When Frank Longbottom decided to visit Hogsmeade, it was because his friends were busy with relationships, and he wanted a break from his teachers nagging about the oh so important OWLS. He didn't expect to find Alice Prewitt sitting in a booth by herself at The Three Broomsticks. At first he ignored her, because he even though he knew her as a kid, and they were in the same house and year, they hardly ever spoke to one another. There was also the fact that they fought a lot in their primary days, and Frank figured the girl bore ill toward him for it, hence the no speaking. He glanced at her again, and noticed that she looked rather sad. He sighed, jumped off his seat at the counter, and sat down in the booth across from her. Alice looked surprised.
"Can I help you, Longbottom?" she asked.
"What's a social butterfly like you sitting in a pub by yourself, Prewitt?" he asked, avoiding her question, because he honestly didn't know why he sat down.
Alice sighed. "I'm on a date with Astro Conner."
Frank surveyed the pub, but there was no sign of the blonde, blue-eyed sixth year.
"Where is he?"
"He said he was going to Madam Puddifoot's with Maya Flask, so he's there, I expect," Alice replied with almost no emotion.
"And you're still on a date with him?"
Alice nodded.
"He's been gone an hour, he still has another one until I've been officially ditched."
Frank gaped at the girl. She looked completely content, but he could hear her voice quaver ever so slightly.
"Well, seeing as both of us have nothing to do, would you like to come to Zonko's with me?"
Frank didn't know why he said that. He was sure she'd say no, but he was clearly mistaken as she perked up and said, "I'd love to, let's go!"
Alice yanked him by the arm out of the pub, and into the cool autumn air. Alice let go of him and ran like lightning to Zonko's, Frank gasping to keep up. When they got to Zonko's, the dark haired girl tore though the aisles, laughing madly. Frank normally would have been bothered by behavior like that, but he was so relieved to see Alice smiling, that he let it go. Plus, he enjoyed hearing her laugh, because it reminded him of warm spring days he spent in the garden at home. He shook his head, wondering where that thought had come from. Meanwhile, Alice had purchased a few trick potions that she claimed were for an independent potions project, but Frank knew better. They continued down the main road in silence. Well, Frank was silent, and Alice was jabbering about every piece of scenery she saw. This went on for about ten minutes, when Frank interrupted her.
"Any place you want to go, Prewitt?"
Alice shook her head. "No, Frank, it's fine. I bet you're probably sick of me, so I'll just leave you to salvage the rest of your day. Thanks for hanging with me at Zonko's, it was the most fun I've had in ages."
She turned to go, but Frank, in a moment of sheer insanity, grabbed her arm.
"Who said I was sick of you, Prewitt?"
Alice smiled weakly.
"I'm not one for silence, I know I was annoying you, but it's fine, I get it a lot."
Frank felt an upsurge of anger at Astro Conner, though he didn't know why, the sixth year never did anything to him.
"That blonde idiot made a stupid mistake ditching you, Alice, you're smart, pretty, and amazingly funny, and don't let anymore douchebags tell you otherwise."
Alice blushed. "No guy's ever said such nice things about me. Thank you, Frank."
She hugged him. He stroked her hair, which smelled like strawberries, which he had never really like the smell of before, but now seemed as essential as oxygen to him. Alice let go of him, and kissed his cheek. He blushed furiously, and avoided her gaze, which made her giggle.
"Let's go to Honeydukes, I'm dying to try their new blood flavored lollipops!"
Frank laughed at the crazy girl he now realized he loved, and followed her to the candy shop. Frank Longbottom wasn't expecting to fall in love when he decided to visit Hogsmeade, but he didn't regret it one bit.