Cedric/Hermione ficlet for elven_mysteries: "Chin up, Granger..." (G)
I'm still in Slightly Overwhelmed Mode right now sorry, hence the lack of updates. I was coaxed out momentarily though by a very kind post by elven_mysteries who has dedicated a Cedric/Hermione user icon to me. :)
The icon post is here. :) Thank you Mysty dear. In return, I give you a ficlet. Sorry it's such a wee thing ... :)
Title: 'Chin up, Granger....' (G), Stand-alone fic.
Characters: Cedric/Hermione
Disclaimer: None because they're useless
"Chin up, Granger...."
It didn't matter that she hadn't heard the phrase for a very long time now. It seemed as though that phrase had been burned into her subconscious over the years.
She still remembered the expression in Cedric's light grey eyes as he said it, eyes that were filled with loving and gentle encouragement, a slightly wry twist to his expressive mouth.
He'd said it that day - that day at the end of all things, the day when the world had ended, or seemed to anyway.
"Why do you always say that?" she had demanded of him once, during their many encounters in the library.
"Because .... when you feel anxious, you always droop a little. Your head drops down, you frown .... you scowl .... Besides, if you don't keep your chin up, then I can't do this .... and this ... and ..."
There had been a very long and delicious pause in the conversation.
"And this," he had whispered in a very soft and husky voice.
There was a reminiscent smile on Hermione's lips as her mouth curved. The memory of that day was as clear in her memory as if it had taken place yesterday.
"What is that very mysterious smile about?" an amused and curious voice interrupted her thoughts and Hermione snapped out of her reverie and glanced up. "Dare I hope you're thinking about me?"
She smiled when cool lips pressed a kiss to the base of her throat, her fingers reached up to tangle in his dark hair.
"Secret," she murmured, turning her head slightly to kiss his cheek and allowing her fingertips to linger on his skin.
"No secrets from your beloved," he told her with mock severity and Hermione laughed.
"I was just laughing .... when I thought about how you always called me Granger in that way .. for all the world as if I was a boy or someone on your Quidditch team ..."
Cedric smiled and drew her up into his arms to pull her close, his arms tightening around her.
"You wrong me, Hermione... I've always been very much aware of your gender..."
"You mouthed 'Chin up, Granger....'" at me before you went into the maze ...." she whispered, her own arms tightening around him.
"More of an encouragement to myself, truth be told ..... I was terrified although far too manly to admit it at that time ...."
"You had grounds to be afraid," she whispered.
"Yet you still love me despite my hideous injuries," he teased her lightly, his grey eyes alight with emotion.
She pushed his sleeve up and ran her fingertips down the fierce and angry-looking scar that snaked his way down his arm. It no longer pained him but it gave her a pang each time she saw it. "This is a beautiful scar," she told him defiantly. "You survived .... you could so nearly have died that night in the graveyard .... I'm grateful for this scar instead of ... what could have happened instead ..."
Cedric's eyes clouded slightly. Over the years, he had been glad as he had seen that look of fear and anxiety gradually leave Hermione's eyes when she watched him. He hated to see it again in her eyes when he had hoped that it was gone forever.
"Silly little thing ..." he said teasingly. "I haven't said that phrase in years ...., haven't needed to .. in fact ... the last time was ..."
"Before the final battle," Hermione told him simply.
"Yes," he whispered and his mouth brushed against hers briefly as she closed her eyes.
"The world was ending ..... you were dying ... we were all going to die .... I knew we had no hope.... but when you said 'Chin up, Granger....."
"You laughed," Cedric said with a smile.
"And that distraction was enough ...."
"I don't think Voldemort ever expected anyone to laugh at such a critical juncture ..." Cedric agreed.
Hermione nodded and then looked at him. "What do you mean you haven't needed to say it?" She accusingly, her eyes snapping with questions.
Cedric grinned wickedly, his own eyes filled with teasing laughter.
"You're the envy of millions, love. Such a dashing, brave ... not to mention handsome doting ... yours truly at your feet - what need would you have to be told to keep your chin up?"
"You forgot to mention conceited, arrogant and totally full of it," she said darkly and caught her breath as his hand slid beneath her blouse provocatively.
"Arrogant? When I think of all the times I've let you stomp on my ego .... " he said mournfully.
"Conceited," she repeated and he laughed.
"In any case," he said kissing her nose. "Given that we married almost immediately after the defeat of Voldemort - you haven't been Granger in a very, very long time ...... Mrs Diggory ...."
"Yes, that's true," she said absently. "Although I don't know what I was thinking to allow you to persuade me to change my name. It's not as if I don't have enough syllables already in my first name!"
Cedric laughed.
"If you don't mind me asking ... what brought on this bout of nostalgia, love?" He was trailing kisses down her jawline and slyly unbuttoning her blouse.
She caught his hand mischievously and slid it down her body to rest upon her abdomen. "I thought Granger might make a good baby's name ...."
Cedric's grey eyes widened in equal amounts of shock and delight. He looked up from where his hand was resting into Hermione's dark tremulous eyes.
"I say Granger .... you might give a fellow a bit of warning before springing a surprise like that on him!" he stammered incoherently, his eyes wide and vulnerable before completely losing the power of speech.
The End
Note: This was actually canon (and therefore sad) the first time I wrote it but I changed my mind :)
The icon post is here. :) Thank you Mysty dear. In return, I give you a ficlet. Sorry it's such a wee thing ... :)
Title: 'Chin up, Granger....' (G), Stand-alone fic.
Characters: Cedric/Hermione
Disclaimer: None because they're useless
"Chin up, Granger...."
It didn't matter that she hadn't heard the phrase for a very long time now. It seemed as though that phrase had been burned into her subconscious over the years.
She still remembered the expression in Cedric's light grey eyes as he said it, eyes that were filled with loving and gentle encouragement, a slightly wry twist to his expressive mouth.
He'd said it that day - that day at the end of all things, the day when the world had ended, or seemed to anyway.
"Why do you always say that?" she had demanded of him once, during their many encounters in the library.
"Because .... when you feel anxious, you always droop a little. Your head drops down, you frown .... you scowl .... Besides, if you don't keep your chin up, then I can't do this .... and this ... and ..."
There had been a very long and delicious pause in the conversation.
"And this," he had whispered in a very soft and husky voice.
There was a reminiscent smile on Hermione's lips as her mouth curved. The memory of that day was as clear in her memory as if it had taken place yesterday.
"What is that very mysterious smile about?" an amused and curious voice interrupted her thoughts and Hermione snapped out of her reverie and glanced up. "Dare I hope you're thinking about me?"
She smiled when cool lips pressed a kiss to the base of her throat, her fingers reached up to tangle in his dark hair.
"Secret," she murmured, turning her head slightly to kiss his cheek and allowing her fingertips to linger on his skin.
"No secrets from your beloved," he told her with mock severity and Hermione laughed.
"I was just laughing .... when I thought about how you always called me Granger in that way .. for all the world as if I was a boy or someone on your Quidditch team ..."
Cedric smiled and drew her up into his arms to pull her close, his arms tightening around her.
"You wrong me, Hermione... I've always been very much aware of your gender..."
"You mouthed 'Chin up, Granger....'" at me before you went into the maze ...." she whispered, her own arms tightening around him.
"More of an encouragement to myself, truth be told ..... I was terrified although far too manly to admit it at that time ...."
"You had grounds to be afraid," she whispered.
"Yet you still love me despite my hideous injuries," he teased her lightly, his grey eyes alight with emotion.
She pushed his sleeve up and ran her fingertips down the fierce and angry-looking scar that snaked his way down his arm. It no longer pained him but it gave her a pang each time she saw it. "This is a beautiful scar," she told him defiantly. "You survived .... you could so nearly have died that night in the graveyard .... I'm grateful for this scar instead of ... what could have happened instead ..."
Cedric's eyes clouded slightly. Over the years, he had been glad as he had seen that look of fear and anxiety gradually leave Hermione's eyes when she watched him. He hated to see it again in her eyes when he had hoped that it was gone forever.
"Silly little thing ..." he said teasingly. "I haven't said that phrase in years ...., haven't needed to .. in fact ... the last time was ..."
"Before the final battle," Hermione told him simply.
"Yes," he whispered and his mouth brushed against hers briefly as she closed her eyes.
"The world was ending ..... you were dying ... we were all going to die .... I knew we had no hope.... but when you said 'Chin up, Granger....."
"You laughed," Cedric said with a smile.
"And that distraction was enough ...."
"I don't think Voldemort ever expected anyone to laugh at such a critical juncture ..." Cedric agreed.
Hermione nodded and then looked at him. "What do you mean you haven't needed to say it?" She accusingly, her eyes snapping with questions.
Cedric grinned wickedly, his own eyes filled with teasing laughter.
"You're the envy of millions, love. Such a dashing, brave ... not to mention handsome doting ... yours truly at your feet - what need would you have to be told to keep your chin up?"
"You forgot to mention conceited, arrogant and totally full of it," she said darkly and caught her breath as his hand slid beneath her blouse provocatively.
"Arrogant? When I think of all the times I've let you stomp on my ego .... " he said mournfully.
"Conceited," she repeated and he laughed.
"In any case," he said kissing her nose. "Given that we married almost immediately after the defeat of Voldemort - you haven't been Granger in a very, very long time ...... Mrs Diggory ...."
"Yes, that's true," she said absently. "Although I don't know what I was thinking to allow you to persuade me to change my name. It's not as if I don't have enough syllables already in my first name!"
Cedric laughed.
"If you don't mind me asking ... what brought on this bout of nostalgia, love?" He was trailing kisses down her jawline and slyly unbuttoning her blouse.
She caught his hand mischievously and slid it down her body to rest upon her abdomen. "I thought Granger might make a good baby's name ...."
Cedric's grey eyes widened in equal amounts of shock and delight. He looked up from where his hand was resting into Hermione's dark tremulous eyes.
"I say Granger .... you might give a fellow a bit of warning before springing a surprise like that on him!" he stammered incoherently, his eyes wide and vulnerable before completely losing the power of speech.
The End
Note: This was actually canon (and therefore sad) the first time I wrote it but I changed my mind :)