Harry Potter Imagines

"Leave" (Teddy)

It was your last time on the quidditch pitch. It wasn't something you knew, it was something you felt. And you didn't feel much, so you knew that it was imperative to listen. It was your last time, and you were going to leave everything in the muddy rivers streaking the bottom of the pitch. 

Quidditch had always been your escape. You were a Ravenclaw, and proud, but the stress you put upon yourself to achieve greatly in every aspect of your life wore you down relentlessly. That is, until you found your one true love-- quidditch. Something about flying recklessly through the air, putting yourself at the mercy of the universe's grasp, helped you let go of everything that usually weighed you down. 

But of course you hadn't been good enough, not even at the one thing you loved. The Holyhead Harpies would let you on the team, but there was a very minimal salary and no guarantee that you would play outside of practice. Being a strong player at Hogwarts was nothing compared to real Quidditch competition. And, unfortunately, one could not live on two galleons a week. 

The storm clouds were gathering overhead, swirling and rolling and grumbling and brewing as if they could sense your thoughts. Your blue and bronze quidditch robes swirled around your ankles, blowing first one way then the next as the storm decided how exactly to rage. 

"You always smile like you're about to cry." 

Only one person could talk as effortlessly poetically as that-- Teddy Lupin. 

You turned to look at him, and, finding his eyes already on you, you turned your head back to the sky quickly, as if you'd been caught doing something wrong. Tears were pooling in your deep eyes, and you couldn't let him see. 

The rain started. Slowly at first, and then all at once. You still felt Teddy's presence next to you, but you weren't sure that there was anything you could say to make either of you feel better. 

Of course he knew. Everyone did. They had believed in you. All of Hogwarts, from the professors to the students of all years, had believed in you, and you let all of them down. You were the Quidditch Hero of Hogwarts, bringing your house team to victory six years in a row. The youngest to join Ravenclaw's team, ever. It had been your highest ambition, your greatest love, and you had done something wrong. 

Maybe you weren't as great as you believed. Maybe you had failed miserably and couldn't recognize the mistake-- which was inherently worse. 

Either way, you had failed. At the most important thing in your life, for the first time in your life. You would never get this amazing rush of being on a broom, in the air, ducking opponents, whipping the quaffle toward the goalposts and praying that it would careen inside. 

Somehow, you felt like Teddy understood. He had that kind of calming presence that turned heads and filled rooms, like a halo of complete comprehension. 

"You know, you were always first priority for me." 

You eyes welled with tears again. Couldn't he just understand that he was making everything worse? 

Of course he could. That was why this was so hard. 

"It just hurts knowing that you could never do the same for me. It was always something else with you." 

Your head dropped, the tears finally flowing from your eyes. The last thing you thought you could hold onto forever was slipping through your hands. 

But Teddy had finally hardened himself against you. You had used him, over and over, and he was finally finished. 

Of course, only you could think that the universe revolved around you, even when you had been unknowingly breaking down the only person you ever truly loved. 

You had destroyed everything beyond repair. Everything. 

You suddenly became aware that Teddy had left. 

And you were gone, too. 

.......

thank you. thank you so so much for reading this, i appreciate you. 

question. what's your ilvermorny house? (respond by commenting!) 

answer. wampus.