2008_drabbles - Table C (Women)
I know some of the children think I am overreacting, putting the family clock in the attic. For all they complained about my keeping such a close eye on them when they were younger, they’ve developed an attachment to it. But none of them are parents yet. They don’t understand how painful it is to see that one hand forever stopped at “mortal peril.” Or worse yet, the gap that would remain if I were to remove it.
Perhaps some day, I will be willing to bring it downstairs again. But that will be a very long time from now.
Title: Linguistics
Pairings: Bill/Fleur
Rating: PG
Warnings: None
“Non, non, non, you silly man!” With a wave of her wand, Fleur rearranges the sentence diagram. “Ze indirect object belongs on zis line, see? Which means ze pronoun goes ‘ere, and ze direct object…et voila!”
Bill shakes his head. “Why in Merlin’s name did you ask me for lessons when you know the language better than I do? To prove French superiority?”
“Well, yes…” Her fingers make their way up his shoulder to the collar of his robes. “But I ‘ad ‘oped to do so in a slightly different fashion.”
Bill grins. “That, I think I can help with.”
Title: Family Secrets
Pairings: Gen
Rating: G
Warnings: DH spoilers (sort of)
I suppose it is no secret that I am fond of you because you remind me of myself at your age, Miss Granger. But I do not believe you have guessed how much we have in common. My parents were Muggles as well.
I understand your surprise. No, none of the Death Eaters knew. You see, during Grindelwald’s rise, being Muggleborn was even more dangerous. So I took great pains to hide my parents. I gave then a new life, and then I made them forget me. I only wish I had your courage to…
Miss Granger? Are you crying?
Title: Thinking of You
Pairings: Lucius/Narcissa
Rating: G
Warnings: None
All things considered, I believe I am managing Lucius’s absence well. The key, I have found, is to keep myself busy. My social calendar is understandably emptier, but that leaves me with more opportunities to pursue house elf breeding and training: a hobby I have taken particular interest in since we lost that particularly disobedient one a few years ago. Then, of course, there is the letter writing to Draco to be done, as well as sundry other errands that it would not be prudent to share here.
No, I have little difficulty during the day. Nights are another matter.
Title: Something Old, Something Blue
Pairings: Draco/Pansy (unrequited)
Rating: G
Warnings: DH and interview spoilers
No one ever needed to ask what I wanted to be when I grew up. I was the future Pansy Malfoy, securer of our families’ bloodlines. The rest was immaterial.
Then the Dark Lord lost, and suddenly there was no security in associating with the Girl Who Had Been Willing to Give Up the Boy Who Lived Yet Again, let alone in marrying her. I learned of Draco’s engagement from the Prophet. No wedding invitation was ever sent.
I understand their reasoning, but all the same, I would have liked to see the woman who grew up to be me.
Third Place - Best Gen
Title: Look at Me
Pairings: Gen
Rating: PG
Warnings: None
“Rosmerta, there’s something I’ve always wondered,” said Minerva one night, after one too many rounds.
“Shoot, honey.”
The professor pointed a shaky finger at Rosmerta’s turquoise heels. “Why do you wear those?”
Rosmerta grinned, then called out to a male patron across the bar. “Gerald! What color are my shoes?”
Gerald blinked. “They’re blue, aren’t they?”
She nodded to the man next to him. “Eddie?”
Eddie directed a bleary stare somewhere south of her face. “You have shoes on?”
Turning back to Professor McGonagall, Rosmerta grinned even wider. “See? How else could I tell which ones are worth owling sober?”
Title: Separation Anxiety
Pairings: Michael/Cho
Rating: PG
Warnings: None
"Ow!" Michael winces and rubs his reddening cheek. “What was that for?”
Cho puts her hands on her hips. “Ginny Weasley! Don’t pretend you weren’t watching her while we were kissing!”
Michael goggles. “How could you possibly know unless you had your eyes open, too?”
“So you admit it!”
“You’re completely mental!” He finally manages to close his mouth, then shakes his head and starts to walk away.
She watches him go with tears in her eyes, but not without a certain amount of satisfaction. And to think that Marietta didn’t believe her when she said they all leave eventually.
Title: Forsaking All Others
Pairings: Ted/Andromeda
Rating: G
Warnings: None
“You’re not just saying you like it, right?” Ted asks anxiously as Andromeda continues to stare down at her ring finger. “I can always exchange it for something fancier. It’s not a question of money. You’ve just always preferred everything else simple, so I thought…”
“No, I love it.” She smiles up at him, putting the heirlooms Rodolphus presented Bella with at their engagement, or the ones Lucius will undoubtedly give Narcissa some day out of her mind. She works especially hard not to think of the family fuss and bother over the gifts. “Anything else would be too heavy.”
Perhaps some day, I will be willing to bring it downstairs again. But that will be a very long time from now.
Title: Linguistics
Pairings: Bill/Fleur
Rating: PG
Warnings: None
“Non, non, non, you silly man!” With a wave of her wand, Fleur rearranges the sentence diagram. “Ze indirect object belongs on zis line, see? Which means ze pronoun goes ‘ere, and ze direct object…et voila!”
Bill shakes his head. “Why in Merlin’s name did you ask me for lessons when you know the language better than I do? To prove French superiority?”
“Well, yes…” Her fingers make their way up his shoulder to the collar of his robes. “But I ‘ad ‘oped to do so in a slightly different fashion.”
Bill grins. “That, I think I can help with.”
Title: Family Secrets
Pairings: Gen
Rating: G
Warnings: DH spoilers (sort of)
I suppose it is no secret that I am fond of you because you remind me of myself at your age, Miss Granger. But I do not believe you have guessed how much we have in common. My parents were Muggles as well.
I understand your surprise. No, none of the Death Eaters knew. You see, during Grindelwald’s rise, being Muggleborn was even more dangerous. So I took great pains to hide my parents. I gave then a new life, and then I made them forget me. I only wish I had your courage to…
Miss Granger? Are you crying?
Title: Thinking of You
Pairings: Lucius/Narcissa
Rating: G
Warnings: None
All things considered, I believe I am managing Lucius’s absence well. The key, I have found, is to keep myself busy. My social calendar is understandably emptier, but that leaves me with more opportunities to pursue house elf breeding and training: a hobby I have taken particular interest in since we lost that particularly disobedient one a few years ago. Then, of course, there is the letter writing to Draco to be done, as well as sundry other errands that it would not be prudent to share here.
No, I have little difficulty during the day. Nights are another matter.
Title: Something Old, Something Blue
Pairings: Draco/Pansy (unrequited)
Rating: G
Warnings: DH and interview spoilers
No one ever needed to ask what I wanted to be when I grew up. I was the future Pansy Malfoy, securer of our families’ bloodlines. The rest was immaterial.
Then the Dark Lord lost, and suddenly there was no security in associating with the Girl Who Had Been Willing to Give Up the Boy Who Lived Yet Again, let alone in marrying her. I learned of Draco’s engagement from the Prophet. No wedding invitation was ever sent.
I understand their reasoning, but all the same, I would have liked to see the woman who grew up to be me.
Third Place - Best Gen
Title: Look at Me
Pairings: Gen
Rating: PG
Warnings: None
“Rosmerta, there’s something I’ve always wondered,” said Minerva one night, after one too many rounds.
“Shoot, honey.”
The professor pointed a shaky finger at Rosmerta’s turquoise heels. “Why do you wear those?”
Rosmerta grinned, then called out to a male patron across the bar. “Gerald! What color are my shoes?”
Gerald blinked. “They’re blue, aren’t they?”
She nodded to the man next to him. “Eddie?”
Eddie directed a bleary stare somewhere south of her face. “You have shoes on?”
Turning back to Professor McGonagall, Rosmerta grinned even wider. “See? How else could I tell which ones are worth owling sober?”
Title: Separation Anxiety
Pairings: Michael/Cho
Rating: PG
Warnings: None
"Ow!" Michael winces and rubs his reddening cheek. “What was that for?”
Cho puts her hands on her hips. “Ginny Weasley! Don’t pretend you weren’t watching her while we were kissing!”
Michael goggles. “How could you possibly know unless you had your eyes open, too?”
“So you admit it!”
“You’re completely mental!” He finally manages to close his mouth, then shakes his head and starts to walk away.
She watches him go with tears in her eyes, but not without a certain amount of satisfaction. And to think that Marietta didn’t believe her when she said they all leave eventually.
Title: Forsaking All Others
Pairings: Ted/Andromeda
Rating: G
Warnings: None
“You’re not just saying you like it, right?” Ted asks anxiously as Andromeda continues to stare down at her ring finger. “I can always exchange it for something fancier. It’s not a question of money. You’ve just always preferred everything else simple, so I thought…”
“No, I love it.” She smiles up at him, putting the heirlooms Rodolphus presented Bella with at their engagement, or the ones Lucius will undoubtedly give Narcissa some day out of her mind. She works especially hard not to think of the family fuss and bother over the gifts. “Anything else would be too heavy.”