Chapter Seven

A/N: I do not own anything with the exception of the plot of the story the characters are reading and this one. Everything else belongs to either JK Rowling or Ryan Murphey.

*ducks projectiles* I'm so sorry about the lack of updating! To make a long story short, I've been getting used to a new job and I just came back from a vacation. Don't worry, I'm back on track to update regularly.

Hope you enjoy!

Teddy honestly thought he'd gone insane when he saw Santana and Finn hugging in the auditorium, but that's what he saw the Monday after Sectionals. He was glad the whole group was back together but why was there hugging?

"You ask a good question Teddy," Harry nodded. Hugging between enemies was usually awkward and hard to explain—and from what he had heard about Santana, the girl did not seem like the type to hug those she had been wronged by.

"At least the Glee club's whole again," Carol smiled. She knew Kurt really missed Mercedes—plus that would stop Schue's attempts at persuading kids to join just so he'd have the right number to compete with.

"Alright! Go, get some rest," Schue said with a grin.

"Santana!" Teddy called. "I've got my own ride. See you back home?"

"Sure thing Blondie," Santana nodded. She seemed happier now that the entire group was back together. Teddy grinned at that as he found a dark alley to apperate in. No way was he going to make a mistake like the one he made the week before Sectionals again.

"Smart," Ginny nodded. "Always learn from your mistakes."

"Is there a reason you're looking at me as you say this?" Harry raised an eyebrow and Ginny smirked innocently.

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The weeks flew by and Teddy grew grouchy.

"Oh those poor kids," Harry shuddered, remembering Ted's bouts of teenage angst as Harry liked to call it.

"It can't be that bad can it?" Burt asked.

"Just wait," was all Harry had to say.

Anyone who had eyes could see that and many of the Glee kids tried to stay out of his way.

"I don't know why," he overheard the cheer coach say one day as he managed to reduce Rachel Berry to tears with just a withering glare, "but I like that new member of Glee. He reminds me of a male version of myself."

"Your godson has issues," Burt shuddered, mentally picturing a male Sue and felt fear overwhelm him. One Sue was bad enough, thank you.

"Now Sue," the red haired guidance councilor whom Mr. Schue had instructed Teddy to see after his third verbal fight with Puckerman said, "I'm sure the poor boy is just missing his family. It's almost the Christmas holidays after all."

"His family's missing him, that's for sure," Ginny nodded, wrapping an arm around Harry's shoulders in comfort. It was hard to picture a Christmas holidays without Teddy. She hoped Ted would find a way to make it to the Burrow.

Teddy sighed and entered the Glee room. It wasn't that he wasn't missing everyone back home. He was! But going home meant going back, and going back meant the chance that Harry would keep him there to finish his schooling.

"Honestly, I would because I don't know what I know now," Harry said. "If Ted would have told me what was up, I might have been, you know, more understanding!"

"Or not as panicked when Teddy eventually left?" Burt added on.

"Yeah, definitely not as panicked," Harry nodded in agreement.

Vic would understand, he thought with a small smile.

"Hey look everyone!" Puck called out. "The Grinch can smile!"

Teddy rolled his eyes. "Haha Puck. You just come up with that on your own?"

"My money's on no," Cooper said with a chuckle. "The Grinch is a pretty common phrase, especially around the holidays and Puck doesn't strike me as someone who reads a lot of Dickens."

"Merry Christmas John," Quinn said with a smile. It was the last meeting of the Gleeks until the holidays were over.

"Same to you Quinn," Teddy said and sat near the back. One of the band kids had taught him how to play the guitar and he'd been working on a present for Victorie ever since.

"Aww!" Ginny grinned. "I hope we get to hear it."

"I hope we find out that he's dating Victorie soon," Harry told her. "Otherwise it'll be really awkward around Bill and Fleur when we get out of here."

"Oi!" Rory called.

"Huh?" Teddy said and looked up from the instrument. Rory was the only one he hadn't almost snapped at. They were in the same boat, both far from their families for Christmas.

"That's actually really nice," Carol smiled. "He took the time to realize who he's talking to and tried to not take what he's feeling out on Rory."

"Schue's talking to you," the Irish kid said with a grin.

"Sorry Mr. Schue," Teddy said as he sat down the guitar. The curly haired man smiled at him.

"Like Schue does," Burt shook his head in amusement.

"Actually John," Schue said, "Rachel would like to make an announcement."

The brunette stood up and went to the center of the room.

"John," she said and hesitated. After a while, she sighed and went up to him. "Merry Christmas, from all of us."

Teddy raised an eyebrow and then opened the envelope. There, in all its glory, was a ticket to England.

"How'd they afford that?!" Harry gasped. "It's not like these school kids had that kind of money lying around?"

"Well, Quinn's family probably did," Burt chuckled. "The Fabrey's are one of the more wealthy families in Lima. Though that's probably not saying much."

"Wha—" he gasped.

"Miss. Pillsberry gave us the idea," Britney said with a smile. "She said you'd miss your family."

Teddy couldn't help but smile at that.

"But Santana—"

"Ted, take the freaking ticket!" Ginny groaned, placing her head in her hands. "I'm sure Santana will be fine."

"Don't worry about me, Spring Load," the Latina said with a smile. "I'm staying with Brit and the Leprechaun."

"Who?"

"Me," Rory mouthed and Teddy nodded his head. The rest of the meeting went by in a blur and Teddy went back to his little apartment. The ticket was as real as real could be.

"Yes, because high school students could make a phony plane ticket," Cooper said with a chuckle.

"How could it hurt?" he muttered. He looked at the calendar and saw in shock that it was December 21st. He looked at the ticket and saw that it was for the next day.

"Maybe Britney is Luna's unknown child or something?" Teddy muttered. One of those kids would have to be magical to be able to get a ticket that close.

"That would be a pretty pricy ticket," Burt nodded. "But if there's one group at figuring out the impossible, it's that one."

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Teddy breathed in the air as he left the plane. He hadn't told Victorie that he was coming back, so he grinned at the thought of surprising her. Once again, finding a dark alley to apperate in, he closed his eyes. Opening them back up, he smelt seawater.

"That's pretty impressive," Ginny smiled. "Heathrow's a ways away from Bill and Fleur's house."

"Come on Vicky," he could hear Dominique complain through the open window. "You're wasting your time with Ted's present. You know he's not going to show."

"Don't call me that Dom," Victorie said with slight irritation. "I told you. Dad said he'll come."

"If only because he'd miss us too much," Harry stated. "Though if his willpower was strong enough and if he hadn't been so irritated that his friends bought him a ticket, I doubt we'd actually be seeing him for Christmas."

"Dad's at Grandma's." Dominique said. "He only left you alone because you asked to stay home cause I'm sick!"

"I'm sick!" Victorie finally shouted. "Sick of you reminding me that you think Teddy just took off and left, that he's never coming back! Just leave me alone, Dom!"

"Poor kid," Burt frowned. It had to be tough, not knowing where your best friend was. Especially when that best friend was also your significant other.

Teddy could hear a door slam and knew that Dominique had left the room. He knocked on the front door, changing his hair to the way it normally was. Bright blue and his eyes were light gold.

"Hard to imagine Ted without it," Harry chuckled. "Just the description of him with any hair color other than the bright blue just seems odd."

"What?" Victorie snapped but then gasped as she opened the door.

"Thought I'd be a no show?" Teddy asked as he leaned down and kissed her. He missed her kisses. They were like cotton candy and chocolate all wrapped up into one package.

"At least someone knows," Ginny sighed. She had to admit that she was more than a little disappointed that Ted hadn't come to them first but in the grand scheme, maybe it was better. Ted certainly wouldn't want to be grilled as soon as he came home.

"What are you doing here?" Victorie asked, elated.

"It's Christmas," Teddy said. "Told you I'd be here."

Her grin just made it impossible for him not to grin back.

"Come on, everyone's been so worried!" Victorie said running to the fireplace but Teddy shook his head.

"Oh come on!" Harry groaned in frustration.

"He's a teen, love," Ginny shook her head in amusement. "I can think of so many other things he'd rather be doing than spend time with us."

"Can't I enjoy some time with you before facing that mob?" he asked, giving her the puppy dog eyes she could never resist.

"Oh alright," she said and pulled him on to the sofa. Teddy couldn't help but plant another kiss on her lips as he sat down.

"So how have you been?" he asked. "How's Olive?"

"I've been fine," Victorie said with a smile. "Olive's been helping James and Fred drive the bullies mental with the pranks."

"James is already trying to beat George in the largest number of detentions done in their first year," Ginny couldn't help but chuckle. "Maybe we were tempting fate by naming our son after two of the biggest pranksters Hogwarts has ever seen?"

"Really?" Teddy chuckled. "Oh!" he exclaimed and pulled out his guitar.

"Teddy, what is this?" Victorie asked.

"I know I can't hold it back for long but I've got a present for you that I want to give you before we go to the Burrow."

"What is it?" Victorie asked.

"A song," Teddy said. "But it's rubbish."

Harry couldn't help but growl softly at that. He couldn't help but be reminded of himself when he was younger. He never wanted that for his godson!

"I'll love it if you just play it," Victorie teased. Teddy chuckled.

You're tall and fun and skinny

You're really, really pretty

Victorie

I'm the Mickey to your Minnie

You're the Tigger to my Winnie

Victorie

I wanna take ya to the city

Gonna take you out to dinney

Victorie

You're cuter than a guinnie pig

Wanna take you up to Winnipeg

That's in Canada!

He finished playing and looked straight at her.

Silence filled the room. Everyone tried to avoid looking at each other, in fear that they would burst out laughing.

"Well, that was interesting?" Harry said softly. He had to commend Ted on the courage to play the song.

"I thought it was sweet," Ginny said, a smile tugging on her lips.

"Well?" he asked. Victorie looked at him for a minute before giving him the biggest kiss Teddy had ever remembered receiving from her. It almost took his breath away.

"I take it you liked it then?" he gasped.

"I loved it," Victorie told him. "You're the best boyfriend anyone could possibly want."

"Yeah, I think he gets that from his father's side of the family," Harry chuckled.

"Hey, Tonks wasn't bad!" Ginny argued.

"Can you see the Black family doing anything worth 'Best Boyfriend' material?" Harry asked and Ginny paused.

"Good point."

Teddy grinned at her.

"Well, I guess I've got to go greet the rest of the family," Teddy said but Victorie pulled him back down on the sofa.

"They can wait a minute…or a day…or three," she said with what seemed to be an innocent look. Teddy chuckled but wrapped his arm around her shoulders as she rested her head on his. Nothing could ruin this moment.

"And of course Bill never finds out," Harry rolled his eyes.

"These two are good at keeping secrets," Burt frowned. "I would hope that they would have someone to go to."

"Well if Teddy has tried going to his professors and that failed, they may feel we won't be able to do anything," Harry sighed.

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Apparently, Victorie was very good at keeping secrets as not only did she hide Teddy when her parents arrived but they did not know that he was hiding under her bed for three days.

"And that floor is rock hard," Ginny winced. "I spent an hour there back when Dominque was three and my back hurt for a week."

"They don't even know we're dating," Victorie explained that day. "Never mind that you're back."

Teddy didn't mind, but he did want the feeling back into his lower back. Finally the day of days had arrived.

"Happy Christmas," Victorie said, pulling over the covers. "Dad and Mum are taking Dom and Louis there early to limit the chaos."

"Happy Christmas," Teddy replied. "So are you flooing with me?"

"Only if you want me too," Victorie winked. "I was thinking of maybe going before you. You know, to settle the mob that forms when they find out that you're back."

"No defense?" Carol asked.

"Nah, we know we're that bad," Harry said. "Plus, I'm sure the entire family would like to see Ted back safe and sound."

"I think I'll be fine with you flooing by my side," Teddy said with a smile. He'd been happier now that he could see his girlfriend and was about to see his family for the first time in a month.

"That wouldn't be awkward or anything," Cooper muttered.

"THE BURROW!" Victorie shouted into the fireplace and Teddy blinked against the glare of the green flames. The normal roar of the Weasley family wasn't present as he stepped out of the fireplace into the house.

"Ted?" he heard someone gasp and looked to see Hermione staring at him in shock.

"Happy Christmas?" Teddy said with a small smile.

"TEDDY!" he heard James and Fred exclaim and they rushed to him, almost knocking him back into the fireplace.

"Oh, that's so cute," Carol couldn't help but smile.

"My son and nephew can't help but love Teddy," Harry told her. "I think they see him as an older brother."

"Oh this is wonderful!" Molly Weasley clapped her hands in excitement. "Everyone's home for the holidays."

"Mum always loves it when the whole family is home for the holidays," Ginny smiled at the thought of Teddy being able to make it home in time for Christmas.

Teddy was hugged by everyone who was there, except for Harry.

"Where's Harry?" he asked Ginny, who'd hugged him so tightly he thought his head would pop off.

Ginny winced but Harry just chuckled. Some things, it seemed, were just hereditary.

Ginny smiled gently at him and motioned outside, where it was snowing. Teddy understood. Harry was wishing Fred I a Happy Christmas. Teddy walked out side and walked up to his girlfriend's uncle and his godfather.

"Harry?" he asked in a soft voice. The black haired man whirled around in shock but soon got over it.

"Ted?" he gasped as he went to hug his seventeen-year-old godson. Teddy grinned; so far, so good.

"Phew," Ginny sighed in relief.

"Who wants to read next?" Burt asked. Harry motioned to him and took the pages.