AN: Prompts will be displayed at the bottom to avoid them potentially giving away things.
The Outsiders
AlwaysPadfoot
Daphne was bored.
All the adults were talking, goblets in hand, letting their children run around the garden yelling and screaming. She couldn't. If she got grass stains on her dress then her mother would be furious, and she had no intention of getting in trouble.
Daphne wandered away from a large group of the boys, who were barging into one another and knocking each other onto the ground. She definitely didn't want to get involved with dirty, smelly boys.
The garden of the Rowle's country manor was huge. Daphne was sure she would never be able to explore in the time that they were here for the party, but since there was no one who was interested in her, she was going to give it a go. She descended the stone stairs, away from the noise of the party, admiring the neatly maintained rose bushes. A pleasant smell got caught on the breeze as Daphne ran her hand along the planter edge, moving deeper into the garden.
It was nicer out here.
Well it was, until Daphne heard a noise behind her. She span on her heel expecting to see someone behind her — the path she'd come down was empty. Frowning, she stayed still, surveying her surroundings nervously. Then there was a muffled giggle.
"Who's there?" Daphne asked.
Suddenly, movement. A girl about her own age with two red pigtails peered out from behind a rosebush to Daphne's left.
"Hi," she smiled.
"Hello?" Daphne said. "Were you following me?"
"Obviously!"
Daphne pulled a face, confused as to why someone would follow her into the garden. "Why?"
"I was hoping you'd be friends with me," she said, shuffling her feet. "I tried to talk to another girl with a squashed face and she was a bully."
Daphne knew exactly who the girl was talking about. The bully went by the name Pansy Parkinson. Daphne's mother had tried to schedule them playdates but she was having none of it. Pansy was stupid and nasty and Daphne didn't want to be her friend. She looked back at the red-haired girl, who was beginning to look ever-so-slightly sad, and shrugged her shoulders.
"I'm just looking around; I'm not doing anything fun," Daphne admitted.
"That's okay," the girl sad quickly. "I'm happy to explore."
Daphne nodded. She supposed having some company would be nice, and at the very least, they shared a dislike of Pansy Parkinson.
"I'm Daphne."
"Susan Bones," she smiled, falling into step to the right of Daphne as they walked through the Rowle's rose garden together.
The two girls talked quietly. Daphne learnt that Susan was her age, both of them seven. Susan was easy to talk to and told stories about her trips to the Ministry with her Auntie, who she lived with. Daphne knew better than to ask why, but admittedly, she was curious. Neither of them really knew the boy, Lewis Rowle, whose birthday was being celebrated; this was just one of those things their families made them go to.
Susan was clever, teaching Daphne a game that involved clapping their hands together as they sat on a bench under a tree with long, droopy branches. She taught her three rhythms, and by the time they were done, Daphne had caught on fast.
"It was fun to finally have someone to play that with," Susan beamed. "The girl who taught me moved away last year."
"Do you miss her?"
"I do," Susan replied, "but that's okay, because in a few years I will make friends in Hogwarts."
Daphne kicked her feet back and forth, scuffing her shoes against the stones beneath the bench. "You've made a friend today."
Susan looked up with wide blue eyes. "Really?"
Daphne smiled and nodded. To her surprise, Susan suddenly wrapped her arms round Daphne in a tight hug. That was not something she had been expecting at all. Daphne's family didn't really give hugs out much at home. Unwilling to hurt Susan by not reciprocating, Daphne hugged her back and then eventually they broke apart.
"I'm really happy you're my friend, Daphne," Susan smiled.
It looked like it really meant a lot to her and that made Daphne happy too. Susan suddenly got to her feet and beamed widely, suggesting they race through the trees and to the huge fountain the Rowles had. Daphne was fast, and taller than Susan, so she was sure she would win. Win she did, getting there gasping for breath, but nonetheless first. Susan was close behind though, yelling out 'No fair!' loudly as she leant against the fountain edge.
"I'll beat you next time," Susan declared breathlessly.
The two girls spent the remainder of the party together. Time flew as Susan introduced Daphne to imaginary games. They fought dragons by splashing them with water from the fountain; ran away from monsters in the orchard; climbed the willow tree so that trolls couldn't find them. Daphne laughed so hard that her ribs hurt, and when she got stains on the hem of dress, she didn't even notice because she was having too much fun to care.
Neither of them heard their names being called until they returned to the rose garden, skipping up the central path.
"Susan, honey?"
"Daphne?"
Daphne's head snapped up to see her mother. She was stood beside a woman with slightly greying blonde hair, who was probably Susan's aunt, at the top of the stone staircase.
"Auntie Amelia," Susan called, taking Daphne's hand and pulled her forward up the stairs. "This is Daphne. She's my best friend now."
Amelia smiled at them both softly, but before she could respond, Daphne's mum spoke up. "My, Amelia, your niece is so… effervescent."
Daphne had no idea what that words meant; she could only hope that it was a nice one. Her mum beckoned her to her side, and Daphne let go of Susan's hand somewhat reluctantly. She'd been having a lot of fun; she couldn't believe it was time to go already. It felt as though that party had only started ten minutes ago, and now, Daphne could see people leaving.
"It was nice to meet you Daphne," Amelia said, smiling at Daphne before taking Susan's hand. "It's time to go Susie; I hope you had fun today."
"I did," Susan responded. "Me and Daphne had lots of fun."
The four all cycled through goodbyes, and as Susan walked away with her aunt, she turned, waving fiercely back in Daphne's direction. She raised her hand, managing to wave back briefly before her mother gave her a sharp tug back in the direction of her father. Daphne was suddenly very aware of her slightly damp sleeves, of the smudges on her clothes, and the state of her mud-encrusted shoes.
Her mum was going to be angry.
But, for once in her life, she'd had a lot of fun at one of these parties.
Comp/Challenge & Prompts:
- Insane House Challenge: 382 - Word - Effervescent - (Bubbly)
- 365 Prompts Challenge: 123 - Event: Birthday Party.
- FanFiction Resolutions Challenge: 42 - Write about your OTP meeting as young (I'd say before the age of 8) children
- Bath Bomb Challenge: 22. Jelly & Custard - Write about a children's party.
- Tea Challenge: 17. Honey Honey - Write about someone using the pet-name "honey"
- Conversation Starter Prompt Challenge: 31. Write about a character having fun.
- Writing Club [Character Appreciation] - 15. Dialogue: "Obviously!"
- Writing Club [Book Club] - Orc: (word) bully, (word) stupid, (word) monster
- Writing Club [Showtime] - 2. Waving Through a Window - (action) Waving
- Writing Club [Count Your Buttons] - 3. goblet (object), 1. "I do." (Dialogue)
- Writing Club [A Year in Entertainment] - TV: Will & Grace - (relationship) Best friends
- Writing Club [Liza's Loves] - 20. The Outsiders
- Dragon Appreciation Challenge
Word Count: 1148 — not inc. notes, titles, or ANs.