Harry Potter One Shots (Vol. I)

Meant to Be (Albus Severus Potter)

My wonderful fawns ~

I'm back from my little hiatus. My dissertation has been submitted and my masters degree is officially completed (and it absolutely flew by). 

So here is the next one shot, I hope you like it.

As always, it's not edited 

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At some point, Mum would have to realise that I wasn't a little girl anymore. Granted, I was the youngest of her children, but that didn't mean I was the little girl she could dress up in her choice of clothes or put my hair into pigtails like she wanted. I knew she was struggling with it, with the idea that the youngest of her brood was slowly moving out of reach and it was just made worse because Alice was already talking about moving out once she left Hogwarts at the end of the year. It was enough to have her contemplating a final fourth child, one that would be way younger than any of us were and it was enough to have Dad running away sometimes. But, as the youngest Longbottom, I tried to be patient. I tried to do as dad said and humour mum but Godric, sometimes she made it majorly difficult. Majorly.

Even now, as I sat in front of my vanity, trying to brush my hair to get ready for our guests, Mum was hovering by the doorway of my bedroom. Really, I'd made a mistake by saying she could come into the room. I should have known better by now. Alice had decided to talk to Dad about good locations to get a flat after leaving Hogwarts and Mum had overheard, prompting her go-to response; trying to smother me in affection. She needed to realise I wasn't a little kid anymore, I was going into my fifth year! In a short few months, I'd be sixteen.

"I'll be down in a bit, Mum," I said as I finished tying my hair away from my face. Through the mirror, I watched her pointedly, hoping that she would get the hint and go downstairs. When she made no move to leave, I tried not to sigh. Instead, I said meaningfully, "I think the Potters will be here soon."

My words had the opposite effect of what I wanted. Instead of prompting Mum to leave my bedroom so she could check everything was running smoothly, she instead walked towards me with quick steps. I watched her approach and tried not to groan when she came to a still right next to me. Peering down at the earrings I'd set out to wear, Mum frowned a little. Wordlessly, she reached for my jewellery box, opening the top and sorting through the earrings. She withdrew a pair that I recognised instantly, they were the ones my parents had gotten me for Christmas; small silver hoops that hugged my earlobes.

She held them up against my ears, demonstratively, "Don't you think these would look better?"

"Not really," I said slowly, not wanting to offend her, but also not wanting to wear the earrings she'd chosen. I just happened to prefer the ones I'd already picked; a pair of green solitaire studs. Reaching around Mum, I grabbed the studs and started putting them on, one by one.

Not that Mum was deterred. She instead, insisted, "I just think Albus would like these better."

Turning sharply towards her, I met Mum's eyes and tried not to scowl. "Why would I care about what Albus likes?"

"He's your best friend, isn't he?" She evaded my eyes, before saying, "He's a good boy, that's all."

"You're making him sound like a pet owl," I said.

Mum, sighing and knowing that I wouldn't budge, returned the hoops to the jewellery box. Finally, after Dad started calling for her from downstairs, she left the room. Alone, at last, I studied my reflection again, and briefly contemplated a quick swipe of lip gloss across my otherwise bare face. I decided against it; what was the point when I'd be having dinner in a bit anyway? I didn't have time to second guess my decision, not that I wanted to when Alice knocked on my door and spoke from the other side, letting me know that the Potters had arrived.