Loving Those Greens! [Lovino]

Antonio hummed cheerfully as he pushed open the doors and walked into the greenhouses. He rolled up his sleeves, enjoying the feeling of the hot humidity within the building. He didn't really have an intention for coming to the greenhouse, it just happened to be his favorite place in the whole school. All the plants! He would have to remember to build one of these for the winter seasons, he was quite sure that his parents wouldn't mind.

Walking up the aisles, he walked down the aisles, pausing every once in a while to peer at a plant (after he was sure it wouldn't bite off his face off or something). He came to the end of the first aisle and paused, a confused look etched clearly on his face. Now what was this weird looking plant? It looked like a great, big, slimy slug had been turned right side up and stuffed into the soil. Bubbles of green-yellow pus covered it. Antonio stared at it in both wonder and disgust as it squirmed a little before his eyes.

"Now, what is this?" He muttered, frowning.

Antonio was so tempted to reach out and run a finger down the length of the upside-down or right-side-up slug plant. It was so slimy and twitchy and a real curiosity. The Hufflepuffler already knew the consequences of touching something strange, he had experienced it first hand actually, and the rashes he got had not been pleasant. Nor was the time he nearly lost his hand.

But, oh, it was so fascinating. He had half the mind to smuggle the plant into his room and keep it there until the end of the year. Perhaps he could show his parents, back in Spain, surely they would know.

He tilted his head up and looked around the greenhouse, he had heard shuffling of another pair of footsteps before, surely there was somebody else of greater knowledge here. Blinking, Antonio took a few steps back to peer in between the rows of plants, hoping that perhaps there was somebody he could ask. His eyes finally landed on the familiar figure of some Slytherin student. Antonio frowned, brows furrowing together as he raked him brain in an attempt to recall his name.

"Ah! Uh, Lo...Lo...Lorenzo, is it?" He called, a friendly smile on his face, and something like a sheepish furrow of his brows.

He knew he had gotten something wrong. The name hadn't felt quite right on his tongue. "Lovino, oh, I'm sorry!" Antonio clapped his hands together and bowed his head a little, with a sheepish grin on his face. "I have problems remembering names - er - it's not exactly my forte." Lovino seemed to be extremely annoyed at him, so the Hufflepuffler figured he best be quick with his question.

"You're knowledgeable in the field of plants, yes?" He gestured towards the slimy plant a little ways down from where he was. "I saw this plant, and it's all...slimy and twitchy. Um, I was going to touch it, but I thought that would be a stupid idea. I really want to know what it is though. If you would, I mean, if you don't mind helping me out a little?"

Antonio blinked and cast a look down the particular row or plants. He frowned at how dead they all seemed, "Poor plants. Abandoned by silly children."

He was a bit taken aback by the iciness of Lovino's scowl and glare. Getting his name wrong must of been pretty bad for him to be so angry. But when he said that he had been smart enough to not touch the plant, Antonio couldn't help but to feel a sense of accomplishment fill him. "Gracias!"

When he heard Lovino go on to call the children stupid, he wanted to tell him that everybody was born un-knowing and that stupid would not be the right term to use. But Lovino had already started explaining so he opted to keep his mouth shut.

Antonio listened intently, olive eyes wide in both awe and horror. What an evil, evil plant this was! His prediction about the extent of the Slytherin's knowledge had been right after all. Lovino's detailed explanation on the plant had definitely surprised him as he had not expected anything more than a brief answer, especially since he had unintentionally offended him. After Lovino had finished, Antonio breathed in amazement. "Wow, Lovino, I guessed right! You really are all-knowing with plants." He laughed, "I'm sure my parents would love to meet you, they are slightly disappointed at my incapability to remember such details about plants."

Did he say something wrong again? Antonio blinked, returning Lovino's searching gaze with a completely dumbfounded and confused one. He furrowed his brows for a moment and looked down at his feet, trying to search for any sign of offense in what he had just said a moment earlier.

He looked up again and blinked, "Eh...I don't think I said anything awful that time," Antonio told Lovino honestly, "Uhm..." He trailed off, looking away in another attempt to find the fault in joking about meeting his parents. Perhaps Lovino hadn't realized it was just words, and that there was no serious attachment to it? But Lovino should be smart enough to know right?

Going back to looking at Lovino with the same stupidly confused look, Antonio really didn't know what to do - or say. "I'm...sorry?"

Antonio blinked, when Lovino told him to shut up. It wasn't that he was offended, more like he found the Slytherin's efforts of covering up his brief moment of confusion to be incredibly amusing. Lovino's flushed face didn't help in his attempt at stifling his laughter, he reminded Antonio of a tomato!

Like the terrible actor that he was, Antonio tried to play off a bout of laughter with a cough. Of course, this did not work out well when he choked on his own spit. Thankfully though, the fit of coughing that followed was a mild one and passed over after a few seconds. He rubbed his watery eye and grinned brightly at Lovino, "Okay, okay. Whatever you say man." He chuckled and gave Lovino a few firm pats on his shoulder, "You're really funny!"