Author's Note

Guest:Thanks for your review! I'm sorry I took so long!

Guess what! I'm back. Yay!

I should probably tell you. I have exams coming up… I would update more… I am not that evil… I know I haven't updated in more than a month. Sigh. I'm sorry. ( : : ) here. Have a cookie!

Right. Here it is!

Victoire sighed. "About what?"
"You know about what. You should go home. Your parents are worried." Kingsley told her.

"I don't care about my parents! They ruin everything!"
"Running away is not the way."

"Running away is the only way they notice me not being there?"

"That is not true, Victoire, and we both know it."

Victoire groaned, rolled her eyes and headed upstairs to the guest room she was using. She laid on the floor when an owl reached her. She had received loads of them during time, most of them were of her family pleading her to go back. Vic gave her family two last chances, as she opened the owl.

Vic,

I don't know if you heard what happened. I really have no idea. But please, please, please. Come back home. Your father needs you.

Love,

Molly.

Victoire rested her head against the palm of her hand. She closed her eyes. "Is it really worth it?" she whispered to herself.

She knew that answer. So she got up, and very slowly made her bags, then walked to Kingsley. "I'm going home." She announced.

The old man nodded. "I am glad you found reason, Victoire."

And so she did.

It was early evening when she appeared on her doorstep. Victoire stared at the door, taking deep breaths. The air smelled of rain and grass, and the pale blue was slowly fading to a pale purple. She bit her lip, hesitated and knocked. There was a scramble of noise and she saw her mother in front of her. Vic bit her lip and looked down, ashamed. She expected to be shouted at, to never hear the end of it. What she did get though, were a lot of tears and hugs and thanks to God. She was fairly sure that was worse, for she felt guilt churn painfully inside of her.

Bill had taken her on his knees and refused to let go of her, after dinner. It took him about one hour to convince an over-excited Louis to go to sleep. Fleur took her by the side after her husband and her son had gone to bed.

They sat silently, Victoire held a burning cup of tea in her hands, but she did not mind how hot it was. Fleur pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Thank God you're home." She whispered. "Ma chérie, j'étais tellement peur pour vous…" (My darling, I was so scared for you...)

"Je suis maman désolée ... I. .. Je ne sais pas ce que je pensais ... Je t'aime. Je suis de retour maintenant. Je suis désolé." (I'm sorry Mum... I... I don't know what I was thinking... I love you. I'm back now. I'm sorry.) Victoire murmured, in French.

Fleur smiled a little tearfully and kissed her forehead. "Vous êtes ici maintenant, ma chérie. C'est ce qui compte." (You're here now, sweetheart. That's what matters.)

Victoire looked at her mother and flung her arms around her neck.

Fleur hugged her back tightly. "Oh, my baby…" she murmured. "It's okay, it's okay. You're safe. You're safe."

"I'm sorry." Vic sobbed, holding onto her mother. "I'm sorry I was mad and I was upset and I'm sorry! Please don't hate me…"

Fleur broke away from the hug, put her hands on her shoulders and knelt in front of her. "Listen to me very carefully, ma chérie. I am your mother, and you are my baby girl. Do you hear me? I love you more than you can understand, every second of your life, with a depth and a truth and a reality that no one can ever understand, not even me. You are everything my heart wants to love, and you are everything I need. You, your brother and your father. You are my whole world, and I couldn't hate you, not even if I tried in one hundred thousand years. Do you hear me, honey? I love you. I love you and nothing can ever cancel that. No matter what you do, no matter who you become, you will always be that beautiful, pink bundle they set into my arms the 2nd May of 2000. I love you, and I don't, and never will hate you. I swear to you, right here, right now. I will help you through anything you need help for, because that is what I'm here for. I love you."

Victoire bit her lip and nodded, wiping away the tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand. She stared at her mother, all the beauty of youth had faded away, the one they showed her in pictures. But in that moment, Vic thought she was more beautiful than ever. Even though her blonde hair was flecked with silver, here and there, as age had given her its sign. Even though wrinkles were starting to appear on her face that once had had flawless features, she could hardly imagine something with more power and beauty than the look Fleur was giving her. That was her most beautiful part of her, her eyes. They were dark blue, like the sky during twilight, and they were alive with so much, that it made Vic feel sure she could conquer the world, just because her mother believed in her.

Victoire hugged her silently, and they stayed hugging for a long while, neither wanting to let go of the other.

That night, she crept out of her bed and slipped into her parents' one. Neither of them told her to leave as they would've done otherwise, she had her head on her mother's shoulder and her father hugged her with one arm, stroking her hair with the other. The three of them didn't sleep until Louis crept into the bed with them and wriggled his way in. No one complained, not daring to let go of each other. Family was more important than sleeping comfortably. And that night, it was more important than ever.

It was about 7 am when Louis yawned, sitting up. "Mummmmmmmmm." He shook his mother. "Let's go play ball!"

The other three Weasleys groaned all together.

"Shut it, Louis." Vic mumbled, cuddling against her Mum.

Fleur sighed. "Go back to sleep, ma chérie."

"No!" Louis complained. "I haven't slept… at all! Vicky is too big and I couldn't sleep very well!"

Victoire felt a hint of a smile on her lips. "Are you telling me I'm fat?" she teased, wiggling her fingers, a mischievous glint lighting up her eyes.

"Yes…" Louis looked at her, a grin spreading on his face as he went backwards.

Vic started crawling towards him, an almost identical grin on her lips. "Ah really?"

"Nooo!" Louis giggled, running out the door.

Victoire followed after him, laughing.

Fleur and Bill lay in bed, hugging and smiling as they heard their children's exhilarated laughter and shrieks from the garden.