You Can Let Go Now, Daddy. - Verse 2
Victorie Margaret Weasley stared at herself in the full-length mirror. She'd been a rough-and-tumble girl growing up, appearance came second most of the time-even when it involved Grand-mama visiting from France. But then Teddy played a new card when she was sixteen-kissing her full on the mouth when he was heading off to graduation. Needless to say, her brain had shattered entirely for the following three hour event.
She'd sworn revenge on him. She just hadn't known it would be years later and that it would be in the form of stealing his last name. The mere thought sent an excited shiver down her spine.
"Cold feet?" her father's voice asked, drawing her attention to the reflection of him in the doorway behind her. "Well, that's alright, we can just call the whole thing off! I'll just go talk to the Justice-."
"Daddy," Victorie sighed, but couldn't help smiling at his attempt to keep her. She couldn't stop smiling in general. In fact, she was willing to bet that she hadn't stopped smiling since the final gown fitting last week at her aunt's.
"Well, postpone it then," Bill Weasley suggested.
"Don't you think it's a little late for that?" Victorie asked, raising an eyebrow at him in the mirror.
"You're right," he admitted, then gave her a mischievous smile. "Calling it off is an entirely better idea."
"Keep dreaming, Daddy," she twittered as she fixed her veil again.
His sigh of defeat made her giggle, which brought a soft smile back to his face. "You grew up too fast, Victorie," he informed her. "Can you blame me for trying?"
She returned his smile lovingly and turned to look up at him directly. She'd always admired her father. He was tall and strong and intelligent-only a few among many reasons her mother had seen in him years ago. He'd aged well, Victory had recently looked back at pictures of their wedding and could easily say that her father looked the least altered of all the men present in the photos. Though his long hair had streaks of grey in it now and his scars were more noticeable since he'd started working at a desk instead of in the field, he was easily still the most handsome.
Teddy was, strangely, just like him. Both of them had this cool and confident air about them.
Without another care about her dress or hair or make up, Victorie gave her father a tight hug. He returned it just as fiercely. Even adding a kiss atop her head.
"You're sure you want to go through with this?" Bill affirmed, when they broke apart moments later, earning him a new smile. "There's still time to apparate."
"I love you, Daddy," Victorie said and gave him a peck on his scarred cheek. "But I love Teddy too, and he's waiting for me."
Bill sighed, taking in the beautiful woman that was his daughter, and slowly nodded.
Victorie all but turned into the sun as he linked arms with her and the two made their way out to the beach. Spread out before them, each turning attention to the pair as they drew closer, were three hundred of the bride and groom's closest family and friends. Younger cousins were running about, getting hisses of reprimand each time a mother caught one, while dozens of Victorie's friends twittered amongst themselves in the rows of chairs.
At the far end of their walk of doom, was a boy of average height and lean build with hair that matched very well with the blue plaid tartan he wore. The bane of her father's existence. The boy he probably would've arranged an accident for years ago if he could have gotten away with it. Back when her nosey cousin James found them kissing at King's Cross. Something she was still going to pummel the younger boy for. But that could wait.
With each step Victorie could feel him starting to panic. The way her father's grip turned to steel and he clenched his jaw despite the smile he'd plastered onto his face showed right through to her after so many years of experience as a daughter. Granted, Bill Weasley would never admit to being rather put out with this whole thing. He, like his brothers, would simply drop a comment here and there that he could easily pass off as a joke if need-be.
But, just as his wife had warned, this was a part of life. One that he'd have to get used to since Victorie had two younger sisters. And, really, Victorie was rather glad she was the first to go. Her younger sisters had much less sensitivity towards these things.
One hundred steps later, she had to hold back a squeal of delight and keep herself from bouncing as Teddy flashed her a smile. It really was a curious feeling today, knowing that she was with the two men she loved best in the world. And that neither wanted to be near the other for the next couple hours.
"Family," Justice Bosna greeted, smiling from behind her large book of wizarding laws. "Friends. All who gather here on this most special of days. Welcome in the joining of Theodore R. Lupin and Victorie Marguerite Weasley in the bonds of love and matrimony."
It was times like this that Victorie often wondered whether accidental magic would occur out of the sheer joy she felt. But so far as she could tell nothing was going on noticeably, which was fairly limited since her whole world seemed to be enveloped into a little bubble of her father and fiance and the justice conducting the ceremony.
"And now," the justice said, giving them a sly grin. "Who gives this woman?"
The hold of steel might as well have shifted to stone. There was no way Bill Weasley was going to let go, and he certainly couldn't answer with his jaw clenched so tightly.
"Daddy?" Victorie whispered, looking up to find tears in her hero's eyes. She switched her bouquet of calla lilies to her captive arm and reached up to cup his scarred cheek, drawing his gaze to her.
So many things crossed her mind to tell him. To show him how much she loved him. To promise it would never change. That she'd always be his baby girl. But all they did was bring tears to her own eyes.
The look he gave her, though. That look of absolute love and the despair of seeing her set off into the world ahead without him guarding her. It assured her of one thing: he already knew all of it.
"You can let go now, Daddy," she found herself saying. "You can let go."
His expression mingled with alarm at the comment and he opened his mouth to argue.
"Your little girl's all ready to do this," she assured him. "On my own."
The alarm left, leaving the distraught pain in his eyes.
"It might be a little bit scary," she conceded, but brought a smile back to her face. "But, I want you to know, I'll be okay now, Daddy. You can let go."
Her last words brought a tear from her own eyes, trailing softly across her rouged cheek as it undoubtedly destroyed the whole look her cousin had worked so hard to achieve. But she didn't care. It was good luck or something, wasn't it?
She pulled back her own hand as her father slowly started moving, quickly moving to grasp the bouquet before it fell. She was almost surprised when her veil was lifted and she was once again facing her father. He smiled as he wiped the tear from her cheek, though his own tears still threatened to fall from his own.
Taking his time with one more moment, he leaned forward to kiss her forehead. But instead of moving away when his lips left her, he kept his mouth close to his ear as he assured her of one thing. "If he hurts you in any remote way, I will kill him."
"Daddy!" she couldn't help but laugh, drawing a grin from him as he stood back to his full height again. Though it didn't lessen the glare he gave Teddy when the younger man came to take Victorie's arm, and she really wouldn't have it any other way.
The rest of the service was a blur, she couldn't remember if she'd even said her vows correctly, but it didn't matter. She was now Mrs Lupin and her husband would be with her on whichever adventure awaited them. It felt like she was flying, far above any and all troubles that wanted to bog her down. With her father there to catch her if she should fall.
A/N: Well that certainly took longer than it needed to. And I apologize for the pov shift, my brain doesn't seem to like the idea of staying focused _ Poor Bill! His little girl's grown up and marrying someone! ^_^