The Serpent and the Lioness

Chapter 58

Severus looked down at the flowers in his hand. He'd spent nearly all afternoon and well into evening searching their property for the proper ones. He knew he'd planted some rare, moonbeam roses but he'd forgotten exactly where he'd planted them.

They only bloomed at night during the third full moon of the season, they were a hardy rose, able to withstand all four seasons but they bloomed the best in the proper winter temperatures. They had a beautiful golden center, with deep blue petals that seemed to shine as if they were dipped in some sort of yellow glitter. They were extremely potent in all manner of advanced potions and a very highly sought after ingredient. A single dried petal going for 40 galleons alone.

He had also found his Blackmagic rose bush had bloomed well inside the heated greenhouse, they weren't a winter flower, but the magic of his greenhouse had kept them alive long after they were due to die. He had taken two of those as well, while not a rare flower, nor useful for many potions, Hermione had found them beautiful when she'd seen them in one of his catalogs. He'd bought them on a whim not really wanting to take space from his more purposeful ingredients to keep them for her but he had promised to replant them in front of the house when they had grown strong enough to withstand the move.

The last of his bouquet was the most difficult to locate, it only grew in the spring and he hadn't made any space for it inside his greenhouse, it served him no purpose to have it and thus he hadn't thought to grow it. He had taken a small walk through the edge of their woods and found himself along a muggle street. He looked in both directions keeping to the shadows before he noticed a tiny flower shop on the corner, the owner was pulling in their plants for the evening when Severus saw the plant he was looking for.

He wrestled with himself on what to do, he couldn't steal but he didn't have any muggle money on him either. He looked down at the flowers he had in his hand and an idea sparked inside him. His flowers were rare, rarer than the shop owner appeared to have. The man was elderly and probably kind given the way he moved with care.

With a small glamor over his face and hair, he stepped out of their wooded area and through the wards that kept their little patch of land safe. He'd never had guessed they were so close to a muggle city, well...it didn't really look like a city. More like a one street town. All the other shops had closed for the night leaving the street calm and quiet.

"Excuse me, sir?" Severus kept his face as calm as he could, trying to sound friendly. It was a hard thing to do given his, oh so cordial, personality.

The elder man jumped slightly and turned his head towards him, "Ah yes, what can I do for you son?"

Severus made a sort of face but decided to let the comment pass, "I...I've sort of gotten myself into a bit of trouble...with uh...my..." His brow furrowed, what exactly was Hermione to him? To call her a girlfriend sounded too weak, but to call her his wife sounded well out of bounds.

"Lover?" The elder man chuckled and turned slowly, his back wouldn't straighten, too many years working over the soil for sure but he did give Severus his best once over.

"I haven't any money...but..." Severus looked down at the flowers in his hand and pulled one of his moonbeam and Blackmagic roses from the bunch, "If I could...make a trade for some hyacinths..."

The elderly man gave him the kindest smile he had ever seen in his life and gently took hold of his elbow, "This way, son," He gave Severus' arm a small squeeze before shuffling into his shop.