4. Annoying
Victoire had made it her task to talk to Nott everyday. She tried to casually get close to him while changing classrooms, she would look for him in the library, and then she would say hello to him, and if he was alone, she even dared to make conversation. Most of the times, Nott responded with indifference. And just as October was coming to an end, Victoire realised she was not making any progress whatsoever. It was getting frustrating.
"You're here again?" Nott said, sighing and closing his book, returning it to the bookshelf.
"Hello." Victoire said, shyly. She held her hands at her back, and swaying slightly she walked towards him. "It was a coincidence-"
"Coincidence my ass." Nott said, calmly. "You are a textbook stalker, Weasley. I wouldn't be surprised if you knew my schedule by heart."
"I just happen to be looking for a book. I told you, Nott, the library is a public place." Victoire said, shrugging.
"All right, then." Nott answered, coming closer to her and standing a heartbeat away. By then, it was becoming a habit for him to stand so close and try to intimidate her. She no longer felt uncomfortable whenever he did that. "Wanna get out of here?"
"Why?" she said, smiling innocently up at him. "Are you taking me somewhere?"
"If you'll let me," he said, licking his lips. "I could take you to the nearest broom closet and then…"
"And then what?" she asked, smugness in her eyes. "Are we getting cleaning supplies?"
"You know, Weasley," Nott said, chuckling and stepping back. "You sure are annoying. Has anyone told you that before?"
"Not really. I've been called worse, actually, so annoying would be an improvement." she said, stroking her chin as if trying to remember.
"I don't get you." Nott sighed again and returned his attention to the books. "Why do you bother me so much?"
"It's not planned, I just saw you and thought I should say hello." Victoire said, scanning the books with her index finger.
"But why? We're not friends, and apparently you don't want to fuck, and even though I warned you that I'm not looking for a relationship, you still come back." he turned his head to her, inspecting her carefree face. "Then why?"
"Maybe I just think you're not such a bad person, that's all." she said, shrugging again.
"So what are you saying?" Nott asked.
"That we should be friends."
"No way in hell. You are the most annoying girl I know."
"Gee, thanks." Victoire wrinkled her nose to him.
"Well, I'm sorry, dear," Nott turned around to face her, his shoulder leaning on the bookshelf. "but you are. You talk about foolish things and make that stupid timid face, and then you expect me to answer you as if I cared."
"That talks a whole lot worse about you than about me." she said, facing him and leaning on the bookshelf too.
"I'm more into more mature women, you know."
"You don't have to be into me to be friends, you prat." Victoire said, stepping forward. "You just have to enjoy my company."
"Well, that's the thing. I don't."
"Why not? You seem amuse whenever I'm around."
"You're a stalker, and you give me the creeps." Nott said, leaning forward so he could see her straight to the eye. "I get the feeling you're a psychopath."
"Just because we happened to be in the same places once or twice…"
"More like a hundred times. Please don't talk to me again. All that stalking and being cutsey on purpose, it makes me angry."
"I just want to be your friend. Shagging is not actually in my plans." Victoire crossed her arms over her breasts. In the close proximity they were, she clearly saw Nott's eyes flicking to her squished bosom for an instant, and then back at her face.
"I don't think that's going to work. I don't have female friends, it's just sex or complete indifference. You choose." he said.
"Well, then, I guess I'll choose indifference." Victoire said, uncrossing her arms and turning to the books again.
"Thank Merlin, I wouldn't touch you even with a ten-foot-pole." Nott turned to the books too, and finding the one he needed he took it out of the shelf. "Don't come near me anymore, you really are annoying."
Victoire saw him gather his belongings and walking away. Her insides were aflame. She was not going to make it, the Hogsmeade visit was a week away and she was nowhere near her goal. If fact, she was even farther away, she just managed to pissed him off, instead of gaining his liking. She was in the negative numbers and she was really at a loss.
And although her mind was reeling trying to come up with a plan to have him in a week, she still needed to occupy her mind with other things, like Quidditch. The first match of the year was between Gryffindor and Slytherin, and the next morning as she prepared herself for it, she decided concentrating on one thing at a time was best.
She set out with her broom on her shoulder towards the Quidditch pitch. By now the tingling she felt every time a Quidditch match approached was welcomed. She got reeled in the feeling and although playing came naturally to her, she always prayed to Merlin not to disappoint her uncles and father. Being a Seeker in this family meant being better than Uncle Harry and that was scary. She entered the locker rooms and the whole Quidditch team was already changed and ready.
"Vic, today no distractions, okay?" Jessica Reynolds called to her. She was the Quidditch captain and a seventh year. During practice Victoire's mind had been filled with Teddy and Nott and her insecurities, so looking out for the Snitch had been hard. But Jessica always said the right thing and always encouraged her to keep at it. So she felt a little more confident as the time for the match approached.
But as they entered the Quidditch pitch for the game, Victoire had a first glance of the new Slytherin Seeker. Terrance Flint was a big bad gorilla with a menacing smile and a scary frown. She had heard the rumors of him being the biggest fourth year, and yet having mad skills with the broom. But seeing him and hearing the rumors was different. Victoire started to feel nervous, and when Madam Hooch made the Gryffindor and Slytherin captains shake hands, Flint gave her an even nastier smile. Victoire gulped.
Madam Hooch sounded the whistle and off they went in their brooms. As Jessica had instructed, Victoire hovered above the stands and the hoops and scanned the Quidditch field with eagle eyes. She could see the students in red and gold cheering madly as Haley White scored a goal in the Slytherin goal post. Victoire circled around the field in search for the Snitch, but the little golden ball was nowhere to be found. She then flew near the Slytherin stands. She had promised herself she was not going to think about him, but she needed to see if at least he was not avoiding her. So she flew, with her eyes set in the crowd, looking for Nott.
He was there, all right. But he had that blonde clinging to his arm as per usual. Victoire felt her insides churned. She knew she had no right to, it was only a dare, but she couldn't help feeling jealous. That blonde girl was the reason Nott was not interested (or so Victoire thought in her jealous mind) and she was starting to feel annoyed by the sight of her. And as she circled the stands and tried to conceal the fact that she was eyeing Nott and his "friend", Jessica called out to Victoire.
"Down there!" Jessica said, blocking a Quaffle that came rushing to her goal post. Victoire glanced down, and at ground level she could see a gleam of gold, and right behind it, Flint was gaining speed, his arm outstretched. She dived, pushing her broom with all her might, silently begging it to go faster. She managed to pull out of the dive and join Flint in the race to the Snitch. They were both with their hands in the air, both their fingers grazing the golden ball, and just as Victoire's fingers closed to get it, she felt Flint pushing her out of the way. She was not grabbing securely her broom, and that violent push sent her flying to the grass, she saw green and closed her eyes as her shoulder made contact with the grass, and an abominable pain seared through her left arm.
She stayed there, her nose buried in the grass. She might have lost consciousness, for when she opened her eyes again, she was looking up to her Quidditch team and they had preoccupied expressions in their faces.
"What happened?" Victoire asked, trying to stand up, but a painful stab on her left side prevented her from doing so.
"Flint knocked you off your broom." Haley said.
"We tried to appeal to Madam Hooch, but…" Louis began.
"She said it was fair, Flint was going for the Snitch, not for you." Charlie said.
"Appeal?" Victoire asked, mildly confused.
"We lost, Vic." Louis said, eyeing sadly to Jessica who was scowling by her feet. As Victoire took in Jessica's disappointed face, she realised she was in the hospital wing.
"I'm sorry…" she whispered, trying with all her might not to let spill the guilty tears that were forming in her eyes. If she had just contained herself and stopped looking at bloody Edward Nott.
"We can still make a combat, if Ravenclaw loses by more than 250 points to Hufflepuff, and then Hufflepuff scores less than 50 points against Slytherin, we might get our chance to play Hufflepuff and if we win by-"
"Forget it, Louis, our chances are ruined, we lost by so many points we are not even on the charts anymore." Jessica said, sighing. She came closer to Victoire, and patting her lightly on her uninjured shoulder, she said:
"Just concentrate on getting better, and you can try again next year."
Victoire felt awful the whole time she was in the hospital wing. She was the reason Gryffindor was not even a contestant for the Quidditch cup this year. Everything was going downhill and not even seeing Teddy on Saturday would be much help for her dreadful mood.
Madam Pomfrey let her go on Friday evening, just in time to have dinner. But Victoire's ribs were still healing and her left arm was still in a bothersome cast. She was not really hungry and her hunger diminished once more when she entered the Great Hall. Every Gryffindor eye was set on her, and they made perfectly clear their disapproval. She was the infamous Victoire Weasley now, the girl who had not caught the Snitch when she should.
"Forget about it." Dominique said upon seeing her sister standing between the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw tables, looking dejected. Victoire went to sit down beside her.
"At least you look in a better mood." Victoire said, refusing the food right in front of her.
"What are you talking about? I have always been in a perfectly fine mood." Dominique dismissed her with the wave of her hand.
"Right," Victoire rolled her eyes. She regretted doing so, for her eyes met briefly with Nott's from across the hall. He was looking directly at her, but as their eyes met, he looked at his blonde companion again. "so you're always evasive and irritated."
"Not with you…" she said, partly admitting her doings. "Things have been awkward, that's all."
"Awkward with whom?" Victoire pushed forward trying to get the Slytherin out of her mind.
"Let's not talk about it right now." Dominique said, scanning the Gryffindor table up and down, and then searching the rest of the hall. She looked up to the Slytherin table and she smirked. "Let's talk about your new admirer."
"What?"
"While you were at the hospital wing, someone asked about you. And I cannot fathom why, other than he being interested in you." Dominique said, her eyes sparkling.
"Who?" Victoire asked a little wearily. She was hoping Nott would have, and that hope scared her a little.
"Edward Nott, Slytherin playboy and seventh year hottie." Dominique revealed gleefully.
"Oh, Merlin." Victoire gulped. Why did that felt so wrong? She was starting to fear this dare thing was consuming too much of her mental space, not only her Quidditch was affected, but her being jealous, was not a normal thing to be. "What did he say exactly?"
"Well, not much. You know those broody Slytherins. He just asked how were you doing and if you would be out of the hospital wing soon." Dominique shrugged. "But I didn't know you even knew him. That surprised me a little bit."
"We have coincided once or twice in the library."
"He must have a crush on you to ask so bluntly." Dominique said in an excited tone.
"That's just how he usually asks things."
"Say whatever you like, Victoire, but I truly believe he fancies you."
So next morning, while she and Dom made their way towards Hogsmeade she had butterflies exploding in her insides. Why was she suddenly fearing meeting Nott? He had asked for her, but he made quite clear he was not interested, he still had his blonde plaything and if anything, Victoire should feel disgusted by his continuous advances. But she was not, she didn't want to admit it, but in fact, talking and being approached by Nott had been fun, his constant remarks about his desire to shag her and his witty comments had been something entertaining, something different that she never did with Teddy.
"There you are!" Victoire heard a voice behind them and she instantly turned around to face it.
Ted Lupin was looking down at them, his Auror robes in pristine condition and the only thing that felt out of place was his bright blue hair. He was smiling goofily and his face was tender and sublime. He took Victoire's breath away, in her concern about Nott and the recent butterflies and confusion she was feeling she had forgotten how much she really loved Ted.
"Did you finish your stake out?" Victoire asked in a small voice.
"Yeah, it was last night." he stepped in to hug Dominique and then he turned to Victoire. But Victoire unconsciously backed away. "Come here, you're not saying hello?"
Victoire scanned the crowd rapidly, her eyes set for a second on Nott who was with some other Slytherins entering the Three Broomsticks. He looked at her too, and then his eyes moved away. She smiled up at Teddy and then stepped in into his embrace. He smelled nice and fresh and he felt like home. Victoire decided that whatever was going on with Nott, it was never going to be like what she had with Teddy.
"What happened to you?" Teddy asked her.
"I fell off my broom." Victoire said with a half shrug.
"But are you ok?" he said, stepping closer and caressing her injured arm. "It must have been a nasty fall."
"It's fine now. Mrs. Pomfrey wouldn't let me out of the hospital wing without the cast."
Dominique spotted Louis and Charlie at Honeyduke's and waving at them she went to join them. Victoire and Teddy stood silently in the middle of Hogsmeade, awkwardly looking around.
"I've miss you, you know?" Teddy said without looking at her.
"We've been friends for a long time, it's normal." Victoire said.
"I guess." Teddy looked at her with caution. She was looking straight ahead, and he saw her bleached, and quickly turn her eyes elsewhere. He followed her line of vision, and to his surprise, he saw Edward Nott coming out of the Three Broomsticks with a hot blonde clinging to his arm. "Not much luck, eh? With Nott I mean."
"I wouldn't say that." Victoire mumbled. What was going on with her? Nott was far too much inside her head and she couldn't help it. "Actually I pushed him away."
"You did?" Teddy's attention snapped onto her. He faced her, a surprised look on his face. "What did he do?"
"I doesn't matter now." she said, slightly hurt by it. "He won't do it again."
"He won't do what again?"
"I told you it doesn't matter."
"I swear to Merlin, Victoire," Teddy said, throwing his arms to the air. "if he tried to get advantage of you I'm going to kill him!"
"He didn't do anything!" Victoire suddenly exploded. Various students walking by them turned to look and feeling embarrassed she lowered her voice. "He just offered his...services to me! He said that if I wanted to shag he will be willing, but he refused anything else."
"He...I'm going to kill him!" Teddy whispered in a mad ranter. "That prat is barking if he thinks he can get away with-"
"I told you!" Victoire whispered urgently, grabbing his arm. "He won't do it again!"
"Did you do something with…him?" Teddy lowered his eyes, and looking at Victoire's figure he gulped.
"No. I mean, it was part of the dare, right. I had to make him fall in love, but it turns out he just wants to…"
"Were you flirting?" Teddy didn't dare to look at Victoire.
"It's a dare. I had to."
"Vic, do you like him?" Teddy's voice came out as a croak, and his hair suddenly started turning pink.
"No." she said quickly, but then her stomach somersaulted.
"Then let's call it quits." Teddy said, his eyes set on hers.
"But I'm kind of…" was Victoire really that entertained that she was willing to keep up the game? Maybe she had started to have a thing for him. But it pained her terribly to let go of her feelings towards Teddy. "Why do you want me to stop?" she asked barely above a whisper.
"What do you mean why?" Teddy's hair became completely pink, he shook his head slightly to make it any other color, but his white hair still had a pinkish glow to it. "He's going to do something to you!"
"So what? What's the difference to you?" Victoire asked, her eyes dead serious.
"What are you saying, Vic? I care about you, I don't want you to get hurt!"
"How?" she asked.
"What?" he asked her in return, his face contracted in a frown. "How what?"
"How do you care about me?" Victoire asked calmly. She decided then that if Teddy didn't feel the same way, she was going to forget him. She saw the confusion on his face, he lowered his eyes and then looking straight at her he said:
"You're my little sister. How else would I care about you?"
Victoire felt tears at the back of her eyes, but she refused to let them down. She was not going to cry anymore for Ted Lupin.
"Well, thanks." she said, turning her head away from him. "But I don't need a big brother."
"Come on, Vicky. I-"
"I think I have started to feel something…" she said slowly. "For Nott."
"Vic, he's not good for-"
"I'll decide that for myself." she said, turning towards the castle. Her throat had started to close, and her eyes we watering quickly. "Goodbye, Teddy."
She broke at a run right after that. By the time she had arrived at the castle and turned around, her left side was on fire, complaining from her injury, and Teddy's form was not there anymore. He had Apparated out of there.