blamebrampton: 15th century woodcut of a hound (Default)
blamebrampton ([personal profile] blamebrampton) wrote2008-06-22 01:45 pm
Entry tags:

Serpentinelion drabble mini-fest

I think this is probably the first short short story I have written since I was about ten ... For [community profile] serpentinelion's mini-fest, and do check out other entries from pushdragon, sansa1970, lillithium, liriaen, potteresque_ire and rickey_a. They are all brilliant!




Title:
Decline and Fall
Author: blamebrampton
Rating: Soft R
Words: 500
Summary: The inside of her head was not where they ought to be.
A/N: Thanks [community profile] legomymalfoy, and [personal profile] pushdragon and the fiendfyre girls for the idea, encouragement and help.
Warnings: Ginny POV.



“Where is it this time?”

“Rome, but I’m not going.”

Harry kissed the top of Ginny’s head as he walked past her chair. “It’s too much fuss.”

“But all the others will be there.”

“S’pose. I’m off to shower. Coming to bed?”

“In a minute.”

Ginny watched him walk away. She glanced back down at the table, where the Prophet’s front page was dominated by news of the upcoming conference. Hermione smiled shyly out of a photograph. Behind her Draco Malfoy walked purposefully across the frame. He glanced towards the camera, august and imperial, then stalked away. She watched it three times.

She turned the paper over, and walked to their bedroom, where the rest of this conversation always happened.

The first line was hers. “Are you sure?”

Harry’s damp head poked out of the bathroom. “Sure of what?”

“Missing the Senate, it’s a chance to network.”

Look down from the Palantine hill for him.

“You know I don’t care about that.”

There was the smile, and those honest eyes. He tucked his towel around his hips as she slid past him, reaching for her toothbrush.

“But you can talk to other Aurors about your reforms.”

Walk down narrow streets, following a fair head.

“Kingsley can do it.”

“Harry, you know you’re the one they want to meet.”

Meet with that other in an ancient hotel.

“That’s just fame.”

“It’s your triumph.”

Over her, over him.

She put her toothbrush down and smiled at him in the mirror.

“You want to, admit it.”

“I want to stay here, with you.” He stood close behind her and nuzzled her hair.

She only knew about the once. Before he had come to find her, in the weeks after the war ended. When everything was insane. When people turned to each other blindly. Neville had let it slip over too much drink, a secret so incomprehensible it couldn’t be kept.

“You should go.”

There were many times she didn’t know about, could not be sure of. Every time she let him leave, she imagined him wrapped around that pale, straight form.

“You should come to bed.” He dropped the towel, and she felt his cock begin to rouse, nudging her from behind as his hands slipped the sundress from her shoulders.

She went. And while he murmured gentle words and made soft movements, she pictured him hard and desperate, bruising cool whiteness beneath hands he never let be strong with her. Saying cruel things, and being loathed in return. An eternal contest, dictated by need. Not the peaceful concord of their home.

The pictures in her mind played their part. She pulled him tight, and wondered if he would notice if she tilted her hips too far, moved him to that place strange for her, perhaps familiar to him.

And tomorrow, when he would go, but with her scent on him, she wondered if the other would know it. And whether she would haunt his bed as surely as he haunted hers.

[identity profile] blamebrampton.livejournal.com 2008-06-23 01:21 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh goodness yes, it is brilliant. Do you know that I don't think I've ever read all of Cold Comfort Farm? I've had two copies, both stolen. Bastards.

[identity profile] pingrid.livejournal.com 2008-06-23 03:16 pm (UTC)(link)
Ooh, I like the ambiguity and the realistic human stupidity of this! I find it interesting how you paint their marriage as strong; so strong that Ginny will encourage him to go to where Malfoy is even though she thinks she knows he'll be unfaithful to her, not for the first time. And how she hates Malfoy for it, not Harry, which is such a normal yet infuriating reaction!

And at the same time their marriage is so weak because they don't bloody talk to each other about the important things. Gah! It makes me want to tear my hair and scream at them for being so stupid - and then realise I've done the same in the past and should just shut up. ;)

I'm impressed at how much is here in so few words. :)

Also, cock!

[identity profile] blamebrampton.livejournal.com 2008-06-23 03:20 pm (UTC)(link)
COCK! (The real motivating force behind me giving poor old Ginny a rough time, again ...)

[identity profile] pingrid.livejournal.com 2008-06-23 03:24 pm (UTC)(link)
Cock in Rome.

Sounds like a film I'd like to watch.

[identity profile] blamebrampton.livejournal.com 2008-06-23 03:27 pm (UTC)(link)
Wasn't that by Fellini?

[identity profile] pingrid.livejournal.com 2008-06-23 03:31 pm (UTC)(link)
Yes, either that or Chi Chi LaRue. They have such similar styles, I can never remember which is which. :p

[identity profile] blamebrampton.livejournal.com 2008-06-23 03:32 pm (UTC)(link)
Snort!

[identity profile] calanthe-fics.livejournal.com 2008-06-28 02:17 pm (UTC)(link)
Ooh, that is so unlike the cosy comfort of your normal stuff. There's a real lump-in-the=back-of-the-throat vibe, and the knowledge that the adult in the relationship is Ginny. That she can be so pragmatic whilst still so attached to Harry is something few people could do, although I believe it completely from these few words.

[identity profile] blamebrampton.livejournal.com 2008-06-28 02:20 pm (UTC)(link)
Shhh, don't tell anyone I am still in touch with my inner Angstian, I am going for the Wodehouse-fan HP audience, which you are aware of since you rumbled my cunning mistful replacement plan ;-)

[identity profile] whimseywisp.livejournal.com 2008-07-17 05:28 pm (UTC)(link)
Wow, this was absolutely fantastic. I need to read short stories more often!

[identity profile] wailing-owl.livejournal.com 2009-05-28 08:28 pm (UTC)(link)
Somehow I think I managed to miss your fic before, despite all my reading. :) This is the only one I had time to read today, and it was brilliant. To me it feels slightly out-of-focus, not the writing but her thoughts, the way it feels when what you can admit you're thinking and what you're really thinking are two different things. And this line: "...beneath hands he never let be strong with her." It caught me the first time through, and on a second reading it makes me think she's inventing the affair with Draco in order to make excuses for why her marriage doesn't satisfy her. It's my guess that Harry's not really cheating at all. BTW, were those first couple of italicised lines yours? They read like quotes from some classic poem, and I love the mood they add to the piece. I'll stop wittering now. Great story!
ext_407600: harry (Default)

[identity profile] leemarchais.livejournal.com 2013-06-11 05:22 am (UTC)(link)
Damn, brammers. That was intense for so few words. Very intense. I liked every word of it, though.

khiel groton's proclaims

(Anonymous) 2013-10-27 04:35 am (UTC)(link)
[url=http://www.friendsofkatie.co.uk/memberzone/checkout.asp]cheap ugg boots sale[/url] 193346 [url=http://www.sponsoring.fr/isabelmarant.asp]sneakers isabel marant pas cher[/url] 389124 [url=http://www.friendsofkatie.co.uk/memberzone/checkout.asp]ugg sale uk[/url] 642544 [url=http://www.cawdorcastle.com/menu.html]uggs outlet online[/url] 419117 [url=http://www.ihk-arnsberg.de/wellensteyn.asp]wellensteyn outlet[/url] 817947

warburton project greypate

(Anonymous) 2013-10-27 07:24 am (UTC)(link)
http://www.cawdorcastle.com/menu.html uggs clearance 817014 http://www.cawdorcastle.com/menu.html uggs 945889 http://www.cawdorcastle.com/menu.html discount ugg boots 160705 http://www.vividassociates.com/coachoutlet.php coach purses outlet online 936987 http://www.friendsofkatie.co.uk/uggs.asp ugg boots sale uk 313207

larious harmondsworth doser

(Anonymous) 2013-10-27 10:53 pm (UTC)(link)
christian louboutin (http://www.george-monoux.ac.uk/christian.asp) 167239 coach outlet (http://www.vividassociates.com/coachoutlet.php) 144375 uggs cheap (http://www.cawdorcastle.com/menu.html) 858567 coach factory online (http://www.katfoodie.com) 146642 coach purses outlet store online (http://www.vividassociates.com/coach.php) 688585

ternery laserdance wwwpicpost

(Anonymous) 2013-10-28 10:10 pm (UTC)(link)
[url=http://www.promovec.dk/parajumpersoutlet.asp]parajumpers vinterjakke[/url] 502548 [url=http://www.george-monoux.ac.uk/louboutin.asp]cheap christian louboutin[/url] 199298 [url=http://www.promovec.dk/parajumpers.html]parajumpers sale fake[/url] 130440 [url=http://lenouvelliste.com/rubriques/isabelmarant.php]chaussures isabel marant[/url] 709078 [url=http://www.thecopenhagenbook.dk/canadagooseoutlet.asp]canada goose jakke sportmaster[/url] 420026

progeroid dostam neuk

(Anonymous) 2013-10-29 06:01 am (UTC)(link)
[url=http://www.cawdorcastle.com/ugg.html]uggs cheap[/url] 375650 [url=http://rumfart.dk/moncler.asp]moncler jakker[/url] 908712 [url=http://rumfart.dk/moncleroutlet.html]moncler outlet store[/url] 297706 [url=http://www.mediascoreinc.com/ugg.asp]uggs cheap[/url] 115405 [url=http://www.sponsoring.fr/isabelmarant.asp]chaussures isabel marant pas cher[/url] 809834

meatballs bracciano geofronts

(Anonymous) 2013-10-29 04:02 pm (UTC)(link)
]moncler jacka herr[/url] 239243 [url=http://rumfart.dk/moncleroutlet.html]moncler vest sale[/url] 183467 [url=http://www.promovec.dk/parajumpers.html]parajumpers jakker[/url] 187001 [url=http://www.crocus.nu/parajumpersoutlet.php]parajumpers[/url] 906431 [url=http://www.george-monoux.ac.uk/louboutin.asp]louboutin[/url] 554346

primevally quantitation debar

(Anonymous) 2013-10-30 05:43 pm (UTC)(link)
[url=http://www.info-form.no/canadagooseoutlet.asp]canada goose norge[/url] 389529 [url=http://silsden.net/check.asp]coach factory outlet online[/url] 809747 [url=http://www.kystleirskolen.no/parajumpers.asp]parajumpers norge[/url] 262835 [url=http://www.friendsofkatie.co.uk/memberzone/menu.asp]ugg boots uk[/url] 105484 [url=http://lenouvelliste.com/rubriques/isabelmarantchaussures.php]nouvelles sneakers isabel marant[/url] 581765

enjoyperu orario exhortations

(Anonymous) 2013-10-31 05:34 am (UTC)(link)
wellensteyn damen jacken (http://www.ihk-arnsberg.de/wellensteyn.asp) 325259 canada goose jacke preisvergleich (http://www.torgau.eu/canadagoose.asp) 650270 christian louboutin outlet (http://www.vulcanrubber.co.uk/louboutinshoes.html) 708835 ugg cheap (http://www.cawdorcastle.com/cheapuggs.html) 20150 canada goose jacke gebraucht (http://www.torgau.eu/canadagooseoutlet.asp) 633480

tube orsk bathhouses

(Anonymous) 2013-10-31 09:10 am (UTC)(link)
[Error: Irreparable invalid markup ('<a [...] <a>') in entry. Owner must fix manually. Raw contents below.]

<a href=http://www.crocus.nu/parajumpers.php 314234 <a href=http://www.vulcanrubber.co.uk/louboutinshoes.html>christian louboutin shoes</a> 315856 <a href=http://rumfart.dk/moncleroutlet.html>moncler vest herre</a> 797606 <a href=http://www.holteninstitute.com/moncler.asp 901274 <a href=http://www.australianshepherds.at/parajumpers.asp>parajumpers herren</a> 165558

offprint slobodka nocton

(Anonymous) 2013-10-31 10:00 pm (UTC)(link)
parajumpers sale (http://www.australianshepherds.at/parajumpersoutlet.asp) 660130 moncler jackets (http://www.anebytimber.com/moncler.html) 243844 parajumpers herren (http://www.australianshepherds.at/parajumpersoutlet.asp) 733451 moncler jacke kaufen (http://www.teutonia-hausen.de/p/moncler.asp) 576565 cheap louboutin shoes sale (http://www.vulcanrubber.co.uk/christian.html) 850946

Page 3 of 3