AAAAGH sorry sorry sorry! Exams and college and placement and all the usual excuses- but I'm finished tomorrow from twelve (really should be doing something else at two in the morning before my exam) but feeeeeeeck it. such is life. Teddy's POV. (if you even remember where we're at? I had to remind myself so don't feel embarrassed about flicking back!)

My heart wasn't beating.

I mean, obviously, it was- or I wouldn't be telling this story- but I couldn't feel it. It was like it had faded to such an extent that all I could sense was a slow numbness spreading through my limbs, and a faint flicker where my heart should have been thrumming confidently. Where it had been beating contentedly only seconds ago. It seemed like a lifetime had passed since we'd been alone in the room- so painfully, agonisingly close to what I'd been fantasising about for months. How did we go from such a high to such a ridiculous low? Other relationships didn't seem to have these problems. It felt like we were permanently re-establishing the parameters for "fucked up beyond words".

I was going to die.

I really was.

Surrounded by all this green silk and girl's perfumes.

And not a glorious, honourable death like my mother and father; but hopping half naked around the Slytherin Common Room. That's how I would be remembered to my family- to my Gran. And Harry would know I hadn't heard a word of his speech on chastity and morality and all that jazz. That's if I made it that far. I would have to somehow get past Zabini; still glowering at me with hatred I hadn't even known was possible. Victoire's chest was heaving, as she searched desperately for something to say. I think she knew we were both waiting for her to save the day. No one was looking at me to come up with anything. The silence was stretching on and on and becoming more and more pointed by the second, as he still mutedly held aloft that stupid handkerchief. I wished I could pop back to the moment in time where I'd decided it was wise to bring it, and just smack myself.

I could feel her panic from mere metres away; sense her desperation. She wasn't ready for this to come out. And especially to Zabini of all people. Maybe we both weren't. I had no idea what would actually happen. I just wanted to be able to kiss her whenever I felt like it. I wanted to be able to smile at her openly. I hadn't really considered the consequences.

It seemed like a pretty huge oversight at that particular moment in time.

I glanced at her quickly as her deep blue eyes met mine; full of defeat and resignation and I knew in my bones that she had nothing. No excuse. No explanation. She was equally out of ideas and there was no way out. I turned back to Zabini; still staring at me in silence. It was as if he already knew the answer, already knew all the pieces; but wanted to be wrong. There was none of the conviction he had had when he burst in looking for Malfoy. He really, really wanted to be wrong.

Bracing myself, I loosened control on my appearance, my head and breathing clearing slightly as the effort to maintain Scorpius's face dissolved. Zabini's jaw set as he watched in disgust as platinum faded to dusky blonde; grey gave way to brown; and I grew about an inch. (Not that I'm counting).

The room stood in silence as we faced each other at last; everything finally out in the open. Tension hung heavy in the air around us as we waited for Zabini to explode. Refusing to lift his gaze off me he addressed Vic quietly, not trusting himself to raise his volume.

"How long?"

She stared at the floor, looking as though she wanted nothing more than for the ground to eat her up. Her arms crossed her bare chest, trying to warm herself.

"I… I don't know. A month- maybe-"

"A month." He spat back, seemingly unable to look at her. Instead he directed all his hostility towards me. There seemed to be very little I could do but take it. Lashing back would not help Vic and would only serve to land me in the hospital wing.

"Were you planning on ever telling me?"

Vic flinched at his icy tone; looking up at him briefly before refocusing on the floor. "I… wanted to- but I was afraid-"

"Of how I'd react? Because I love you? And you know exactly how I feel about him. I thought we'd left all this behind! I thought I made it clear the night I came to you why I despise-"

Vic looked terrified; tears threatening to overspill at any minute. I'd never seen her let anyone talk to her this way. It was wrong. No one should be steamrolling over her like this. But Zabini seemed only to be getting into his stride and Victoire seemed like she wanted nothing more than to crawl under the bed I had just emerged from and wait for the end of the year to come. I took a step forward.

"Why don't you calm down Zabini? This really has nothing to do-"

He wheeled around on me and I thanked Merlin for the bed between us that prevented him catapulting himself onto me.

I shouldn't have spoken.

I really shouldn't have spoken.

I saw that now.

"Nothing to do with me? This has nothing to do with you! She has absolutely nothing to do with you! So why her Lupin, huh? Why did it have to be her? You broke us up didn't you? Masterminded the whole fucking affair! And then who was there to sweep in and dry her tears? Fucking-"

"Cass, Teddy didn't break us up. You know-"

He turned on her then; his wand flailing around dangerously with his motions. He looked slightly unhinged. But in the moment when he finally looked at Victoire and her tear streaked face, he seemed to crumble, becoming a much smaller, paler imitation of the boy who had swung into her dorm demanding blood only seconds before. It was unnerving. He was fucking unstable. Sometimes, I really felt people should question Hogwarts policies on student admittance. There should be some sort of exam or interview or something to weed out the crazies. But then Hogwarts wasn't exactly heralding the student safety movement. Not by a long shot. I was pretty sure Voldemort's name was still on the wall of prefects.

"Cass…" She began, much softer this time; she looked like she herself was crumbling too. I almost felt I was intruding.

He took a step towards her before remembering himself and glowering in my direction. "So you're with him now? A proper little couple?"

Seeing as Vic seemed incapable of words, I piped up, sounding a lot more confident than I felt. "Yeah. Yeah we are."

He nodded, like the motion itself pained him. "Let me be the first to offer congratulations. I guarantee I'll be the last."

Vic reached out to him imploringly. "Don't do this- Cass it doesn't have to be-"

He wrenched his hands away from her. "It's exactly how it has to be. You've been skulking around behind everyone's backs. They aren't your friends anymore? They don't deserve to know?" Using his freed hands he gestured wildly to the door. The dim hum of conversation and music was still wafting up from the common room. I'd forgotten the party was still going. It seemed surreal that there was still life continuing beyond the walls of her dorm, unaffected by the murder scene playing out in front of us.

Vic grabbed a jumper; pulling it swiftly over her head, before turning back to Zabini. She was shaking slightly; from the cold or from fear I couldn't tell.

"Lys and Nessa already know. The rest-"

"The rest? The rest? Those people are your house Vic. They are your friends! What about Nott eh? You've been pally with him too recently. Does he know? Or are you sleeping with him too? Probably-"

"Cass! You know that isn't true!"

"I don't know a damn thing about you. The girl I thought I knew would never have done this! Not to me- I should have listened to Bursnell; I should have-"

"Cass!" The tears were flowing properly know; free and thick. I wanted to go to her but knew it would only anger Zabini.

"Zabini- don't you think-"

"SHUT UP!" Eyes wild, he turned to glare at me. "You've done enough Lupin. Why don't you just leave?!"

I looked at Vic; her teary eyes begging me to stay. "I'm not going anywhere-"

I barely had time to finish my sentence before he leapt across at me; dragging me forcibly from the room as I choked under his grip. Vic screamed somewhere in the background, yelling indistinguishable noises and before I knew it, both Cass and I were tumbling down the dormitory stairs; grappling with each other until we crashed through the final steps and into a Common Room full of bewildered Slytherins.

Slowly, one by one, they began to stand; looking at Cass for some idea as to why Teddy Lupin was half naked, at three in the morning, in their Common Room party; or why Zabini looked fit to kill me as we both shakily began to rise. Their answer came storming down the stairs behind us as Vic rushed to me; helping me up and checking me for bruises; almost as naked as I was but for the jumper and her underwear.

"You're okay? You're okay. Get up Teddy. Go home okay? We'll talk tomorrow. Just go. Go."

She lifted me up; straining with effort as she ushered me towards the door. Confused I looked down at her; digging in my heels.

"What's going to happen? What's going-"

"Aren't they adorable?" Zabini's drawl drew us both to a reluctant halt as anyone who was unsure of what the fuck was happening was quickly clued in. Vic gave me one last push; half-hearted and weak.

"Go Teddy. I can handle this. You can't help." She whispered, still refusing to face Zabini. A female voice piped up and we both turned to glare at her.

"Precious. Just precious. I thought you were an idiot when I told Cass it was Malfoy up there- but Lupin? You are fucking hysterical Victoire."

Vic walked menacingly towards her, finally releasing me and ceasing her efforts to shoo me out. "I'm glad you appreciate my humour. I wonder if you'll find it as funny when I drop Davies a little note expanding on your summer activities."

Bursnell slipped from her seat; striding forward with a lazy ease that had me unnerved. "Do what you want. We broke up yesterday. I felt it… prudent."

Vic looked as if she'd been slapped. But she recovered quickly as the entire house gathered in closer to hear her reply; their eyes alight with excitement at the prospect of a fight. Someone in the background turned down the music, as conversation grew to hushed whispers and then a complete halt.

"That's perfectly fine. The Ministry were always a lot more receptive of my jokes. I think a full scale Wizengamot investigation into statutory rape should be enough to get a few chuckles."

Bursnell twirled a long thin strand of hair around her finger; examining it carefully. The mention of the Wizengamot had her stiffen slightly, and I wondered was she really as cock-sure of herself as she was portraying.

"That's the thing Vic. I don't think you have the balls. It's one thing playing a bitch; but to ruin someone's entire life for the way they were when they were sixteen? Pretty harsh. And I just don't think you have it in you. Take it as a compliment if you want."

Zabini took a step forward, shrugging out of the confused and calming grips of his friends; friends that I was sure were whispering sweet nothings about Mercier and Quidditch and how this was all going to look. He didn't seem to hear a word of it though, so intent on staring at Vic as though willing her to be someone else; willing her to turn around and announce that this was all a joke.

"But you don't mean it as one, do you?" Vic clarified quietly.

Bursnell shook her silky hair and laughed. "No. I don't. I think you're weak. I thought you were weak when you cried for all of first year, snivelling away in the bathrooms. I thought you were weak when you believed Borge actually fancied you. The only time I doubted it was when you started dating Cass here. But then I slept with him last summer; and I remembered that anything you have- I can take."

Victoire stilled as the whole room took a collective breath. Why was no one stepping in? Why was no one separating them or- or at least walking away to give them some privacy? The way the entire house was watching, silently and judgingly, and doing nothing to stop it was nauseating. No wonder Vic hated them. And Zabini- I could tell from his face that it was true. Somewhere inside him he knew that this was too far; he knew that he should stop it and that it was his fault. There was guilt written all over his face. But he masked it as best he could in cool indifference; his pride too wounded to rush to Victoire's defence now.

Prick.

I couldn't see Victoire's face; her back was too me. But she was unnaturally still.

"You're lying." Her words were colder then I had ever heard them; oddly enunciated and clear.

Bursnell shook her head again; her smug grin growing with each second. "No I'm not. I know you don't want to believe he'd do that to you Vic, but the truth is you're not all that special. And these days it's all too easy to fall into bed with someone you know you shouldn't. You should know that better than anyone."

Stiffly she turned from Bursnell to face Zabini. Under the intensity of her gaze he seemed to falter slightly, looking like he wanted to apologise, but just couldn't. Not with me standing behind her, a permanent reminder of their separation and the fact that she'd moved on.

"It isn't true." She stated, looking for him to confirm it. He hesitated, the eyes of the room swivelling towards him as they waited his verdict.

"I… yeah it's true. Don't act like you have the high ground here. Lupin?"

But for all his bravado, he refused to meet her eyes.

Shocked whispers rose up through the room; their words indistinguishable but their glee unmistakable. The four of us had just made their Christmas come true. No doubt the tales of the Slytherin Common Room fiasco would spread through the school by tomorrow morning. Everyone who had been pleased they were invited to the Slug Club gathering and had promised their friends they'd fill them in on all the drama, were going to look pretty stupid. They should have come to the Slytherin Common Room. It was where all the action was going down.

Bursnell's simper floated over yet again; the bitch seemingly unable to stop herself. I stepped towards Vic; reading that now was probably an apt time to leave and that she should probably come with me.

"See Vic- even-"

Her words were silenced completely as Vic turned on her, wand aloft and looking as though she was going to massacre the entire room. Tears were brimming in her eyes but she refused to let them fall; blinking resolutely and glowering at Bursnell with intense loathing.

"You insufferable little bitch. I am going to bury you. You won't even-"

Alarmed, I placed a hand on her waist. "Vic, come on. Come to our dorms. She's not-"

She pushed me off her with a minimalist flick of her wand; tossing me back slightly with some charm and never breaking gaze with Bursnell; who looked very uneasy with the turn of events. She had to know that while they could spar with words all they wanted and resurface relatively evenly matched; she would undoubtedly lose if Victoire decided to duel. Odds were that no one in this room would be able to intervene even if they wanted to. And from the rapt attention they were focusing on the two girls, they would rather break their legs than break up this fight. It had been years in the brewing.

"Vic-" Zabini intoned; looking very uncertain as to what he should be doing. As if he hadn't created the entire mess. As if every single thing that was happening wasn't entirely his fault.

"Shut the fuck up Zabini."

Only it wasn't me that spoke. It was Vic; literally stealing the words from my mouth. I would have applauded only I felt it would be a lonely clap.

He looked taken aback by the hostility she was directing at him; still not having lifted the threatening wand point from Bursnell's face.

"Victoire- what the fuck?"

The arrival of two newcomers from what I assumed was the boys' dormitory steps grabbed everyone's attention as Scorpius pushed through the crowds to the centre; Nott in tow, looking like an over anxious mother hen. I would have laughed at his expression had the situation not been so dire.

Nott glanced at me and returned his gaze to Victoire; before doubling back and reaffirming that his eyes were seeing correctly and that I was indeed standing in his Common Room. I nodded sheepishly, giving a half shrug. He blinked at me again in disbelief.

Victoire gestured at Clemence with her wand, spitting her words. "She slept with Cass last summer Scorpius. She slept with him."

Scorpius placed a soothing hand on her shoulder; and then slapped her lightly.

The crowds gasped and Cass and I stepped forward angrily; only to be halted by Nott as Scorpius whispered in her ear. I couldn't catch the exact words; but I definitely made out something about being Victoire Weasley and bitch fits. Whatever it was it made sense to Vic. She gritted her teeth and nodded jerkily; lowering her wand slightly. I relaxed a little bit; whereas Cass was still actively trying to climb Nott to get to Malfoy.

"Malfoy what the fuck do you think you're doing?" He spat; outraged that someone would have the nerve to slap Victoire; much less a boy. Like it hadn't been him only a few weeks ago. Hypocritical ass.

Pushing him back off Nott assertively; I glared across at him. "He hit a girl. I thought you'd be familiar with the concept?"

Finally seeing red; Zabini leapt across at me, the two of us swinging for each other wildly and smashing into furniture as the crowds leapt out of the way. I could hear Nott yelling something about Quidditch and Bursnell yelling for someone to help Zabini. And then I heard Victoire yell something and suddenly, pandemonium erupted through the common room; as cheers and cat calls sprang up all around us.

Wrenched off Zabini by Malfoy; I barely had time to register that Victoire was currently being actively restrained from clawing Bursnell by Nessa and some randomer and that Bursnell was being likewise detained by some boy; before a thin sheet of fabric fell over me and I recognised the soft velvet. My cloak.

Rose's voice piped up from underneath it's shelter; directly behind my ear. "We've got to go Teddy. Scorpius is going to grab Victoire."

I turned to Victoire; slightly dazed, before watching in fascination as Nott gently pushed Nessa out of the way lifted Vic clean off the floor. Rose tugged at my hand and I followed her lead hesitantly, still craning my neck to watch as Nott carried her easily away from the common room, ignoring her protests as we tip-toed carefully to the door.

Some of the shocked daze had worn off by the time we reached my room. I hesitated in the doorway, blinking, as I realised that all of that had in fact happened. Was probably still happening down in the Slytherin Common room.

"Fuck." I breathed.

She nodded back, pushing my door open and walking in. "Yeah. That was…"

"Fuck." I repeated, closing it behind me. At the sound of the door snapping shut; the room became oddly quiet. Had someone been in here? Was there someone in-

"Teddy mate? Is that you?"

Aelius's voice floated over from his bed; the curtains subtly closed.

I sighed. "Yeah. It's me and Rose… and Vic and Malfoy will be coming soon so you might want to get rid of whoever's in there."

There was no point disguising her name now. Everyone knew. Or would by tomorrow.

There was movement from within his bed and the rustling of sheets; and then an entirely new female voice floated out to us. But oddly familiar.
"Why is Vic coming? I thought you two had our dorm?"

I blinked. "We did but- wait, Alyssa?"

There was silence.

"Fuck."

Then a sigh.

"Yeah. It's me."

Commotion from downstairs; grabbed our attention away as Rose shot up suddenly. "They don't have the cloak Teddy! They can't get up here!"

Leaping upright as I followed her out the door; I threw words over my shoulder. "Get dressed you two! I don't think you'll be heading back to Slytherin tonight Lys!"

Her confused reply was lost as I tore down the stairs; leaping three steps at a time and overtaking Rose with ease. Raised voices rippled through the common room as people began questioning how the hell Slytherin's infamous blondes knew the password; while in the doorway, Scorpius stood indifferently with an arm around Victoire as she gazed numbly and unseeingly at the floor.

"Vic." I breathed, shoving through third years that stood gaping around them in a circle. At the sound of her name she looked up slowly; and seeing me, disintegrated into tears. The whole Common Room stood still in awkward bewilderment as Victoire Weasley bawled into the arms of Teddy Lupin; and he didn't seem to care. In fact, he was soothing her and hugging her and kissing her hair; almost as if-

Oh my God.

You could practically hear people's imaginations whirring into motion as the pieces clicked for them. Gently ushering her to the stairs; I tried to focus on getting her to my room; looking back to say thank you to Scorpius before he left. But it seemed he had no inclination to leave. In fact, Rose and Malfoy were following my lead… hand in hand. It was subtle; and didn't create as many gobsmacked faces as our passionate embrace.

But it was a start.

Merlin we would all have some hangovers tomorrow.

Yeeeeah... So sorry again! Hopefully I'll update this weekend again. In fact, I promise you I will! I'll be so good you won't even recognise me!