The male!Hermione Granger/Neville Longbottom fic that I started in October but didn't really start actually getting into it until December 23, has now reached 30K words in the file. o.O o.O o.O That includes notes and some cut stuff, so the actual fic is more 29something. But.

I don't know where this thing is going, but it's a fun ride. I've got a summary but no title, and also I think it may end up a series, who knows. But it's fun to dig into what makes Hermione Granger herself, how much of her is being an smart ugly girl vs. what she might be like an an smart ugly boy.

It also revealed my conflation of Shaekespeare, because when I first conceived it in October, I was going to name her Demetrius since I'd thought Hermione was from Midsummer Night's Dream, but no, that's Helena and Hermia. Hermione is from The Winter's Tale.

I have been in productions of both Midsummer and Winter's Tale. But that was back in the dawn of time.

So since I was going to extract for Sunday Six last week but completely forgot about it because I was doing other stuff on sunday, here's not 6 sentences, but in honor of 30K (?????!!??!!?), here's my favorite bit so far:

In January, something strange happens, though. A Hufflepuff, Leontes thinks she's one of Dean's friends, asks him on a date. He does what he's practiced: he covers his heart with his hand and puts every bit of drama into his voice that he's learned from the drama club that he's still, somehow, involved in, and declaims, "I wish I could, dear lady! But I'm afraid my heart is sworn to the service of the cruel Lady NEWT. I can only begin to think of others once my torment is complete. I pray you forgive me for my unchivalrous conduct, but I cannot accompany you to Hogsmeade in the manner in which you request. I must toil instead, these seven years, until my work is done."

She laughs and there's no tension or awkwardness as she leaves him and Neville alone, but Neville's looking at him askance.

"Do you mean that?" he asks. "The whole bit about not dating until after the NEWTs?" Neville had dated a lot in fourth year but hasn't gone to Hogsmeade with anyone except as a friend this year. Leontes has kept his mouth shut about it, reminding himself that it's okay for Neville to go on dates and so it's not okay to congratulate him on putting his OWLs and his Prefect duties ahead of that, because that would make Neville think that Leontes did not, actually, think it was fine to go on dates. Which it is. Even though it does distract from the important things. People can have different priorities and that's okay. It's fine. It's acceptable behavior.

That said, Leontes thinks it's fantastic that Neville isn't dating this year. This is an important year! A vital year! Dating can wait.

"I suppose," Leontes says. "University is also going to be grueling so I may wait until after that, but I'm certainly not going to do it before the NEWTs. And who knows? I might end up with more free time in university for things like that."

Neville, an unreadable expression on his face, takes out his magical planner without a word and flips forward pretty far and then writes something down and then puts it away.

Leontes eyes him, mystified.

"How's Binns doing?" Neville asks, adroitly changing the subject, and Leontes relaxes. Everything's fine. Nothing to worry about. Priorities are definitely established and correct.

Fast-forward:

NEWTs come, inevitably.

The last NEWT of them all is Potions. Leontes waits outside after he finishes for Neville to finish up, then Neville suggests lunch and they wander down to Hogsmeade. Neville leads him into Josephine's, where there's a table waiting for them in the back. They talk lightly about the NEWT -- "awful", "extremely" -- until halfway through the soup course, when Leontes snaps out of the post-examination fugue, looks around, takes in the single candle flickering in the middle of the table and the overall atmosphere of the most romantic restaurant in Hogsmeade.

"Oh," he says. He looks around again, just to make sure. "Why didn't you say anything?"

Neville lowers his spoon. "You said not until we finished the NEWTs. We've finished the NEWTs. Well?"

"Ah," Leontes says eloquently. "Oh. Well. All right, then."

+ Before I forget: My (lackluster) StoryGraph 2025 Reading Wrap-Up:( Read more... )

+ Snowflake Challenge #2: Pets of Fandom
Loosely defined! Post about your pets, pets from your canon, anything you want!

Working at sea, I can't have any pets and that is the saddest thing, woe me. However, in delightful news, my dad has turned into a complete dog dad. He's wheeling them around in a stroller when they go to the mall!

Here's their official 2025 Christmas pic!


And then my brother has two big floofs, but I could only find a picture of one. This is Luke (Leia is missing in action):


+ My new memory foam pillow felt way too hard and high when I went to bed last night, but this morning I woke up to a soft, fluffy cloud. I may just have to wedge it under my back for a couple of minutes to warm it up in the evening (my bedroom is an icebox and I like it that way).

+ Did my Mystery Box challenge for retro_icontest, the color being orange, and obviously that means Scully and her royal mantle of hair!




H E R E at spankulert <3

( It's not quite Friday anymore, but have some X-Files fanart recs anyways. )

Overall
- five things archived to the Lemonade Cafe / lemonadecafe (1x KH, 4x Code Geass)
- chatter post on smallweb + comments
- tiny goal of email inbox at or under 250, right on the line
- got the silhouette/body built for my 30MF Priest and already am having terrible ideas
- ugh, dayshift

Other
- New Year's Friending Meme