Hermy kept stroking Finn's hair, hoping it was a comforting action. She smiled at him, despite the worried thoughts in her head. She was pretty certain Finn had similar things running through his head, and she knew voicing them would only confirm Finn's concerns. Instead she decided to make a trip to the library as soon as possible, wondering whether delayed human transfiguration or charms were possible.

"That sounds a good plan, if something is wrong we don't want to risk it getting too far." Boy she hoped it wouldn't get to that, and that it would just someone pulling a prank that Finn didn't know of.

Hermy felt Finn hug her and she responded by squeezing him tight. She knew how deeply he cared for her. He had helped her so much in the last week, and Hermy was looking forward to their future together.

He looked up at Hermy and said. "Can we just stay here? I want to just be with you right now and be with you. We don't even have to say anything. I'll just watch you draw and paint." He knew there was no other place he wanted to be.

Hermy smiled and nodded. "Of course we can, I'd like that." She reached over and pulled her bag and sketchbooks towards where she sat. Turning the page from the outline of the leaves, Hermy knew exactly what she would drew, and knew that Finn would enjoy watching the work in progress.

From her robes Hermy pulled a muggle pencil, and starting to sketch an outline of the area in which they sat. She glanced up occasionly to check the detail and perspective, but this picture was more about catching the atmosphere of the moment rather than precise detail in everything around the main focus.

He smiled and relaxed as she began her work. As much as he cared about her, all the emotions he had been dealing with today caught up with him and as she drew, he drifted off to sleep next to her.

After a few minutes of drawing, Hermy looked towards Finn and saw that he had drifted off to sleep. She smiled, he looked so peaceful there, and she kissed his cheek gently so as not to wake him up.

Hermy continued her sketch, two people hugging appearing in the centre of the page.

Sahrina walked into the garden and sees Liz working on a plant. "Hey, thanks for helping me." she said as she walked up to her and looked at the plant she was taking care of.

Hello, no problem!
The first thing you do is put some stones into the bottom of the pot and put a layer of small pebbles over that. Then fill the pot 1/3 of the way with potting soil.

Now what was that fertilizer...Oh that's right. The best fertilizer for these plants needs to be high in nitrogen so it's the 20-10-10 fertilizer, I'll go grab some.

Sahrina nodded and did as she was told. She turned around when she was done and waited for the girl to come back.

Ok, here's the fertilizer. Now what you want to do, is very gently take the plant out of the pot, take care not to damage any of the netted roots. The roots are very delicate, and can cause stress, when damaged. It will take longer to bud and grow, until it restores the roots back to what they were.

Then you need to place it gently into the pot, and fill it the rest of the way with fertilizer. Make sure to use a scoop, (Liz puts one down next to the fertilizer bag). The fertilizer has potions in it, to aide the plant, and it can burn your hands. (One student didn't listen in class, I saw before I left, and his hands looked very painful!)

Then all you need to do is water! It should start budding in a week!

I'm really nervous Sahrina, my aunt sent me a letter by owl, and needs to talk to me in Hogsmeade this weekend...

Xana dusted off her hands as she finished the maintenance work on the student gardens. "Do you want to go with me to help in the greenhouses, too?" she asked Dia. There was no way she was going to fail Professor Erikson if she could help it... plus, she wanted to see how the weko-yajé plant she gave him last term was holding up. "And while we're in there we can take care of our tiger lily plants for class..." She paused and lowered her voice, making sure no one was in earshot. "Though, I was thinking... I'd kind of like to try to grow one of the konkagami plants, and just keep it tucked away where none of the other students would be able to evaluate it-- what do you think? Do you want to try one, too?" After all, it certainly couldn't be more challenging than Chuck, as plants go.

Sahrina nodded nervously, and did as she was told. When she had finished and done it right, she smiled and looked proud of herself.

When Liz said she needed to talk to her aunt, her expression faultered into a sad look. "I'm sorry." she said sincerely. "What's wrong?" she asked. She knew she had asked this alredy, but she just forgot what the answer was. She blamed it on short term memory loss.

Dia smirked. "Yes indeed...I would quite like that. Tiger lilies just don't do it for me." she shook her head. "Do you know a place where they could be kept without other students finding them?"

She nodded. "Come on... Let's go to the greenhouses." She left the student gardens, leading Dia to the greenhouses.

I'm not sure...she said that she wanted to talk to me about my mom. But I already know she's sick...

Great Job on your plant! It looks fantastic!

Sahrina nodded slowly. "Oh, I'm sorry." she said again.

"Thanks!" Sahrina looked at her plant. It was doing pretty good.

Well I better go, if I'm going to get that arithmancy homework done...

I'll meet you up in the common room later, I should send an owl back to my Aunt Lizzie, maybe she'll drop me a hint...

"Okay, see you later, thanks so much for helping me with my plant." Sahrina said. She made sure it was still okay, then started packing up her stuff.

Kayla walked into the gardens still holding Jace's hand and she found a nice quiet and secluded spot that was surrounded by pretty flowers and foliage. She sank down onto the grass and pulled on Jace's hand gently to get him to sit beside her. "Now isn't this better than that smelly owlery" Kayla said.

She turned to him her eyes twinkling with curiosity. "So are you going to tell me now what you were thinking?"

Jace smiled as he sat down beside her. "This certainly is better than that smelly Owlery," he replied, nodding. He breathed deeply and inhaled the sweet aroma of the flowers. He absentmindedly plucked a daisy near his knee, and handed it to Kayla.

"What was I thinking?" he pondered. "Well, I'm not so sure you deserve to know, Miss Winters," he said, tapping his chin thoughtfully.

Kayla took the flower from him and waited for him to answer her question, when he did not give her one, she gave a small grunt of dissastisfaction. "You're going to drag this out for as long as you can, aren't you" she groaned. "What do I have to do beg you or something" Kayla sincerely hoped he didn't say yes to that because she was not good at begging. If she didn't get her own way well...what was she thinking she always got her own way.

Jace smirked. "No, I won't drag it out," he said quietly. He looked away from her, and thought for a moment. He wasn't sure if she'd like him afterwards, but he didn't care. He shrugged to himself, and turned back to her.

"And no, Kayla," he said. "You do not have to beg me." He said this in all seriousness as he studied her. She was a pretty girl, he thought. He took a breath, and prepared himself for the worst as he leaned over and kissed her. This time, it was gentle and tender.

Kayla was starting to get a little apprehensive at what he was thinking because he seemed to find it rather difficult to look at her.

When he turned back to her and moved towards her, Kayla's heart almost jumped out of her chest and her breath caught in her throat. In the next instant his lips were kissing hers and it was the most incredible thing she had ever experienced and she couldn't stop herself from reaching up and putting her fingers in his hair.

She pulled away from him gently and smiled at him. "You're getting very good at this" Kayla whispered. "But why did you look as though this was going to be the most painful thing you've ever done?"

Jace gazed at her through hazy eyes. "Because I thought you'd object," he said truthfully. He looked at her again, and decided he like the feel of her fingers in his hair. His hair, as a matter of fact, was completely messy now. He ran a hand through the blue locks and continued to look at her.

"You know," he said quietly. "I'd like to do that again." He smiled slightly and leaned forward again and kissed her once more.

Kayla gave a low throaty chuckle. "I've been wanting to kiss you for the last two days, so no...I'm not going to object" Kayla pressed her forehead against his.

At his next words Kayla's eyes lit up as he moved towards her again and she kissed him back softly but passionately and she wrapped her arms around him, when they had finished she moved her head back and looked into those beautiful greenish-silver eyes. "I'm glad to see that this is not making you uncomfortable anymore" Kayla whispered. "But if you ever feel that way please let me know."

Jace smiled at Kayla's words. "Well, I'm glad you're not objecting," he said happily.

He shook his head after they'd finished. "No, I don't think it's going to make me uncomfortable anymore. It's getting easier every time." He smiled at her and kissed her once more, quickly this time, just a peck. "See?" he said, "easier every time."

He laughed once and looked out to the gardens. It really was beautiful here, he thought. He sighed and wrapped his arm around Kayla and tugged her close to him. He found that he actually liked the feel of someone close to him.