Noticing You, Noticing Me

Harry Potter ONE SHOT!

By: Indigo March

A/N: I felt like writing something cheesy!

Something fruity this way prances!

"He's so nice," Alice sighed, looking over at Frank Longbottom, who was sitting on the other side of the library tutoring a group of first years.

"Uh huh," said Lily distractedly, writing feverishly on her piece of parchment.

"I mean, I don't know any other boys who would take the time to tutor first years! That is just sooo nice."

"Yup, whatever you say," said Lily, writing even faster.

"It's just so nice of him! Helping all those little firsties, you know?"

"Sure, sure."

Alice looked at her friend, who's nose was splattered with ink, her hand clutching the quill tightly.

"What's with you?" she asked.

Lily answered by flipping the page in the book she was using as reference for her essay.

"Ohhhhh," said Alice, nodding wisely. "I see."

"See what?"

"You're supposed to be on patrol with Potter, and you're running behind!"

"Am not!"

"Or you're just taking your sweet time to avoid having to see him, because you've realized you're madly in love with him!"

Lily scoffed, at last pausing long enough to stare at Alice. "Don't be daft, Alice. That's completely bonkers."

"Is it?" said Alice, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes," said Lily firmly.

"That's reassuring coming from the girl with ink all over her nose," Alice remarked, reaching across the table to smear it across Lily's cheek.

Lily gasped. "Alice! Don't make it worst!"

Alice smirked and then went back to admiring Frank as Lily returned to her essay. "I wish he would notice me," she said.

"He would if you made him," said Lily.

"And how do you suppose I do that?"

Lily flicked her friend on the nose. "Hello? Go talk to him?"

Alice looked mortified. "Oh, I can't do that! That's—that's—terrifying, for starters! I'm terribly shy!"

"Alice, you are the least shy person I know!" said Lily. "Given the chance, you would dance naked for Professor Dumbledore!"

"Lily! That's disgusting! I would not!"

"Just sayin'," said Lily with a shrug.

"I wouldn't dance naked for anyone!"

"Of course not."

"I wouldn't!"

They fell silent, the only noise between them the feverish scratching of Lily's quill. Finally, Lily blew on the ink and rolled up her parchment before shoving it precariously into her bag and standing up. "If you won't go talk to him, get him to talk to you."

"How do I do that?"

"I dunno. Think of something. I'm running behind, so I gotta go—"

"Yeah, have fun making out with Potter."

"We do not make out!" said Lily, turning red.

Alice smirked. "Of course not, Lily. Of course not. But don't expect me to believe you two Heads are actually patrolling, because I know for a fact you aren't."

Lily rolled her eyes and stalked out of the library, leaving Alice chuckling to herself at the table. She fell silent as her eyes returned to Frank, who was smiling calmly as the first years he was helping scratched their heads in confusion.

"Hey, Alice!" a cheerful voice called, causing Alice to look away from Frank and into the startled blue eyes of her friend Mary.

"Oh, hey, Mary."

"What are you up to?"

"Oh, nothing. Just people watching."

Mary looked around the room curiously, and when she caught sight of Frank her mouth opened in a silent 'O'.

"Alice, how long are you going to hold off talking to him?" she asked impatiently.

"I prefer to admire him from a distance," said Alice.

"Oh, bother!" said Mary, standing up from the table. "Pretend to look frustrated."

"I am frustrated," said Alice. "What are you up to?"

"Just act like you're studying and you don't understand a lick of any of it. I'll be right back."

Alice watched Mary prance across the room to where Frank was sitting with the first years, looking pleased once they all started to get the hang of it. Alice's curiosity immediately turned to horror as she watched Mary tap Frank on the shoulder and gesture in her direction. She felt her face flame and hurriedly grabbed the nearest book and ripped it open, pretending to act like she had no idea what she was doing—it wasn't hard, actually, seeing as she had opened a completely random book written in a language she didn't even recognize. She glanced out of the corner of her eye at Frank and Mary, wishing for the first time in her life that she had super sonic hearing.

The next thing she knew, Frank was walking over with a smile on his face and Mary was talking animatedly to the curious first years.

"Hey, Alice," he said, casually sliding into the seat next to her. "Mary told me you needed help with your Transfiguration homework?"

"Huh? Oh, oh, yeah! Yeah. I sure do!" she said quickly, setting the book down on the table. Frank looked at it curiously.

"That's a book on Arabic Spell translations, Alice."

"Huh?" she said, looking at the book. "Oh! Duh. Wrong book! Oops. Heh." Blushing madly, she pushed the book away and reached for her bag that was setting on the chair beside her. "Transfiguration homework? I can't even remember what we did in Transfiguration, that's how much help I need!"

Frank grinned. "We were just reviewing Sixth Year's curriculum. No big deal, really."

"Oh, right. I knew that."

Alice mentally punched herself. She always did this! Every time she was nervous her mouth would move at the speed of light! She was making a complete wanker of herself.

She got out her half-finished essay and book and set it on the table, too embarrassed to meet Frank's twinkling eyes. She groaned on the inside. Twinkling eyes? Really?

Frank silently read what she had written so far on the steps of diminishing objects as Alice writhed in embarrassing agony. Stupid Mary and her stupidly cunning plot to get her to talk to Frank!

"This is really good so far," Frank said, handing back her essay. "All you need to add is the last step and you're done. I'm pretty sure that's on page twenty-one," he said, pulling her Transfiguration book towards him and flipping through the pages.

"Oh, thank you, Frank, that's really kind of you. That helps me a ton! I mean, I don't know what I would've done without your help! I probably would've kept staring at that Arabic book if you hadn't come along, and what good would that do me? I don't understand a lick about Arabic! I can barely read English, and that's just sad, seeing as I speak the language—"

Frank laughed. "Alice, slow down. It's no big deal. You were doing fine all on your own!"

"Oh … right. Thanks anyway."

She waited for him to leave, thinking he'd surely do just that, but he just sat in silence, not looking at her. Alice glanced over at him and found that he was frowning at the table.

"Erm…" she said awkwardly, wondering what was bothering him.

His eyes met hers slowly. "Alice, can I ask you something?"

Alice felt her heart begin to beat faster. "Sure, of course, Frank. Yeah, ask me anything." Shut up, Alice!

"Will you…"

"Yeah?"

"Will you go with me…"

"Yeah?"

"Will you go with me to Hogsmeade this weekend?"

"YEAH!" she yelled, jumping out of her seat and throwing her arms around his neck—she may have overdone it just a little bit, but what the heck! He seemed shock for a split second before he cautiously put his arms around her waist and hugged her back. "OK, then! That's settled! I'll see you Saturday!"

"Yeah, you sure will! Oh, this is so great! I mean, I didn't even know you knew me and I notice you all the time, and I was just always wondering if I would ever muster up the courage to even speak to you. Lily and Mary and all my other friends were getting really annoyed of me for not talking to you, but I was just terribly shy, but now that I've started talking to you, I just can't stop and—"

Frank laughed, cutting her off. "You're amazing, Alice. Of course I've noticed you. You're funny and smart and beautiful and just … amazing."

Alice blushed and smiled sweetly. "Awww, thanks, Frank."

"You're welcome," he said, smiling warmly down at her. He glanced at his watch and sighed. "I hate to leave now, but I have a couple of second years to tutor out by the lake—"

"Well what are we waiting for? Let's go, Frank! We must educate the children of tomorrow!"

He looked at her in surprise. "You want to come with me?"

"Sure do!" she said, linking her arm through his.

"Alice!" Mary called, hurrying towards them, not at all surprised by her close proximity to Frank. "Have you forgotten we're supposed to be meeting Lily in the Great Hall?"

"That's right! Man, this bites," she said, reluctantly stepping away from Frank to pick up her bag.

"It's okay," said Frank with a smile. "You can help me next time. See you later, Alice."

"I love you, too."

"What?" said Frank, looking confused.

"Nothing!" said Alice quickly, causing Mary to snort.

Frank had a huge grin on his face as he left the library.

As soon as the door swung shut behind him, Alice smacked a hand to her forehead. "'I love you, too'?" she repeated. "Wanker!"

~*~*~

Something fruity this way prances!