A Disguised Tree

This was not what Pansy expected her first vacation with her husband would be. Not in the middle of a forest in the middle of Portugal. When Neville had mentioned Portugal, Pansy had dreamed about white sandy beaches or natural lagoons or the wonderful rivers.

But, no, they were in the middle of Buçaco Forest looking for a tree. Such a Neville move. She should have expected something like this from her husband. She knew him as well as her own hand.

"Love, can't I just stay in the hotel?" She pouted, not looking forward to another expedition.

"I would much prefer it if you would come with me instead of staying in the hotel with all those muggles." He pouted.

And Pansy could not say no to those hazel eyes. "I'm going to get changed..." She murmured.

Three hours later, and after four breaks, they stopped in front of the enormous tree.

"Is this it? The Portuguese Cedar Tree?" Pansy asked, stroking the bark.

"Well... not exactly..."

"What do you mean by not exactly! We spent yesterday and most of today walking through these woods looking for it, and this is not it?" she asked, the accusation tone very present on her voice. Oh, she would hex him alive.

"It's not a cedar, it's a cypress." He explained. "It was misidentified in the 1600s," he explained.

Pansy sighed of relief. "So, this is the tree we were looking for?"

"Yes, without a single doubt." Neville looked at the area surrounding them and cast a spell when he saw no muggles around.

"And what is my passionate herbologist doing with this cypress disguised as a cedar?" she asked.

"I'm taking some samples, leaves, branches, bark and cones." He explained, summoning the material from his bag.

Pansy transfigured a blanket and sat on the ground, watching him work with a smile. "So, is this cypress the next addition to our garden?" she asked.

"It will take a few years, or months if I magically speed the process, for the seeds to become trees." He explained.

"Why don't you take one of the trees? I'm not saying this one, but a smaller one."

"No... I want to grow the Portuguese cedar from the seed... multiple ones... I might do a little magical experimenting..." He confessed, taking some more cones filled with seeds.

"What kind of magical properties are you researching? Or planning to research?" she asked.

"Even in muggle herbology, the leaves and the vapours have healing properties, it's used in skin conditions, and headaches, and joint pain and haemorrhages. Oh, and in flu and pneumonia symptoms."

"Isn't my husband just the smartest man in the world," she said.

Neville moved forward to kiss her with a huge smile. "I don't know if that's the truth, but I'm lucky enough to have the most amazing and supportive wife in the world."

"You're a sweet talker, Neville Longbottom, if I didn't know better, I would say you are flirting with me..." she teased "but I'm a married woman..."

Neville chuckled. "What if I told you that the Cupressus lusitanica's essential oil is supposed to be aphrodisiacal..."

"Oh, now I'm hearing something more enjoyable... Aphrodisiacal you say?"

"Enlightening sensations... if we come back to the hotel I can show you." Neville said, helping her to her feet.

"That sounds very wonderful... Can we apparate there?" She asked, eager to have her husband in their room instead of being in the middle of the forest.

"And risk some muggles seeing us appear from out of nowhere?"

"They will just think we are some lustful couple that shagged in the middle of the trees." she winked, kissing him and apparating to the trees surrounding their hotel.