Hey Guys,

So if you didn't know I posted the James and Maci one-shot a few days ago. There are some details in there not only about James and Maci after Hogwarts, but also Dom and Chase! Also I decided to make it into a series of one-shots. One every month until Escaping The Curse is done. Then maybe I'll do a series of one-shots centered around Albus while I write Lily's story "The Curse in Reverse." If you have any ideas or particular one shots you want me to write just PM me and I will do my best to make it happen.

Also thank you everyone for all of you reviews! You met the review goal so quickly and I really appreciate that! Anyways one with the story….

Love,

TheWordsIWrite

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Chapter 10

For once Albus was thankful for the largeness of Hogwarts. He also became more grateful than ever for the Marauder's Map, which James had given him at the start of his seventh year. Both together allowed Albus the ability to avoid Willow with expert ease. Sure avoiding her made it difficult to do things like eat in the Great Hall or sleep in his dormitory, but the house elves were great dining company and the sofas in the Slytherin common room, despite their looks, were deceivingly comfortable. Okay...so maybe he was being a little excessive. After all he and Willow had lived in some sort of harmony for the past two week. They had managed to get all their head duties done, though admittedly with exceeding amounts of awkwardness. But still that had been when everyone else was around. Not that Albus thought he would end up snogging Willow again if they were left along. Because he didn't ever think about doing that.

It was amazing how easy lying to oneself became once you did it enough.

It was two days into the fall holidays and so far Albus had managed to not see hide nor hare of Willow. He should have known it was too good to last. Fate, after all, was too cruel to allow any man to slip through life unscathed.

Wednesday Albus decided he should probably get a head start on the homework he had told all of his friends and family he had to much of to come home. There was a particularly frustrating potions essay that was due the first day back from the holidays so Albus decided to begin with that.

The library was strangely quiet, Albus noted, as he searched for a book to help him with his essay. Obviously libraries were supposed to be quiet and all but there always seemed to be a quiet buzz of people. It was strange being there without it.

Albus trailed his fingers over the spines of the books. He had always loved everything about books. They're weight in your hands when you held them, they're smell, the feel of their pages between your fingers. He especially loved how they said so much without ever making a sound. They're words carried weight, even though they weren't spoken. It was truly marvelous to him. Though not a marvel he ever spoke out loud. He had tried once, a couple years ago, to explain it to Addie, but she hadn't gotten it. "They're just books Albus. Things to gain knowledge from and move on." She hadn't understood the power books had over people, she still didn't, so Albus had just stayed quiet.

So lost in thought was he that Albus didn't notice when he crashed into someone. The books in his arms as well as the books in the other person's arms went flying and Albus, much to his embarrassment, landed hard on the floor. He sat there for a second staring at his feet, dazed and wincing in pain. When he got his bearings Albus looked up to apologize to the person he had bumped into, but the words caught in his throat.

"Willow." He choked out in surprise. She was standing above him, looking frozen in either shock or pain from their collision. Albus wasn't sure which one he would rather it be.

"Hi." She said, her voice much higher pitched than normal.

Standing Albus brushed off his pants, "Hi." He greeted trying to sound as normal as possible. He had been around Willow in the past two weeks. This...this was no problem. They had simply bumped into each other. There was no reason for his heart to be thudding against his rib cage as if it was trying to break free.

"I was just-" Albus started to say at the same time Willow said, "What are you-"

"Go ahead." They said simultaneously.

"You first." Again in synch.

Despite the awkwardness of the situation Albus smiled, "Go ahead." He told Willow.

She gave him a tight smile, "Thanks. I was just going to ask what you were doing here?"

"Getting books for my potions essay."
"No," Willow sighed, "I mean like here in the castle."

Albus raised his eyebrow at her, "I go to school here."

"Yes but you were supposed to be at the burrow for fall holidays."
He snorted, "Yeah well so were you."

Albus had never realized how cute Willow was when she got frustrated. Her cheeks puffed out just slightly and reddened, but somehow she managed to make the look work for her. 'Stop it,' he instructed himself, 'this is exactly the reason you wanted to be away from her for the holidays.' And it was true. Not only did Albus not want to be around Willow and Addie at the same time in close confines. But when he was around Willow his thoughts went places a guy who had a girlfriend's thoughts shouldn't go. Like to the way Willow's blue eyes gleamed in the sunlight spilling in from the high windows of the library.

"The whole reason I'm here and not at the burrow was so you and Addie could have space." Willow snapped at him, "I was trying to be courteous to you."

Something in the way she said it made Albus think she meant it more insulting than the words she had chosen conveyed.

"Well the whole reason I am not at the burrow is because Roxanne told me Rose had invited you and I wanted to be courteous to you."

"It's your family!"

"They might as well be your family to."

Willow bit her lip and Albus had the distinct impression she didn't have any good comeback to this. He stooped to pick their books up off the floor while she just stood there staring at him. When he had gathered all of them in his arms he handed her hers and started to head towards the library doors.

"Wait!" Willow's voice stopped him. Wearily he turned to look at her again, "Look this is ridiculous. So yeah we...stuff happened…but we have a project to work on together and I don't particularly like the idea of failing Muggle Studies, so we need to stop doing whatever this is." The words poured out of Willow's mouth so quickly Albus could barely keep up.

When it looked as if she was done Albus nodded, "Okay."

"I also think it's completely ridiculous that you are sleeping on the Slytherin common room couches and eating with house elves in the kitchen." She informed him.

"I have not been-" He sputtered.

"Mhm...yeah…well I'm just saying we don't have to avoid each other. We need to be normal. Yeah?"
"Yeah."

Willow let out a long relieved breath, "Okay. So I'll see you in our common room at 8 to work on the project?"

"Yep." He assured her and then walked out the library doors. That hadn't been so bad he told himself. Actually it had been pretty easy. Maybe he was just blowing this all out of proportion. Sure he found Willow attractive, but she was very attractive girl. It was natural to notice things about her, especially since they spent so much time together.

For once in the past two weeks Albus felt like himself. It was freeing. He sat outside for much of the rest of the day, beneath one of the many trees of the Hogwarts grounds, working on homework. It was nice to be able to focus again. Maybe that was what he had needed all the time. A normal interaction with Willow to set things straight.

So when eight o'clock came Albus had no problem heaving himself off his arse and heading up to the common room. It was strange to be in the castle without the hustle and bustle of the other students. The halls were strangely quiet, the only noise being clang of The Bloody Baron's phantom chains clanging in the distance. By the time Albus reached the portrait hole the only living soul he had seen was a skittish first year who had taken one look at the seventh year student and darted off in terror. Albus smiled fondly remembering those days.

He said the password to the portrait and glanced at his watch. He was a half an hour late, probably should have left for the common room before he actually needed to be there. The portrait swung open and Albus stepped through. He had barely been in there since the break had started and he was glad to be back. Stepping further into the room he saw Willow lying on one of the sofas, a book underneath her head as a makeshift pillow. Quietly Albus approached, careful not to wake eyelashes fluttered ever so slightly, but didn't open. She looked beautiful lying there, her hair fanned out over the pages of Gwaine's Guide To Advanced Potion Making. Her pink lips were parted over so slightly and her brow was creased, as if even in sleep she was still thinking. Now that he was closer Albus realize how exhausted she looked, like this was the first good night's sleep she had gotten in weeks. He knew how she felt and his empathy towards Willow soared. He couldn't bring himself to wake her up. Not when she looked so peaceful.

It wouldn't be wrong to pick her up and carry her to her bedroom. Would it? It was something a friend would do and they were friends. If they were trying to get back to normal this would be something he would normally do. Before he could second guess himself Albus kneeled down and slid his arms underneath her. Picking her up and standing in one smooth motion. If he had been thinking about it he would have realized that he had done this a million times before with Addie or his cousins or Lily. But he wasn't thinking about any of them. He was thinking about how Willow wasn't all that heavy, but she felt solid in his arms. Her legs were well toned, which Albus tried hard not to notice but he was carrying her for Merlin's sake.

When he reached her room Albus gently nudged the door open with his foot. Crossing the room he weaved his way between the piles of books. Mindlessly he wondered if Willow had ever heard of anything called a bookcase, then again Albus couldn't't judge. While he was at school he kept his books in the bottom drawer of his dresser or he had until Addie had converted it into her drawer. Now they were neatly stacked alongside his socks.

Softly he pulled back the covers on Willows bed and laid her there, before tucking them around her. The curtains were still drawn open and the moonlight lit her face with an angelic halo that made Albus' heart pang. Standing here, in the dark looking at Willow, he understood the reason the kiss had bothered him so much. Yes because he had cheated on his girlfriend, but because he wasn't really sorry. Maybe for breaking her trust, but not for kissing Willow. That had felt so right and he hated himself for thinking that because he shouldn't. He shouldn't want to kiss her again. He should care that she had a boyfriend. He should care that he could hurt people. But he didn't and a little part of him hated himself for that.

Turning away from Willow, he was just about to head out the door when a quiet whisper stopped him, "Stay." She breathed, her voice heavy with sleep. Albus was sure she had mistaken him for Dylan in her sleepy haze but then she finished, "Albus. Please stay." She sounded so exhausted, so raw that it broke Albus' heart.

For a moment he stood there, rooted to the spot. He was torn. He knew it was wrong, but just as the old cliche said, it felt so perfectly and undeniably right. Closing his eyes Albus knew he had already made the decision the moment he had picked Willow up off that couch. Turning he crossed to the other side of the bed and laid down beside her on top of the covers, kicking his shoes off as he did so. He told himself he would only say till she fell asleep.

Willow was facing away from him and he could see the gentle curve of her spine through her simple blue t-shirt. He fought the urge to reach out and trace it with his finger. That would be going too far. Not that this wasn't already. Suddenly Albus started to doubt himself. He wished he could know what was going through Willow's mind. Why had she asked him to stay? This was such a change from the skittishness she had treated him with since-

"Albus?" Willow's whispered voice sent chills down Albus' spine.

"Yeah." He answered just as softly as she had.

"Just stop thinking."

Albus gave Willow's back a wry smile, "Okay."

He slept better than he had in weeks.

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Update:When I get 20 reviews or more. Reviewing only takes a minute at most, while writing a chapter takes me a couple hours. Any feedback, even just a couple words, makes my day!

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