With regret I'm willing to bet and say the older you get
It gets harder to forgive and harder to forget
It gets under your shirt like a dagger at work
The first cut is the deepest but the rest still flipping hurt
You build your heart of plastic
Get cynical and sarcastic
And end up in the corner on your own
Ever the chase to taste the kiss of bliss
That made your heart tingle
Cause I'd love to feel love but I can't stand the rejection
I hide behind my jokes as a form of protection
I thought I was close but under further inspection
It seems I've been running in the wrong direction
-Passenger
Victoire groaned, falling back on her bed. "What was I thinking?"
"That you've been in love with this guy since you could walk and kissing him wouldn't be so bad." Sienna shrugged. "But that's just a guess."
"Of course I love—" she paused. "Never mind."
Sienna's eyes widened. "Holy cricket! You do love him!"
"Shhh!" Victoire waved her wand, closing her bedroom door.
"I can't believe you finally admitted how you feel about Teddy!"
Victoire sat up. "I didn't admit anything. And if you tell anybody I will kill you."
Sienna rolled her eyes. "Why are you so scared to admit the truth? And don't say it's because of Skylar, because, trust me, she's over him."
Victoire bit her lower lip. "He's my best friend."
"And?"
"What happens when we break up? Things would never be the same."
Sienna raised her eyebrows. "You don't know that. And what makes you think you'll break up?"
Victoire hugged her pillow. "I hope I didn't get his hopes up that something will happen."
"You really need to be talking to Teddy. Not me." Sienna sat down beside her. "So…how was the kiss?"
Victoire sighed. "Perfect. Godric, I hate this! Why does he have to be such a damn good kisser?"
Sienna laughed.
"Morning, Finn! Morning, Grace! Morning, Luke!" Teddy looked around the garden dreamily. "Isn't this place beautiful? The weather's lovely today, isn't it?"
Grace and Luke stared at him. "Okay, what the hell are you on?" Luke finally demanded.
Teddy laughed. "Nothing."
Grace gave Finn a questioning look. "He and Vic kissed last night," Finn revealed.
"Damn it!" Luke cursed. "I owe Skylar five galleons."
Grace stared at Teddy in shock. "No way."
Snow slowly started to fall. Finn glanced up in annoyance. "Snow again? I miss the sun."
"Why are we talking about the weather?" Grace gasped. "Teddy, tell us everything!"
Finn groaned. "If I have to hear this idiot tell the story one more time…"
Melissa walked into the kitchen. Skylar had a large mug of coffee in her hands, large shades covering half her face, and a miserable pout. "You're hungover," Melissa said angrily.
Skylar ignored her and took a sip of her coffee.
Melissa sighed and shook her head. "I'm not even going to yell at you."
Skylar gritted her teeth. "You have no right to yell at me."
"You're underage," Melissa said stonily. "You're not supposed to be drinking! If Dad knew..."
"And you didn't ever drink when you were my age?" Skylar snapped.
"Not when I was fifteen! Skylar, you're still just a kid!"
"Can you please stop talking? The sound of your voice is giving me a migraine."
Melissa clenched her fists. "Happy New Year, Skylar," she finally said. "That's a great way to start the new year...hungover and miserable."
"Knock knock!" Victoire said, popping her head into the kitchen. When she saw Skylar, she burst into laughter. "I told you not to do those shots."
Melissa mumbled a hello to Victoire before stalking away.
"I really hate her," Skylar said.
Victoire glanced at Melissa's retreating figure. "Don't mind her. Come on, Sienna's waiting outside. We're going to go get lunch in Diagon Alley. Want to come with?"
Skylar took off her sunglasses and narrowed her eyes at Victoire. "What's up, Vic?"
"What?"
"You have that guilty look on your face."
Victoire scoffed. "Do not."
"Vic," Skylar said sharply. "I'm so not in the mood to play games."
"I kissed Teddy last night," she blurted out before covering her mouth. "I'm sorry."
Skylar grinned. "Yes! Bishop owes me five galleons! I told him I knew you better than he did."
Victoire frowned. "Wait what?"
"Nothing. Just a bet. Now, what did you want to tell me? What'd you do that was so bad?" Skylar crossed her arms expectantly.
"That's it," Victoire said, thunderstruck.
Skylar stared at her. "Seriously? That's it?"
"Aren't you mad?"
"Why would I be mad?" Skylar winced. "And can you bring your voice down just a little."
"Skye, I snogged your ex-boyfriend!"
"Who you've been in love with since before you could even talk. Besides, I'm over him."
"Because of Josh?"
Skylar frowned. "Josh?"
"You two spent all night together. You're going on a date next weekend…ring any bells? Merlin, how much did you drink last night?"
Skylar smiled. "No, I remember. I just like hearing about it."
Victoire rolled her eyes and grabbed her hand. "Let's go."
"Wait! Does this mean you and Teddy are together now?"
"Godric no!"
"Vic!"
"What?" Victoire demanded, preparing herself for an argument.
Sienna stomped inside. "What is taking so long? Do you two know how cold it is outside?"
Skylar looked at Sienna. "Victoire's being stupid."
"I'm not being stupid! I just don't want to ruin our friendship. It took me and Teddy a long time to get back to what we had before. I'm not ruining it again. I'm not losing him again!"
Sienna blinked. "You really need to see that therapist again."
Skylar giggled. Victoire huffed. "Let's just go to lunch and talk about something else…like how Sienna still hasn't told Finn about the tour."
"What?" Skylar gasped. "S!"
Sienna bit her lip guiltily. "I'm sure I'll tell him at some point sooner or later."
Skylar rolled her eyes. "Why are the two of you so afraid of love?"
"Who said anything about love?" Victoire demanded.
"Hey, I do not love Findley!" Sienna snapped. "I have Michael, remember?"
"Then why haven't you told him about the tour yet?" Skylar asked. "It's because you're going to miss him so much, you're scared you'll want to stay." She turned to look at Victoire. "And why are you so scared to be with Teddy? And don't use me as an excuse. I already gave you my blessing."
"Let's just go to lunch," Victoire said, leading them out the front door.
"Good idea," Sienna said.
"You two are in denial!" Skylar called after them.
"So, have you started packing yet?" Victoire asked.
"For school?" Sienna asked.
"No, for the tour."
Sienna's smile faded. "Oh. That."
"S, are you not excited to go?" Skylar frowned.
"No, I am…it's just…I'm going to be gone a really long time. And it's my final year at Hogwarts. I just always imagined spending my last few months with my friends."
"Well, can't you put off the tour?"
"Not according to my mum," Sienna said bitterly.
Skylar frowned. "Why do you listen to her? I mean, you're seventeen now. You can do whatever you want."
"My mum hated it when I gave up the modeling. Ever since I got that tour, she's been really supportive. We've been getting along so much better and she's been giving me all this advice and handling all the hard stuff like the contracts. I don't know what I'd do without her. She's been a huge help and really supportive."
"S, you can't buy your mum's love with modeling contracts and tours. It shouldn't have to work that way." Victoire set down her fork. "Your mum should be there for you no matter what."
Skylar nodded. "If my mum were still alive, I would hope she loved me for me and not for my fame."
"I'm not famous yet," Sienna said. "With her help, though, maybe one day I could be."
Victoire shook her head. "I just wish she treated you better."
"Well, not everybody has a perfect family like you, Vic."
"S, that's not what she meant!" Skylar said.
Sienna glared at both of them. "Can we please just talk about something else? I'm doing this tour no matter what you say. Okay, it'll make my mum happy and it's an amazing opportunity."
"Fine," Victoire and Skylar said.
"Fine," Sienna muttered.
Victoire stared at her empty trunk.
"We're leaving tomorrow morning and you still haven't packed?" Teddy said from the doorway.
Victoire jumped. "Teddy! You scared me."
He grinned. "Sorry."
Victoire sighed, closing her trunk. "I've been stalling…"
"Not ready to go back to Hogwarts?" he asked.
"Are you kidding? Do you remember what your O.W.L year was like?"
Teddy winced. "Don't remind me."
"So…what are you doing here?" she asked nervously, tucking her hair behind her ear.
"I just thought we should talk."
"About what?"
Teddy gave her a look. "Vic."
"I know. I know." She plopped down onto her bed. "I'm surprised it took you this long to come see me."
"Well, I figured you needed some time." He sat down beside her. "Was the kiss really that bad?"
Victoire laughed. "Of course not. It was…really great."
"Better than Joshua Burke?" he asked bitterly.
"I don't know. You want me to kiss Joshua Burke and find out?"
Teddy grinned. "No need. I already know I'm better."
She laughed. "You're so full of it."
"So...since the kiss was great and all and it made you buckle at the knees—"
"I don't think that's what I said," Victoire told him.
Teddy ignored her. "—I'm sensing you'll want to do it again."
"That kiss shouldn't have happened," she told him gloomily.
He gave her a serious look. "Vic…you asked me to kiss you, remember?"
"I know."
"Do you regret it?"
She hesitated.
"And there's my answer," Teddy muttered.
Victoire turned to face him, taking his hand. "Teddy, you mean so much to me—"
"Not enough, obviously."
Victoire bit her lower lip. "I love you."
"I know. And I love you too, Vic, but—"
She shook her head. "No, Teddy. I'm in love with you."
He blinked, staring at her. "Oh." He frowned. "And that's a problem?"
"Yes! Teddy, we didn't talk for a year and it was the worst year of my life. We work as friends. I don't want to lose that."
Teddy stared at her. "So you don't want to be with me because you don't want to lose me? Right, that makes complete sense."
Victoire sighed. "What happens when we break up, Teddy?"
"What makes you think we will?"
"What makes you think we won't?"
Teddy glared at her. "I'm trying to think positive."
"And I'm trying to think realistically!"
"Do you go into every relationship thinking about the break up?" He squeezed her hand. "Vic, love, you ever think about seeing that therapist again?"
She smacked him. "Will people stop saying that!"
He laughed. "Vic, if you want to be friends we can keep being friends. Just know that, I haven't given up on you and I won't any time soon."
Victoire closed her eyes. "Why do you have to say things like that?
He grinned smugly. "You said you loved me."
She shook her head grimly. "I knew I was going to regret saying that."
He leaned in, kissing her gently. Victoire groaned. "Damn it, Teddy."
"Shh," Teddy said, cupping her face in his hands as he kissed her. His kisses were soft and gentle, almost hesitant. It was as if he were afraid she was something so fragile that he might break her or hurt her. He moved his hands back, allowing them to run through her hair and trail down her back. Victoire was the one who picked up the pace. She intensified the kiss, smacking her lips harder against his. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her body against his. Victoire was impatient and eager. She had waited years to be able to kiss Teddy like this. Her heart raced at the feel of his hot breath against hers.
"VICTOIRE!" Fleur shouted from downstairs.
The pair of them flew apart, embarrassed. "Your bloody family," Teddy muttered, "has the worst timing."
Victoire grinned. "WHAT?" she called back.
"We're leaving early tomorrow morning! You better have finished packing!" Fleur warned.
Victoire rolled her eyes. "Yeah, Mum, I finished ages ago!" she lied.
Teddy raised his eyebrows and glanced at the empty trunk behind them. "Liar!" he whispered.
"Well, you're the one distracting me!" Victoire said with a small smile.
He grinned. "Well, that's true."
Her laughter turned into a groan. "Teddy, that kiss wasn't supposed to happen again!"
"Well, I can be very persuasive."
"Oh, shut up."
Teddy stood up, taking his wand out of his pocket. "Do you need any help?"
"Go for it," she muttered, motioning toward the empty trunk.
"My grandmother taught me this one…although, I'm not very good at the household and cleaning spells. I don't do it as neatly as she does." Teddy cleared his throat before waving his wand. All around them, Victoire's clothing began to swirl around the room. Her socks and shirts hovered over the truck for an instant before flopping down into it.
"You're right. You're not very neat," Victoire muttered as her books crammed themselves inside the trunk.
"But it gets the job done," Teddy said, closing the top.
She blinked. "And I'm done packing?"
"All done."
She sighed. "I've gotta ask Mum to teach me those house spells."
"They're a lifesaver," Teddy said with a nod.
Victoire gave him a small smile. "What are we going to do now?"
"I rather liked the kissing…"
She couldn't help but laugh. "Teddy, I'm serious."
He sighed and leaned down to kiss her forehead. "I love you, Vic. That's not really a secret anymore. Whenever you're ready to stop being scared and admit that you want to be with me too, you can come find me."
Victoire watched him walk out of her room. "Bugger," she muttered. Downstairs, she could hear Teddy talking to her parents. After a few moments, the door opened and closed and all their voices faded away. He was gone.
