May 13, 1893 - Bartonburg, Potts Annual Flower Show

Quincey Honeyduke

It turned out to be the perfect spring day for mother's flower show. The weather was beautiful and the Potts girls were busy assisting their mother in any way they could. Dahlia had helped Quin and the Potts' cook with refreshments for the event. The event, in Dahlia's estimation was a great event. It seemed as if the entire town had showed up, frankly she wouldn't have been surprised to see that the entire magical community of the British Isles was wandering through her mother's ambitious exhibits.

When Dahlia spotted Quin she grinned. Their engagement was still so fresh it felt almost unreal, even thought the Potts family had already begun planning and preparations as Quin had had no objections to a late summer wedding. "Mr. Honeyduke!" She greeted squinting from the sun as she greeted him. Her lips longed to say Quin, but she needed no gossip, especially with no having a long engagement.

Dahlia was almost bouncing in her excitement, "Senna has only just suggested a walk, would you care to join us?" This had of course already been agreed upon and Senna was merely planning to linger a good way back down the path from the couple as they strolled through the exhibits.

  

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Pretties by Bee <3

Though Quin had been somewhat involved in the Potts flower show last year, this year it felt like a whole new level. Obviously his engagement meant his connection to the Potts family beyond Dahlia had strengthened as well and he had showed up this morning ready to go. It was a bit chaotic, Potts ladies running in every direction, Mrs. Potts lingering and making changes here and there, but he was honestly enjoying himself.

After making sure the sweets were up to snuff and set out in each spot where they belonged, he was taking a breather, a glass of lemonade when Dahlia snuck up on him. He nearly spit out his drink, but managed to keep everything contained as he grinned at her. "Certainly, there are spaces I haven't seen as of yet." Not everywhere required treats, so he had yet to explore. He offered his arm to his fiancé, passing her sister a reassuring smile as well.

"Are you run off your feet yet?" He teased lightly as they set off, knowing he would sleep well tonight himself.

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"Mother has truly outdone herself." Dahlia explained as they set off, "I'd be surprised if you had seen everything." She grinned broadly up at this man she had been so lucky to fall in love with.

Then she laughed and waved him off. "Hardly." She certainly didn't want him to think she couldn't run a house, but it was more than just that. Dahlia thrived on events like this.

"Have you seen the tropical exhibit yet? I think it is my favorite. Although I heard rumor there was some mistletoe in the greenhouses."

  

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Pretties by Bee <3

Youth, he supposed, had its advantages. Quin was certainly no spring chicken, and he worked all day most of the time, but he seemed to slow a little bit quicker these days. Perhaps it was the approaching summer heat; he was not a hot weather sort of guy, it melted the chocolate and he always felt a bit sluggish. He'd have to work on keeping up with her if she was indeed, surviving this day without too much fatigue.

"I don't think so, I haven't wandered much past where your mother asked me to put refreshments and Miss Daffodil sent me on a little errand earlier, so I was just getting around to it." Quin was content to wander wherever she wanted as long as he wasn't skipping out on something her mother wanted him to do. That probably wouldn't look too good for him. "To the tropical exhibit then," he agreed with a broad smile. Mistletoe might be pushing it a little bit in such a public settling, but he quirked an amused eyebrow at her in acknowledgement. "What about it do you enjoy the most?" He asked, trying to get a sense for her in all of the flowers. While he knew she worked at the family shop, he was pretty sure she didn't enjoy it as much as some of her sisters.

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With a grin Dahlia looped her arm into Quin's and began to lead him down the path. "Well," Dahlia considered, "I suppose I like that their are blooms that I rarely see. I have a particular fondness for hibiscus blooms. But I also love the vibrant colors. They're just so cheerful." And they didn't make her sneeze, that was always a plus. "Truly, the main reason I enjoy it is how proud mother is of it. She's been watching the tropical plants all winter, caring for them as if they were her grandchildren and her enthusiasm over them are contagious." Dahlia shook her head in amusement. Her mother treated the plants as if they were children and memories combined.

She tilted her head slightly a sudden question popping into her mind, surprised she had not yet asked it, "Do you have a favorite flower?"

  

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Pretties by Bee <3

As someone who knew very little about flowers (he should probably fix that), Quin nodded along, listening intently, but more in awe of how she spoke about everything. He liked listening to her talk about things she was passionate about. "I can't wait to see it." He had never traveled, never really seen anything like she described, so he was excited to see it and also the look on her face when they got there.

"I don't suppose I do, I've never really thought about it. Do you?" He would think about it, but Quin wasn't sure he'd know which flower was what, but now he supposed he could just ask Dahlia. They'd be able to blend the two things, he knew, food and flowers.

Letting her lead the way, Quin took in the things they did pass. "I've been thinking," he started, not entirely sure how to jump into this, but he supposed he should just go for it. "About purchasing a home and I wanted your input, wanted to know what you were looking for." He peered over at her sheepishly, knowing they couldn't exactly live in his flat once they were married.

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"Well that won't do." Dahlia declared playfully. "Mama shall roast me alive if I'm not able to answer that for you." Which was the truth, but it was still delivered with a smile. "Oh, I love zinnias." She'd probably love Dahlias even more if they didn't make her sneeze so much.

Quin's sudden change in demeanor had Dahlia looking at him, tilting her head and wondering what was on his mind and then he surprised her. "Oh." It wasn't as if Dahlia hadn't considered a house of her own. It was just that when she envisioned their life together it somehow took place in the rooms she had seen above his shop. Or really it centered around the kitchen.

She thought about it for a moment wanting to be entirely honest with him and consider it and for a few paces they walked in silence. "Something with lots of light." She admitted, "And space for a kitchen garden." Those were the biggest things. Well that and room for raising a family but she felt shy bringing up children. "I'd like to stay near my family, if you don't mind. I know they are a lot-" She hastened to add, "But..." She gestured uselessly feeling as if words had let her down. "I can't imagine being far from them. Daffy living so far away is tough enough." Dahlia found she was chewing on her lip at this admission.

  

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Pretties by Bee <3

Quin supposed he was going to have to pick a favorite flower. Perhaps he'd see something today that could spark a reaction. There were so many different varieties it was hard to choose. He did like lavender, the way it smelled, the way it tasted. Pansies were easy to use in cooking too; dandelions as well. Any of those could easily work if he was pressed to give a better response.

Worried he had assumed something incorrectly, her silence made him look at her out of the corner of his eye. Fortunately she seemed to have concrete thoughts on the matter and so Quin listened with rapt attention to what she described. Light, garden (a given), near the rest of the Pottses, all things he wasn't surprised to hear. His only request was a good-sized kitchen he was allowed to putter around. Oh Merlin, they were going to need a modest house staff. He would let Dahlia handle that.

"All very doable. I would like a decent kitchen and a large yard." Kids needed outside space after all. Other than that, he really didn't have any thoughts on the matter. Dahlia could do whatever it was that she wanted with the space. "Would you like to look together, or do you want me to handle it?" His confidence in this task was not so high, but he didn't want her to think him incapable either.

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Somehow Dahlia had just assumed that they'd have a decent kitchen, if not a large one, the fact that she hadn't thought to mention it and had assumed such had her cheeks warming. "Of course." She agreed. Already her mind was beginning to conquer up images of what they would settle into.

"If you would like me to help look, I should be honored. But I wouldn't want to be in the way." She also didn't want to assume he could afford or not afford something but she supposed they'd handle that part of it when they got their.

  

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Pretties by Bee <3

Quin smiled to himself, humming out a pensive little note, though cast her a little look about being in the way, as if he would ever think that. "I would like you to come, I think your input is more important than mine, you'll likely spend more time there." He assumed anyway? Quin would be changing his working hours of course, far fewer early mornings and no late, late nights, but he would be gone most of the day, most of the time, and he wanted her to enjoy their home.

"Not to mention I haven't lived in an actual house in a long, long time. You'll have a better idea of what works." Quin had been in the flat above the shop for a long time now, he forgot what it was like to have an entire house to look after. "I'll see what I can find and let you know." He felt better for having that conversation as it had been weighing on his mind since he'd thought of it. "This whole getting married thing requires a lot of thought and organization." He chuckled, realizing he'd lived as a bachelor for far too long.

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Oh." She couldn't think how else to respond, how to tell him what felt so wrong in that statement, the grin that had formed on her lips fell, "...you'll likely spend more time there." She would? Somehow when she envisioned her future with him she had envisioned it in the kitchen of his shop, with him. As she had in the greenhouses with her mother despite her own interests lying elsewhere. It was odd, before Quin, when she had daydreamed she had envisioned herself married it had been a life of society. Hosting teas, keeping a home, a life vastly different than that of a shopkeeper in Hogsmeade. But all that had changed with Quin. Now the thought of keeping house while he worked seemed more a disappointment.

What had he been saying? Realizing with a start that she hadn't heard anything he'd said after she gave a small forced chuckle and a smile and hoped that nothing further was required of her, that he hadn't asked some question she needed to reply to. She'd gotten to lost in her thoughts.

  

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Pretties by Bee <3

As oblivious as ever, it took Quin a moment to notice Dahlia's silence, too wrapped up in his own thoughts and distracted by the flowers around them for a moment to see the change in her demeanor. The list of what he needed to do before they married seemed to grow longer and shorter by the day, new things of varying importance coming and going as he took care of them and thought of new things; she hadn't even met his family yet!

He turned to mention as much, thinking they should try and make a trip to his hometown to see them, when he finally caught onto her expression. "What?" He questioned gently, immediately worried he'd said something wrong. "Did I stick my foot in my mouth again?" It was a habit he couldn't quite get rid of and whatever it was he said, it hadn't been intentional.

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Apparently she hadn't hidden her reaction well enough because he seemed to notice it. But thing was nothing for it now but to explain. Her cheeks warm Dahlia plunged bravely forward, "it's just that I thought... well it's foolish... but I thought I'd help you in the store." She rushed to add in a quick torrent of words, "I know I'm nowhere as talented as you! But I thought maybe I could learn." Her cheeks had to be completely red now and she couldn't look Quin in the eye. Instead she focused on his chin. "I know. It's foolish. It's your shop and I'm just an silly girl who likes baking." Now her gaze slide over his shoulder to the plants behind him, "I just thought since I helped Mama with the shop I could be of some use." This last comment was quieter than the others and she ducked her head at it no longer trying to act as if she were even looking at him.

  

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Pretties by Bee <3

Oh. Well that was another matter entirely. He'd half stuck his foot in his mouth by making an assumption, but he supposed he had never thought Dahlia would want to take on the business in addition to everything else married life entailed.

Stopping their walk, he turned to face her, glad for the ring on her finger and the allowance to show affection in public. "It's not foolish, or silly," he assured her with a soft smile, his free hand tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear and followed it up by tripping her chin up to look at him. "I shouldn't have assumed. You're more than welcome into the shop if that's what you would like. I have no expectations for how you want to spend your time. Just promise you won't get sick of me." Quin teased gently. It could happen. He was a mess more days than not, relying on his very capable manager to handle the business side of things, leaving him to handle the creative aspects.

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He was just saying that to he kind, Dahlia thought. As if she couldn't get any more embarrassed Quin stopped, she could tell he was looking at her. Then there was the barest graze of his fingers as he tucked a strand of hair back followed by the gentle pressure to tilt her gaze back to his. Dahlia swallowed absolutely mortified by her assumption.

But then his words were understanding, smoothing aside this jagged uncomfortable moment. She nodded. It felt as if the pieces of the life she had envisioned were slowly kneading themselves back into place.

Despite her still heated cheeks Dahlia gave him a broad smile, "I should never get sick of you." She promised sneaking her hand around his and giving it a gentle squeeze.

And then, summoning the last vestiges of her courage she added, "And I should like very much if I could help you at the store. I should like to be able to help in all aspects of our lives." Our lives. Lives that would be twined together through tradition and ceremony in only a handful of months. Suddenly those vines that held them together seemed more fragile than they had been at any other point in their relationship. But if she had learned anything from her mother it was that vines grew and strengthened together. She and Quin were like that. At least she liked to think that was the outcome.

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   Quincey Honeyduke

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Pretties by Bee <3

Reassured by the fact that Dahlia seemed to relax, her broad smile lighting up her face and he found himself in awe, breathing out a sigh of relief. "Give it time," He teased, but hoped she was right. It was nice to get to spend time together like this, outside the shop, focus on one another, but the demands on Quin's time were constant and he hoped he would be able to find a workable balance.

"I would like that, I can always use all the help I can get," His manager liked to remind him often. On a more serious note, Quin waivered on how best to phrase this. Dahlia was young, he was old and somewhat set in his ways. It wasn't that he was unwilling to change, it was more that he was too oblivious to know how to change and meet the new needs in his life. "Promise me one thing," He smiled slowly, hoping that this didn't seem too heavy. "Keep being forthcoming, I am hopelessly oblivious." He would do his absolute best to be more aware, but he was deep into his own habits. "I'll need some time and grace to adjust, but please don't ever be afraid to tell me what's on your mind." His parents had always had such open lines of communication that he was positive it was the only reason his father had survived this long without being beaten to death with a rolling pin at his mother's hands.

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