Written for the Spring Has Sprung Challenge on Ilvemorny Forum.

Used the main prompt — saffron

Used two other prompts — awakening and 'she was not fragile like a flower, she was fragile like a bomb'

House — ze 'wudgie one. Pukwudgie

She was beautiful.

Since he was a young teenager, he had never thought that a girl would bring that stunning revelation to the forefront of his mind. Much less someone from the den of the lions. Parvati Patil was a rare case of beauty amongst that foolish house from Hogwarts.

With some reluctance, he tore his eyes away from her shining face and focused on her dress instead. Despite the rest of wedding being traditinal for a wizarding family, Parvati had stood firm on her decision to pick the dress herself. Instead of wedding pure white, she picked the soothing colors of saffron to curl around her in waves. He remembered her tantrum earlier that week, very insistent that she wasn't going to throw away something close to her culture on her special day.

Indeed, Parvati was her family's spoiled little brat. She got what she wanted, and she was not fragile like a flower, she was fragile like a bomb.

It wasn't often that he was this appreciative of another person — much less one that showed so much emotion over the little things, it was almost completely different from himself. Parvati was loud, very girly, and had no problem telling people when she thought they were wrong.

She had no problem telling him when he was wrong. Countless times, he remembered their discussions over certain subjects that slowly went from him coaching her and to her surpassing him. It was a wonder she went into Gryffindor at all with that mind. He wasn't sure when the fluttering feeling of awe had turned into an awakening of a deep crush. But it had happened.

Unfortunately.

He was broken from his deep thoughts by a low voice by his ear. "I think you're spending a bit too much time staring at my future wife."

Theodore Nott cracked a grimace. "I'd rather look at her than the floor, you lucky oaf."

Blaise didn't respond to that one, because Parvati had already arrived at the altar. Her gaze swept by Theo, but didn't linger for even a second before it was back on Blaise, grinning bashfully.

He felt his chest tighten. For the first time that night, he dropped his gaze steadily to the floor and tried to convince himself it wasn't to avoid the sight of her hand in his best friend's hand. Even if it did make everything a tad bit more real. Something that Theo had always tried to avoid.

And some time during the ceremony, he found his eyes drifting past the lucky couple about to get married and towards the wide window besides them. Where the sun was setting, washing away the colours of the polished blue sky into a deep beautiful saffron. It was a bright and cool spring, but it looked like a tired sunset.

Theo twisted his lips into a miserable smile.

Tired sunset, indeed.