[ficlet] a brief respite (from the war) [hp] [hermione and cedric]

[bantha_fodder]

this super short piece of fiction was written for koalathebear, on the occasion of her being a delight. it was meant to be longer and more shippy, but bloody hell is it time for bed.

title: A Brief Respite (from the war)
author: bantha_fodder
fandom: hp
rating: g
i do not own



"So, your friend Potter," he says, sliding beside her onto the bench. She's hiding from Harry and Ron and Viktor and anyone, really, who might be looking for her, and out in the sun and the wind, she's sure no one will find her.

But Cedric does, and she turns to look across the river. "I wouldn't call him a friend," she retorts.

"But I would," Cedric replies. "You help him with the challenges and fight with him at the Ball -"

Hermione turns to face him. "I fought with Ron, too, and he's definitely not my friend."

Cedric shakes his head. "Both of them are your friends. You laugh and joke with Krum, but the ones you really care for are Potter and Weasley."

Hermione slams her books shut. Clearly she'll not get any peace, not even out here away from all the noisy students and her nosy housemates. "Do you have a point?"

Cedric stands. "Your friend Potter," he starts again, and rests a heavy hand on her shoulder. "He doesn't know what the egg is about. I tried to tell him, but I don't know if he listened." He catches his fingers beneath her chin and lifts until she meets his eyes. "He's as stubborn as you are," he says. "It's not a good look for you."

Hermione smiles at him, soft and timid, and he smiles back. "Thanks," she says. "For looking out for him."

"Who says I'm looking out for him?" he asks, and winks before he backs away. She watches him walk, and bites her lip before rising and heading back to the castle.

She has things to do, and no one will do them but her.

Comments

Wow!

[koalathebear.livejournal.com]

*dies*

I'm blown away and I feel so small. I take thousands and thousands and thousands of words to write what you manage to encapsulate in a pithy 283 words. Yes, I copied and pasted it into Word to count :)

You've captured them both so beautifully and I know you said you didn't write it shippily but you did. All the possibilities - glances, smiles and the wink! The reason I like these two is that with their personalities it feels to me like they would have been on the same wavelength - and you've put all that in here.

Thank you so much. Not only do I love it because it's beautifully written (as always), but it's just so Cedric/Hermione all over AND this is the first time anyone ever wrote a fic for me!!!!! :) I hope you don't mind, I intend to 推荐 the hell out of this little gem. :) I told my dad that his present was the only present that managed to get to me in Beijing before Christmas but I lied - this is the second!!!! Merry Christmas!

Re: Wow!

[bantha-fodder.livejournal.com]

You are such a dork for pasting it into Word to count. :o)

I think the possibilities are there, but due to the tightness of canon timeline surrounding Cedric I just feel it's really difficult to actually write them. If he didn't die it would have been MUCH easier.

I'm really glad you liked it.

[radical-teen.livejournal.com]

cedric is the sweetest guy ever on earth.. so perfect!! HE'S MY GUY!! grr. sweet lucky hermione. hmph. the real essence of cedric captured. so WONDERFUL

[bantha-fodder.livejournal.com]

Cedric is ADORABLE. He just wants to help. And to get laid.

[liminalliz.livejournal.com]

HERMIONE IS SUCH A SKANK.

But I love Pen. And I looooooooove the way you write Cedric. Mmm. *draws a heart around you*

[bantha-fodder.livejournal.com]

OMG DON'T BLAME HERMIONE, HER BOYZ ARE JUST BITCHES. (for serious. have i mentioned my hp love is Trio-pile? FOR IT IS

MMM Cedric.

[ohmygiddyaunt.livejournal.com]

[koalathebear.livejournal.com]

Wow you're brave saying that at bantha's LJ ;) Hee

[gobsmackit.livejournal.com]

What?! People ship Hermione/Cedric? HUH?!

Well, it is HP fandom, but sometimes I forget just how "anything goes" it really is. And this is awesome and good, so...really, it shouldn't be as outlandish as I'm finding it. Eeeeeee Cedric gets the trio!love vibes and TOTALLY WANTS IN ON IT. I want to meet someone who's as charming a flirt in real life. *yearns*

[bantha-fodder.livejournal.com]

I KNOW. OMG. Some of the pairings in HP are so bizarre, but I tried.

ALSO. CEDRIC TOTALLY KNOWS THE TRIO IS DOING IT. TRIOSEX.

[ebonbird.livejournal.com]

I liked it. Thank you for sharing.

[bantha-fodder.livejournal.com]

Welcome!

[hazy-crazy.livejournal.com]

Ooh my, this was simply delightful. Cedric/Hermione is my favourite pairing at the moment, and you've captured it really nicely in this minute piece!

Cedric's my ideal boyfriend - pity he's dead. LOL

[bantha-fodder.livejournal.com]

It is SUCH a shame he's dead. There is so much we could do with him (IN FICTION, GET YOUR MIND OUT OF THE GUTTER), and it's such a waste.

[unperfectwolf.livejournal.com]

"He catches his fingers beneath her chin and lifts until she meets his eyes."

I could see it aw you wrote it. Sometimes less is more beautiful than more, when words are involved, and this is one of those rare times for me.

[bantha-fodder.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's weird, because I ALWAYS prefer writing less on the premise that less works better than more.

I'm sorry that's an unusual thing for you to enjoy, but I am glad you enjoyed reading this.

[unperfectwolf.livejournal.com]

It's not that I like flowery sentances and long winded speeches, but often I find that most people can't pull off a character well in too few words/ Obviously there are sometimes it's almost NEEDED, but for the most part I don't see it from people who have the skill to write it. But you do!