CHAPTER NINETY-NINE
"herbology blushes"
The late afternoon, lemon toned sunlight shone through the glass panes bordered in decades of olive green, creeping moss that seemed to have made a permanent residence on the roof of Greehouse No. 4. The light refceleted off the glistening water droplets Professor Sprout sprayed on the thick, greyish Mandrake leaves a few minutes earlier. A strong breeze cut through the small crack in the window of the east side of the large greenhouse. The wind rustled through the terracotta pots and winding vines bearing plump, purple fruits that were pulsing slightly and shaking off bugs on their own accord.
This natural ambiance was broken by Sirius complaining about how his brown, couldory herbology smock wasn't flattering to his complexion for the past ten minutes.
"Warm, brown shades just don't compliment my undertones," Sirius whined as they replanted pale sneezewort petals as seeds into new rust-colored, rough pots.
Hollis snorted and looked up at Remus, who was currently reburying one of the creamy white petals in soft, tawny dirt, and he glanced down at her with an amused grin at their friend's complaints.
Remus, Hollis, and James all had smears of the earthy flecks on their faces, as well as all down the fronts of their aprons. None of them cared about their appearance as much as Sirius did, besides maybe James about keeping his hair as messy as physically possible.
As Hollis wiped a speck of dirt off her inky black eyelashes, another smudge of dark brown appeared on her cheek. Grabbing one of the damp, cream-colored, soft washcloths off the rusted sink behind him, Remus gently placed a hand on Hollis's chin to turn her towards him.
Softly wiping away the dirt beneath her eyes, he smiled and casually threw the cloth over his shirt. For some reason, the simple act of smoothly draping the washcloth over his shoulder made Hollis stare for a bit longer than necessary.
"Better now?" Remus asked with a crooked grin as he noticed her fixed gaze on him.
Blinking several times as a tinge of heat surfaced on her cheeks, Hollis nodded.
"Yea, thanks," she muttered, smiling. Turning her gaze to Marlene across the table, she called loudly over to the blonde with perspiration glistening on her forehead. "Hand me another pot, Marls?"
Marlene looked up and grinned.
"Overachiever much, Rosier?"
Hollis giggled as she reached forward across the stone table to receive the heavy pot from Mckinnon.
"I think the whole class might be able to move quicker if Sirius would shut up about his bloody undertones," Hollis said, raising an eyebrow and crossing her arms over the brown apron and turning to the black-haired boy who was currently holding up a patch of the nutty fabric against the back of his hand to compare the two. "Only Marlene can knock sense into him when he gets like this."
Remus laughed as well as he reached his hand in to a bag of soil to gather more for their pot. Almost every student had their white sleeves rolled up to their elbows to prevent another uniform shirt getting soiled throughout the course of the day. Hollis could see a few shallow, barely visible scars crossing over Remus's toned forearms as he plucked a few petals off a Sneezewort to replant them yet again.
The Rosier wished that she could do the same as well. Even in late November, the greenhouses were sweltering besides the occasional relief of breeze from the cracked windows and walls. Looking down at her sleeves with dirt all over the cuffs, Hollis frowned. Drawing her gaze down and across the table, she looked to where Lucius and Theodore were repotting the petals as well.
Both of their Dark Marks were fully visible. Hollis saw several students look in two Slytherin's direction, their left forearms to be exact, and scooted a few inches away with vague fear flitting across their faces. Remus saw her looking at their Dark Marks and frowned slightly. Wrapping one arm around her waist, he changed his frown to a small yet reassuring smile.
"They can't do much to anyone at Hogwarts," he told her as she turned back to him. "Especially after Halloween, Dumbledore has been keeping a pretty close eye on them. Well, all those Death Eater scum, really."
Her stomach flipped, and not in the usual pleasant way when his arm was around her waist.
Death Eater scum.
Hollis smiled back the best she could and leaned her head slightly into Remus's chest.
"And besides, I've seen what you can do compared to them," he said with a smirk. "They might be good at curses and charms, but at a point strength triumphs memorization."
These words were still lost on Hollis as she just thought of his expression while talking about the Dark Mark, but she snapped back to reality as she heard him sigh deeply. Taking one of his hands and looking up at the tall boy, she jumped up slightly to plant a soft kiss on his lips.
"These petals won't replant themselves, wolfboy."
For the next half hour, they talked and worked with relaxation. They both found each other's presence calming, adding to the generally peaceful nature of the greenhouse. Well, besides the few times Hollis had vigorously beat a Venemous Tentacula vine trying to slither around Peter's shoulder off the blonde boy with her Herbology textbook in hand.
Several heads turned as the fogged greenhouse door slowly opened and Dumbledore walked in. The headmaster looked to Professor Sprout and smiled tranquilly at the frumpy witch.
"Would you mind if I borrow two of your students briefly, Pomona?" he asked, his pale blue eyes glistening.
Sprout replied without looking up from where she was plucking some Snargleuff pods.
"Just don't keep them for too long, Albus."
The old man turned to Hollis and Remus with an outstretched arm.
"Miss Rosier, Mr. Lupin, would you wind stepping outside with me for a few moments?" he asked kindly. "I won't be prying you from your work for very long, no need to worry."
Hollis and Remus simultaneously looked at each other with slightly nervous glances and they wiped the dirt off their hands on their aprons. Remus nodded first and cut through the long row of students on their side of the table, and Hollis followed.
James, Sirius, Marlene, Peter, and Lily watched them leave with either amused or worried expressions.
"Reckon they got caught snogging in some prohitbitted area?" Sirius asked with a chuckle that made Lily whack him over the head with a loose dragonhide gloove that was resting on the table between them.
Just outside of the mossy glass, Hollis and Remus stood in front of the headmaster with confusion.
"Are we in trouble?" Hollis asked skeptically, scooting a little closer to Remus.
Dumbledore smiled at this default reaction.
"Quite on the contrary, unless you should be," the headmaster smiled at them with that glint in his blue eyes.
Remus and Hollis vigorously shook their heads.
"No, based on you two's remarkable performances and aptitude for learning in your N.E.W.T. classes this year, a few professors have requested your help with their more struggling students."
Hollis raised a dark eyebrow.
"Tutoring, you mean?"
Remus grinned as Dumbledore nodded.
"I mean, yeah, sure," Hollis replied, looking up at Remus as she gave a shrug of her shoulders. "What subject?"
"I was hoping Mr. Lupin would help with Care of Magical Creatures, and you with Defense Against the Dark Arts?" Dumbledore suggested, and his two sixth years nodded. "Excellent. I really do appreciate your kindness and willingness to volunteer your time."
Turning away, Hollis and Remus were about to go back into the greenhouse before Dumbledore turned his head back around and cleared his throat.
"Oh, one more thing," he said with a bit of mischief. "You two will be working together in a spare classroom to help these students, but if any shortcuts are taken there or back, then I will just ask other older years to tutor instead."
Hollis and Remus's necks both heated.
"Yes, professor," Lupin nodded with that crooked grin of his that made the Rosier's stomach flip pleasantly this time.
But that promise hadn't been made for just then, and Hollis and Remus walked back in to Greenhouse No. 4 a few minutes even after Dumbledore had left them with slightly messy hair and looser ties than they had left with.
jesus yall i love happy chapters with my whole heart (or as happy as this book is gonna get rrs yall know lets be real)
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