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rarepair_shorts2011-12-21 02:50 pm
brightflower) wrote in rarepair_shorts2011-12-21 02:50 pm
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FICLET: Of Understanding the Basics in Dramatic Structure (Zacharias/Marietta)
Title: Of Understanding the Basics in Dramatic Structure
Character Pairing: Zacharias/Marietta
Prompt: denouement
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1223 (I know, I know, I did it again. I can't help it!)
Summary: She's supposed to be happy.
Author's Notes: The twelfth of the series.
Link to Prompt Table: http://briony-tallis.livejournal.com/77461.html
She's supposed to be happy.
Marietta has reached the climax of her sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She has overcome her main objective, made her most critical decision, and suffered her most horrible setbacks. She is supposed to be coasting now, sliding down the ramp of denouement, the simple conclusion that follows a difficult time. She isn't sure what she imagined this moment would be like. Perhaps she would have emerged from Umbridge's office in a shining halo of glory, accepted a passionate kiss from Zacharias Smith, and hugged a sobbing and grateful Cho Chang whilst glaring triumphantly at Harry Potter.
No, she would not have imagined such a scenario. It reeks of selfish fame-hogging, a trait delegated solely to Gryffindor House. No, Marietta is a dutiful Ravenclaw with a mind much more finely crafted to the reality of the world around her. So such a sappy and incredulous fate could never have entered her imagination. But what, then, did she expect?
It's impossible to tell now, now that her memory is damaged and her outcome so depressing. All she knows is that she's supposed to be happy. She was supposed to carefully dismantle Dumbledore's Army and solve all of her problems in one brilliant stroke. No more having to listen to Potter's smug superiority, no more having to see Cho worship his heroism, no more worrying about whether or not secret meetings of rebellion are such a good idea. Marietta was supposed to return to a solid, safe life filled with nothing but contentment. She's supposed to be happy. But she isn't.
Cho has defended her friend's actions against Harry, which does provide some comfort to Marietta. But Cho looks at her so nervously now, her eyes shifting as though she no longer knows her own best friend. She talks less, and Marietta suspects that Cho doesn't trust her anymore, which is heartbreaking. People stare at Marietta in the corridors, and no matter how tightly she tugs the balaclava down over her head, she feels as though her ruined cheeks are always on display. Slytherins snicker at her, Gryffindors glare, Hufflepuffs huddle in pointed whispers, and Ravenclaws simply reject her in an icy cold shoulder of disappointment. Marietta has not made the wisest of decisions.
Worst of all, incredibly, is that she no longer has evenings practicing spells with Zacharias to look forward to. She can't believe she actually misses the DA, but at the same time, she can't believe she didn't realize she would beforehand. Watching Zacharias offer faint smiles of sympathy before they part ways in the Hall after dinner is agonizing. Marietta needs somebody to commiserate with, someone who won't avoid eye contact with her or only halfway agree with what she says, like Cho.
Cho claims to understand how hard things have been for Marietta, but she never can, not really, not when she doesn't know the half of what Marietta has been doing this year. And it all comes to a head when she expresses her sadness over losing Harry Potter. "I really thought he understood me, Mari, but he just doesn't," Cho says, her eyes glistening over their Charms books. "Why can't I find a nice boy who understands me and won't just leave? They're always just leaving."
"You should have picked someone who's never left," Marietta says darkly. "Someone who's understood you since first year."
"And who's that?" Cho asks naively.
"You know what? Never mind," Marietta snaps, slamming her book shut. "Just never mind any of it. I destroyed myself for you, and this is the thanks I get? Don't try to hide your pity, please, and would you stop faking your understanding? You complain about wanting someone to understand you? How on earth do you think I feel?"
"Mari, I don't understand," Cho replies slowly, sitting up in her chair with a look of trepidation in her eyes.
"Exactly," says Marietta. "One hundred percent exactly. I need to leave." She jumps out of her chair like it's on fire. Maybe it is. Maybe her life is on fire, and she's only just now finding the exit. She thought stopping the DA would free her, but she attacked the wrong person. It isn't Harry Potter's fault after all.
"Marietta, I'm sorry," Cho cries, reaching out for her, but Marietta is done. She is done, done, done with her attraction to Cho Chang, her pointless attraction, which has brought her nothing but pain. "Mari," Cho pleads. "I do understand, really. We're still friends, honest. I just need a little time, that's all. It's so confusing, everything that's happened. Can't you see?"
"I see so much more than you could possibly imagine," Marietta says in reply, standing at the exit. "You are the one who is blind to me. But it's all right now. I'll be okay."
Cho stares, blinking, at the door after Mari has gone. She is confused and upset, and she doesn't even know why anymore.
"Zacharias Smith," Marietta says, as a bewildered Hufflepuff stares at her from the other side of the door. She has knocked and knocked upon the barrels until somebody answered her, and now she stands outside feeling foolish and useless and irrationally hopeful. "Could you please go get me Zacharias Smith?"
It takes a few moments, but he appears before her, his hair a right mess and his suspicious stare filling her heart with warmth. "What's this all about?" Zacharias demands, crossing his arms over his chest. "You couldn't bear to wait until you saw me tomorrow morning?" He smiles at her. "We do eat breakfast at around the same time every day."
"Yes," says Marietta, her face flushing with heat. She is grateful he can't see it under her balaclava. "I just wanted to let you know that I'm through. With Cho."
His smile fades; he stares at her. "Easier said than done, I suspect," he says eventually, his voice tight.
"I know," she replies, with a lump in her throat. "But I want to. For us. For me and you, in equal measure. It has to be done."
"We'll see," he says, and starts to turn around. Her chest aches, but then he turns back to her, stepping out into the corridor and lifting her balaclava for a kiss. "Thank you," he whispers, "but could you please take this ridiculous thing off? I feel like I'm kissing a Dementor. Not a pleasant image."
Marietta laughs despite herself, and peels the cloth off over her head. Her hair puffs out in an explosion of curls, and the curse scars on her face itch, but it doesn't matter. She would only ever expose herself this way to Zacharias. Not even Cho has seen her for more than the briefest of seconds. This, surprisingly, is what convinces her that she is doing the right thing. Perhaps this, then, is her climax, the simple removal of a little black cloth. "Better?" She feels slightly self-conscious about her face.
Zacharias grins at her. "You look better all the time," he says, and kisses her again. "Who knows, by next Halloween you might actually have to wear a mask to frighten small children."
Marietta smacks his arm, but she is grinning. Maybe Zacharias really could help her find her proper denouement. She has a good feeling about it.
Character Pairing: Zacharias/Marietta
Prompt: denouement
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1223 (I know, I know, I did it again. I can't help it!)
Summary: She's supposed to be happy.
Author's Notes: The twelfth of the series.
Link to Prompt Table: http://briony-tallis.livejournal.com/77461.html
She's supposed to be happy.
Marietta has reached the climax of her sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She has overcome her main objective, made her most critical decision, and suffered her most horrible setbacks. She is supposed to be coasting now, sliding down the ramp of denouement, the simple conclusion that follows a difficult time. She isn't sure what she imagined this moment would be like. Perhaps she would have emerged from Umbridge's office in a shining halo of glory, accepted a passionate kiss from Zacharias Smith, and hugged a sobbing and grateful Cho Chang whilst glaring triumphantly at Harry Potter.
No, she would not have imagined such a scenario. It reeks of selfish fame-hogging, a trait delegated solely to Gryffindor House. No, Marietta is a dutiful Ravenclaw with a mind much more finely crafted to the reality of the world around her. So such a sappy and incredulous fate could never have entered her imagination. But what, then, did she expect?
It's impossible to tell now, now that her memory is damaged and her outcome so depressing. All she knows is that she's supposed to be happy. She was supposed to carefully dismantle Dumbledore's Army and solve all of her problems in one brilliant stroke. No more having to listen to Potter's smug superiority, no more having to see Cho worship his heroism, no more worrying about whether or not secret meetings of rebellion are such a good idea. Marietta was supposed to return to a solid, safe life filled with nothing but contentment. She's supposed to be happy. But she isn't.
Cho has defended her friend's actions against Harry, which does provide some comfort to Marietta. But Cho looks at her so nervously now, her eyes shifting as though she no longer knows her own best friend. She talks less, and Marietta suspects that Cho doesn't trust her anymore, which is heartbreaking. People stare at Marietta in the corridors, and no matter how tightly she tugs the balaclava down over her head, she feels as though her ruined cheeks are always on display. Slytherins snicker at her, Gryffindors glare, Hufflepuffs huddle in pointed whispers, and Ravenclaws simply reject her in an icy cold shoulder of disappointment. Marietta has not made the wisest of decisions.
Worst of all, incredibly, is that she no longer has evenings practicing spells with Zacharias to look forward to. She can't believe she actually misses the DA, but at the same time, she can't believe she didn't realize she would beforehand. Watching Zacharias offer faint smiles of sympathy before they part ways in the Hall after dinner is agonizing. Marietta needs somebody to commiserate with, someone who won't avoid eye contact with her or only halfway agree with what she says, like Cho.
Cho claims to understand how hard things have been for Marietta, but she never can, not really, not when she doesn't know the half of what Marietta has been doing this year. And it all comes to a head when she expresses her sadness over losing Harry Potter. "I really thought he understood me, Mari, but he just doesn't," Cho says, her eyes glistening over their Charms books. "Why can't I find a nice boy who understands me and won't just leave? They're always just leaving."
"You should have picked someone who's never left," Marietta says darkly. "Someone who's understood you since first year."
"And who's that?" Cho asks naively.
"You know what? Never mind," Marietta snaps, slamming her book shut. "Just never mind any of it. I destroyed myself for you, and this is the thanks I get? Don't try to hide your pity, please, and would you stop faking your understanding? You complain about wanting someone to understand you? How on earth do you think I feel?"
"Mari, I don't understand," Cho replies slowly, sitting up in her chair with a look of trepidation in her eyes.
"Exactly," says Marietta. "One hundred percent exactly. I need to leave." She jumps out of her chair like it's on fire. Maybe it is. Maybe her life is on fire, and she's only just now finding the exit. She thought stopping the DA would free her, but she attacked the wrong person. It isn't Harry Potter's fault after all.
"Marietta, I'm sorry," Cho cries, reaching out for her, but Marietta is done. She is done, done, done with her attraction to Cho Chang, her pointless attraction, which has brought her nothing but pain. "Mari," Cho pleads. "I do understand, really. We're still friends, honest. I just need a little time, that's all. It's so confusing, everything that's happened. Can't you see?"
"I see so much more than you could possibly imagine," Marietta says in reply, standing at the exit. "You are the one who is blind to me. But it's all right now. I'll be okay."
Cho stares, blinking, at the door after Mari has gone. She is confused and upset, and she doesn't even know why anymore.
"Zacharias Smith," Marietta says, as a bewildered Hufflepuff stares at her from the other side of the door. She has knocked and knocked upon the barrels until somebody answered her, and now she stands outside feeling foolish and useless and irrationally hopeful. "Could you please go get me Zacharias Smith?"
It takes a few moments, but he appears before her, his hair a right mess and his suspicious stare filling her heart with warmth. "What's this all about?" Zacharias demands, crossing his arms over his chest. "You couldn't bear to wait until you saw me tomorrow morning?" He smiles at her. "We do eat breakfast at around the same time every day."
"Yes," says Marietta, her face flushing with heat. She is grateful he can't see it under her balaclava. "I just wanted to let you know that I'm through. With Cho."
His smile fades; he stares at her. "Easier said than done, I suspect," he says eventually, his voice tight.
"I know," she replies, with a lump in her throat. "But I want to. For us. For me and you, in equal measure. It has to be done."
"We'll see," he says, and starts to turn around. Her chest aches, but then he turns back to her, stepping out into the corridor and lifting her balaclava for a kiss. "Thank you," he whispers, "but could you please take this ridiculous thing off? I feel like I'm kissing a Dementor. Not a pleasant image."
Marietta laughs despite herself, and peels the cloth off over her head. Her hair puffs out in an explosion of curls, and the curse scars on her face itch, but it doesn't matter. She would only ever expose herself this way to Zacharias. Not even Cho has seen her for more than the briefest of seconds. This, surprisingly, is what convinces her that she is doing the right thing. Perhaps this, then, is her climax, the simple removal of a little black cloth. "Better?" She feels slightly self-conscious about her face.
Zacharias grins at her. "You look better all the time," he says, and kisses her again. "Who knows, by next Halloween you might actually have to wear a mask to frighten small children."
Marietta smacks his arm, but she is grinning. Maybe Zacharias really could help her find her proper denouement. She has a good feeling about it.