Alice put down Romeo and Juliet with a sigh. “What an amazing story.”
Lily Evans laughed at her. “Personally, I think it’s a bit melodramatic,” she confessed. “Definitely not my favorite Shakespeare play.”
“Oh, but it’s so romantic!” Alice enthused, twirling her hair around her finger. “I bet Romeo could dance wonderfully,” she added thoughtfully.
“Still on about that, are you?” Lily shook her head. “Not all good dancers I know are worth the daydreams. Take Sirius Black, for example.”
“Oh, he does dance divinely!” Alice smiled reminiscently. “It’s too bad he’s so young.”
“Young? How about arrogant and insensitive?”
“Sure, that too.” But Alice’s shrug had less to do with Sirius Black than someone else, and Lily Evans knew it.
“Frank’s a year older than you,” she said gently. “That gives him points, doesn’t it?”
Alice smiled. “Oh, he has points for more than just being older than me. He’s thoughtful, sensitive, strong, and even a little funny. He’s just not “ ” she sighed.
“Romantic?” Lily supplied. “Listen, Alice, you can keep the book for as long as you like, but I’ve got to go to the library. O.W.L.s, you know.”
“I’ll be right behind you. N.E.W.T.s and all.” The girls shared a grin, then Lily left the prefect’s lounge, where they’d been fulfilling the name of the room and lounging about for an hour or two.
Alice stayed where she was, running her hand up and down the book she’d just finished. It surely hadn’t had a happy ending, but Alice was really drawn to the true and deep love that Romeo and Juliet had shared, to the point of wanting to be dead rather than apart from the other.
She wondered if she could ever feel that deeply about anyone “ more importantly, if anyone could feel that way about her. Frank Longbottom fluttered into her thoughts again. No one had ever cared about her the way he did, Alice knew it. But the way he went about showing her wasn’t with sonnet-spouting or whisking her away onto the dance floor. It was through little things like being sure to point out her favorite dish at dinner if she hadn’t spotted it, or carrying her bag. Most of the time she was happy enough with the small kindnesses, but after a book like that Alice couldn’t help but wish for a balcony scene of some sort.
Shaking her head at herself, Alice gathered up her things and went to the library. Perhaps she ought to find a spell that would cure her of such flights of fancy. Because Frank would never climb a balcony just to see her, not if he wouldn’t even kiss her.
At dinner that night, Alice was a bit quieter than usual, still caught up in the story that she’d read earlier. Of course Frank noticed.
“Are you all right?” he asked, touching her arm gently.
“Yeah,” she replied softly, smiling into his eyes. “I was just thinking about the book I read today.”
“Another Muggle one from Evans?” Frank grinned. “A romance?”
“A classic, actually,” Alice corrected, trying to save face. “Shakespeare.”
“Oh, Shakespeare, really? I read a couple of them for Muggle Studies once,” Frank said, instantly interested. “Which one?”
“Romeo and Juliet,” Alice muttered, ducking her head.
“I see,” Frank said, keeping a straight face for only a fraction of a second before breaking into laughter. “Hon, that’s about as romance as you get!”
“I know,” Alice said, unable to keep from giggling with him. He’d used an endearment! That had never happened before. Maybe it was time to talk to him about actually making their little flirtation official.
“So did you like it?” Frank asked. “Though I expect I already know the answer. Is there any romance you don’t like?”
“It was very good,” Alice said noncommittally, picking up her fork with great purpose. Maybe if she really concentrated on her food they could get off this subject. She found it slightly embarrassing.
“You liked it very much,” Frank translated. “Well, you could do worse than be fond of Shakespeare. Perhaps sometime we could discuss it.”
“Um, maybe,” Alice said, slightly alarmed. “Surely there’s other things we could come up with to discuss. More important things.”
“Yes, of course there are always more important things,” Frank said, all of a sudden quite serious. “But we can’t spend all our time thinking about them. We have to be more light-hearted sometimes or we turn gloomy.”
“Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy,” Alice reminded him. “Not the most light-hearted topic in the world.”
“You know that’s not what I mean.” Frank shook his head and smiled fondly. “Are you about done with your dinner? Maybe on the way back to the common room we could embark on a discussion about the parallels between Romeo and ... what’s the name of that other guy? The prince.”
“Paris?” Alice grimaced. “If you really want to...”
“Not if you don’t,” Frank laughed. “We can find some other light-hearted topic instead.”
“All right. Yes, I’m about done with dinner,” Alice remarked, putting down her knife and fork and taking one more swallow of pumpkin juice.
Frank put out a hand and assisted her to standing, and didn’t let go when they started walking. Alice felt happily tingly, loving the way her hand felt warm and safe inside his. The only thought that shadowed this contentment was the traitorous idea that it would have been much more romantic if he’d said something poetic or sweet before reaching out and taking her hand. His carefree manner made the whole thing seem rather casual.
Then she noticed that he was sweating a bit. Apparently he wasn’t feeling as nonchalant as she thought. That made her feel better “ and guilty for even wishing for more effort to be put into the very welcome gesture.
They ended up talking about school on the way back to the Hufflepuff common room. They were both in N.E.W.T. level Defense Against the Dark Arts. Frank waxed nostalgic about the good old days when he learned what Alice was currently learning while Alice thought his current subject matter was much more fascinating. The conversation might not be as exciting as others, but both were so overwhelmed that they were holding hands that every comment seemed fraught with insight.
Frank gave the password and helped Alice through the round portrait hole. He continued holding her hand a few steps into the room, then reluctantly let it go.
“I suppose you’re going to be doing homework the rest of the night?” he said wistfully. “As we talked about earlier, that Defense stuff is pretty time-consuming.”
“I really should,” Alice agreed with a sigh. “I’ve got an Herbology essay as well, which means I ought to go to the library.”
“Oh? Maybe I’ll go to the library too. I was thinking the prefect lounge, but if you’re going to the library...” he trailed off.
Alice grinned. “Meet you back here in five minutes with our things?”
“Sounds like a plan.” Frank reached out and squeezed her arm briefly before turning toward the tunnel that led to the boys’ dormitory.
***
Two weeks later, Lily ran into Alice as the redhead was leaving the prefect lounge.
“Oh, hey Alice.”
“Hi, Lily.”
“By chance are you done with Romeo and Juliet? It’s been a couple weeks since the first time you read it.”
Alice slapped a hand upon her forehead. “I completely forgot! I’ve got it in my cupboard here in the lounge, I’ll get it for you now.”
“You’ve been distracted,” Lily said, a knowing smile on her face. “I’ve seen you and Frank lately. I’m surprised that he’s not with you right now.”
“He’s in class,” Alice replied, rummaging around for the book. “I said I’d meet him here. Here ist thy Shakespeare, milady,” she added, waving Romeo and Juliet at Lily.
“So...how’s it going?” Lily asked, not deflected from her topic of interest by Alice’s sudden change of accent. “You and Frank, I mean. Have you managed to overlook the fact that he can’t dance to save his life, and other non-romantic things?”
“Most of the time,” Alice admitted. “Sometimes I just wish that someone would sweep me away, dance all night, whisper poetry in my ear, kiss me long and sweet. I mean, Frank is absolutely amazing. I couldn’t have imagined how good he is to me.”
“That’s saying something, considering your imagination,” Lily remarked, smirking. “But I see what you’re saying. He hasn’t kissed you yet, then?”
“No!” Alice cried woefully. “I don’t know if he ever will! He can’t dance or recite poetry...”
“There is a difference between dancing and kissing,” Lily said matter-of-factly. “And on that note, I must fly to my class. McGonagall will turn me into a hedgehog if I’m late.”
“Have fun!” Alice called as Lily left.
“Hi Frank,” she heard Lily say, out of sight but still in earshot.
“Nice to see you, Lily.”
Alice looked sharply at the door and grinned happily when Frank came into view. She ran over to the door and hugged him quickly. “Hi,” she said.
“Hi,” he replied, tripping over the doorframe as he came into the room with her.
“How was class?”
“It was good.” He smiled down at her. “Shall we sit down?”
Alice leaned into his shoulder as they went to a couch, laughing and holding him close when he stumbled. “You’re so clumsy,” she said fondly.
“I’m sorry.” Frank grimaced.
That was a different response than Alice was expecting. Usually he nodded ruefully and laughed with her. She wondered what was up with him.
And she continued wondering the rest of their time together that afternoon. He was quiet as they sat together, replying to her attempts at conversation with somewhat less openness than usual. Something must have happened during class that he didn’t want to talk about yet “ something to do with the worrying situation in the outside world, Alice surmised.
But when they were about to go down to dinner, Frank did something that totally flabbergasted Alice.
“I won’t be coming to dinner tonight,” he said suddenly. “I’ve got to do something else.”
“Okay,” Alice replied slowly. “Why?”
“It’s a secret,” Frank told her, then hurtled off down some other passageway, leaving her to walk to the Great Hall alone.
Her friends all asked her where Frank was, but she had no answer for them. He certainly was acting strangely “ she hoped he’d confide in her soon.
It was rather lonely, surprisingly so, to sit there without his warm presence beside her, his occasional hand on her knee. Where could he have gone that he didn’t want her to know about? Those sorts of thoughts kept circling around in her head and she only picked at her dinner.
Finally, when dessert was almost over, Frank slid unobtrusively into the seat next to Alice, which the other Hufflepuffs had left empty out of habit.
“Where did you go?” she asked, immediately setting down her forkful of tart. “Is everything all right?”
“Everything’s fine,” Frank replied. “You need to come with me.”
“Now?”
“Now.” He held out his hand, and Alice took it.
“Where are we going?” she wondered.
“You’ll see.”
“You are enjoying this crypticness, aren’t you?” Alice was a little frustrated, but was happier that Frank was letting her in on this issue that had troubled him all afternoon.
“What, aren’t you?” Frank grinned teasingly and pulled her along a little faster. “Come on, then.”
“Nobody even goes to this part of the castle,” Alice noted. “What are we doing here?”
“Close your eyes.”
“What?”
“Close your eyes, and you’ll find out.”
Once again Frank was surprising her. Nonetheless, she did as he said and shut her eyes, wildly curious about what he was doing. He pulled her around one more corner, then stopped.
“You can open your eyes now.”
Alice’s first glimpse was of an enormous bouquet of roses. After her initial gasp and stare, she noticed other aspects of what Frank had done: long white candles lit the little-used corridor, a small table held fine chocolates, and with a wave of his wand music began playing.
“What is this?” Alice asked, marveling.
“Will you dance with me?” Frank responded, not answering her question.
Alice automatically lifted her hand to his shoulder even as her mouth formed the words, “You “ you can’t dance, can you?”
“You know I can’t!” Frank laughed. “But we can pretend, can’t we? I’ll even let you lead if you want.”
“All right.”
Frank really couldn’t dance. Alice lost count of how many times he stepped on her feet, or knocked her with his elbow while trying to spin her. But she didn’t really care “ the fact that he was making the effort was so incredibly heartwarming.
“Agh, sorry,” Frank said for the umpteenth time. “I’m just so clumsy.”
Alice nodded ruefully and laughed. “What’s going on?” she asked seriously once her giggles had subsided. “I’m really curious about the meaning of all this.”
Frank winced. “Well...earlier today I heard you and Lily talking.”
“Oh no.” Alice felt her heart drop. “What did you hear?”
“You can’t guess?” Frank’s arm as he gestured to the lights, roses, and chocolates narrowly missed clubbing Alice on the ear. “I decided that I would make more of an effort to be romantic so you would know how much I care.”
“Frank!” Alice was overcome. “I can’t believe this!”
“Did I ... do something wrong?” he asked hesitantly.
“No!” Alice exclaimed. “It’s wonderful and perfect. I love it.”
“I love you.”
She blinked. “What?”
Frank sighed and pulled her close. “I thought about reciting some poetry, even writing some, to let you know how I feel. But nothing came close to just being simple and saying it right out. I’m sorry.”
“No need to be sorry.” Alice knew now that the most profound poetry in the world could not have had as powerful an effect on her as those three little words had. She’d been rather silly about the whole thing, come to think of it.
“Um.” It was clear Frank wanted to say something but was reluctant.
“What?”
“Well...do you “ do you love me too?”
“Oh! Oh, yes, yes, yes! I love you!” Alice laughed giddily. It was funny how so much of this was like she’d imagined “ the candlelight, the flowers, finally admitting feelings in such a manner, on the dance floor “ and yet it was different as well.
Frank waved his wand again. The candles, flowers, chocolate, and music all disappeared, and the corridor was lit only by a torch, its flickering flame ascending and being swallowed by the shadows near the ceiling.
“What was that for?” Alice asked, curious.
“I love you,” Frank repeated.
“I love you, too, but what happened?”
Frank sighed with relief. “Alice, I wonder about you sometimes. Like, if it’s really me you love, or the romantic ideal that you’ve somehow transposed onto me.”
“I could never transpose a romantic ideal on you.”
“Thank you.”
“Most romantic ideals can dance.” Alice let him groan for a second, then continued, “But the romance isn’t that important to me, really. I’m in love with a real live person and his name is Frank Longbottom, and I’ll love him even if he’s not romantic.”
“How about every once in a while? I like chocolate.”
“Don’t overexert yourself,” Alice commanded, then snaked her hands around his neck and hugged him tight. “Mmm. Just knowing that you went out of your comfort zone to do this for me makes me so happy inside.”
“Good.” Frank pulled away so he could look her in the eye. “But, you know, even though I can’t dance or spout poetry, there are some things I can do.”
“I know. You’re wicked with hexes and charms and you know a lot more about food than I would’ve suspected, oh, and not to mention “ ”
He kissed her.
“See, the romantic fluff is not even necessary,” Alice said as soon as she remembered how to breathe. “All I need for the rest of my life is a kiss like that and Romeo can just go die.”
“He did.”
“That’s true. Oh, I love you, Frank. But “ ” she hesitated. “That was a waste of good flowers and chocolate.”
“I sent them to your room. I paid good money for that chocolate, I want a piece of it.”
“As many as you like. I’ve always liked chocolate, and it’s really handy that it serves as both a delicious dessert and a romantic enticement. See, dancing can be fun, but its purposes are rather limited. Chocolate’s not like that.”
“Am I to be treated to an entire lecture on chocolate?”
Alice smirked at him. “If you think I’m talking too much, you can always stop me.”
Frank smiled and leaned toward her. “My pleasure, dearest.”
Balcony Scene Not Included by Cinderella Angelina
Story Notes:
This was written for the SPEW LoveNotes activity in February.