She nodded. Growing in containers made sense, with winter coming, actually. She reached toward a plant nearby and brushed its fuzzy leaf with one fingertip.
He caught her hand and she squeezed his in return, then shook her head. "Not really. But I suppose I should." Mandy took another sip, then finished off her tea, setting the cup in her lap. "Although I'd rather serve her an anchovy and onion scone omelette, and hope she'd call the whole thing off."
She really didn't want to go there...
"I know I told you that my mother's not thrilled about my being a witch," she said slowly. "But more properly the truth is that my father didn't tell her he was a wizard until after I was born. After I started showing signs of having magic of my own. She only stayed because he promised he wouldn't use magic around her..." Mandy tucked a stray strand of hair off her face, then reached for Neville's hand again. "He's been living like a Muggle since before I was born, on the condition that I be allowed to go to Hogwarts and study, and make the choice for myself when I was of age."
She shrugged. "I chose magic. She hates it. She tells her friends that I'm a nurse, and calls you the 'gardener' that I'm dating..." Mandy dropped her gaze to the cup in her lap.