“If you’re sure.“ She couldn’t help standing slightly awkwardly in front of the much older woman. “I just, um, like to help out. Should you be working with fabric outside? Without a wand? Just in case it happens again.”
“I don’t mind working outdoors. It’s quite nice weather,” Sophie smiled.  “But you are right. I should have my wand at hand. I’m just... not quite sure where I have placed it,” Sophie muttered as she dug through her fabrics and supplies in search of her wand.
Ken was on his way to work when he got randomly whacked in the face by a large piece of material. He. Was. shocked. He loved material and fabric so much and this was how it repaid him?! He looked up from his distressed mess to see an older woman slowly walking after it. He fixed his hair and gave her a smile despite how flustered he was, “Is this yours?”
Oh goodness, of course it would be her employer to catch the fabric. Sophie simply gave him a smile, a little reassured by the fact that he didn’t seem to recognize her. She didn’t blame him; after all, who would be able to recognize her like this?  “Yes! I’m afraid it ran away from me. I’m very sorry for the inconvenience, sir,” she said as she retrieved her fabric from Ken.
Fortunately for the elderly lady who had just gotten her fabric stolen by a gust of wind, Denahi had been walking in the opposite direction of the wind and managed to snatch it out of the air before it floated off into the great unknown. Attempting to fold it, at least a little bit, so that it was less unruly, Denahi made his way over to the woman and said, “You can really tell summer is coming to an end with wind like that. Here you are,” he held the fabric out to her.
Sophie’s heart did a little flutter when she spotted Denahi smiling out to her. It made her fall for him all over again. But he didn’t know that she was, well, Sophie.  “Yes, quite so,” she smiled softly, looking fondly up at him.  “The heat is certainly dying down only to be replaced by insufferable wind,” she chuckled.  “Thank you very much, uh, young man,” she said.
Violet was patrolling the street, walking casually along trying to see if she could spot any trouble. As soon as she heard the shouts, she whipped her head out and her wand out. “I got it!” A quick summoning spell had the fabric rushing back to her head as she walked over to the old woman. “Are you all right?”
Sophie smiled up at the kind lady who helped her.  “Thank you so very much, miss,” she said as she retrieved her fabric.  “I’m doing just fine now. The winds sometimes get the better of me,” she chuckled.  “But I am very glad you happened to be passing by!”
"Oh! My fabric!” Sophie called out as a wind suddenly picked up and swept her things away. She’d have quickly gone after it herself, but once every month, her body aged drastically to that of an elder lady. Her joints simply did not allow her to speedily chase after her fabric so she meandered slowly. Where was her wand when she needed it?
Fiona sighed softly and shook her head. “I won’t push it, but honestly, if there’s someone else like I suspect there probably is, I would advise you explore that option. For all you know, the other person might be just as interested in you as you are in them, and wouldn’t you like a mutually beneficial relationship, not one that you really aren’t sure about?” she asked with a bit of a smirk playing at her lips. Fiona never really did know when to stop, but this was her best friend’s happiness here, how could she stop pushing?
“I-I’m sorry, but we did just meet,” Sophie coughed nervously.  “I’m afraid I don’t feel quite comfortable continuing this conversation. Why don’t I just continue assisting with any other catering suggestions for your wedding?” she suggested softly. Fiona had given her a lot to think about, but what was the point when the person Sophie believed she liked was already with someone else? Best solution then was to just move on, and that’s what she was trying to do.
Sophie nodded. She still felt a little embarrassed for having gone so long into thinking that Fiona and Denahi were engaged, but at least that was cleared up now. And not that she didn’t like Denahi’s company, she still had plenty to clean up in her place.
Though Denahi did enjoy spending time with Sophie, he felt like it was probably better that he take off and leave Sophie to finish up what she’d been doing before he’d interrupted. He had, after all, accomplished what he’d come over to do. And they’d cleared up a misunderstanding he hadn’t known was even a thing. And also, he had a box of stuff he needed to start tracking down an owner for. “Well,” he said, standing up, “I should probably let you get back to your day, Sophie.” He scooped up the box of Sally’s things.Â
All packed up, Sophie had set her things aside for Fiona’s wedding.  She had carefully selected and charmed her dress to hopefully be fit for the fanciful occasion.  After ensuring that she had all her things, she set out to apparate to the hotel that was designated for the wedding guests.  Denahi and her had agreed to simply meet there.  Taking in a breath, Sophie calmed herself and felt the pull of the apparition suck her.  When she opened her eyes, she found herself in the hotel lobby, so she sat approached the desk and informed the clerk.  “Sophie Hatter,” she said with a smile.  “Or the room might be under Denahi Opik.”  The clerk craned his neck into the book to search while Sophie waited patiently.  She glanced around the lobby for any familiar faces.
Denahi had checked three times the night before that he had packed everything he would need for Fiona's wedding, but it was no surprise that he was checking again mere minutes before he was supposed to to apparate to the hotel where he'd meet Sophie. The process would have gone a lot more quickly if Denahi hadn't been interrupted by the smirks and teasing of his brothers, but he'd known the minute he asked Sophie to accompany him to the wedding that Kenai and Koda would stretch the fun as far as was possible. Finally, for the most part satisfied that he wouldn't be leaving anything behind, Denahi secured his luggage and then apparated to the hotel. Popping into the lobby, Denahi immediately glanced around trying to find Sophie. Catching her eye, he smiled and made his way to join her at the desk. "Hey there."
Before the clerk had found the room number, Sophie perked up at the sight of Denahi.  “Hi!” she smiled as she turned to face him.  She felt herself blush (part of her knew why but she denied that realization that it was his presence and the very fact that he asked her to be his date that made her blush).  “Your room keys, miss,” the clerk announced.  “Mr. Opik and Miss Hatter, you will be housed on the third floor.  The room number is indicated on the keycards.”  Sophie nodded and handed a keycard to Denahi.  “Ready to head up?”
Denahi would have noticed that blush if he hadn't been busy attempting to will the butterflies currently residing in his stomach to sleep. He was excited. It was an exciting event. He was also a little bit terrified. Fiona's wedding was... well, it was a big event and a lot of people were here. People that Denahi knew he would not be impressing. But he wouldn't miss this for the world. Fiona was his best friend. And, well, Sophie had agreed to come as his date. That in itself probably would have been enough to ensure the butterflies, in conjunction with everything else Denahi was having a bit of trouble keeping his nerves in check. "Yeah, I'm ready," he said, taking the keycard from Sophie and then giving the clerk a quick thanks before scooping up his bags. "Have you ever stayed someplace this fancy before?"
"I've never even set eyes on anything like this, but my stepmother goes off to places like these all the time so I hear stories. Â It certainly is more magnificent to experience it in person though." Â She followed Denahi to the lift that took them up to the room. Â "Are you excited for the wedding?" she asked sheepishly. Â Not long ago, Sophie had thought that Fiona was marrying Denahi and the memories of the soul-crushing emotions resonated inside her just a bit. Â It was an embarrassing thought that she tried to will it away.
It was Denahi's turn to blush as he couldn't help but recall that Sophie had, until relatively recently, belived that this wedding was his. He unerstood how that conclusion could have been made, but it was still embarassing. "Uh, well... yeah," Denahi stammered a bit, running his fingers through his hair as he tried not to let on that he was embarassed. "I mean, of course I'm excited. Fiona is my friend, she's getting married, that's exciting..." He hesitated momentarily, his own reservations about the impending nuptials creeping up on him. He hadn't met this Ethelbert Cavendish, but Denahi's more protective nature was not inclined to think kindly of the man, as it tended to be in regards to anyone attempting to get closer to the people Denahi cared about. "I suppose I'm also a little bit nervous," Denahi admitted, finally glancing back over to Sophie. "This is all... Well, it's not really something I've ever experienced: big fancy formal events like this. Before this the fanciest place I'd ever stayed was a vacation cabin my parents rented for a couple months back when I was kid, and it was nowhere near as grandiose as this hotel. I can only imagine how much more..." he made a vague gesture to indicate the general level of luxury around them, "everything is going to be at the wedding. I just feel really out of place."
Sophie felt herself ease up a little more as Denahi expressed some nerves about the upcoming event.  She too shared some anxieties about it, about sticking out like a sore thumb.  “If it is any consolation, at least we will have each other,” she replied as she glanced up at him, offering him a small smile.  “Besides, I’m sure everyone will simply have eyes on the bride and groom and won’t pay us any attention.”  That was more of a personal wish than a supposed expectation.  As the lift stopped on their floor, Sophie stepped out, swinging her bag lightly by her side.  “I think we’re down this hall.”
Denahi didn't know if he'd call it a consolation, but it was definitely a relief to know that he would not have to attend this wedding without someone by his side. Denahi was sure that neither he nor Sophie would stick out too much, but it was nice to know that if they did they'd be doing so together. "You're right," he said with a small nod. "I'm certain that Fiona will be the one commanding everyone's attention." Hefting up his own bags, Denahi followed Sophie out of the lift and down the hallway where their room hopefully was located. "But, hey, I just want to say thank you again for... you know, coming to this with me."
Another small blush rose in her cheeks as she glanced down, a small smile creeping on her lips.  “Thanks for inviting me,” she replied softly.  She moved down toward the hallway, scanning room numbers until they reached their own.  Once she had found it, she fumbled around a bit to insert the keycard in.  It took her a little bit of effort to push the door in and enter.  The room was dark but she wanted to let Denahi enter first before finding the light switch.
Sophie really didn't need to thank him. There was no one Denahi would rather have by his side to celebrate this day. No doubt Fiona would chalk his actually asking Sophie up to her own interference, but in the end Denahi hadn't needed it. It had just spurred him to action a bit more quickly was all. Denahi waited patiently while Sophie opened the door to their room and then walked into the darkness, hoping he didn't trip over something. There wasn't much chance of that, but if there was a way to embarass himself here Denahi was sure he'd somehow find it.
Once Denahi had ambled in after her, Sophie’s fingers found the light switch and she flipped the lights on.  The light illuminated the small path into the room.  It took Sophie a brief few seconds to realize the situation.  Perhaps it had been an error on the hotel’s behalf.  In the center of the room sat one king-sized bed.  Though Sophie had very few experiences spending time in hotels, she was quite certain that two separate beds could have (and possibly were) requested.  Awkwardly, Sophie made a glance at Denahi to see if he had noticed.
Denahi had indeed noticed. He spent a few moments staring at the very singular bed, wondering how exactly they'd wound up in a room with one bed when Denahi had specifically requested a room with two. "I swear I did not book us a room with only bed," he said, glancing over to Sophie. Though he was well past the point of denying, at least to himself, that he had feelings for Sophie, Denahi was nowhere near confident or presumptious enough pull something like this.
Sophie gave a small, sheepish chuckle.  She placed her bag down and went around towards the phone.  “I’m sure it’s just a simple mistake,” she said.  “I’ll call the hotel management and see if they can switch us or bring in another bed.”  She dialed the numbers indicated to reach the desired person.  With the phone to her ear, she waited until she received an answer.  She briefly explained the situation, waited briefly for the clerk on the other end to check, and respond.  Sophie sighed and thanked them.  “So, all the rooms are booked, I presume for the wedding and other things, so they can’t move us and they don’t have any spare beds.”  Sophie glanced back at the bed, trying to avoid the awkward situation the two of them have found themselves in.  She supposed she could sleep on the floor…
"Right, good idea," Denahi said with a nod. He sat his bag down and tried not to freak out too badly about this. It wasn't exactly a world-ending catastrophe, but it was an awkward situation to say the least. Waiting while Sophie spoke to the management on the phone didn't help Denahi's already jangling nerves. And the verdict was even less helpful. "Well... I suppose that's to be expected," Denahi nodded again, taking in the information. "Not exactly ideal though." Tapping his fingers together, Denahi took a glance around the room. They could deal with this. It was awkward, but they could deal with it. "We have a chair," Denahi gestured toward the corner of the room where a single somewhat comfortable looking chair sat next to a small table with a lamp. "I can sleep there. I'll just find somewhere to prop my feet up, give me a blanket, I'll be fine."
As she had mentally thought of a solution, she shook her head at Denahi’s suggestion of him taking the chair.  It didn’t seem like it would be very comfortable.  Perhaps the best solution was the… most obvious one.  After all, Sophie recalled that the two of them had… at some point, once fell asleep in each other’s arms.  Granted it was under different circumstances, but it’s not like it would be completely weird?  Her face flushed at the thought of sharing a bed with Denahi.  “I mean… if you’re ok with it, we could just both take the bed,” her voice trailed softly.  “It is a pretty big bed after all.”  She hoped that didn’t come across as her wanting space away from Denahi, but rather simply that she would give him the space he wanted.
"Oh... well... I mean... if you're okay with that..." Denahi stammered, simultaneously surprised and not surprised at all that Sophie had suggested the obvious solution. Of course she wouldn't want to force him to sleep in a chair. Even if he would gladly do so, there was part of Denahi that was glad Sophie suggested this alternative. Chairs generally didn't provide the best night's sleep. And Sophie was right, it was a big bed. There was plenty of space to avoid any undue awkwardness. "We could even split up the blankets between the two of us if it makes it.... less awkward." It was probably awkward to suggest that. After all, this wouldn't be the first time the two of them had slept in the same space. The last time had been under completely different circumstances, though, as well as been a complete accident so it did seem a little cruel to not suggest it.
Her face felt really really warm but she ducked her head away, forcing herself to focus on putting her bags away.  “It’s not a big deal.  We don’t have to create a barrier if it’s a hassle.  It’s not like we haven’t slept together before.”  Her face went bright red as she realized how that sounded.  She turned quickly, hands up defensively.  “I didn’t mean it that way!” she shrieked.  “I meant um that we’ve uh,” she stammered.  “Sharing a bed is not a big deal,” she said quickly and once again turned away to focus on her bag.  Was her heart going to pound out of her chest?  Surely she was as red as a tomato.  What was wrong with her?  She didn’t understand why she was getting more and more flustered around Denahi?  Well, she did but… she knew she had no reason to be other than, well, risking her own feelings getting hurt once again by another person.
Denahi couldn't help it, he laughed. He tried to stifle it at first, keep it to a mere chuckle, but before too long he had lost control and was just laughing. It was just so ridiculous, both of them dancing around trying to make this less awkward. And maybe it was also a little bit amusing to see Sophie so flustered. She was pretty damn cute when she got flustered. And, Sprits, it was always a kick to hear her say things like 'it's not like we haven't slept together before' even if he knew perfectly well that she didn't mean it the way it sounded. After about a minute, Denahi was able to speak. "Sorry," he said, shaking his head and waving a hand, "I'm not laughing at you, Sophie, it's just... This trip has barely started and already things aren't going to plan." Shaking his head again, Denahi stepped over to the bed. "Maybe we stop trying to make this less awkward for each other and just... play it by ear?"
Her ears felt hot.  It was worse when Denahi laughed and she simply wanted the world to suck her in.  She honestly should have thought before she spoke.  “I probably deserved that,” she responded softly.  She wanted to jest along but she still felt SO embarrassed.  Denahi must think she was so silly and ridiculous; would this make him regret asking her to be his date?  Sophie sighed.  She could never be upset with Denahi.  “Play by… ear?” she repeated.  “Oh, I- sure, I suppose we can do that.”  Sophie was so used to planning and structure that playing by ear made her a little anxious.  “Do… do you want to pick a side of the bed?” she asked.
To be honest, playing it by ear made Denahi nervous too. He liked plans. He liked knowing what to expect. But you didn't spend most of your life trying to wrangle two younger brothers without learning at least the basics of how to adapt on the fly. And, well, one thing had thrown a wrench into the plans already. "To be perfectly honest," Denahi said, "I really want nothing to do with this bed right now. I'm sure I'll feel differently later tonight, but for right now... would you take a walk with me? This place is absolutely beautiful and it would be a  shame not to see some of it before we have to go back home." Fiona had certainly picked a fairytale setting for her big day and Denahi wanted to see as much of it as he could before he lost all chances to stay in a place like this again.
A walk was probably a good idea. Â Sophie liked that Denahi suggested something that would take their mind off the previous awkwardness. Â She nodded with a smile, feeling a little better and a little lighter. Â At least with a walk, things between the two of them felt a little more normal. Â "A walk sounds lovely." Â Sophie retrieved a jumper from her bag before heading towards the door. Â Hopefully the two of them wouldn't get lost. Â "Do you have your keycard?"
"Got it right here," Denahi wiggled the keycard before putting it safely in his pocket and scooping up his jacket. He was glad to see that Sophie was already feeling a bit better. Denahi wouldn't be counting any chickens just yet, but it seemed there was hope to pull this trip out of the depths of awkwardness.
Sophie took a breath and smiled with a nod.  Moving towards the door, she exited into the hallway first.  Once Denahi was beside her once more, she headed towards the lift.  She didn’t know what else to say or ask; she was still flustered from the earlier outburst and the awkward situation of the bed.  So, she just let the silence sit between them with a bit of safe distance between them.  In actuality, Sophie wanted to loop her arm around his but given everything that happened, a bit of space was probably the best idea.
Alright, so there was still awkwardness. That was alright. Really, it was to be expected. Things like this didn't just disappear in an instant. But it would be fine. Just as soon as one of them figured out something to say or ask. Unfortunately, Denahi could think of nothing while they were in the lift so it was an awkward elevator ride with both them keeping a bit of distance from on another for the sake of trying to move past what had just happened.
The lift carried them down back to the ground floor.  All the while, Sophie chewed on her bottom lip.  It was not a habit she usually had, but she felt so nervous around Denahi.  Which was silly, because they were so close and she adored him!  And even though he’s been such a great friend, she didn’t want to push him too far; what if she did and it’s a repeat of Holden and Denahi leaves her too?  Is that what she’s been worried about?  She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn’t even realize when the lift had stopped moving.
They reached the ground floor and Denahi forced himself to stop thinking about the ways he could royally fuck up and push Sophie away and focus instead on where they were going to walk to. He was halfway out of the lift when he noticed that Sophie wasn't following. "Sophie?" he said, putting a hand out to stop the doors for closing on her.
Her head darted up, finally realizing what had happened.  She blushed again, embarrassed by being so stuck in her own head.  “Sorry,” she muttered as she quickly moved forward out of the lift that Denahi had so graciously stopped for her.  “Um, which way are we going?” she asked as she focused back on reality.
"This way," Denahi gestured and began to walk that direction. For a moment he thought about just letting this walk continue in awkard silence, but... well, he'd never been good at letting things go when he got the feeling something was wrong. "Is everything... alright?" he asked, just a bit hesitantly.
The grandeur of the hotel was not lost on Sophie even though she felt so nervous.  “What!  I mean, yes of course.  Why wouldn’t it be?”  She mentally scolded herself.  But if she were to think about it, her life as of late was going pretty well.  Work was stable, family as doing fine with the additional income, and the curse was manageable as of late.  Even better, now she got to spend some time with Denahi.  “Everything is great,” she added with a smile, glancing up at Denahi.  “Is everything okay with you?” she asked out of politeness.
"I was just checking," Denahi explained a bit too hastily to hide his worry. "You were a little lost in thought there..." It was silly, and he knew it. Of course everything was fine. Great, even, apparently. "But everything is... great with me too." It was only slightly a lie. For the most part, things were going well. Kenai and Koda were happy and healthy. Work was, well it was work, it would never be the most enjoyable part of Denahi's life but it was a steady income. Not to mention that he was attending his best friend's wedding with the girl he was sort of totally in love with, that was a major entry on the pros side of the pros/cons list of his life. There was just a minor detail or two that Denahi was going to keep entirely to himself for the sake of not worrying anyone.
Sophie’s brow furrowed a tiny bit but she chalked it up to the weirdness from earlier.  She certainly hoped everything was going well for Denahi, or that if something was off that he’d confide in her.  Oh no, she thought.  What if he didn’t trust her enough to do so?  That was such silly thinking and she forced that thought away.  But still, it gnawed at her until she forced herself to focus on something else.  “This hotel is beautiful,” she noted aloud.  They had been walking for a while, and while everything was so grand, Sophie still very much felt like an outsider.
Of course Denahi noticed the small furrow of Sophie's brow and instantly felt a pang of guilt. He knew that he should be better about confiding things in his friends. Surely he could find some way to speak about it without actually outright saying what was going on, but it was safer to just keep entirely silent on the matter. If he didn't say anything, no one had any cause to get involved. "Yeah, it is," Denahi said, the guilt still gnawing at him as he tried to focus more on the moment. Fortunately they were just passing a sign that pointed guests in the direction of the various features of the hotel, and Denahi took that opportunity to fully commit to a conversation about the hotel. "Wow, it looks like they've got a pool, a spa, and a sauna. They certainly provide you with choices for how to spend your time here."
“Perhaps I should have brought a swimsuit for the pool,” she replied.  It was more as a joke as Sophie was not big on swimming and never quite felt comfortable exposing so much skin anyways.  But all the features certainly seem wonderful.  “Perhaps you should utilize those features.  It sounds like it would be very relaxing,” she smiled, a little thankful for the change into small talk.
"Oh, no," Denahi glanced away, a bit embarassed. There had been a time he wouldn't even have thought twice, but every one of those features was right out for one simple reason: his scars would be exposed. Denahi had not yet worked through his issues with those scars. For more than a year now he'd been hiding them and he didn't think this was the occasion to attempt breaking out of the self-imposed shell. No one wanted to see that. "No, I wouldn't even know what to do with myself in a spa. Besides, my idea of relaxing has always been more... outdoors."
Sophie tilted her head and gave Denahi a curious look.  At least she wasn’t the only one who was opposed to swimming.  “Perhaps the hotel has an outdoor garden or hiking trail of sort, then, that you might enjoy?”  It was a nice place, after all.  She’d have liked to enjoy more of it but a small yawn escaped her lips.  Not wanting to be a downer though, she continued to walk with Denahi in exploring the hotel.
"Perhaps they do," Denahi mused, slowing down to look into a room as they passed. "They have a billiards table," he gestured to where a group of men were currently playing a game, all of them being very polite to one as they laughed and joked, "so surely they've got to have at least one outdoor feature. I'd think even the rich enjoy a stroll around a garden every now and again."
The clack of the pool balls hitting one another shocked Sophie just a tad bit, dispelling her sleepiness momentarily.  Indoor amenities were no surprise so outdoor ones should also be a given.  “Then let’s find you some outdoor recreational activities,” she smiled as she moved over to a hotel map.  “Seems like there’s a garden not too far from here.  And a golf course.”  She stifled another yawn.  “Unless something more athletic is up your alley.”
The first yawn had been surruptitious enough to go unnoticed, but the second one was clear. Denahi felt a bit tired himself, but he knew that he wouldn't be able to sleep very soundly. Even at home, where he was comfortable, Denahi was never really able to drift off easily. His mind just never seemed able to shut off at the same time as his body. Maybe the better plan was to let Sophie get a head start on her evening's rest so that he wouldn't interrupt her with his own restlessness. "Hey, if you're tired you can head back," Denahi said gently. "You don't have to lose sleep just to keep me company. I can manage getting to the garden and back without getting lost."
She shook her head.  Even if she was tired and wanted to head to bed, she much preferred spending time with Denahi.  “I’d like to see the garden as well,” she replied.  It was a half-truth; though she did wish to see the garden, she wanted to enjoy Denahi’s company.  “Though the garden might have to be my last stop,” she smiled.  Perhaps that made her out to be a little bit of a homebody, wanting to stay in rather than go out, but it was getting a little late for Sophie’s taste.
As rarely as Denahi ever left his house for anything other than work or errands, he was in no position to be judging anyone for being a homebody. He liked that Sophie preferred staying in to going out. But he liked more that she had agreed to see the garden with him. No doubt it would have been impressive on his own, but it would be all the more enjoyable with her by his side. "I think by the time we get our fill of the garden I will be well and truly knackered," Denahi said with a smile. "You saw it on that map, it's absolutely massive."
“It definitely is,” she chuckled.  She wasn’t sure she’d be able to explore all of it without getting incredibly tired, or be able to explore all of it.  “I wonder what it’ll be like.”  Surely, a large garden would actually be impressively filled with a variety plants.  As they approached the upcoming area, Sophie reached the door and pushed it in.  The air was warmer than it was indoors but overall, it reminded her of a little greenhouse.
"I'm guessing it's exceedingly well kept," Denahi said. It was a safe enough bet. Everything else in this place was the height of pristine luxury, there was no reason the garden would be any different. And as they crossed the threshold out into the green space, Denahi let out a small chuckle as he got his first glimpse. It probably took an army of gardeners to keep every plant in its place, the trees trimmed, and the flowers blooming in picturesque perfection. "See? Exeedingly well kept."
She nodded as Denahi spoke, turning in her spot to gather everything in.  It very much reflected the luxury of the hotel.  And even though it was just plants, it still made Sophie feel like an outsider in this lap of luxury.  “I’m afraid I was never too good on plants and herbology, but I do appreciate how beautiful it is in here.”  There were so many flowers around, even if it may be out of season for some, plenty of others flourished in its place.  “Hope you’re not allergic to pollen,” she teased.
"If I were allergic to pollen, I don't think my favorite pasttimes would all include being out in the woods," Denahi teased back. He did love the outdoors, and could definitely apprecate all the work that went into the garden they were currently walking through, but it just felt too manufactured for Denahi's taste. That feeling of being out of place had not left as they'd explored the hotel. Denahi hadn't actually needed proof that he had no idea how to handle luxury, but he sure had it now. Suddenly he was even more grateful to have Sophie here. "The only reason I was any good in herbology was all those hikes with my dad and Sitka when I was a kid. I could identify plants with the best of them, so long as those plants grew in a forest."
Sophie scrunched up her nose slightly, still in a teasing manner.  “Couldn’t even have humored me just a little, huh Denahi?”  Even in pretend, she couldn’t actually be upset with him so a small laugh did follow after her little accusation.  “Could you identify the ones in here then?  Or perhaps spot the most interesting plant in here.”  She had done fairly in herbology but it was never a class she excelled at.  The basics were all she really had covered.
"Well, I'd say which plant is most interesting would be a rather subjective matter," Denahi said. "A bit like trying to ask who the most beautiful woman in the world is. You'll get a different answer from each person you ask." Denahi paused, acutely aware that he had opened up a door of opportunity for a follow up question, and then worked quickly to close that door again. "But I could probably identify a few of these plants. My specialty was mostly in remembering which plants were poisonous so that I could stay away from them, but I'm sure a few lessons about the benign plants are still rattling around up here," he forced a chuckle as he tapped his temple.
Sophie wanted to continue to tease, especially in an attempt to shift the awkwardness from her to Denahi.  “I had only asked for your opinion, Denahi.  Not what the world selected as the most interesting plants,” she giggled.  “Or the most beautiful woman either.”  Though, she did want to ask who that may be for him, but she didn’t want to risk him saying an answer that would make her heart sink.  “Hopefully nothing in here is poisonous, then.”
Of course Sophie had only been asking for his opinion... And why had he brought up the subject of the most beautiful woman anyway? It was too awkward for a conversation that was meant to be headed away from awkward. "I... don't think they'd plant anything poisonous here," he said, not quite knowing how to make this less awkward other than to just ignore all the bits that were awkward. "Or anything edible for that matter. I mean, they can be beautiful to look at but it would be a pretty big liability for the hotel. All it would take is one guest to get the bright idea to stick the wrong kind of berry in their mouth and suddenly there's a lawsuit."
“I suppose that is quite true.  And with a hotel of this stature, such a dangerous thing would put quite a damper on their status.”  She continued to walk through the massive garden, spotting some flowers she recognized and used in her hats and a few that she’d like to use.  Of course, she wasn’t about to pluck the flowers from this expensive hotel.  “Perhaps if they wanted people to pick fruit, they’d have an orchard or something,” she smiled.  Hopefully not, though, because Sophie simply did not have the energy to explore that too.  Her eyes watered a little as she gave another yawn.  She rubbed her eyes softly with the back of her hand and turned to see how much more of the garden there was.  Apparently, a lot.
"I don't know, a place like this? Doesn't seem like they'd want anyone touching the things that were so carefully crafted," Denahi said. It was becoming more difficult to ignore his own tiredness, especially as it was clear that Sophie was slipping fast. "A garden like this takes a lot of work to plan out, and then there's the matter of making sure all the plants actually grow and thrive..." He paused, eyes falling to a few flowers he recognized from helping one of the neighbors plant some in their own garden a couple summers back. "Or maybe I'm too quick to judge. I don't know, maybe I'm just tired and talking nonsense."
Sophie simply giggled in reply, a little too tired to think of an adequate response.  “I’m sure you are much more knowledgable than you give yourself credit for,” she smiled as she continued to stroll.  Up ahead was a small bench enveloped some floral bushes.  Sophie took this opportunity to sit and rest briefly.  However, this only made her even more tired.  The garden was beautiful and she was sure she’d enjoy it more if she was properly awake and energetic.
Denahi didn't answer. Maybe Sophie was right. Maybe she wasn't. Maybe it didn't matter right now. Denahi also took the opportunity to sit down, keeping his bad leg stretched out so that it would be easier to get up and moving again after they'd had their brief rest. It was his turn to yawn, the contagious effect finally catching up to him.
As Denahi sat down next to her, Sophie felt her back straighten just a little bit.  She wanted to lean her head on his shoulder and just close her eyes for a tiny bit; she wanted to be reminded of how his chest rose and fell when he breathed and when she was huddled in his arms.  Even from the small distance between them, she could remember the comforting smell when he embraced her last time she cried to him.  She shook her head, now a little more awake and a little more aware.  Did she want to risk it and go for it?  But what if she would just have her heart broken?  Again?  She bit her lip and sighed.  Her fingers were just inches from his.  She had held his hand before, held onto his arm.  She’s even kissed him on the cheek once before.  Why was she so hesitant now?  Surely this was simply all in her head.  In a bit of a bold move (partially due to the restlessness now from being tired), she stood up and offered her hand to Denahi.  “I think I’m going to call it a night.  Do you want to head back?”  Her insides twisted nervously.
Denahi, too, was acutely aware of the space between them. He remembered how good it felt when Sophie held his hand or looped her arm around his. He also remembered holding her in his arms, comforting her as she cried, feeling useful in that moment in a way he so rarely did anymore. But he had also grown used to the space, to the careful calculation of what was appropriate, how close was too close, waiting for Sophie to make any kind of move to be closer becuase if he was too eager or needy he'd scare her away. And Denahi did not want to lose anyone else. And then... she held her hand out to him. Denahi couldn't help the small, probably dopey-looking, grin that spread as he took Sophie's hand and levered himself off the bench. "Yeah," he said. "That's a good idea. It's a big day tomorrow."
Her heart fluttered as Denahi took her hand and she fought to swallow the lump in her throat.  A stupidly large grin was probably on her face, and she did her best to maintain that as well.  And even though it was just the simple contact of holding hands, Sophie’s spirits lifted and things felt a little more normal now between them.  They walked back hand in hand, and thankfully didn’t get too lost.  “Big day indeed,” she sighed.  The backtracking of steps took some time, back through the hallways, back up the lift, and then right back to the front of their hotel room.  Sophie didn’t want to release Denahi’s hand to reach for the keycard but she did so.  “Oh, I hope you don’t mind me always making things for you, but I, well, figured since we were attending together that I’d make you a little gift as thanks.”
Denahi couldn't help the slight pang he felt when Sophie released his hand so that she could open the door. It was silly, he knew, but he had so missed having a hand to hold. And it had made the awkwardness of the rest of the evening sort of melt away. "Oh, you... you didn't have to make me anything," Denahi said, surprised. After all, this was Fiona's wedding. Fiona should be the one getting gifts, not him. "I mean... I love everything you've made for me, but you really didn't have to."
She blushed as she rushed to her bag to retrieve the items.  “It’s nothing big.  A little bit of extra fabric on my part.”  She brought out a handkerchief and tie, both yellow, to match with her dress.  “I thought that since we were dates, we could match.  Of course, if you had already supplied your own accessories, I could just um put these away.”
Denahi was fairly certain that Sophie would insist it was nothing big no matter what she'd made. She could have bought him a whole library and said it was nothing big and Denahi would not be surprised in the slightest. However, her gift was just accessories, which were no less thoughtful but considerably easier to accept than an entire library. "Sophie, they're perfect," Denahi said, taking the tie and handkerchief with a smile. He had actually brought his own, but they were boring by comparison. "Matching is half the fun of having a date at these things," he chuckled. "Besides, I rather like the idea of having the most special accessories at the wedding."
Thankfully, he liked the gift and she felt relieved.  At this point, it was almost a habit for her to make him something whenever she could.  It was her little way of showing appreciation.  She stifled another yawn.  “I think I’ll get ready for bed, if you don’t mind?”  She grabbed her things and headed to the bathroom and cleaned up.  Once she was in her pajamas, she felt a little self-conscious as she had never really dressed this casually around Denahi.  “The bathroom is all yours,” she said softly as she returned to the room and went to settle herself in the bed.  Well, at this point, they’d have to just make due and share the bed.
As Sophie went to get ready for bed, Denahi set the tie and handkerchief she had made for him down where they would not be disturbed until he needed them tomorrow. It really was a very sweet and completely unnecessary gesture. But Denahi would be lying if he said he didn't enjoy the presents Sophie made for him. He gathered up his toothbrush, comb, and shaving kit. The last one only so that he wouldn't have to dig it out in the morning. Denahi wanted to be as presentable as possible for the wedding. When Sophie came out of the bathroom, Denahi was halfway through pulling on the t-shirt he was using as a pajama shirt. "Oh, thanks," he said, quickly tugging the hem of the shirt down before gathering up his little pile of toiletries he'd stacked onto his sweatpants and absconding to the bathroom, perhaps a bit hastily.
Sophie quickly looked away from Denahi as he pulled down his shirt; she felt her face warm a little.  Hopefully he hadn’t caught that as he walked away.  Now, as she stared at the bed, she tried to make the best of this situation.  Gingerly, she climbed into bed and was so far onto the edge that she could easily fall off.  It wasn’t such a big deal right?  It’s just sleeping; not like they were going to do anything and Denahi wasn’t the type of person to take advantage of her.  So she let out a breath and moved a little more towards the center, but still keeping to her side.  She was fluffing the pillows when Denahi returned and she glanced up and gave him a sheepish smile.  “I’d prefer if you didn’t sleep in the chair.  It’d be pretty bad for your back.”
Once within the safety of the bathroom, Denahi was able to fully cope with the slight embarassment of being caught with his shirt up and finish getting ready for bed. With a deep breath, he returned to the room. "Yeah... I suppose you're right about that..." he said, still moving a bit hesitantly toward the side of the bed that Sophie was not currently occupying. It was just sleeping. They weren't going to do anything, so it wasn't that big a deal, right?
It was getting later and later and Sophie knew it would do no good for either of them to be tired for Fiona’s ceremony.  At this point, it was best to just get it over with.  She placed the pillow back onto the bed and patted the mattress to get Denahi to be scoot in.  Once he had done so, she lifted the covers over the both of them.  Initially, as she laid there, she kept her space but she felt tense.  How could anyone sleep like this?  Butterflies fluttered in her stomach and when she really thought about it, she was quite giddy to be here with Denahi.  So she turned to face him, blankets pulled up to her chin, and she gave a soft smile to him.
Well, Denahi couldn't exactly refuse after Sophie very clearly invited him to get into the damn bed. So he got in, making sure he kept a respectable amount of space between the two of them, and caught the covers as Sophie lifted them up and adjusted them as he lay down. It was awkward and tense, laying there all too aware of the space between him and Sophie. And just to make sleep even more difficult to find, now that he was laying down Denahi suddenly didn't feel very tired at all despite him knowing perfectly well that he needed to rest before the ceremony tomorrow. Hearing Sophie shifting, Denahi glanced over. He returned her smile and turned a bit more so he was facing her, his half of the blankets pulled up almost to his chin.
Seeing Denahi with the blanket pulled up to his chin made Sophie giggle and maybe that in and of itself made things a little awkward but it was also endearing.  She couldn’t help but stop the smile that was growing on her face.  Daringly, she scooted just a little closer.  She wanted to wish him good night and despite how tired she already was, that would mean falling asleep and not seeing this sight just a little longer.
Denahi didn't know what had made her laugh, but he didn't want to question it. He liked seeing her laugh. He liked seeing her happy. And he loved that she scooted closer. A wild thought galloped into Denahi's mind: he wanted to kiss her. He had wanted to kiss her a long time now, and here she was... so close... Sophie was right there and there was no one to stop him from just going for it... No one except himself. As desperately as Denahi wanted to let Sophie know how he felt... he couldn't. Because he just as desperately didn't want to scare her away.
She just continued to look at him and even though she had seen him before and looked so many times, each time still gave her butterflies. Â Even though the day started off awkward and weird between them, Sophie ultimately was very glad and very happy right now. Â Her smile was wide on her face and she knew that Denahi made her extremely happy and gave her intense butterflies. Â A small part of her still worried and nagged, throwing all sorts of red flags, but right now, she just wanted to enjoy whatever this was, where she was so close to this boy she liked.
The longer they stayed like that, just looking at each other, the more Denahi wanted to kiss her. He knew all the reasons he shouldn't: it would be too awkward, too forward, to inappropriate... But the reasons became less and less effective everytime he thought of them. Maybe it was time? Denahi knew according to everyone who knew of his feelings it was well past time to let Sophie know how he felt. And, well... as much as Denahi didn't want to lose Sophie he didn't think he could live the rest of his life locking this particular emotion away. "Sophie..." Denahi said as he lifted himself up onto an elbow, "I... have to tell you something."
His voice broke her out of her reverie and she perked up a little.  She liked how her name sounded when he spoke it.  Her eyes lit up just a bit as she tilted her head forward even though she could hear him perfectly fine from where she was.  She already had butterflies, but could butterflies have butterflies?  That’s what it felt like.  “Yes?” she said softly, her eyes still holding onto Denahi’s gaze.
Denahi hesitated. Somehow, despite having worked up enough courage to get this far, it was still difficult to admit. It wasn't too late to make something up. It wasn't too late to back away. But the way Sophie's eyes lit up... it had occurred to Denahi that he might be afraid of nothing, that Sophie would feel the same way he did, but it hadn't ever been enough to make him want to risk it until now. But he did want to risk it. And he hoped to all the spirits that Sophie would accept. "I love you."
Sophie’s breath caught in her throat and her eyes widened.  She hadn’t considered that Denahi might feel the same way toward her that she did to him.  She had to take a moment, though, to digest what he said.  Did he say that… that he loved her?  A small shaky breath escaped her lips that were fighting hard now to break into a beaming smile.  She bit her bottom lip, refraining from such a smile and still feeling quite surreal about what just happened.  Did she love him though?  All this time battling her feelings and she hadn’t considered what she felt because she had simply been denying that those feelings existed.  But now that the floodgates had opened, she was beginning to accept how things might be, especially with Denahi by her side.  “I think,” she started off breathlessly.  “I think I feel the same,” she replied softly.
Denahi barely dared to breathe in those moments between his statement and Sophie's response. But as soon as he heard her words and registered what she had actually said, Denahi couldn't help letting out relieved breath that gave way to big beaming smile. She felt the same. Or thought she did. But that was so much more than Denahi had hoped for it didn't really matter. What mattered was that Sophie hadn't rejected him outright. Â "You do?" he asked, knowing it was silly to need a second confirmation but he just couldn't believe that this was actually happening. "Because I have liked you for a really long time, Sophie, I just... I didn't know how you felt and I... I didn't want to make things weird between us."
Sophie let out another breathy chuckle as she looked into Denahi, his smile wide and hers to reciprocate.  It felt like a whole weight was lifted off her shoulders; all the self-doubt and worries seemed to have melted away.  Denahi had liked her for a long time?  How could she not have known?  She was so engrossed in her own emotions and simply fighting them.  And then the emotional conflict when Holden was here tossed her into the fear that she should guard her heart.  But Denahi wasn’t like that.  She knew him, knew he meant it.  “I… I have too,” she said shakily, admitting that aloud both to Denahi and herself.  “I don’t ever want things to be weird between us.”
"I don't either," Denahi said. There was part of him that realized that this probably wouldn't last forever. Eventually things would get weird because either they'd break up or drift apart or he'd fuck up and drive her away. But for the moment none of that mattered. Because right now they were here, and they felt the same way about each other, and that was such a nice feeling. "So, in the interest of keeping this not weird... would it be alright if I kiss you?"
Her heart froze and her breath hitched just momentarily, not out of fear but because yes, it would be more than alright if Denahi did. Â A small voice in the back of her head nagged at her because she had only had one prior experience in kissing and it came to her by surprise. Â But she wanted to kiss Denahi even if she never knew it. Â Or maybe she had known all this time and only now was she acknowledging it. Â She smiled softly at him and gave a small nod before leaning forward towards him. Â She could feel her heart beating fast in her chest; surely if he kissed her, he would feel her heart racing for him.
Denahi's own heart felt like it just might beat right out of his chest. He'd spent a lot of the past few minutes holding his breath awaiting Sophie's repsonses to things he had said and this was no different. As soon as he saw her nod Denahi leaned forward as well, one hand moving to gently cup her face as their lips met.
The softness of his hands on her cheek added to the blood rush and the butterflies, especially in anticipation of the oncoming kiss.  The world seemed to slow just a bit as he leaned forward and closer until their lips touched.  Her eyelids fluttered close.  The kiss was soft, gentle, and now it truly felt like time had stopped.  Sophie hadn’t known how much she had wanted this, to kiss Denahi.  Her heart was pounding faster by the second and she felt warm and happy.  When they parted for breath, Sophie’s face lingered just a few centimeters away, a small and nervous smile on her lips.
Denahi had known exactly how much he had wanted this. He had spent months working to keep his feelings bottled up and this kiss, soft and gentle though it was, had unstoppered that bottle and let all those feelings rush out. The world melted away around them, time stopped, and Denahi let himself fall into the moment wholeheartedly because this was right. Him and Sophie, together, it was right. As much as he didn't want to stop, they still had to breathe. Denahi's smile wasn't nervous at all because any fears he had had been washed away. All he was in this moment was completely head over heels for Sophie.
It was weird how just a few minutes ago, Sophie had felt so nervous and unsure. Â The entire day was awkward, and for what? Â Now she knew that her fears and concerns were uncalled for because Denahi reciprocated her feelings. Â She peered up at him and smiled again before pressing another soft kiss on his lips. Â She was sleepy but now she felt at ease, like all was right in the world. Â Snuggling closer to Denahi, she buried her face into his chest. Â The warmth of his body and feeling the rise and fall of his chest made her want to stay here forever.
As Sophie snuggled in, Denahi wrapped his arms around her and held her close. Strange how the day had started so awkwardly and yet it had ended so well. He almost didn't want the day to end. Suddenly he felt so peaceful and at ease, like there was nothing wrong in the world. That wasn't true, but what did the truth matter when you were tucked into a bed with the person you love? But not even Denahi could stave off sleep forever, and relief was pretty powerful in revealing just how tired Denahi was underneath all that accumulated stress. With Sophie there in his arms it wasn't long before Denahi drifted off.
“I don’t mind at all,” Denahi said. And he didn’t. Honestly he was just so glad that Sophie had agreed to go with him. He knew the kind of people who would make up the majority of the guests. They would be rich purebloods, the social elite… people Denahi did not fit in with in the slightest. With Sophie there, they could be there for each other. Be the one person both of them knew at this thing, aside from Fiona of course. Fiona would be busy though, seeing as she was the bride.Â
Sophie nodded. She still felt a little embarrassed for having gone so long into thinking that Fiona and Denahi were engaged, but at least that was cleared up now. And not that she didn’t like Denahi’s company, she still had plenty to clean up in her place.
“Oh, there’s no need to thank me,” Denahi said, turning a bit sheepish himself. “There’s… really no one I’d rather go with.” Sophie was one of his closest friends, of course he would want her to be there with him. Sure there were other reasons as well, but those did not matter. “I, uh… I can make the reservation at the hotel. I’ll do that when I get home. It’ll be easier on us if we go the night before, you think? That way we’re not trying to dress for a wedding and travel all the way there before the ceremony.”
“That’s a good idea. If you don’t mind doing that, I would appreciate it,” she smiled as she held the invitation now to her lap. Based on the address, it certainly did seem far and with such a grand event, they wouldn’t want to be late or rushing. She was a little nervous because she’ll probably only know Denahi and Fiona. Perhaps other classmates will be there, but from the sound of it, there will be a lot of purebloods and higher-class folks that Sophie was not a part of.
She apologize again, but Denahi didn’t say anything this time. Mostly because he was so  glad to hear that she’d go with him to the wedding. “Really? That’s great.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out the invitation with all the information about when and where the wedding was (minus the post script from Fiona telling him to invite Sophie). Denahi had already written all of that down for himself so he could give this to Sophie so she’d know all the information. “Ok, this is all the information about where its being held. And, as you can see, the dress code is a little bit strict since is a formal event.”
Taking the invitation, Sophie read over the details quickly. It was certainly a very fancy event and she wasn’t sure she’d have anything to wear to such an event. She supposed she could reuse her formal dresses from Prom or the Yule Ball but she had shipped those back home to her sisters. There was still time and so she guessed she could whip something up.  “Sounds wonderful.” And now Sophie had to plan a gift for Fiona and her wedding to not-Denahi.  “Thank you again for inviting me,” she said sheepishly.
She had seen them once? Well, alright, Denahi could see how Sophie might get the impression that he and Fiona were a couple. Fiona was an incurable flirt, and Denahi wasn’t much better when he was around her. From the outside it wasn’t always clear that it was just fun between the two of them and didn’t mean anything. “Sophie, it’s okay,” Denahi said, putting a hand on her shoulder. “It was an honest mistake, you don’t have anything to be sorry about. Though, really, if I were the one getting married, you would have been one of the first people I told about it. Hell, I’d probably have suckered you into listening to me debate with myself about whether or not I should propose.”
She replied with an awkward chuckle and felt a small pang. He’d talk to her if he was considering proposing to someone? That made her feel both honored and... conflicted. No, that was silly. Denahi was such a good friend that she would be happy to help him.  “I’m so silly, I’m so sorry.” She sighed and shook her head to compose herself.  “Yes, I’d love to go with you to Fiona’s wedding.”
Sophie stood to the side patiently and waited, smiling when the older man looked at her.  “I hope it’s not too much trouble for me to take a look at the flat.” The man seemed to express mild annoyance but he willing obliged. Sophie followed the man to the flat for inspection. She inquired about the prices and the specificities of the place and he all but answered them, even if the answers were typically brief and terse.
“Well? Are you going to take the place?” he asked after a while. Sophie sighed and smiled with a nod.  “If you’ll have me, I will gladly rent this place.”
As Sophie was led outside and up the stairs to the flat, Denahi stayed behind in the shop and set to work on this week’s task: emptying out a set of shelves that was being held together by almost nothing but a few well placed spells so that the shelves could be repaired and reinforced. It wasn’t the most exciting job, and it didn’t technically pay, but Denahi did it anyway.
After a while, the old man came back in calling through the shop, “Bring me the rental agreement, boy.”
Denahi couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face hearing that. Sophie was going to take the flat. She was going to live in Hogsmeade. Hopping down from the step-stool he’d been using to reach the top of the shelves, Denahi hurried into the back office and found the paperwork needed.
“Well, technically you’re the only one who’s unannounced,” Denahi said, teasing a bit. “I’m expected to be here, just not so early. But he wont mind.” With that, Denahi opened the door for Sophie and walked in after her. He headed straight for the back of the shop, where he knew the apothecary/landlord usually stationed himself, and called out for the old man.Â
“What are you doing here?” the old curmudgeon asked with a wary look at Denahi. “You’re not s’posed to be here until this afternoon.”
“I know that,” Denahi said. “But a friend of mine,” he gestured over to Sophie, “is looking for a place to rent and, well, you do have a currently unoccupied flat above your shop.”
Sophie stood to the side patiently and waited, smiling when the older man looked at her.  “I hope it’s not too much trouble for me to take a look at the flat.” The man seemed to express mild annoyance but he willing obliged. Sophie followed the man to the flat for inspection. She inquired about the prices and the specificities of the place and he all but answered them, even if the answers were typically brief and terse.
“Well? Are you going to take the place?” he asked after a while. Sophie sighed and smiled with a nod.  “If you’ll have me, I will gladly rent this place.”
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