A/N: Merry Christmas! This chapter so happens to be another Christmas chapter...According to Pottermore, at the 2014 Quidditch World Cup Teddy and Victoire were already a couple and their family seemed to know about it (at least, Bill did) but I am ignoring this because a) it makes me question a lot of things in the epilogue of DH (I mean...it's plausible that all the adults knew but the children were just clueless for 3 years) and b) it would ruin my plotline. So for the sake of the story, let's ignore canon for a bit. On a different note, I have been looking forward to writing this chapter for SO LONG. There's one scene in this that I wrote over a year and a half ago, and I've just had it saved. At the same time, this has also been the most difficult chapter I've written-maybe even the most difficult piece I've written ever. So many things had to happen in this chapter. So many things. I also hope I didn't write Teddy too mean. He is a precious cinnamon roll and I love him, I may have just made him a bit of a jerk/ooc and I feel so bad about it. Anyway, enough rambling. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to JKR
The wizarding village of Hogsmeade was the epitome of postcard perfect the Saturday before the end of term. A fresh blanket of snow lay gently on the old shops of High Street, and large white flakes began to drift lazily down from the sky, dusting the scene below like powdered sugar. Hogwarts students, excited by the prospect of the holidays, were the picture of Christmas cheer, for-having finished their exams-they were free to be relaxed and happy. As they bustled through the shops, their laughter tinkled like the bell above the Three Broomsticks, which rang frequently as shoppers went into its warm belly to enjoy a glass of butterbeer.
Teddy and his friends had just stepped out of the pub into the chilly winter air; but, bustled up in their jackets and yellow scarves, they only felt merriment as they strolled along the street. Henry and Ryan paused to peer through the window of Zonko's Joke Shop, but Teddy was distracted by something across the street. Past the people ambling by, he saw through the glass front of Dervish and Banges his cousin.
Victoire Weasley and some other third year girls were crowded around a display in the store. What they were looking at, Teddy did not know-for he could only see the girls' backs. However, there was no mistaking the long blonde Veela locks-which also seemed to have caught the attention of a few others in Hogwarts' male population, Teddy noticed moments later. A number of third and fourth year boys in the same shop had stopped to ogle at the gaggle of girls-namely, Victoire.
This irked Teddy's protective, brotherly side and he decided to go see what Vic was up to. He left his friends with a promise to return in a few minutes, and began to cross the street. A part of his mind nagged him not to interfere with Victoire; she was 13 and didn't need him to continue bossing her around, as she kept reminding him every time he tried to carry out his brotherly duties. Teddy grimaced, and thought back to a year ago. After they'd returned to school after the holidays, Victoire had kept true to her promise and branched out. To Teddy's surprise, she quickly made new friends, and became somewhat of a social bee within her house and year. Everyone wanted to be friends with the young Veela Gryffindor, who was altogether smart and friendly (and beautiful, of course). And although Teddy was glad she wasn't around to constantly pester him anymore, it was a bit more difficult to follow through with his promise to Victoire's father.
Teddy stepped into the store, and not a moment too late it seemed, for a fourth year by the name of Benjamin Tupark seemed to be holding a conversation with Victoire. The latter was smiling up at the smirking boy, and Teddy scoffed at the fact that Victoire was too naive to see that Tupark looked up to no good.
Teddy moved closer to the group. They were clustered around a collection of ceramic elephants whose trunks moved and occasionally emitted a few toots. Victoire and Tupark stood on the far side of the display table, but they seemed to be the sole focus of the group. The girls had disregarded the so previously adored elephants and were now watching the pair, giggling.
Teddy pushed through the girls and stopped beside his cousin, who did not notice him until he said, "What do you think you're playing at?"
Victoire whirled around at the sound of Teddy's voice. "What are you doing here, Teddy?" she snapped, glaring at him, but he disregarded her and instead awaited an answer from the younger boy, for that is whom he'd directed the question to.
The boy crossed his arms, mirroring Teddy. "I was just talking to Victoire," he said, with a hint of a defensive note, though he mostly just sounded bemused.
"Well leave her alone," Teddy said.
"What?"
"Teddy, what are you doing?" Victoire asked, her voice raising in both volume and pitch. "Don't listen to him." (This, she directed to Benjamin.)
Teddy finally turned to her. "Vic, why are you even talking to this bloke? He has nothing to do with you-he shouldn't even be here!"
"I-," began Tupark, but no one heard him over Victoire, who burst out.
"He shouldn't be here? You shouldn't be here! I told you to stop messing with my life! You're the one who told me I needed more friends and now that I have them, suddenly I'm not allowed to talk to anyone!"
"You can talk to people!" said Teddy. "But not him!" He thrust a finger at Tupark. "Or him! Or him!" he added, pointing at all the other third year boys who were hovering around the shop. "Don't you see? They're all going to take advantage of you! You're only 13-you don't know what's good for you, so you have to listen to me. All these boys, they act as if they fancy you but it's just because you're part Veela-"
"-Oh, so now my only attractive quality is having a Veela gene-"
"-and if you keep letting them take advantage of you, soon they're going to be snogging you!"
"Hey!" Tupark broke in. "Nobody's taking advantage of anybody!"
Teddy snorted. "Look, I suggest you leave this shop before I take advantage of you."
The fourth year, frightened, swiftly left.
"Are you serious, Teddy?" Victoire seethed, "He was about to ask me to the Yule Ball!"
"See, Victoire! This is exactly what I'm talking about. He probably just wants to take you so he can say he did. I don't even understand what you're going to the Yule Ball for. You're a third-year for Merlin's sake!"
"No, no, no! Stop saying that." She glared at him, and tears threatened to fall from her eyes (why did she have to be such a baby?). "I'm not a little kid anymore, Teddy. Stop trying to control everything I do." Her nose was starting to beak and now her voice raised on the edge of hysteria. "Godric, Teddy! You're so annoying. You think that just because you're three years older than me that I have to do whatever you say. Well I don't! So piss off!"
She turned on her heel and started to march away with her friends, but broke into a run. The door slammed behind her and a few people turned to look.
Teddy sighed. He felt embarrassed. Of her.
Later they were trudging up through the snow to the carriages, Teddy, Henry, and Ryan. They were almost there but then Teddy, who was feeling a bit guilty about yelling at Victoire, told them he needed to go back and get something, and to return to the castle without him. So they shrugged, and Teddy left with a, "I'll catch up to you lot later!"
He ran back to the store, passing students going the other direction. He felt bad, he really did. He shouldn't have yelled, and he shouldn't have humiliated her in front of her friends and she was right about being old enough to fend for herself. Teddy sighed and ran his hand through his hair, dusting off the snow that was starting to cake on there.
A man was about to close the shop when he got there but he smiled kindly at Teddy and let him pay for one of the ceramic elephants that Victoire was looking at. He chose the giant one that costed way more galleons than he should've used but Teddy didn't care because Vic could hold grudges like crazy and he realized he didn't want that. And also because she was still Victoire and he was still Teddy.
When he got back to the carriages the last stragglers were getting on and Teddy was stuck sitting next to some fifth years. He held the wrapped parcel to his stomach and cursed Victoire because she had always been able to make him feel so damn guilty.
"Hey," said Teddy, "can I sit?"
Victoire looked up from her parchment and nodded, but did not offer a smile the way she usually did.
Teddy sighed. It was expected, he supposed, that she would still be cold towards him, as their row in Hogsmeade had only been a few days ago. He admitted to himself, though, that he had been rather hoping she's forgiven him in the ensuing days, which would make this a lot easier. Still, despite the unpleasant task before him, Teddy sat in the empty chair besides Victoire. Behind her, large flurries of snow were falling on the other side of the library windows.
"What's up, Teddy?" asked Victoire, and he turned back to see her looking at him expectantly.
"I'm sorry."
"For…?" Victoire prompted, and Teddy pulled a face as he noticed the amused glint in her eyes.
"Are you really going to make me do this?"
"Yes. You deserve it, Teddy Lupin."
This elicited a guilty smile from the boy. "I guess I do, don't I? I'm sorry, Vic...all the stuff I said the other day...it was really uncalled for. I just...don't want you to get mixed in with the wrong people, you know? You're like...my little sister. But I'll try to bugger off in the future, OK?"
It looked like Victoire wanted to say something, but she smiled instead. "Hmm," she said, "I guess I can bring myself to forgive you if you show me what it is you've got behind your back there, Lupin."
Teddy laughed and pulled out the wrapped elephant he'd been holding-not very discreetly, apparently. "Merry Christmas," he said.
Victoire eagerly opened the layers of paper, and squealed at the gift it revealed underneath. "Thank you, Teddy!" she cried, throwing her arms around him.
Teddy laughed, but quickly silenced himself as he caught the murderous glare Madam Pince shot at the pair. "So, I'm forgiven?" he whispered, and Victoire nodded.
"Are you going to keep me company?" she asked him, turning back to the books and parchment laid before her.
"Why not? I've got nothing better to do."
"Don't you have any work? Binns gave us a bloody essay!"
"Oh, I've got work," Teddy replied, "But they're all due after the hols so I'm not doing it until the last day of break."
"And here I thought you were a Hufflepuff!"
Teddy laughed, and glanced around the library. Beside him, he could hear the scratching of Victoire's quill. A few tables down Teddy saw some girls from his year-including Amelie Zitmus, he realized with a funny jolt in his stomach.
The blinding winter light caught in Amelie's brown hair, giving her an almost ethereal glow. Her hair was curled today, Teddy noticed-instead of the usual braid, her curls fell around her shoulders. As Teddy watched, she pushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
"You should ask her to the Yule Ball."
"What?" Teddy startled. He had forgotten Victoire was there, and he turned to see her playing with the corner of her parchment.
"Amelie," she clarified. She did not look at him. "You should ask Amelie to the Yule Ball. I mean, you're going, right? You're sixth year, after all. All the sixth years I've talked to are going. I bet it'll be brill."
"I-I mean…"
"You didn't ask anyone else, did you? No, of course not, you fancy Amelie too much. And I know she doesn't have a date yet. Luke Edgecombe asked her, I heard, but she refused."
Teddy blinked. "How-"
"You're a bit transparent, you know. I think it's quite obvious you like her. You've fancied her for ages. Go on, then. Go ask her."
"N-now?" Teddy asked.
"Yeah," said Victoire, looking up for the first time, "You don't want to ask her when all your mates are here, do you? They'll take the mickey out of you."
Teddy made a face. "All her girl friends are there."
"So? Just ask to speak with her alone."
"Alright," said Teddy, slowly pushing himself up from his chair, "I guess I will ask her."
Victoire gave him an encouraging smile.
He left her at the table and walked over to where Amelie sat. Keeping what Victoire had said in mind, he tapped Amelie on the shoulder. She turned around and smiled when she saw who it was.
"Teddy! Hey!" she said, green eyes crinkling.
"Hi...can I...can I, er, talk to you? Alone?"
The girls at the table giggled, but Teddy was intent on avoiding eye contact with them at all costs. Amelie got up and followed Teddy to a bookshelf a little ways off.
"What's up, Teddy?" She looked at him expectantly.
Amelie was a bit like Victoire, thought Teddy. Amelie was less hot-tempered, though. Still, there were some things that reminded Teddy of each other. Amelie was very beautiful, in a rather classic way. She was not part Veela, of course, so her beauty was more subtle but Teddy had always admired that about her-how if you looked a little closer, you would see how lovely she was. And how if you delved deeper, her personality was like a diamond with its many facets.
Steadying his resolve, Teddy stared at the center of Amelie's forehead as he said, "Would you like to go to the Yule Ball with me?"
She smiled. "Of course!"
"Right then," nodded Teddy, wiping his sweaty palms on his trousers. "So...I'll see you around, I guess."
"See you around! And Teddy," she giggled, "your hair is pink."
"Bloody hell," groaned Teddy, running a hand through his hair as Amelie grinned at him and returned to her table.
Expecting to see her giving him a thumbs up, Teddy turned to look at Victoire but she was absorbed in her essay.
Merlin, he made her so angry!
Victoire slammed the door shut behind her, glad the third year Gryffindor girls' dormitory was otherwise empty. She fell face-down onto her four-poster and gave a muffled groan of frustration into her pillow. Turning her head, she saw the elephant Teddy had given her days ago sitting on her nightstand and she shoved it underneath her bed because she did not think she could bear to look at it.
And then everything started replaying in her head again.
Bloody Binns, thought Victoire, as she hurried down the stairs to lunch. He'd given her an A on her essay, but Victoire thought it had deserved an E, at least. She supposed she had been a bit distracted when writing the conclusion, but-
Her thoughts were interrupted by a voice calling her name. She glanced over to see Nolan Davies waving her over from the bottom of the stairs, where he was waiting for her. She made quick work of the remaining few steps and smiled at him.
"Hi, Nolan!"
He smiled back. And asked her to the Yule Ball.
Victoire looked at him with pleasant surprise. She hadn't been expecting that, but she was flattered. He wasn't the first bloke to show interest in her-she thought back to Hogsmeade a week ago, when Benjamin Tupark had been about to invite her as his date, and then Teddy had shown up...But Nolan was a sixth year and it wasn't any day a sixth year asked a third year to the Yule Ball...And they had hung out all the time when Victoire was a first year and Teddy had still been her best friend…
She realized Nolan was still awaiting an answer from her, as he said nervously, "Unless you're already going with someone else, I mean-"
"Yes-No-I mean, yes I'll go with you, Nolan!" Victoire broke in, and then Teddy had walked over, and everything had gone to rubbish…
"What are you two up to?" he asked, bemused.
"Victoire and I are going to the Yule Ball, I asked her just now.
A faint crease formed between Teddy's eyebrows. "The Yu-"
But Victoire did not want to hear what Teddy had to say. "Don't you dare ruin this for me!" she yelled at him.
"Vic, I didn't say anyth-"
"Well, I know what you were going to say! 'You're only 13 Victoire, you're not old enough to do anything, everyone's trying to take advantage of you, you don't know anything, blah blah blah!'"
"No, I-"
"I don't want to hear it! Just leave it alone, alright?" Victoire saw over Teddy's shoulder the last person she wanted to see at the moment. As Amelie Zitmus approached the group, Victoire snapped. "Look, there's your date," she said, "Now stop trying to bother me about mine." And then she slapped him. She barely had time to see the anger and shock bloom across his face as quickly as the red patch that formed where her palm had met his cheek. She whirled around and ran up the stairs.
She hadn't stopped until she reached the seventh floor and spit out the password and flung herself into her dormitory…
And now here she was, seething with anger and humiliation. He hadn't even said anything, but she'd slapped him, and the whole school had seen, and maybe it was unfair but he'd asked Amelie, Godric, he'd asked Amelie.
All these boys, they act as if they fancy you but it's just because you're part Veela.
You're like...my little sister.
You should ask her to the Yule Ball.
Your hair is pink.
Victoire jumped up and determinedly wiped her tears from her face. She would be the best date ever. She would have more fun than anyone has ever had at the Yule Ball. She flung open her trunk and pulled out robes of shimmering silver. She'd bought it over the summer, but had never worn it. She held it to her body and looked in the mirror.
Teddy Lupin...was just a boy. (A fantastic boy, but still just a boy). She couldn't help but like him, despite how angry he always made her. And it might take her months, years to get over him (for that is what she resolved to do) but she would go to the Yule Ball and she would thoroughly enjoy it.
Christmas Day quickly arrived, and with it the usual excitement of the holiday. There was an added air of excitement, however, with the eagerly anticipated Yule Ball; and though it seemed to take ages, eight o' clock finally came. The Hogwarts students, mostly consisting of fourth through seventh years, entered the Great Hall, which was bedecked with holly and Christmas trees and a thousand fairy lanterns that drifted around the ceiling, from which fell enchanted snow. The house-elves had outdone themselves for the feast, and as the hours passed dining turned to dancing. The students, in their colorful robes, swept around the Hall in time with the live music being played by the Hobgoblins.
Teddy stood at a table to fetch two bottles of butterbeer for him and Amelie; the two had decided to take a break after dancing for six songs in a row. As Teddy observed the scene before him, he saw Victoire and Nolan together on the dance floor. Neither Teddy nor Victoire had talked to each other after the altercation on the stairs the other day-he still awaited an apology from her. Now, however, without anyone else around to notice, Teddy was able to give her a long glance for the first time that evening. Her silver robes looked lighter than air-as she twirled around they seemed to float about her like they were doing a dance of their own. But it wasn't the robes that caught Teddy's attention, or her hair that also swirled around her head-it was, he realized, her expression. She was laughing, and Teddy mused that he had not seen Victoire look so happy in ages-or even ever. Her eyes were alight with joy and excitement, and she looked so carefree. She looked...beautiful. It had never occurred to Teddy how beautiful Victoire was. Which was silly, because she was part Veela. Teddy knew she must have been pretty, and yet it seemed that until now, he had perhaps been looking at her through a filter. He felt like he was asleep and had just opened his eyes for the first time. It was funny, because Victoire's beauty may have been the first thing someone noticed about her. Teddy had always known Victoire was smart and ambitious and hardworking and compassionate. But it was then that he acknowledged for the first time, Victoire Weasley was beautiful.