These drabbles are in response to a challenge by Droxy. The whole point is to learn to write concisely (who me?) by writing scenes with no more than one hundred words. This is a post-HBP fic.
I own nothing you recognize. I simply play in JKR's universe for fun.
Old Friends
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Draco left them to return to the castle.
Hermione and Severus stood inside the gates of the tiny cemetery. The white tomb and the grave markers were as pristine as the last time either of them had been there, more than twenty-five years before.
Hermione touched her wand to Neville's marker and a wreath of edelweiss appeared. It was Severus who touched his wand to Rubeus Hagrid's, creating a wreath of xeranthemum. They both touched Albus Dumbledore's tomb, leaving behind a wreath that smelled of lemon verbena.
Last, Hermione knelt at Harry's. She left behind purple hyacinths and her tears.
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"In two years, we will have been married as long as Harry was alive," murmured Hermione as Severus tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow, his hand a comfort as it rested on hers.
"I cannot believe the time has gone so fast," he said. "It seems a lifetime ago and then it seems like yesterday. Severus paused and looked around the cemetery and up towards the castle. "This was home," he said. "It was the only place that ever felt like home."
"Harry felt the same way," said Hermione. "The two of you had that in common."
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"Should we do this?" asked Hermione. "Emily wants to come here and Jonathan is positively smitten with Hogwarts. If they will be safe, I think we should allow it."
"There will be several of the old Order members here tonight, along with our Secret Keepers," remarked Severus. "I would like to hear their opinions. You and I cannot return to the United Kingdom to live, so we cannot protect them in the same way we could if we were nearby."
"I think we can get a straight answer from Arthur," commented Hermione, "even with nine years as Minister of Magic
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Jonathan saw them as they strolled into the Great Hall. He dashed across the hall, grabbing his father's hand to pull him across the room.
"Look, Daddy," he called, bouncing with delight, "The Weasley twins are here! Come see! I got their autographs!"
Severus winced. He never expected that the wizarding world's most famous comedy stars would be present at tonight's reunion. Whoever invented wizarding wireless television should be put in a Body Bind and forced to watch a marathon of Weasley World reruns.
He heard Hermione's gasp as one of several redheads turned towards them.
Ronald Weasley was there.
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Author's notes
These drabbles are not abandoned. I worked on them last year while my father was ill. It was something that could satisfy my writer's craving while being practical when hanging around a hospital. After Dad died, I let this go for a bit to put my energy into Looking for Magic. Expect occasional updates as I work on this in between other things.
Edelweiss: The Latin name is Leontopodium alpinium which means Lion's paw. It represents noble courage
Xeranthemum: Cheer in the face of adversity
Lemon Verbena: Because it smells like lemon drops
Purple Hyacinth: I am sorry, please forgive me, sorrow