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in
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FIC: Pretences (Petunia/Vernon)
Title: Pretences
Author: shiiki
Rating: PG
Characters/Pairings: Petunia Dursley/Vernon Dursley
Fandom: Harry Potter
Word Count: 275
Summary: ... in fact, Mrs Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister ... Lily isn't really a subject for polite company, after all.
The lady across the table was prattling on incessantly--some inane story about how her sister had brought home the most inappropriately young man and how distressing it was. Petunia kept her mouth curled upwards in a prim smile as she brought her teacup to her lips and tried to look interested. Mrs Thorpe was the wife of Vernon's business associate, after all. It wouldn't do to be impolite.
'--and then would you believe she said to me, haughty as you please, "It's my life, Dorothy," as if we weren't looking out for her interests!' Mrs Thorpe shook her head in disbelief. 'Sisters.'
'Mm,' said Petunia. 'Just so.'
Mrs Thorpe dabbed at the corners of her mouth with her napkin. 'Do you have a sister, dear?'
She could have said yes. She could have commiserated with the woman about her own delinquent sister and her inappropriate men--well, her entire inappropriate life, really. But the thought of explaining Lily to this well-bred businessman's wife, whose idea of a distressing match was a boyfriend five years younger than her sister, tasted more sour than the lemon slice drifting in Petunia's tea.
'No,' she said. 'I'm an only child.'
She saw, out of the corner of her eye, Vernon cast her a look of surprise. He had, after all, met Lily.
Perhaps that was why he didn't question her fib. (Not that he would ever have called her out in front of his associate, anyway.)
But even after the luncheon, Vernon didn't bring up the subject; he seemed happy enough to go along with her pretence that Lily and her awful world didn't exist.
Petunia loved him for it.
Author: shiiki
Rating: PG
Characters/Pairings: Petunia Dursley/Vernon Dursley
Fandom: Harry Potter
Word Count: 275
Summary: ... in fact, Mrs Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister ... Lily isn't really a subject for polite company, after all.
The lady across the table was prattling on incessantly--some inane story about how her sister had brought home the most inappropriately young man and how distressing it was. Petunia kept her mouth curled upwards in a prim smile as she brought her teacup to her lips and tried to look interested. Mrs Thorpe was the wife of Vernon's business associate, after all. It wouldn't do to be impolite.
'--and then would you believe she said to me, haughty as you please, "It's my life, Dorothy," as if we weren't looking out for her interests!' Mrs Thorpe shook her head in disbelief. 'Sisters.'
'Mm,' said Petunia. 'Just so.'
Mrs Thorpe dabbed at the corners of her mouth with her napkin. 'Do you have a sister, dear?'
She could have said yes. She could have commiserated with the woman about her own delinquent sister and her inappropriate men--well, her entire inappropriate life, really. But the thought of explaining Lily to this well-bred businessman's wife, whose idea of a distressing match was a boyfriend five years younger than her sister, tasted more sour than the lemon slice drifting in Petunia's tea.
'No,' she said. 'I'm an only child.'
She saw, out of the corner of her eye, Vernon cast her a look of surprise. He had, after all, met Lily.
Perhaps that was why he didn't question her fib. (Not that he would ever have called her out in front of his associate, anyway.)
But even after the luncheon, Vernon didn't bring up the subject; he seemed happy enough to go along with her pretence that Lily and her awful world didn't exist.
Petunia loved him for it.