smolderingbxnes

[smolderingbxnes]

victoiredw:

There’s a certain warmth in the atmosphere and all of a sudden Victoire feels like for the last five years she had been in a chilling wind. Colour rises to her cheeks as she watches them. Reina looked like Teddy, she had his eyes, his laughter and superb smile. Victoria watched as the two most important things in her life collided and interacted with one another and whilst the woman had been known to be the least emotional of her Potter/Weasley clan, the blonde could feel her eyes water just a tiny bit. 

Reina stares marvelling at her father. Taking a second to cock her head to the side. “Sure, daddy. I forgive you. I mean sometimes I got a bit sad but mommy was always there and you’re here now.” Gripping tighter to him, making sure he was really there. Victoire almost wanted to do the same. “WOW, mummy did you see !” Excitement filled the young girl’s tone as she looked back and forth between her parents.  “I have so many favourite colours, I like blue and orange and purple but I love yellow the mostest ! Can you please keep your hair yellow ?” 

Victoire’s so busy buzzing with her own contained happiness she momentarily missed what Teddy said.”Sorry, could you say that again?”

 “Mummy, daddy asked if we were busy?” Reina replied. “We probably are because Aunty Dom came last week and Uncle Louis came the week before and grandpa came a couple of days before that with Uncle Jamie. I’m a very popular person, daddy.” Reina proclaimed putting one hand to her chest.

“No, we aren’t busy and you are a popular person Reina. Daddy can stay for as long as he wants.” It’s then that Victoire comes closer to her family and softly takes Teddy’s hand in hers. “I’ve missed him too.”

Tedy let his hair flicker with each new color Reina listed off and then settled on the brightest yellow color he could imagine. “Yellow it is. Guess I’m gonna look just like you for a little bit.” He winked at her and tapped her lightly on the nose. He love that smile of hers. He made a personal promise to always make her smile like that. He smiled at Vic and let Reina repeat his question, waiting on bated breath for her answer. He didn’t want to over step his boundaries here, if she wanted to introduce him into Reina’s life slowly he’d be all for that, even though it would hurt a little bit in the process.

“Uncle Jamie? I’ll bet he loves visiting you. He’s a really funny guy. Don’t tell anyone else but he’s my third favorite cousin.” He winked at Vic, and his smile warmed even more. He could get use to this life. He adjusted Reina on his lap and gripped Vic’s hand in his softly, squeezing it a little. 

“I’ll let my lovely ladies decide what we do. We can stay here and hang out or...” He let it hang for half a second before grinning. “We could go to the pier. Have you ever been up in a Ferris Wheel, Reina? because if you haven’t...” He grinned. “It’s like flying, except you’re a little too young for that yet. But as soon as you’re old enough I’ll be the first person to show you how it’s done.” He laughed. “What do you think, Vic?”

[smolderingbxnes]

victoiredw:

Victoire sits in silence, waiting for his words. When she finally gets them she listens quietly again, not making a sound. The days after Teddy’s arrest plenty of reporters had swarmed her; asking question upon question sometimes more personal and other times simply offensive. Even with all her confusion, Victoire wished to defend him but honestly she never knew what she was defending him against. All she knew was that Teddy was a good man and that hopefully the crimes against the ministry were a dreadful mistake. She couldn’t count the days that she had spent thinking that he’d return in the same manner that he was taken. Just sitting there in their kitchen, with a floppy grin and a good explanation.

Not to say, that this explanation wasn’t good. Victoire understood it all, “I do believe you.” A small smile etches on her lips, something that she had rarely done except it had to do with Reina.”And I’m proud of you. I wish you told me, Teddy. I really wish you did. I could have done…well something. I would have helped you. And I don’t know I’m sure there’s something we could still do ? Talk to Aunt Hermione ? People shouldn’t pay for other’s mistakes and even though I obviously would have preferred another circumstance. I’m relieved that this is the explanation.” 

It’s at that moment when the door opens wide and Reina comes running out with a huge excited smile on her face. “I know who you are ! You’re my dad !” Reina pointed at the picture of Teddy and Victoire on the wall. A much simpler time. “Mummy and Uncle Jamie are always talking about you. Wow, your blue hair is cool.” The little girl then begins to pat Teddy’s hair with wide eyes of amazement.

Victoire is half shocked and half amused. It was true, throughout her confusion on what happened to Teddy, she had always made sure Reina knew he was a kind and good person. James had helped a lot with that as well. “Reina, you can’t just put your hand on his hair.” In a mock-stern voice. Secretly, she mouthed a ‘sorry’ as she wondered about what his reaction would be.

He was so relieved to see Vic’s smile, to hear her telling him that she got it. That she understood. Felt like the weight of the world had been lofted off his shoulders. She was an amazing woman. She always had been. In a spur of the moment decision he grabbed her hand and squeezed it. “And get you in trouble too? I couldn’t have done that. I knew I was going around the law and I didn’t...I’d never want to get you in trouble like that.” And in the end, it had been the right choice. How would little Reina have grown up if they’d both been in Azkaban? He brought her fingers to his lips and kissed them, a smile of his own on his face. “I wanted to write you. I composed thousands of letters. But they never let me write.”

And then little Reina was bursting into the room and crawling onto his lap. Teddy vaguely heard Vic tell her not to play with his hair but Teddy didn’t mind. He was glad, immensely glad, that Vic had told her about him. She could have hidden him from her. Could have hidden the picture away for forever. Instead his daughter was on his lap and she was smart enough to know. His smile only grew ans he put his hands on her little hips. “I am your dad. I had to go away for a while and I’m sorry about that. Can you forgive your dad? If you do I promise to show you a really neat trick!” He winked at her and looked back up at Vic, hoping she didn’t mind he kept the truth hidden from her for today. Today he wanted to be about reconnecting and falling in love again. Proving how sorry he was.

He didn’t wait for Reina to answer, he wasn’t that concerned with her answer. With the flip of his head his blue hair had turned a vibrant shade of pink and then again to a green. “Tell me your favorite color and I’ll wear it as my hair for a week.” He laughed with her, soaking up everything about her that he could. He loved her so much. There was no doubt about that. He looked back at Vic. “Did you two lovely ladies have any plans for the afternoon? I don’t want to impose.” He hoped Vic could hear how badly he wanted to stay with them. To get to know his daughter...his best friend. By God how he’d missed her. 

[smolderingbxnes]

victoiredw:

She’s relieved. 

Not because of the slap, honestly Victoire already regretted it. She wasn’t an aggressive person and prided herself on her calm nature. Knowing that she’d apologise later when everything settled down, Victoire gave herself the chance to actually look at him. Blue hair and olive skin, handsome as ever if a little worn down. What a terrible thing Azkaban was, what a great thing that he had survived with hopefully, all his sanity. Not gone mad like that Lestrange woman that her father spoke about once. 

No, Victoire’s relieved because she had always known that Teddy couldn’t have possibly committed a crime out of any villainous intention.  Teddy had always been the good one, him going to jail had been a hard pill to swallow for not only herself but for everyone. It was relieving to hear that he had tried to do right but still bothersome that it led to wrong. He called her ‘Vic’ and she’s slightly taken aback. Now that she had calmed down, still a bit mad but considerably better,Victoire realised how much she missed it. Missed his everything and how even though she hadn’t fully forgiven, Victoire couldn’t possibly leave him outside. It was against her nature. “Come in.”

The house is warm and unchanged. Victoire hadn’t moved much or changed much since Teddy had gone.  “I want to know everything.” Victoire swallows, wrestling with feelings of both anger and wanting to comfort. “Do you want anything ? I still get the tea you like, Reina’s a fan of your favourite biscuits.” It’s then that a small smile forms on her lips. She’s been waiting for a while to introduce them. “I was going to tell you about her that day, when you..were taken. I wasn’t sure for about a week but then I did the test the day before and thought I’d surprise you with a meal.”

Victoire had never been an incredibly expressive person but Teddy had always understood her. She hoped now he could hear what else lingered in her voice. Love. Care. Curiosity. A sense of mourning for all the time that was lost between.

Teddy is immeasurably glad when she steps aside and lets him in. He didn’t want to rehash what he was sure a very public embarrassment in totally view of all her neighbors. It had to be hard enough for her already, single mother of a criminal’s kid. He took a moment to look around, out at ease by the familiarity of it all. She hadn’t changed much at all, hopefully that rang true for her feelings for him too. “I’ll tell you anything you want to know, I swear. I’ll even tell you what I ate if that’s what you want.” He smiled at the weak excuse of a joke. “I’d love a cup of tea.” It warmed his heart to hear just that little sliver of information about Reina. He would have spent all day listening to Vic tell him about her if he had the ability to. But not yet.

“I’m sorry I missed it. I didn’t...I didn’t know I’d been found out until I’d gone to work that morning.” He shook his head, long hair covering his eyes. He sank slowly and hesitantly onto the couch, tangling his fingers together. Harry and Ginny had given him a brief run down of what had been reported and none of it had been good. Most of it had been fabrication if you asked Teddy. Clever sentences that said the truth but only if you knew how to read between to lines. “I was helping war criminals.” Teddy said, opting to be honest from the get go. “But I wasn’t helping them because I wanted to incite a rebellion.” He shook his head. “Do you know how the families of those war criminals live? Especially the ones who don’t have pureblood money like the Malfoys? They’re treated like dirt. Less than human. It...It reminded me a lot of how Voldemort treated muggleborns almost. And...I know they were on the losing side. The wrong side. But most of those people didn’t even fight! Just one or two people did. They shouldn’t be forced to suffer because of that. That’s like...me having to suffer the effects of my dad being a werewolf.” He looked up and Vic, hoping she’d believe him. That the media hadn’t clouded her opinion of him. “I was helping them get back on their feet by showing them the...loopholes in the laws they could exploit.” He was sure, by now, they Ministry had closed them up for good. A shame.

“You believe me don’t you?” He wanted to reach out to her but didn’t, keeping his fingers firmly tangled together. He’d dropped a loaded bomb on her and he didn’t want to set her off. 

[smolderingbxnes]

victoiredw:

The first few year or two when Teddy was gone. Dominique had been filled with a rage. Her younger sister spent the time huffing and puffing, criticising and arguing with James about Teddy and what he had done by leaving. The blonde had been surprised, she didn’t know that her fiery sister could care that much and for so long. Victoire had always felt like Dom carried majority of the anger for her, while she tried her best to focus on the baby. Focus on Reina.  Instead of the anger, Victoire always felt hollow with a pain in her chest. The only thing that got her going was her baby. Her jubilation and happiness in all the bad times.  

Victoire had never known how she’d react when she’d seen Teddy again. It was always a catalyst for darker thoughts. She had listened to all he had to say and by the time he put out his pinky, Victoire could feel herself shaking. Like a pinky promise could make anything better. As if it was just a mere argument they had when she was sixteen. Teddy’s charm had always been like her kryptonite and perhaps once upon a time everything could be fixed with a pinky promise but life had changed drastically for the both of them.

 She didn’t even know when exactly her palm reached his face but the sound was louder than she had thought possible. “Of course she’s yours.”  Victoire huffed. “You just left me alone, with nothing. No explanation, no warning. Nothing. And you come back five years later with a pinky promise? Merlin, Teddy how could you ? After everything we’ve been through.” Victoire could feel her eyes watering as she cleared her throat. “I just thought you’d have given me more.”

He deserved that.

Even if it stung both physically and emotionally. He’d never once figured Vic would go about slapping him. She wasn’t a fluffy kind of person but she’d never slapped him before. Then again. He’d never been locked in jail like a common criminal for five years while she raised their kid. He felt immeasurably guilty for that. He’d missed out on five years of his daughter’s life. And for what? War criminals? Teddy pushed that thought away. He’d done the right thing. Those people didn’t deserve the lives they’d been forced to live just because someone decided to side with the wrong person. They didn’t tell them to. He refused to think he’d made the wrong choice. Even in the wake of Vic’s anger. If he admitted he’d done wrong...then he was no better than a common criminal and his parents deserved more than that.

He rubbed the side of his face and had the grace to at least look utterly embarrassed. He had to remind himself that Vic was in the right here. “It’s not like I planned on leave, Vic. I swear to God. I was helping people and...and the Ministry decided that wasn’t okay. There was no warning signs. Nothing. I went to work that morning and was greeted at the door.” He sighed and dropped his hand. While the truth, saying it out loud still sounded a lot like a half assed excuse in his ears. It probably sounded like less in hers. “I shouldn’t have offered the pinky, it was stupid. I’m sorry. I just...” He drug his hand roughly through his hair, trying to find the right words to explain himself and coming up blank. 

“Please let me come in? It’s not...something I should be talking about in public...but I swear to God I’ll tell you everything.” He shot her a small smile, hoping she’d understand his need for privacy. He wasn’t trying to force his way into her house. If she asked him to he’d leave. He’d come back the next day and try again. And again. Every day if that meant she’d stop looking at him like he’d betrayed her. Like he’d betrayed them. “Please, Vic?” He wanted to say he still loved her. That he’d always loved her, but he knew now wasn’t the time for that. Now was the time for answers, he owed her that much.

[smolderingbxnes]

victoiredw:

To say that Victoire was disoriented was incredibly accurate and the once ever-so organised Ravenclaw  hated it.  was a long day in a list of other very long days. She had thought it would have been easier to work at home when Reina was slightly older but as the blonde looked at all her sketches and designs she couldn’t help but feel like she was a little bit over her head. Sure, her mother always helped her look after her daughter when Victoire needed it but she had never been someone who liked to burden others and no matter how many times her mother said, non ! ; she wasn’t getting any younger herself. Times like this, she wondered about Teddy even though she tried her hardest not to. Five years later and she still felt a pain in her chest.

There was a knock on the door and Victoire silently cursed. Who could it possibly be at this time ? She’d imagine it was the almost too friendly neighbour by the end of the road , inviting her for another cup of tea that she would have to politely reject for the umpteenth time. Feet move slowly to the door but Victoire’s already beat to it by Reina. She was such a fast little girl, all filled with merry and mischief like her father.  

“I…Uhm. W-Who are you?”

It was voice she would know anywhere. A voice that had been her solace and sunshine. A voice that she hadn’t heard for five years. On instinct she runs quicker to the door. “I’m Reina Lupin, you look pretty familiar.” Her daughter, their daughter, stares at him in confusion then back at her mother. “Mummy, who’s this?” It was a good question. Who was Teddy now?  Once upon a time he had been Victoire’s everything. The good heart. The golden boy. Her first and only love. Her Teddy. Now he could be anybody. It had been so long and a lot could happen in five years. She wasn’t the same bright-eyed Victoire. There was more steel than before. All she knows is the facts, that he was put in prison and she hadn’t seen him in years. 

She blinks twice staring at him, unsure what to say or how to say it. “Could you please go to your bedroom, ma cherie ? I’ll explain everything soon.” Gathering enough to send her daughter a reassuring smile. It’s obvious that Reina wants to stay for longer and Victoire doesn’t blame her but there were so many things Teddy and her needed to discuss. The little blonde nods and walks off. “Okay mummy.” Still Victoire doesn’t allow Teddy in once her daughter’s door is shut. She just looks at him, wondering ever so slightly if this was a dream.

“Teddy.” It sounded cold and questioning. She wanted to say more but nothing else could come to mind well at least not yet. 

Reina Lupin?

Teddy felt the world fall out from under him the same time all of the air in his lungs disappeared. He didn’t, no, he couldn’t fathom it. It was honestly the only explanation. Instead of saying anything he just stared at her, mouth agape. She couldn't be...could she? He didn’t know whether to be grateful or upset when Vic appeared in the doorway, easily shuttling the little girl off. 

“No...Wait.” It came out breathless but it wasn’t enough to get the little blonde girl to turn around. In some ways, Teddy knew the she didn’t need to be around for this conversation but in other ways he wanted to spend just a moment longer taking her in. He ran a hand through his hair and rocked back onto his heels, at a loss for what to say. He hadn’t really thought of what he was going to say. How he was going to explain himself. And seeing little Reina had thrown him so off what little game that he did had that it took him longer than he would have liked to say to her. 

“Vic.” He finally looked up at her, taking in her face, her eyes, her everything. By God he’d missed her the most of them all. Sure, he’d missed his pseudo-siblings, his friends, but her? He’d missed her like someone missed breathing. And she was still as beautiful as the day he’d left her. Even a little frazzled Teddy couldn’t help the thrill of excitement that ran through him looking at her. “Was that...Is she...Is she mine?”

He hadn’t meant for that to come out first. His original plan had been to grovel, on his knees if necessary. But that little girl with his eyes...his name...everything had changed. Why hadn’t Harry said anything? He swallowed hard and dropped his eyes to his toes again, rocking back. “Okay. Uhm. Can I come in? I promise I’ll explain everything.” On a whim he held out his pinky finger. “Pinky promise. I think...I think we’ve got a of of catching up to do, huh?”

[smolderingbxnes]

It had been the longest five years of his life. If you were to ask Teddy how long he’d been locked away in Azkaban He would have told you it had been longer. It felt like longer. Even with the dementors gone the place still had a timelessness about it. A dark hole sort of feeling. He’d been so cut off from the world that when he’d first been allowed back it had almost been something of a culture shock. So much had changed and yet...so little. He’d gone straight to his godfather’s house, unsure of what he was going to with himself now. No job, no reputation. Just his wits and his wand. A small miracle they’d given that back to him but Teddy figured since his crime wasn’t a violent one they had no reason. Or, as the son of a fallen war hero they figured on one small kindness. It didn’t matter to him.

He didn’t stay long at Harry’s, although both him and Ginny were as welcoming as ever. It just felt...wrong. Like he was invading. Besides, he had someone he wanted to see more than anything. He just needed to get himself together before he went and saw her and based off Harry’s reaction when he asked for her address, it had been the right one. He couldn’t blame her for being mad, it’s not like she’d been given his side of the story. If she hated him...well, he’d tackle that hurdle if he had to. Dressed in new clothes and steeled by Ginny’s...bracing cup of coffee he set out to her flat, gad she was still in the area. Maybe that meant he still had a chance. Maybe that meant she hadn’t given up on him yet.

He hovered outside the door for a long moment, fist raised to knock. He couldn’t shake the niggling doubts that nagged at the back of his mind. He told himself for years that if she hated him he’d accept that, he couldn’t not. But standing outside her door...it seemed like an insurmountable task. He forced himself to knock, once, twice. It didn’t take nearly as long as he expected for the door to open. But it wasn’t Vic that opened it. Instead it was a little girl with Vic’s blonde hair and...what Teddy could only describe as his own eyes. He didn’t know what to say. He just stood there, like a moron.

“I...Uhm. W-Who are you?”

[smolderingbxnes]

[smolderingbxnes]

Teddy Lupin & Victoire Weasley

→ “you’re melodies and I’m lyrics”

requested by @lydias-martin

[smolderingbxnes]

[smolderingbxnes]

[smolderingbxnes]