Author's Note: Written for...
Hogwarts Auction 2021 - Prompt: Fake Dating
Fake
317 words
"I'll give anyone twenty galleons to go on a date with me."
The Gryffindor common room fell into an uncomfortable silence.
"Having a dry spell, Graves?" Sirius joked, earning a few laughs from the boys surrounding him.
Alice Graves ignored him, as she had much experience in doing after six years in the same house.
"I think she'd be willing to make it forty not to have you, Black," Lily called from the other side of the room.
When the laughs died down, Remus was the first to approach Alice.
"What's going on?"
"Ugh, Davies won't leave me alone. The Hogsmeade trip is tomorrow, I need someone to go with me, pretend we're dating. It's just for one day, so I can get Davies off my back," Alice explained, eyes pleading with Remus.
"Hey, watch it, Moony's spoken for," Sirius threatened.
Remus smiled apologetically and returned to his boyfriend's side.
The common room seemed to return to their activities after that, ignoring Alice's predicament. But Frank Longbottom left the chess table and approached her.
"I'll do it," he said, shrugging. "We'll go to the Three Broomsticks. Buy me a butterbeer and we'll call it even."
Alice's face broken into a relieved smile. "Really? You'd do that for me?"
"Sure, Davies is a prat, I'd be happy to piss him off. And it's not as if I'm missing out. Honestly, Graves, I've been wanting an excuse to talk to you for some time."
"Oh yeah? Do you need help with the Charms essay or History?"
Frank snorted. "Alright, don't get ahead of yourself. You're not that much smarter than me."
"Ah, but I am smarter, you admit it."
Alice grinned, watching as Frank blushed and looked away for a moment.
"There's not a doubt in my mind that you're the smartest woman I've ever met," he said earnestly. "Anyway. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Night, Alice."
"Night, Frank."