The rain that had started off as soft had become a thundershower when my best friend, Albus and I headed out into the parking lot towards the car he had borrowed from his older cousin Victoire. He took my hand and ran out into the rain, dragging me along behind him. I smiled, wishing for our day out to last as long as it could. By the time we reached the car we were both extremely wet, but it wasn't as though I cared at all.
I was turning to open the passenger door when Al spun me back around and grasped my free hand in his. He pulled me close to him and started swaying slowly from side to side. I giggled loudly, distantly aware that we were standing in the middle of a parking lot. "What are you doing" I grinned up at him as he twirled me around and around in circles.
"Do you hear that?" he smiled back. I quieted and strained to hear any sound other than the thunderous rain. I could hear music playing very softly nearby. I nodded at him and his face broke out into a goofy expression that was rarely seen on his usually serene face. "Well, often when there's music there is dancing." He explained, his eyes shining and his messy black hair falling damply across his face, reminding me for the millionth time why I couldn't get him out of my head.
We continued to dance around the parking lot until the music faded and we were both soaked through to the bone. Then we sank into the comfortably warm seats of the car and began to drive back towards our homes. He kept his eyes trained on the road as usual, seemingly oblivious to the fact that I was uncontrollably and completely aware of how close we were sitting. My heart was beating a million times a minute and I wondered how he couldn't hear it, how he couldn't realize that I was in love with him, my best friend.
He ran his hand through his hair, shaking it out of his face, a gesture that wasn't uncommon for him to do. Even little things like that made my stomach flip and butterflies flutter erratically. I couldn't imagine ever having a better day than today, or a day that could even compare to today. It wasn't that I never had this much fun, it was just that no day could compare to a day with Al.
I glanced down at my new dress, which was soaked through and covered in mud and grass stains. It was ruined but I couldn't find it in me to give a damn. The car was moving slowly, thanks to Al's extremely slow driving. "You couldn't drive even a little faster could you, Al?" I teased. Silently, I was thankful that he always drove slow in his cousins car, it meant we got a little more time together.
Albus pulled the car into the driveway to my fathers house, but seemed to have no intention of moving to exit and open my door for me as he usually did. Instead he turned to face me, his eyes slowly roaming over my body. Instantly, I felt self conscious, running my hands through my damp black hair, and pushing it so the side so it didn't cover my lapis lazuli coloured eyes. I desperately wished I had spent more time straightening my hair this morning, at least then it wouldn't be frizzing as much. My wet dress clung to my curves, and I regretted wearing such pale material. All of my thoughts stopped though, when he spoke. "You look beautiful, Alice." He smiled gazing into my eyes, his glowing with such sincerity it made my heart stop beating for a second. I sat frozen for a moment, before managing to stammer a quick thank you.
He opened his door and slid out, walking round to my side and opening my door for me. My heartbeat returned to normal as he returned to his usual routine for exiting the car. This was familiar, something that didn't give me illusions that Albus felt anything more than friendship towards me. It didn't stay like that for long though for as soon as Al swung the car door closed he slipped his arm into mine, "Like a proper escort would." He joked.
When we reached the doorway we both stopped and I turned to face him, slipping my arm out of his. "Thanks for today, it was lovely." I said to him, dreading that we had to say goodbye, even if it was just for tonight. He didn't answer, instead he stared at me with a look I'd never seen on his face until now. He lifted a hand and placed it gently on my cheek, before leaning down and placing his lips hesitantly on mine. Then, he was kissing me, and I was kissing him, and there was only one thought racing through my head.
I'm kissing Albus Severus Potter! I didn't believe it, it couldn't actually be happening, but it was. It was even better than I'd hoped and somehow I knew that he'd hoped for this too. We stood like that for a long time, kissing and holding each other, my hands running through his hair as he rubbed circles into my back.
Eventually I broke the kiss, though we still stayed locked tight in each others arms. " I love you." Albus whispered. "I always have. I just couldn't find the right way to tell you." He swallowed and looked slightly nervous. "I – I was afraid you wouldn't feel the same way."
"That's silly." I murmured back. "I love you too, and I always have." I pulled him back to me for another quick kiss before I entered my house. I was about to close the door when Al called out "Be my girlfriend?"
"Of course." I called back, before bidding goodbye and lightly closing the door. I leaned against it, sighing as I went over every moment of today, securing it in my mind so that I would never forget the day I discovered that Albus loved me as much as I loved him.