The look that settled on Kristoffer’s face in response to her quip was not one that Poppy was keen to forget. It was soft around the edges, a smirk and yet still something less abrasive than that all at once. He was here and he was teasing and he was normal, and even she felt normal for the first time in what had to be months. It was a relief, if nothing else, and for her part, Poppy merely scoffed playfully, giving her big hazel eyes a roll.(Of course he agreed, of course he noticed— because he was her friend and at the end of the day, probably the only person who truly knew her. Or knew what it was she needed, when she needed it.)
Poppy realized the sentiment in a belated, half dazed kind of way. It settled like a stone in the space between her vertebrae, not to be forgotten but not demanding enough to be bothered with in that moment. She accepted the hand that was offered and gave another small scoff, less playful perhaps than before as her inquiry to his well-being was rebuffed. “That’s not a very gallant thing to say to a lady,” she admonished. “Perhaps next time I won’t worry enough to inquire.” A lie, if ever there was one.
Standing to her full height once more, which still did not extend far beyond Mr. Lestrange’s shoulder, Poppy gracefully made to release his hand, not realizing just how close they really were. Hazel hues flickered up to blue and in a moment all brief chagrin vanished. Poppy let her free hand settle once again ever so lightly on Kristoffer’s arm as she resisted the urge to embrace him fully. “How… how are you here?” She heard herself ask.
It was a silly, stupid thing she knew, likely to startle him away like a stray cat very nearly coaxed out of hiding. He had ventured forth to see her, wasn’t that enough? They needn’t talk about why or how. They never did in the past and they likely shouldn’t (wouldnt?) now but… the question was niggling at her. “Doesn’t your family miss you? Won’t they wonder where you’ve gone?”
© Fox