For QL round 4. I'm the Harpies Captain for this season. So many thanks to my teammates, Lizzy and Bex, for beta-ing.

Pairing/Characters: Hestia and Flora Carrow.

Prompt: believe

Word count: 992

Hestia is scurrying around her flat, getting ready, when she is startled by a crack of Apparation. She doesn't have to look to know that it's her sister. She continues on to the bathroom, smoothing her dress as she goes.

"You know I have a door," she says sharply, not bothering to turn around. She can see her sister in the mirror of her bathroom.

"We both know you wouldn't answer the door," Flora replies.

Hestia sees the frown on her sister's face. She sighs as she puts down her lipstick. When she turns to face Flora, it's like she's still looking in a mirror. Everything is a perfect match including the frown that their lips take.

"Why are you here?" she asks.

"Mother and Father are concerned," Flora answers. "I am too."

Hestia laughs humorlessly. "Funny, I thought Mother and Father wanted nothing to do with me. After all, I'm a shame to the family name."

"You chose a Mudblood," Flora cries desperately, throwing her hands up.

"Refer to him as that again, sister, and you won't like what happens," Hestia warns, her eyes flashing dangerously. "He's a Muggle."

"You chose him over your family," Flora argues.

"Only because I was forced to," she reminds her. She moves toward the bed in the middle of her room, taking a seat on the edge. She meets her sister's eyes sadly. "I didn't want to have to choose."

Flora narrows her eyes. "He doesn't know you!" she cries. "You can't tell him you're a witch until after you're married. Then what, Hestia? You think that the feelings he has for you will be stronger than the betrayal he'll feel when he realizes that you've been keeping this huge secret from him?"

"You don't know Thomas," Hestia replies coolly. "You haven't spent any time with him at all."

"I know what happens when our kind mixes with theirs," Flora says. "And that's all I'll ever need to know. He's going to break your heart."

"What do you suggest? Leave him for our world? Need I remind you that our world hates us because of our last name, because of what our family did during the war?"

Hestia sees Flora flinch at her words. Their family has pretended that they didn't have a role in the war. But Hestia still screams herself awake from the things she saw her aunt and uncle do to children younger than her.

"The war is over," Flora says firmly, pulling her out of her memories.

"Yes," she agrees, "but the glares of survivors have never gone away. I got tired of them. Here, I don't have to face them every day."

Flora tilts her head almost thoughtfully, her braided hair barely swings with the motion. "You would rather him break your heart than face people glaring at you?"

"Is that so hard to believe?" she asks.

"You are soft," her sister replies.

Hestia flashes a small smile. "I am," she says. "I doubt that it's really that surprising."

There's a knock at her door. She rolls back on the bed, grabbing her wand from her bedside table. She taps her wrist for the time.

"That would be Thomas," she says. She stands as she calls, "One minute!"

"I really must beg you to reconsider this," Flora says.

Hestia grabs her purse, gives herself one last look in the mirror before turning back to her sister. "I have given this a lot of thought, despite what you or Mother and Father believe. I won't stop dating Thomas. Either you can accept that or you won't have a place in my life."

"I don't like ultimatums," Flora says.

"I don't think anyone does," she replies. "But those are the only two choices you have."

She smooths down her green dress once more as she slips past her sister. She opens her door to see Thomas standing in the hallway, a single red rose in his hands.

His dark hair is smoothed down. He's wearing some jeans and a button down shirt. He grins when he see her, leaning to press a kiss to her cheek as she takes the flower.

"Oh, you must be Flora!" he says. Hestia is stunned in place as he passes her to stick his hand out to her sister. "Hestia has told me a lot about you. I'm Thomas."

Flora doesn't take her eyes off her sister as she takes Thomas' hand. "I've heard a lot about you. I was actually just leaving. Don't let me keep you," she says as she releases his hand.

Hestia crosses the room and throws her arms around Flora, hugging her tightly. "Thank you."

"Don't think I'm happy about this. He's going to break your heart," Flora whispers. She pulls back from Hestia's grip. "I must be going. I'll see you later, sister, Thomas."

Hestia watches as Flora disappears through the door.

"I thought you were on bad terms with your family," Thomas comments.

She looks back at the man that she's defying her family for. She smiles at him. "I think Flora and I worked it out." she glances back to the door. "Or I hope we just did. My parents, on the other hand, probably will never come around."

"I'm sorry," Thomas whispers, cupping Hestia's cheek.

"Me too," she murmurs, placing her hand over his. She closes her eyes to feel the warmth of his skin. It takes her several long moments to remember their date. "Come on, we still have reservations."

He pulls his hand away, twisting it until he can hold her hand in his. "Good, because I don't know about you, but I'm hungry."

Hestia laughs as she allows herself to be lead down the street. She sneaks glances at Thomas the entire way to the restaurant. Her sister may believe that he will break her heart, but it's hard to believe the man who is grinning and gesturing his way through a story would.