Look at him over there. Sitting, reading that stupid book of his. Oh, how I loathe that boy. Always so smug and cocky. I just wish he would go away. And yet, I can't seem to leave him alone.

--

The first time I met him, I was in my fifth, him in his sixth. I was Prefect and I went to go tell him off for being by himself outside, during a time where nobody was supposed to be by themselves. I walked outside, doing my Prefect duties.

"OI! Nobody's supposed to be out here by themselves." I stopped about ten feet from him after watching me walk out of the castle and down to where he was sitting. I looked into his eyes, trying to be intimidating, but all I saw were two innocent chocolate brown eyes peering out from under his unkempt very dark brown hair.

"I know." He said before he looked back at his book. I groaned internally.

"Then get your ass back inside!" I growled. He looked up at me, obviously surprised by my quick temper. He snapped his book shut and stood up and muttered one simple word as he walked past me.

"Bitch." I glared at him as he walked back inside and stomped in after him. I made my way back to the Common Room to just relax, not realizing that's where he was headed as well. I pushed my way through a couple shortcuts and muttered the password to the Fat Lady and walked in. I stopped, two steps in, seeing him on a couch. He must have heard the Portrait slam shut because, once again, my angry, flaming eyes of death met his innocent little puppy dog ones. We looked at each other for a while before I took a seat with James Potter, a good friend of mine. Only, he didn't know I was coming over and he jumped a mile when I sat with him.

"Hey Alice. Everything all right?" He followed my gaze, where I was still looking at him from across the room. "And why are you staring at Frank Longbottom?" I closed my eyes and relaxed for a second before I answered him.

"Because, you bumbling baboon, I don't understand how his mind works. Usually I can tell right away, but…" I cocked my head slightly at Frank. Look at him over there. Sitting, reading that stupid book of his. Oh, how I loathe that boy. So smug and cocky. I just wish he would go away. And yet, I can't seem to leave him alone.

"Wait a second," James had a huge grin on his face, "Does this mean that the maneater Alice Logan actually has a crush?" I turned back to James and said nothing. I thought the punch I gave him in the stomach spoke for itself.

I got up and walked away. Was this my first crush? Is this really what brings couples together; mom and dad? No, it couldn't be. Suddenly, I found myself right next to the couch he was on. Damn it. His eyes slid off the page and towards my face. I blinked and tried to keep walking, unfortunately, he knew my name.

"Excuse me, Alice. I have a question for you." He laid his book aside as I walked over to him. "Why is it that every time we're in the same vicinity you can't keep your eyes off of me?" I gasped at the question and my eyes narrowed into slits; this was war.

"You cocky little bastard." I said, without thinking. His eyes were full of shock, obviously, he thought I would just say I like him and we'd be done. I turned on my heel and walked into my dorm. I slammed the door behind me and collapsed onto my bed.

I went to bed early that night. Frank was somehow in all of the odd dreams I had, finally waking me up when he kissed me, er, we kissed? And I fell off my bed with a squeak. I picked myself up off the floor and walked down into the Common Room. It was about six am, so the Common Room was practically empty. But Frank was on a couch, looking pleased about something. I decided to give in and sit on a nearby couch.

"Still think I'm a cocky little bastard?" he asked when I sat down, not looking away from his book. I stared at him for a second and I understood.

"Yeah, what the hell did you do to me?" My eyes narrowed as I talked. He frowned as he marked the page in his book and put it down.

"Well, first I found out a way for you to notice me, aka me sitting outside by myself. Then I tapped into your dreams so you'll come down here and talk to me." I noticed the longer he talked, the pinker his face got. I grinning, taking advantage of these new facts.

"And, why did you want me to notice you at the lake and every time I entered a room?" His eyes seemed softer, if possible. I knew what was coming and I think he sensed I knew as well. He looked down and mumbled something. I had no idea exactly what he said, but I had an idea what it was about. I raised my eyebrow at him when he finally looked up again and he swallowed hard.

"Well, because, maybe, I kindasortalikeyou." He says the end very quickly and even though I knew what he said, I shook my head, as if I didn't understand. "I like you. I think you're beautiful." His face was bright red and he was no longer making eye contact, My heart fluttered, knowing that he felt that way. Okay, so James was right, I do have a small crush on him. I got up off the couch I was on and sat on the other with Frank.

"You wanna know what I think?" I asked nicely, and he raised his head to look at me. "You're still a loser." His head dropped fast. "But there's something about you that can't let you out of my mind, and I know it's not just you messing with my mind." I smiled at him and he looked up at me and smiles as well.

"Well, that may just be the side effects of me playing with your dreams." He said, laughter obvious in his voice.

"Nope, that's impossible. Even ask James, before I went to bed I was thinking about you as well." His smile became more pronounced.

"Was that before or after you called me a 'cocky little bastard?'" I blushed at this. Why couldn't he just drop it?

"Before. After we met outside. And can you please forget about me calling you that? I wasn't thinking straight. It's just, I'm so used to being able to talk to someone once and know how their brain works." I looked down at my hands as I said this. After a couple seconds, I realized I grew another hand, then I realized it was Frank's. I looked up into his eyes.

"You know, it would be easier to drop if I had another memory of you to think of instead." His eyes seemed to smile as he looked at me. After a second of just looking at each other, I realized what he meant. I edged closer to him, not sure if this was me that wanted it, or just side effects of him messing with my dreams.

"First, you have to promise me something." I whispered as I leaned in towards him.

"Anything." He seemed to breathe this word rather than say it.

"Never, ever go anywhere near my dreams again." He chuckled as our lips met. His lips was soft, as if he was being cautious. After a couple seconds, I pressed my lips harder against his. He met the pressure and practically doubled it. I licked his bottom lip a little, before he allowed entrance. My hands tangled themselves into his hair, his were on my back. After a lifetime, I pulled away slowly.

"Now, I think I can sleep." I laughed and gave him a shorter kiss before leaving him on the couch. "And you promised to not mess with my dreams, so don't!" I called back right before I shut the door to my dorm.

--

To this day, he says he never messed with my dreams again, but I still dreamt of him and that kiss. He said he also dreamt of that kiss, but not just that night, but for years. After that night, I never called anyone a "cocky little bastard" or any part of that, except "little." We still laugh about all the stuff he did to me that day, even now, when we have a beautiful baby boy about to reach his first birthday. I just hope our son, Neville, will have memories to share with us when he returns home from his time at Hogwarts.

Too bad all stories can't completely happy endings.