Seven

The hoots from his alarm charm wake Teddy up. He grumbles and turns around, burying his head in the pillows before he remembers what the day is. Any thoughts of going back to sleep are gone and he sits up in his bed — he's turned seven today!

Seven is a magical number, Teddy knows, and there's a chance he could get as lucky as Uncle Ron, who is one of those rare people who have soulmates. He's afraid to find if he has it, though, so he jumps up, his messy hair falling over his forehead, and runs out of the room to find his godfather.

Uncle Harry's an early riser, and Teddy finds him in the kitchen, preparing breakfast already. He doesn't say anything, just walks over and tugs at the man's sleeve, pulling his attention away from where he was engrossed in beating eggs.

"Wh—oh, Happy Birthday, Teddy!" Harry smiles big and places a hand on Teddy's shoulder. "You're seven now, a big boy already."

Teddy tries to smile back but doesn't quite manage it. He pulls at the collar of his pyjama-top. "C-can you check?" His voice is a whisper, even though there's no one else nearby to overhear.

Harry's eyes grow wide, and Teddy knows he understands. "Do you want me to, Teddy? You know you don't have to check today—and most people don't even get them."

"Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione did, though," Teddy says, "so I might! And I want to check today. But I want you to check it for me."

Harry nods and sits on one of the stools. "Okay, kid, c'mere." Teddy climbs into his godfather's lap but hugs Harry tightly instead of showing him his collarbone.

"Hey, hey, son, it's—"

"If there's a name, I don't want it to be a stranger's. Uncle Ron said the other day he had freaked out so much when he met Aunt Hermione, and so had Aunt Hermione."

"Well," Harry starts, enveloping Harry in a hug, "they worked it out eventually, didn't they? And we won't know unless we check, right?"

Teddy hums but doesn't move for several minutes, and Harry just holds him there.

"Okay, check now, please?"

Harry doesn't speak, but as Teddy moves back a bit, waiting in anticipation as, the man tugs the boy's collar down slightly. Harry stares at his godson's collarbone, or more specifically at the ink-black tattoo that wasn't there the previous night.

"Teddy," Harry breathes, "there is a name."

Teddy can't help but gasp. "There is? Well, whose is it?"

Harry squints, then chuckles. "It says 'Victoire.' Do you know any Victoire, Teddy?"

Teddy jumps back in shock and ends up falling off Harry's lap and onto the floor. His godfather is laughing at him, and Teddy glares at the man as he gets up and straightens his pyjamas. It is then he catches up to what the man said. "Victoire? As in our Vicky?" His mouth is hanging wide open, Teddy knows.

"Well, I haven't heard of any other Victoire," Harry says, "but we'll have to wait until she turns seven to confirm if she gets your name, too."

Teddy looks at Harry and tries to put all the seriousness he can into his expression. "We're not telling anyone before that, okay?"

Harry is chuckling, but he echoes the 'okay,' and Teddy's satisfied, for now.

A year later, when Victoire flies, shrieking, out of the fireplace at the Burrow where they've all assembled for her birthday celebrations and shows off the name 'Edward John' written on her collarbone, there're no surprised gasps from the adults, and Teddy glares at Harry, but he forgets he's angry at his godfather when the man decides to take him and his Soulmate for ice-creams.

They're at the parlour when Teddy realises he should do something for his now-confirmed Soulmate.

He doesn't really know about this whole Soulmate business, but he's been to a wedding already, so he can make do. He doesn't have a ring, though, so he offers Victoire his ice cream (he asked for the flavour Victoire likes when ordering earlier, pointedly ignoring Harry's chuckles) and asks her if she wants to spend her life with him, and she says giggles and says yes, and Teddy knows he has 'that adorable smiley face' on right now, but she's smiling, too, and he decides he doesn't care.

He leans forward and plants a kiss on her cheek for good measure, though, before running off to get a new ice cream for himself.


Word Count: 755

Prompts used:

For Hogwarts Romance Awareness Challenge, Day 2

• Your soulmate's name is written on your wrist.
• (word) rare