Pairing: MeropeOC

Prompt: 254. Spiders

Word count: 499

Spiders

Merope had been sweeping her backyard, fumigating for insects such as beetles and spiders, when she happened to look up. She was covered in dirt and other sorts of filth, but her sweaty forehead and dirty clothes had caught the attention of a handsome gentleman who had been passing by.

"Good day, Madam," he said, tipping his hat in a gesture of respect.

Merope frowned, but responded to the kind words. "Good morning, Good Sir!"

The gentleman smiled slightly, stopping rather than continuing. He moved to the yard Merope was working in, looking at the unkempt garden. "Forgive me if I am wrong," he began, "and Merlin knows I would be in an awful lot of trouble if I am, but I have heard this house belongs to… wizards."

"It does, Sir," Merope said, nodding enthusiastically. "All of us are magical!"

The gentleman nodded, again glancing around the garden. "Then, if I am bold enough to ask, why are you tending to the garden as if you were a Muggle?"

Merope looked down at her filthy clothes and skin, and then at the twenty or so dead spiders lying in front of her. She looked back up at the gentleman. "I enjoy working," she answered with a smile. "It keeps my mind of other matters. My father believes I'm useless, you see. He doesn't think I can do magic –" A look of horror came across her face as she stopped talking abruptly. She knew she had said too much, but her explanation had piqued the young man's attention.

"Blasphemy!" he stated.

Merope said nothing, instead returning to her gardening. "Oh dear, oh dear," she muttered to herself, "Father will find out what I have said and I will be in so much trouble."

The gentleman had now stepped into the land belonging to the Gaunts. Even up close he was handsome. Merope blushed.

"A witch such as yourself should not be working herself so hard," he said kindly, placing his hand over the broom Merope was using to sweep up the spiders. "Listen to me, Madam, I am simply passing through; however, I would be inclined to stop an extra day or so if I was able to take a beautiful girl such as yourself out to dinner."

Merope blushed furiously at such a kind statement; but she shook her head. "I mustn't," she said to him. "I cannot."

The gentleman frowned. "Then my day here is wasted," he said, "for I am sure I will not see another as beautiful as you in my travels."

Merope shook her head, but her heart was pounding in her chest. He was rather handsome – and no man had been so kind to her before.

"I am saddened."

"I… I…." She began sweeping the spiders again.

The gentleman relented. "Very well," he said. "I will try another day."

When he was gone, Merope watched him with longing until he disappeared. She sighed.

He would never know how trapped she truly was.

This chapter was requested by epsi10n. And the OC being nice was requested by them as well!

I hope you enjoyed this! Please don't forget to leave a review. If you would like to make your own request, please send me a PM!