Page 16 of Spellbound and Gagged

And they were all headed straight for him.

"This is not good," Thaddeus said, backing away from the advancing botanical horde. His back hit the wall, and he realized with a sinking feeling that he was surrounded.

The flutterbloom reached him first, wrapping its vines around his leg in what could only be described as an affectionate embrace. The whispering willows weren't far behind, their leaves caressing his face with decidedly amorous intent.

It hit Thaddeus like a bolt of lightning. He hadn't created a growth potion. He'd accidentally brewed some kind of magical plant aphrodisiac. And he was the unwilling object of every plant's affection.

"This is not happening," he groaned, trying to disentangle himself from a particularly amorous fern. But it was no use. For every plant he pushed away, two more took its place.

There was only one thing to do.

Run.

Thaddeus burst out of his laboratory, a trail of lovesick plants hot on his heels. He sprinted down the hallway, cursing under his breath as he narrowly avoided colliding with a suit of armor.

"Professor Shadowspire," a scandalized voice called out. Thaddeus glanced over his shoulder to see Professor Thornberry, the Arithmancy teacher, staring at him in shock. "What in the name of the ancient mages are you doing?"

"My apologies, Professor," Thaddeus called back, dodging a grasping vine. "Just a small botanical emergency."

He rounded a corner at full speed, nearly crashing into a group of students. Their eyes widened comically as they saw him being chased by a horde of plants.

"Professor?" one of them ventured. "Are you all right?"

"Perfectly fine," Thaddeus panted, leaping over a low-hanging tendril. "Just getting some exercise. Carry on with your studies."

He sprinted past them, leaving behind a wake of confused murmurs and stifled giggles. This was not how he'd envisioned his day going. He needed to find a way to reverse this potion, and fast.

As he ran, Thaddeus's mind raced. There had to be a solution that didn't result in him destroying the plants. His train of thought was abruptly derailed as he skidded around another corner and collided with something solid. Or rather, someone.

Thaddeus went down in a tangle of limbs and robes, the impact knocking the breath from his lungs. He blinked, dazed, and stared into a pair of very familiar, barely-green eyes.

Juno. Of course it was Juno. Because this day couldn't get any more mortifying.

"Thaddeus?" Juno gasped, her voice a mix of surprise and concern. "What in the world..."

Her question trailed off as she took in his appearance—covered in glittering dust, robes askew, hair wild—and the army of amorous plants that was rapidly catching up to them.

For a long moment, they just stared at each other, a tableau of mutual embarrassment. Thaddeus was acutely aware of how close they were, of the heat of Juno's body beneath his, of the faint herbal scent that always clung to her skin. Her green tint had faded significantly since yesterday, now just a subtle hint that might be missed if you weren't looking for it. Even with that lingering shade, she was breathtaking.

The moment was shattered by the arrival of the plant horde. Vines and tendrils reached for Thaddeus, trying to pull him away from Juno.

"Oh, no you don't," Juno muttered, her eyes narrowing. With a swift motion, she pulled out her wand and cast a shield charm around them, creating a bubble that the plants couldn't penetrate.

Thaddeus let out a relieved breath. Why hadn't he thought of that instead of panicking like a freshman? "Thank you," he said, pushing himself up onto his elbows. "I may have made a slight miscalculation with my latest potion."

Juno's lips twitched, fighting a smile. "A slight miscalculation? You're being chased by every plant in your lab. What did you do, brew a love potion for flora?"

"Not intentionally," Thaddeus admitted, feeling a flush creep up his neck. "I was trying to create a growth enhancement potion. It seems I overshot the mark somewhat."

"And here I thought I was having a bad day," she said, her eyes dancing with mirth. "At least the plants aren't trying to seduce me."

He noticed her skin was looking much better—almost back to its normal shade. The remedy he'd given her was working, faster than he'd expected. She caught him studying her face and touched her cheek self-consciously.

"Your treatment is working wonders," she admitted grudgingly. "I should be back to normal by tomorrow."

Despite himself, Thaddeus felt a smile tugging at his lips. "I'm glad to hear it, though green was a very fetching color on you," he said, reaching out to brush a stray curl from her forehead.

Juno's breath caught, her eyes widening at his touch. Thaddeus leaned closer, drawn in by the passion in her gaze. Then, abruptly, the shield charm flickered and died. They were immediately swarmed by the waiting plants, breaking the moment.

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