a/n Hello all! I hope you like this chapter, though I know Victoire isn't very likeable in it! As always, I do not have any claim to these characters! Also, I'm trying out a new format, where the beginning of some chapters has a moment from Victoire's past that is significant. Let me know what you think of it!

"Cor, he's dreamy" Molly giggled rolling her head back onto my shoulder. The soft autumn chill stole around us as we surrounded ourselves with textbooks on the Hogwarts lawn. And if we happened to be in a prime eyeing spot for Damian McDougal then so be it.

I muffled a laugh, Molly had been gushing about McDougal since she spotted him coming out of the Prefects compartment on the train, "Molls shhh! He'll look over then where will we be."

"In the full force of his beauty!" Molly giggled and rolled over, turning her back on Damian for a moment, "Come on then, what're we supposed to be learning?"

She picked up a stack of color-coded notes, a bit old and ragged as they had belonged to Aunt Hermione before us, "Fancy us learning the same things our parents did before us perhaps all the way to Dumbledore! You'd think they'd change the OWLs more often."

I arranged my stack as well, "I'm sure some things have changed since Dumbledore, and you know History of Magic has changed."

Molly made a face, about to reply, when a shadow fell over the two of us.

"Hello girls." Damien directed a dazzling grin towards a blushing Molly as I tried to muffle a laugh.

He glanced at me before turning towards her, "Fancy a walk?"

.

"Excuse me? Miss?" I jerked out of my reverie, centered around the crisp dinner invitation that had arrived that morning, and quickly closed the grimy curtains. An equally grimy old man stood in front of me mumbling around his pipe, " 'ow 'bout those windows then?"

Teddy gave me a frown as he leaned against the opposite side of the room. A move that wasn't necessarily wise considering the color of the wall paper. Who knew what exactly was growing there to turn it that particular shade of off-brown.

I shouldn't have been surprised that this particular venture had turned out so horrendously, Teddy didn't care much where he dragged me, as long as it gave the appearance of flat hunting, though this venue was a flat by only the broadest of terms. Hovel-with-stairs if you were to get more specific.

The man, a Mr. Egbhert or some such, threw open the door to the next room with such gusto that he displaced the greenish looking dust that lay everywhere. My eyes watered fiercely and the threshold creaked ominously as I stepped across, Teddy following close behind me his hand burning through the sleeve at my elbow. I quickly shook him off once it became apparent I wouldn't be plummeting through the floorboards.

'An' this is where the lil' tykes would run about. Close to mum and pop, see?" Mr. Egbhert spat on the floor, whether because he wasn't very fond of children or the room in general. I couldn't blame him; the room was putting a bad taste into my mouth as well.

Suddenly it registered what he had been on about as Teddy's arm settled heavily over my shoulders. It made the room stifling and I longed for the last room where despite the questionable wallpaper there had been fresh air, and more space between us.

Teddy ducked his head and gave me a rakish grin, "Eh darling? Do you see the lil' tykes bounding about here?" He was, I realized, having much too much fun at my discomfort, which had been apparent as soon as we had been ushered into the cramped, precarious wrought iron lift.

I hid my scowl from Mr. Egbhert behind my hair, "I think that you won't be in danger of having any 'little tykes' very soon."

Teddy's face turned into one of exaggerated concern as his arm pushed me down so I was bent at the waist., "My love, what is it? Do you feel ill?"

I could hear the laughter vibrating in his voice and despite myself I began to play along, "I think I need fresh air, darling." I croaked out. It wasn't at all difficult to put on the appearance of being driven to sickness. I covered my mouth to hide a smile as I saw Mr. Egbhert look alarmed, glaring guiltily at his spit on the floor, as if that had offended my delicate sensibilities.

"Let's go, then," He blustered, "The main bedroom will 'ave air"

Teddy's grip tightened around my arms as he herded my towards the door, "No no, I think it'll be best to call it a day, can't have the missus getting ill."

I snuck a glance up from where I was huddled against Teddy, breaking from making the appropriate sick noises. Mr. Egbhert looked crestfallen, no doubt he had been hoping to fob off this dismal place to the 'innocent new couple from Devonshire' or whatever tale Teddy had rambled out about us.

I started laughing into Teddy's jacket as Mr. Egbhert practically followed us into the rickety lift, trying desperately to gain some confirmation from us.

"'ow 'bout tomorrow? We can 'ave another go tomorrow!"

"Perhaps!" Teddy shouted back at him, too busy trying to jab at the rusted buttons on the door to realize his arm was still around me. I left it, seeing as even if I made a deal of it, we would likely be just as close anyways, the lift was so cramped.

After an age of creaking and groaning, the lift shuddered to a halt on the bottom floor. Teddy grabbed my hand and pulled me out, just as we heard a door bang above us and the sound of running footsteps.

I gasped the fresh air as we left the building, for a while it had seemed like mildew was growing in my lungs. "Teddy," I gasped, "That was beastly."

Teddy dropped my hand, stretching his arms above his head, "Did you see me stumble in the kitchen?" he smiled at me, eyes crinkling.

Wordlessly I shook my head, "I was too busy trying to determine what that dark dripping spot on the ceiling was."

He gave a short breath of laughter, "My leg went clean through the floor!"

"What?" I gaped at him, an incredulous feeling bubbling up through me.

"Yeah," Ted shook his head laughing, "How he thought he would sell us that kitchen is beyond me."

Suddenly I was laughing too, "You're welcome to the kitchen, did you see that bedroom? Work of art to get it as bad as that!"

We laughed at the incredulity of it for a while and were winding down when Teddy exclaimed again, "I almost wish we would have seen what was in that bathroom now!"

I laughed harder. When the door had swung open to the bath, all we had seen was a dark hole. Teddy had suggested we didn't turn on the light. "You can always go ask Mr. Egbhert, I'm sure he'll be delighted to show you!"

Teddy imitated Mr. Egbhert's disgruntled face and I leaned against him still chuckling as we wandered further down the street.

"Fancy a bit of lunch?" Teddy grinned down at me, "We could go to a nice sandwich place just around the corner."

I grinned back and nodded, knowing that Maman wouldn't miss me.

Once we had settled down and gave our orders at the quaint sandwich shop, a place that raised my spirits considerably with its cottagey atmosphere, I said to Teddy seriously, "As fun as this was today, if we are to keep gandering about flats for a cover I demand some semblance of legitimacy."

Teddy frowned at me, "Isn't that what we were doing? I do actually need a flat you know.'

I eyed him, unsure if he was joking or not, "That was a concentrated effort to get a flat?"

Teddy shook his head irritably, "Well, obviously it didn't work out the way I planned but yeah, I picked that place out!"

We paused as a pretty, young waitress came by with our food. I saw her eyeing up Ted and gave her a frown. Unimaginably rude of someone, and while he was talking to me too! Teddy didn't seem to notice anything as he dug in with a gusto I had only seen in the Potter boys. Makes sense actually, considering he had been raised with them.

I paused before picking up my food, far more daintily than Teddy had, "Why didn't you ask Aunt Audrey for suggestions, or my Maman? She was pestering me this morning." I took a small bite, "At least then you would get decent places."

Teddy looked at me thoughtfully, "Alright Delacour, next flat you choose."

I flushed, 'Don't call me that."

He grinned at me around his sandwich, "What, Delacour?"

I nodded and busied myself with my food.

"Delacour-Weasley is much too long to say."

"My name is Victoire," I snapped at him.

He gave a great big laugh and reached across the small table to tug my hair. I jerked my head back, pulling the long strands through his fingers.

"So what are you doing the rest of the week? There's a new letter for you to read." He looked back down, settling his hands on the edge of the table.

"It came in the night?" I asked, pausing as he nodded, "I can pop in tomorrow morning, but I have dinner with Christopher in the evening so if it requires-"

Teddy interrupted me, "Wait what dinner?" he frowned suddenly, "Since when are you dating Wood?"

I flushed, it had suddenly turned cold, "We aren't dating, it's just one date. And he asked me when I was by your house last week."

"Good Merlin, why?" Teddy leaned away from where he had been resting on the table.

Now I know it's rather vain to insist, but being asked to lunch or dinner was not an uncommon occurrence in my life. Dad often joked that I got nearly as many invitations as my Maman had gotten in my age.

I flushed angrily, Teddy might very well find me unattractive but that didn't mean everyone was so thick! "And he asked me to a Quidditch match-"

"Don't be ridiculous," Teddy said dismissively, "He doesn't want to date you."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" I spluttered.

Teddy pressed his lips together and looked away, the muscle in his jaw jumping. I looked down at my half-eaten stomach, appetite gone but a hollow feeling still in my stomach. Because I knew exactly what he meant. He meant to tell me that I'm not good enough for Christopher, not worthy of one of his friends. He meant, with that one offhand phrase, everything that he's been telling me each year since he left for Hogwarts, that I'm just a vain, silly little girl who has no purpose in life and won't amount to anything on my own. He's always telling me how ugly I am; not on the outside, no Teddy's not stupid, but on the inside. That I am nothing without my beauty. That I rely on it to get me through life far too often.

"You are such a child." He muttered, still not meeting my eyes.

But then, he's never given me a chance to prove otherwise, even if I felt a loyalty to prove him wrong. Teddy doesn't know me, as cliché as it is to say, and that is his mistake. I'm tired of trying to justify myself to him when he has no interest of knowing who I am.

Despite myself I felt pressure building up behind my eyes. We had been acting so amiable for a while that I had forgotten that it could never last, and disappointment gnawed at my stomach. It was like when the bubble bursts, or you wake up from a dream and suddenly everything is quite normal, and so very disappointing.

Blinking quickly, I dropped some coins on the table and turned to leave. I turned back once as I walked quickly to the nearest apparition point, and Teddy was eating again, head bowed.

I couldn't shake the feeling that I was running away yet again. From Teddy, or the conversation that promised to happen very soon, I had no idea.

.

The next morning I debated whether to go to Teddy's or not. Finally I decided to stop by in the morning, as we had discussed before the conversation turned south the day before, before my dinner with Christopher Wood. I was deciding on what to wear to the dinner, as there wouldn't be much time to change if Teddy's letter proved challenging, When there was a sharp knock at my door.

"What's wrong with you?" Dom's muffled voice came from behind my door. She rapped her knuckles against it again.

I looked up from peering into my wardrobe, "Come in-"

What's wrong with you?" she demanded again, perching at the foot of my bed and frowning. The early morning light had just started to peek through my curtains but Dom looked like she had been up for ages. Considering that I hadn't been seeing her come home the past few days, I wondered at just how much sleep she was getting.

"What should I wear? I'm meeting Teddy in an hour." I asked tossing her a shirt. Dom ignored it and looked at me expectantly.

I sighed, "Look, it's not a big deal; it's not a date or anything."

Dom snorted, "Exactly in which world do you live in where you don't consider being asked to dinner a date?"

I opened my mouth but she cut me off, "And what about Molly? Victoire, you knew that she liked him-"

"No I didn't!" I brushed my hair out of my eyes, "She never said a thing! And what was I supposed to do, he asked me out of the blue!"

Dom looked exasperated, "Even so, you could tell she felt something for him couldn't you! You should know better than to swing in on her man, especially after what happened last time, even I-"

"Oh really? You wouldn't pay attention to anyone's interest? What about Lysander then? He's dating Charlotte!" I glared at her, correctly guessing who she had been with the last few days.

Her face tightened and she opened her mouth, "That's different."

She looked down and fiddled with the edge of my covers restlessly. I softened, looking at her bended figure. She's so strong, my sister, and she tries to look after everyone she loves with such fierceness, I admire it sometimes. But sometimes I wish she understood more that people can be fallible, and not everyone knows how to be so brave all the time.

Dom got up and paced towards the door and said, without turning towards me, "You're absolutely right, Lysander is dating Charlotte. And I would never try to come between them." She glared at me.

I knew what I had insinuated was out of line, but I just couldn't bring myself to apologize, "If you aren't going to help me choose what to wear, you should leave." I turned back to my wardrobe, watching her leave out of the corner of my eye.

I stood staring at the wardrobe for a few seconds. Dominique had struck a nerve when she reminded me that Molly would be upset I had accepted Christopher's dinner invitation. She had always felt self-conscious when boys were interested in me at Hogwarts. There was one incident when her boyfriend in fifth year used their relationship to proposition me, Molly broke up with him and never spoke of it again. But I honestly, don't understand what she would have wanted me to do instead of accepting! She had made such a big deal about not liking him that I took her at her word for once!

I was loath to face Molly, I knew she wouldn't say anything, would hold me responsible, but somehow that made it worse. I could justify my actions well enough but I could not justify the guilt that gnawed at me. I wasn't looking forward to facing Teddy either and I knew Dom wouldn't speak to me until I apologized. I couldn't go to the Burrow without fielding questions from Nana Weasley and I could visit little Hugo without answer Aunt Hermione with my plans for the future.

This time, as I quickly shut the door to Shell Cottage and walked down the winding lane, I knew I was running away.

a/n please review, they really make my day!