~Teddy's POV ~
My uncles (or god-uncles, I suppose) were mental. Each of the Weasley boys had a strong opinion that they seemed to think was always right. This often caused conflict between the men, but nothing so serious that their wives couldn't sort out rationally. Harry, having never been very outspoken, had always simply kept quiet or zoned out during these lengthy debates. I followed his example and had started bringing a book with me when I joined them. I often got bored of listening to their bickering (unlike the rest of the family, who found it entertaining) and used literature to occupy my thoughts.
Tonight I found myself in the living room with my uncles once again. Book in hand; I sat down at the only empty seat – a comfy armchair facing the fire. The others all sat on the couches and chairs facing each other, but I was perfectly happy turning my back to them.
"Teddy?" a quiet voice said in front of me, putting the brakes on my train of thought. I smiled at Lily, who stood before me. This little girl was my weakness. She could ask for anything and I wouldn't be able to help but give it to her.
"Yes, love?" I said adoringly.
"Can I, please, sit with you?"
I pulled her into my lap in response. She instantly put her head on my shoulder and snuggled in close. I grabbed my book and resumed my reading, knowing Lily couldn't read well enough to follow along with How to Train a Hippogriff.
Ten minutes later, I had finished the chapter, and Lily's steady soft breathing told me she had fallen asleep.
I wondered what Snape had discovered since we talked. I hadn't even been home a full day and yet I couldn't help but worry about how being away from Hogwarts with treat Victoire. Would it take her dreams away? Or would they get worse?
If the latter, how could I explain why I had to be with her at night to our family? Maybe if I slept on the couch, and Victoire could come down if her dreams started . . . Then again, she usually screamed herself awake and I doubted it would go unnoticed in such close quarters.
Back at Hogwarts I had just let Victoire sleep in my bed while I slept in the one next to mine. It was technically Craig Horace's bed, but since he was Head Boy he rarely slept in his old dorm. Before she fell asleep, I would cast a complicated silencing spell, so that I was the only one who could hear her when she woke up. It had taken a few weeks for my other roommates to get used to her being there, but they didn't dare complain.
I was still debating how exactly we could make it work here at The Burrow when the very girl I had been thinking of sat herself down on the arm of the chair that Lily and I occupied.
She didn't look at me, just leaned forward and rested her elbows on her knees, her hands holding her chin. I studied the side of her face. She looked worried.
"What are you thinking?" I asked her, quietly so not to wake sleeping Lily.
Victoire turned and looked at me, an unreadable expression on her face. For a while she didn't speak, so I just watched her as she watched me. I wanted to ask her again what she was thinking, but didn't.
Vic finally gave me a small smile and said, "Nothing."
I was unconvinced, but decided to let it go, and we slipped into a comfortable silence. I returned to my book, and Victoire's gaze returned to the flames flickering in the stone fireplace.
To train a Hippogriff, you must be patient and gentle. Any sudden movement can scare the animal and they could lash out or fly away. Be sure to wear strong gloves in case . . . I lost my interest in the book and looked up at Victoire. Her auburn blonde hair cascaded down her back to the middle of her waist, looking almost red, like her father's, in the firelight. She had soft blue eyes like her mother, but a strong jaw to match her personality. A few freckles dotted her nose that I knew she hated, but I thought they were adorable.
Every since she was little Vic had complained about not having the bright Weasley red hair that her brother and sister had inherited. I used to turn my hair to the same shade as hers to make her feel better. She would smile with her crooked little girl teeth and give me a big hug every time.
That's what made all of it worth it. All of my 'shenanigans', all of the crazy stupid things I did were worth it just to see that beautiful smile light up her face.
Thinking about it made me desperate to bring her that joy again. I was desperate to see her smile, which had been so rare these past few months.
The first thing that popped into my head was to tickle her, but I couldn't do that with Lily in my lap, so I went with simply grabbing her hand and squeezing it.
It worked! Victoire turned and gave me a big smile, laughter glinting in her eyes when she saw that I had changed my hair to match hers. The giggle that escaped her lips was contagious, and I found myself laughing, too.
"Are you guys going to get married?"
I chuckled in surprise at Lily's innocent question. Apparently my quiet laughter had woken her.
"No Lily, we are much to young for that!" I told her. Lily looked at my hand, which was still grasping Victoire's.
"But you ARE in love, right?" She asked with excitement and hope in her eyes. This time I looked to Vic for an answer, amused to see how she would react.
"We're best friends, Lily, of course we love each other!" a smooth save by Victoire, but Lily was much too clever for that.
"But when you grow up, THEN you'll be in love and get married." This time Lily didn't question, she said it in a matter-of-fact way.
I laughed when Victoire said, "Has Grandmum been telling you these things?"
Lily jumped up off my lap. "Well if you MUST know," She said dramatically, "I overheard Aunt 'Mione and Aunt Fleur talking about it." With that, she skipped away, leaving Victoire and I alone by the fire.
"Aunt Hermione? And my own mother?" Victoire sighed. "HasGrandmum brain washed every opinion I care about?"
Ignoring her question, I just laughed and said, "Oh come on, Lily is just having a little fun! You know how much she loves romance! Besides, who's to say we won't get married?"
"B-but y-you, eh, we . . . well . . . aren't we cousins?" She sputtered, blushing.
"Vic- calm down! I was only joking. Besides, I think we'd make a pretty cute couple, don't you?" I said while I wiggled my eyebrows ridiculously.
"Oh puh-lease. Everyone knows it's illegal for cousins to get married," she scoffed. The she got up and walked away.
"Technically we aren't cousins, Vic," I reminded her before she was out of earshot. She showed no signs that she had heard me, but I knew she had.
XxXxX
That night, I heard Victoire screaming and ran as quietly as I could to her room, which was right next to the one I shared with James, Albus, and Hugo.
She was still asleep, lying next to Lily on a queen sized bed. Lily looked at me groggily as I walked in.
Victoire let out another cry and I rushed to her side. She latched her arms around my neck in an iron grip. I crawled over her and pulled her head to rest on my chest, cradling her in the crook of my arm. With my other arm, I pulled Lily into the same position on the opposite side of me. I tried to silently let her know that Victoire was alright by kissing her forehead. I could feel Victoire shaking and twitching from her undoubtedly vivid dreams.
Then Lily whispered into my ear, "One day, when you and Vicky are married, you are going to lie down just like this. Only instead of me you will have your very own daughter, with rainbow hair like yours."
I could only smile to myself at Lily's words.
"You think so, Lils?"
"I hope so," she simply stated.
It only took few minutes before I could feel them both sleeping steadily next to me. Looking down at Victoire's sleeping face made me realize that I couldn't think of anyone else I would rather have by my side.
"I hope so, too," I whispered almost inaudibly to myself, before closing my eyes and drifting to sleep.
XxXxX
I woke up before Victoire did, a smile tugging at my lips when I saw her head still resting on my chest. Her hand gripped my t-shirt just above my belly button, but my fingers were wrapped around hers.
I heard sniggering at the door and quickly pretended to be asleep. I kept my eyes cracked just enough to see what was going on, without letting our intruders know I was awake.
"Ew! They look like Mum and Dad!" said Albus, who was watching them from the end of the bed.
"No! They are in love, it's OK!" Lily replied as she walking in behind James, Hugo, and Fred Jr., George's son.
"But aren't Mum and Dad in love?" Albus replied smartly.
"Well, yes . . . I should hope so. They ARE married. But Ted and Vicky are like . . . New at love. So they are allowed to be mushy-gushy," Lily explained. Why did she insist on telling everyone that Vic and I were in love? We totally weren't!
"If being in love means you have to cuddle with a girl all morning, I don't think I'll ever marry," said James, looking at us disgustingly.
Albus, always one to follow his older brother, said, "Yeah!" and stomped out of the room with James, leaving Hugo and Lily alone with us.
"Do you really think they are in love?" Hugo asked.
"Why don't we put them to the test!" Lily then whispered something into Hugo's ear that I didn't understand, and ran out of the room at a full sprint.
Hugo came over and shook Vic and I awake.
"Wha-?" I asked, trying to sound like I'd just woken up. Vic ignored Hugo and snuggled deeper into me.
"Victoire," I said. She didn't respond.
"VIC!" I tried again. Still, she ignored my protests.
"Look, little one, I know you're awake and my arm is asleep underneath you, so could you please get up?"
She finally pulled herself away, and I scrambled out of the bed with my right arm tingling from the lack of blood.
"Morning, Hugo!" I said cheerfully, walking straight towards the bathroom. "Oh and Hugo?"
"Yes, Ted?" He looked up from where he was still sitting at the foot of Lily's bed.
"To answer your question, no. Victoire and I are not in love."
XxXxX
12 hours later, I was beginning to question myself on that exact statement.
I sat by myself in Grandpa Weasley's workshop, trying to clear my head after what had happened. I replayed the scene in my mind, like I had been doing for the past hour or two.
"Vicky! Ted!" I heard a voice shout from the kitchen. "Hurry, come quick!"
I got up and walked with Victoire into the kitchen, where we both stopped in the doorway so we didn't crowd the small room. Lily sat on the counter with Hugo, James, and Albus next to her.
"What is it, Lily?" Vic asked her.
"Look up!"
We both did as we were told. Magically floating in the air above us was a small strand of mistletoe.
Time seemed to slow down as I turned to look at Vic. This could be my only chance to kiss her, and suddenly it was the most important thing for me to do.
Before I could think about it any longer, I reached out and cradled her face in my hands. And then I kissed her, on the mouth, hard. My best friend. I KISSED MY BEST FRIEND.
She didn't flinch or turn away, but I forced myself to end it before she got the chance.
The boys all 'eww'-ed, but I ignored them. I only looked at Victoire. Her eyes remained closed. After what seemed like a lifetime of waiting, she opened them. I immediately got a sick feeling at the pit of my stomach that I had just ruined everything for us. The sheer shock and confusion on her face made me want to take it back and forget it ever happened.
But I couldn't. So I did the next best thing.
I ran.
So here I was, hiding away in a shed outside the house, unable to face her. I could just imagine the way she would scold me for messing things up. How she would yell and say that I was stupid for kissing her, especially in front of the kids.
Maybe she was right. But as stupid as I knew it was, I couldn't bring myself to regret the best kiss of my life.
