Round 3: Challenge 5 Drabbles and Voting
Here are the drabbles for the fifth challenge of the third round.
Prompt: One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other. ~ "Emma" by Jane Austen
Please vote for your favourite and your least favourite drabble in a comment to this entry (will be screened). Voting ends Saturday, August, 1st 2009 at 11.59pm (EDT, New York). VOTING IS CLOSED!
1)
Title:What'cha Doin'?
Author: ceirdwenfc
Rating:G
Word Count:251
A/N(optional):Inspired by the quote: "One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other" from Emma by Jane Austen.
"What'cha doing?" Fred stood over the dining area's small table, watching Hermione dip her quill in the ink jar and scratching out the answers in the tiny little boxes.
"A crossword puzzle."
Fred rolled his eyes and flopped down on the squishy chair in front of the fireplace.
Hermione pushed The Daily Prophet aside and grabbing a book from the shelf, she joined him in the chair.
"What'cha doing?" he asked again, in that annoying, sing-song voice.
"Reading."
"What'cha reading 'Mione?"
"Emma by Jane Austen."
Fred rolled his eyes. "Hermione," he whinged. "Don't you know how to have fun?"
"I am having fun. I like to read."
"I just don't understand."
"What is there to understand? What is it you like to do to have fun, Fred?"
"Blow things up with George."
It was Hermione's turn to roll her eyes. "Is that all?"
"No. Let me see. Fun, fun, fun." He tapped his finger on his chin and then suddenly getting an idea, he poked her in the side and she flinched. He did it again. She flinched again. "Hermione?" he asked, eyes widening.
"Yes, Fred." She answered, but continued to read and try to ignore him, but had no choice but to squirm in his lap with each new poke.
"Are you ticklish, Hermione?"
"No," she answered, stifling her laugh behind the Austen novel.
"Are you sure? I think you might be."
"I'm not."
"Hermione."
"Yes, Fred."
"This is fun."
"This? You find this fun? I don't understand you, Fred."
2)
Title: The Worst Couple Ever
Author: Drcjsnider
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 291
A/N(optional): Fred’s not dead.
“We are the worst couple ever,” Hermione whined, flopping onto the spare bed in Ginny’s room. “We have absolutely nothing in common. He finds me boring and I think he’s immature. He hates my cooking, but I despise take-away. He is the life of the party, while I’m more of a homebody. Seriously, what in the world was I thinking when I agreed to marry him?”
“You were thinking,” Ginny reminded her, “that he was the sweetest, funniest, kindest, fittest, best-looking, and most intelligent bloke that you’d ever met.”
A tiny smile graced Hermione’s lips. “Yeah,” she sighed happily. “I remember now.”
0-0-0
“We are the worst couple ever,” Fred complained, propping his boots on the counter. “She drags me to the theater when she knows I fancy Quidditch. She refused to let me listen to the Weird Sisters’ Reunion Concert, just in case news of the Wizengamot’s vote on House Elf Rights was broadcast over the wireless. She insists on wearing frumpy, drab robes even after I bought her tight fitting, low-cut dresses that really bring out the perfection of her tits. She thinks some bird named Jane Austen was the best writer who ever lived; I don't even know who that is! Nothing I do pleases her. I swear she must have taken NEWT level courses in nagging.”
“While you didn’t take any NEWT classes at all,” George reminded him.
“Either did you!”
“True, but I can rely on my natural good looks and charm and get me through life. If you muck up your engagement with Hermione, you’re going to spend the next 120 years kicking yourself for letting her go.”
“Yeah,” Fred nodded. “I know.”
0-0-0
Hermione stared at Fred.
Fred stared back at her.
“I’m sorry.”
3)
Title: What Makes You Different Turns Me On
Author: thebigdisaster
Rating: PG13
Word Count: 316
A/N(optional):
“Please tell me why you’re dressing up as…wait who?” Fred asked slowly.
“It’s Jane Austen and she is only one of the most celebrated authors of all time.” Hermione replied tersely.
Fred snorted, “I’ve never heard of her.”
Hermione took a deep breath, “That’s because she’s a muggle author and you won’t touch anything muggle unless it has to do with your stupid joke
shop.”
Fred looked affronted, “My joke shop is not stupid. And that’s not true.”
“How is that not true Fred?”
“I went to see that muggle movie with you last week.”
“Of course you did. And you fell asleep within the first fifteen minutes.” Hermione huffed and fussed with her dress, “What does it matter what I’m going as? It’s just a stupid ministry costume party.”
“Well you’re going to feel a bit out of place.”
“How is that?”
“Most of the other witches are going as nymphs and mermaids and other
creatures that you can look like a-“
Hermione’s eyes narrowed, “You mean you want me to look like a tease?”
Fred fumbled for words, “No. I just want you to have fun.”
“Well dressing up like this is fun for me. Just because you’re dressing up as the Whomping Willow doesn’t mean that the rest of us have to do the same.” She charmed her hair and turned to him, “Some people’s preferences are different than others.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning if you don’t shut up about my costume you won’t get to take it off tonight.”
Fred smirked, “This Jane Austen thing is starting to look awfully sexy.”
Hermione laughed and kissed him soundly. Smiling, she pulled the hem of the dress and put her wand in the black leather holster attached to her thigh.
Fred whistled, “You sure know how to keep a guy panting.”
Hermione smirked before whispering, “And you haven’t even seen what’s underneath.”
4)
Title: A General Confusion
Author: lily_pearl
Rating: PG
Word Count: 395
A/N(optional):
Hermione sat cross-legged on the grass in the Burrow's back garden. She was engrossed in a book, tuning out the sounds of Harry, Ron, Ginny and the twins playing a rather odd game of Quidditch. She had tried to follow what they were doing for about ten seconds, before deciding that Emma was far more interesting. She just didn't understand the appeal of flying in general, nevermind trying to catch some balls and avoid others whilst up there. And they didn't seem to be following any logical set of rules either!
Her concentration was broken when someone flopped heavily down beside her and flung an arm casually around her shoulders. Hermione wrinkled her nose at the familiar smell of sweaty teenage boy. She sighed and turned to look at the intruder and was surprised to find herself almost nose to nose with a red-faced Fred Weasley. Hermione looked down at the grass.
"What you up to?" Fred said conversationally, as though it was perfectly normal for him to be this close to her.
Hermione shot him a withering look, then turned her attention back to the grass.
"Fine. What are you reading?" Fred corrected himself.
"Emma" Hermione said, holding up the book for him to look at.
Fred looked at the old-fashioned pictures on the front and tried to think of something intelligent to say.
"It's a bit battered, isn't it?" he said, "I'm surprised at you!"
"I've had it a long time - it's bound to be a bit foxed," she said indignantly.
"It's more than just 'a bit foxed'. Looks like all the woodland creatures have had a go at it!" he exclaimed.
Hermione poked Fred in the side and laughed when he yelped dramatically.
"Oh dear," Fred said, suddenly serious.
Hermione turned to him in concern. Fred was looking straight ahead. When Hermione followed his gaze, all she saw was Harry, George, Ginny and Ron messing about with the Quidditch gear.
"What's the matter?" she asked.
"Well, I think Ron's trying to set me on fire using only the power of his mind," Fred explained.
Hermione looked up again. To her surprise and consternation, Ron did seem to be glaring at Fred rather fiercely.
"Catch you later," Fred said as he jumped up and dusted himself off.
Hermione was left sitting on the grass feeling very confused, Jane Austen all but forgotten.
5)
Title: Agree to Disagree
Author: umedakyabajo
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 742
A/N(optional): Missing moment from Deathly Hallows.
“It’s his seventeenth birthday, dear, I just don’t want him to feel forgotten. The wedding is a big deal but a birthday is too. Would you mind putting up a few decorations?”
“Of course not, Mrs. Weasley. It’s no problem,” Hermione replied as she closed her book to head out of the kitchen.
Fred and George were standing just outside the door whispering to each other mischievously. They hushed as soon as they saw her. She set her book down on a bench and began to walk towards a nearby grove of trees.
“And what’s tempted you away from that stuffy old tome you’ve had your nose stuck in for the past two days, Granger?”
She turned to see the two of them following her. George had spoken, and was currently smirking at her. She suspected she was soon to become the butt of a practical joke.
“It’s not a stuffy old tome, George, it’s a fascinating novel for your information. A classic by Jane Austen.”
“Is it? Full of sports and thrilling fights, I suspect?” asked Fred.
“No, it’s not that sort of book,” she replied. “It’s more of a comedy. It’s about a young woman in the 1800’s who tries to play matchmaker to her friends.”
George rolled his eyes at her. “Oh yes, that sounds absolutely electrifying.”
“A page turner for sure,” Fred added. “I don’t know how you can tear yourself away from it.”
“Your mum asked me to put up some decorations for Harry’s birthday, which I should be getting along with if you don’t mind. How about you two run off and invent some sweets that make blood pour from your eyes, that’ll be great fun.”
Fred and George stopped in their tracks. “Actually, that would be,” they said in unison.
“We’ll help you out first, though,” said Fred.
“Yeah, I’ll transfigure some lanterns while you two get started over here,” said George as he slapped Fred on the back and ran off. Hermione thought for one bizarre moment that she saw a look of panic cross Fred’s face but the moment passed and he was back to his normal, cocky self.
“So what’s the plan, fearless leader?”
She laughed at him and took out her wand. “I was planning to turn a tree or two to gold and maybe put up some streamers. What do you think?”
“Sounds good to me. How about that old crabapple?”
They started to work in silence but she could feel his eyes on her. She was relieved when he broke the silence.
“You know, we’ve expanded the scope of our operation quite a bit - even since you were at the store last year. We’ve even been making protective gear for the ministry. We’re not totally irresponsible.”
“I don’t think that, Fred. I did when I first met you, but I’ve seen you come up with some amazing products. You two just have so much talent and potential that I hate to see so much of it wasted on ‘wheezes’ when you could be using it to help people.”
“I think we do help people. Don’t underestimate the power of a good laugh. I, for one, hate to see your brains and talent wasted staring at a book and not executing elaborate pranks. You’ve got the instincts for it - we’ve seen it.”
She laughed and then fell quiet. “There’s a quote like this in the book, actually. ‘One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other.’ Seems to apply to us.”
He grinned at her. “I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree. You do the reading and I‘ll do the pranking.”
They passed the next few minutes talking and laughing together about the wedding preparations and the plans for the next day, but he was soon called away to help George put up the lanterns. He walked away from her as she continued to put up streamers but suddenly turned back and spun her around, pulling her in for a kiss.
She found herself responding with unexpected enthusiasm. His lips were soft and his arms strong around her, holding her close. The kiss was brief but passionate, and as he broke away he brushed aside her hair to search her eyes for a reaction. They smiled at each other and he said simply, “I hope we can agree on this,” then pressed his lips to her cheek and left to help his brother.
Participant(s) using their skip: tamatersweet and thesteppyone.