FIclet: Considering
Title: Considering
Summary: Quirinus shares an unusual moment with Nagini. Inspired by the one word prompt "hopeful", and set in the background story for Quirinus that's more fleshed out here at FFnet.
Characters/Pairings: Nagini, Quirinus Quirrell, Lord Voldemort
Genre: General
Rating/Warnings: G
Medium: Ficlet
Word Count: 335
Can the Order post to Tumblr?: Sure
If yes, your Tumblr username: N/A
We were walking in the sun, all three of us, Nagini and I strolling behind our Lord without a care in the world. Nagini's fingers were so cold in mine, but the feel of them in my hand warmed me down to my toes.
Everything was as it should be.
Nagini glanced at me and smiled, her eyes flashing against her pale skin. Quirinus.
We did it, didn’t we? My memories were strangely hazy and disjointed, and I searched her eyes for answers. We won?
We’re trying, Quirinus. She raised her fingers to brush softly along my cheek.
Fingers. Nagini’s fingers.
Consciousness smacked into me like a sledgehammer, and the tears stung in my eyes as I opened them.
God, my unconscious is a cruel beast. Have I mentioned that neural degeneration is unholy?
Our Lord’s voice spiraled out from the blackened deeps of my prefrontal cortex, smooth as spider silk. We’re ones to talk about unholy things, Quirinus. Now turn your head so my nose isn’t embedded in the pillow.
I twitched my head to the side reflexively. Apologies, my Lord.
Nagini licked a tear away with her long reptilian tongue. I wouldn’t want to be human again anyway. Too complicated.
I blinked. Again?
Didn’t I ever tell you I’m a Maledictus? I was human once, but I haven’t slipped into that skin for, oh, decades. And every time I was human, I was miserable. I don’t miss it. Her coils squeezed my torso gently as she butted her nose against my cheek. Not now.
My breath stuttered in my chest. My Lord, did you know Nagini’s history?
Of course.
Why didn’t you tell me?
Why would it have mattered?
My thoughts rolled and wound and stuck on themselves. She was human. Once.
And so were you, Quirinus. What difference does it make now?
My vision twinned for a moment, sliding along the braided familiar bond Nagini and I shared. Our answer slid from our minds in one liquid unit. Not a bloody bit.
11 points
Summary: Quirinus shares an unusual moment with Nagini. Inspired by the one word prompt "hopeful", and set in the background story for Quirinus that's more fleshed out here at FFnet.
Characters/Pairings: Nagini, Quirinus Quirrell, Lord Voldemort
Genre: General
Rating/Warnings: G
Medium: Ficlet
Word Count: 335
Can the Order post to Tumblr?: Sure
If yes, your Tumblr username: N/A
We were walking in the sun, all three of us, Nagini and I strolling behind our Lord without a care in the world. Nagini's fingers were so cold in mine, but the feel of them in my hand warmed me down to my toes.
Everything was as it should be.
Nagini glanced at me and smiled, her eyes flashing against her pale skin. Quirinus.
We did it, didn’t we? My memories were strangely hazy and disjointed, and I searched her eyes for answers. We won?
We’re trying, Quirinus. She raised her fingers to brush softly along my cheek.
Fingers. Nagini’s fingers.
Consciousness smacked into me like a sledgehammer, and the tears stung in my eyes as I opened them.
God, my unconscious is a cruel beast. Have I mentioned that neural degeneration is unholy?
Our Lord’s voice spiraled out from the blackened deeps of my prefrontal cortex, smooth as spider silk. We’re ones to talk about unholy things, Quirinus. Now turn your head so my nose isn’t embedded in the pillow.
I twitched my head to the side reflexively. Apologies, my Lord.
Nagini licked a tear away with her long reptilian tongue. I wouldn’t want to be human again anyway. Too complicated.
I blinked. Again?
Didn’t I ever tell you I’m a Maledictus? I was human once, but I haven’t slipped into that skin for, oh, decades. And every time I was human, I was miserable. I don’t miss it. Her coils squeezed my torso gently as she butted her nose against my cheek. Not now.
My breath stuttered in my chest. My Lord, did you know Nagini’s history?
Of course.
Why didn’t you tell me?
Why would it have mattered?
My thoughts rolled and wound and stuck on themselves. She was human. Once.
And so were you, Quirinus. What difference does it make now?
My vision twinned for a moment, sliding along the braided familiar bond Nagini and I shared. Our answer slid from our minds in one liquid unit. Not a bloody bit.
11 points