Chapter Four

Chapter 4

As they approached the gates of Hogwarts, Pomona leaned on Taurean while he held her close, his arms around her waist. Every now and then she would giggle, enjoying the pleasant wavering of her surroundings coupled with the tingling throughout her body and the warmth of Taurean's proximity.

Stopping at the gate, Pomona looked up and tried to step away from Taurean to reach inside her robes for her wand. Feeling her pull, he let her go, and she toppled over into the tall grass by the path.

"Pomona! Are you all right?" Taurean asked, kneeling down to pull her up into a sitting position.

Laughing at herself, Pomona dusted herself off with a blowing charm, having found her wand. Unfortunately, she blew the grass and twigs from her body into Taurean's face. Realizing her mistake, her eyes grew wide. "Ohmygosh! Taurean, I'm s-sorry," she said in a rush, reaching out to remove pieces of grass from his mouth.

At the same moment, he reached up to remove them as well, and their hands collided. He grasped her hand a moment, looked into her eyes and smiled. "Quite all right, cherry blossom, I've been hit with worse," he replied, his eyes alight with mirth.

Standing up, Taurean brushed himself off, then turned and reached down to take Pomona's hands and lift her from the ground. "Now, would you like for me to escort you to your rooms? I want to make sure you get home safely. But will I be able to leave if I enter with you?" he asked, examining the fortified gates of Hogwarts.

Snorting in an unladylike way, Pomona replied, "Getting out is no problem. It is the getting in that is difficult." Raising her wand, she cast a silent spell while waving it in an intricate pattern. Mid-cast, she faltered, unable to remember the entire spell to open the gates.

Sighing, she blew a tendril of hair from her face. Suddenly, the wind left her sails and tears rose in her eyes. She remembered now why Filius would have nothing to do with her. She wasn't exactly the brightest witch of her age now was she? Her head fell forward, and her arms drooped at her sides as she rocked back and forth on her feet.

Stepping up to her, Taurean tipped up her head with one finger under her chin. "Now, now, Pomona, do not give up so easily. I imagine this spell is hard even when you haven't had so much as a butter beer. I can help you, if you want me to. If not, my cousin has an extra room, and I'm sure she would let you stay until morning," he told her gently, wiping a single tear from her cheek with his thumb.

"Help me? How can you? I am beyond helping..."

"You don't believe that. I can't imagine a man like Albus Dumbledore would hire witches and wizards with average intellects to teach his students. And I can help you. Just let yourself go. Let the spell flow through you. I will add my power to yours, and it should boost you enough to enable the spell to work," he finished.

Looking at him, Pomona nodded. "Show me," she said, a little steadier on her feet now with Taurean's hand at her back.

Moving behind her, his wand in his hand, he grasped the wrist of her wand hand and raised it above her head as he had seen her do just minutes before. Then, his other hand traveled around her waist, holding her closer to him. Leaning in, he murmured in her ear, "Now."

With his prompt, Pomona closed her eyes and felt warmth surround her. Her hand moved as one with his, and together, their wands followed one another in the intricate pattern as Pomona said the spell silently in her head. Abruptly, the clang of metal met her ears, and the gates opened slightly.

Opening her eyes, Pomona stared at the open gate in disbelief for a moment before Taurean's hand urged her forward. In a blink, Pomona found herself supported by Taurean again as they wound through the gates, shutting them once they were inside.

Now that she no longer had to worry about getting into the castle, Pomona found her head spinning faster, even though the cool night air had helped. Frowning, she tried to focus. Her steps faltered again, but Taurean held her firm.

"Don't worry, cherry blossom, I have you. Let's get you up to your room, all right?" he asked, and Pomona nodded.

She sighed when the world tilted and clung more tightly to him. Trying to focus once more, she asked, "Taurean, what do you do for a living?"

Looking at her, one quizzical eyebrow raised, he responded, "And what makes you think I do something other than serve drinks?"

She snorted, then covered her mouth for a moment. Removing her hand, she stopped, and he stopped with her. "Because not many barkeeps look like you do. And I must say, not many would help a witch out like you are," she told him breathlessly. Looking back up at him, she added, "And I don't know many people who could have done that!" She waved her hand at the gates behind them, now tightly closed.

Had there been more light, Pomona would have seen his blush. "I admit I am not your average barkeep as you say. Eventually, I will be a Curse-Breaker when I grow up."

Chuckling, Pomona looked up at him, the alcohol making her braver than she normally was. "Taurean, I like you. Do you know that? I really do," she stated, swaying toward him, and his arms went around her in an attempt to steady her once more.

Looking down at her, blue eyes met brown then traveled to her lips. "Cherry blossom, you are making this very difficult for me, because I find I like you very much too," he told her, suddenly serious.

Gazing up at him, Pomona swallowed nervously. I wonder what it would be like to kiss him. It has been so very long, she thought. Hesitantly, Pomona slid her hands up around his neck, absently moistening her lips as she leaned toward him. Throwing caution to the wind, Pomona tugged at his neck, and Taurean did not resist.

Their lips met, and Taurean's hands reached around her, pulling her body closer to his as the kiss deepened. Pomona found his lips warm and welcoming, but no wands went off. However, Taurean was solid and human and warm. And Pomona found herself craving those things given her heartache. The alcohol was making it very hard to resist wanting more from him. How easy it would be to just let him love her. But she knew, somewhere in her, she knew it wasn't fair to him.

Her thoughts were interrupted when a bright light blinded her, and Taurean tensed, immediately pulling away to shield his eyes with one arm while supporting her with the other.

"I suggest you unhand her this moment, you brute!" Filius exclaimed, his wand pointed directly at Taurean. His stance suggesting he was ready to duel or hex if needed. "Pomona? Are you all right?"

Pomona leaned further into Taurean, hiding her face. Oh, Merlin! Of all times for Filius to be available, why now?

"Sir, I would appreciate it if you would lower your wand. I assure you I am only escorting Pomona to her rooms, nothing more. I just want to make sure she arrives safely," Taurean explained, his arms around Pomona in a protective gesture.

"Safely? Is she all right? What's wrong?" Filius asked, still holding his wand aloft as he moved forward.

"She simply had one too many, and Rosmerta asked me to accompany her to Hogwarts."

Pomona wanted to sink through the ground. But she also knew she couldn't stand up without falling over, so she stayed next to Taurean, hiding her face. Abruptly, her body jolted, then again. Taurean pulled her away from him to see what was wrong, and Pomona let out a very loud hiccup.

Gathering her courage, Pomona turned to face Filius. "Hellooo, Filius!" she exclaimed a bit too loudly, then hiccupped again. She laughed nervously at the situation. This was the absolute last thing she had wanted Filius to see. The man was supposed to be with Celeste in her bloody tower.

"Lovely evening, don't you think?" Pomona asked, raising her arms up and moving them in a circle to encompass the night which removed her from Taurean's support.

Suddenly, she lurched to the side, and Taurean shifted in an effort to catch her, but Filius was faster. With a swish and flick, he cast a Levitation charm to shield her from falling to the ground.

Sucking in her breath, expecting to hit the ground, Pomona let out a squeak when she felt Filius' magic surround her. "Oh, thank you," she whispered with a sigh.

"Yes, thank you..." Taurean began.

As Pomona was brought upright once more, supported by Filius' magic, she said breathlessly, "Filius, this is Taurean. He works at the Three Broomsticks." She finished this with another hiccup, then giggled at herself.

"Charmed, I'm sure," Filius replied.

Moving forward, Taurean extended his hand. "It is very nice to meet another professor for Hogwarts," he said, reaching up to scratch his arm nonchalantly when Filius did not return his gesture.

"Sorry, chap, my hands are full. Thank you for making sure Professor Sprout made it back to Hogwarts safely. I can help her from here. Have a good night," Filius said with finality, nodding.

Nodding in return, Taurean looked at Pomona and smiled. "Good night, cherry blossom."

Sighing, Pomona said, "Good night, Taurean. Thank you."

___________________

For a moment, Filius watched the larger wizard leave. When he had emerged from the castle and fairly stumbled upon the two of them snogging, his heart had turned over in his chest. This was what he had been afraid of all along.

And he had been right. It hurt like hell to see Pomona in the arms of another man. Especially one she had probably just met.

For the life of him, he couldn't remember the last time Pomona had actually been on a date. Or what type of man drew her attention. But he would never have wagered on a man that looked like this... Taurean.

Filius frowned.

His behavior over the whole ordeal had been horrible. He had never before felt what people referred to as jealousy as keenly as he had tonight watching Pomona kiss someone else instead of him. Of course, to be jealous, he would have to consider Pomona his. And now that he reflected on it, he had had her to himself for the whole year.

His frown deepened. Why was that? A young witch like Pomona should be going out constantly. Oh, she went out with the girls regularly, but come to think of it, she had never so much as gone out with or mentioned another young man... until tonight.

He wondered about Taurean. Who is he? He had called Pomona cherry blossom. That was rather endearing for someone she had just met, unless they had met before. Looking down, Filius kicked a rock and watched it roll down the hill. Staring after it, he felt just like it: spiraling out of control. Damn, why did this have to hurt so much?

A low rumbling sound pulled him from his thoughts. His eyebrows rose when he saw that Pomona was not quite upright any longer, her form having sagged when his Levitation charm lulled slightly while he reflected on his predicament. She was asleep, cushioned by his magic.

Sighing, he waved his wand to adjust Pomona into a horizontal position, and slowly wandered up to the castle with her sleeping soundly in tow.

"Come on, Mona, let's get you to bed," he told her.

A louder snore was her response.