Fic: A Winter's Tale, Part Two (Teddy/Lily, Hard R)
Title: A Winter's Tale
Author: jamieln612
Rating: Hard R
Word Count: 19,891
Character/Pairing(s): Teddy/Lily (Mentions of past Teddy/Victoire, Appearances by Harry/Ginny, James, and Albus)
Warnings: sexual situations, minor language, age difference (Teddy is 29, Lily is 19)
Summary: Teddy Lupin has developed feelings for Lily over the course of the year, knowing that the consequences of such a relationship could cost him everything that's important to him, specifically relationships with the family he loves more than anything. Facing his insecurities, Teddy needs to realize if a relationship with Lily can really work, or if it's all doomed from the start.
Author's Note(s): This was written for harrypotterbang. It was a difficult challenge, but a lot of fun to participate in. A million thanks to my beta, lemondrop34, for her brilliant work and for holding my hand through writing such a rare pairing. I couldn't have done it without you, Jane. And thanks to chosenfire28 for making sure I got some really cool art for my fic. Thanks!
I hope you all enjoy it.
Part one can be found here.
Link to Art: *Art* by chosenfire28
Teddy awoke sometime later. His eyes stayed closed; he felt too comfortable to want to fully wake up. But he remembered what had just happened, and how brilliant it had been, but when he reached for Lily, he couldn’t find her. His eyes fluttered open, and he saw that he was alone on the sofa.
He quickly found Lily; she was sitting on the floor in front of a fire, her knees pulled up to her chest, and her chin resting on them. She was wearing his shirt. Her red hair stood out brightly against the white of it.
He watched her for a few moments, enjoying how peaceful she looked. He sat up and picked his boxers up off the floor. He slipped into them, grabbed the blanket, and made his way over to her. He didn’t say anything, but sat behind her, putting a leg on each side of her. He wrapped the blanket around them, pulling her close to his chest, his arms closing around her. She didn’t seem surprised, she probably heard him rustling around to the side of her before he came over. She let her head fall back onto his shoulder, and he placed a soft kiss on her temple.
“Hi,” he whispered against her hair. He almost didn’t want to talk at all, fearful that it would disturb the cozy quiet of the room.
“Hey,” she whispered back. She smiled up at him before she turned her head back towards the fire. “You were asleep for a while. I didn’t want to wake you.”
“Yeah, well, you wore me out, Lils,” he laughed softly. “How long have you been up?”
“‘Bout an hour or two, I suppose. I stayed next to you on the sofa for a while, but you were pretty out of it.”
He mumbled something unintelligible as he pushed her hair aside and placed light kisses on her neck. Lily’s legs spread out in front of her as she relaxed more into his embrace. Her hand rested on his leg, her fingers playing with the hem of his boxers.
“You look so good in my shirt, Lils,” he said as his hand slipped under it, his fingers tracing the skin of her side. He felt her skin break out into goosebumps.
“I like wearing it, it smells like you,” she said, her eyes closing as his hand moved forward onto her belly.
Teddy was tired and awake all at once. His body felt exhausted from their earlier lovemaking, but he didn’t really want to sleep. He wanted to be awake with her, enjoy their time together. Her skin was soft beneath his hand. “How are you?” he asked.
“Happy,” she replied. He smiled into her neck. He couldn’t believe that all of this was happening, that they made love twice and that she was still there in his arms, and that she wanted to be there.
“Teddy?”
“Hmmm?”
“It’s getting late,” she said. He looked up at the clock on the mantle, and it was well after midnight.
“Wow, yeah, it is. Didn’t realize it.”
“Can I stay the night?” she asked almost shyly. “I know we both have to work tomorrow, but I’m not ready to leave you yet.”
He held onto her a little tighter. “You can stay. I want you to stay, I can’t imagine you leaving.”
She turned her head towards him again, and stretched up to kiss him. She let her head rest on his shoulder again, and they sat watching the flames for a while longer. They both needed to get up in the morning, though, so soon Lily was standing and casting a spell to put out the fire. She held out her hand for him, and he climbed to his feet. They walked down the hallway to his room together, where they slept in each other’s arms.
It was the best night’s sleep Teddy ever had.
*****
By the time next Thursday rolled around, Teddy couldn’t keep a smile off his face. The past week had been spent making love with Lily, and getting to know each other more than he thought was possible. He knew her, knew her her entire life, but he was learning things about her that no one else knew. And it was wonderful, and going to work was almost dreadful, as he hated being apart from her for the day.
They hadn’t told anyone, both unsure of how their friends and family would react. Lily was slightly more optimistic about the situation, but Teddy wasn’t ready to face everyone. He spent almost a year being in love with her and fearing that everyone would hate him for it, and it wasn’t a feeling he could shake easily, no matter how many times Lily told him everyone would still love him and support him.
They were also enjoying the secret, enjoying the time alone without anyone knowing about it. Lily said it made it all that much more exciting.
But even the fear of everyone finding out couldn’t keep him from walking around work happy. Everyone noticed the change in him, including Millicent, who shot him slightly less than mean looks as he passed her desk on his way to his office. Teddy took it as her way of showing that she was happy for his good mood. He thought it was as much of a smile as he was going to get out of the old witch.
Thursday evening was their planned night with James and Al, and as excited as he was about spending time with two of his best mates, he wasn’t sure of how he was going to react around Lily. All of their time together over the past week had involved touching in some way, and he didn’t know if he could stop himself, even in front of her brothers. It was going to take all the self-control he could muster.
He Apparated to The Leaky Cauldron at the end of his workday. It had been a long one, and he nearly pulled his hair out with worry over seeing James and Al with Lily in such a close proximity.
When he entered, he found Al sitting at their usual booth by himself drinking a pint. He made his way through a small crowd of people to join him. Al smiled at him and gave him a quick wave.
“Teddy, two weeks in a row? This is the most I’ve seen of you all year!” he joked.
“Yeah, well, aren’t you lucky?”
“Seriously, though, good to see you again.”
“Yeah, you too.” His eyes scanned the room quickly. “Where’s James?”
Al gestured blindly towards a table in a dark corner of the pub. “Chatting up some witch over there. I don’t think she’s all that interested, but James is a prat and doesn’t realize that not every girl falls in love with him at first sight. He’ll probably be back soon once he tires of the chase.”
Teddy shook his head and laughed, knowing all too well about James’s conquests of witches. He sipped at the pint a waitress had placed in front of him.
“So, what have you been up to since I saw you last?” Al asked. Al was looking right at him, Teddy squirmed a bit in his seat.
“Oh, er, work. The usual, I suppose. I’ve been pretty busy this last week.”
Al was watching him with a look Teddy couldn’t quite place. Al was always the hardest person to figure out. His eyes were the same as Harry’s in looks, but they kept everything hidden. The whole Weasley family joked about how unreadable he was. Teddy looked away from him, focusing on the ale in his glass.
“Lily should be here soon,” Al said. Teddy lifted his eyes towards him. Al was still watching him with an unreadable expression. Teddy wanted to run.
“Yeah, that’s good. This was her idea after all, yeah? She should be here.”
“Mhmm,” Al replied, sipping his pint.
Teddy finished his off, and decided to escape the booth and get a fresh one from the bar. He excused himself, and made his way over, grateful for a few seconds alone. Al couldn’t possibly know anything, he’s just being Al, Teddy thought, calming his racing mind. He leaned on the bar, waiting for Hannah to come over and help him.
He stood there, digging his thumbnail into a groove on the bar’s wood, when he heard the bell jingle over the door. He knew it was her without having to look. He did, though, and he saw her as she stood in the doorway, wiping snow off her shoulders. She looked up, and smiled at him. He wanted her to come to him, he wanted to kiss her and pull her close and Apparate her away.
They both stayed calm though. He casually waved at her (or at least he hoped it was casual), and watched as she waved back and made her way over to the booth. His eyes followed her across the room, enjoying the sway of her hips and the way the pub’s lights shone on her hair. He noticed that James had joined Al, and he watched as the siblings embraced and greeted each other.
Hannah poured him his pint, and he crossed the room again, joining Al, James, and Lily.
James had sat across from Al when he sat down, meaning he had to sit directly across from Lily. He was happy about it, as she was his favourite thing to look at, but it made the situation that much more uncomfortable. He was worried that he’d get caught staring at her, or that he’d do something stupid like reach across to brush the hair out of her face. He considered sitting on his hands, but he thought either James or Al might notice.
“Hi, Teddy,” Lily said as Teddy sat down. He could tell she was trying to keep her voice even, that she was trying not to give anything away.
“Hi, Lils. How are you?”
“Good, thanks. Cold out there today, yeah?”
“Mhmm,” he replied. He could see Al staring at them out of the corner of his eye. James seemed oblivious to everything. Teddy thought that nothing about the conversation was believable.
Lily turned to Al to ask him some questions, and James joined in, and soon the whole situation wasn’t awkward anymore. It was all normal again, aside from those few moments when Lily’s foot brushed against Teddy’s leg, causing him to jump. Once, he almost knocked his pint over. Al’s eyebrow rose in response, and Teddy just shrugged, looking away as he cast a cleaning charm to get rid of the ale that had sloshed over the glass.
After about two hours of trying to not stare at Lily, or touch Lily, or declare his feelings towards Lily in front of James and Al, Teddy decided he couldn’t sit there any longer. He stood, grabbing his cloak that was draped over the back of the booth.
“Sorry everyone, it’s late, I’m gonna head home.”
He tried not to look at Lily as he shook James and Al’s hands. He had to look at her, though, when it was time to say goodbye to her. He knew it was only for a short time, until she followed him to his flat, but he still didn’t want to say it.
“Bye, Lils, See you soon?”
“Yeah, sounds good,” she replied. “See you,” she said with a quick wave.
He waved back, and said goodbye to the group a final time, and left The Leaky. It was cold outside, colder than before, and he held his cloak closed tight as he Apparated home. He shrugged off his boots and cloak, and headed for the kitchen. He paced around for a while. He knew Lily needed to stay for a while, so as not to make things seem out of order, but he wanted to see her again, and hoped she could play things off and still escape quickly.
Just as he thought about getting a cold drink, he heard the pop of her Apparition, and he rushed out to meet her. She already had her cloak off when he saw her, and she immediately moved into his arms.
He couldn’t stop kissing every part of her he could reach, and he soon had her pressed up against a wall. He was half hard already as he trailed kisses along her neck.
“Merlin,” she sighed. “Never thought we’d get out of there.” He could feel her fingers running through his hair.
“Me too,” he mumbled. “James can bloody talk, can’t he?”
“Mhmm.” She felt good pressed so tightly against him. He wasn’t sure why, though, but his thoughts drifted away, back to the time they just spent with James and Al.
He pulled his head away from her to look at her. Her cheeks were red, and her brown eyes were on him. “Lils?”
“Yeah?” Her voice was higher than normal. He pressed his hips against her slightly, and heard her take in a breath.
“Er, you don’t think Al knows, do you?”
“What? No, he couldn’t know.” She looked confused. “What makes you think that?”
His eyebrows furrowed in thought. “I don’t know; he kept looking at me.”
Her eyebrow arched, and a slight smirk was on her lips. “He looked at you?”
“Don’t look at me like that,” he said. “He looked at me, like, I don’t know, like the way Al really looks at people. It was… odd. Freaked me out.”
“Clearly,” she said dryly. “I don’t think Al knows. I certainly haven’t told him, and we haven’t been out together where he could see us somewhere. You’re paranoid, or something.”
“I’m not paranoid, Lils,” he said, rolling his eyes. He leaned in to kiss her neck again. “I’m cautious.”
“You’re mental is more like it,” she said, gasping as she felt his teeth graze her skin. “Total nutter,” she said breathlessly. “Don’t worry about it, Al doesn’t know.”
He kissed her hard on her lips, no longer wanting to talk about her brother, or talk at all, really. He pulled her away from the wall, keeping contact with her mouth. He led her towards his bedroom, leaving a trail of clothing on the floor behind them.
*****
“Teddy, I have to go,” Lily said, trying to back her way out of his bedroom. Teddy was kissing her neck, hoping it would convince her to stay.
“You don’t really have to,” he said. “You could stay with me.”
“I promised Rose I’d help her out today,” she said, giggling as he found a sensitive spot on her. She ducked away from him as they reached the living room. She grabbed her cloak off the back of the sofa where she had discarded it the night before.
As she was putting it on, Teddy gave her the most pitiful look he could make. She laughed and shook her head. “You know that’s obviously not going to work with me.”
He made his way closer to her, and she let him wrap his arms around her waist.
“I know,” he sighed. “Don’t want you to go though,” he mumbled as he started kissing her neck again. “You should just stay.”
She ran her fingers through his hair, holding his head in place against her. “I promised,” she said in almost a sigh. “I haven’t… mmmm… haven’t seen her in ages.”
It was when his hands slipped inside her cloak that she finally pushed him away. “I really have to go. I’ll stop by after, yeah?” She leaned up on her tiptoes to kiss him. “I promise I won’t be gone long.”
“Alright,” he said. He really didn’t want her to leave, but he was glad she was going off to spend time with Rose. He knew the two of them were close, and that Lily hadn’t seen her all that much since they had started dating. “Have fun.”
“I will.”
He pulled her in for another kiss, but she pulled away before it went too far again.
She reached for the doorknob, and turned it. “I’ll see you-”
As she pulled the door open and started to leave, she almost walked into Al. He was standing there, looking as if he had just approached the doorway. He took in the sight of his sister leaving his mate’s flat.
“Al!” Lily said, startled. Her eyes were wide, her mouth slightly open in shock. “Er, what are you doing here?”
Teddy watched as the siblings looked at each other. He couldn’t read Al’s face at all; it was completely blank. Teddy could tell that Lily’s mind was racing, trying to think ahead, read the conversation before it really started.
“Came for a visit, to see Teddy, as it’s his flat. I suppose I should ask you the same question.”
“She came over for a visit, er, as well. She was just leaving, though.”
“Yeah, plans with Rose,” Lily said. She couldn’t take her eyes off of Al.
Al nodded his head. “Er, the hallway’s nice, but do you think I could maybe come in?”
Teddy and Lily stepped aside for Al to pass. He removed his cloak and hung it on a hook as Teddy shut the door behind them. Al walked into the living room. Teddy and Lily followed, unsure of what was going to happen.
“Wasn’t expecting to see you here, Lily,” Al said, walking casually around the room.
“Oh, well, we’re friends. We spend time together sometimes, no big deal,” she said.
Al turned around to look at them. Lily clutched her bag in her hand. Teddy stood with his hands in his pockets, trying to look as normal as possible.
“So, how long have you two been dating? I think I’ve got it pretty narrowed down, but it’s hard to figure out without all of the facts.”
They both stood with their mouths agape.
Al laughed, “I love you both, but it’s so obvious. You aren’t hiding anything from me.”
“But… how…” Lily stuttered.
“You’re my sister, Lily. You’re rather easy to read. I think I knew it was going to happen before you both did.” He leaned against the back of the sofa, arms crossed over his chest. He looked at Teddy, who had been completely silent. “It’s about time, really. Neither of you look as miserable as you did a few months ago.”
“Er, what did you just say?” Teddy asked. It’s about time?
“Honestly, Teddy. You’re one of my best mates. I think I can tell when you have feelings for a girl, especially if it’s my sister. You did a crap job hiding it, from me at least.”
“Oh,” he said, feeling rather stupid and silly. “And, er, you…”
“Am I fine with it?”
“Yeah,” he said, practically holding his breath.
“Of course I am. Why wouldn’t I be?”
Teddy felt himself let out a sigh of relief. “I, er, I don’t know. I just, I was worried about it. It’s Lily, I know how you and James are about her.”
“Well, yeah, because she usually dates prats.”
“Al!” Lily scolded. “I do not!”
“Yeah, you do. The last two blokes you dated were idiots. They were not good enough for you, not the way Teddy is.”
Teddy looked at Al, giving him a questioning look.
“I see the way you look at her, you’re in love with her, you care about her. She looks really happy.” He looked at Lily, “You do, Lily, I haven’t seen you look so happy in a long time.”
“I am happy,” she said quietly.
Al nodded his head. “I think it’s great. I just can’t believe you tried to hide it from me,” he said with a chuckle.
Teddy looked guilty. “It was my idea, really. I just, I wasn’t ready to tell people.”
Al looked at him. “It’s not that big of a deal. I’m not mad. I understand. I’m happy for you both, though.”
“How do you think Dad will react?” Lily asked. “I’m just not sure.”
Al shrugged. “No idea, really. He’s Dad. He’ll either be over-protective or really thrilled. Honestly, he’ll probably just be really happy for you both. He might ask a lot of questions but… he loves you both, and if you make each other happy, I think that’ll be enough for him. Dad’s a pretty understanding bloke.”
“And Mum? James?”
“Mum’s a sucker for a good love story, Lily. She knows how you’ve felt about Teddy all these years.”
At that, Lily blushed. Teddy smiled at her, and gave her a reassuring squeeze on her shoulder.
“Really, though. I wouldn’t even worry about Mum, if anything she’ll just be surprised. But she’ll be happy, I reckon. As for James, well, he’s far more protective of you than I am. But he trusts Teddy. He might be concerned in the beginning, possibly thinking that, er, it’s not a real relationship, but I’m sure once you convince him he’ll be fine with it. Everyone loves you both, they’ll support you. They’ll all probably just be surprised.”
Lily nodded her head, and looked at Teddy. They smiled at each other before Lily walked over to Al and wrapped her arms around him.
“Thanks, Al,” Teddy heard her whisper.
Al kissed the top of her head before she pulled away.
“I’m really late now, I should get going,” Lily said, looking at Teddy. “I’ll be back later.”
He nodded his head and walked her to the door, kissing her quickly out of Al’s sight. “I’ll miss you,” he said.
“I’ll miss you, too,” she said. “Have a good time with Al.”
“I’ll try,” he joked. “We’ll be fine. Have fun with Rose.”
She leaned up to kiss him again, and left Teddy’s flat.
Teddy made his way back down to the living room, where Al was sitting comfortably on the sofa, his feet propped up on the coffee table.
“Want a drink, Al?”
“Sure.”
Teddy walked to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of firewhisky and two glasses. He didn’t think it was the time for butterbeer.
He went back into the living room and sat down next to Al, handing him a glass. He poured each of them a healthy serving, and they sipped their drinks in silence for a while.
“So, you and my sister, yeah?” Al said, disturbing the quiet.
Teddy didn’t look at him, just watched the liquid swirl around in his glass. “Yeah, me and Lils.”
“I really think it’s great, you know. I think you’re good for each other. I wouldn’t trust just anyone with her.”
“I know. Thanks, I appreciate it.”
“Why so secretive about it all, though? Do you really think people will be upset?”
Teddy really didn’t know. Some of his doubts had slipped away over the past month. It was hard not to be confident with Lily by his side. But he still thought the situation was complicated. The nearly ten-year age gap alone was enough to be worried about. The thought of disappointing Harry was something he couldn’t even handle.
“I don’t know, Al. I’ve built it all up in my head over the past few months, I don’t know what’s real anymore. You can’t deny that you’re all overly protective of her. And, Merlin, I’ve known her since she was born. People are going to think that’s odd.”
“I don’t think so, not really. Not the people who matter, anyway. Not if you’re in love. I really think the only one you have to worry about is James. If he thinks it’s just about shagging, he’ll go mental.”
“It’s not about-”
“I know it’s not, but James sometimes tends to act first and think later, especially when it comes to Lily. I think it’ll all work out, just don’t let him get upset before you explain things. He loves you both, and if he sees that you’re both happy, he’ll accept it no problem.”
Teddy took a large gulp of his drink, wincing as it burned his throat.
“What about Victoire? Have you thought about her finding out?”
Teddy nodded his head. “Lily and I talked about it. It's a big concern for Lily. She just doesn’t want to see her get hurt. I don’t have any plans to tell her right now, but I’m sure we’ll talk about it eventually. I think it’ll be a non-issue, though. We’ve been over for a year, and she’s the one who finally ended it. It might be odd, but she’s dated friends of mine and I haven’t complained.”
Al shrugged, taking a sip of his firewhisky. “I’m sure it’ll work out. She cheated on you, she can’t get mad when you move on.”
“I was a bit of an arse, though. I probably deserved it.”
“I doubt that. There are other ways to deal with a bad relationship, Teddy.”
Teddy didn’t respond. There really wasn’t much to say about it after all this time. All that mattered was his relationship with Lily. And as worried as he was about what other people thought, he had a strong feeling that it would all work out it the end.
Al finished the rest of his drink, and stood up from the sofa. “I need to get going.”
“You weren’t here very long,” Teddy said, surprised that he was leaving so quickly. “You told Lily you came for a visit.”
“A lie, obviously. I had a feeling Lily would be here; I figured I’d finally get the truth out of you two. And I did.”
Teddy rolled his eyes at him, cuffing him on the shoulder. “You’re such a prat, Al.”
“Yes, I am. But I was right about you two, and that’s what matters.”
Teddy walked Al to the door, holding it open for him.
“I’m really happy for you both, and I’m here if you need anything.”
“I know, mate. Thanks.”
“Later,” Al said, walking out of the door and down the hallway, before he Apparated away.
Rather than sitting back down on the sofa, Teddy shuffled down the hall to his bedroom, where he flopped down on the bed face first. He felt relieved that Al was so supportive of his relationship with Lily, but the whole visit brought up a new series of questions for him, ones he didn’t know the answer to. He really wanted Lily to come back, to lay in bed with her, and block out the rest of the world. He drifted off into an unsatisfying nap while he waited for her to return.
*****
About two weeks passed before Teddy and Lily had a real conversation about telling her family they were dating. They had joked about the situation when Lily returned home the day of Al’s visit, but mostly about how they couldn’t believe Al knew, and that it was funny how Teddy’s not-so-serious suspicions about Al knowing were correct.
Teddy awoke on a Sunday morning, feeling relaxed and content. He knew that when he rolled over, Lily would be sleeping next to him, and her hair would be rumpled and she would look beautiful. When he rolled over though, she was wide-awake, her head propped up in her hand, watching him.
He couldn’t stop the grin spreading across his face as he tried to open his sleepy eyes and stretch out his limbs. “Hey Lils.”
“Morning,” she said quietly, not taking her eyes off of him.
Teddy looked at the clock next to the bed. It was just past seven.
“You’re up early,” he said, reaching over to run his fingers through her hair. “Alright?”
“Mhmm. Couldn’t sleep, really. I kept waking up, so I just stayed up.”
He rolled closer towards her, tangling his legs with hers, trying to get as close as possible. “And you decided to watch me sleep, yeah?” he joked.
“Well, it’s one of the perks of being up so early. You’re cute when you sleep.”
He scrunched his nose up at her. “Cute?”
“Yeah. You like, mumble in your sleep. And you make adorable faces sometimes. You’re rather entertaining,” she said with a smirk.
“Glad I amuse you,” he said, leaning in to kiss her. His hand slipped under the shirt she was wearing, one of his shirts, where he traced the delicate skin on her hip. He felt her skin break out into goosebumps. He got closer, rolling her onto her back and following her, lying between the cradle of her thighs. He went right for her neck, one of his favourite places on her body.
“Hey Teddy?”
“Hmmm?” he said, placing kisses everywhere he could reach.
“I think we should tell my family.”
He stopped kissing her, and pushed himself up on his arms to look at her. He wasn’t expecting her to say that, not when other activities seemed so promising.
“It’s just, it’s been a while, yeah? And they’re my family. I think they should know. I want them to know.”
Teddy moved off of her, back to his own side of the bed. He lay down on his back, staring up at the ceiling.
“What do you think?”
He didn’t speak right away, because he didn’t know what he thought.
“Teddy?”
“I don’t know, Lils. I… I just don’t know.”
“What don’t you know?”
He turned his head to look at her. She looked confused, or concerned. He wasn’t quite sure which.
“It’s still early, I think. I don’t see why they have to know yet, why it still can’t be just us.”
“Because I don’t think it’s something we need to keep a secret. I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately. There’s no reason why they wouldn’t support us.”
“You don’t know that, Lily.”
“You don’t know that they won’t, either,” she argued. Teddy didn’t like the way the conversation was going. He understood both sides of the argument, but he didn’t want anything said that they couldn’t take back.
“I’m not ready,” he said, and when she didn’t respond, he rolled out of bed and walked out of the room.
He went to the kitchen and made a cup of tea. He was one of the few who didn’t drink tea often, but he did it just for something to do. He made it almost absently, his thoughts back in his bedroom with Lily. He didn’t plan on starting his day fighting with her; it was the last thing he wanted.
He took a sip of the hot liquid as he stood staring out of the kitchen window. He knew he shouldn’t have walked away from her, that they should have discussed it through, but he felt frustrated, and he didn’t want to say anything he’d regret. He understood Lily’s desire to tell her family- he really had the same desire himself -but he couldn’t be as optimistic as she was. The thought of losing Harry, and Ginny and James, was too much for him to take.
He felt her enter the room before he heard her. He knew she was there, and when he turned around, she was leaning against the doorway, her arms crossed over her chest. The shirt she had borrowed from him showed off the creamy skin of her thighs.
“Do you really think he’d hate you?”
He looked into her brown eyes as she asked the question. It wasn’t said with anger or disappointment, just curiosity and concern.
He shook his head slowly, thinking how he should phrase his answer.
“I don’t think he’d hate me, no. I don’t think he’s capable of hate. But I worry that he’ll be disappointed in me, or that he’ll be upset or hurt, or that he’ll think this is some sort of betrayal. Maybe I’m just being ridiculous; I reckon I probably am. But I can’t shake it, Lils. He’s the only father I’ve ever known. And the thought of him thinking any less of me kills me.”
“This isn’t wrong, Teddy.”
“I don’t think this is wrong, and I didn’t say that.”
She let out a deep sigh and ran her fingers through her hair, ruffling it even more. “He loves you, and he loves me, and if he sees that we’re happy, I don’t think we’ll have a problem. But he’s my father. And I’m in love, and that’s something I want to tell him; that I have to tell him.” She crossed the room and wrapped her arms around his waist, holding him tight, her face pressed against his chest.
“I love you,” he whispered into the top of her head.
She looked up at him, and leaned up to kiss him. “I love you too,” she said against his lips.
He tucked her loose hair behind her ears, and rested his hands against her cheeks. “We’ll tell them, then. Whenever you want.”
“Really?” she asked, looking back up at him.
“Mhmm,” he said, nodding his head. “He’s your father, and if you want to tell him, we should. I’m not ready, but I can’t keep telling you ‘no.’”
“I think you’re worried over nothing. I think he’ll be far more accepting than you give him credit for.”
“I’ve spent my whole life worrying. It’s just the way I am, I can’t help it.”
“I know," she said with a smile. How did Uncle Bill react when he found out about you and Victoire?”
“He was fine with it, because it wasn’t much of a shock. The whole Weasley family saw that coming. This is entirely different.”
“Maybe he already knows; Al figured it out.”
“He would have said something already, most likely. He’s good at knowing something’s going on with us, not necessarily what it is.”
“Yeah,” she said, her voice trailing off as she laid her head back on his chest.
“So, when do you want to tell them?”
“Are you sure you’re ready?”
“No, not at all. But if you pick a time and a place, I’ll be there.”
“What about at dinner next Sunday? You haven’t been to dinner at their house in a while, so they’ll be extra happy you’re there.”
He laughed at that. “That’s good, they’ll be all warmed up before we drop the news on them.”
“We don’t need to warm them up, but seeing them in a good mood might calm your nerves.”
“I don’t think that’ll be possible.”
She pulled away from him, and reached for his hand. “Stop worrying about it. Whatever happens happens.” She started leading him out of the kitchen. “C’mon, it’s far too early to be out of bed, especially on a Sunday.”
As he followed her back to the bedroom, he couldn’t think of a better way to spend a weekend day than in bed with her. And for a bit of time, his worries over telling her family drifted away.
*****
By the time the next Sunday rolled around, Teddy was a wreck. He hardly ate or slept during the week, his thoughts constantly on dinner with Lily’s family. He sat by his fireplace, staring at the clock sitting on the mantle. He was going to be late if he didn’t leave soon, but his legs felt heavy, and his heart was racing with nerves.
He knew Lily would already be there, and that Al and James would be too. The whole family would be waiting for him. He knew Harry and Ginny were excited he would be attending. Al told him that Ginny had immediately started planning the meal when he flooed her earlier in the week. “She’s making all of your favourites,” Al had said with a laugh.
Teddy wiped his sweaty palms on his trousers, and gathered his courage as he made his way towards the door.
It’ll all be okay. They love me. It’ll be fine.
He Apparated to the Potters', hoping for the best.
*****
He had barely knocked on the door before Ginny had flung it open and pulled him into a tight hug.
“Teddy!” she said, leaning up to straighten his hair. He laughed, and then ruffled it back up after she was done. She looked him over, clearly taking note of whether he was eating enough.
“Hi Ginny,” he said. It felt good to be in their house again. It had been far too long.
“C’mon in, everyone’s waiting for you. It’s so good that you’re here,” she said excitedly, leading him into the living room.
“Er, yeah. It’s great to be here,” he said, feeling nervous again. When he entered the living room, he found James and Al sitting there. They were talking about something, laughing with each other. It reminded him of when they were younger, and he’d be at the Potters’ for dinner all the time. Teddy always felt like an older brother to them; sometimes now he felt like they were strangers. He hoped that feeling wouldn’t last for much longer.
“Hey Ted,” both Al and James said, welcoming him. Teddy and James gave each other a quick hug, and he saw Al give him a reassuring nod of his head. He knew Al thought that everything would go well, and Teddy hoped that Al was right.
He stood, looking around the room he once knew so well. Pictures of all the kids filled the living room, including old pictures of Teddy himself. Harry and Ginny always made Teddy feel like he was part of the family, and he always felt like their home was his too.
Teddy noticed a photograph hanging on the wall, one of Lily after she left Hogwarts. It was a bright, sunny day, and she was smiling, and he remembered it vividly, as it was one of the first times he really noticed her. He had been staring at the photo for a few moments; when he heard Lily quietly clear her throat in the doorway of the kitchen.
He turned towards her, and took in the sight of her. Her hair was pulled back, and she was wearing dark jeans and a sweater that hugged her curves. He found it impossible not to stare at her.
“Hey,” she said.
“Er, hello.”
She smiled at him, and walked over to him to give him a hug. He could tell she was just keeping things normal for James and Ginny, that it would have been odd if she hadn’t hugged him. He could feel her hands low on his back, holding him tight. He could smell her sweet shampoo as she pulled away from him. He didn’t want to let go.
Ginny excused herself to finish making dinner, and Teddy and Lily joined Al and James’s conversation. The four of them were having fun, laughing and reminiscing, when Harry came out of his study. Teddy could feel his body tense as his nerves came right back to him.
“Hiya Teddy!” Harry said, his face lighting up. “Great to see you!”
“You too,” Teddy said, standing up. Teddy walked over to give him a hug. Harry pulled him in and held him tight.
“It’s been a long time since you’ve come for Sunday dinner.”
“Too long, yeah?”
“Absolutely,” Harry replied. He couldn’t stop smiling at Teddy. Teddy couldn’t help but feel guilty at what the dinner was all about.
“Dinner’s ready, everyone,” Ginny said, peeking her head into the living room.
They all walked to the kitchen, taking their seats at the table. Teddy took the seat he’d sat in since he was a child, right next to Lily. She was close enough to touch. Harry sat at the head of the table to his left. Teddy didn’t have much of an appetite, but the food smelled wonderful, and he didn’t want to draw any attention to himself.
The family sat there, eating and talking about their days. Everyone seemed happy; clearly oblivious to the news Teddy and Lily were about to share. Al kept looking at him, as if to nudge him on. Teddy kept looking away. His nerves were getting the best of him. He knew it would be better to just say it, and get it over with. But he kept going through different ways to say it in his head, and none of them seemed right.
Just as he thought he was going to explode from the pressure of it all, he heard the five words that he knew would change everything.
“Teddy and I are dating.”
Lily blurted it out with more confidence than he’d ever seen her show. When he looked at her, she was sitting tall, staring right at her father, and almost daring him to argue. Harry looked like a Quaffle had hit him in the stomach; James sat with his mouth slightly open, looking back and forth between Teddy and Lily, and Ginny was looking at her daughter, waiting for her to speak. Al was looking down at his plate, but Teddy could see a smile on his face.
“It would be great if someone would say something,” Lily said, her confidence slightly faltering.
“I, er, when? Since when?” Harry asked, clearing his throat.
“Almost two months,” Teddy answered. Harry nodded, but didn’t say anything else.
“Yeah, um, it just sort of happened, really,” Lily said, looking at her father, and then at her mother.
Teddy’s heart was beating out of his chest. He couldn’t read the expression on Harry’s face, and he had no idea what he was thinking. Ginny though, Ginny looked happy.
“Is this real?” Ginny asked, staring at her daughter. “You’re really together?”
Lily nodded, a smile stretching across her face. She clasped her hand with Teddy’s under the table. He gave it a light squeeze.
“I can’t really believe it myself, actually. But here we are. We just, we wanted you to know. We wanted you to hear it from us."
“Well, I think it’s really wonderful, Lils,” Ginny said.
“Thanks,” she whispered.
Harry hadn’t spoken in a few minutes, and the whole room noticed. James was quiet too, something Teddy wasn’t used to. James looked more confused than anything.
“Dad?” Lily asked from beside him. He knew that more than anyone, Harry’s opinion was the one Lily was looking for, and that it would break her heart if he didn’t support their relationship. Teddy felt exactly the same way, and he couldn’t see how things would work out if Harry were against it. It would be a constant pressure on them, and as strong as he thought their relationship was, he didn’t know if they could handle it.
Harry looked up, his eyes drifting between the both of them. "Hmmm?"
"What do you think?" Lily asked him, her hand gripping Teddy's just a little bit tighter.
Harry put his fork down, and looked right at his daughter. "Are you happy? The both of you?"
They both replied, "yes," without any hesitation.
After seconds that felt like an eternity to Teddy, Harry said, "Okay, then. I think it's great."
"Really?" Lily asked, as if she didn't quite believe him.
Harry nodded his head. "Really, I'm happy for the both of you."
Teddy felt Lily's hand slip out of his as she got out of her chair and moved towards her father. She wrapped her arms tight around his neck, and Harry's eyes closed as he held her to him. When they broke apart, she sat back down next to Teddy, giving him one of the most brilliant smiles he had ever seen on her. He smiled back at her, but he didn't quite mean it.
Everyone went back to eating. Teddy tried, but he could see Harry out of the corner of his eye. Harry was staring down at his plate, pushing his food around with his fork. Ginny, James, and Al were talking to Lily, trying to get details on how Teddy and Lily came to be, so he didn't think anyone else was aware of Harry's reaction.
As everyone was finishing up, Harry excused himself. He kissed Ginny on top of her head as he walked by her, leaving the kitchen and heading to his study. All of their eyes followed him out of the room, until they heard the sound of a door closing. No one said anything; James and Al looked at each other worriedly. Teddy knew there was a good chance either Ginny or Lily would try to go after him and talk to him, but he knew it was something he had to do.
Before they could do anything, Teddy stood up, dropping his napkin onto his plate. Without looking back, Teddy went after Harry. He knocked on the closed door, and entered without waiting for a response.
*****
Harry's study was a room Teddy had been in hundreds of times. He remembered being young, and his Gran would drop him off, and he'd run in there right away to find Harry. Harry would be so excited to see him, and would give him a big hug and ruffle the top of his hair. Then Harry would show him something cool with his wand, that Teddy is sure is the reason why he became an Auror; because he wanted to be just like Harry.
It felt different being in there now, though. It looked the same, there were still pictures of all the Potter kids along the walls, including a few pictures of Teddy, and a large bookshelf lined with Dark Arts books, books Harry would never let Teddy near as a boy. It even smelled the same, and there was still an old lumpy sofa on the side wall where Harry had been known to take naps after a difficult day of work.
When Teddy walked in the room this time, he didn't run up to Harry, and Harry didn't give him a big hug and mess up his hair. Harry stood by the large window that overlooked the backyard, holding a picture frame in his hands, and he didn't look up from it until Teddy came up to his desk.
He showed Teddy the picture he was holding; it was one of Lily. She looked to be around nine years old. "She's beautiful, yeah?" Harry asked, not really looking for an answer. All Teddy could do was nod his head. "I forget how old she is sometimes. She'll walk into a room, and I still expect her to be in pigtails and to ask me to tell her a story."
Harry put the picture back in its place on his desk, and looked up at Teddy. Teddy had no idea what he was thinking. Standing in front of him was one of the hardest things he ever had to do.
"I'm sorry I left the room, I just needed a minute."
"It's alright. I hope it's okay I followed you in here. I thought you might want to talk."
"I think I'm just in shock. I certainly didn't expect to hear this tonight, or any night really."
Teddy gave a small laugh, and ruffled up the back of his hair in a nervous gesture. "Yeah, well, I never thought I'd give you that news." He paused, but Harry didn't say anything. "I just, I need to know what you're thinking. You must be really angry with me, and I don't blame you, but-"
"I'm not angry, Teddy. You're my godson."
"Yeah, your godson who's dating your daughter."
Harry smiled at him, which confused Teddy more than he thought possible.
"She's been really happy lately, happier than she's ever been, I think. I asked her about it one day, but she didn't really give me an answer. I reckon it has something to do with you. If she's happy, that's all that really matters."
"Really?"
"Really. It might take a bit of time to get used to, but I know how kind of a person you are. And I know that you've always cared about her. All that's important is that you're both happy, and that you love her."
"I do. She's… she's brilliant," Teddy said, smiling as he thought about Lily.
"Yeah, she is rather brilliant."
Harry and Teddy smiled at each other, and Teddy felt much of the stress he had been carrying with him over the past few months drift away. Harry didn't hate him, and was actually supportive of their relationship. "So, we're really okay, you and me?"
"Of course. We'll always be okay."
Harry walked up to him and placed his hands on Teddy's shoulders, squeezing lightly. Then he pulled him into a hug. It was quick, but it let Teddy know, even beyond Harry's words, that he had nothing to worry about.
"C'mon," Harry said, "let's get back out there."
Teddy led the way out into the living room. Al, James, and Ginny were all sitting, but Lily was standing by the fireplace. She looked nervous, and he assumed she had been pacing for a while like he knew she had the habit of doing.
She perked up when she saw them, and he gave her a big smile and nodded his head to let her know that everything was going to be okay. She smiled back at him, and immediately looked at her father. When she saw that everything was fine, she walked over to Harry and wrapped her arms around him. They didn't need to say anything just then. Teddy knew they'd eventually have a long talk about things like the two of them always did.
Normally they'd all sit around and talk for a while, but he was feeling drained, and he wanted nothing more than to get home and be alone with Lily. She must have felt the same way because she started saying her goodbyes. Teddy did too, although he felt a bit awkward during it all. He knew that it would pass over time, that they'd all get used to everything.
He helped Lily on with her cloak, and he could feel everyone watching them. Lily thanked him quietly, and they said a final goodbye to the family. When they were a short distance away from the house, Teddy pulled Lily in close, and Apparated them back to his flat.
*****
It was a few hours later, and Teddy lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. His mind was running through all the events of the evening. It felt nice to just breathe, and to know that everything was going to be okay. He was in love, and Lily was in love with him, and the four people he cared most about in the world supported their relationship.
He was still thinking about everything that had happened, when he heard the door to the loo open. His eyes left the ceiling, and when he looked at the door, he saw Lily standing there. Her hair fell in loose waves around her face. Her nightclothes were nothing special, just simple shorts and a short-sleeved shirt, but Teddy couldn't remember a time when she looked more beautiful. He was certain that she looked better every time he saw her.
She walked towards him, and climbed onto the bed and under the covers. She snuggled in, and he pulled her in as close as he could. When her arm wrapped around his waist, he didn't think he could be more content than he was right then.
"So, tonight went pretty well," Lily said.
Teddy couldn't help but laugh at that. "Yes, actually, I'd say it went very well."
"What happened between you and my dad? Is everything really okay?"
"Yeah," Teddy replied, "everything will be fine. He just, needed to get away for a minute. He honestly wasn't upset at all."
"Why would he have needed to get away?"
"I just don't think he's fully accepted the fact that you've grown up. You'll always be his little girl, Lils. I doubt he'll ever truly accept it. But everything's fine."
"Okay," Lily said. It was slightly muffled into his chest.
"So, what did you lot talk about while we were gone?"
"Oh, nothing really. James is a bit upset, though."
At that, Teddy sat up as much as he could with Lily wrapped around him. He had been concerned about James's reaction, but got so caught up in how Harry would react that he pushed James's feelings aside.
"What do you mean? How upset?"
Lily laughed. "Er, no, not like you're thinking. He's upset that Al knew before him. I think he's a bit peeved he didn't figure it out himself. He may have called you a git for not telling him. James is so dramatic, it got a bit silly."
Teddy plopped his head back down onto his pillow. "What a twit," he muttered jokingly.
He heard Lily laugh, and felt her move in closer. She rested her hand on his chest, rubbing in soft circles.
He placed a kiss on top of her head. His thoughts drifted again, thinking about the past two months of his life, and how perfect it felt to have her in his arms. He never thought he'd be this happy, and he didn't think it was possible to have everything he could ever want. He realized that it could be possible though, Lily lying in his arms being the only confirmation he needed.
Lily fell asleep, her breathing deep. Teddy could feel soft puffs of air against his bare skin. He held her tight, wishing that they could always stay like this.
It was a short time later when Teddy himself grew tired, the warmth of his bed and Lily providing him with comfort.
Rain outside tapped against his window as he drifted off to sleep.
ETA: I wrote more to this story. It features Harry/Ginny, and it takes place during the very last scene of this. You can find it here.
Author: jamieln612
Rating: Hard R
Word Count: 19,891
Character/Pairing(s): Teddy/Lily (Mentions of past Teddy/Victoire, Appearances by Harry/Ginny, James, and Albus)
Warnings: sexual situations, minor language, age difference (Teddy is 29, Lily is 19)
Summary: Teddy Lupin has developed feelings for Lily over the course of the year, knowing that the consequences of such a relationship could cost him everything that's important to him, specifically relationships with the family he loves more than anything. Facing his insecurities, Teddy needs to realize if a relationship with Lily can really work, or if it's all doomed from the start.
Author's Note(s): This was written for harrypotterbang. It was a difficult challenge, but a lot of fun to participate in. A million thanks to my beta, lemondrop34, for her brilliant work and for holding my hand through writing such a rare pairing. I couldn't have done it without you, Jane. And thanks to chosenfire28 for making sure I got some really cool art for my fic. Thanks!
I hope you all enjoy it.
Part one can be found here.
Link to Art: *Art* by chosenfire28
Teddy awoke sometime later. His eyes stayed closed; he felt too comfortable to want to fully wake up. But he remembered what had just happened, and how brilliant it had been, but when he reached for Lily, he couldn’t find her. His eyes fluttered open, and he saw that he was alone on the sofa.
He quickly found Lily; she was sitting on the floor in front of a fire, her knees pulled up to her chest, and her chin resting on them. She was wearing his shirt. Her red hair stood out brightly against the white of it.
He watched her for a few moments, enjoying how peaceful she looked. He sat up and picked his boxers up off the floor. He slipped into them, grabbed the blanket, and made his way over to her. He didn’t say anything, but sat behind her, putting a leg on each side of her. He wrapped the blanket around them, pulling her close to his chest, his arms closing around her. She didn’t seem surprised, she probably heard him rustling around to the side of her before he came over. She let her head fall back onto his shoulder, and he placed a soft kiss on her temple.
“Hi,” he whispered against her hair. He almost didn’t want to talk at all, fearful that it would disturb the cozy quiet of the room.
“Hey,” she whispered back. She smiled up at him before she turned her head back towards the fire. “You were asleep for a while. I didn’t want to wake you.”
“Yeah, well, you wore me out, Lils,” he laughed softly. “How long have you been up?”
“‘Bout an hour or two, I suppose. I stayed next to you on the sofa for a while, but you were pretty out of it.”
He mumbled something unintelligible as he pushed her hair aside and placed light kisses on her neck. Lily’s legs spread out in front of her as she relaxed more into his embrace. Her hand rested on his leg, her fingers playing with the hem of his boxers.
“You look so good in my shirt, Lils,” he said as his hand slipped under it, his fingers tracing the skin of her side. He felt her skin break out into goosebumps.
“I like wearing it, it smells like you,” she said, her eyes closing as his hand moved forward onto her belly.
Teddy was tired and awake all at once. His body felt exhausted from their earlier lovemaking, but he didn’t really want to sleep. He wanted to be awake with her, enjoy their time together. Her skin was soft beneath his hand. “How are you?” he asked.
“Happy,” she replied. He smiled into her neck. He couldn’t believe that all of this was happening, that they made love twice and that she was still there in his arms, and that she wanted to be there.
“Teddy?”
“Hmmm?”
“It’s getting late,” she said. He looked up at the clock on the mantle, and it was well after midnight.
“Wow, yeah, it is. Didn’t realize it.”
“Can I stay the night?” she asked almost shyly. “I know we both have to work tomorrow, but I’m not ready to leave you yet.”
He held onto her a little tighter. “You can stay. I want you to stay, I can’t imagine you leaving.”
She turned her head towards him again, and stretched up to kiss him. She let her head rest on his shoulder again, and they sat watching the flames for a while longer. They both needed to get up in the morning, though, so soon Lily was standing and casting a spell to put out the fire. She held out her hand for him, and he climbed to his feet. They walked down the hallway to his room together, where they slept in each other’s arms.
It was the best night’s sleep Teddy ever had.
*****
By the time next Thursday rolled around, Teddy couldn’t keep a smile off his face. The past week had been spent making love with Lily, and getting to know each other more than he thought was possible. He knew her, knew her her entire life, but he was learning things about her that no one else knew. And it was wonderful, and going to work was almost dreadful, as he hated being apart from her for the day.
They hadn’t told anyone, both unsure of how their friends and family would react. Lily was slightly more optimistic about the situation, but Teddy wasn’t ready to face everyone. He spent almost a year being in love with her and fearing that everyone would hate him for it, and it wasn’t a feeling he could shake easily, no matter how many times Lily told him everyone would still love him and support him.
They were also enjoying the secret, enjoying the time alone without anyone knowing about it. Lily said it made it all that much more exciting.
But even the fear of everyone finding out couldn’t keep him from walking around work happy. Everyone noticed the change in him, including Millicent, who shot him slightly less than mean looks as he passed her desk on his way to his office. Teddy took it as her way of showing that she was happy for his good mood. He thought it was as much of a smile as he was going to get out of the old witch.
Thursday evening was their planned night with James and Al, and as excited as he was about spending time with two of his best mates, he wasn’t sure of how he was going to react around Lily. All of their time together over the past week had involved touching in some way, and he didn’t know if he could stop himself, even in front of her brothers. It was going to take all the self-control he could muster.
He Apparated to The Leaky Cauldron at the end of his workday. It had been a long one, and he nearly pulled his hair out with worry over seeing James and Al with Lily in such a close proximity.
When he entered, he found Al sitting at their usual booth by himself drinking a pint. He made his way through a small crowd of people to join him. Al smiled at him and gave him a quick wave.
“Teddy, two weeks in a row? This is the most I’ve seen of you all year!” he joked.
“Yeah, well, aren’t you lucky?”
“Seriously, though, good to see you again.”
“Yeah, you too.” His eyes scanned the room quickly. “Where’s James?”
Al gestured blindly towards a table in a dark corner of the pub. “Chatting up some witch over there. I don’t think she’s all that interested, but James is a prat and doesn’t realize that not every girl falls in love with him at first sight. He’ll probably be back soon once he tires of the chase.”
Teddy shook his head and laughed, knowing all too well about James’s conquests of witches. He sipped at the pint a waitress had placed in front of him.
“So, what have you been up to since I saw you last?” Al asked. Al was looking right at him, Teddy squirmed a bit in his seat.
“Oh, er, work. The usual, I suppose. I’ve been pretty busy this last week.”
Al was watching him with a look Teddy couldn’t quite place. Al was always the hardest person to figure out. His eyes were the same as Harry’s in looks, but they kept everything hidden. The whole Weasley family joked about how unreadable he was. Teddy looked away from him, focusing on the ale in his glass.
“Lily should be here soon,” Al said. Teddy lifted his eyes towards him. Al was still watching him with an unreadable expression. Teddy wanted to run.
“Yeah, that’s good. This was her idea after all, yeah? She should be here.”
“Mhmm,” Al replied, sipping his pint.
Teddy finished his off, and decided to escape the booth and get a fresh one from the bar. He excused himself, and made his way over, grateful for a few seconds alone. Al couldn’t possibly know anything, he’s just being Al, Teddy thought, calming his racing mind. He leaned on the bar, waiting for Hannah to come over and help him.
He stood there, digging his thumbnail into a groove on the bar’s wood, when he heard the bell jingle over the door. He knew it was her without having to look. He did, though, and he saw her as she stood in the doorway, wiping snow off her shoulders. She looked up, and smiled at him. He wanted her to come to him, he wanted to kiss her and pull her close and Apparate her away.
They both stayed calm though. He casually waved at her (or at least he hoped it was casual), and watched as she waved back and made her way over to the booth. His eyes followed her across the room, enjoying the sway of her hips and the way the pub’s lights shone on her hair. He noticed that James had joined Al, and he watched as the siblings embraced and greeted each other.
Hannah poured him his pint, and he crossed the room again, joining Al, James, and Lily.
James had sat across from Al when he sat down, meaning he had to sit directly across from Lily. He was happy about it, as she was his favourite thing to look at, but it made the situation that much more uncomfortable. He was worried that he’d get caught staring at her, or that he’d do something stupid like reach across to brush the hair out of her face. He considered sitting on his hands, but he thought either James or Al might notice.
“Hi, Teddy,” Lily said as Teddy sat down. He could tell she was trying to keep her voice even, that she was trying not to give anything away.
“Hi, Lils. How are you?”
“Good, thanks. Cold out there today, yeah?”
“Mhmm,” he replied. He could see Al staring at them out of the corner of his eye. James seemed oblivious to everything. Teddy thought that nothing about the conversation was believable.
Lily turned to Al to ask him some questions, and James joined in, and soon the whole situation wasn’t awkward anymore. It was all normal again, aside from those few moments when Lily’s foot brushed against Teddy’s leg, causing him to jump. Once, he almost knocked his pint over. Al’s eyebrow rose in response, and Teddy just shrugged, looking away as he cast a cleaning charm to get rid of the ale that had sloshed over the glass.
After about two hours of trying to not stare at Lily, or touch Lily, or declare his feelings towards Lily in front of James and Al, Teddy decided he couldn’t sit there any longer. He stood, grabbing his cloak that was draped over the back of the booth.
“Sorry everyone, it’s late, I’m gonna head home.”
He tried not to look at Lily as he shook James and Al’s hands. He had to look at her, though, when it was time to say goodbye to her. He knew it was only for a short time, until she followed him to his flat, but he still didn’t want to say it.
“Bye, Lils, See you soon?”
“Yeah, sounds good,” she replied. “See you,” she said with a quick wave.
He waved back, and said goodbye to the group a final time, and left The Leaky. It was cold outside, colder than before, and he held his cloak closed tight as he Apparated home. He shrugged off his boots and cloak, and headed for the kitchen. He paced around for a while. He knew Lily needed to stay for a while, so as not to make things seem out of order, but he wanted to see her again, and hoped she could play things off and still escape quickly.
Just as he thought about getting a cold drink, he heard the pop of her Apparition, and he rushed out to meet her. She already had her cloak off when he saw her, and she immediately moved into his arms.
He couldn’t stop kissing every part of her he could reach, and he soon had her pressed up against a wall. He was half hard already as he trailed kisses along her neck.
“Merlin,” she sighed. “Never thought we’d get out of there.” He could feel her fingers running through his hair.
“Me too,” he mumbled. “James can bloody talk, can’t he?”
“Mhmm.” She felt good pressed so tightly against him. He wasn’t sure why, though, but his thoughts drifted away, back to the time they just spent with James and Al.
He pulled his head away from her to look at her. Her cheeks were red, and her brown eyes were on him. “Lils?”
“Yeah?” Her voice was higher than normal. He pressed his hips against her slightly, and heard her take in a breath.
“Er, you don’t think Al knows, do you?”
“What? No, he couldn’t know.” She looked confused. “What makes you think that?”
His eyebrows furrowed in thought. “I don’t know; he kept looking at me.”
Her eyebrow arched, and a slight smirk was on her lips. “He looked at you?”
“Don’t look at me like that,” he said. “He looked at me, like, I don’t know, like the way Al really looks at people. It was… odd. Freaked me out.”
“Clearly,” she said dryly. “I don’t think Al knows. I certainly haven’t told him, and we haven’t been out together where he could see us somewhere. You’re paranoid, or something.”
“I’m not paranoid, Lils,” he said, rolling his eyes. He leaned in to kiss her neck again. “I’m cautious.”
“You’re mental is more like it,” she said, gasping as she felt his teeth graze her skin. “Total nutter,” she said breathlessly. “Don’t worry about it, Al doesn’t know.”
He kissed her hard on her lips, no longer wanting to talk about her brother, or talk at all, really. He pulled her away from the wall, keeping contact with her mouth. He led her towards his bedroom, leaving a trail of clothing on the floor behind them.
*****
“Teddy, I have to go,” Lily said, trying to back her way out of his bedroom. Teddy was kissing her neck, hoping it would convince her to stay.
“You don’t really have to,” he said. “You could stay with me.”
“I promised Rose I’d help her out today,” she said, giggling as he found a sensitive spot on her. She ducked away from him as they reached the living room. She grabbed her cloak off the back of the sofa where she had discarded it the night before.
As she was putting it on, Teddy gave her the most pitiful look he could make. She laughed and shook her head. “You know that’s obviously not going to work with me.”
He made his way closer to her, and she let him wrap his arms around her waist.
“I know,” he sighed. “Don’t want you to go though,” he mumbled as he started kissing her neck again. “You should just stay.”
She ran her fingers through his hair, holding his head in place against her. “I promised,” she said in almost a sigh. “I haven’t… mmmm… haven’t seen her in ages.”
It was when his hands slipped inside her cloak that she finally pushed him away. “I really have to go. I’ll stop by after, yeah?” She leaned up on her tiptoes to kiss him. “I promise I won’t be gone long.”
“Alright,” he said. He really didn’t want her to leave, but he was glad she was going off to spend time with Rose. He knew the two of them were close, and that Lily hadn’t seen her all that much since they had started dating. “Have fun.”
“I will.”
He pulled her in for another kiss, but she pulled away before it went too far again.
She reached for the doorknob, and turned it. “I’ll see you-”
As she pulled the door open and started to leave, she almost walked into Al. He was standing there, looking as if he had just approached the doorway. He took in the sight of his sister leaving his mate’s flat.
“Al!” Lily said, startled. Her eyes were wide, her mouth slightly open in shock. “Er, what are you doing here?”
Teddy watched as the siblings looked at each other. He couldn’t read Al’s face at all; it was completely blank. Teddy could tell that Lily’s mind was racing, trying to think ahead, read the conversation before it really started.
“Came for a visit, to see Teddy, as it’s his flat. I suppose I should ask you the same question.”
“She came over for a visit, er, as well. She was just leaving, though.”
“Yeah, plans with Rose,” Lily said. She couldn’t take her eyes off of Al.
Al nodded his head. “Er, the hallway’s nice, but do you think I could maybe come in?”
Teddy and Lily stepped aside for Al to pass. He removed his cloak and hung it on a hook as Teddy shut the door behind them. Al walked into the living room. Teddy and Lily followed, unsure of what was going to happen.
“Wasn’t expecting to see you here, Lily,” Al said, walking casually around the room.
“Oh, well, we’re friends. We spend time together sometimes, no big deal,” she said.
Al turned around to look at them. Lily clutched her bag in her hand. Teddy stood with his hands in his pockets, trying to look as normal as possible.
“So, how long have you two been dating? I think I’ve got it pretty narrowed down, but it’s hard to figure out without all of the facts.”
They both stood with their mouths agape.
Al laughed, “I love you both, but it’s so obvious. You aren’t hiding anything from me.”
“But… how…” Lily stuttered.
“You’re my sister, Lily. You’re rather easy to read. I think I knew it was going to happen before you both did.” He leaned against the back of the sofa, arms crossed over his chest. He looked at Teddy, who had been completely silent. “It’s about time, really. Neither of you look as miserable as you did a few months ago.”
“Er, what did you just say?” Teddy asked. It’s about time?
“Honestly, Teddy. You’re one of my best mates. I think I can tell when you have feelings for a girl, especially if it’s my sister. You did a crap job hiding it, from me at least.”
“Oh,” he said, feeling rather stupid and silly. “And, er, you…”
“Am I fine with it?”
“Yeah,” he said, practically holding his breath.
“Of course I am. Why wouldn’t I be?”
Teddy felt himself let out a sigh of relief. “I, er, I don’t know. I just, I was worried about it. It’s Lily, I know how you and James are about her.”
“Well, yeah, because she usually dates prats.”
“Al!” Lily scolded. “I do not!”
“Yeah, you do. The last two blokes you dated were idiots. They were not good enough for you, not the way Teddy is.”
Teddy looked at Al, giving him a questioning look.
“I see the way you look at her, you’re in love with her, you care about her. She looks really happy.” He looked at Lily, “You do, Lily, I haven’t seen you look so happy in a long time.”
“I am happy,” she said quietly.
Al nodded his head. “I think it’s great. I just can’t believe you tried to hide it from me,” he said with a chuckle.
Teddy looked guilty. “It was my idea, really. I just, I wasn’t ready to tell people.”
Al looked at him. “It’s not that big of a deal. I’m not mad. I understand. I’m happy for you both, though.”
“How do you think Dad will react?” Lily asked. “I’m just not sure.”
Al shrugged. “No idea, really. He’s Dad. He’ll either be over-protective or really thrilled. Honestly, he’ll probably just be really happy for you both. He might ask a lot of questions but… he loves you both, and if you make each other happy, I think that’ll be enough for him. Dad’s a pretty understanding bloke.”
“And Mum? James?”
“Mum’s a sucker for a good love story, Lily. She knows how you’ve felt about Teddy all these years.”
At that, Lily blushed. Teddy smiled at her, and gave her a reassuring squeeze on her shoulder.
“Really, though. I wouldn’t even worry about Mum, if anything she’ll just be surprised. But she’ll be happy, I reckon. As for James, well, he’s far more protective of you than I am. But he trusts Teddy. He might be concerned in the beginning, possibly thinking that, er, it’s not a real relationship, but I’m sure once you convince him he’ll be fine with it. Everyone loves you both, they’ll support you. They’ll all probably just be surprised.”
Lily nodded her head, and looked at Teddy. They smiled at each other before Lily walked over to Al and wrapped her arms around him.
“Thanks, Al,” Teddy heard her whisper.
Al kissed the top of her head before she pulled away.
“I’m really late now, I should get going,” Lily said, looking at Teddy. “I’ll be back later.”
He nodded his head and walked her to the door, kissing her quickly out of Al’s sight. “I’ll miss you,” he said.
“I’ll miss you, too,” she said. “Have a good time with Al.”
“I’ll try,” he joked. “We’ll be fine. Have fun with Rose.”
She leaned up to kiss him again, and left Teddy’s flat.
Teddy made his way back down to the living room, where Al was sitting comfortably on the sofa, his feet propped up on the coffee table.
“Want a drink, Al?”
“Sure.”
Teddy walked to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of firewhisky and two glasses. He didn’t think it was the time for butterbeer.
He went back into the living room and sat down next to Al, handing him a glass. He poured each of them a healthy serving, and they sipped their drinks in silence for a while.
“So, you and my sister, yeah?” Al said, disturbing the quiet.
Teddy didn’t look at him, just watched the liquid swirl around in his glass. “Yeah, me and Lils.”
“I really think it’s great, you know. I think you’re good for each other. I wouldn’t trust just anyone with her.”
“I know. Thanks, I appreciate it.”
“Why so secretive about it all, though? Do you really think people will be upset?”
Teddy really didn’t know. Some of his doubts had slipped away over the past month. It was hard not to be confident with Lily by his side. But he still thought the situation was complicated. The nearly ten-year age gap alone was enough to be worried about. The thought of disappointing Harry was something he couldn’t even handle.
“I don’t know, Al. I’ve built it all up in my head over the past few months, I don’t know what’s real anymore. You can’t deny that you’re all overly protective of her. And, Merlin, I’ve known her since she was born. People are going to think that’s odd.”
“I don’t think so, not really. Not the people who matter, anyway. Not if you’re in love. I really think the only one you have to worry about is James. If he thinks it’s just about shagging, he’ll go mental.”
“It’s not about-”
“I know it’s not, but James sometimes tends to act first and think later, especially when it comes to Lily. I think it’ll all work out, just don’t let him get upset before you explain things. He loves you both, and if he sees that you’re both happy, he’ll accept it no problem.”
Teddy took a large gulp of his drink, wincing as it burned his throat.
“What about Victoire? Have you thought about her finding out?”
Teddy nodded his head. “Lily and I talked about it. It's a big concern for Lily. She just doesn’t want to see her get hurt. I don’t have any plans to tell her right now, but I’m sure we’ll talk about it eventually. I think it’ll be a non-issue, though. We’ve been over for a year, and she’s the one who finally ended it. It might be odd, but she’s dated friends of mine and I haven’t complained.”
Al shrugged, taking a sip of his firewhisky. “I’m sure it’ll work out. She cheated on you, she can’t get mad when you move on.”
“I was a bit of an arse, though. I probably deserved it.”
“I doubt that. There are other ways to deal with a bad relationship, Teddy.”
Teddy didn’t respond. There really wasn’t much to say about it after all this time. All that mattered was his relationship with Lily. And as worried as he was about what other people thought, he had a strong feeling that it would all work out it the end.
Al finished the rest of his drink, and stood up from the sofa. “I need to get going.”
“You weren’t here very long,” Teddy said, surprised that he was leaving so quickly. “You told Lily you came for a visit.”
“A lie, obviously. I had a feeling Lily would be here; I figured I’d finally get the truth out of you two. And I did.”
Teddy rolled his eyes at him, cuffing him on the shoulder. “You’re such a prat, Al.”
“Yes, I am. But I was right about you two, and that’s what matters.”
Teddy walked Al to the door, holding it open for him.
“I’m really happy for you both, and I’m here if you need anything.”
“I know, mate. Thanks.”
“Later,” Al said, walking out of the door and down the hallway, before he Apparated away.
Rather than sitting back down on the sofa, Teddy shuffled down the hall to his bedroom, where he flopped down on the bed face first. He felt relieved that Al was so supportive of his relationship with Lily, but the whole visit brought up a new series of questions for him, ones he didn’t know the answer to. He really wanted Lily to come back, to lay in bed with her, and block out the rest of the world. He drifted off into an unsatisfying nap while he waited for her to return.
*****
About two weeks passed before Teddy and Lily had a real conversation about telling her family they were dating. They had joked about the situation when Lily returned home the day of Al’s visit, but mostly about how they couldn’t believe Al knew, and that it was funny how Teddy’s not-so-serious suspicions about Al knowing were correct.
Teddy awoke on a Sunday morning, feeling relaxed and content. He knew that when he rolled over, Lily would be sleeping next to him, and her hair would be rumpled and she would look beautiful. When he rolled over though, she was wide-awake, her head propped up in her hand, watching him.
He couldn’t stop the grin spreading across his face as he tried to open his sleepy eyes and stretch out his limbs. “Hey Lils.”
“Morning,” she said quietly, not taking her eyes off of him.
Teddy looked at the clock next to the bed. It was just past seven.
“You’re up early,” he said, reaching over to run his fingers through her hair. “Alright?”
“Mhmm. Couldn’t sleep, really. I kept waking up, so I just stayed up.”
He rolled closer towards her, tangling his legs with hers, trying to get as close as possible. “And you decided to watch me sleep, yeah?” he joked.
“Well, it’s one of the perks of being up so early. You’re cute when you sleep.”
He scrunched his nose up at her. “Cute?”
“Yeah. You like, mumble in your sleep. And you make adorable faces sometimes. You’re rather entertaining,” she said with a smirk.
“Glad I amuse you,” he said, leaning in to kiss her. His hand slipped under the shirt she was wearing, one of his shirts, where he traced the delicate skin on her hip. He felt her skin break out into goosebumps. He got closer, rolling her onto her back and following her, lying between the cradle of her thighs. He went right for her neck, one of his favourite places on her body.
“Hey Teddy?”
“Hmmm?” he said, placing kisses everywhere he could reach.
“I think we should tell my family.”
He stopped kissing her, and pushed himself up on his arms to look at her. He wasn’t expecting her to say that, not when other activities seemed so promising.
“It’s just, it’s been a while, yeah? And they’re my family. I think they should know. I want them to know.”
Teddy moved off of her, back to his own side of the bed. He lay down on his back, staring up at the ceiling.
“What do you think?”
He didn’t speak right away, because he didn’t know what he thought.
“Teddy?”
“I don’t know, Lils. I… I just don’t know.”
“What don’t you know?”
He turned his head to look at her. She looked confused, or concerned. He wasn’t quite sure which.
“It’s still early, I think. I don’t see why they have to know yet, why it still can’t be just us.”
“Because I don’t think it’s something we need to keep a secret. I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately. There’s no reason why they wouldn’t support us.”
“You don’t know that, Lily.”
“You don’t know that they won’t, either,” she argued. Teddy didn’t like the way the conversation was going. He understood both sides of the argument, but he didn’t want anything said that they couldn’t take back.
“I’m not ready,” he said, and when she didn’t respond, he rolled out of bed and walked out of the room.
He went to the kitchen and made a cup of tea. He was one of the few who didn’t drink tea often, but he did it just for something to do. He made it almost absently, his thoughts back in his bedroom with Lily. He didn’t plan on starting his day fighting with her; it was the last thing he wanted.
He took a sip of the hot liquid as he stood staring out of the kitchen window. He knew he shouldn’t have walked away from her, that they should have discussed it through, but he felt frustrated, and he didn’t want to say anything he’d regret. He understood Lily’s desire to tell her family- he really had the same desire himself -but he couldn’t be as optimistic as she was. The thought of losing Harry, and Ginny and James, was too much for him to take.
He felt her enter the room before he heard her. He knew she was there, and when he turned around, she was leaning against the doorway, her arms crossed over her chest. The shirt she had borrowed from him showed off the creamy skin of her thighs.
“Do you really think he’d hate you?”
He looked into her brown eyes as she asked the question. It wasn’t said with anger or disappointment, just curiosity and concern.
He shook his head slowly, thinking how he should phrase his answer.
“I don’t think he’d hate me, no. I don’t think he’s capable of hate. But I worry that he’ll be disappointed in me, or that he’ll be upset or hurt, or that he’ll think this is some sort of betrayal. Maybe I’m just being ridiculous; I reckon I probably am. But I can’t shake it, Lils. He’s the only father I’ve ever known. And the thought of him thinking any less of me kills me.”
“This isn’t wrong, Teddy.”
“I don’t think this is wrong, and I didn’t say that.”
She let out a deep sigh and ran her fingers through her hair, ruffling it even more. “He loves you, and he loves me, and if he sees that we’re happy, I don’t think we’ll have a problem. But he’s my father. And I’m in love, and that’s something I want to tell him; that I have to tell him.” She crossed the room and wrapped her arms around his waist, holding him tight, her face pressed against his chest.
“I love you,” he whispered into the top of her head.
She looked up at him, and leaned up to kiss him. “I love you too,” she said against his lips.
He tucked her loose hair behind her ears, and rested his hands against her cheeks. “We’ll tell them, then. Whenever you want.”
“Really?” she asked, looking back up at him.
“Mhmm,” he said, nodding his head. “He’s your father, and if you want to tell him, we should. I’m not ready, but I can’t keep telling you ‘no.’”
“I think you’re worried over nothing. I think he’ll be far more accepting than you give him credit for.”
“I’ve spent my whole life worrying. It’s just the way I am, I can’t help it.”
“I know," she said with a smile. How did Uncle Bill react when he found out about you and Victoire?”
“He was fine with it, because it wasn’t much of a shock. The whole Weasley family saw that coming. This is entirely different.”
“Maybe he already knows; Al figured it out.”
“He would have said something already, most likely. He’s good at knowing something’s going on with us, not necessarily what it is.”
“Yeah,” she said, her voice trailing off as she laid her head back on his chest.
“So, when do you want to tell them?”
“Are you sure you’re ready?”
“No, not at all. But if you pick a time and a place, I’ll be there.”
“What about at dinner next Sunday? You haven’t been to dinner at their house in a while, so they’ll be extra happy you’re there.”
He laughed at that. “That’s good, they’ll be all warmed up before we drop the news on them.”
“We don’t need to warm them up, but seeing them in a good mood might calm your nerves.”
“I don’t think that’ll be possible.”
She pulled away from him, and reached for his hand. “Stop worrying about it. Whatever happens happens.” She started leading him out of the kitchen. “C’mon, it’s far too early to be out of bed, especially on a Sunday.”
As he followed her back to the bedroom, he couldn’t think of a better way to spend a weekend day than in bed with her. And for a bit of time, his worries over telling her family drifted away.
*****
By the time the next Sunday rolled around, Teddy was a wreck. He hardly ate or slept during the week, his thoughts constantly on dinner with Lily’s family. He sat by his fireplace, staring at the clock sitting on the mantle. He was going to be late if he didn’t leave soon, but his legs felt heavy, and his heart was racing with nerves.
He knew Lily would already be there, and that Al and James would be too. The whole family would be waiting for him. He knew Harry and Ginny were excited he would be attending. Al told him that Ginny had immediately started planning the meal when he flooed her earlier in the week. “She’s making all of your favourites,” Al had said with a laugh.
Teddy wiped his sweaty palms on his trousers, and gathered his courage as he made his way towards the door.
It’ll all be okay. They love me. It’ll be fine.
He Apparated to the Potters', hoping for the best.
*****
He had barely knocked on the door before Ginny had flung it open and pulled him into a tight hug.
“Teddy!” she said, leaning up to straighten his hair. He laughed, and then ruffled it back up after she was done. She looked him over, clearly taking note of whether he was eating enough.
“Hi Ginny,” he said. It felt good to be in their house again. It had been far too long.
“C’mon in, everyone’s waiting for you. It’s so good that you’re here,” she said excitedly, leading him into the living room.
“Er, yeah. It’s great to be here,” he said, feeling nervous again. When he entered the living room, he found James and Al sitting there. They were talking about something, laughing with each other. It reminded him of when they were younger, and he’d be at the Potters’ for dinner all the time. Teddy always felt like an older brother to them; sometimes now he felt like they were strangers. He hoped that feeling wouldn’t last for much longer.
“Hey Ted,” both Al and James said, welcoming him. Teddy and James gave each other a quick hug, and he saw Al give him a reassuring nod of his head. He knew Al thought that everything would go well, and Teddy hoped that Al was right.
He stood, looking around the room he once knew so well. Pictures of all the kids filled the living room, including old pictures of Teddy himself. Harry and Ginny always made Teddy feel like he was part of the family, and he always felt like their home was his too.
Teddy noticed a photograph hanging on the wall, one of Lily after she left Hogwarts. It was a bright, sunny day, and she was smiling, and he remembered it vividly, as it was one of the first times he really noticed her. He had been staring at the photo for a few moments; when he heard Lily quietly clear her throat in the doorway of the kitchen.
He turned towards her, and took in the sight of her. Her hair was pulled back, and she was wearing dark jeans and a sweater that hugged her curves. He found it impossible not to stare at her.
“Hey,” she said.
“Er, hello.”
She smiled at him, and walked over to him to give him a hug. He could tell she was just keeping things normal for James and Ginny, that it would have been odd if she hadn’t hugged him. He could feel her hands low on his back, holding him tight. He could smell her sweet shampoo as she pulled away from him. He didn’t want to let go.
Ginny excused herself to finish making dinner, and Teddy and Lily joined Al and James’s conversation. The four of them were having fun, laughing and reminiscing, when Harry came out of his study. Teddy could feel his body tense as his nerves came right back to him.
“Hiya Teddy!” Harry said, his face lighting up. “Great to see you!”
“You too,” Teddy said, standing up. Teddy walked over to give him a hug. Harry pulled him in and held him tight.
“It’s been a long time since you’ve come for Sunday dinner.”
“Too long, yeah?”
“Absolutely,” Harry replied. He couldn’t stop smiling at Teddy. Teddy couldn’t help but feel guilty at what the dinner was all about.
“Dinner’s ready, everyone,” Ginny said, peeking her head into the living room.
They all walked to the kitchen, taking their seats at the table. Teddy took the seat he’d sat in since he was a child, right next to Lily. She was close enough to touch. Harry sat at the head of the table to his left. Teddy didn’t have much of an appetite, but the food smelled wonderful, and he didn’t want to draw any attention to himself.
The family sat there, eating and talking about their days. Everyone seemed happy; clearly oblivious to the news Teddy and Lily were about to share. Al kept looking at him, as if to nudge him on. Teddy kept looking away. His nerves were getting the best of him. He knew it would be better to just say it, and get it over with. But he kept going through different ways to say it in his head, and none of them seemed right.
Just as he thought he was going to explode from the pressure of it all, he heard the five words that he knew would change everything.
“Teddy and I are dating.”
Lily blurted it out with more confidence than he’d ever seen her show. When he looked at her, she was sitting tall, staring right at her father, and almost daring him to argue. Harry looked like a Quaffle had hit him in the stomach; James sat with his mouth slightly open, looking back and forth between Teddy and Lily, and Ginny was looking at her daughter, waiting for her to speak. Al was looking down at his plate, but Teddy could see a smile on his face.
“It would be great if someone would say something,” Lily said, her confidence slightly faltering.
“I, er, when? Since when?” Harry asked, clearing his throat.
“Almost two months,” Teddy answered. Harry nodded, but didn’t say anything else.
“Yeah, um, it just sort of happened, really,” Lily said, looking at her father, and then at her mother.
Teddy’s heart was beating out of his chest. He couldn’t read the expression on Harry’s face, and he had no idea what he was thinking. Ginny though, Ginny looked happy.
“Is this real?” Ginny asked, staring at her daughter. “You’re really together?”
Lily nodded, a smile stretching across her face. She clasped her hand with Teddy’s under the table. He gave it a light squeeze.
“I can’t really believe it myself, actually. But here we are. We just, we wanted you to know. We wanted you to hear it from us."
“Well, I think it’s really wonderful, Lils,” Ginny said.
“Thanks,” she whispered.
Harry hadn’t spoken in a few minutes, and the whole room noticed. James was quiet too, something Teddy wasn’t used to. James looked more confused than anything.
“Dad?” Lily asked from beside him. He knew that more than anyone, Harry’s opinion was the one Lily was looking for, and that it would break her heart if he didn’t support their relationship. Teddy felt exactly the same way, and he couldn’t see how things would work out if Harry were against it. It would be a constant pressure on them, and as strong as he thought their relationship was, he didn’t know if they could handle it.
Harry looked up, his eyes drifting between the both of them. "Hmmm?"
"What do you think?" Lily asked him, her hand gripping Teddy's just a little bit tighter.
Harry put his fork down, and looked right at his daughter. "Are you happy? The both of you?"
They both replied, "yes," without any hesitation.
After seconds that felt like an eternity to Teddy, Harry said, "Okay, then. I think it's great."
"Really?" Lily asked, as if she didn't quite believe him.
Harry nodded his head. "Really, I'm happy for the both of you."
Teddy felt Lily's hand slip out of his as she got out of her chair and moved towards her father. She wrapped her arms tight around his neck, and Harry's eyes closed as he held her to him. When they broke apart, she sat back down next to Teddy, giving him one of the most brilliant smiles he had ever seen on her. He smiled back at her, but he didn't quite mean it.
Everyone went back to eating. Teddy tried, but he could see Harry out of the corner of his eye. Harry was staring down at his plate, pushing his food around with his fork. Ginny, James, and Al were talking to Lily, trying to get details on how Teddy and Lily came to be, so he didn't think anyone else was aware of Harry's reaction.
As everyone was finishing up, Harry excused himself. He kissed Ginny on top of her head as he walked by her, leaving the kitchen and heading to his study. All of their eyes followed him out of the room, until they heard the sound of a door closing. No one said anything; James and Al looked at each other worriedly. Teddy knew there was a good chance either Ginny or Lily would try to go after him and talk to him, but he knew it was something he had to do.
Before they could do anything, Teddy stood up, dropping his napkin onto his plate. Without looking back, Teddy went after Harry. He knocked on the closed door, and entered without waiting for a response.
*****
Harry's study was a room Teddy had been in hundreds of times. He remembered being young, and his Gran would drop him off, and he'd run in there right away to find Harry. Harry would be so excited to see him, and would give him a big hug and ruffle the top of his hair. Then Harry would show him something cool with his wand, that Teddy is sure is the reason why he became an Auror; because he wanted to be just like Harry.
It felt different being in there now, though. It looked the same, there were still pictures of all the Potter kids along the walls, including a few pictures of Teddy, and a large bookshelf lined with Dark Arts books, books Harry would never let Teddy near as a boy. It even smelled the same, and there was still an old lumpy sofa on the side wall where Harry had been known to take naps after a difficult day of work.
When Teddy walked in the room this time, he didn't run up to Harry, and Harry didn't give him a big hug and mess up his hair. Harry stood by the large window that overlooked the backyard, holding a picture frame in his hands, and he didn't look up from it until Teddy came up to his desk.
He showed Teddy the picture he was holding; it was one of Lily. She looked to be around nine years old. "She's beautiful, yeah?" Harry asked, not really looking for an answer. All Teddy could do was nod his head. "I forget how old she is sometimes. She'll walk into a room, and I still expect her to be in pigtails and to ask me to tell her a story."
Harry put the picture back in its place on his desk, and looked up at Teddy. Teddy had no idea what he was thinking. Standing in front of him was one of the hardest things he ever had to do.
"I'm sorry I left the room, I just needed a minute."
"It's alright. I hope it's okay I followed you in here. I thought you might want to talk."
"I think I'm just in shock. I certainly didn't expect to hear this tonight, or any night really."
Teddy gave a small laugh, and ruffled up the back of his hair in a nervous gesture. "Yeah, well, I never thought I'd give you that news." He paused, but Harry didn't say anything. "I just, I need to know what you're thinking. You must be really angry with me, and I don't blame you, but-"
"I'm not angry, Teddy. You're my godson."
"Yeah, your godson who's dating your daughter."
Harry smiled at him, which confused Teddy more than he thought possible.
"She's been really happy lately, happier than she's ever been, I think. I asked her about it one day, but she didn't really give me an answer. I reckon it has something to do with you. If she's happy, that's all that really matters."
"Really?"
"Really. It might take a bit of time to get used to, but I know how kind of a person you are. And I know that you've always cared about her. All that's important is that you're both happy, and that you love her."
"I do. She's… she's brilliant," Teddy said, smiling as he thought about Lily.
"Yeah, she is rather brilliant."
Harry and Teddy smiled at each other, and Teddy felt much of the stress he had been carrying with him over the past few months drift away. Harry didn't hate him, and was actually supportive of their relationship. "So, we're really okay, you and me?"
"Of course. We'll always be okay."
Harry walked up to him and placed his hands on Teddy's shoulders, squeezing lightly. Then he pulled him into a hug. It was quick, but it let Teddy know, even beyond Harry's words, that he had nothing to worry about.
"C'mon," Harry said, "let's get back out there."
Teddy led the way out into the living room. Al, James, and Ginny were all sitting, but Lily was standing by the fireplace. She looked nervous, and he assumed she had been pacing for a while like he knew she had the habit of doing.
She perked up when she saw them, and he gave her a big smile and nodded his head to let her know that everything was going to be okay. She smiled back at him, and immediately looked at her father. When she saw that everything was fine, she walked over to Harry and wrapped her arms around him. They didn't need to say anything just then. Teddy knew they'd eventually have a long talk about things like the two of them always did.
Normally they'd all sit around and talk for a while, but he was feeling drained, and he wanted nothing more than to get home and be alone with Lily. She must have felt the same way because she started saying her goodbyes. Teddy did too, although he felt a bit awkward during it all. He knew that it would pass over time, that they'd all get used to everything.
He helped Lily on with her cloak, and he could feel everyone watching them. Lily thanked him quietly, and they said a final goodbye to the family. When they were a short distance away from the house, Teddy pulled Lily in close, and Apparated them back to his flat.
*****
It was a few hours later, and Teddy lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. His mind was running through all the events of the evening. It felt nice to just breathe, and to know that everything was going to be okay. He was in love, and Lily was in love with him, and the four people he cared most about in the world supported their relationship.
He was still thinking about everything that had happened, when he heard the door to the loo open. His eyes left the ceiling, and when he looked at the door, he saw Lily standing there. Her hair fell in loose waves around her face. Her nightclothes were nothing special, just simple shorts and a short-sleeved shirt, but Teddy couldn't remember a time when she looked more beautiful. He was certain that she looked better every time he saw her.
She walked towards him, and climbed onto the bed and under the covers. She snuggled in, and he pulled her in as close as he could. When her arm wrapped around his waist, he didn't think he could be more content than he was right then.
"So, tonight went pretty well," Lily said.
Teddy couldn't help but laugh at that. "Yes, actually, I'd say it went very well."
"What happened between you and my dad? Is everything really okay?"
"Yeah," Teddy replied, "everything will be fine. He just, needed to get away for a minute. He honestly wasn't upset at all."
"Why would he have needed to get away?"
"I just don't think he's fully accepted the fact that you've grown up. You'll always be his little girl, Lils. I doubt he'll ever truly accept it. But everything's fine."
"Okay," Lily said. It was slightly muffled into his chest.
"So, what did you lot talk about while we were gone?"
"Oh, nothing really. James is a bit upset, though."
At that, Teddy sat up as much as he could with Lily wrapped around him. He had been concerned about James's reaction, but got so caught up in how Harry would react that he pushed James's feelings aside.
"What do you mean? How upset?"
Lily laughed. "Er, no, not like you're thinking. He's upset that Al knew before him. I think he's a bit peeved he didn't figure it out himself. He may have called you a git for not telling him. James is so dramatic, it got a bit silly."
Teddy plopped his head back down onto his pillow. "What a twit," he muttered jokingly.
He heard Lily laugh, and felt her move in closer. She rested her hand on his chest, rubbing in soft circles.
He placed a kiss on top of her head. His thoughts drifted again, thinking about the past two months of his life, and how perfect it felt to have her in his arms. He never thought he'd be this happy, and he didn't think it was possible to have everything he could ever want. He realized that it could be possible though, Lily lying in his arms being the only confirmation he needed.
Lily fell asleep, her breathing deep. Teddy could feel soft puffs of air against his bare skin. He held her tight, wishing that they could always stay like this.
It was a short time later when Teddy himself grew tired, the warmth of his bed and Lily providing him with comfort.
Rain outside tapped against his window as he drifted off to sleep.
ETA: I wrote more to this story. It features Harry/Ginny, and it takes place during the very last scene of this. You can find it here.