I don't wanna hold you if you wanna go
And I'm not gonna make you feel love if you don't
I would rather learn what it feels like to burn than to feel nothing at all

You have faded my reality like leaves that turn to dust
Fell asleep inside a fantasy and woke up feeling lost
Now I'm terrified and restless but I just cannot escape
I wish you had words to cool this fever that is killing me

What do I say? What do I do?
To show you all the ways my heart is slowly shattering for you
What do I say? What do I do?

I don't wanna hold you if you wanna go and I'm not gonna make you feel love if you
Don't
I would rather learn what it feels like to burn than to feel nothing at all
I don't wanna hold you if you wanna go and I'm not gonna make you feel love if you
Don't
I would rather learn what it feels like to burn than to feel nothing at all

-Ron Pope


Teddy tugged at his collar nervously. Finn and Luke were talking to him, but Teddy's mind was far from their conversation. Any minute now, Victoire would be walking through the front door.

"I'm just saying the reason Bates even scored was because I hit that bludger toward Marbry!" Finn said.

Luke raised his eyebrows. "Oh, please. I'm the one that signaled for you to do that!"

"I would've known to do it even if you didn't signal me!" Finn snapped.

"Sure," Luke said dubiously.

"I would have!"

"Yeah, alright," Luke said lightly, clearly not believing him.

"Tell him I would have, Teddy!" Finn said furiously, appealing to his best friend.

Teddy, who had only been half-listening, glanced at them. "Erm…"

"Luke, I don't think he's listening to us," Finn said, insulted.

"Can you blame him," Luke muttered, pointing to the front door.

Finn swiveled around to see what Teddy had been distracted by. Victoire. She had just walked into the Burrow, beaming as she hugged her grandparents.

"Victoire!" Luke shouted, waving her over.

Victoire, who had been chatting with her grandmother, looked up. When she noticed Luke, she grinned and started toward them.

Teddy froze. Finn poked him. "Don't forget to breathe, mate."

"Lucas!" Victoire said happily before throwing her arms around him. "How are you?"

"Not bad," Luke replied. "I missed you."

"Hey, my turn," Finn said, holding his arms out for her.

Victoire grinned and hugged him. Once she released Finn, she turned to Teddy and paused. "Hello, Teddy."

"Victoire," Teddy said curtly.

She smiled hesitantly at him. "It's good to see you."

He nodded. "Yeah, you too."

There was an awkward pause.

"Victoire, come here!" Victoire glanced back, looking for who had shouted for her. She looked back at the guys. "I should go make the rounds…"

Luke nodded encouragingly. "Yeah, go ahead. Come find us later."

"Yeah, definitely," Victoire murmured before leaving.

"Smooth," Finn snorted, turning to face Teddy.

"Shut up," Teddy muttered.

Luke shook his head. "You won't win her back by making an arse out of yourself like that every time she comes around."

Teddy gave them filthy looks. "Who says I even want her back?"

"Mate, come on," Finn said quietly.

"She's moved on!" Teddy said furiously. "With that Omar bloke! I don't give a rat's arse anymore."

"You haven't even been on a date since you and Vic broke up," Luke said.

Finn nodded. "It's been months, mate."

Teddy shook his head. "I need alcohol," he muttered before wandering off to go find a drink.


When Grace finally arrived at the Burrow, the party was in full swing. The backyard was packed with people and it was almost impossible to walk through the house.

"Wow, big party," Will muttered, clutching Grace's hand so he wouldn't lose her in the crowd.

"The Weasleys are quite popular," Grace told him as she led him outside.

"Gracie, congratulations!" Hermione was walking toward her, beaming. "I hear you're engaged!"

Grace held up her hand, showing off the diamond ring on her finger. "Yep!"

"And this is the lucky young man?" Hermione asked, her eyes seeking the bloke beside Grace.

"Hermione, this is my fiancé, William." Grace introduced them.

"Nice to meet you," Will said, shaking Hermione's hand enthusiastically.

"Hermione, your son is throwing up!" Ron shouted from somewhere in the distance. "I may have let him eat too many chocolate frogs."

"Never have kids," Hermione muttered before shaking her head and walking off to go find her sick son. "Hugo!" she called concernedly.

Grace spotted Victoire and Sienna at the edge of the garden. They were sipping firewhiskeys and chatting happily. She led Will across the garden.

"There's the happy couple," Sienna said with a smile.

"Hello," Will said, shaking Sienna and Victoire's hands. "Good to see you again."

"Are you two having fun?" Victoire asked.

Will nodded. "Yeah, this party's huge!"

"We have a big family," Victoire said.

"And lots of friends," Sienna added, her eyes widening as the Prime Minister strode by.

"So, how was it?" Grace asked.

"How was what?" Victoire raised her eyebrows.

"Seeing Teddy!" Grace said impatiently.

Victoire's smile faltered. "Oh."

"He wasn't exactly friendly," Sienna told Grace and Will.

"I guess that's to be expected from your ex," Will said fairly.

Victoire sighed. "Yeah, but he was also my best friend."

"Yeah, but did you seriously think you two could go back to just friends?" Sienna said quietly.

"Well, yeah…"

"Vic," Sienna said with a small sigh. "You broke his heart."

Victoire swallowed. "Yeah, I know."

"Where's Skylar?" Grace asked suddenly.

"She went to go get a drink," Sienna replied. She eyed Grace and Will's empty hands. "You two should go get some too."

"That sounds like a good idea," Grace said, pointing inside. "Come on, Will."

As they made their way through the throngs of dancing and laughing people, Grace noticed a man with dark, curly hair. Luke was talking to Ginny Weasley, his face bright red. Grace bit back a laugh, remembering the enormous crush Luke had on Ginny.

"Grace, are you coming?" Will asked.

Grace blinked. She hadn't realized she'd stopped in the middle of the backyard to watch Luke. Luke, having heard somebody call Grace's name, looked up. His eyes met with Grace's for an instant, but then he quickly looked back at Ginny.

"Yeah, I'm coming," Grace mumbled, following Will inside.

"You want a butterbeer?" Will asked her once they reached the kitchen where all the drinks were stashed.

Grace thought about it. "Actually, I reckon I need something stronger."

"Really?" Will said, surprised. Grace hardly ever drank. "Okay, what is it that you want?"

"Marigold cocktail," a voice said from behind them.

Grace swung around and wasn't surprised to see Luke standing in the kitchen with them. She had recognized his voice instantly.

"What?" Will said blankly.

Luke cleared his throat. "It's Grace's favorite cocktail. Mainly because you can't actually taste the alcohol in it. Which by the way makes you a wimp," Luke added to Grace.

Will grinned, confused. "You know Gracie?" he guessed.

Luke nodded and stuck out his hand. "Lucas Bishop," he said, shaking Will's hand.

Will looked impressed. "Gracie, you never told me you knew somebody who played for the Chudley Cannons."

Grace found her voice finally. "Yeah, well…"

Luke stared at Grace. "I reckon he doesn't know about Finn either then?"

"As in Findley West?" Will gasped, glaring at Grace accusingly.

"You've heard me mention my friend, Finn, before," Grace said stiffly.

"But you never specified who he was!" Will exclaimed, shaking his head. "Merlin, my fiancé knows two famous Quidditch players and hardly thinks to mention it to me." He began to fix Grace's cocktail, his head still spinning.

Luke was still staring at Grace, his mouth hanging open slightly. "Anyway, it was nice to see you again, Gracie." He picked up an unopened firewhiskey from the table. "I just came to refresh my drink."

"Luke, dear, have you seen Teddy?" Grandma Weasley said as she trudged inside the kitchen. She shot Grace a warm smile. "Oh, hello, Gracie, dear."

Luke shrugged. "Teddy disappeared a while ago after Vic showed up."

Grandma Weasley sighed. "Oh, I see."

"What did you need him for?"

"Oh, I just need him to go get more drinks from the shed outside. We're starting to run low."

"I can go get them," Luke volunteered.

"Are you sure?" Grandma Weasley said.

"Yeah, it's not a problem," Luke said before taking a sip of his firewhiskey. "I'll go right now," he said before leaving the kitchen.

"Thank you, dear!" Grandma Weasley said before sauntering off as her name was called several times from outside.

Grace glanced at Will. He had just finished pouring Grace her drink and was handing it to her. "I still can't believe you never mentioned knowing Findley West and Lucas Bishop," he said, exasperated.

"Erm…yeah…I went to school with them…" She took the drink from Will. "Listen, I have to go the…erm…bathroom…I'll come find you in a little bit…"

"Okay," Will said, grabbing a firewhiskey for himself. "I'll be outside."

"Okay," Grace said, watching Will leave. She hesitated before walking out the front door and tiptoeing to the side of the house where the shed was located. The shed door was wide open and there was a light on inside.

"Luke," Grace said, stepping into the shed.

Luke glanced up at her. He was lifting up a large box full of butterbeers. "What's up, Grace?" he said.

"I need to talk to you," she said briskly.

Luke put down the box. "Yeah?"

"It's about Will."

Luke nodded. "Nice bloke."

"He is." She took a deep breath. "He doesn't know about…us."

"Yeah, I figured that much in the kitchen."

"It's just…I haven't told him yet…and I would really appreciate it you didn't mention it to him."

"That we dated?" Luke said slowly.

"Yeah."

He frowned. "Any particular reason you don't want him knowing about our past?"

"I just don't want trouble, Luke. Please." She looked at him pleadingly.

"Yeah, fine." Luke lifted the box again. "I've got drinks to bring in."

Grace stepped aside and watched him walk back to the house. He had hardly even looked her in the eye.


Victoire waved Luke over. "Where've you been?" she demanded as he came closer.

"I was just getting more drinks for your grandma," Luke replied, plopping down beside her in the grass.

Victoire pointed ahead to where Finn and Sienna were dancing. "You know, they're just kidding themselves with this friends with benefits thing."

"Tell me about it," he muttered. "It didn't work when they were at Hogwarts and it's not going to work now."

"Well, them dating didn't exactly work out either." Victoire frowned. "You know, I never really understood why the two of them broke up."

"Same reason me and Gracie had to end things," Luke said with a shrug. "Long distance. It was too much."

"Yeah, I guess you're right…"

"It was hard for Finn. He was stuck here with the Chudley Cannons and Sienna was away most of the year on tour. He couldn't exactly join her and she couldn't exactly stay here. It was easier for them to just end things, I reckon."

"That's what happened with you and Grace?" Victoire asked quietly. She'd never really known what had happened between them either.

"Grace was in Hungary for months at a time and then when that research ended, I was so happy for her to finally come home. But then they sent her to France for six months. And then Peru. She was never home and she never wanted to come home. Grace had moved on. I knew it was only a matter of time before she ended things with me." Luke took a large sip from his firewhiskey. He didn't like thinking about Grace too much.

"And the girl you've been seeing?" Victoire asked.

Luke grinned at her. "It's nothing serious. How do you even know about her?"

"I saw the two of you in a magazine grabbing dinner," Victoire said. "She's pretty."

"Yeah, she is. She's a nice girl too. We have fun together." He looked around and finally spotted Grace. She was on the opposite side of the backyard, having an animated conversation with Skylar and Will. "But she's no Gracie."

Victoire stared at him. "Have you spoken to her at all?"

"Yeah, I just talked to her in the shed."

Victoire raised her eyebrows. "In the shed?"

"She came to ask me not to mention to Will that we dated," Luke said with a humorless laugh. "She wants to act like it never happened."

"He doesn't know?" Victoire looked surprised. "Merlin, you two dated so long. I'm surprised she never mentioned it to him."

"Well, reunions, eh? I reckon they're made for awkward encounters. Me and Grace. You and Teddy. What's next? Skylar and Alexander?" He chuckled to himself.

Victoire opened and closed her mouth.

"What?" Luke demanded, noticing the look on her face.

"I think you should ask your roommate where she spent the night last night," Victoire said quietly, suppressing a smirk.

"No way!" Luke gasped. "I didn't even know she kept in touch with Alexander!"

"She didn't," Victoire muttered. "She just ran into him last night."

Luke shook his head, amazed. "Well, I guess reunions are happening everywhere."

"No kidding." Victoire looked around the packed garden. Finn and Sienna were still dancing wildly. People were starting to join them. Grace and Will were still talking to Skylar. Victoire frowned as she scanned the backyard again. "Hey, where's Teddy?"

"Hiding from you, I suppose," Luke said.

"What?" Victoire stared at him.

Luke shrugged. "He wandered away a while ago and I haven't seen him since."

Victoire sighed and stood up. "I'll be right back," she muttered. I reckon I know where he's gone off too."

"Yeah?" Luke said, unsurprised. He watched Victoire walk off. Sometimes Luke wondered how stupid Victoire could be. It was clear she wasn't over Teddy either, whether there was an Omar in the picture or not.


Up the stairs, on the second highest floor was Ron's old room. It was bright orange in dedication to the Chudley Cannons and still had posters with famous players from twenty years ago taped up to the wall. The room often gave Victoire a headache, but Teddy loved it. It's where Harry and Ron slept when they were kids at the Burrow.

Sure enough, when Victoire opened the door to Ron's room, she found Teddy inside. He was sitting at the edge of the bed with his back to the door, staring out the window at the party below him with a firewhiskey in his hand.

"You always were a bit melodramatic," Victoire said, sitting beside him. She tried not to laugh.

Teddy glanced sideways at her. "How'd you know I'd be up here?"

"You act like I haven't known you my whole life." Victoire rolled her eyes.

He didn't respond.

She sighed. "How long are you going to be mad at me for?"

There was a long pause in which Teddy didn't answer. Finally, he asked, "How long?"

Victoire blinked, confused. "Huh?"

"How long were we broken up before you jumped into bed with Omar?" He laughed humorlessly. "Or were we even broken up?"

Victoire swallowed. "You think I cheated on you?"

"You said I was being paranoid about Omar all those years…"

"You were!" Victoire said exasperatedly. "Me and Omar were friends! We worked together! Nothing happened while you and me were still together. Teddy, I swear!"

Teddy looked like he didn't believe her. "Funny how you can just jump into a relationship with him so quickly if there weren't feelings before…"

Victoire closed her eyes. "He asked me on a date and I said yes. That was the first time I even thought of him in a romantic way. And the only reason I said yes was because we had ended things!"

"Right."

"Teddy!" Victoire exclaimed, her voice cracking. "Don't you understand? That's the only way I could've moved on. If I hadn't tried to go out and live my life, I would have gone mad. I had to distract myself, to move on from you. I would've been miserable otherwise. I missed you like crazy after we broke up."

"You were able to move on pretty quickly, though," Teddy muttered.

Victoire sighed. "It surprised me how quickly I fell for Omar and how fast things happened between us, but I swear Teddy I never cheated on you."

Teddy drank from his firewhiskey. "I find that hard to believe." It was like a slap in Victoire's face.

"You really think I would do that to you? You really think I would hurt you like that?"

"Yes," Teddy said defiantly. "You've done it before."

Victoire stared at him a moment. "We're supposed to be best friends, Teddy. No matter what," she said quietly.

He looked at her, exasperated. "Are you serious? After everything we've been through. You want us to go back to just being friends?"

Victoire nodded vehemently. "Yes! We've been best friends our entire lives, Teddy! I hate not talking to you..."

Teddy shook his head. "I'm sorry, Victoire. I don't think we can ever be friends again. I can't even be in the same room as you. Sitting here right now next to you...it hurts..." He stood up and looked at her. "Listen, I can put everything aside and be cordial for Gracie. I know how important this wedding is for her. But after that…" He trailed off and glanced out the window. "I should rejoin the party…" he muttered finally.

Victoire watched him leave, a sudden lump growing in her throat. She buried her face in her hands and listened as Teddy's footsteps quickly faded away.