FIC: One Big Happy Family (Various)
Title: One Big Happy Family Pairing: Molly/Arthur, Bill/Fleur, Charlie/Neville, Percy/OMC, George/Lee, Ron/Hermione, Harry/Ginny, Teddy/Victoire Rating: PG-13 Disclaimer: Not my characters or world or anything like that! I make no money at all from this! Summary: Time for a crowded family dinner at the Burrow. Word Count: 747 Author Notes: Written for the Harry Potter May Madness community in 2013. I’m going to try to set all my stories this month in my “The Great Beyond” series (though I probably won't write them in any particular order): http://archiveofourown.org/series/35656
The family had to eat outside, as there were just too many of them to fit inside the Burrow all at once. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were at either end of the table, with Charlie on Mrs. Weasley’s left. Neville sat next to him, followed by George, Lee, Erik, and Justin. Then came Teddy, followed by Harry, Ginny, James, Al, and Lily. Then to Mr. Weasley’s left sat Rose, Hugo, Ron, and Hermione. After that were Lindsey and Percy. Then Victoire, who only had eyes for the boy almost directly across the table from her. Then came Fleur and Bill, followed by Angelina and her twins, Fred and Roxanne.
Sitting in the center, Teddy found it difficult to keep track of all the threads of conversation on either side of him. He was pretty sure one of them had something to do with George and Lee’s joke store, he knew that much. But all Teddy could think about was the gorgeous creature across the table from him. Their legs were stretched out beneath the table, as far as they would stretch, so that the toes of their shoes met each other. He craved that contact, but he wanted a few minutes alone with her. The Hogwarts school year would be starting soon, so this might be his last chance to see her this summer. The problem was, it was impossible to find anywhere to be alone in the Burrow.
When dinner was over, Teddy jumped up, hoping to steal Victoire away somewhere. But her mom spoke up almost immediately. “Victoire, would you help your grandmother with the dishes in the kitchen?”
Victoire glanced at Teddy, longing in her eyes, and then she nodded. “Of course, Ma-ma.”
Teddy, Justin, and Hugo ended up helping to clear the table, and Teddy’s tummy fluttered as he handed a stack of dirty plates to Victoire in the kitchen and their fingers touched. He hung around afterward, waiting for her to finish.
“Hey, Teddy, do you want to join us for a pick-up game of Quidditch? Mum’s gonna play with us.” James asked.
Teddy hesitated. He loved playing Quidditch when them, but he didn’t want to miss his chance for a few seconds with Victoire. “Maybe later, thanks, James.” Quickly, as James left, Teddy added, “Good luck!”
Teddy stood back against the wall, waiting, hoping. And then there was a flash of blond hair and Victoire breezed past. “V!” he whispered as loud as he dared.
She looked around, seeing him in the corner. But the second she stepped forward, Angelina’s toddlers raced through, shrieking with joy, chased by Lily. Roxanne went one way and Fred the other, and Lily changes directions, passing by again, trying to wrangle them both.
“Upstairs,” Teddy suggested, tilting his head to gesture up the stairs. The bathroom was occupied, but there was a door open beside that. Teddy took her hand and they made a break for it.
The froze in the doorway, finding Percy and his boyfriend snogging heavily in the middle of the room. Lindsey’s hand was down the front of Percy’s pants. One of Percy’s hands was lost in Lindsey’s hair and the other repeatedly squeezed Lindsey’s arsecheek.
Teddy and Victoire backed away at once, pulling the door closed at the same time so no one else would stumble upon that. Teddy wanted to kiss her right there, in the otherwise empty hallway. It might be his only chance. But anyone could walk up the stairs and see them. He felt too exposed.
There was the attic, with the ghoul in it, which wasn’t much atmosphere, but it might in fact be the best he could ask for right now. “What if we—”
“Victoire!” Bill’s voice boomed up the stairs, making her jump in surprise. She squeezed Teddy’s hand. “C’mon, honey. We’re heading out!”
The trip back to shell cottage was quick thanks to floo powder. And it seemed early to go yet, like the evening was just starting and there was so much potential left. She sounded dejected, “Dad’s calling. I’d better go.”
Teddy searched quickly for a solution. “I’ll see you out of King’s Cross.”
She flinched, surprised. “What?”
“I’ll be at the station. I’ll meet you on the train. We can’t say goodbye hurriedly in a hallway like this. I’ll be there to say goodbye at the station, all right?”
She nodded in agreement. They both glanced around then she pecked him quickly on the lips. “See you then.”