March Madness
Below are my two entries in the romancingwizard March Madness Challenge. I hope you enjoy them!
Challenge Twelve: March Madness
Title: Starting Over
Author: ladywhitehart
Wizard/Witch: Gregory Goyle/Eloise Midgen
Rating/Warnings: G/PG
Genre: Romance/Despair
Word count: 500
Prompt:skin deep
Summary: Now that his so-called friends have abandoned him, Gregory Goyle is left to find true friendship and possibly even true love. Takes place at the end of Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince.
You're stupid and worthless! Those had been Malfoy's parting words to Gregory Goyle. Now Malfoy was gone. On top of that, Blaise Zabini was avoiding him and Vincent. Zabini was comforting Pansy Parkinson since she couldn't drape herself over Malfoy anymore.
Gregory put the last few things in his trunk. Chances were that he wouldn't be able to come back to Hogwarts next year. He had trusted Malfoy just the same way his father had a generation earlier. He slammed the lid of his trunk closed. Malfoy had been right; he had just been stupid to believe in all of it.
Hours later on the train, Gregory lumbered up and down the nearly-empty train car. Vincent's parents had come to the school after Dumbledore's funeral to take him home, and Zabini had informed Gregory that he would rather not have his company during the trip home. This left the young man completely on his own for what might very well be his last trip on the Hogwarts Express. He shoved open the door of what he thought was an empty compartment.
"What do you want?" demanded a pimply-faced girl, who was sketching a picture of spring flowers.
"I thought it was empty."
"Wait. Aren't you friends with Draco Malfoy?"
He shook his head. "Not really."
"What do you mean 'not really'?"
"I mean, he's not really my friend- not anymore." He turned to leave the compartment.
"You may sit with me if you like." She indicated the vacant seat across from her. "By the way, I'm Eloise Midgen. And you're... Vincent Crabbe?"
"Gregory Goyle," he corrected. "Aren't you afraid to sit with a Slytherin after what happened at school?"
"If you don't count Draco Malfoy as your friend, you probably aren't dangerous," Eloise reasoned. "Now, what made you decide that you aren't really Malfoy's friend?"
"Uh..." Suddenly, every slight that he endured from Malfoy under the guise of friendship tumbled out of his mouth. Eloise sat, listening patiently, until he said, "I guess Malfoy was right; I'm just stupid and worthless after all."
"I don't think so. You're clever to figure it out." She sighed. "It's better than being pimply and ugly. Not to mention dense enough to think Extracto Mendum was a real spell."
He looked at his traveling companion. Eloise was homely. She was short-ish and plump-ish. Her stringy, brown hair was parted severely down the center and hung limply on either side of her pale, pock-marked face. Unfortunately, her acne seemed to be her only distinguishing feature. Gregory decided that he liked her eyes; they were a warm, honest brown. She had been nice enough to not only let him share her compartment, but she had also listened to his problems. Maybe beauty was only skin deep. Perhaps he had finally found a real friend. If he was really fortunate, he could even have something more.
"You're not ugly," he said, offering his hand. "I would like to get to know you better."
Eloise smiled, accepting it.
Author's Notes: Since we weren't given a name for the anti-acne spell Miss Midgen tried to use, I decided to give it a name. It comes from the Latin extractum, meaning "to remove" and mendum, meaning "blemish".
Challenge Twelve: March Madness
Title: Love the One You're With
Author: ladywhitehart
Wizard/Witch: Michael Corner/Romilda Vane
Rating/Warnings: G/PG mild language
Genre: Romance/Humor
Word count: 500
Prompt: jealous rage
Summary: After her dreams of securing Harry Potter's affections are dashed, Romilda Vane goes on the warpath. Who can stop her? A missing HBP moment.
Romilda Vane burst out of the portrait hole of the Gryffindor common room in a jealous rage. She couldn't believe what she had just seen: Harry Potter had kissed Ginny Weasley in front of everyone in the Gryffindor common room! She stormed through the corridor. I hate her. I hate her! I HATE HER!
Vicious thoughts filled her mind as she stomped down to the main floor. When she rounded the corner, she collided with something solid and landed squarely on her backside.
"Are you all right?" Michael Corner asked as he helped her up.
"Yes," she mumbled, brushing the furious tears from her cheeks.
He stared at her, confused. "Then why are you crying? Gryffindor won the Cup, thanks to Gin--"
"Don't even mention her name!" Romilda threatened. "What I wouldn't give to zap that red-headed bitch with her stupid Bat Boogey Hex!"
She reached into her pocket, and Michael, thinking the angry girl wouldn't be so picky about her target, took a step back. To his immense relief, she pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes. Romilda ranted about how she had been trying to get Harry to notice her for months, leaving out the part about the love potion. When she got to the part about him kissing Ginny in the common room, she leaned against the wall next to the painting of the three witches picnicking in a glorious spring meadow and burst into tears.
Michael had been watching her since Christmas, trying to work up the nerve to ask her out. Seizing the opportunity to express his interest, he said, "Well, that's Harry's loss."
Romilda stopped mid-sob. "What do you mean?"
"You're much prettier than Ginny," he began. She looked up at him suspiciously. "Sincerely! You also know what you want, and you go after it. I like your bold personality. You get a wicked glint in your eye when you talk about--"
"How would you know?"
He hesitated. "I-I've been watching you and-"
"How long have you been watching me?" Romilda demanded, trying to decided if she should be flattered or uneasy.
"Long enough to know someone would be lucky to have you for a girlfriend." He felt his face turn red. "I really like you, Romilda. I think you're clever and pretty and... Would you go out with me?"
She had been so caught up in trying to get Harry, she didn't even think of the possibility that any other boy would find her attractive. She looked him up and down. His dark hair was neatly combed, and his brown eyes shone with warmth. His shoulders were broad, and he also very good-looking. Who needed The Boy Who Lived when one could have The Good-looking Boy Who Noticed You?
"Are you serious?"
"Very," he assured her. "Unless you still fancy Potter."
"Not a bit," she said, smiling.
"Good." He reached out to take her hand, both of them looking forward to a long walk around the lake in the spring sunshine.
Author's Notes: Thanks to veritybrown for double-checking everything.
Challenge Twelve: March Madness
Title: Starting Over
Author: ladywhitehart
Wizard/Witch: Gregory Goyle/Eloise Midgen
Rating/Warnings: G/PG
Genre: Romance/Despair
Word count: 500
Prompt:skin deep
Summary: Now that his so-called friends have abandoned him, Gregory Goyle is left to find true friendship and possibly even true love. Takes place at the end of Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince.
You're stupid and worthless! Those had been Malfoy's parting words to Gregory Goyle. Now Malfoy was gone. On top of that, Blaise Zabini was avoiding him and Vincent. Zabini was comforting Pansy Parkinson since she couldn't drape herself over Malfoy anymore.
Gregory put the last few things in his trunk. Chances were that he wouldn't be able to come back to Hogwarts next year. He had trusted Malfoy just the same way his father had a generation earlier. He slammed the lid of his trunk closed. Malfoy had been right; he had just been stupid to believe in all of it.
Hours later on the train, Gregory lumbered up and down the nearly-empty train car. Vincent's parents had come to the school after Dumbledore's funeral to take him home, and Zabini had informed Gregory that he would rather not have his company during the trip home. This left the young man completely on his own for what might very well be his last trip on the Hogwarts Express. He shoved open the door of what he thought was an empty compartment.
"What do you want?" demanded a pimply-faced girl, who was sketching a picture of spring flowers.
"I thought it was empty."
"Wait. Aren't you friends with Draco Malfoy?"
He shook his head. "Not really."
"What do you mean 'not really'?"
"I mean, he's not really my friend- not anymore." He turned to leave the compartment.
"You may sit with me if you like." She indicated the vacant seat across from her. "By the way, I'm Eloise Midgen. And you're... Vincent Crabbe?"
"Gregory Goyle," he corrected. "Aren't you afraid to sit with a Slytherin after what happened at school?"
"If you don't count Draco Malfoy as your friend, you probably aren't dangerous," Eloise reasoned. "Now, what made you decide that you aren't really Malfoy's friend?"
"Uh..." Suddenly, every slight that he endured from Malfoy under the guise of friendship tumbled out of his mouth. Eloise sat, listening patiently, until he said, "I guess Malfoy was right; I'm just stupid and worthless after all."
"I don't think so. You're clever to figure it out." She sighed. "It's better than being pimply and ugly. Not to mention dense enough to think Extracto Mendum was a real spell."
He looked at his traveling companion. Eloise was homely. She was short-ish and plump-ish. Her stringy, brown hair was parted severely down the center and hung limply on either side of her pale, pock-marked face. Unfortunately, her acne seemed to be her only distinguishing feature. Gregory decided that he liked her eyes; they were a warm, honest brown. She had been nice enough to not only let him share her compartment, but she had also listened to his problems. Maybe beauty was only skin deep. Perhaps he had finally found a real friend. If he was really fortunate, he could even have something more.
"You're not ugly," he said, offering his hand. "I would like to get to know you better."
Eloise smiled, accepting it.
Author's Notes: Since we weren't given a name for the anti-acne spell Miss Midgen tried to use, I decided to give it a name. It comes from the Latin extractum, meaning "to remove" and mendum, meaning "blemish".
Challenge Twelve: March Madness
Title: Love the One You're With
Author: ladywhitehart
Wizard/Witch: Michael Corner/Romilda Vane
Rating/Warnings: G/PG mild language
Genre: Romance/Humor
Word count: 500
Prompt: jealous rage
Summary: After her dreams of securing Harry Potter's affections are dashed, Romilda Vane goes on the warpath. Who can stop her? A missing HBP moment.
Romilda Vane burst out of the portrait hole of the Gryffindor common room in a jealous rage. She couldn't believe what she had just seen: Harry Potter had kissed Ginny Weasley in front of everyone in the Gryffindor common room! She stormed through the corridor. I hate her. I hate her! I HATE HER!
Vicious thoughts filled her mind as she stomped down to the main floor. When she rounded the corner, she collided with something solid and landed squarely on her backside.
"Are you all right?" Michael Corner asked as he helped her up.
"Yes," she mumbled, brushing the furious tears from her cheeks.
He stared at her, confused. "Then why are you crying? Gryffindor won the Cup, thanks to Gin--"
"Don't even mention her name!" Romilda threatened. "What I wouldn't give to zap that red-headed bitch with her stupid Bat Boogey Hex!"
She reached into her pocket, and Michael, thinking the angry girl wouldn't be so picky about her target, took a step back. To his immense relief, she pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes. Romilda ranted about how she had been trying to get Harry to notice her for months, leaving out the part about the love potion. When she got to the part about him kissing Ginny in the common room, she leaned against the wall next to the painting of the three witches picnicking in a glorious spring meadow and burst into tears.
Michael had been watching her since Christmas, trying to work up the nerve to ask her out. Seizing the opportunity to express his interest, he said, "Well, that's Harry's loss."
Romilda stopped mid-sob. "What do you mean?"
"You're much prettier than Ginny," he began. She looked up at him suspiciously. "Sincerely! You also know what you want, and you go after it. I like your bold personality. You get a wicked glint in your eye when you talk about--"
"How would you know?"
He hesitated. "I-I've been watching you and-"
"How long have you been watching me?" Romilda demanded, trying to decided if she should be flattered or uneasy.
"Long enough to know someone would be lucky to have you for a girlfriend." He felt his face turn red. "I really like you, Romilda. I think you're clever and pretty and... Would you go out with me?"
She had been so caught up in trying to get Harry, she didn't even think of the possibility that any other boy would find her attractive. She looked him up and down. His dark hair was neatly combed, and his brown eyes shone with warmth. His shoulders were broad, and he also very good-looking. Who needed The Boy Who Lived when one could have The Good-looking Boy Who Noticed You?
"Are you serious?"
"Very," he assured her. "Unless you still fancy Potter."
"Not a bit," she said, smiling.
"Good." He reached out to take her hand, both of them looking forward to a long walk around the lake in the spring sunshine.
Author's Notes: Thanks to veritybrown for double-checking everything.