Victorie scanned the platform, searching for that shock of Weasley red, but could see none of it. She knew her loud and lovable family would be here somewhere, but for right now, she stood alone. Her Head Girl badge gleamed on her chest, how proud her parents had been of her when she got it. Her father had told anyone who would listen, "My daughter - Head Girl - takes after her father that one, brilliant you know." And her mother had smiled her dazzling smile and hugged her warmly, saying in that lilting accent she still could not entirely shake, "My daughter - theez es wonderful!"
Victorie had been very proud of herself, that was true. She had worked hard her entire Hogwarts career to earn this. The only part bitter about achieving it though, meant that everything was going to end soon. This was it, her last year. Her eyes clouded at the thought. She didn't want to leave. Not yet.
Looking around the platform, she looked again for her family. Her father was back in Egypt for a short amount of time, so it wasn't his red she was searching for. Her mother had already come and gone - the Ministry needing her earlier than planned. No, she was searching for her Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione, Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry - whose hair and that of some of their children stood vividly out from the crowd. She would have liked to have seen them, as she knew Rose and Albus were starting this year...
But then a figure caught her eye. Tall and lanky he came towards her, with hair scarlet and threaded with gold, and she knew it could only be Teddy. Her heart swelled for him. He had come back to see her off, just like he promised to. The closer he came, the more of him she could see. Two years out of Hogwarts and already he seemed so much older. His junior Auror training - so like his Mum - has made him a bit broader in the shoulders and much more solid - but he still exuded the quiet authority and grace - so like his father - that made him uniquely Teddy. His skin was tanned a golden brown and his hair, which he constantly changed, always fell just a little in his left eye, but in a very endearing way. His eyes he usually left as they were, for they were his father eyes - warm and light brown and understanding- but they often sparkled with mischief and fun, like his mother.
Victorie had never known Teddy's parents, but she felt that they must have been wonderful and loving people because everyone spoke so fondly of them. She was so proud of Teddy, doing so well and being such an accomplished boy - well, man really - his parents would have been so proud.
Teddy raised his arm in a wave of welcome, finally reaching Victorie. Gazing down at her, for he had a good six of so inches on her, he smiled, "Told you I'd come back."
"I knew you would. Thank you Teddy." She smiled up at him.
"I miss it." He looked around at the train and sighed, "You'll have your work cut out for you this year you know, being Head Girl and all."
She laughed, "I suppose."
"I'll miss having you around, too. It was good to see you that much this summer." Teddy said evenly, his eyes still on the train.
Victorie paused, confused, for only a moment. That sentence had more weight to it she was sure, but she kept it light by answering, "Me too - it won't be the same without you Teddy."
He smiled winningly at her, and Victorie, despite herself, felt herself drawn to him as more than his childhood friend. Even though this was Teddy, who she had grown up with, been children with, played with, studied with, laughed, learned and fought with, he was so much more to her than that, if she was honest with herself. She felt more at home with him than any other boy she had ever known or dated, and there had been previous boys, though none too serious. She felt safe with him, and stronger than usual, and she knew, as he had told her, that he wanted her to have whatever made her happy, which meant she could be herself. Other boys wanted her to be their ideal version of herself. Teddy liked all of her - good and bad, and that was a wonderful feeling.
Of course, she wanted the same for him. She supported his Auror training, and she didn't tease him about his love of Muggle literature, in fact she loved that about him. He had leant her many books over the years including books about Muggle wars, like Red Badge of Courage and All Quiet on the Wester Front; apparent classic literature, like Dracula, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Dante's Inferno, an even what muggle's called "fantasy" - a whole series of books entitled "The Lord of the Rings." She did like these stories, as horribly wrong as the muggles had been - especially about the elves - but her favorite muggle literature was of a more girlish nature. True, she had picked up the habit herself and had fallen in love with anything written by Jane Austen, especially the story called Pride and Prejudice, probably because she felt like she and Elizabeth, the story's main character, were true kindred spirits, as another author she liked, L. M. Montgomery, would say.
"I brought you something." Teddy said shyly, pulling a hard cover book from the knapsack he had slung over his shoulder, "I know how much you like this one so I thought you'd like this..." he handed it over to her.
It was a small, leather-bound version of Pride and Prejudice, with gold lined pages and a lovely soft scarlet and gold ribbon bookmark. It was beautiful.
"Teddy, thank you! It's lovely. Where did you get this?"
He blushed slightly, "Muggle London. I wanted to get you something special...for being Head Girl and all."
"Well, thank you, I love it, really. And it's so appropriate, Gryffindor colors and everything." She said, making sure to place it in the pocket of her robes.
"Yeah - that part took a while - finding the right copy." He fidgeted slightly.
Victorie smiled, and because Teddy looked so sweet and he was so wonderful to her, and he was right there - she kissed him on the cheek.
She felt the heat radiate from him at her gesture and she swallowed slightly as she pulled away. But Teddy didn't let her get far, returning the gesture with one of his own, placed on her cheek, near her mouth.
"Teddy, I-"
"Damn Victorie," he swore softly, leaning his forehead down until it touched hers, "I'm going to miss you."
Victorie's heart was going incredibly fast at this contact, but she couldn't deny that it felt good to be with Teddy this way...it felt, for lack of better word, right.
And when she didn't pull away, but rather placed her hands on his shoulders to steady herself, leaned into him, and closed her eyes, she knew what she had just given an invitation for. She wanted it to happen. It needed to happen.
Knowing this, Teddy lowered his head, his mouth gentle over hers for a few seconds, before pulling away.
"Teddy -" but then he put it back, and there was no talking between them. She was only aware of his arms encircling her entire back and pressing her close, and the soft feel of the hair at the nape of his neck as her arms settled more comfortably across his shoulders. She never expected him to feel this warm and this solid ...or for her to feel this comfortable. Kissing him made her feel as though she had no problems, as though nothing could hurt her, as though everything would be alright.
So lost were the two of them that they didn't see the four children run by that Victorie had been waiting for all morning, with looks of shock and amusement on their faces as they passed them, gapping momentarily.
One boy stopped, running a hand through his untidy black hair as he gasped, "Teddy? What are you doing?!"
Teddy broke from Victorie and swung around, "I'll explain it to you in a few years, James." And then went back to her, as James turned on his heel and ran.
A few moments later, Teddy pulled away, presumably to breathe. While keeping his hold on her, the whistle of the train blew, signaling the time to leave. With a noise of regret, he leaned his forehead down to hers again and with a smile said, "You have to go."
She nodded against his forehead, and laughed a little at the odd sensation the movement made, "Write me."
He kissed her again, much quicker but with a force that required her to take a step back, and took her face in his hands as he said, "Every day."
Letting her go, he picked up his knapsack, which had been abandoned on the platform, and swinging it back over shoulder walked her toward the train.
She stepped on and turned back around to him, smiling, "Goodbye Teddy."
He tucked a strand of silver blonde hair behind her left ear - so like her mother's - and said smiling again, "See you soon, Victorie."
And Teddy stood and watched the train until it was gone from sight, imagining Victorie curled up by a window with her new book. Then, when he could no longer see it, he hitched his knapsack higher on his shoulder and walked slowly back through the platform, mentally composing his first letter to her as he went.