A/N: Enjoy the new story!
Deafening, pulsating beats.
The astringent bite of cheap whiskey.
Sloppy lips and a hot, wanting body.
Her body.
Teddy blinked awake and found strawberry-blonde wisps across his pillow. He had a pounding headache and felt the urge to retch.
The other side of the bed moved.
They'd danced and kissed. She held him tightly and whispered something in his ear. His grandmother was away for the night; he'd bring her home. He'd fumbled with the doorknob but carried her up, his hands holding her up until he threw her down on his bed. He'd wanted her for years, and there she was, spreading her legs for him and doing the most enchanting things with her tongue . . .
A heavy weight settled in Teddy's stomach as he took in the sight of a naked Victoire Weasley in his childhood bedroom. Her body was only half concealed by his sheets. His body responded instantly.
He couldn't be caught by her, not in the light of day, not after what they'd done. He'd had a crush on her for ever . What would happen now, after they'd slept together?
This wasn't how it was supposed to go.
Teddy maneuvered himself out of bed and found his pants on the floor. They smelled revolting; he tossed them into the laundry basket and padded around the bed to his dresser. The top drawer squeaked, so a Silencio charm solved his first problem. A clean pair of pants were removed and—
"T. . .eddy? Is that you?"
He jumped, turning around, just as Victoire lay her eyes on his body. His very aroused, still naked body. With widened eyes and burning, crimson cheeks, she buried her face into a pillow.
Excellent. Just excellent.
Teddy put on his pants and Accio'ed the closest pair of trousers. He threw those on next and cleared his throat.
"Could you get my clothes, please?" Victoire asked, her voice muffled by the pillow.
"I'll put them on the bed," Teddy replied, yanking a shirt from his wardrobe. "And then I'll go downstairs. You . . . take your time."
"Thank you."
Victoire's voice was barely more than a whisper. He picked up a tiny, lacy thing that must've belonged to her, a matching bra, and the dress that hugged her so tightly that Teddy twitched at the memory of it. He placed the garments on the bed, clearing his throat, and tried to ignore the pounding in his head. He closed the door behind him and started clumsily buttoning his shirt.
He froze when he reached the bottom of the stairs.
Gran was home early.
"Teddy, darling, you're up late!"
The sun streamed in through the window. It was too bright.
"A long night?" she said knowingly.
"Hogwarts class of 2017—the new pub in Diagon Alley," he croaked. "Big party."
Teddy nervously looked upstairs, hoping Victoire would hear them. If she knew what was good for her, she'd find a way out the window. Teddy would never hear the end of it for bringing her home without saying anything first. Gran was sensible; she understood Teddy might want a guest every now and then, and aside from his school mates, he'd never brought a girl home.
"I'll brew you Pepper-Up and a Sobering Solution. Come, come. Breakfast will do you good."
Andromeda took his arm and led him to the kitchen. Her wand got to work instantly. Two thick slices of bread were toasted, bacon zoomed out of the cooling cabinet and landed in a sizzling pan. The kettle was on, too, and a mug found its way into Teddy's hands.
"Teddy?"
The whizzing around the kitchen came to a stop. The bacon still sizzled and the kettle whistled, but Andromeda was no longer cutting ingredients for potions.
"Edward Remus Lupin, what have you done?"
Teddy gave his grandmother his best attempt at a smile. She gave him a glare that could only be described as 'we'll-discuss-this-later.'
"Oh, er, hello." Victoire appeared in the kitchen, still wearing her tiny, form-fitting black dress. "It's nice to see you, Mrs. Tonks."
"You'll be staying for breakfast, won't you?" Andromeda's tone relayed that it was not a question or an invitation; it was a request that wouldn't be ignored. Teddy peeked his head from behind her and mouthed ' say yes .'
"Y-yes, of course. Thank you."
Andromeda scanned Victoire from head to toe and clicked her tongue.
"Your cousin and his friend will be over soon. Perhaps I can get you something more comfortable to wear?"
"My cousin?"
Teddy groaned into his hands. He'd completely forgotten the blasted 'playdate' between Albus and Scorpius. If he wasn't already getting a lecture, he was sure he'd get the guilt trip of the century.
"Sit down with Teddy, Victoire. I'm sure my grandson will remember his manners and bring you tea while you wait."
Victoire sat stiffly in one of the kitchen chairs, eyeing Teddy anxiously. As soon as Andromeda's steps were heard on the stairs, he opened his mouth.
"I'd no idea she'd be back so soon—"
"Which cousin? My dad's going to kill me—"
Teddy shook his hands at her. "It's just Al. He's got a friend, Scorpius—the Malfoys' son—and they're coming here. As far as your dad is aware—"
"—Victoire came over to learn how to brew a Black family recipe," Andromeda finished. She held a set of simple black robes, one of Teddy's old shirts, and a pair of loose trousers. "Which you may need after last night, if I'm not mistaken."
Teddy didn't know how he could feel any more mortified, but his gran had always found the most creative ways to punish him with unfailing politeness. Victoire's face was beet red from the roots of her hair to her cheeks, but she took the offered clothes and went to the bathroom to change.
"Gran, was that really necessary?"
"Was it necessary to bring her home and have your way with her?"
"Have my way with her? Gran, it wasn't like that—"
"—you're not in a relationship, are you?"
"You don't have to be in a relationship to . . . to do that."
"Under other circumstances, I would agree with you, but this isn't just any girl, is it?" Andromeda's flint-grey eyes were bright and stern. "This is Victoire Weasley , your godfather's niece, and one of your friends. I hope, for your sakes, you knew what you were doing."
Teddy opened his mouth to argue but Victoire returned, her face still flushed with color, but she was more appropriately dressed for breakfast. Not that Teddy would've minded seeing her in that tiny black dress again, perhaps many more times over, but Gran wasn't pleased by the situation.
"While the boys are here," said Andromeda, putting a plate of bacon between Teddy and Victoire, "we'll go on as if nothing happened. Teddy, I expect you to keep an eye on the boys, as you promised, and Victoire—"
"—I don't need the potion," Victoire said quickly, blushing again.
Andromeda raised a brow and Victoire leaned into her ear, avoiding Teddy's gaze. She whispered something about an Aunt Flo, and Andromeda nodded in understanding. Teddy didn't realize that Fleur had another sister, or perhaps—he smacked his palm on his forehead when he understood, crying softly in pain at the headache.
"Pain Relief, coming right up," said Andromeda. "Eat, both of you. Victoire, why don't you stay and help me make biscuits? You can bring them home to your family. We'll tell them that Teddy brought you home last night to make sure you were safe."
Teddy breathed a sigh of relief. He'd still receive a lecture about responsibility, but it seemed that the first stage of discipline was past them. It was his grandmother, through and through; she'd politely, directly admonish him, give him some time to stew in his misdeeds, and eventually deliver a well-deserved lesson. She had a way of never letting Teddy forget any of his worst mistakes.
The doorbell rang. Teddy downed an entire bottle of Pain Relief Potion and went to the door.
A pair of persistent, emerald-green eyes wouldn't leave his sight. Teddy would've been irritated by Al's antics, but the eleven-year-old was brimming with enthusiasm over having his new friend coming to see him.
"Is it two o'clock yet?"
"You can read a clock, Al," Teddy replied. "Ten more minutes."
Albus looked at the sitting room clock and sat in front of it with his chin in his hands, elbows splayed out on the coffee table, and sighed. The whole house smelled like biscuits, and Teddy was anxious to return to the kitchen to see his grandmother and Victoire. Albus was thrilled that his eldest Weasley cousin would also get to meet his new friend, but Andromeda banished 'the boys' to the sitting room so 'the girls' could chat.
Merlin only knew what they were discussing.
Al sighed again; it would've been funny if it wasn't so endearing. While James and Lily Potter got all their mother's charisma and extraversion, the middle boy, Al, got his father's reserve. By chance, he'd come across Scorpius Malfoy at Quality Quidditch Supplies, and after hitting it off handsomely, their parents reluctantly agreed to let the boys see each other again. Neither boy had many friendships, and despite the families' contentious pasts, they were willing to let it go for their sons, who would start at Hogwarts together that September.
Teddy, having met Scorpius several times before through his gran and great-aunt, offered the Tonks home as the neutral ground for the boys' meeting. They agreed, and in his drunken stupor Teddy had forgotten about everything. If Gran didn't tell him off, he'd receive punishment through managing two boisterous boys while overcoming a hangover.
He suspected she knew this, and perhaps this would lighten the disciplinary talk he'd get later.
"Go faster ," Al grunted at the clock.
Teddy chuckled. "You know, Al, time doesn't move faster if you stare at it."
"I wish they'd invent Time Turners to go forward," said Al. "You could skip the bad parts and go right to the fun. Scorpius thinks so too."
"The bad parts make you who you are, mate. Besides, how would you know what was fun from the bad if you didn't live it first?"
Al frowned and scrunched his brow together. "I dunno."
Teddy laughed and sat back in his favorite armchair. "Well, then, I suppose you'll have to just wait. I'm going to see if I can steal one of my gran's biscuits before you and Scorpius eat them all."
He left Al in the sitting room and came to the kitchen, where his grandmother had a pot of tea waiting and a plateful of freshly baked biscuits. Victoire was nibbling on a biscuit at the table, looking considerably more relaxed than she had an hour ago.
"Edward," Andromeda admonished, as Teddy stuffed one into his mouth, "those are for the boys."
"They're not going to eat them all," Teddy complained, gulping the biscuit down in two bites. "They're eleven."
"They're growing boys. And you, my dear, are a man. You ought to know better." She looked pointedly at Victoire before turning back to him.
"I'm barely 19, and biscuits don't count." Teddy rolled his eyes and snatched another biscuit. "I'm a Healer trainee, not even a full one. I can have all the biscuits I want." Andromeda playfully swatted his arm away but Teddy managed to steal another biscuit. "Besides, didn't you once say I'll always be your little boy?" Teddy teased. "Wherever did that idea go?"
Andromeda huffed impatiently and held one of Teddy's cheeks in her palm. "Yes, you'll always be my baby, just like your mother, no matter how old you are. Just don't eat too many or you'll spoil your supper."
From the corner of his eye, Teddy saw that Victoire was smiling. With Gran in a better mood, and Victoire grinning, Teddy felt as if things were going right for him. Perhaps the night with Victoire wasn't an aberration, but an odd beginning—
Ding! Ding! Ding!
The doorbell rang and Teddy heard Al's rapid steps to the front door. He chuckled and Andromeda joined him in the foyer, where the door was wide open and Al had a huge, nervous smile on his face. Scorpius did too, while Draco looked relieved.
"Aunt," greeted Draco. "Edward."
"It's Teddy, for the millionth time."
"Hi, Teddy and Aunt Andromeda," Scorpius said shyly. "It's nice to see you."
"Good to see you too, Scorp." Teddy shook his young cousin's hand, and after nudging Albus to give a polite hello to 'Mr. Malfoy,' the boys ran off to the garden.
"We'll have supper in a few hours, if you'd like to join us," Andromeda told Draco. "Teddy's friend, Albus's cousin Victoire, is here."
"No, I've got plans with Astoria. She's happy that our son made a friend." Draco nodded politely at them and stepped back.
Teddy bid his cousin goodbye and went out to the garden to ensure the boys weren't getting into any trouble. Alone, neither Al nor Scorpius were troublemakers, but Teddy was sure that together, they'd find a way to bring chaos to the well-ordered garden.
"Keep an eye on them," Andromeda told Teddy, as he approached the garden door. "Little boys can get into big trouble."
"Could Victoire come too?" Teddy felt as if he were the child, asking his gran for permission, but he needed to know what happened in the kitchen while he was with Al.
"I can manage with the rest of the biscuits." Andromeda hummed lightly at Victoire. "Go ahead. Make sure they don't rip up my azaleas."
Teddy led Victoire out to the garden, keeping a safe distance from the boys.
"Are you all right, Vic?"
"Your gran is a . . . formidable lady."
"Like a Slytherin McGonagall, is what my mates say."
Victoire laughed. Teddy's chest felt warm. He wanted to ask about last night, to learn what she was thinking, but her eyes were focused on the two eleven-year-olds on the other side of the garden.
"What is that?" she whispered, pointing between them.
They were laughing and talking excitedly over something small and golden in Scorpius's hands. From where he stood with Victoire, Teddy thought it could've been a Golden Snitch, but it wasn't flying.
The object, as it spun in Scorpius's hands, was emitting a glowing light. It was then that Teddy watched, horrified, as the boys grinned and put a golden chain around each other's necks.
"No, it can't be—" Victoire started running and Teddy followed.
"No! Al! Scorpius!" Teddy screamed. He grabbed Al's arm, feeling another set of hands on his body, but as soon as clamped down, everything began spinning very quickly.