March 20th, 1893 - The Florist Potts
@"Dahlia Potts"

Though she now owned, ran and worked in her own shop, Daff still tried to find time to help her mother with the books for the family shop. She had been the one to take them over in her time post-graduation and she felt bad shoving the responsibility on her sisters when she knew none of them particularly wanted to do it. And so she tried to make time, during a quieter afternoon in the Alley, to slip away and help balance everything in Hogsmeade.

Not to mention, she wanted to catch Dahlia too. After her birthday, Daff had been thinking maybe they didn't have to wait quite so long, as long as she spoke to her sister about it and made sure that no toes would be stepped on. February had been busy with St. Valentines and so Daff hadn't been able to make too much time, but as March had carried on, she finally plucked up the fortitude to make the trek.

It was quiet in the florist as she snuck in through the greenhouse in the back, wondering just where she would find her younger sister. Fortunately as she unhooked her cloak and swung it from her shoulders in the heat of the greenhouse, Daff found her sister at the work bench. "Afternoon," She greeted cheerfully. "Just the sister I was looking for." She chuckled, still working on how best to phrase this. She wasn't worried about Dahlia's reaction per se, but she also didn't want her sister to think she was rushing anything or being selfish, which was why she'd hesitated for so long in coming to talk to Dahlia about it.

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The greenhouse was warm, which was welcome in the chilly early spring days, and humid, which was not as welcome when it came to Dahlia's hair (always prone to spontaneous waves in such climates and not always flattering waves, but rather frizzing annoying waves). There were days when Dahlia didn't care and days when she did. Today was one of those days where she begrudged each moment in the greenhouse. Mother had said they needed more dahlias clipped and so Dahlia was further annoyed at the proximity to the greenhouse because of her itchy eyes and copious amounts of sneezes that always took over her when she handled her namesake.

"Achoo!" She sneezed into her handkerchief missing Daffy's entrance altogether. The effect was that Dahlia screamed and leaped backward when she heard the other person, and turned with wide frightened eyes to her elder sister. At the realization that it was not someone coming to harm her but only her sister she couldn't control the embarrassed laughter that shook her body even as she struggled to catch her breath from the right. "Oh. Hello Daffy." She choked out through the fit of laughter.

  

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"Whoops, sorry darling, didn't mean to startle you." Daff chuckled as she ducked her head in apology. She hung up her cloak on the coat wrack just inside and stepped beside her sister. "Here, why don't I do those." It was a pity Dahlia's namesake made her sneeze so viciously. Daffy couldn't imagine not being able to handle any kind of flower like that! Whatever would she do?

"How have you been? How's Mr. Honeyduke?" She teased lightly, knowing the question would be redirected at her after her sister had time to appropriately gush about her beau. That was half the point, even if Daffy was going about it in a roundabout manner. She did want to discuss her sister's courtship so she could possibly, without casting any shadows, hopefully being her own, officially.

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"That's alright." Dahlia grinned as she finally caught her breathe, moving out of the way so Daffy could reach the Dahlias. "Thank you." She murmured gratefully. Dahlias, while beautiful were the bane of her existence. She was so grateful that Quin had never gotten it in his mind to send her any.

"Well." She answered the first question with a smile handing Daffy the shears. "Oh, he's wonderful." A dreamy smile lit up Dahlia's face. "Did I tell you what he did for me on Valentine's day?" And then Dahlia launched in to relating the entire afternoon in Quin's kitchen. "Oh Daffy, do you think it is too soon to hope for a proposal? I should think we shall be so very happy together and I have quite made up my mind to accept him if he asks." She sighed happily with the type of sigh that only those most firm in their love ever seem able to manage.

Then realizing she had rather gone on too much about herself she waved her hand and asked, "But how are you? And how is Mr. Grimstone?"

  

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Daff took over her sister's task easily, listening with vested interest to Dahlia's story about her St. Valentine's evening with Mr. Honeyduke. The sheer joy on her sister's face gave her the satisfaction of being right about giving Dahlia this time. It almost made her rethink her original reason for visiting today, but she also was still confident that her sister had her time so far and now wouldn't mind sharing a little bit of the spotlight. Daff didn't even truly want to be highlighted, just to enjoy her quiet time with Elias without it being so secretive. She'd done that once and didn't want to continue for much longer.

"It sounds like you're certainly headed in that direction," Their discussion about Dahlia's hopeful summer wedding seemed even more likely. "He seems like he knows what he wants, intentional with his time with you." Daff knew what that was like from experience and it was one of her favorite things about Elias. "I'm sure it'll happen when the timing is right." There was no rush, not truly, but the waiting was taxing.

Dahlia's question turned the subject back on Daff and she chuckled, carefully cutting the flowers in her hands with deft precision for bouquets. "I'm well, shop is doing better than I'd hope for." So far anyway. Daff just wanted it to do well enough for the effort to be worth it. She didn't need to be flooded with orders or constantly working, just enough to live off of. Plus she liked her free time and how she got to spend it. "He's..." Daff paused, unsure of how to truly express how she felt about him. "Delightful, you should see the broom he made me for my birthday," It was hanging above the door to her flat, an old Pagan tradition; sweep out the negative energy (metaphorically of course, she would never use it to actually sweep!) and hang the broom above the door to keep out bad energy. "I, well I've told him I've fallen in love with him." Daff blushed a little, though she didn't know why. It was deeply personal, but the Potts sisters had no secrets between them.

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There was something so reassuring hearing from an older sister that Dahlia wasn't making things up in hoping for an engagement soon. The reassurance brought a wide beaming smile to her features. "I hope so." She sighed leaning against the counter.

"That's wonderful." Although Dahlia did miss having Daffy around the shop here at home she couldn't be anything beyond happy for her older sister.

"He made you a broom?" Astomishment and charm filled Dahlia as she tried to consider her sister on a racing broom. Calla, yes. Daffy? No.

And then, "Oh Daffy!" Dahlia flung her arm around her sister in her excitement. Pulling back a serious gaze took over her features, "And he loves you?" Oh she hoped so! It would be so wonderful to see Daffy happy and if Mr. Grimstone asked to court her? Dahlia rather hoped he already had for it had been so long since she had seen such a look on her older sister's face.

  

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Dahlia's surprise over the broom was warranted and it made Daff chuckle a little. "It's not for flying, it's beautiful, all hand carved with flowers in the tail." It did fly, Elias had mentioned, but Daff wasn't about to test the theory. Even if she had agreed to flying lessons (only from Elias from here on out) she would be using one of his tried and true models that were meant to be flown with ease.

The enthusiastic hug was a bit unexpected, but Daff gave Dahlia a loving squeeze. "Well, yes I suppose he does." It showed in everything he did, the little things and the big. Just thinking about it brought a smitten smile to her lips. "I must confess, it's part of the reason I stopped by today." She leaned back to look at Dahlia with uncertainty on her features.

"I wanted to make sure it was alright with you, since you and Mr. Honeyduke are already courting and I didn't want to step on your toes or take away from your experience, to accept a courtship offer from Elias." He'd been so incredibly patient with her and she was getting antsy herself, something had to give.

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"Oh! It sounds beautiful." And so very thoughtful. Mr. Grimstone had just earned himself several more points, Dahlia had to admit.

"Daff!" Dahlia scolded. "Of course! You needed ask me. I only want you to be happy! Besides," She continued with a dreamy smile, "Then we shall have to go together on events and won't have to have Ama chaperone us! Oh! Just think! We might both be married by the end of the year. Oh Daff! Do please accept!"

  

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Relief flooded her system at Dahlia's vehement agreement. The bit about events was probably a stretch, she was so used to being on the service side of them, not to mention she wasn't so sure Elias enjoyed them all that much, but once in a while wouldn't hurt.

Not having to be chaperoned or fuss with a dance card would be nice. "Thanks, Dahls." Her sister's enthusiasm was contagious and it was hard to refute her hopes for two weddings this year. Dahlia would get her wedding before summer was out, Daff knew it, but she personally didn't want anything extravagant. Would it be strange to use pumpkins for decoration? Perhaps a little autumn to-do wouldn't be so bad. "I'll bring it up when I see him next." Which would likely be later today, his workshop wasn't all that far from the florist after all.

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Dahlia hugged her sister again and beamed at her. "of course!"

A playful look slid over Dahlia's face, "About weddings? Or courting?" She couldn't help but tease.

  

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"Why don't you get married first and let me know how it goes!" Daff gave it right back playfully. Any of the tension she had carried over here with her was now gone and she could relish in the possibilities of what came next. "But I shall do your flowers and you shall make my cake when the time comes." Daff could easily envision what she would do (with Dahlia's input of course!) for the occasion and not a single dahlia in sight, other than her sister of course. Summer was such a lovely time, so many blooms to choose from and she was fairly confident she knew what her sister would like.

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A surprised laugh bubbled over her lips. "I suspect I shall recommend it!" It was, afterall, much too easy for Dahlia to envision her life with Quin.

"Oh yes!" Came Dahlia's ready agreement. She loved that Daffodil would trust her with something so important.

"Have you told anyone else he's asked you?" Dahlia didn't want to accidentally break the news before her more reserved sister had the chance to do it herself.

  

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This whole conversation felt a little surreal, as Daff hadn't ever actually managed to envision what her own wedding would look like. With Noble everything had always been up in the air, now with Elias it seemed more and more likely and perhaps she should put more thought into it.

"Well no, he hasn't asked outright exactly," their conversation on her birthday had been the last time they'd talked about it directly, but they were very much on the same page. Never mind that it had been completely unsupervised in her greenhouse. This is why Dahlia got to enjoy the spotlight and do things properly, Daff clearly couldn't handle it. "He's been so patient with me, letting me get the shop up and running, finding my independence," Getting out of her own head and reaching the point where she could let herself fall in love with him. Reaching the point where she could tell him she was in love with him. "But we've talked about it. He understood my hesitations surrounding you and Mr. Honeyduke, and now I should like to think we won't have to wait any longer." His patience with her meant the world and now it was all worth it.

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Dahlia's brow furrowed slightly, he hadn't asked her? It was so different than her courtship with Quin. But then again, in a way, it was similar. She had suspected, alright she had hoped, that Quin would ask to court her. Ever since that moment he'd rescued her from the bees. But the way Daff spoke it was more as if he had given her a say in a way Dahlia neither had nor had wanted. It was the major difference between the two sisters. Dahlia wanted her independence in the form of her own home and family. Daffodil wanted her indepence on her own. It was two very different forms of freedom and yet to both of them it was the freedom they needed.

It was good they had talked of it, Dahlia supposed. She felt it much more romantic the way Quin had approached it, surprising her with it. But wasn't the difference that made each respective man the right canidate for each sister?

"I should hope you don't!" Dahlia grinned. "There is certainly no reason why we can't both be courted at the same time. Mama will be thrilled! Although, perhaps she'd be happier if Thistle and Zinnia didn't find beaus for a few weeks. Imagine her face if all four of us were courting!" Dahlia giggled.

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The excitement of her sister soothed away the last of Daffy's fears. It would be interesting to navigate, two of them enjoyed at the same time, but she and Dahlia were just different enough that Daffy suspected it would all go perfectly fine.

"Four at a time is a little much I think." She chuckled. Honestly she thought the two of them might be much, but Daff fully intended to keep hers as quiet as Elias would go for. She really didn't want or need to be the center of attention, not when Dahlia would happily take the banner. Honestly she was hoping she could talk Elias into a small backyard wedding with just family and a few friends. She hadn't put too much thought into it, but maybe she might after this.

"What do you think you want for your wedding?" Daff said as she snipped the final dahlia flower and added it to the pile.

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"Oh." Dahlia sighed dreamily considering what a wedding might look like. "Flowers. Lots of flowers." Because it was in the very Potts blood that ran through her to want flowers. "White and green. Under the trees in the park." She was staring off in to space as if she could see it. "Of course we shall have to have the wedding luncheon outside, there's not way we could possibly fit that many people inside. But we could do a picnic luncheon in the garden at home." She'd pictured her wedding many times, but this was the first time she could picture the groom too. Would Quin like an outdoor wedding? Would he want more colors surrounding them than just green and white? Dahlia hoped he did because she had dreamed of just this type of wedding since she was a little girl.

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