Of Secrets and Stags
Frank couldn't believe how nervous he was as he and Alice awaited Alice's parents' arrival at the platform.
"Relax, Frank. It'll be okay. Trust me, if I know them, they'll absolutely love you. And I know my own parents," Alice said with a soft, reassuring smile as she grabbed his hand and rubbed it lightly.
Frank smiled and nodded at her. "Okay. I believe you. Thanks, Alice," Frank replied gratefully.
"There they are! Alice, honey!" Alice's mother exclaimed as she came running up to her daughter and threw her arms around her neck before kissing her on the cheek.
"Mum!" Alice exclaimed after squealing happily and throwing her own arms around her mother's neck.
"Hello, Ali," her father said with a broad smile as her daughter ran to him and practically tackled him.
"Daddy!" she cried out, happy to see her father once again (she was, after all, a Daddy's girl).
"And this must be the Frank Malcolm Longbottom we've heard constantly about," Alice's father said as he grasped Frank's hand firmly and shook it vigorously.
"Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Johansson," Frank said formally.
"Mr. Johansson? Who's that? Call me Tony!" he cried out before clapping him on the back—hard—and continued, "Also, call her Jenna. There's going to be no formalities here—none at all. We want to have a nice break, right?"
Frank smiled, already seeing that Alice got her charismaticness from both parents. He nodded a few times shyly, before being ushered to Tony and Jenna's car.
----
"So, what do you want to be when you graduate?" Tony asked as they sat around the coffee table. Frank and Alice sat side-by-side on the couch, while Tony and Jenna shared a reclining chair (Tony took up the cushion, while Jenna sat on the arm of the chair).
"I want to be an Auror. If you don't mind my asking, what do you and Jenna do?" Frank asked, still no used to the 'no formalities' rule.
Tony laughed before saying, "I'm a retired Auror, and Jenna here is a top medic at St. Mungo's. What's your favorite school subject?"
"Herbology, definitely! I don't know why, but I have a natural…" Frank began, but then realized how crazy he sounded, and finished off shyly, "Flair and love for it, I guess…"
"Herbology, eh? That's not much help in being an Auror," Tony said with his eyebrow raised.
"Well, after the war's over… I will probably switch to being something I like a little more… I want to do what I can for the Light side, and being an Auror is the best way to help…" Frank admitted.
Tony nodded knowingly and said, "Many young people such as yourself have that trail of thought—on both sides. It's sad when the youth of today can't pick a job they want because they want to help the war effort."
"Anyways, so, what is your mother like?" Jenna asked, trying to stay off of the heavy subjects, such as war.
"My mom… She's strict, over-protective and very disagreeable. I'm the only one she has left, after dad died. She's still sweet and kind, but… She seems to expect me to be a clone of my dad…" Frank said, looking down as his mind brought up painful memories of his mother's lectures.
"I see. I hate parents like that, who are always comparing their children, when they have perfectly good ones already…" Tony said.
"I think it's getting just a bit late. You two must be exhausted after all that moving, huh? I'll show you two to your room," Jenna said as she and Tony stood up. Frank and Alice stared up at her, their mouths gaped open in silent Os.
"Our… room?" Alice asked curiously, wondering what her parents were thinking.
"Yes, your room. The guest room is under a bit of construction, and the couch is much too uncomfortable for Frank here. So you'll both be staying in your room, Alice. I conjured up a bunk bed for the both of you," Jenna said, completely unfazed and still smiling brightly, as if it was nothing wrong with them sleeping in the same room alone.
"Okay…" Frank said as he grabbed his suitcase in one hand and Alice's in the other.
"Such a polite young man! Don't worry; I'll handle Alice's. Two suitcases at once is a strain, even for a healthy young man such as yourself," Tony said as he grabbed Alice's suitcase from Frank's right hand.
Frank simply nodded and continued up the stairs, hoisting the suitcase in front of him and kicked it upwards with his legs. Tony, he noticed, had no need to carrying it like that—he simply held it in one hand and walked right up the stairs. Frank was amazed at how, even a man at his age, had such strength.
Tony turned back to him at the top of the stairs and winked. "If you're going to be an Auror, you need to have physical strength as well as intelligence and magical power," he said before turning down the hallway and opening up the door to Alice's room.
Frank walked in the room and his eyes popped open. The room was large and spacious, even with a large vanity dresser, the bunk beds, a desk, and a large bookcase. There was a door to one side, which he presumed led to her closet, and a window just across from the bed. "Whoa…" he couldn't help but say as he walked in.
Alice shrugged and laughed. "I'm the only daughter of a rich couple. How much do you think an Auror and a medical witch make a month?"
Frank laughed and smiled. "Not a clue, not a clue…" he said with a shrug.
"Alright. We'll leave you two to sleeping, then," Jenna said, clapping her hands together. Alice hugged and kissed her parents goodnight before leaving the room.
Jenna and Tony watched Alice and Frank from their room as Alice and Frank looked at each other with inquisitive looks. "Um… where do I change?" Frank asked nervously.
"You can use my closet. It's bigger than it looks…" Alice said with a laugh. "I'll change in here. Oh, and I call top bunk!" she cried out childishly.
Frank laughed at her antics before opening the closet door, his nightclothes in his hand. He gasped when he realized that the closet was, indeed, huge. It was actually more of a walk-in closet than a normal, everyday closet. He visibly paled, suddenly overcome by a great wave of doubt. 'How… how can I provide Alice with such things? She's got to be used to getting everything she wants—no, deserves! I… can't provide her with things like this… Her parents must be expecting me to treat her even better than this, even better than they do!' Frank thought frantically as stood in the middle of the closet, frozen.
"I'm done, Frank! It's safe to come out of the closet!" Alice called, knocking Frank out of his thoughts.
"Sorry, I'll be a minute more…" Frank called back out shyly.
"Jeez, a guy isn't supposed to change slower than a girl…" Alice mock-complained from outside of the closet. Frank smirked slightly when he pictured the look and stance she probably had—whether the people in his year or house realized, he really did know her well. It may seem like they didn't spend enough time together, but during the times they did, it was always deep conversations or simple cuddling. The furthest they had gotten in their relationship physically was a small peck on the lips thus far, and neither one were trying to move quickly in the relationship. It was more of a sweet, slow companionship than anything else.
Frank changed at super-speed, wanting to make sure he remained unsuspicious. He walked out of the closet with his dirty pants in one hand and his shirt over one shoulder. "Took ya long enough," Alice said with a laugh.
"Yeah, well…" Frank said with a shrug, discarding the comment easily.
"Is something wrong?" she asked, tilting her head to one side sweetly and nonchalantly, but her eyes were filled with worry.
"No, I'm fine," Frank said with a small smile.
"No. No, you're not. You're worried. I can tell, Frank," Alice said, a serious expression on her face.
"It's… nothing I want to talk about…" he admitted with a small blush as he looked down to his left.
She walked up to him and grabbed his arm, bringing his attention back up to her. "I can tell. Please, tell me. I thought we established that we can talk to each other about anything," she said, a determined aura about her.
He sighed and used his free hand to ruffle the back of his hair, the way he did all the time when he was about to tell her something he'd rather not. "I'm… I know I'm being presumptuous, but… I don't think I can give you the kind of things your parents can give you. I don't have as much money, and… You're so used to this extravagant lifestyle, I'm…"
Alice suddenly burst out laughing. "Is that all?"
"It seemed like a big deal to me…" Frank said, hurt that she was laughing so lightly at something that was so big to him.
"Relax. The money thing isn't important. I love you more than the money. What, you think my parents raised a spoiled-rotten brat? Haven't you noticed I don't bring these kinds of things to Hogwarts? Money doesn't matter—people do. You know that, right?"
"Yeah. I know," Frank said, a soft smile on his face.
Alice touched his cheek and smiled. "Now, that's the Frank I know. And, anyways, there's something else to address. Are you saying you're definitely going to marry me?" Alice asked with a smirk.
Frank stiffened and laughed. "Like I said, I was being presumptuous…"
"It's okay to presume," Alice said with a laugh. "If the presumptions are true, that is," Alice said with a teasing shrug.
"Oh, that's no fair. That doesn't help me out at all," Frank said, pouting.
"That's the point. And the answer is yes, though it's not a formal proposal," Alice said with a wink.
Frank turned to her suddenly, shocked at her last comment. She suddenly threw her arms around him and kissed his cheek. "Night, Frank. I'll see you in the morning!" she exclaimed before climbing quickly up the ladder to her bed.
Frank gave her a smile and said, "I love you, too, Alice. Sweet dreams," before turning the light off and crawling into bed, a smile vibrant on his face.
----
Jenna squealed aloud and threw her arms around her husband happily. "He passed!" she exclaimed in a shrill voice. Tony laughed and hugged back, having been used to his wife's antics for a good, long time. Serious men needed sweet, spastic girls—it was something he had found true twice. Who else was going to make them to where they could work and relax all at once?
A/N: Wow, just this first part took a long time… -sweat drop- I guess it can't be helped, but I had a bit of Writer's Block with putting it together (not the overall plot, though…) and stuff… Next chapter will be part two, and it'll be about Frank's mom. XDDD Review, please!
Oh, yeah. I start 9th grade on August 14th. I actually can't wait to go back to school, but it probably means less updates…