December 20th, 1889 — Wellingtonshire

With the shops in Diagon Alley and in Hogsmeade Benevolences business was booming, between the floristry work and breeding her own plants she was constantly busy and didnt have time for anything even remotely resembled the duties of  a debutante other than the occaisional public ball she didnt manage to get out at all not that she complained about it.  She rarely had time to do any of the floral arrangement work herself, leaving it to the shop girls to make up and the errand boys to deliver.  Still, there were a few customers she took care of herself and the Finch family was one of them. 

While most of those she took care of personally were snobbish older ladies who liked the idea of the shop owner taking care of their order, Benevolence dealt with and delivered Mrs. Finch's order because it also afforded her an oppertunity to catch up with Melody.  It had been a few weeks since they had made time to meet, Christmas was a busy time in the shop between house hold decorations and fashionable gifts Ben hadn't had much time to herself since the end of November. 

She dropped off the arrangements with housekeeper and was shown into the parlour, where a maid brought in some tea for her while she waited. 



@'melody finch'

  

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Lady is a wonder

The Season was thankfully drawing to a close. With less than two weeks until the New Year, Melody had given up all hope of a different outcome. The wedding would be announced in less than a month's time,and the preparations were already well underway. Everything was going according to her father's plan; all Melody had to do was suffer through it.

Ben's visit was well timed. The exhausted debutante had retired to the family library for the rest of the afternoon, and as such she was readily available for her friend. Their time together at Hogwarts seemed like such a distant memory now. Was it truly only two years ago that they roamed through the halls of their school? Merlin, Melody desperately missed those days.

"Ben!" She exclaimed as she walked into the parlor. "I've missed you. How are you faring?" Hopefully, the other young witch would be able to stay for a decent visit. Melody hadn't the slightest clue what it was to operate a shop - much as she wished she were able to. Perhaps then Ben - her forbidden love, not her dear friend - would be willing to marry her.

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OOC: Can this be set the week before Christmas?

  

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beautiful set by mj

set it on the 20th -Does Ben know...about other Ben?

Ben was mid swallow when Melody entered the room. Her friend was beautiful, in a way that sort of awed Benevolence. Ben could pass for cute, or even pretty in a way that was not particularly fashionable but Melody. Melody had the sort of sensuous beauty that Ben was sort of envious of, she was so excotic looking, slumberous eyes and doe like lashes. And she was also as bright as a penny, as befitting their Ravenclaw house. They had met on the boat on their way over the school. and the shy Ben had been delighted when they had ended up in the same house. What she wasn't envious of were the social obligations placed on Melody. Ben had her freedom, she came and went on her own schedule, if she didnt want to go to a ball, she didnt, and she was left alone with her plants and her research as much as she wanted.

'Mel' Ben called back, and setting the teacup down she rose to give Melody a kiss on her cheek before resuming her spot. 'I havn't seen you in so long. It has been a busy time for flowers, but I got a new girl in the shop so I am trying to spend more time on my rare breeds. ' she explained with a smile, 'Your social calender must be keeping you busy?'

  

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Lady is a wonder

Seeing her dear friend now served only to remind Melody how long it'd been saw Ben. The last time the two had spent an afternoon together (and not a mere pop in to the shop as she tried to do when she could) had to have been before September. Well before the multiple near fiascos of her Season. It made her long for their days at Hogwarts; for the time when they scarcely went more than a few hours without talking. Now, an entire lifetime could transpire and the other would be none the wiser.

Taking a seat across from Ben, Melody quickly set about making her own cup of tea as she listened to her friend. If only she could have the freedom Ben's life afforded her. The luxury of being able to move about freely was unattainable for someone of her station. There was always someone - be it Mrs. Bradley or her mother - to accompany her wherever she went. Her companion followed her everywhere, even to the library! As if a danger to the family's reputation could possibly come from a dusty, old book.

"The shop is faring well, then? What breeds are you working on?" She easily asked before taking a sip of her tea. "It has. Mother has me attend every event we have an invitation to. Truthfully, I've grown quite bored with it. There's only so much to be said about the weather."

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beautiful set by mj

Ben gave a fake dramatic shudder, as though the thought of society balls was like a dementors kiss. To be fair, Benevolences own finances were secure, and if her parents had lived she would have been a debutante and expected to go to all of those events that were the bane of Melody's life. worse, as a pureblood girl, and her fathers conservative pureblood views would have seen her in an arranged marrige. There had been a gentleman, an elder son of another pureblood family, who had father had always spoken very highly off. His father had owned a chain of apothacaries, and her father had thought that their business' would have made for a powerhouse of industry. Her fathers death hadn't exactly officially ended anything, but nothing had been official to begin with, they just dropped out of contact and Ben was happy to leave it that way.

'I don't envy you Mel, ' Ben admitted, 'I would rather spend a week stuck in devils snare than a week of afternoon tea parties with some of those society ladies.' she added. Leave me my busy shop, my greenhouses and blessed isolation', She fished in her purse, and pulled out a small bracelet of real living flowers, one of her latest creations, flowers which lived off the water in the air, held their shape as a circle andwere hardy enough to be worn. It wasn't 'fancy' jewelry, but they were cute. She slid one across the table toMelody, an early christmas gift.

  

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Lady is a wonder

She immediately picked up the delicate bracelet to study the flowers. The dainty white petals were soft yet sturdy, while the stems' intricate woven design kept everything perfectly in place. "This is brilliant." She beamed at her friend. It was no surprise that Ben crafted something so beautiful yet hardy, as such was a definition of Ben herself. "Have you marketed these yet? You must. They're lovely." Melody slipped it onto her wrist with a broad smile. The bracelet was no crown jewel, but it was made by her nearest and dearest friend. She would wear it with great pride.

"Do you remember me telling you of Mister Crouch?" She asked quietly after having a sip of her tea. There was no greater opportunity to retell the events to her friend then now, what with the house's occupants all out or distracted. "The other Ben...?" Surely Benevolence remembered him. Melody was a wreck when the initial fall out occured, and that wasn't even taking into account how limited her rein became...

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   Benevolence Crouch

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beautiful set by mj

Benevolence beamed delighted at her friends response. ’perhaps you can be the face of the brand’ she gave a little hand flourish as though showing off an imaginary bracelet at her wrist. Pleased with how her little gift had gone down, she settled onto the sofa with her cup to hear the tea! ’Of course that Ben!’ she said, she didn’t know Reuben Crouch personally, only by reputation.

It wasn’t a good reputation, per sey – he was a rounder, a cad but a handsome and charming one. She understood why her friend liked him, all of the above not withstanding – he represented a sort of roguish freedom that Melody didn’t seem to think she would ever have. Girls of their rank and station were seldom so lucky. She was a rare exception – her parents early deaths left her with a business which meant financial freedom -she didn’t need to marry, there was no father to arrange a match for her. She had loved her father, but he was an old school pureblood – if he had lived chances are Benevolence would be married, or at least engaged by now. She feared that her fathers talk to Melody’s father might have given him the idea of making arrangements for Melody

’What has your Ben done now?’ she took a sip of her tea, ’Or not done, should I say…’

  

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Lady is a wonder

Melody was somewhat surprised by Benevolence's mild reaction. It was the first she had spoken of her former beau (if Ben could even be referred to as such) in two years, and her friend didn't even seem the least bit surprised. Had she missed a rumor swirling about herself? Ben and she hadn't exactly been subtle at the ball or the quidditch party, but that was months ago. "What have you heard?" Melody asked quietly. Surely someone would have revealed what they knew by now?

She looked about to room to assure no one was lurking about. Her family members were all out as far as Melody was aware, but one could never fully trust a servant. One loose lipped maid and Melody would be facing the firing squad that were her parents again. "We - " meaning her and Ben " - haven't spoken since September. Have you heard otherwise?"

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   Madeleine Backus

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beautiful set by mj

Was Benevolence surprised that Melody was still hung up on young mn who had stolen her heart 2 years ago? - No. She had known Melody well enough to know her moods, and it was easy, at least as far as Benevolence was concerned , to see that she was still not over Ben Crouch -she didnt need to say it. But at Melodys panic, she reached out and took her hand comfortingly. 'Nothing - truely' she confirmed earnestly, 'I am just unsurprised that Mister Crouch still holds your affections.'.

She patted Melodys hand in a manner she hoped was comforting. 'With this marriage coming up - you don't seem excited - at all. Even if only for the chance to run your own home and be gone from...' she searched for a polite word for father. 'here.' Melody may or may not think of him as harshly as Benevolence did but she didnt want to mortally offend her friend by insulting her parent. There was a line between what one could say about a family member, and what others could say. But Ben didn't like Melody's father - while many purists were trying to get away from arranged marriages he was pulling towards it, forcing his child into a loveless marriage to be rid of her. It felt mercenary and disgusting as far as Benevolence was concerned and if this American took Melody to the other side of the planet, decorum or not - she would never forgive him.

'So I've heard nothing, but I don't need rumours to know that you havn't been happy - and Ben might not make you happy per sey but you've assuredly been happier than you are now. '

  

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Lady is a wonder

A vehement protest died on Melody's lips as Benevolence spoke. She didn't still have feelings for Ben. If they never spoke again her life would be better for it. How could he kiss her as he had in the shed and promise her a solution and not follow up on it?! How could he forget?! No. Melody wasn't still hung up on Ben. Had her body been set afire by his kiss she wouldn't think of him at all.

Lies. All of it.

"Oh." She started, now somewhat uncomfortable sharing any details of what happened with her friend. Benevolence had always been able to read her like an open book and Melody wasn't quite sure if she wished to know what else her friend had to say. "Right." Melody folded and refolded her hands in her lap as she pondered. No, she wasn't happy. Anyone with two eyes and an understanding of her circumstances could clearly see that.

It still didn't mean she was hung up on Ben. Melody simply didn't want to be forced into a marriage she didn't want.

She placed her teacup down gently on the table before turning back to her friend. "I kissed him. Or, he kissed me. I'm still not sure how it all happened." She finally admitted plainly. Once she worked through her feelings on the kiss she could move on and forget him. It was that easy.

  

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beautiful set by mj

’Oh Melody’ Ben couldn’t help herself but to exclaim as she reached for her friends’ hand. She didn’t know Mister Crouch especially well, but she was concerned for her friend’s happiness and this sudden action seemed like an expression of unhappiness as much as an expression of her affection for Mister Crouch. It almost didn’t matter who had instigated the kissing. There was nothing to be gained by berating her friend, or making her feel bad about what had occurred – if there were circumstances where a bit of secret kissing was acceptable – a forced marriage to a total stranger was probably one of them.

Ben had never been kissed, she had always been shy and quiet, never one to draw too much attention to herself, and never any male attention. ’Was it…nice?’ she requested a small conspiratorial giggle.

  

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Lady is a wonder

"It was." She affirmed with a whisper and a smile. Melody wasn't sure if any of the house's residents had returned but she didn't dare risk them overhearing. "And it'll never happen again."

  

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beautiful set by mj

Benevolence, she was rather embarrassed to admit had never been kissed – not even a peck in the Hogwarts broom cupboards like many of her cohorts would have managed; she had been too quiet, too into her plants, and if she was honest she had been like one of autumn crocus’s – late blooming. And the opposite sex hadn’t looked at her twice when she had been in school – and no one had really bothered to look at her since, but as a consummate wall flower it was hardly surprising.

Despite Melody’s misgivings about her relationship with Ben Crouch Benevolence was envious of the relationship – of the passion and affection that seemed to exist between the two. Their relationship might not make good social sense but it was what most girls dreamed of – passion, love, romance, being swept off ones feet by a gent prepared to throw good sense to the wind to win you. This American didn’t seem inclined to any sort of acts of passion, he had involved himself in an arranged marriage after all – the fact that he wasn’t introducing himself until right before the wedding was proof that he was clearly not a passionate person.

’Oh Mel’ Ben said in a near whisper grasping her friends hand and giving it a squeeze tightly. ’Is there no way your father might reconsider the marriage? Or give you time to find someone yourself?’ she asked, then thinking better of it, reached into her pocket and cast a privacy spell about them.


Melody Crouch

  

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Lady is a wonder

Arthur Finch was many things, but flexible wasn't one. When an idea took root in his head there was little anyone might do to convince him otherwise. And this idea — her soon to be marriage to a complete stranger — was one he'd been sitting on for years. If Melody hadn't been the one to see it to fruition Dorothy or Penny might have. One of the Finch girls were destined for a miserable life and Melody just so happened to have drawn the short straw.

She sighed heavily, her shoulders sagging under the pressing weight of the future. "No, I don't think so." If there was Melody certainly hadn't thought of it yet. Short of murdering him to send her into grieving she was long since out of options.

  

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beautiful set by mj

Benevolence wanted to cry and hug her friend, it seemed so unfair to have seemingly found love and not be able to enjoy that love because of some ridiculous decision by someone who clearly did not care for your happiness in the least. It was frustrating, how little control girls like Mel seemed to have over their own life. It made her strangely grateful for hers. Her father would surely have planned a match for her, but he never did – and as such her life was her own. She could become a spinster and no one would care one bit. She couldn’t imagine how it must feel for Melody. But what was her choice? Not that she wanted that of course.

’Could you go to the American? Perhaps he would reconsider the match?’ she said, ’perhaps his better nature will stop him if he knows you would be unhappy, or at the least his pride! What man wants a wife who is in love with another man?’ she explained.

  

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Lady is a wonder

The word love gave Melody pause. She didn't — couldn't — love Ben. She dreamt of him, yes, and fantasized about happy futures with him, but she didn't love him. Not in the way a bride ought to love her groom. He was her escape, her dreams. The unrequited love she would compare her future husband to eternally. That wasn't love — it was idolizing a falsity. A dream.

Melody was set to rebuke her friend when the door opened to an irate Mrs. Finch. Oh no. Mother was in a mood. "Perhaps you shoukd go." She murmured to Benevolence. Hopefully her friend would be receptive to the hint and leave.

  

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beautiful set by mj