Round 1: Challenge #9: Voting
Below are the drabbles for week 9 of dramione_ldws!
Choose your favorite and least favorite drabbles. favorites will receive +1 point per vote, and least favorites -1 point per vote. The drabble with the most point wins the week, and the author of the drabble with the least votes is voted off.
Voting will end: 11:59pm, Friday July 11, East Coast US Time (GMT -4)
PROMPT: Holiday in July. Keep this in mind when voting.
1
Title: Holiday in July
Author: miyabita13
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None
Word Count: 499
Draco needed a plan.
And not just any plan, mind you… one that would seduce the pretty knickers off Hermione Granger.
The problem? Her unhealthy obsession with books, of course.
He had tried numerous times to pull her away from them - massaging her back, licking the shell of her ear, tracing little patterns on the inside of her thigh… but always, always she kept reading. Sometimes she’d grace him with a glare or a breathy sigh, but nothing more. So he would sit - hard and panting - until she felt sorry for him or finished her book (usually the latter) and let him have his naughty way with her.
He spilled all to Blaise one night… and, lo and behold, his fellow Slytherin had a plan.
***
“Granger, today’s a holiday.”
“If you’re talking about the fourth of July, that was yesterday. And it’s strictly an American thing,” she said, without looking up from her book.
“Not that. Don’t you know? You make it a point to know everything.”
“There’s no holiday today, Malfoy.”
“Sure there is. It’s National Pureblood Day.”
“You don’t really expect me to believe that.”
He smirked. “And you’re supposed to be so smart. Don’t you know how ancient some of the pureblood lines are? The holiday was created as a day of respect for some of the founders and greatest mentors of the wizarding world.”
“… You’re joking.”
“No, I’m not. I even brought a book for you to read on it.”
“As if I’ll trust whatever you bring me. You’ve probably charmed it to say something crazy about this ridiculous holiday.”
He glared at her. “It’s not ridiculous! Floo Weasley, then, if you don’t believe me.”
“What a wonderful idea, Draco. The best you’ve had yet.”
She got up from the couch and stormed over to the fireplace.
Minutes later - after one very serious Ron had to explain that yes, it was National Pureblood Day and no, Draco did not put him up to saying such a thing - a shaken Hermione walked back to the couch and sat next to him.
“So… National Pureblood Day?”
“Yes.”
“A day to honor pureblooded wizards.”
“Correct.”
“Well then… did you have any ideas for festivities?”
Draco unconsciously licked his lips. Why yes, he did have some ideas and, as a matter of fact, they were quite “festive”.
Hours later, when they were laying next to one another - naked and satisfied - Hermione turned in Draco’s arms.
“Next time, come up with something a little more creative than ‘National Pureblood Day’.”
He frowned. “It worked, didn’t it?”
“Only because I figured you must have been incredibly desperate to try something so stupid and took pity on you.”
“Huh… well I happen to like National Pureblood Day.”
“Oh?”
“Yes,” he whispered, kissing her. “And I hear tomorrow is National Muggleborn Day. I bought some special things for the occasion.”
“You’re ridiculous,” she sighed as his hands slid over her breasts. “But I do like the way you celebrate holidays.”
2
Title: Help!
Author: apple_blossom24
Word Count: 497
Rating: G
Warnings: some language
Two years after publishing the House Elf Liberation Proclamation, Hermione Granger couldn’t help but think she’d shot herself in the foot. It was impossible to find adequate magical help these days and the biggest philanthropic event of the summer was due to begin! It was the first annual SPEW Fashion show featuring a line of stylish tea cozies. Proceeds would go to establishing a career placement program for house elves.
The stage was incomplete, the decorations half-done, and no chairs! She couldn’t very well ask house elves to work on the one holiday created to celebrate their independence, even though they could solve all of her current problems with a snap of their magical little fingers.
She had back-up plans for her back-up plans and it was statistically impossible that so many things could go wrong... but they did. Hermione did not wear stress well...it didn’t match her hair. She felt her anxiety bubbling and decided to stop the cycle before it started. She simply didn’t have time for a quickie!
Hermione Granger’s stress cycle:
Anxiety>>Doubt>>Anger>>Quickie with Malfoy >>Determination>>Success!
It just so happens, one of the people that stressed her out most was also the one she found herself most often turning to for help. Draco Malfoy was currently charming garlands of fairy lights for the banister... and he did not look happy.
Since their tentative friendship after the war and more recent quasi-casual coupling, Draco was accustomed to being involuntarily volunteered for things. He actually didn’t mind and enjoyed volunteering (especially for kids events), but he found that if he complained a bit and acted somewhat put-out, his reward at the end of the day was much greater. Hermione was brilliant at thinking of creative ways to *ahem* repay him for these “inconveniences”. He was a shameless opportunist.
Harry and Ron were also helping and that meant the three boys did more goofing off than anything. Even though their combined charm work was extraordinary and their efforts would probably put them back on schedule, Hermione frowned at their obnoxiousness.
“Hey Potter, what do you call a liberated house elf?” Draco joked “Out!”
Harry and Ron snickered... and Hermione saw red. “Malfoy, you’re such a shit! It’s so typical of you!” she shouted.
“What?” he laughed.
“You’re supposed to be helping, not cracking bad jokes and insulting a whole race of benevolent creatures!”
Hermione was tired and stressed and was about to cry, and the only thing Draco could think to do was scoop her up and give her a big squeeze. He rubbed her back and started to coax her into a hidden corner.
“Granger, I could give a flipping rip about house elves or their fluffed up tea cozies, but I’m working my arse off because I adore you. Clearly you’re in the anger stage... now give us a snog so you can go and make this holiday thing a success!” he said as he nipped at her ear.
So she did. And it was.
3
Title: Sparklers
Author: floorcoaster
Rating: PG
Warnings: None
Word Count: 494
Hermione smiled tiredly as she edged her way out of the noisy, crowded room, trying to maintain the image that she was thrilled. Excited. Elated. Ecstatic. Overjoyed and all that rot. Why shouldn’t she be? Ron Weasley’s wedding day was supposed to be the happiest day of her entire life.
At least, back when she had imagined that it would be her wedding day as well. She didn’t wish that she was the blushing bride; she simply mourned the passing of a childhood dream.
Discovering an empty room, she slipped in, climbed onto the window seat, and pulled her knees to her chest.
Suddenly the door flew open with a bang. Hermione looked up to see none other than Draco Malfoy standing in the door, the light from the hall making his hair glow.
“Mayday! Mayday!” he called, strutting toward her. The grin on his face was lively and genuine and incongruous. “Mayday!” he repeated, moving her legs aside to join her on the sill.
Hermione scowled. “What’s your problem?”
“Get it?” he asked. “It’s May Day, and you’re distressed!”
She rolled her eyes. “Brilliant.”
Draco’s expression instantly sobered, and he pulled a long, thin box from his robes and proffered it to her. “Here.”
She hesitated before removing a thin, metal stick.
Draco did the same, touched the tip of his to the tip of hers, and then used his wand to light them both. They sparked and lit up the dark room, rocket red and blazing blue.
“I love these,” Draco said, staring at the flashing light. “So beautiful. It’s just a metal stick, but when you light a little fire… they sizzle and spark and touch you somewhere deep inside you’d forgotten about.”
“You’re drunk,” she remarked. He would never open up like this otherwise.
He shook his head. “I know exactly what I’m doing.”
Hermione sighed. “Thank you for being so great to me through this whole… process. I’d have been lost without you.”
Draco glanced at her, something unreadable in his eyes. “It was nice to have someone with whom I could grumble about and laugh at Pansy’s outrageous demands and taste.”
She smiled. “It was.”
The sparklers died, and Draco offered her another. She shook her head and he tucked the box away. “So we’re… friends now?”
“Yes.” She peered into his eyes. “If you want to be, anyway.”
He shifted, leaning his head against the glass. “I don’t… not exactly.”
“Oh.” For some reason, that hurt. When she looked back up, he was staring at her, all walls down and his heart in his eyes.
“I wasn’t just talking about the sparklers, you know.”
Her stomach flipped pleasantly and she smiled. “Maybe… we could try being not exactly friends.”
Draco found her hand and laced his fingers through hers. “That could be the smartest thing you’ve ever said.”
She leaned forward, emboldened. “Kiss me.”
Quirking an eyebrow, he lightly pressed his lips to hers. “I stand corrected.”
---------*******OOO*******---------
PLEASE vote with the NUMBER of the drabble, not the name. :)
Poll
Choose your favorite and least favorite drabbles. favorites will receive +1 point per vote, and least favorites -1 point per vote. The drabble with the most point wins the week, and the author of the drabble with the least votes is voted off.
Voting will end: 11:59pm, Friday July 11, East Coast US Time (GMT -4)
PROMPT: Holiday in July. Keep this in mind when voting.
1
Title: Holiday in July
Author: miyabita13
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None
Word Count: 499
Draco needed a plan.
And not just any plan, mind you… one that would seduce the pretty knickers off Hermione Granger.
The problem? Her unhealthy obsession with books, of course.
He had tried numerous times to pull her away from them - massaging her back, licking the shell of her ear, tracing little patterns on the inside of her thigh… but always, always she kept reading. Sometimes she’d grace him with a glare or a breathy sigh, but nothing more. So he would sit - hard and panting - until she felt sorry for him or finished her book (usually the latter) and let him have his naughty way with her.
He spilled all to Blaise one night… and, lo and behold, his fellow Slytherin had a plan.
***
“Granger, today’s a holiday.”
“If you’re talking about the fourth of July, that was yesterday. And it’s strictly an American thing,” she said, without looking up from her book.
“Not that. Don’t you know? You make it a point to know everything.”
“There’s no holiday today, Malfoy.”
“Sure there is. It’s National Pureblood Day.”
“You don’t really expect me to believe that.”
He smirked. “And you’re supposed to be so smart. Don’t you know how ancient some of the pureblood lines are? The holiday was created as a day of respect for some of the founders and greatest mentors of the wizarding world.”
“… You’re joking.”
“No, I’m not. I even brought a book for you to read on it.”
“As if I’ll trust whatever you bring me. You’ve probably charmed it to say something crazy about this ridiculous holiday.”
He glared at her. “It’s not ridiculous! Floo Weasley, then, if you don’t believe me.”
“What a wonderful idea, Draco. The best you’ve had yet.”
She got up from the couch and stormed over to the fireplace.
Minutes later - after one very serious Ron had to explain that yes, it was National Pureblood Day and no, Draco did not put him up to saying such a thing - a shaken Hermione walked back to the couch and sat next to him.
“So… National Pureblood Day?”
“Yes.”
“A day to honor pureblooded wizards.”
“Correct.”
“Well then… did you have any ideas for festivities?”
Draco unconsciously licked his lips. Why yes, he did have some ideas and, as a matter of fact, they were quite “festive”.
Hours later, when they were laying next to one another - naked and satisfied - Hermione turned in Draco’s arms.
“Next time, come up with something a little more creative than ‘National Pureblood Day’.”
He frowned. “It worked, didn’t it?”
“Only because I figured you must have been incredibly desperate to try something so stupid and took pity on you.”
“Huh… well I happen to like National Pureblood Day.”
“Oh?”
“Yes,” he whispered, kissing her. “And I hear tomorrow is National Muggleborn Day. I bought some special things for the occasion.”
“You’re ridiculous,” she sighed as his hands slid over her breasts. “But I do like the way you celebrate holidays.”
2
Title: Help!
Author: apple_blossom24
Word Count: 497
Rating: G
Warnings: some language
Two years after publishing the House Elf Liberation Proclamation, Hermione Granger couldn’t help but think she’d shot herself in the foot. It was impossible to find adequate magical help these days and the biggest philanthropic event of the summer was due to begin! It was the first annual SPEW Fashion show featuring a line of stylish tea cozies. Proceeds would go to establishing a career placement program for house elves.
The stage was incomplete, the decorations half-done, and no chairs! She couldn’t very well ask house elves to work on the one holiday created to celebrate their independence, even though they could solve all of her current problems with a snap of their magical little fingers.
She had back-up plans for her back-up plans and it was statistically impossible that so many things could go wrong... but they did. Hermione did not wear stress well...it didn’t match her hair. She felt her anxiety bubbling and decided to stop the cycle before it started. She simply didn’t have time for a quickie!
Hermione Granger’s stress cycle:
Anxiety>>Doubt>>Anger>>Quickie with Malfoy >>Determination>>Success!
It just so happens, one of the people that stressed her out most was also the one she found herself most often turning to for help. Draco Malfoy was currently charming garlands of fairy lights for the banister... and he did not look happy.
Since their tentative friendship after the war and more recent quasi-casual coupling, Draco was accustomed to being involuntarily volunteered for things. He actually didn’t mind and enjoyed volunteering (especially for kids events), but he found that if he complained a bit and acted somewhat put-out, his reward at the end of the day was much greater. Hermione was brilliant at thinking of creative ways to *ahem* repay him for these “inconveniences”. He was a shameless opportunist.
Harry and Ron were also helping and that meant the three boys did more goofing off than anything. Even though their combined charm work was extraordinary and their efforts would probably put them back on schedule, Hermione frowned at their obnoxiousness.
“Hey Potter, what do you call a liberated house elf?” Draco joked “Out!”
Harry and Ron snickered... and Hermione saw red. “Malfoy, you’re such a shit! It’s so typical of you!” she shouted.
“What?” he laughed.
“You’re supposed to be helping, not cracking bad jokes and insulting a whole race of benevolent creatures!”
Hermione was tired and stressed and was about to cry, and the only thing Draco could think to do was scoop her up and give her a big squeeze. He rubbed her back and started to coax her into a hidden corner.
“Granger, I could give a flipping rip about house elves or their fluffed up tea cozies, but I’m working my arse off because I adore you. Clearly you’re in the anger stage... now give us a snog so you can go and make this holiday thing a success!” he said as he nipped at her ear.
So she did. And it was.
3
Title: Sparklers
Author: floorcoaster
Rating: PG
Warnings: None
Word Count: 494
Hermione smiled tiredly as she edged her way out of the noisy, crowded room, trying to maintain the image that she was thrilled. Excited. Elated. Ecstatic. Overjoyed and all that rot. Why shouldn’t she be? Ron Weasley’s wedding day was supposed to be the happiest day of her entire life.
At least, back when she had imagined that it would be her wedding day as well. She didn’t wish that she was the blushing bride; she simply mourned the passing of a childhood dream.
Discovering an empty room, she slipped in, climbed onto the window seat, and pulled her knees to her chest.
Suddenly the door flew open with a bang. Hermione looked up to see none other than Draco Malfoy standing in the door, the light from the hall making his hair glow.
“Mayday! Mayday!” he called, strutting toward her. The grin on his face was lively and genuine and incongruous. “Mayday!” he repeated, moving her legs aside to join her on the sill.
Hermione scowled. “What’s your problem?”
“Get it?” he asked. “It’s May Day, and you’re distressed!”
She rolled her eyes. “Brilliant.”
Draco’s expression instantly sobered, and he pulled a long, thin box from his robes and proffered it to her. “Here.”
She hesitated before removing a thin, metal stick.
Draco did the same, touched the tip of his to the tip of hers, and then used his wand to light them both. They sparked and lit up the dark room, rocket red and blazing blue.
“I love these,” Draco said, staring at the flashing light. “So beautiful. It’s just a metal stick, but when you light a little fire… they sizzle and spark and touch you somewhere deep inside you’d forgotten about.”
“You’re drunk,” she remarked. He would never open up like this otherwise.
He shook his head. “I know exactly what I’m doing.”
Hermione sighed. “Thank you for being so great to me through this whole… process. I’d have been lost without you.”
Draco glanced at her, something unreadable in his eyes. “It was nice to have someone with whom I could grumble about and laugh at Pansy’s outrageous demands and taste.”
She smiled. “It was.”
The sparklers died, and Draco offered her another. She shook her head and he tucked the box away. “So we’re… friends now?”
“Yes.” She peered into his eyes. “If you want to be, anyway.”
He shifted, leaning his head against the glass. “I don’t… not exactly.”
“Oh.” For some reason, that hurt. When she looked back up, he was staring at her, all walls down and his heart in his eyes.
“I wasn’t just talking about the sparklers, you know.”
Her stomach flipped pleasantly and she smiled. “Maybe… we could try being not exactly friends.”
Draco found her hand and laced his fingers through hers. “That could be the smartest thing you’ve ever said.”
She leaned forward, emboldened. “Kiss me.”
Quirking an eyebrow, he lightly pressed his lips to hers. “I stand corrected.”
---------*******OOO*******---------
PLEASE vote with the NUMBER of the drabble, not the name. :)
Poll