A/N: Aaaand, I'm back. I've been feeling inspired to write recently, so I cranked this chapter out (finally). I think I finally have a clear, definite direction I'm going with this. I've also been rereading this work, and my God, I am so sorry for all the tense changes. I promise I'll try to be better-I don't even realize I've switched tenses when I do it. I am pretty positive this whole chapter is in the past tense. If it isn't, well-ignorance is bliss. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this next installment!

Disclaimer: JKR owns everything. (Including me)

"I win."

"Bloody Hell, Lupin!" Charlie groaned, slapping his cards down. He grabbed the Exploding Snap deck and began shuffling it.

Five boys and one girl were crowded into the last compartment on the Hogwarts Express, excited for the prospect of the two-week holiday ahead. In addition to playing numerous rounds of aforementioned wizarding card game, they gorged on a gross amount of sweets from the trolley.

The girl wrinkled her nose as Teddy Lupin reached for yet another Pumpkin Pasty and stuck the entirety of it into his mouth.

"Gross, Teddy!" she laughed.

He stuck his tongue out at her, crust and orange bits clinging to it, causing her to squeal in a mixture of disgust and amusement.

"You know you love it," he said, grinning. (Except it came out more like, 'Mmmnoyumompht.')

It was upon this scene that a second girl entered, sliding open the compartment door and feeling conspicuously out of place. Despite this, the occupants did not notice her arrival until she tapped lightly on the inside of the door and said, "Teddy?"

He looked up at the intruder. "What is it?"

"Can I talk to you for a minute? Alone," she added, glancing at his company.

Teddy sighed impatiently. "This had better be quick, Victoire," he grumbled. He climbed over the legs of Amelie Zitmus and Ryan Smith, and joined the second-year in the corridor.

"What do you want?

Victoire faltered. "I…er…I just wanted to talk to you about something."

"Well get on with it, then. The boys are about to start a new game of Snap."

This caused the Veela to frown. "As if that is what you care about! I saw you getting all cosy with Amelie in there!"

"Is this is what this is about? You're mad because we let Amelie sit in there instead of you?"

"No! Well…yes!"

"She's Charlie's sister!"

"And I'm your best friend!"

"I'm not going to waste my time letting you give me dragon dung about this," sneered Teddy, turning around.

"Wait, Teddy!" she grabbed his arm. "Listen to me, Teddy Lupin! I just wanted to make sure we were on good terms before going back to the Burrow. You've been a right prick to me, if you must know! Ever since you were made prefect, you've been bossing me around, and abandoning me for all your fifth-year mates."

"You think that's because I was made prefect?" You've got it all wrong, Victoire. I don't want you to hang around anymore because ever since you came to Hogwarts you've been an annoying little bugger! You're always trying to do everything I do, trying to get in with all my mates. When are you going to get it? I have my own friends now, and you need to find some friends your own age. And after that stunt you pulled last week, you've only confirmed that you're not mature enough to hang out with us."

Victoire felt like she'd been slapped in the face. She shrunk back. Why did she feel so…small?

"That was not a stunt," she muttered through gritted teeth.

"You embarrassed me in front of all my mates! My whole year!"

"If you think our friendship is so embarrassing then, I guess we shouldn't be friends anymore," she snapped coldly.

"I guess not."

Teddy whirled around and Victoire waited until the compartment door slammed shut behind him before she succumbed to her tears.

"Teddy. A word please?"

The Metamorphmagus turned from his game of wizard's chess to look up at the scarred face of his Uncle Bill. "Sure," he said, excusing himself from Percy Weasley.

The Burrow did not have very many places to offer for someone seeking a private conversation. Bill Weasley, however, was able to manage after having lived many years in this house. He pulled his brother-in-law's godson into the kitchen where only Aunt Audrey stood, washing the dishes.

"Look, Teddy," he said quietly, "Ever since we arrived at the Burrow, I've noticed you and Victoire seem to be…not so friendly."

"Uncle Bill, I—"

Bill held up his hand to silence the boy. "Listen. I think I know what this is about, and I'm not going to blame you. I understand you want to hang out with your own friends, am I correct?"

Teddy nodded.

"I do agree that Victoire needs to form more friendships with children closer to her own age. However, I want to ask you a favor, Teddy." He raised his eyebrows, and Teddy indicated for him to continue, "Even if you and Vic are not on the best of terms, I'd like you to watch out for her. You're the oldest kid in this family and you've always done a good job taking care of them. I've always thought it went without saying, but I've asked you once before when she started school and now I'm going to say it again. So do you promise, Teddy? Will you help my daughter to be careful and not get hurt?"

Teddy nodded with conviction. "I promise, Uncle Bill."

His uncle smiled and patted him on the shoulder. "Thank you, Teddy. I know I can always count on you."

Why did Teddy feel like he'd already let his uncle down?

Late Christmas evening, Victoire curled up alone among the cushions in her Aunt Ginny's old room and was about to crack open a book when she heard a knock on the door.

"Come in!" she called out.

She didn't expect to see Teddy standing in the doorway, but that is, in fact, who it was when the door had been opened.

"Teddy?"

"Erm…hi," he muttered, "Can I sit down?"

"Sure," she said—guardedly, but gesturing to the desk chair nonetheless.

"So, I just wanted to say…thank you…for the Christmas present."

She smiled awkwardly. "You're welcome. But…I bought it before…y'know…our little fallout…so…" She shrugged, not exactly knowing where she was going with that sentence.

But Teddy sat up straighter. "Right. About that. I also came here to apologize, for, y'know…yelling at you and being a general prick."

Victoire nodded. "Apology accepted. And, I…I guess I understand," she said, lacing her fingers together. "Just so you know, you don't have to worry about me bothering you anymore. You were right about me needing to develop more relationships with other second-years. Molly has a whole circle of firsties. So…I guess…I guess that is what I'm going to do."

Victoire saw Teddy relax, relieved. He said, "You're my cousin, Vic. You'll always be my cousin and that won't change. Just like the fact that I'll always care about you. But—"

"But we can't be best friends anymore?" she asked quietly.

Teddy nodded, picking at the wood of the chair.

Victoire could not say that she hadn't expected it, but she nonetheless felt a last bit of hope die, a hope she hadn't even known was there.

"I—I guess we haven't been for a while, anyway," she managed around the lump in her throat.

He paused on his way out the door. For a few seconds, it looked like he wanted to say something else. But all he said was, "Happy Christmas, Vic."

Then the door was closed as if he had never been there. The only sign that something had happened was an empty feeling in Victoire's chest, like a piece of her heart had left through the door with Teddy Lupin.