It had always surprised Rose how much meaning could go in those words, �I love you.� Someone could spell out a lifetime�s worth of love in those three little words. And you never, ever saw it coming.

Except now, but then, Rose wasn�t traditional. She�d been planning to say them for a long time now�. She hoped Albus wouldn�t expect them. It took the magic away, she figured. If you already knew someone loved you a while before they say it for the first time, there�s nothing special about it.

And now, holed up in a little tea shop somewhere in Hogsmead, Albus was sitting across the table from her, holding her hand, while they had small cups of coffee.

�And then what?� asked Albus, forcing Rose into the present. She blinked, surfacing. �Sorry. I can tell I�ve disturbed some profound thought. I�ll shut up a bit and drink my coffee,� Albus smiled. That was something Rose loved about him. They were still best friends, and it was never awkward for the two of them just to sit in silence, each thinking their own thoughts.

�Oh, I think, ah, shoot. I forgot,� Rose said. �That happens to me so much it�s not funny. I mean, I�ll have my hand up in class, for a while, then by the time the teacher calls on me, I�ve forgotten what I was going to say, and then I have to tell everyone, �Sorry, I forgot what I was going to say,� and look all stupid.�

Albus laughed a little, and added, �It�s much funnier when you do a little hop,� he said, demonstrating by jerking his head up from the table with a deer-in-the-headlights look.

�I do not do that!� Rose protested, absolutely sure she did. But it was fun to have something to argue about with Albus.

�You do too!� he said, demonstrating, again, and again, until she fell out of her chair, laughing so hard the whole tea shop stared at her. Waving, she turned back to Al.

�You know, I think it�s finally worn off, you know, us being who we are. It must have taken the five years we�ve been coming here for them to get it all of a sudden� Oh, remember how Rita Skeeter nearly had a heart attack when she found out we were dating��

Rose laughed again, remembering the astonished journalist. But they hadn�t been doing anything wrong, or out of the ordinary, so the tales she�d spun were limp.

Al reached out to stroke her hand, smiling at her. �It�s fun being us,� he laughed, and Rose agreed. They got special benefits! Except there were some downfalls� like the Creevys.

Rose brushed some of his hair back, scorning him. �You need a haircut.�

�I do not!�

�You do too.�

�No.�

�Yes.�

�Pleeeeeaaaaseee.�

�You�re getting your hair cut, whether you like it or not.�

�Whoa, Rose, what are you doing with your wand-�

�Well, since I�m allowed to do magic now, I will.�

Rose whipped out her wand, waved it once, and shortened Al�s hair so it wasn�t bad. She marveled at how much he looked like Uncle Harry.

�You know, Rose, this isn�t bad,� Al said, examining his hairdo in the window. �I like it!�

�You will like it,� Rose grumbled. �I�ll make you.�

Al had a strange look on his face. Rose feared that what she had feared for so long was coming into play.

�Rose, I � I,� Al stumbled over his words, red faced.

No. No, it can�t be! He won�t be saying it! It can�t be Al saying that! No! I�m not ready for a commitment! No! No! This is torture! I�m a LION! I need adventures first! I don�t want to be tied to Al! I don�t want it! I don�t wanna! I don�t wanna! I don�t wanna! I don�t wanna! I don�t wanna!

�I have something to tell you. I-�

No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. NO!

�Took your notes.�

What! That wasn�t what I was expecting! Rose let out a conspicuous sigh of relief. Thank goodness. So does he love me?

Rose felt her face grow red and mumbled something about it being okay if he gave them back by NEWTs. Vaguely, she could hear him going on about how much better hers were than his, because he could read hers�.

Did she love him?

Rose opened her mouth, and before she could stop them, true words spilled out.

�Al, I love you.�

Al stopped talking, surprised. He hadn�t expected her to say them. He had been wondering when to say them, but hadn�t wanted to, all the same� he hadn�t wanted to pressure her into saying something she didn�t mean. Hugely relieved, Al stroked her cheek, smiling.

�I love you too, Rosie.�