Rambling and a drabble

[adelagia]

Whoop, I haven't posted for a while, eh? It's probably because I haven't been doing anything remotely noteworthy, and holy crap, I need a job. Thanks, tanking economy.

I have been doing a bit of fic-writing, though. xalexandriamis reading and betaing a fic for me currently, so hopefully a) it doesn't blow, and b) she can help me with the ending because I have this problem every time, in that, if I don't know exactly how the final scene plays out, it takes me forever to finish the fic, and then people leave sad, anxious reviews full of exclamation marks, and I feel terrible, and it makes me get more writer's block. This is why I now try not to post anything unless I've finished writing the fic first. It's probably less stressful for all involved, except maybe for Mia, who last had to beta 65 pages at a go. (*waves* Thank you, Mia.)

Anyway, in the spirit of the Halloween season, here's a drabble I wrote yesterday. I originally began it with the intention of making it a D/G, but it doesn't want to be written that way at the moment. Oh well.

Title: The Warrior
Rating: G
Characters: Ginny, George
Summary: George helps Ginny's Halloween decorations discover their true calling.

A bloodcurdling scream rang out, causing Ginny to start in alarm and break her quill, making a large splotch on the mail order form she was processing. She pursed her lips in irritation, and rummaged through the set of drawers behind her for a new quill.

Coming through the now open doorway of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, George looked up at the small golden bell that hung above the door and rubbed his ear. "Maybe we should have left the scream off."

"Couldn't you just have left it working as, you know, a bell? It's such a nice, melodic, tinkling sound; one that doesn't cause heart attacks."

"Where's the fun in that?" George asked, closing the door of the shop behind him, and approached the counter. "Besides, the rest of the loop is slightly less, er, hazardous to your health. Who doesn't enjoy a nice fart sound when they open a door? Or monstrous laughter?" He did an impassioned imitation of the guttural guffaw he had magically installed into the bell, which, among a host of other startling noises, notified them of customers' comings and goings.

"Take the scream off," Ginny said.

"On one condition," George said, narrowing his eyes as though he was about to make a conspiratorial proposition.

Following suit, Ginny leaned forward. "Name your term."

"Could you carve another half dozen or so jack-o'-lanterns?"

"Why? Aren't there enough out there? I just did five this morning."

"Yes," George said shiftily. "But they're getting a bit mangled."

"Mangled?" Ginny repeated, and made her way around the shop counter to the front of the store. She peered out a bit of window that wasn't obscured by Halloween decorations and gasped loudly. Two of her carefully carved jack-o'-lanterns had somehow sprouted limbs, and were circling each other menacingly. Taking a running start, the one with googly eyes and missing teeth bashed itself against the cyclops pumpkin, eliciting a cheer from bystanders. Ginny turned back to look at George disbelievingly. "You're making the pumpkins fight?"

"It's a real crowd-pleaser. I'm taking bets and everything," said George, jingling a pocket full of coins.

"Is that why it's so loud out there today?"

"Oh, yes," he said, looking particularly chuffed. "You know, we should make it an annual thing. We could call it... Oh! Pumpkin Pugilists!"

Ginny smiled at his enthusiasm in spite of herself. "Well, you're lucky I went overboard at the pumpkin patch and brought too many back. That's going to be the last of my stash, though. If you want more pumpkins for combat, you're going to have to pick them up yourself."

"Great!" George said and grinned broadly as another idea struck him. "Ooh! Oh! People could carve the things themselves and then pit them against each other's creations! We'll need more space... and a pumpkin supplier. Where's your address book? I have to make some Floo calls. This is the best idea I've had in weeks!"

Ginny indicated one of the drawers behind the counter, and went to the storeroom to find another pumpkin to carve. By the time George finished with his calls, Ginny was putting the finishing touches on.

"That is just beautiful," George said, regarding the fierce, bearded face Ginny had carved. His eyes lit up. "I have the perfect thing for it.

Ginny watched in silence as George ran into the storeroom, made what sounded like a monumental mess, and emerged victoriously with a plastic Viking helmet. He jammed it onto the top of the pumpkin. He pulled the door open, eliciting a cackle from the bell, and standing on the stoop of their front steps, held the jack-o'-lantern above his head. "Next up," he announced to the excited crowd. "The Warrior!"

Laughing quietly to herself, Ginny returned to putting together their owl-orders. With Halloween around the corner, they were getting quite a mountain of forms, especially from Hogwarts children, who never seemed to tire of the WWW products. Ticking off items on the order form as she packed them, Ginny could hear the crowd's muffled cheers and the occasional dull, cracking sound of pumpkin shell smashing into pumpkin shell.

She had just packed up her tenth shipment of Skiving Snackboxes when the bell declared, "I vant to suck your blood," preceding George's return into the shop.

"And The Warrior emerges from the melee undefeated," he declared triumphantly, the Viking pumpkin under one arm with its nose knocked in and an empty eye socket. "Crushed the rest of them. I'm going to need more tomorrow morning, if you could possibly swing it, Gin. And mind you don't step in pumpkin bits on the way out."

"I'm not the one who should be worrying about pumpkin bits," she said, pointing to his dishevelled person.

"Whoops," George said, picking carnage off his shirt. "Better clean this off." He headed towards the back, depositing The Warrior smack in the middle of the shop counter, where it sat grimly, looking over the shop's wares like some kind of deranged mascot.

Gingerly lifting it up, Ginny placed the battle-worn pumpkin underneath the counter so it wouldn't frighten customers away. That was what the bell was for, anyway.
 

Comments

[dragonsangel68.livejournal.com]

*applauds* Brilliant! So funny *g* I can just see George doing something like this and Ginny letting him ;)

[adelagia.livejournal.com]

*bows* Thank you very much! George is just the kind of person you have to laugh with, or else you'd probably go crazy. :)

[embe11ished.livejournal.com]

This is so cute! I love both the fighting pumpkins and the doorbell. And George's enthusiasm is endearing. Thanks for sharing!

[adelagia.livejournal.com]

Thanks very much! George is so much fun. :)

[airmidm.livejournal.com]

*giggles* Lovely! *applauds* I am giggling like crazy as I get the kids dressed for school. This was just what I needed after the Red Sox loss last night. *hugs*

[adelagia.livejournal.com]

Yay! I'm glad I could help soothe the sting a little. :) *hugs back*

[airmidm.livejournal.com]

You so did. Still stings, but I am crossing my fingers that they come back next year and win it all.

Can I say that I'd love to see more of the pumpkin pugilists? *giggles* Maybe who was betting on the fights? ;) hee!

[adelagia.livejournal.com]

Barring my Twins getting their act together and taking everyone down next year, I'm all for the Red Sox winning, too. :) They are such a fun team to watch!

Heehee, there is still the slight chance this may turn into a larger fic, so we'll see!

[airmidm.livejournal.com]

They are fun! I am so disappointed in them right now. *shrugs* I will be well over it by the time the season starts up again. ;)

YAY! I hope so. *scrolls up to re-read*

[adelagia.livejournal.com]

Only four months 'til pitchers and catchers report! :)

[xalexandriam.livejournal.com]

That was wonderful! :D I loved the idea of the pumpkins fighting. And George. He was fantastic in this drabble. :)

Speaking of reading your fic, it is not awful. I haven't really made as much headway as I would like because this past week was mid-terms, but they're over now, so I can devote more time to your story. :D *waves back* And you're welcome. :)

[adelagia.livejournal.com]

Yay, thank you! I'm glad you liked it!

Ooh, I hope mid-terms went well. And take your time with my fic!

[nbaeker.livejournal.com]

That's my George. *giggle*

[adelagia.livejournal.com]

Hee, thanks for letting me borrow him. *grins*