Minerva was about to reply that she had already gotten Elly's rose earlier but the other girl seemed adamant that there was a rose for Minerva and as there was also a card to go with it, she took them both and stared in wonderment for a moment before finally reading the card.
When she had finished, she hastily pushed everything aside, grabbed her book, the beautiful rose, the card that she would forever use as a perfect bookmark and looking at the girl only briefly through tear stained eyes, she muttered a thank you, the most humblest and grateful-est of thank yous that ever there was.
The rose had been from Norton, her best friend, her fellow-prankee, her wonder-wall ... Minerva had no words to express how she felt in that moment - all she knew was that she had to be away from the crowd of people that were at the Hufflepuff table because she was going to cry, a complete and utter river of happiness. She had a best friend who loved her enough to send a rose to her! She mentally thanked her parents for making her stay the course of the year before she turned to the Slytherin girl before she moved from the table completely.
"Thank you ... I hope you get a trillion roses like this one or ... even just one like this... thank you" she smiled at her before clasping all her things tightly against her chest and making her way out of the great hall to her dorm.
