"I can't believe I'm not going to Hogwarts anymore. I can't believe that it's all over."

"You said the same thing last year, Teddy Lupin," Victoire chided him.

"But that doesn't make me miss going any less." The tall, annoyingly handsome blue-haired wizard gazed wistfully at the train. "I spent some of my happiest days there."

He looked down at her, smiling now. "But perhaps," he whispered, taking her into his arms.

"Mmm-hmm?"

"Perhaps, my life is going to get happier still,"

"Oh, perhaps!" She laughed up at him, her waist-length blond hair shimmering as it swung. "Might I remind you, Mr Lupin, that we came here for a reason?"

"We did?", he asked, feigning ignorance. "Pray enlighten me, Miss Weasley."

"Gladly," she said and flung her arms around his neck as he brought his lips to hers. They stood there in comfortable, passionate togetherness, when they were interrupted, much too soon, by a loud, horrified shout of:

"Oi! What do you think you're doing?"

James was standing there staring at his cousin and his god brother (as he insisted on calling Teddy), his hand over his mouth, his eyes wide open in horror.

Teddy broke away and gave James his best imitation of Ginny's THE LOOK, with his arms still around Victoire.

"James, I just came to see her off," he said patiently.

"Were you snogging her?" came the awed response. James's eyes looked as though they were going to pop out. Teddy resisted a conquering urge to laugh.

"Go away, James." Teddy looked at Victoire and shrugged as James gaped at them one more time and turned.

"Guess you traumatized yet another kid." Victoire said, nestling closer in Teddy's arms.

"I only hope he hasn't gone and told everyone on the platform yet," Teddy said fervently, resting his chin on top of her head.

"And who do you fear, O Auror in the making?" Victoire's voice was muffled, as her face was pressed in his t' shirt.

"Well, I wanted us to tell everyone, hopefully at the Burrow sometime," he answered. "And yes, I am apprehensive concerning your Dad's reaction to this."

"It beats me how Dad is still oblivious," Victoire said, lifting her head and gazing into Teddy's gentle, brown eyes. "He thinks we are just friends despite-"

"Despite our obsessive exchanging of letters, hanging out at each other's houses, endless one-on-one Quidditch matches (though it's obvious I'm better there)-ow! Vic!" She hit him and laughed.

Teddy smiled cheekily and continued, "Despite our stolen glances, secret trips to the attic," He pretended to think. "Anything else?" She shook her head.

"Well, Teddy. The earlier he knows, the better. Have you told anyone yet?"

"Apart from my friends? No one yet. I'll tell Grandmum soon, and then Harry, if he hasn't guessed by now."

"I told Maman last night, and Dominique knows. So does Molly. When are we going to tell Dad?"

"Christmas, if James hasn't told him already."

"Good idea." Victoire flashed him a brilliant smile.

Teddy stood alone and waved at Victoire as the train swiftly moved down the track.

"Miss you already!" he called. She blew him a kiss, her face pressed against the glass. Behind her, he could see Dominique and Molly making identical gagging faces. He laughed and waved until the train had disappeared from view. Then he turned away to find the Potters. Ginny was kneeling on the platform floor, comforting a sniffling Lily as Harry and Ron were exchanging pleasantries. Hermione was busy assuring Hugo that the Sorting Hat never hit anyone's head with a book just because they got into Ravenclaw.

Teddy smiled breezily as he walked up to them. "Wotcher, you lot!" he called out, willing himself not to start missing Victoire already.

"Ah, Ted. Just the man we were looking for." Ron clapped him on the back and winked cheerily. "James just told us,"

Teddy sighed. "Well, it's a relief that he's told only you lot."

"Oh no, my boy." Ron was obviously taking pleasure in this. "He went straight to Bill after telling us."

"What!"

Harry frowned at Ron and patted Teddy on the shoulder. "Bill didn't react as badly as he could have, Ted," he said consolingly.

"Blimey, you must be blind, Harry. Bill practically exploded."

If it was possible for Teddy to go any whiter, he did.

"Ronald Weasley!" Hermione was fast approaching them, holding Hugo's hand, and shaking her head at her husband's tactlessness. She smiled at Teddy. "I'm very happy for you, Teddy."

"Thanks, Hermione." he said dully. Harry tightened his grip on his shoulder.

"They aren't getting married yet, Hermione," Ginny walked over with Lily, who squealed when she saw Teddy.

"I wonder if we ever will," Teddy said, looking at his godfather, who smiled reassuringly at him.

"Meanwhile, James would have told all of Hogwarts." Ginny observed. Teddy sighed.

"It's alright, Teddy," Lily said, coming over to him and taking his hand. "You'll have all Christmas to play your revenge prank on James."

At this, Teddy couldn't help cracking a smile.

Victoire turned from the window and smiled at her sister and cousin.

"I'm going to miss him so much." she said softly.

"Well, thank your stars that you said bye to Maman and Dad first and escaped safely to the train, before the bombshell." Dominique was sitting cross-legged on the seat and picking at her nails.

"Why, whatever do you mean?" asked Victoire, confused.

"Well, James arrived and announced something rather newsy to all of us-"

"And even us," added Molly with a smirk.

"Oh it better not be what I think it is." Victoire groaned.

"It is." Dominique confirmed. "You should have seen Dad's face."

"What!" Victoire sat up straight.

"Oh yes." Dominique nodded. "He practically exploded."

"Oh no." Victoire stood up. "Sunday lunch at the Burrow is in two days! Dad's going to kill Teddy."

"So how long did you actually want to keep this a secret?" Molly wanted to know.

"Till Christmas," Victoire said. "I hope Dad doesn't send me a Howler. He's probably furious."

"Oh don't be silly, Vic." Dominique leaned over and patted her knee affectionately. "Dad'd never send you a Howler because you're dating someone. Besides, sending Howlers is a mother's job."

Victoire couldn't help smiling at that.

Bill stood at the window, cracking his knuckles moodily. Charlie, who had just woken up from a long and well-deserved nap, stumbled into the kitchen and sat down. Fleur paused in her washing up and smiled at him.

"What's the matter with you?" Charlie asked Bill. "Some goblin shoving his weight around?" Bill scowled and shook his head. Charlie raised one eyebrow at Fleur.

"Today at ze station, James told us zat he saw Victoire and Teddy kissing." explained Fleur. Charlie couldn't help it. He threw his head back and laughed.

"So our Billy Boy is doing the overprotective father role now?" he gasped finally. "Though I must say it suits you, red hair and all."

"Shut up, Charlie." said Bill, turning and sitting down opposite his brother. "I'm glad it's Teddy, but why didn't they tell me earlier?"

"Perhaps they were afraid that you would react like this," said Charlie reasonably.

"Perhaps they didn't intend to tell me at all," said Bill.

"No." Fleur untied her apron and placed it on the kitchen counter. "Zey were planning to tell us all at Chreestmas."

Teddy glanced at his grandmother. She simply held out her arms to him and held him to her for the longest time. "I'm happy." she said simply, when she released him. "I think she'll make you very happy."

"Do you think they'd have liked her?" he whispered. "Mum and Dad? And Granddad too?"

Andromeda Tonks cupped her grandson's chin in her strong palm.

"Yes, Teddy. They would have loved her."

"What!" Roxanne reached out and grabbed her cousin's hand as he passed her in the corridor. "Louis! What did you just say?"

"It's true, Roxy. James saw them. Where's Fred? He's got to know."

"You should have seen Uncle Bill's face." James added excitedly. "It was red and purple at the same time."

"Like Uncle Percy's gets when someone breaks the broomstick regulations." Louis laughed. "Really, I didn't know Dad had it in him to get so angry. Maman had to hold his hand really tight to stop him from hunting Teddy and Victoire down."

"Well, I'm glad they're finally together," Lucy said, smiling somewhat dreamily.

"Where's Fred?" Louis asked again.

"Over there," Roxanne pointed. "Trying to hex Aiden Nott."

James and Louis immediately hurried over to him while Roxanne turned to Lucy with shining eyes.

"Which compartment do you reckon Victoire is?"

"Well," Ron said heavily, collapsing into a chair. "Rosie's gone, and we'll only get to see her at Christmas."

"She had to go sometime, Ron," Hermione said, practically. "Besides, think of happy things once in a while."

"Like what?"

"Like the fact that Rose will love Hogwarts"

"And?"

"And Victoire and Teddy."

"Oh yes." Ron chuckled. "I never thought they would get together."

"I knew they would," said Hermione. "I knew it when they were little children, playing together outside and even when they fought over little things."

Ron stared at her incredulously then smiled. "Oh of course, I almost forgot."

"What?"

"You know everything."

Ginny stood at the window, watching Hugo and Lily race each other on their toy brooms.

"They're growing up so fast." she murmured. "One son in his third year, one son in his first."

"And my one and only godson falling in love," Harry was sitting in a straight backed chair, holding a photograph tenderly in one hand. Ginny smiled lovingly at him. "Are you happy with his choice?" she asked.

"Oh yes." Harry looked up and smiled. "It's just that I cannot believe he is no longer a little child. But yes, I am happy for him and proud of him."

He bent and caressed the photograph, where two people waved up at him: the tired-looking, brown-haired man beaming, his arms around the vivacious pink-haired woman who was laughing.

"And I am sure that they are too."