This is based on a prompt that @imagines-for-the-unpopular recieved and I got inspired by. My first post here, hope you like it.
The first time they met they hadn't been sorted yet, and still he knew that there was no way she was to be a slytherin.
She had come into his cabin on the train asking about a toad named Trevor, and at this point, it had been clear that she had been searching for a while. The poor girl looked exhausted, and glancing out the window, he could see that it was already getting dark.
With a shake of his head and a small smile, he offered her a chocolate frog before she left, only getting a quick glance at the wide-eyed smile that she had at noticing the frog bounding out the window.
The second time they met, it was late at night in the library, well past curfew, and he noticed she had been staring intensely at a book for nearly an hour without turning a page.
Sliding past her to replace a book, he noticed the drawing of a giant snake on the page. With all the petrifying happening recently, he knew that he should be scared, but with all the help she had been in potions as his partner, he couldn’t help but grow the slightest bit concerned for her.
Forgoing his book, he slid into the seat beside her disturbing her from her thoughts as she pulled her overly bushy hair back in a tie before facing him with a small, tense smile.
The third time they met, he silently cheered when she punched his so-called friend in the face.
For years, he had put up with his friends piss poor behaviour, all so that his father would be in his family’s good books. “It’s all business, you know,” his father would say, and he would have to keep his mouth shut, because he was 13, he didn’t know (and he didn’t know why his father would think he did).
Watching her land a punch after everything this year, he felt himself swell with pride. I taught her that, he thought to himself, not that he would ever tell anyone, not her Gryffindor friends, or worse, his Slytherin ones.
There were so many different levels of wrong with their friendship, if you had asked anyone else, not that they’d know. A Slytherin and a Gryffindor? A pureblood and a muggleborn? A member of the golden trio and one of Malfoy’s cronies? His friendship with her, he realised it was the first real thing in his life, and he would do anything to protect it.
The fourth time they met, he saved her from being overwhelmed by the overrated fool, Krum.
The famous quidditch player had been stumbling along the shores of the Black Lake, through the library, every possible quiet place he thought he could find. His only relief was the Slytherin common room, but that silence never lasted, not as long as Malfoy remained the prince of Slytherin.
Sitting on the shores of the Black Lake, his eye caught that of hers, and together they both rolled their eyes at the sound of Krum and his gaggle of gossiping girls that followed him.
Snapping his book shut, he scuttled over to her before the lump of a man could, and took a deep, shuddering breath.
The fifth time they met, his breath was taken away.
This is an original short fic that I wrote a few years ago now. Hope you like it.
Slowly, cautiously, an old, wrinkled man, stooped low over his walking cane, approached a bench in the park.
“Ete? My sweet, darling Ete?”
Surprised, the young woman lounging on the bench jerked her head up from where it was buried in her book. Her gaze snapped to the old man, no more than 2 metres away. As their eyes met, she could see tears welling up in his eyes. Slowly, she placed her book beside her and rose, a hand reaching out to the man’s shoulder.
“Sir? Is everything okay?”
As the young woman reached the old man, placing her hand lightly on his shoulder, the man also reached up, cupping her cheek in a wrinkled palm. His face lit up with happiness and love.
“Ete, darling Ete.”
They young ladies concern look faded from her face, instead, shifting into a sad smile. “I’m sorry sir, my name is Addison.”
A blush then covered the man’s face as he quickly withdrew his hand, the bashful smile could only be described as adorable. “I’m terribly sorry my dear, you look near identical to my late wife Tsvete; on the very day that I met her nonetheless.” His eyes glazed over, his mind clearly travelling back.
Unexpectedly, the man’s knees buckled. Reacting quickly, Addison slipped her arm around his shoulders, grasping at him to keep him upright. “How about we sit on the bench, you could tell me about that day.”
As they slowly sat on the park bench, the man gently pat Addison’s hand. “Tsvete Elyse Brandt was the most beautiful young lady I had ever seen. We were in a park, not unlike this one, and my friends and I were playing a rather violent game of tug-of-war if you would believe. A show of strength to impress the young ladies bathing in the sun on an unusually warm winters day. We’d managed to charm quite a few of them, but not darling Tsvete, or Ete as her friends called her, insisting she join them in the sun, instead of curling up amongst the roots of one of the decorative Japanese Maples with a book resting in her lap, a crown of crimson curls cascading around her, almost disappearing into the leaves. I could have sworn she were a dryad.”
As the man continued to weave his tale of the day he met his wife, how he’d been unable to charm her on the first, second, and third time they’d met, Addison slowly closed her eyes, her head, unconsciously, started to drift to the man’s shoulder.
By the time the man, who had said his name was Newton, finished his tale with the vows shared on their wedding day, the sun had nearly set. The last rays of light warming their backs as Addison sleepily mumbled, “my middle name is Tsvete.” She slowly pulled away from where she had been resting on his shoulder and rubbed her neck. “What a coincidence.”
Newton hummed in agreement, a secret smile on his face as he slowly stood. “I must be off, thank you for your time today, humoring an old man.”
Addison returned his smile politely as she also stood. “It was my pleasure. I better get going too, I’m supposed to be looking after my sister tonight for my parents wedding anniversary.”
“The pleasure was all mine.” Newton replied, taking Addison’s hand and giving it an affectionate squeeze. “You have a nice night now.”
“You too, Sir.”
Just as Newton and Addison were heading their separate ways, the elderly man paused and turned back to the young lady that looked so much like his late wife when they were younger.
“My darling Ete had said that her name had been in the family for generations.” Winking, he continued, “apparently she had a grandmother named Addison Tsvete. It was nice to finally meet her.”
The Last Goodbye - Barnum x Carlyle (The Greatest Showman
This is a fic that I wrote a while ago and have posted on Wattpad and Fanfiction.net.
I saw the light fade from the sky
On the wind I heard a sigh
The moment that Phineas T. Barnum heard the firemen screaming that there was a fire at the circus, his heart stopped. It didn’t start up again until he saw Phillip Carlyle standing outside the building that was engulfed in flames.
As the snowflakes cover my fallen brothers
I will say this last goodbye
His breath refused to come, like he had been punched in the gut, and the terrified scream as Phillip ran back into the building when he couldn’t find Anne.
Night is now falling
So ends this day
As W.D.’s arms held him in an unbreakable grasp, he could feel his whole world shattering around him.
The road is now calling
And I must away
With a single glance back at his family, his troupe, he didn’t think twice about racing into the building after Phillip.
Over hill and under tree
Through lands where never light has shone
Using his bright red coat as a shield against the flames, it was not long before the heat became unbearable.
By silver streams that run down to the sea
Under cloud, beneath the stars
The first time that Phillip met the great P. T. Barnum, he was promised a world full of magic and wonder, but he would be free, he’d have something to love.
Over snow one winter’s morn
I turn at last to paths that lead home
He wasn’t wrong. He had had a world of magic, wonder and delight, and he definitely had something to love.
And though where the road then takes me
I cannot tell
Long days and even longer nights were spent together planning, recruiting, rehearsing, and performing The Greatest Show On Earth, side by side.
We came all this way
But now comes the day
When Phineas insisted on going on tour with Jenny Lind, that was the first time Phillip ever felt like his heart had broken.
To bid you farewell
When he received word that he would be returning, he knew this would be his chance, he would tell Phineas that he loved him.
Many places I have been
Many sorrows I have seen
The first time he struggled to catch his breath, he knew he was in trouble.
But I don’t regret
Nor will I forget
The feeling of his skin peeling followed, and he finally knew he was in trouble when he felt no pain as he was knocked to the ground.
All who took the road with me
Phineas could only watch as one of the support columns collapsed on Phillip’s leg.
Night is now falling
So ends this day
Taking a deep breath he came up behind Phillip and laid the remains of his coat over the column and pushed in an attempt to free the trapped man.
The road is now calling
And I must away
Before Phineas could apply enough force for the column to move, the wood crumbled underneath his hands, leaving Phillip stuck
Over hill and under tree
Through lands where never light has shone
When Phillip looked up, and saw Phineas above him, he thought he had already died. It felt like it.
By silver streams that run down to the sea
The gentle hand on Phineas’ ankle caused him to glance down at the man he was leaning over.
To these memories I will hold
With your blessing I will go
Phillip opened his mouth but his mouth was too dry to speak.
To turn at last to paths that lead home
And though where the road then takes me
Phineas crouched down to the man, his heart having shattered long ago.
I cannot tell
Taking a deep shuddering breath, Phillip breathed in his last breath and gasped.
We came all this way
But now comes the day
“Go.”
To bid you farewell
As Phineas stumbled out of the building, empty handed, unable to cry from the heat of the flames, the world silenced around him before he collapsed on the stairs to what once was his home.
