Post by OSUSprinks on Jan 28, 2008 22:09:01 GMT -5
Title: The Reaction
Rating: Everyone, I should think
Her throat was closing in and her heart beat wildly in her chest. With her palms pressed against the table before her, Pomona tried to calm herself. She grasped at her wand, but it was out of reach. Her face, mouth, hands, arms- her whole body seemed to be swelling. Desperate, she tried once more, but fell off her stool and to the ground with a silent groan. It was an allergic reaction, something she had never had, and it was the most severe she had ever witnessed, which was saying something after nearly thirty years of teaching countless students. As Pomona struggled to breath, she realized she could not speak the spell even if she could reach her wand. Her windpipe had swollen completely shut and her lungs were beginning to burn as she frantically began to move. Focusing what little strength she had left, Pomona began dragging herself toward the door that would lead outside. As her vision began to blur and then dim, Pomona swore she was not going to die on the morning of her first date with Filius.
Having spent his morning in Hogsmeade preparing for his date Filius made his way back to the castle. He knew Pomona had received some unusual cuttings from a former student who was studying in South America and, though she had not said anything, he was sure she would want to remain close to her greenhouses while the new plants adjusted to their surroundings. With that in mind, he had reserved a private room at the Three Broomsticks, had ordered dinner from one of her favorite restaurants in Diagon Alley, where he had planned on taking her anyway, and arranged for it to be delivered there. He had picked up his order of a planter of Fanged Geraniums, the new hybrid he had overheard her talking about in the staff room a few weeks before, and would give it to her when he went to her rooms. His new robes looked great, at least the witches at Glad Rags seemed to think they did, and he wanted to agree. Now he had a few hours to prepare his special tiramisu dessert, take it back to the Three Broomsticks, and get himself ready to meet Pomona.
Filius slowed his pace as he reached the greenhouses. He had planned on not seeing her before their date, but it was his habit to stop in to see her after lunch on Saturdays.
Surely she would not mind, would she?
He decided he could always ask about her new plants, which he was curious about having developed an interest in Herbology of late, and so turned toward the fourth greenhouse, where she had mentioned she would keep the new plants. Her student, Alice Prewett- though Pomona had mentioned the girl would soon be a Longbottom- had been in South America for a few years studying Herbology at university. In that time, she had run across several plants, new to her, and had become close to her former Herbology professor as the two corresponded and sent cuttings back and forth. Filius knew Pomona had a soft spot for the girl and anything associated with her. If he became nervous about seeing her so close to their date, he would just ask after Alice.
With that decided, he moved faster, more excited than he would like to admit about spending time with the woman who had caught his interest immediately when he joined the staff of Hogwarts. It had taken him some time to work up the courage to ask her on a date and he was determined to get it right.
He was nearly to the greenhouses when he saw her. He broke into a run, as fast as his legs would carry him, and fell on his knees at her side. With a cry, he sent his patronus off to Poppy Pomfrey. He felt a pulse, but only just. On instinct, he cast the allergy blocking spell Pomona had taught him when he had first arrived. It was the first time they spent any real time together, the beginning of a wonderful friendship and he hoped more.
“Are you sure you want me to teach these to you, Professor Flitwick? My wandwork is not the best you will find here at Hogwarts.”
She smiled over her morning coffee, a trait that made him like her even more as he too enjoyed the drink over tea, and he wanted nothing more than to make her smile again.
“It’s Filius. And I am sure you are more than qualified to teach basic first aid and any spells specific to Herbology that I would need. I would love to learn more about Herbology in general, actually.” He had never had any interest in the subject when in school; charms and transfiguration had seemed so much more exciting, but he had a feeling that was about to change.
“Well then, Filius,” he smiled as she used his name, causing her to blush slightly, “you can stop by Greenhouse #1 anytime this afternoon. I will be there somewhere.” She got up to leave, but turned to him. “You may call me Pomona or just Mona if you like.”
The spell was working; at least some of the swelling was going down. She still was not breathing, but he had no idea what to do about that. Filius grabbed her hand and kissed it, wishing he could do more.
“Filius?”
Poppy came up behind him and as he turned, he caught the look of shock and fear that ran across her face before she became all business. Within seconds she had moved him out of the way and had begun her diagnostic spells.
“Aren’t they so sweet?” Pomona was sitting next to him at one of the round tables reserved for the Hogwarts staff in attendance at the Annual Ministry Ball.
“What-- I mean, who?” Filius had been watching her, thinking about asking her to dance, and had only just caught what she had said.
“Poppy and Alastor.” She must have seen his eyes widen in surprise before he looked out across the dance floor to find the couple in question. “Don’t say anything to her, but you can just tell they are meant to be. Look at them.”
He could not say that he agreed completely, but he did not argue, especially when he caught the flash of longing that crossed Pomona’s face.
“Mona, dear, would you like to dance?”
She smiled brightly and simply nodded.
“FILIUS!”
He shook his head to clear it as Poppy’s voice broke through his thoughts.
“Filius, I need you to calm down. Pomona is going to be fine, but I need your help moving her to the Hospital Wing. Can you handle that or should I call someone else?”
He felt himself nod and follow Poppy’s directions as they carefully moved Pomona across the lawn and into the castle. All he could think of was all the time he had wasted. If Poppy was wrong, if Pomona was not okay… No, he would not think of that.
“Do you ever wish you had gotten married young?”
They were sitting on a bench outside the Three Broomsticks, chaperoning the students out for their Hogsmeade Day.
“Sometimes,” he said as he watched a young couple walk into the pub, holding hands. “But, I do hope you haven’t given up quite yet, Pomona! You have many years left to think about such things. Besides, Hogwarts isn’t quite ready to give you up, yet.”
“Oh, I don’t believe you have to worry about that anytime soon. Besides, even if I did get married, I would want to stay at Hogwarts. I couldn’t imagine leaving you… and the rest of the staff, I mean. You’ve become my family.”
Filius noticed her blush and how she had looked away from him. He dared to hope that she meant what he thought.
“What about you Filius? Why haven’t you ever married? That has always surprised me about you. Usually the good ones are taken.” She smiled teasingly.
Now it was his turn to blush. “I should think the reason is obvious.”
She nodded in agreement. “I suppose it would be rather difficult to have any kind of personal life with all the work you do and have done. Your training must have taken you all over the world. It’s the same for me.”
He looked at her, shocked. “No,” he coughed out. “I meant my height.”
He cringed, waiting for the patronizing comment, the sickening sweet tone, the reassurance that one day ‘someone’ would see him for who he was, not just his height, though it wouldn’t be her. He waited, but it never came.
Instead she sounded almost sad as she commented, “Yes, I suppose you would want to date someone closer to your height. I guess I can understand that.”
Filius stared at her, bewildered. He wondered if she was playing dumb on purpose, but Pomona would not do that… He hoped.
“Why would I care about that? It’s just that most witches would rather not be seen with someone half their height!”
“Well, most witches don’t know what they are talking about Filius.”
He had nearly kissed her then, on the street in the small village, surrounded by their students. He probably would have too, had Minerva McGonagall not come to help them round up the rest of the children. That moment had been what finally pushed him beyond his fears and he promised himself he would ask her out on a date. It was just the how and when that had stalled him then.
Now here he was, sitting at her bedside, holding her hand. Poppy had left him after giving Pomona a calming potion, assuring him that his spell had been what really saved Pomona, something about suppressing her body’s reaction to her allergy. He had not really been listening to Poppy, instead focusing on Pomona, listening to her breath, watching the color begin to return to her usually rosy cheeks.
“Umm, Fil, what are you doing?”
“I’m putting together a gift for my niece.” He was sitting on the floor in the staffroom, bits and pieces of a muggle bicycle all around him.
“Oh, that’s nice.” He watched as her eyes drifted from one side of the mess to the other. “What is it exactly?”
“A bicycle!”
She looked skeptical, but picked up the instructions, long forgotten on an end table, before sitting down.
“Could I help?”
He tried not to look too hopeful.
“That would be wonderful.”
Slowly, piece by piece, with Pomona actually reading the instructions, they finished the construction. With a few added charms for safety, they were finished with the bicycle, though he was not ready to end their time together.
“I need to walk this back to my rooms. Care to join me for a drink?”
Pomona smiled and said, “After this, I think we could both use one.”
They continued to laugh and chat the whole way back to his rooms. He put the bicycle away and poured them each a JT, her favorite drink, before joining Pomona on the sofa.
“When is your niece’s birthday?”
Filius handed her a glass before propping his feet on his end table.
“Tomorrow actually, but we aren’t having her party until a week from Saturday.” He paused to taste his drink, then without thinking added, “Would you like to come with me?”
As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Filius felt ridiculous. He had been trying to ask her out for weeks and the best he could come up with was a five-year-old’s birthday party?
“Your family wouldn’t find it strange if you brought a friend?”
This was it, he decided. He would not have a better opportunity.
“I thought, maybe, we could go out on a date this weekend. Then you wouldn’t be just a friend. If you’d like…”
He looked down at his drink feeling more like a teenager than he had in years. He had forgotten how hard it was to put himself on the line like this.
“I’d love to.”
Filius nearly spilled his drink he was so surprised. “Really? Would Saturday work for you?”
She was smiling brightly at him and he felt like the clouds had parted and his very own sun was shining down on him. “That would be perfect.”
“F-Filius?”
Pomona looked around, bewildered to find herself in Poppy’s hospital wing. He was sitting in a chair beside her bed, holding her hand, and appeared to be lost in thought until she squeezed his hand and asked again.
“Filius, what happened?”
“Pomona! Oh, thank Merlin. I was so worried. Poppy said you would be fine, but- Oh, I’m so glad you are awake.”
He jumped up with a start and instantly dropped her hand. She felt disappointed for a moment, before he brought his hand to her face to brush hair off her forehead, letting his palm rest on her cheek a moment before taking her hand once more.
She reached for the glass of water on the nightstand, but found that her shoulder was stiff.
“Here, let me.”
He held the glass up for her so she could drink from the straw. Again his other hand brushed her face and though Pomona felt like she had been run over by stampeding hippogriffs, she suddenly felt much better.
“What happened?”
“You forgot to follow the protocol you put in place yourself and in the process nearly frightened Filius and I to death, that’s what happened.”
Poppy looked angry and relieved, but mainly angry and suddenly the morning came rushing back to Pomona. She had been in a rush, wanting to get the cuttings settled quickly so she could spend the rest of the day preparing for her date with Filius. It had taken him so long to finally ask her that she had almost given up hope and now she had ruined it.
“Oh Filius, our date!”
“Date? You were going on a date? Pomona Jane Sprout! I cannot believe you didn’t tell us!”
In an instant, Poppy had gone from professional, hardnosed nurse to gossiping girlfriend and Pomona could not think of a worse time.
“Poppy, please, can I get out of here now?”
Filius was looking away and she was sure he was embarrassed, who would not be? Poppy waved her wand a few times- doing what, Pomona was not sure- but she seemed satisfied when she handed Pomona a few pain relief potions.
“Yes, you can go. Just take those as needed, but you should be fine. And I do want full details tomorrow.” Pomona could have killed her with the look she was sending, and Poppy wasn’t fooling anyone when she added, “About your recovery of course.” As if she realized she was in trouble, Poppy winked at Pomona before retreating from the room, leaving Pomona and Filius alone.
Pomona closed her eyes and tried to control her frustration at Poppy and keep her embarrassment from showing on her cheeks.
“We don’t have to go, you know. If you aren’t feeling up to it, of course we wouldn’t, but if you didn’t want anyone to know… You don’t have to go out with me.”
Her eyes snapped open and Pomona immediately sat up, swinging her legs around to touch the floor, ignoring the bit of vertigo she felt.
“What are you talking about, Filius?”
He was standing with his back to her, looking out a window. With a deep sigh he turned to face her and Pomona had never seen him look so sad.
“I’m talking about our date. If you were too…” He seemed to struggle with his word choice as his expression changed from sad to almost angry. “Too embarrassed to tell your friends about our date, we don’t have to go.”
“Embarrassed? Filius, I was excited about our date. I still am! I didn’t tell them because I didn’t want to have to tell them when you…” She trailed off and closed her eyes again. She was still feeling a bit woozy from her quick movements.
“When I what, Pomona?”
Leaving her eyes closed, now from embarrassment, she bit her lip before speaking. “When you decide you aren’t really interested.”
She looked at him as she finished speaking, needing to see his reaction. He looked as if the wind had been knocked out of him.
“You think I’m not interested? I have wanted to be with you from the moment I met you!” He moved closer, standing right next to her. They were almost eye to eye as she sat on the bed.
“Filius, I- “
She did not know what she was going to say, so she did not mind when he cut her off, his lips covering hers. After a too quick moment, he broke off the kiss and they both smiled.
“So the date is still on?” Pomona smiled coyly as she spoke.
“Most definitely,” Filius replied as he leaned in and kissed her again.
That night, Pomona’s throat was closing in and her heart beat wildly in her chest, but for an entirely different reason.
*wink*
Rating: Everyone, I should think
Her throat was closing in and her heart beat wildly in her chest. With her palms pressed against the table before her, Pomona tried to calm herself. She grasped at her wand, but it was out of reach. Her face, mouth, hands, arms- her whole body seemed to be swelling. Desperate, she tried once more, but fell off her stool and to the ground with a silent groan. It was an allergic reaction, something she had never had, and it was the most severe she had ever witnessed, which was saying something after nearly thirty years of teaching countless students. As Pomona struggled to breath, she realized she could not speak the spell even if she could reach her wand. Her windpipe had swollen completely shut and her lungs were beginning to burn as she frantically began to move. Focusing what little strength she had left, Pomona began dragging herself toward the door that would lead outside. As her vision began to blur and then dim, Pomona swore she was not going to die on the morning of her first date with Filius.
Having spent his morning in Hogsmeade preparing for his date Filius made his way back to the castle. He knew Pomona had received some unusual cuttings from a former student who was studying in South America and, though she had not said anything, he was sure she would want to remain close to her greenhouses while the new plants adjusted to their surroundings. With that in mind, he had reserved a private room at the Three Broomsticks, had ordered dinner from one of her favorite restaurants in Diagon Alley, where he had planned on taking her anyway, and arranged for it to be delivered there. He had picked up his order of a planter of Fanged Geraniums, the new hybrid he had overheard her talking about in the staff room a few weeks before, and would give it to her when he went to her rooms. His new robes looked great, at least the witches at Glad Rags seemed to think they did, and he wanted to agree. Now he had a few hours to prepare his special tiramisu dessert, take it back to the Three Broomsticks, and get himself ready to meet Pomona.
Filius slowed his pace as he reached the greenhouses. He had planned on not seeing her before their date, but it was his habit to stop in to see her after lunch on Saturdays.
Surely she would not mind, would she?
He decided he could always ask about her new plants, which he was curious about having developed an interest in Herbology of late, and so turned toward the fourth greenhouse, where she had mentioned she would keep the new plants. Her student, Alice Prewett- though Pomona had mentioned the girl would soon be a Longbottom- had been in South America for a few years studying Herbology at university. In that time, she had run across several plants, new to her, and had become close to her former Herbology professor as the two corresponded and sent cuttings back and forth. Filius knew Pomona had a soft spot for the girl and anything associated with her. If he became nervous about seeing her so close to their date, he would just ask after Alice.
With that decided, he moved faster, more excited than he would like to admit about spending time with the woman who had caught his interest immediately when he joined the staff of Hogwarts. It had taken him some time to work up the courage to ask her on a date and he was determined to get it right.
He was nearly to the greenhouses when he saw her. He broke into a run, as fast as his legs would carry him, and fell on his knees at her side. With a cry, he sent his patronus off to Poppy Pomfrey. He felt a pulse, but only just. On instinct, he cast the allergy blocking spell Pomona had taught him when he had first arrived. It was the first time they spent any real time together, the beginning of a wonderful friendship and he hoped more.
“Are you sure you want me to teach these to you, Professor Flitwick? My wandwork is not the best you will find here at Hogwarts.”
She smiled over her morning coffee, a trait that made him like her even more as he too enjoyed the drink over tea, and he wanted nothing more than to make her smile again.
“It’s Filius. And I am sure you are more than qualified to teach basic first aid and any spells specific to Herbology that I would need. I would love to learn more about Herbology in general, actually.” He had never had any interest in the subject when in school; charms and transfiguration had seemed so much more exciting, but he had a feeling that was about to change.
“Well then, Filius,” he smiled as she used his name, causing her to blush slightly, “you can stop by Greenhouse #1 anytime this afternoon. I will be there somewhere.” She got up to leave, but turned to him. “You may call me Pomona or just Mona if you like.”
The spell was working; at least some of the swelling was going down. She still was not breathing, but he had no idea what to do about that. Filius grabbed her hand and kissed it, wishing he could do more.
“Filius?”
Poppy came up behind him and as he turned, he caught the look of shock and fear that ran across her face before she became all business. Within seconds she had moved him out of the way and had begun her diagnostic spells.
“Aren’t they so sweet?” Pomona was sitting next to him at one of the round tables reserved for the Hogwarts staff in attendance at the Annual Ministry Ball.
“What-- I mean, who?” Filius had been watching her, thinking about asking her to dance, and had only just caught what she had said.
“Poppy and Alastor.” She must have seen his eyes widen in surprise before he looked out across the dance floor to find the couple in question. “Don’t say anything to her, but you can just tell they are meant to be. Look at them.”
He could not say that he agreed completely, but he did not argue, especially when he caught the flash of longing that crossed Pomona’s face.
“Mona, dear, would you like to dance?”
She smiled brightly and simply nodded.
“FILIUS!”
He shook his head to clear it as Poppy’s voice broke through his thoughts.
“Filius, I need you to calm down. Pomona is going to be fine, but I need your help moving her to the Hospital Wing. Can you handle that or should I call someone else?”
He felt himself nod and follow Poppy’s directions as they carefully moved Pomona across the lawn and into the castle. All he could think of was all the time he had wasted. If Poppy was wrong, if Pomona was not okay… No, he would not think of that.
“Do you ever wish you had gotten married young?”
They were sitting on a bench outside the Three Broomsticks, chaperoning the students out for their Hogsmeade Day.
“Sometimes,” he said as he watched a young couple walk into the pub, holding hands. “But, I do hope you haven’t given up quite yet, Pomona! You have many years left to think about such things. Besides, Hogwarts isn’t quite ready to give you up, yet.”
“Oh, I don’t believe you have to worry about that anytime soon. Besides, even if I did get married, I would want to stay at Hogwarts. I couldn’t imagine leaving you… and the rest of the staff, I mean. You’ve become my family.”
Filius noticed her blush and how she had looked away from him. He dared to hope that she meant what he thought.
“What about you Filius? Why haven’t you ever married? That has always surprised me about you. Usually the good ones are taken.” She smiled teasingly.
Now it was his turn to blush. “I should think the reason is obvious.”
She nodded in agreement. “I suppose it would be rather difficult to have any kind of personal life with all the work you do and have done. Your training must have taken you all over the world. It’s the same for me.”
He looked at her, shocked. “No,” he coughed out. “I meant my height.”
He cringed, waiting for the patronizing comment, the sickening sweet tone, the reassurance that one day ‘someone’ would see him for who he was, not just his height, though it wouldn’t be her. He waited, but it never came.
Instead she sounded almost sad as she commented, “Yes, I suppose you would want to date someone closer to your height. I guess I can understand that.”
Filius stared at her, bewildered. He wondered if she was playing dumb on purpose, but Pomona would not do that… He hoped.
“Why would I care about that? It’s just that most witches would rather not be seen with someone half their height!”
“Well, most witches don’t know what they are talking about Filius.”
He had nearly kissed her then, on the street in the small village, surrounded by their students. He probably would have too, had Minerva McGonagall not come to help them round up the rest of the children. That moment had been what finally pushed him beyond his fears and he promised himself he would ask her out on a date. It was just the how and when that had stalled him then.
Now here he was, sitting at her bedside, holding her hand. Poppy had left him after giving Pomona a calming potion, assuring him that his spell had been what really saved Pomona, something about suppressing her body’s reaction to her allergy. He had not really been listening to Poppy, instead focusing on Pomona, listening to her breath, watching the color begin to return to her usually rosy cheeks.
“Umm, Fil, what are you doing?”
“I’m putting together a gift for my niece.” He was sitting on the floor in the staffroom, bits and pieces of a muggle bicycle all around him.
“Oh, that’s nice.” He watched as her eyes drifted from one side of the mess to the other. “What is it exactly?”
“A bicycle!”
She looked skeptical, but picked up the instructions, long forgotten on an end table, before sitting down.
“Could I help?”
He tried not to look too hopeful.
“That would be wonderful.”
Slowly, piece by piece, with Pomona actually reading the instructions, they finished the construction. With a few added charms for safety, they were finished with the bicycle, though he was not ready to end their time together.
“I need to walk this back to my rooms. Care to join me for a drink?”
Pomona smiled and said, “After this, I think we could both use one.”
They continued to laugh and chat the whole way back to his rooms. He put the bicycle away and poured them each a JT, her favorite drink, before joining Pomona on the sofa.
“When is your niece’s birthday?”
Filius handed her a glass before propping his feet on his end table.
“Tomorrow actually, but we aren’t having her party until a week from Saturday.” He paused to taste his drink, then without thinking added, “Would you like to come with me?”
As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Filius felt ridiculous. He had been trying to ask her out for weeks and the best he could come up with was a five-year-old’s birthday party?
“Your family wouldn’t find it strange if you brought a friend?”
This was it, he decided. He would not have a better opportunity.
“I thought, maybe, we could go out on a date this weekend. Then you wouldn’t be just a friend. If you’d like…”
He looked down at his drink feeling more like a teenager than he had in years. He had forgotten how hard it was to put himself on the line like this.
“I’d love to.”
Filius nearly spilled his drink he was so surprised. “Really? Would Saturday work for you?”
She was smiling brightly at him and he felt like the clouds had parted and his very own sun was shining down on him. “That would be perfect.”
“F-Filius?”
Pomona looked around, bewildered to find herself in Poppy’s hospital wing. He was sitting in a chair beside her bed, holding her hand, and appeared to be lost in thought until she squeezed his hand and asked again.
“Filius, what happened?”
“Pomona! Oh, thank Merlin. I was so worried. Poppy said you would be fine, but- Oh, I’m so glad you are awake.”
He jumped up with a start and instantly dropped her hand. She felt disappointed for a moment, before he brought his hand to her face to brush hair off her forehead, letting his palm rest on her cheek a moment before taking her hand once more.
She reached for the glass of water on the nightstand, but found that her shoulder was stiff.
“Here, let me.”
He held the glass up for her so she could drink from the straw. Again his other hand brushed her face and though Pomona felt like she had been run over by stampeding hippogriffs, she suddenly felt much better.
“What happened?”
“You forgot to follow the protocol you put in place yourself and in the process nearly frightened Filius and I to death, that’s what happened.”
Poppy looked angry and relieved, but mainly angry and suddenly the morning came rushing back to Pomona. She had been in a rush, wanting to get the cuttings settled quickly so she could spend the rest of the day preparing for her date with Filius. It had taken him so long to finally ask her that she had almost given up hope and now she had ruined it.
“Oh Filius, our date!”
“Date? You were going on a date? Pomona Jane Sprout! I cannot believe you didn’t tell us!”
In an instant, Poppy had gone from professional, hardnosed nurse to gossiping girlfriend and Pomona could not think of a worse time.
“Poppy, please, can I get out of here now?”
Filius was looking away and she was sure he was embarrassed, who would not be? Poppy waved her wand a few times- doing what, Pomona was not sure- but she seemed satisfied when she handed Pomona a few pain relief potions.
“Yes, you can go. Just take those as needed, but you should be fine. And I do want full details tomorrow.” Pomona could have killed her with the look she was sending, and Poppy wasn’t fooling anyone when she added, “About your recovery of course.” As if she realized she was in trouble, Poppy winked at Pomona before retreating from the room, leaving Pomona and Filius alone.
Pomona closed her eyes and tried to control her frustration at Poppy and keep her embarrassment from showing on her cheeks.
“We don’t have to go, you know. If you aren’t feeling up to it, of course we wouldn’t, but if you didn’t want anyone to know… You don’t have to go out with me.”
Her eyes snapped open and Pomona immediately sat up, swinging her legs around to touch the floor, ignoring the bit of vertigo she felt.
“What are you talking about, Filius?”
He was standing with his back to her, looking out a window. With a deep sigh he turned to face her and Pomona had never seen him look so sad.
“I’m talking about our date. If you were too…” He seemed to struggle with his word choice as his expression changed from sad to almost angry. “Too embarrassed to tell your friends about our date, we don’t have to go.”
“Embarrassed? Filius, I was excited about our date. I still am! I didn’t tell them because I didn’t want to have to tell them when you…” She trailed off and closed her eyes again. She was still feeling a bit woozy from her quick movements.
“When I what, Pomona?”
Leaving her eyes closed, now from embarrassment, she bit her lip before speaking. “When you decide you aren’t really interested.”
She looked at him as she finished speaking, needing to see his reaction. He looked as if the wind had been knocked out of him.
“You think I’m not interested? I have wanted to be with you from the moment I met you!” He moved closer, standing right next to her. They were almost eye to eye as she sat on the bed.
“Filius, I- “
She did not know what she was going to say, so she did not mind when he cut her off, his lips covering hers. After a too quick moment, he broke off the kiss and they both smiled.
“So the date is still on?” Pomona smiled coyly as she spoke.
“Most definitely,” Filius replied as he leaned in and kissed her again.
That night, Pomona’s throat was closing in and her heart beat wildly in her chest, but for an entirely different reason.
*wink*