Round 2: Challenge 5 Drabbles and Voting
Behind the cut are the drabbles for the fifth challenge of the second round. Please vote for your favourite AND least favourite in a comment to this entry (will be screened). VOTING IS CLOSED!
The prompt was "Chocolate Kisses"
1)
Title: A Taste Of It
Author: savepureness
Rating: G
Word Count: 637
A/N: Hogwarts, Yule Ball, Hermione's 4th year.
It was Hermione Granger's night; most of it.
Even weeks later she'd agree she had looked her best, her rebel hair steady for once, and the way she had worn the dress making many heads turn in her direction. Moreover, she had a dance partner who lead the twirls and pirouettes with composure and seriosity, holding her waist in a tight grip. He might not have been extraordinarily profficient in English, but conversation wasn't what Hermione had been expecting from the night of the Yule Ball, anyway. She could have done without the drama, however.
"Fine!"
"Fine!" she yelled back at Ron, right when she was ready to launch herself in an endless reproach on his lack of eloquence even when it came about fighting.
And then.
"But, Hermeeon, not understand why-"
"Once and for good, it's Her-mi-o-ne; and of course you don't! Better go babble on the same tune as my ex-friend over there, you guys would get along brilliantly, I'm sure!"
She found her way out of the Great Hall and sat down wearily on the stairs. Taking her slippers off, she began massaging her tired soles. Angry as she was, the action proved to have a soothing effect, so she kept moving her hands in circles, pressing the right spots to ease tensed little muscles she'd never been aware she had so far.
"Hullo, Cinderella."
Hermione stopped the rubbing and looked up. Inches away from her face she met Fred Weasley's inquiring, yet amused gaze; he had bent upon her, hands leaning on his knees, and was waiting for a reply.
"Excuse me?" she snapped. "Fred, you of all people... I'm honestly not in the mood for pranks tonight!"
"Who said anything about pranks? You're reading too thick a books, Herm", he mused. He leaned a bit closer and removed an unruly strand of hair from her face, tucking it back behind her ear. "Get a grip of yourself; Cinderella, the ball, the slipper; it's not glass, I can see, but my sharp mind couldn't miss the pun."
Hermione sighed and said nothing, as Fred sat by her side and began fumbling in the pocket of his vest.
"Chocolate Frogs?" he asked, opening his hand right under her nose. She blinked furiously.
"I should know you're full of surprises, but for once it's bad timing", she growled.
"I see", Fred grinned. He began fumbling again, opening the chocolates. "Hm", he said casually, "I'm wrong. You don't make an appropriate Cinderella. And you know why?"
"Why?" muttered Hermione, quite reluctantly.
"You're just not dirty enough", he laughed. The next moment he was upon her, smudging chocolate all over her face. She whimpered and struggled, but he was holding her tight while artistically displaying threads of melting chocolate down her cheeks and around her mouth; Hermione reached for the bits he was still holding between his too busy fingers, and he let them drop. She took advantage and grabbed them, charging back. The Chocolate War lasted for a couple of minutes only, and soon both sides were panting heavily. Hermione pulled helplessly at her disheveled hair, and began laughing.
"And they keep saying women should be handled with care", Fred complained, rolling his eyes. He looked at her while he was standing up. "Here's an improvement", he mused, "I'm off to hunt some happiness for myself, too."
"Thank you", Hermione suddenly blurted out; he stopped and turned. Their eyes locked in a gaze that spoke for itself, and for them, for their mutual understanding and their shared moment of mirth. Fred lened on quickly and placed a short kiss on Hermione's slightly parted lips, knocking the air out her lungs.
"Don't mention it", he winked, amused once again at her horrified look. "I think I'll make a mission of honour out of saving damsels in distress."
2)
Title: Hermione’s Favorite Sweet
Author: dynonugget
Rating: PG
Word Count: 697
A/N: Thanks to my awesome beta! Rawr!
Every Valentine’s Day for the past three years, the joke shop was nearly empty, for everyone shopped at Honeydukes for their chocolates. As bookkeeper, Hermione suggested they try something to boost their Valentine’s Day sales.
“What’s your favorite sweet?” Fred had asked. When Hermione answered “chocolate covered caramels,” Fred simply nodded, then walked away.
Three days later he left on a business venture.
This in and of itself was not uncommon, but it was odd that he refused to tell her anything about it. All he said was, “When the time is right.”
Over the next year, Hermione and Fred danced around their growing attraction for each other. He wanted to ask Hermione out, but couldn’t find the words. Hermione once or twice tried to suggest they have dinner together, but she always choked when the moment came.
There were long looks, tentative touches… and then nothing. They needed the perfect moment.
Hermione bided her time.
Unknown to her, so did Fred.
One Year Later
It was Valentine’s Day, and the shop was packed. Ron had been dragged in to help, and George assigned him to keeping the shelves stocked, a task which Ron both loathed and could barely keep up. Privately, it’s exactly why George assigned it to him; seeing Ron run back and forth from the stock room all day amused him to no end.
“One of these days,” Hermione warned, “Ron is going to chuck it and walk out the door.”
“He’s here one week a year Hermione; it won’t kill him to help us out. Besides, the famous Quidditch player needs to be taken down a notch or two, don’t you think?”
Since she found it hard to argue with that, she went to the front of the store to see it completely packed with customers. She found Fred running one of the registers and asked him what was going on.
“We don’t sell ordinary truffles, love,” he pointed out.
“Neither does Honeydukes. They have Ice Mice, and Licorice Wands, and-“
“And would you give those things to your Valentine, Hermione?”
“They also have chocoballs and -“
“Is that what you want for Valentine’s Day? A large box of chocoballs?”
“No, I guess not. It’s just when I think of this place, I think of… well, jokes.”
For a moment, Fred looked hurt.
“Is that all you think of, Hermione, jokes?”
She blushed and smiled.
“No,” she finally answered as Fred rang up another customer.
Shoppers were waiting in line, arms loaded full of boxes that all looked the same. Puzzled, she looked to the shelves, but they were empty. Ron had given up and was simply standing there, handing out boxes to customers and they came in the door.
“What exactly are we selling this year?” she asked Ron, but he didn’t bother answering. Instead, he turned around and grinned at his brother.
“Aren’t we selling Patented Day Dreams?”
“Not today,” Fred told her, smiling.
“Pygmy Puffs?”
“Not today.”
“Fred, these people are clamoring for these chocolates. What is going on?”
“Seems my brothers bought the company that makes these,” Ron informed her.
Hermione turned to Fred, her eyes full of questions.
“Chocolate covered caramels,” he whispered.
Suddenly, George was there and took over ringing out the customers. Fred took a single step back, taking Hermione with him.
In his hand, he held out a single chocolate covered caramel.
She took the chocolate, popped it in her mouth and closed her eyes. Fred watched as she enjoyed it, taking her time as she chewed slowly, treasuring the delight.
Hermione opened her eyes, saw him staring down at her, and she knew the moment had come.
There, in front of the entire shop full of family and strangers alike, Hermione kissed him.
All the catcalls and whistles were ignored when Fred began kissing her back. His lips were so soft, so gentle, and Hermione became lost as he shared all that had been unsaid between them for far too long.
When they finally came apart long moments later, George was standing there beaming.
“What did you think of our candy choice, Hermione?”
She licked her lips and said, “Fred’s kiss is sweeter.”
3)
Title: Good Intentions
Author: mandy_jg
Rating: PG
Word Count: 546
A/N: none
You had to admire his persistence, Fred thought to himself as he watched his younger brother attempts at flirtation with his incredibly unimpressed friend. You would think after being turned down countless times, and told to cut it out, Ron would get the hint. It seemed no matter how Hermione told him to bugger off, he continued. After the disaster that had been their relationship Hermione had been happy to leave it behind her, while Ron seemed intent on recapturing the nightmare.
He was currently trying to convince her that there was nothing fishy in the chocolates, they were just chocolate. It wasn’t going well at all.
“Hermione, trust me. These are just normal chocolates; I wouldn’t do that to you...”
“Oh of course you wouldn’t do that to me. That nougat you gave me for my birthday last year didn’t make me break out in purple spots,” she snorted, shaking her head.
“That was an accident, I meant them for Gin, you know that.” Ron reached out and grabbed the box from in front of her, lifting the lid off. “Pick one.”
“I don’t want to eat one.”
“No, you pick one, and I will eat it. I’ll prove to you that there is nothing fishy with them.”
Hermione narrowed her eyes, but grabbed one out of the box regardless, and passed it to him.
He grinned widely as he bit into the chocolate, swallowing it quickly; Ron held his arms out to show her no ill effects.
“That doesn’t mean anything, you lot could have set up some time delay, and I’ll wake up naked tomorrow in the middle of Diagon Alley.”
His eyes widened momentarily, before he adopted his usual dopey grin. “Come on Hermione, one box, its Valentine’s Day tomorrow. I thought girls liked these sorts of things.”
“From their boyfriends,” Hermione muttered, pulling out her purse. “Normally they’re gifts. They don’t make them pay for them. How much is it for a box?”
Ron’s grin widened, “Oh a kiss ought to do it.”
“A kiss?” She said slowly, snapping her purse shut.
“Yeah,” Ron said more confidently, straightening up. “A kiss should cover it.”
Her gaze flickered between the box on the counter, and Ron, with his cocky grin. “Fine,” she nodded.
Ignoring Ron as he lent over the counter, she turned to Fred who was standing against a shelf watching their exchange. He could see behind her Ron’s smile fading, and his eyes narrowing. Fred almost said something, but he became surrounded by bushy hair, and a hand around the back of his neck stopped him. Pressing herself against him, he failed to notice anything but the witch proceeding to kiss him thoroughly. His hands came down to rest on her hips, intent on moving her closer still to him when she pulled herself away.
She winked at him quickly before walking slowly to the counter, picking up her purse, and the box of chocolates. “Thanks, Ron.”
Fred didn’t miss her smile as she walked out of the shop, but his attention was soon returned to his brother, who did not look impressed. Unlike George next to him, who was laughing silently.
Not daring to laugh, he said solemnly, “Maybe next time you should specify who she has to kiss.”
4)
Title: His Brother's Girl
Author: greenschist
Rating: G
Word Count: 750 (whew!)
A/N: Set during HBP.
"I wouldn't go in there if I were you."
Hermione turned away from the hospital wing's doors and spotted Fred sitting under the window, legs extended into the corridor.
"You don't want to be caught out after curfew, right? McGonagall, Dumbledore, and Slughorn are in there." He nodded toward the doors and climbed to his feet. "I suspect they're trying to convince Mum it's safe for Ron and Ginny to stay at Hogwarts." He rubbed the back of his neck with one hand and smiled tiredly. "Not an easy task, I think, when Ron's lying there all poisoned."
Her heart ached at the thought. "Is he-" She was hoarse from crying and needed to clear her throat. "Is he awake yet?"
"He woke up for a bit. Said 'Mum' and some gibberish before losing consciousness again. Cheer up," Fred said, noting her crestfallen expression. "Madam Pomfrey says it's a good sign. He just needs time."
Hermione hid her face in her hands, too relieved to speak.
Fred cupped her elbows and drew her close enough to hug. "Mum and Dad'll be with him all night; you don't need to worry."
She peeked at him over her fingers, struck by his compassion. His hair was almost brown in the silvery moonlight from the window, and he looked older and more serious than Hermione could ever remember seeing him. It occurred to her that she had never stood so close to Fred before, never taken a moment to study his features or admire the color of his eyes. Suddenly shy, she dropped her hands and backed out of his reach.
"Thank you." She smoothed her clothing.
He waved her words away. "Thank you. My brother's lucky to have a girl like you."
"I'm not his girl." Her hands fisted in the hem of her jumper. "Lavender Brown is his girl."
He gazed at her calmly. "Friend then."
"I'm not certain I'm his friend anymore, either." Hermione was dismayed to find herself tearing up again. "We've barely spoken for months, we…" Her voice broke and she began crying in earnest.
"Hermione, Ron is-" He broke off and glanced at the hospital doors. Taking her hand, he propelled them both into the shadows and into an alcove Hermione never knew existed. The doors opened and McGonagall and Slughorn stepped into the corridor, arguing quietly until they were out of sight. Fred silently passed Hermione a clean handkerchief and watched in the dim light as she wiped her eyes.
"Ron has never been able to see a good thing, even when it's right in front of his face." Fred's breath, smelling faintly of chocolate and peppermint, ghosted over her face. "But he'll come around, Hermione. Lavender Brown's like leprechaun gold; before too long, the sparkle will be gone. You're the real thing, Hermione. Even Ron can't ignore that for long."
"But is that even what I want?" she murmured. "All this time, I thought I was jealous because he was some other girl's boyfriend, but I think really I've just missed my friend. I want my friend back."
He smiled, apparently pleased. "When he wakes up, you can tell him that. Tonight," he tipped her chin back and looked into her eyes, "you should try to get some sleep."
Physically and emotionally exhausted, she could only nod.
"This will make you feel better." Fred pulled a small box out of his pocket and opened it with a flourish. Inside were three small chocolates. "They're from our 'Unconventional Candies' line, absolutely non-magic," he assured her when she raised a wary eyebrow.
Still leery, Hermione took a small bite. "Mmphh!" she whimpered when the flavor flooded her mouth.
"Like it?"
She nodded enthusiastically, taking another bite. The sweetness of the chocolate curled over her tongue followed by an inexplicable heat. It was like eating Chocolate Frogs and Pepper Imps at the same time.
"I'm glad, since you inspired them." Fred's voice was filled with satisfaction. "They're called 'Hot Chocolates.'"
Hermione swallowed. "I inspired them?"
"I used to watch you in the common room, drinking hot chocolate and eating cinnamon Sugar Quills. Sweet, spicy, sweet, spicy. The image stayed with me."
She could feel herself blushing. "I didn't know you were watching me."
"I was always watching you, when I thought you were my brother's girl." He kissed her, almost on her cheek, but letting his lips touch the corner of her mouth. "Now that I think you're my brother's friend, I'm tired of just watching."
5)
Title: To Love a Girl with Fishlike Lips
Author: luvscharlie
Rating: G
Word Count: 567
A/N: none
"Oo would do such a fing?" Hermione sobbed as she clutched her extended stomach, and Charlie guided her by the elbow to a chair in the flat above the shop. He shrugged his shoulders at his baby sister as though in search of a translation.
Ginny patted Hermione's arm. "I don't know which of them was stupid enough to put chocolate out on the counter with a pregnant woman in the house." Hermione's lips continued to swell and pucker as the light bulb in Charlie's head flickered its recognition.
"Why?" Hermione wailed on.
"Don't you worry, honey. You'll be just fine. Charlie's going to go find our two idiot brothers and bring them back here to make everything better." She continued the comforting patting of Hermione's arm and tilted her chin at the door.
"Oh, yeah." Charlie moved to leave as the door downstairs opened and the thunder of footsteps resounded up the stairs.
Fred arrived first… unfortunately for him.
Ginny attacked. "What were you thinking, you moron? You don't leave your ridiculous chocolate experiments around an eight months pregnant woman. It's cruel and inhuman!" She nodded and Charlie slapped him on the back of the head.
"Ow! Damn that hurt!"
"You left that experimental chocolate laying around so that anyone could have eaten it. Is that the way you boneheads are going to act when my little niece or nephew makes his appearance?" Ginny patted Hermione's stomach and inclined her chin at Charlie once more.
Thwap.
"Bloody hell, Charlie. When did she become your puppeteer?" Fred grabbed his head, attempting to rub away the pain… or perhaps the knot that was forming. He brushed Charlie off and made his way over to his wife. "My what big lips you have…"
Hermione howled, the tears coming faster.
"Okay, not funny. Pregnancy hormones. Gotta love them." Fred leaned over a hand on her stomach as he sized up the situation.
Thwap.
Ducking too late, Fred nearly toppled over. "What the hell was that for? Ginny didn't tell you to do that."
Charlie seemed to ponder. "Nah, that one was just because I felt like it."
Fred turned toward him, arms outstretched in frustration. "And do you feel better?"
Seeming to ponder further, Charlie nodded. "Yes, in fact, I do. Thank you for asking."
"Well, now that you feel better, might I attend to my wife?" Without waiting for an answer, Fred turned back to Hermione. "Don't worry, love. There's a cure." He leaned in, and pressed his mouth to her swollen lips, slipping his tongue between them.
She kissed him back, wrapping he arms around his neck, drawing him in, and then bit down… hard.
Fred howled in pain, dancing around and clasping his hand over his mouth. He could only force one word out through his rapidly swelling tongue. "Why?"
The kiss-cure had worked and Hermione's lips were once more normal-sized. "Pay back. You knew I had been craving chocolate. You left that there on purpose. I am not a guinea pig, Fred Weasley!"
George stepped from around the corner, sniggering. "I can't believe you actually ate it. Really, Hermione. How long have you lived with us?"
Sucking in her breath, Hermione exclaimed, "It was you?!"
Fred took a page from Ginny's book, pointing and nodding his head in George's direction.
Crossing his arms over his chest, Charlie reclined against the wall. "It doesn't work for you."
6)
Title: Promises
Author: elegantsundance
Rating: G
Word Count: 530
A/N: Not beta-d
"Yeah, I'll be sure to give him your love. And mine!" she giggled as she and Ginny said their goodbyes outside the restaurant.
"Oh, come on. That's my brother you're talking about. In a small, dark corner of my brain, I acknowledge the implications of you two being married. But yuck! You don't have to go all mushy on me." shrieked Ginny, the thought of her brother and best friend having sex a vivid and disturbing picture at the forefront of her mind.
"You know you love me. And Fred." smiled Hermione. "At any rate, I told Fred I'd be home in a bit, so I suppose we should probably wrap it up."
"Yeah, I told Harry the same. He's probably having a heart attack having to deal with the kids by himself." she smiled. "Anyway, same time next week?"
"Definitely." the two women hugged each other, then stepped back as they Apparated to their respective homes.
When Hermione arrived in her foyer, she sniffed the air experimentally, immediately getting angry. Fred promised, he promised not to conduct any experiments today. It was Valentine's Day and he had promised her. As she started off to the kitchen, a loud BANG sounded, enhancing her anger.
"FRED!" she yelled, stalking toward the kitchen. "You PROMISED.."
"HERMIONE! Ahhh! Don't come in here. You aren't supposed to be home yet. Don't!" she heard him spell the door shut.
"Don't think I won't blast down this door, Fred Weasley. You know very well that I have the capability."
"Hermione, please? Just don't come in here." he called out through the still-sealed door.
"I refuse to stand out here when you blatantly take the trust I had placed in you and slam it into the ground. You promised me, Fred. No experiments on Valentine's Day. I'll give you until the count of three to open this door or I'll take it down myself."
He opened the door almost immediately, globs of something mud-colored streaked and smeared across just about every surface of his body.
"Fred, what in the world?" she asked, trying not to laugh at his sudden acquiescence of her request and his obvious mess.
"I haven't broken my promise, love, honest. I wasn't expecting you home for another half hour or so and I know how much you like chocolate, so I was going to make you fudge for dessert tonight but.. then.. well.." he trailed off as he opened the door further onto the kitchen covered similarly to his person.
"It ended like it usually does?" she giggled. "So, this is chocolate?" she swiped a finger across a particularly large glob on his cheek, tasting it carefully. It was delicious.
"I was just trying to do something nice and.. well.." she stopped his apology with a kiss. He grinned.
"Mmm," she hummed, "you taste like chocolate. I suppose we could always clean up this mess later and I could personally help you take care of the mess you're currently.. umm.. wearing."
He didn't need to be told twice. With a yelp, she was picked up in his sticky embrace and was being carried off to the bedroom and more of those chocolate kisses.
7)
Title: Keeps Us Here
Author: phil_urich
Rating: 750
Word Count: PG
A/N: none
Hermione stared in anticipation as Fred took his first bite. His face betrayed nothing though, much to her disappointment. “Do you like it, Fred?”
“It’s fantastic,” Fred said with a knowing grin. “You say they eat this in China ?”
“Well, an equivalent of it. There’s changes made to the food to be more compatible with our tastes here, but its sort of the same.”
A thoughtful look crossed Fred’s face.
“What?” Hermione asked with a smile.
“Just had an idea. It’s not important though.”
“Do tell.”
“No, it’s not important. Besides I don’t like talking about work at the table.”
“We’re not at the table,” Hermione pointed out. “We’re sitting on my couch eating take-out Chinese. Now come on, Fred, tell me what you’re thinking.”
“I was thinking about how taste sort of depends on what culture you’re from. We’ve started exporting a few of our products to other countries, but some of the jokes don’t come across as well.”
“Like?”
“Well, our Skiving Snackboxes don’t do well in China because most children don’t even think about skipping class,” Fred grinned as he brought a fork full of rice and peas to his mouth. “You’re not part Chinese are you, Hermione?”
“Very funny, Fred,” Hermione said sarcastically.
“You never missed a single day in class, save your seventh year, which we’ll chalk up to being for the greater good, yeah? So did it ever even cross your mind to not go to class?”
Hermione slowly chewed a piece of pork as she considered the question. “No,” she said finally. “It just seemed so wrong. I was there to learn.”
“You could have checked out a few books, slept in late, and looked the books over if you’d wanted to learn. Ron told me you read the texts in advance, so why not just skip class entirely?”
“Not everything you learn is in books, Fred. Besides, most of the professors taught outside of the texts.”
A grimace crossed Fred’s face. “Yeah, found that out after I got one of McGonagall’s tests. To this day I still have no idea how to transfigure buttons into beetles.”
“So was I wrong to go to class, then?” Hermione asked with that look that so clearly said, ‘I’m right and you’re wrong. Admit it.’
Fred shrugged. “Too late to find that out, isn’t it? I mean, yeah, I made a bad grade from time to time, but look at what George and I accomplished with the time we weren’t in class.”
“So I’d have a better life if I had skived off my studies?”
Fred sensed he was entering dangerous territory, but continued on anyways. “I’m not saying my life is better than yours. I guess its just interesting to me that you and I are here in your flat eating Chinese food together and we don’t have to have any reason to do it. I mean there’s no party or people inviting us to be here, no social obligation. We actually want to be together despite it all.”
“Despite what all?” Hermione asked with a quizzical expression.
“Differences in cultures.”
Hermione smiled, but shook her head nonetheless. “We’re not all that different, Fred. You may have skipped a few classes, but you’re not stupid. You joke a bit too much at times, but that doesn’t mean I don’t think you’re funny.”
“Even when you don’t laugh?”
“Even then, though I might not think its funny at the time, especially if it’s a prank played on me. You understand what I mean though, don‘t you? We have similarities.”
“Like what?”
“We both like experimenting in your lab.”
“Not sure I can call snogging in the lab experimenting,” Fred joked.
“Fine, we both prefer Ice Mice to chocolate of any sort. We enjoy taking walks with each other, don’t we?”
Fred nodded. “Go on.”
“You just like hearing me talk about us, don’t you, Fred?” Sometimes she sees a fear in his eyes, the same she’s seen in Ron’s before and Percy’s, the fear of not measuring up.
“Yeah.”
She’s not certain if the fear’s a family trait or something the boys picked up themselves, but it drives them for better and for worse. She sees it in his eyes now, though he’d deny it if she should ever bring it up. She leans forward and kisses his lips, her eyes still open. The fear in his eyes dulls and knowing she did that somehow is empowering, yet she gives of it willingly, delightfully.
Participants using their skip: thesteppyone and inkvoices.
Voting will end Saturday (14. February) at 11.59pm (EDT, New York).