Auld Lang Syne; New Years Challenge
Title: Auld Lang Syne
Challenge: New Years
Team: Death Eaters
Length: 100 X 7 of fluff
A/N: This is just a snippet of a story. Unbeta'd; usual disclaimers apply
The song, to Hermione, always sounded sweet and sad; not a song to welcome the new year, but to look back on times past with both affection and regret.
She looked around the party, and felt the melancholy romance of the song tugging at her heart - she, Hermione Jean Granger, stalwart friend of Harry Potter, was about to burst into tears in the middle of a party of cheering, kissing, drinking, joyful witches and wizards.
She looked at the huge clock, and knew she’d never make it to midnight at this rate.
And so brave Gryffindor she was, she fled.
She ran through Hogwarts halls, seeing not the restored portraits, the newly scrubbed walls and the polished stone floors. She only saw the horrific battle she had fought, the dead she had passed in her mad rush to stay alive, the anguish of being good but not good enough to save those who fell.
The raucous voices followed her from the Great Hall, singing “Auld Lang Syne”. Hermione quickened her pace to a trot, then a run, but she couldn’t escape them.
The tears that had threatened now streamed down her face. Where was the cup of kindness for her?
Severus had also fled the merriment as soon as he was able. Minerva had browbeat him into going to that infernal mess she called a New Year’s Eve party, but thankfully the crowds had made it easy to slip away undetected.
From his place in the shadows, Severus saw the young woman rush past him, her soft sobs echoing down the corridor. He was sure he could not help her; perhaps she wouldn’t want him to. Just the same, he thought he understood. New Year’s Eve was supposed to be a glimpse into the future, but that was a lie.
It had a way of making you look back at old times, old tears, old regrets. Time was something you could not predict, could not anticipate; all one could do was look back, and for Severus, time was a difficult story to replay. If the talented and golden Hermione Granger was blindsided by the tears of ‘auld lang syne’, what chance did he have?
For so long all he had done was look back. He had chained himself to the gates of his duty, and had crucified himself there. What would it feel like, he wondered, to set himself free?
He followed Hermione from a distance, letting her cry out her feelings. She jumped when he touched her shoulder, then let out a little startled sob and shook her head, as if expecting the worst from him. What, he thought, if he gave her his best? Would that erase the year’s grime and soil, and make him new again? He would never know until he found out.
Impulsively, Severus put his arms around her, and she stiffened, as if afraid. “Don’t─don’t cry, Hermione,” he began hesitantly. “Don’t let the song win. We don’t have to drink to auld lang syne.”
Hermione looked up into his face, confused. He nodded, adding, “Don’t look back.” He was breathing hard, and fighting the urge to laugh. “We don’t have to let tonight be about regret. Let it be about your future.” He stopped, thunderstruck. “My future.”
Light and understanding was dawning in her pretty face, and he held her close. “We don’t have to punish anymore ourselves for what has happened. Make it a new year, Hermione,” he added fiercely. “Look this year in the eye, and never look back.”
She smiled, and wonder of wonders, kissed his cheek. “Happy New Year, Severus.”
The clock struck midnight; they heard a roar of voices, and magical fireworks lit up the sky. Hermione thought of the battle, the flames raining down from above. “No,” Severus said, his beautiful voice firm. “Don’t, Hermione. See them for what they are, not for the memories they resurrect.”
His arms were warm, and solid. It felt good to nestle within them. The sky turned red, then blue, then purple, lighting their faces. Severus looked down at her, and wonder of wonders, kissed her cheek.
“Will you face the new year with me over dinner?” he asked formally.
She nodded.
Challenge: New Years
Team: Death Eaters
Length: 100 X 7 of fluff
A/N: This is just a snippet of a story. Unbeta'd; usual disclaimers apply
The song, to Hermione, always sounded sweet and sad; not a song to welcome the new year, but to look back on times past with both affection and regret.
She looked around the party, and felt the melancholy romance of the song tugging at her heart - she, Hermione Jean Granger, stalwart friend of Harry Potter, was about to burst into tears in the middle of a party of cheering, kissing, drinking, joyful witches and wizards.
She looked at the huge clock, and knew she’d never make it to midnight at this rate.
And so brave Gryffindor she was, she fled.
She ran through Hogwarts halls, seeing not the restored portraits, the newly scrubbed walls and the polished stone floors. She only saw the horrific battle she had fought, the dead she had passed in her mad rush to stay alive, the anguish of being good but not good enough to save those who fell.
The raucous voices followed her from the Great Hall, singing “Auld Lang Syne”. Hermione quickened her pace to a trot, then a run, but she couldn’t escape them.
The tears that had threatened now streamed down her face. Where was the cup of kindness for her?
Severus had also fled the merriment as soon as he was able. Minerva had browbeat him into going to that infernal mess she called a New Year’s Eve party, but thankfully the crowds had made it easy to slip away undetected.
From his place in the shadows, Severus saw the young woman rush past him, her soft sobs echoing down the corridor. He was sure he could not help her; perhaps she wouldn’t want him to. Just the same, he thought he understood. New Year’s Eve was supposed to be a glimpse into the future, but that was a lie.
It had a way of making you look back at old times, old tears, old regrets. Time was something you could not predict, could not anticipate; all one could do was look back, and for Severus, time was a difficult story to replay. If the talented and golden Hermione Granger was blindsided by the tears of ‘auld lang syne’, what chance did he have?
For so long all he had done was look back. He had chained himself to the gates of his duty, and had crucified himself there. What would it feel like, he wondered, to set himself free?
He followed Hermione from a distance, letting her cry out her feelings. She jumped when he touched her shoulder, then let out a little startled sob and shook her head, as if expecting the worst from him. What, he thought, if he gave her his best? Would that erase the year’s grime and soil, and make him new again? He would never know until he found out.
Impulsively, Severus put his arms around her, and she stiffened, as if afraid. “Don’t─don’t cry, Hermione,” he began hesitantly. “Don’t let the song win. We don’t have to drink to auld lang syne.”
Hermione looked up into his face, confused. He nodded, adding, “Don’t look back.” He was breathing hard, and fighting the urge to laugh. “We don’t have to let tonight be about regret. Let it be about your future.” He stopped, thunderstruck. “My future.”
Light and understanding was dawning in her pretty face, and he held her close. “We don’t have to punish anymore ourselves for what has happened. Make it a new year, Hermione,” he added fiercely. “Look this year in the eye, and never look back.”
She smiled, and wonder of wonders, kissed his cheek. “Happy New Year, Severus.”
The clock struck midnight; they heard a roar of voices, and magical fireworks lit up the sky. Hermione thought of the battle, the flames raining down from above. “No,” Severus said, his beautiful voice firm. “Don’t, Hermione. See them for what they are, not for the memories they resurrect.”
His arms were warm, and solid. It felt good to nestle within them. The sky turned red, then blue, then purple, lighting their faces. Severus looked down at her, and wonder of wonders, kissed her cheek.
“Will you face the new year with me over dinner?” he asked formally.
She nodded.