hufflepuffed (hufflepuffed) wrote,
@ 2009-05-23 21:40:00

Nine days out of ten, Ted Tonks liked his job. It paid well, kept him busy, gave him a place to stay for the summer that wasn't back home in Limerick, weeding the family garden or tending the store, or, still worse, out on the farm looking like the world's biggest ponce picking tulips for a living. Ted's school friends often liked to give him hell for being the son of two flower farmers, but, away from their influence, he couldn't say it was too bad, all things considered.

It gave him the experience to land the gardening job at the Black Manor for the summer. And sure, it was always a fair amount of hell to be working for the wizarding world's pureblood elite, especially while he was just a lowly muggle born, Ted had the calm good nature and cheery rebellion to let their casual insults to slide off him. Besides, he was paid a pretty amount of money direct to his Gringott's account and had free use of the Black grounds all summer for his trouble. Not to mention there was a very pretty bartender in the town close by who he saw on weekends when out with the rest of the staff, other muggleborns and the occasional halfblood hired on to keep the Blacks in comfort all summer.

That's what Ted's mind wandered too, in the middle of the hot June afternoon as he lazily pruned one of the rose trees that lined the back patio of the Black home, just waiting for the usual Saturday night off.

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	andytheblack 2009-05-24 03:00 am UTC (link)
	"Must you prune so loudly?" No one, not even a family employee, would disrupt Andromeda Black's quiet afternoon in the grass. And granted, Andromeda was well aware that it was the equipment, not the man, who was making such a loud, squeaky noise but who was she to blame an object? It was Tonks who could shut it up. Honestly, didn't he take care of his tools? (Reply to this)(Thread)

hufflepuffed
2009-05-24 03:13 am UTC (link)

"Well," he said thoughtfully, snipping off a few unruly stems for a while. "Never heard of any official studies looking into it, but it could be pretty bad for your nice roses here if I don't. You ever seen any roses get pruned without squeaky shears?" He shook his head, continuing about the task. "Me either, so makes you wonder if they'll grow without it. Never can be too careful with your roses, my Da says. Not just because the thorns, either, you gotta be a little bit tough with roses, otherwise they'll get spoiled and just have their own way. Nope, can't have that."

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	andytheblack 2009-05-24 03:21 am UTC (link)
	Andromeda rolled onto her stomach and looked at him quizzically. "How is it that you manage to be fascinated by the most boring of all subjects?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

hufflepuffed
2009-05-24 03:27 am UTC (link)

"Roses aren't boring," Ted said, looking mortally offended at the very idea. "Although, never having the pleasure of taking an interest in laying about in the grass, perhaps their just a poor man's interests. Obviously if only I didn't have to work all my days maybe I too could take my fun in doing nothing all day. Shame, really."

He paused in his pruning and looked over to her around the rose tree. "What've you got against roses, anyway?"

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	andytheblack 2009-05-24 03:33 am UTC (link)
	"They're entirely cliche," she replied, sounding bored as she returned to her back and closed her eyes against the sun. "Only lazy romantics swoon about their beauty." Suddenly curious, she sat up and crossed her legs beneath her, looking at her gardener. "You wouldn't dare give a girl roses, would you?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	hufflepuffed 2009-05-24 03:36 am UTC (link)
	"Me?" Ted gave her an incredulous look before busily turning back to his pruning. "Roses? Noooo, never. Wouldn't dream of it. I mean. World knows only lazy romantics swoon about their beauty." Pause. "'Course. They're rather nice, you have to admit, Miss Black. For special occasions." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	andytheblack 2009-05-24 03:44 am UTC (link)
	She looked doubtful. "And what determines a special occasion? An anniversary? A wedding? An apology?" She smirked. "Roses are impersonal. I am relieved you hear you'd never give them. It shows better taste than most." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	hufflepuffed 2009-05-24 03:51 am UTC (link)
	"Wedding most assuredly," Ted agreed, nodding. "My ma, she never lets a bride bouquet out of the family shop unless it's got at least a single rose in it. For luck, she says, but mostly she's just a sentimental old bird." He grinned, thinking of it. "So no roses," he said, nodding and finishing off the tree, moving to another near by. "What d'you prefer then?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	andytheblack 2009-05-24 03:58 am UTC (link)
	"Me?" Andromeda was surprised. She'd never really wondered before. "I suppose blue bells are my favorite." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

hufflepuffed
2009-05-24 04:04 am UTC (link)

"Really?" Ted looked over from his work, honestly surprised. "The second Miss Black is a fan of the common blue bell. Never would've thought." He clipped a few stray stems, shaking his head. "Never would've thought. My da grows 'em special back home, family farm. Just for me mum. That's, ah, what's the word for it. Serendipitous. It's very serendipitous, Miss Black, if you'll let me say."

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	andytheblack 2009-05-24 04:06 am UTC (link)
	Andromeda stood and marched over to him, all bothered and annoyed. "They may be common in the garden beds, but they are hardly utilized for romance," she told him, as though she were an expert. "And I don't see what is so 'serendipitous' about that. What a ridiculous thing to say." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	hufflepuffed 2009-05-24 04:11 am UTC (link)
	"Then I won't say it," Ted said amicably, with a faint shrug. "Whatever you wish, Miss Black, I simply thought it was serendipitous. Since my parents are rather, ah, on the other end of the social chain. I simply thought it was funny, I won't say it again." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	andytheblack 2009-05-24 04:14 am UTC (link)
	She stood there for a moment watching him prune the roses carefully before asking, "And which are your favorite?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	hufflepuffed 2009-05-24 04:28 am UTC (link)
	"Oh I don't pick favorites," he answered. "I like 'em all, really, except maybe marigolds. Those are for mourning, you know, and they make me sneeze." He cut a few more leaves, sending them spiralling downward towards the ground. "Daisies are nice. Simple, but I like 'em." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	andytheblack 2009-05-24 04:36 am UTC (link)
	Andromeda, in all her haughtiness, made a face and gave a little laugh. "Daisies aren't simple, they're plain." (Reply to this)(Parent)

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