A/N: I'm really sorry for the slow updates as of lately. Been so busy trying to find jobs since I'm graduating that I've been too preoccupied to settle down and actually write. I just haven't been into it, even though I know what I want to write about, I just couldn't bring myself to actually type it out. But today, I finally had some time and guess what, it might have taken a few hours to write the next chapter but it was well worth it. Just so you know, it wasn't this chapter that took so long to write, I've had this one saved for a while but I didn't want to post up my reserves so quickly if I didn't have a chapter in the works; that's just how I update.
Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns Harry Potter.
Chapter 21
After the surprise news that Millicent had sprung on her, Victoire decided to head home and unpack; she had decided to go straight to the office because she really did believe that there was an emergency. Victoire charmed the suitcase to unpack itself while she walked into the shower. The warm water pouring down her body eased her tense muscles, easily relaxing her. It had been so inviting that she lost track of time. It was only when she felt her fingers shriveling up like prunes that she finally got out of the shower.
She walked out to her living room with a robe and a towel over her head. She didn't really know what she was going to do for the rest of the day. Victoire didn't exactly need to go back to work for another week, although it would be smart if she started on the wedding dress. However, she decided she would give herself the night off and start tomorrow; right now, she was enjoying the tranquil environment too much to do anything else. She slumped further down onto her couch before she remembered the large pile of unread letters that were currently stacking up on the table.
Victoire sighed before flicking her wand, which caused the letters to zoom across the room before landing on her hand. She quickly sorted through the letters, separating the business letters from the personal letters. Unfortunately for her, most of the letters were business and she was dreading it already. Fortunately, there were some personal letters which she actually enjoyed receiving. Victoire saw one letter from her parents and another from Louis. She suddenly smiled even brighter when she came across the last letter, it was from Lucas.
Victoire was excited to read Lucas' letter so she save it for last. She ripped open the other two letters and quickly read them over. Her parents had written to make sure she was home safe and to tell her to visit soon. Her brother's letter was to apologize for not being able to visit France when she was there. However, the more she read, the more she became excited. Louis had written to tell her that to make it up to her, he was going to visit her in America some time this week. She jumped off of her couch and unbeknownst to her, she had dropped the letter from Lucas, which fell under the couch.
She immediately rushed into her room to change; she hadn't seen Louis for a few years now but she knew someone who hadn't seen him for even longer, Teddy. Victoire imagined it would be a surprise for the both of them to see each other, after all, Louis always looked up to Teddy. She decided to apparate over to Teddy's flat to tell him the good news instead of writing a letter; she hadn't seen him yet so it was as good of a time as ever to go visit him.
"Lucas?" Victoire had asked, at the same time across the room, he had called her name as well. Victoire was suddenly thrown and at the moment, was very confused at what was going on.
"You know each other?" she heard Teddy ask; he was looking at the both of them with the same surprise she had had.
It was a few seconds before Victoire had registered what he asked; she suddenly felt a deep blush creeping onto her face. This was not the way she wanted Teddy to find out who her mystery boyfriend was, especially since it seemed like he knew Lucas. She immediately ran into the first room she saw, which turned out to be Teddy's room and locked the door. She needed a few minutes to organize her thoughts. She heard questioning tones outside the room before voices were raised. She didn't actually hear anything that was exchanged; she was too busy in thought before she heard the inevitable knock. Victoire closed her eyes before drawing a deep breath, "Give me a minute."
The knocking stopped, whoever it was, was giving her the minute she asked for. She suddenly realized she was actually alone in Teddy's room. For the first time, she realized the sweet scent that resonated in the room; it was the unmistakable smell of Teddy. It was the same scent she smelled when he hugged her earlier. And at that moment, for just a second, she had forgotten about everything, that is until Teddy introduced her to Lucas. She wrinkled her nose, why was it that she suddenly felt annoyed of Lucas' presence. She had been hoping to spend the evening alone with Teddy but should it have really annoyed her that there was company, especially considering the fact that Lucas was her boyfriend? Victoire quickly pushed the thought away; she was sure her minute was up so she bravely made her way to the door and unlocked it.
"Hi," Victoire said in a squeak, she didn't need to look up to see who it was, the overpowering smell of paper and ink told her immediately that it was Teddy.
"I'm sorry Vic, I didn't know," Teddy started. Victoire nodded, she was just about to say something but Teddy had continued.
"I should have killed that git," Teddy exclaimed, Victoire could see his knuckles growing white and she instantly looked up. His hair was flaming red and his expression was stony. Victoire was suddenly very confused, she was comforted by the fact that he cared about her but what exactly did Lucas say that would cause Teddy to be so mad.
Victoire furrowed her brow, "Wait, how exactly do you know Lucas?" She watched as his hand released his fingers, blood began circulating again.
"Luke is a friend from Hogwarts," he said, still maintaining his stony expression. And then it hit her; she had remembered Teddy writing to her years ago about his new friends, one of them was named Luke. He had thrown her off when he introduced himself as Lucas.
Victoire formed an O with her mouth before slapping her hand on her head, "I'm so stupid!"
Teddy pulled her hand off softly, "No, it's not you. Luke is an arse." Victoire looked up at him again, why was it that Teddy kept calling his friend such bad names.
"What exactly did Luc…Luke tell you?" Victoire asked in a suspicious tone, in her mind he had yet to do anything wrong to give such a sour impression on Teddy.
For the first time Teddy broke his stony exterior and looked away, "Everything." Victoire stood there, still confused at what was going on. There was nothing that could be deemed as a big deal, they had only gone out for around two or three weeks and didn't really do anything aside from a few dates and some snog sessions.
"Is that why you came tonight?" Teddy asked, snapping her out of her thoughts.
She began to speak but he cut her off, "You wouldn't tell me anything about it but when he dumps you, you come running to me!" Teddy was getting louder and louder and it seemed like his anger was no longer directed on Luke but at her. But for the moment, she didn't take heed to his volume; the only thought that was running through her head was what he had just said. "Dumped her?" she thought, they haven't even talked for a week, when exactly had Luke dumped her.
"Dumped me?" Victoire said, her voice suddenly growing as well. "Are you so mad that I didn't tell you about Luke that you have to make stuff up to get back at me? And if you are going to make stuff up, at least come up with something better. How the fuck did I get dumped without even knowing it!" Her face grew hot, she was afraid her veela temper was going to erupt so she smartly removed herself from Teddy's presence. Victoire threw open the door before she apparated away.
Teddy's POV
He had just watched Victoire run into his room before she locked the door. Teddy immediately zoned in on Luke, "You better have something to tell me."
"Look mate, I didn't know she was your friend," Luke said in a defensive tone.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Teddy asked.
"She's the girl I've been seeing," Luke answered. And for some reason, Teddy immediately felt like pouncing on his friend. With everything that was going on with Luke from which he found out from Olivia, he was annoyed that his friend would seek to bring someone else into his broken life, especially if that someone was Victoire.
Luke held his two hands up, "Look if its any consolation, I already broke it off with her." If Teddy didn't think he could get any angrier, he did. As much as it relieved him that they were no longer seeing each other, it pained him think that Victoire didn't feel she could tell him about Luke until it had actually ended.
"Get out," Teddy said in a deadly tone. Luke didn't have any second thoughts and zoomed out of the flat. When Teddy composed himself to face Victoire, he walked over to his bedroom door and knocked. He could have easily used his wand to unlock the door but he knew he should wait to let her open it herself.
"Give me a minute," he heard her mumble. It felt like an hour before she finally opened the door when in reality, it was probably a little over a minute.
"Hi," she whispered, she didn't look up at him, which only confirmed what Luke had told him.
However, no matter how mad he was, he knew she was probably sad about the break up so he approached with caution, "I'm sorry Vic, I didn't know." But his anger got the better of him, "I should have killed that git."
"Wait, how exactly do you know Lucas?" she asked.
Teddy suddenly remembered that he never did get around to a proper introduction, "Luke is a friend from Hogwarts."
Victoire must have put the pieces together because she slapped her hand onto her head, "I'm so stupid!"
He couldn't help but sympathize, he pulled her hand off of her face, "No, it's not you. Luke is an arse."
"What exactly did Luc…Luke tell you?" she asked in a suspicious tone. He concluded that she must have been guarded, the fact of the matter was, he had heard everything from Luke and not her. She was probably wary about what her ex might have said about her.
"Everything." Teddy said as he looked away.
"Is that why you came tonight?" Teddy asked when he suddenly remembered she had yet to tell him anything. And all the anger started pouring in again, "You wouldn't tell me anything about it but when he dumps you, you come running to me!"
"Dumped me?" Victoire said, her voice suddenly growing as well. "Are you so mad that I didn't tell you about Luke that you have to make stuff up to get back at me? And if you are going to make stuff up, at least come up with something better. How the fuck did I get dumped without even knowing it!"
Teddy suddenly became startled, Victoire was growing increasingly angry, not to mention, she seemed to have no idea what he had just been talking about. Did Luke lie to him earlier so he wouldn't get mad? According to Victoire, they were still together and in his gut, he knew she would never lie to him. This caused his stomach to twist into a hundred knots. And before he knew it, Victoire pushed past him and swung the door open before he heard the loud pop that indicated she had apparated away.
"Shit!" Teddy muttered to himself. He just made himself look like a fool. This was definitely not the way to rebuild his friendship with Victoire. He hadn't seen her in close to a month and in one night, he managed to embarrass her, anger her and accuse her of something she didn't do just because he was jealous. He kicked the box on the floor and threw a pillow across the room. "I'm going to kill Luke!" he yelled before he grabbed his wand and apparated.
Luke's POV
If his life wasn't bad as is, it just got a thousand times harder. He had lost his career, lost the girl of his dreams and now possibly, he might have just lost a friend. Not to mention, he just found out he also had a baby but that was the last thing on his mind. Luke had decided he wasn't going to pursue the issue, as much as it overjoyed him that he has a baby with Olivia, he knew it wouldn't be right to drag them down with him. He was in an all time low and he wasn't going to burden them with his childish acts.
Last week, he had decided once and for all to end the short relationship he had developed with Victoire. He was in no shape to start a relationship with someone, and even though it felt good to be with her, it just wasn't right to drag her along if his heart wasn't in it. It's not to say that he wasn't interested in Victoire, it was just that she wasn't right for him. So he had decided to take the coward's way out and wrote her a letter telling her he was breaking up with her. It was easier this way, or at least until he found out what a small world they lived in.
Luke thought about how awkward it was, Victoire was actually Ted's best friend. She was the same girl his friend had talked endlessly about while they were at Hogwarts, and she was also the one who he had seen Ted kiss at the beginning of first year. Luke chuckled at the thought; he had to have picked the one girl who was off limits. Not that Ted ever admitted it, but Luke had always suspected something. However, things changed as they grew and when he noticed Ted and Victoire had lost touch, he pushed the thought away.
Luke approached the front desk to retrieve his key for the suite he was renting out. "Hi, can I get the key for Taylor, Luke?" Luke asked. The concierge checked over her records before she handed him a key card. Just as he left, she called out to him again.
"Excuse me Mr. Taylor, you have a message from a…"she started, checking over the records again. "Yes, you have a message from a Mrs. White, would you like to take it?"
Luke was surprised; he had not expected her to approach him first. In fact, he was hoping he didn't have to run into her at all, which is why he had asked Ted to stay at his place. As much as he wanted to talk to her, to see her, to tell her he still loved her, he wasn't sure if he had the strength to walk away from her again afterwards.
"Mr. Taylor?" the concierge asked again.
Luke snapped out of his thoughts, "Just delete it."
"Are you sure?" the woman asked. Luke nodded before she attended to his request.
A/N: What a mess I made xD But don't worry, things will get sorted out...eventually. I'm having a lot of fun writing this story and I hope you are enjoying it as well. Please leave a review/comment if you can.