"What's up, Weasley?"
Victoire jumped a little, surprised that someone had found her, here in the cliff crevice. Teddy Lupin is walking towards her, all purple hair and smug smiles. Her stomach rolls in excitement, the thought of Teddy looking for her, coming to the harsh windy beach to find her is too lovely.
"I told you not to call me that."
"Whatever, Vicky."
"That's even worse."
"Victoire."
She huffs, slumping to the ground. Teddy joins her, in the inlet created by the white chalky cliffs, wrapping the blanket he has brought around them, so they sit shoulder-to-shoulder, knee-to-knee.
"Can I ask why you ditched the party to surf on a very cold evening? Rather rude, considering it's my party."
She's not sure why, actually. Something to do with the endless onslaught of questions from various relatives, the kids running around, Dominique being surly and being unable to stand near Teddy without wanting to touch him.
"I was bored, Teddy and sick of them all. You should be glad that you're only a god-relative."
"I'd kill to be a Weasley, Vic."
This surprises her. She'd like nothing more than to be left in peace, to have a day where a cousin doesn't stop by, when an aunt doesn't owl or when a grandmother doesn't fuss over her. Then again, she supposes that she's so used to being a Weasley, she's never considered being on the hastily-stitched edges of the clan, like Teddy.
"You're practically a Weasley anyway. Don't you receive a hideous jumper every Christmas?"
"Hey, I love those jumpers!"
He laughs a lot then settles his arm around her. This sudden contact burns and she's sure he's creating welts on her skin, scars she'd love to wear for a lifetime.
"Teddy, you're a Weasley in everything but blood."
"Perhaps it's better if I'm not a Weasley."
"Why?"
He stops and stares at her for a long time, his gorgeous amber eyes searching her blue ones.
"Because if I was a Weasley, it would be so wrong to do this."
And he swoops down and kisses her and she melts, like when they forget to put freezing charms on their Muggle ice lollies.
Their mouths were getting well acquainted, his hands were roaming over her and she thought she might be able to feel him, hard and heavy under the Muggle jeans he was wearing. If she was painting the scene, she'd contrast her pale freckles and blonde locks with Teddy's wiry tanned physique and his swirling rainbow of hair.
"Victoire?" Teddy said, moving off her for a moment.
"Mmmm…"
"Maybe you could make me a Weasley, one day."
"Oh Teddy."