Year 5: Head Over Heels
Chapter 43: November 2015
The next morning, Victoire awoke to find Kara singing in the shower.
"Wow," Victoire said. "You must've had a pretty good night."
"Oh, I did," Kara confirmed as she shut off the water and emerged into the main part of the bathroom. "It was like a dream," she said, a faraway look in her eye.
Victoire smiled. "Can I assume you spend the rest of the evening with William then?" Victoire asked. After dancing with Teddy for a while, the two had left the party early and Victoire had lost track of her friends.
Kara nodded, unable to keep a smile from her face. "He wants to take me to Hogsmeade in two weeks," she said.
"Aww," Victoire said happily. "That's so sweet. Are you going to go?"
Kara nodded, almost shyly and Victoire smiled even wider.
"This is going to be your first date!" Victoire squealed.
"Yeah," Kara agreed pensively. Slowly, her expression turned from one of joy to one of worry. "But you can't tell Brianna," she said.
"Why not?" Victoire wondered. "I'm sure she'd be happy for you."
"Except for the fact that I'm going out with her ex!" Kara cried.
Victoire rolled her eyes. "He's not her ex," she insisted. "They barely went out. And besides, he was interested in you the whole time, he was just too shy to say so."
"He was?" Kara asked, her expression softening.
Victoire nodded. "Joe told me," she said.
Kara considered this. "Well either way, from Brianna's point of view, it'll be like I'm dating her ex, and she's going to see that as a betrayal."
"But technically, she kind of betrayed you first by stealing William out from under your nose," Victoire reminded her.
"That's not – " Kara started to speak, but the sound of the bathroom door opening had her stop short. "Just don't say anything, okay?" she hissed so that whoever it was wouldn't hear.
"Fine," Victoire agreed, not seeing the need for the secrecy, but wanting to abide by her friend's wishes.
"Hey," Brianna greeted the two girls as she entered the bathroom. "What're you all talking about in here?"
"Oh nothing," Victoire shrugged evasively. "This and that."
"Sure," Brianna nodded, narrowing her eyes in Victoire's direction. "I saw you and Teddy at the dance last night. You looked pretty cozy."
"Oh, yeah," Victoire agreed. "We had a great time."
"What about you Kara?" Brianna asked, cocking her head. "I didn't see much of you after agreeing to dance with Lucas."
"Oh, yeah," Kara nodded uncomfortably. "Well, you know, once you were off dancing and Victoire was with Teddy there wasn't much for me to do, so I made an early night of it."
Brianna seemed to accept this explanation as she began her morning routine of washing her face and brushing her teeth.
"Well I had a fantastic night," she declared. "Lucas is a fantastic dancer and a really spectacular kisser."
"Sounds like the two of you hit it off," Victoire noted.
"Oh, we did," Brianna nodded. "We have a date in two weeks. He's taking me to Hogsmeade."
"Oh, that's perfect!" Victoire exclaimed. She'd been wondering how they were going to hide Kara's date from Brianna and had feared that she and Teddy would have to act as buffers. But if Brianna had her own date for the trip, then Victoire and Teddy could enjoy their day together in peace.
"There's only one problem," Brianna said then. "And I'm going to need your help."
"With what?" Kara wondered.
"Well I agreed to go to Hogsmeade with Lucas," Brianna said. "But only after I agreed to go to Hogsmeade with Stanley."
"Stanley Towler?" Victoire asked, naming the other guy she'd seen Brianna dancing with at the party.
"Yeah," Brianna nodded. "And I made plans with them for the same weekend."
"Why would you do that?" Kara frowned. "Obviously you can't go to Hogsmeade with the both of them."
"Sure I can," Brianna claimed. "That's where you two come in!"
"Hold on," Victoire said, holding her hands up as she tried to wrap her head around this new turn of events. "Why would you say yes to Lucas if you were already going to Hogsmeade with Stanley?"
"Did you not hear what I said before?" Brianna frowned. "He's a spectacular kisser."
"Okay," Victoire said, not convinced that this was a good enough reason, but accepting it nonetheless. "Then why don't you just tell Stanley you can't make it?"
"Have you seen Stanley Towler?" Brianna cried. "He's gorgeous! You don't cancel a date with Stanley Towler!"
"Why not schedule the two dates on different days?" Kara wondered.
"I don't see why I'd need to," Brianna replied. "Look, I've got this all figured out. If each of you agrees to go on a double date with me and one of them, then all I have to do is split my time between them, and you can entertain them while I'm not there."
"Right," Victoire frowned. "Because that's the simpler option."
"Don't you think that's kind of deceptive?" Kara wondered.
"Well sure," Brianna nodded. "But this way, I get two dates for the price of one. And I won't have to wait until December to go out with one of them."
"So you're asking Teddy and me to babysit one of your dates while you're off with another guy?" Victoire asked, looking for clarification.
"Exactly," Brianna said. "I'm glad you understand."
Victoire shook her head and sighed loudly. "And it never occurred to you that Teddy and I might like to spend the day alone?"
"Well you spend tons of time alone," Brianna shrugged. "All I'm asking is that you give one day to help out a friend."
Victoire turned to Kara, curious to see how she was processing the information. She seemed to be struggling, Victoire figured she was probably trying to figure out how she was supposed to have her date with William, while hiding it from Brianna, but simultaneously go on a double date with Brianna and one of her dates.
But Brianna had a point too. Friends helped friends out, even when it was inconvenient for them. And with all the time Victoire had been spending with Teddy recently, she owed Brianna some of her time. Suddenly, it dawned on Victoire how she could help both her friends.
"Alright then, fine," Victoire agreed. "I'll do it. Teddy and I will double date with you and Stanley, and Kara can double date with you and Lucas."
"Thanks Victoire," Brianna said, a hint of relief in her voice. "Now all we have to do is find a date for Kara."
"Maybe Lucas has a friend he could bring," Victoire said, looking at Kara pointedly. Kara looked up and suddenly realization sparked in her eyes.
"Yeah, maybe one of his Hufflepuff buddies," she agreed.
"Perfect, I'll ask him," Brianna declared happily as she gathered her things back together and headed for the door to the dorm. "Thanks you guys, you're the best."
As soon as Brianna was gone, Kara blew out a breath and slumped against a nearby sink. "This is going to be a disaster," she groaned.
"Well unless you want to tell Brianna about you and William – " Victoire began.
"No," Kara shook her head. "She'll only be mad."
"Then it looks like this is what we're doing," Victoire sighed. "Just talk to William and have him ask Lucas if he can be your double date. You'll still get a semblance of a date – whenever Brianna is with us, it'll just be you."
"Yeah, only with Lucas tagging along," Kara sighed.
Victoire made a face, remembering that this also meant that in the same way she and Teddy would have Stanley tagging along with them.
"Look, we do this for Brianna, and then I'll find a way to give you and William a proper date without Brianna becoming any the wiser," Victoire promised.
"And what do you get out of it all?" Kara wondered.
"Nothing," Victoire replied honestly. "But I've already taken plenty of time with Teddy at the expense of you and Brianna. "I suppose now it's my turn to give to you what I've already had."
"Thanks Vic," Kara smiled. "That means a lot."
VvVvVvVvVvV
Before Victoire knew it, the weekend of the Hogsmeade trip had arrived. Though Teddy was less than enthusiastic about double dating with Brianna, he'd agreed to the ruse if it meant Victoire was doing something nice for her friend. He knew the value of friendship and wanted Victoire's friendships with Kara and Brianna to remain strong.
"So who is this guy again?" Teddy asked as he and Victoire walked down the path to Hogsmeade, hand in hand.
"His name is Stanley Towler," Victoire replied. "He's in my year, and a Ravenclaw."
"And you can't tell me anything else about him?" Teddy asked. "Stuff he likes, subjects he's good at, anything?"
"I don't really know him that well," Victoire replied honestly. "We've never run in the same circles."
"What about Brianna? She didn't tell you anything about him?" Teddy wondered.
"She told me he's attractive," Victoire shrugged. "But I already knew what he looked like."
"Excuse me?" Teddy demanded, coming to a stop.
Victoire chuckled. "I never said I thought he was attractive. I said Brianna thinks so."
"Alright, fine," Teddy said, crossing his arms. "But now I'm asking. What do you think?"
Victoire reached for Teddy, but he stood firm.
"Come on Teddy, don't be like that," Victoire pleaded. "I love you. And that makes you the most attractive man on this earth to me."
"But objectively speaking," Teddy insisted. "You're saying that he's better looking. Aesthetically."
"Not in the least," Victoire said, grabbing one of Teddy's hands and pulling them out of their crossed position. "In fact, it never would even have occurred to me to think about him like that unless Brianna had brought it up. Because I'm only ever thinking of you."
Teddy softened and allowed Victoire to reach up and kiss him firmly, to assuage any of his doubts or worries.
"Now come along," Victoire insisted, pulling him down the lane. "We don't want to be late."
VvVvVvVvVvV
Victoire and Teddy met Stanley and Brianna at the Three Broomsticks for an early lunch. Teddy, ever the gentleman, graciously introduced himself to Stanley as if he were overjoyed to be spending the day with the Ravenclaw boy.
The four sat down to lunch and enjoyed a pleasant enough, if not strained, conversation. Before long, Brianna declared her need to use the bathroom – code for the fact that her date with Lucas was about to start and she needed to go and meet him.
"I should be right back," Brianna assured everyone, hurrying to the back of the establishment, where a backdoor would let her leave the pub without being seen doing so.
"Hey, so it's really nice of the two of you to do this," Stanley said to Teddy and Victoire once they were alone. "Brianna said she was nervous about our date and that being with friends would take the pressure off."
"That's Brianna," Victoire said, putting on a fake smile. "Always the shy one, that girl."
"So tell us about yourself, Stanley," Teddy jumped in, changing the subject to ease some of Victoire's discomfort. "What subjects interest you?"
"Yeah, I'm not so into the whole academic scene," Stanley said.
"But you're in Ravenclaw," Victoire frowned, earning herself a kick in the leg from Teddy.
Stanley didn't seem to mind her comment though. "Yeah, but I consider myself more of a free spirit. There's knowledge, and then there's knowledge, you know?"
"No," Victoire shook her head, confused. "No, not really."
"It's like… some people, they take all their knowledge, and they treat it like a series of memorisable facts that they can spit back out in an exam. But me? I don't care about the details. I'm more interested in the bigger picture."
"Right," Victoire nodded, not at all sure what Stanley was talking about. "But aren't you like, near the top of the class?"
"That's because I can see the bigger picture," Stanley explained.
"Well what about clubs?" Teddy wondered, trying to divert the conversation. "Are you a part of any clubs?"
"No way," Stanley shook his head. "Clubs are narrow. They only have a single focus. I'm focused on the everything."
"The everything?" Victoire asked.
"The everything," Stanley nodded. "The bigger picture."
Victoire exchanged a skeptical look with Teddy. "Of course," she nodded.
"What about your family?" Teddy asked next, hoping this would be a safer subject. "Do you have any siblings?"
"I've got a sister, Tina," Stanley replied. "She's in sixth year, Ravenclaw as well. Have you got any siblings?"
"No," Teddy shook his head. "No, I'm an only child."
"Oh yeah?" Stanley laughed. "What was it, were you so perfect your parents didn't need another kid, or were you so terrible they couldn't handle another one?"
Victoire felt Teddy's hand tighten around hers under the table and his body stiffened next to her.
"I've got two siblings," Victoire jumped in to save Teddy from answering. "A brother and a sister. Both younger. Dominique's in her third year and Louis' in his first."
"That must be rough," Stanley shook his head. "Do you think the reason your parents kept having kids was that they were waiting for a boy? How does it feel, knowing that you let them down from the beginning at a genetic level?"
"I don't – " Victoire frowned. What was Stanley's problem? And what did Brianna see in him? Was she so blinded by his looks that she didn't see how terrible he was? "I'm going to go and check on Brianna," Victoire declared, standing up. "Will you be alright if I leave you alone for a minute?"
She directed the question at Teddy, but Stanley was the one that answered.
"Of course," he said. "Take all the time you need."
"Right," Victoire muttered, heading towards the back of the pub and then slipping out the back door while Stanley wasn't looking.
Once outside, Victoire hurried around to the front of the establishment and down the lane, wondering where Kara and Brianna could be. She knew that Brianna and Kara were meeting Lucas and William at the entrance to Hogsmeade and that they were going to do some shopping before taking a late lunch at the Three Broomsticks, so she decided to check some of the main shops near the top of the village.
She found them in Honeydukes, Lucas offering to buy Brianna a chocolate frog while Kara and William stood nearby, debating the pros and cons of sugar quills.
"Brianna!" Victoire exclaimed, grabbing her friend and pulling her away. "You need to come back now," she muttered under her breath.
"Just give me another ten minutes or so," Brianna hissed. "We're going to Scrivenshaft's next, and then I'm going to pretend to have a sudden need to visit the Apothecary, which is when I'll slip out, unnoticed."
"No, we need you back now," Victoire said. "I don't know how much longer Teddy and Stanley are going to find things to talk about. You know everything he says is either complete nonsense, or else a very misguided insult?"
"Isn't he smart?" Brianna smiled, eyes glazing over dreamily.
"Hey!" Victoire clapped her hands in front of her friend's face. "Snap out of it!"
"Sorry," Brianna shook her head. "Fine, just give me a minute."
Victoire crossed her arms and waited as Brianna informed Lucas that her friend needed her for an emergency, but that she'd be back shortly.
"You can finish up here and I'll meet back with you at Scrivenshaft's," Brianna promised.
"Alright," Lucas readily agreed.
Brianna then made eye contact with Kara and gestured with her head in Victoire's direction to indicate that she was leaving. With everything taken care of, Victoire grabbed Brianna by the hand and practically dragged her friend back to the Three Broomsticks.
"There you are," Stanley said as the two girls sat back down. "Everything all right back there?"
"Yeah," Brianna nodded. "Yeah, there was just a really long line."
Victoire shook her head at her friend's lame excuse, but didn't say anything as they finished their meal and left.
Careful not to go anywhere near Honeydukes or Scrivenshaft's, Brianna led the group to the other end of the village to start their shopping.
"Let's check out Gladrags!" Brianna suggested eagerly, pointing to the clothing store.
Victoire easily agreed, noting that Gladrags was another of their pre-agreed upon places to use as an escape.
They entered the store and then split into two groups – Brianna and Stanley going one way and Victoire and Teddy going another.
"See anything you like?" Teddy wondered as they wandered through the store.
"Ooh, yes I do!" Victoire said, coming up in front of the wall of shoes. "Look at these."
Victoire reached out and took a pair of gorgeous high-heeled shoes off the shelf, turning them over in her hand as she admired them.
"You should get them," Teddy said.
Victoire shook her head and sighed. "But where would I wear them?" she asked. "I can't wear them at school, because we have to wear the boring regulation shoes."
"At least try them on," Teddy insisted. "Go ahead."
Victoire hesitated. "Alright," she finally decided. "I'll try them on."
As she slipped her feet into the shoes, Brianna hurried over, a pile of clothes over her arm.
"Victoire," she said, grabbing her friend. "I need you to help me try these clothes on." She gave her friend a pointed look, indicating that it was time for Victoire to cover for her while she continued her date with Lucas.
"Now?" Victoire asked. Brianna had barely spent any time in the store with Stanley and already she wanted to leave.
"Well I'd stay longer," Brianna muttered so Stanley wouldn't hear, "but someone dragged me away from Honeydukes before I was ready."
"Fine," Victoire rolled her eyes, giving Teddy an apologetic look. "We'll be back."
Brianna pulled her to the back of the store where the changing rooms were and shoved her into one of the cubicles with her pile of clothes. "Okay, I'm going to find Lucas in Scrivenshaft's and then we're going to go to the Three Broomsticks for lunch. As soon as I can, I'll tell them I need to go to the bathroom, and then I'll come back."
Victoire nodded, aware of the plan, and then stood guard as Brianna slipped out the back of the shop.
With a sigh, Victoire returned to the changing room, shutting the door behind her. At least this time she didn't have to make conversation with Stanley – that would be Teddy's job. Victoire had to stay back here and pretend she was with Brianna so as not to arouse suspicion.
Flipping through a few of the articles of clothing Brianna had handed her, Victoire noticed that some of the pieces were quite cute. Deciding she might as well try a few on, Victoire pulled her shirt off, depositing it on the nearby bench, and then pulled on a pink sweater, looking at herself in the mirror.
"Victoire?" Teddy's voice came from the other side of the door as she pulled the pink sweater off and prepared to try on a blue top.
Victoire frantically pulled the blue top over her head and unlatched the door, moving aside to let Teddy in. "Is something wrong?" she asked.
"No, I – That's a really nice top, Victoire," he said, noticing the change in clothes. "And those shoes are stunning, by the way."
"I know," Victoire nodded, pouting. "Too bad I can't buy them."
"What about the top?" Teddy wondered. "Are you going to buy that?"
"I haven't decided yet," Victoire replied. "But I might. I look pretty good in it after all."
"You definitely do," Teddy nodded appreciatively.
"Did you need something?" Victoire frowned then. "Aren't you supposed to be keeping an eye on Stanley?"
"Yeah," Teddy nodded. "I just needed a break."
"What's he talking about now?" Victoire wondered, not sure she really wanted to know.
"Us," Teddy replied. "He's been asking some very personal questions about our relationship. Don't worry though, I'm not telling him anything."
"Good," Victoire said, horrified that Stanley was trying to probe into her love life. "Brianna better enjoy herself today, because this is all turning into more trouble than it's worth."
"I'm sure she's very appreciative," Teddy said, kissing Victoire gently on the forehead. "Even if she doesn't say so."
"Thanks," Victoire smiled. Teddy knew her friends so well. "Alright, now get out of here."
Teddy left, and Victoire tried on a few more pieces before changing back into her own clothes. When Brianna finally returned, Victoire purchased the blue top, leaving the heels behind, and the foursome continued their shopping through the rest of the village.
As they were coming out of Dervish and Banges, there was a loud shout, and all of a sudden, Lucas was coming towards Brianna and Stanley, a scowl on his face.
"This is where you've been all day?" Lucas cried angrily. "On a date with another guy?"
"I – I – " Brianna struggled for words. "I didn't – "
"Wait, seriously?" Stanley frowned, realization dawning on him. "You were on a date with him today too?"
"I – I – " Brianna stammered.
"We should step in," Victoire murmured to Teddy. "But I don't know how."
"I think we have to let this one play itself out," Teddy murmured back. Across from them, Kara and William stood, watching the scene unfold, helpless to do anything to stop it.
"You could have told me you had other plans," Lucas said. "But this… this is just humiliating!"
"I can't believe you lied to me," Stanley cried. "Is that why you were in the bathroom for such a long time? And the changing room? No wonder you didn't buy anything, you never tried anything on!"
"And Victoire, you were in on this too?" Lucas cried. "Is that what you needed Brianna for when you came to find her in Honeydukes? You were taking her to her other date?"
"Hey, leave Victoire out of this," Teddy insisted, taking a step forward. "She was only being a good friend."
Lucas looked at Teddy with a confused look on his face. "Who even are you?" he asked.
Victoire saw Teddy hesitate and she stepped forward, wrapping a hand around Teddy's, which happened to be balled into a fist by his side.
"He's my boyfriend," she declared.
"Whatever," Lucas shook his head, turning back to Brianna.
As Lucas and Stanley continued to hurl abuses at their shared date, Teddy wrapped an arm around Victoire's shoulders possessively, as if daring Lucas or Stanley to come after her again.
"You know screaming it in the middle of Hogsmeade village means everyone will know now, right?" Teddy muttered in Victoire's ear.
"I don't care," Victoire shook her head, leaning into Teddy and wrapping her arm around him too. "If this day has taught me anything, it's that secrets only lead to disaster."