The Fool, Upright - Teddy Lupin/Victorie Weasley

Chapter 16: A Game of Catch

Tiny specks of condensation covered the few remaining leaves on the apple tree Victorie was sitting under. They sparkled in the light. The sun was out on this late November morning, but it wasn't providing much warmth. The grass was frosty and white around her, dotted red by a few half rotten apples.

Tucked under her thick Gryffindor robe with the scarf to go along with it, she was flicking through The Lavender Waltz with a growing devotion. The book was jam-packed with obscure recipes for herbal medicine. Each chapter was on a different plant and a deep dive into its uses for spells, rituals and remedies.

Eagerly her eyes were darting across the text of the yellowed pages when something hit her in the head. She immediately regretted having sat down underneath a tree full of decaying apples. But upon looking around her with one hand tending to the achy top of her head she found not an apple, but a ball.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean for that to hit you in the head." Teddy said hurriedly. She looked up at him as he stopped in front of her, thinking that his apology would have been more effective had he not seemed so damn amused.

As her gaze flitted over him, squinting at her in the sunlight with a crooked smile, she wondered briefly if that smile had been kissed yesterday, but pushed the thought aside.

He wore the same winter robe as she with his usual messenger bag hanging far below his hip, and wearing his beaten up vans of course.

Once she had managed to stabilise her gaze, the apology seemed perfectly effective after all.

"You grew your hair out." She noted.

Teddy didn't look at her, but ran his hand through his dark hair as he went to sit down next to her. The hair fell in layers around his face, long enough now to conceal his stretched ears. Feeling upset about the lack of sighting of his piercings was a recent development.

"I spoke with Jamie." He began. "He told me you had a pretty bad time yesterday?"

Victorie raised her chin up and went on to firmly declare, "Attempting to create meaningful relationships is a draining process that leaves you feeling worthless."

"Want to tell me about it?" Teddy asked, speaking like he'd already guessed the answer.

Victorie paused. It was all she wanted. But she knew that she would have to remain aloof if she wanted to not seem desperate for a shoulder to cry on.

Then about five seconds later she proceeded to go through the events of the date with very few breathing breaks in between. Teddy listened carefully. At the end, he asked, "And did you get to put your kissing to the test?" with raised brows and a semi-functional smile.

"Are you not hearing me?" She suggested sassily. "After all that I've told you, do you really suppose the story ends with us sharing a goodnight kiss under some lamppost or something?" She spewed the words out.

To her surprise, Teddy snorted. She watched his face contort with amusement, wishing she could share the same liberated glee he was exhibiting, but she couldn't. So she glared instead.

In her desire to take him down to her level of contentment, she decided to confess her change of heart. "Anyway... Jamie said some things yesterday that made me reconsider what I'm trying to achieve. You know, with you helping me navigate my social life."

Teddy held her gaze as she spoke, pacing himself for what she was about to tell him.

"...And yeah, basically I no longer see a point in it." She continued with a neutral voice.

He wore an enigmatic expression, looking not at her but near her.

"So yeah, I quit."

His eyes flickered to hers, but only for a second. Then he entrenched himself in staring at the same spot in deep thought, tugging a straw of grass between his fingers.