A Thousand Wishes by hannelore (G)

[musesfool.livejournal.com]

Fandom: HARRY POTTER
Pairing: None. Neville-centric genfic
Author on LJ: _hannelore
Author Website: Author page at Skyehawke
Why this must be read:

Beautiful, poignant, heartbreaking and hopeful fic in which Hermione tells Neville the story of the little girl who attempted to fold a thousand paper cranes because she believed it would make her wish come true, and it sparks something in him.

If you've ever done something completely irrational in the belief that it would make everything turn out all right in the end, you will relate to Neville in this story, and he will break your heart.

A quote:

Neville sat cross-legged on the common room floor, looking at the paper bird from all angles.

“You managed to catch one of those cranes?” Hermione said as she walked into the room. “They’re quite fast.”

“It was actually Trevor,” Neville said with a grin, patting the fat toad on the head. Trevor lazed next to the boy with a hungry glance toward the bird as it tried to flutter off again. “I was lucky to nab it before he swallowed it. Hermione, do you know how to do it?”

“Fold the crane?” Hermione sat down next to Neville and took a piece of parchment out of her satchel. “Of course I do. The first few times are difficult, but once you have the hang of it, it’s nothing really. They’re good luck, you know.”

“Maybe I’ll try to put a perch over my bed,” Neville said as he watched Hermione start to fold the parchment. “Think that would convince it to land there and give me good luck?”

“Silly, it’s not like a talisman or something,” Hermione said as she creased the paper with a critical eye. “I read a story once, about a girl who folded a thousand paper cranes. She was very ill and she had heard that if she folded one thousand, she would be granted a wish.”

“She was granted her wish?” Neville said, the excitement clear on his face. Hermione gave the crane’s tail a final twist and then tapped it on the head with her wand. She beamed as it flew up to the ceiling, but the look she gave Neville was uncomfortable.

“Well, not really... she died. But she hadn’t quite managed to finish all the cranes herself.”

Beautifully characterized, with subtle canon details worked in, and lovely, spare prose that doesn't hit you over the head with anything, but lets it all sink in as you read. And the ending... I really did cry, because it's unexpected and completely perfect. In fact, in rereading to make this rec, I cried again.

A Thousand Wishes by _hannelore