Albus/Helena Harr.
Title: The Last Laugh
Genre: Romance
Characters: Albus Severus Potter, Helena Ravenclaw, others pass through
Rating: PG-13, for...I don't know.
Word Count: 1468 words
Summary: Albus does something heroic -- and teaches Helena the proper way to thank someone.
Author's Notes: I've been neglecting these two for far too long. *pets Helena!muse* I wrote this a little while ago, but hadn't gotten around to editing and posting. Anyway, written for my table at 100quills as an answer to Prompt#39. Passion.
The Great Hall was filled with the loud chattering of excited students as they exchanged stories of the summer. The start of term feast had just begun and everyone was eager to reunite with old friends. Happy voices and loud laughter reverberated in the Great Hall. Albus' attention was immediately engaged by his best friend. Scorpius had just started on his usual tirade on summer at the Malfoy Manor (which he secretly really enjoyed), but Albus' mind was elsewhere. Scorpius rolled his eyes and leaned back in his seat. "Fine, you clearly find that bird more interesting than me," he said good-naturedly.
Albus gave him a quick thanks before tossing a grape at Atia down the table. It bounced into Atia's goblet of pumpkin juice, startling her. She turned and narrowed her eyes at Albus, who tried to look apologetic. He mouthed: "Helena?"
She gave him a little smile and pointed upwards. "She wasn't feeling well," she mouthed back. Albus nodded and got up, giving Scorpius a quick goodbye.
"It doesn't mean anything at all," Albus told the doorknocker, which congratulated him before swinging the door open. As he made towards the door, he suddenly felt silly. If she wasn't feeling well, she'd be up in her room. And if she was up in her room, he wouldn't even be able to see her. And even if he could find a way to get up there, he'd only be bothering her. Albus rubbed the back of his neck, mildly embarrassed. However, he was immediately relieved when he saw a figure slumped on the floor. "Helena!"
Albus rushed to her side and knelt down. Her robes had been discarded and were in a heap beside her. He instinctively felt for a pulse in her neck. He breathed a sigh of relief as he found it. Looking her over, his heart dropped to his stomach as he realized that she wasn't breathing. He reached immediately for her tie, loosening it. When that didn't work, he reached around her to turn her onto her back. As he did so, he felt something stiff under his fingers. Dear God. It's that accursed corset.
Without thinking twice, he pulled the bottom of her shirt open as he located his wand with the other hand. He pointed his wand at the offending restraint: "Diffindo!" he yelled and the corset fell apart. He tilted her head up and breathed into her mouth. She responded with a loud gasp and lots of coughing and sputtering. She rolled onto her side as she continued to cough. Albus fell onto his backside and sighed with relief. He pressed his hand against his face.
After a few minutes, Albus realized Helena's coughing had stopped and that his own heart had returned to a normal pace. He put his hand down and looked at her. She was still on her side, breathing deeply. She pushed up with one hand, trying to get up. He stood, picked her up like she weighed nothing and plopped down on the couch. Realizing that he was still unable to speak, he hugged her against him. He felt her hands clutch the front of his shirt. He found his voice. "You idiot! You really gave me a scare!" he declared.
"I...I...I'm sorry..." she muttered against his chest. Albus suddenly felt awkward. He hadn't really meant it that way.
"Well, yeah...I mean..." he cleared his throat and pulled away a little to look at her. He noticed one of her hands release his shirt and run over her own. It stopped just over her stomach. She suddenly bolted upright.
"Where is my corset?" she asked, looking around as she moved to kneel on the couch. She looked down at her half-open shirt before looking at Albus. "You...saw..." she blushed and fumbled for her wand. She banished her corset upstairs, presumably into her bedroom. A second flick and her robes folded itself and settled on a nearby table. Albus was staring at her. She began to blush. "Wh-what?"
"You nearly die from suffocation and your first thought is to put your corset away so noone sees it," he stated. "Then you fold your robes."
"It's embarrassing enough you saw it," she said in a half-whisper. "I can't have anyone else see it."
Albus had to laugh a little at this. Helena made an annoyed little sound before looking down at her stomach to inspect it. Albus couldn't help it. He was sixteen and very susceptible to the temptations of exposed flesh. He peeked as Helena poked and pressed. He didn't like what he saw. "What in Merlin's name...?" he began and reached out to touch the bruise.
"Ah!" Albus pulled away immediately after making contact. He looked up at Helena, who had frozen in place. "I'm sorry?" he apologized.
A blush crept onto Helena's face and stayed there. She looked down and began to button her shirt. "It is all right," she mumbled.
"What happened?" he asked, determinedly not looking at her.
"Well...Father..." she muttered.
"Yeah?" Albus' eyebrow shot up. He knew better than to expect anything good if it involved her father.
"Well...he...umm..."
All sorts of improper thoughts began to creep uninvited into Albus' mind. He looked up at Helena. "Yeah?"
She turned an ever darker shade of pink and looked away. "We-tightened-my-corset-an-inch," she said in one breath.
"Why?!" Albus said before he could stop himself. "I mean you're--" he stopped. "Err..." Well, she didn't need it. She was already so tiny. Not that he'd noticed. Or anything.
"Well," Helena licked her lips nervously. She got off her knees and sat beside Albus. She looked at her knees. "I...hmm..."
There was a rather awkward silence.
"You...?" Albus prodded a little.
"I...well...hmm..."
Albus turned to look at her. She shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. He didn't say anything, but continued to look at her.
"Oh, fine, hmm!" she finally declared, blushing hotly. "I gained four pounds!"
She clamped a hand over her mouth and buried her face in her hands.
"Oh, that's natural," Albus said, surprised at her outburst.
She looked up and turned to him. "There is nothing natural about four pounds!" she snapped.
"Well, you've gotten taller!" Albus retorted. Not to mention you've gotten fuller in other parts that aren't your waist. Not that he'd been paying attention. Or anything.
"Oh," Helena said awkwardly and looked down again. "Still, Father..."
"I don't give a damn about what your Father thinks," Albus said, decidedly looking straight ahead and avoiding any sort of eye contact. "I think your body's just perfect and the extra inches aren't around your waist. Not that I've been observing it. Or anything."
It was Albus's turn to blush. There was a momentary silence before Helena broke it with a little giggle. "Oh."
"Yes."
There was another silence.
"Albus?"
"Yeah?"
"Did I thank you for saving me?"
"Huh?" Albus turned to look at her. "What? It's no...big...deal..." Albus faltered as he noticed the way Helena was smiling at him. He gulped.
"You seem nervous," she whispered.
"Me? No."
Helena inched closer and closer until her lips hovered less than an inch away from his. "Thank you," she whispered, before laughing and pulling back. She stood up. "Good night, Albus."
Albus didn't realize he was holding his breath until he let it out with a whoosh. He turned to her retreating back and called out, "Tease!"
Helena spun around. "What?"
Albus stood up. "You, my dear, are a tease," he said matter-of-factly.
Helena crossed her arms across her chest. "I am not!"
Albus grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him. "Prove it," he said by means of a warning before crushing her mouth with his. He pushed her up against the wall and pressed against her until she whimpered. He felt her fingers dig into his shoulders before her lips parted in an invitation to deepen the kiss. He very quickly accepted. Helena was surprised with her own response as her own body strained to be closer to his. Once Albus broke the kiss, she was embarrassed to find out he left her gasping. She felt him grin. "That's how you thank someone for saving you," he said before stepping away. His grin got even wider when she pressed her fingers against her lips. She went up the stairs slowly. Before she had gotten very far, though, she turned to him.
"I hope to have more opportunities to thank you, then," she said.
Albus grinned and made to go up the stairs. However, all the steps below Helena's level suddenly flattened out and he fell down. He shook his head and looked up to the sound of her giggles. "Good night, Albus."
Genre: Romance
Characters: Albus Severus Potter, Helena Ravenclaw, others pass through
Rating: PG-13, for...I don't know.
Word Count: 1468 words
Summary: Albus does something heroic -- and teaches Helena the proper way to thank someone.
Author's Notes: I've been neglecting these two for far too long. *pets Helena!muse* I wrote this a little while ago, but hadn't gotten around to editing and posting. Anyway, written for my table at 100quills as an answer to Prompt#39. Passion.
The Great Hall was filled with the loud chattering of excited students as they exchanged stories of the summer. The start of term feast had just begun and everyone was eager to reunite with old friends. Happy voices and loud laughter reverberated in the Great Hall. Albus' attention was immediately engaged by his best friend. Scorpius had just started on his usual tirade on summer at the Malfoy Manor (which he secretly really enjoyed), but Albus' mind was elsewhere. Scorpius rolled his eyes and leaned back in his seat. "Fine, you clearly find that bird more interesting than me," he said good-naturedly.
Albus gave him a quick thanks before tossing a grape at Atia down the table. It bounced into Atia's goblet of pumpkin juice, startling her. She turned and narrowed her eyes at Albus, who tried to look apologetic. He mouthed: "Helena?"
She gave him a little smile and pointed upwards. "She wasn't feeling well," she mouthed back. Albus nodded and got up, giving Scorpius a quick goodbye.
"It doesn't mean anything at all," Albus told the doorknocker, which congratulated him before swinging the door open. As he made towards the door, he suddenly felt silly. If she wasn't feeling well, she'd be up in her room. And if she was up in her room, he wouldn't even be able to see her. And even if he could find a way to get up there, he'd only be bothering her. Albus rubbed the back of his neck, mildly embarrassed. However, he was immediately relieved when he saw a figure slumped on the floor. "Helena!"
Albus rushed to her side and knelt down. Her robes had been discarded and were in a heap beside her. He instinctively felt for a pulse in her neck. He breathed a sigh of relief as he found it. Looking her over, his heart dropped to his stomach as he realized that she wasn't breathing. He reached immediately for her tie, loosening it. When that didn't work, he reached around her to turn her onto her back. As he did so, he felt something stiff under his fingers. Dear God. It's that accursed corset.
Without thinking twice, he pulled the bottom of her shirt open as he located his wand with the other hand. He pointed his wand at the offending restraint: "Diffindo!" he yelled and the corset fell apart. He tilted her head up and breathed into her mouth. She responded with a loud gasp and lots of coughing and sputtering. She rolled onto her side as she continued to cough. Albus fell onto his backside and sighed with relief. He pressed his hand against his face.
After a few minutes, Albus realized Helena's coughing had stopped and that his own heart had returned to a normal pace. He put his hand down and looked at her. She was still on her side, breathing deeply. She pushed up with one hand, trying to get up. He stood, picked her up like she weighed nothing and plopped down on the couch. Realizing that he was still unable to speak, he hugged her against him. He felt her hands clutch the front of his shirt. He found his voice. "You idiot! You really gave me a scare!" he declared.
"I...I...I'm sorry..." she muttered against his chest. Albus suddenly felt awkward. He hadn't really meant it that way.
"Well, yeah...I mean..." he cleared his throat and pulled away a little to look at her. He noticed one of her hands release his shirt and run over her own. It stopped just over her stomach. She suddenly bolted upright.
"Where is my corset?" she asked, looking around as she moved to kneel on the couch. She looked down at her half-open shirt before looking at Albus. "You...saw..." she blushed and fumbled for her wand. She banished her corset upstairs, presumably into her bedroom. A second flick and her robes folded itself and settled on a nearby table. Albus was staring at her. She began to blush. "Wh-what?"
"You nearly die from suffocation and your first thought is to put your corset away so noone sees it," he stated. "Then you fold your robes."
"It's embarrassing enough you saw it," she said in a half-whisper. "I can't have anyone else see it."
Albus had to laugh a little at this. Helena made an annoyed little sound before looking down at her stomach to inspect it. Albus couldn't help it. He was sixteen and very susceptible to the temptations of exposed flesh. He peeked as Helena poked and pressed. He didn't like what he saw. "What in Merlin's name...?" he began and reached out to touch the bruise.
"Ah!" Albus pulled away immediately after making contact. He looked up at Helena, who had frozen in place. "I'm sorry?" he apologized.
A blush crept onto Helena's face and stayed there. She looked down and began to button her shirt. "It is all right," she mumbled.
"What happened?" he asked, determinedly not looking at her.
"Well...Father..." she muttered.
"Yeah?" Albus' eyebrow shot up. He knew better than to expect anything good if it involved her father.
"Well...he...umm..."
All sorts of improper thoughts began to creep uninvited into Albus' mind. He looked up at Helena. "Yeah?"
She turned an ever darker shade of pink and looked away. "We-tightened-my-corset-an-inch," she said in one breath.
"Why?!" Albus said before he could stop himself. "I mean you're--" he stopped. "Err..." Well, she didn't need it. She was already so tiny. Not that he'd noticed. Or anything.
"Well," Helena licked her lips nervously. She got off her knees and sat beside Albus. She looked at her knees. "I...hmm..."
There was a rather awkward silence.
"You...?" Albus prodded a little.
"I...well...hmm..."
Albus turned to look at her. She shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. He didn't say anything, but continued to look at her.
"Oh, fine, hmm!" she finally declared, blushing hotly. "I gained four pounds!"
She clamped a hand over her mouth and buried her face in her hands.
"Oh, that's natural," Albus said, surprised at her outburst.
She looked up and turned to him. "There is nothing natural about four pounds!" she snapped.
"Well, you've gotten taller!" Albus retorted. Not to mention you've gotten fuller in other parts that aren't your waist. Not that he'd been paying attention. Or anything.
"Oh," Helena said awkwardly and looked down again. "Still, Father..."
"I don't give a damn about what your Father thinks," Albus said, decidedly looking straight ahead and avoiding any sort of eye contact. "I think your body's just perfect and the extra inches aren't around your waist. Not that I've been observing it. Or anything."
It was Albus's turn to blush. There was a momentary silence before Helena broke it with a little giggle. "Oh."
"Yes."
There was another silence.
"Albus?"
"Yeah?"
"Did I thank you for saving me?"
"Huh?" Albus turned to look at her. "What? It's no...big...deal..." Albus faltered as he noticed the way Helena was smiling at him. He gulped.
"You seem nervous," she whispered.
"Me? No."
Helena inched closer and closer until her lips hovered less than an inch away from his. "Thank you," she whispered, before laughing and pulling back. She stood up. "Good night, Albus."
Albus didn't realize he was holding his breath until he let it out with a whoosh. He turned to her retreating back and called out, "Tease!"
Helena spun around. "What?"
Albus stood up. "You, my dear, are a tease," he said matter-of-factly.
Helena crossed her arms across her chest. "I am not!"
Albus grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him. "Prove it," he said by means of a warning before crushing her mouth with his. He pushed her up against the wall and pressed against her until she whimpered. He felt her fingers dig into his shoulders before her lips parted in an invitation to deepen the kiss. He very quickly accepted. Helena was surprised with her own response as her own body strained to be closer to his. Once Albus broke the kiss, she was embarrassed to find out he left her gasping. She felt him grin. "That's how you thank someone for saving you," he said before stepping away. His grin got even wider when she pressed her fingers against her lips. She went up the stairs slowly. Before she had gotten very far, though, she turned to him.
"I hope to have more opportunities to thank you, then," she said.
Albus grinned and made to go up the stairs. However, all the steps below Helena's level suddenly flattened out and he fell down. He shook his head and looked up to the sound of her giggles. "Good night, Albus."