Author-note: I would like to thank Austenlover for her betaing. Nice job. The first time ever I try myself at a OC.
Summer Challenge for June 11th, 2004: 2000 words
Harry and Hermione teach Ron (and Luna if you like) to play a Muggle board
game.
Sounds easy enough, but here's the challenge: you have to write the whole
story with nothing but dialogue
Jessie's Great Day
"Today, today as the
sun rose, started Jessie's great day. Did you know, Kitty? Did you know today
is my great day, Mummy said so. Dad said Uncle Ron and Aunt Luna'll come today,
and Josh and Chiara too. Oh, Kitty this will be such a great day for everyone."
"Jessie!"
"Mummy is calling.
Kitty you must go under my bed or else we have troubles! She didn't allow to
have you here at least not today."
"Jessie, where are
you?"
"I'm here, in my room,
Mum."
"Oh dear, Jessica.
Honestly, didn't I tell you to tidy up? Look at this mess, and in just a few
minutes Josh and Chiara will be here. Where is your cat?"
"I don't know."
"Don't lie, I'm not
deaf, Jessica! I know she is here though I told you: First clean up your room
then you can play with Kitty. Don't you ever listen to me?"
"Oh, mum!"
"You're a bit too firm,
honey. Well, I expect Jessie's room will be messed up again whenRon's
kids are here. There is no reason to clean up in the first place, since I doubt
Josh and Chiara will be offended by this chaos. Just relax, Hermione."
"You can easily talk,
it was, after all, I who needed to do everything, like get rid of the hole in
the roof. Harry, I told you before to stop teaching Jessica those blasting
spells. I always have to clean up after you two."
"Think about how it'll
be when little Luke joins us in a few months. You just need to take it easy.
Just look – wow you're all tensed up dear – let me deal with this party and you
could –"
"Don't touch me, Harry.
After all, it's your fault. Look at me! I'm all fat and round."
"But you wanted it,
too. You know there are two involved not just one, Hermione."
"Just leave me ALONE!."
"Dad?"
"Hmm?"
"Did I do something
wrong?"
"Oh no, Jessie. It's
not your fault, its mine. You'll see, Mummy will be fine again, in no time."
"You realise, you said
that last week, too?"
"Eh, yeah, I did,
didn't I? Seriously, you scare me with this memorising of little things."
"It's you who keeps
telling me I got it from Mum. Though, I hope I didn't inherit her temper."
"Sweetie, you know why
Mum is like that. She is usually not that bad."
"Today is my birthday,
Dad! She could at least try to be nice. I – I don't care if Mum and you are
expecting another child. This day is my day and after all these months, I at
least deserve it that Mum is only nice on this day ."
"Come on, don't cry!
You know she doesn't meant it. Honey, you must understand –"
"No, I don't need to
understand! It's my thirteenth birthday. After I spent Christmas away from
home, she could at least give me just this one day. Just this day, Dad? Is it
really to much to ask for?"
"Jessie, wait! Women!
Why in the world am I cursed with two hormonal females?"
"Are you seriously
asking this, Harry?"
"You're bit early, Ron.
What happened?"
"Luna."
"You say it as if it
did explain everything, even that my best friend who usually comes a hour too
late is over two hour's too early?"
"Harry, you don't
understand, its an old custom to be early on a birthday."
"So it's not the
hormones?"
"Well, Luna is bit
different in this area. You know her hormones kick in every night, if you know
what I mean."
"Can we change the
topic, please!"
"If you request it,
mate."
"Jessica reminds me
more and more at a younger form of Hermione. Ah Harry, how are you? I hope you
didn't buy any hats?"
"I could swear Jessie
had just the same black hair like Harry. Darling, are you sure you don't mean
Harry? That she reminds you of Harry?"
"From character, Ron.
Just from character. You haven't seen Hermione and Jessica yet, have you?"
"No, I hadn't yet the
pleasure to see my goddaughter and my best friend, why?"
"Would you mind telling
me first why I shouldn't have bought hats for the birthday party of my little
girl, Luna?"
"You're truly
interested? Good, because Jessica told me she can't stand hats, though they
promise a good year. Hermione seemed to be rather tempered as I met her in the
living room and Jessica didn't want to stay in one room with her so she dragged
the twins outdoors.
"Is that true, Harry?
Don't tell me Hermione and Jessica were fighting again? It's her birthday,
doesn't Hermione realise what she does to her daughter?"
"Just drop it Ron, and
you too Luna. It won't change anything. Just luckily in a few weeks Hermione
will be back to her normal self."
"But the damage will
already be done, Harry. Look, I know how it feels to be second best. If Jessie
starts to feel like that regarding the baby, I'll tell you things could turn
pretty nasty."
"Ron is right, Harry.
You really should talk with Hermione."
"Not you too, Luna.
Listen, its not only Hermione's fault. She is after all pregnant and its
perfectly normal that she is moody and that's fine. I'm sure Jessie knows her
mother loves her. Can we please turn back to the birthday itself?"
"Sure if you say so.
Luna and I won't interfere. We just wanted to be your friends."
"Its fine Ron. Its
just— Hermione isn't as bad as you make her."
"I can't eat any more,
Hermione. Surely you have outdone yourself. I mean, and Luna will certainly
agree, that this little birthday party is really overwhelming. If I just look
at the decorations, it's just wow. Too bad only we could come today, but Mum
insisted it was better for you to have only a few visitors per day, so we split
it up. Today Luna, the kids and I are here, tomorrow the rest of the Weasley
clan."
"Your mother is
probably right. Well, its in honour of Jessie thather birthday lasts
two days."
"Mum, you know I didn't
ask for it."
"Anyway, I guess its
time for a little game. Harry, do you have the scarf?"
"Got it, Hermione. Will
you explain the rules or should I?"
"Its fine, I'll do it.
This is a muggle game. You know something kids play in a kindergarten –"
"Kindergarten?"
"Yes, Ron, you know,
where muggle kids go before they are old enough for school."
"And we going to play
such a game?"
"That was the original
idea, Luna. Anyway the game is called The Blind Man's Bluff."
"Could we just start
with it already?"
"No, Josh. Not before
your aunt has explained the rules. After all it's a muggle game and we, says
you, your sister, your father and I need to know where we get into."
"Can I now go on?"
"Just get over it,
already, Mum."
"Well, all right.
Blindfold one player and spin them around 3 times. The blindfolded player tries
to tag one of the other players, who may crouch low, sneak up behind the
"blind man" and yell "Boo", or stand still and keep very
quiet. Eventually though, someone will get careless and be tagged. That player
is then blindfolded for the next game. That's how it works, any questions?"
"Yes, do we really need
to play it at all, Mum?"
"Of course we need to
play it, Jessie! Your mother did everything to prepare so we'll play it. After
all its fun."
"That is so typical for
you, Dad. As usual. you take her side and agree to every stupid idea of hers.
Did you even care and ask me if I want play such a game? Or if its my favourite
game? No, you already decided over my head –"
"Stop it, Jessie.
You've got no right to talk to your mother like that. You hear me? I won't
allow for you take this tone with her –"
"Harry, it's all right.
S-she is right I should have asked her. It's my fault. Excuse me but you're
better without me."
"Hermione, love
don't…go."
"Harry, you better go
after her. Every emotional stress is poison to her. You remember how it was
last time, don't you?"
"Of course I do, Ron.
As if I could ever forget it how many hours I, we, worried about Jessie's and
Hermione's health."
"Don't worry, Harry.
We'll have a little talk with Jessie, so you can speak to Hermione."
"Thank you, Luna. You
too, Ron."
"Now to you, darling. I
know its tough to see how your parents expect another child, but –"
"But what, Uncle Ron?
Did your mother treat you like mine does?"
"I'm not talking about
myself, Jessie. Look, Josh and Chiara are going through the same thing, if you
haven't noticed –"
"They don't have to
face a mother who is everyday mean to them and search for a reason to boss or
nag them around."
"Well, Hermione isn't
Luna. She can't take it easy like you want her to."
"Why not, Uncle Ron?
Why not? She always has to take things so damn serious! It's now worse than ever
before. At least before she became pregnant she was fair to me and we had fun
together, just like that but now I – I almost wish I were back at Hogwarts and
didn'tneed to share a room with her ."
"Ron is right. I'm not
like your mother, every woman handles or reacts different while she is
pregnant, but with your mother, we have a special case. Her first pregnancy was
rather tough. It wasn't clear if she could get you at all. Hermione is probably
one of the few women I would call strong headed, but at that time she wasn't
herself. Barely she had survived the war and heard you were on the way, as the
healers told her she would lose you again if there were any stress in the
following 9 months."
"But Luna there isn't
any danger for my mum and Luke. There doesn'texist an excuse for this."
"You're wrong there my
dear. Something like that affected your mother more as you want allow her. At
this day, nearly 14 years ago, her fears were real, fears which followed her 9
months and ended with her risking her own life just to have you. Now, however,
her fears exist only in her mind. Your mum is tense and tempered like that
because she is awaiting a battle which might not even come."
"You mean Hermione is
actually afraid of a miscarriage though there don't exist a real reason for
such fears?"
"Ron, that's exactly
what I'm saying but don't be mistaken, for Hermione this fear is very real. She
is like a tiger ready to jump."
"Excuse me, I have to
find my Mum."
"You know, Luna, I
think you just sorted some things pretty well out."
"Well, this is what
friends are for."
"Hermione, open the
door, please?"
"Just leave me alone,
Harry. I don't want to talk about it."
"You know, Jessie
didn't mean what she said, don't you?"
"Oh, Harry, she meant
it and after all that happened she had every right to react like that. This day
is such a special day and all I do is to ruin it for her –"
"Don't cry, love, I'm
just glad to have you in my arms and not the door in front of me. Everything
will be fine, I promise."
"Sorry."
"For what?"
"For the awful things I
said to you its just…I'm so afraid that something could happen to our baby."
"I know."
"You have tears in your
eyes, Harry."
"I had feared to lose
you and Jessie at that time and I would end up all alone. It's just the
thought, only the thought that makes me like this."
"Me too, Harry."
"Mum! I'm so sorry, can
you forgive me?"
"Can you forgive me,
Jessie?"
"Of course, I can and,
Mum?"
"Yes?"
"I love you."
"I love you, too."
"Well, I love you
both."
