Stupid
Title: Stupid
Pairing: Adrian Pucey/Hermione
Rating: PG, for a kiss
Summary: “Today,” she said in a factual, resigned voice, “is not my day.”
Disclaimer: Characters belong to JKR. I'd like to think the plot as mine, however.
Words: 1,204
Note: I should say that my characterization of Adrian is due to the incomparable inell. Go read her fics with Adrian, because she can write him so much better than I can.
This was a response to Charming and Wise’s Challenge #3: snow, scarf, someone slips on ice, hot chocolate/warm cider, a kiss. I've also edited it from the original version while posting it here. Written as a sequel to "Left," but can stand alone.
“Stupid, stupid, stupid!”
Hermione shook her head irritably and pulled the hood of her cloak over her head again. It was another dreary day in December, and snow was falling like a sheet, silencing the sounds of the world around her and blanketing the ground before her in cold. Normally, Hermione would have been entranced by the pristine whiteness that surrounded her. Instead, she was berating herself for getting stuck outside in this storm.
“I just had to visit Hagrid today, of all of the days this semester!”
Although Hermione was yelling aloud, her voice was muffled by the scarf wrapped firmly over her mouth and nose. Looking around quickly to make sure no one had heard her, she continued her rant mentally. I had to endure his rock cakes and horribly dirty and smelly kitchen just to freeze my arse out here! At least I managed to say “Happy Christmas” and escaped without a dangerous creature for a gift. I’m going to kill Harry and Ron for not coming with me! They should be suffering just as-
Not noticing a patch of ice on the hard gravel below her, Hermione slipped and fell on her already-freezing arse. She sat on the ice, looked up at the snow falling around her, and let out a frustrated cry of rage. Finally, she began to pick herself up from the ice, but managed to step on the end of her scarf and fell back down again.
Defeated, Hermione simply lay on her back and stared up at the snow, ignoring the fact that it was landing on her lips and eyes. “Today,” she said in a factual, resigned voice, “is not my day.”
~*~
Adrian Pucey leaned against an arch in one of the many side entrances to Hogwarts, cradling a cup of hot chocolate between his gloved hands and watched the snow falling just a few feet in front of him. He smiled between sips in appreciation of a world covered in snow. The few stumps and tree branches that weren't covered in snow stuck out in picturesque relief.
As he scanned the scene around him, his eyes lit on a dark-haired person clambering up the slope from the Half-Giant’s lodge. A Gryffindor, he noted when he saw the telltale red and gold scarf flapping in the wind. when the hood of her cloak flew back, revealing thick brown curls, he realized it was a girl about his age, if not younger.
He didn’t move an inch as he comfortably sipped his chocolate, waiting until she finally reached the archway that he was standing in.
The girl made a fetching sight, with her elfish features and cheeks and nose reddened from the cold. Some snow flakes were caught in her eyelashes, glinting in the faint wintry sunlight as they melted. Her eyes glittered with some strong emotion. Anger? Frustration? Excitement? Adrian wondered, but he couldn’t determine what she was feeling.
Before he could continue his perusal, she finally noticed him there. Nodding to him in stiff acknowledgement and a little embarrassment, she hurriedly stomped the snow off her shoes and moved past him to enter the castle.
Who is she? Adrian wondered. Unthinkingly, his hand shot out and seized her arm, effectually stopping her.
The girl stopped and looked up at him, her eyes narrowed in anger. "Can I help you?" she asked frostily.
Adrian stared at her for a moment, stunned that he had actually acted on his impulses. What the bloody hell was I thinking? "I-" he stammered a bit. Thinking quickly, he continued, "Would you like some hot chocolate?" gesturing to the cup in his hands.
Her features softened, and she favored him with a wry grin. "I was going to get my own, thanks."
Fascinated by that small quirk in her lips, he shook his head. "You look as though you’re freezing your arse off." He held the cup out to her. "Here. I insist."
She gave him a doubtful look. It was his turn to grin wryly. "I haven't poisoned it." Thank Merlin I'm not wearing my colors.
The girl seemed a bit fascinated by his smile, which caused him to grin even more widely. Flushing in embarrassment when she realized she'd been caught staring, she took the proffered cup.
They stood in silence as she finished off the rest of the hot chocolate. She looked up after she was done, offering him the empty cup with a whispered, "Thanks."
He'd been studying her the entire time she was drinking, and found something very appealing about the curve of her neck and the laugh lines around her mouth. He knew that he was attracted to her, and from the look she'd given him earlier, he fancied she found him attractive too.
Smirking, he decided to be bold. "I was hoping for a different sort of thanks," he murmured, looking at her lips intently.
She flushed and shrank back little. "Well-" she started, her voice faltering, "I could, er, tutor you for one of your classes..."
"That’s not what I meant, kitten," Adrian purred as he stepped closer to her. She shrank back, her eyes widening at bit in apprehension, even as they snapped indignantly at the new nickname.
Anticipating her movements, he quickly gripped her upper arms with his hands and drew her closer before she could evade him.
She was clearly frightened at this point. Adrian smiled softly to reassure her and whispered, "I’m not going to hurt you, kitten. I just wanted a wee little kiss."
Still keeping his grip on her left arm, he lifted her other hand to stroke her cheek. Soft, he mused as his leather-gloved fingers drew whimsical designs on her smooth skin. Her eyes closed involuntarily, but her lower lip was still trembling. He couldn’t bear the temptation any longer, and quickly caught her lips with his.
Her lips were soft and warm from the hot chocolate, but the rest of her face was still cold. Adrian nearly groaned in bliss from the sweet taste of chocolate on her lips and an inexplicable... something that was definitely her. He barely restrained himself from deepening the kiss, and broke away, releasing his grip on her arm at the same time.
Adrian instantly regretted breaking off the kiss; her lips were reddened and slightly swollen, curved in lazy half-smile. Her eyes remained closed for a moment, then she opened them reluctantly. She had been fetching before; now, she was bloody beautiful.
They stood there, silently regarding each other. Finally, she smirked a bit and said, "You shouldn’t call me that."
Adrian raised an eyebrow and asked, "Why not?" She certainly looks like a very wet kitten.
In a flash, she whipped out her wand and pressed its point against his throat. "Because," she continued conversationally, "it's stupid to call someone a kitten when she has claws like mine." And just as quickly, she stowed her wand in her pocket and slipped past him towards the castle.
Adrian stood still, staring at the snow as his mind raced. It’s not ‘stupid,’ kitten, he mused, It’s a challenge. And I bloody well accept.
With a determined look, Adrian reentered the castle in search of the elusive Gryffindor.
Finite Incantatem
Pairing: Adrian Pucey/Hermione
Rating: PG, for a kiss
Summary: “Today,” she said in a factual, resigned voice, “is not my day.”
Disclaimer: Characters belong to JKR. I'd like to think the plot as mine, however.
Words: 1,204
Note: I should say that my characterization of Adrian is due to the incomparable inell. Go read her fics with Adrian, because she can write him so much better than I can.
This was a response to Charming and Wise’s Challenge #3: snow, scarf, someone slips on ice, hot chocolate/warm cider, a kiss. I've also edited it from the original version while posting it here. Written as a sequel to "Left," but can stand alone.
“Stupid, stupid, stupid!”
Hermione shook her head irritably and pulled the hood of her cloak over her head again. It was another dreary day in December, and snow was falling like a sheet, silencing the sounds of the world around her and blanketing the ground before her in cold. Normally, Hermione would have been entranced by the pristine whiteness that surrounded her. Instead, she was berating herself for getting stuck outside in this storm.
“I just had to visit Hagrid today, of all of the days this semester!”
Although Hermione was yelling aloud, her voice was muffled by the scarf wrapped firmly over her mouth and nose. Looking around quickly to make sure no one had heard her, she continued her rant mentally. I had to endure his rock cakes and horribly dirty and smelly kitchen just to freeze my arse out here! At least I managed to say “Happy Christmas” and escaped without a dangerous creature for a gift. I’m going to kill Harry and Ron for not coming with me! They should be suffering just as-
Not noticing a patch of ice on the hard gravel below her, Hermione slipped and fell on her already-freezing arse. She sat on the ice, looked up at the snow falling around her, and let out a frustrated cry of rage. Finally, she began to pick herself up from the ice, but managed to step on the end of her scarf and fell back down again.
Defeated, Hermione simply lay on her back and stared up at the snow, ignoring the fact that it was landing on her lips and eyes. “Today,” she said in a factual, resigned voice, “is not my day.”
~*~
Adrian Pucey leaned against an arch in one of the many side entrances to Hogwarts, cradling a cup of hot chocolate between his gloved hands and watched the snow falling just a few feet in front of him. He smiled between sips in appreciation of a world covered in snow. The few stumps and tree branches that weren't covered in snow stuck out in picturesque relief.
As he scanned the scene around him, his eyes lit on a dark-haired person clambering up the slope from the Half-Giant’s lodge. A Gryffindor, he noted when he saw the telltale red and gold scarf flapping in the wind. when the hood of her cloak flew back, revealing thick brown curls, he realized it was a girl about his age, if not younger.
He didn’t move an inch as he comfortably sipped his chocolate, waiting until she finally reached the archway that he was standing in.
The girl made a fetching sight, with her elfish features and cheeks and nose reddened from the cold. Some snow flakes were caught in her eyelashes, glinting in the faint wintry sunlight as they melted. Her eyes glittered with some strong emotion. Anger? Frustration? Excitement? Adrian wondered, but he couldn’t determine what she was feeling.
Before he could continue his perusal, she finally noticed him there. Nodding to him in stiff acknowledgement and a little embarrassment, she hurriedly stomped the snow off her shoes and moved past him to enter the castle.
Who is she? Adrian wondered. Unthinkingly, his hand shot out and seized her arm, effectually stopping her.
The girl stopped and looked up at him, her eyes narrowed in anger. "Can I help you?" she asked frostily.
Adrian stared at her for a moment, stunned that he had actually acted on his impulses. What the bloody hell was I thinking? "I-" he stammered a bit. Thinking quickly, he continued, "Would you like some hot chocolate?" gesturing to the cup in his hands.
Her features softened, and she favored him with a wry grin. "I was going to get my own, thanks."
Fascinated by that small quirk in her lips, he shook his head. "You look as though you’re freezing your arse off." He held the cup out to her. "Here. I insist."
She gave him a doubtful look. It was his turn to grin wryly. "I haven't poisoned it." Thank Merlin I'm not wearing my colors.
The girl seemed a bit fascinated by his smile, which caused him to grin even more widely. Flushing in embarrassment when she realized she'd been caught staring, she took the proffered cup.
They stood in silence as she finished off the rest of the hot chocolate. She looked up after she was done, offering him the empty cup with a whispered, "Thanks."
He'd been studying her the entire time she was drinking, and found something very appealing about the curve of her neck and the laugh lines around her mouth. He knew that he was attracted to her, and from the look she'd given him earlier, he fancied she found him attractive too.
Smirking, he decided to be bold. "I was hoping for a different sort of thanks," he murmured, looking at her lips intently.
She flushed and shrank back little. "Well-" she started, her voice faltering, "I could, er, tutor you for one of your classes..."
"That’s not what I meant, kitten," Adrian purred as he stepped closer to her. She shrank back, her eyes widening at bit in apprehension, even as they snapped indignantly at the new nickname.
Anticipating her movements, he quickly gripped her upper arms with his hands and drew her closer before she could evade him.
She was clearly frightened at this point. Adrian smiled softly to reassure her and whispered, "I’m not going to hurt you, kitten. I just wanted a wee little kiss."
Still keeping his grip on her left arm, he lifted her other hand to stroke her cheek. Soft, he mused as his leather-gloved fingers drew whimsical designs on her smooth skin. Her eyes closed involuntarily, but her lower lip was still trembling. He couldn’t bear the temptation any longer, and quickly caught her lips with his.
Her lips were soft and warm from the hot chocolate, but the rest of her face was still cold. Adrian nearly groaned in bliss from the sweet taste of chocolate on her lips and an inexplicable... something that was definitely her. He barely restrained himself from deepening the kiss, and broke away, releasing his grip on her arm at the same time.
Adrian instantly regretted breaking off the kiss; her lips were reddened and slightly swollen, curved in lazy half-smile. Her eyes remained closed for a moment, then she opened them reluctantly. She had been fetching before; now, she was bloody beautiful.
They stood there, silently regarding each other. Finally, she smirked a bit and said, "You shouldn’t call me that."
Adrian raised an eyebrow and asked, "Why not?" She certainly looks like a very wet kitten.
In a flash, she whipped out her wand and pressed its point against his throat. "Because," she continued conversationally, "it's stupid to call someone a kitten when she has claws like mine." And just as quickly, she stowed her wand in her pocket and slipped past him towards the castle.
Adrian stood still, staring at the snow as his mind raced. It’s not ‘stupid,’ kitten, he mused, It’s a challenge. And I bloody well accept.
With a determined look, Adrian reentered the castle in search of the elusive Gryffindor.
Finite Incantatem