Sparks 14
Title: Sparks 14
Author: enchanted_jae
Characters: Harry/Draco, Neville, Pansy, Ron/Hermione, Seamus/Dean, Greg, Luna,
Rating: PG13
Warning(s): Suggestion
Word count: 950
Disclaimer: Characters are the property of JK Rowling, et al. This drabble/fic was written for fun, not for profit.
Written for: Birthday gift for murmure_c, who requested a continuation of Sparks
Summary: Harry and Neville relate what they discovered, and the members of Dumbledore House formulate a plan to save the mermaid.
It was Pansy who spoke up and insisted that Harry and Neville be bustled back to the castle and into hot showers before they told of their experience in the depths of the Black Lake. Harry had wanted to argue, but his teeth were chattering too much to speak. Once he had stripped out of his cold, wet clothing and stepped under a spray of hot water, he found himself grateful for Pansy's adamant suggestion.
By the time Harry and Neville had dressed again in warm clothing and returned to the common room, Hermione and Blaise had procured hot tea from the kitchens. Draco pressed a cup into Harry's hands, while Pansy gave a cup of steaming tea to Neville.
Harry took a sip and nodded his thanks. The tea was wonderful, but Draco's kiss had warmed him more effectively. Harry cradled his cup in both hands, savoring the heat that emanated from it. "We found the mermaid," he said.
"That's fantastic!" said Seamus.
"Is she okay?" Hermione asked.
"She seemed sad," Neville remarked.
"Why didn't she come up with you?" Dean questioned.
Harry released a gusty sigh, drawing everyone's attention. "This is where it gets complicated," he said. "The mermaid is still two-dimensional. She's part of a piece of stained glass in an underwater structure."
"Will we need to bring up the entire piece of glass to save her?" asked Draco.
"I don't see how we could," said Neville. "It was larger than the one in the Prefects' Bath, and the grindylows were rather aggressive in protecting their territory."
"Did the turnips help?" asked Luna. She had accompanied the Dumbledore contingent back to the castle.
"They worked wonders," Harry said. "That was a brilliant suggestion, Luna."
She beamed at the praise.
"We need to figure out a way to get the mermaid out of there," said Ron. His forehead scrunched as he thought.
"She got in the Black Lake by entering a portrait of the lake," Hermione said. "Do you suppose we could get her back in the same manner?"
"By using a portrait of the stained glass in the Prefects' Bath," murmured Pansy.
Blaise slumped into a chair. "There is no portrait of the Prefects' Bath," he said.
"There could be," said Dean, sitting up straight.
"Brilliant!" cried Seamus, clapping a hand on his boyfriend's shoulder. "You can paint such a portrait."
"And, we could take it down in the Black Lake and have the mermaid move into the new portrait," said Harry. "It just may work."
"Wouldn't water ruin a painting?" asked Greg.
"We could protect it with a spell," Hermione said.
Draco looked at her. "Is there such a spell?"
"Not that I'm aware of," she replied. "However, we can-"
"Research it in the library," Blaise finished with a grin.
Hermione stuck her tongue out at him.
"What if it doesn't work?" asked Pansy. She looked worried.
"It's the best plan we have," Neville said, reaching for her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.
Harry glanced at Draco, but Draco was looking directly at him.
"I don't like it," Draco sighed. "It's risky."
"No more risky than our original reconaissance mission was," Harry assured him. He looked around at the assembled members of his House. "Are we agreed?" he asked. "Dean will paint a portrait of the stained glass window in the Prefects' Bath, and Neville and I will return to the Black Lake with it and encourage the mermaid to enter the new portrait."
The others nodded, their expressions conveying varying degrees of excitement and concern.
"I'll get more turnips," said Luna.
~*~
"There are so many things that can go wrong," Draco said.
It was late, and he and Harry were in their dorm room, getting ready for bed.
"It may be risky," said Harry, "but we have no other choice." He glanced at Draco in time to see a worried frown cross Draco's face. Harry sat down next to Draco on his bed. "It will be alright," he said.
Draco leaned against him with a wordless sigh.
Harry carded his fingers through Draco's hair. Draco raised his head to meet Harry's eyes, and Harry felt a spark of longing warm his belly. He leaned close and angled his head, fitting his mouth over Draco's in a gentle kiss.
Draco opened to Harry, allowing him to deepen the kiss. Gradually, without breaking the contact between their lips, Harry and Draco shifted to lie back upon Draco's bed. Harry's body was clamoring for relief, and he slung a leg over Draco and rubbed against him. Draco responded in kind, and Harry grew bolder. He reached for Draco's zip, only to have a hand cover his, stilling him.
"Harry, I-"
"It's alright," sighed Harry. "We don't have to do anything you don't want to."
"I want to," Draco whispered. "It's just...I've never..."
Draco's voice trailed off uncertainly, and Harry drew back in surprise. "Never?" he asked.
Draco shook his head, refusing to meet Harry's incredulous gaze. Harry pulled him close and wrapped his arms around him in a comforting hug. "It's alright," he repeated. "You can let me know when you're ready."
"When you get back," Draco murmured.
Harry smiled. "Is that my incentive to make it back?" he teased, trying to lighten the mood.
"Partly," said Draco. "Having sex before you go would seem too much like you weren't coming back," he added.
"I'll come back," said Harry, tightening his arms around Draco. "Never doubt it."
Draco nodded. "I'll be waiting."
~tbc~
Sparks 15
Author: enchanted_jae
Characters: Harry/Draco, Neville, Pansy, Ron/Hermione, Seamus/Dean, Greg, Luna,
Rating: PG13
Warning(s): Suggestion
Word count: 950
Disclaimer: Characters are the property of JK Rowling, et al. This drabble/fic was written for fun, not for profit.
Written for: Birthday gift for murmure_c, who requested a continuation of Sparks
Summary: Harry and Neville relate what they discovered, and the members of Dumbledore House formulate a plan to save the mermaid.
It was Pansy who spoke up and insisted that Harry and Neville be bustled back to the castle and into hot showers before they told of their experience in the depths of the Black Lake. Harry had wanted to argue, but his teeth were chattering too much to speak. Once he had stripped out of his cold, wet clothing and stepped under a spray of hot water, he found himself grateful for Pansy's adamant suggestion.
By the time Harry and Neville had dressed again in warm clothing and returned to the common room, Hermione and Blaise had procured hot tea from the kitchens. Draco pressed a cup into Harry's hands, while Pansy gave a cup of steaming tea to Neville.
Harry took a sip and nodded his thanks. The tea was wonderful, but Draco's kiss had warmed him more effectively. Harry cradled his cup in both hands, savoring the heat that emanated from it. "We found the mermaid," he said.
"That's fantastic!" said Seamus.
"Is she okay?" Hermione asked.
"She seemed sad," Neville remarked.
"Why didn't she come up with you?" Dean questioned.
Harry released a gusty sigh, drawing everyone's attention. "This is where it gets complicated," he said. "The mermaid is still two-dimensional. She's part of a piece of stained glass in an underwater structure."
"Will we need to bring up the entire piece of glass to save her?" asked Draco.
"I don't see how we could," said Neville. "It was larger than the one in the Prefects' Bath, and the grindylows were rather aggressive in protecting their territory."
"Did the turnips help?" asked Luna. She had accompanied the Dumbledore contingent back to the castle.
"They worked wonders," Harry said. "That was a brilliant suggestion, Luna."
She beamed at the praise.
"We need to figure out a way to get the mermaid out of there," said Ron. His forehead scrunched as he thought.
"She got in the Black Lake by entering a portrait of the lake," Hermione said. "Do you suppose we could get her back in the same manner?"
"By using a portrait of the stained glass in the Prefects' Bath," murmured Pansy.
Blaise slumped into a chair. "There is no portrait of the Prefects' Bath," he said.
"There could be," said Dean, sitting up straight.
"Brilliant!" cried Seamus, clapping a hand on his boyfriend's shoulder. "You can paint such a portrait."
"And, we could take it down in the Black Lake and have the mermaid move into the new portrait," said Harry. "It just may work."
"Wouldn't water ruin a painting?" asked Greg.
"We could protect it with a spell," Hermione said.
Draco looked at her. "Is there such a spell?"
"Not that I'm aware of," she replied. "However, we can-"
"Research it in the library," Blaise finished with a grin.
Hermione stuck her tongue out at him.
"What if it doesn't work?" asked Pansy. She looked worried.
"It's the best plan we have," Neville said, reaching for her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.
Harry glanced at Draco, but Draco was looking directly at him.
"I don't like it," Draco sighed. "It's risky."
"No more risky than our original reconaissance mission was," Harry assured him. He looked around at the assembled members of his House. "Are we agreed?" he asked. "Dean will paint a portrait of the stained glass window in the Prefects' Bath, and Neville and I will return to the Black Lake with it and encourage the mermaid to enter the new portrait."
The others nodded, their expressions conveying varying degrees of excitement and concern.
"I'll get more turnips," said Luna.
~*~
"There are so many things that can go wrong," Draco said.
It was late, and he and Harry were in their dorm room, getting ready for bed.
"It may be risky," said Harry, "but we have no other choice." He glanced at Draco in time to see a worried frown cross Draco's face. Harry sat down next to Draco on his bed. "It will be alright," he said.
Draco leaned against him with a wordless sigh.
Harry carded his fingers through Draco's hair. Draco raised his head to meet Harry's eyes, and Harry felt a spark of longing warm his belly. He leaned close and angled his head, fitting his mouth over Draco's in a gentle kiss.
Draco opened to Harry, allowing him to deepen the kiss. Gradually, without breaking the contact between their lips, Harry and Draco shifted to lie back upon Draco's bed. Harry's body was clamoring for relief, and he slung a leg over Draco and rubbed against him. Draco responded in kind, and Harry grew bolder. He reached for Draco's zip, only to have a hand cover his, stilling him.
"Harry, I-"
"It's alright," sighed Harry. "We don't have to do anything you don't want to."
"I want to," Draco whispered. "It's just...I've never..."
Draco's voice trailed off uncertainly, and Harry drew back in surprise. "Never?" he asked.
Draco shook his head, refusing to meet Harry's incredulous gaze. Harry pulled him close and wrapped his arms around him in a comforting hug. "It's alright," he repeated. "You can let me know when you're ready."
"When you get back," Draco murmured.
Harry smiled. "Is that my incentive to make it back?" he teased, trying to lighten the mood.
"Partly," said Draco. "Having sex before you go would seem too much like you weren't coming back," he added.
"I'll come back," said Harry, tightening his arms around Draco. "Never doubt it."
Draco nodded. "I'll be waiting."
~tbc~
Sparks 15