I'll see you in December

I woke with a start and looked over at my clock. The numbers and needles told me that it was almost 10:30 am. I flopped back down onto my mattress and let out a sigh. After 7 years of waking up early on September 1st, my body still told me it was time to be up and getting ready to catch the train to Hogwarts. Only this year I didn't have to go catch the train. I had to catch the girl who had to catch the train.

I struggled out of bed and pulled a pair of Muggle jeans over my boxer shorts. A grey t-shirt was pulled over my head and a jacket slung over my shoulders. I found clean socks and my shoes under my bed and put them on before wandering out into the hall to the kitchen.

The house was quiet, which didn't surprise me that much. Harry and Ginny would have no doubt taken James, Albus and Lily to Kings Cross already. Still, there was a stack of toast with a warming charm on it and a glass of juice on the table. I smiled at how much Ginny cared for me and stuck a piece of toast between my teeth while I read the short note she had written for me.

Teddy,

Its 10:25 am and Harry, the kids and I have just left for the train. Hopefully you get this before the train leaves. James and Al wanted to say goodbye to you before we left but I said to let you sleep. If you don't make it down to the station in time, Harry, Lily and I will see you when we get home.

With love,

Ginny

I set the letter back on the table and gulped the juice down before heading back down the hall to the bathroom. I splashed some water on my face, my hands rubbing it into my skin. When I looked in the mirror, I found my hair my natural sandy blond color and my eyes a pale blue, which I had inherited from my father as Harry had told me. I quickly changed my hair to my favorite shade of teal because I knew Victorie would love it like that. After brushing my teeth and spraying on some cologne, I disapperated to Kings Cross Station.

I apperated right into the middle of the busy Muggle half of Kings Cross. Some of them looked at me funny, not for randomly appearing out of thin air, but because of my bright blue hair and the studs that went through my ears and eyebrow. I rolled my eyes and leisurely wandered through the barrier to Platform 9 ¾. The crowd was just as intense, or even more so. Children ran all along the walkway with trolleys, cages and friends in tow. Parents rushed to the open train car windows, shoving last minute galleons for the trolley and forgotten articles at their children onboard. I looked over the top of the crowd, which was easy as I was just about six feet tall (something Harry found incredibly strange as he told me both my parents were on the slightly shorter side of the scale as he is), searching for the famous jet black and bright red hair of my godfather and his wife. I spotted them standing with Ron and Hermione Weasley, Hugo and Lily chatting together nearby. I looked away and spotted the bright blond hair of Victorie Weasley a short distance away from where Harry stood.

I elbowed my through the crowd towards where Victorie stood with her parents, Dominique and Louis. She was wrapped in her father's arms as her mother fussed over her brother's wild red hair when I finally got to her.

"Louis I really wish you would have let me cut it ma Cherie. It really is getting too long," Fleur muttered to her son as he tied his long hair back in a ponytail identical to that of his father.

"Maman, Louis's hair is just fine. So is Papa's," Dominique chilled. She saw me standing a little ways away and smiled brightly. "Vic, Teddy's here!"

Victorie quickly pulled out of Bill's arms and rushed over to where I was standing. My arms were already open for her as she crashed into my chest. Her arms went immediately around my neck, mine around her waist as I spun her around. When I set her back down on solid ground, she kept her arms around me and looked me in the eyes intently.

"I'm so glad you came," she whispered loud enough for me to hear over the melee behind us.

"I wouldn't miss seeing you off for the world," I whispered back, my blue eyes changing to match hers perfectly. A wide smile flooded Victorie's face and she pulled out of my arms and turned to her parents.

"Maman, Papa, I'm going to go talk with Teddy for a minute."

Fleur told her something in rapid French to which Victorie replied easily. Then she slipped her hand in mine and pulled me away from her family and into the middle of the crowed platform. After a minute of polite "excuse me"s and "sorry, coming through"s, we reached a quiet corner.

"Why did you drag me all the way out here?" I asked slyly, although I already knew the answer.

"I wanted to say goodbye to you without my parents watching our every move," Victorie replied calmly as she brushed her hands over my teal stubble covered chin.

"Then by all means, go ahead," I whispered huskily as my hands snaked into her corn silk hair.

It started out very light. Just a tiny pressure of her lips on mine. Then it became a bigger want for both of us. Victorie's hands moved from my face to start twisting the short hairs at the back of my head into her fingers. One of my hands quickly tugged at her waist, pulling her closer to my body. She sighed in content and pressed her lips more firmly on mine.

A loud rumbling started in my chest and my heart started beating a wild rhythm against my rib cage. This was the first time we had ever done anything like this in a public place, with both of our parents nearby. Fueled with the idea, my teeth started tugging on her bottom lip softly. Vic quivered in my arms and kissed me harder. Suddenly there was a loud yell of surprise from behind us.

"Teddy! What are you doing!?"

Victorie and I sprang apart and turned to see James standing a few feet from us, his Weasley red hair falling slightly into his shocked brown eyes.

Caught red-handed, I stated the obvious.

"I'm seeing Victorie off." James still looked shocked so I added a quick "now don't you have a train to catch?" before turning back and attaching my lips to Victorie's again.

Behind us James groaned in disgust and a shuffling of feet alerted us of his departure.

"I only wanted to say goodbye to you before I leave."

With a sigh, Victorie and I pulled apart and turned to look at the oldest Potter child. I could easily make out his expression – it was a mixture of disappointment, anger and disgust – something I had frequently seen on the twelve-year-old boy's face.

"I'll be there in just a second, okay Jamie? Just let me finish saying goodbye to Vic first," I told him.

"Fine but you better hurry. The train leaves in ten minutes and Al really wanted to say goodbye to you," James called over his shoulder as he disappeared into the crowd.

I shook my head and turned back to Victorie.

"Now where were we?"

I leaned in to kiss her again but she pushed me away. "You'd better go say goodbye to Al. You know how worried he's been about leaving to school."

"I know but..."

"No buts Ted, you need to go say goodbye to James and Al. Besides, I have to get back to my parents before Papa gets suspicious."

I hung my head in defeat. "I'm going to miss you so much this year Vic."

She kissed me delicately on the cheek. "I know, so will I. We'll get through it and it'll be summer before we know it." She smiled sadly and I wrapped her in my arms.

"Promise me you'll write," she whispered into my chest.

"You know I will." I whispered back. "I love you Victorie Maria Weasley."

"And I love you Ted Remus Lupin. I'll see you in December," Victorie whispered as she disappeared in the crowd.

I looked around as the throng of people pushed towards the scarlet steam engine. I scanned the crowd again and found Harry and Ginny still standing where I first saw them with Ron and Hermione. This time, Rose, James and Al had joined them from what I could see. Lily and Hugo were still both standing there saying tearful goodbyes to their older siblings.

Just as I pushed past the last person and was standing just outside the small group I head James stuttering excitedly.

"- And he said he'd come to see her off! And then he told me to go away. He's snogging her!"

I stifled a snicker and continued listening in silence.

"Oh, it would be lovely if they got married!" Lily giggled.

This was where I had to intervene.

"Oh, that will be the day," I said in a far off voice as I walking into the group and rested my arm on Lily's head. "Thanks for the wonderful idea Lils."

James paled slightly at the fact that I had heard him talking about me. I laughed and scuffed up his hair before pulling him into a brotherly hug.

"Have fun at Hogwarts Jamie. Don't be too hard on Al and Rosie. Get a good spot on the Quidditch team. Finish all your homework – what else..." James rolled his eyes, "oh yeah, and have fun. I'll see you at Christmas."

James pushed me away and scowled at me. "Gross Teddy, you sound just like Mum."

Everyone laughed and I turned to Albus and pulled him into a hug too.

"Have fun Al."

"I'm still a little scared Teddy. What if I get put in Slytherin?" The raven haired boy looked at me with panicked emerald eyes.

I shrugged. "What about it? We haven't a Slytherin yet, you could be the original. Besides, for all we know you could be a Hufflepuff."

"Hey, Louis is a Hufflepuff."

"And now you know why I don't sit beside him at dinner at Gran Weasley's house." Albus snickered. "You'll be fine Al. No matter which House you get put in, your cousins will still talk to you and your family will still love you. And you'll make friends in no time."

A warm smile flooded Al's face and he hugged me tightly again.

"Thanks Teddy." In the distance the train whistled. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too bro. Now go have a great year."

Albus pulled away from me and went to hug his Mum and Dad again. As I watched, James ran ahead and boarded the train without a second glance. Albus and Rose, holding hands so they wouldn't be separated, were a bit more hesitant. Finally they too disappeared amidst the other kids on the train.

I heard snickering from behind me and turned just in time to see Victorie running right at me. Ron rolled his eyes as she slammed into me, nearly pushing me to the ground.

"Vic?" I asked in surprise. "Why aren't you on the train? It's going to leave any second now!"

"I know but I had to see you one last time before I leave," Victorie gasped out just as the train whistled again and the doors started to close. She kissed me quickly before dashing away towards to train.

"Goodbye Teddy! Don't forget to write! I love you!"

"I love you too Vic!" I yelled after her as she climbed on board the train. She turned and blew me a kiss before shutting the door as the locomotive started down the tracks.

I turned around to see Harry and Ginny smiling at me. Ron and Hermione had already started making their way towards the barrier with Hugo. Lily giggled quietly and I picked her up and swung her onto my shoulders.

"Come on Lily. We need to get home because I have lots of letters to write."