How To Tame A Gryffindor

Chapter 4: Broken Record

The next morning, Teddy ran down the stairs in his slippers and his boxers with the compilation record and a note.
"Dear Victor
Just call me your knight in musical armour.
Edwina."
He gave the package and the note to Brain who set off for Shell Cottage at once. Then he returned to lay in bed for a while longer. He passed his grandmother on the stairs.
"Teddy, can't you make that tattoo disappear? I hate that thing," she said, eyeing up the phases of the moon on his forearm.
Teddy looked at it and took her hand, "it's for dad," he almost whispered, his voice not quite up to the challenge of the morning.
His nana's expression softened, "get up there and tidy that room," she said sympathetically before he bounded back up the stairs.
"AND DONT EVEN THINK ABOUT GETTING BACK INTO BED" was the last thing he heard before falling asleep for another few hours.
It was Sunday evening when Brain returned with rolled up parchment tied to her leg.
"Dear Edwina
There are some real gems on this record, especially the last song (ha not).
Dominique and myself have spent all day making up dance routines to "Come On Eileen". I definitely owe you one.
Vic"
Teddy read this and lay down on his bed, staring at the ceiling. He imagined Vic dancing: her blonde hair whipping around her, her temple glistening with sweat and her eyes glistening with enjoyment. He could hear her hearty laugh in his head, echoing around his skull, igniting every nerve.

The next day, when she walked into work, she was wearing a casual grey dress and black lace up boots, which were spookily like his own.
"Hey, we have the same boots." Teddy grinned, wiggling his right foot in the air. Victoire rolled her eyes but he could see her smirk. George bounded into the kitchen.
"Okay so this morning I want you to work on the till, Teddy. Vic, I want you to wander around the shop and talk to customers. Demonstrate a few items, be friendly and just generally talk up the produce. Okay, I'm going to open the doors, be ready when I say when..."

The next few hours dragged for Teddy. He longed for the customers to leave so that he might steal a moment with Victoire, just to talk about the record. He wondered what songs she thought were gems. He could see her making a sale, smiling at a little boy and showing him how to get the enchanted turtle to come out of his shell.

After lunch, George had them working upstairs on putting the skiving snackboxes together.
"So which was your favourite?" Teddy said the minute George closed the door.
"Favourite what?" Victoire asked confused, then it occurred to him that she probably hadn't been thinking about it all day and he felt embarrassed.
"Oh, favourite song on the record," he said trying to appear casual.
"Hmmm, probably that one by The Cranberries. Linger, I think it was called," Victoire said after some thought.
"Ahhhh good choice, it's a great song," Teddy said before humming along.
"The chorus was my favourite," Victoire said humming along.
He could hear her hum the chorus, he put her notes to the words:

You know I'm such a fool for you
You've got me wrapped around your finger
Do you have to let it linger? Do you have to?

"It's a bit, uh, feminine for my taste though," Teddy said in a deep, fake muscular voice.
"Oh shut up, it's great. My mum liked it too." Victoire said.
"So did mine," Teddy said without thinking. There was an air of awkward silence.
"What's your tattoo?" She asked, almost spitting the words out, eyeing the two moons that peaked out from below his shirt sleeve. Teddy rolled up his sleeve to reveal the other 3 moons.
"So I can always be sure when the next full moon is. Also, it glitters. It's pretty neat." He said flexing his arm.
"It'll be a crescent moon tonight." He said with a small smile. This was followed by more awkward silence. Then he spotted the gramophone in the corner.
"Hey look what we have here," he said suggestively, "did you bring that record?"
Victoire produced it out of her pocket. Undetectable extension charm. Teddy got the gramophone going and set it to "Come On Eileen," and stood back in the middle of the dusty floor, holding out his hand.
"Teach me this dance of yours," he said faking command.
"No, it's silly," Victoire mumbled, blushing, but taking Teddy's hand anyway.
"Pleaaaase," Teddy said before turning his face into a puppy dog, complete with guilt inducing puppy dog eyes. Victoire laughed in spite of herself. "Fine,"
Soon they were stepping left and right and shaking their hips in a ridiculous fashion. Teddy lifted Victoire around the waist and hoisted her up into the air, she spread out her arms like an eagle. They cackled with laughter, tears streaming down their faces, and ended in a traditional waltz position, her arms around his shoulders and head resting there, his arms around her waist, rocking her back and forward. Then...
"Oi! What are you two doing?" George said, grinning mischievously, "maybe I should be keeping a better eye on you two..." He said laughing, his eyes twinkling.
Victoire broke apart from Teddy and busied herself filling up the snackboxes.
Teddy sensed her drifting from him. "What's wrong Vic? Did I step on your toe?" He asked hopefully.
"You got me in trouble," she mumbled embarrassed, failing to look at him, still working.
"Aw come on, it's only George, he obviously doesn't care," Teddy pleaded.
But Victoire ignored him and carried on working.