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Pansy stood up, placing her magazine on the table and forcing a smile on to her face. “Longbottom. Long time no see,” she said, clasping her hands and staring at him. He had shaved his hair into a buzz cut and his neatly trimmed facial hair was at the perfect length to give him that rugged look. She licked her lip and met his gaze “How can we help you?”
He didn’t look shocked to see her in the studio. Not even a little.
“Hiya Pansy. Draco was showing me his tattoo on Friday and I wanted to see if I could get one designed,” he said, smiling over the counter at her.
Pansy bristled at the familiarity. Or. More importantly, at her body’s reaction to the familiarity.
“Custom designs cost extra” she clipped.
Neville grinned, showing off his teeth. The movement made her feel winded. He had no right to look like this. He had no right to grin at her like that.
“I know. I’d love to see your design” he said, giving her a cheeky grin and gesturing across the street “I own Petal and vine on the corner,”
Pansy glanced in surprise at the flowers in the vase and met his eyes.
Neville grinned “Astoria said you guys wanted something to fit the vibe of the tattoo studio. I remembered your style being a little gothic,” he ran his eyes over her and grinned “Accurate?”
Pansy nodded. “They are beautiful,”
Neville smiled and gestured at the vase. “The Black and White Cala lillies were the first flower I thought of for you. Some Queen of the Night Tulips, Before the storm Iris, some raven feathers and black pampas grass,”
“And the green stuff?” Pansy asked.
Neville smiled and her stomach flipped. “Green Dianthus. The same shade as your eyes,”
She blushed. She had actually fucking blushed. Over Longbottom.
She cleared her throat. “They are lovely. Client's have complimented them so I’ll be sure to send them your way,”
She used her wand to conjure her portfolio.
“Some of my previous work,” she said, holding it out and watching him carefully.
Neville took the folder and opened it, eyes scanning the magical photos. “You can make the tattoos move?” he asked, fingers skimming one of her best pieces.
She flushed, pride blooming in her chest. “I can. It's a simple incantation paired with my potion,”
Neville ran his eyes over the tattoo and nodded “Brilliant. I've got a few ideas but I was wondering what you think,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest.
Pansy glanced at his arms and bit the inside of her lip hard. “I've got time for a consultation just now if you have time?” she asked. When he nodded in response she gestured at the room behind them and he followed her into the consultation room.
She sat on her chair, gesturing to the spare seat across from her.
Neville took a seat and tapped one of her tattoos “I like this type of design but I was thinking of having a daggar, but instead of a serpent I was thinking of like vines wrapping around the blade,”
Pansy nodded, sketching down some ideas.
“Thoughts on placement?” she asked, not looking up as she began sketching her ideas.
Neville nodded “I was thinking about here,” he said.
Pansy glanced up, blinking in surprise when she took in his frame. She had tattooed some beautiful men. She had never even felt a twinge that would make her anything less than a consummate professional. But Neville Longbottom? Sitting in her chair with his top off? That had her undone. She shuffled in her seat and nodded, trying to be a professional and listen to what he was saying.
“I actually think the placement would be slightly better here,” she said, stepping towards him and touching his sternum, an inch or two below where he was thinking. “I have an idea or two for the design but I will need at least a few days to come up with the sketches.”
Neville nodded and glanced at her hand that was still splayed across his sternum. He arched his eyebrow at her and she conjured a magical measuring tape.
“Just need to take some measurements,” she said quickly.
Neville had smirked at her. Longbottom. Smirking. At her!
Xxx
Pansy flopped down in the seat next to Draco and grabbed his firewhisky, taking a large swig and sitting it down in front of them both. “I could kill you, you know,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest.
Draco arched an eyebrow. “Hello Pans. Lovely to see you too. Pray tell, what have I done now?”
Pansy pursed her lips and tapped the table with her sharp nails. “Longbottom came into the shop today. Looking for a custom piece,”
Draco frowned “So, I am in trouble...for getting you business?”
Pansy scoffed “You are in trouble for not telling me that Longbottom got hot,”
Draco blanched “Ew. Pansy, fucking hell. You have had questionable taste but Longbottom?”
Pansy rolled her eyes “Sorry, I forget that you can't see past the golden girl. Anyway. He came in for a custom piece and I made a right arse of myself. He was smirking at me!”
Draco chuckled “I will ignore your digs about my colleague who, might I remind you, has a boyfriend. But what I won't ignore is this turn of events. You fancy Longbottom?”
Pansy groaned and took another swig from his drink, finishing it off. What the fuck was in the Gryffindor water?”
Draco rolled his eyes “I'll get us some new drinks then shall I?” he said, heading to the bar.
Pansy sat back and dug into her bag, pulling out her sketchpad and doodling.
Draco sat her drink down in front of her and took a sip of his drink, glancing at her page. He let out a splutter choking on his firewhiskey and glancing at her.
“Pansy,” he admonished.
She flushed slightly “I’m sketching a tattoo idea,”
Draco scoffed “On a torso?”
“I want the placement to be perfect,” she said primly.
Draco glanced at the sketch and met her eyes “And the freckles?”
Pansy flushed “Just being aware of my canvas.” she bit out.
Draco snorted. “Utter pish,”
Xxx
Pansy ran her eyes over her sketch and nodded to herself. She was happy with it. More than happy. It was going to be one of her best pieces. She glanced at the clock and thrummed her pencil against the desk. She glanced at Astoria “When is our next client?” she asked.
Astoria glanced at the book and pursed her lips “Nothing for you until three. I've got a piercing at half one,”
Pansy glanced at the clock and leaned up on her tiptoes. “I might pop over to Longbottom's shop and show the design...”
Astoria smirked.
Pansy bristled “Shut up,”
Astoria held up her hands “I didn't say a thing,”
Pansy grabbed the portfolio and tucked her hair behind her ears. She glanced over the street and caught sight of Neville lounging in the doorway. She made her way across the road cursing when her heels caught in the cobbles. Not the look she was hoping for.
She held up her portfolio and met his eyes “Designs ready if you want a look,”
Neville nodded and held out his elbow to let her steady herself on the steps to his store. Pansy stepped inside the flower shop and let out a hum of appreciation. She expected it to smell of everything but each section she walked past has its own unique scent.
“Impressive spell work,” she commented.
Neville tucked his hands into his pockets and flushed. “Thanks. Everything is in a stasis charm to keep if fresh. Your flowers should last about three months,”
Pansy glanced at his wall and skimmed the posters. “Is that true?” She asked.
Neville followed her gaze and smiled “Oh yeah. Every flower represents something,”
Pansy turned to face him. “What do mine mean?” She asked.
Neville’s lips twitched “Which one?”
She pursed her lips “The tulip,”
Neville grinned “Elegance and beauty,”
Pansy fought a flush and forced a smirk onto her face. “Good pick then,”
Neville gestured to a door which led into a sitting room with a green velvet couch and a load of plants. Pansy glanced at the light streaming in the window and sighed “God this is gorgeous,”
Neville smiled and flopped onto the couch and taking the sketchbook from her.
He opened the page and scanned the page, his eyes darting to Pansy as he ran his thumb over the drawing.
Pansy bounced on her heels “I was thinking that rather than a dagger we would go with the sword of Gryffindor. And the vines wrapping round it are a devils snare vine. Which I thought we could have constricting round the blade. Then the non corporeal mist sort of flickering through,” she said, gesturing to elements of the design.
Neville followed her movements, nodding as she made comments about the placement and colouring of the ink as well as some enchantments for movement. “Could we add some flecks of gold in the mist? Like the snare is burning?” He asked.
Pansy nodded and used her wand to add the gold through the blue mist. “Like this?” She asked.
Neville nodded and met her eyes. “It looks perfect. If you just let me know when you are free I would love to make an appointment,”
Pansy nodded, standing up and brushing down her skirt “I’ll send you an owl with my free slots,”
Xxx
Pansy was a professional. A complete professional. So she had no idea why her voice had cracked a little when she asked Neville to remove his top.
“I’m just going to clean and prep the area before I move on to the stencil,” she said, pulling on her gloves and wiping the area gently.
Neville tensed under her touch and Pansy bit the inside of her cheek hard to avoid her own reaction. She used her wand to prepare the area fully and began using her stencil to outline the placement.
She asked if Neville was happy with the placement, looking up to meet his eyes, which were squeezed shut. “You okay?”
Neville exhaled through his nose and nodded, opening his wyes “Ticklish,” he muttered gruffly before analysing the placement. “Perfect,”
Pansy nodded “Happy for me to get started? If you want to stop just tell me or raise your hand,”
Neville nodded and Pansy went to work. She was in the zone, barely aware of anything but her work. Neville had done well and after a short break she was back at to work. He was asking her questions, making idle conversation. It wasn’t till she had reached his navel that Neville seemed to be in any discomfort. She glanced at his hand, which was making a gripping movement. She glanced at his face, his eyes squeezed shut and his lower lip caught between his teeth.
“Do you need another break?” She asked gently.
Neville shook his head. “Don’t stop,” he said, his voice like molten lava.
Pansy tried to ignore the way his demand shot straight to her core. She cleared her throat, and got back to work. The base of the sword required a more delicate focus to get the flecks of gold right. She placed a hand on his abs and let out a satisfied hum “Almost done,”
She pressed the gun down to do some final details and blinked in surprise when he let out a soft moan. Her eyes darted to his and she caught him staring at her, eyes clouded. “Ticklish,” he muttered, gripping at the air and staring at the ceiling.
She might have believed him if it wasn’t for the telltale sign that he wasn’t just ticklish. She flushed, blinking to clear her head. She was a professional. He was a client…and sometimes these reactions happened. This was just the first time she was having a reaction to those reactions.
She focussed her wand on the tattoo and muttered a few incantations before grinning, pleased with her work.
She muttered a spell to help with healing and stood up, taking off her gloves. “Just let me get a mirror and you can have a look,” she said softly. She heard shuffling behind her and she kept her back facing him to give her time to compose herself. She turned to face him and smiled, holding up the mirror. Neville studied the design and grinned. “It looks great,” he said. He shuffled on his feet and glanced at the tattoo chair “I’m sorry about,”
“No need. Loads of people are ticklish,” she said, forcing a neutral expression onto her face.
Neville laughed “Right. Ticklish,” he handed over his Galleons and leaned against the wall.
“Thanks again,” he said softly, looking like he was about to say more. But suddenly he pushed off the wall and gave her a quick wave.
Pansy let her face fall onto the counter and she let out a groan. She had the most unnerving feeling that her dreams were about to be filled with Neville fucking Longbottom.