The Importance of Dandelions

The Importance Of Dandelions

A/N: I baby-sit for a friend whose husband is Fijian. She told me about the dandelion thing. I hope I got the ears the right way around. If I didn't, you can always tell. Concrit accepted, as always, although, to be perfectly honest, I do prefer "Oh my God, this is bloody brilliant." Just a thought.

I've just realized something. This is my first non-depressing oneshot! (Other than Unexpected, which is just random.) Yayyyyy!

Ashley, you'd better be happy for me.

The woman twirled, laughing, blonde hair spinning out behind her. She had a dandelion behind her left ear.

A dark-haired, taciturn man watched her, almost smiling. When she stopped, swaying dizzily and still laughing, he said, "Helga, what in Merlin's name is the matter with you?"

"Nothing's the matter with me!" she said. "I'm just giddy! Eeeee!" She began spinning again. The man shook his head.

"Stop that!" she commanded once she had become stationary once more. "You need to have more fun. If you don't have fun you get old faster."

He raised an eyebrow.

"You do!" She stooped to pick a dandelion out of the grass. "Here."

Shaking his head, he took it and put it behind his right ear.

"You married?"

He stared at her. "What?"

"Are you married?"

"No-oo..."

"Betrothed?"

He looked at her suspiciously. "No. Why?"
"Because," she said, plucking the dandelion from its place and installing behind his other ear, "it goes on the left side if you're available. You only put it on the right if you're attached."
"I see," he said slowly.

She shook her head in mock disbelief. "My dear Salazar, where have you been all your life? Under a rock? How can you not know about dandelions? Were you never a child?"

"No," he said. "And I have better things to learn than Muggle superstitions."

"Customs."

"Same thing."

"No, it's not! You don't know anything."

This last, spoken with almost childish pettiness, was enough to make him actually smile. She sulked.

"You're no fun."

Now he actually chuckled. "It's not my nature."

"Fine," she said. "Go in, if you want to so badly."

He realized that he liked the way she smiled.

"Very well," he said. "I will."

"You're wearing it in the wrong ear again," Helga accused him.

"I assure you that I am not."

"It's supposed to go behind your left ear."

"If you are unattached."

"Oh," She paused, thinking on this. "And are you attached?"

Not that he could see, but her face fell, a little.

"In a manner of speaking."

"Don't talk riddles!"

"I am not married, or betrothed, or any such thing. I simply have my eye set on someone, and I am not available to anyone else."

She looked at him side ways. "I never figured you for the star-crossed type."

"I am not, I assure you. I will wait, or not, as it suits me." He paused. "Did you have anyone figured for the star-crossed type?"

"Godric," she said promptly. "And Rowena's a 'No, I am not in love with him! Absolutely, categorically not! Well, okay, maybe.'"

He actually laughed at this, and rather hard. "And me?"

"'I don't have time for love, I'm hatching a Basilisk.'"

He refused to laugh at that, but it was a struggle, and she could tell from his face. "What are you?"

"I?" she asked. "I..." She threw her arms to the sky and whirled around. "I love everyone!"

"Even me?"

She looked up sharply. "Yes..."

He snorted. "The only one."

"Pessimist!"

"Realist."

"Rowena-"

"Rowena doesn't love anyone. Rowena doesn't like anyone."

"Well, Godric-"

"Isn't speaking to me?"

"It's not my fault he thinks you're prejudiced."

"I'm not prejudiced!" Salazar exclaimed, "I hate everyone equally!"

Helga rolled her eyes.

Helga swung her feet against the ground and the stone legs of the bench. She tilted her head to the side and propped her chin on a hand. "Someone glue your mouth shut?"

"Could I... do something?"

She looked at him quizzically. "All right."

He turned to face her. Very, very slowly, he reached out and plucked today's dandelion from behind her left ear and replaced it behind her right.

She didn't put it back.