Sparks 15
Title: Sparks 15
Author: enchanted_jae
Characters: Harry/Draco, Neville/Pansy, Ron/Hermione, Seamus/Dean, Greg, Blaise, Ginny
Rating: PG13
Warning(s): Suggestion
Word count: 1215
Disclaimer: Characters are the property of JK Rowling, et al. This drabble/fic was written for fun, not for profit.
Written for: Birthday gifts for drarryxlover and geinahop, both of whom requested a continuation of Sparks
Summary: Dean has done his part, now it's up to Harry and Neville to do theirs.
Dean worked diligently on his painting of the stained glass window in the Prefects' Bath. However, with his class schedule, combined with Hermione's insistence that he tend to his homework and studying, it took almost ten days for the painting to be complete. The delay allowed Hermione and Blaise ample time to research a spell that would protect the painting under water.
Pansy sat on the sofa in the common room, nervously toying with the fringe on a decorative pillow. Surprisingly, it was Greg who was comforting her. He slung a heavy arm around Pansy's slight shoulders and gave her a squeeze.
"They'll be fine," said Greg. "They killed Voldemort and his pet snake. They're heroes, and heroes always save the princess. Or the mermaid. Sometimes the prince." Greg said that last bit with a sly grin aimed at Draco.
Draco felt his face get warm, but he didn't move from away from Harry's side. It was common enough knowledge in Dumbledore House that Draco fancied Harry, and he wasn't going to miss an opportunity to touch Harry before this madcap mission.
"The painting looks fabulous, Dean," said Neville. Several of them were gathered around Dean's artistic creation to admire it. The painting was a replica of the stained glass window, including the bare rock where the mermaid had once sunned herself.
"Are you certain this will work?" Dean asked. All the praise in the world meant nothing to him if his friends were harmed.
"No," Harry admitted, "but it's the best shot we have."
"Have you alerted McGonagall of your plans?" asked Hermione.
Harry shook his head. "She wouldn't allow it," he said. "You know that."
Hermione's lips thinned, but before she could protest, Blaise derailed her.
"It's easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission," he chuckled. "That's the old Slytherin motto."
"It was not," Draco scoffed.
Blaise just laughed at him. "It may as well have been," he said. Blaise turned his attention to Hermione again. "They'll be fine," he stated. "Now, would you like to do the honors of casting the spell we came up with?"
Hermione gave a stilted nod and drew her wand. She waved it slowly over the canvas, chanting the incantation to waterproof the painting in preparation for its dunking in the Black Lake. Silence fell on the common room when Hermione had finished.
"Radishes!"
Everyone turned to look at Pansy, who was struggling to throw Greg's arm off so she could stand up. "They need radishes or turnips," she repeated adamantly.
"Luna promised to bring some," said Ron.
There was a knock at the portrait hole, and Seamus went to answer it.
Ginny breezed in, holding a basket of produce. "Luna couldn't find any turnips," she said, "but we located some beetroot."
"It will work as well as turnips did," said Hermione, stepping forward to relieve Ginny of the basket. Hermione took a deep breath and pinned Harry with a determined stare. "We may as well get this over with."
~*~
Harry chewed his gillyweed, grimaced, swallowed, and grimaced again. "Ugh, this stuff is vile," he said.
Neville had to swallow twice to get his down, and he shuddered once he'd eaten it. Pansy looped a cord around Neville's neck. A beetroot dangled from it to ward off the grindylows. Beside them, Draco was performing a similar task with Harry.
Pansy pressed a soft kiss to Neville's lips. "Hurry back," she whispered. "I'll be waiting."
Draco used the cord around Harry's neck to tug him close and snog him breathless. "Remember what I promised you," he murmured before taking a step back.
"How could I forget?" gasped Harry. Draco had promised to consummate their ill-fated relationship once Harry returned from the Black Lake.
Harry jumped into the water and held his hands up. Neville lowered the painting to him and jumped into the water beside Harry. Their hands grew webbed, and their feet elongated into flippers. Harry and Neville dove beneath the surface, the gills in their necks allowing them to breathe underwater. This time, they knew exactly where they were going. Harry and Neville swam strongly downward, Harry clutching the painting beneath one arm while holding his wand at the ready. Neville's wand was extended, as well, and he was also carrying an extra cord with three beetroots tied to it.
Harry saw several dark shapes ascending rapidly to meet them. He got Neville's attention and pointed with his wand, and Neville nodded to acknowledge the threat. Four grindylows swarmed them, and Neville brandished his bouquet of beetroot, while Harry shot warning sparks from his wand. The creatures screeched and scattered, but Harry knew they'd be back. He and Neville put on a burst of speed.
They approached the large, underwater structure where the mermaid was encased in glass. This time, they didn't have to waste any effort searching the rooms; they made their way directly to the large chamber that housed the pane of glass with the mermaid.
The grindylows staged another attack, darting at Harry and Neville in groups of two or three. Harry and Neville cast simultaneous stunning spells, which incapacitated the closest creatures and caused the others to flee.
They pressed onward to the pane of glass. The mermaid saw them and beat at her prison with both hands. Harry swam directly to her and held the painting up. Neville pointed at the mermaid and then at the painting. She seemed to understand. Harry watched in amazement as the mermaid disappeared in front of him. He tilted the painting to look at it, relieved to see the mermaid on her familiar perch. It remained to be seen if she was actually returned to her stained glass window in the Prefects' Bath.
Harry swam for the exit, clutching the precious painting in one hand while holding his wand steady in the other. He trusted Neville to watch their backs. The grindylows didn't let them go without a fight. They harried and harassed Harry and Neville all the way back to the surface. Only another stunner, cast from Neville's wand, enabled them to break the surface of the water and begin swimming for the shore.
Once again, their House-mates helped them out of the water and wrapped them in warm blankets. Ron snatched the painting from Harry's numb hands and whooped in joy when he saw the mermaid there. Harry's teeth began to chatter until Draco flung himself into Harry's arms and warmed his lips with a kiss.
"The mermaid is in Dean's painting," said Blaise, "but is she back in the Prefects' Bath?"
"Let's go see!" cried Hermione. She took off for the castle at a run, followed by everyone else except Harry, Draco, Neville and Pansy.
Neville broke free of snogging Pansy to look at Harry and Draco and grin. "We did it, mate," he said.
"I couldn't have done it without you," Harry told him. "Now, let's go see if we were successful."
~tbc~
Sparks 16
Author: enchanted_jae
Characters: Harry/Draco, Neville/Pansy, Ron/Hermione, Seamus/Dean, Greg, Blaise, Ginny
Rating: PG13
Warning(s): Suggestion
Word count: 1215
Disclaimer: Characters are the property of JK Rowling, et al. This drabble/fic was written for fun, not for profit.
Written for: Birthday gifts for drarryxlover and geinahop, both of whom requested a continuation of Sparks
Summary: Dean has done his part, now it's up to Harry and Neville to do theirs.
Dean worked diligently on his painting of the stained glass window in the Prefects' Bath. However, with his class schedule, combined with Hermione's insistence that he tend to his homework and studying, it took almost ten days for the painting to be complete. The delay allowed Hermione and Blaise ample time to research a spell that would protect the painting under water.
Pansy sat on the sofa in the common room, nervously toying with the fringe on a decorative pillow. Surprisingly, it was Greg who was comforting her. He slung a heavy arm around Pansy's slight shoulders and gave her a squeeze.
"They'll be fine," said Greg. "They killed Voldemort and his pet snake. They're heroes, and heroes always save the princess. Or the mermaid. Sometimes the prince." Greg said that last bit with a sly grin aimed at Draco.
Draco felt his face get warm, but he didn't move from away from Harry's side. It was common enough knowledge in Dumbledore House that Draco fancied Harry, and he wasn't going to miss an opportunity to touch Harry before this madcap mission.
"The painting looks fabulous, Dean," said Neville. Several of them were gathered around Dean's artistic creation to admire it. The painting was a replica of the stained glass window, including the bare rock where the mermaid had once sunned herself.
"Are you certain this will work?" Dean asked. All the praise in the world meant nothing to him if his friends were harmed.
"No," Harry admitted, "but it's the best shot we have."
"Have you alerted McGonagall of your plans?" asked Hermione.
Harry shook his head. "She wouldn't allow it," he said. "You know that."
Hermione's lips thinned, but before she could protest, Blaise derailed her.
"It's easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission," he chuckled. "That's the old Slytherin motto."
"It was not," Draco scoffed.
Blaise just laughed at him. "It may as well have been," he said. Blaise turned his attention to Hermione again. "They'll be fine," he stated. "Now, would you like to do the honors of casting the spell we came up with?"
Hermione gave a stilted nod and drew her wand. She waved it slowly over the canvas, chanting the incantation to waterproof the painting in preparation for its dunking in the Black Lake. Silence fell on the common room when Hermione had finished.
"Radishes!"
Everyone turned to look at Pansy, who was struggling to throw Greg's arm off so she could stand up. "They need radishes or turnips," she repeated adamantly.
"Luna promised to bring some," said Ron.
There was a knock at the portrait hole, and Seamus went to answer it.
Ginny breezed in, holding a basket of produce. "Luna couldn't find any turnips," she said, "but we located some beetroot."
"It will work as well as turnips did," said Hermione, stepping forward to relieve Ginny of the basket. Hermione took a deep breath and pinned Harry with a determined stare. "We may as well get this over with."
~*~
Harry chewed his gillyweed, grimaced, swallowed, and grimaced again. "Ugh, this stuff is vile," he said.
Neville had to swallow twice to get his down, and he shuddered once he'd eaten it. Pansy looped a cord around Neville's neck. A beetroot dangled from it to ward off the grindylows. Beside them, Draco was performing a similar task with Harry.
Pansy pressed a soft kiss to Neville's lips. "Hurry back," she whispered. "I'll be waiting."
Draco used the cord around Harry's neck to tug him close and snog him breathless. "Remember what I promised you," he murmured before taking a step back.
"How could I forget?" gasped Harry. Draco had promised to consummate their ill-fated relationship once Harry returned from the Black Lake.
Harry jumped into the water and held his hands up. Neville lowered the painting to him and jumped into the water beside Harry. Their hands grew webbed, and their feet elongated into flippers. Harry and Neville dove beneath the surface, the gills in their necks allowing them to breathe underwater. This time, they knew exactly where they were going. Harry and Neville swam strongly downward, Harry clutching the painting beneath one arm while holding his wand at the ready. Neville's wand was extended, as well, and he was also carrying an extra cord with three beetroots tied to it.
Harry saw several dark shapes ascending rapidly to meet them. He got Neville's attention and pointed with his wand, and Neville nodded to acknowledge the threat. Four grindylows swarmed them, and Neville brandished his bouquet of beetroot, while Harry shot warning sparks from his wand. The creatures screeched and scattered, but Harry knew they'd be back. He and Neville put on a burst of speed.
They approached the large, underwater structure where the mermaid was encased in glass. This time, they didn't have to waste any effort searching the rooms; they made their way directly to the large chamber that housed the pane of glass with the mermaid.
The grindylows staged another attack, darting at Harry and Neville in groups of two or three. Harry and Neville cast simultaneous stunning spells, which incapacitated the closest creatures and caused the others to flee.
They pressed onward to the pane of glass. The mermaid saw them and beat at her prison with both hands. Harry swam directly to her and held the painting up. Neville pointed at the mermaid and then at the painting. She seemed to understand. Harry watched in amazement as the mermaid disappeared in front of him. He tilted the painting to look at it, relieved to see the mermaid on her familiar perch. It remained to be seen if she was actually returned to her stained glass window in the Prefects' Bath.
Harry swam for the exit, clutching the precious painting in one hand while holding his wand steady in the other. He trusted Neville to watch their backs. The grindylows didn't let them go without a fight. They harried and harassed Harry and Neville all the way back to the surface. Only another stunner, cast from Neville's wand, enabled them to break the surface of the water and begin swimming for the shore.
Once again, their House-mates helped them out of the water and wrapped them in warm blankets. Ron snatched the painting from Harry's numb hands and whooped in joy when he saw the mermaid there. Harry's teeth began to chatter until Draco flung himself into Harry's arms and warmed his lips with a kiss.
"The mermaid is in Dean's painting," said Blaise, "but is she back in the Prefects' Bath?"
"Let's go see!" cried Hermione. She took off for the castle at a run, followed by everyone else except Harry, Draco, Neville and Pansy.
Neville broke free of snogging Pansy to look at Harry and Draco and grin. "We did it, mate," he said.
"I couldn't have done it without you," Harry told him. "Now, let's go see if we were successful."
~tbc~
Sparks 16