A Blessing
Title: A Blessing
Author: pips_n_chiaw
Rating: G
Word Count: 836
Notes/Warning: Hope this isn't too boring and that the definition of sloth that we used isn't too outdated, hehe.
Prompt: Sloth, for the easter2008 challenge.
“Sloth,” Hermione announced suddenly, sliding into the seat across from Draco. They were alone in the library, but she lowered her voice anyway. “I’ve just come back from Arithmancy, and Professor Vector mentioned sloth. I think that’s your problem.”
“I’m not a sloth, Granger,” Draco answered tonelessly, clearly not interested. He never was, these days.
“You’re not a sloth, but it’s your problem,” she insisted. “Sloth is when you’re depressed, when you’re unhappy, when you’re not grateful for the blessings life has given you.”
He laughed hollowly. “What blessings? I have none.”
They were both back at Hogwarts for their final year, Draco having insisted on repeating the year since the previous one had passed in a haze of fear and anxiety. He couldn’t remember anything that he had studied the first time he took seventh year, not unlike the end of his sixth year. Because many students had decided not to return to Hogwarts, those seventh years- or rather, eighth years- who did decide to remain eventually grew closer, feeling like unwelcome outsiders in the classes they shared with the reluctant lower batch.
Due to that circumstance, the outcasts- because really, they just didn’t belong in Hogwarts anymore- began studying together, spending their free time together. It was more enjoyable than staying in their dormitories with their dorm-mates and feeling left out. There were only five of them: Hermione Granger, Mandy Brocklehurst, Dean Thomas, Justin Finch-Fletchey, and the latest addition to and only Pureblood in their study group, Draco Malfoy.
It was awkward at first, since they were from different houses, but in the end they all formed a tentative friendship. They had all been through the war, and were tired of fighting, no matter how much they distrusted certain people, or a certain person, in their group. Everyone was on their best behavior, and it made the year bearable.
“That’s my point,” Hermione looked triumphant. “If you’d just open your eyes, Malfoy, you’d see the blessings I’m talking about.”
He leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms over his chest, looking at her defiantly. “What blessings?” he repeated. “There’s nothing in my present or my future to make me happy. Everything I thought was right turned out to be wrong. Even my parents were wrong! My family name is now synonymous with bubotuber pus.” Draco shook his head. “No, there’s nothing in my future worth looking forward to.”
Hermione looked smiled sadly. “You have to rebuild your life. We all have to. Just try, Malfoy.”
“Try what?” he asked wearily. “And for what? It’s easier to be apathetic, isn’t it?”
Hermione bit her lip. “I don’t want you to be apathetic. I want you to be happy.” She blushed. “Sorry, my reasons are all wrong.” She shook her head and opened a book. She and Draco were practically the outcasts of the outcasts- she was thought of as too high, he was thought of as too low- and consequently, they got along much better than everyone else. But they had unspoken rules: forget the past, don’t get too personal, and don’t get too close.
But there it was. Inexorably, they were getting closer. Hermione knew, without a doubt, that if anyone asked her, she’d say Draco was her friend. In the beginning, she had felt a certain amount of pride and affection, watching him struggle through every day, adapting to his new life. But slowly the struggle stopped, and he only seemed to exist, rather than live. Her heart ached, although she tried not to think why.
Draco sighed. “No, it’s fine. You’re right. Let’s think of blessings.”
Eagerly interpreting this as an invitation for help, Hermione began with the obvious. “You’re alive, healthy and in good physical condition.”
“Although sometimes death is better than life,” he murmured morosely. Hermione ignored him.
“You’re quite good-looking,” she met his eyes defiantly with a faint blush, “and very intelligent. You’ve got your hopes and dreams ahead of you, and no matter what you tell yourself, I think you can succeed if you work hard enough.”
“Your faith is touching, Granger.”
“Glad to know your sarcasm is coming back, at least.”
He sighed again, looking uncomfortable. “There is one thing I can think of, one thing I’m grateful for. It’s rather stupid, but it’s the only thing I’m honestly thankful for, after this war.”
Hermione’s thoughts immediately jumped to freedom. To safety. To no longer having to live in fear. “We’re all thankful Voldemort is gone.”
“That too,” he acknowledged.
She frowned at him. “Oh. What did you have in mind?”
He looked down, his cheeks pink. “Something I didn’t have before that I have now, that makes it easier to get up in the morning and harder to be apathetic.” He glanced pointedly at her with a small grin, before looking down again and taking a deep breath. “A blessing, as you say. Your friendship and concern."
He looked at her with a small smile that quickly grew bigger when she beamed back. "You."
Author: pips_n_chiaw
Rating: G
Word Count: 836
Notes/Warning: Hope this isn't too boring and that the definition of sloth that we used isn't too outdated, hehe.
Prompt: Sloth, for the easter2008 challenge.
“Sloth,” Hermione announced suddenly, sliding into the seat across from Draco. They were alone in the library, but she lowered her voice anyway. “I’ve just come back from Arithmancy, and Professor Vector mentioned sloth. I think that’s your problem.”
“I’m not a sloth, Granger,” Draco answered tonelessly, clearly not interested. He never was, these days.
“You’re not a sloth, but it’s your problem,” she insisted. “Sloth is when you’re depressed, when you’re unhappy, when you’re not grateful for the blessings life has given you.”
He laughed hollowly. “What blessings? I have none.”
They were both back at Hogwarts for their final year, Draco having insisted on repeating the year since the previous one had passed in a haze of fear and anxiety. He couldn’t remember anything that he had studied the first time he took seventh year, not unlike the end of his sixth year. Because many students had decided not to return to Hogwarts, those seventh years- or rather, eighth years- who did decide to remain eventually grew closer, feeling like unwelcome outsiders in the classes they shared with the reluctant lower batch.
Due to that circumstance, the outcasts- because really, they just didn’t belong in Hogwarts anymore- began studying together, spending their free time together. It was more enjoyable than staying in their dormitories with their dorm-mates and feeling left out. There were only five of them: Hermione Granger, Mandy Brocklehurst, Dean Thomas, Justin Finch-Fletchey, and the latest addition to and only Pureblood in their study group, Draco Malfoy.
It was awkward at first, since they were from different houses, but in the end they all formed a tentative friendship. They had all been through the war, and were tired of fighting, no matter how much they distrusted certain people, or a certain person, in their group. Everyone was on their best behavior, and it made the year bearable.
“That’s my point,” Hermione looked triumphant. “If you’d just open your eyes, Malfoy, you’d see the blessings I’m talking about.”
He leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms over his chest, looking at her defiantly. “What blessings?” he repeated. “There’s nothing in my present or my future to make me happy. Everything I thought was right turned out to be wrong. Even my parents were wrong! My family name is now synonymous with bubotuber pus.” Draco shook his head. “No, there’s nothing in my future worth looking forward to.”
Hermione looked smiled sadly. “You have to rebuild your life. We all have to. Just try, Malfoy.”
“Try what?” he asked wearily. “And for what? It’s easier to be apathetic, isn’t it?”
Hermione bit her lip. “I don’t want you to be apathetic. I want you to be happy.” She blushed. “Sorry, my reasons are all wrong.” She shook her head and opened a book. She and Draco were practically the outcasts of the outcasts- she was thought of as too high, he was thought of as too low- and consequently, they got along much better than everyone else. But they had unspoken rules: forget the past, don’t get too personal, and don’t get too close.
But there it was. Inexorably, they were getting closer. Hermione knew, without a doubt, that if anyone asked her, she’d say Draco was her friend. In the beginning, she had felt a certain amount of pride and affection, watching him struggle through every day, adapting to his new life. But slowly the struggle stopped, and he only seemed to exist, rather than live. Her heart ached, although she tried not to think why.
Draco sighed. “No, it’s fine. You’re right. Let’s think of blessings.”
Eagerly interpreting this as an invitation for help, Hermione began with the obvious. “You’re alive, healthy and in good physical condition.”
“Although sometimes death is better than life,” he murmured morosely. Hermione ignored him.
“You’re quite good-looking,” she met his eyes defiantly with a faint blush, “and very intelligent. You’ve got your hopes and dreams ahead of you, and no matter what you tell yourself, I think you can succeed if you work hard enough.”
“Your faith is touching, Granger.”
“Glad to know your sarcasm is coming back, at least.”
He sighed again, looking uncomfortable. “There is one thing I can think of, one thing I’m grateful for. It’s rather stupid, but it’s the only thing I’m honestly thankful for, after this war.”
Hermione’s thoughts immediately jumped to freedom. To safety. To no longer having to live in fear. “We’re all thankful Voldemort is gone.”
“That too,” he acknowledged.
She frowned at him. “Oh. What did you have in mind?”
He looked down, his cheeks pink. “Something I didn’t have before that I have now, that makes it easier to get up in the morning and harder to be apathetic.” He glanced pointedly at her with a small grin, before looking down again and taking a deep breath. “A blessing, as you say. Your friendship and concern."
He looked at her with a small smile that quickly grew bigger when she beamed back. "You."