This was written for the final round of FWTN with the prompt "it all ends here" and the stipulation of 2,500 words or more. In this fic, the ages (if you care) are as followed: Teddy – 25, Victoire – 23, Dom – 21, Molly – 19, James, Fred II, & Roxanne – 18, Lucy, Rose, & Albus – 17, Louis – 16, Lily & Hugo – 15. Hope you enjoy it.
"It all ends here," Victoire said as she gazed at her reflection. "After today, I am officially a married woman, and I'll never have to worry about being left alone again. How do I look?"
"Beautiful," Fleur and Dominique replied needlessly. Victoire's beauty was a given and had been her entire life. That very beauty was what had captivated her soon-to-be husband's attention in the first place.
When she was sixteen, Teddy had approached her over the summer. Victoire had never given much thought to the boy; he was nearly part of the family. But he wasn't really, and he was awfully good-looking so she has said yes. Their romance had begun in secret, of course, on the possibility that the family would not accept them. After all, her family was basically his. She had never really believed they wouldn't accept it, though. Her family had a history of fairy tale endings. Her mother and father, Ginny and Harry, Hermione and Ron, and George and Angelina all had a sweet story, and Victoire knew they wouldn't begrudge her love.
She and Teddy had been great actors for over a year when they finally decided that it did not matter who knew. She had been sure her father and Uncle Harry suspected anyway, and everyone reacted with joy for two people who "belonged together and always had," according to her aunt Audrey.
"Your life eez changing," Fleur said, squeezing Victoire's shoulder as she met her daughter's eyes in the mirror. "While you 'ave not been a leetle girl for a long time, now you truly become a woman as you give yourself over to Teddy for thee first time." Victoire saw her sister's pointed stare in the mirror, but she just smiled and continued to look her mother in the eye; old fashion though it was, Fleur could continue believe the innocence of Victoire's white dress was true.
Victoire wondered if Fleur had seen her sister's face because the older woman stopped smiling suddenly, but she said nothing more about honeymoon activities. "Eet eez not too late for a last minute escape." Victoire started. "There eez a tradition in our family for a woman to ask 'er daughters eef she eez sure. You are about to promise yourself to theez boy forever. Are you sure you love 'im?"
"Of course, Mama. More than anything."
…
It all ends here, Dominique vowed to herself. If her sister loved Teddy, Dominique's feelings did not matter, even if she had loved him longer.
Dominique had always been nothing more than a little cousin, but she'd had a crush for the boy since she was thirteen. Even though Teddy was four whole years older, it had meant so little to her heart. Before her fifth year, she finally got the courage to speak up. If he didn't feel the same, she could get over him.
"I have to tell you something," she had confessed in her grandma and granddad Weasley's garden.
"What is it, 'Nique?" No one but Teddy was allowed to call her this. To everyone else, she was Dom or Dominque, and Domi to only her little brother, but Teddy had always been special.
"I- I like you," she had blurted out and instantly turned red.
"I like you too," Teddy had said, giving her a smile. "In fact, I think you're my favorite cousin."
"Not like that." Dominique frowned, wondering how she could get him to see. "You're… more than a cousin."
Realization spread across his face, and her heart sank at his next words. "'Nique, you really are one of my favorite people in the world, but I don't feel that way about you."
"Could you?" she had asked, knowing how incredibly selfish and needy she sounded.
Teddy shook his head. "The truth is I like someone else, and she likes me too. I could promise to come to you if it doesn't work out, but I think it will, and besides, you don't deserve to be someone's second choice."
So she wasn't a choice at all.
The rest of the summer had been awkward for them both, but Dominique tried to get over him. She deserved someone better, he had said, and she was determined to find that someone. She could forget Teddy.
The plan had worked perfectly as she flirted with the boys in her year at the Hogwarts Express that September. Then she saw Teddy and Victoire kiss.
Dominique had watched as James pushed between them, as Teddy laughed him away, and as her favorite person in the whole wide world brushed the hair from her sister's face as if he'd done it a million times. He probably had.
Ages later, she was still attempting to get over him, but she and Victoire were so alike that she continuously kicked herself for not being the oldest, for not captivating Teddy like her sister did. When they had announced their engagement, Dominique cried harder than anyone; she was just so happy, she said, and no one cared enough to see deeper. Only Teddy frowned in disbelief, but they didn't talk much anymore.
And they didn't need to now. Victoire was happy, and Dominique could live. It was not worth it to ruin her sister's life – not to mention her wedding – by announcing her lingering feelings now. The two sisters shared nearly everything (including taste in boys, it seemed), and Dominique knew Victoire had given Teddy her first time. Dominique had gotten drunk and let Alexander Nott take her virginity away. Since then, she'd given herself up freely, losing interest in her boyfriends in less than a month. Even after she'd graduated and moved into the real world, Dominique fled relationships as soon as that first bout of fun was over.
Everyone deserved happiness, and her cousins were all remarkably well-off in that respect. None of them had deep, dark issues like her. Although she wanted that happiness too, Dominique just couldn't find it by stealing her sister's fairy tale ending.
…
It all ends here, Louis thought to himself as he put on his dress robes. Victoire was getting married, Domi had been dating Andrew Goldstein for three months (a personal record), and his cousins all seemed remarkably normal.
No one else had secrets like Lily and him.
Louis had always known what they were doing was wrong. That had never been questioned, although he often couldn't remember why they had started in the first place. It had been something about curiosity towards the other sex. At thirteen and fourteen, they had given each other the most precious thing they could, something cousins shouldn't even think about doing.
But they had. Eventually it became about their needs, and they used each other out of desperation or the desire to experiment more. Lily didn't date because no one fit her standards, she often told him. Although she occasionally did little things to encourage the rumor that she was secretly seeing Scorpius, Lily laughed to Louis at the implications, saying that she certainly wasn't his type. On his end, Louis could find girls – his easy-going attitude and last name caused admirers to swarm – but all were either unwilling to go that far or just did not compete with the satisfaction Lily gave him.
It was sick and wrong that only his cousin could truly give him pleasure.
He knew their family would never approve of what they were doing, and it would only bring media buzz and social shame. They were not in love, only in lust. Even if they had loved each other that way, Louis would have to be delusional to think they could ever get married or have kids, the two goals his mother had for all three of her kids in their quests to find happiness.
He and Lily had to end.
Louis looked in the mirror and ran a hand over his hair, hoping it would half live up to his mother's standard. (It never did; she hated the length and the way it stood up.) Taking in a deep breath, Louis left his room and knocked on the door his female cousins were getting ready in.
Roxanne answered the door. "What do you need, Lou?"
"Can I talk to Lily?" he asked, thinking quickly. "When Mum had us put out the place cards at the tables, I think we mixed up a few."
Roxanne rolled her eyes and turned away. "Lily," she called, "you and Lou messed up the seating."
"Thanks," she said sarcastically as she stepped around her dark-skinned cousin. Roxanne shrugged and went back in, shutting the door behind her. "What do you want?" Lily asked, seeing through his excuse.
Louis jerked his head down the hall, and they returned to his room in order to avoid ease-droppers. He turned to face her after shutting the door and found her lying on his bed, which she had always insisted was much more comfortable than her own. A lump rose in his throat as he said, "We need to talk."
…
"It all ends here, doesn't it?" Lily asked. She wasn't stupid. Louis had been avoiding her ever since his sister's engagement and had begun talking about his future when they were together. What would he do for a living? Was he going to get married? How many kids would his wife want? Would he be happy?
Lily didn't know about him, but she probably wasn't going find happiness in marriage. She'd known since she was twelve that she was going to be a Healer and that she wanted three kids (because being the youngest wasn't so bad). If happiness and her future went hand in hand, than she would never have it. Lily had already found the one person who made her happiest.
And they could never be together in the real world.
Lily knew the probable repercussions of having children with her cousin. The odds of health issues and genetic complications were not good. She was well aware of how wrong it was to even contemplate a future with a relative, but Lily couldn't kid herself. She did not just love Louis; she was in love with him.
"I'm afraid so," Louis replied. "This isn't right, Lily, and we both know it. Once could have been called a mistake and twice confusion, but we've been doing this for forever now."
"Twenty-one months," she corrected, pretending not to care as much as she did. This conversation hurt, but if she didn't show it, Louis could still change his mind.
"Lily, I shouldn't think about you when I'm with other girls, and you shouldn't be sleeping with me at all, much less exclusively."
"Nobody suits me," she said and lifted her arms to cross them behind her head. "You help me deal with the itch so I don't have to stoop low enough to be with just anyone. I can be picky this way."
"Stoop low?" he repeated. "You're sleeping with me, your cousin. It doesn't get much lower than that."
Lily knew he was right and knew that she had always known, but Lily was well aware that they weren't the only ones with issues. "It's not so bad," she said lamely.
He shook his head. "Yes, it is. I'm sure our family would rather you love a woman than spend your nights with me. It isn't right."
"You keep saying that," Lily pointed out, "but you've kept coming back. You've kept letting me lay right here. It's simple routine."
"It shouldn't be!" Louis snapped, turning away from her. She watched him take a deep breath and look back at her. "Look, I've never been with a girl like you, Lily. I've never had a girl who knew how to pleasure me so well. It's addictive. You're addictive."
"So stay," she said softly.
"I can't," he replied. "You aren't my drug to take. I'm sorry, but this has to end."
Her heart sinking, Lily got up off his bed. "I suppose you're right." She walked past him in the picture of strength and apathy. As she opened the door, Lily added, "I guess I'll see you in a little while at the wedding, but we're at different tables so we don't have to talk."
…
It all ends here, Albus thought, standing outside the guest room. His father was inside, along with all his uncles. If he did this right, they wouldn't toss him out of the house. It wasn't that he loved a pureblood; they'd forgiven James and Dominique for dating those. It wasn't even that he'd kept it a secret because the bride and groom had done that too. No, Al was in trouble because no one in his family – not even daring, ever-rebelling Dom – had come home queer.
Al had often hated himself for being gay, absolutely hated it. When James, Fred, and Louis would laugh about girls and admire their assets, Al would join in, but his laugh was always fake. He just didn't feel that way about women. Their short skirts didn't tempt him, and squeezing breasts seemed weird.
At first, Al thought that he would eventually appreciate the female body, that he was a late bloomer. Then he caught himself staring at the broad shoulders of Gryffindor's male Beaters. Al didn't want to be a pansy and joined the team as Keeper to man himself up. It didn't work and only gave him more time to admire Jacob Macmillan, team captain and one of the aforementioned Beaters.
Al thought he did a good job of hiding his gawking, but after a match against Slytherin, the green team's Seeker had cornered him.
"I've been watching you," Scorpius said with his usual smirk.
"That's a bit creepy, Malfoy," Al had retorted.
"Yes, but you've been watching someone too, haven't you, Potter?"
Al's heart rate increased as he said, "Don't have a clue what you mean."
Scorpius must have realized he was hitting a nerve because his smirk widened to a grin. "I mean you seem to pay awfully close attention to that captain of yours. You seem almost captivated. I haven't the slightest idea why, though; he's a rather ugly brute."
Al fisted his hands before it dawned on him that Scorpius had been waiting for that sort of tell. The blonde continued, "I could tell the whole school that one of the Perfect Potters likes his dates broad-shouldered. What would The Prophet say?"
"You wouldn't," Al hissed.
"I would," Scorpius replied, "unless…"
"Unless what?" Al prodded when the Slytherin trailed off.
"Unless you meet me in the Room of Requirements at curfew tomorrow night. Don't be late."
Al's mouth dropped open before he could stop it. Scorpius wanted him? "You're queer," he said dumbly.
"As are you," Scorpius snapped. "Besides, I like women too, just so you know, but some men hold a certain appeal. Either way, I deserve the best. Unfortunately, that's you."
With this latest tidbit of information, Al found himself smiling. "Since we now know each other's secret, I may have to reconsider joining you. I'm not really partial to blondes."
"Why, you!" Scorpius sputtered, indignant about losing the upper hand. "You show up tomorrow or else!" He scowled again, angry at Albus and himself for the lame threat, before summoning up his bountiful pride and walking away.
Against his better judgment, Al had gone to the Room of Requirements and found himself a steady yet secret boyfriend.
When he told his family at Christmas that he had befriended the pureblood, they took it remarkably better than he'd thought, although he conveniently forgot to mention that they were anything more than friends.
"He isn't his father," Aunt Hermione had said and – to tease Uncle Ron – added, "He would be a nice guy for Rose."
Rose had argued that Scorpius was still a jerk while Al bit his lip to stop himself from protesting. He bit his lip again when Rose started dating Lysander and the mothers switched targets. Even Astoria Malfoy was trying to set his boyfriend up with his sister, who had once walked in on him kissing Scorpius, incidentally enough.
She remained the only other person who knew about them as sixth and seventh year dragged by. Soon they reached graduation. At Hogwarts the boys could be friends, hang out most of the time, and sneak over to the Room of Requirements. Two grown men in the real world can't do that.
"We have to tell them," Scorpius had insisted two weeks after graduation.
"What about your dad?" Al asked since Draco Malfoy had always been the biggest argument against coming out. "He'll quite possibly kill us both."
"Mum won't let him," Scorpius replied.
"That's hardly a good defense."
"Do you want to spend your whole life denying who you are and what we have? I love you, Al, and I'm sick of pretending I don't." Scorpius had given him that look, the one that melted Al into a puddle every time.
"Fine," he'd agreed, "but not today. Let's wait until a special day – the wedding. Everyone will be too happy to kill us."
Now that day had come, and Al was having second thoughts. "You can do it," he told himself quietly. "Just open the door and say it." But as he reached for the knob, it turned of its own accord. He jumped back as he father stepped out.
"What's up, Albus?" Harry asked. Al should have been with James and Fred, entertaining the early arrivals.
Say it, Al commanded himself. Just say it.
"How do you tie a tie?"
"You don't need one," Harry replied, shaking his head. "You've got on Wizard wear."
…
"It all ends here," Lucy promised, giving Lysander another kiss. She doubted he believed her, but his grip on her waist tightened nonetheless, as strong as the guilt that plagued her.
Rose would never forgive Lucy if she found out. While the brunette helped her female cousins with their hair, her boyfriend was in the pantry with Lucy; sweet, innocence, kind-hearted Lucy who would never do anything to hurt another. Her family really didn't have a clue. But Lucy and Lysander lied to themselves about it, about this. It wasn't really cheating because they didn't do more than kiss. If they weren't sleeping together, Rose couldn't be angry and they didn't have to be guilty.
It was still wrong, Lucy knew, but none of her cousins with their perfect lives would ever understand what she and Lysander shared. Their misadventures had started months earlier after Rose's fall during Quidditch practice. Hugo had run to Ravenclaw Tower to tell Lucy, one of four non-Gryffindor Weasleys (Hugo in Ravenclaw with her, Molly and Louis in Hufflepuff). She'd followed him to the hospital wing and found Lysander already there.
"I'm fine," Rose had insisted. "You guys should be partying right now, not getting bored here with me. I mean, Louis and Al went through all that trouble of smuggling in firewhiskey; there should be more of our clan drinking it."
"Hu and I aren't Gryffindor," Lucy reminded her, "so we can't get in. Anyway, I'm pretty sure your mother wouldn't want her fourteen-year-old son drinking."
"I'm almost fifteen!"
"What she doesn't know doesn't hurt her," Rose said with a shrug, ignoring that her brother had even spoken. "If you're really so worried, shoo him back to your tower. If not, he can go in my place, and you can go with Lysander."
The "couple" in question had looked at each other and then back at her in complete confusion.
"Oh, come on, Zander," Rose continued. "You know the rule about outsiders. Say she's with you – even if you're actually with me – and it won't matter than she's blue and bronze."
Well, no one could ever say no to Rose, so all three ended up going. Although she'd been worried about Hugo, Lucy quickly discovered he was being smart about how much he was drinking and how fast. She then stopped paying attention to him since she had larger issues. Louis, an honorary Gryffindor thanks to his help in getting the alcohol, had made it his personal mission to loosen his up-tight cousins. Lucy was a full year older than him, but Louis practically force-fed her several glasses before she had really realized she was drinking.
It didn't take many more before Lucy had loosened up considerably. When she stood for another and tripped over her own chair leg, Lysander stooped down to help her up. "Are you okay?"
She'd squinted at him in confusion. "Lorcan? Why are you in here? You're a Hufflepuff."
"What are you talking about, Lucy? I think you've had enough."
"I have not, Lorcan!"
"I'm not Lorcan," he replied with a sigh. Lysander tightened his grip on her forearm as she tried and failed to walk away. "I'm Lysander."
"No," she argued, "you aren't."
He'd turned to Louis, who watching in bemusement. "I'm going to take her back to her common room."
"You do that," he replied. "Have fun convincing her who you are, Lorcan."
"See," Lucy said as they walked through the entryway. "I knew you weren't Lysander."
"Why exactly can't I be Lysander?" he asked once the painting was shut. They both ignored the Fat Lady's tsk of disapproval at Lucy's obvious inebriation.
"You'd be with Rose if you were Lysander," she replied, having forgotten in her state that Rose was in the hospital wing. "He doesn't pay any attention to me."
"That's not true. I spend lots of time with you."
"You do," Lucy agreed, "but Lysander doesn't."
"We're both your friends, Lucy," he said, trying to find another way to convince her. "We're different people too."
She'd nodded. "That you are. You're way nicer."
Lysander smiled, but then he remembered that Lucy thought she was talking to his brother. "Oh, and what's Lysander?"
Lucy looked at her feet, which was probably wise since walking straight wasn't exactly easy. "Well, I know you guys are identical, and I don't want to hurt your feelings…"
"What is it?" he prodded. "I promise I won't be offended by whatever you say."
She stood still and just looked at him for a moment. "Fine," she said and then continued in a rush, "He just comes off cuter."
"Really?" Lysander asked. Lucy just stared as "Lorcan" appeared to be almost pleased by the comment. "How so?"
"Well," she said, trying to put her thoughts into words. "He smiles more… Like that! Like you are now. Also, he carries himself better, like no one could put him down. You care too much about others. It goes into your image."
It suddenly occurred to Lysander how he could convince her he wasn't Lorcan. "Hey, Lucy?"
"Yeah?"
"What color tie am I wearing?"
"Well, it's…" She looked back at his face. "Why are you wearing a Gryffindor tie, Lorcan? That's not your – Oh!" Her face turned bright red as she quickly dropped her eyes back to her shoes. "You… really are Lysander."
He nodded and reached out to touch her arm so she'd look back up. After she did, he said, "You don't have to be ashamed. After all, I am a pretty good-looking guy."
Lucy laughed, glad the awkward atmosphere had faded so quickly. "You aren't exactly modest, though."
Lysander shrugged. "Everyone has one fault. If that's mine, so what?"
"What's mine?" Lucy asked quietly, afraid to hear what his response would be. She'd expected something like, "You aren't as pretty as Rose or Dom," but instead he surprised her.
"You choose," Lysander said with a shrug. "It isn't my place to judge you. So what's your fault?"
Still feeling tipsy, she let slip, "I want you."
Months later, even after sneaking around, Lucy still couldn't bring herself to regret her mistaken words. Because she'd said it, Lysander had leaned in and kissed her. They'd forgotten about Rose for just a little while, and both loved it. Although they'd done nothing more than kiss, Lysander approached her not long after to say he'd been thinking about that night. Somehow, their conversation moved into a broom cupboard, and the talking had ceased soon after.
Lucy wanted to tell Rose, really she did, but Lysander was afraid to break her heart. This was a good enough excuse for Lucy, who didn't want to feel the shame and betrayal from her cousins when word got around. They were a tight-knit group; no one kept secrets, and no one would hurt anyone else.
"This is it," she said again as they broke apart. "I can't keep doing this to Rose."
Lysander sighed. "It hurts, I know, but it hurts to be away from you too. I love you, Luce."
Lucy shook her head and backed towards the door. "You know I love you too, but we shouldn't be doing this. It's time for you to choose, and I won't let you choose me. You've got Rose; let that be enough." As her hand closed around the doorknob, Lucy considered going in for one last kiss but knew that it wouldn't end well. One more kiss would lead to another, and that one would be followed by another secret meeting. It was better this way.
…
It all ends here, Teddy thought as he watched the beautiful bride – his bride – glide down the aisle towards him, bring with her the end of his bachelor days. Victoire was the very picture of perfection. She would be a good wife, give him as many children as he wanted, and love him forever. Teddy certainly wasn't worry about being tied down to her.
So why did his heart ache looking past her?
As a child, Teddy did not have many friends his age. His grandmother had raised him well, but play dates had not been her specialty. Most of his fun came from playing with his "cousin." Victoire had always been girlie and preferred dolls over the outdoors, so they hadn't spent much time together in those days. Although Dominique was four years younger than Teddy, she'd always been one of his best friends, unafraid of getting a little dirty. They'd stayed close until he went to Hogwarts.
She eventually came too, but he was a Hufflepuff – as loyal as your mother, his grandma would say – and she a Gryffindor like her sister. Teddy didn't hang out with her much since she was a first year and he had his hands full as Seeker. Occasionally they met at Hargid's hut for tea, but Victoire always came too, more out of duty than love for the half-giant. Hagrid represented earth and wild beasts, which Victoire had never taken much pride in.
Instead she focused on Ancient Ruins, a subject no one had even expected her to take, much less enjoy. By the time Teddy had graduated, he was starting to like this studious side of Victoire, although her charm and filling out didn't hurt any.
He and Dominique had been slowly drifting apart for years by this point. Teddy still loved her conversations, but 'Nique was different then. Whether or not she was aware of it, Dominique had begun emulating her sister. She dressed the same, wore her hair in a similar fashion, and even took Ancient Ruins, which she absolutely hated. Teddy knew she liked Divinations better. He also suspected she enjoyed Care of Magical Creatures, but the new Dominique didn't do unruly messes. The new one wasn't his 'Nique.
Maybe that was what had drawn him closer to Victoire. With his favorite Weasley becoming a copycat, he turned to the original. She was closer in age, already knew who she was, and had a very strong idea of what she wanted in life. That confidence had done wonders for his own, and Teddy loved her.
Now she was about to become officially his.
Still, he could see the back doors, where the only red-headed Delacour-Weasley stood with a smile painted on her face as she waited to trail her sister up the aisle. Only a trained eye that was looking and actually paying attention would detect the sadness and longing in her eyes.
He felt guilty and dirty, although he'd done nothing wrong. Teddy's only mistake had been not seeing the longing when it mattered. His soon-to-be-cousins would say it wasn't his fault if they'd known the truth, but Teddy was well aware he held the blame for what 'Nique had become; her loose sleeping habits rested on his shoulders. No one saw him flinch when James jokingly called her a skank or when Roxanne asked if she was feeling all right for keeping a boyfriend two whole months.
It was Teddy's fault, but he had made his choice a long time ago, before he'd even realized there was a choice to be made. Now that choice had finally reached him, and he took her hand with a true smile on his face. Teddy's eyes never left her as the Maid of Honor and other bridesmaids approached. Teddy said, "I do," at the right time and leaned in to kiss her when no one objected.
He'd made his choice, and now she was forever his.
…
It all ends here, Scorpius realized as he took his seat next to Lily (who was such a nice girl, his mother often said). Al hadn't told his folks or even James. Nobody knew or they would have been treating him different than this.
No, Al must have chickened out, but he had to make the first move or they'd never be able to come out. His own family would probably turn him away. He already knew his sexuality would make Grandfather Lucius call him weak while Grandma Narcissa would pretend it was fine, but Scorpius was her only grandchild. In order to have another generation to coddle, she would turn to Teddy and forget all about Scorpius. His mother's parents would be angry for the same reason and probably would begin pressuring Aunt Daphne again to get married. Scorpius still hadn't pinned down how his parents would react, but he doubted they'd take the news with joy.
But they did not matter as long as he had Al, really had him and wasn't just sneaking around. Lily was the only soul in the world who knew about them, leaving Scorpius wishing she had blabbed and cleared the air already.
Speaking of the devil, she pulled him from his thoughts with a tap on the arm. "What's wrong?" the red-headed Potter asked quietly.
He sighed and allowed himself to search her features to see why she cared. Like many times before, Scorpius was struck by the compassion and understanding in her eyes, as if Lily knew how hard it was to grapple with doing the forbidden. "Al was supposed to tell your dad this morning."
Lily nodded in that strange understanding. "Sick of hiding the love?"
"I am," he replied. "I'd tell them myself, but that isn't right."
"He'll come around," Lily promised. "He's just afraid of letting down. Al has always been Dad's favorite. Mum says it's because he sees himself in Al. It's taking a lot for Al to risk that."
Scorpius saw Al walking towards their table. "About time," he said as the green-eyed boy took his seat on Scorpius' other side.
He had no doubt they were seated that way on purpose. The mothers had certainly conspired to put him by his friend… and the girl they all wanted him to consider. Aside from the three of them, the only other seats at the table were for James and his date, but they were over talking to Fred.
"I'm going to talk to Molly," Lily announced before leaving the boys alone.
Al took a deep breath. "Look, Scorpius, I haven't exactly –"
"I know."
"You do?"
"It's rather obvious," he snapped. "Are you ever going to?"
"I will," Al said, hands fisting the tablecloth. "I just need time."
"You've had time!" Scorpius retorted, louder than he'd intended. He waited until passersby had stopped paying attention before adding, "We've been together for ages, and you haven't told anyone. If you're ashamed to be with me, just say so."
Al looked away. "I'm not ashamed to be with you," he said quietly, although Scorpius noticed he didn't make eye contact.
"Just liking me in the first place."
"We aren't normal," Al protested, as if it were a strong defense. "I haven't quite figured out how to say we aren't like them."
"Speak for yourself," Scorpius said, knowing how deeply he was about to hurt his lover. "You're the only guy I've ever really wanted, but I like girls too. If you won't let me have love, I could choose duty and learn to love her too. You know both our parents think I'm a well-suited match for Lily. You can accept me, or I could choose her."
"You wouldn't," Al said, gripping the tablecloth even harder as his knuckles went white. "I can always tell when you're bluffing."
"Except this time I'm not." Scorpius stood. "I'm sick of hiding. Make your choice."
Al stood as well, not caring for the time being that they were drawing attention. "You can't push this, Scorpius. It's over." He jerked away from the time and nearly ran for the house.
Not knowing where else to go, Scorpius marched over to his parents.
"Trouble among friends?" Draco asked.
"Mum, Dad, I'm gay."
His mother dropped her glass, and it shattered upon hitting the table as his father gaped.
"Liking blokes hasn't worked so well, though, so I'm going to have a go at girls. Anyone in particular you'd prefer?"
…
"It all ends here," Rose whispered as she watched Al and Scorpius storm in opposite directions. She remembered the conversation she needed to have, and – although she hadn't planned on having it today – realized that where there's one fight, there might as well be another.
"What's that?" Lorcan asked, leaning forward around his brother.
Nodding towards her fleeting cousin, she said, "It appears Al and Scorpius had a blowout, about what I can't imagine. Someone should really check and see if they're okay."
Dominique stood as Lily said, "We'll go."
They heard a crash and looked over to see Astoria Malfoy turn white while her husband turned a funny reddish-purple.
"I'd better see what's wrong," Lorcan said as he too stood. Out of all the Weasleys and their friends, only Lily and Lorcan had really accepted Scorpius into the group. Perhaps it was because he and Lysander were also purebloods, although they'd been raised in a much different setting.
Soon Rose and Lysander were the only ones left at their table. "I have to hand it to Al and Scorpius," she said offhandedly. "They sure know how to create a distraction."
Lysander crinkled his eyebrows together. "You planned that?"
"Of course not," she replied, "but I did want to talk to you. Should we take a little walk?"
He stood, confusion written all over his face.
"Don't worry," Rose said as they moved away from the reception. "It's nothing bad."
"That's good." Lysander looked at her with a smile resting on his face, which made Rose feel terrible for what she was about to do.
"It's about Lucy."
His smile instantly disappeared as his guard came up. "What about her?"
Rose sighed. "I'm not angry. You and I never really were all that great together. We never truly had love, just a spark that we replaced with contentment. That's all that's left, isn't it?"
"What are you talking about?" Lysander stopped moving, staring into her eyes and silently begging her to leave it be and keep pretending."
"I've known for a while."
Lysander looked to the ground. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be," she replied briskly. "It's as much my fault as it is yours." Rose was strong. While it hurt knowing her boyfriend was finding happiness somewhere else, most of her felt responsible. She hadn't been a good enough girlfriend, hadn't seen the warning signs that something was wrong. Now it had become a tangled mess that all three of them had to deal with.
"It isn't your fault," Lysander insisted.
"You're right," she said, to which his mouth fell open in shock. "It's not my fault it happened, but it is my fault I let it continue in secret when I knew."
"How long?" he asked quietly.
"It started after the party, didn't it?"
Lysander shook his head in amazement. "How did you possibly figure it out that fast?"
Rose snorted. "Lucy may be the Ravenclaw, but I'm just as smart. You were jumpy and overly nice, Lucy wasn't talking to me, and a couple people told me you took her back to her tower. It wasn't that hard to deduce."
"How do I make it up to you?" he asked, reaching out for her hand.
She pulled back quickly. "Stop this," she said. "Stop us. You've been staying with me out of duty, and it isn't right. It isn't hard to see what you and Lucy have, even if you think you've been hiding it. You love her, don't you?"
Lysander turned away from her to look up at the sky.
"Don't you?" she repeated. Rose stepped around so she was at least in his peripheral vision; she was too short to look eye to eye.
"Maybe," he admitted as he glanced back down at her.
"More than you love me?"
"I don't know," Lysander lied.
Angry about his response, Rose stomped her foot. "Don't lie to me!" she snapped. "You love her and she loves you. Me and you? We're just fond of each other. We get along and that's about it. Face it, Lysander. You don't love me." She paused, forcing him to make eye contact. "That's okay," she continued softly, "because I don't think I love you either. Now, I am going to talk to Lucy as soon as I can get her alone. She needs you more than I do."
"She ended it with me earlier today," Lysander said, reaching for Rose's hand again. "Luce said I needed to make a choice, and it couldn't be her."
Rose smiled and shook her head sadly as she once again side-stepped his reach. It didn't go unnoticed that he'd used a pet name for her cousin, something he'd never done in front of Rose before. "Lucy is being brave for my sake, but who do you think is more likely to work out in the long run?" Rose motioned back to the reception down the hill where people were laughing and dancing. "Could we do this? I can hardly see myself in a white dress at all, much less walking down the aisle to you. We just don't have that kind of chemistry.
"I'll talk to her. She shouldn't feel guilty, especially when I mean this. I'm not going to regret this." Rose turned and walked away from her now ex-boyfriend. She needed to get down to the party and talk to Lucy.
But first she needed to be by herself. Rose needed to cry, cry for her broken heart and ruined relationship.
She shied away from the tables at the last second to find a secluded tree. Once she was there, she sat down, curled her legs up as much as she could given her dress, and let the tears fall.
"Rose?" she heard someone ask about five minutes later. Blood pounded in her ears as she mistook it for Lysander, but as she lifted her head, she perceived enough differences to confirm it wasn't. There was the mole on his cheekbone, just below his left eye. His chin held no tiny scar from a table-incident as a very small child.
"What do you want, Lorcan?"
He sat down next to her and shrugged. "You tell me."
"I'm single."
Lorcan cocked his head to the side, letting no surprise show on his face. "Is that so? I've got one for you too."
"Really, what?" Rose knew this would probably be good; Lorcan always had the perfect story to make someone forget about their troubles.
"Albus is gay."
"Seriously?" She perked up at the information, allowing the tears on her cheeks to dry.
"Yeah, although I only know the few details I learned from Scorpius."
"He was with Malfoy?"
…
"It all ends here," Victoire said with a lusty smile as their bedroom door shut.
"What does?" Teddy asked as he carried her towards the bed they now officially shared.
"Pretending I'm a virgin," she replied with a giggle.
"Is that all?" Teddy set her down on the blanket and sat as close to her as he could.
"No," she said. "We're ending the togetherness with others." He cocked a brow, silently asking for an explanation. "Married people are just more closed. Look at all our grown relatives who play catch-up when they meet. We'll never be as close to my cousins as we are now, and we probably won't be as open either."
"What a sham," Teddy remarked as he leaned in for a kiss.
"Except Dominique," Victoire added after their lips parted ways temporarily. "I doubt there will ever be a time when we don't share our every thought and wish."
Fin
This was a lot of fun to write. I know most of (okay, all) plots used in this are pretty cliché in the nextgen fanfic universe, but I wanted to have my spin on them and see what would happen when they were all thrown together. Obviously some characters like James and Molly didn't get any limelight in this, but I didn't want it to seem too much like a soap opera.
I hope it was as fun to read as it was to write! (Over half of this was written between 11:30pm and 2:30am.)