Author's Note: Keep in mind that I have no clue what Vincent's actual birthdate is. Just the year. But I didn't find myself believing that his birthdate wouldn't show up on his own gravestone, so I chose a bunch of numbers randomly. Please read and review if you have anything to say!
Gestures of Comfort by ValkyrieAce
The first thing Vincent noticed was the fact that he was standing in an extremely thick downpour in the middle of the night. He didn't know where he was or what he was doing there.
All he knew was that he didn't –or rather, couldn't– feel anymore.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw three figures huddled together, whispering and pointing at each other and at the place he was standing. Looking down, he saw that he was standing by a gravestone made out of marble, the ground freshly opened and filling with rainwater. An uncovered coffin sat beside it, as it was placed under many protective charms. He knelt to see the inscriptions.
Vincent Crabbe
February 18, 1980 – May 2, 1998
A great man who sacrificed his life to save his friends
Tears sprung into Vincent's eyes. But he was also struck with confusion.
This… was not what his gravestone looked like. At least, not the one that his parents publicized. That gravestone was made out of a gorgeous obsidian stone and didn't include any words in memoriam. This one was new and personal, and while it might be less glamorous than the first, this one was made with careful thought. Vincent could certainly appreciate that gesture after death.
He turned back to the three and watched calmly as they walked over to the coffin. He smiled nostalgically as he recognized the figures to be Draco, Blaise and Greg. Draco and Blaise stood in front of the open grave with their wands in their hands, and Greg stood by his coffin.
Vincent realized that they were holding a funeral. For him.
"Vincent is… was…" Greg started, his voice already cracking under the grief of this monumental loss. "Vincent was the most innocent between the four of us. He was easy to love if he let you in, and he was a loyal friend. He had never given up on us. And for that, we will all keep you in our hearts and our minds."
Greg dropped to his knees and placed a wreath of daffodils on Vincent's coffin. He was trembling, his breath shaky and unsteady, and his expression woebegone. Draco and Blaise both approached him and offered silent gestures of comfort: a gentle squeeze of his shoulder from Blaise and a sad smile from Draco. Vincent watched as they helped Greg to the front of the grave, then using their wands to lift the coffin up and into it.
He could even see a hint of tears in Draco's eyes.
Once the proper burial was over, Draco and Blaise sat with Greg. The silence had held for a few palpable seconds, but was broken with Blaise's rendition of Vincent's tales. Vincent sat by them, smiling softly as he watched the three relive the good ol' days, reminding themselves of Vincent and Greg's actions throughout their time in Hogwarts and all the pranks they'd pulled.
By the time they began to set off, the downpour was lifting into a beautiful sunrise. With nothing left for him in the material world, Vincent decided to pass on to the afterlife, leaving a whisper of goodbye behind as he disappeared.
Greg stilled and turned, simultaneously looking and not looking at him. Draco and Blaise walked back towards Greg as the tears he had been holding back burst forth like a dam, a smile of happiness on his face at the indirect sign from Vincent. Now, they were each others' comfort.
Though he might not have known before, Vincent did have true friends.
Fin
Word Count: 593
Additional Prompts:
The Golden Snitch - Through the Universe - (character) 12. Asteroid - Gregory Greg
The Golden Snitch - Ollivander's Wand Shop - 10–11 inch: Write about a Slytherin character.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry – Term #9: Assignment #1 – Mythology: Egyptian Mythology, Task #1 - Write about a funeral from the POV of the deceased person.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry - The 365 Prompts Challenge - 240. Relationship - Best Friends
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry - The Insane House Challenge - 460. Word - Woebegone