Legal Disclaimer: I own my stuff, but not the original source material. That belongs to whoever. Also, the opinions and interpretations I use here may not reflect the same in said whoever that owns the source material. Look, I'm just a poor college librarian. Suing me isn't going to get you anything but tears.
Warning: This work may be offensive to some readers. Feel free to back out if need be.
Author's Note: I love these two so freaking much.
Submitting Info:
Stacked with: Hogwarts (Term 13); MC4A
Individual Challenges: Bonjour-Hi; Shadow HP Bribery (Y); Gryffindor MC; Slytherin MC; Magical MC (x2); Neurodivergent; Rian-Russo Inversion (x2); Ethnic & Present (x2); The 3rd Rule; Ship Sails; Hold the Mayo; Gender Bender (x2); Lunar Era; Old Shoes (Y); Sentinel; Skittles [Lesbian Femme]; Gwen's HP Checklist [Noticed Abuse]; In a Flash; Bucket Listing (Y); Two Cakes (Y); Eating Cake (Y); Green Ribbon; Greatest Gift
House: Slytherin
Assignment No.: Term 13 – Assignment 03
Subject (Task No.): Floristry (Task#3: Write a fic with one of the following themes: Deep/pure love, Affection, Admiration, Good luck.)
Other Hogwarts Challenges: Insane Prompt Challenge [546](Purple); 365 [294](Stories); Herbology Club [3-1](Iktsuarpok); Auction [15-3](Genderbent); Back to School Shopping [Other Equipment](Breakable); Tell a Joke Day [03](Dialogue); Pinata [Hard](Femslash)
Other MC4A Challenges: Su Bingo [2B](Zoo); AU [2B](Sentinel/Guide); Hunt [Sp Con](Water); Chim [Kinzie](Royal Purple); Ship (Heroic Shadow)[Sp Med 2](Curry); Fire [Hard](Adventure Writer); Garden [Garden Tools](Sundress)
Representation(s): Sentinel Blaise/Guide Harry; Fem Blaise & Harry; Desi Harry; Autistic Harry
Primary & Secondary Bonus Challenges: Lyre Liar; Abandoned Ship; Surprise!; Second Verse (Bechdel Test; Ladylike; Not a Lamp; Found Family; Nontraditional; Middle Name; Spinning Plates; Clio's Conclusion; Lock & Key; Deadliest Catch; Lovely Coconuts); Chorus (Wabi Sabi; Peddling Pots; Tomorrow's Shade; Larger than Life; Unicorn; Creature Feature; Wind Beneath)
Tertiary & Generic Bonus Challenges: T3 (Terse; Terrarium); SN (Rail; Ameliorate); FR (Satisfaction); O3 (Oath); HoSE (Schooner); TY (n/a)
Word Count: 929
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Food of Love
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Harini let herself bounce in place as she waited for Blaise to come back from the crowded restaurant nearby. She was still relearning how to stim, especially the bigger versions that were easily noticeable by others. Out of a habit that the Dursleys beat into her, she glanced around the area to see if anyone was watching. Despite the busy-ness of the large space, the only person who appeared to be watching her bounce on her toes was a baby in a stroller who gave a gummy grin when Harini made eye contact with them. When Harini gave a little wave of her brown fingers at the infant, they burst into giggles and clapped their hands.
Excited to share the wonder, Harini checked to see if she could spot her sentinel returning to her yet. No matter how distinctive Blaise might have been in the crimson sundress she had chosen for the day, Harini didn't spot her among the crowd. Harini frowned a bit but didn't leave her spot. Her fingers ran over the embroidered water lily stitched in the fabric of her royal purple kurta at her hip. The bumpy but smooth pattern helped soothe her nerves about the separation enough that after a moment, she returned to her bouncing.
The couple had decided to spend Harini's birthday at the zoo. Or rather, Blaise had decided that they were going to create better memories of a zoo after she had learned about Harini's first and only trip. The morning had been filled with fun exploration of three fairly sizable sections before they had headed towards the last and largest section where the animals from the African continent were housed. Being so large (and also new), that section was a long walk away from the clustered sections towards the front of the zoo.
By the time, they had reached the main hub of the section, they were both hot, sweaty, and hungry. Blaise had generously offered to be the one to duck into the busy restaurant to get a selection of the dishes creating divine smells that spilled out of the restaurant while Harini refilled their water bottles from the public spigot offered right beside the water fountain just for that purpose. Now it was just a matter of waiting for Blaise to return with their lunch.
In the enclosure that she was in front of, one of the meerkats poked its head out the burrow before scurrying out even farther. Then standing on top of the mound that made up its home, the meerkat began bouncing in place as well. Curious as to how the adorable animal would respond, Harini varied her speed and pattern. The little rodent matched her rhythm and speed.
"Made a friend?" Blaise asked once she had returned. Harini spun to face her grinning bondmate. Instinctively, she let her senses stretch so that she could run her empathetic touch over Blaise to ascertain that she was still well, despite their brief time apart. She would be embarrassed by the insecure reaction, except she knew for a fact that her sentinel was doing the same with her own enhanced senses. Blaise leaned down to kiss her lightly on the lips. "Gonna run off with your new sweetheart?"
"We're just bouncing together," Harini told her before sniffing the air deeply. The spicy scent of vegetables made her mouth water. "Oh, my god. What is that smell?"
"They sell African curries," Blaise explained as she handed over one of the bowls of steaming food. Harini took it easily and immediately lifted it to her face to better inhale the aroma that was making her mouth water. Harini's eyes slid shut in pleasure as she delighted in the anticipation of being allowed to eat the deliciousness she now held. "I made sure to get a vegetarian one for you."
"You remembered," Harini breathed, her eyes flying back open to stare at Blaise who was watching Harini with a particularly intense look in her dark purple eyes.
They hadn't been matched for very long, since they both had come online during the chaos of the final battle which was only a few months ago now. It had been the instincts that came along with their abilities which had latched onto each other. Forged in the heat of battle as it had been, the bond was not breakable without risking one or both of their lives.
They were still getting to know each other beyond the stories that others told about them. Harini's tentatively expressed wish to reconnect with the Hinduism of her parents, particularly her father, had been one of the many late-night confessions made when one of them had woken the other with nightmares from the war. She had thought that Blaise might have already fallen asleep when she had said it.
"I remember everything about you," Blaise confessed softly. "I do not think it is coincidence that we came online at the same time nor do I believe it was a coincidence that our instincts guided us towards each other."
"Coincidences are spiritual puns," Harini quipped, repeating what Luna had once said to her. Like many things the blonde said, it only made sense in hindsight. "Maybe the gods think they're being funny."
"I think I'm beginning to like their humor," Blaise agreed. She gestured towards the food that Harini was still holding near her face. "Eat. Before it gets cold. Neither of us knows if it will be any good cold."
Harini grinned before tucking into the food.
It tasted just as good as it smelled.