Zoe's Rose

[Nixon Mercury]

Nixon thought he was on a roll with his rose deliveries, being able to find the two people he had already delivered to with ease as they were in his year. His third rose however, was an entirely different story. It was for someone named Zoe Harkness, a name he could not recognize in the slightest. As he walked out of the dungeons, making his way into the great hall he asked around, eventually gathering that the girl was in Gryffindor. He walked to the Gryffindor table and looked around. After waiting a moment he called out. "Is Zoe Harkness here? I have a rose for her!" He then looked over the table as he waited for a response.​

 

[Zoe Harkness]

Zoe had been chatting with a few other Gryffindor girls she recognised from her classes about the roses they had received and how she had not (not that she minded), when she suddenly heard her name being called out.

She looked up to see a tall Hufflepuff, holding a basket of roses. One was for her, so he had declared. She blinked, not having expected anything of the sort.
A few of the girls giggled, much to the embarrassment of the First Year. Zoe stood up, and went around to him. Hi? She answered. If you are looking for Zoe, that would be me, she smiled.

 

[Nixon Mercury]

Nixon smiled when a girl walked over to him, telling him she was Zoe. After looking to his basket of roses, he picked out the yellow one that was for her. He quickly handed it over along with the note. "This rose is for you." He then said, watching for her reaction.​

Dear Zoe,
How's it going, mate? I know, we see each other in class and sometimes out of class and whatever, but I figured I would find out what this rose thing means. So, huh, here you go.
From,
Lavinia

 

[Zoe Harkness]

Thank you, Zoe returned his smile before he looked around the basket for her rose. He picked out a yellow one, before handing it over along with the note.

Zoe sniffed the rose instinctively, nearly sneezing because of the sudden rush of pollen in her air system. She then opened the note, still aware of the Hufflepuff delivery boy watching her - probably for her reaction.

Zoe grinned as she recognised the handwriting before she even read the message. Lavinia had distinctive handwriting, and Zoe could now pick it out from across a room. She then giggled as the note read that Lavinia had not been exactly sure what the rose thing was all about, and nodded slightly in silent agreement.

She then folded the note and twirled the rose, before looking back up at the Second Year Hufflepuff. Thanks for the delivery, she flitted her fingers in a way of saying goodbye. Then she paused. You know, I think it is slightly unfair that you now know my name - and I do not know yours, she said slyly, putting her hands behind her back and raising an eyebrow. She hoped that he would take the hint.

 

[Nixon Mercury]

The girl, Zoe, seemed pleased with her rose and Nixon was relieved. It surprised him that she wanted to know what his name was in return, since a lot of the time with rose deliveries it was a matter of giving the rose away, and moving on. But Nixon was never against meeting new people and that moment was a great opportunity to do so. "My name's Nixon!" He said brightly. "Nice to meet you, Zoe." He added with a wide smile on his face.​

 

[Zoe Harkness]

Zoe liked that Nixon seemed as bright and bubbly as she could be, and his name was an interesting one that she had never come across before.

That, is a very cool name, she complimented. She then dithered helplessly; unsure of how to carry on the conversation. Words seemed to flow a lot easier with friends like Kira and Lavinia - even with her annoying older brothers - but she had absolutely no idea what to say in that moment.

She then realised that she had been standing there with her mouth open, waiting for something to come out, before she coughed and let out a nervous giggle. She gave the Hufflepuff one last smile before waving. Well, thanks again. Perhaps we can bump into each other the next time I receive a rose, she suggested, eager to maintain a new friendship. As she liked to think; the more the merrier.

 

[Nixon Mercury]

Nixon continued to smile as Zoe complimented his name, though he was unsure of how to react to it. A small silence fell and Nixon found himself at a loss of what to say, other than wishing Zoe a happy valentine's day, or asking how many roses she had been given. But that seemed far too generic, and he wanted to make a good impression, to show that he was interesting and not a boring kind of person that only said predictable things. He was relieved when Zoe was the one to eventually speak up, never mind her nervous sounding laugh. "That would be good, you've been one of the nicer deliveries today." He responded truthfully. The delivery he made before Zoe was needlessly stressful and he did not want a repeat of it. "But, I should get going now, the roses aren't delivering themselves." If a spell existed that could make the roses deliver themselves, it would have made Nixon's day a hell of a lot easier. He just unfortunately did not know what the spell would be and needed to run around the castle instead.​

 

[Zoe Harkness]

Zoe gave the Hufflepuff a sad smile when he mentioned that her delivery had been very few of the nicest, and wondered how someone could possibly give a delivery person a hard time - what with all that effort of finding them and giving them a rose.

She giggled politely as he said that he should get going, and waved him off. Yes, roses did not deliver themselves, unfortunately. But someone had to do it.