HP Drabble Round-Up 2
Another grab-bag of drabbles for you all! Some of these are from snape100, some from other locations. Some of you will have already seen them, but everybody's certainly welcome to enjoy them. I'm mostly posting them here for organizational purposes, but if you're interested, by all means, read away.
The content varies from G to PG-13, and while Snape stars in all of them, the supporting characters range from Draco to the Evans family to some fictional Prince cousins. Pairings included this time are SS/HG and Snuna, and I don't think there's any slash in this batch. (Hmm. How'd that happen?) The drabbles themselves are labeled more specifically as to content--oh, and there are a few double drabble sets in this bunch as well.
Enjoy!
Title: Caretaking
Rating: PG
Warning: Character death
Original Prompt: Snape and the Malfoys
When Draco turned four, Severus Snape came to his birthday party. On meeting him, Draco vomited cake and ice cream on his shoes.
Snape scowled, but neatened Draco’s mess anyway.
When Draco was sixteen, he spectacularly failed in his mission. Unable to kill, he expected death.
Draco didn’t deserve help, but Snape sorted that fiasco, too.
At 20, Draco stood before a granite slab, clutching an offering of lilies and glaring at the disrespectful weeds. Although it ruined his manicure, he worked until he’d uprooted every intruder, until the grave was fittingly dignified.
Now he understood the value of caretaking.
Title: Churchgoing
Rating: PG
Original Prompt: From a Random Word Generator, the word “churchgoing.”
The Snapes had always been defined by two activities: screaming rows and Sunday mass. Severus hated and feared the rows--but he looked forward to the mass.
Severus loved it all: the pomp of majestic rites punctuated by plumes of incense; the sweep of long, flowing vestments like robes; the chant of ancient prayers, as rhythmic and powerful as any incantation.
Above all, Severus was fascinated by the incredible alchemy of the church, which could transform even ugly little unwanted boys into divine creatures with a special purpose.
Sometimes, he thought the church was almost as good as any magic.
Title: Ways to Woo a Witch: Hermione Granger
Rating: PG
Pairing: SS/HG…sort of.
Original Prompt: Snape’s List
Ways to Woo Hermione Granger:
1. Select Granger as apprentice; hope that she’ll eventually notice my secret passion for her.
2. Have daft Marriage Law passed requiring Granger to marry me; convince her of the suitability of the arrangement with great sex.
3. Arrange for Granger to have Timeturner accident, forcing her back in time to my adolescence; win her sympathies. Bonus: may correct mistakes re: the Lily affair.
4. Make Granger aware of painful, long-suffering life of a martyr to the light; hope pity turns to love.
5. Be myself, and attempt customary flirting rituals. (Note: success unlikely)
Title: Folie à Deux
Rating: G
Word Count: 100 x 2
Pairing: Snuna
Original Prompt: Weather
Notes: The term “folie à deux” refers to “the madness of two,” or a delusion shared by two people.
“Severus, look at the snow!”
He joined Luna in the doorway, robes clutched tightly against the biting wind and blowing snow. “Eagerly anticipating pneumonia, are you?”
“But just look, Severus!”
Severus peered out; unbroken whiteness surrounded the cottage. “Snow. Cold. Delightful. Can we go in yet, or are we waiting for the onset of frostbite?”
“It’s so beautiful!” Luna smiled, clapping her hands with guileless excitement. “Quite magical. Don’t you just want to play in it?”
He sneered in sensible disapproval.
“Well, if you won’t…”
With that, Luna dashed into the drifts. Under a moonlit veil of snow, she danced.
Luna twirled in the sparkling snow, her pale hair glowing and her silvery laughter floating on the breeze like the tinkling of bells. She was ethereal, radiant-some snowy spirit in swirling robes.
He had never played in snow.
It was immature. It was undignified.
It was…
Enchanting. Beguiling. Bewitching.
It was joyful, Severus realized. Luna’s delight was undeniable, sweet-the joy of life’s small miracles. He wanted to touch it, to shine with her joy.
He hesitated. He would get wet. He might catch cold. Worse, he might look ridiculous.
“Severus, come on!”
Casting dignity aside, Severus joined in her dance.
Title: No Place Like Home
Rating: PG
Original Prompt: Family Gatherings
Severus stared at the door, summoning the courage to ring.
Was it too late to run away?
Come for Christmas, she’d said. We’d love to have you!
The more he considered, the more Severus doubted it. Probably Lily was just being polite. Probably he was being foolish again, shoving in where he didn’t belong.
He could still run home. There was no dinner, but Dad had already passed out, so-
The door opened, revealing three smiling faces.
“Happy Christmas, lad! Come in and warm up, won’t you?”
Severus did, but it wasn’t the fire that made him feel so warm.
Title: The Visitor
Rating: PG-13, mostly for one choice word
Word Count: 100 x 2
Original Prompt: Family Gatherings
Notes: Inspired by drachenmina’s drabble "Cousins," featuring the Snape cousins. Now the Prince cousins get their turn!
Aunt Eileen was visiting for the first time in years, and she’d brought something with her.
Margaret stared from her hiding spot, repulsed and yet fascinated. Aunt Eileen looked just like the photos, but he… he was not quite as strange as she’d imagined, but he clearly wasn’t normal.
Jack tugged at her skirts, trying to peer around her. “Maggie, you-oh, who’s that?”
“Hush! Aunt Eileen’s come back, and she’s brought it with her.”
“It?”
“You know.”
Jack gasped. “Not the half-blood?”
“Ssh! They might hear you,” Margaret hissed.
They both stared silently at the odd phenomenon: a half-blood Prince.
Muggles must not know how to care for their young, Margaret decided. Severus looked grubby and underfed.
“Why doesn’t he talk?” Jack demanded. “Don’t you understand English?”
Severus scowled at the floor.
“He probably doesn’t know any better, Jack,” Margaret pointed out. “Muggles are different, you know.”
“I don’t like him,” Jack announced. “He’s weird and he hasn’t even got any robes! I wish Auntie hadn’t brought him.”
Severus’ face crumpled as though he would cry, before hardening into a sneer. “Fuck off,” he spat, and ran back to his mother.
It was the last time they visited the family.
Title: Fidelity
Rating: PG
Pairing: SS/HG
Original Prompt: 100 word drabble, ending in the word “choice,” preferably SS/HG
Note: A response to Tricky Dick’s “Last Word” challenge.
Severus was prone to pledging oaths, rarely to his benefit.
The first oath was pledged to Voldemort, who promised respect and knowledge in exchange for Severus’ service. He delivered pain and grief.
The second was to Dumbledore, who demanded obedience for the protection of Severus’ beloved. This, too, was undelivered.
The third was pledged to the beloved’s memory; this yielded years of guilt and loneliness.
Severus’ final oath was to Hermione Granger, to whom he promised lifelong love; she returned an equal devotion.
This was the oath that stuck--not from fear or guilt, but because it was his choice.
The content varies from G to PG-13, and while Snape stars in all of them, the supporting characters range from Draco to the Evans family to some fictional Prince cousins. Pairings included this time are SS/HG and Snuna, and I don't think there's any slash in this batch. (Hmm. How'd that happen?) The drabbles themselves are labeled more specifically as to content--oh, and there are a few double drabble sets in this bunch as well.
Enjoy!
Title: Caretaking
Rating: PG
Warning: Character death
Original Prompt: Snape and the Malfoys
When Draco turned four, Severus Snape came to his birthday party. On meeting him, Draco vomited cake and ice cream on his shoes.
Snape scowled, but neatened Draco’s mess anyway.
When Draco was sixteen, he spectacularly failed in his mission. Unable to kill, he expected death.
Draco didn’t deserve help, but Snape sorted that fiasco, too.
At 20, Draco stood before a granite slab, clutching an offering of lilies and glaring at the disrespectful weeds. Although it ruined his manicure, he worked until he’d uprooted every intruder, until the grave was fittingly dignified.
Now he understood the value of caretaking.
Title: Churchgoing
Rating: PG
Original Prompt: From a Random Word Generator, the word “churchgoing.”
The Snapes had always been defined by two activities: screaming rows and Sunday mass. Severus hated and feared the rows--but he looked forward to the mass.
Severus loved it all: the pomp of majestic rites punctuated by plumes of incense; the sweep of long, flowing vestments like robes; the chant of ancient prayers, as rhythmic and powerful as any incantation.
Above all, Severus was fascinated by the incredible alchemy of the church, which could transform even ugly little unwanted boys into divine creatures with a special purpose.
Sometimes, he thought the church was almost as good as any magic.
Title: Ways to Woo a Witch: Hermione Granger
Rating: PG
Pairing: SS/HG…sort of.
Original Prompt: Snape’s List
Ways to Woo Hermione Granger:
1. Select Granger as apprentice; hope that she’ll eventually notice my secret passion for her.
2. Have daft Marriage Law passed requiring Granger to marry me; convince her of the suitability of the arrangement with great sex.
3. Arrange for Granger to have Timeturner accident, forcing her back in time to my adolescence; win her sympathies. Bonus: may correct mistakes re: the Lily affair.
4. Make Granger aware of painful, long-suffering life of a martyr to the light; hope pity turns to love.
5. Be myself, and attempt customary flirting rituals. (Note: success unlikely)
Title: Folie à Deux
Rating: G
Word Count: 100 x 2
Pairing: Snuna
Original Prompt: Weather
Notes: The term “folie à deux” refers to “the madness of two,” or a delusion shared by two people.
“Severus, look at the snow!”
He joined Luna in the doorway, robes clutched tightly against the biting wind and blowing snow. “Eagerly anticipating pneumonia, are you?”
“But just look, Severus!”
Severus peered out; unbroken whiteness surrounded the cottage. “Snow. Cold. Delightful. Can we go in yet, or are we waiting for the onset of frostbite?”
“It’s so beautiful!” Luna smiled, clapping her hands with guileless excitement. “Quite magical. Don’t you just want to play in it?”
He sneered in sensible disapproval.
“Well, if you won’t…”
With that, Luna dashed into the drifts. Under a moonlit veil of snow, she danced.
Luna twirled in the sparkling snow, her pale hair glowing and her silvery laughter floating on the breeze like the tinkling of bells. She was ethereal, radiant-some snowy spirit in swirling robes.
He had never played in snow.
It was immature. It was undignified.
It was…
Enchanting. Beguiling. Bewitching.
It was joyful, Severus realized. Luna’s delight was undeniable, sweet-the joy of life’s small miracles. He wanted to touch it, to shine with her joy.
He hesitated. He would get wet. He might catch cold. Worse, he might look ridiculous.
“Severus, come on!”
Casting dignity aside, Severus joined in her dance.
Title: No Place Like Home
Rating: PG
Original Prompt: Family Gatherings
Severus stared at the door, summoning the courage to ring.
Was it too late to run away?
Come for Christmas, she’d said. We’d love to have you!
The more he considered, the more Severus doubted it. Probably Lily was just being polite. Probably he was being foolish again, shoving in where he didn’t belong.
He could still run home. There was no dinner, but Dad had already passed out, so-
The door opened, revealing three smiling faces.
“Happy Christmas, lad! Come in and warm up, won’t you?”
Severus did, but it wasn’t the fire that made him feel so warm.
Title: The Visitor
Rating: PG-13, mostly for one choice word
Word Count: 100 x 2
Original Prompt: Family Gatherings
Notes: Inspired by drachenmina’s drabble "Cousins," featuring the Snape cousins. Now the Prince cousins get their turn!
Aunt Eileen was visiting for the first time in years, and she’d brought something with her.
Margaret stared from her hiding spot, repulsed and yet fascinated. Aunt Eileen looked just like the photos, but he… he was not quite as strange as she’d imagined, but he clearly wasn’t normal.
Jack tugged at her skirts, trying to peer around her. “Maggie, you-oh, who’s that?”
“Hush! Aunt Eileen’s come back, and she’s brought it with her.”
“It?”
“You know.”
Jack gasped. “Not the half-blood?”
“Ssh! They might hear you,” Margaret hissed.
They both stared silently at the odd phenomenon: a half-blood Prince.
Muggles must not know how to care for their young, Margaret decided. Severus looked grubby and underfed.
“Why doesn’t he talk?” Jack demanded. “Don’t you understand English?”
Severus scowled at the floor.
“He probably doesn’t know any better, Jack,” Margaret pointed out. “Muggles are different, you know.”
“I don’t like him,” Jack announced. “He’s weird and he hasn’t even got any robes! I wish Auntie hadn’t brought him.”
Severus’ face crumpled as though he would cry, before hardening into a sneer. “Fuck off,” he spat, and ran back to his mother.
It was the last time they visited the family.
Title: Fidelity
Rating: PG
Pairing: SS/HG
Original Prompt: 100 word drabble, ending in the word “choice,” preferably SS/HG
Note: A response to Tricky Dick’s “Last Word” challenge.
Severus was prone to pledging oaths, rarely to his benefit.
The first oath was pledged to Voldemort, who promised respect and knowledge in exchange for Severus’ service. He delivered pain and grief.
The second was to Dumbledore, who demanded obedience for the protection of Severus’ beloved. This, too, was undelivered.
The third was pledged to the beloved’s memory; this yielded years of guilt and loneliness.
Severus’ final oath was to Hermione Granger, to whom he promised lifelong love; she returned an equal devotion.
This was the oath that stuck--not from fear or guilt, but because it was his choice.