Drabble: Hope
Title: Hope
Summary: It mattered because it wasn't a complex spell, it was a charm.
Rating: Suitable for all.
Warnings: None
Word count: 500 Completed: Yes
Hope
"Been looking for you."
She does not look up, just turns another page of The Defensive Craft. "You have," she answers noncommittally.
"You skipped dinner Lily," he points out.
"Busy," she turns the page again, wishing him away.
"I can see that. What you reading?" he asks and with a flash of a maroon and golden sleeve pulls the paper out of her grasp. "Ah," his eyes widening with understanding, "I figured as much."
She pouts at him, "How was practice?" she asks innocently, knowing it's the best way to throw him off track.
"Miserable," he admits. "The weathers appalling, the wind kept blowing the Bludgers in all directions, I got the horrific bruise," he starts to roll up his sleeve but stops, shaking his head at her defiantly. "But, that's beside the point."
"You have a point?" she asks.
"Not exactly. A purpose," he clarifies. "I wanted to see if you were alright. I mean after that Defence class with the Patronus and all."
She fixes him with a look that says I don't want to talk about it but he merely fixes her one of defiance in return. "It's nothing," she mumbles. She should know by now that James Potter never backs down.
"You been hiding ever since?" he points out.
"I've not been hiding,"
"No one's seen you."
"I've seen Flitwick," she returns.
He smiles and shakes his head. "Its not that much of a big deal. Its just a Patronus."
"Oh that's easy for you to say," she cries. "I saw your perfect stag bounding across the classroom, Merithorn practically wet himself with glee."
"It'll happen," he ignores her jibe. "Its a hard spell."
"It's a charm," she corrects him quietly. "Not a spell, a charm."
He leans a hand across the table to her own. "It'll happen," he repeats. "Just practice."
She shakes her head. "It won't happen. Do you know why?" This time he shakes his head. "Because of my memories. Because I can't find a past memory that doesn't make me sad now, what with my parents or Petunia or-" she stops short of saying his name hoping James hasn't noticed. "Apparently its nothing to do with my charms. Its to do with my life." His grip on her hand tightens slightly. "What do you use?" she asks.
"I'm sorry." He drops her hand suddenly and leans back on his chair again. "What memory?"
She shakes her head guiltily. "Forget about it. Honestly, you don't have to answer its a personal question. I'm sorry."
He considers her for a second. "The first time, the night Sirius ran away from home. The second, a day I finally managed something that might help a friend, and the third," he pauses for a second, "The afternoon you said we should be friends." If this shocks her she doesn't show it and so he continues. "Because all of those things give me hope and I figure when you only wands away from a dementor that's all you've got left isn't it a bit of hope."
She smiles at him. His eyes won't quite meet hers. "Hope," she repeats as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.
Summary: It mattered because it wasn't a complex spell, it was a charm.
Rating: Suitable for all.
Warnings: None
Word count: 500 Completed: Yes
Hope
"Been looking for you."
She does not look up, just turns another page of The Defensive Craft. "You have," she answers noncommittally.
"You skipped dinner Lily," he points out.
"Busy," she turns the page again, wishing him away.
"I can see that. What you reading?" he asks and with a flash of a maroon and golden sleeve pulls the paper out of her grasp. "Ah," his eyes widening with understanding, "I figured as much."
She pouts at him, "How was practice?" she asks innocently, knowing it's the best way to throw him off track.
"Miserable," he admits. "The weathers appalling, the wind kept blowing the Bludgers in all directions, I got the horrific bruise," he starts to roll up his sleeve but stops, shaking his head at her defiantly. "But, that's beside the point."
"You have a point?" she asks.
"Not exactly. A purpose," he clarifies. "I wanted to see if you were alright. I mean after that Defence class with the Patronus and all."
She fixes him with a look that says I don't want to talk about it but he merely fixes her one of defiance in return. "It's nothing," she mumbles. She should know by now that James Potter never backs down.
"You been hiding ever since?" he points out.
"I've not been hiding,"
"No one's seen you."
"I've seen Flitwick," she returns.
He smiles and shakes his head. "Its not that much of a big deal. Its just a Patronus."
"Oh that's easy for you to say," she cries. "I saw your perfect stag bounding across the classroom, Merithorn practically wet himself with glee."
"It'll happen," he ignores her jibe. "Its a hard spell."
"It's a charm," she corrects him quietly. "Not a spell, a charm."
He leans a hand across the table to her own. "It'll happen," he repeats. "Just practice."
She shakes her head. "It won't happen. Do you know why?" This time he shakes his head. "Because of my memories. Because I can't find a past memory that doesn't make me sad now, what with my parents or Petunia or-" she stops short of saying his name hoping James hasn't noticed. "Apparently its nothing to do with my charms. Its to do with my life." His grip on her hand tightens slightly. "What do you use?" she asks.
"I'm sorry." He drops her hand suddenly and leans back on his chair again. "What memory?"
She shakes her head guiltily. "Forget about it. Honestly, you don't have to answer its a personal question. I'm sorry."
He considers her for a second. "The first time, the night Sirius ran away from home. The second, a day I finally managed something that might help a friend, and the third," he pauses for a second, "The afternoon you said we should be friends." If this shocks her she doesn't show it and so he continues. "Because all of those things give me hope and I figure when you only wands away from a dementor that's all you've got left isn't it a bit of hope."
She smiles at him. His eyes won't quite meet hers. "Hope," she repeats as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.