Post by stefdarlin on May 2, 2008 15:38:33 GMT -5
A/N: Everyone can thank Elo for my inspiration on this one. But that is only if you like it. If not, it is all my fault. Hope you do enjoy it, as I am elated that I finally could enter something for this challenge. All the items should be there too! ;D
Rating: Everyone
Genre: Shameless Fluff
Disclaimer: blah, blah, blah…belongs to JKR! *sticks tongue out*
Title: An Oasis in the Snow
Filius stood in the middle of the shoe department in the Wizarding Department store of Denville and Blogs. He and Pomona had finally come to this exclusive store in an effort to find Pomona the perfect pair of shoes to go with her bridesmaid dress. The store was jam packed with people and he could see the clerks, all two of them, were frazzled beyond their limits for this time of year. Somehow, he knew help was not to be had anytime soon. He sighed.
While Pomona browsed the selection of shoes, the Christmas decorations caught his eye and he followed a string of fairy lights to a giant Christmas tree near the window. At the bottom was a pair of children fighting over the last child-sized broom on display. A little dirty-faced boy pushed his fellow dueler away and jumped on the broom. With a swift kick, he was up in the air and flying around the store. As Filius watched, the child headed right for Pomona, who did not see him. Instantly, Filius moved and pulled Pomona out of the way of the flying menace. He then sighed with relief and Pomona, apparently oblivious to anything going on around her, continued to gaze mournfully at the gold shoes before her. Meanwhile, Filius moved to cast a spell which brought the flying child back to Earth, much to his displeasure.
Suddenly, a tall, brunette witch – the small wizard’s mother, was beside him, when Filius took the broom from its liberator. Filius smiled at the taller witch, who glared at him, obviously appalled he would dare to care about the safety of her child. She grabbed the smaller boy’s hand and hauled him off to the other side of the store. The gregarious, little wizard stuck his tongue out at Filius, and then resigned to his fate of more Christmas shopping with his mother.
Turning back to Pomona, Filius studied the shoes she was looking at and then looked at her face. It was so sad his heart went out to her. “‘Mona, love? Why did you wait until Christmas Eve to find a pair of shoes for tonight?” he asked.
His voice seemed to bring her out of her stupor and she looked at him with her warm, brown eyes. The sadness was still there but she smiled at him gently and sighed. “Oh, Fil, I didn’t wait until today. I simply have a hard time with shoes. I have been looking, for almost six months, for the right pair of shoes for that dress. You have seen my feet,” she told him and he looked up at her in delight.
“Yes, I have. And they are quite beautiful, I might add.” He moved in to caress her back, and then moved away again, remembering they were in public. He graced her with a subtle, passion-laced smile and she blushed when she caught his look.
Pomona glanced around nervously, but the crowd seemed to have dispersed, leaving them secluded for a moment. Her smile grew larger. She rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Yes, well you are biased because you are my husband. But I have plump little feet, and apparently, no one in the wizard population owns such feet as me. Ever since I was a child I have had a hard time finding shoes which fit properly. Usually, I end up using them until they have completely worn out, and I haven’t a choice but go look for a new pair. Then, I am miserable because all the wonderful, beautiful and pretty shoes do not fit. Casting a spell doesn’t work because, then, the shoe looks different than when I bought them. And they still don’t fit right, either; a little better, but not comfortably.” She slumped down in a chair next to them.
Filius moved to her other side and sat down as well. Gently, he rubbed her back. In all the years he had known her and the year they had been married, he hadn’t known this fact. It had simply never come up. He could see, though, that it was a painful subject for his wife. He watched as she looked longingly over at a woman in gorgeous fur-topped, sable boots and gave a despondent sigh. “Is that why your shoes are the first things to come off when you come through the door?” he asked her, looking up at her with empathy crossing his face.
Sadly, she nodded. “The winter months are the hardest, as I have to wear shoes. Otherwise, I would get frostbite. Don’t get me wrong, my love. While I would love to be able to wear the latest shoes in fashion, I also love to be barefooted. I am more comfortable that way, and at least I can obsess about my toenail color in a girly way, even if I can’t obsess over shoes. However, during the winter, it simply isn’t a possibility to run around with no shoes on and show off my new Wizard Whiles color-changing nail polish."
While they were talking, a sales clerk finally made it over to them. Her red hair, which looked like it had once been in a bun, had too many frayed strands hanging down with just the slightest hint of the bun left in place. She wore red robes, in lieu of the season, but they looked like she had been in a struggle on the floor with the other clerk. Her green eyes looked weary, but a smile lit her plump face as she gazed at Pomona’s sad one. She addressed them with a bit of an Irish accent, “Name's Eliza. Were you wan’in to purchase a pair o’ new shoes, Miss?” she asked with a lilt. “These are the finest Elfin-made. Are you needin’ a special colour?”
Pomona looked at the clerk, sharing a small smile for her empathy and nodded. “I need a gold pair, I think, to go with a deep red, velvet dress.”
“Ah, goin’ to a fancy Christmas party are we? Well, tell me, what does the neck line look like? Oh, and the sleeves.” Eliza moved to the display of gold shoes while she waited for Pomona to describe the dress for her.
Pomona thought for a moment. “Well, it has a sweetheart neckline with sleeves off the shoulder. It has a Renaissance feel and the sleeves are long with a flair at the end. I have a patterned, green and red velvet wrap for my shoulders,” she informed with a dreamy look in her eye. She remembered the day she found it. The dress was a dream, and she had been thrilled. It had been a little pricey, but how often were you the Maid of Honor for your best friend? It made her feel beautiful when she wore it, and the look on Filius’ face when she modeled it for him had clenched her decision to buy it.
“I see,” replied the clerk. “She moved to the far side of the display and picked up a gold sling-back with a three-inch heel. They had a smooth matte finish and a closed toe. “These will probably be what you’re needin’. They are simple, with just enough height to let you move freely with a long dress.” Eliza looked down at Pomona’s feet, which were encased in sturdy, winter boots, calculating. “You wear about a seven, right?”
Pomona’s gaze followed Eliza’s, her feet shifted together and she blushed a little. If she hadn’t had on the boots she would have put one foot over the other in embarrassment. “Um, yes. Those look like the right choice, thank you.”
“Great, I’ll just wrap those up for you and get you on your way then.” Eliza turned quickly, another strand of hair flying free from her bun, and disappeared behind a curtain.
As Filius had waited for his wife to deal with the clerk and find a pair of shoes, a lovely idea dawned on him. He had gotten her the customary gifts for Christmas, but he now knew of something simple he could do that might give her joy. The best part about it was it involved Charms, a topic near and dear to his heart. Just like his wife. As they left the store and made their way back to Hogwarts, a small smile curved his mouth.
Pomona shivered but smiled, her heart beating wildly in anticipation. It was late on Christmas Eve and the newlyweds were on their way to a secret place for a few days. The ceremony had been beautiful, held atop the Astronomy Tower with a few family and friends present. Albus had cast a spell which created a magical sphere around the tower, shielding it from the snow. The effect it created resembled that of a reversed snow globe, keeping those on the tower safe and warm, while the snow gently fell around them.
And then, Minerva had made her way down the make-shift aisle. Her dress was breath taking; emerald, velvet brocade with a tiny hint of white fur at the ends of the sleeves and skirt. Her head was crowned with a matching pill-box hat with the same white trim on the bottom, and her raven hair was pulled back from her face in a soft twist. She had followed Pomona to stand by Albus’ side as Handel’s Sonata for Violin and Piano played in the background. Filius had performed the binding and their friends had been bound together in their love for one another. Pomona sighed. The holly and mistletoe had not been out of place and when Albus and Minerva kissed, she and Filius had shared a smile.
Afterwards, they had all shared a simple buffet. Pomona could still feel the warmth of the Thai chicken flavoured noodles on her lips. The spice of the food had lent an exotic feel to the air, reminding Pomona of the lovely week she and Filius had spent on the Mediterranean for their honeymoon. When Albus had finally relinquished the safety of the school over to Filius and left with Minerva, Filius smiled gently at his wife and whispered in her ear.
“Come, my love. I have a surprise for you.” His eyes beamed and he seemed almost devilish in his secret.
Pomona followed him out of the castle into the snow and to her beloved greenhouses. Her brow creased, as nothing seemed out of place. Soon, he turned to her and asked her to close her eyes. She complied and listened intently, trying to figure out what he was doing. She heard a muttered spell and then the creak of a door. She felt a rush of warm, sultry air hit her face and the familiar fragrance of a greenhouse in early summer floated to her nose. It was a very interesting contrast. Standing in front of her greenhouse with the door open and the scents of summer filling her mind with that time of year, yet feeling the snow falling around her and shivering as the bitter wind whipped past her.
Filius took her hands and pulled her inside, shutting the door behind them. “Please open your eyes, ‘Mona.”
As she did, Pomona gasped. Before her was not a greenhouse, but a mirage. She leaned down to touch a honking daffodil which caught her attention when it let out a sound like a goose. ‘Not a mirage,’ she thought, ‘an oasis!’ She smiled and turned to take it all in.
Filius had charmed her greenhouse into a wonderful wooded park. There were cherry blossom trees and willows. A pond with a cascading fall was surrounded by a path which was covered with flowers of every kind. Flutterby bushes dotted the landscape and shivered as she walked by them. Laughing lilies giggled and swayed back and forth, while outside, the snow softly fell.
Pomona felt like she had entered paradise. She turned to Filius and pulled him into a hug. “Oh, Fil…it’s so wonderful! You have created a summer oasis in the snow! What ever made you think of this?” She leaned back, her eyes gleaming with pleasure as she gazed at him.
Filius looked down, blushing a little, but then looked back at her. “Well, ‘Mona love, I thought I would let you do something you love, but cannot do in the winter. I got the idea from our conversation about your shoes. You told me how much you love to be barefooted and I wanted to give that to you.” He looked at her sheepishly. “And I also wanted a chance to see the nail polish you are so proud of.”
Pomona blushed this time. Things like this just made her love him more. She jumped at the chance to take off her shoes, which were pinching her toes by now anyway. When she did he looked down at her feet. Her toe nails were deeply red to match her gown. As she wriggled them, they turned an emerald green to match her shawl.
“Delightful, my dear, that is ingenious!” he exclaimed and Pomona blushed again. “What would you like to do in this oasis I have created for us?” He eyed her mischievously.
“Um….”
“Yes?” he asked and cocked a brow at her.
“No…no, it’s silly…” she began, shaking her head.
“Nothing is silly if it brings you joy, sweetheart.” He took her hand and looked at her seriously.
“Well, I am not dressed appropriately and I would rather stay here than venture back into the snow again to go and change.”
“What did you have in mind?”
Pomona leaned over and whispered into his ear. He blushed, and then laughed. Clearing his throat, he replied, “Well, that isn’t a problem at all, my love. I am the Charms professor, after all.” With a swish of his wrist and a flick of his wand, Pomona felt herself lifted. A shimmering veil of smoke surrounded her and her dress transformed. As she looked down, she now wore the gossamer white robes of a wood sprite. When she wriggled her toes, they changed to a shimmering blush-pink colour. She giggled and hugged Filius again.
With another flick of his wand his black robes changed to khaki shorts and a Hawaiian shirt while his shoes also disappeared. Barefooted, they held hands and walked to a bench near the pond. Filius sat down and looked up at Pomona, who looked back at him with glee. “I’ll go first if you like.”
“Oh, Filius, thank you. This is the most wonderful Christmas ever!” she told him and leaned in to kiss his lips. Their mouths met tentatively at first, and then he leaned in to pull her closer. Tenderly he nibbled her lip and she closed her eyes, enjoying the taste of him. She moaned audibly then leaned back to gaze at him. Her eyes were dancing as they met his. He sighed, but laughed when she moved back to stand up.
“Very well, you had better get going. I am only counting to twenty this time,” he informed her with mock seriousness. Pomona got a startled look, but soon recovered, then ran off into the cherry trees giggling. Filius smiled at her back, put his face in his hands and began, “One…two…three….”
End.
Rating: Everyone
Genre: Shameless Fluff
Disclaimer: blah, blah, blah…belongs to JKR! *sticks tongue out*
Title: An Oasis in the Snow
Filius stood in the middle of the shoe department in the Wizarding Department store of Denville and Blogs. He and Pomona had finally come to this exclusive store in an effort to find Pomona the perfect pair of shoes to go with her bridesmaid dress. The store was jam packed with people and he could see the clerks, all two of them, were frazzled beyond their limits for this time of year. Somehow, he knew help was not to be had anytime soon. He sighed.
While Pomona browsed the selection of shoes, the Christmas decorations caught his eye and he followed a string of fairy lights to a giant Christmas tree near the window. At the bottom was a pair of children fighting over the last child-sized broom on display. A little dirty-faced boy pushed his fellow dueler away and jumped on the broom. With a swift kick, he was up in the air and flying around the store. As Filius watched, the child headed right for Pomona, who did not see him. Instantly, Filius moved and pulled Pomona out of the way of the flying menace. He then sighed with relief and Pomona, apparently oblivious to anything going on around her, continued to gaze mournfully at the gold shoes before her. Meanwhile, Filius moved to cast a spell which brought the flying child back to Earth, much to his displeasure.
Suddenly, a tall, brunette witch – the small wizard’s mother, was beside him, when Filius took the broom from its liberator. Filius smiled at the taller witch, who glared at him, obviously appalled he would dare to care about the safety of her child. She grabbed the smaller boy’s hand and hauled him off to the other side of the store. The gregarious, little wizard stuck his tongue out at Filius, and then resigned to his fate of more Christmas shopping with his mother.
Turning back to Pomona, Filius studied the shoes she was looking at and then looked at her face. It was so sad his heart went out to her. “‘Mona, love? Why did you wait until Christmas Eve to find a pair of shoes for tonight?” he asked.
His voice seemed to bring her out of her stupor and she looked at him with her warm, brown eyes. The sadness was still there but she smiled at him gently and sighed. “Oh, Fil, I didn’t wait until today. I simply have a hard time with shoes. I have been looking, for almost six months, for the right pair of shoes for that dress. You have seen my feet,” she told him and he looked up at her in delight.
“Yes, I have. And they are quite beautiful, I might add.” He moved in to caress her back, and then moved away again, remembering they were in public. He graced her with a subtle, passion-laced smile and she blushed when she caught his look.
Pomona glanced around nervously, but the crowd seemed to have dispersed, leaving them secluded for a moment. Her smile grew larger. She rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Yes, well you are biased because you are my husband. But I have plump little feet, and apparently, no one in the wizard population owns such feet as me. Ever since I was a child I have had a hard time finding shoes which fit properly. Usually, I end up using them until they have completely worn out, and I haven’t a choice but go look for a new pair. Then, I am miserable because all the wonderful, beautiful and pretty shoes do not fit. Casting a spell doesn’t work because, then, the shoe looks different than when I bought them. And they still don’t fit right, either; a little better, but not comfortably.” She slumped down in a chair next to them.
Filius moved to her other side and sat down as well. Gently, he rubbed her back. In all the years he had known her and the year they had been married, he hadn’t known this fact. It had simply never come up. He could see, though, that it was a painful subject for his wife. He watched as she looked longingly over at a woman in gorgeous fur-topped, sable boots and gave a despondent sigh. “Is that why your shoes are the first things to come off when you come through the door?” he asked her, looking up at her with empathy crossing his face.
Sadly, she nodded. “The winter months are the hardest, as I have to wear shoes. Otherwise, I would get frostbite. Don’t get me wrong, my love. While I would love to be able to wear the latest shoes in fashion, I also love to be barefooted. I am more comfortable that way, and at least I can obsess about my toenail color in a girly way, even if I can’t obsess over shoes. However, during the winter, it simply isn’t a possibility to run around with no shoes on and show off my new Wizard Whiles color-changing nail polish."
While they were talking, a sales clerk finally made it over to them. Her red hair, which looked like it had once been in a bun, had too many frayed strands hanging down with just the slightest hint of the bun left in place. She wore red robes, in lieu of the season, but they looked like she had been in a struggle on the floor with the other clerk. Her green eyes looked weary, but a smile lit her plump face as she gazed at Pomona’s sad one. She addressed them with a bit of an Irish accent, “Name's Eliza. Were you wan’in to purchase a pair o’ new shoes, Miss?” she asked with a lilt. “These are the finest Elfin-made. Are you needin’ a special colour?”
Pomona looked at the clerk, sharing a small smile for her empathy and nodded. “I need a gold pair, I think, to go with a deep red, velvet dress.”
“Ah, goin’ to a fancy Christmas party are we? Well, tell me, what does the neck line look like? Oh, and the sleeves.” Eliza moved to the display of gold shoes while she waited for Pomona to describe the dress for her.
Pomona thought for a moment. “Well, it has a sweetheart neckline with sleeves off the shoulder. It has a Renaissance feel and the sleeves are long with a flair at the end. I have a patterned, green and red velvet wrap for my shoulders,” she informed with a dreamy look in her eye. She remembered the day she found it. The dress was a dream, and she had been thrilled. It had been a little pricey, but how often were you the Maid of Honor for your best friend? It made her feel beautiful when she wore it, and the look on Filius’ face when she modeled it for him had clenched her decision to buy it.
“I see,” replied the clerk. “She moved to the far side of the display and picked up a gold sling-back with a three-inch heel. They had a smooth matte finish and a closed toe. “These will probably be what you’re needin’. They are simple, with just enough height to let you move freely with a long dress.” Eliza looked down at Pomona’s feet, which were encased in sturdy, winter boots, calculating. “You wear about a seven, right?”
Pomona’s gaze followed Eliza’s, her feet shifted together and she blushed a little. If she hadn’t had on the boots she would have put one foot over the other in embarrassment. “Um, yes. Those look like the right choice, thank you.”
“Great, I’ll just wrap those up for you and get you on your way then.” Eliza turned quickly, another strand of hair flying free from her bun, and disappeared behind a curtain.
As Filius had waited for his wife to deal with the clerk and find a pair of shoes, a lovely idea dawned on him. He had gotten her the customary gifts for Christmas, but he now knew of something simple he could do that might give her joy. The best part about it was it involved Charms, a topic near and dear to his heart. Just like his wife. As they left the store and made their way back to Hogwarts, a small smile curved his mouth.
Pomona shivered but smiled, her heart beating wildly in anticipation. It was late on Christmas Eve and the newlyweds were on their way to a secret place for a few days. The ceremony had been beautiful, held atop the Astronomy Tower with a few family and friends present. Albus had cast a spell which created a magical sphere around the tower, shielding it from the snow. The effect it created resembled that of a reversed snow globe, keeping those on the tower safe and warm, while the snow gently fell around them.
And then, Minerva had made her way down the make-shift aisle. Her dress was breath taking; emerald, velvet brocade with a tiny hint of white fur at the ends of the sleeves and skirt. Her head was crowned with a matching pill-box hat with the same white trim on the bottom, and her raven hair was pulled back from her face in a soft twist. She had followed Pomona to stand by Albus’ side as Handel’s Sonata for Violin and Piano played in the background. Filius had performed the binding and their friends had been bound together in their love for one another. Pomona sighed. The holly and mistletoe had not been out of place and when Albus and Minerva kissed, she and Filius had shared a smile.
Afterwards, they had all shared a simple buffet. Pomona could still feel the warmth of the Thai chicken flavoured noodles on her lips. The spice of the food had lent an exotic feel to the air, reminding Pomona of the lovely week she and Filius had spent on the Mediterranean for their honeymoon. When Albus had finally relinquished the safety of the school over to Filius and left with Minerva, Filius smiled gently at his wife and whispered in her ear.
“Come, my love. I have a surprise for you.” His eyes beamed and he seemed almost devilish in his secret.
Pomona followed him out of the castle into the snow and to her beloved greenhouses. Her brow creased, as nothing seemed out of place. Soon, he turned to her and asked her to close her eyes. She complied and listened intently, trying to figure out what he was doing. She heard a muttered spell and then the creak of a door. She felt a rush of warm, sultry air hit her face and the familiar fragrance of a greenhouse in early summer floated to her nose. It was a very interesting contrast. Standing in front of her greenhouse with the door open and the scents of summer filling her mind with that time of year, yet feeling the snow falling around her and shivering as the bitter wind whipped past her.
Filius took her hands and pulled her inside, shutting the door behind them. “Please open your eyes, ‘Mona.”
As she did, Pomona gasped. Before her was not a greenhouse, but a mirage. She leaned down to touch a honking daffodil which caught her attention when it let out a sound like a goose. ‘Not a mirage,’ she thought, ‘an oasis!’ She smiled and turned to take it all in.
Filius had charmed her greenhouse into a wonderful wooded park. There were cherry blossom trees and willows. A pond with a cascading fall was surrounded by a path which was covered with flowers of every kind. Flutterby bushes dotted the landscape and shivered as she walked by them. Laughing lilies giggled and swayed back and forth, while outside, the snow softly fell.
Pomona felt like she had entered paradise. She turned to Filius and pulled him into a hug. “Oh, Fil…it’s so wonderful! You have created a summer oasis in the snow! What ever made you think of this?” She leaned back, her eyes gleaming with pleasure as she gazed at him.
Filius looked down, blushing a little, but then looked back at her. “Well, ‘Mona love, I thought I would let you do something you love, but cannot do in the winter. I got the idea from our conversation about your shoes. You told me how much you love to be barefooted and I wanted to give that to you.” He looked at her sheepishly. “And I also wanted a chance to see the nail polish you are so proud of.”
Pomona blushed this time. Things like this just made her love him more. She jumped at the chance to take off her shoes, which were pinching her toes by now anyway. When she did he looked down at her feet. Her toe nails were deeply red to match her gown. As she wriggled them, they turned an emerald green to match her shawl.
“Delightful, my dear, that is ingenious!” he exclaimed and Pomona blushed again. “What would you like to do in this oasis I have created for us?” He eyed her mischievously.
“Um….”
“Yes?” he asked and cocked a brow at her.
“No…no, it’s silly…” she began, shaking her head.
“Nothing is silly if it brings you joy, sweetheart.” He took her hand and looked at her seriously.
“Well, I am not dressed appropriately and I would rather stay here than venture back into the snow again to go and change.”
“What did you have in mind?”
Pomona leaned over and whispered into his ear. He blushed, and then laughed. Clearing his throat, he replied, “Well, that isn’t a problem at all, my love. I am the Charms professor, after all.” With a swish of his wrist and a flick of his wand, Pomona felt herself lifted. A shimmering veil of smoke surrounded her and her dress transformed. As she looked down, she now wore the gossamer white robes of a wood sprite. When she wriggled her toes, they changed to a shimmering blush-pink colour. She giggled and hugged Filius again.
With another flick of his wand his black robes changed to khaki shorts and a Hawaiian shirt while his shoes also disappeared. Barefooted, they held hands and walked to a bench near the pond. Filius sat down and looked up at Pomona, who looked back at him with glee. “I’ll go first if you like.”
“Oh, Filius, thank you. This is the most wonderful Christmas ever!” she told him and leaned in to kiss his lips. Their mouths met tentatively at first, and then he leaned in to pull her closer. Tenderly he nibbled her lip and she closed her eyes, enjoying the taste of him. She moaned audibly then leaned back to gaze at him. Her eyes were dancing as they met his. He sighed, but laughed when she moved back to stand up.
“Very well, you had better get going. I am only counting to twenty this time,” he informed her with mock seriousness. Pomona got a startled look, but soon recovered, then ran off into the cherry trees giggling. Filius smiled at her back, put his face in his hands and began, “One…two…three….”
End.
I liked the way you portrayed their relationship and interactions. 