Inell's Fanfiction Archive

"I think Teddy is infatuated with Hermione."

"Excuse me?"

Harry smiles sheepishly and shrugs when Ginny looks at him as if he‘s crazy. "I think Teddy has a crush---"

"Yes, I heard. I'm just wondering what brought about such a suspicion," Ginny says. She goes back to brushing her hair but keeps watching him in the mirror. “I know you only had two pints to drink tonight, so you’re not pissed.”

"I have to be drunk to think Teddy has a crush? That doesn’t make any sense. Anyway, I don't know why," he tells her. "Tonight, when she showed up, he just seemed more...I don't know."

"Ah. That makes complete sense, Harry. No doubts at all why you were named head of Magical Law Enforcement."

"You're so funny that I'm crying with laughter," he says dryly. He sticks his tongue out at her before he sits on the bed and frowns. “I’m being serious here.”

"I try." Ginny smirks at him before she turns her silly little stool around to face him. "Honestly, is this a valid concern? Or just a random thought?"

"It's not a concern, really," he says slowly, not sure how to explain it. "I mean, it is, because I think maybe he did something tonight, but it isn't because, well, I was young once and I know all about crushes."

Ginny rolls her eyes and makes a face. "If you mention Cho, I'll aim a curse at that cute arse of yours," she warns. She considers him a moment before she speaks again. "I suppose I could see signs of a possible infatuation, now that you mention it. Do you figure she knows? Maybe that's why she was so off tonight. It's not like her to be downright sharp the way she was before we went to Finnigan‘s."

"Maybe. I thought she was just stressed with the new case, but it makes sense that maybe something else was going on, too. Bloody hell, I hope he isn't being a pest about it," he says with a sigh. "Something happened tonight, though, because he left in a hurry, and she was acting weird for the rest of the night. She left early, too, which isn't her usual behavior when Hugo has a sitter."

"Blimey, I hope he didn't try anything," Ginny mutters. "He'd be lucky to survive with his bollocks intact, our Teddy or not. I didn't really speak to her tonight, so I don't know how weird she was compared to any time you lot have such a horrible case."

"She was behaving very oddly," he says simply. "Seamus noticed it, and so did George. We even discussed it because we were worried. Seamus thought maybe it was because Ron had his tongue down Mel's throat most of the night, but I don't think she even noticed that. George didn‘t have any theories, just listened and watched and possibly laughed at me and Seamus a few times."

Ginny blinks at him before she snorts. "Whoever says that women are gossips really needs to meet the men of Gryffindor. I swear, you lot are worse than a bunch of old women."

"It's not gossip; it's just concern for a good friend," he defends, shifting slightly as her words hit a little too close to home. "My best friend, I'll point out. If my Godson has done something foolish that's made her anxious, it's my responsibility to make sure he's slapped upside the head and learns his lesson."

"Yes, well, considering that Teddy is now taller than you, I'm not sure I'd suggest smacking him," she says dryly. "Besides, you're trying to meddle, Harry, and you know that never turns out well. You're a love for worrying, but this isn't any of your business. If Teddy did something stupid, he'll get hexed and learn from his mistake. It's not like he'd force her into kissing him or anything. Fleur says that he never even tried anything with Victoire, so who knows if Hermione is even his type, if you know what I mean."

"Victoire isn't Hermione, thank God," Harry points out, making a slight face. He loves all his nieces and nephews, but Bill and Fleur's children definitely inherited some odd superior gene that just rankles his nerves. "And he's not interested in men. I mean, nothing wrong with that, of course, but I've seen him looking at women when he doesn't think anyone's watching. It's my keen observational skills that made me aware of his staring at Hermione like she was bloody pudding and the meal was nearly over."

She laughs. "That's just a rather disturbing image, love. Maybe you're working too hard. You should probably sleep in tomorrow, if you can. It's obvious that you need more rest," she tells him. "I love Hermione, too, but I just don't think Teddy's likely to develop a crush on someone like her."

"Someone like her?" Harry frowns and shakes his head. "You women are just utterly clueless sometimes. She might not be gorgeous or athletic, but she's beautiful and clever and caring. She's like my sister, so it would be disturbing to think past that, but I'm sure many men would find other things appealing about her."

"I'm sure they would. However, ‘many men’ doesn't necessarily include a handsome young man who used to date the daughter of a half-Veela.” She shakes her head. "Besides, it would just be stupid of him because Hermione's certainly not going to ever think about him that way, so it would be completely hopeless. Teddy's too clever to do anything that foolish."

"I don't think infatuation has anything to do with intelligence." He pauses. "Wait, you think Teddy's handsome?" He frowns more and pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "He's just a kid."

"Twenty isn't 'just a kid', Harry. Twenty is perfectly legal to admire, if married, and touch, if not," she points out in a teasing tone. "Luckily for you, the latter isn't a concern and I would never perform the former because, goodness, he's our Teddy. I don’t care how old he is because I can’t seem to adjust to the fact that he is older. He still asks for biscuits, for Merlin‘s sake. Thinking of him as a sexual being is just weird, and Hermione's not going to do anything that creepy.” She pauses before she smiles wickedly. “Now, Sven, on the other hand---"

Before she can finish her comment, he pounces. She giggles as he pulls her off that silly little stool of hers and carries her to the bed. Regardless of what she says, he just knows something must have happened tonight, so he'll go see Hermione tomorrow to make sure everything's okay. For now, though, he's going to make Ginny forget all about Sven.

End