"Honestly I'm glad that I know now how she really feels, about you, about me, about… us" and he gestured between Victoire and himself.

"Teddy hunnie, I know that you feel hurt…and betrayed right now, but what do you hope the outcome to be? Is it over between you two for good or are you hoping she realizes what's at risk?" Victoire

needed to know, so she can know how to approach the situation and help in the aftermath.

"I don't know…I honestly don't know Vic…"


The next day met Victoire ad Teddy in the Gryffindor Common Room picking up right where they had left off last night. During the night Teddy had finally admitted to Victoire, and to himself, that

he wanted nothing more to do with his relationship with Minette. After he decided that, his heart had felt as though it was released from a twenty year term at Azkaban.

They then went on to talk about letting Minette know that he was finished trying to appease her; it was over. There was no turning back for him at this point. She had had her chance with him

but her constant inferiority complex was too much for him. They had both agreed that Minette needed to be let down easily due to her sensitive nature. Any other way would have caused

irreparable damage to her psyche; Teddy did not need that on his conscience.

The conversation quickly progressed to what the argument had been about in the first place. He told her that Minette felt that he was unjustified in his dislike of Rubin. He told her then of how

quickly the argument had shifted focus and become centered around Minette's jealousy and dislike of Victoire, which he had felt was unwarranted. It was his urge to defend her which caused

things to careen out of control with Minette. Now as he thought back he had other realizations which he was not yet ready to put into words, let alone voice aloud to Victoire. Could he really be

in love with her? He quickly pushed those thoughts out of his head and returned to the matter at hand.

As Teddy spoke, Victoire listened, her head spinning with her own realizations. One: Minette had been right, she didn't like the girl; Two: Teddy accepting, or pretending to accept, Rubin would

make her happy but she knew that he would be Teddy if he wasn't honest; Three: she wasn't sure of how he felt about Teddy's urge to vet her boyfriends and decide whether or not he believed

they were good enough for her; and Four: she had begun to like how he referred to her as "his" Victoire.

Odd. He's called me that before, but I've never felt that fluttering in my stomach as he said it before…hmmm. What does that mean? Oh well, it's not like I don't refer to him as "my Teddy" in my head all the time.

What did he just say? Shit, I need to pay attention…

"Earth to Victoire!" Teddy shouted, waving his hands in front of her face. When he was satisfied that he had finally gotten her full attention he asked "What were you thinking about?"

Victoire felt her face grow hot with embarrassment at him catching her daydreaming while he was talking to her. All she could think was that if he were to know what she was thinking about he

would call her a silly girl and laugh at her. She couldn't afford to let him know, so instead she said

"Nothing…you were just boring me to death that's all" and laughed. He knew she meant nothing by it so he laughed with her. They then made their way down to breakfast before the weekend

trip to Hogsmeade. Teddy was beginning to dread that trip since he knew that while there he would have to talk to Minette about everything he had worked through with Victoire.

"What are you trying to say? You…you don't want me anymore? You don't want to make this work?" Minette asked Teddy while sitting at a secluded booth at the back of the Hog's Head.

Panic was beginning to set in. She had so much vested in her relationship with Teddy. Hell she had her next five years with him planned. They were to be married with a beautiful baby girl and

another on the way. However it seemed that dream was in jeopardy but she knew it had to end someday. It was all too good to be true, he was too good for her and she had always known it.

It was a shame that he had realized it too but fortunate that it was before they had made a binding commitment.

"Minette, you know that I will always care for you…but that argument yesterday just opened up my eyes to so many things. Mainly it helped me see that I don't love you anymore. It's been a

wonderful three years but it's always been overshadowed by your insecurity and jealousy. I'm just tired Minny, tired of having to justify and apologize for my relationship with Vic. I can't do it

anymore-" but before he could say anything more he was interrupted by Minette's frantic pleadings.

"I can change. Please, give me another chance." She knew she'd said that before but she hoped that this time would be different, that he would give her another chance and that she would be

able to change, for him, for them.

"Minny, there comes a point when I have to realize that if I continue waiting for you to change and giving you chance upon chance, I'll never really be doing anything other than waiting and

hoping. What kind of life is that?"

He could see it in her face that she knew he was right, that the relationship had met its point of absolution.

She sighed, "You're right... So this is it huh? I knew it was coming but I didn't know it would have been so soon. Take care of yourself okay?" and with that she left, her heart was broken

because her one dream was now lost to her, but she could no longer deny the truth. It was over and would never have lasted anyway.

Just like that Minette was out of Teddy's life with little more than a single plead to reconsider. Teddy was shocked that she had accepted it so completely and so quickly. But he wouldn't have

had it any other way, a clean break was always best. What neither party had known was that while they were having a conversation about the end of their relationship someone was observing

them quietly out of the corner of the bar.

'This is just perfect. She'll want to help now because that bumbling idiot has broken her heart. This is going to make it so easy to put my plans into action, and a lot sooner than I'd have ever thought

possible too!' the mysterious figure thought maniacally.

Victoire knew that right now her best friend was probably breaking Minette's heart and she wished she could do something to help them both make this as clean and painless as possible.

Although she despised Minette, she too had been on the receiving end of a break up and it wasn't easy to deal with so, she hoped that at least Minette would have some support to deal with it

all. Little did she know that Minette would indeed be offered some help but it would possibly be to the detriment of Teddy and herself, as well as their families, in the very near future. They were

all, unfortunately, blissfully ignorant of the eminent danger ahead.


She was to meet up with Teddy at the Hog's Head in half an hour so she slowly made her way there. When she got there she saw him nursing a butterbeer.

"Hey you!" he called out when he saw her, a warm smile spread involuntarily across his face. He thought nothing of it however because he was always genuinely happy to see her so this

sudden burst of joy that he was experiencing was nothing out of the ordinary. At least that is what he tried to convince himself. Victoire immediately made her way to his side, her heart pumping

out an irregular rhythm, something that had never happened before, especially not with Teddy.

As she sat Teddy told her that the break-up went better than he could have hoped. Just then Rubin joined them and, although neither boy liked the other, it was a fairly laid back evening.

Eventually Teddy decided it was time for him to leave and Victoire and Rubin were left in the secluded booth by themselves. Whenever Teddy wasn't around, Rubin would become very physical,

pushing himself on Victoire. She would always have to stop him before things would get too far. She wondered why she put up with it but then she looked at him and remembered, he was

bloody hot, in the stereotypical blond hair, blue eyed way. She was thankful however that this time, instead of trying to seduce her, Rubin chose to have an actual conversation. He started off by

asking her about the argument Minette and Teddy had had. When she started to explain that it was centered around the two of them rather than about any transgressions by either Minette or

Teddy, Rubin became very cold. He spat out that he agreed with Minette's argument that the relationship she shared with Teddy was unhealthy and a cause for concern. Victoire could not

understand why Rubin would feel that way knowing that she loved him beyond words. As she was about to tell him as much he said

"I know what you're going to say and I do trust you. I love you too but I just feel that sometimes the two of you are just fighting the inevitable and I'm standing in the way of destiny. I mean,

you value his opinion and feelings above my own…you won't even have sex with me because he doesn't approve for Merlin's sake!"

That hurt Victoire more than he knew.

How could he say such a thing? I don't think that Teddy has more value than Rubin. I mean he is my best friend so of course I would seek his advice. And what the hell does he mean by 'fighting the inevitable' anyway?

Later that night Victoire was restlessly turning in her bed, unable to get Rubin's words out of her head long enough to get some sleep. Nor could she forget his face when he had told her that

she was in love with her best friend and vice versa. Of course she loved her best friend. They grew up together for crying out loud, but was she in love with him? It was this point which had kept

nagging at her throughout her futile search for rest that night, but it was not the only one. Her heart had told her yes, she was indeed in love with Teddy, but her head refused to let her accept

it. This war continued to wage into the wee hours of the morning, even as she got up to start a new day.

The following day Victoire met up with Rubin to continue the conversation of the day before with a great level of trepidation. They had left the Hog's Head just before closing and went their

separate ways in order to get ready for dinner.

"Baby, I hate to do this to you but you're gonna have to choose. I mean it's obvious that I can't get along with him, nor him with me, so it's us or him…" those were the words he had left her

with; the words that had resonated in her mind causing her to lose sleep. She was finally ready to address them and as she met up with him to continue where they had left off. She knew her

decision would cause pain but she knew it had to be done.


He had given her a lot to think about and he continued to do so as the conversation was resumed.

She turned to him and said, rather simply "you are the man I love. He is my best friend and will continue to be but I understand that to make this work I need to at least cut down on the time I

spend with Teddy. Do you think that that is an acceptable compromise? Because that's the best I can promise you right now…I-"

But Rubin didn't let her finish, instead he cut her off with a kiss more passionate and revealing than she had ever experienced before. She knew that she would eventually have to explain to

Teddy sooner or later that they would have to spend less time together but, at that moment all she could think about was how happy she was to be there, in Rubin's embrace. She was

suddenly beginning to rethink her position on sex before marriage. As soon as that thought entered her mind she immediately dismissed it. She was not yet ready for that and although they had

been together for two and a half years she wasn't sure that they would arrive at that stage anytime soon.

It was unfair that she had put her relationship above all else, she knew that. Unfair because Teddy's relationship was over, and all because of their friendship, and here she was giving it up for

her relationship. But he would understand, or at least she hoped he would.

Victoire knew she could avoid Teddy for so long. Just as that thought crossed her mind she heard her name being shouted from somewhere behind her.

Oh no, Teddy, she thought and tried to quicken her pace.

"Oh no you don't Victoire Weasley! Come back here right now or I'll hex you, I swear I will!" She immediately stopped, knowing he was serious; he would do it. Unfortunately for her that meant

she had to face him, to tell him the conditions of the agreement between her and Rubin. She sighed and turned to face him.

"Teddy, we need to talk…"


A/N: just want to say thank you for reading and a special thanks to TeamGinnyWeasley for encouraging me to go on. thanx a mil!