ROMEO [2] ⚡ harry potter

7

BLOOM
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"Your roses are beautiful," Harry said as he approached Charlotte in the garden of the café.

He, Zara and Layth had all come around to help the Cardlemans prepare for their annual barbecue, to which neighbours and regular customers were all invited, as well as friends, and family of friends. The others had all gathered to make burgers and drinks, but Charlotte hadn't retreated inside, instead picking up a pair of gardening gloves and scissors, and tending to her array of flowers.

"Thank you," Charlotte grinned, glancing up at him quickly before he crouched down next to her. She continued to snip away at thorns. "My grandmother got me into growing flowers. Did you know Zara's mother was a florist, in their old country? The first thing we realised we had in common was that we both loved flowers, and growing them. Mind you, ever since she left for Hogwarts she seems to have lost interest."

"Things are chaotic there," Harry nodded.

"Things are chaotic here, too," she found herself saying, as if she had something to prove. "Gardening is the only calming thing about my life. I quite pride myself on these roses. There are ten different breeds in this garden, that I've grown singlehandedly, and more at my house."

"Ten?"

"Look, I'll show you," Charlotte said, removing her gloves, taking his hand and standing up. She gestured to the flowers she had been tending to. "These ones are James Galway roses. Nearly thornless, but I have to trim them anyway. You can grow them climbing, but I prefer bushes," she pulled him along to the next rosebush, where mauve flowers bloomed. "Blush Noisette. French, like my Nan. Beautiful, but they lack a scent."

"What are those?" Harry asked, pointing to some violet roses, with an incredibly strong aroma.

"Ah, those are my favourite," Charlotte grinned, eyes bright as she spoke. "Comte De Chambord. Ideal for cutting, and they last forever in a vase. I keep some in my room because they smell so wonderful. I can always cut you some if you'd like. Wonderful table piece."

"I'd love that," Harry replied, with a smile.

"Great. Next one is Pink Moss," Charlotte spoke. "No garden should ever be without these in my opinion. Very low maintenance, and so beautiful. See how the petals pleat?"

And so the next quater of an hour continued that way, with Charlotte talking about roses, listing all of the types she had in the garden, and those she had grown in the past, when she noticed something strange about the conversation.

It was one way.

"You're not saying anything," she blushed, with an awkward chuckle. "I'm sorry- probably boring you- let's talk about something else, like- I don't know, how about-"

"No it's fine," Harry smiled, with a sort of glazed look in his eyes. "It's just... You're so be-" Charlotte's heart leapt. But then he changed his words and it checked itself back into place. "Passionate about these flowers aren't you?"

"You're laughing at me," Charlotte sighed, with an involuntary pout.

"I'm not," he exclaimed, with wide eyes. "I'm really not. It's fascinating. Very fascinating."

"But you'd much rather talk about Quidditch or something, I'm sure," she grinned.

"Honestly, no," he replied, taking hold of her left hand so that he held them both. "I don't want to talk about anything if it doesn't make you as happy as you just were. 'Cause you looked ecstatic now."

Charlotte blushed at this, looking down at their hands, intertwined comfortably and she found herself experiencing a moment of emmense satisfaction, as they fit so perfectly together, more perfect than anything else, including the bushes that she had spent the past five years pruning to what she had thought perfection before this moment.

"Then I suppose I'll continue, if you like," she said, quietly, looking up at him once more, and she noticed that his eyes were still as mesmerising as the first time she'd seen them. The brightest green, with a staggering gradient. If he had been a portrait, no artist would be able to capture this, these layers and blends of jade and gold, combining into something wonderful.

"You said gardening is the only calming thing in your life," he said, but the sentence didn't seem to be going anywhere. It was more of a thought, than anything else.

"Maybe not the only thing."

"What else is there?"

"You," Charlotte's voice had dropped to a whisper as she let this information spill, and she evaluated their position. Hands linked, gazes locked, alone, and standing so close.

Harry smiled gently. "I... Why do I feel so at peace right now?"

"I don't," Charlotte replied, and his smile faded. "Not like that. Look, feel my pulse."

He could've simply pressed a thumb to her wrist- that would have been most practical. But instead, he let go of one of her hands, and reached for her neck; she moved her hair to make room, and Harry looked back into her eyes again, this time so close that she could feel his shaky breath.

"It's... it's beating awfully fast," he said.

"I know," she smiled, cheekily. "Probably the ADHD. It does that sometimes, when I'm nervous."

"This doesn't make sense," Harry frowned. "You said I'm something that calms you. But you're nervous."

"It's this terrible affliction I've got," she sighed, dramatically. "I can't help but contradict myself around handsome boys."

"Then perhaps you ought to stay away from them," a voice interuppted and both Harry and Charlotte leapt away from each other in shock, both beetroot red in embarrassment.

"Dad!"

"Charlie," Richard mimicked, laughing loudly. "Guests are here by the way, but never mind that- God, what have I done? I've raised a flirt!"

"Will you please stop?"

"You're just like your mother," her father continued, ignoring her. He turned to Harry, who was shocked into silence, standing awkwardly by the fifth rosebush. "Her mother was wonderful- she'd make my heart do somersaults and my head explode. You look like you're feeling that now, aren't you mate?"

"Dad, stop," Charlotte said, firmly, marching over to her father, who stood with a bowl full of uncooked burgers. She took the bowl from him and set it on the garden table, before pushing him towards the door. "I'll sort the burgers, you bring in the guests."

"Alright, alright," Richard guffawed, stepping back and holding his hands up in defeat, and Charlotte stopped pushing. He turned to Harry once more. "Don't think I'm leaving you alone with her again. C'mon, inside mate, you can help Theodore with the drinks."

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Hello everyone! I hope you're all doing well, I know I'm bombarding you with updates but I want to get to at least chapter 10 before school starts to get in the way. I guess you could call this a double update!

Qotd: favourite weather?
Aotd: summer rain