Post by Smaug on Oct 27, 2007 18:33:45 GMT -5
Secret
Genre: Shameless fluff
Summary: A broken window in the middle of the night leads to a secret revealed.
The sound broke the silence of the summer night abruptly and Pomona shot into a sitting position. She fumbled on her nightstand quickly for her wand, muttering a soft lumos when her fingers closed around the handle. Her heart thudded in her chest so loudly she could hear it. As a mistress of Herbology she would recognise the sound of breaking glass anywhere, especially when the glass breaking was that of a greenhouse window. Taking deep breaths she put out her wand and eased her feet to the floor, praying silently that neither her bed nor her floor would creak.
She padded barefoot to her window, hiding herself in the shadows to peer out unseen into her garden. She summoned her dressing gown silently and wrapped it around herself tightly, anticipation and fear rising in her throat. She could see no one in the poor light; the clouds covered the moonlight. Through the night air she heard a muffled reparo and she jolted into action. This could be her only chance to catch her ‘secret admirer’ after all.
Pomona rushed down the stairs, barely bothering to try to remain quiet now; for she was sure if she slowed she would lose her nerve. Minerva, Xiomara and Poppy had all taken great delight in teasing Pomona about the person who left her gifts on her doorstep at least once a week. It had been anything from rare flowers, to a muggle charm bracelet. Last night it had been a single red rose. She hadn’t expected a visit again so soon.
She reached her front door, and she must have been considerably nervous for the door flew open before she even reached for her wand to remove the wards. She stopped in the doorway and gave a sigh, half of relief and half of disappointment as she saw Filius walking up her garden path.
“Fil…” she breathed quietly, “it’s very late, has something happened?” Sudden panic rose in her voice as she spoke. Thoughts of a hurt, or worse, friend or family member swam in her mind.
Filius looked at her startled but quickly spoke to reassure her, “No, no, Mona nothing like that, I promise.”
Sensing his confusion, and now that she knew nothing was wrong she smiled softly and began to explain, “Oh, Fil, you woke me when you broke the glass, thank you for repairing it though. Are you all right?”
Filius coughed slightly before responding, “I’m fine, Mona, I just got my apparition a little off. I collided with your new wards and it took them a little while to recognise me. Unfortunately I wasn’t expecting it and I lost my concentration a little. No permanent damage done though, and I’m fine as well.” He winked at her as he finished.
Pomona laughed and blushed slightly, leading Filius inside to the kitchen, light filling her home as she walked, where she filled the kettle and set it to boil before turning to him.
“Tea? Yes. I expect I wouldn’t have awoken, but it was my greenhouse after all. Besides, I expect I’m a little alert even when asleep at the moment. It is late; to what do I owe this visit?” she asked.
“Why at the moment?” he responded worried, forgetting suddenly in his haste to avoid her question.
Pomona blushed again, and turned to pour some tea to hide her embarrassment. She should have been more careful, but this was Filius.
“Oh… nothing really, it’s just, well,” she stopped suddenly before continuing in a rush, “I just have what the girls are loving to call a ‘secret admirer’ and I have had gifts on my doorstep since the beginning of summer. I thought you were him, you see, that’s why I rushed downstairs.”
Pomona turned back to him, leaving the tea to brew with an embarrassed smile. In the soft light, however, she could clearly see a bright blush covering Filius’ cheeks even beneath his beard.
“Fil… ?” she questioned softly. Her mind whirled with hope and confusion. It couldn’t possibly be… Could it? Fil? Could he be Fil? No, surely she was just being too hopeful, he must just be embarrassed by it all.
He sighed defeated, lifting his eyes to hers, “I am sorry Mona. I… I don’t know what to say. I suppose you know, now. I…”
Pomona could only gape at him. What on earth did that mean?
“I should go,” he said.
He turned to leave but was stopped by her hand reaching out to gently rest on his arm. He brought his eyes back up to hers and mentally kicked himself when he saw tears brimming there.
“Tell me,” she said.
“Mona…”
“Please. I need to hear it, I have to be sure you mean what I think you mean.”
He couldn’t say it. It sounded so false in his head, “I am him, your secret admirer, the bearer of these gifts.” There was only one thing in all of this that was real.
“I love you,” he whispered so it could barely be heard, as if making it quieter would make it hurt less when he was rejected.
She smiled shyly at him; the tears that were brimming were now falling rapidly down her cheeks.
“Then don’t be sorry.”
Finite
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