cris • tee • nuh (cristina_lacosa) wrote,
@ 2008-04-04 13:27:00

Entry tags:

+++aliceflavors

L O N G B O T T O M ¤ alice

Happy • Angry • Sad • Concerned • Scared

Crying • Giddy • First Crush • Yule Ball • Innocent

Betrayed • Baby • Best Friend • Working • Traumatized

Wary • Drunk • Flustered • Bitchy • Paternal-Love

First Year • Graduating • Sorting • Hogwarts • Pick Your Own

??/25

¤ Happy

Alice Goodsmith couldn't think of a more comfortable spot to be, than in Frank Longbottom's arms.

His couch in the common room (his name actually was on it, thanks to some engraving spells) was in a perfect position for people watching. Alice could be there all day, as long as Frank's arms were wrapped around her. She'd watched Marlie, Lily, and Liz bounce down the stairs and beckon her to join them, but she'd declined, earning some cat calls. Frank's roommates jumped onto the couch and the cushions to try and get them to move, but Alice simply tucked tighter under Frank's arm and let him yell and threaten the boys. First years skittered around and nervously asked permission to retrieve lost quills that had fluttered under their couch.

The entire world could start collapsing around them, but Frank and Alice would be unharmed and completely ignorant of the mess.

She hoped she could live like this forever. Not on the couch in the Gryffindor common room, but Alice prayed that all her life she would be able to find solace within Frank's arms. That they would be happy, just being with each other, like this, always and forever.

Alice let out a breath and shut her eyes. Frank's arm clung a little tighter around her shoulders, and she easily drifted into a soft slumber.

¤ First Crush

The noise of the Three Broomsticks created a boisterous atmosphere, one Alice was sure would be able to hide her unbreaking gaze on Ioan Llewellyn as he chatted with his friends. The head boy was ever so popular, and obviously smart and kind---he always had a crowd of people around him, and they always seemed so intrigued by what he had to say. One time, yes, Alice remembered clearly, it was a Tuesday and they'd had ham for lunch--one day he'd even taken time during his charms' review session to give her a practical example when she couldn't figure out a color changing spell. Little things like that, that's what made him so easy to fancy. Yes. Fancy. Alice fancied the head boy, Ioan Llewellyn, and there was no reason not to.

"What're you staring at!" Frank Longbottom exclaimed loudly, leaning across the table to block Alice's view of Ioan. Alice swiped away her pudding cup before Frank's grubby hands planted in it, and she frowned deeply at the back of his head (he was currently searching the other side of the restaurant with some oddly intense curiosity). Marlie, who was sitting opposite Frank, giggled loudly, and kicked his foot under the table.

"The head boy, of course!"

Alice narrowed her eyes at her best friend, but didn't have a chance to deny this because Frank let out a loud, whining groan, dropping back into his chair and almost knocking it over.

"Llewellyn? What the--? Why are you looking at him?"

"Because---" Marlie began, but Alice's hand shot out and she pinched her arm. "Eep!"

"Because? Because what?" Frank mimicked, pulling a face at Alice, though if she wasn't so mad at him, she may have noticed that he looked a tad worried. She lifted her chin and avoided his eyes, even though she could feel the blush creeping up her neck. When he was done being a stupid boy, then maybe she might divulge into her thoughts, but not now, not when he was being so snotty. Frank let out a monstrous moan, voice booming,

"Ew, you fancy Llewellyn?"

Of course, it was that moment that the music ceased and all the talking went to a halt. Alice didn't think she could be more embarrassed ever again in her own life, but then she watched in horror as Ioan grinned widely at her, and then whispered something to his friend. Marlie's face was hidden in her hands, and Frank had slumped so low in his seat that you could barely see his eyes. Oh---he was---so, dumb! Alice wasted no time in swiping her pudding cup over at Frank, spilling the gooey substance down the front of his robes before she rushed out and to the bathroom, Marlie hot on her trail.

She was never going to fancy anyone ever again.

¤ Baby

Alice Longbottom was born to be a mother.

She'd enjoyed every second of her pregnancy (ignoring the parts about being attacked by death eaters), she had looked fabulous in maternity clothes, her stomach had gone from bulging to nearly flat a few days after he had arrived, and she burst out of bed at random hours of the night the second her baby cried out for her.

Really, there was no other meaning for her life than to be Neville Franklin Longbottom's mother.

That was a bit extreme, of course, but Alice was sure she could be content for the rest of eternity just playing with her son, and feeding, and bathing, and rocking, and just everything a baby needed. Neville would be the happiest baby the world had ever seen, and then the happiest toddler, then child, then young boy, then young adult, and he would grow up and have lovely children of his own with a wife that would attempt to love him as much as his mother did, but just miss.

She would do anything for him, outside of allowing him to get a tattoo (a common trait of all mother's!). She couldn't wait for him to start talking, so she could begin to have conversations with him, knowing that Neville was just brimming with brilliant ideas. He was always watching her around the house, mimicking herself and Frank doing the tiniest of motions and gestures. Neville was going to be a brilliant wizard, and now that Voldemort had been defeated, Alice was able to truly envision her son's future, their family's future.

Alice gazed lovingly at her baby as he attempted to pull himself up on the seat beside his godmother. She was also itching to cross the living room and hoist him up, but Frank and Emmeline had this silly idea that he needed to learn how to do things for himself. What was wrong with a little help?

"I think he's a sure fit for Ravenclaw," Emmeline said with a grin as she tugged the back of Neville's shirt to give him the final leverage onto the seat. Alice shot Frank a smirk, see. Babies needed all the help they could get. "He put his foot in all the right ledges, he's using every bit of his brain."

"That's called tenacity," Frank said with a nod, leaning over the back of the couch. He pulled a face at Neville, who swatted at him over Emmeline's shoulder. "Which, I am sure you know, is a trait of Gryffindor."

"He'll be a Hufflepuff," Alice said quite loudly, earning equally loud groans from the other two, "he's going to be perfectly well-rounded, and there he will meet a nice Hufflepuff girl--"

There was a sickening crash from the front of the house, and everyone in the room stood to attention. The shattering of glass caused Neville to wail out in surprise, and Alice's eyes shot toward her husband. Frank's wand was already pulled and he stealthily made his way out of the living room and toward the eruption. Alice's heart pounded through her chest; the feeling she had was of absolute despair, and finality. They'd finally come for them, hadn't they?

Alice crossed the living room to Emmeline and Neville, taking hold of her baby's face with both hands.

"You'll be good for Aunt Emmeline, won't you?" she said softly, pushing her face close to Neville's, her nose touching his, her eyes going out of focus.

"Alice--!" Emmeline let out, but Alice kissed Neville's cheek and pulled away, shaking her head as she got out her wand.

"Get him out of here!" she commanded, already hearing the shouts of a struggle with Frank. Emmeline's desperate expression flashed into determination and she shut her eyes tightly to dissapparate out of the house. Alice didn't linger; she rushed out to help her husband fight the intruders, now able to focus on the fight as her son was out of harm's way.

She would do anything for her baby.

¤ Drunk

Her laughter sounded like she was choking for air, and Alice pressed her hand to the brick wall of the alley way. Actually, actually she couldn't breathe because she was laughing so hard, and she was going to start waving toward her throat in the universal 'I'm choking!' hand gesture, but Frank's legs decided to give out and he slumped into her, pressing her even harder into the wall.

She didn't even know what they were laughing about!

"Fuh-fuh-fuh-Frank!" Alice shrieked, grabbing onto his side, causing him to jerk away. She knew all his ticklish spots. Frank stumbled back and Alice reached out to help him balance, but she didn't have much sense herself, and---whoops. Yes, you shouldn't let a very strong boy grab onto you for balance, especially when you were a rather tiny girl. At least Alice had landed in Frank's lap, her poor dear's bottom had just slammed into the cement.

"My ass hurts," Frank moaned, arms wrapping around Alice as she pushed her face into his shoulder. Alice let out a loud 'awww' and pulled back, pouting her lip at him. She pushed his hair out of his face, amused at his exaggerated expression of pain. The poor baby! His bottom hurt, what was the poor dear supposed to do?

"I'm sorry," she said, pinching his sides, "Can't do anything about it!"

Frank let out a whine, lolling his head back in misery. Alice giggled and kissed his exposed neck; this was turning out to be the best birthday she'd ever had! She'd been more than surprised when Frank had showed her the passages out of Hogwarts (but when James hollered from his room that he had shown Frank, she'd understood better), and they had enjoyed her first night as a legal witch in the best of ways!

Drinking until they were pissed off their asses!

Or, well. Until their asses hurt, in Frank's case.

"What else do you want to do?" Frank mumbled, eyes crossing as he dropped his head back. Alice pushed forward and kissed him, her heart swelling. That was her Frank, always doing everything and anything he could for her. Boy, how had she messed up so badly in the beginning of their relationship? She would've had at least another six months or so of this blissful, wonderful, perfect relationship.

"I just want to sit here forever, Mister. Long---bottom, you have a strange last name, did you know that?" Alice giggled again, saying his name and stretching out the vowels, stuttering the consonants. "Longbottom is a funny last name."

"Goodsmith is boring," Frank said in his defense, sitting up a bit straighter. Alice had to twist in his lap, hands going to the back of his neck to keep her balance. They must look really silly, sitting in the middle of this dark alley, on top of each other without a care in the world. "Goodsmith is just---it's boring."

"Frank Goodsmith sounds good, though! It's in the name." Alice's eyebrows rose in triumph, and Frank sputtered.

"Well! Well Alice Longbottom sounds better."

Ooh.

She was beginning to sober up.

Alice felt her face flush, feeling as if Frank's face was a mirror of hers; he was absolutely red now, and might even be turning a bit purple. Alice hoped she wasn't turning purple, and her hand pulled back to touch his chin lightly. Her fingers danced across his lips and smoothed his cheek, once again moving up to push his hair out of his face.

"It does sound better," she admitted, and her heart began thudding harder as Frank's face took on an expression of relief. Alice Longbottom sounded absolutely beautiful if you asked her. She'd only written it a million times on her folders and parchment, and in the borders of her books and in notes to Marlie and---she had written it a lot. "It sounds much better."

Frank's smile widened and he let out a breath. "I'll call you that, if you want."

Alice grinned; Frank was sobering up too, it seemed. She smiled coyly at him, leaning forward for another kiss, "That'd be silly, though, I'm not your wife."

"You could be."

Oh, oh, oh.

She needed another drink.

¤ Flustered

Alice's frown nearly consumed her whole face.

"That is a myth, Franklin Tybalt." Her arms crossed greatly as she glared at her husband. The healers had not mentioned this at all! There was no way it could be true, Frank was just making things up, knowing she was as gullible as a first year. He wouldn't do that to his very pregnant wife, would he? "I don't believe you."

"All right, well." Frank stood up from the stool and shrugged, looking slightly concerned. "I am just saying. We might have to prepare for a surprise, Nigel might actually be a Nicole, or whatever."

Alice huffed greatly, turning toward the window where she could catch her reflection. Frank had come home spouting all of these old wives tales that his mother and aunt had been rambling about, and now was insisting they take another pregnancy test to prove that Nigel actually was a Nigel. Or a boy, to be more specific. Alice had so far managed to successfully dodge any long and rambling discussions about the baby with Augusta and Enid (work! Work and being tired! And good silencing hexes on bedroom doors.), so Frank had been caught with the brunt of the Longbottom women's baby madness.

They should trust modern medicine over two old wives! There was no reason to doubt their first exam, or the healers that had been taking care of her during the first few months of her pregnancy! She had a bump now, a very prominent one, and he was going to make her question all of the blue clothing and toys and furniture she'd bought and prepared? Maybe a bit prematurely but who was to deny her the fun of shopping?

There was simply no way that he would be a she. There was no way! He would not do that to his mummy.

"Well!" Alice let out, pouting and turning to Frank. "What else did they say?"

"They said if..." Frank's mouth tightened into a thin line. "I don't remember."

"Frank!" Alice squeaked, slapping her hand on the counter, "You can't come in here telling me you're afraid we're having a girl and then not give me reasons, I'm about to freak out! What the hell are we going to do with all that blue if it's true!"

"Emmeline's good at color swapping spells," he muttered, but he stepped closer and took Alice's chin in his hand. "Mum said that if your face is round, it's a girl."

Alice allowed him to handle her chin for a few examining seconds, bobbing her head back and forth with his movements. She didn't think her face looked round, but she had gained quite a bit of weight, but in her face? Someone would've said something!

"Looks thin to me," Frank said with a nod of approval, his eyes taking a narrowing with curiosity. "Oh! And if I can see your stomach from the back, that means it's a girl."

She didn't waste a second; Alice spun around quickly, putting her hands onto the counter to balance herself because she really could not move as swiftly as she once could. Alice ducked her chin to her chest as she waited, "Well?"

"Hmmm. Bend over a little more."

For a second, Alice had been ready to do so, but the lining of amusement in her husband's voice made her whip around with a great, angry glare, "FRANKLIN!"

"I'm sorry!" Frank shouted, pulling her close to him, "How can I resist that view, really!"

Alice let out a long huff of a breath and let Frank pull her closer, enjoying the feeling but forcing herself not to show it. She tilted her head away as he planted kisses on her neck and up her jawline; he would clearly have to work a bit harder than that to gain her attention again.

"I also heard," he mumbled, his lips moving against her ear. Alice flushed but tried to remain as limp in his arms as possible. This really was not fair, "that whoever is more aggressive in bed, determines the sex."

"You heard that from your mother?" Alice let out, putting her hand to her mouth to stop her laugh. Frank choked a funny sound, but shook the thought away and pinned her to the counter. Fine, fine, she'd kiss him back. That was one myth she could deal with; Alice would have loads of fun showing Frank how much she really wanted their baby to be a boy.

¤ Bitchy

"Well, Frank started showing magic at four months!"

Aunt Enid nodded furiously, hand going out and wrist limp as she took over the story,

"Yes, he walked over to the table and---"

"Walked? At four months?" Alice interrupted, bouncing Neville on her knee. Augusta and Enid shot her a look, obviously and silently stating to not question their memories, and Alice's mouth shut. Tea time at Gran's was always such fun.

"And then, pop! He blew a bubble with his lips and it floated out, red and shiny!"

"Red bubbles?"

"Then blue."

"A rainbow of spit bubbles."

"It was rather impressive," Augusta said, sitting straight before leaning into the back of her seat. Her legs were crossed in an intimidating manner, and Alice simply smiled, nodding along. Neville cooed a bit, and Alice looked down at her son. Surely they weren't expecting Neville to be doing back flips and levitating large objects by his first birthday? He was only a few weeks from that, actually. Alice wanted to plan a double party with Harry, but Lily and James still weren't sure where they'd be, and if it'd be safe enough and--

"Yes, Longbottom's seem to do everything rather well," Augusta said with a sigh, "I do wonder why Neville hasn't performed yet."

Alice's eyes looked up from her son quickly, nearly flashing the anger that had flared up inside of her. Augusta wasn't---mean, persay, but she had a way of saying things that were just snippy and could be taken as rude. Was she blaming Alice for Neville's lack of magic? That was just rude, she was sure that her son was magical, and even if he wasn't, there wasn't a damn thing wrong with that, and these two old ladies could just---they could just---go---do something. Not nice.

"Oh, tea's ready!"

She watched the two older women make their way out of the parlour to tend to the tea, and Alice shifted Neville up into her arms, holding him up so he was centimeters from here face.

"Can you do magic, my little boy?" she asked, not honestly concerned, but...

Neville's head tilted to his shoulder, wide brown eyes staring somewhat curiously at her. Alice really did love that he looked so much like her--he looked like Frank too, but he was definitely his mother's son. She smiled, and was about to set him down to the ground to crawl around, when a hiccup escaped his mouth, and a bright orange bubble popped out.

Alice put her son down on her knees, amazed as he spewed out a stream of rainbow bubbles, all of them floating around the parlor as if on display.

"Augus--" she started, ready to call her mother-in-law to see Neville's first display of magic. But, Alice shut her mouth, and pulled out her wand, popping all of the bubbles (slowly, naturally so that Neville wouldn't get upset). No, no. She didn't have to share this moment with the old ladies. Neville was a Longbottom. He'd show off his skills eventually.

¤ Maternal Love

The toes of his shoes grazed the white tiles of the floor, the bright light above him making it slightly uncomfortable to see. His seated body pushed the mattress down, almost causing his companion to tilt into his side. But, they both remained upright and sitting in silence, which had been hovering over them for nearly ten minutes.

"I got my O.W.L.s this morning."

Neville Longbottom turned the package over in his hands, letting out a heavy breath. Gran didn't know, he'd given the owl an extra batch of treats earlier in the week to bring the post directly to his window so that he could check through it first. There would be no telling what she'd say about his more than likely terrible grades, and Neville really would rather put off that lecture for as long as possible. But--she'd been rather pleased with him since the Department of Mysteries fiasco, so maybe it wouldn't be as bad as he thought.

Well--no, it would be bad.

He shifted, fingers gripping tightly around the edges of the letter. It couldn't be that bad, could it? Potions was a sure failure, and most likely Transfiguration (that stupid studying potion Eddie Carmichael was selling only made him nauseous), but Herbology! He was sure he'd passed Herbology, there was no way he hadn't passed his favorite subject--

"Can you open it?" he murmured, turning his gaze and looking up at the vacant face of his mother.

He watched his mother carefully, always trying to find some hint of recognition in her eyes. Neville liked to believe that she did, that she knew who he was and could remember the things he said to her, but his Gran often reminded him that--she couldn't. Neville wished his visits could be more frequent, maybe that would help, but with school and--Gran, he just--well, he had come here to check out his broken nose, just a few weeks ago, so that was nice and--all she'd given him was a gum wrapper. Again.

Neville dropped his gaze; he really didn't know why he came here. It wasn't as if she or his father would understand what the grades meant, or if his rambling would actually get through to her, but--everyone else was opening their letters and showing their parents their grades, so...why couldn't he? Neville felt his stomach twist as he remembered that Harry couldn't show his grades to his parents, either, and felt terribly guilty for being upset. At least--at least his parents were here, he could see them and touch them and talk to them even if they didn't understand and--and--oh, he was such a bloody prat of a son, how could he even--

A gentle touch to the side of his nose snapped Neville out of his mental scolding, and his eyes shot up to catch his mother's surprisingly keen expression. His eyes crossed as he tried to follow her finger as it poked the tip of his nose and then began to trace the bone up between his eyes. Neville felt the bump that was now there, and he watched as his mother's eyes widened at the feeling.

She let out a silly sort of sound, her voice scratchy from its lack of use, and dropped her hands to her lap. The look in her eyes was gone, fleeting as was every other thought in Alice Longbottom's head, and Neville stared at her hands for a long time before ripping open his O.W.L.s

¤ King's Cross - AU

"DADDY!"

Frank Longbottom bent low to capture his daughter up in a hug, ignoring the pain in his foot as her trunk dropped onto his toes. Mirella squealed loudly as she was swept up into the air. Alice laughed greatly, pushing down her daughter's hair as she began to ramble on about the trip home. Her first year of Hogwarts was complete, so there was plenty to talk about.

She rested comfortably on Frank's hip, babbling on and on and on, and while Alice loved to cling to every word of her daughter's, she still had a few people to look out for. She pushed herself up on her tiptoes, scanning the crowd. There were the Bells, they'd already recovered Ian from the train, and the Booths were being loud a bit closer to the platform. Where were they? She'd promised they would get together for this momentous occasion and, oh!

"Lily!" Alice shouted, waving her hand high. She grinned, and tugged up Mirella's trunk as Frank followed. He was adding little 'ooh's and 'ahhh's at random parts of her tale, and the girl seemed to not notice that her daddy wasn't actually soaking in a word. Or maybe he was, and he was just very good at multi-tasking.

Lily was making her way through the crowd, her hand tugging James' along. Her husband's eyes were set on the train, but he immediately greeted the Longbottoms, and began to show Mirella some silly muggle tricks he had in his pocket.

"Where's your brood?" Alice asked.

"Well--they're always the last off the train," Lily said with a roll of her eyes, watching her husband put the littlest Longbottom's fingers into a Chinese fingertrap. "they're either fast asleep or a prefect locked them in a compartment and won't let them go."

Alice let out a loud laugh and looked back toward the train, just in time to see her middle child leap off the train, followed closely behind by his best friend, Dennis Creevey. The two had been joined at the hip since their first year, and Alice

Frederique Frances Longbottom

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