Of all the things that could have happened when he didn't pay attention, this was not what he thought would. Detention was the top of the list for him, followed by a slap on the wrist. Maybe being grounded, or loosing a friend. But the moment he stopped paying attention, the moment that he let all his guards down, he never thought that this could arise from it.
When he got his last Hogwarts letter, he really was speechless. Head Boy. Now really this was not something he had imagined.
Who would pick him, out of all the other kids in seventh year? It was one thing to be smart, but an entirely different matter being a role model. Grades weren't everything, especially when he came to Head Boy. He would have gotten over a hundred detentions by now.
But here it was, in front of him. A letter and badge, with Professor Dumbledore's signature below it.
It took until midday to recover, until three that afternoon to spread the news to Sirius, Peter and Remus and still he didn't think it was right.
He couldn't stop thinking that it was ironic that he should get head boy when no one, especially him, thought that he would. He guessed that sometimes, not paying attention had its positives.