🌹 Rose Giving Corny Secret Admirers

[Salem Lee]

Pink rose for @Corn Seymour

When Salem had first checked over her own deliveries list, she'd been sure someone had messed up writing a name, or maybe she'd misread their handwriting, but after asking a few Gryffindor first years to confirm, she'd been delighted to learn there was a Slytherin walking around somewhere with people calling him 'Corn'.

She was also pleased to find him sitting very obviously in the Courtyard right after lunch, a busy spot but easy to spot when Salem called out his name. "Hey, I'm looking for Corn? Corn Seymour?" She said, raising the pink rose enticingly to get the boy's attention.

 

[Corn Seymour VII]

While his last rose hadn't been perfect, Cornelius still had faith in his plan. Everyone else would see how many roses he was getting and how popular he was, and would clamour to be his friend. They didn't need to know who this "secret" admirer was. Knowing he had one rose left to come, Cornelius stayed in a well visible area, ready to be seen reaping the spoils. His joy was short lived though as he heard an older girl calling out... "It's CORNELIUS!" He snapped, jumping to his feet. How could this go so wrong, twice?! "CORNELIUS, not that! That's not even a REAL NAME!" He insisted, shame flooding him as he realised his old bullies' nickname had well and truly managed to chase him to Hogwarts. Having thoroughly corrected the older girl, he addressed her as haughtily as he could. "Do you have something for me?"

 

[Salem Lee]

Salem was used to all sorts of reactions to roses today, though she had to admit the yelling was less expected and she could only blink a few times as Corn-Cornelius very forcefully corrected her. "Oh, sorry," she said once she'd recovered, squinting at her list. "Name must have gotten smudged or something," she offered, fairly confident someone had written down Corn, though she had to admit now she realized that wasn't exactly a normal name for English speaking people. "Sorry, yeah, here you go, hope it makes up for that," she said brightly, offering Cornelius the pink rose and its note.

Spoiler: Note

Cornelius, every time I see you across the Great Hall I feel a flutter in my heart. I'm surprised a handsome boy like you doesn't already have a girlfriend, but it gives me hope that maybe one day someone as amazing and smart as you could like a girl like me.
-Another secret admirer