Response to Challenge #30. Tea.
Challenge #30
Title: There May Be Tea
Rating: PG
Author Note: Not much to tell. This is a dialogue-only challenge. I didn't bother with quote marks, as it would have eaten into my writing time. Dialogue is not my forte so I thought this would be a real challenge.
And sorry but there are a few errors. I'm itching to go correct them, but I won't...
Challenge details:
Challenge #30 Tea
Two Potterverse characters have a cup of tea and conversation. This story should be written entirely in dialogue, but should convey several things:
1. Setting. Where and when are your two characters?
2. Identity. We should be able to deduce, at least by the end of the ficlet, which two characters are having tea.
3. Relationship. Hate? Love? Casual acquaintance? Something in between?
4. Why the two are having tea on this particular day. A problem? A daily habit? Last tea in Azkaban before a death sentence?
There are approximatly 632 words, written in just under 30 mins.
~~ * ~~
May I come in?
If you must.
Hermione, I’m…
You’re what?
I’m sorry.
Well, I’m not.
Ummm. May I join you? Tea?
No, you may not.
You don’t have to make it; I can summon a house-elf.
These are my quarters, Severus Snape. If you want tea, bugger off back to your own. You don’t live in this part of the castle any more.
But, Hermione, I thought by now you’d have seen sense?
Sense? How dare you, Snape. Maybe it’s time you saw sense and understood that this particular relationship is over. Perhaps it had never begun in the first place.
Hermione… Please… Don’t cry. Here, let me get you a hankie.
Just get out. Get out of my rooms and my life. The only place I want to see you is in the Great Hall for meals or the staff room for meetings.
Can you tell those friends of yours to stop making those rude gestures? It isn’t necessary.
I have no control over a wizarding picture, Severus. You know that.
Winky wanted, Great Sir?
Winky, please leave, and take Great Sir with you. Neither of you are wanted at present.
Yes Missy.
It’s only tea, Hermione. And perhaps some dreamless sleep might help you. Are you sure you’ve been sleeping lately? Those are rather unattractive dark circles around your eyes. And you’re very tetchy.
Tetchy? I’ll give you tetchy. I’m fed up, Snape; fed up with your arrogant, dismissive, rude, sad, sour, moody behavior. You will no longer use me as a replacement Neville Longbottom-I am not some lame target for your pathetic temper. I am not a rose to be beheaded at your vindictive whim. I am not a student who can have House Points deducted. You will leave, now.
Hermio-
~~ * ~~
Tea, Severus?
Oh yes, thank you Minerva. Got any Firewhisky to put into that as well?
Things didn’t go well, then. Severus, are you all right? Don’t choke on the tea, dear.
Sorry, it’s just that well, ‘not well’ was an understatement. And that is said in the most understated way.
I told you to give her time to cool off; she does have a fierce temper when you get her going. And don’t smirk at me, Severus Snape. I’ve known you since you were a boy, remember. I blame Slughorn, of course. He should have pulled you into line when he had the chance. And Albus, bless him.
Yes, Albus Dumbledore, don’t look so horrified. You spoiled the boy because of your own inadequacies as a Headmaster. I never told you when you were alive, but I’m telling you now. You, both of you, allowed Severus too much rope. Now he’s hung himself.
I hope you’re planning to apologize to her, Severus.
I tried but she wouldn’t listen!
Try harder. And don’t insult her. Do something nice, for goodness sake. She’s a woman, make her feel like one.
~~ * ~~
Oh, it’s you.
May I join you?
I suppose.
You always did know how to make the right tea, Hermione; the exact color and the perfect amount of milk.
I got you owl. The note was thoughtful. Oh, and thank you for the perfume, it’s lovely.
You liked it?
Yes. It was lovely. I’m… I’m wearing it now. It’s here-
Mmmm. You smell so good, Hermione, and it’s not just the perfume. Oh, god I’ve missed you.
Severus, we need to talk.
Mmhmmm.
Severus, please! Really, we need to talk. Please wait. Oh- Ooooh, yes.
You still can’t resist that spot, can you? I’ve really missed you, Hermione.
Oh, Severus I’ve missed you too. But this is as far as it goes. You’re welcome to come back tomorrow night and we’ll talk some more.
For tea?
There may be tea.
Title: There May Be Tea
Rating: PG
Author Note: Not much to tell. This is a dialogue-only challenge. I didn't bother with quote marks, as it would have eaten into my writing time. Dialogue is not my forte so I thought this would be a real challenge.
And sorry but there are a few errors. I'm itching to go correct them, but I won't...
Challenge details:
Challenge #30 Tea
Two Potterverse characters have a cup of tea and conversation. This story should be written entirely in dialogue, but should convey several things:
1. Setting. Where and when are your two characters?
2. Identity. We should be able to deduce, at least by the end of the ficlet, which two characters are having tea.
3. Relationship. Hate? Love? Casual acquaintance? Something in between?
4. Why the two are having tea on this particular day. A problem? A daily habit? Last tea in Azkaban before a death sentence?
There are approximatly 632 words, written in just under 30 mins.
~~ * ~~
May I come in?
If you must.
Hermione, I’m…
You’re what?
I’m sorry.
Well, I’m not.
Ummm. May I join you? Tea?
No, you may not.
You don’t have to make it; I can summon a house-elf.
These are my quarters, Severus Snape. If you want tea, bugger off back to your own. You don’t live in this part of the castle any more.
But, Hermione, I thought by now you’d have seen sense?
Sense? How dare you, Snape. Maybe it’s time you saw sense and understood that this particular relationship is over. Perhaps it had never begun in the first place.
Hermione… Please… Don’t cry. Here, let me get you a hankie.
Just get out. Get out of my rooms and my life. The only place I want to see you is in the Great Hall for meals or the staff room for meetings.
Can you tell those friends of yours to stop making those rude gestures? It isn’t necessary.
I have no control over a wizarding picture, Severus. You know that.
Winky wanted, Great Sir?
Winky, please leave, and take Great Sir with you. Neither of you are wanted at present.
Yes Missy.
It’s only tea, Hermione. And perhaps some dreamless sleep might help you. Are you sure you’ve been sleeping lately? Those are rather unattractive dark circles around your eyes. And you’re very tetchy.
Tetchy? I’ll give you tetchy. I’m fed up, Snape; fed up with your arrogant, dismissive, rude, sad, sour, moody behavior. You will no longer use me as a replacement Neville Longbottom-I am not some lame target for your pathetic temper. I am not a rose to be beheaded at your vindictive whim. I am not a student who can have House Points deducted. You will leave, now.
Hermio-
~~ * ~~
Tea, Severus?
Oh yes, thank you Minerva. Got any Firewhisky to put into that as well?
Things didn’t go well, then. Severus, are you all right? Don’t choke on the tea, dear.
Sorry, it’s just that well, ‘not well’ was an understatement. And that is said in the most understated way.
I told you to give her time to cool off; she does have a fierce temper when you get her going. And don’t smirk at me, Severus Snape. I’ve known you since you were a boy, remember. I blame Slughorn, of course. He should have pulled you into line when he had the chance. And Albus, bless him.
Yes, Albus Dumbledore, don’t look so horrified. You spoiled the boy because of your own inadequacies as a Headmaster. I never told you when you were alive, but I’m telling you now. You, both of you, allowed Severus too much rope. Now he’s hung himself.
I hope you’re planning to apologize to her, Severus.
I tried but she wouldn’t listen!
Try harder. And don’t insult her. Do something nice, for goodness sake. She’s a woman, make her feel like one.
~~ * ~~
Oh, it’s you.
May I join you?
I suppose.
You always did know how to make the right tea, Hermione; the exact color and the perfect amount of milk.
I got you owl. The note was thoughtful. Oh, and thank you for the perfume, it’s lovely.
You liked it?
Yes. It was lovely. I’m… I’m wearing it now. It’s here-
Mmmm. You smell so good, Hermione, and it’s not just the perfume. Oh, god I’ve missed you.
Severus, we need to talk.
Mmhmmm.
Severus, please! Really, we need to talk. Please wait. Oh- Ooooh, yes.
You still can’t resist that spot, can you? I’ve really missed you, Hermione.
Oh, Severus I’ve missed you too. But this is as far as it goes. You’re welcome to come back tomorrow night and we’ll talk some more.
For tea?
There may be tea.