January Half-Monthly ~Rotten Resolutions ~ RESULTS IN!~

[Equinox Chick]

~ROTTEN RESOLUTIONS~

On January 1st, we all make resolutions. I know amongst mine were the simple ones like judging promptly, setting competitions on time, closing threads exactly on the dot ....

*sigh*


By mid-January, we've invariably broken them.


Your challenge for the rest of this month is to write a drabble about a Potter character breaking a resolution. It can be humorous, or serious, but it should be a resolution that he or she made with the full intention of seeing it through.

You may use any character, any era, any tense, any viewpoint, any creature. Basically, you have free rein.

Use this form for your drabble:

[B]Name:[/B]
[B]House:[/B]
[B]Title:[/B]
[B]Ratings/Warnings:[/B]
[B]Author's note:[/B] 

All drabbles should under 500 words.
All MNFF guidelines regarding SPaG, ratings, warnings etc should be followed.
Any questions should be asked in the Ask a Barmaid thread - here
Please post all drabbles below.

You have until 10pm GMT 31st January 2011.

Have fun and good luck.

The Barmaids

[Hiya24]

Name: Hiya24
House: Ravenclaw
Title: Ron's Resolution
Ratings/Warnings: 1st-2nd Years, None
Author's note: 499 words. This is my first drabble ever, so I hope it's good! I didn't use a very good vocabulary because this is from Ron's POV.

I can’t believe it’s the New Year. Six months since the war ended, and Harry and Hermione came to live with us at the Burrow.

As usual, I had made a New Year’s resolution. But this one was different from the ones I usually make. My resolution was to finally form a relationship with Hermione.

We visited St. Mungo’s recently, and learned that Hermione’s parents could regain their memory in only a few years. Everyone was excited but me. This meant that in a few years, Hermione could be gone, off to live with her family. It’s impossible she’ll forget me, after all we’ve been through, but it will be a lot harder to see each other.

Unfortunately, the closest we’ve come to love was the time she kissed me in the Room of Requirement. Harry’s near-death experience seemed to stun her, and then she was back to her old self.

I’ve always wanted to date Hermione, but asking her out is easier said than done. I could go to Harry for help; he is a lot better at this than I am. On the other hand, Ginny had liked him since they first met, while Hermione and I have been through five big fights.

No, this was something I wanted to try alone. I devised a simple plan of what I was going to say; I had to invite her somewhere. But where?

The Leaky Cauldron? No, she’d like it to be a Muggle area.

A library? No, I need to like the place to, or else she will get suspicious.

A café? I could try that.

That night, I waited until dinner was over. The only ones left in the room were Hermione, reading, and Harry and Ginny, talking in the corner.

I came up to Hermione. She gazed up at me, and her eyes distracted me for a moment. I stared at those beautiful clear pools for a while, until they squinted- she was giving me a strange look.

“Hey, Hermione,” I began, “I was wondering, for tomorrow, do you want… would you like… to go…”

Hermione kept staring into me. I felt Harry and Ginny’s eyes on the back of my head.

“…to the library?” I finished. Anything to make her happy.

Hermione looked more suspicious than ever. “Why?”

“If you want to, you know, read…?”

Behind me, Ginny chuckled. I looked over, and saw that even Harry was trying hard not to laugh.

Hermione started slowly, “I’m sorry, Ron. I’m busy tomorrow night. Maybe another time?”

But I couldn’t do it. What was the point of inviting her, if I was going to be this awkward the whole time? “That’s okay. See you later.” And I left the room, leaving the uncomfortable scene behind.

What a stupid resolution, I said to myself. The healers at St. Mungo’s said that Hermione’s parents might not regain their memory until a few years from now, so why rush?

Shaking my head, I went back to my room.

[ravenclaw1997]

Name: ravenclaw1997
House: Hufflepuff!
Title: The Wrong Clock
Ratings/Warnings: 1st-2nd years; none
Author's note: Just 419 words this time. I know Genevieve is kind of Mary-Sue-ish; that's the point, and I did that on purpose.

Stay with a girl for longer than a week.

Sirius Black only had one resolution this year, and he wanted to stick with it. He had resolved to do this every year for... Well, since he discovered girls.

He had broken it every year as well.

This year, he was determined to do it.

***

It was New Years' Eve, and Sirius had stayed with his girlfriend for a week. The resolution said, "longer than a week", though. If he could last until 7:49 tonight, he would finally be able to say he stuck with a resolution.

It was going to be difficult, though. Genevieve Gibson had arrived in the common room. She was beautiful. He sighed when he saw her flip her silky, golden hair around, revealing emerald green eyes that made Sirius want to go right over and snog her senseless.

But he knew he couldn't. He needed to stay with Hannah for another hour. Just an hour.

They played Wizard Chess in the common room for a while, and Sirius lost four games in a row. "I'm done!" He needed to play something that was possible to win.

Sirius dashed up the stairs to the dormitory he shared with the other Marauders, and came back down with a set of Exploding Snap cards. Now this was something he was good at.

Hannah played Exploding Snap with Sirius, oblivious to the fact that he stared at Genevieve the entire game. She was talking to one of her friends by the fireplace, the light from the fire making her glow beautifully.

Sirius looked at his watch. 7:48. He was ready to go over to Genevieve and snog her. He looked down once again. 7:49. Finally! Freedom!

Genevieve turned around when she heard Sirius' footsteps behind her, and before she could say something to him, he had grabbed her and pressed his mouth to hers hard. He heard the sound of Hannah running up to her dormitory, but he didn't care now; he had Genevieve.

Just then, the portrait hole opened, and James walked in. "What are you doing? You're supposed to be with Hannah!"

Sirius broke away from Genevieve to yell over his shoulder, "Seven fifty, Prongs!"

James looked down at his own watch, the one they had used when Sirius got together with Hannah. "Er, Padfoot?"

"What?"

"It's only seven forty-eight."

***

When the clock struck midnight, Sirius wrote down his resolution. Once again, he only had one.

Stay with a girl for longer than a week.

[AidaLuthien]

Name: AidaLuthien
House: Hufflepuff
Title: Forgetting You
Ratings/Warnings: 1st-2nd, implied slash
Author's note: I still don't know why this came to me in second person, present of all things, but here it is.

You read about a Muggle tradition: making resolutions for the New Year. You decide that this will be the year. This year you will forget about him.

After a moment, you amend that statement slightly. You will cease to think of him in a positive manner and you will cease to miss him. Forgetting to think of him is quite clearly impossible.

As the clock strikes midnight, you make a vow to yourself. You will stop thinking of him positively. You will stop missing him. You will stop feeling guilty about Ariana. It has been years. You need to move on.

* * *

The next morning, you head down for breakfast with your colleagues. A student smiles at you, and it reminds you of his smile. A familiar stab of pain, guilt, and worst of all, longing hits you in the chest. You acknowledge the student, and remind yourself about your resolution.

You sit down and eat, careful to not think about how he would have laughed at your proper English breakfast, at your eggs, bacon, sausages...

The newspaper arrives and his name is everywhere, seemingly in every headline, and on every page. You do not trace his name with your fingertip, remembering that summer a long time ago, when you traced patterns on his skin. You force yourself to read the articles, to read what he is doing in the continent. He made a speech in Berlin, and the crowd had chanted “For the greater good”. Another wave of guilt hits you.

It’s barely been a few hours into the new year and you’ve already broken your resolution so many times. You glance back down to his photo, where he is still gesturing animatedly. Maybe, one day, the pain will fade. Until then... you will just have to keep on living just as you have been.

[Kuri]

Name: Kuri
House: Ravenclaw
Title: Not the Ferry
Ratings/Warnings: 1-2 Years; Mild Language
Author's note: This is something playing in my head. I broke my resolution, too.

You should have known: she drove this into his head. It was almost like she assumed he had suddenly gone deaf, seeing as she kept repeating it over and over. Perhaps she spent too much of her time round those kids; he felt like he was little boy whenever he was round her. What was that? He was the eldest in the family. (All right, so he was three minutes older than Fabian, but it counted nonetheless.) Molly needed to keep her nose in her own business. He’d lost count. They hadn’t spoken for at least three months when all this hit the roof.

The conversation starter would be an awkward one, make no mistake. He’d promised his wife he’d break the ice though, and he held his tongue for a couple weeks now. As long as she didn’t bring up the last thing they’d talked about, Gideon would breeze through this. He missed spending time with the kids. Thirteen days, in fact, and that sounded like a good start in his book. He sat back in the chair and watched the dishes washing themselves.

“So, how are you feeling?”

“Fine,” she said, handing him a steaming cup of coffee and taking a seat across from him. “I like the beard because it makes you look older. Folks might be able to tell you and Fabian apart now.”

“Oh, yeah?” he said thoughtfully, scratching his chin. “Annette said the same thing the other day.”

Molly’s nostrils flared as she breathed sharply. “Oh. Morning, Bill.”

She changed the subject with a drop of a hat. Gideon spent his life making negotiations between people; the fake voice was an old friend of his. He smiled slightly when the boy gave his mother a hug and make a beeline towards him. Gideon groaned when the boy sat on his lap.

“You’re getting too old for this,” he said, ruffling the boy’s dishevelled hair. “You want spend the day with me? Want to see what it’s like to travel by a ferry?”

“Yeah.”

Gideon offered him a sip of his coffee and laughed at his eagerness. “You’re my favourite nephew. Don’t tell the others, though, all right? I cleared it with your dad. He’s a bit jealous he can’t spend the day mingling with the Muggles.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” said Molly slowly.

“But Dad said it’s all right,” said Bill, looking to his uncle for support. “Isn’t Aunt Annie coming? She'll help us.”

“She’s not your aunt,” Molly hissed through clenched teeth. “No.”

“Molly.”

“I don’t want my children hanging around that scarlet woman,” Molly rephrased her words when Bill looked up at her. “Bill has no business following you into France. Why are you travelling by that ... that thing anyway?”

“She’s not comfortable with Side-Along Apparition,” he said flatly. His patience drained with his coffee. “You don’t even know her.”

His promise went to hell when she answered him with that look. Damn it all.

[the opaleye]

Name: the opaleye
House: Slytherin represent! ~~~~~<
Title: Serious Business
Ratings/Warnings: 1st-2nd years; no warnings.
Author's note: Thanks to the wonderful, Natalie, for looking this through!

You decide that this year will be it. As the freezing wind catches in your throat, as the snow falls lightly onto your shoulders, illuminated against the sky of Indian ink by the flickering lamp light, you make that final decision. This is a serious matter, you think, and it cannot go on any longer. The whispering chill on your bare cheeks and chapped lips spurs you on.

It does not stop that familiar ache, though. It doesn’t stop that deep, throbbing cold in the pit of your stomach that has nothing to do with the wintry breeze. You wonder if it’s a subconscious yearning for her, something you haven’t felt for months. You wonder if it’s fear. But at that very moment, it means nothing. You have made your decision and it Will Not Change. This is final. This is serious business.

For, from this day onwards, you will never let your mother trim your hair ever again. No more shall your neck feel that cool breeze of oppression. No more shall you sit before a sniggering Ginny and George as Molly Weasley cuts away a years worth of growth. No more shall you glower with ever-present envy as you watch Bill’s pony-tail swinging to and fro during the New Year’s Day Weasley family meal.

With firm and triumphant resolve, you walk back through your dormitory at the Dragon reserve and step into the fireplace. You take a deep breath and speak.

There she is. Molly Weasley, her chest heaving with festive joy, embraces you as your father and family look on, identical smiles of warmth and welcome spread across their faces. After missing Christmas, you are distracted by the greetings and happiness at finally reaching your family for some holiday cheer. You play with your young nieces and nephews, you chat with George and Ron about the shop. You join Arthur, Percy and Bill in a swig of Finest Firewhiskey to stave off the January chill. You are so full of festivity and joy that you do not notice as Ginny and George take their places on the couch, as your shoulders are pressured down until your bottom is seated firmly on a single, wooden chair, as your mother fusses about trying to find a towel and comb.

And then it is too late.

[Weasley Mom]

Name: WeasleyMom
House: Hufflepuff
Title: Resolutions
Word Ct: 497
Ratings/Warnings: 3-5th, mild suggetive talk
Author's note: Unbetaed, God help me.

Ron glanced at Harry over piles of documents. “I’ve decided to go with birthdays.”

“Birthdays?”

”Yeah, I’m bloody useless remembering dates.” He handed a couple of papers to Harry. “Though, for some reason, I never forget yours.”

“Seems Doomsday Prophecies make birthdays more memorable.”

Ron half-smiled. “So my resolution is that I’m going to remember everyone’s birthday this year.”

Harry looked skeptical.

“I can do it,” Ron said, insulted.

“Whatever you say.”

*****

“Delicious,” Hermione said of the soup.

Hannah leaned on the bar and beamed. “My own recipe. Hey—you should learn to cook for your resolution!”

“Are you mad? That’s much too difficult. I’ve already decided: I’m going to stop nagging Ron.”

“I thought you wanted something less challenging.”

“Please. I’m not that bad,” Hermione insisted.

Hannah gave her a look.

“All right, then, but that’s why I’m doing it.”

“Well, good!”

Hermione rolled her eyes, seeing right through Hannah’s false enthusiasm. “You don’t think I can do it.”

“Rubbish.” Hannah couldn’t resist a small grin. “But if you decide to go with cooking instead, you know where to find me.”

*****

a month later


“Aren’t you ready to go?”

“Go?” Ron pushed himself up from the sofa and eyed his wife, who was obviously dressed for an outing. “Go where?”

“Oh, honestly! Have you broken your resolution already? It’s only February.”

Ron appeared briefly confused, then rose with an easy grin. “’Course not. It’s Dad’s birthday party.” He brushed past her, tidying himself magically.

Hermione was on his heels. “You forgot! You broke your resolution!”

Ron saw reproach and amusement on her face. “Fine then, but I’m not the only one, am I?”

She grew an inch taller. “I’m managing brilliantly.” But she couldn’t seem to meet his eyes.

Ron laughed loudly. “I've heard you grumbling… socks on the floor, the bathroom sink… You stare holes into my head half the day! That’s nagging.”

She couldn’t deny it: only last night, she’d laid awake thinking of throttling him over the muddy prints he’d tracked through the kitchen after Quidditch. “Can you blame me? Your clothes are everywhere! And if I step on that wet bathroom floor in my socked feet one more time, I swear I’ll…”

“You’ll what?” he asked, trying to hide a grin.

She pursed her lips, thinking. “I don’t know!”

He chuckled. “We never had a chance.”

She sighed, defeated. “We could start over,” she offered feebly.

“What’s wrong with how we are? What’s the point of having a brilliant wife if she isn’t in charge of remembering birthdays?” He rested his arms on her shoulders. “How can I become a better husband if you don’t nag me?”

She fingered his jumper. “I suppose you’re right.”

“I am.” He kissed her. “And we’re late.”

She went for the gift and met him outside.

“You know what this means for later, right?” he asked suggestively.

“It wasn’t much of a fight.”

“Even so,” he said happily. Then he grabbed her hand and turned on the spot.

[Equinox Chick]

Thank you for entering.

Results as soon as barmaidly possible.

The Barmaids.

[Equinox Chick]

RESULTS!!!!

Thank you all for entering. This was tough because all were pretty different. The three points earners stood out for various reasons - namely originality, characterisation, and plot.

1st Place - The opaleye - Slytherin - Serious Business ~ 15 points

2nd Place - AidaLuthien - Hufflepuff - Forgetting You ~ 10 points

3rd Place - WeasleyMom - Hufflepuff - Resolutions. ~ 5 points

Slytherin - 15 points
Hufflepuff - 15 points

[Equinox Chick]

RESULTS!!!!

Thank you all for entering. This was tough because all were pretty different. The three winners stood out for various reasons - namely originality, characterisation, and plot.

1st Place - The opaleye - Slytherin - Serious Business ~ 15 points

2nd Place - AidaLuthien - Hufflepuff - Forgetting You ~ 10 points

3rd Place - WeasleyMom - Hufflepuff - Resolutions. ~ 5 points

Slytherin - 15 points
Hufflepuff - 15 points