I do not own Harry Potter. Simple as that. And, for the record, I love Lystorie! I mean, Victeddy is okay (ignoring the sharp glares I'm getting from Lana) but I really, really love Lystorie. Also, found a song I now love because of this competition. I also do not own 'B Team', of which I used some lyrics-that belongs to Mariana Trench. (My new favourite song.)
Have you hugged a Slytherin today? No? Hug me, then!
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"Once upon a time, I fell in love with the wrong person."-Unknown
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Victoire
Three hundred and fifty-six. That was how long it had been since Victoire had last seen Lysander. Three hundred and fifty-six days, and she still wasn't sure if she was happy. She knew she was excited to see him again-he was a very good friend, even despite everything that had happened three hundred and fifty-six days ago, but she still was a bit hesitant about seeing him.
She remembered Lysander, the shy boy who was standing next to Lily at the baby shower, the two of them chatting amiably. She recalled his pale-as-the-wind hair, and his green-grey eyes that had reminded Victoire of the ocean. Lysander had been quiet as she approached the two of them, standing nearly sixteen centimetres shorter than her; he had been a child compared to her, and yet, something drew Victoire closer.
It had started her, the way she was so attracted to this younger boy, because she was so used to attracting people-not the other way around. He was eleven years her junior, much too young for her, but she couldn't keep away from him, no matter what she told herself. It was wrong, every part of her told her being told her this, but Victoire was the sort who usually got what she wanted-and right then, she wanted Lysander.
He's too young. You're married. You're pregnant. He's got a girlfriend.-she knew all of this, and yet, Lysander still called to her like a siren, and she sailed to his shore, knowing she was doomed from the start; but what did she care? He was beautiful, and so was she. They didn't belong together, but Victoire wasn't going to let rules get in the way, and damn the consequences. She was a reckless Gryffindor, and she was in love.
She had her son in early June, a beautiful baby boy named Remus William. He had been born happy and pleasant, a perfect mixture of both his parents, and Victoire loved him with her entire being. And yet, a baby was not enough to keep her from Lysander-she slipped back to him in August, desperate and craving him.
Victoire loved Teddy, absolutely, but it was no longer the same sort of love it had been when they married when she was twenty-four. She was twenty-nine now, and she didn't quite feel the same way as she had. But her love for Lysander-it had never truly ended, not after Remus and certainly not now. They had spent the summer of his seventh year wrapped up in each other's arms, content.
But that August of 2028, she had run to him, afraid and horrified to find she was pregnant, and unaware of the father. Teddy couldn't find out, in case it turned out he wasn't the father, and yet, Victoire did not think she had the courage to kill her unborn child. She ran to Lysander for help, not sure what to do, but he had turned her away, angry. They had not spoken since, and she had not even told him about the birth of her daughter-their daughter?-a beautiful girl who looked just like her-just like him-named Collette Melaine, after a good friend.
And, so, here she sat, three hundred and fifty-six days after, sitting on the roof of the Burrow, waiting for Lysander.
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Lysander
It had been almost a year since he'd last seen Victoire Weasley-Lupin, now. The impossibly beautiful Victoire, who made Lysander burn inside. She was sweet and funny and amazing-everything he had ever wanted, which was probably why she was already married and pregnant. The universe seemed to have a thing against Lysander being happy, including romantically.
He remembered her at the baby shower, looking over his girlfriend Lily's shoulder. Victoire had been pregnant, but not heavily so, and he could see, even from a distance, that she was painstakingly beautiful. She had hair the colour of gold, sparkling blue eyes, and freckles that danced and teased across her high cheekbones. He had fallen in love with her immediately, and Lysander could care less that the universe was clearly just trying to kill him in any way it could, including beautiful woman.
She's too old for you. You've got a girlfriend. She's pregnant. She's married.-but what did he care about that? She was beautiful, and he was in love. Besides, when she came to him later that night, when he was slightly tipsy and she was scarily sober, Lysander could see the unmistakable lust in her eyes. He knew she loved him almost as much as he loved her, and that made everything better.
It would have been fine if that was the only time, but they hadn't been able to keep away from each other, constantly searching each other out over the holidays, making love and whispering secrets to each other, like a young couple on a first date. And each time they met, it might as well have been a first date, because they were always scared and shy around each other.
Victoire had her son, a little boy she named Remus William after both his grandfathers, and Lysander began to wonder if that was the end. If she had officially left him for good, because she had a son and a husband to keep her company. But she came back only a few months later, showing up on a cool August night, demanding to see him. Saying she needed him.
They had carried on together until September, when he had jumped onto the train for his sixth year, promising to write to her every day. He had visited her over Christmas, and she had met him eagerly on the train at the end of the year, her face lit up with excitement. That summer had been the best, as the two snuck around, hiding from their families, as they made love everywhere.
But, the day before he was set for his last year, she had shown up, crying and distraught, claiming she was pregnant, and not sure who the father was. It might have been Teddy-to whom she was still married-or it might have been Lysander; Victoire was too scared to find out, and too afraid to tell Teddy.
He had left the next morning, angry and confused, and not seen Victoire since. Almost a year since that day, when she had clung to him, begging him for help. It felt like forever. But now, he was at the Burrow, to visit Lily before he left for China to see some dragons.
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Victoire
She barely even noticed when he climbed up onto the roof behind her, so wrapped up in her own thoughts. He snuck up behind her, settling next to her, and she jumped, looking up at him. He was no longer the small boy she remembered, but a tall, handsome man, strong and determined. In that moment, her heart fluttering wildly, Victoire knew she would never stop being in love with this man before her-married or not, she knew who she was in love with.
"Once upon a time, I fell in love with the wrong person," Lysander said quietly to her, and he gave her a sad smile. "She was married, see, and I felt so happy, because there was nothing I could do about it. I loved her, though, more than I had ever loved anyone."
"Lysander…." Victoire sighed, leaning into him, but he scooted away from her, and she frowned, looking into his eyes. "I apologise. I had hoped we might maintain our…friendship, if not what we had, before. I guess I was wrong, wasn't I?"
"It's been a while, Vic-" he began hesitantly.
"Three hundred and fifty-six days," she told him, frowning. She didn't like the sound of this. Victoire might have told him that she was fine with being just friends, but that was a lie-all she wanted was to be with him forever, and he sounded like he was beginning a speech that was not about how he wanted to love her as her husband.
"Right. And…well, I've been thinking while we were…apart. Thinking about you and me, and what we had. I mean, it was fun and all, but…." He trailed off, his hands shaking as he looked into her eyes. He seemed unsure, but as if he truly believed what he was saying, and she reeled away, wanting to ignore him. "I…I think I might truly love Lily as much as I did you, if given the chance, and I know you and Teddy had another little kid-a girl, right?"
She nodded sullenly.
"I don't want to ruin this…what we have now…I mean, I think it will work out, me and Lily. I suppose…if it didn't…I might want to come back, but-" That was the absolutely wrong thing to say to Victoire.
"You could want this, see if it fits for a bit. You never say yes, not quite no, say just enough to make me not go. Why am I your plan B? You know, you know you love the way I'm lingering, you keep me wrapped right round your finger," she said, scowling. She got to her feet, glaring down at him.
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Lysander
No. she couldn't be leaving him, not now. No, no, no! He had messed this all up, hadn't he? She was standing up to go, clearly angry with him, and all he wanted to do was chase after her, tell her that all he wanted was to love her forever and ever. Why had he lied to her, told her he only wanted friendship, when he so clearly didn't?
"Victoire-"he said, getting up after her, but she turned to glare at him, one hand raised, as she shook him away. He dropped his gaze, feeling his heart shrinking and twisting in its spot as she opened her mouth to speak.
"Good-bye, Lysander. I loved you, once." She spoke quietly, but with determination, and he could feel that she meant every word she spoke. "In fact, I loved you up until the moment you came here to speak with me. Now, I see, we don't belong together-we would have never worked. I'm sorry, Lysander, but we cannot meet again." She moved closer, leaning in to kiss him one last time.
He touched his cheek, amazed and yet, so terribly sad. She was leaving him forever, and all he wanted to do was kiss her again, harder. He wanted to hold her hand, wanted to lead her down to Teddy and Lily, where they would explain what was going on, and then run off to somewhere crazy and get married. But that was the dream of a child-and he wasn't a child anymore, was he?
"By the way," she said quietly, turning to look at him. "Her name is Gabby….and she's yours. Not Teddy's, but yours. I made sure to check. He doesn't know, though, and I intend to keep it that way."
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Written for:
The Fanfiction Wizard Tournament run by the Empress Empoleon (the second round) (can't believe I made it to the second!)
Prompts:
Song: B Team by Marianas Trench
Quote: "Once upon a time, I fell in love with the wrong person."-Unknown.
Setting: The Burrow
Emotion: Excited
Phrase: jumped onto the train
Genre: Friendship
Other: 356