A series of oneshots about Teddy Lupin and his growing up. Most of these will include Victoire and his relationship budding. I'm kind of writing these sporadically so they may be out of order but the number at the top of the chapter will say his current age so you don't get confused! I hate to say this but no comments regarding the accuracy of the canon. I really do not care and it puts me off writing. Criticism as to my writing quality is fine.
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15
Teddy Lupin lay on the lawn in his backyard, gazing up at the stars. Inside, his godfather, Harry and his godmother, Ginny talked with Fleur and Bill Weasley. Though not actually related to him, Teddy early on gained a habit of referring to Fleur and Bill as his Aunt and Uncle. However, quite recently that habit was slowly disappearing. Probably due to the fact that he was developing feeling for their daughter, Victoire. He hadn't seen it coming. The girl a year younger than him constantly on his heels as a child, was making her way into his heart. The girl he had taught how to spit like a boy and climb a tree was somehow more than just his younger, unrelated 'cousin.' The girl with the long mane of tangled blonde hair and big green eyes was different now.
More graceful than gawky. More charming and charismatic than awkward. More…beautiful than he could have imagined.
She was inside now. Probably bored senseless by whatever work talk was occurring between her parents and his. Part of him wished she was here with him. Lying in the fresh, summer grass and stargazing with fireflies floating and flickering about.
He clutched his side, hissing in pain as a sharp, stabbing sensation went through his ribs. Typical for a full moon. Though not a werewolf himself, the full moon impacted him in a somewhat more casual manner. The night of the full moon he would experience occasional agony in his torso-mainly his heart and ribs. As the years had passed the pain got worse, worrying him about what the future held. Would he eventually become a werewolf like his father or would the pain gradually get so agonizing that he would have to be bedridden on full moons?
Either way, he wouldn't let Harry or Ginny know. He'd gotten very good at hiding his pain in public. As far as they knew he only experienced slight discomfort on moons. Teddy felt as though he owed it to Harry and Ginny to not worry them every month. They had been so good to him, treated him like he was one of their actual children. Generally every Weasley and Potter treated Teddy liked blood. Maybe it was because the impact his father had made upon them or maybe it was just Teddy. His kindness, wise eyes and clever jokes. He didn't question it for fear of finding an answer he did not like.
"Teddy?"
His heart skipped a beat. It was her. Teddy propped himself up on his elbows and looked at the girl that stood above him.
"Hello, Victoire."
Teddy felt his hair try to switch to a shade of crimson red. It did that around Victoire. He had come to the humiliating realization that it was due to his anxiety when she was around. Quickly, he screwed up his face and changed it back to its usual electric blue.
"Mind if I join you, then?" she asked in that odd accent he had grown so fond of.
A combination of slight French from being around her mother and then British from her father.
"You might get that pretty blouse dirt, mind you," grinned Teddy.
Victoire smirked before dropping down beside him and lying on her back. She let out a sigh of relaxation and stared up at the night sky. Teddy, still on his elbows, looked over at her admiring the way the full moon illuminated her honey and cream toned skin. The light dusting of freckles across her nose just barely visible.
"Fifth year for you next week," remarked Victoire, still gazing upwards.
Teddy quickly turned his attention skyward and mirrored her posture with his hands folded on his stomach.
"Yeah. Fourth year for you," he replied.
That was the best he had for conversation at the moment. As easy as Victoire was to talk to, finding the words was sometimes difficult for him.
"And the Yule Ball," Victoire added pointedly.
Teddy blanched exaggeratedly, causing Victoire to laugh. He couldn't help but grin in satisfaction at his amusing her. Victoire could hardly go a single conversation with Teddy without laughing.
"It's a party, Teddy. There'll be desserts and music and dancing!"
"It'll be loud, crowded and full of awkward body gyration," he scoffed.
Victoire rolled her eyes, slightly humored by his candid opposition. He always had an aversion to large gatherings and parties. Odd seeing as he was so charismatic and well-liked by those in his house of Hufflepuff.
"I don't understand why you hate parties so much, Teddy. Whenever you go we always have fun, you know?"
Teddy smiled lopsidedly and fought off the surge of pink that threatened to go through his mop of hair.
"You have fun, Victoire. Maybe I do get slightly enthused when you have fun."
"I have that big of an influence on your mood, do I?"
He paused and turned his head to see Victoire staring at him with an expectant smile.
"Essentially."
She laughed quietly then looked back to the stars, Teddy slowly mirroring her.
"In all honesty though, Ted, why don't you like parties when you're so good at them?"
Teddy exhaled, folding his hands over his stomach.
"I dunno. I s'pose I take after my father that way," he replied softly.
Victoire knew that tone. It was sensitive and nostalgic. He wasn't talking about Harry, he was talking about Remus. She never knew exactly what to say in these situations. Agreeing with him was usually the way to go. Teddy was generally proud of who his father had been despite his being a werewolf. He often stated that it only added to his pride that his father could be such a brave man though burdened with a negatively, life altering curse.
"Well, I think Remus would have wanted you to go to the Yule Ball," Victoire said attempting to add levity to the situation.
Teddy smiled. She's succeeded.
"Is that so?"
Victoire nodded.
"Ah…" Teddy groaned hugging his sides abruptly.
Victoire closed her eyes and breathed deeply through her nose. The pain he experienced always put her in a state of unrelenting grief. Her Teddy moaning, pained from a curse that was passed down to him. Sometimes she wished he was the one with just one third werewolf in him instead of her. Victoire wished this pain upon herself rather than the boy with the bright violet hair.
"Moon pain?" Victoire asked in a quiet voice.
Teddy snickered, trying to hide his torment.
"I know you pretend that it doesn't hurt for Harry and Ginny. You can't fool me though."
There was a long pause once more. Teddy smiled grimly. Victoire could read him like an open book.
"Yeah, well, don't say anything."
"Of course not, Lupin," snickered Victoire.
Something inside of Teddy squirmed. It was a common feeling he got whenever anyone called him 'Lupin.' Harry had once told him that all the students at Hogwarts had known him as Lupin rather than 'Remus' or 'Professor Lupin.' Victoire knew this of course. That's why she had called him that. Whenever Teddy was low, Victoire knew that calling him 'Lupin,' or for special occasions 'Moony,' would lift his spirits.
"It's getting a lot easier though. A lot easier than when it first started. I-"
"Liar."
"Yep," Teddy chuckled.
Together they laughed. Victoire's eyes wandered from the stars to the full moon. Teddy and her father in mind.
"Sometimes I wonder what it would be like if my father had been bitten a few moments later. If he had become an actual werewolf. Instead he's inside, biting down on his lip to hide how much pain he's in. Dad tells me it comes in waves, you see. He can still function but when it hits him, it hits him hard. You should see him inside right now. He's talking with Harry and sometimes mid-sentence he just stops, grunts then continues. He's too prideful to show his pain in public. Kind of like someone else I know," she said nonchalantly.
Victoire rolled over on her stomach, resting her elbows on the ground and her chin on her fists. She smiled at him warmly, but his eyes were distant. Somewhere else. She knew where though. They were on that full moon. His thoughts weren't even on his own pain, but on his father.
"What are you thinking, Edward Lupin?"
"Same thing I think every full moon. I wonder if my dad ever remembered looking at the full moon. I mean, looking at it without-"
"-worrying about what was coming next," Victoire finished with a look of understanding.
Teddy grinned and nodded before turning his eyes to Victoire.
"You know me too well, Weasley."
"Don't I just?"
Victoire touched a strand of his vibrant hair, studying its oddly bright color. Teddy furrowed his brows making his bright locks surge with numerous colors. She smiled watching it turn green, yellow, pink, red, purple, blue, black the repeating. It stopped suddenly as he let out another hiss of pain. He pressed his hand to his heart and breathed in deeply. A stunning sort of agony shocking him. Victoire slowly placed a hand on top of his.
"You don't have to hide it in front of me, Teddy. I won't say a word," Victoire whispered.
Teddy's eyes shut and he nodded at her once more.
"Thank you… Thank you…"
