Disclaimer: Nope, not mine. I'm not an Heron shipper, thank you very much.
A/N: My response to the "My sin, My virtue" challenge from cosmopolitan, here's the link to it: http://talk.portkey.org/index.php?showtopic=26784 Hope you will enjoy, and as usual if you read, please review, ok? Thanks! Oh, by the way, I think this could be considered a collection of one shots, everyone focusing on a different sin/virtue. Just so you know and aren't disappointed by the lack of continuity between the chapters, lol. Also, the chapters will feature a virtue, and then the opposing sin in the following chapter.
Thanks to my beta Gingercat!
The Seven Virtues And The Seven Sins
Chapter Fourteen: Greed
"Mum! Dad! Look at that boy, he's got a new Firebolt 3000!"
The two parents looked at each other, green meeting brown, before they grinned. "And what would you want to do about that, Benny?" Harry Potter asked his son.
"I want one too!" the fourteen years old said, like that was just obvious.
Hermione sighed. "Benny, you're not going to get the fastest broom on the market only because someone else has one. You got a Firebolt 2500 just last year!" she chastised her son, her hands on her hips. Harry was reminded of when she used to do that to him and Ron, back in school.
"Your mother is right, son. You don't need it, so you are not going to have it" Harry confirmed. Their son glared at them, before running to Quidditch Quality Supplies, to look at the broom from the window.
"Did we do something wrong with him, Harry?" Hermione wondered. "He always wants something new, I don't think it's healthy for him to be this greedy"
"No, it isn't. Maybe we did spoil him a bit when he was a child, but we're going to rectify that from now on. He shouldn't grow up with the idea that his name and our money can get him anything he wants. Besides, the best things in life can't be bought" he said, squeezing her hand in his own. She smiled fondly at him.
"That's true" she whispered.
For the rest of the day, occupied by shopping for Benny's school supplies, their son barely talked to them, but the two adults knew they were doing the right thing in the long run, so they weren't overly concerned. Their son could give them the silent treatment as much as he wanted, they wouldn't give in to his selfish desires and wants.
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A few years later, Benjamin Potter was sitting on the grass of Hogwarts grounds, his back leaning on the trunk of a tree nearby the lake. His right arm was draped over the shoulders of his girlfriend, Stephanie, and they were chatting quietly.
They had been dating for two years now, and they were planning to get a flat together in a month, once they would be out of school for good.
Benjamin couldn't believe how lucky he had been to meet her.
"You know, we never truly talked about our childhoods" she said, her blue eyes looking up at him. The young man looked down, meeting her gaze with his brown orbs.
"We haven't" he admitted.
"Well, then, come on! Yours must have been more exciting than mine, I'm sure!" she teased him
"Oh, just because my Dad is Harry Potter I must have had an exciting childhood?" he said, feigning to be offended. In the end, though, he did tell her about it. It took him a good fifteen minutes to explain to her how he had grown up.
"So I guess they spoiled me a bit when I was really young, but as I grew up, they must have thought I was becoming greedy because they became much more severe about buying me things. I mean, they didn't buy me a Firebolt 3000 when I had only a Firebolt 2500!" he pouted.
Stephanie giggled. "Poor thing, that must have been terrible!" she cooed, cradling his face in her hands. "Will a kiss lessen the hurt of such an ungodly blow?" she teased him.
"Let's make it two kisses, uh?" he huskily said, pulling her on his lap and kissing her fiercely.
When they finally parted, minutes later, both had ragged breath, their lips swollen.
"I love you" he whispered in her ear.
"I love you too" she beamed at him before kissing him on the nose. "As long as you're not greedy" she joked, and he laughed merrily. "Then I'll have to thank my parents for breaking me of that nasty habit, won't I?" he winked, and she laughed.
"But you know, there's still something I'm greedy for" he said, his eyes twinkling in a mischievous smile as he looked appreciatively at her.
"And what would that be?" she coyly asked.
"You" he growled before assaulting her mouth again, her own arms locking around his neck as she kissed him back.
"I…guess…that's…a good…kind…of…greedy…" she whispered between kisses. "I bet…your parents…are greedy…like that…with each other…too…"
As they caught their breath, still in each other arms, Benny couldn't help thinking that she was right.
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