The first time that I suspected of Teddy liking me was pretty much the first time I saw him at the beginning of the summer before seventh year. His eyes met mine, and there was an automatic connection. Whether it was love or lust or even interest, I'm still not sure. I would bet on love, but that would be cheesy. I could bet on lust, taking into account the fact that his eyes were all over me like stupid on my mother. But in all reality (which I hardly consider) it was most likely interest.

We hadn't seen in each other in quite a while. Two years, to be exact. We had gone to Hogwarts together since... well. Since I started my first year, obviously. He graduated when I was fifteen, when I was still flat-chested and gangly, when I smelled like body odor and desperation and was too busy trying to get everyone to like me instead of relaxing and being myself. Oh yeah, and focusing on O.W.L.s. Trust me, ignoring the alarm that I had set to start studying each day was a huge mistake- especially when I received the screecher from mum. And you think that's bad?

She screamed in French.

That's right. She called me all types of classy names, and I think that everyone, if they didn't know before, now understand what 電errieremeans.

Mum's accent gets so thick when she's angry that even I could barely comprehend what she was saying- and that's me learning French as a first language. Nowadays I didn't really have anyone to talk to in French except Mum, Dom, and sometimes Louis, when he was comprehensible. His first language right now is gibberish.

Anyways, my chest was flat, I didn't know a thestral from a poodle (which is just plain sad, since my mother can even tell that difference), I talked much too quickly and loudly, and my hair was a frizzy strawberry blonde then. In some places, it was even brown. And in case you didn't know, besides some exceptions, having children with brown hair in the Weasley family is like peeing on a church. It's just wrong, and quite disrespectful.

It's not that the Weasley family would shun me or anything- it was more of a silent agreement that you have a ginger child. As I said, there were exceptions to this rule. I mean, Harry Potter having some ebony-haired littles- quite fine. He did defeat Voldemort, and all.

But after two years of growing, I had grown taller, fuller, and my hair had bleached from the sun to a silvery blonde just like my mother's. Lovely. Boys had definitely started noticing me then. I mean, even more than before.

I can't help it that I'm hella sexy, okay? It comes with the Veela blood territory.

With my new and improved self, I felt quite confident, beautiful, and ready to have an amazing summer. Teddy seemed prepared for much the same. His eye-undressing lasted only a few moments, and then, as if to further my previous suspicion of his interest, despite two years of separation, he pulled me into a tight embrace, as if we had been best mates all along.

天ic!he had said, chuckling for no other reason except that we were giddy and happy, smiling wide at each other like a couple of goofs. 鏑ook at you!"

鏑ook at me!I agreed. At this, I turned bright red and he laughed and shook his head in obvious amusement.

的 will... a lot,he replied, his voice low and a cunning smirk on his face.

I guess that was when it hit me- that I could potentially really like this guy. He seemed to be a full-out flirt like me, which just worked fine and dandy for me.

All during that summer, he was super touchy with me- using any excuse to get close. Several times, I could've sworn we were going to kiss. But alas, we never did. We were always interrupted. I knew then, however, that it was only a matter of time before one of us snapped and started ripping off each other's clothes... maybe it was just my hormones talking... actually, it was definitely my hormones talking.

I thought we had an expiration date on our simple friendship, and that our flirtationship would blossom into something much more. But nothing ever did. So when I was leaving for Hogwarts in my seventh year, all the way to Platform 9 ｾ, I was having an inner-freak out. All kinds of scenarios ran through my head...

What if Teddy met someone new over the year? What if he decided to move on from me? What if, over the year, he forgets to owl me and forgets about me wholly? What if... what if he thinks I don't like him?

Because I have the heart of a fiery redhead no matter how light my hair was, I found the thought of Teddy never knowing how I felt much more terrifying than him not liking me back. I was more scared of never putting myself out there, rather than scared of rejection. In the moments before I lunged forward and caught Teddy's lips with mine, I hadn't even thought about him rejecting me...

All I could think was: I want him so, so bad... and he needs to know.

Even those slight two or so seconds that our lips touched, it was still better than sealing my heart away. It was better than no kiss at all.

I was stunned when he pushed me away. Call me conceited, but I honestly didn't expect him to do anything other than kiss me back passionately. And that's why, on that day on the Hogwarts express, I took a compartment all for myself and had a good cry all alone, locking the door after me. Then, just for kicks (because I was angry and in need of distraction) I grabbed a Slytherin boy from my year who had messy, brown hair, a fit body, and the bluest eyes you'd ever see, and snogged him for the rest of the train ride.

Let me tell you, his girlfriend was not happy about that at all.

In my defense, I did not know that he had a girlfriend. I was slightly concerned, however, when school started and I caught several glimpses of him holding hands with a petite Hufflepuff girl. Figures. Hufflepuffs are easy- everyone knows that.

And also in my defense, I later found out that she had been cheating on him, too. But no, I was the one who got slapped in front of half the school and called a slag and got porridge dumped on. I can't help it that drama follows me wherever I go, okay?

Teddy didn't contact me all that first semester, anyways. When I went home for Christmas, Teddy was there, too, and we steadily avoided each other. But when I got back to my room, I found a crumpled note on my bed with messy handwriting on it with one simple word scrawled on it: Sorry. I automatically knew it was from him.

The next day, our eyes met over breakfast, and I gave him a slight nod of my head. I looked away before I could see his reaction, but I heard a sigh of relief. That was the most interaction we had since Platform 9 ｾ nearly four months before, but I would take it.

Two weeks later, I was back at Hogwarts, and Teddy and I were back to not communicating.

I didn't regret telling him how I felt, however unconventional my methods were. But I did regret putting a dent in our friendship. I kept thinking about all of the possibilities- like if I had let him make the first move instead, as boys usually do. Or if I waited until Christmas so that our relationship could grow even more. Or if I could have talked to him privately instead.

And yet, I still came to the same conclusion: that no matter what I had done, he would've rejected me again and again, and it would hurt perhaps even more.

I was faced with a horrifying truth- that I fancied possibly the only male between 15 and 30 who wouldn't go for me. Usually boys that I liked would reciprocate those feelings, but I would quickly get bored of them and move on. With Teddy... I just couldn't see myself getting tired of him. He was so funny and spontaneous, yet smart and sweet. He made me feel sexy and *gasp*, even smart! He laughed at all my jokes and listened to every little insignificant thing I had to say, and he would capture me with those eyes that said that he cared about me, and that he wanted me.

But I guess I was wrong.

For me, it had been so obvious that he liked me. But as I kept looking back, I was losing faith in this possibility. Perhaps he never liked me. Perhaps that wasn't how he acts when he likes someone, just the way that I thought he did.

On to the story.

The point of this rambling is the fact that, even though I had misinterpreted Teddy's actions towards me, I soon realized what he actually acted like around a girl he liked.

I found out how the moment that we met Arkaria.

She had breezed into the room, a girl I had never met or seen or even heard much of. Only a name to go on and the fact that she was Teddy's friend's girlfriend's best friend. This made her almost insignificant to me. Therefore, not much thought was put into her at all. Instead of having a mini-freak out over Teddy perhaps liking Reedy, his best friend Beck's little sister, I should've been investing my time in fretting over Arkaria.

But how could I have ever known that she would be beautiful, absolutely breathtaking? Whereas I was a girl many boys would label as 塗ot,with a definite 都ex appeal,Arkaria was... a goddess. She was unique-looking, and once you looked at her, you couldn't stop. She was beautiful, in the oddest way- her features, on their own, weren't exactly beautiful, but together, they were so striking that you couldn't help but stare wide-eyed.

The first thing I noticed about her was her blacker-than-black hair. If I had thought Uncle Harry's hair was black, this girl's hair was jet black. It was short, cut into a choppy, edgy pixie-cut. She had, much like Teddy, an eyebrow ring. But instead of an additional lip ring like Teddy, she had a cute little sparkly nose stud. Her ears were layered with earrings all up and down the lobe, and chunky bracelets and necklaces decorated her body.

Even though I wasn't standing close to her, I could tell that her eyes were a bright, unearthly purple color. They almost seemed to glow. Her skin was porcelain, with a light rosy blush in her cheeks. Her nose was ski-slope, her eyebrows sharp and dramatic, her lips plump and blood-red, like she'd been eating cherries all day. She had a tall, skinny figure. She was definitely skinnier than me- I was more on the curvy side, which I preferred. But she worked the modelesque body she was given.

I stood in silence, feeling a horrible sinking feeling at the look in Teddy's eyes as he stared deeply at this girl, and much like I was intruding on an intimate moment.

I felt panic rising within me. I couldn't move on from Teddy so easily, I knew. I knew my own heart better than anyone, and I knew that I had it bad for Teddy and I wasn't easily letting go. I wasn't going down without a fight.

鄭hem,I cleared my throat loudly, and Teddy jumped beside me. I wrapped an arm around Teddy's waist, not caring if I looked clingy and possessive. 的'm Victoire Weasley! And you are?The last part was a slight bit sassy, but Teddy didn't seem to notice. Yep. He was too focused on her body. I gritted my teeth and dug my nails into the soft fabric of his T-shirt.

徹h-! I'm Arkaria Underwood. Weasley? That sounds familiar-"

典hat's because my Aunt and Uncle are Hermione and Ron Weasley!I interrupted, my voice slightly braggy and a smirk curving my lips. 溺y parents are Bill and Fleur Weasley.

徹h yes!Arkaria said, recognition forming on her face. 展asn't your mum the one who lost the tri-wizard tournament? What a tutted with fake sympathy, a gleam behind those eerily violet eyes.

Oh, bitch, it's on.

展hat a sweetie!I exclaimed much too enthusiastically, smiling brightly at Teddy. Teddy, still wasn't noticing. His eyes were glazed over, staring at Arkaria with a dreamy expression. I bit my cheek to hold back the scream I wanted to release as they made googly eyes at each other.

Thankfully, the distraction of more people entering the room broke the eye-sex occuring between that other girl and Teddy.

徹h my gosh, Teddy!a girl squealed, throwing herself at him. He finally broke eye-contact and turned to the blonde flying towards him, catching her in his arms and laughing as she shrieked in delight. He set her back down and she smiled up at him with giddy excitement.

的've missed you, missed you, missed you!she cried, bouncing up and down on the spot. I narrowed my eyes and scanned over her, scrutinizing the unfamiliar girl who I assumed would be Reeni.

She was tall and had an athletic, almost boyish build, with wide shoulders, muscular legs, and a lack of curves. For some reason, this gave me a feeling of satisfaction. But if that was any consolation, upon further inspection, I realized I shouldn't be content so soon- she had beautiful, shiny reddish-blonde hair, a beautiful smile that made her green eyes light up, and sun-kissed skin that seemed to glow.

Oh shit. I'm surrounded by beautiful girls who are stealing the love of my life away. You know what's about to hit the fan...

I fake-laughed loudly at the display and interrupted, 添ou must be Reeni! I'm Victoire!I stepped forward and inbetween them, bumping Teddy back a step. Yes, I know, I'm obnoxious. But whatever it takes to get Teddy away from these clingy bitches...

徹h, Victoire!she cried fondly, pulling me into a tight hug. My eyes practically bugged out in surprise, and I tentatively hugged her back, uncomfortably patting her back. She pulled away, her arms clutching my shoulders. She looked me up and down with bright, emerald eyes and exclaimed, 添ou're even more beautiful than Teddy said!

I felt a great sense of pride and turned to beam at Teddy, and was extremely excited to see that he was beaming back and no longer ogling that slag.

典eddy has told me so much about you... I mean, he would not shut up about-Reeni divulged but was cut off as Teddy exclaimed with a red tinge in his cheeks, 典hat's enough, Reeni!

I giggled and winked at Teddy, and he shook his head at me with an amused, slightly bashful smile. Yes, he loves me. He just doesn't know it yet.

But I'll show him.

I felt once again that impending feeling of rightness, that Teddy did feel for me what I felt for him. I gazed at him as he gazed back at me, and I just knew.

Then, Arkaria's delicate hands lightly touched his shoulders, and he whirled around to face her.

And suddenly, as she began to talk and giggle with him, it was like I was invisible again.

I glared at Arkaria with one thought apparent in my mind: This is not over.