Disclaimer: I still don't own anything from JK Rowling's world.

A/N: Thanks to arwenjanelilylyra, Rosewood17 and tecumseh Dean for the reviews. Keep them coming folks!

The night hadn't really been a success. It was her fault, she was well aware of that. She hadn't really been in the mood, which was his fault.

She had been happy and excited at her promotion. After all, she was only a year out of school; to be a Senior Assistant in the Department already was really very good. She had rushed out of work after being given the news, and flooed him to ask him to come over, before she'd even contacted her parents.

And then he had ruined it.

And she had ruined Tamsyn's night out, by being moody and miserable, and getting drunk too fast, and crying in the bar, and going on and on about Teddy and how infuriating he was, and how even more infuriating it was that she just couldn't seem to manage without him.

She was sober now, and soaking wet, because it was raining, and they had had to walk some distance before they found somewhere they could apparate without Muggles seeing them. And she was tired and her feet ached, and the thought of her dark, cold, empty house wasn't a cheering one. She fumbled with the key, and finally got the door open.

Only the house wasn't the way she'd left it.

For a moment, she stood in the doorway, shocked.

It wasn't dark, for one thing. There was dim, flickering light coming from… from candles placed around the room. It made the whole place look lovely and cosy.

And it was cosy, because somebody had cast some spells to make the whole house as warm as toast, and there was a faint scent of sandalwood on the air.

And something told her that it wasn't quite empty either.

There was a movement in the far doorway, and she turned towards it. He was standing there, and even in the dim light, she could tell that his hair was yellow. The colour it went when he was nervous.

"Teddy?" she said, doubtfully, although she was not really in any doubt.

"Um… hello, Vic. Did you have a good time?"

His awkwardness was so out of keeping with the mood he had created that she almost laughed, despite everything.

"No, not really," she said honestly, "I wasn't really in the mood."

"Oh," he hesitated, dithering in the doorway.

"I…" she began, hesitated, and then went on with a rush, "Before, when I came out of the shower. I was going to say… I was going to tell you I was only going out with Tamsyn. But you'd gone."

"Oh. Right. I'm sorry. I thought…"

"I know. I'm sorry I snapped."

This was ridiculously awkward. Why were they at separate sides of the room? She quietly closed the front door behind her, and looked at him.

"I… didn't expect you to come back."

"No," and suddenly he had moved, without her really being aware of him doing it, and he was right in front of her, so that she could see the seriousness in his eyes, even in this light.

"I couldn't leave it like that, Vic. I was out of line. I didn't mean it. It was an appalling thing to say."

"Yes, it was," she said, evenly.

"I'm sorry," he was standing very close, but not touching her, "I don't even know why I said it. Well, I do. I was angry, and I say bloody stupid things when I'm angry. Maybe you're right; maybe I am jealous. Not of you, for your job. It's great, but it wouldn't be what I wanted. I'm jealous of your job, because it gets to spend more time with you than I do. That's not an excuse though. I was a bastard. Vic… can we start again, please?"

"What?" she stared at him, startled.

"Can we pretend that earlier never happened? That you just came home from work just now, and flooed me, and asked me to come over because you had something to tell me. And I just got here…"

For a moment, she studied him. Then the very beginning of a smile appeared at the corner of her mouth.

"Teddy," she said steadily, "I got promoted today."

His face broke into a grin, his relief almost palpable. If she was playing along, she had almost forgiven him.

"That's brilliant, Vic! Really brilliant! Well done! You deserve it," and he stepped up and kissed her. He didn't touch her anywhere else, obviously still not sure of his reception. But she melted against him, her arms twining around his neck, and his went around her waist, and he deepened the kiss, leaning into her.

"I'm so happy for you," he pulled away slightly, "I know how much you wanted it, and how hard you worked for it…"

She smiled up at him.

"Time to stop now, Teddy, or you'll be going over the top."

"I mean it."

"Thank you," she whispered, and kissed him again.

After a moment, it was her who pulled away.

"I'm soaking wet."

He chuckled.

"There are so many inappropriate jokes I could make about that sentence."

She giggled slightly, but she was trembling with cold, despite the warmth of the house.

"I mean it, Teddy. I need to get something else on."

Wordlessly, he swept her up into his arms and carried her into the bedroom. He sat her on the bed and proceeded to undress her, with none of the violence he had used earlier. This time he was careful and gentle, peeling her wet clothes off, and running his hands softly over her skin. She shivered at his touch, and tried to pull him in for a more heated kiss, but he resisted.

"Not yet, Vic."

And he dried her with a flick of his wand, and dressed her again, in a pair of soft pyjamas and her silk dressing gown, leaving her breathless. She had never known him like this. He had certainly never attempted to put her clothes on before, and she might have resisted with irritation his attempts to dress her, at any other time. But somehow, now, it felt… nice. And this kind, thoughtful, loving Teddy was so like the one she had known a couple of years ago that she was afraid of doing anything that might break the spell.

Then he took her hand and led her back into the main room, and she noticed things she had not noticed before. Like the fact that the scent of sandalwood was coming from a Muggle joss stick, the kind he knew she loved. And the fact that there was music playing faintly in the background. And that the usual clutter that came from somebody – often two people – living in the room, had been cleared away.

He pulled her gently onto the sofa, and sat down beside her, his hand ghosting down the side of her face

"This is what we should have done tonight," he murmured, "What do you want, Vic? You probably don't want more wine. We can do the wine tomorrow. But I could make something to eat, if you want… I wanted to get something ready, but I didn't know if you'd feel like eating."

She shook her head, and leaned in closer to him.

"I'm not hungry. We can do food tomorrow, as well."

She closed the distance between them, and kissed him; softly, but insistently.

"All I want is you, Teddy," she murmured, as she pulled away for a second, and looked into his eyes. Blue now; not electric, angry blue, but the blue of forget-me-nots.

She smiled slightly, recognising that blue.

"You know, Teddy," she whispered, "It's slightly disconcerting to kiss somebody while you're looking into the eyes you see in the mirror every day."

"Oh," he looked a little self-conscious, "Sorry. I didn't realise," he concentrated and his eyes turned to a warm brown, with golden flecks around the edges. The colour she suspected, although it was hard to know, was his 'natural' colour, because it made him look rather similar to photographs of his father.

"Better?" he asked.

"Hmm," she agreed, and kissed the corner of his mouth, "I'm glad you came back, Teddy."

Without looking away from her, he reached behind him onto the table and slid the box she had noticed onto her lap.

"I didn't get wine, but I did get these."

She stared at it for a moment, and then up at him, almost doubtful. She couldn't remember the last time he had got her something.

Carefully, she slid the lid off the box, and lifted the paper that lay beneath. Inside were six perfect white roses, all just on the point of opening fully. And she remembered telling him, ages ago, how much she loved roses.

"But they look so awful around me," she had said regretfully, "It's the worst thing about having hair the colour of mine; so many other colours don't go. And all the usual rose colours; all those lovely pinks and reds; they just clash so badly with my hair. And I don't like yellow ones so much."

He had laughed at her then, because it was such a Victoire thing to say; it wasn't as if she wore the roses. Why should it matter that they didn't go with her hair?

But he had remembered. He had bought her white roses.

For a moment, she looked at them. Then she picked up the card that lay on top of them, and turned it over.

"Because you deserve so much more," it said simply.

Then she looked up at him, and he looked anxious; worried that he had done the wrong thing. And she smiled.

"Thank you, Teddy. I don't, but thank you."

And she kissed him again, and this time he did allow her to deepen it, and she slid the roses on to the floor, so that they didn't get crushed as he pushed her back against the sofa, and they lost themselves in each other.

He woke before she did in the morning.

Somehow, they had made it to the bedroom, although not for some time, he remembered.

Her head was resting on the crook of his arm, one hand flung across his chest, her breathing even.

He couldn't quite believe how perfect it had been. After the terrible nightmare earlier in the evening… he felt as though it must have been a dream, only there she was, sleeping beside him. And he wasn't still asleep and dreaming, because his hand was dead, trapped under her, and that never happened in his dreams of Victoire.

He had expected her to be cold and angry still; he had expected his gesture to fall on stony ground. He had half expected to be thrown out of the house before she'd even listened to what he had to say.

Friends could really come through for you sometimes, even if you did interrupt their own romantic evening, with your messed-up problems. He owed Guy and Persis a drink each for this one.

He ought to feel that he could lie here like this forever; that was the cliche thing to think; and it was pleasant, and she made rather a beautiful sight… but his arm was numb. So he eased it out from under her, and checked the clock on her bedside table.

It was half past eleven.

He laid a hand on her shoulder and leaned over her. She stirred slightly.

"Vic," he whispered, and she moaned softly.

Shit. He swallowed hard, his eyes widening

If she made more noises like that, they wouldn't be getting up for a while. And he really had to get up.

He shook her gently.

"Victoire, wake up. It's almost the afternoon."

Her eyes opened blearily, and focussed on him after a few seconds. She smiled.

"Oh, good."

"Good?" he questioned, "Why, what's good about it being the afternoon?"

"Nothing," she said sleepily, "I meant… Oh, good, it wasn't a dream," she came awake a bit more, and looked anxiously up at him, "It wasn't a dream, was it? About you coming back, and being here when I came in…?"

"Well, I'm here, aren't I?" he pointed out, "I don't know, Vic. For a Senior Assistant in the International Relations Office, you take a while to catch onto things."

She giggled.

"Do we have to get up?"

He nodded regretfully.

"Well, you don't. But I didn't want to just get up and leave you while you were still asleep. And I have to get going. I'm supposed to be at Gran's for lunch."

"Oh," she wrinkled her nose slightly, "Do you have to? I wanted to spend today with you."

"Yes," he said softly, "You know she's not been well. And I promised. You can come too, if you get a move on."

It was tempting, just to be close to him for the day, but she knew that Teddy didn't go home as often as he should, and that Andromeda Tonks appreciated the times she had her grandson to herself, so she shook her head regretfully.

"No. I'd like to, but you and her should have some time together. You go. I've got some work I should do anyway."

He swallowed the slight irritation at her mention of 'work to do.' He wasn't going to mess it up so soon. It was him who had said he had something else to do, after all.

"Tonight?" he asked, hopefully, "I still owe you that celebratory bottle of wine."

She frowned.

"Aren't you working tonight?"

"I was," he shrugged, "I'll call in sick."

Her frown deepened.

"You'll lose your job if you keep doing that."

He almost said he didn't care, but bit the words back in time.

"I don't keep doing that," he said instead, lightly, "This is the first time I've done it. And I think my girlfriend getting promotion is excuse enough. I want to have a whole evening with you. You're not going to say no, are you, Vic?"

She hesitated for a moment, and then gave in and smiled.

"No. That would be nice."

He came out of the shower ten minutes later to find her in a dressing gown, putting the roses into a vase of water.

She looked up and smiled at him, and his heart soared. He could get used to starting days like this.

"We forgot them last night," she said, gesturing at the flowers, "They're beautiful, Teddy."

He came up to her and put his arms around her waist.

"I forgot a lot of things last night," he murmured into her neck.

She shivered at the suggestion in his voice, but then laughed shakily as he started nibbling on her ear.

"Don't, Teddy. You'll never get anywhere if you start that, and then what would you tell your gran?"

He laughed too, and pulled away, without letting go of her waist.

"We'll save it for tonight, right?"

"Teddy…" she wrapped her arms around him and looked up at him, "Thank you. For last night. It was lovely."

He lifted a hand, and pushed her hair away from her face, tracing her cheek bone with a roughened thumb.

"Don't say thank you," he murmured, "Because you deserve so much more."

She really did have work she should do, but somehow, she couldn't be bothered to do it. It could wait. So she flooed Tamsyn instead, and suggested a shopping trip.

They met in the Leaky Cauldron, and Tamsyn took one look at her friend and raised her eyebrows.

"Well… you seem a bit more cheerful today."

Victoire laughed happily.

"We've made up. It was lovely."

"Let me guess," Tamsyn said dryly, "You had sex?"

"Well… yes," Victoire admitted, "But it was so much more than that. He was waiting for me when I got home. He'd done it out all romantic, with candles and everything. And he'd bought me the most beautiful roses. And we're going to have dinner tonight."

Tamsyn smiled, although there was slight reserve behind the smile.

"Well, that's good. At least he obviously knows what he did."

"It wasn't just him," Victoire insisted, "I said some pretty nasty things too. I was just upset last night."

"But you're all sorted? And you think it won't just happen again?"

Victoire looked thoughtful.

"I… don't know. It probably will, at some point. But last night felt… different. We hadn't been like that with each other for ages. It was like it used to be. All those things we had, the things I thought we'd lost; they're still there, if I only look for them. And… I realised… he wants to find them too."

Hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'm not so sure about it myself, I feel like it doesn't quite capture what I wanted to. And maybe it's a bit too cheesy. At least it's a bit happier than the last few. Don't worry, that won't last long ;-)

Review, please, and tell me what you think.