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Title: "Clouds and Cauldrons"
Author: lavender ice
Author's e-mail: [email protected]
Rating: PG
Spoilers: none
Genre: Fluff
Summary: Another challenge fic from FAP. Features a golden cauldron, a SnapeCloud, Neville Longbottom as Romeo, and a married Rita Skeeter.
Archive: sure, just tell me
Disclaimer: All characters and places belong to JKR and affiliates such as Bloomsbury, Scholastic and Raincoat Publishing. In otherwords, none of this belongs to me. I mean no harm, and I promise to return them the way they were.
"Romeo, Romeo, where for art thou Romeo? I said 'Romeo, Romeo, where for art thou Romeo?' Neville Longbottom! That's your cue."
"What? Oh, sorry, Hermione," said Neville sheepishly. "I... I just can't concentrate."
"Good," came a voice from somewhere behind where Neville and Hermione were standing. "Now I can take Herm off your hands, and you can... do whatever it is you have to do to concentrate."
"Ron! Neville needs to practice! The Muggle Studies Concert Show is coming up soon, and it has to be perfect!" protested Hermione. "No, thank you, Ron, but I think I'll stay here and help Neville practice some more," she said, turning the pages in her book furiously.
Seeing the look of sheet desperation on Neville's face, Ron understood. Hermione wasn't doing any good here, despite her best intentions; she was making it worse. Slipping an arm around her shoulders, he said, "Hermione. You aren't even taking Muggle Studies anymore."
"I know that," she said defensively. "But all sorts of high profile wizards and witches will be coming to see it. It has to be top notch."
"Well, shouldn't Romeo here be studying with Juliet?" Ron turned to Neville. "Who is playing Juliet, anyway?"
"Pansy Parkinson."
Ron snorted. "Are you serious, mate?" Neville nodded. "Whoa. Talk about unconventional," he muttered. Raising his voice to it's normal decible level, he continued. "Anyway, now I know why you don't want to practice with her. Why don't you ask Ginny to help you instead. Convince her to break away from that geeter thing she's been carrying around all month."
"It's called a guitar, Ron," commented Hermione. He tightened her grip on her shoulders as she tried squirming away. "I don't see the need to disturb her while I'm free to..."
"Well, that's where you would be wrong, Miss Granger. You are not free. You are coming with me." And with that, he slipped his other arm under her knees, lifting her off the ground.
"Ron!" she screeched. "Put me down this instant! Ronald Weasley, I'm warning you! Put me down. NOW!"
"Sorry, no how can do," he said, carrying her through the portrait hole. Her protests died down once she realized that he wasn't going to drop her. Assured, she slinked her arms around his neck and snuggled against his chest, shifting her weight so she was comfortable.
And they walked like that, together, until they reached the lake where he set her down in the lush grass. He lowered himself to the ground, and she promptly snuggled against him once again.
They sat in silence for a long time, simply enjoying just being there, until the silence was broken by a 'bloody hell' from Ron.
"What is it?" asked Hermione. "You okay?"
"Yes. No. Yeah."
"Well?"
"I have detention with Trelawney."
"When? Why?"
"Half past four. Apparently I offended her when I insulted her crystal ball."
"What'd you do that for? I mean, honestly... You should respect her property."
"I don't give a flying Ford about her property. And for all I care, she can take that precious crystal ball of hers and shove it..." He broke off when he saw the look of horror on Hermione's face. "And shove it... in her golden cauldron," he finished lamely.
She arched an eyebrow. "For what? Safe keeping?"
"If that's what you want to call it. C'mon, let's just forget about the detention. It's not for hours yet." Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her backwards with him until they were both laying on the grass, her head on its usual perch upon his chest, gazing up at the clouds.
"He look," he said suddenly. "That cloud. It looks like Moody."
She giggled. "There's Professor Lupin... Remus," she corrected herself. "I don't think I'll ever get used to calling him that, you know." Still gazing at the clouds, her face darkened. "There's Quirrel. What is this? The reincarnation of every Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had? The only one missing is..."
"Lockhart. And there he is. He even looks like a smarmy git as a cloud. I never would have thought it possible for a cloud to look smarmy. Speaking of which, why is there a Snape cloud?"
Before she could reply, a sophisticated looking snowy owl flew upto them, dropping a letter upon them, then taking off again. The two of them raised themselves from the grass, looking at the letter in wonder. The front read: 'To Mr. Ronald Weasley and Miss Hermione Granger.' A stamp in the upper corner indicated the sender was from the Department of Underage Magic.
Hermione picked up the envelope, fingering it gently. "I wonder what this is all about..."
"Well then! Open it and find out." Sliding the parchment from the envelope, she began to read, Ron doing the same over her shoulder.
Mr Weasley and Miss Granger,
Together, the two of you have discovered a magic more powerful than any that could ever come from a wand. That magic goes by the name of Love, and comes with plenty of baggage, both good and bad. And although you are both underage, I am certain you can handle Love and all it's strings. All it takes is communication and understanding, which you have both proved capable of. Especially together.
But be warned. Love is the most powerful of all magic and needs to be treated with care and respect. I have the utmost confidence in you and your love.
Congratulations!
Rita Skeeter-Lockhart
Rita Skeeter-Lockhart,
Department of Underage Magic, Love and Gossip Specialist.
"Rita Skeeter... LOCKHART?!?"