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in
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FIC: A Hero to Fight With (Colin/Romilda)
Title: A Hero to Fight With
Author: shiiki
Rating: PG-13
Characters/Pairings: Colin Creevey/Romilda Vane, Neville Longbottom, Ginny Weasley, Lavender Brown
Fandom: Harry Potter
Word Count: 694
Summary: At some point, everyone has to decide what they're fighting for in the war. For prompt 4: for what it's worth.
Notes: It's about time I got moving on this. :)
Link to rarepair_shorts prompt table.
When Harry had formed the DA, Colin remembered there had been lots of talk about fighting back and being prepared. He doubted, though, that anyone had had any idea what those concepts really meant, or of the actions they would engender.
The DA wasn't just a Defence Club now. It was a real army. A guerrilla one, perhaps, given that most of their battles were fought in the dead of night, with espionage and sabotage.
'Little things,' Neville often said. 'Little things to give them trouble while we wait for the right time and make sure we're ready when it comes.'
They all knew what the right time was: when Harry returned.
It was easy to believe that in the beginning, with the main core of the DA strongly affirming that Harry would come back. But two months in, as cold, stormy November winds crept up on them, everyone's outlook became less optimistic. When they carried Lavender Brown back to Gryffindor Tower after Alecto Carrow had Crucio-ed her for 'insolence', she'd broken down and wept.
'I don't know why we're fighting any more ... Harry still hasn't come ... what if he's dead?'
They froze as Lavender moaned the words that they all feared the most. Ginny's face was stony, staring frigidly ahead. Neville's fists clenched. Colin throat was tight. Harry couldn't be dead. They were all counting on him to return, to rally them in battle.
Neville was the first to respond. 'He's coming back,' he said resolutely. 'Have faith, Lavender, he'll come.'
'You don't know that.'
Their heads whipped around. It was Romilda who had challenged Neville; she stood facing them, hands on her hips, dark eyes fierce.
'Even if he's alive, how do you know he'll come sweeping in to rescue us?' Her tone turned slightly mocking, making everyone bristled, even Lavender, who had pulled herself together at Neville's reassurance. Colin felt confused, however. He'd thought Romilda all but worshipped Harry.
Ginny stepped forward to face Romilda down. 'When Harry comes back, he'll need an army that can fight with him, not silly girls waiting for him to dive in and snatch them like Snitches out of harm's way,' she said pointedly.
Neville put a hand on Ginny's shoulder. 'No matter -- whether he comes ... or not --' the two words came out in a choke '-- we're still going to fight for -- for the world we knew and what we know is right.'
Romilda stared at him for a long moment. Neville's gaze stayed steady under her narrow one until finally, she nodded brusquely and turned away.
Ginny's disdainful snort at Romilda's retreating back stated succinctly what she thought of the girl, and the others' looks of distaste seemed to support her opinion. Colin wondered why he felt the sudden need to defend her. Her words, her tone, her disbelief -- they should have been as offensive to him. Yet ... he had the feeling that her attitude of disgust hadn't been directed at them, exactly.
He followed Romilda, ignoring Ginny's 'there's no point trying to reason with her.' She went to one of the window seats and curled up there. Colin perched by her feet.
'Are you ... all right?'
Her eyes were scornful. 'You think I'm silly.'
'I don't ...' Colin began, but Romilda was looking past him, to where Ginny, Neville, and the others were still gathered.
'I'm not silly,' Romilda said fiercely. 'I only ever imagined the same thing as all of you.' She glared at him, as if daring him to contradict. When he didn't, she continued, sounding a little wistful now. 'And now they're sillier because I shan't fantasise any more.' He saw, then, the fuel behind her little outburst earlier: she had not meant to mock their faith; she was questioning her own.
I was right. There's more to her than meets the eye.
'For what it's worth,' Colin said softly, 'I never thought you were silly. And I don't think it's silly to believe that Harry will come back for us.'
She shook her head, a tremulous smile forming on her lips. 'I'd rather fight with a hero that's here now,' she said.
Author: shiiki
Rating: PG-13
Characters/Pairings: Colin Creevey/Romilda Vane, Neville Longbottom, Ginny Weasley, Lavender Brown
Fandom: Harry Potter
Word Count: 694
Summary: At some point, everyone has to decide what they're fighting for in the war. For prompt 4: for what it's worth.
Notes: It's about time I got moving on this. :)
Link to rarepair_shorts prompt table.
When Harry had formed the DA, Colin remembered there had been lots of talk about fighting back and being prepared. He doubted, though, that anyone had had any idea what those concepts really meant, or of the actions they would engender.
The DA wasn't just a Defence Club now. It was a real army. A guerrilla one, perhaps, given that most of their battles were fought in the dead of night, with espionage and sabotage.
'Little things,' Neville often said. 'Little things to give them trouble while we wait for the right time and make sure we're ready when it comes.'
They all knew what the right time was: when Harry returned.
It was easy to believe that in the beginning, with the main core of the DA strongly affirming that Harry would come back. But two months in, as cold, stormy November winds crept up on them, everyone's outlook became less optimistic. When they carried Lavender Brown back to Gryffindor Tower after Alecto Carrow had Crucio-ed her for 'insolence', she'd broken down and wept.
'I don't know why we're fighting any more ... Harry still hasn't come ... what if he's dead?'
They froze as Lavender moaned the words that they all feared the most. Ginny's face was stony, staring frigidly ahead. Neville's fists clenched. Colin throat was tight. Harry couldn't be dead. They were all counting on him to return, to rally them in battle.
Neville was the first to respond. 'He's coming back,' he said resolutely. 'Have faith, Lavender, he'll come.'
'You don't know that.'
Their heads whipped around. It was Romilda who had challenged Neville; she stood facing them, hands on her hips, dark eyes fierce.
'Even if he's alive, how do you know he'll come sweeping in to rescue us?' Her tone turned slightly mocking, making everyone bristled, even Lavender, who had pulled herself together at Neville's reassurance. Colin felt confused, however. He'd thought Romilda all but worshipped Harry.
Ginny stepped forward to face Romilda down. 'When Harry comes back, he'll need an army that can fight with him, not silly girls waiting for him to dive in and snatch them like Snitches out of harm's way,' she said pointedly.
Neville put a hand on Ginny's shoulder. 'No matter -- whether he comes ... or not --' the two words came out in a choke '-- we're still going to fight for -- for the world we knew and what we know is right.'
Romilda stared at him for a long moment. Neville's gaze stayed steady under her narrow one until finally, she nodded brusquely and turned away.
Ginny's disdainful snort at Romilda's retreating back stated succinctly what she thought of the girl, and the others' looks of distaste seemed to support her opinion. Colin wondered why he felt the sudden need to defend her. Her words, her tone, her disbelief -- they should have been as offensive to him. Yet ... he had the feeling that her attitude of disgust hadn't been directed at them, exactly.
He followed Romilda, ignoring Ginny's 'there's no point trying to reason with her.' She went to one of the window seats and curled up there. Colin perched by her feet.
'Are you ... all right?'
Her eyes were scornful. 'You think I'm silly.'
'I don't ...' Colin began, but Romilda was looking past him, to where Ginny, Neville, and the others were still gathered.
'I'm not silly,' Romilda said fiercely. 'I only ever imagined the same thing as all of you.' She glared at him, as if daring him to contradict. When he didn't, she continued, sounding a little wistful now. 'And now they're sillier because I shan't fantasise any more.' He saw, then, the fuel behind her little outburst earlier: she had not meant to mock their faith; she was questioning her own.
I was right. There's more to her than meets the eye.
'For what it's worth,' Colin said softly, 'I never thought you were silly. And I don't think it's silly to believe that Harry will come back for us.'
She shook her head, a tremulous smile forming on her lips. 'I'd rather fight with a hero that's here now,' she said.