(no subject)

I promise, I am writing. Siriusly. (but not doing any beta work until thursday. So those chapters will just have to sit there and wait. I know one of them is going to make me cry, so I'm putting it off. The other, I think I may have done already & just be losing my mind.) And I'm also thinking of which 11 sexy men to choose to post pics of for ltlredhairdgirl. Anyone else wanna play? We need to indulge in gratuitous ogling of sexy men; 11 is the number we picked at random, so post 11 pics of hot men on your lj and share with us. Do yall realize that when my computer got sick last month, I lost all my hottie pics? Help be rebuild my collection!

But for now, linkages! And this is all mimiheart's fault. Really. Some of this stuff I've been meaning to post links to anyways, but I keep putting it off. So she, being the fantabulous person that she is, has been drawing pics the last several days. Check out this post to see a picture she completed the other day. She also drew me a special pic that won't be revealed yet, but I'm writing a ficlet to go with the picture, just for her. :) However, the reason for this post is the picture she just presented me with: Karissa

For anyone who doesn't know who Karissa is, shame on you! LoL. Just kidding. I know I have flisters that aren't into the HP fandom thing and that didn't read Picking Up the Pieces. It's all good. There was another piece of art done for PutP, done by ravenpan, who is also wonderific. You can see that picture here.

Now, some self-promotion. The long-awaited Ron-Pansy story now has a title. Garden of Sun and Tears. I know that some of you are skeptical about reading this pairing, but you'll do it anyways because you love me. And I'm actually quite proud of this story. Prologue and first two chapters are posted on OWL; you can read it here.

Other important links:

The Author/Beta Resource List

Al's Fantastic Fanfiction Feedback File

The Case for the Harrcrux by copperbadge

and a repeat request: My next adventure is a rec list. So, I'd like to request your help with that. Comment and leave me your top 5 all-time favorite fanfics. Any fandom, genre, pairing, length, rating, whatever. Also, you guys know what I read. I'd like recs of something different, if you have them. Pairings other than H/D or R/S, fandoms other than HP. What do you say?

Recs:

Race to the Cock Rock of Rohan by alliwantisanelf

Considerate Lover by puterpatty

296 Ways to Seduce a Teacher by _demonsblade_

Before the Dawn by snarkyroxy

Duty Bound by humantales

Tea and Sympathy by jocemum

The Last Command by mimiheart

The Misadventures of Chibi and Padfoot by chibi_n_padfoot (one half of that is lilpadfoot16)

I was gonna rec something by jasmineskie, but all her new stuff is flocked. But you can visit her journal and read some of her older Viggorli and fall in love with her and beg her to friend you so you can read the newer stuff. *g* It's definitely worth it!

And a mission for all of you: I need some volunteers. Someone needs to go poke ravenpan until she updates Innocence Lost and someone needs to go light a fire (no pun intended but it's amusing nevertheless) under alliwantisanelf so she'll work on Firestorm. Or help me find a way to tempt their muses into cooperating.

Okay, I'd better go do something before deliciantasy gets back and expects to find I've gotten something written. *g*

Oh, and snarkyroxy? I was going around all day today either saying or trying to keep myself from saying "Fuck that for a joke." I completely blame you! *g*

Garden of Sun and Tears Prologue

Title: Garden of Sun and Tears: Prologue
Author: why_me_why_not
Rating: I'll say PG for now, though nothing actually happens yet. Future chapters will be R or NC-17, for character death, implied violence, and sexuality.
Pairing: Ron/Pansy
Summary: Ron Weasley is at Malfoy Manor and encounters a former schoolmate he thought was dead.

A/N: Thanks to my betas, ltlredhairdgirl and mimiheart. Thanks goes to ordinary_magic (Potion Mistress on OWL) & my fellow elves Vern & Cashman for helping me with the Order Headquarters questions. Special thanks goes to Potion Mistress for help with the title.

---

Bloody hell! This was not how this was supposed to go down! Ron Weasley ducked behind a door as a barrage of spells came flying towards him. The Order had received word that Draco Malfoy was in danger, that his true allegiance had been found out, and the Dark Lord was planning on sending a group of Death Eaters to Malfoy Manor to apprehend the young man. According to the Order’s source, these events weren’t supposed to take place for another two days, so when Ron was elected to travel to Malfoy Manor and warn Draco, he expected to find the Malfoy heir alone and doing…well, whatever it was that he did when he wasn’t at the Order headquarters or on a mission. Ron had never actually taken the time to talk to Draco about anything other than Order business, so he didn’t know what Draco did in his spare time. Regardless, he didn’t expect to Apparate to the front entrance of Malfoy Manor to find the front gate and front door open and, alarmingly, unwarded. He didn’t anticipate the dead house-elf in the entranceway, or the sight of four robed Death Eaters in the room that had once been Lucius Malfoy’s study. But what he had expected least of all was the sight of Draco, bloodied and beaten, lying on the floor at the Death Eaters’ feet.

He had Stupefied one of the men when he came into the room before retreating for his own protection. From his vantage point, he could not tell whether Draco was still alive or not. He quickly hit the button on his wristwatch to activate the emergency distress signal that was used within the Order. Normally this would have someone appearing at his side in mere moments, but he wasn’t sure how well he could be tracked since he was inside the unplottable Malfoy Manor, in which his magic signature probably wasn’t able to breach the wards. The wards would also force anyone responding to his call to Apparate off the grounds like he did.

He was still deciding on a course of action when two of the men came out of the study. Utilizing his quick reflexes, earned by hours and hours of hard training over the last several years, he shouted “Expelliarmus!” He didn’t give the men a chance to recover from the sudden loss of their wands, but instead Stupefied each of them and then cast a binding curse to hold them until the others arrived.

Ron peered cautiously around the doorframe to see that the remaining Death Eater had apparently decided torturing Draco was too important to stop long enough to revive his companion. The Death Eater had his wand pointed towards Draco, laughing in evil amusement with a sound that sent chills up Ron’s spine. “Avada—“

“No!” Ron yelled, launching himself into the room and into the side of the Death Eater, knocking him to the floor as both of their wands went clattering across the floor. Ron quickly scrambled backwards, running his hand along the floor looking for his wand. Suddenly a burst of green light came from behind him and hit the Death Eater square in the chest. Ron had not heard the whispered words of the spell, but turned in time to see Draco lowering his wand with a trembling hand.

“Bastard deserved it,” Draco said in the voice he usually reserved for referring to Voldemort himself. He winced as he tried to pull himself into a sitting position. “There are other Death Eaters coming. I need a favor from you, Weasley.” Draco was taking rasping gasps of breath between his words, obviously making a great deal of effort to speak.

Ron quickly moved to help Draco up. “I’ve got a portkey. We…”

“No,” Draco protested, pulling away. “I promised to keep her safe. I need you to get her out of here.” Draco struggled to remove the chain he always wore around his neck.

Ron froze and looked at Draco critically. “Malfoy, did you hit your head? What the hell are you talking about? Who are you talking about?”

“No time,” Draco insisted, finally managing to unclasp the chain, and handed it to Ron. “At the bottom of the dungeon stairs there is a painting of the Malfoy gardens. Place this in the center of the painting; it’s a key. The password is ’Viola.’”

Ron told himself that as soon as they returned to Order Headquarters, he was going to start yelling for a Healer. “Malfoy, we have to get you out of here.”

“Please, Weasley. You owe me. For Granger.” Several months before, Draco had pushed Hermione out of the way of a Killing Curse during a Death Eater attack on Diagon Alley. He had made it look like an accident, but he had saved her life.

Ron studied the other man for several long seconds and then heaved a heavy sigh. “Take down the wards.”

“What?”

“Take down the wards. The portkey goes to headquarters and I can’t take her there unless the Secret Keeper tells her where it is. I need you to take down the wards so I can Apparate the two of us out of here.” And so that I can Apparate myself out of here if I find this is a trap or part of your delusion. "You take the Portkey."

Draco nodded, closing his eyes and aiming his wand at the exterior wall while murmuring in a tired voice. There was a slight jolting sensation when the wards fell. Quickly, Ron exchanged the portkey for the key Draco was extending. Without another word, Ron ran from the room, thundering down the stairs and wondering if he had forgotten to wake up that morning.

When he reached the bottom of the dungeon stairs, he saw the painting of the garden taking up a vast expanse of wall. He found the indentation in the center where the key fit and carefully slid it into place. “Here goes nothing,” he whispered to himself. “Viola.”

Slowly, the painting dissolved and a doorway appeared. Walking cautiously into the room that was now open to him, Ron noticed the ceiling was charmed to reflect the outside sky, much like the ceiling in the Great Hall at Hogwarts, and there were various plants growing around the room.

From a hallway leading off the other side of the room came the gentle fall of footsteps and a female voice. “You’re late, Draco. I was starting to think you forgot—“ She stopped suddenly when she saw Ron, her eyes widening and the little bit of color she had draining from her cheeks. “Where’s Draco? What’s happened?” she asked quickly, her voice slightly breaking at the end.

“We have to go,” Ron told her, approaching cautiously. “Death Eaters will be here any minute, and Malfoy wants you out of here.” He noticed she flinched when he said the words “Death Eaters” and wondered briefly what that was about.

“But where is Draco? Why didn’t he come get me himself? Why send you?” She was trembling now, and looked very close to tears.

”He was hurt. He used a portkey and took down the wards. I need you to come to me so I can Apparate us both out of here.” She jumped when he laid his hand on her arm. “I’m not going to hurt you. Malfoy gave me the key, told me the password. He wants you to be safe. He wouldn’t have sent me if he didn’t trust me to do that, right?”

She nodded hesitantly. “Okay. Let’s go.”

Ron pulled her close to him, feeling her entire body tense, and Apparated them both away. They appeared in a cluttered but homey feeling living room. She immediately pulled herself out of his embrace, distancing herself several paces from him. “It’s okay,” he told her softly, wanting to reassure her and chase away the apprehension in her eyes. “You’re safe here.” He then turned in the direction of the kitchen and raised his voice. “Mum!”

In a matter a seconds, a short, matronly woman with long red hair hurried into the room. “Ronald Weasley, how dare you scare us like that! The clock had you in mortal peril for quite a time! What were you thinking? I—“ She caught sight of the girl standing next to her son. “Who is this?”

“It’s a long story, Mum. I need to take care of a few things. Will you watch out for her until I get back? I’ll tell you everything then.”

“Of course, dear,” Molly answered. She was too familiar with her children, and far too familiar with war, to question any further.

Ron nodded to his mother and started towards the Floo. Reaching for the Floo powder, he turned around to look at his mother. “Oh, and Mum? Don’t tell anyone that she’s here. No one. Okay?” Taking her nod as an agreement, Ron tossed the Floo powder into the flames and called out, “Nivalis Home.”

Draco Malfoy had some explaining to do.

Go to Chapter One

(no subject)

Some of you know this. Some of you don't. And I don't feel like going into all of it right now, but my sister (Kelly Renee Sprinkle) would have been 25 on August 28th. My daughter (Kelly Marie) should be turning six this coming Sunday (September 11th). Both are angels & aren't here to celebrate their birthdays with me, but I still love them, and I celebrated Kelly's birthday by going out with my friends, and will celebrate Kelly Marie's birthday with a birthday party. And the boys get to pick out "presents" for their sister... I let them each pick something out of the garden center to place by her gravestone.

Will it make you guys cry if I post some poems and some pictures? I'll put it under a cut just in case. So you don't have to look. (kelly's other sister emailed me today with this. The email was out of the blue, kinda ironic considering that it's Harley's bday and that I haven't talked to this person in forever & have no clue how they got my email)

( I guess I do feel like going into it after all )