07 February 1921
Monday, 1am
Some nights were harder than others. Memories flooding his head from the war. Losing friends, civilians, buildings blown up with unknown number of casualties. The ringing in his ears then was present now in those times where his mind wasn’t sure if he was still in the thick of battle.
Laying in bed counting sheep would never work. It would just make it worse. Trying NOT to think about it, just made him think about it more. Thankfully, he had found something that helped, from a very unlikely source.
Matilda Nordstrom had become some sort of medicinal tea wiz. Making concoctions for cough, fever, upset stomach, exhaustion and yes, insomnia. Apparently she was working on a blend for constipation, he hoped that tea would not be something he ever needed. After needing the insomnia tea blend on more than one occasion, the Gryffindor 4th year gave him a jar for himself. So as to not deplete the Hospital Wing stores.
Instead of brewing the tea in his living quarters, Gideon decided to stretch his legs a bit, maybe it would help with the restless feeling in his limbs. Deciding not to change, he left the Hufflepuff House wearing his glasses, slippers, yellow and black plaid flannel sleep pants (a cheeky christmas gift from Vinni) and a black t-shirt, putting his arm tattoo on full display. As he arrived in the kitchens, after a brief walk around the castle, he was just awake and jittery as before. Thankfully, the tea had amazing calming qualities.
After tickling the pear and opening the painting to the kitchen, he began the simple process of getting the kettle on the stove. Muscle memory taking over while his mind wandered to other things. Other places he didn’t necessarily want to be. It would be simple to magic the water into boiling faster, but he liked the process of letting it heat up naturally, so while the flame did its work, Gideon leaned up against the counter, ankles crossed, arms folded and head back, while he tried to breath in and out. It was as close to meditation as he could get.
Hearing the creak of the painting open, had his head coming back up and his eyes opening, but the causal stance didn’t change. Maybe his night was about to get more exciting. The prospect of giving out detentions popping into his head. If it was a student walking into the kitchen, they were about to get a very unpleasant wake-up call.
Rose used to not have insomnia. She used to sleep really well, and then power through the day with caffeine. Now, however, being back at Hogwarts with everything going on around with the magical madness and the students and the – well, the everything – plus her seven-year-old adjusting to the castle, and her two-year-old now around more often… there were some nights that she just could not make herself sleep.
And this was one of those nights. Rose finally got out of bed, tired of the tossing and turning. Sometimes she would have some wine to help her relax, other times she would go for walks. Well, she’d already had a glass of wine about an hour ago and it had not worked. Obviously.
Rose stepped into her slippers and pulled her silk robe over her nightgown, tying it at the waist. She made her way into Fiona’s bedroom to check on her child, who was sleeping soundly – the lucky girl – before planting a soft kiss on her temple and exiting their quarters.
Where would she go? It was a bit chilly outside still and she hadn’t grabbed her coat, so she couldn’t go outside. However, as a Hufflepuff at heart, her stomach pulled her towards the kitchens. She smiled at the memories as she made her way down to the dungeons. She made her way down the hall and stopped at the pear portrait. She tickled it, and the door opened.
Rose didn’t realize she wasn’t alone until the door shut behind her. A blush rushed to her cheeks when she saw one of her bosses (sure, Ruby was the big boss but Gideon was the Deputy), realizing just how underdressed she truly was.
“Is that some of Tilly’s tea I smell?” Rose asked as she made her way through the kitchen. She leaned up against the counter opposite of Gideon, taking in his awfully Hufflepuff-colored pajamas.
“Cute…” she commented, and let her eyes pause on the tattoo she saw on his arm. She raised her brow a bit, tilting her head slightly, and her gaze continued up to his face. She bit her lip slightly.
The water had come to a boil, the tea currently steeping. The soft aroma of chamomile and lavender filling the room. There were other things in the blend, he didn’t care to remember them. It worked, that was all that mattered. Watching the steam billow out of the cup in soft misty waves was putting him into an almost meditative state.
When the door opened and the voice rang out, Gideon didn’t move. His muscles locked in place, eyes waiting to greet the woman that walked into the kitchen. Rose.
“Is that some of Tilly’s tea I smell?” As she came into view, positively glowing in her ivory silk night gown and robe, his heart stuttered at the site. Red hair, cascading down her back and over her shoulders, Not a stitch of makeup, which just highlighted how gorgeous she was.
She had said something… Yep, his brain malfunctioned. OH, of course. The tea. “One in the same. Having trouble sleeping?”
His stance stayed the same, arms crossed over his chest, ankles crossed while he leaned up against the counter. Rose came in and mirrored his stance across from him. Watching her eyes drift down his body and back up, their eyes meeting as she finished her perusal.
“Cute…” she said, after focusing on his very hufflepuff sleep pants. A blush colored his cheeks and a sigh escaped his lips. “My sister Vinni thought they were the perfect Christmas present. Not that I disagree, they're quite comfy.”
He said with a smirk, narrowing his eyes at her. “Lets see you’re what, 27 or 28? You would have been older than Vin, but I think Hayes was probably here. A bit nerdy. Ravenclaw. Loves numbers and reading. Ring any bells?”
He couldn’t take his eyes off her. The soft glow of the kitchen lights made her red hair shine, and her white robe glowed. Angelic. Lifting his mug to his lips, still not looking away he took a slow sip of the hot fragrant liquid. “Let me make you a cup of tea.”
Standing to his full height, Gideon bridged the gap between them, just a few steps and he was close enough to see the subtle green flecks in her eyes. Reaching up to the shelf just behind her head, he selected a mug, the whole time looking between her eyes and the way her teeth bit into her lip.
His thumb itched to run across her pouty bottom lip, to pull it free from the teeth that held it captive. Run his knuckles down the slope of her cheek. Run his fingers through her hair to see if it was as soft as it looked. He’d bet money that it was. A lot of money. He couldn’t resist the urge to tuck a stray hair behind her ear. The briefest of touches, but the resulting heat that ran up his hand was like an electrical shock.
Stepping back, Gideon turned, breaking eye contact while getting the water in the mug and the tea leaves in a diffuser. Once it was steeping, the leaves releasing whatever magic helped calm his nerves and put him to sleep, he turned around to look at Rose again.
Handing her the mug, their fingers brushing briefly, he smiled as he took another sip of his own drink. “So, what’s keeping you up tonight?”
The Blackwoods were known throughout the Wizarding World, not just because they were very wealthy and ran in the Pureblood circle, but also because of their gentlemen’s clothing shop. Everyone knew about their speak-easy too, or… those who would not snitch anyways.
But she also knew them from her time at Hogwarts. His sister had been too young, they had just missed each other, but as he asked about Hayes, she had a vague recollection. She was sure that she had pissed him off at some point because she was very hot-headed back then and had a tendency to speak her mind without even considering the repercussions of such things.
Rose nodded, her eyes glued to him as well. He hadn’t looked away, and she found herself enjoying that. Seeing him out of his suit, without his hair slicked back… not to mention that tattoo that disappeared under the sleeve of his shirt… how high up did it go? She wished she could see.
Blushing again.
“Let me make you a cup of tea.”
“That’d be lovely, thanks,” she said, not moving as he came closer to her. She tilted her head back, watching his face as he reached behind her for a mug. He hesitated there for a moment, and she could feel the warmth of his presence. She wanted to feel his lips against hers, his hands on her, and he was so close that she could almost –
Oh. He was tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Rose’s breath was caught in her throat for a moment as her eyes searched his.
But then the moment was gone and he had turned away. Rose was completely spellbound by this man who was technically her boss. Was that wrong? Very likely. Did she care? Not at all.
Rose watched as he moved, imagining the shape of his muscles under his shirt as he got her mug ready. Then he turned and handed it back to her and she was blushing again, especially when she felt his fingers brush against hers.
“So, what’s keeping you up tonight?”
Rose blinked. Talking. Yes, she could talk. Talking was good.
“The Wing was really busy tonight, and Fiona was cranky… you’d think she’d be adjusted to Hogwarts by now, but… not yet I guess. I didn’t realize being back as an adult would be so exhausting,” she commented, smirking a bit. “You?” she asked, curiously.
Watching her bring the steaming mug to her lips was a test in restraint. It had been nearly four years since Elizabeth had died, and almost five since he had last kissed her lips. In all those years no one had intrigued him quite like the woman standing in front of him.
Unlike his relationship with Elizabeth, Rose Byrne would be complicated. First, he was her boss. There were probably rules against fraternization, the fine print on one of the many pages of contracts he signed. Second, she had two kids. Both here at the castle and one, the child of another professor. Should he talk with Maddox? For no other reason than to avoid that awkward conversation, he was going to say no.
Third, he was widowed. In years past that would have been the first and only complication that mattered. Now, it didn’t weigh on him nearly as much. There was guilt buried deep thinking about Elizabeth and potentially pursuing something with another woman, but he had to move on at some point. Elizabeth would want him to be happy. Just like if the roles had been reversed.
Turning the conversation to what brought them both to the kitchens at such a late… or early hour, he listened and watched as her mouth ended in a smirk.
“The Wing was really busy tonight, and Fiona was cranky… you’d think she’d be adjusted to Hogwarts by now, but… not yet I guess. I didn’t realize being back as an adult would be so exhausting. You?”
His mind drifted back to what brought him into the kitchens in search of some comfort. The dreams and memories were all but forgotten in her presence. Not wanting to put a damper on their conversation, he went the safer route. “Sometimes my mind won’t shut off. Tonight happened to be one of those nights.”
His answer had been vague, but not a lie. “Coming back was a lot more exhausting than I thought as well. Granted, we’ve been running around fixing all the magical fuckery left over from Halloway. As a student I was causing trouble, not fixing it, so things have been a bit different this time.” Gideon said, a full smile gracing his face looking at Rose.
Gideon Blackwood had been a menace when he was a student. Taking another sip of his tea, the smile still on his face remembering the things he did as a student. “My brother and I, Archer, he’s a year younger than me, Irish twins. We were right little bastards when we were younger. If there was trouble to be had, it had our names all over it. We used to run a betting ring out of the trophy room. Quidditch, duels, who could eat the most sour candies. You name it.” His smile held a nostalgic softness, a boyish look taking over his face. “We got detention every weekend for six months when the head master found out.” He said with a chuckle. Archer running the Blackwood betting ring was no shock to anyone in the family.
Gideon had smiled more and shared more about his life in the last ten minutes than with anyone else in the castle all term. Typically, keeping his personal life out of the castle, keeping an air of authority and mystery. Something about this woman broke down all his walls.
"What about you, what trouble did you get into as a student?" He asked, winking in a playful manner. Wait, winking? What in the hell had Matilda put in the tea? He was NOT acting like himself at all.
As he spoke, Rose sipped her hot tea, the liquid warming up her insides. She could already feel herself calming down a bit, and being in Gideon’s presence had a lot to do with that – not just this tea that Nordstrom had come up with.
A smirk crossed her lips as he began speaking about getting into trouble with his brother Archer. That brother was also before her time, though she could imagine they were the fun boys she would have hung out with back then. Instead, she’d had a handful of different people she called her friends, a couple of random crushes and a couple of failed relationships. Overall though, a typical experience.
“You two sound like menaces,” she commented, still smirking. Knowing that about him made him even more attractive to her, especially when comparing him to now when he had such an important job.
"What about you, what trouble did you get into as a student?"
“Oh gosh…” Rose said and laughed a little bit, his wink bringing blush to her cheeks again. “Well I didn’t start here until fourth year. Before that I was homeschooled by my mum. My father was ashamed of us, said that we were freaks because we had magic, and I spent a lot of my free time locked in my room.”
Despite how frustrating it had been back then, Rose couldn’t help but to smirk a bit. “I did get quite good at muggle lockpicking back then, though,” she admitted. “But I was quite awkward when I did start at Hogwarts and I got in trouble with some professors. A lot of them had lame lessons and I…” she let her voice trail off, thinking.
“Well, I found it hard to keep my mouth shut when I didn’t agree,” she said and laughed a bit.
Then she noticed a House Elf, Tindlewick, had appeared near the entrance to the kitchens.
“Miss Rose, Miss Fiona woke and said she doesn’t feel good,” said the Hospital Wing’s elf.
“Thank you, Tindlewick, let her know I’ll be right up,” she responded and then looked back at Gideon once the elf had vanished again.
She sighed, obviously disappointed in the interruption. Her thoughts moved back to the moment he had touched her hair, tucking a strand behind her ear. She bit her lip and blushed slightly again. “I should go check on Fi,” she said, not wanting to leave.
“Thanks for the tea… I’ll be taking it with me,” Rose said and took another sip. “Goodnight, Gideon.”
She hesitated for a moment before turning and exiting the kitchen, still blushing all the way up to her quarters.
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