UK Meetup Drabble: In Search of a Hero
Title: In Search of a Hero
Author: enchanted_jae
Character(s): Pansy-centric
Rating: PG
Warning(s): None
Word count: 610
Disclaimer: Characters are the property of JK Rowling, et al. This was written for fun, not for profit.
Author's note: Written for the UK Meetup 2010. Recipient was jtsbbsps_dk.
Summary: Pansy is in need of a hero.
When the curses began to fly in the Great Hall, Pansy Parkinson did the sensible thing and took cover. She was afraid to take Potter's side against the Dark Lord, but she was equally reluctant to harm her friends and fellow students.
Pansy dared to peer out of her hiding place when the room grew quiet, and what she saw made her heart skip a beat. Potter and the Dark Lord had found one another and were locked in a tense confrontation. Potter looked calm and focused, and a shiver skittered up Pansy's spine. Her family had a history of aligning itself with powerful men, which is why they had backed the Dark Lord. Now, however, Pansy felt the first faint stirrings of hope that Potter would prove to be more powerful than the Dark Lord. Potter was taunting his opponent, and Pansy was impressed in spite of herself. When the verbal sparring led to raised wands and shouted spells, Pansy closed her eyes and held her breath.
There was one agonizing moment of stunned silence, followed by an eruption of raucous cheers. Pansy opened her eyes to see Potter being hoisted on the shoulders of his triumphant supporters, and a sob tore from her throat. The sound was not of sorrow, but relief. Her family would be ruined by this outcome, but perhaps Pansy could still salvage something from the final battle. She could align herself with a powerful victor.
Her gaze automatically went to Potter, but just as quickly Pansy dismissed the notion. She would be fortunate if Potter didn't have her thrown in Azkaban because she had called for his head earlier in an attempt to save them all. In addition, the girl Weasley was making her way to Potter. Too bad for Ginevra that Potter's eyes seemed to be looking elsewhere. Pansy smirked to herself. She sought out Potter's friend Weasley, but he was busy snogging Granger. Chewing on her lip, Pansy swept her gaze over the assemblage, in search of a hero. Her eyes passed over Longbottom and swung back.
The Gryffindor was apart from the other celebrants, sitting by himself with his head low and his wand dangling limply from his fingers. He was mussed and spattered with blood, but he had never looked more attractive to Pansy. Longbottom was every bit the hero Potter was. He had slain the Dark Lord's snake by decapitating it with a sword. Not even Potter had gotten that close or messy when dispatching the Dark Lord.
Pansy squared her shoulders and pushed her way through the throng of revelers to reach Longbottom's side. He glanced up at her approach and froze. "Thank you, N-Neville," Pansy stammered shyly as she placed a hand on his shoulder and gave it a tentative squeeze.
Longbottom gulped, and his adam's apple bobbed nervously. "Why are you thanking me?" he asked, rising to his feet. "Harry did all the work."
"You killed that horrid snake," Pansy gushed. "Potter wouldn't have been able to kill V-V-Voldemort if you hadn't. You were so brave!" she cried, flinging herself at Longbottom and burrowing against his sturdy chest. Pansy didn't need to fake the tremors that wracked her body as residual fright, adrenalin, relief and yes, damn it, desire coursed through her.
Longbottom's arms wrapped around Pansy in an awkward hug, and she sighed and pressed closer. For the first time in a long time, Pansy felt safe. "Thank you," she whispered again. This time, Pansy meant it.
Author: enchanted_jae
Character(s): Pansy-centric
Rating: PG
Warning(s): None
Word count: 610
Disclaimer: Characters are the property of JK Rowling, et al. This was written for fun, not for profit.
Author's note: Written for the UK Meetup 2010. Recipient was jtsbbsps_dk.
Summary: Pansy is in need of a hero.
When the curses began to fly in the Great Hall, Pansy Parkinson did the sensible thing and took cover. She was afraid to take Potter's side against the Dark Lord, but she was equally reluctant to harm her friends and fellow students.
Pansy dared to peer out of her hiding place when the room grew quiet, and what she saw made her heart skip a beat. Potter and the Dark Lord had found one another and were locked in a tense confrontation. Potter looked calm and focused, and a shiver skittered up Pansy's spine. Her family had a history of aligning itself with powerful men, which is why they had backed the Dark Lord. Now, however, Pansy felt the first faint stirrings of hope that Potter would prove to be more powerful than the Dark Lord. Potter was taunting his opponent, and Pansy was impressed in spite of herself. When the verbal sparring led to raised wands and shouted spells, Pansy closed her eyes and held her breath.
There was one agonizing moment of stunned silence, followed by an eruption of raucous cheers. Pansy opened her eyes to see Potter being hoisted on the shoulders of his triumphant supporters, and a sob tore from her throat. The sound was not of sorrow, but relief. Her family would be ruined by this outcome, but perhaps Pansy could still salvage something from the final battle. She could align herself with a powerful victor.
Her gaze automatically went to Potter, but just as quickly Pansy dismissed the notion. She would be fortunate if Potter didn't have her thrown in Azkaban because she had called for his head earlier in an attempt to save them all. In addition, the girl Weasley was making her way to Potter. Too bad for Ginevra that Potter's eyes seemed to be looking elsewhere. Pansy smirked to herself. She sought out Potter's friend Weasley, but he was busy snogging Granger. Chewing on her lip, Pansy swept her gaze over the assemblage, in search of a hero. Her eyes passed over Longbottom and swung back.
The Gryffindor was apart from the other celebrants, sitting by himself with his head low and his wand dangling limply from his fingers. He was mussed and spattered with blood, but he had never looked more attractive to Pansy. Longbottom was every bit the hero Potter was. He had slain the Dark Lord's snake by decapitating it with a sword. Not even Potter had gotten that close or messy when dispatching the Dark Lord.
Pansy squared her shoulders and pushed her way through the throng of revelers to reach Longbottom's side. He glanced up at her approach and froze. "Thank you, N-Neville," Pansy stammered shyly as she placed a hand on his shoulder and gave it a tentative squeeze.
Longbottom gulped, and his adam's apple bobbed nervously. "Why are you thanking me?" he asked, rising to his feet. "Harry did all the work."
"You killed that horrid snake," Pansy gushed. "Potter wouldn't have been able to kill V-V-Voldemort if you hadn't. You were so brave!" she cried, flinging herself at Longbottom and burrowing against his sturdy chest. Pansy didn't need to fake the tremors that wracked her body as residual fright, adrenalin, relief and yes, damn it, desire coursed through her.
Longbottom's arms wrapped around Pansy in an awkward hug, and she sighed and pressed closer. For the first time in a long time, Pansy felt safe. "Thank you," she whispered again. This time, Pansy meant it.