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#chudley canon fest
chudleycanonficfest · 3 years
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Read participating stories on AO3
Week 1:
Air (Romione, side Hinny) by @zurisenchantedquill
Stay, Stay, Stay (Hinny) by @voldemorts-tap-shoes
The Soul Truth (Romione) by @honouraryweasley12
The Greenhouse (Neville/Hannah) by zurisenchantedquill
A Million Possibilities (Molly/Arthur) by honouraryweasley12
Stars in the Night Sky (Jily) by @adenei
One Last Dance (Jily) by @be11atrixthestrange
Safe in Your Arms (Romione) by @whenihaveyouromione / @rafa-rafaelx
For Good (Harry & Ron) by @accio-broom
Thinking About You as I March On (Romione) by @bjornthorsson20
Hide and Seek (Tedoire) by adenei
Five Lies (Romione) by be11atrixthestrange
Rewrite the Stars (Romione) by adenei
End Credits (Jily) by @zephyrcove
Week 2
t-shirt (Romione) by accio-broom
Lover (Ron/Lavender with hints of Romione) by adenei
Took Far Longer then it Should’ve (Romione) by @candy-man91
Make a Move (Frank/Alice) by adenei
Sword & Shield (Romione) by accio-broom
The Switch (George/Angelina) by adenei
you belong with me (Molly/Arthur) by accio-broom
Absolutely Ridiculous (Romione) by @sp0okynerd
Just One Night (Ron & Ginny with side Romione) by rafa-rafaelx / whenihaveyouromione
the big spoon (Hinny) by accio-broom
I can’t imagine my life without you (Romione) by @cheesyficwriter
Quiet (Molly/Arthur) by voldemorts-tap-shoes
Stop Thinking (Romione) by voldemorts-tap-shoes
all of the stars (Neville/Hannah) by accio-broom
Week Three
Worth Fighting For (Romione) by cheesyficwriter
Showstopper (Jily) by @mina-roman
Summer Nights (Weasley Family) by zurisenchantedquill
Heart-Shaped Wreckage (Romione) by adenei
Liquid Courage (Romione) by mina-roman
More or Less (Trio friendship with implied Hinny & Romione) by @bavalon18
Hopelessly (Romione) by mina-roman
Sorry, they're maroon (Harry & Ron) by HeavenSoul
Family Tradition (Weasley family) by bavalon18
Flooded (Jily) by voldemorts-tap-shoes
Dorkus Maximus (Hinny) by honouraryweasley12
Just The Girl (Scorose) by adenei
Dittany (Neville/Hannah) by @floreatcastellumposts
Nerves (Hinny) by @velvethopewrites
Week Four
Nobody Compares (Romione) by @arianatwycross
Washing Machine Heart (Hinny) by @rosequartzstarswrites
Wipeout (Dean & Seamus) by adenei
the hippogriffs and the flobberworms (Arthur & Ron) by accio-broom
I Love Wine (Romione) by be11atrixthestrange
Cold Feet (Bill/Fleur) by adenei
Vino (Hinny) by @thedistantdusk
More Like Family (Ron & Harry) by cheesyficwriter
The Greatest Chapter (Hinny) by cheesyficwriter
young dumb thrills (Gryffindor friends) by accio-broom
Fluffy Town (Dean & Seamus bromance) by Adenei
Untitled (Hinny) by @booksforevermore13
The Argument (Gen Weasley) by floreatcastellumposts
Four Little Sips (General) by John McHacker
Week Five
In Vino Veritas (Harry & Molly) by floreatcastellumposts
The Masterstroke (Romione) by @maggotsstuff
Don’t run, please (Romione) by @blimeypeople
Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2 (Hinny) by @whizzfizz
Late Night in the Library (Romione) by sp0okynerd
Dancing Around You (Jily) by Adenei
Dancing (Romione) by honouraryweasley12
The Castle of Agony (Romione) by @ahankar1610
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adenei · 2 years
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Hi I'm looking for more Harry Potter writers to read that write a bit of everything? Canon compliant romance and Gen (so mix of Romione, drastoria, jily,Scorose,et but also minor characters or missing moments) do you have any recs?)
Hi there anon!
Another canon-compliant reader! Yay! It makes me so happy to find others who love canon-compliant pairings as much as me!
I wish I had a long list of writers who write multiple ships, but I've found that most stick to one or two pairings when writing.
@jenoramaca @hillnerd and @constitutionalweasleymonarchy are three authors that come to mind that do a lot of canon-compliant stuff that is varied. And I've done a lot of dabbling in several ships though I stick mainly to Romione and Jily.
Have you checked out the @chudleycanonficfest archives? We had over 60 stories with all types of canon complaint stories from many different authors there, so I'd encourage you to check that out too! Definitely use that to find more authors (who were all amazing!) who write canon-compliant!
I hope this helps, and happy searching! I know it can be hard sometimes, but it's out there!
Happy Monday :)
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gameofdrarry · 3 years
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Wizards Hearts Recs: Healer!Draco
Wizards Hearts was a four-month-long Drarry reading fest. Players were given a playing deck of 52 tropes, and were asked to find 52 different fics to read and comment on to fill their decks. To prevent the same few fics from being read, fics were restricted to only being used for the game three times before being considered ineligible for further points. The tropes and submissions list can be found here.
Check out the masterlist of fics for this trope below the cut!
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📜 The Four Doors by fluxweed Rated:  Explicit Words:  48845 Tags: Mind Healer Draco Malfoy, Legilimency (Harry Potter), Memory Loss, Memory Magic, Sexual Fantasy, Masturbation, Power Imbalance, Auror Harry Potter, Dubious Consent Due To Identity Issues, Dubious Consent Due To Patient/Healer Dynamic, Mind Fucking (Literally), Not Epilogue Compliant, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE Summary:  It’s been four months since Harry lost his memory. Four months of dead ends and no answers. With time running out until his memories are gone for good, Harry agrees to a course of Legilimency therapy with a renowned specialist: Mind Healer Draco Malfoy. ❤️ Read on AO3
📜 Where The Falcons Fly by MyNameIsThunder Rated:  Mature Words:  283177 Tags: Healer Draco Malfoy, Seeker Harry Potter, Quidditch, accidental magic, Blood and Injury, Not Epilogue Compliant, It's Not Paranoia If They're Really Out To Get You, Post-Hogwarts, Scars, Secret Relationship, Slow Burn, Whump, POV Third Person Limited, Mutual Pining, Power Couple, Major Character Injury, Minor Character Death, Eventual Fluff Summary:  Where the Falcons fly, there’s blood. Where Draco goes, there usually is too. That’s his job, after all – heal morons and the people who get in their way. He could deal with that, he thinks, if only there wasn’t Harry fucking Potter, Seeker, who gets injured a lot even by the Falcons’ standards and seems to have made a habit of inserting himself in Draco’s private life. Draco just wants to heal people – normal people, that is – and do his research in peace. Well, when does he ever get what he wants? ❤️ Read on AO3
📜 A Better Kind of Love by MalenkayaCherepakha Rated:  Explicit Words:  25768 Tags: Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Post-Hogwarts, Quidditch Player Harry Potter, Healer Draco Malfoy, St Mungo's Hospital, Hospitals, discussion of injuries, Broken Bones, Injury Recovery, Skele-Gro, Physical Therapy, Nightmares, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Quidditch, Masturbation, Rimming, Shower Sex, Locker Room Sex, Semi-Public Sex, H/D Erised 2020 Summary:  Harry, along with the rest of the Puddlemere United team, is determined that this year will be the year they finally win the Quidditch League Cup. But when a Bludger-induced fall leads to a missed Snitch, broken bones, and an extended stay in St Mungo's, that conviction is put to the test. If Harry wants to have any chance of returning to the pitch this season he has to put all of his faith in his assigned Healer. Which is no easy task when that Healer is Draco Malfoy. ❤️ Read on AO3
📜 Meet Cute by rewmariewrites Rated:  Teen and Up Words:  4203 Tags: Fluff, Mild Hurt/Comfort, St Mungo's Hospital, Hospitals, Healer Draco Malfoy, Auror Harry Potter, POV Draco Malfoy, Pining Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Harry is a Little Shit, Banter Summary:  It may be important to note that Draco Malfoy meets the love of his life when he is twenty-five years old. Well. In the spirit of fairness, that statement is both technically inaccurate and incredibly vague. Draco isn’t just twenty-five years old, when he meets the love of his life, he’s also in his fourth year of the Healing Programme at St. Mungo’s, and this isn't actually the first time they've ever met. ❤️ Read on AO3
📜 Don't Waste Your Eyes on Jealous Guys by EvAEleanor Rated:  Mature Words:  9667 Tags: MACUSA | Magical Congress of the United States of America, Auror Harry Potter, Healer Draco Malfoy, Roadtrips, Music, Implied Sexual Content, on the bonnet of a car, Pining, jealous boyfriend, mentions of Abusive Relationship (emotionally and verbally), First Kiss, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Hopeful Ending, Choose Your Own Ending, Touch, hearing, TasteofSmut 2020, First Time, Bittersweet Ending Summary:  For two years now, Harry’s life has been different. Not only does he work in New York City as the Auror liaison to MACUSA on an international murder case, but he’s seen more of Draco Malfoy than he’d ever thought possible. Working with him, and spending time with him after work. During all of this time, Harry has watched Draco going back to his shitty boyfriend over and over again. The worst thing about all of this, he’d fallen in love with him. Maybe there’s hope for Harry though. Maybe for just one night... ❤️ Read on AO3
📜 All is NOT well... by iStiz Rated:  Mature Words:  65500 Tags: HP: EWE, Not Epilogue Compliant, Slow Build, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Hermione Granger & Harry Potter Friendship, Healer Draco Malfoy, Quidditch, Angst, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Physical Abuse, Past Child Abuse, Depression, Substance Abuse, Rehabilitation, Cuddling & Snuggling, Mild Sexual Content, vague sexual content, Happy Ending Summary:  The war may be over but all is NOT well. Harry feels lost, the Ministry is still trying to control him, his friendships with Ron is rocky at best, he doesn't sleep enough, and then there's Draco Malfoy. Things haven't turned out quite the way Harry expected them to, but at least he still has Hermione to help him (and maybe some new friends if he can trust letting them into his life). ❤️ Read on AO3
📜 Harry Potter and the elusive day off by pleasebekidding Rated:  Explicit Words:  71753 Tags: Sleep disorders, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, in all honesty this has a bunch of pain, problematic therapist/patient stuff, mind healer!draco, auror!Harry, no seriously the therapist/patient stuff is super problematic but welcome to fanfic, Child Abuse Summary:  Auror Potter needs a fucking break. He is wiped. He is exhausted. He probably didn't intend to put himself into a magical coma but these things happen. And who cares, really? He is comfortable in a house where he has hidden away all the shit he can't deal with. Guaritore Christopher Black is an exceptional psychiatrist with a specialisation in sleep disorders. He is also Draco Malfoy in a Glamour. Minister Hermione Granger knows the dangers and the complications, but she needs her best friend back. ❤️ Read on AO3
📜 oxygen by MaesterChill Rated:  Teen and Up Words:  4065 Tags: Healer Draco Malfoy, Auror Harry Potter, Post-Hogwarts, Smoking, Cigarettes, Talking, Breathing, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Minor Character Death, A Kiss, Fanart, POV Second Person Summary:  Draco doesn’t smoke. Except when he needs to breathe. ❤️ Read on AO3
📜 Indebtedness by RecIt_Ralph Rated:  Teen and Up Words:  50685 Tags: HP: EWE, Healer Draco Malfoy, Auror Harry Potter, Slow Build, Fluff and Angst, forgiving Harry, Chaptered, My First Fanfic, Swearing, Snark, Eventual Happy Ending, Second Chances, Getting to Know Each Other Summary:  Of all the Healers in all of St Mungo's - why does Harry always end up with Malfoy? ❤️ Read on AO3
📜 Best Laid Plans by CreateImagineWrite Rated:  Explicit Words:  10105 Tags: Marriage Proposal, Lust Potion/Spell, Secret Relationship, Anal Sex, Established Relationship, Barebacking Summary:  He hadn’t intended to be fully clothed with Harry naked at this point, or to have just made him take an antidote to a poison or have had to Incarcerus him to the bed. But they’ve never had a very normal relationship anyways. And damn him if he’s going to let Ginevra Weasley get in the way of him marrying this man. Fourshot. ❤️ Read on AO3
📜 Iustitia & Prudentia by skeptique Rated:  Explicit Words:  36302 Tags: Graphic Depictions of Violence, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Post-Hogwarts, Post-War, Auror Harry Potter, Healer Draco Malfoy, Bisexual Harry Potter, Gay Draco Malfoy, Redeemed Draco Malfoy, Mental Health Issues, Everyone is going to Therapy, Taking their Meds, Calling Their Person, Slow Burn, Procedural That's Fairly Light on the Procedural Part, Canon Content Warnings Apply, brief discussion of infertility, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Discussion of Ongoing Food Related Issues, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Canon Typical Violence, Kidnapping, Confinement, Pansexual Theo Nott, Case Fic, Mystery, Draco Malfoy in Glasses, Minor Character Death Summary:  Draco Malfoy’s entire life fell apart after the War. He’s putting it back together as best he can with what is available to him. But Harry keeps interfering and won’t leave him alone. When he agrees to be an Auror consultant to help Harry, is it more than he bargained for? The world shifted under Harry Potter’s feet and he found himself lost and purposeless. He anchors himself in uncovering the truth about a dangerous pureblood terrorist group. Is Draco the key to solving these crimes, or is he a distraction? ❤️ Read on AO3
📜 To Do No Harm by Lokifan Rated:  Explciit Words:  58114 Tags: Post-Hogwarts, HP: EWE, Quidditch, Getting Together, Getting Back Together, Hurt/Comfort, Recovering From The War And Becoming Better People, Quidditch Player Harry Potter, Healer Draco Malfoy, Community: hd_erised, Break Up Summary:  Draco hadn’t planned to end up as team Healer for the Chudley Cannons, but it’s a Healer job, so he’ll take it - and then Potter shows up, the glorious centre-of-attention Seeker, as ever. And someone with a grudge is sabotaging Quidditch teams, and it’s only a matter of time before the Aurors’ eyes turn to Draco. ❤️ Read on AO3
📜 To Prove We're Not in a Rut by gracerene Rated:  Explicit Words:  2140 Tags: Established Relationship, Post-Hogwarts, Healer Draco, POV Harry Potter, Bottom Harry, Anal Sex, Anal Fingering, Wall Sex, well it's actually against a door, Top Draco, Bottom Harry Potter, Top Draco Malfoy Summary:  Draco and Harry are not in a rut. Draco sets out to prove it. ❤️ Read on AO3
📜 Tell Me the End at the Beginning by harryromper Rated:  Teen and Up Words:  36591 Tags: Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Post-Hogwarts, St Mungo's Hospital, Healer Draco Malfoy, Auror Harry Potter, Auror Hermione Granger, Christmas, Christmas Tree, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Christmas Presents, Christmas Decorations, 25 Days of Harry and Draco, Food Hall Turkeys, Advent Calendar, Healer Luna Lovegood, Kreacher, Minor Neville Longbottom/Ginny Weasley, Yule Logs, Misheard Christmas carols Summary:  St Mungo’s is the last place anyone wants to spend the festive season. Harry finds himself there anyway. Or: Harry's an Auror suspended from duty, Malfoy's wearing the hell out of three-piece suits, Hermione is entirely over everything, and Kreacher just wants to be left alone to decorate for Christmas. ❤️ Read on AO3
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Just to clarify:
This is a Three Broomsticks Discord Server event and is not linked to the Chudley Canon fic fest which happened recently. Though the mods of TTB did really enjoy all the stories which came out of that fest!
@chudleycanonficfest
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starlingflight · 3 years
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I saw another ask talk about your work the other day (reblogged by floreatcastellum) and have since read all the fic’s you have posted over on AO3. I hope you don’t mind that I didn’t I didn’t individually review everything, I read them in quick succession and didn’t want to bombard you with emails. I loved them all. The way you wrote the relationships between Hermione and Harry, Ginny and Tonks, Ron and Ginny, Bill and Ginny stood out in particular. It’s brilliant how all your fics weave together so seamlessly. I was also very intrigued by your characterisation on Audrey and would love to see more. Neville and Harry working together was also great, a realistic change of pace to him constantly sharing a desk with Ron in most fics. The Weasley’s finding out about Harry and Ginny was possibly my favourite (it’s a close call though) and you write every character so well it could definitely be considered cannon.
Hi!
I sincerely don't mind how you choose to respond to my work! I'm just grateful that you took the time to write something so nice and make me grin like a goofy idiot 🥰
I'm so, so pleased you enjoyed my fics and that the way I portrayed those particular relationships resonated with you. I love writing all of the characters, but Bill and Ginny are one of my favourite duos to write. All of my headcanons about them are based on that one line in OotP where Ginny basically suggests that Bill's opinion on Snape is definitive to her. I wish we'd seen more of their dynamic in the books.
I'm working on something Audrey/Percy. I wanted to have it submitted in time for the Chudley Canon Fic Fest, but I've accepted that's just not going to happen at this point. As penance here are a few of my Audrey headcanons:
- she's Health and Safety Manager for the British and Irish Quidditch League (a job which no one takes seriously, much to her frustration).
- Her dad is a Muggle-born and her mum is a Muggle - they live as muggles and they find Audrey's insistence on living in the magical world horrifying.
-She makes Percy read all of her favourite Muggle books. He pretends to find it tiresome but Pride and Predjudice is secretly his favourite.
I don't think Ron and Harry ever worked that closely together. When they joined the Aurors I think all three of them were assigned a more senior Auror to work with and by the time they were senior enough to have their own workspaces Ron had already decided to leave to join George at WWW.
I really loved writing each of the Weasley's chapters for A Bit of Both. It was fun to get inside each of their heads, so I'm really happy you enjoyed reading it!
Thank you so much for sending me this. I woke up to it in my inbox and you put me in a really nice mood before work, which I definitely needed today 💕💕
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be11atrixthestrange · 3 years
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I wonder when you post a new Ronmione fiction?
Well… I just finished a 15 chapter story 4 days ago and I’m regularly updating The Loft. I’ve also submitted a few one shots for the Chudley Canon Fic Fest that will be revealed in August. They’re not all Romione (one is Jily) but I hope you’ll still like them. 🙃
That’s about as productive as I can be right now considering I work fifty hours a week. I’m glad you like my stories but they take a lot of time to write!
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ao3feed-romione · 3 years
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The Castle of Agony
The Castle of Agony by Ahankar1610
"The Castle of Agony." one shot fic, written for 'Chudleycanonficfest' on Tumblr.
Words: 3414, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English
Fandoms: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Categories: F/M
Characters: Hermione Granger
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley
Additional Tags: The Castle of Agony, romione, Death, Tale, Alternate Universe - Mythology, you all can decide, if its romione or not, Chudley Canon Fest 2021
Read Here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/33611815
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chudleycanonficfest · 3 years
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Nobody Compares
Day 22, Story #1 is by @arianatwycross
Title: Nobody compares Author/Artist: arianatwycross.tumblr.com Pairing: Ron Weasley/Hermione Granger Prompt: In Vino Veritas (under the influence) Rating: T Trigger Warning(s) (if any): n/a
Hermione admits to kissing Ron, brags about him to Sarah and her friends. They don’t believe her because she’s acting so out of character.
Ron comes up from behind her and kisses her neck. 
Her friends gasp loudly and she smiles at their shocked expressions. She doesn’t give them time to question her properly, instead she spins around and places her  hands on his chest. 
He’s smiling down at her, his eyes a little glassy from the alcohol. He bends down to whisper something in her ear and Hermione can’t help but bite her lip and nod back. 
Hermione wasn’t surprised that Ron got signed young. He had the sort of edge a football player needs in the modern world, the passion to do more while simultaneously keeping a smart head, his humour, his witty but sensible remarks about teammates and competitors. She wasn’t surprised when he got picked for the first team, the team he grew up supporting, watching on TV and following in magazines. 
She was surprised however, at how easily it was for them to drift apart. She always thought that they would be able to overcome issues like time zones and schedules, but she was wrong. Hermione graduated University with a first in Law, and was on her way to study her Master’s in London and Ron was upping his training and committing to the first team at Manchester United. 
At the beginning they emailed and texted frequently, while Hermione was still settling into her Bachelor’s degree and Ron was still playing for the Under 23’s. But in Hermione’s second year, her course load increased and she had barely had time to even watch a single tv show. Ron tried his best to see her on his weekends off, but in the end Hermione convinced him it wasn’t worth it. The conversations over email and phone started to dwindle to monthly, then every few months and then finally they stopped altogether. 
Hermione did mourn their friendship for a long time. She blamed herself mostly, she knew she was the one that had a bit more freedom to call him when she could. Ron was too busy dealing with training schedules and away games to think about calling his best friend from secondary school. 
It had been four years since she had seen Ron. She still thought about him at times, how could she not when he was one of the most famous football players in the country? Sometimes she saw him in the sports section of the newspaper or saw him on the TV. She was a self-proclaimed Manchester United fan and so she saw him play every game on the TV. Her friends had no idea they were best friends just a few years ago, they had no idea that he was Hermione’s first love. No one knew that, not even Ron. 
So when she walked into the pub down the street one Friday night, and found him standing at the bar she froze. Every muscle in her body just stopped, only her heart thumped heavily in her chest. There he was, back leaning against the bar, red hair still cut short, shoulders a little bit broader, arms definitely more toned, the same cheeky grin plastered on his face. Her heart flipped and cracked all at the same time. 
She hadn’t seen him for four years and on a random Friday night she runs into him? She quickly looked at Sarah next to her, glaring at her as if she had planned this. Sarah of course, did not. Sarah had no idea that Hermione was friends with the famous Ron Weasley. 
“Oh my god, is that Ron Weasley? Doesn’t he play for Man U Hermione? You support them don’t you?” 
Hermione just stared at Ron, her eyes drinking in the mannerisms she hadn’t seen in years. The cross of his arms across his body, the tilt of his smirk as he listened to his mates next to him. 
“Hermione?’ 
“Right, yeah that’s him” 
“Shall we say hello?” 
“No!” Hermione quickly interjects and steers Sarah away from the bar and towards a booth on the opposite side. She can still see him from where she sits but he can’t see her without turning around. 
Sarah gives Hermione a bewildered look. 
“Bit of a fangirl are we?” Sarah asks. 
Sarah works with Hermione, the two of them only just starting to hang out outside of work. She doesn’t know much about the smart solicitor yet, just that Sarah has a boyfriend that works at the bank and that she enjoys a large glass of pinot noir a bit too much. 
She’s nice, and smart and the two of them get along really well. But Hermione wasn’t about to go blab about how the man at the bar was the love of her life between the ages of 15-21. 
“No, just I’m way too awkward to say hello” She mutters, “Shall I grab us some drinks?” 
Sarah nods and rattles off her order. Hermione makes sure she goes to the furthest side of the bar to where Ron leans. He’s still looking in the opposite direction so she calms down a little, lets her muscles relax and breathes steadier so her heart doesn’t go into overdrive. 
She orders her drinks and while she waits she watches Ron. He’s wearing a plain white t-shirt and jeans. She watches the smooth muscles in his back tense as he talks, he’s still as mesmerizing as the day she last saw him. 
She drinks another three glasses of wine before Sarah calls the rest of her friends, begging for them to join them at the pub. The pub has grown loud and rowdy, the drinks have been flowing and the heat has made everyone boisterous and excitable.  Ron has relocated to a table with his mates, a pint in his hand, the group of them laughing loudly and Hermione feels herself being pulled towards him. 
Sarah waits at the table for their friends while Hermione goes to order them another round. The alcohol is now freely flowing in her veins, so she doesn’t realise who’s next to her before it’s too late. He stands tall, his elbows resting on the sticky bar. She tenses, her entire body feels inflamed. 
“Mione?”
She might just cry. 
She looks up and finds Ron staring at her in shock. His blue eyes wide and his mouth wide open. She laughs. 
“Hey” she replies, smiling at him. 
Ron instantly smiles back and before she knows it he’s grabbing her into a hug and engulfing her with his scent. 
He smells exactly the same, she thinks. 
“Fucking hell, I can’t believe its you!” he says, pulling back and cupping her face with his large palms. 
She freezes at such an intimate touch but he doesn’t seem to realise. 
“You look good” she says, watching as his eyes also scanned her face. 
“You look stunning” he replies openly, making Hermione laugh again. He drops his hands. 
“How long has it been?” he asks. He’s shaking his head now, still in shock at seeing her. 
“Four years?” 
“Fucking hell, I’ve missed you” he says quietly. 
“Yeah, I’ve missed you too” 
They smile at each other. Hermione grabs the wine glass in front of her as the bartender makes Sarah’s drink. Her entire body is shaking. 
“Are you here with someone?” he asks. 
She points out Sarah, who is now sitting with three other girls. Girls that Hermione hardly knows. 
“Sarah, I work with her. It looks like her friends just showed up” Hermione gives Ron a tight smile.
“Oh well do you have time to chat?” 
“Yeah, let me just give this to Sarah and let her know” she holds up Sarah’s wine glass and Ron gives her a smile. Such a familiar smile that Hermione can’t help but smile back, her jaw hurts already. 
She walks over to the table, tells Sarah that she’s just bumped into an old friend and will be back soon. Sarah’s friends greet Hermione kindly but don’t complain. 
Then Hermione finds herself sitting at a table in the corner of the pub with Ron Weasley. 
She can’t quite believe it. She’s 24 and sitting across a table with her childhood best friend. He looks exactly the same but completely different. She feels exactly the same as she usually does when with him. The old feelings are bubbling up and overwhelming her. How can feelings from four years ago still be so strong?
They end up chatting for hours, the drinks fueling her excitement at seeing him, the alcohol probably fueling another type of feeling that she probably shouldn’t encourage. They talk about their families, their friends, football and her job.  She’s giggling and laughing and then Ron’s telling her he’s sorry. 
“I’m so sorry we feel out of touch. I still think about you all the time” he admits. He’s been drinking beers and she can tell he’s slightly tipsy by the redness of his cheeks. 
“Me too, I guess life just happened”  she murmurs. 
He nods sullenly. 
“I watch all of your games” she admits bravely. She blames the wine, she’s never normally this forward. 
“You do?” 
“Of course I do,” she smiles at his bewildered look. His blue eyes wide and searching hers for the catch. 
“You’re great” 
He laughs modestly. 
“I ask my mum about you every time I go home” he admits and she blushes furiously. 
“Really?” 
“Yeah, that’s probably embarrassing but I think I’ve drunk too much to care.” He laughs and she laughs with him. His laugh is so contagious and familiar, a warmth that she had never found in anyone else.
“I’ve heard all about your big job in the city and your nice apartment,” he admits. 
“My mum still talks to your mum so I guess I’m not surprised. Does she also tell your mum that I haven’t had a proper boyfriend in years and that I need to get a move on?” she laughs. 
Ron smiles tightly and she watches as his eyes scan her face and settle on her lips.
“So still no boyfriend?” 
“Nope. What about you? Have you found a hot model to marry yet?” 
He screws his nose up and Hermione laughs. 
“No way, models are too much trouble. But no, no girlfriend. I was seeing a girl last year but it didn’t work out” 
Hermione’s heart flips. She doesn’t want to imagine Ron with another girl, falling in love with another girl.
“That’s a shame” she mutters, hands grasping the stem of the cool wine glass. 
“Not really” 
She looks up and finds him staring down into his beer. 
“Why?” 
He ignores her question and instead looks at her, catching her eyes with his. 
“Do you think everyone has that one person they compare everyone to?” 
The question surprises her, so much that she opens her mouth to answer but finds that she has nothing to say. Or at least, the words don’t seem to form. Instead she can only say one word. 
“Who?” 
His eyes widen but he looks down at the table and smiles. 
“Well, you of course” 
Hermione feels like she’s dreaming, like the alcohol running through her body has numbed her and she is just playing out a fantastic scenario in her drunken brain. 
“What?” she gulps. 
Ron nods as if he’s agreeing to something in his head. 
“You were my best friend and you’re gorgeous, of course I fancied you” they don’t break their eye contact, it seems too important, too life-changing of a conversation to not look at each other. 
“No you didn’t!” she scoffs, thinking of an 18-year old Ron fancying smart-ass, frizzy-haired Hermione. 
“Oh come on Mione! You’re beautiful, smart and funny! I was always flirting with you!” 
She tries to remember a time when he might have been flirting but she can’t, all she can remember is her 18 year old self watching him play football, the way he moved when he sprinted, his laugh when he scored, the way he hugged her when they celebrated. 
“Why didn’t you say anything?” she gulps. 
“You just got into Uni and you needed to focus. You were always stressing about how important your first year was and then when I called you, I felt like I was distracting you and I knew how important it all was for you so I just stopped calling” he had his hands running through his hair now, settling on his neck and squeezing. 
It was too much for her, to think that she was the reason Ron stopped talking to her. All she could think about was disappointing him, choosing her degree over his friendship, over something more. She stood up frantically and mumbled something about needing air. She heard Ron say something as she walked off but the air was suffocating her, the crowds were too much, the alcohol was making her feel slightly nauseous. 
She shoved open the front door to the pub and pushed through the small crowd out the front. She found a quiet corner near the car park, gulped in the fresh summer air and breathed. 
She couldn’t believe that Ron had fancied her this whole time, that he wanted to talk to her and that he didn’t just feel obliged to talk to her after school. He liked her and she liked him. She spent years watching him play football, happy that he had moved on, trying not to think about the time they had missed. 
“Mione?” 
Hermione looked up to find Ron standing idly a few meters ahead of her. 
“Ron,” she sighed. 
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything.” 
She didn’t consciously walk towards him, it just happened, like the sight of him spurred something in her , made her gravitate towards him. She was inches from him when she stopped and she looked up, her heart warming at the familiar blue eyes and the freckles on his cheeks. So familiar and so him. 
“I missed you so much” is all she can say, and she feels her heart filling at the way he smiles back at her. 
“I missed you too” 
“I’m probably a little drunk but can I kiss you?” she says, the words tumbling from her mouth before she can catch them and swallow them whole. 
He smiles brightly and takes her jaw in his hands, his palms back to where they belong. 
He leans down and kisses her deeply. His lips are soft beneath hers. She wraps her hands around his neck and her fingers lace between his hair, something she had only dreamt of doing. 
She tugs at his hair and he responds by slipping his tongue into her mouth, she moans as their tongues tangle and their breaths deepen. She’s feeling dizzy and she knows it’s not from the wine, it’s from being this close to Ron. It’s from all the pent up feelings she’s had buried for years, for the disappointment she had felt, the deep sadness from him not being in her life. 
They pull apart and Ron kisses the corner of her mouth, her jaw, her cheek. 
“Mione?” 
“Yeah?” she murmurs, still breathless. 
“Please tell me you have time to see me” 
The desperation in his voice breaks her, she grabs his face and kisses him fiercely. 
“Ron, I’m not letting you go this time” 
He smiles as he kisses her this time, and they laugh in between kisses. 
He asks if he can take her home and she delightfully finds out that he lives nearby, just a 20 minute walk from her own house. He explains that he’s actually been transferred to Arsenal and he moved to London just a few weeks ago. He seems happy about the change and Hermione can’t help but grin proudly as he tells her about the transfer and his new apartment. She feels like this is all too good to be true, that he’s now close by, he’s here and with her. 
She goes back inside the pub to say goodbye to Sarah, he pulls her in for another kiss before they enter the pub. He also says goodbye to his mates and she feels feverish as she wanders over to the crowded table. Sarah squeals when she appears and Hermione notes how intoxicated everyone is and smiles. Sarah’s friend, Ashleigh asks if Hermione knows Ron Weasley and Hermione nods, not stopping the huge smile that graces her face when she hears his name. Sarah squeals again at Hermione’s blush and Hermione ends up gushing when Sarah asks if they snogged. 
She revels in the faces of Sarah and her friends when Ron kisses her neck, and she lets his lips spread heat over her entire body. 
“We have a lot of catching up to do Miss Granger.”
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chudleycanonficfest · 3 years
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The Soul Truth
Day 2, Story #1 is by @honouraryweasley12
Title: The Soul Truth
Author: honouraryweasley12
Pairing: Ron x Hermione
Prompt: Soulmates
Rating: K+
TW: none
The ornate doors slid open and Hermione stepped out of the lift, her shoes clacking on the stone floor as she walked forward, head held high but movements stiff. She quickly found that it was best to give off a strong, confident air as she met with various ministries in her new capacity. 
She hadn't been in this part of the Ministry often and it was quite unfamiliar to her. All the more reason to keep her guard up.
"Greetings, Minister Granger-Weasley. Congratulations on your victory."
A wizened old man in heavy, dark robes welcomed her, limping forward and holding out a shaky gnarled hand. She took it and met his eyes, which were still sharp—despite his advanced age. A playful twinkle shone out from them, reminding her immediately of Dumbledore.
"Thank you."
He gave her a smile. "Welcome to Archive floor of the Department of Mysteries."
She looked around the cavernous space, taking everything in. She could practically feel the hum of ancient magic reverberating around the walls.
"And you are?"
"I am the Archivist."
"Oh, I meant your name."
He chuckled. "We don't use our given names in this department, just our titles. There is great power in names, as you no doubt know, and we don't want that to interfere with the work we are doing here."
"What should I call you?"
He thought for a moment, before looking up at her. "For today, you can call me… Dave."
She immediately relaxed and shook her head, her face incredulous. "Why Dave?"
"Ah, you see, the power of names. By picking something so simple and informal, your posture and tone changed completely. Had I picked something more formal, you would have responded in kind."
She smiled, immediately taking a liking to the mysterious old man. "Lead the way, Dave. I was told I would be receiving the grand tour."
The two walked slowly through the vast archives, the various rooms and chambers full of different experiments, mystical objects, and parchments.
"Where is everyone?" Hermione stopped to ask, noticing that they hadn't seen a single person, Unspeakable or otherwise, as she was shown around.
"Some of our greatest breakthroughs happen in the early morning or late evening. We encourage our members to work when it best suits them." He squinted at a battered gold watch that seemed to weigh heavily on his wrist. "Yes, 3:00 PM is usually the quietest time of the day down here."
"I see. I do some of my best work at odd times as well."
He nodded sagely. "The quiet mind is often the clearest."
They continued touring through, until they came to a small door tucked behind several suits of armour. It was so old and dark that Hermione wouldn't have even noticed it, had Dave not mentioned it.
"Most Ministers of Magic I've worked with seem to be worried about other objects down here that might help them, but I have something interesting which I think you'll appreciate."
He fished out a small key from within the folds in his robes and turned it in the lock. The heavy door creaked open to reveal a closet-sized space with a single pedestal. On top of it sat a thin, aged book.
"It's my understanding that you are an avid reader, Minister."
"Yes, how did you know?"
"It's my job to know," he added gravely, watching her eyes narrow. He waved his hand dismissively, grinning again. "No, no, I'm only joking. I happened to share a lift with Auror Weasley one Monday morning, and while I didn't mean to eavesdrop, he was complaining quite loudly to Auror Potter that he missed you, because you had your nose stuck in a book all weekend. I mean no offense, of course."
She blushed and rolled her eyes affectionately. "That sounds like Ron alright."
"That's why I thought this might be of interest to you," he continued, gesturing to the pedestal.
She couldn't help but be intrigued as she stared down at the frail old book, her voice dipping down to a whisper of reverence. "What is it?"
"It's called The Book of Souls—though it's just a single parchment. Yet, it's the most dangerous object down here."
Hermione stared at it, her face a mask of awe. "How so?"
"Legend has it that the parchment was created by a powerful young witch, who was being courted by a prince. She wasn't sure if he was her soulmate, for she sensed a darkness in him, so she invoked some very ancient magic to help reveal the truth."
"It worked?"
"Indeed, it did. The parchment was charmed to reveal a small note, riddle, and sometimes even a name to the reader, one that would help them understand who their soulmate was. Unfortunately for that witch, her soulmate was most decidedly not the prince. She rejected his proposal, and as was the case back then, disappeared under mysterious circumstances soon after."
"That's terrible. Then what happened?"
"As the story goes, rumour spread about the witch's parchment, and as with most powerful objects, the lure of it drew out many seekers. Though the object was made with good intentions, it soon led to a trail of darkness and bloodshed. Broken families, obsessions, blackmail, jealousy, and even death. Knowing that kind of unshakeable truth proved to be a valuable commodity, or a lifetime of heartbreak for those unable to meet their soulmate."
Hermione nodded. It sounded very much like the Elder Wand, but more subtle and insidious. One thing was puzzling her though. "I've never heard of this before, and I've studied many books about souls, both ancient and dark."
"Once the Ministry recovered it, they deemed it was too dangerous for this information to be out there, so they've removed all known references to it. Those who had known of it died off, and it was forgotten from memory."
"When was this?"
"Centuries ago. However, as Minister, you are privileged to learn certain pieces of information that the general population is not privy to."
"Fascinating," Hermione replied. She watched as he slowly reached a hand toward the weathered book. "Wait! What are you doing?"
"Every so often I check to make sure it's still under the cover, and since we're already in here, I hope you don't mind."
"Not at all. Does… does that mean you've looked at it?"
"Oh no, never. I always look away, as should you."
He lifted the corner for a second, and try as she might, Hermione couldn't help but open her eyes to see a word of blazing red ink, before he shut the cover again. Hermione felt the blood drain from her face, unable to comprehend the word she saw so very briefly.
"No, it couldn't be."
"What was that Minister? Did you say something?"
Hermione shook her head.
"Everything seems to be in order here. Shall we continue?"
Hermione nodded mutely, the word still burned in her thoughts.
~*~
She cancelled the rest of her meetings and went straight home after finishing with Dave, or whatever his real name was, needing time to collect her thoughts. How could she tell Ron, the love of her life, what she had seen?
She sat at their dining table, absentmindedly stirring a soothing cup of tea when he walked in.
"Hermione, I'm home."
He came bounding into the kitchen, a piece of parchment in each hand and a wide smile on his face. "Look, the kids wrote. Hugo promises he's already started studying for O.W.L.s, and Rosie is nervous, but excited, to captain her first match against Ravenclaw next week."
"That's great," she replied, her voice a dull monotone.
"They even said their classmates think it's cool that you were elected as the youngest Minister of Magic in history."
"Hmm."
Ron looked at her and frowned. "What's wrong? Tough day?"
Hermione pulled out the chair next to her and patted it. "Come sit down."
Ron scrutinized her again. "The last time you did that, it was to tell me you were pregnant with Hugo. Are you pregnant?"
She sighed. "No, please just come here, I need to tell you something, and I don't think you're going to like it."
He sat down, unsure of what was coming. She quickly told him about the Archivist, the tour, and the Book of Souls, before swearing him to secrecy.
"You saw something when he lifted the cover, didn't you?"
She nodded sadly. "I saw a word."
"What did it say?"
"I-I don't want to tell you."
"Why not?"
"Because it's not true. Whatever it says, it's not true."
"C'mon Hermione, please tell me."
"It said… Krum."
Ron let out a laugh. "Oh, is that all?"
"What do you mean? Viktor Krum is my soulmate, and that's all you have to say!?"
"What do you want me to say?"
"That you're upset, that you care that I was destined to be with Viktor."
"Destined? We have two beautiful kids, an amazing family, and great careers. I don't care what some ruddy old book says, the charms are probably wonky anyway." He pointed to his chest. "I know that I love you with all of my heart, and you feel the same."
She slid into his lap and threw her arms around his neck. "I do, you know I do… but…but…"
"What?"
She suddenly burst into tears, burying her head in his neck as she sobbed. "I-I always had this idea in my head that we were real soulmates, if such a thing existed. We met when we were so young, and I've only truly ever loved you. I know it's silly, but I hate that it's not true. I didn't even like Viktor that much."
Ron ran his fingers through her hair and rubbed her back comfortingly. "Maybe it was a mistake or something. You said yourself you only saw one word."
Her breathing started calming down. "I-I suppose that's true."
"We know what happens when a charm or prophecy is misinterpreted."
She sniffled. "It would be nice to know."
Ron gave her a squeeze. "Maybe we should sneak in there tomorrow and take a look."
"We can't just sneak in there! I'm the Minister of Magic! Besides, there was a key to get into the room. I don't know how we're going to get it from the Archivist."
"You're the Minister of Magic. I'm sure you could come up with some reason to be there."
She gave him a dirty look. "I'm not abusing my position like that."
"I don't mind abusing my position, as you put it. Maybe I can say I'm researching something for a case."
"No, Ron. What if you get in trouble?"
"Who am I going to get in trouble with? Harry? You?"
"That's not the point. We swore we'd never take advantage of our roles for our own gain."
He sighed. "Fine, you're right. Sneaking in it is, then. It'll be like the good old days! A secret mission, breaking into places we have no business being in. An ill-formed plan. It'll be fun."
She smacked him on the arm. "Those days were terrible."
"Aren't you curious though, to find out the truth?"
"Of course I want to know the truth! I don't want to go through the rest of my life thinking Viktor was my soulmate, when it's clearly you."
"As sweet as that is, we clearly only have one choice."
Hermione shook her head. "Fine."
"Good, things like this are much easier when you're agreeable to them," he smirked, nudging her playfully. "You said 3:00 PM was when it was empty, right? Meet me in my office tomorrow at 2:55 PM, and we'll head down there. I'll just tell Harry we're going to a broom closet or something."
"Ron!" Hermione screeched. "You'll do no such thing."
"It's perfectly plausible. It's not like we haven't done that before."
She blushed, unable to count the number of times they'd had fun at the Ministry. "Alright, fine. 2:55PM at your office."
"Good. Now, I'm starving. I'll whip up one of your favourites. I bet I'm a better cook than ol' Vicky. What do Bulgarians even eat?"
"Not funny, Ron."
~*~
The next afternoon, Hermione was found pacing in front of Ron and Harry's office, much to the fear of the recruits who were stationed outside the door. It wasn't often the Minister of Magic would show up unannounced, muttering under their breath.
The door swung open and Ron sauntered out, his lips upturned in a smug smile. Harry's face had gone a shade of green from what he'd just heard from his best mate.
"Hi, er, Hermione," Harry greeted her awkwardly. "You two… um… have fun."
Mortified, Hermione could only return a quick wave before grabbing Ron's arm, hauling him toward the lifts before she was forced into any further interactions with Harry.
"I honestly can't believe you told him we were going to go shag."
"I literally told you I was going to say that."
"I didn't think you actually meant it." She let out an exasperated snort and pinched the bridge of her nose as they entered the lift. "What's the plan?"
"Plan?"
"You are the Head Strategist of the Auror department. Surely you must have thought of something!"
Ron shrugged his shoulders and grinned. "We'll make it up as we go. Seems to work best for us."
"I don't like this one bit."
The ding of the bell signalled they had arrived.
Ron clasped her hand, their fingers entwining. "Let's do this."
The doors opened and they were greeted with utter silence. It was as if the entire floor was abandoned, which it likely was.
They crept forward, trying to make as little noise as possible before finally reaching the same spot she had been the previous day.
Hermione turned the handle of the door, and to her surprise, it was unlocked.
"Hey, look at that!" Ron exclaimed loudly.
"Ron," she hissed. "Keep on the lookout."
He nodded and stood in front of the armour blocking the door, ensuring that Hermione couldn't be seen, in case they were interrupted.
Hermione took a deep breath, her heart pounding. Whatever it said under the cover wouldn't change anything between herself and Ron, but she needed to know for sure.
Her fingers paused for a second, lightly gripping the frail corner, her body tense. She delicately opened the book, the bright red ink bursting into view, almost glowing in the small, dark chamber.
Her greedy eyes flew over the words that were revealed.
"I knew it," she whispered.
Ron suddenly poked his head in. "Everything alright?"
"Perfect. Everything's perfect and wonderful!" Her giddiness couldn't be contained as she closed the ancient text.
"I guess this means you aren't going to chuck me?"
"Never."
"What's it say?"
Her pink cheeks were starting to hurt from her wide grin. "Your soulmate will first love, then hate, a Mr. Viktor Krum."
"That confirms it. See, nothing to worry about."
"Oh Ron, I'm so relieved. I knew it couldn't be true. This whole thing is ridiculous, but I'm still glad to know it's always been you."
Ron nodded. "Me too."
"We should leave before we get caught."
"Not so fast, it's my turn now."
"What?" Hermione asked sharply. "What do you mean?"
He shrugged. "Might as well take a look while I'm here."
Hermione stepped back, biting at her bottom lip—a sure sign of anxiety. "But… but… what if—"
Ron cupped her cheeks in his large hands and gently kissed her. "It doesn't matter what it says, I love you and only you. Trust me."
She nodded, before resuming his place as the lookout.
After a moment, she heard him chuckle and close the door behind him.
Hermione whispered urgently. "What did it say?"
"It said my soulmate will be a nightmare."
Hermione let out the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. "Thank goodness. I don't think I would've been able to handle it if it wasn't me."
"It's always been you. I thought you'd have learned by now."
"I know, I never should have doubted it."
"Can you imagine if we'd learned this information when we were younger? We might have been able to get together much sooner," Ron remarked.
"Or we'd have made an even bigger mess of things."
"True. It doesn't matter in the end though, does it? We figured it out and we've done pretty damn well for ourselves."
"We have, Ron. I love you."
"Love you, too. We'd better get out of here before someone sees us."
The two quickly retreated to the lift, having successfully completed their mission. A minute after the doors had shut on the snogging couple, an old man slowly made his way toward the chamber and pulled a small key out of his robes, locking the heavy door.
As it's appointed guardian, he had vowed to never look in the book, and he had kept that oath. That didn't mean he couldn't use it's power in other ways. Past Ministers, those inquisitive few who had the intelligence to understand the book's worth, often revealed something in that moment when he checked the parchment, for good or ill. Usually it mattered little to him, but not in this case.
He paused for a moment, before extracting a small glass sphere from the same pocket as the key. A sphere he'd kept with him for many years, since he was a young man working with prophecies in the Department of Mysteries. Knowing Minister Granger-Weasley was coming to take a tour was the perfect opportunity to solve a mystery he'd been researching for the better part of seven decades.
He held it up to the light, the familiar swirls of mist dancing in the globe. He had long since memorized the prophecy, which had been made by a seer almost a hundred years earlier. His colleagues at the time had dismissed it, because like many visions, it was almost impossible to determine what the seer was referring to.
He had kept this one, for it always gave him hope. He never thought he'd actually solve it. Yet here he was, still alive and able to record this last surviving prophecy in the annals of history.
He turned it over in his hands, the glass still unblemished.
"Magic," he whispered, "such a wonderful tool."
He stared at it again, reciting for the last time the fates encompassed within.
"Two soulmates, brown and orange, will form a triangle with black to defeat evil. Through many trials the two will forge a love so strong it will be unbreakable, and their strength will reshape the world."
He let out a final chuckle, his long-held desire now confirmed by the soulmates themselves. He lifted the glass to his lips, his breath fogging up the shiny surface.
"Prophecy fulfilled."
The sphere melted away into nothing, the outcome recorded somewhere else in the archives. He shuffled away back to his office, his eyes sparkling, and his heart lifted with hope.
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chudleycanonficfest · 3 years
Text
A Million Possibilities
Day 3, Story #1 is by @honouraryweasley12
Title: A Million Possibilities Author/Artist: honouraryweasley12 Pairing: Arthur/Molly Prompt: First Date Rating: PG Trigger Warning(s) (if any): None
"So, is today the big day?" Rodney sat down at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, clapping his friend on the back before grabbing a slice of bread.
Arthur Weasley stared down at his porridge, a sickly look on his thin face. He glanced slyly down the table at her, before returning to his breakfast with a sigh. "I suppose so."
"That's the spirit. The first Hogsmeade trip is at the end of the week. You don't want to miss the opportunity again, do you?"
"No, I don't." He'd badly wanted to ask her last year, but couldn't summon up the courage, fearful of the rejection. Over the summer, he'd resolved he would do it this year, but it was far easier to make those promises to himself when she wasn't so close, like she was now.
Rodney grinned. "Everyone knows you fancy her anyway, so you might as well get it over with and stop moping."
Arthur looked up at his classmate and frowned. "Thanks for the vote of confidence."
"What's the worst that could happen, eh? If she says no, you move on." He puffed out his chest. "We're Fifth Years now, we're practically adults. You've got to have some confidence."
Arthur shook his head and gulped. "I think it would be far worse if she said yes."
Just then, a boisterous laugh rang out from the end of the table, causing Arthur's head to shoot up and take her in.
"You've got it bad," Rodney remarked. "When do you think you'll do it?"
"After classes today. I hope I can catch her alone. That way when she rejects me, at least it won't be in front of her friends." The thought of it caused him to push the bowl away. "I'm suddenly not hungry."
"You'll be fine."
"I hope so." He suddenly stood up, needing a breath of air. "I'll see you in Potions."
Had he looked back, he would have spotted two pairs of eyes watching him with great interest.
~*~
"I can't believe how many assignments we've got. When are we supposed to study for OWLs with all of this extra work?"
"Mmm," was Arthur's reply, his mind clearly elsewhere.
"Did you even hear a word in any of our classes this morning?" Rodney asked, a smirk on his face. "Or were all your thoughts on one Miss Prewett?"
"Shut it," Arthur replied through tightly pressed lips. "Someone might hear."
"Too late for that."
The two boys spun around, only to find the identical grinning visages of Fabian and Gideon Prewett. Arthur gulped; the two Seventh Years were known for their magical prowess.
Fabian motioned to Rodney. "You go for lunch; we want to have a quick chat with Mr. Weasley here."
Rodney wished him good luck, and hurried off.
Gideon threw an arm around the younger boy's shoulders, even though they were about the same height. "We understand that you fancy our little sister."
"I-I don't know what you're talking about."
"Don't play dumb with us, we know you want to ask her to Hogsmeade. You really shouldn't talk about such sensitive things in the Great Hall—you never know who might be listening."
Arthur knew his charade was pointless, his shoulders slumping. "I was planning on asking her. But you don't have to worry, I don't think she'll say yes."
"That may be, but we were coming to warn you about her."
Arthur pulled out of Gideon's grasp, affronted. "What?"
"Don't misunderstand us, we love our sister and would do anything for her, but she has a very… strong personality. We came to warn you not to get bullied by her. She can be rather overpowering, downright scary even."
"But you're two of the most powerful wizards in the school."
Fabian smiled. "Yeah, but we can't exactly duel our little sister every time we get into a sibling argument. There's actually very little we can do when she's made her mind up about something."
"That's one of the things I like about her, that she is very strong-minded, not to mention caring, and beautiful." Arthur was smiling but was broken out his thoughts by the gagging sounds the twins were making.
"Look," Gideon said. "You seem like a nice enough bloke, so we'll leave you to it. I will say this though—if we do hear anything about you being less than respectful to our sister, then you will have to deal with us. Do you understand?"
Arthur nodded quickly.
"Oh, and don't tell her we said anything. It wouldn't be good for any of us. Now, hurry along."
They watched as the lanky redhead turned the corner.
"Poor bloke," Fabian remarked. "He has no idea what he's getting himself into, does he?"
"He certainly doesn't."
~*~
"What was that about?" Rodney asked as Arthur flopped down and let out a groan.
"If the asking wasn't bad enough, now I have to worry about those two."
"Well, you can't be surprised, they are her older brothers. I hope it's worth it."
Arthur happened to look up, and that moment, caught Molly's eye. She flashed him a quick smile, but all he could do was grimace awkwardly before looking away. He missed seeing the flash of disappointment on her face.
"She's definitely worth it. From all the time we've spent together in class, or studying, or even just chatting in the Common Room, I really like her company. I just don't know if I can ask her out without losing my lunch."
~*~
Arthur exited their last class of the day with great reluctance, knowing that his time was up. As he walked to the Great Hall for dinner, he spotted the object of his affections walking in front of him with a group of her friends.
He felt a nudge against his shoulder from Rodney. "Now's your chance."
"Here goes nothing." Arthur took a deep breath. "Molly?"
She stopped and turned, giving him a smile before signalling to her friends to go on without her. Rodney sped past them as well, nodding at Molly before disappearing down a nearby stairway.
She patted her hair before addressing him. "Yes, Arthur?"
He surreptitiously wiped his hands on the back of his robes, before running a hand through his ginger hair. "H-how are you?"
"I'm well, thank you. How are you?"
"I-I'm fine."
There was a long pause, but Molly's encouraging expression was enough to spur him on. "As you know, there is a Hogsmeade trip coming up. Sometimes, that is, some people like to go to Hogsmeade with other people, not their friends."
He knew he was babbling now but couldn't stop himself from getting flustered. "I thought maybe that could be something you might be interested in."
She let out a small laugh, her cheeks rosy as she placed her hands on her hips. "Arthur Weasley, are you asking me on a date?"
"Yes, I am. Molly, will you go to Hogsmeade with me?"
"I would be delighted to. In fact, I've been hoping you would ask for some time."
Arthur was incredulous, his eyebrows flying up. "You have?"
"Yes, I have." She reached out and squeezed his forearm, letting her hand linger. "I thought I had been rather obvious in my attempts to flirt."
"Oh," Arthur blushed. "I assumed you were just being friendly. I did almost ask you last year, but I didn't think you'd say yes. Blimey, I didn't think you'd say yes now!"
"You had nothing to be worried about. You've always been sweet to me, and I've noticed."
He grinned at her, relieved to hear her say so. "So shall I meet you in the Common Room on Saturday morning?"
Her joyous expression mirrored his. "That sounds lovely."
He let out a breath. "Great! I'll see you then." He didn't know what possessed him to do so, but he stooped down and kissed her gently on the cheek, before walking away and smacking himself on the forehead.
The red in Molly's cheeks deepened, and she lifted a hand to her face, letting out a sigh of her own. Saturday couldn't come quickly enough.
~*~
He watched in awe as she descended the stairs into the Common Room, her flaming red hair pulled elegantly over her shoulder. A thin coat and a nice jumper were perfect for the fall weather, and she wore a long, loose skirt to complete the outfit.
"You look wonderful," Arthur complimented her as she reached him.
She beamed. "You don't look so bad yourself," she replied, sliding her arm through his. "Shall we?"
He nodded, dumbstruck that he was going out on an actual date with Molly Prewett. From the corner of his eye, he saw Fabian and Gideon watching the two of them, and he quickly looked away.
He was nervous but found making idle chit chat with her as they walked into the village to be rather easy. As the minutes ticked away, he felt himself getting more and more comfortable. It certainly didn't hurt that every few minutes she gave him a cute smile or laughed at one of his jokes. He felt drawn to her.
"Would you mind if we stopped at Scrivenshaft's?" Molly asked, breaking him out of his reverie.
"No, of course not. Running low on quills already?"
"No, nothing like that. I wanted to get some yarn. I took up knitting over the summer and want to continue practicing. I made this jumper, in fact."
"You did? That's incredible! I was admiring it earlier."
"You were admiring it, were you?" She winked at him, causing him to flush. "I'll just be a moment."
Arthur wrung his hands as paced outside of the shop, taking some deep breaths. Everything was going pretty well in his estimation, and he still couldn't believe that she seemed to like him as much as he liked her.
"Miss me?"
He nodded, reaching out a hand to take the bag from her. She grabbed his other hand and their fingers locked. He looked down, and then looked at her.
"Is this alright?" She asked.
He nodded again, and smiled, giving her hand a gentle squeeze which she returned. It seemed like a big step, to be holding hands so that everyone could see, and yet it felt right.
Molly's cheeks were glowing, and her eyes were sparkling. "Where to next?"
"I thought we might sit down somewhere. How about Madam Puddifoot's? It'll be quiet there. If that's fine with you, of course?"
"That sounds perfectly fine to me, Arthur."
The two walked through the village, enveloped in a bubble of giddiness. Arthur kept looking down at their joined hands. He already knew he was smitten with the red-headed witch.
The décor of the establishment was far simpler in the fall than at other times of the year, like Christmas and Valentine's Day. They were quickly ushered to a booth in the back and took their seats, facing each other. Once they settled in, Arthur took her hand in his again, resting them on the tabletop.
"This is nice, isn't it? Just the two of us?"
"No meddling family is a nice change, though it wouldn't surprise me if my brothers were in the next booth, listening in."
Arthur peeked at the next booth over and saw a couple snogging. "Don't worry, we seem to be safe here."
"You know about my brothers. Tell me about your family, what are they like?"
Arthur launched into a few tales about his family, which seemed to enthrall her before they were interrupted for their order.
"We don't have much, but we get on quite well."
"That's nice to hear. Some of my more distant relations on the Black side are quite… eccentric in their views of certain things."
"Oh, me too. I have some relations in the Black family, but we're not involved with them. I've heard their ideas on Muggles are rather disturbing."
"You're quite interested in Muggles, aren't you?"
"Oh yes," Arthur replied. "I find them absolutely fascinating, the way they come up with creative ideas and make things to make their lives easier without magic. They seem to come up with a million possibilities to solve a problem. Did you know American and Russian Muggles are trying to fly to the moon? Imagine that! I don't think wizards and witches would ever contemplate such a thing."
"It's rather cute to see you get so excited about it. Most wizards wouldn't."
"I know most people in our world would find it silly, but it is really interesting to me. I wouldn't mind working in Muggle Relations one day. I'm aiming for an Outstanding in my Muggle Studies OWL."
"Oh, don't remind me. I'm not looking forward to sitting those. It's going to be a difficult year, isn't it?"
He squeezed her hand. "Well, the year has started out brilliantly."
She waved him away but couldn't hide her pleasure. "I never took you for such a romantic."
"It's the truth. I've been hoping for this for awhile now. I've known you for four years, and I've fancied you for at least half that time."
She looked at him curiously. "There's something I've been meaning to ask you about that. I know I'm not the prettiest girl in our year, and I know I have a reputation of being somewhat bossy and strong-willed. Those don't seem like typical qualities one would be looking for."
Arthur grabbed her other hand in his.
"I happen to like the fact that you speak your mind and have your opinions. I've also seen you helping the younger students, and you're so generous and caring. I think those are especially important qualities in a person. I don't know what it is, but I feel so comfortable around you, like I can be myself."
"That's very nice to hear."
He leaned forward. "I also happen to think that you're quite fetching."
"You're a charmer, if I've ever met one."
"I'm serious. You are the prettiest girl in our year. At least to me you are."
She scoffed and shook her head. "I'll take your word for it."
At that moment, their server arrived with their tea and snacks, forcing them to let go of their hands and end their conversation. After a few bites, Molly continued.
"What did you get up to in the summer?"
"Well, we can't really afford to go on any fancy trips, but my family has a plot of land out in the country, near Devon. It's nothing special, but it's ours. We spent a lot of time there, cleaning things up. There's a small house on the property, so we fixed that up as well. I think my parents mean for me to have it when I'm older."
"Oh, isn't that nice! It sounds like a wonderful place. It must be beautiful out there."
"It's very peaceful. It seems like a nice place to raise a family. Not that I'm insinuating—" He dropped his fork with a clatter at that moment, causing her to giggle.
"You are a surprising one, Arthur. In a good way, though. I don't know of many sixteen-year-old boys who are thinking about such things."
"Oh, well, I guess I am a little bit odd then. I think it would be nice to have a big family one day, lots of little red-headed children running around."
"Who said they would have red hair?"
"Well, we both—" His eyes popped open, and he choked slightly on the scone he was eating, before gulping down his tea.
"Do you usually plan your entire future on your first dates? Is there a proposal coming?"
He shook his head, mortified. She let out a laugh and grabbed his hand again, entwining their fingers. "I'm only teasing."
After he recovered his wits, he couldn't help but respond. "I guess your brothers aren't the only troublemakers in the family."
"Certainly not," she replied, eyeing him mischievously while taking another sip of her tea.
They bantered on, talking about school, gossiping about their friends, and complaining about their teachers. The conversation flowed naturally until Arthur noticed other couples drifting out of the teashop.
"I think it's getting late; I suppose we should head back to the castle."
"Yes, we wouldn't want to get detention. Though I wouldn't mind it if I got to spend it with you."
As Molly finished up her tea, Arthur signalled to the server that they were done. After proudly paying their bill, he clasped Molly's hand again and led her out of the shop.
He peered around for a moment before setting off through the village, swiveling his head every few seconds.
"Arthur, is everything alright? We still have plenty of time."
"Y-Yes, of course."
"Then why do keep looking over your shoulder?"
"Oh… I don't want to say."
"I'd really rather you did."
Arthur stopped and sighed. "Your brothers threatened me if I did anything disrespectful toward you."
She frowned. "Those brothers of mine are going to get a piece of my mind. I'll have you know that I've had a lovely time, and you've been a complete gentleman."
"That's the problem, you see." He smiled down at her. "I would really like to kiss you right now… and not on the cheek this time."
"Don't concern yourself about Fabian and Gideon, I'll take care of them—and I'll decide what is disrespectful. Now, are you going to kiss me or not?"
He pulled her to a secluded area, away from the prying eyes of the other students. Cupping her face with his hands gently, he pressed his lips to hers. She responded and deepened their kiss, her arms wrapping around his narrow waist. It was bliss.
After they broke apart, they shared a smile and resumed walking back to the castle, hand-in-hand.
"Molly," he stated suddenly. "Will you go steady with me?"
"Go where?"
"Oh, it's a Muggle term. Would you like to be my girlfriend?"
"Yes, I would like that very much, my boyfriend."
His laughed bubbled up, unable to hide his happiness at the prospect. He was walking on a cloud as they made their way through the castle and up to the Common Room.
He realized his mistake too late, forgetting to drop her hand as they entered through the portrait hole. The were immediately set upon by Molly's twin brothers.
"What do we have here?"
"Well, you see—" Arthur began, only to be cut off by Molly.
"Arthur is my boyfriend now, no thanks to you two. Any attempts to threaten him in the future will be met with… a response. Do I make myself clear?"
Arthur was amazed at her gall and was even more amazed that they cowered at her words. If he wasn't already completely taken by her, that would have done it.
The two looked thoroughly chastened and agreed.
"Right then." Molly reached up and deliberately kissed him on the cheek in front of her siblings. "Thank you, Arthur, dear. I had a wonderful time. Shall we go study in the library? I'll go get my books."
He nodded, giving her hand a quick squeeze before they separated.
"Arthur, dear?" Gideon said after she left, his face screwing up in disgust. "I hope you're looking forward to a lifetime of that, Weasley."
That didn't sound so bad to him. He suddenly felt like the Muggles he was talking about earlier; it was like he had a million possibilities—now that he had Molly in his life.
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chudleycanonficfest · 3 years
Text
Air
Our first story on Day 1 comes to you by @zurisenchantedquill !
Title: Air Author/Artist: zurimadison Pairing: Romione, side Hinny Prompt: Rock Concert Rating: Teen, borderline Mature? Trigger Warning(s) (if any): bit of snogging :)
Full disclosure, I was inspired by the song "Stay Next to Me" by Quinn XCII and Chelsea Cutler
______
Ron
“You have ten minutes,” Ginny says, smacking her gum as she stares at me. “Harry will be here soon.”
I don’t move from my seat on the couch. “So let me get this straight, not only are you forcing me into going to this concert tonight, but you also invited your boyfriend to my flat?”
“You like Harry.” She checks her phone. “Nine minutes.”
I do like Harry, but I’m not going to admit that to her right now. I try a change of tactics. “I had plans tonight, Gin. You can’t just show up unannounced and expect me to drop everything to go out with you.”
“Laundry is not a plan, Ron,” she says, texting furiously as she plops on the other end of the couch. “Mum says I need to get you out of the house because you’ve been moping since your breakup, and I knew that if I gave you warning, you’d find an excuse to bail.”
I can’t help but wince, reminded of both the recent end to my relationship and the correct assumption that I’m hiding away because of it. “I just need some me-time right now.”
She looks at me, cheek lit by her phone screen, and smirks. “Eight minutes.”
Whoever said Weasleys are pushovers has never met my little sister.
Actually, probably no one has ever said that.
I sigh and stand, making my way to my bedroom to change.
“Comb your hair or something, while you’re at it,” she calls. “You look a mess.”
“Thanks Gin,” I yell back, but then I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror. Sheesh, she wasn’t kidding. 
Seven minutes later, dressed and groomed enough to be presentable, I set off down the road with my sister and her boyfriend. 
“Go on then, who are we seeing tonight?”
“The Black Keys,” Harry answers, grinning. “I’ve been dying to see them for ages.”
I’ve never heard of them before, so I ask, “what kind of music is that? Rock?”
“Technically, more Indie Rock,” Ginny answers, and I can’t stop the small snort that escapes me. She shoots a glare that very clearly warns me not to take the mickey, so I hold my arms up defensively and clear my throat.
“Oh, sounds...erm, fun.” It’s lame, but Harry nods and starts rambling about his favorite songs. For all my trouble, Ginny graces me with an approving quirk of her eyebrow. Thanks Sis. 
The venue is close to my flat, so it isn’t long before we’re through the doors, pushing our way into the crowd. 
It feels like even less time before Ginny is snogging Harry, their bodies swaying in time to the music as her drink slops unnoticed on their shoes. They break apart every now and then to sing a lyric or two, then they’re right back at it.
I try to ignore it as I down my beer, but the venue is so congested that I’m constantly jostled into them. Not that they even seem to notice, mind you, but as much as I don’t care what Ginny does on her own time, it’s another thing entirely to literally have it shoved into my face. 
My bottle is devastatingly empty, so I mutter an excuse and snake away through the crowd, not finding it at all dispersed as I move further from the stage. I spot a bar in the back corner and fight my way over to it, feeling like a hero returning home after battle when I’m able to place my order with the bartender. 
It happens as I’m waiting for my beer. I glance down the length of the bar, more out of idleness than anything else, and I see her. 
She’s got dark curly hair that’s highlighted with honey, a red strapless dress that could bring a man to his knees, and, unless I’m much mistaken, she’s holding a book in one of her hands as she leans across the bar to be heard above the music.
I am struck with the impulse to know the color of her eyes. 
She seems to be alone, and is the only person in the venue actually sitting on a stool. I’m not altogether surprised when, after receiving her drink, she opens her book. She’s so absorbed in her reading that she doesn't notice the people bustling around her. She doesn’t even look up when the bartender hands a drink to someone over her head. 
It takes me two more beers, alone in the corner, watching this woman who has such impressive focus, before I work up my nerve. There’s a small opening in the crowd, so I decide it's now or never and throw myself through it. I slip to her side and deliver the almighty line that I’d been working on for nearly twenty minutes.
“Whatcha reading?”
I honestly expect her to ignore me or maybe genuinely not hear me, but to my surprise, she looks right at me. 
Brown. Her eyes are chestnut brown, with a dark ring around the outside. They appraise me before the corners of her round lips turn upwards almost imperceptibly. “Treasure Island.” She has to shout to be heard above the music.
“No way,” I exclaim, bemused. “That’s one of the few books I’ve actually read! Isn’t it crazy that Ben had the treasure the whole time?”
“He what?” Her eyes go wide as she gazes at me, slack jawed. “Seriously?”
“Wait, you didn’t know?” I ask, clapping a hand over my mouth. “I’m so sorry, I thought-”
“Just kidding,” she interrupts me, then begins to giggle at what I can only assume is my idiotic expression. “I’ve read this a million times.”
Her laugh is infectious, and I silently swear to make her do as much of it as I can. I lean against my forearm on the bar and turn sideways so I can view her better. Something about the way she’s looking up at me makes me feel brave. “What’s your name?” 
“Hermione.”
“Ron.” I extend my hand. She slips her tiny palm into mine. I shake it, but then I don’t let go. 
A drunk patron knocks into me, pushing me closer to her. I can almost see down her dress, I’m standing so close. “It’s too crowded in here,” she shouts as she glances over her shoulder. “So many random bodies pressed together.”
“We should go somewhere.” I’m not sure what’s gotten into me, but I don’t mind it when she rewards me with a tiny smile.
“Where? Outside?”
“I don’t care,” I say. “Your choice. I’ll follow you.”
She surveys me, looking as though she’s deciding. “Aren’t you going to miss the show?” 
“No,” I laugh. “I don’t know this band at all.”
“Me neither,” she admits. She’s nearly knocked off her stool by a surge of the crowd around us, and this seems to seal the deal. “Ok, let’s go.” She stands and winds through the crowd, never releasing my hand. 
_____
Hermione
I lead my tall, red headed stranger to the back patio, feeling instant relief in the cool night air as we step over the threshold. The music is much less loud out here, and it’s not as crowded. I drop his hand as I perch myself on the patio railing, sighing in contentment as my overstimulated senses are satisfied by the calming change in environment.
Ron flags a server for us, so I take the opportunity to examine him while he orders. He’s broad in the shoulders but narrow in the hips, though the shape is flattering in the way his t-shirt pulls across his chest. From underneath the material on his left arm, a full sleeve of tattoos runs enticingly to his wrist, leaving me with a burning desire to see the obscured designs. 
Tattooed and bearded. Just how I like 'em.
The server leaves and he turns his gaze back to me, reminding me of the thing so far that I like the most about him.
His eyes.
They’re almost turquoise-y blue, and seem to ripple like water. That alone would be sexy enough, but there’s something about the way they make me feel. They’re...kind.
He leans his back against the railing where I’m sitting, close enough that my leg is brushing his arm. “So, did you come to this show tonight because you like a little background music while you read?” 
I laugh. “No, my friends dragged me here with them, but I lost track of them pretty much the moment we arrived. Hence, this.” I hold up my book. “What about you? You said you don’t know the band either.”
“Nah,” he agrees. “I was also forced to come out tonight. But, I don’t fancy watching my sister snog her boyfriend all evening so…” He shrugs. His hair moves gently in the night breeze.
“Well look at us,” I say. “A couple of third wheels.”
The server comes back with the drinks: two shots of whiskey and two beers. I thank him as I take mine, and Ron raises his shot glass.
“Left your boyfriend at home, then?” He’s holding the whiskey expectantly, smirking while he waits for my answer.
I roll my eyes. “Very subtle.”
“Oh, you saw what I did there?”
“I did, believe it or not.” I hold my whiskey out as well. “To being single?”
It’s phrased as a question, and there’s a triumphant sparkle in his eye as he clicks his glass against mine. “To being single.”
“Cheers.” We throw back the shot. The alcohol hums just under my skin.
Ron doesn’t return to his previous position, but instead stands in front of me so that his stomach is against my knees. He places his free hand on the outside of my bare thigh, sending tingles down my spine. He meets my eye for a moment, as though asking if I mind, and in response I lean forward and place my free hand on his chest. 
The full, lopsided smile I receive in return is worth it.
“What do you do for a living, Hermione?” His voice is gravelly now.
“I’m in microbiology,” I answer. “I work in a lab.”
“Wow,” he lets out a low whistle. “Smart and beautiful.”
I laugh again. “What about you?”
“I’m a nurse,” he says, puffing out his chest. “I work in the ICU.”
Somehow I understand the kindness in his eyes even more. I’m so distracted by looking into them that I accidentally spill some beer all over my lap. “Oh no, I’m sorry!”
“Watch yourself,” he says, laughing as he grabs a napkin and dabs off my legs. “Why is your drink so full anyway?” 
“Yours is just as full,” I argue, offering my beer as evidence.
He looks between our two glasses and shrugs. “Maybe, but I can drink faster, so it doesn’t count.”
“How do you know that?” I demand, holding the beer up now as a challenge. “Chugging contest?”
His grin is evil and beautiful. “You’re on.”
“Three, two…” We both begin to drink as quickly as we can, though it becomes apparent to me that I’m quite outclassed. His Adam’s apple bobs distractingly and I reach out, tracing my finger down it before I can stop myself.
I freeze, my hand again on his chest, fingers grazing the skin above his neckline. When I meet his eye, he puts his glass on the railing and steps between my legs, wrapping his arms around me to bury his hands in my hair as he pulls me in for a kiss.
The way he feels is so distracting that I drop my own glass, still half full, on the outside of the patio, where it spills in the grass. I’m sure we could get kicked out of the venue for that, but right now I don’t care. I kiss my new friend Ron for all I’m worth. He tastes like whiskey and every flick of his talented tongue ignites tiny fires all over my body. 
We snog for I don’t know how long, until we’re forced to come up for air. He doesn’t step away from me, but keeps his face close to mine as we pant. 
“I can’t waste another second here, can you?” His whisper tickles my cheek.
I run the analysis, weighing my options even as my head spins from the snog. I grip his arms tighter. “We should go somewhere.”
His lopsided smile takes my breath away.
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chudleycanonficfest · 3 years
Text
Stars in the Night Sky
Day 3, Story #2 is by @adenei
Title: Stars in the Night Sky
Author: adenei
Pairing: Jily (James Potter x Lily Evans)
Prompt: Stargazing
Rating: PG
TW: None :)
****************
The castle is peaceful as it nears midnight, a calm surrender to the usual bustling halls during the day. Rounds ended over an hour ago, but the quick pair of footsteps was not rushing through a late shift, they were on their way to the Astronomy Tower to meet their partner and begin Professor Sinistra’s constellation project. 
Allocation of the work was all in the luck of the draw. Where one half of the class drew a name, and the other pulled the astronomical phenomenon they were to study. Lily Evans had pulled the piece of parchment on stars and constellations, and according to the project’s outline, she and her partner would be tracking Orion, Cassiopeia, Gemini, and Canis Major for the next two weeks.
The project left Lily questioning why she chose to pursue the subject after passing her O.W.L.s. Maybe it was because she has always been fascinated by the subject, or maybe it’s for the sole fact that Astronomy is one of the subjects she can discuss with her family since it relates closely to muggle sciences. Regardless, she’s not sure it’s worth the lack of sleep she’s about to endure over the next few weeks.
As Lily climbs the steps of the Astronomy Tower, her heart thunders in her chest with anticipation about who her partner will be. The class is small, with only ten students, but she didn’t bother to hang around and discuss ‘who had who’ at the end of class. She had a meeting with Professor McGonagall about her Head Girl duties and couldn’t be bothered to worry about who her partner was. 
But now, after finding out through Mary that she’s been paired with Remus and Sirius pulled Benjy Fenwick’s name, Lily is nervous. Rumblings at dinner also confirmed that Calliope Forsythe of Hufflepuff was disappointed that she chose Bridgette Marls’s name instead of James’s, leaving Lily sweating the remaining possible outcomes. She doesn’t want to jinx it by getting her hopes up that James may have pulled her name out of the cauldron, and she’s mad at herself for wanting it so desperately.
We already spend enough time together with our Head duties. Plus, we’re friends now, so we can hang out whenever we like...just not alone.
Her last thought is only a partial lie, considering they’re ‘alone’ when creating schedules for rounds, but it never fails that some fifth or sixth-year students are always barging in to use the Prefect’s lounge to study, ruining any potential chance for either to make a move. Even when they’re on rounds, their conversation is constantly interrupted by catching a couple in a broom closet or empty classroom. 
Lily lets out a huff of frustration as she recalls the last time, when she was sure he was about to ask her to Hogsmeade, but then there was a loud clatter from a room up ahead, breaking the moment. So really, it’d be ideal if James were her partner for this project. She’s sick of the song and dance they’ve been playing since the start of term and wants nothing more than to find out whether he still fancies her or not. After all, it’s only a matter of time that some other girl will swoop in, causing his devilishly handsome smile to be trained on them instead.
As Lily approaches the foot of the stairs leading up to the observation room, she checks her watch. 11:59. Right on time. She holds her breath during the entire stair climb, and only when she rounds the corner to the dimly lit area with one singular candle on the table to take notes, does she see him. He’s leaning over the table, the light illuminating his messy black hair as his glasses slip down his nose. The sleeves on the white shirt of his uniform are rolled up to his elbows, exposing the sinewy muscles of his forearm as Lily stands there, getting lost in a daydream that finds those arms wrapped around her body.
The hoot of an owl in the distance snaps her out of her thoughts as she takes a few steps closer.
“I hope you haven’t started without me.” 
Lily’s light chiding gets James’s attention as a wide smirk dons his face. Her insides tremble as her heart pounds faster in her chest.
“How can I get started if I don’t know what we’re supposed to be looking at,” he remarks, eliciting a nervous laugh from her chest.
“Yeah, sorry for not sticking around after class. I had another appointment.”
“Well, I hope my reveal isn’t too much of a shock.”
“Better you than Mulciber or Avery,” she teases. “Why didn’t you ask Professor Sinistra what topic I pulled after you gave your information and got our timetable?”
James walks around the table to join her as she pulls out the project guidelines. She assumes he would have known what they were studying, considering everyone had to check-in and get their schedules from Professor Sinistra. Depending on what the group has chosen, their research times varied.
“Because I thought we were going for the surprise factor,” his cheeky grin matches the lightness in his voice. “Besides, I figured it’d be another excuse to pore over the parchment in close proximity.”
Lily searches the space next to her to see just how close James is before meeting his gaze. She becomes dizzy from the scent of his cologne, with hints of cinnamon and sandalwood invading her sense of smell. If she gives in to temptation now, they won’t accomplish anything on their first night.
Work first, play later.
Strengthening her resolve, Lily makes a swift turn and heads for the telescope. “We’re responsible for tracking the four constellations that are listed on the first page. I’ll see which one I can find first and we’ll go from there. We can take turns tracing, and observing if that’s alright with you.”
“Sure, I’ll get the parchment set up,” James agrees.
Lily’s not sure, but she thinks she may have heard a hint of disappointment in his tone. She pushes the thoughts aside and peers into the massive telescope that’s bolted down in the center of the room. It doesn’t take long to find Jupiter, and from there, she’s able to see a handful of the stars that make up Orion. The belt is the most prevalent as she takes mental notes to transfer on the paper.
Settling into a steady hum of working together, the pair take turns between the telescope and table, making light work of the night’s observations. When Lily checks her watch again, she realizes they’ve finished with time to spare. She wanders over to the railing, and even though she’s spent the better part of the last ninety minutes studying the stars, she finds herself looking up to the sky once more. Only this time, she’s stargazing with only the naked eye. 
She feels James approaching before he arrives at her side, gazing up at the twinkling stars among the backdrop of black and midnight blue.
“We make a pretty good team.” Her voice is soft as it carries through the air between them.
Lily’s exhaustion is prevalent as her eyelids become heavier, but she can’t be bothered to move away from James’s side. Not yet, anyways.
“You haven’t gathered that from our flawless round schedules and seamless Prefect meetings we’ve run so far as Heads?”
Lily can’t help the smile that creeps across her lips. He’s playing into her words in the exact way she was hoping for. “Of course, I’ve noticed. I was just thinking out loud…” she trails off, hoping she’s got him hooked and wanting to know what else she’s about to say.
“About what?” Barely a second passes before the question leaves his mouth.
She drags her teeth over her bottom lip as she looks up at him. Here goes nothing.
“Just about how our teamwork might work in other respects, too.”
His lips part as she hears a sharp intake of breath. “Evans,” he warns as he inches ever closer to her face.
“Potter,” she challenges right back.
They are mere centimeters away from each other now, and it’d be so easy to close the gap between them. James seems to have frozen in front of her as she finds herself leaning up on her tiptoes to press a feather-light kiss to his lips. She pulls away, not wanting to push her luck.
When he doesn’t move after she pulls away, her heart sinks. Lily grabs her bag and turns to head back to the common room. Clearly, I was mistaken.
“Sorry, I just thought—” but she never finished her apology.
Her foot grazes the top step of the staircase before a warm, strong hand wraps around her wrist and pulls her back, where she hits a wall of muscle. Her lips are on his again, and this time he’s kissing her back as her arms snake around his shoulders and her foot lifts off the ground of its own accord. 
James Potter is kissing me!
The moment only lasts a few moments before they pull apart, their breathing heavy under the starry night.
James breaks the silence after a minute. “So, er, Hogsmeade this weekend?”
Lily grins as she backs away slightly, leaving him standing there as she heads toward the stairs for the second time. She flashes a ‘come and get me’ look. 
“I thought you’d never ask.”
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chudleycanonficfest · 3 years
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Day 1, Story #2 is by @voldemorts-tap-shoes!
Title: Stay Stay Stay
Prompt: Songfic
Pairing: Hinny
Rating: T for some language, because Weasleys
***
I’m pretty sure we almost broke up last night.
I mean, I threw my mobile across the room at him, for Merlin’s sake, and of course, it shattered into a million pieces—I didn’t get recruited by the Harpies for nothing—that Harry repaired with the laziest flick of his wand before disappearing upstairs.
I’d half-expected him to pack a duffel and head off to Ron and Hermione’s flat to crash on their couch for the night—some dramatic turn away, like he’s prone to do—but I heard his footsteps pacing back and forth across the ancient hardwood of the guest room above ours well into the night. He stayed. Not in our room, but he stayed.
It was something both of us were still getting used to, the idea that we couldn’t just run off to save the world or “finish our education” (thanks, Mum) when things got difficult between us. The idea of staying.
This morning, I marched up to the guest room and rapped on the door. Calmer than I was last night, my often-irrational Weasley temper now replaced with a dull ache in my head that was begging me to just get on with things.
“Harry?” I called softly. I was pretty sure he wasn’t asleep because I couldn’t hear his tell-tale snoring, but he didn’t answer. “We should talk about this, you know. I read it in that muggle self-help book Hermione brought over: that bit about ‘you should never leave a fight unresolved’.”
Harry was definitely awake, because I could hear him rustling around on the other side of the door, but he still wasn’t responding. I sighed, leaning my head against the door as I continued, “It sounds like a load of rubbish, I know, and who would have ever thought that Ron and Hermione would be the masters of communicating, but it seems to be working for them, and—“
I was cut off from my own rambling as the door opened abruptly beneath my cheek. Harry was wearing only two things besides his flannel pyjama bottoms: his Quidditch helmet, and an unrepentant, shit-eating grin. “Okay,” he said, jovially, as if we hadn’t spent the majority of the previous evening yelling at each other, “let’s talk.”
He patted the side of his helmet for emphasis, as if I wouldn’t get the joke. I wanted to stay mad at him, but he just made it so damn hard. “You’re an arse, Harry James Potter,” I said anyway, though I was struggling to hold back a grin.
“Hey, last night it was your mobile, who knows what you’ll throw at me next.”
I rolled my eyes as I slipped my arms around his middle and burrowed my head beneath his chin. “You stayed,” I mumbled.
“Should I not’ve?”
I shook my head as he pulled me close. “I’m glad you did,” I replied. “Just…”
“Surprised?” Harry supplied. “Yeah. Not really my strong suit, is it?”
“No, not really,” I agreed. “Although, I could have been a bit nicer to you as well. I wouldn’t have blamed you if you’d gone for the night.”
“It’s okay.” Harry shrugged. “You’re funny when you’re mad.”
I pulled back to glare up at him. “Funny?” Harry’s mouth gaped open, and I knew the comment had slipped out of him, so I decided to go easy on him. “You’re lucky I like hanging out with you.”
Harry barked a laugh and pulled me back into his embrace. “Hanging out?” he repeated. “Is that all we’re doing here, you and me? Hanging out?”
“You play your cards right, Potter, I might even hang out with you for my whole life.”
“Ginny Weasley, are you proposing to me?”
“You wish.”
One of his hands drifted up my back and into my hair, and his tone was more serious when he spoke again. “But I’ve loved you for quite some time, and...I think that’s what we both want, isn’t it? One day?” I nodded wordlessly, my nose brushing against his collarbone with the motion. “So then, that being the case, I think that it’s best if we both stay. No travel season in America, no special assignment in Sweden. We both stay here.”
It should have been a suffocating proposition, but instead, Harry’s words filled me with a sense of comfort. We had spent too much time apart, and even though coexisting and being in an actual relationship were things we had to consciously work on pretty much daily—hence the book from Hermione—at least we were doing it together.
“Yeah,” I whispered, tightening my arms around him. “I think that it’s best if we both stay, too.”
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chudleycanonficfest · 3 years
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One Last Dance
Day 4, Story #1 is by @be11atrixthestrange
Title: One Last Dance Author/Artist: be11atrixthestrange Pairing: Jily  Prompt: Halloween Rating: T Trigger Warning(s) (if any): implied character death
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Harry was fussier than usual on Halloween night. Bath time was an ordeal, as Harry kept knocking the shampoo bottle out of Lily’s hand and splashing water at her. Afterward, the child almost refused to fall asleep; he wriggled in her arms and tugged on her hair as she swaddled him. Just because he couldn’t speak full sentences yet didn’t mean he couldn’t communicate; he did so with his eyes, and Lily swore there was a smirk on his face as she rocked and sang to him, until he finally drifted off.
Lily didn’t mind a fussy baby, in fact, she enjoyed the challenge. She cherished every extra moment with her child, and at exactly fifteen months, Harry’s newfound spunk was nothing but evidence of his emerging personality. He had her eyes, and she wondered if he’d get James’ messy hair, horrid eyesight, and infuriating charm. She grinned at the thought of a sassy and sarcastic Harry, star of the quidditch team, just like his dad. Or maybe he’d be more like Lily; sensitive and studious, top of his class, future Head Boy. 
Of course, there could be nothing remarkable about him at all. He could turn out to be average, maybe even terrible at sports, or join weird clubs and get below-average marks. Even then, if her son came home for the summer excited about a slew of ‘acceptables’, or stressed about Gobstones club drama, he’d still be the coolest person Lily knew. 
Whatever he turned out to be — head boy, quidditch captain, super-nerd, or even squib — Lily couldn’t wait to find out. It was funny how determined she had been to never admit her feelings for James Potter. Her feelings were always there, but that boy had to work hard for her affection. All Harry had to do was laugh, or sneeze, or wrap his tiny fingers around her pinky, and Lily was a goner.
With the stubborn child finally asleep, Lily shuffled downstairs to find that James had already cleaned up dinner in the kitchen and was pouring two generous glasses of wine, almost as if he read her mind. 
He beamed when he saw her — one of her favorite things about him was that he made no effort to hide his feelings, ever — and slid the glass across the countertop. 
“What’s the occasion?” she asked, raising the glass to her lips. It was bitter to the taste but relented into a friendlier, fruitier flavor once Lily committed to a sip. 
She never knew she could relate so much to a glass of wine. 
“Halloween,” said James. “I know you love it, and I’m sorry we couldn’t celebrate the muggle way.”
Halloween was always Lily’s favorite holiday growing up. There was something comforting about everyone’s sudden suspension of disbelief and willingness to face what scared them. She wished muggles would have embraced the paranormal every day, it surely would have made her life easier.
“It’s okay,” she said. “It has to be this way.” 
Lily wished they could hand out candy to trick-or-treaters, but the neighborhood muggles couldn’t see their home; not while it was under the Fidelius Charm. Staying hidden wasn’t what she had imagined when moving to a mixed-magical community, but for now, it was the safest option. The only option. 
James met her on the other side of the kitchen island, interrupting her thoughts with two fingers under her chin. “Definitely next year,” he said before tilting her head up for a kiss. 
Her eyes fluttered shut, and she smiled against his lips, wondering if Harry’s ability to make her heart explode was just as hereditary as his bright green eyes. There was something about those Potter boys that knocked her off her feet.
Maybe James was right, and next year, things would be different. They could get to know their non-magical neighbors, and Lily could take Harry trick-or-treating. He’d look so cute dressed up as a hippogriff, and no one would bat an eye when he’d insist it was a real animal. Kids say the darndest things, and on Halloween, anything was possible. 
“Next year, for sure.” Lily took another swig of her wine and relished in the evolution of its flavor, a delicious reminder that things change, sometimes so fast that she might blink and miss it. Things weren’t perfect by any means — they were in the middle of a war, after all — but there was no shortage of good in their lives. Not everyone could say they had a happy family, loyal friends, and really good wine. 
“Dance with me?” asked James, setting his wine down next to hers and tugging gently on her arm. 
It didn’t take much to lure her into the open space of the living room and settle into the crook of his neck. There was no music, but that didn’t matter; if there had been a beat, they would probably have ignored it anyway. 
“Do you remember the first time we ever danced?”
She nodded against his shoulder. Of course she remembered.
It was Halloween, sixth year, and James and Lily had been alone in the common room. 
“Happy Halloween, Lily,” said James as he approached her. “Today, you’re not a freak.”
Out of context, it might have sounded like senseless teasing, but it was so much more than that. She stared back at him, mouth agape, and wasn’t sure how to respond. It had been years — years — since they had talked about Halloween, and somehow he remembered a passing comment from her eleven-year-old self. 
“You remember that?” she asked, looking at him through narrowed eyes. 
It was her answer to an ice-breaker game during their first year — ‘what’s your favorite holiday and why?’ She hadn’t expected the confused stares at her response. In the muggle world, Halloween was the only day when she didn’t feel weird. Now, Halloween, and the fact that it meant something different to her than to everyone else, meant it was the only day when she did. 
However, she’d happily settle for one single day of being a freak; it was much better than three hundred and sixty-four.
“Of course I remember,” said James, smiling at her. His grin was electric, almost zapping through his messy black hair. Then, he reached out a questioning hand and raised his eyebrows. She stared back at him, wishing he would just use his words, yet she was impressed that with her, he didn’t need to. James always wore his thoughts on his face, in plain sight for the world to see, and never seemed to feel any shame or embarrassment for expressing them.
It touched a nerve for Lily, who had spent most of her life hiding. She longed for him to have to explain himself for once, to actually verbalize his thoughts instead of coasting by in his utopia where people just understood him. It wasn’t fair. “What are you asking, James?” 
“Dance with me?” he clarified. His voice was annoyingly calm and collected as if he knew she had been expecting him to elaborate, yet aware that he didn’t have to. He didn’t even flinch at her incredulous stare, confident in his request, as if asking her to dance was the most obvious progression to wishing her a happy Halloween. 
“Why?” She steadied her hands firmly by her sides, hoping James didn't see her fingers twitch toward his.
“To celebrate Halloween, of course.” His cheeks were rosy, his eyes sparkling, and his continued lack of reaction was curious. Despite her rejection, he committed to holding out his hand with confidence. 
“People don’t dance on Halloween.”
“I’m people, and I dance on Halloween,” laughed James.
She looked at his hand and considered it. Despite a few accidental brushes of her hand while taking notes or passing in the hallway, she had never actually touched him. And Lily had always been the curious type.
James followed her gaze to his hand and playfully wiggled his fingers. 
“Okay,” she said, placing her hand in his. His touch was gentle, firm, confident. It felt nice. “But there’s no music.”
“We don’t need any,” he said, pulling on her arm so that her body pressed up against his. It might have been too forward if she hadn’t fit so perfectly, but honestly, standing any further from him would have felt like sitting upright in a reclining chair. “If there was music, I’d probably ignore the beat, anyway.”
“You would?”  His soft voice immediately put her at ease in his arms, even though her palms were sweating and her heart was picking up its pace. “Why?”
“I’m too distracted,” he said. “Wasn’t expecting you to say yes.”
Lily laughed. “Then why’d you risk asking?”
“Anything is possible on Halloween, right?”
His arms tightened around her just then, not in a forceful way, just comfortable and supportive. She let herself get lost in the moment, swaying with James by the crackling fire, actually smelling, not imagining, his cologne, and feeling the prickle of his stubble against her forehead — when did that grow in? 
Maybe the next day, they’d go back to their usual dynamic, somewhere between flirting and arguing, annoyance and admiration. Or maybe, this would change things. There was something about the Potter boy and his messy black hair, unruly and uncaring, his glasses that should have made him look like a nerd but didn’t, and his annoying charisma that had an effect on her. It wasn’t a secret; they were both aware of it, yet neither felt the need to acknowledge it. At least not yet. They were so young, and they had so much time. 
“Was that when it all changed for you?” asked James, pulling her back to the present. “Is that when you finally gave in to my charm?”
Lily smiled at her husband. “Nothing changed that day. Nothing ever changed.”
James smiled, and Lily leaned into the sharpness of his stubble, a few lazy days unshaven. She melted against him and held him tight. Although his belly was softer, his voice was deeper, the circles under his eyes were darker, reflecting fifteen months of erratic sleep schedules, nothing about him had changed. 
The moment was broken by the sobering sound of a baby crying. Both Lily and James groaned as they pulled away from one another and swiftly turned their focus to their child. 
“I’ll put him back to bed,” said Lily.
“I can do it,” interrupted James. “You bathed him.”
Lily thought of the miniature James crying in his crib, and her heart clenched. It had only been minutes since she last snuggled him, and she already missed the child. “I really want to,” she said. 
James nodded, but his gaze was not on Lily. “Okay. I will meet you upstairs, then. I want to check the wards — I thought I saw some movement outside.”
Lily squinted at the window, her heart rate rising.
“It’s probably nothing,” said James.
Reaching for her half-full glass of wine, Lily nodded. “Alright, I’ll meet you upstairs. I love you.”
“Love you too.”
With one last glance at her husband, Lily made her way up the stairs toward Harry.
Harry, the child who always scrunched up his face when he slept, pursing his lips and crinkling his nose like he just ate a lemon. The boy with her eyes and James’ smile, who was already the best kid ever, even though his personality had yet to be determined. The kid who had a temper, but always calmed down the moment his mother wrapped her arms around him, the stubborn, determined one who could melt Lily’s heart with a single look. 
Her son, Harry, who she couldn’t wait to watch grow up, yet she hoped would never change.
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chudleycanonficfest · 3 years
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The Greenhouse
Day 2, Story #2 is by @zurisenchantedquill
Title: The Greenhouse
Author/Artist: zurimadison
Pairing: Neville/ Hannah
Prompt: Wedding & Proposal
Rating: Teen
Trigger Warning(s) (if any): n/a
______
The sun was setting in brilliant shades of pink and orange, reflecting off the grey cotton ball clouds that were scattered across the sky. From where she stood in the kitchen, gazing out of the window as she washed up after dinner, Hannah watched the burning sphere sink behind the hills in the distance, leaving in its wake concentrated rays of soft yellow light.
The gentle clinking of ceramic and the movement of water in the sink were the only sounds in the house aside from Hannah’s quiet humming as she finished her task, basking in the view. The cobblestone path leading to the front door was flanked by tall grasses and flowers that grew wild on the country hillside, meeting the edge of a small duck pond beside which the faded white cottage was perched. The trees, green and heavy in the height of summer, swayed in the delicate breeze that also caused the surface of the pond to be perpetually disturbed, the ripples distorting the water’s reflection of the multicolor evening sky.
She left the dishes drying on a terry cloth towel, preparing two mugs of steaming tea that she carried out the back French doors of the cottage. She followed a well-packed dirt path that curved around a large oak tree and traveled parallel to the ruins of an old stone wall, overrun by weeds, until it reached the foot of a modest greenhouse. The structure was the newest addition to the property, it’s base made of solid red bricks and the top still boasting a pristinely painted white frame with polished, intact glass panes. She could just make out the silhouette of a person moving inside, and unconsciously sped her pace. 
The door opened in her presence, closing silently behind her as she sidled through the gap. She placed the mugs of tea on the center table, pulling up a stool as she watched Neville putter around the space. She could hear the muffled music from his headphones, the iPod that her cousin had helped her set up clipped to the waist of his jeans. He was repotting a plant with large, flat leaves, though the patterns of the holes that’d naturally developed across its foliage reminded her strongly of swiss cheese.
He worked diligently, sweat dripping down the side of the temple and hanging on the edge of his jaw. His features were contorted with concentration, but even then, Hannah thought he looked more relaxed when he was in his greenhouse than in most other circumstances. She’d had the idea to get him an iPod after he’d mentioned that he sometimes struggled to relax in the quiet, like he was waiting for something to disturb the silence. 
She loved spending time with Neville in their new greenhouse, though occasionally she could hardly believe the string of events that’d brought them to this point. Despite knowing of each other since their early days at Hogwarts, Hannah never noticed Neville like that until the year of the Carrows. 
She willed herself to breathe deeply, moving her thoughts away from the terrors of that time and focusing instead on what’d attracted her to the man she shared a home with now. He’d been the most noble student at the school that year. He had an unerring moral compass, but was still patient and understanding with people who weren’t ready to be as brave as he. He was kind, he was adorably shy, and (she gulped as she watched another bead of sweat trickle along a vein in his neck and disappear into the V of his shirt) he was good-looking as hell. 
Still, she hadn’t been able to work up the nerve in time to do anything about her schoolgirl crush, and they’d gone their separate ways after the war. She was lucky that fate had other ideas, and within a couple of years she found herself the new proprietor of one of the most visited pubs in wizarding Britain. When he’d first walked through her doors, bringing with him all the old feelings she didn’t know she still had, she couldn’t let him leave without trying. 
She’d blurted it at him loudly when he was halfway out the door.
“Willyougooutwithme?”
The entire pub had gone silent, and she knew her cheeks were flushed pink. She’d waited on bated breath while he’d turned around, staring at her as though amazed. Her stomach fluttered at the memory of the brilliant smile that’d overtaken his face before he’d said the one word that’d forever changed the trajectories of their lives. 
“Yes.”
What followed was three years of dating, of dealing with post war trauma, of learning how to communicate, of reassuring Neville of her feelings, of being very surprised at how much he was willing to take charge when he felt reassured, of deciding to move in together, of choosing to live in simplicity in the country, of learning of Neville’s passions, of knowing when to stay silent to let him speak, of understanding when he needed her to push him, and of the realization of a singular, resolute truth she felt in her bones. 
“Hey, you.” While she’d been lost in thought, Neville had noticed her presence. He pulled his headphones down on his neck and smiled, wiping the soil from his hands with a towel. He crossed the space between them, touching her cheek gently. “What’re you thinking about?” 
She met his eyes, today a warm brown in the center that faded to a grey green on the outside, and she couldn’t stop the words. “Marry me?”
His eyebrows moved towards each other, creasing his forehead as he blinked several times. “What?”
She placed her hand on top of his, still cupping her face, and beamed at him. “Marry me, Neville.” She gestured around the greenhouse. “Let’s you and I make each other happy like this for the rest of our lives.”
His grin rivaled that of the day she’d first asked him out. He bounded across the greenhouse, leaving her alone, confused at the large table as he rifled around in the aprons hanging on the back wall, muttering to himself. 
“There it is,” he exclaimed, running back to her with his fist clenched tight. He sat on the stool in front of her, the look on his face reminding her of a child on Christmas. “Ready?”
He still hadn’t answered her question, but his excitement and her curiosity got the better of her, so she nodded anyway. “Sure.”
He held his hand out, uncurling his fingers so she could see what sat so proudly in his palm. The band of the ring was pale green, shaped like tiny, delicately linked ivy leaves that’d grown in a perfect circle. From the top of the ring a small flower seemed to bloom, yellow and icy, so realistic she could have sworn the petals might fall if she touched them. 
It was her turn to be surprised, and she paused for several moments as she stared at the ring. He waited, watching her with eager eyes.
“It’s beautiful,” she murmured, and when she met his gaze this time, she felt a lump growing in her throat. “How long have you had it?”
“Since we moved in together,” he admitted, smiling at her bashfully. 
“Why wait so long?”
“I didn’t know if you wanted to get married.” He was fidgeting with the hem of his shirt, though the other hand still held the ring out to her. “We’re so happy, and I don’t want you to feel pressured. I just want to be with you.” He shrugged, picking up the ring and holding it between two fingers. “With or without this. All I want is you.”
“Neville.” A few tears fell down her cheeks as her heart melted, and, unable to say anything else, she pressed her lips against his and pulled him in for a hug, burying her face into his shirt. Her voice was muffled when she finally managed words. “Let’s do it with, then.”
There was a pleasant vibration in his chest as he pulled her to arm’s distance and searched her face. “Yeah?”
She nodded, half laughing, half crying. “Yeah.”
“So we’re getting married?”
She held out her hand and he pushed the ring with slow, deliberate purpose onto her finger. Her heart was hammering, and she admired how it looked against her skin and how small her fingers were in his palm. Everything was perfect. 
She looked up, returning his grin with enthusiasm. “Does this mean you say yes?”
He laughed and swept her off the stool, cradling her close to his body as he murmured against her lips. 
“Yes.”
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chudleycanonficfest · 3 years
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All submissions due July 31st by 11:59 PST (GMT -8)
minimum word count for fics: 750
Multiple entries welcome!
Quick Links: Prompt List |Submit your Entry | FAQs
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