More ficness
I can't think of a title to give my fic, since I don't really know where it's going, but I'm open to any suggestions.
Chapter 2:
Chapter 2
February 14, 2009
Isabel had labored over it the entire night before, making minute changes several times, trying to get it just perfect. Just before going to breakfast, she sandwiched it in between her neglected History of Magic homework and her herbology textbook. Glancing at it now, she reconsidered the amount of glitter she’d used, reaching in and scraping some off. The glitter would linger in her bag for the remainder of the year, but she wasn’t concerned about that now. She just wanted to deliver the valentine to its intended recipient with as little embarrassment as possible.
Her crush had developed gradually since her first year at Hogwarts. Their first meeting had not gone well, she recalled. A pot of boiled beef was surely involved. There was a fight. It had all been Pimento’s fault, of course.
excerpt from that one thread
Although Isabel hadn’t either gotten or made a good first impression, she’d begun noticing him more often around school hallways or in the Great Hall. He’d be brushing his rakish blonde hair away from his face as he ate, or patiently putting up with Pimento’s constant jabbering or her explosive temper. Isabel even witnessed them get into several fights and, once, in a duel. Pimento knocked Gillichu backwards with a powerful charm, and the assembled audience had laughed that he, older by a year and a boy, had been defeated so easily. Before she could hesitate, Isabel had run forward and helped him to his feet. He didn’t thank her, groaning and grumbling and brushing the dirt from his robes, and Isabel felt sheepish. Still, as he stormed his way through the amused crowd, he turned back and his angry glare was caught on Isabel’s blushing face. His expression softened a little, and Isabel could have sworn that he intended to smile before he hastily headed towards the castle.
Since then, he’d begun acknowledging Isabel. He’d nod when they passed one another in the hall; he made silly faces when Isabel unintentionally stared in his direction. These gestures gradually evolved into verbal communication. “Get your cousin under control, will you?” he’d said to her one time. She’d been passing the Ravenclaw common room entrance on her way to the library when he’d angrily left. “Snowy out, isn’t it?” he’d said to her once when she was coming into the Great Hall from outside. The comment had actually been directed at her cat, Jerry, whose ginger-tabby coat was tipped with white, but to Isabel it counted.
She’d never had any indication that her feelings for him were requited, but that didn’t daunt her from slaving over her valentine into the early morning hours in the Hufflepuff common room, discouraging several amorous couples that evening. While she hadn’t been daunted then, she was daunted now. I knew I didn’t think this whole thing through, she thought as she mentally kicked herself. All she wanted to do was get this valentine to him discreetly, without anyone else noticing. Preferably, without Gillichu himself noticing. That’d be ideal.
A hundred scenarios popped into her head as she ate her morning meal, but most involved having planned ahead (like sending it through an owl) and at least one required a trapeze. Sighing, Isabel dropped her fork mid-sausage and pulled out the valentine, setting it on her lap. She was looking over it wistfully when Jerry seized it in his mouth and dashed underneath the table, dodging the legs and bags and books of other diners.
“Jerry! No!” Isabel, panicked, leapt up in pursuit. Jerry was headed for the door when Gillichu entered. He bent down and scooped up the cat before he escaped; taking the valentine from the feline’s mouth.
Isabel was mortified. She had certainly not envisioned this scenario, and if she had it would have been at the bottom of the list.
“Looking for this, Isabel? Wow.” Gillichu said as she approached. He examined it carefully before handing it to her. Isabel accepted it mutely, bowing her head to hide her blushing. “Whoever made that for you must really like you a lot,” Gillichu added. He smiled and patted her on the back, sensing her embarrassment. “Hey, maybe you and your new boyfriend can double-date with me and Pimento for Hogsmeade weekend sometime,” he suggested.
“P-P-Pimento?” Isabel muttered, voice cracking through the lump in her throat.
“Yeah, it’s official… we’re boyfriend-girlfriend,” he told her. “Anyway, I’ll see you around. Happy Valentine’s Day,” he said, putting Jerry back on the ground.
“Happy Valentine’s Day,” Isabel replied automatically, although it was clearly the most miserable day of her life.
Chapter 2:
Chapter 2
February 14, 2009
Isabel had labored over it the entire night before, making minute changes several times, trying to get it just perfect. Just before going to breakfast, she sandwiched it in between her neglected History of Magic homework and her herbology textbook. Glancing at it now, she reconsidered the amount of glitter she’d used, reaching in and scraping some off. The glitter would linger in her bag for the remainder of the year, but she wasn’t concerned about that now. She just wanted to deliver the valentine to its intended recipient with as little embarrassment as possible.
Her crush had developed gradually since her first year at Hogwarts. Their first meeting had not gone well, she recalled. A pot of boiled beef was surely involved. There was a fight. It had all been Pimento’s fault, of course.
excerpt from that one thread
Although Isabel hadn’t either gotten or made a good first impression, she’d begun noticing him more often around school hallways or in the Great Hall. He’d be brushing his rakish blonde hair away from his face as he ate, or patiently putting up with Pimento’s constant jabbering or her explosive temper. Isabel even witnessed them get into several fights and, once, in a duel. Pimento knocked Gillichu backwards with a powerful charm, and the assembled audience had laughed that he, older by a year and a boy, had been defeated so easily. Before she could hesitate, Isabel had run forward and helped him to his feet. He didn’t thank her, groaning and grumbling and brushing the dirt from his robes, and Isabel felt sheepish. Still, as he stormed his way through the amused crowd, he turned back and his angry glare was caught on Isabel’s blushing face. His expression softened a little, and Isabel could have sworn that he intended to smile before he hastily headed towards the castle.
Since then, he’d begun acknowledging Isabel. He’d nod when they passed one another in the hall; he made silly faces when Isabel unintentionally stared in his direction. These gestures gradually evolved into verbal communication. “Get your cousin under control, will you?” he’d said to her one time. She’d been passing the Ravenclaw common room entrance on her way to the library when he’d angrily left. “Snowy out, isn’t it?” he’d said to her once when she was coming into the Great Hall from outside. The comment had actually been directed at her cat, Jerry, whose ginger-tabby coat was tipped with white, but to Isabel it counted.
She’d never had any indication that her feelings for him were requited, but that didn’t daunt her from slaving over her valentine into the early morning hours in the Hufflepuff common room, discouraging several amorous couples that evening. While she hadn’t been daunted then, she was daunted now. I knew I didn’t think this whole thing through, she thought as she mentally kicked herself. All she wanted to do was get this valentine to him discreetly, without anyone else noticing. Preferably, without Gillichu himself noticing. That’d be ideal.
A hundred scenarios popped into her head as she ate her morning meal, but most involved having planned ahead (like sending it through an owl) and at least one required a trapeze. Sighing, Isabel dropped her fork mid-sausage and pulled out the valentine, setting it on her lap. She was looking over it wistfully when Jerry seized it in his mouth and dashed underneath the table, dodging the legs and bags and books of other diners.
“Jerry! No!” Isabel, panicked, leapt up in pursuit. Jerry was headed for the door when Gillichu entered. He bent down and scooped up the cat before he escaped; taking the valentine from the feline’s mouth.
Isabel was mortified. She had certainly not envisioned this scenario, and if she had it would have been at the bottom of the list.
“Looking for this, Isabel? Wow.” Gillichu said as she approached. He examined it carefully before handing it to her. Isabel accepted it mutely, bowing her head to hide her blushing. “Whoever made that for you must really like you a lot,” Gillichu added. He smiled and patted her on the back, sensing her embarrassment. “Hey, maybe you and your new boyfriend can double-date with me and Pimento for Hogsmeade weekend sometime,” he suggested.
“P-P-Pimento?” Isabel muttered, voice cracking through the lump in her throat.
“Yeah, it’s official… we’re boyfriend-girlfriend,” he told her. “Anyway, I’ll see you around. Happy Valentine’s Day,” he said, putting Jerry back on the ground.
“Happy Valentine’s Day,” Isabel replied automatically, although it was clearly the most miserable day of her life.