Disclaimer: Delphine is mine, the rest if property of JRK and I'm not trying to steal! Who am I to argue with genius?
Delphine Weasley bounced into the kitchen and sat down at the large wooden table with purpose. She rested her chin on both hands, and looked up at her mother with an impish grin, waiting for her reaction.
Fleur arranged the bunch of freshly picked flowers into a blue glass vase and turned around to look at her daughter's big blue eyes staring back at her. "You don't seem very ill anymore" she said, raising an eyebrow.
Delphine shrugged. "I just didn't want to go to the station with Daddy and Victoire. I wanted to help you clean the house!"
Fleur sighed. Delphine's definition of 'cleaning' was often vastly different to everyone elses. And judging by the muddy stain on the front of her t-shirt, that she'd only put on an hour ago, the house would be cleaner if she had gone.
"Anyway" she continued, undaunted by her mother's suspicious look. "I've got a secret."
"What is that sweetie?" Fleur asked lazily in her slight accent, which had faded over the years. She placed the vase in the middle of the table with a flick of her wand.
"Something you don't!" Delphine exclaimed, in a tone that was unmistakably Weasley.
"You have been spending too much time with your uncle George" Fleur said, sounding slightly exasperated, but amused none the less. She watched the 7 year old for a moment, her fine hair was pulled into a plait, but whispy strands were escaping from the ribbon. The sun streaming through the open doorway highlighted its reddish tinge. The little girl looked very pleased with herself, Fleur could tell she had no intention of keeping whatever secret she might have.
"Tori told me before she left" she said, a smirk spreading across her face. Obviously spilling her sisters secret didn't bother her at all. Any opportunity she had to cause mischief, it was guaranteed she would take it. Yep, definitely a Weasley. Delphine continued. "She loooves someone." Her tone was playful and she grinned at her mum.
Fleur said nothing, trying to keep composed, not wanting to let her daughter know that her plan had worked. She took a deep breath. "Well, Victoire's 17, she's old enough to have a boyfriend if she wants."
"But he's old!" Delphine announced, folding her arms. "He's not even at school!"
Fleur blinked. Delphine noticed her mum looked suitably shocked. She was having fun with this, stirring trouble was what she did best. "It's weird." Delphine carried on, intent on causing Fleur as much anguish as possible, without disclosing all the details that Victoire had let slip that morning as she frantically packed her trunk.
"Don't you dare tell Mum and Dad!" Her sister had warned her, shaking her copy of 'Advanced Potions' in a way that said she meant business. But she was on the Hogwarts express right now, hurtling across the country. How much damage could she really do now?
Fleur sighed, has her daughter's eyes became glazed. She was day dreaming again. Fleur's patience had improved greatly when she had become a mother, it had to. But if there was one person who tested it more than anyone else, it was her youngest daughter. Victoire and Freddie had never been nearly as trying when they were this age.
"Are you going to tell me who it is?" she said, "or go and play outside and let me clean the kitchen?"
Delphine thought for a moment, seriously debating the merits of continuing the torment a little longer, but the tone of her mum's voice made it clear it was time to stop playing games. "You know him," Delphine said with confidence. "It's Teddy."
Fleur smiled despite herself. "Teddy is a very nice young man." She laughed when Delphine's brow furrowed.
"But he's old!" she repeated. Clearly this was the one fact that bothered her the most. "He's got a job and everything."
Fleur put down her wand and walked to the end of the table, When she spoke, Delphine turned in her chair to face her. "He's 19, it's not that old."
Delphine sighed. "But Tori's only 17."
"You know, your Daddy is 7 years older than me."
"Really?!" Delphine's eyes grew wider and Fleur struggled to suppress a giggle. "That would be like Freddie fancying Lily! And there's only…" She counted on her fingers, a look of deep concentration on her face, "5 years between them!"
Fleur smiled and slid into the chair next to her. "Age isn't that important. And Freddie and Lily are cousins."
"I still think it's weird." Delphine exaggerated her favourite word of the moment, and pulled a face. "Bet Lily thinks it's cute." Delphine turned up her nose. Ever the tomboy, she found her cousin's romantic ideas a little tedious.
Delphine hopped off the chair and skulked outside, no doubt disappointed that her revelation hadn't caused more trouble. With her youngest child gone, Fleur sat at the table and sighed, thinking about what she had just heard. She had to admit, it was a little worrying. But only because she wanted Victoire to get good grades in her N.E.W.T.s, and her eldest child was very easily distracted. She made a mental note to send her an owl in the morning and remind her to work hard. Then there was the issue of the teasing Victoire would endure from her brother when he found out.
The door to the yard clicked open, as Fleur hovered about the kitchen, cooking dinner and laying the table. She never pictured herself as much of a housewife, but then she'd changed a lot since marrying Bill. However, taking his surname was where she drew the line. She flicked her long hair over her shoulder and smiled at her husband as he entered the kitchen.
"Good evening" he greeted her, and kissed her on the cheek.
Fleur wrapped her arms around his shoulders, gladly excepting the peck on the cheek. "Did the kids get on the train alright?"
Bill hung his cloak on the stand by the door and placed his briefcase on the floor. "Eventually. Freddie nearly left his cat on the platform, but all was well in the end. Sometimes I wonder whether it was a good idea giving him a pet, he'll probably lose her by the end of the week."
"Don't worry" Fleur smiled, "I put a charm on her collar. He won't lose her." Fleur left it at that. She knew her son too well, and thought it best to take precautions. But she didn't think her husband would approve so didn't disclose any more details. Instead, she changed the subject. "How was work?"
Bill raised and eyebrow but didn't enquire any further. "No dramas to speak of" he said. "Where's Delphi?"
"Probably annoying the frogs in the pond." Fleur paused, a little worried about saying what she was about to say. "Listen, did you see anything… Unusual at the station?"
Bill looked confused. "Like what?"
"Like Victoire… With anyone?" Fleur had turned round and was looking at him in a way that made him worried.
"No…"
"It's just…" she trailed off, doing her best to sound nonchalant but failing. "Delphine said something about Victoire. And Teddy."
"Teddy?" Bill still sounded lost, but after a moment realisation crossed his face, and his eyes grew wide in the exact way Delphines had earlier. "Teddy? Teddy Lupin?"
Fleur only nodded, watching her husband's reaction unfold with trepidation. He sat down at the table, eyes still wide. "Don't you think he's a bit… Old?"
A smile spread across Fleur's face. Delphine really did take after her father, and she told him so.
"It's just…" but he couldn't think of anything more to say. He sighed, gratefully accepting the cup of tea that Fleur had placed in front of him.
"You surprise me" she said after a while, "anyone would think I'd be the one with misgivings." She sat on the same chair at the long pine table that she had when she'd been talking to Delphine that morning. "I don't mind" she continued, "it's Teddy. We know him."
"I know" Bill conceded. "It's just… Victoire's my little girl isn't she?"
"She's leaving Hogwarts this year, she's not that little anymore."
"I am." Delphine appeared behind her parents, so quietly that they didn't notice, and Bill jumped a little, spilling tea on the table. He pulled her onto his lap. "Do you think Victoire snogging Teddy is weird too?"
Bill blinked, then looked at Fleur, somewhat surprised to hear the word 'snogging' coming from his baby girl's mouth. "George" Fleur mouthed, Delphine carried on her ramble. "I bet they send owls to each other twice a day at least! And Freddie's never going to shut up about it, I bet she ends up casting a silencing charm on him or something. I can't wait to tell Albus about this…" She spun around, almost knocking the mug of tea out of Bill's hand in the process. Undeterred, she asked "Dad, can I borrow Godric?"
Bill grinned. His son had named the owl, so enthralled as he was when he was younger with everything Hogwarts. "Sure, just don't weigh him down too much this time. Remember that time Tori had to fish him out of the lake? And you better give him a few owl nuts to soften him up, he's a bit wary of sending your mail now."
Delphine nodded and scurried out of the room, Bill was unsure how much of what he said had sunk in. He turned to his wife, looking exhausted. "You're really not worried?" he asked.
Fleur shook her head. "Age doesn't matter. She's a big girl now. My Papa was not sure when I told him I wanted to marry you."
Bill raised an eyebrow. "You never told me that." Fleur moved closer to him so their faces were inches apart. "What would you have done if he said you couldn't marry me?"
She smiled, a glint in her eye. "I would have ignored him."
Bill kissed her. "I'm very glad you did."
Fleur kissed him back, draping her arms around his neck. "I didn't listen to my parents then, Victoire won't listen to you if you do tell her she can't see Teddy." She paused, pulling away a little. "You won't will you?"
Bill looked concerned for a minute, then his shoulders relaxed and he sank back into the chair. "No, I won't. Might give Teddy 'The Speech' though."
"Be nice" said Fleur, resuming her kissing.
Bill nodded. "I'm always nice."