm from England."
The man cuts her off. "Prove it."
Victoire sighs and looks behind her, making sure no one else is around. She pulls her wand from her pocket. Wordlessly, she Levitates a small pen lying on the carpet.
The girl, Laney, snorts. "Wingardium Leviosa? Really? We learned that in first year."
"Hush, Laney," says the man. He turns back to Victoire, more relaxed.
"I was just wondering if you knew of any Wizarding towns? I just arrived here, and I'm not familiar with the area. I need to exchange some money, and such." She's not too sure why she's telling them all this, but she likes them.
"Oh, yes, we just found a place, too, we're staying here for a few weeks," Laney says, much more cheerily than before. She gives directions, and Victoire stores them in her memory.
"Thank you so much," Victoire says with a small smile. "Enjoy the rest of your day."
"Yes, you too, miss," says the man. He turns back to Laney. "C'mon, we told Mom we'd meet her at the shops in an hour." The pair wave to her. "It was a pleasure meeting you!"
Victoire raises her hand in farewell, and makes her way back to her room. She settles herself in, not bothering to store her clothing into drawers, but she changes into a pair of jeans. Grabbing her wand, she locks the door behind her, and sets out to find the Wizarding community.
It's a bit different from Diagon Alley, but Victoire locates the bank easily. She exchanges her money into Muggle cash, and sets back out again, with enough to live on for a few weeks.
Exhausted, she collapses onto her bed that night, looking at the stars from her window-view. A part of her aches for home, but she can't go back now if she wants to keep her pride intact.
Only a few weeks, she thinks, only a few weeks.
Just until she gets her thoughts in order.
-:-
It's been three months.
She's found a job and a place, and she's comfortable. Owls from her family come every so often, but she doesn't give out her address. Her family misses her, and she them, but she promises one day she'll go back.
Temporarily, or to build life there again, she's not too sure.
The sun's shining today, and Victoire feels free as she wraps her black apron around her. She hums a little as she gathers her curls into a ponytail for work, enjoying the sunshine.
"Well, someone's happy," says her co-worker, Reese, snapping her gum.
Victoire shrugs. "It's a sunny day in Sweden, what's not to be happy about?"
Reese shrugs, kicking her legs against the cabinets from her place on the counter. She scratches her nose ring. "Couldn't answer that one for you."
Depsite her icy external, Victoire has grown to like Reese. Over the months, she's learned how her parents kicked her out at sixteen, and she was now living with her aunt, taking courses at a community college.
"Mind if I take the patio today?" Victoire asks. Reese slaps her hand against the air. "Do whatever you wish, darling. I'm going to see how long I can last without working at all."
Victoire laughs. "Let me know what Frank says to that," she says, referring to their boss. Reese rolls her eyes and grins.
Victoire grabs her notepad and makes sure her wand is hidden properly. Reese tosses her a pen, and she sets out for a day of taking people's orders at a small Italian restaurant, Olive Vines.
A family of four makes her laugh that day, the little four year old boy giving her toothless grins, and the six year old girl smiling brightly when Victoire gives her a lollipop. They look so happy, so normal, and for a minute, Victoire feels a pang in her chest. She gives the family another smile as they put on their coats and step down the patio steps.
Victoire sighs and turns back to seat more people. Across the patio she spots a good-looking young man, with brown hair and gentle eyes. He's twenty, maybe twenty-three, she thinks. He's studying the menu, and her heart flip-flops.
No.
No, she can't. She didn't come here to fall in love, no, she didn't. But as she takes his order and he smiles, she feels a little warm inside, and she needs to find out his name.
But as she walks back to the kitchens, the bright tourquoise sky looms above her, and her heart breaks again.
He's everywhere.
"See you at Christmas, Tor!" Teddy waves, with a big smile plastered on his face. Victoire leans out the compartment window, her curls dangling across her cheek. She blows him another kiss. "Owl me, okay?"
He grins/ "Every week. I'll be counting down the days til your graduation."
"Me, too. Then we'll have forever."
The train chugs to a start, and he gives her one last wink and wave before it moves away from the station. Victoire sticks her head back into her compartment, her girlfriends looking on jealously.
If only she knew forever only lasted until someone's dreams changed.
-:-
A few days later, he's back.
"Reese," Victoire whispers fervently, "I need you to take the patio today."
The pink-haired teen looks at her, confused. "Me? Why? Victoire, you know I hate going outside," she whines. Her seat on the counter top is aiding her in braiding a plait into Victoire's hair.
"Please, Reese? I promise, just for today."
Reese pokes her head out onto the patio, and gasps. "It's because of that guy, isn't it? Oh, does Victoire have a crush?" She nearly drops Victoire's hair, but Victoire grabs it just in time, and hands it back to her.
Victoire blushes. "No, of course, not! I just don't feel like facing the sun today, is all." She winces as Reese pulls tight on the plait.
"Seriously, Victoire. You always avoid single guys. You're hot, and young, so why? What happened?" Reese demands curiously. "There, you're done," she says, snapping an elastic on the end of the plait.
Victoire pats the back of her head. "Thanks. And, nothing, I've told you thousands of times."
"Fine, then," says Reese stubbornly. "If it's nothing, you will march right down to him, take his order, and manage the rest of the patio today. Go. Shoo."
"Reese, no," Victoire groans, as the girl shoves a pad and pen into her hand. "Please, I'll do anything!"
Reese shakes her head. "Nope. Go get 'em, girl."
"You're so stubborn. You remind me of Roxanne," grumbles Victoire, stomping on her heels onto the patio.
Wrinkling her nose, Reese asks, "Who's Roxanne?" But Victoire clicks away on her black pumps, pretending not to hear the question. She arrives at the man, and gives him a small smile. "Good afternoon, sir, may I take your order?"
He gives her a smile in return. "Yes, thank you." After he orders, Victoire makes one more round and heads to the kitchen to hand her notebook to Fred. Reese walks by, picking up a Cesar salad and a plate of pasta Alfredo. "How'd it go?"
Victoire sticks her tongue out in reply, crossing her arms. Reese laughs. "See, I told you it would all work out!"
-:-
Truth be told, Victoire's sort of glad that Reese made her take the patio that day. He comes back every day, and Victoire smiles and goes to take his order, always the same every day. It's as though they have a little routine. She finds out his name is David, David Numwell, and that he works down the road at a busy office.
"Y'know," he says, one day, "since you're always taking my order, how would you like to take a break and sit on this side of the table?" He gives her a smile.
"Like- like a date?" Victoire asks. "Er- well you see, I'm not really interested in having a boyfriend right now-". A blush stains her cheeks and neck, she feels it.
David laughs. "I wasn't asking to be your boyfriend, Victoire, silly. I was asking for a date. A date is different then dating someone."
Her face burns hotter, if possible. "Well… fine. My shift ends at seven, is that okay with you?"
He nods. "Perfect."
She dashes to the kitchen, where she finds Reese. "D'you have any clothes with you?"
Reese points to a bag near the sink and smirks. "Got a hot date, Victoire?"
Victoire narrows her eyes. "Shut up, Reese."
"Sorry, sorry!" She laughs at Victoire's reaction to the short black skirt.
"This barely covers anything!" Victoire exclaims, examining the skirt.
"That's the point," Reese says, swinging open the door. "See you ate seven; Frank's up my bum about table four, or something."
When she's sure Reese is gone, Victoire takes her wand from her pocket and lengthens the skirt. She rummages through the bag and finds a blue top. Laying it out on a space on the counter, she goes back to do her job, thinking her shift can't end late enough.
Finally, after smiling and being polite all day, her shift ends. Victoire runs to the back room and shimmies into Reese's outfit. Checking her look in the mirror, she musses her curls and adds a little lipstick. Reese comes in and whistles when she sees her. "Have a good time, doll!"
Victoire waves and dashes. David waiting in the front of the restaurant. "Ready?" He asks with a smile. She nods, and he takes her arm.
"Are we walking?" She askes. He nods. "The place isn't too far from here."
He leads her to a semi-formal restaurant, and Victoire's glad she didn't underdress. He pulls out her seat for her, and they order steak, and shrimp, and salad.
Victoire finds herself enjoying his company. He has an easy laugh, and he makes good conversation. She finds out he's actually twenty, "only two years older than you," and has a little sister of whom he thinks the world. She finds he hates candy but loves all chocolate, and he's only working at his office as part time job; he's taking college courses, too. He has a dog named Skit, and lives in a small flat.
When he asks about her, she tells him she comes from a big family, but is currently in Sweden to figure out her priorities. He accepts that, and she likes it. They joke about nothing, and Victoire finds herself happy for the first time in months.
-:-
The weeks blend into months. Slowly, she feels herself forgetting, forgetting her life before, forgetting him, and that's when she knows it's time to go back.
"What if I don't get Sorted into Hufflepuff with you?" Victoire bites her lip nervously, looking up at her best friend.
He laughs, and jumps up to pick an apple from the apple tree. "Don't worry, Tor, I'll never forget you no matter what House you're in."
Victoire sighs, looking up at the clear blue skies. She sits down at her desk in her tiny flat and writes a letter to her mother, telling her she'll be home for a week, nothing definite. Watching her owl fly out into the afternoon, she wonders how she's going to get through that week.
That day, David takes her out for lunch between shifts.
"David, I know we've only known each other for a few months, but er, well, I'm going home for the week and I was wondering if you wanted to come with me?" Victoire pushes a stray curl out of her face, and looks up at him hopefully.
He laughs, easy as always, and brushes his hand against hers. Her skin tingles where contact was just briefly.
"Tor, I don't know the first thing about your family."
Victoire sighs. "I come from a big family, you know that. It- it was difficult, because, well, we were always in the spotlight. I went to a boarding school with all my cousins across the country. There's really nothing else to tell."
He scratches his chin as they stand up from their table. They make their way back to her apartment in silence, and she turns her key in the lock. He graciously lets her in first, and she sets her bag on the table.
"A boarding school?" David asks.
Victoire nods and looks at him in the eye, his brown eyes twinkling. She pours herself water, and raises the glass to her lips.
"Let me guess," he leans onto the doorframe, his arms crossed, "you were a Hufflepuff?"
Her body tenses up, and she drops her glass in shock. Pieces of glass scatter the floor, crashing against the shiny floor. She stands there, knee-deep in broken shards.
"Who- who are you?"
Victoire backs up against the countertop, making sure her wand is still in her back pocket.
David laughs. "Don't worry, Victoire! My sister is a Muggle-born witch."
Victoire breathes in and out, trying for some sort of control. Her eyes narrow. "I would've known her, I would've went to school with her."
He shakes his head. "She was home-schooled by our aunt, she's a witch. We were going to send her to Hogwarts, but she didn't want. Oh, she's brilliant, you two should meet sometime."
Her face breaks out into a smile, glad that she doesn't have to lie any longer, glad he already knows.
"But-but how did you find out?"
He grins. "I found your wand sticking out of your pocket one day, it looks a little like my sister's. And, of course, your last name."
"My last-oh." Her eyebrows raise. "It never fails to get me recognized, never, ever-". Her voice cuts and she sighs. "I can't believe you knew. You knew, and you never told me!"
David shrugs. "I don't really think it made all that much difference whether you were a girl from England with broken dreams in her pocket, or the daughter of war heroes and the niece of Harry Potter."
She smiles slightly, brushing her tears from her eyes. "Thanks, David," she whispers. Lowering herself down onto the ground, she picks up the shards of glass.
"Wait, what am I doing?" Victoire takes her wand from her back pocket, Reparo'ing the glass back together. She looks up to see David looking at her in awe.
"I'll never get sick of it," he says, smiling.
"So.. you'll go with me, then? To visit my family?"
"I'd be honoured, m'lady," he says.
"Good. Now, there's some things you should know, we're a bit complicated, and hardly anything what Daily Prophet reporters say about us.."
For the next half-hour, she explains about the chaos of her family, the way they work together, how they work. With every sentence, she misses her family more with every breath.
"Oh, and by the way,' she says as they step out the door so she can go back to work, "I was a Ravenclaw."
"It was my second guess!"
-:-
Reese sends them off to England with a wink and a bagful of chocolate ('for the trip'), and just like that, they're off.
Victoire packs a few things into a small suitcase, and they set off the Muggle way. As Victoire sits on the ferry, she remembers a few months back, when she was on this ferry alone, and scared with broken dreams.
The ferry ride ends, and they transfer onto the train, where they discuss magic, and their lives, and somehow, the whole story of Teddy pours out.
He holds her hand while she cries, and with every tear, the pieces of her heart slowly come back together, not fully healed, but it's getting there.
It's getting there.
He tells her he understands now, why she doesn't do 'dating', but she does do dates, and he understands better. She smiles slightly, thankful.
After her last tear is dried, they sit in silence, soothing silence.
A few hours later, they pay the cab driver to let them off at a beach. Victoire sucks in breath, and climbs out of the car.
"You okay?" David asks, as they walk along the shoreline under the stars.
She nods. "Yeah, I'll be fine."
"It's the greatest night of my life for me; I get to meet Harry Potter!" He jokes, and she swats his arm, smiling. "He's just my uncle."
David laughs. "Whatever you say, Victoire."
The cottage comes into view, lights on, and people milling around. David's jaw drops as he sees Molly chase Lysander outside, waving her wand. Victoire's stomach drops at the sight of her little cousin, butterflies swirling. "Oh, I can't do this," she mumbles.
"Yes, you can," David says, firmly. He takes her by the arm. "Victoire, you have to face them, sometimes. Just because you left doesn't mean they love you any less."
Victoire nods, and walks up the to the house. "By the way, that was Molly and Lysander. They do that all the time." She begins to explain the chaos of their relationship.
"See? You do love them, Tor, I see it in your eyes whenever you talk about them. Are you ready?"
Her nerves are spinning, as is her head. She's not too sure why she's so nervous, but she is, her hands are shaking and her teeth are chattering.
"As long as Teddy's not here, I'm fine," she says.
"He's in Ireland, you have no need to worry," David says. Slowly, they walk up the front steps and Victoire pushes the door open.
Her family is all over the place, Lily standing on chair trying to retrieve something that's on the ceiling, Grandma Weasley calling for her to get down, her uncles Harry and Ron caught up in a conversation with Aunt Hermione, her sister talking loudly with James, Fred attempting to hoist himself on the back of Lucy, who's pushing him off, Molly and Lysander with their arms crossed at one another, Albus at the table, attempting homework, Stella and her brother on the couch, Roxanne flirting in the corner with Scorpius, Lorcan prying Fred off Lucy, and oh, there's her Mum and Dad-
"I'm home," she calls, her voice shaking slightly. The chaos stops in an instant, silence ringing throughout the house as everyone stares at her and David as though they're ghosts.
Lily is the first one to move. "Victoire!" She screeches, and launches herself into Victoire's arms from the chair, no matter that she's twelve now, much too big for Victoire to carry. Victoire clings to her little cousin, and the entire family erupts with joy, her mum and dad rushing to hug her and kiss her, stroking her hair and crying, Dominique running forward, all her family making a mob around her, and she's happy.
The night goes swimmingly, Victoire circulating David around and introducing him to everyone. He's a hit; he tells the kids funny stories, and he knows what to say to the adults. They don't pry about the basis of the relationship they have, because honestly, Victoire's not too sure about that at the moment.
There's a knock at the door, and Ginny goes to answer. Victoire's chatting happily with her Dominique and David, until a spot of blue catches her eye at he door.
Her stomach drops, and she nearly drops her glass of wine. Her thoughts are swirled and jumbled, not making sense, and Merlin what is he doing here? She voices this question to her sister, fervently whispering it. Dominique looks at her with her eyebrows raised.
"Didn't Maman tell you? He's on break, he's here for two weeks."
Victoire shares a frantic glance with David. "No, she never told me."
Dominique shrugs. 'She probably did that on purpose."
Trying to control that Weasley temper, Victoire surveys him over the rim of her goblet. His hair's a little shorter, and he's gotten taller. He's smiling, and he looks good, as though she never broke his heart. Which, of course, she actually didn't. Ginny wraps her arms around him, and a pretty girl with lovely brown eyes walks in. With a smile, Ginny hugs her, too. Teddy grabs her hand and they make their way into the house.
Oh, this all way too much, she thinks, she really can't handle this, Dominique informs her Hanna is his girlfriend of two months, and Merlin, is the floor sucking hr up, or is it spinning, she really can't tell.
"Victoire! Victoire, do you want to leave?" David asks her gently. She shakes her head, no, she has to stick this out, she has to brave and move on.
"Take my hand," she whispers. Puzzled, David does what she asks, curling his fingers around hers.
She can feel his presence the entire night, like a heavy curtain over her shoulders. She clings to David's hand, because she doesn't like admitting defeat.
After an hour, he and Hanna walk up to them, apparently deeming it the polite time to walk over.
"Hello, Victoire," Teddy says, politely. She gives him an icy smile in return, and leans closer into David.
"Hello, Theodore," she says, raising her right eyebrow ohsoslightly. His eyes look hurt, but he doesn't say anything.
"This is Hanna, my girlfriend," he says. Victoire shakes her hand, with her wrist up and fingers dipped, in a way that her maman deemed 'feminine'. Hanna gives her a genuine smile, and Victoire wonders why such a nice girl is with a guy like Teddy. She looks at their linked arms and remembers what it was like to be held by him that way.
(Even if she'd rather be where Hanna is right now).
She introduces him to David, and Teddy grips his hand tightly in a handshake. After the pleasantries are over, Victoire walks away, leaving the couple in her wake, not wanting to stay any longer, but at the same time, wanting to stay forever. The night ticks on, and she can feel Teddy's eyes on her, and sometimes, when she casts glances at him, she catches him staring. She reverts her eyes quickly, ignoring the zap.
The night draws to an end, and the guests leave. Victoire says goodbye to everyone, and her family members hug her just little bit tighter than usual. Teddy looks at her sadly one last time, and he leaves with Hanna.
Victoire walks out onto the wraparound porch with David, the dim lights on.
"Thanks for having me tonight, Victoire, is was a lot of fun. Your family is awesome."
She smiles. "Yeah, thanks for being there. I don't know how I would've gotten through the night without you."
He grins. "Well, I should probably be heading to the hotel…"
"Yeah," she whispers, looking up at him, "you should." And suddenly, he's leaning closer, and his lips are on hers, very gently, very softly, and it's possibly one of the sweetest kisses she's ever received.
He draws back, searching her eyes with his. "Where does this leave us?"
Victoire shakes her head. "I-I have no idea."
He runs a hand through his hair. "I understand, of course, Victoire, if you're not ready for anything, don't feel pressured-".
"No," she cuts him off.
His eyes light up, and he cocks his head to the right. "No?"
"No as in yes. Yes, I'll go out with you."
His eyes dance, and he smiles. "All right. Well, I'll see you tomorrow, then?"
She giggles. "Absolutely."
-:-
The week flies by with family and friends, and catching up with everyone. She goes out with David everyday, finally dating and not just going on dates. Her dad seems to like him, which is always a hit. The five of them go out to dinner one night, and for Victoire everything's perfect. She doesn't see Teddy all week.
On the last night, Ginny invited everyone out to the Burrow. Grandma Weasley strung fairy lights all around the backyard, and Victoire wears a pink sundress she bought with Dominique the night before.
The moon is high, but the lights keep everything bright. Victoire walks around barefoot, light on her feet. She mingles with her family, wandering in and out. David sticks with her until Teddy walks up to them.
"Hey," he says gruffly, "d'you mind if I talk to you for a minute?"
She shares a glance with David. "Sure."
They walk away from the crowd to the edge of the hill. "Where's Hanna?"
"We broke up," Teddy says. "She was lovely, but-".
"But what?"
"But she wasn't you," he says softly, looking at her with gold eyes.
Victoire bites her lip and looks away. "It was a long time ago, Teddy-".
"It was only half a year ago, Tor. I still need you."
She snorts in the most un-lady like fashion. "After you promised forever, you jumped up and left to go start Auror training across the country."
"It's not like that, Victoire, I swear! We discussed this!"
She narrows her eyes. "We didn't discuss anything, you told me! You told me what you wanted to do, and I didn't stop you while you packed up and left! And then I came home to you having a girlfriend!"
"But I didn't love her!" His voice softens. "I couldn't love her."
She crosses her arms. "Oh, so you love me?"
His mouth opens and closes like a fish. "I- yes, I think I do."
They stand there on the hill, Victoire fingering on of her curls. The dress softly sways at her knees, which she feels like are going to buckle out from underneath her any minute. Teddy turns to face her. "Victoire, please, don't leave tomorrow." He places a thumb on her cheek and catches a tear that has leaked out. "Please, Tor," he whispers. He wraps her arms around her, and for a moment, all is right with the world. She can feel his heartbeat in his chest, and she's certain he can feel hers.
Victoire jerks back. "Don't call me that anymore. And, no. You walked out of my life. I'm walking out of yours, Teddy Lupin." She turns on her heel, and walks away, still feeling his eyes on her back.
Inside she's dying, dying for him to hold her, but no, she has David now, and Reese back in Sweden, where her life is. She smiles fake through the rest of the night, and manages to get through it.
Her mum and dad shed tears the next morning as the two of them depart, but Victoire keeps her mask on. She gathers her things, and with David beside her, sets back over the sea.
-:-
The next few weeks Victoire gets back into routine. She gets up for work, eats, goes on a date, and goes to sleep. Her days are monotonous, devoid of the spark her family gives it. She hadn't really noticed until she went back, when her two lives her compared side by side.
One day, on her lunch break, Reese comes up to her. "Victoire, what is up with you?"
Victoire looks at her, confused. "What? What's wrong with me?"
Reese rolls her eyes. "Look at you, girl. You hardly eat, you're getting to be as thin as a stick! And those purple bags are shading those pretty blue eyes of yours."
"I'm fine, Reese, seriously,' Victoire says, rubbing her eyes.
Reese's eyes are considerate. "Did something happen back home?"
Victoire seizes up. "No, nothing, don't worry."
"David told me about Teddy- no, don't get mad, he did the right thing. I'm sorry. Victoire." Reese moves to leave.
"But remember, Victoire, you only ever get one chance at love."
Victoire gives her a watery smile and pulls her into a tight hug. "Thank you," she whispers.
Reese smiles, walking out of the kitchen. "You're welcome."
She only lasts halfway through her afternoon shift before she unties her apron, and hands it to Frank. He smiles at her, and tells her it was nice working with her, and she collects her last paycheck. Grabbing a pen and paper, she composes a note to David.
David,
Thank you for always being there when I needed it, thank you for always knowing exactly what to say. I've had so much fun with you over these past few months, and then finally becoming your girlfriend, but see David, the thing is, I can't do this anymore.
I can't keep hiding out here, hiding from my broken dreams. I can't keep lying to you, or to me. I have so many good memories, but it's just not working.
It's not you, it's me, I promise. You're amazing, and any girl will be lucky to have you.
Maybe one day we'll meet, I don't know. But know I will always remember you.
Love,
Victoire.
She sighs, and folds the parchment. Walking over to a table, she sticks it on the top, which she knows he will arrive at in promptly two hours.
Without giving herself time to think (again), she hurries to her flat and packs her bags. Hurrying to the front desk, she drops the key to the doorman, telling him that they can handle the sales. She's on the first train back, not looking back without so much as a proper goodbye to anyone.
She only gets one chance at love, after all.
-:-
Victoire boards the ferry one last time, feeling the best she's ever felt on it. She leaves it quickly, and Apparates onto the front door.
"I'm home!" She calls. She runs upstairs to her room, and changes into jeans and a shirt. "Hello?"
Dominique walks into her room, eating an apple. "Tor?"
"Hey," Victoire says with a smile. She hugs her younger sister.
"Are you back for good, now?" Nic asks happily. Victoire nods. "Mum and Dad are going to be so happy, they've been so sad ever since you left-".
Victoire cuts her off. "D'you know where Teddy is?"
Dominique nods. "Yeah, everyone's at an 'adults only' party at Grandma's, because he's leaving tonight." She checks her watch. "Actually, he's probably already at the Ministry."
Victoire panics. "Leaving? Leaving where?"
"Does no one tell you anything? He's going to the U.S for more training; he's there for three years, or something. They were having a goodbye party for him, he's signing a contract soon."
"What happens if he signs the contract?" Victoire asks frantically.
"Er, generally that means he's got to stay there for three years, no calling it quits," Dominique says. "Tor, you better run if you want to make it to the Ministry on time!"
"Wha-?"
"Go! Go after him, Tor, or you'll regret it for the rest of your life!"
Victoire nods. "All right, I'm going!" She steps into the fireplace.
"Ministry of Magic!" Green flames consume her, and she's spinningspinningspinning
-:-
Victoire makes her way past the red phone booth, the cool-toned recording of the welcome witch going too slow for her liking. She sprints towards the lifts, and takes herself up to the Auror level.
People giver her odd looks as she runs past, but she doesn't care. She look for blue admist the grey setting, finally spotting it in a long line.
"Teddy!" Victoire calls. "Teddy!"
His head spans around, and he turns to look at her. He smiles big, huge actually, and she crosses her arms while she waits for him to come towards her. Slowly, at first, and then his steps quicken. She runs towards him and he gathers her in him arms, just like in those Muggle fairytales Lucy so dearly loves. He smells like home, and Merlin, she could stay like this forever.
She presses her lips against his, winding her fingers in his hair. familiar scent is hanging around her, and oh, she's home, she's finally home. Fireworks are going boomboomboom, as they always do when she's kissing him. She pulls back and rests her forehead on his. Her fantasy is finally, finally coming together in a bubble of shimmer that is her best friend.
"Can we go back to the start?" whispers Victoire, "I'm tired of circles."
"Anything," he says, "anything at all." And he captures her lips in his once more.
notes: Okay, so this is my longest one-shot to date.. –celebrates-
I'd like to dedicate this to Mad (chasingafterstarlight) because she's such an awesome friend. We've had many losses lately, and she's just always been there for me with a smile on her face, ready to cheer me up through my sadness, and I love her for it. Thank you, Mad, I love you!
*written for Jane's Challenge over at the NextGen Fanatics, with the prompt 'broken dreams'.
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