Time Travel is a Complicated Thing, Isn't It?

Chapter 10 - 2 In One Day

Alice sighed and watched Frank Longbottom wistfully as he talked with his Hufflepuff friends. She had a humongous crush on him but her friend, Marlene, assured her it was only a fling. Of course, she was wrong. She had that crush for an entire year and Frank didn't even notice her.

"You alright?" Lily put a hand on her shoulder. They were in the courtyard with Marlene, Xing, Hermione, Ron, and Harry.

"Yeah..." She stared at Frank. In the corner of her eye, she saw Xing and Hermione smirking.

"You fancy Frank?" Xing asked. Hermione buried her hands into her hands, shaking in laughter.

"Yes... Why are you laughing?" Alice asked.

"You remind us of Harry and Ginny," Ron laughed. Harry rolled his eyes and smiled.

"Whose Ginny?" Alice asked.

Their smiles and laughs disappeared in a millisecond and Ron said flatly, "She's dead now."

"Oh. I shouldn't of asked." Alice said, timidly.

Xing waved her hand and smiled with nostalgia, "It's fine. Let's go eat dinner. Most of them already left."

Alice looked where Frank was to see him walking back inside.

"Okay."

They walked back inside and headed to the Gryffindor table to eat.

"Xing! Xing! Where are you going?" Lily called.

Alice looked up from the floor she was staring at so she wouldn't have to look at Frank to see Xing heading over to the Hufflepuff table. Where Frank is, an unhelpful part of her head supplied.

Shut up, head. She said.

Harsh.

"XING! WRONG TABLE!" Lily called.

Xing looked back and tilted her head, "There's no rule that says you can't sit at any of the other tables."

"It's discouraged though."

"It shouldn't be. It helps create house unity." And with that she plopped herself next to... Frank?

Alice froze.

Xing looked back and gave her an assuring glance while saying excitedly, "Come over here! They have treacle tarts!"

 Frank gave her an amused glance while looking at who she was calling. When Frank scanned the faces, Alice began blushing. And hard. By the time Frank saw her, she was beat red. He gave her a confused look and nudged Xing. She looked back and her face softened. She leaned in towards Frank and whispered something.

She leaned back out and said, "Are you coming or not?" Alice, Lily, Harry, Hermione, and Ron walked towards the Hufflepuff table.

"Hello Alice!" Frank said cheerfully, "Sit here!" He patted the seat next to him. Alice froze and whispered, "Are you sure?" Frank's face turned slightly pink and said, "Yes." Alice glanced at Xing and gave her a 'Really' look. Xing quirked an eyebrow and Alice smiled and sat down next to him.

Throughout dinner, they chatted animatedly but Alice was oblivious to the wistful looks she got from Frank. By the end of dinner, most people had already left, leaving only Lily, Marlene, her, Frank and the new kids.

Frank whispered, "Can you follow me after dinner?" She slowly nodded, her heartbeat pacing a bit faster.

He got up and said, "Thanks for having dinner at the Hufflepuff table. I'll be going. Alice and I have to go somewhere." Xing winked at her which was unnoticed by everyone except the other new kids who were looking suspiciously at her.

Frank and Alice rounded the corner and Alice hesitantly asked, "What did you want to talk abo-"

Frank interrupted, "Er, Alice, will you go out to Hogsmeade with me?" while scratching his neck. Alice was completely shocked and stayed silent.

Frank flushed and was about to turn around, saying, "It's fine, you don't have to go-"

"Wait! Yes, yes, yes!" Alice pleaded.

Frank smiled widely and kissed her passionately. They pulled away with red faces and Frank muttered, "Well, I'll be going back now..."

Alice stared after him and then grinned and practically skipped back.

"Guesss whaaaattt!" She sang as she entered the dorm room. Xing had a humongous smirk on her face and winked at her. She grinned even wider and plopped down beside Marlene. She noted that all the boys and Hermione were still in the common room waiting. Probably Xing's doing.

"What?" Lily asked.

"Yeah, what?" Marlene pestered her.

Xing gave Alice an encouraging look.

Alice squealed, "Frank asked me out!"

The girls cheered so loudly, a few people poked their head out of the dormitories to see what was going on. Marlene quickly shooed them away.

"What happened?" James asked, pushing his glasses up, "Are you all cheering because you guys finally finished your homework?"

Everybody stared blankly at him except for Xing who winked and gave him a thumbs up. The  corner of his lips curled up and he winked back. Everybody looked at Xing. The new kids were raising their eyebrows.

"What's wrong?" She asked innocently, and casually checked her nails. Alice could see James smirking.

She continued, "I can't flirt with Prongs?"

The Marauders froze, "How did you know his name was Prongs?"

She rolled her eyes, "Honestly, you are so slow sometimes. I heard Sirius call James that before."

Alice saw Lily burn with jealousy. She smirked and let her Slytherin-self say coyly, "Oi, Lily."

She turned around and gave me a questioning look.

"If Frank asked me out, why don't you go ask James out? You look like you want to murder Xing because she's flirting with James." Alice said slowly.

Lily started blushing hard. James merely lifted one eyebrow and said, "Not sure about that Alice. She wouldn't except it until, what was that Muggle saying? When pigs what?"

"When pigs fly." Xing supplied.

"Thanks. So yeah, when pigs fly."

Lily sighed and said, "Just... er, well..."

Marlene squealed and said, "Ooooooooh!"

Xing grabbed a pillow from the sofa and smacked her head down on it to muffle the sounds of laughter. Alice could see her back was visibly shaking.

James stared at Lily expectantly.

Lily sighed again and asked embarrassed, "Will... will you, er, ask, the regular question?"

James squinted his eyes at her and said, "Regular? The Hogsmeade one?"

Lily shifted under the uncomfortable stares and silence, "Er, yes."

Marlene chewed on her fingernail in anticipation.

James sighed and walked in front of her, "Fine. Lily Evans, would you do the honor of accompanying me to Hogsmeade?"

Lily finally smiled and said, "Yes." The common room burst into applause and Marlene whooped and chanted, "Finally united! Finally united! TRUE LOVE!" She bellowed.

Alice turned her attention to Xing when she felt her lean on her and whisper, "Thank god I put a silencing charm on before James asked Lily out."

Alice giggled and said, "You react at all?"

"Nah. I was just like, 'Ah, young love.'"

Alice burst out laughing and said, "2 proposals in one day, eh?"