Telling people, it's always a hoot.
"This better be important, Vic. I'm talking 'Chico's dead' important,"
It's lunch before I remember that I still have piles of people to tell. Potions was so fun today, the girls know how to cheer me up. Even if I'm not sad.
I'm just nervous, scared Teddy's going to hate our baby, scared he'll mention the A words. As if I could ever do that. And then there's my parents, oh Jesus. Dad is so protective, I swear he's going to track down and kill Teddy. Little Louis will spend hours working out how he's related to Teddy now, and beg me to marry him. The three musketeers idolise him. Dominique, well she'll just beg me to tell her what sex is like.
Mum, oh God, oh no. My mum is going to freak out, she had her hopes set on me being the genius one. She cried at my OWL results, honestly-it was awkward. She always tells me I'm lucky to have both brains and beauty. I guess both of those are out the window. And family dinners at the Burrow are going to be SO awkward. How can I look Andromeda in the eye knowing her grandson knocked me up? How can I look Uncle Harry in the eye? Teddy's basically his son.
At lunch I sit with the girls, across from Tom and a couple of his friends. Teddy's sat apart, guess they're still fighting about the Quidditch thing,
"Get a new keeper, T?" I ask,
"Yeah, my good buddy, Harry here," he says, punching Lauren's boyfriend macho-ly.
She squeals,
"Well done baby!" and proceeds to kiss him romantically over the table. Her brother Nick, her quiet little twin, looks awkward and Tom mimes throwing up. I love the maturity here.
Wait, Nick and Kitty are in the same room. I must, must get them together! I'll make Lauren help me, or slyly push them together next time we have a Hogsmeade weekend. I'm still in a daydream when Em nudges me,
"Not eating, Vic?"
My plate is suddenly full of food, sly work, Emma, you fiend. I'll have to eat now I suppose and I AM hungry. Really hungry. Actually, I feel super faint. I mustn't though,
"Seriously? I think I'm going to chunder!" I exclaim, eyeing her meaningfully. She nods slowly. "How's things with Teddy now anyway?" I continue, looking at Tom.
He's shoveling meat into his mouth, obviously.
"He'szTWAT," he says through his sandwich.
Oh, I bet he's going to take this pregnancy news wonderfully. He's not protective over me AT ALL.
Note the sarcasm.
"No Tom, you need to TALK TO HIM," cries Lauren loudly,
"Ugh, pipe down Thomas," calls Jane Cole cattily, strolling past the table.
"Jane, we're trying to have a human conversation here, can you just get out?" Kitty retaliates, in a sickly sweet voice. She winks a little and Jane scurries away, dragging some other Ravenclaw chick with her. Jane HATES Kitty, probably because Kitty ripped her to shreds in third year. We refer to it as 'the incident'. Jane's scared of Kit now, and hates her friends, meaning us.
"I hate those Ravenclaw BITCHES," mutters Lauren, darkly.
"They're notoriously slutty," says Nick in a matter of a fact way. Kitty snorts and smiles at him, aha, my plan is working.
"Tru dat." says Tom, "Wait, Victoire! You're BACK!"
"Wow, Tom. Just wow." I say slowly.
"Are you okay now?" he asks. I sigh.
"YES. Go and be Teddy's friend now. I cannot be ARSED with you two not being friends,"
"I guess if you're going to get mad about it then I'm going to go and make him love me. This should be wonderfully awkward,"
He puts down his food (shock!) and walks over to Teddy. We see them talking, they hug and he sits down and begins having a second lunch over the other end of the table. What is this.
Seriously, being a boy would be so much easier.
"Did you see that?" I ask, shocked.
Kitty sighs and shakes her head in wonder. Then she nudges me and the others are giving me meaningful looks. Nick looks baffled, and turns to talk to Ron Bones. There are way too many kids named after my uncles. And aunts. Creepy.
Anyway, they were urging me to tell Teddy, or at least my parents, or SOMEONE. Silently. Through psychic powers. When we're filing out of the Hall I pull them to one side,
"How do I do this?" I ask,
"Who are you telling first?" asks Kitty, understanding immediately,
"Mum and dad," I blurt. Yes, I'll tell them first.
"Go to Madam McCartney, or Professor Grimes, they could sort you up a meeting with them. You don't want to tell them by letter, do you?" suggests Lauren tentatively.
"No, I suppose it'll have to be old Grimey," I agree, sighing, "Or at least Patil or someone, considering I have no clue where Grimes' office is," They give a sympathetic nod.
I give them a quick group hug and make my way through the quickly emptying corridors. I'm pretty sure there's a lesson I'm supposed to be in, but I've stopped caring. It's not like I'm going to pass my exams anyway, I'm a pregnant 16 year old. My job opportunities are NOT looking great.
Oh crap, I definitely need a job now though. I mean, baby stuff is expensive. And baby needs the best. Which means Hogsmeade trips, which means special allowance from somebody, pretty lucky that I'm seeing old Grimes now, isn't it? I can tick that off my metaphorical to-do list.
Right no, I need an actual to-do list.
Tell Teddy/Family/Tom/Random Hogwartians that I care little about/Professors about pregnancy.
don't get killed by parents/get Teddy killed by Tom.
job.
But not at HogsHead where creepy bartender perves. And spend money on baby NOT cute clothes. Or books.
to baby appointments.
don't let Madam McCartney get all up herself about nutrition.
700 calories a day with frequent exercise and pray for morning sickness.
keep baby healthy and happy.
9. Somehow, somewhere, someday become a Healer/Professor of Potions despite the teenage pregnancy thing.
But focus on being decent parent/sane human being first.
I run this through my mind a few times, should be alright. I reach Professor Patil's (Head of Gryffindor) study and knock on the door. She answers, luckily.
"Miss Weasley," she says, surprised, "How can I help you?"
"I need to see Grim-I mean Professor Grimes," I say, stuttering,
"The Headmaster is a very busy man, Victoire, I'm not sure he has time. What did you need to discuss?"
"I suppose I'll have to tell you," I say, almost cheekily. I'm too tired to be polite.
"Come in, dear," she says kindly, and we sit in two armchairs, this place is so cushiony. And warm, the fire is blazing and I could fall asleep here. Mm. She's looking at me intently, oh balls, she's the one that taught us girls the charm of contraception. Dammit. I hope she's not all, 'disappointed' in me... "Miss Weasley?" she questions, "Are you all right?"
"Oh.." I say, "Yeah, except, I'm super pregnant,"
SUPER-PREGNANT? Seriously? Like I'm some kind of superhero, like I have my own comic. Oh yeah sure, you'll see me fighting crime any day now- with my ginormous belly of STEEL!
"I see..." she says, "And are you..?"
"Keeping it? Yeah. And I've seen Madam McCartney and everything. I just need to Floo my parents..."
She looks a little taken aback,
"I admire your confidence, Victoire," she says, smiling. "Are you sure you're all right?"
"Yeah, yeah, fine," I lie, like it's all cool. "Been a bit of a rollercoaster few days, but..." my voice cracks. She offers me a tissue, from the floral packet on the coffee table inbetween us. NO. I will not cry!
"So, your parents. Would you rather Floo to your house, or have them over for a little chat with me here?"
I am so not up for this. I feel like sleeping.
"Urrr, just have them here I guess," Yeah, too lazy to move.
"And the father? Do you want me to-"
"NO." I shout. Oops, "I mean, he doesn't know yet and I, er,"
"Don't worry, Miss Weasley." she says, kindly. "Whatever you need to do this, Hogwarts will try and give you. Don't forget that,"
"I need a job," I say quickly, as it pops into my mind, "In Hogsmeade,"
"I'll speak to the Headmaster for you, I know some good people in the village that would employ you,"
I cross it off my mental list.
"Now for your parents," she continues, standing up and taking a pinch of powder, "I won't be a minute, Shell Cottage, is it?" I nod and she steps into the green flames then is gone.
When she returns she has two worried parents in tow. Mum practically jumps on me,
"Are you okay, Victoire?" she says, pulling me up into a worried hug. She's a worrier. Professor Patil conjures two extra chairs and eyes me. Oh, am I supposed to start this? I don't know if I can say words right now.
"So, I have something to tell you-" I begin and cut off. How do I say this? A heavy silence falls, Patil urges me with her stupid brown eyes, all wide and gleaming. Nope, I'm not saying anything. I cannot talk. Nope.
"You're not pregnant are you?" laughs Dad, trying to make light of the situation. Ever the joker. Oh God. I can see him, nothing my silence. It dawns on him, Mum's eyes widen slightly.
"Haha. Er. I guess, you could say that," words stumble out of me. This is NOT going well.
"You're...pregnant?" says Mum, the french tang in her voice becomes more pronounced as she gets shriller. You can only hear it if you know her like I do, but she's shocked as hell.
"What are you going to do?" asks Dad, he stops to think, "WHO'S THE FATHER?"
"It's Teddy Lupin, Daddy."
"That Teddy Lupin...I never liked him. Thinking he's so trendy because his hair changes colour,"
"You LOVE Teddy, Dad!" I exclaim.
He's going kind of red. Mum has slipped her arm round his,
"Bill, BILL, it's okay. Our Victoire, she's a smart girl, she's giving it up for adoption. Yes?"
Are they kidding?
"NO. Of course, I'm not!" I yell. And I watch the colour drain out of their faces. Professor Patil looks awkward as hell.
"But-" says Dad,
"No, no buts. I'm keeping it. I love this baby and it's mine. I'm getting a job, I'll quit school, I'm going to do whatever the hell it takes to look after it!"
"Your N.E.W.T.S..." says Mum weakly. She looks like she's going to cry. "Oh Victoire," she sighs and puts her hand on my knee, patting me vaguely.
Dad is still looking at me weirdly, poor guy, he looks like he's going to have a heart attack.
"My little girl.." he says softly,
"I'm STILL your little girl," I say. Jesus, I thought my Dad was cool. I mean, he has an earring!
"And you and Teddy are dating? Going steady or whatever you kids call it?"
Ummm, no.
"Yeah!" I say. He looks visibly relieved. Patil jumps in.
"Victoire is welcome to stay here for as long as she can, we at Hogwarts support our students in whatever state. She's a responsible girl, and she's going to be a great mother,"
Did I mention that she's my favourite teacher? Anyway, after some other boring conversation, details were swapped, hugs were exchanged, they Flooed back off home and I was released to lessons, with the warning to stay healthy. What is this stay healthy obsession? I'm not even hungry.
I still have to tell my dumbass siblings so I decide to do it all in one fell swoop. The next morning I attack them in the Great Hall.
"Yo Dom, Lou! Get over here," I call, they look up, disgruntled, but follow me out into the corridor anyway. It's quiet out here.
"What?" says Dominique, once we get out of the Great Hall. She's mad, she hates missing social occasions. As if lunch was London fashion week.
"I have to talk to you," I say, whipping them off to one side,
"This better be important, Vic, I'm talking 'Chico's died' important," says Dominique angrily,
"CHICO'S NOT DEAD IS HE?" cries Louis, impassioned.
Chico is our stupid pet dog who lives back home. He's a mental ginger spaniel who never stops barking. We've had him forever and the other two love him like crazy. I don't get the big attraction, I mean, he smells like seaweed. The gross kind.
"No, Chico's alive, well and chewing the wallpaper," I sigh,
"Come on then, spit it out," says Dom, flicking her hair back in her trademark way.
I'm hungry and scared and confused and nervous and angry all at once. A clear voice cuts through my baffled thoughts, why was it easier to tell M and D?
"Damn it Victoire, tell us or I'm leaving," cries Dominique, angrily.
Fuck. I really have to tell them don't I?
"Vic?" asks Louis.
How to best put this?
"I'm with child," I whisper,
"What?" says Louis, craning in to hear me,
"I'M FUCKING PREGGERS!"
Maybe that wasn't the right way. It kind of burst out of me. They sit back, staring at me. Dom flicks her silky ginger hair again, and arranges her long legs under her.
"Oh." she says, Louis looks shocked, he stutters a weird noise.
"So, yeah. I'm keeping it, I'm like 8 weeks pregnant," I say.
"Mum and dad are going to kill you," says Dom,
"They already know." I say, "And Louis. Talk."
'Mmhmmargh," he mumbles, "You're pregnant, cool,"
"Who's the father?" asks Dom, bright eyed for gossip,
"It's Teddy,"
Louis trips over with a clunk. Dom gasps and clutches a hand to her mouth.
"Noooooooo!" she squeals, "Oh my GOD,"
"You okay Lou?" I call down to him, ignoring her.
"Mmm," he replies, Dom is still hyperventilating,
"You CAN'T tell him Dom, or you Louis!" I threaten,
"Will I be related to Teddy now?" asks Louis, getting up like nothing had happened.
'Um, maybe,"
"Are you going to tell mum and dad?" asks Dominique, getting over her gossip-shock moment.
"Maybe at Christmas,"
"You'll be fat by then. And OH MY GOSH, can I have your clothes when you're fat?"
This is why I hate her.
"No. Not at all. You're a bitch Dom,"
"Don't fall out guys!" cries Louis. He sticks an arm round her and pulls us together, "Are you okay Vic?"
Best. Brother. Ever. TOO CUTE!
"Yeah, I am Lou. Thanks babe," Dom hugs me too and looks kind of sorry for calling me fat.
After a weird minute, I can tell Dom wants 'deats'. She raises an eyebrow, I sigh.
"Louis go away," she says. Yup, time for the deats.
He whines a little,
"You have lessons, GO" she screeches. He scuttles away moodily.
"You didn't have to scream at him." I say,
"So you slept with Teddy," she begins, "Cool."
"Dom, please don't do this..."
"What?" she asks innocently,
"Get all weird and awkward! I am not describing ANYTHING to you. I'm pregnant, so you have to be nice to me and do whatever I want,"
"You're so booooring." she moans. "Fine, I can tell Rox, right?"
"NO. You CANNOT tell anyone Dominique Gabrielle Weasley. I will AVADA you!"
She sighs and gives me a hug and a muffled 'good luck and that' before prancing off and leaving me quite alone.
But that night I can't sleep. It's 11pm, which is late for a loser like me, and I'm watching the common room empty. Everyone else is sleeping in my dorm and I guess I just like being alone, enticed by the fire falling into embers. I like reading and thinking and finishing off all the homework I should have done earlier.
Except then Teddy walks in.
"Vic," he says quietly, and comes to sit next to me, "Are you okay now?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I found you passed out in the changing rooms and er carried you to the hospital wing..."
"That was ages ago, wait...THAT WAS YOU?"
"Guess it was," he says, winking and squishing closer to me on the sofa.
"Oh hey, er thanks," I say, "Hey Ted, why aren't you asleep?"
"Homework," he replies, holding up a packet of notes "Why aren't YOU in bed?"
"Uh, same!" I lie, grinning and holding my book up sheepishly, "You and our Tommy made up, yes?"
"Yeah, I was being dumb,"
"Uh, YEAH you were," I say, "Even if you're not the keeper, you're plenty good at other things,"
"Like..?" he says, giving me a tiny wink. That's not sexy. It's like he had a muscle spasm in his eye.
"School and that," I say quickly. I should really tell him now. But I can't be arsed with the telling of all these people. Why can't I just make a bloody newsletter. Or I could let Dominique go wild telling people. Hmm, she'd love that. Maybe after I've told Teddy. Which I will do now.
Now?
Dammit Victorie just tell him!
Oops, he'd been talking this whole time.
"Wh-what?" I say.
"I said, I'm coming over for Christmas,"
"Christmas, right. Great. Teddy, the thing is. You know we had, ahem-"
"-Sex," he says, "Yeah. That happened."
"Right, see yeah, um and a possible consequence of that is well, uh, pregnancy. And that kinda happened here."
"You're pregnant?"
"Guess so," I say, shrugging through my nervousness. And I'm left in his tracks. Yeah, that's right, Teddy has literally got up and run away. As fast as his little legs will take him. Which is, all in all, a better reaction than I expected.
Now I must talk to Dominique about this rumour spreading business.