THC/The Houses Competition
House:Gryffindor
Category: Standard, Theme
Class: DADA Prompt(s): [Joy] - the feeling of great happiness, delight, jubilation. [Character] Pomona Sprout
Word Count:1783
Summary: During dark times it's hard to find the joy that life brings, Pomona Sprout and Filius Flitwick finds a moment to forget the dark and enjoy the light.
Picnic in the Greenhouse
Greenhouse number three was filled with an assortment of magical flowers such as Asphodel, Fluxweed, Gillyweed, Dittany and Devil's Snare, all of which had special abilities. Fluxweed was used to help heal or stitch up wounds, mend broken bones and often relieve people of their stomach aches. Asphodel was a beautiful white and gold flower which could be used to help warm the body. Surrounding the many flowers and plants were lit candles that gave the Green House a warm glow in the dead of night.
Pomona Sprout and Filius Flitwick sat on the ground on a worn out, plaid blanket which smelled strongly of mothballs. It was the same blanket they had been using for the past five years when they would sneak off for a secret picnic in the middle of the night. Dozens of memories were woven into the fibres of the blanket and neither one of them could throw it out even though it was falling apart. The edges and corners of the beloved blanket were frayed, and each hole in the fabric told a story of their time together. The time they sat too close to the Whomping Willow and the tree decided to take out its frustrations out on the blanket, the time Filius accidentally poked his wand though the blanket as he tried to put out a fire that had started due to a knocked over candle. And there was the time when the wind blew the blanket into the Black Lake which wouldn't have been a problem if it wasn't for the Grindylows, vicious little water demons.
Amongst them laid roasted chicken, creamy mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower and carrots along with a double chocolate cake, Pomona's favourite.
The night was peaceful despite the Death Eaters patrolling the castle. It had been seven months since Dumbeldore's death and since then things had gone from bad to worse. The school was now run by Death Eaters, mostly Snape and the Carrows. At night the grounds of Hogwarts were patrolled to make sure no student or professor were out after curfew but Pomona Sprout and Filius Flitwick, together, were able to time the shift change. At twelve o'clock exactly the Death Eaters would switch off which gave Pomona Sprout and Filius Flitwick a five minute window opening and they took it. Pomona had to admit she felt like she was a student again, sneaking out after dark for a secret romantic getaway. Since being back at School both Pomona and Filius had fallen into a bit of a depression and they both really needed this. They both knew the risks, what would happen to them if they were caught but they didn't care, they both needed the joy that they brought one another. The kind of joy, happiness you feel when the person you are meant to be with is standing right in front of you. That feeling you get when your heart skips a beat, when your breath gets caught in your lungs for just a second. It was a feeling that both of them needed right now no matter the consequences.
Pomona and Filius sat beneath the planting tables that the second and third year students use to repot Mandrakes. The greenhouse itself seemed to shield them. The hissing from the Venomous Tentacula plant would muffle their conversation to any outsiders, the veins and branches that twirled between the greenhouse windows gave them cover from the candlelight along with the twinkling lights that danced above their heads that Filius had conjured. This moment was a long time coming and it was made all the more special that they were here now.
Filius, being the gentleman that he was, poured Pomona a glass of Elderflower wine. A wine that was light with a hint of lemon beneath the herbs and floral taste. Filius also found that the wine paired nicely with chicken and since tonight was a special night he wanted everything to be perfect. It has been months since the two were able to be alone together.
"There you go, milady," Filius said, as he passed the wine glass to Pomona, who took it gracefully.
Pomona brought the wine glass up and took in the fragrance, light and almost citrusy. There was a creaminess and low projection to the scent that made it pleasant and inviting. Pomona took a small sip, the taste bringing her back to when she first had the wine. She was a sixth year Hufflepuff when one of the boys in her dorm snuck in a bottle. She was never one for parties and she would have spent the night in her room if it wasn't for the peer pressure. She wasn't the most popular girl in school and it felt nice to be included. What wasn't nice was when she had detention for throwing up on her Head of House robes not to mention the major hangover she had the next day.
"You certainly know how to make me feel like a young woman again," Pomona said as the memories came flooding back to her. She took another sip, allowing the flavours to wash over her.
Filius let out a small hum as he poured himself a glass before setting the bottle down. "You don't look a day over twenty-five to me."
Pomona choked on her wine a little, blushing from the statement. She reached out and grabbed a napkin to clean up the little bit of wine that had spilled out of the corner of her mouth. "Twenty-five…now, that takes me back," Pomona commented. "I haven't been twenty-five in the longest time."
Filius let out a small chuckle as he took a sip of his own wine, before setting the glass down next to one of the candles. "I still remember that day, you know. The day you came to work at Hogwarts, you were so beautiful. You were in this very Greenhouse. I remember that you were holding a baby mandrake who was screaming as you tried to give it eye drops due to an infection it had." Filius smiled back over the fond memory.
"I remember." Pomona smiled and then said, "You showed me a charm that would calm the mandrake down long enough to get the eyedrops in. I would have never been able to do it if it wasn't for you. That little guy was putting up quite the fight." Pomona recalled.
"I can also remember how squeamish you were when it came to my Gillyweed plant" Pomona said with a laugh as she remembered what happened that day.
"Those things secrete mucus and it spat at me" Filius explained.
"It did not spit at you, they can't spit" Pomona replied.
"Well…I remember something spitting at me," Filius said, causing Pomona to laugh and spill her wine over her lap.
"Oh Merlin…now look at me" Pomona said as she grabbed another napkin to clean herself up. "I don't know how you could love someone like me."
"Because you're perfect. That's always how I've seen you.. You care so very much about others. You aren't just beautiful, you make the space around you beautiful. You have this ability to bring out the beauty in others and you do it with ease. It's who you are and I love that about you," Filus said, as he dug into his pocket and pulled out a small engagement ring and presented it to Pomona.
"I know we are living in dark times right now and I know things seem hopeless at the moment but I can't think of anyone else I would rather be with during this time."
The band was white and gold and had a vintage looking diamond set in a petite rose with two smaller diamonds on either side. It was delicate and dainty and Pomona loved everything about it. Everything about the ring screamed happiness, delight, joy and blissfulness. To spend the rest of your life with someone you love, it was all Pomona ever wanted. A shadow danced across her face as the candle in front of her flickered as if a symbol of her indecision. With joy also comes sadness, sorrow and misery. The last time she said yes to a marriage possible her fiancé was killed days later by a Death Eater during the first wizarding war against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. She couldn't go through that pain. This one, single piece of jewelry symbolized the future. The future that could be but also the future that could never be.
"Filius…It's beautiful…and…I want nothing more than to say yes but we could die…We don't know what could happen," said Pomona, fearing for the future. Life right now was unpredictable and she didn't want to risk it all by saying yes, she didn't want to lose everything, everything that she held dear to her. Filius was the first person she loved since her fiancé died, he made her smile and laugh and forget herself in the moment. He was special and she didn't want to lose that. What if she said yes and he was taken away from her just like how her fiancé was? She couldn't lose another love, her heart wouldn't be able to take it.
"You're right, we don't know what is going to happen," Filius replied. "We don't know and that's why I'm asking. We could both die tomorrow or next week but no matter how much time we have left I want to spend it with you…even if it means dying. Without joy everything is bitter; cake is guilt, wind is cold, rain is depressing…but with joy, with happiness, cake is rich, wind is refreshing, rain is cleansing. Every small thing in life is a moment able to nourish the soul if we let joy in. To live with awe, humbleness, present in each moment and the gifts of life can fill you, so much that your joy will overflow and make better the lives of all around you. You have that. You fought for this school to stay open, you fight for the students and the staff. Pomona Sprout, would you make me the happiest man in the world during this dark time and marry me?"
Silence spread over the greenhouse for several seconds, the only sound coming from the Venomous Tentacula as it hissed and snapped its leaves.
"...yes," Pomona finally spoke. "Yes, I will marry you." Tears of joy rolled down her cheeks as Filius placed the ring on her finger. Pomona looked down at the ring, she wasn't going to let the past or future threats stop her and as she looked into Filius eyes she knew she made the right decision.