Making a Fuss (HP, Teddy Lupin)

[Dusty15]

Making a Fuss

By Dusty15

Written in response to Tarotgal's Fandom Bunny #239

It was the end of the term and the students of Hogwarts were eagerly packing away their things to travel home for the winter holiday. Outside, a light blanket of snow dusted the Scottish highlands and at least one snowball fight was taking place on the Hogwarts grounds. Inside, in the Gryffindor dormitory, Teddy Lupin packed the last of his shirts into his trunk and snapped it shut. He was travelling to his Uncle Harry’s house to spend the first half of holiday before he went home to his Grandmother’s for Christmas.

Teddy loved spending time at the Potter’s home. As much as he missed the parents he’d hardly know, Harry and Ginny were attentive and loving substitutes. Along with his Grandmother, Andromeda, Teddy never felt he lacked in parents. Tiding the last of his things and setting his satchel next to his packed trunk, Teddy hurried down to the Great Hall for a final feast before tomorrow’s departure.

The next morning, a great trumpet of alarms rang in the seventh year dormitory, announcing the arrival of winter holiday. Teddy sat up sleepily, silencing his own alarm with a swish of his wand, and rubbed his eyes. Being a seventh year meant this was the last Christmas holiday he’d have before Hogwarts was over. With a slightly heavy heart, he slung his legs out of bed and stumbled to the washroom to get ready.

He caught sight of himself in the mirror and frowned. Despite a relatively good sleep, his eyes looked shadowed. He was aware of an irritating tickle growing in his throat and the feeling of being too hot and too cold all at once. He climbed into the shower, hoping it would dissolve away what he feared were the early signs of illness. Showered, dried, and dressed in a warm jumper and trousers, Teddy dragged his trunk downstairs and left it in the waiting pile for the Hogwarts Express, leaving to grab some breakfast.

The tickle and the chills wouldn’t abate; in fact, they’d grown worse. By the time Teddy was on the train, safe in a warm compartment, the tickle had developed into a persistent cough. At his side, Victoire Weasley looked concerned.

“Are you ill, Ted?” she asked, squeezing his hand in a gesture of comfort. “You look a fright.”

“I’m fine,” he insisted, pressing his burning forehead to the cool glass of the train’s window and watching the area around it fog up.

“You don’t look fine. Make sure Aunt Ginny gives you some Pepper-Up when you get home, oui?”

“Yes, Vic,” he said, closing his eyes and blocking out the noise of the train and the prattle of the other students. Merlin, his head was pounding.

“We’re here, Teddy,” a voice called. He opened his eyes, disoriented.

“You were asleep,” Victoire was saying.

“Oh,” he said simply, standing and rubbing the sleep from his face. A cough slipped out and he muffled it in his arm, his chest heaving. Victoire was frowning.

“I’ll get some Pepper-Up,” he insisted, grabbing his trunk from the luggage rack and dragging it down the hallway to the exit of the train.

Outside, families were milling on the platform, craning their necks eagerly to see their children. Teddy spied a mess of black hair and another bobbing head of auburn, and rushed towards the Potters.

“Cheers, Ted!” Harry exclaimed, extending a hand to shake his godson’s. “Glad you’re here.”

“Hi, Teddy,” Ginny added, pulling him into a warm hug. “How are you?”

“I’m fine, thanks,” he grinned.

“Teddy!” cried several young voices, as Albus and Lily ran forward and crowded around him. James, now finishing his second year, joined the family, greeting Teddy and his parents.

“All accounted for?” asked Harry. “Let’s go!”

The group took a Floo back to the Potter home and assembled in the living room, with James chatting eagerly about his recent Care of Magical Creatures lessons wherein he got a chance to pet a unicorn.

Teddy sat curled on an armchair in the corner, trying to listen and look like he was enjoying himself, but he was feeling weak and achy. Unable to hold it back any longer, he sneezed a rough het’schoooo! into his arm and sniffed miserably.

Ginny looked up at him and furrowed her brows.

“Ted, will you help me in the kitchen?” she asked.

Damn it. Caught red handed.

“Sure,” he said, rising and following her down the hall. She caught his hand and pressed a palm to his forehead.

“Just as I thought,” she said. “Why didn’t you say you were ill?”

“I didn’t want to cause a fuss,” he admitted. “I’m fine.”

A few coughs betrayed him and he clutched at his chest, wincing.

“Ted Lupin, you are so like your father. To bed with you,” Ginny insisted, giving him a gentle shove. “I’ll send Harry up in a minute with some potions.”

Knowing never to cross Ginny Potter, Ted trudged upstairs to the guest bedroom and retrieved a pair of warm pajamas from his trunk. Tucked in bed, he felt instantly more comfortable but now with his defenses down, was also instantly aware of how horrible he felt. His nose felt blocked solid and it tickled with sneezes waiting to erupt. He held a wavering hand in front of his face and then bent forward into his pillow, sneezing several times. Etschoo! Het’schooo! ‘Tschoo!

With a wet and gurgling sniffle, he sighed pitifully and pulled the quilts tighter. There was a soft knock on the door and his godfather peered inside.

“Hi,” Teddy said hoarsely. “Sorry, I didn’t want to make a fuss. I’ll just sleep it off.”

Harry smiled sympathetically and sat down on the edge of Teddy’s bed, digging in his pocket. He retrieved a fresh handkerchief and offered it over, supporting Teddy’s back as the younger man sat up to blow his nose with a loud and pained honk.

“It isn’t a fuss,” said Harry, rubbing Teddy’s back soothingly. “You should have said something.”

“Ginny said I was like my father. Because I didn’t want a fuss, I mean.”

“Yes,” Harry replied. “Your father was never fond of people fussing over him.”

Teddy lay back down, coughing softly.

“Your dad only let two people fuss over him. Your mum and Sirius,” said Harry, taking Teddy’s used handkerchief and pressing another fresh one into his hand.

“I thought you weren’t around much when my mum and dad were married. Weren’t you off finding the Horocrux?”

“Not when they were married,” Harry agreed. “But before, when they were both at Grimmauld Place. I came to visit for my own holiday break after Ron’s dad was injured in the Department of Mysteries, and your dad was obviously ill but wouldn’t admit it to anyone. Finally your mum grabbed him by the hand after a rather impressive sneezing fit we could all hear echoing from the library, and she dragged him upstairs and tucked him in bed.”

Harry paused while Teddy blew his nose again into the fresh handkerchief.

“Anyway, your mum fussed over him for next two days, delivering potions on the hour and making Hermione, Ron, and I take turns cooking soup. She got him well enough to take us back to school on the Knight Bus not long after and the next time he was ill, he admitted it to her right away. Maybe that’s when he fell in love…I don’t know.”

Teddy smiled a little.

“Maybe.”

Harry smoothed back his godson’s hair and planted a kiss on the teen’s forehead.

“So, let us fuss, okay?” he said. “I’m going to get some potions for you and then I want you to rest. Ginny’s got some soup on for dinner and I’ll bring some up for you.”

“Okay,” Teddy croaked, admitting defeat. He watched as Harry left and he closed his eyes, feeling cozy in the nest of blankets. He felt the glow of being loved and cared for. Maybe his father had seen the merit in it…being fussed over wasn’t so bad after all!

[littlesneezer18]

Adorable! Would love to here more from you, your a fabulous author!

[le mouchoir]

This is just amazing. You've made me fall in love with the HP series all over again. :)

By all means, please continue!

[mr.moosey]

Aww...this is so cute! I've never read any fanfiction for Teddy and the others after the HP stories. Great idea, and amazingly well executed!

[musiclover90]

I love this!