Butterflies | Teddy Lupin

Chapter Twelve

"Hey," Charlotte said, bumping her hip into Teddy's from behind him. He was standing at the corner of the corridor, an apple clutched tightly in his hand. "Are you ready to go on our rounds?" Her smile was tired but happy, one of exhaustion yet infused with light.

Teddy turned around, snorting when he caught sight of Charlotte. It was easy to see why, when she was looked at more than a glance. And Teddy would always look at her closely. His gaze was drawn to her, making sure that she was okay, craving the sight of her smile. Dirt covered her, head to toe, gritty and fine like the soil by the Forbidden Forest. But she was always radiant in his eyes, her inner light shining through. "You're dirty," Teddy said, picking at Charlotte's sleeve with his hand, making a dramatic gesture of brushing the dirt off of her.

Charlotte laughed, pushing his hand away. "It's your fault," she accused. "You grew up with James, whatever you did made him like this." She danced around him, light on her feet, grabbing the apple in his hands out of them. Her mouth closed over it, taking a bite out of the fruit. It was sweet, the juices dripping down her chin as she smiled up at Teddy with her mouth full.

"Lotte, gross." Teddy grinned at his best friend. He reached out, and with a gentle hand, wiped away the juice from her chin. His other hand ghosted along Charlotte's arm, barely making contact with her flesh.

Charlotte shivered, goosebumps erupting on her skin. Teddy's mere touch sent her entire body in overdrive. She was aware of every nerve ending, every layer of her body vibrating in time with Teddy's. She leaned closer to him, closer and closer and closer. She could feel his breath on her face, smell the chocolate pudding on his breath from dessert, see the golden flecks in his brown eyes that she could drown in. She was so close that if she went a few inches further, she would be able to touch her lips to his and taste the pudding remnants. She felt like they were the only two people in the world, the corridor disappearing around them.

All that she could see was him. He filled her senses, filled her thoughts, he was everywhere, and she didn't care. She wanted to know every part of him, every feeling that he could cause.

She was so close, but when Teddy's eyes flickered to her lips, she pulled herself away. She was so ready, but she was scared. Scared of what would happen if things went south. What would happen if she did take the risk and he didn't feel the same way? She didn't want to find out.

She picked up her bag, coughing into her elbow. "We should probably get started. Have to set the example," she said awkwardly. There was something in the air now, a sense of tenseness.

Charlotte started off down the corridor, letting Teddy follow behind her. He tailed behind her, a few paces slower. They had been so close, but now there was a distance between them. It was physical and mental, the air thickening to form a barrier.

Their rounds that night were easy, the actions only made difficult by the tension brewing in the air. Every time Charlotte got close to Teddy, she couldn't help herself. Her body reacted on its own, controlled by some internal instinct that her mind couldn't bring into line. Her heart wasn't a thing of reason. Her breath caught when her arm brushed Teddy's, reaching over to steady a painting on the wall.

Teddy's cheeks flushed bright pink, fuchsia circles that matched his hair exactly. It was a tell of his, the color of his hair, that he could control with concentration. But around Charlotte, he felt like he could let himself loose. He could shed the skin. He could truly be Teddy, without anything before or after. He loved his parents, his godparents, but sometimes, being a Lupin could be tiring. Charlotte didn't care about his last name, she cared about who he was. She cared about his essence, not his outside.

Charlotte glanced at the painting on the corner, her cheeks flaming red. Her mother had told her about this spot, with the picture of a Victorian lady at a party. It was an infamous make-out spot, a secluded area hidden away from the hallway. Charlotte took a step towards Teddy, attempting to pass him before her foot caught on a raised panel of the floor. The cobblestones were rough and uneven, old stone. The castle was old and worn, memories engraved into every inch. There was a story to tell for every part.

A blush painted the cheeks of both Teddy and Charlotte. Charlotte felt hot, crawling out of her skin. Teddy was so, so close, he could lean down and press their lips together. His breath floated down onto her face.

She pushed her foot out, twisting to fall out of Teddy's arms to the floor with a thump. The noise that she made was less than ladylike, but Teddy didn't care. The tension between them was thick.

Eyes stared at each other with the intensity of a thousand stars. They were going to go supernova, burn up into flames. It stretched between them, pulling, pulling, pulling, pulling until it snapped. A giggle escaped out of Charlotte's mouth and she cursed her inability to stay serious in any situation. But the sound broke the tension, a dagger of vibrations right through the center of the feeling. Laughter erupted out of both of them.

"Oh my god, Filch is going to come and yell at us," Charlotte managed to gasp out, lying on the floor beside Teddy. The boy had collapsed to the ground beside her, shaking with the force of his laughter. The cold of the stone floor seeped into her bones through her back. But it was combated by the warmth of what she felt, the love that flowed through her body.

Laughter had the power to light up even the darkest days, to fight away even the darkest days, to fight away even the most tainted beings. Laughter contained the power of stars, going supernova in the sound. Something that her mother had once said, something that Dumbledore had said before her, had stuck with Charlotte. "Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times if one only remembers to turn on the light." Charlotte wasn't in the dark, but she always made sure to turn on the light.

She glanced over at Teddy. "We should probably get up now," she said. She could have stayed on the floor forever, staring into Teddy's eyes. She could have stayed there for as long as she lived, growing old as she looked at someone who grew old right there with her.

"Yeah." Teddy laughed and pushed himself up, pulling Charlotte to her feet with him. The clasp of their hands was electric, energy stretching between them like a tightrope. They were on each end, walking slowly towards each other. They crept along, each hoping that the other would make the leap to the end.

They walked along in silence for a few minutes, checking each hidden cranny for students. The castle was in its quiet hours, when the world felt small and magical. They felt like two people in a world alone, their story all that's being written on the pages.

"Did you hear that Murphy is getting married to Mira?" Charlotte asked, speaking dialogue in a narrative. "She sent me a text about it last week."

"No way," Teddy breathed out. "She finally convinced him to marry her?" 

Charlotte nodded. "I just love weddings, don't you? I can't wait for mine," she said dreamily, swinging her arms along as she walked. The words were innocent, her head lost in the clouds of fantasy, not registering the impact that her words had on Teddy.

The boy blushed, color blooming on his cheeks, as he thought about Charlotte's wedding. Would it be with him? Or would he be standing on the side, watching her marry a faceless, nameless person from the future? He would be happy either way, even if love for her still burned in his heart, because that was what best friends did for each other. "You will look stunning at yours," Teddy said finally, smiling at her.

"Thank you," Charlotte said before yawning widely. She grinned as they stopped in front of the Fat Lady, marking the end of their patrol. "I'll see you tomorrow Teddy!" She kissed him on the cheek with a smile, before disappearing through the painting and leaving a flushed and flustered Teddy behind. Charlotte went to sleep that night with dreams of white dresses and a wedding whirling through her mind. If the boy waiting for her at the altar happened to be Teddy, then it only made the dream sweeter. 

Author's Note

Thank you for reading! There are almost 10K reads on this, that's insane. Thank you all so much!

- Nicole