Not Friends
Title: Not Friends
Rating: G
Word Count: 861
Characters: Hannah Abbott, Vincent Crabbe
Summary: He had not been nice to her exactly, but he had not been mean either.
Notes: Prompt Table here.
Originally Posted: rarepair_shorts
September 1991
It was no real surprise as to where they ended up. Crabbes had gone Slytherin for generations and he was not about to do his family name the embarrassment of ending up in Hufflepuff. Hannah, of course, had ended up there, but she was too much of a lamb not too. Vincent would never say as much, but visiting Bertram Place was his favorite if he had to go anywhere. Hannah always asked his opinions on things, even if she did not have to. He would not tell Mother and Father of course, because he was not sure if he was supposed to like it or not. Hannah wasn't as good as him or Draco or any of his other "equals," but she certainly was nicer.
He trudged behind Draco, lockstep with Greg, as they made their way to Herbology greenhouses. He liked Herbology too, mainly because they got to do stuff with their hands rather than sit and listen to a boring professor drone on for the whole period, but he would never say so. Vincent was not supposed to like classes, especially easy ones like Herbology.
Professor Sprout surveyed her newest crop of students, a small smile on her face. Just as her last straggler made it through the door, bless wee Wayne's heart, she clapped her hands, gaining their attention. "Alright, everyone into pairs please." Quickly she paired students off, making sure to put students who normally wouldn't speak to one another together. It was important, especially during these early months of first year, to foster interhouse relations. One might never know where a friendship would blossom.
Upon receiving her partner's name, Hannah gathered her things and moved towards where Vincent was standing, blithely ignoring the looks sent her way. Vince was a friend and despite any outward appearances, she would enjoy spending the hour with him.
He kept his eyes down, focused on the workbench in front of him, as Hannah neared. Vincent knew Draco and Greg were staring at him and he did not like the feeling one bit.
"Hello," Hannah said cheerily as she placed her book down and brought out a piece of parchment and a quill to write any notes Professor Sprout might want them to copy.
He ignored her. He had been doing a lot of that recently. It was easier on everyone. He had not been nice to her exactly, but on the other hand, he had not been mean either. Ignoring was easy.
Her smile dimmed when Vince did not respond, but he had always been a little odd about how things were done, so Hannah left it at that. In the years she had known him, she had found it was much easier for him to find his way to her rather than the other way around. That was boring and more than a little annoying, but the blonde Hufflepuff was learning patience, slowly.
The pair worked silently, inspecting the Abyssinian shrivelfig plant Professor Sprout had assigned them, when the woman's voice pierced through the air. "Draco Malfoy, you will leave the Dionaea muscipula majora alone! Return to your flitterbloom this instant! Do you want to lose a finger?"
Taking advantage of this distraction, Hannah whispered over to her partner, "So how are you liking Hogwarts?"
Hogwarts was probably the best place on Earth, if one did not count all the work, but he shrugged. "It's fine."
Hannah frowned. This waiting around stuff was horribly annoying, especially when he would not say anything. "What's wrong?" she demanded in a hushed whisper. "You won't talk to me anymore."
Vincent turned his head towards her slightly so nobody else could see him speak. "We can't be friends."
"Why not?" Her frown deepened. They should be able to be friends, even if they were in different houses. There were twins in two different houses, but that didn't stop them from being sisters. Why should it stop her and Vincent from being friends?
"We just can't. You're a m-." He broke off. She was not really a mudblood, even if her father was a dead muggle. Her mother and uncle were Averys and member of a very pure family. So he was not exactly sure if the word was still correct. "Hufflepuffs and Slytherins can't be friends."
"Well that's stupid."
"It's doesn't matter if it's stupid or not. It just is," Vincent snapped. How come she could never just accept how things were? Why did she always have to push? "You're also a girl."
She tossed down her quill and glared up at him. Even at eleven, Vincent was growing like a weed and nearly a head above her. "That has nothing to do with it and you know it."
It did not and he did, but she was getting worked up and was going to start a scene. The last thing he wanted was attention. Attention usually led to bad things. "Look, maybe we can be secret friends."
That seemed to satisfy her a bit, thank Merlin, and she picked up her quill again. He stepped away from her as she began to take notes, breathing a sigh of relief. Crisis averted.
Rating: G
Word Count: 861
Characters: Hannah Abbott, Vincent Crabbe
Summary: He had not been nice to her exactly, but he had not been mean either.
Notes: Prompt Table here.
Originally Posted: rarepair_shorts
September 1991
It was no real surprise as to where they ended up. Crabbes had gone Slytherin for generations and he was not about to do his family name the embarrassment of ending up in Hufflepuff. Hannah, of course, had ended up there, but she was too much of a lamb not too. Vincent would never say as much, but visiting Bertram Place was his favorite if he had to go anywhere. Hannah always asked his opinions on things, even if she did not have to. He would not tell Mother and Father of course, because he was not sure if he was supposed to like it or not. Hannah wasn't as good as him or Draco or any of his other "equals," but she certainly was nicer.
He trudged behind Draco, lockstep with Greg, as they made their way to Herbology greenhouses. He liked Herbology too, mainly because they got to do stuff with their hands rather than sit and listen to a boring professor drone on for the whole period, but he would never say so. Vincent was not supposed to like classes, especially easy ones like Herbology.
Professor Sprout surveyed her newest crop of students, a small smile on her face. Just as her last straggler made it through the door, bless wee Wayne's heart, she clapped her hands, gaining their attention. "Alright, everyone into pairs please." Quickly she paired students off, making sure to put students who normally wouldn't speak to one another together. It was important, especially during these early months of first year, to foster interhouse relations. One might never know where a friendship would blossom.
Upon receiving her partner's name, Hannah gathered her things and moved towards where Vincent was standing, blithely ignoring the looks sent her way. Vince was a friend and despite any outward appearances, she would enjoy spending the hour with him.
He kept his eyes down, focused on the workbench in front of him, as Hannah neared. Vincent knew Draco and Greg were staring at him and he did not like the feeling one bit.
"Hello," Hannah said cheerily as she placed her book down and brought out a piece of parchment and a quill to write any notes Professor Sprout might want them to copy.
He ignored her. He had been doing a lot of that recently. It was easier on everyone. He had not been nice to her exactly, but on the other hand, he had not been mean either. Ignoring was easy.
Her smile dimmed when Vince did not respond, but he had always been a little odd about how things were done, so Hannah left it at that. In the years she had known him, she had found it was much easier for him to find his way to her rather than the other way around. That was boring and more than a little annoying, but the blonde Hufflepuff was learning patience, slowly.
The pair worked silently, inspecting the Abyssinian shrivelfig plant Professor Sprout had assigned them, when the woman's voice pierced through the air. "Draco Malfoy, you will leave the Dionaea muscipula majora alone! Return to your flitterbloom this instant! Do you want to lose a finger?"
Taking advantage of this distraction, Hannah whispered over to her partner, "So how are you liking Hogwarts?"
Hogwarts was probably the best place on Earth, if one did not count all the work, but he shrugged. "It's fine."
Hannah frowned. This waiting around stuff was horribly annoying, especially when he would not say anything. "What's wrong?" she demanded in a hushed whisper. "You won't talk to me anymore."
Vincent turned his head towards her slightly so nobody else could see him speak. "We can't be friends."
"Why not?" Her frown deepened. They should be able to be friends, even if they were in different houses. There were twins in two different houses, but that didn't stop them from being sisters. Why should it stop her and Vincent from being friends?
"We just can't. You're a m-." He broke off. She was not really a mudblood, even if her father was a dead muggle. Her mother and uncle were Averys and member of a very pure family. So he was not exactly sure if the word was still correct. "Hufflepuffs and Slytherins can't be friends."
"Well that's stupid."
"It's doesn't matter if it's stupid or not. It just is," Vincent snapped. How come she could never just accept how things were? Why did she always have to push? "You're also a girl."
She tossed down her quill and glared up at him. Even at eleven, Vincent was growing like a weed and nearly a head above her. "That has nothing to do with it and you know it."
It did not and he did, but she was getting worked up and was going to start a scene. The last thing he wanted was attention. Attention usually led to bad things. "Look, maybe we can be secret friends."
That seemed to satisfy her a bit, thank Merlin, and she picked up her quill again. He stepped away from her as she began to take notes, breathing a sigh of relief. Crisis averted.