Waiting:

(Frank/Alice)

By Laura Walden

A teenage boy on his motorbike turned to look at the dimly lit house. There she was again, that odd woman, pushing aside her curtains, peering out the window. She looked at him intently (well, alright, he had been by her house four times already but he was just working up the nerve to visit the pretty girl… really!) and seemed to be tapping the handle of a wooden spoon aside her thigh.

He peered closer. But wooden spoons don't have sparks coming out one end, do…?

He shook his head suddenly and sped off, wondering at the odd craving for meatballs he had just developed.

---

12:05

Alice Longbottom was waiting.

She spent half her life waiting, or so it seemed. Waiting for word to come from the Order that someone was hurt, or killed (or safe, yes, but it more and more it seemed that the news was never good), waiting for assignments from the Order, waiting for meetings to begin or end, waiting on the post for news of friends in far away-places, waiting on meals, waiting for Frank to get home, waiting, waiting, waiting…

She was pacing again, pausing only to push back the curtains of their front window. She was waiting for Frank to get home from work. It was after midnight, he should be home by now!, she thought irritability. A light flutter in her stomach caused her to smile and rest her hands on her slightly- protruding belly before resuming her pacing again.

She had gone to the Order meeting alone that night. She knew she would have to, with Frank working late, but she still hating Apperating to the meeting place alone. Of course it was secure. Dumbledore himself had made sure it was secure. But now that she was pregnant, was carrying life, was carrying their child… well, she just felt better with Frank along.

It was stupid saying that. She was strong; she could take care of herself. Hadn't she proved it time and time again, fighting with the Order, sometimes alone, sometimes with back-up? Yet Lily felt the same thing.

"I don't like the nights when James is gone," Lily had confessed to Alice as they both waited for the meeting to begin. "Sometimes Sirius will come and sit up with me when James is gone on assignment, but he has better things to do than play Exploding Snap with a tired, hormonal, fat woman."

"Lily, my love," said Sirius sliding up to her and slipping his arm around her shoulders, "I have nothing better to do than make sure my godson is safe and happy and if that means guarding him in the womb, well, then, so be it." He puffed out his chest proudly and grinned. Alice snorted.

"You're so full of it," she said fondly and Lily laughed.

"I never thought I'd say it," Lily added as he walked into the meeting room, "but Sirius is a good bloke. So, Frank working tonight?"

Alice nodded. "Yes, for the Auror department. James on duty?"

"Yes. You'd think Dumbeldore would give the married guy night the night off but, no, he sends him to check up on a Quidditch supplier who happens to be Muggle-born!"

"Really?" Lily nodded ruefully and Alice laughed. "Poor James. I bet he was just broken hearted get that assignment."

"So sad that he promised to bring the new baby Quidditch robes to make it up to me! I told him to bring a box of Acid Pops instead." There was a pause before Lily went on. "Those nights alone can drag. Do you want me to come and stay with you until Frank gets home? I can leave a note for James."

"Thank you but no."

She must have looked exceptionally pitiful, though, since both Remus and Peter offered to see her home. She chose, instead, to go to the cold, empty house alone and listen to the wireless with only peanut butter and peach sandwiches for comfort.

---

1:00 am

Alice took another bite of her sandwich, the peach juice dripping down her chin. He still isn't home! Damn him! She thought, pushing aside the curtain. If this goes on much longer, I will owl James and have him go hunting for Frank! He promised he wouldn't be late tonight and he always sends a Patronus if he will be! Frank In a frustrated and hormonal rage, she slammed her fist onto the table… only to feel her sandwich squish under her hand. Chuckling ruefully, she glanced at the tattered remains before shrugging and popping the whole thing into her mouth.

Of course, this is loads better than our first Valentine's Day, when Frank sent me a note asking me to Hogsmeade and I puked all over my bed not two minutes before I was supposed to meet him in the Great Hall! She giggled at the memory of one of her dorm-mates holding back her hair as she gagged into the toilet, sobbing that she had lost her only chance to date the handsome Frank Longbottom and that he would think she was drunk but she had the flu, honestly!

Her friend had smiled and assured her that she would make sure Frank knew she was honestly sick, not drunk or something stupid. And how she had, Alice never knew, but the next time Frank asked her out, it was in person, with a sweet, shy kiss and one single, perfect rose, presented to her as she sat on a swing near the lake.

1:30 am

Alice flopped onto the overstuffed sofa and rubbed at her tired eyes. The baby was sucking the life out of her, he was (although Frank was insistent that it was a girl) but she needed to stay awake for Frank. To hell with Valentine's Day! She wanted mint ice-cream and the assurance that the father of her baby hadn't gotten himself blown into smithereens by some crazy Dark Wizard!

If he's not home by three, she thought recklessly, I will Floo his mother, so help me!

2:15 am

A soft creak jerked Alice from sound sleep to her feet. She swayed for a minute, then whipped out her wand and faced the door.

Another creak.

Then… slowly… the deadbolt turned.

A light glowed from beneath the door.

And it swung open.

With lightening reflexes, Alice produced a shield so strong that she was forced to step back. Her guest looked at her in surprise, then gave a tired smile.

" Alice, honey…"

"Don't you dare honey me!" she snapped. "Who are you?"

He sighed. "Frank Longbottom, your husband." She glared. "Erm, your very late husband who should have been home hours ago but stopped to get you Valentine's Day candies even though it's no longer Valentine's Day?" Frank looked half-hopeful but Alice didn't move. "Oh, right. We're naming the baby Frances or Neville and we haven't told anyone those names except Lily and since pregnant woman can't change their appearances, you know I am not Lily! Would you please take down that shield and let me in?"

Alice suppresses a grin and waved her wand. Frank sighed and entered the house, two red roses and a box of chocolates clutched in one hand. Alice eyed the candies greedily before saying, "So, you stopped to get Valentine's Day candies, eh?"

"I did," he confirmed, handing the red heart shaped box over. Alice squealed.

"Oh, Muggle chocolates! How did you ever find them?" she asked, peeling away a wrapper and popping the sweet candy into her mouth. Giving him a grin, she muttered, "This almost makes up for being so late!"

"I couldn't find them, which is why I'm so late!" Frank flopped onto the couch and stretched out his long legs, eyes half closed. "Would you believe Muggle stores close late on Valentine's Day? I finally found them in Surrey, of all places. And these." He held out two single, long stemmed roses to her, which she gently took. "One from me and one from the baby."

"Thank you." Alice leaned in and kissed him gently. He grinned at her through the kiss and she laughed. "Oh, you. Roses and chocolates. Maybe I'll forgive before this baby is born. Maybe."

"Hey." Gently grabbing both her hands, Frank gently tugged until his wife was sitting in his lap. She cuddled against him, wrapping both his arms around her belly. He rubbed her bump (their bump, she often said. Theirchild. Their future.) gently, delighting in the little flutters that greeted his hands. "I'm sorry you stayed up so late. You weren't worried, were you?" She glared at him. "Uh, I guess you were!"

"I considered Floo'ing your mother," she said sleepily, smiling against his shoulder.

"You wouldn't!"

"I would," she confirmed. "Honestly, Frank. You worked late, which is fine because I knew about it. Then you're home several hours after I expect you with no Floo, no owl, no patronus. What am I supposed to think?"

"That I was getting you a little present?" he asked weakly. She shook her head at him.

"Next time," she whispered, turning to take his face in her hands, "let me know you are going to be late!" She kissed him gently. "I hate waiting, not knowing. Promise you will send word, next time?"

"Promise." He kissed her back, gently. Smiling shyly, Alice slid off his lap and pulled him to his feet. Kissing him briefly, she flashed him a cheeky grin.

"I suppose you are very tired, after Apperating all over England to get me that lovely box of chocolates. You probably want to go to bed."

"Umm… not that tired," he said, returning her smile as they walked hand in hand back to the bedroom. "You?"

"Who me? Why would I be tired, after waiting up all night for you? I'm wide awake and craving mint ice cream with meatballs on top!"