Interim Competition 1: Drabbles
13 drabbles (yay!) quite good turn out I think and I'm so happy to see so many new drabblers. Don't worry, I understand you'll all abandon me when it comes to Round 3 but I'll get over it... lol :P
Usual 1-10 scale, normal voting rules etc. Any question. let me know!
Below the cuts are the drabbles and the poll for the twelth and final challenge of Round 2 of [info]rwhg_ldws.
If you wish to submit your scores as a comment, please feel free to do so, the comments to this post are screened.
• Please mark the drabbles out of 10.
• If you are taking part, please do not vote for your own drabble.
• Please mark ALL of the drabbles. If you don't, none of your scores will count.
• The order of the drabbles random.
Interim Competition: Drabbles
Drabble 1
Author: emmacmf
Title: If At First You Don't Succeed … Hermione'll Do It For You
Rating: G
Word Count: 250
Ron sighed with relief as Harry walked into the room. 'Mate, you're a life-saver,' he moaned. 'This is a bloody nightmare.'
Harry sat next to him, and looked at the tangle of wires and plastic on the rug. 'Ginny's up to her eyes in paper and spellotape, and she'll murder us if I'm not back in an hour.'
'Best get cracking then,' said Ron, handing him a screwdriver. 'You were raised Muggle, it should be a doddle.'
Snorting, Harry bent over the pile of pieces and tried to organise them into some kind of order. 'Yeah, because the Dursleys let me have stuff like this all the time,' he scoffed, attempting to slot two pieces together and then swearing as one slipped and a metal peg scored his thumb. 'Bastard! he hissed, sucking at the gash.
Hermione popped her head around the door, and grinned at Harry. 'Thought I heard your voice,' she said cheerfully. 'Oh, for goodness sake Ron, you're not still trying to put the Scaletrix together? At this rate, Hugo'll have to put it together in the morning. It really isn't that difficult!'
She crossed the room in three long strides and rummaged through the jumble of track pieces, coming up with a piece of paper. 'Why do men refuse to read the instructions?' she huffed, as she clicked the track together. 'There. That wasn't hard, was it?'
Ron grinned at Harry as Hermione left the room. 'Knew she'd eventually get annoyed and do it for me.'
Drabble 2
Author: daisy_button
Title: If at first you don’t succeed…
Rating: G
Word Count: 200
“Just try again,” Hermione said, looking into Ron’s eyes, “I know you can do it.”
“I really can’t Hermione. I’ll never Apparate.”
“Just do what I do,” Hermione said as she stepped forward, turned on the spot and appeared on the other side of the room, “it’s as simple as one, two, three.”
He looked at her as she approached him.
“What part of can’t do it, don’t you understand?”
“The can’t part. If at first you don’t succeed…” she looked at him.
“Try and try again,” he added looking happier, “I know”.
Hermione had a smug look on her face as she Apparated to the seat opposite Ron. “Ready?” Hermione asked.
“Ready.”
“One, two, three…”
The unmistakeable sound of someone Apparating echoed around the room. Hermione jumped up and ran across the street to Madam Puddifoot’s Teashop, but Ron wasn’t there. The ministry examiner entered the room with a smiling Ron.
“Ron! You did it!”
“He ended up in Scrivenshaft’s; good, but not quite good enough to pass. He’ll need to do better in the exam,” said the short ministry worker.
“Don’t worry,” Hermione said, “I’ll help him.” She gave Ron a hug and whispered, “Try and try again.”
Drabble 3
Author: risiepookie
Title: Scratching the Itch
Rating: PG-13 for suggestive naughtiness
Word Count: 250
“Just give up,” you groan wearily into the pillow, but you smile when he grunts “never” and continues to run his hands over you.
“You’ve been at it for ages. Your hands must be tired.”
“I’m not stopping until you’re satisfied.”
“Could be a while.”
“I’m patient.”
You snort at him and he punishes you with a light smack on your bottom.
“I’m diligent. And I’m going to get this right.”
“To the left- no, my left… Down, you went too far, okay now slightly to the right… Almost there!” Your voices raises in intensity before you hold your breath, but his fingers fall just short of their target and you nearly scream with frustration.
“Maybe we need to get it wet,” he says and you roll your eyes.
“That’s not the problem. You’re being too gentle. Harder!”
“It’s getting red; I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Please,” you plead and he sighs before rubbing harder, his fingernails starting to dig into your flesh. He mutters under his breath about you being a nutter, but you really don’t care anymore once he hits the spot.
“Right there- don’t stop! Yes, yes, okay… enough, I’m done.”
You roll away to catch your breath, quickly kissing him as he climbs up toward you with a cheeky grin on his face.
“We really oughta get you a back-scratcher so you don’t have to wait for me to get home.”
You smile, having no intention of doing so. “This is way more fun.”
Drabble 4
Author: mollywheezy
Title: If at First You Don’t Succeed . . .
Rating: PG
Word Count: 248
“How was it?” Hugo Granger asked anxiously.
Ron grinned at his father-in-law, “I passed!”
“Well done, Ron! I knew you could do it, and you even passed on your first try! Why don’t you drive us home?”
“That’d be great!”
As Ron drove home, he relaxed more than he ever had before with driving. He began to look around at the scenery, and ask Hugo questions about any Muggle things he saw that he didn’t understand.
Ron noticed a bumper sticker on a car that didn’t make sense. “Hugo, what is that bumper sticker talking about?”
“Which one, Ron?”
“If at first you don’t succeed, then skydiving isn’t for you.”
Hugo laughed loudly.
“What’s funny?” Ron said defensively.
“I’m not laughing at you, Ron. Skydiving is jumping out of an aeroplane and then parachuting to the ground.”
“Why would anyone jump out of an aeroplane? That’s completely mental!”
“Well, some people think it’s exciting or fun. And of course, the military does it to infiltrate enemy lines sometimes. One of my coworkers did a tandem skydive when she was younger. She was attached to a professional to make it safer, and she thought it was brilliant.”
“I still think it’s mental. It’s so dangerous!”
“Says the person who broke into Gringotts to steal a cup containing a piece of the soul of the most evil wizard ever, and then escaped by flying on the back of a dragon.”
“Good point.” Ron and Hugo both laughed.
Drabble 5
Author: brumeaux77
Title: YawannagoHogsmeade?
Rating: G
Word Count: 250
In fifth year, Ron thought it might be a nice idea to go into Hogsmeade with Hermione and get some butterbeer. Just the two of them. Even without Harry. Not a date! Good grief, no. Only friends. But just two friends. For a change, you see.
He got as far as gaping a bit at her. Hermione gave him a very strange look, and asked if he had something stuck in his throat. He shut his mouth, shook his head, and scuttled away.
-----
In sixth year he tried again. “YawannagoHogsmeadebutterbeertwofus?” Hermione might almost have deciphered this but Harry was not as far off as Ron had thought. And he’d had plenty of practice understanding not-nearly-awake Ron. The only thing he seemed to have missed here was the word two. “Great idea,” he said.
So the three of them went down to the Three Broomsticks, like always. Hermione gave him a few sidelong glances though.
-----
Horcrux hunting: couldn’t ask for a date then. Besides, where would they go? After the battle, Harry needed all the emotional support they could give him. It wasn’t the time.
-----
But after Harry started Auror training there was no excuse for putting it off. “Erm,” he began. “I thought…”
Hermione looked at him. Was it an encouraging look?
“Would you like to have dinner with me?”
She opened her mouth, but bit off the word. He could see the tears in her eyes. Then she nodded. “I’d like that very much.”
Try, try again, he thought.
Drabble 6
Author: shocolate
Title: Persistence Pays Off
Rating: Hard R
Word Count: 250
A/N(optional):
"Okay," Harry said, "poke me."
I put out one shaking forefinger and poked him between the eyes, knocking his glasses off.
"Close enough," he said. "Didn't feel a thing."
"So, you're drunk?" I asked.
"Close enough," he said. "Shouldn't remember a thing."
"She wants to have sex with me," I said, "at Christmas."
"Is that your present?" he asked.
"I don't think so," I said. "'nless she gives me a sex book and tests me on it."
"Still," he said. "Don't you want to have sex?"
"Of course I do! It's just... huge."
"Your... equipment?"
"No."
"Hermione's?"
"No! Doing... it."
"A huge step," he clarified.
I nodded.
"But you've... done stuff?" he asked carefully.
"Stuff," I agreed.
"Stuff with... hands?"
"Hands, yes."
"She's made you... happy, with her hands?"
"Very happy," I said firmly. "And my hands have made her happier than I ever thought possible."
"Uh, good," he said, looking at my hands. "But don't poke me, anymore."
I nodded.
"So, sex is next, then?" he prompted.
"Well, it's on my list," I said, "but I was gonna propose..."
"No way!" he interrupted.
"What?"
"You were gonna propose?"
"Not marriage, you arse," I spluttered. "Blow jobs!"
"Right," he said. "I s'pose they do... come next."
I nodded.
"So, you haven't..."
"I've asked her," I admitted. "Quite often, actually. Quite, quite often."
"But she won't?"
"She... changes the subject," I said sadly.
"Well," he said encouragingly, "keep asking; you know what they say, 'if at first you don't suck seed...'"
Drabble 7
Author: jo_ron
Title: The First Time
Rating: pg
Word Count: 242
A/N(optional):
The first time they did it was horrible. It was messy and sweaty and just horrible.
Hermione said that they should never talk about it.
Ron thought it wasn’t too bad for a first time, but that they should just practice and learn how to do it right.
Harry thought it was bloody time they stopped talking about it and finally did something.
Ginny couldn’t believe that Hermione was willing to talk about it in front of their family.
George just smiled, saving the information.
It was Molly who surprised them all. She walked up to Hermione and put a gentle arm around her shoulder. “Mr. Weasley and I were rubbish at it the first time. I wanted to quit, but look at us now. Seven children, happy as can be. You should give it a second try.”
This gave Hermione hope. If Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had been rubbish but could now do it without even thinking about it, maybe there was hope for her and Ron.
The next night, Ron arrived home to their flat, finding Hermione wearing an apron. “We don’t have to try so soon,” Ron said, clutching his stomach. “I’m not sure I can live though another disaster.”
“I think we’ll be okay, Ron.” Hermione showed him the cookbook. “We’re going to start with something simple this time. Pasta. We shouldn’t have tried something so complicated like a roast for our first home cooked meal.”
Drabble 8
Author: solstice_muse
Title:The Ruffian
Rating: PG
Word Count:249
A/N(optional):
On their first date he hadn't been allowed into the Muggle restaurant he'd booked because of his trainers. He'd had to knock on the window and wave at her to come out so he could explain why he was now taking her to the nearest chippy.
"Sorry, you deserve better than this," he'd mumbled into his bag of chips.
She prodded him with her little wooden fork.
"I don't mind now that I'm finally on a date with you. That's what I deserve!" She laughed.
"The bloke on the door said I was a 'ruffian'. You really think you deserve a ruffian?"
"You've got to take the rough with the smooth," she said with a greasy grin, "and you're very smooth, Ron Weasley."
"Smooth people don't end up sitting on a kerb eating chips out of rolled up paper." Ron licked his fingers and rolled his eyes.
"Smooth people make up for it with the second date," Hermione said as she nudged him in the side. "You know what they say? If at first you don't succeed..."
"Punch Malfoy again!" Ron offered, happily.
"Or maybe cook me something at home and wear whatever you want?" Hermione laughed.
"You just want to see me in a pinny," Ron said with a grin as he leaned in closer to her.
"And you just want to punch Malfoy again," she chuckled back into his face before they met in a deep fried kiss.
"Look out for those rough edges," Ron said, smiling.
Drabble 9
Author: harrysmom
Title:Try Again
Rating: G
Word Count: 250 exactly
A/N(optional): Please excuse that this is movie Hermione. It fit better that way. Thanks to Shannon for the beta work. :)
“Daddy?”
Ron looked up from the Daily Prophet to see his eleven year old daughter standing in front of him, a perplexed look on her face.
“When did you meet Mummy?”
”On the train to Hogwarts, first year. I was sitting with Uncle Harry and she came into the compartment, looking for Neville’s toad, Trevor. Why?”
Rose ignored his question and instead asked, “Did she know who Uncle Harry was?”
“I don’t doubt it, as she had already read Hogwarts: A History,” Ron said. “But I don’t think she came in to meet him. She was helping Neville. Why?”
“No reason,” Rose replied. She thought for a moment and then asked, “Did she try to do magic?”
Ron almost grimaced at the memory of a know-it-all, bushy haired Hermione. “Yes, Mummy did a spell to fix Uncle Harry’s glasses. Why?” Ron asked for the third time.
“No reason,” Rose repeated, the perplexed look still on her face. “Did she say or do anything else?”
“I think she told me I had dirt on my nose. Rose, what are you getting at?”
Rose looked at her father; her brown eyes so much like her mother’s that Ron could almost see Hermione’s intelligence reflecting back at him. Slowly she began to nod, a smile forming on her lips.
“Now it makes sense. She tried again.”
”Rose?” Ron had no clue what his daughter was talking about.
“Daddy,” Rose said exasperatedly, “Mummy told me if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.”
Drabble 10
Author: bendleshnitz1
Title: Busted
Rating: G
Word Count: 250
A/N(optional): Thanks to my lovely beta T :)
“Daddy, are you sure about this?” asked the six-year-old girl, trying to break the eggs with not much success.
“Trust me, Rosie-bud. After your mum sees our perfect, home-made birthday cake for Hugo, she will apologise for suggesting I should buy one”, Ron said with a smug smile, while throwing a fifth cup of flour into the bowl, which was already half full with milk and eggs.
“But...Daddy...I don’t think a cake has to be this colour before getting in the oven”, said Rose eyeing the bubbling, liquid preparation suspiciously.
“Oh f-", He stopped just in time, watching his innocent daughter staring at him wide eyed. “Ff...flower’s...erm...potions! I mean...shoot!” He started desperately cleaning the mess in the kitchen and trying to scrape the sticky dough off the bowl with a spatula.
“Well...”, Ron sighed, watching Rose with her arms and face covered in flour. “You know what they say sweety...’If at first you don’t succeed...’”
“Try...try again?”, offered the girl with a small smile.
“No, ‘destroy all evidence that you tried’”, he whispered to her conspiratoriously.
“Actually...”. A voice came from the stairs making both Weasleys turn, surprised at being caught.
“Oh oh...”, murmured Rose.
“Yes. ‘Oh-oh’. Because, actually, this time, the saying goes: ‘If at first you don’t succeed, do it the way your wife told you to’”, Hermione said, coming to the kitchen and fixing her husband with a reproachful look.
Second later, Ron could feel his daughter tugging his sleeve. “I think she’s right, Daddy”, she whispered, giggling.
“She always is Rose-bud...to my disgrace.” Sighing, he returned to his task. “I’ll clean this and then go to the bakery."
“Wouldn’t have it any other way, love.”
Drabble 11
Author: star54kar
Title: Try, Try Again
Rating: PG
Word Count: 250
A/N(optional): Just a little something my muse cooked up. I hope you enjoy.
*****
It was a beautiful day.
The sun was shining brightly and Ron was sitting on a blanket with Hermione in his arms.
Everything was perfect.
He reached into his pocket, grasped the small box inside, and---
"Hey, guys!" Hermione called out cheerfully as Harry and Ginny appeared along the path. "Come join us!"
The moment shattered, Ron left the box in his pocket and tried not to glare at his best mate. He would just have to wait.
*****
"Dinner was wonderful, Ron," Hermione said with a smile. "I never knew that you could cook."
Ron blushed and replied, "Well, Mum did help, a little."
"Well, it was a lovely surprise, thank you."
"You're welcome," Ron beamed as he reached into his pocket.
"Ron!" Percy's panicked voice called out from the Floo. "I need your help! One of George's experiments turned him into a canary! He's flying around and I don't how to counteract the effects!"
With an apologetic look at Hermione, Ron sighed, "I'll be right there."
*****
Sunday dinner at the Burrow was a crazy affair. As everyone gathered around the table, Ron stood up and called over the din, "Can I have everyone's attention for a minute?"
The room fell silent as Ron turned to Hermione and dropped down to one knee. He pulled out the box and opened it, revealing a beautiful diamond ring.
"Hermione, will you marry me?"
"Yes!" Hermione cried as she threw her arms around him and kissed him fiercely. "I thought you'd never ask!"
Drabble 12
Author: honourweasley12
Title: Persistence
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 250
A/N(optional):
Hermione drove him mental whenever she did that with her tongue.
Ron stared hungrily at his wife as she furiously scribbled away on a sheaf of parchment. The tip of her tongue poked out just past her soft pink lips, the unconscious gesture teasing him. It was a habit she'd always had when concentrating, but he hadn't really taken notice of it until fifth year.
"Not right now," she announced, without even looking up.
He grinned and positioned himself behind her chair, idly twirling a flyaway chestnut curl around his finger.
She reached up and batted his hand away. "Stop it, Ron."
Undeterred, he slowly traced a pattern down her graceful neck, his fingertips delicately teasing the surface of her skin.
"I need to finish this report," she groaned, the sound of defeat evident in her voice.
He began massaging her tense shoulders and whispered in her ear, "Finish it tomorrow, love. Let me take care of you now."
She moaned, but half-heartedly tried to squirm away. "I... I really must..."
He slid his hands down the front of her jumper and pressed a trail of warm kisses down her neck.
"Oh my!" she breathed. "Why do you have to be so..."
"What? Handsome, irresistible, sexy..."
"Persistent."
"You always encourage me to go after what I want."
He turned her head and tipped her chin up.
"And what is it you want?" she asked.
"You," he said before capturing her lips and teasing her with the tip of his tongue.
Drabble 13
Author: scribhneoir1
Title: By her side.
Rating: PG13
Word Count: 250
A/N(optional):
He should give up.
He knew that’s what they were all thinking but he refused to listen to them.
They didn’t know what he knew.
Every morning he would gently wake her up and guide her through her day with no hint of recognition in her beautiful eyes.
His heart would break every morning when she asked him who he was and yet he still would introduce himself with a smile.
He walked with her around the grounds in the morning, gently guiding her around the familiar paths and talking to her about anything and everything.
He would sit with her in the afternoon and read to her from the latest book he’d seen that he thought she would like.
It was the evening which brought the sign. The daily sign that he should never give up and should keep striving to reach her. Every evening, as he gently brushed her hair, her frail hand would touch his and the veil would be lifted. For that all too brief moment she would return to him. He would wipe away the tear which fell down her cheek as she looked in confusion at the room she found herself in. He would hold her gently in his arms when she uttered that one word.
“Ron?”
And so, he wouldn’t listen to those who told him to give up and stop trying. Every morning he would awaken in the hope that that would be the day that the brief moment would last forever.
Interim Competition: Voting
Poll Interim Competition 1: Voting
Usual 1-10 scale, normal voting rules etc. Any question. let me know!
Below the cuts are the drabbles and the poll for the twelth and final challenge of Round 2 of [info]rwhg_ldws.
If you wish to submit your scores as a comment, please feel free to do so, the comments to this post are screened.
• Please mark the drabbles out of 10.
• If you are taking part, please do not vote for your own drabble.
• Please mark ALL of the drabbles. If you don't, none of your scores will count.
• The order of the drabbles random.
Interim Competition: Drabbles
Drabble 1
Author: emmacmf
Title: If At First You Don't Succeed … Hermione'll Do It For You
Rating: G
Word Count: 250
Ron sighed with relief as Harry walked into the room. 'Mate, you're a life-saver,' he moaned. 'This is a bloody nightmare.'
Harry sat next to him, and looked at the tangle of wires and plastic on the rug. 'Ginny's up to her eyes in paper and spellotape, and she'll murder us if I'm not back in an hour.'
'Best get cracking then,' said Ron, handing him a screwdriver. 'You were raised Muggle, it should be a doddle.'
Snorting, Harry bent over the pile of pieces and tried to organise them into some kind of order. 'Yeah, because the Dursleys let me have stuff like this all the time,' he scoffed, attempting to slot two pieces together and then swearing as one slipped and a metal peg scored his thumb. 'Bastard! he hissed, sucking at the gash.
Hermione popped her head around the door, and grinned at Harry. 'Thought I heard your voice,' she said cheerfully. 'Oh, for goodness sake Ron, you're not still trying to put the Scaletrix together? At this rate, Hugo'll have to put it together in the morning. It really isn't that difficult!'
She crossed the room in three long strides and rummaged through the jumble of track pieces, coming up with a piece of paper. 'Why do men refuse to read the instructions?' she huffed, as she clicked the track together. 'There. That wasn't hard, was it?'
Ron grinned at Harry as Hermione left the room. 'Knew she'd eventually get annoyed and do it for me.'
Drabble 2
Author: daisy_button
Title: If at first you don’t succeed…
Rating: G
Word Count: 200
“Just try again,” Hermione said, looking into Ron’s eyes, “I know you can do it.”
“I really can’t Hermione. I’ll never Apparate.”
“Just do what I do,” Hermione said as she stepped forward, turned on the spot and appeared on the other side of the room, “it’s as simple as one, two, three.”
He looked at her as she approached him.
“What part of can’t do it, don’t you understand?”
“The can’t part. If at first you don’t succeed…” she looked at him.
“Try and try again,” he added looking happier, “I know”.
Hermione had a smug look on her face as she Apparated to the seat opposite Ron. “Ready?” Hermione asked.
“Ready.”
“One, two, three…”
The unmistakeable sound of someone Apparating echoed around the room. Hermione jumped up and ran across the street to Madam Puddifoot’s Teashop, but Ron wasn’t there. The ministry examiner entered the room with a smiling Ron.
“Ron! You did it!”
“He ended up in Scrivenshaft’s; good, but not quite good enough to pass. He’ll need to do better in the exam,” said the short ministry worker.
“Don’t worry,” Hermione said, “I’ll help him.” She gave Ron a hug and whispered, “Try and try again.”
Drabble 3
Author: risiepookie
Title: Scratching the Itch
Rating: PG-13 for suggestive naughtiness
Word Count: 250
“Just give up,” you groan wearily into the pillow, but you smile when he grunts “never” and continues to run his hands over you.
“You’ve been at it for ages. Your hands must be tired.”
“I’m not stopping until you’re satisfied.”
“Could be a while.”
“I’m patient.”
You snort at him and he punishes you with a light smack on your bottom.
“I’m diligent. And I’m going to get this right.”
“To the left- no, my left… Down, you went too far, okay now slightly to the right… Almost there!” Your voices raises in intensity before you hold your breath, but his fingers fall just short of their target and you nearly scream with frustration.
“Maybe we need to get it wet,” he says and you roll your eyes.
“That’s not the problem. You’re being too gentle. Harder!”
“It’s getting red; I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Please,” you plead and he sighs before rubbing harder, his fingernails starting to dig into your flesh. He mutters under his breath about you being a nutter, but you really don’t care anymore once he hits the spot.
“Right there- don’t stop! Yes, yes, okay… enough, I’m done.”
You roll away to catch your breath, quickly kissing him as he climbs up toward you with a cheeky grin on his face.
“We really oughta get you a back-scratcher so you don’t have to wait for me to get home.”
You smile, having no intention of doing so. “This is way more fun.”
Drabble 4
Author: mollywheezy
Title: If at First You Don’t Succeed . . .
Rating: PG
Word Count: 248
“How was it?” Hugo Granger asked anxiously.
Ron grinned at his father-in-law, “I passed!”
“Well done, Ron! I knew you could do it, and you even passed on your first try! Why don’t you drive us home?”
“That’d be great!”
As Ron drove home, he relaxed more than he ever had before with driving. He began to look around at the scenery, and ask Hugo questions about any Muggle things he saw that he didn’t understand.
Ron noticed a bumper sticker on a car that didn’t make sense. “Hugo, what is that bumper sticker talking about?”
“Which one, Ron?”
“If at first you don’t succeed, then skydiving isn’t for you.”
Hugo laughed loudly.
“What’s funny?” Ron said defensively.
“I’m not laughing at you, Ron. Skydiving is jumping out of an aeroplane and then parachuting to the ground.”
“Why would anyone jump out of an aeroplane? That’s completely mental!”
“Well, some people think it’s exciting or fun. And of course, the military does it to infiltrate enemy lines sometimes. One of my coworkers did a tandem skydive when she was younger. She was attached to a professional to make it safer, and she thought it was brilliant.”
“I still think it’s mental. It’s so dangerous!”
“Says the person who broke into Gringotts to steal a cup containing a piece of the soul of the most evil wizard ever, and then escaped by flying on the back of a dragon.”
“Good point.” Ron and Hugo both laughed.
Drabble 5
Author: brumeaux77
Title: YawannagoHogsmeade?
Rating: G
Word Count: 250
In fifth year, Ron thought it might be a nice idea to go into Hogsmeade with Hermione and get some butterbeer. Just the two of them. Even without Harry. Not a date! Good grief, no. Only friends. But just two friends. For a change, you see.
He got as far as gaping a bit at her. Hermione gave him a very strange look, and asked if he had something stuck in his throat. He shut his mouth, shook his head, and scuttled away.
-----
In sixth year he tried again. “YawannagoHogsmeadebutterbeertwofus?” Hermione might almost have deciphered this but Harry was not as far off as Ron had thought. And he’d had plenty of practice understanding not-nearly-awake Ron. The only thing he seemed to have missed here was the word two. “Great idea,” he said.
So the three of them went down to the Three Broomsticks, like always. Hermione gave him a few sidelong glances though.
-----
Horcrux hunting: couldn’t ask for a date then. Besides, where would they go? After the battle, Harry needed all the emotional support they could give him. It wasn’t the time.
-----
But after Harry started Auror training there was no excuse for putting it off. “Erm,” he began. “I thought…”
Hermione looked at him. Was it an encouraging look?
“Would you like to have dinner with me?”
She opened her mouth, but bit off the word. He could see the tears in her eyes. Then she nodded. “I’d like that very much.”
Try, try again, he thought.
Drabble 6
Author: shocolate
Title: Persistence Pays Off
Rating: Hard R
Word Count: 250
A/N(optional):
"Okay," Harry said, "poke me."
I put out one shaking forefinger and poked him between the eyes, knocking his glasses off.
"Close enough," he said. "Didn't feel a thing."
"So, you're drunk?" I asked.
"Close enough," he said. "Shouldn't remember a thing."
"She wants to have sex with me," I said, "at Christmas."
"Is that your present?" he asked.
"I don't think so," I said. "'nless she gives me a sex book and tests me on it."
"Still," he said. "Don't you want to have sex?"
"Of course I do! It's just... huge."
"Your... equipment?"
"No."
"Hermione's?"
"No! Doing... it."
"A huge step," he clarified.
I nodded.
"But you've... done stuff?" he asked carefully.
"Stuff," I agreed.
"Stuff with... hands?"
"Hands, yes."
"She's made you... happy, with her hands?"
"Very happy," I said firmly. "And my hands have made her happier than I ever thought possible."
"Uh, good," he said, looking at my hands. "But don't poke me, anymore."
I nodded.
"So, sex is next, then?" he prompted.
"Well, it's on my list," I said, "but I was gonna propose..."
"No way!" he interrupted.
"What?"
"You were gonna propose?"
"Not marriage, you arse," I spluttered. "Blow jobs!"
"Right," he said. "I s'pose they do... come next."
I nodded.
"So, you haven't..."
"I've asked her," I admitted. "Quite often, actually. Quite, quite often."
"But she won't?"
"She... changes the subject," I said sadly.
"Well," he said encouragingly, "keep asking; you know what they say, 'if at first you don't suck seed...'"
Drabble 7
Author: jo_ron
Title: The First Time
Rating: pg
Word Count: 242
A/N(optional):
The first time they did it was horrible. It was messy and sweaty and just horrible.
Hermione said that they should never talk about it.
Ron thought it wasn’t too bad for a first time, but that they should just practice and learn how to do it right.
Harry thought it was bloody time they stopped talking about it and finally did something.
Ginny couldn’t believe that Hermione was willing to talk about it in front of their family.
George just smiled, saving the information.
It was Molly who surprised them all. She walked up to Hermione and put a gentle arm around her shoulder. “Mr. Weasley and I were rubbish at it the first time. I wanted to quit, but look at us now. Seven children, happy as can be. You should give it a second try.”
This gave Hermione hope. If Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had been rubbish but could now do it without even thinking about it, maybe there was hope for her and Ron.
The next night, Ron arrived home to their flat, finding Hermione wearing an apron. “We don’t have to try so soon,” Ron said, clutching his stomach. “I’m not sure I can live though another disaster.”
“I think we’ll be okay, Ron.” Hermione showed him the cookbook. “We’re going to start with something simple this time. Pasta. We shouldn’t have tried something so complicated like a roast for our first home cooked meal.”
Drabble 8
Author: solstice_muse
Title:The Ruffian
Rating: PG
Word Count:249
A/N(optional):
On their first date he hadn't been allowed into the Muggle restaurant he'd booked because of his trainers. He'd had to knock on the window and wave at her to come out so he could explain why he was now taking her to the nearest chippy.
"Sorry, you deserve better than this," he'd mumbled into his bag of chips.
She prodded him with her little wooden fork.
"I don't mind now that I'm finally on a date with you. That's what I deserve!" She laughed.
"The bloke on the door said I was a 'ruffian'. You really think you deserve a ruffian?"
"You've got to take the rough with the smooth," she said with a greasy grin, "and you're very smooth, Ron Weasley."
"Smooth people don't end up sitting on a kerb eating chips out of rolled up paper." Ron licked his fingers and rolled his eyes.
"Smooth people make up for it with the second date," Hermione said as she nudged him in the side. "You know what they say? If at first you don't succeed..."
"Punch Malfoy again!" Ron offered, happily.
"Or maybe cook me something at home and wear whatever you want?" Hermione laughed.
"You just want to see me in a pinny," Ron said with a grin as he leaned in closer to her.
"And you just want to punch Malfoy again," she chuckled back into his face before they met in a deep fried kiss.
"Look out for those rough edges," Ron said, smiling.
Drabble 9
Author: harrysmom
Title:Try Again
Rating: G
Word Count: 250 exactly
A/N(optional): Please excuse that this is movie Hermione. It fit better that way. Thanks to Shannon for the beta work. :)
“Daddy?”
Ron looked up from the Daily Prophet to see his eleven year old daughter standing in front of him, a perplexed look on her face.
“When did you meet Mummy?”
”On the train to Hogwarts, first year. I was sitting with Uncle Harry and she came into the compartment, looking for Neville’s toad, Trevor. Why?”
Rose ignored his question and instead asked, “Did she know who Uncle Harry was?”
“I don’t doubt it, as she had already read Hogwarts: A History,” Ron said. “But I don’t think she came in to meet him. She was helping Neville. Why?”
“No reason,” Rose replied. She thought for a moment and then asked, “Did she try to do magic?”
Ron almost grimaced at the memory of a know-it-all, bushy haired Hermione. “Yes, Mummy did a spell to fix Uncle Harry’s glasses. Why?” Ron asked for the third time.
“No reason,” Rose repeated, the perplexed look still on her face. “Did she say or do anything else?”
“I think she told me I had dirt on my nose. Rose, what are you getting at?”
Rose looked at her father; her brown eyes so much like her mother’s that Ron could almost see Hermione’s intelligence reflecting back at him. Slowly she began to nod, a smile forming on her lips.
“Now it makes sense. She tried again.”
”Rose?” Ron had no clue what his daughter was talking about.
“Daddy,” Rose said exasperatedly, “Mummy told me if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.”
Drabble 10
Author: bendleshnitz1
Title: Busted
Rating: G
Word Count: 250
A/N(optional): Thanks to my lovely beta T :)
“Daddy, are you sure about this?” asked the six-year-old girl, trying to break the eggs with not much success.
“Trust me, Rosie-bud. After your mum sees our perfect, home-made birthday cake for Hugo, she will apologise for suggesting I should buy one”, Ron said with a smug smile, while throwing a fifth cup of flour into the bowl, which was already half full with milk and eggs.
“But...Daddy...I don’t think a cake has to be this colour before getting in the oven”, said Rose eyeing the bubbling, liquid preparation suspiciously.
“Oh f-", He stopped just in time, watching his innocent daughter staring at him wide eyed. “Ff...flower’s...erm...potions! I mean...shoot!” He started desperately cleaning the mess in the kitchen and trying to scrape the sticky dough off the bowl with a spatula.
“Well...”, Ron sighed, watching Rose with her arms and face covered in flour. “You know what they say sweety...’If at first you don’t succeed...’”
“Try...try again?”, offered the girl with a small smile.
“No, ‘destroy all evidence that you tried’”, he whispered to her conspiratoriously.
“Actually...”. A voice came from the stairs making both Weasleys turn, surprised at being caught.
“Oh oh...”, murmured Rose.
“Yes. ‘Oh-oh’. Because, actually, this time, the saying goes: ‘If at first you don’t succeed, do it the way your wife told you to’”, Hermione said, coming to the kitchen and fixing her husband with a reproachful look.
Second later, Ron could feel his daughter tugging his sleeve. “I think she’s right, Daddy”, she whispered, giggling.
“She always is Rose-bud...to my disgrace.” Sighing, he returned to his task. “I’ll clean this and then go to the bakery."
“Wouldn’t have it any other way, love.”
Drabble 11
Author: star54kar
Title: Try, Try Again
Rating: PG
Word Count: 250
A/N(optional): Just a little something my muse cooked up. I hope you enjoy.
*****
It was a beautiful day.
The sun was shining brightly and Ron was sitting on a blanket with Hermione in his arms.
Everything was perfect.
He reached into his pocket, grasped the small box inside, and---
"Hey, guys!" Hermione called out cheerfully as Harry and Ginny appeared along the path. "Come join us!"
The moment shattered, Ron left the box in his pocket and tried not to glare at his best mate. He would just have to wait.
*****
"Dinner was wonderful, Ron," Hermione said with a smile. "I never knew that you could cook."
Ron blushed and replied, "Well, Mum did help, a little."
"Well, it was a lovely surprise, thank you."
"You're welcome," Ron beamed as he reached into his pocket.
"Ron!" Percy's panicked voice called out from the Floo. "I need your help! One of George's experiments turned him into a canary! He's flying around and I don't how to counteract the effects!"
With an apologetic look at Hermione, Ron sighed, "I'll be right there."
*****
Sunday dinner at the Burrow was a crazy affair. As everyone gathered around the table, Ron stood up and called over the din, "Can I have everyone's attention for a minute?"
The room fell silent as Ron turned to Hermione and dropped down to one knee. He pulled out the box and opened it, revealing a beautiful diamond ring.
"Hermione, will you marry me?"
"Yes!" Hermione cried as she threw her arms around him and kissed him fiercely. "I thought you'd never ask!"
Drabble 12
Author: honourweasley12
Title: Persistence
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 250
A/N(optional):
Hermione drove him mental whenever she did that with her tongue.
Ron stared hungrily at his wife as she furiously scribbled away on a sheaf of parchment. The tip of her tongue poked out just past her soft pink lips, the unconscious gesture teasing him. It was a habit she'd always had when concentrating, but he hadn't really taken notice of it until fifth year.
"Not right now," she announced, without even looking up.
He grinned and positioned himself behind her chair, idly twirling a flyaway chestnut curl around his finger.
She reached up and batted his hand away. "Stop it, Ron."
Undeterred, he slowly traced a pattern down her graceful neck, his fingertips delicately teasing the surface of her skin.
"I need to finish this report," she groaned, the sound of defeat evident in her voice.
He began massaging her tense shoulders and whispered in her ear, "Finish it tomorrow, love. Let me take care of you now."
She moaned, but half-heartedly tried to squirm away. "I... I really must..."
He slid his hands down the front of her jumper and pressed a trail of warm kisses down her neck.
"Oh my!" she breathed. "Why do you have to be so..."
"What? Handsome, irresistible, sexy..."
"Persistent."
"You always encourage me to go after what I want."
He turned her head and tipped her chin up.
"And what is it you want?" she asked.
"You," he said before capturing her lips and teasing her with the tip of his tongue.
Drabble 13
Author: scribhneoir1
Title: By her side.
Rating: PG13
Word Count: 250
A/N(optional):
He should give up.
He knew that’s what they were all thinking but he refused to listen to them.
They didn’t know what he knew.
Every morning he would gently wake her up and guide her through her day with no hint of recognition in her beautiful eyes.
His heart would break every morning when she asked him who he was and yet he still would introduce himself with a smile.
He walked with her around the grounds in the morning, gently guiding her around the familiar paths and talking to her about anything and everything.
He would sit with her in the afternoon and read to her from the latest book he’d seen that he thought she would like.
It was the evening which brought the sign. The daily sign that he should never give up and should keep striving to reach her. Every evening, as he gently brushed her hair, her frail hand would touch his and the veil would be lifted. For that all too brief moment she would return to him. He would wipe away the tear which fell down her cheek as she looked in confusion at the room she found herself in. He would hold her gently in his arms when she uttered that one word.
“Ron?”
And so, he wouldn’t listen to those who told him to give up and stop trying. Every morning he would awaken in the hope that that would be the day that the brief moment would last forever.
Interim Competition: Voting
Poll Interim Competition 1: Voting