The Indoor Garden

[hermygirl]

credit: hermionesclone

The common room is less of a jungle than it was under its predecessor, but Professor Noble has maintained the tradition of an indoor garden for all Hufflepuffs to enjoy. As you enter, you’ll brush past a planter of chiming bluebells and lavender, the gentle sound and light scent emitted setting a relaxing vibe to the space. Woven seagrass matting makes it comfortable under foot, even for those venturing from the common room bare-foot. A vertical garden hangs on the wall, filled with edible flowers, herbs and potions ingredients. At the foot of the wall sits a raised bed, with a few remaining fruit bushes from Professor Myers - if you’re hungry, you might find blackberries, raspberries and strawberries ripe and ready to eat plucked straight from the bush.

There are a couple of work benches and a brewing area nearby, for those who want to do some planting of their own, or put the fresh supply of ingredients to good use. A book of suggested potions recipes by year group hangs on the wall, with blank pages for students to add their own. Whether to plant, brew or simply relax, this space offers a change of pace from the common room, and it’s left to the Hufflepuffs to maintain and curate as they wish.

[Erindipity]

This was hands down one of Penny's favorite places in the school. She didn't even have to venture out of the comfort of her common room to get to it (and risk breaking some unknown rule set by some tyrrant) so that was the added bonus, really. Letting her fingers brush against the chiming bluebells, she smiled as the scent lavender wafted into her nostrils. It did indeed have a calming effect and that was just what she needed this fine afternoon. During her FREE period. Yes. She had rushed back to the confines of her common room and kicked her shoes off to go walk barefoot through the student garden. Yep. She was lame like that, obviously.

As she made her way back she couldn't keep the smile off of her face. Partially there because of her environment, but the other cause to it was the thoughts she was having about a certain Ravenclaw. A beautiful, intelligent, amazing Ravenclaw that had held her hand and touched her cheek! The boy of her dreams!

Folding herself down on the woven grass she pulled a journal from her bag and plucked the quill from behind her ear. Now, she hoped no one came along and tried to read over her shoulder or anything of the like... but really she just wanted to gush about the boy and she really didn't have friends that she could do that with. Not that people didn't talk to her... but she really didn't consider any of them her friends. They just didn't seem very interested in her life and she wasn't keen on sharing much anyway. So it worked out well. And she didn't have to worry about her journal blabbing her private business either. That was an obvious plus!

[sweetpinkpixie]

It wasn't that Derf wanted to defy Professor Noble, even if his potential actions would do just that, but there was something disconcerting brewing in the back of the sixth year's mind. Any other term and people would be telling him that his affection for conspiracy theories was just getting the best of him, but not this term. Especially with the intentions and personalities of the present school staff being particularly transparent. Innocent until proven guilty, the judge and jury were still out on how he officially felt about Professor Petrov...but there was something about the man that made the hairs stand on the back of this 16-year-old's neck.

Which was why he was scoping out other potential habits for certain creatures in the barns and the indoor garden seemed a perfect place for some to set up temporary residency. Derf sorely missed the rodent immersion area, that had been his own personal request of Professor Myers, so a little splash of creature presence for the greater good seemed appropriate.

What he had not counted on was there already being a creature of sorts present in said garden - one taking the form of Penny Goodman.

"...heeeeeeeeeeey there," he greeted a bit awkwardly, mostly so his stroll by did not spook her or anything. Most people were so on edge these days that a shadowy figure caught in the corner of one's eye was enough to elicit unpleasant shrieks.

[Erindipity]

Penny was scribbling away about how much she liked Benji and how they had broken some school rules... before she moved onto how much she feared being round the school Prefects lately... and then the whole regime itself and the fear mongering they had going on. Ugh. Her little hand was moving at light speed when she heard Derf speak. Of course she let out an embarrassing, strangled sort of cry while attempting to close her journal. Who knew who tattled these days and who did not.

A slight blush crept up her face as she clung to the journal tightly against her chest. With wild eyes the younger Hufflepuff stared at him for several long moments before speaking. "I am not meant to be in class right now!" she exclaimed. Yeah she had not long since had the run in with another Prefect in this subject matter so it was only natural that she led with that.

[sweetpinkpixie]

And case point.

Sighing to himself, though externally he wore nothing more than a pleasant smile as he looked at his friend (they WERE still that despite everything, RIGHT?!) and lightly shook his head. "Even if you were, I don't know the fourth year schedule so I wouldn't know otherwise," says as a feeble attempt a humor. It was a bit grating, you know? Having your peers look at you as though you were some Snatcher working for the Dark Lord. Which, well, yeah...that WAS a bit dramatic a way of putting it and he could still see the manner in which Professor Noble's brow had knit at the imagery, but it was a feeling. That was the reality of what the badge was now. Not a voice bridging any gaps...just a minion of rule enforcement without any other thought or consideration.

Oh, hello there guilt over what had happened in Astronomy. So nice for you to continue to haunt his moderately fragile Hufflepuff heart.

"What are you writing? If, you know, you don't mind my asking."

[Erindipity]

They were still friends... probably. It wasn't like they had had much time to actually chat and catch up. Seeing as she had been avoiding all Prefects and professors like the plague unless she HAD to be around them like in classes and such. It was nothing personal, ya see, it was just that her hair had started falling out after he had inadvertently gotten her into trouble. Not his fault, it was just the stress of the whole situation. Again, not his fault... totally.

Still clutching the journal to her chest she gave a small laugh before nodding. "Right. haha... right," she said quickly. This was painfully awkward for her and she really had no idea how to behave around him. She had gotten lucky when she kicked Maxton... he hadn't tattled. But who was to say that Derf wouldn't find a reason to tattle on her? This whole term was a huge, stinking pile of hippogriff dung, really.

But then his question brought her up short. Her brow furrowing slightly. "It's me journal. S'private," Penny muttered as she shoved it back in her bag rather aggressively. "And it is charmed where only I can open it," she added as an afterthought. More so because if anyone else was lurking around they would know not to try to snag it. She was pretty sure that Derf would do no such thing.

Probably.

Why was this all so hard?

"You ready for summer then?" Awkward chit chat for the win.

[sweetpinkpixie]

As she spoke, Derf was trying to gauge whether or not he was a welcomed presence or not. It all came crashing back down on him, the conversation in the prefects loo about these new black notebooks and how it would make the rest of the school perceive them. Then again, could he really blame the new Headmaster for his own actions? It wasn't like he was being held at wandpoint to do anything. He. Derfael Mitchell Ashburry-Hawthorne, was the one who was deciding. Of his own free will. So really, he only had himself to blame and he could have just as easily turned in his badge at the start of term officially and avoided responsibility, but instead he kept it.

He had made his bed, and now Penny's reactions to his mere presence was him sleeping in it.

"As most journals are," he nodded with a weary smile as he settled down near the soil and began eyeing the fresh fruit growing there. His stomach churned uncomfortable at the sight, from guilt, and he reckoned that it was an oversight of Professor Noble that these remained here.

But still...

His actions almost meant to be a peace offering to the fourth year, Derf reached out and plucked a particularly luxurious looking red strawberry from the vine - or, er, whatever it was strawberries grew from - and rubbed it on his robe to clean a little. "Yeah. Be nice being home...away from here and getting to travel a bit...and it'll be my last summer with the U-17 team too." Then, offering her another smile, he took a bite and ate it all in one go. "What about you? Got any plans?" he asked upon swallowing, a bit of strawberry juice lingering on the corner of his lips.

[Erindipity]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweetpinkpixie

As she spoke, Derf was trying to gauge whether or not he was a welcomed presence or not. It all came crashing back down on him, the conversation in the prefects loo about these new black notebooks and how it would make the rest of the school perceive them. Then again, could he really blame the new Headmaster for his own actions? It wasn't like he was being held at wandpoint to do anything. He. Derfael Mitchell Ashburry-Hawthorne, was the one who was deciding. Of his own free will. So really, he only had himself to blame and he could have just as easily turned in his badge at the start of term officially and avoided responsibility, but instead he kept it.

He had made his bed, and now Penny's reactions to his mere presence was him sleeping in it.

"As most journals are," he nodded with a weary smile as he settled down near the soil and began eyeing the fresh fruit growing there. His stomach churned uncomfortable at the sight, from guilt, and he reckoned that it was an oversight of Professor Noble that these remained here.

But still...

His actions almost meant to be a peace offering to the fourth year, Derf reached out and plucked a particularly luxurious looking red strawberry from the vine - or, er, whatever it was strawberries grew from - and rubbed it on his robe to clean a little. "Yeah. Be nice being home...away from here and getting to travel a bit...and it'll be my last summer with the U-17 team too." Then, offering her another smile, he took a bite and ate it all in one go. "What about you? Got any plans?" he asked upon swallowing, a bit of strawberry juice lingering on the corner of his lips.

Most journals were indeed private... but that didn't stop people from snooping now did it? And she was not entirely sold on whether to trust Derf or not. One heard rumors about things... not that all rumors were based in truth, but still. It gave her some pause in trusting him entirely. BUT that didn't mean they weren't friends.

This was all very confusing. And she was only thinking these things, nevermind if she had to explain them to someone other than herself. Watching the older boy settle down near her, Penny couldn't help but frown. Not because of him, but because she really wanted to ask him something, but was afraid he'd be offended. So, for now she focused on what he was saying about the summer. Hahah. That sounded FABULOUS. Truly it did.

"Me family is poor. I will likely go camping nearby and that's the extent of me traveling. I will spend the summer in Galway and hope me boyfriend can come there," she said with a shrug. They didn't travel much further than surrounding areas and if she could find some place to hire her part time (even though she was technically too young) she would jump at that opportunity, seeing as her older siblings would be doing just that this summer. That would leave her to deal with her Mum all the time and whilst she did love her mum, she did, she also did not care to be with her 24-7... or ya know... the modicum of free time her mum had from work.

"But your summer sounds swell. But I have to ask you something, Derf... if I may," she said as she began to fidget with the hem of her robes.

[sweetpinkpixie]

Ignorance was bliss and that was how the Hufflepuff would feel were he to have any sort of inclination towards her thoughts. Though his own imagination and tendency towards conspiracy theories tended to make worse assumptions than the reality was. Which, thankfully, he was not doing at the moment. Rather he was offering Penny a small smile. "Camping is loads of fun though. Plenty of adventure to be had in your own backyard, you know?" Because he didn't want her feeling like money was of any value to him. He knew how, well, wealthy people at Hogwarts were. His own family was pretty well off though he hoped he never boasted about it. "Lots of neat wildlife in Galway too. And, well, Galway Bay is known for its birdlife. Could spend a good amount of time bird watching and that's free!"

And then came that 'b' word...and sometimes Derf felt like he was the only person on the planet who had no priority in, well, any of that. Rather it still made him all insanely anxious and he still had to figure things out with Natalie. Like...what he could do for a date. He had an ABUNDANCE of ideas, but most of them he couldn't DO given how Hogwarts was and he was so terrified of disappointing her since she had been waiting for so long for this.

"Huh?" he blinked, pulling himself from his thoughts. "Oh, uh, I'm sure your boyfriend will do whatever he can to come visit you. You're really special, you know?" he attempted to reassure her. "Of course. What ever you want," he nodded, though his hand was in his hair ruffling it a bit.