A/N: Thank you for the reviews! Keep them going!
Chapter nine: Four Days Ago
"Teddy, there's a bit that I still don't quite understand!" muttered James, messing his hair up the way his dad and his granddad did.
"You don't expect me to believe, that after this rather PAINFUL interrogation, you still don't understand? You've practically baffled every inch of me already, what more could you possibly do?" said Teddy. His eyes were wide and his hair went from brown to a seemingly lighter shade of turquoise.
"You're silly," said James as he stood up and started pacing around the room acting as if he were an auror. "Why can't you be like Albus or Hugo!? They never whine!"
"BECAUSE, I'm older and wiser while they think you're the leader"
"Because I am" said James smiling broadly.
"But when we're out playing Quidditch, Al leads" said Teddy. "It's because i'm older" he added sticking his tongue out.
James crinkled his nose. "You sure don't act like it! By the way, your hair is colored mint green". Teddy was surprised and changed his hair back to brown. He cleared his throat trying to cover up his lack of… let's say, better judgment.
"Fine, hit me with your best shot" said Teddy acting bored.
"So" started James. "You haven't spoken to Victoire after a greeting or two?"
"Err… yes.. maybe… small talk"
"You pretend you don't see each other?"
"We try to… but it's not working out quite as well as we planned" said Teddy. Victoire, still behind the door, was feeling just as guilty as he was. "We're being civil"
"She still likes you?"
"That's what I'm betting on…" said Teddy. It honestly did pain him every time. Victoire's answer was an obvious yes.
"You still love her?"
"Yes" said Teddy clenching his right arm. "I always have and always will"
"TSSSS since that's it, why don't you go make things right!? What are you waiting for? A full moon?"
"Watch it" said Teddy glaring as James.
"I'm serious! When you love someone, aren't you supposed to do something about it?" said James giving himself a smack on the head. "Merlin, you teenagers you"
"I have no idea what I'm supposed to do…" said Teddy, raising his voice.
"Obviously you have to talk things out! You can't honestly wait for divine intervention, plus divination is all rubbish! Aunt 'Mione said so!" said James, starting to pace around. "If you don't plan on doing anything, maybe that means you don't love her enough to be willing to take the first shot" said James. Each word was a bullet to Teddy's ears.
"Don't you ever say that!" shouted Teddy. "We just don't know where to begin"
"I can vouch for that"
The two boys stared at each other after suddenly hearing someone else speak out. Victoire was standing by the doorway and from what they saw, she looked completely flustered.
(FLASHBACK)
Victoire stood awkwardly by the train as she waited for her companions. From afar, she could see Professor Longbottom dragging his trunk along. Knick-knacks were hanging from every part of his belongings; he looked like a giant traveling circus waiting to be smashed by the train into pieces! Victoire was clearly not in the mood.
"Hiya there, Vicky!" called Professor Longbottom. (Vicky: the dreaded nickname used by Victoire's mother when she's being sickly sweet). "Look what I've got!" he added raising up a purple Mimbulus mimbletonia. "It's so incredibly rare! Lysander would be so pleased! I even got Luna and Selena a rare Barbadoille! See! Edible leaves!" he declared enthusiastically.
"Hello to you too, Profes-"
"Up pup pup! No, no! I'm Uncle Nev, Nevy or Nevster, if you must!" he said smiling. "I'm getting in touch with the times"
"Right you are, Uncle Neversy? Was that it?"
"Ahh… much more, cooler…" he replied giving Victoire a thumbs-up, forgetting he was holding his Barbadoille in that hand. "Oh, Merlin's shorts" He crouched down to pick it up and right behind him was Teddy walking towards them.
Right at that moment, Victoire's heart stopped and it wasn't just because of recent events but also because she remembered what was the first thing other girls saw in Teddy. His hair at the moment was dark and his eyes were a piercing blue. The way he changed his features was a mannerism he found hard to control at times. He was tall and unlike most of them, had a seemingly brighter skin tone compared to the paleness others had. He had a warm smile on his face as he bade Pierce and Jacob goodbye. His quidditch build was an added plus and a heart as pure as his was as rare as a phoenix feather.
"Oh there you are, Teddy boy! I was wondering where you've gone off to! You were amazing at the last game, of course! Lysander wanted me to tell you his nargle was named after you!"
"Err… nargle?"
"Ahaa, his imaginary friend but don't say that around Luna, you know how she gets upset" he said nodding. "Well, I'll go get someone to help us! These trunks won't carry theselves you know!"
Neville walked over to the train looking for an usher while Teddy and Victoire were left standing in the platform. Alone. Together.
"Victoire," said Teddy breaking the ice. Vee's heart leapt when she realized Teddy was staring at her. "You're glowing"
I didn't know what to say! Maybe we could start fixing things, maybe this is it! "….thank you?"
"Err… no, I meant, you're literally glowing" said Teddy looking down to his feet as he placed his hands in his pockets, blushing.
Victoire face turned an immediate red when she realized staring at Teddy caused her veela behavior to start taking part; Teddy was blushing because any boy who could resist her right then and there was a daft idiot.
"Not that I meant to offend you or anything, just, you know" stuttered Teddy. "It's a bit distracting, I mean, not to me, of course, but the others, not that I'm saying I don't find you attra-, what I meant to say was, you understand" was all he could muster to say.
"No, it's okay, I get it" said Victoire. She looked around and saw Xavier along with his friends, staring at her, captivated. "Thanks"
"It's not okay" said Teddy grabbing Victoire's shoulder which caught her by surprise. "What I meant to say was, I think you're extremely attractive, your eyes could take anyone in!, which is probably why I'm insanely in love with you" he added. He bit his lip too fast, too hard, too soon that a bit of blood was shining through.
"I think you should stop looking at me," said Victoire. Maybe because I'm shining a bright red right now. "For your own sake"
"I suppose so," he mumbled. Neville Longbotom returned alongside a frumpy old man gesturing towards their trunks.
Neville led the way into the Hogwarts Express with a smile so bright that the devil's snare would have vanished in an instant. It was hard to believe that he used to be as shy as the others described him as. Teddy, still keeping his head down, lifted Victoire's things on his back without saying a word. Both were still quite red.
"Ah, here we are!" proclaimed Neville. "In you both go! I have to guard the corridors for a bit, if you don't mind!"
"Sure, Profes- err… Uncle Nevs" said Victoire, throwing in a smile.
"See! It really is catching on!" replied Neville, looking quite proud of his new moniker. "And Victoire, you look quite spiffy, you're very pretty indeed"
The two settled in, bumping into each other from time to time. Awkward moments were always the most poisonous ones.
"Uncle Nevs, eh?" blurted out Teddy while Victoire managed to smile a bit. "So, how have you been?" said Teddy, trying to shake off the awkward air.
"I'm good, you?" said Victoire, Indian sitting on the cushion. "Teddy, it's been four days…"
"Oh really? I lose track… sorry" said Teddy. "I'm sorry about a while ago, I couldn't help myself". Victoire blushed even more and her glowing was becoming very distracting. "I don't mean to blame you or anything… but why are you glowing?" he added awkwardly. Right after he spat out the last word, it began to sink in why.
"……you" replied Victoire covering her face.
"Ohohohoh, what the hell?" said Teddy erupting in laughter. "Whaat?" he laughed, trying to cover up the fireworks that exploded in his mind.
"Uhm… you've transformed or something" she mumbled.
"No shit?" said Teddy. "Well, I'll be, I have" he said looking at his reflection in the glass window. "Not too shabby, don't you think?"
"I agree" said Victoire. "You look quite dashing, obviously" she said pointing to her self. They both laughed and realized they missed joking around this way. They missed what it was like being to genuine.
"Look," added Teddy standing up. "I want to fix things, okay? No more stupid 'what would he think if I did this'. Those stuff shouldn't really matter… I don't understand why you suddenly left me after… well, you know"
"It was a lot to take in, but I think I've grown a lot…" said Victoire smiling a bit. "in four days… yeah, four days does things to people" she joked.
"Plus I'm sure you miss toying with my hair" he said cockily.
"Just as much as you miss flirting with me" said Victoire, lightening up. She stood right across Teddy, it looked as if she were threatening him.
"Excuse me, but I believe it was you who was flirting with ME" said Teddy with a sly grin. He was clearly intoxicated by Victoire at this point yet for some strange reason, he still had control over himself, but he just didn't want it.
"Tsss, I bet you couldn't even name one way" said Victoire. She really did miss Teddy being like this, but there was something more. Something more that quite possibly is a hazard to themselves.
"Like this" said Teddy, taking Victoire's hand and placing it on top of his head. For a moment, he knew she tried to jerk her hand away. Why wouldn't she? After all they've been through the past few days, but surprisingly, she actually ran her fingers through his hair instead. "See, you're flirting with me right now"
"Really now?" she added. "Hmm, I don't notice… besides, you're completely guilty as well"
"…… ooh, I'm shaking in my pants" he said walking closer. They were practically a breath away. "Do tell"
Victoire placed her other arm around his neck as she rested her head against his chest. Their breathing became heavy. They didn't want another replay of four days ago but there was only so much a person could resist.
"Teddy, I lov-"
"Shut up" he whispered, his expression was fathomless. He lowered his head and kissed her. He held her tighter and moved with ease. His hand was resting on the small of her back while his other was at the back of her head, angling her every step of the way. Victoire's mind froze. The truth was, she did love toying with Teddy's hair—and she did just that.
As a result of intoxication and sinful attraction, kissing was hungrier beyond usual. If anyone saw what they were up to in that compartment, their eyeballs would have fallen out. The train started making its way out of the platform which caused quite some turbulence in the train. The two, who were literally "tongue tied" against the glass window, fell down on the seats. Victoire was nestled on top of Teddy as they kissed heavily. They were constantly squirming, wrapped in each other. Teddy threw in a few puns in between breaths about the irony of French kissing a French kisser.
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Neville Longbottom was whistling as he made it back to the compartment. A whole 10 minutes and he still hasn't found any misbehavior. It was a good day for him. Neville was much more comfortable with himself now. He wasn't shy and introverted Neville, he was cool and easygoing. He strutted on towards the compartment and slid the door open.
"Oh Merlin" said Neville who was dumbstruck. Right before his very eyes was Victoire Weasley, sitting on Teddy's lap, facing him, with her arms tightly locked around him. She looked completely disheveled especially with the buttons of her shirt messed up. Teddy lifted his head which was only moments ago, buried in Vee's neck. His arms were still around her back, making sure they both wouldn't fall. His shirt had only one button left intact and his hair was a mess worthy of James Potter. "Oh... I am so sorry" added the mortified Neville. He went out of the door and closed it shut. "So… uhm… I didn't know you were together" he called out from outside.
Teddy and Vee stared at each other, mortified at the fact they were just caught smack in the middle of a hot and heavy make-out session. They tried fixing themselves up and realized they toppled over quite a bunch of stuff inside.
"Professor, we are so sorry-" said Teddy trying to straighten himself up.
"No, no! I was just taken aback! Had I known any better I would have left earlier ha-ha… or stayed longer... ha-ha…" declared Neville awkwardly. He didn't know how to deal with these situations! He was a father of two children who were younger than eight. "I know it's normal for you teenagers to go through these changes in life" he said gulping.
"It was so improper of us…" said Victoire. OH SHIT was all she thought off.
"You know, children… if I could call you that" said Neville, feeling the walls closing down on him. This felt just like his first Herbology class. "This is common, yes, but remember, adolescence is a crime yet abstinence is sublime! Haha"
"Oh no, no, no…" said Victoire picking up the scattered jellybeans. "It's nothing like that"
"Oh! Not that THAT kind of thing… what I meant to say was-" said Neville, feeling like his vision started blurring. "Harry and Ginny, in their sixth year, were quite the couple. I was a witness, unfortunately, to some of their escapades in the broom cupboard and as well at the Gryffindor common roo-"
"Things I'm sure I don't need to hear" said Teddy, buttoning himself up.
"They were, yes, all over each other if I do say so myself, but I am sure that they waited a few more years and kapoof they had James. There is a right place and a right time for-"
"No, Prof, you clearly don't understand" said Teddy opening the door in a feeble attempt to stop Neville from divulging any further details.
"No, I do" said Neville, entering the compartment, examining it slightly. "I just want you to understand that these physical actions are not the proper way of manifesting good breeding. I know you are young but as you grow older-"
"Professor" said Teddy sternly. "Y-You know that Victoire is a veela, right? AND as you said, there will always be a slight physical attraction between such stupid young members of the youth like us. This has never ever happened before! I have never encountered this situation in my sixteen years of existence and mind you, I intend for it never to cross my path again."
"Spoken like a true gentleman… but how do I know you're not pulling my arm… head… ear?"
"Professor," added Victoire, clearly shaken by the events that just unfolded. "Teddy and me, it's completely platonic--- we're practically related!" she declared uneasily. "Besides, like what he said, whatever just happened was because of me being a veela… As much as I would like to change that for your convenience, I cannot"
"Nor can I change being a metamorphmagus. Call it a curse I have to live with--"
"Say no more, children of Gryffindor!" said Neville who felt the pang of guilt seeping through his core. "I merely wanted to clear things out! No harm done! You seem to have quite a grip on yourselves and I am sure everyone wouldn't want you to change one bit."
"We were victims of an unfortunate circumstance" said Teddy, groveling for Neville's pity.
"Yes, well, of course then" said Neville, running out of breath. "…need… air"
"Prof, you alright?" said Teddy, clutching Neville. "You're… purple"
"…In...haler" wheezed Neville. He didn't want to have a fainting spasm in front of his students, again.
"Oh, for the love of Godric" said Victoire. She snagged the inhaler with orange and purple fumes whizzing about.
"Excuse me, I think I need to vomit" said Neville standing up shakily. Teddy tried to help him but he shrugged him off. "'m fine! I could manage! Excuse me…" said Neville slamming the door shut as he made his way out of the compartment.
"I think we make a pretty damn good pair. You think we should follow him?" sighed Teddy, straightening out his shirt.
"I think so," said Victoire, standing up from the cushion seats. Teddy placed his hand on the door, intending to push it open but Victoire stopped him. "There's something I need to know first…"
"What is it?"
"When you said this was all because of my veela instincts, did you mean it?" she said looking down.
"When you said we were clearly platonic, did YOU mean it" stated Teddy. Without another word, the two made their way out of the door then into the corridor where Neville was down on his knees surrounded by the putrid orange liquid that was his lunch.
