Two Gifts, One Hope (rory, christmas eve, burrow)

[mgirl03]

Christmas had always been, and always would be, the youngest Potter boy's favorite holiday. Sure, it helped that Al's birthday wasn't much longer after the Christmas holidays (and this year he was even turning of age, which was a major bonus), but it wasn't just that. The entire family ended up at the Burrow every year for Christmas, and personally he loved being in a giant family. Christmas in the Burrow always had people everywhere, with different conversations to take part in, pranks to be held, presents to be opened, and Quidditch games to be held. Albus loved seeing his family, and loved the happy moods (if not a bit mournful if Uncle George or Grandma Molly thought of Uncle Fred), and so he was always in a better mood over these holidays.

Of course, at this point in time, the Burrow only had Grandmum and Grandpa Weasley, Rory, Jale, and Laney, and the Potters. It was Christmas Eve, not Christmas day, and so the family wasn't expect over yet. However, because Rory and the twins had been sent over to spend Christmas Eve at the Burrow, Al had begged and pleaded with his parents (with as much dignity as possible of course) for them to spend the night and be there already on Christmas morning. Being here with Rory was crucial to the plan he had put together a while ago, and he wasn't about to give up the plan at this point. He was so close, after all.

Stretching on the couch in the sitting room, Al ran his left hand through his hair slowly before pressing the inky black locks down again, putting them back in their original place--everywhere. With a quick glance out the window, he saw that evening was setting upon them all, the stars becoming visible. He felt his stomach give a small twist in nervous anticipation, but he would wait just a few more minutes. He wanted to make sure there was plenty to see before he started dragging Rory outside so they could be...alone.

Thoughts on Rory, he turned his eyes to where she was sitting in a chair by the fire, which tugged a smile to his face. He quickly looked down at his lap so he wasn't caught staring (wouldn't Lily, James, Laney, or Jale love that?), thinking on the day. He and Rory had decided to exchange gifts on Christmas Eve, just to be different, and because it was part of his plan and he couldn't have kept the kneazle secret forever. She was currently holding Severus, the little while cat-like creature, in her lap, and he was ecstatic that she loved her gift. Her gift to him had been just as brilliant; journals for them to write in, where the words in one appeared in the other. Perfect for seperate classrooms, and possible detentions.

Again, Al couldn't help but glance out the window to the outside world. It was possible to see some stars, but he could also see some clouds collecting, and judging by the few snow flurries falling down, it wouldn't be long before the stars were all covered by clouds. Swallowing a bit nervously, his bright eyes found Rory again, and slowly he pushed himself up from the couch, hands reaching towards the sky in a large stretch.

Once more, Al's eyes scanned the sitting room, taking in everyone around. His dad wouldn't say a word, neither would Grandmum or Grandpa, but Albus couldn't be sure about anyone else. Laney, Jale, Lily, or James might crack a joke, and his mum might put a stop to him taking Rory out alone. They were just best friends though, right? Or at least, that's all they were now. Moving over to the chair Rory sat in, Al reached down to pet Sev between the ears and then smiled at the redhead.

"Hey," he said, and he spoke softly enough to keep his words hidden under the conversation around them. "Want to come with me out into the backyard for a bit of star gazing? Before the snow starts falling?" He let his smile widen in what he hoped was a charming way, feeling his heart beat quicken and his stomach clench. The plan was in action.

[.RORY KAY BLAKE !]

Rory's gaze was trained on the fire.. watching as it flickered and carried on with the soft snaps and pops only burning wood was capable of producing. She glanced once with a soft smirk, to her two younger siblings as a card from the exploding snap they were playing went off on the pile.. Laney jumped.. Jale cackled.. mickey taking was exchanged both ways and Rory chuckled silently a bit and then sighed in contentment.

Things were warm, cheerful.. and homey here..and the smell of the burrow was one she'd fallen in love with years ago.. it was the smell of somewhere very safe.. very caring.. a second home she'd always felt completely at ease when staying at. Her gaze lifted to take in the array of decorations about the room.. garlands and small shimmering bells..mistletoe and Holly..before retuning to look into the fire. They had settled into the soft blue of true contentment as she absently traced her fingers through Sev's soft white fur and thought over the days events.

She and Al had decided to exchange their gifts early. With his family so large it just seemed, right..fitting that the two best friends share theirs at a time when they could focus on one anothers reactions with out the distraction of having to focus on others around them. She'd given Al his blue journal and quill, showing him her green set and explaining what the could do. He'd seemed exceptionally pleased at the idea which of course had left her pleased as well. And then it had been her turn.

He'd asked that she close her eyes, and hadn't told her when to open them. No, rather she'd felt when to open them in the form of a rumbling purr, and on opening her eyes had gazed down in to the lazy miss matched set of the little kneazel she'd been fretting over for the past few weeks since discovering someone had bought it before she was able to.

She'd been worried if someone understanding of his differences..able to see them as the gifts they were rather than flaws, had taken him.. and then there he was gazing up at her and purring for all the world like he'd finally found home in the warm curve of her lap with his little bottle brush of a lions tail flicking idly. She'd been so thrilled at the gift that shed promptly leaned forward and gripped Al in a very affectionate and grateful hug.. and he'd blushed a bit..and it had made her blush a little in return and the memory of it was doing it again now..

She jumped slightly at the sudden unexpected voice of the very boy she'd been daydreaming into the flames about. and her eyes shot through with a spark of guilty yellow that she was able to quickly force away for once..settling them back into the content blue. The were simple and innocent thoughts after all yeah? And it wasn't like he could hear them anyway.

His offer of stargazing brought a soft grin to her face.. she'd always loved that past time with him..that and looking for shapes in the clouds and he knew as much..would know she couldn't possible turn down the offer willingly. But then that was just Al right? New her better than anyone else.. made her 'happier' than anyone else could. Nodding she picked up Sev and cradled him against her chest as she stood, her own voice quiet in answer. Why ruin the tranquil Christmas Eve mood for others in the room right? "Sure.. good bit of them out to be seen then? ..Bet it'll cloud up before long though.."

[mgirl03]

Even though putting this plan into action was nerve wrecking, and his stomach couldn't seem to decide between wanting to squirm around like an antsy hippogriff or ball up like a scared knarl, it was sort of a relief to stand up and move over to Rory. A part of him was relaxed by the thought that some action was being taken; that finally, he would get to kiss Rory, something that had been hard not to do lately. Of course, the rest of him was going completely mad with nerves, because too many things could go wrong. There was nothing he could do, for example, if Rory just didn't like him.

Don't think like that, Al, he immediately thought to himself. As he stopped by Rory and got her attention (she jumped, odd), Albus noticed the very brief, very small spark of yellow that shot through her eyes, and found himself curious about what she had to be nervous about. Apparently it wasn't anything too important, though, because in the next second she was staring up at him with those blue eyes of contentment that he was so fond of. For a moment Al wondered if Rory realized that his favorite color was that shade of blue because of her eyes; she had given him the journal and quill of that exact color, after all. However, he shook the thought mentally, focusing instead on the fact that Rory was gathering Sev to herself and standing, agreeing to go with a nice little grin.

"Probably won't be long before the whole sky's white with snow," Al responded softly, turning once she was ready. He moved around people and furniture out of the sitting room into the kitchen, half of him waiting for the call of his mother saying it was too cold, or something else that would stop his plan. Glancing down at himself, he realized that he was just in jeans, a shirt, and an old Weasley sweater. Rory was found to be in generally the same thing when he glanced back at her. However, he didn't stop moving on, and opened the door that led into the backyard of the Burrow, waiting until Rory passed him to close the door behind.

"Let's go sit on the bench swing, yeah?" he asked, and even though they weren't surrounded by everyone else anymore, Albus kept his voice soft. There were only a few slowly falling snowflakes, and the clouds seemed to be held at bay by some invisible force, as most of the sky was lit by a million brilianly bright stars. Al felt a content grin spread over his face as he brushed off enough snow from the bench so he and Rory could sit on it, and then plopped down, brushing off even more snow for her. Looking up, his eyes met Rory's, which he could still see in the darkness because of the Burrow's lights and the sky above. He only kept their gazes locked for a second, though, before staring straight up at the stars.

Albus felt almost hyperaware as Rory sat next to him, even if he wasn't looking at her. His bright green eyes took in each star that they could, but while he would usually enjoy the view and let his mind wander, the only thing he could think on now was the pretty girl sitting next to him. He was feeling sappy, with the holiday and all, but found he couldn't care right now. Finally, after staring at the stars a few moments longer, Albus turned his head down to look back at Rory and little Severus.

"You don't think Sev will get cold, do you?" Al asked, reaching out to gently scratch him behind the ears, ducking his head a little and peeking up at Rory. He very slightly scooted closer to her, and was glad that he could see her better with their closeness, and at the same time feel the heat of her body. It was bloody cold outside. "Still can't belive you named him that, yeah?"

He let out a chuckle before turning away again, swallowing as he leaned his shoulder against Rory's, looking up at the sky again. It was practically silent out here, as it always seemed to be when it was snowing or about to snow. Al felt both content and extremely frazzled, sitting and thinking about the second present he would give Rory; the kiss, the final part of the plan. Just the thought made his mouth go dry, and he gave a hard swallow that hopefully wasn't too noticable, hoping that a little Christmas magic would be with him tonight.

((does this make any sense? XD it's like 3 am))

[.RORY KAY BLAKE !]

Smiling as she situated Sev in her arms she nodded, her voice staying low so as not to disturb those around her. " Right.. and probably keep on till morning after that.. yeah?" Setting off behind Al her ear caught a faint set of snickers from the carpet and she pointedly ignored it. Godric help either of the little gits if they said anything and drew the adults attention. They might decided it to late or to cold to be outside and the part of her that was anticipating time alone with her best friend..the part that was fluttering oddly..lightly in some hopeful place she couldn't quite pinpoint between her stomach and her throat..would be disappointed.

Did she realize what the feeling was? ..yeah she got it.. how could she 'not' after their time at the dance? For that matter how could she not have found her defenses failing.. falling under his bright emerald green gaze and crumbling over the time since then into a state that made it very hard to recall just what those walls had been protecting..ok, so maybe they 'hadn't' fallen.. maybe she'd just found herself pushing those fears into a dark closet of her mind and locking the door right? Whatever the case she wasn't thinking about those worries, wasn't going to let them ruin this for her. After all it was totally innocent right? It wasn't like they hadn't lay of the lawn of Hogwarts countless time before and just contemplated the skies above.. shared thoughts and secrets only to be trusted to your very best of friends. This was no different right?

On the sudden realization that with those thoughts her fears had been sneakily picking the lock to the door she'd managed to shut them behind she made a conscious effort to focus on lighter subjects instead. Like for instance Sev who was currently stretching up from her arms..intent on touching his nose to hers in a sort of cat like show of affection. Chuckling softly she lifted him a bit so that they briefly brushed and then tucked him more securely in the crook of her arm.

She followed Al to the door and, as was usual for her gave little thought to her lack of a jacket or any other warm clothing save her sweater she'd gotten from Al's gran the previous year. It in fact was a bit thin where limbs curved and the fabric rubbed as she'd put it to good use the end of last winter and the beginning of this one. Heading out the door, so accustomed to Al's insistence on holding them open for her lately that she didn't bother so much as an odd glance at him for it, she stepped out into the crisp and cold silence of the burrows backyard garden and glanced up at the sky above. A vast sheet of black velvet littered with a dusting of shimmering and sparkling flecks to lively, in her opinion, for the comparison of diamonds to do them justice.

She nodded to his suggestion of the swing and tailing after him to it turned her attention to Sev again as Al dusted the seat. One of the few snow flurries, having made its way on a light breeze from clouds still out of sight as of yet, drifted down to settle on the kittens soft pink nose. His bright eyes, one blue and the other green shifting to a crossed position to look at it as he sneezed and shook his head a bit. Chuckling she cuddled him a bit closer and glanced back up, right into Al's gaze.. and felt the need to swallow a bit. Their connection lasted only second though before his was lifting to take in the stars above from his seat on the bench swing.

Hugging Sev to her she settled down next to Al on the swing. Her eyes lifting, chin tilting up as she took in the same vast view he was.. and very oddly, found herself enjoying the still and peaceful silence around them. How muggles could see what she was seeing every night and many of them still easily not believe in magic was a mystery to her. Sure it wasn't wizarding magic that was responsible for it but really.. could something as amazing as the tapestry painted above have just..'happened'? Al's voice broke into her thoughts and she couldn't help but add onto the thought.. could a boy as caring as Al Potter have just 'happened' into her life for that matter?.. No..she was pretty convinced there was something out there that would make the most powerful of wizards look like a muggle magician..she was just glad that she was apparently in favor with what or who ever it was. Must be to have had Al placed in her life right?

Raising a brow she glanced down at Sev with a grin. " Him? hes got a fur coat and a warm arm for a cloak yeah?" She shivered a bit as a light breeze wafted over the area, stirring the still chill into a goose flesh causing cold. " I on the other hand, am starting to wish I'd brought a jacket out.. right?" She grinned rather sheepishly and wasn't the least inclined to edge away when Al scooted closer to her, the extra body heat was rather welcome.

Catching Al's eye as he peeked up at her she shrugged a bit and grinned. " Well, it fits right? ..I mean he looks out for me like you..could have lost a finger to that daft vanishing bird if it weren't for him yeah? And you gave him to me... he's even got one eye the color of yours.. sure the other ones more like mine at times but.." Her voice tapered off quietly and she pulled her gaze to the stars again, smiling a bit..her cheeks coloring..it was bloody cold after all right? ..as his shoulder came to rest against her own.

Shifting her gaze from place to place on the endless twinkling span above them, her eyes finally settled on a star that seemed a great deal brighter than the rest.. tilting her head a bit she all but rested the side of her temple against Al's ear and cheek and pointed up with a finger of the hand not holding onto Sev. "See that one there? think it might be the North star? Awfully bright.." ..a second later she sucked in a breath as the star she'd been pointing to winked merrily and then shot through the sky in a arch, trailing a torch bright tail behind it.

[mgirl03]

There had always been something about stargazing that got to Al, even when he was a little kid. He had never been a great shakes at astronomy, and thought it would be easier to find out things you needed to know quickly about the sky by looking at a globe of the galaxy or something else equally easy. However, it didn't stop him from having a fascination with the way the planets moved, with the way those stars were so far away that you were looking at them from the past. Maybe it was because he flew everytime he played Quidditch and became a part of the sky that was so big, but in general he thought it was more of the child-like way the stars always made him feel.

Sitting onto the swing, Al thought in the instant that his eyes met with Rory's about all the times they had sat together under the stars on the lawn of Hogwarts. Lying down, shoulder to shoulder, pointing out any of the ones they could remember from Astronomy class; sitting on this very swing before, talking about old memories and laughing as they stared up, or stayed quiet and let their thoughts wander. It was amazing how this time last year, this would have been completely innocent, but now, there was an almost...romantic feel to it.

When Al snapped out of his memories, he felt inclined to make any conversation he could. Which led to him asking about Sev; it wasn't that he didn't care about the little guy, but it wasn't really his first choice for flirty, romantic conversation. He had to have some conversation though, or he would go mad; thinking on the plan only made his heart thump and his stomach clench. Doing something, anything, gave him something else to focus on, besides the small details of this plan that was now beginning to seem insane.

Half smiling at her, he gave Sev another affectionate pat between the ears before looking at her in slight concern and guilt as he scooted closer. Why hadn't he thought about keeping Rory warm while they were out here? It was bloody Christmas Eve, so of course it was going to be freezing--a glance at her Weasley sweater from last year made him half grimace at how threadbare it was. This hadn't been the smartest move on his part, just going out here to sit without a proper way to keep them warm.

"Maybe we both should have," he agreed softly, giving her a slightly guilty smile. He was usually the one to point out that it was cold, and shove a jacket in her arms; even more than that, though, was the fact that this was his plan. His plan that hadn't included a jacket for Rory. Blinking out of his thoughts, Al focused on Rory again, their eyes connected once more as he looked up at her, head still ducked slightly. Her words brought a real smile to his lips this time, and as their shoulders brushed together, he watched her cheeks suddenly flare pink. The cold, perhaps; a blush, more likely.

Feeling a small bit more confidence come into his mind and body at Rory's words about him and her blush, he felt the nerves ebb away a little. When she suddenly was pressing her face close next to hers and pointing out something in the night sky, he felt his stomach give a very pleasant swoop, and let his bright eyes follow the direction her finger gave him. As he watched the star, which he too thought could have been the North Star or Sirius, he heard the intake of breath by his ear right as the 'star' shot fast across the inky black backdrop.

Swallowing, Al slid his gaze over to peer at Rory out of the corner of his eyes, heart beating fast at their closeness and the sight they just witnessed together. A perfect thing to see, alone, at night, on Christmas Eve. He needed to take this mood, this scene, this chance, and seize it. Moving his arm that she was half leaning against, he slipped it around her shoulders to hug her to him, already feeling warmer by the exchange of body heat. He glanced up at the sky once, then turned his head, face close to Rory's, and smiled gently at her.

"You're supposed to wish on a shooting star, you know," he whispered, ducking his head a little and then lifting it again, swallowing and knowing that it was probably obvious. He continued on anyways, the confidence still balled up inside of his chest. "So make one, yeah? I'll make one too." Briefly he closed his green eyes, heart thumping, stomach swooping, and thought on the plan. Part of him wanted everything to be planned out. Another part of him, though, thought of Rose and most of the other family, with their care-free styles--shouldn't it have just felt like the right time when it was the right time?

Opening his eyes, he found his face even closer to Rory's. He slowly let his arm slip from around her and turned a bit, hand stilling to rest on her forearm which was close to Sev. Albus took a deep breath, and decided it was now or never. "You know, I got you another present," he murmured, glancing up at the sky and then quickly back down. "I'd love to say it was that shooting star, but I'm not quite that smooth." An easy smile, a thump of his heart, a twist of his stomach. Repeat.

"I guess you could call this my present and my wish," Al whispered, and then closed his eyes, leaned in, and finally pressed his lips to hers. A jolt went through him, a warmth spreading through to his toes, and he felt a smile tug at his lips as he kissed her. Who needed a plan anyways?

[.RORY KAY BLAKE !]

Her hand sunk slowly back into her lap as she watched the stars path across the night sky. Yet as awed as she was by its beauty and rareness the little gasp shed given was nothing compared to the mad and hopeful thump of her heart as Al's arm came to rest in a rather affectionate hug around her shoulders. She let him hug her to his side, leaning into him and enjoying the warmth his arm and side provided. Add to that the warm and spicy scent that was so very him mixing in the crisp air and she felt rather like she be content to never have to move again.

Al's whispered words had her smiling up at him though, and she found she hadn't far to tilt her head to do so as he'd ducked his head in closer to hers again. She didn't miss the swallow of his throat even if her attention had been captured by those startling green eyes, and she realized by it that he must be a good deal nervous as well.. she certainly had fairy's on the loose, fluttering in her stomach.. how ever gentle and pleasant they might be in setting about it. She knew without needing to see the moment the pale yellow of her nerves flooded her irises. Then he was closing his eyes..making a wish..and she found herself doing the same. At first she thought to make it one for the typical reasons..ones entwined in the feelings driving the thump of her heart or those rattling the door in her mind that held her fears at bay for the moment.. but in the end she decided that something so surreal as this stars setting.. something with such a feel of magic that it would just 'have' to actually come true right? ..was not to be wasted on selfish wants.. so in the end her wish was for Al.. that where ever life took him following his birthday in the next month her wish would see to it that he stayed safe in the dangerous world beyond Hogwarts where she couldn't yet follow and yet he would occasionally go even as a seventh year on missions with the Order.

Odd thing to wish for in a setting like this, where a boy was gathering the nerve to kiss you right? and that was what he was doing yeah?..she wasn't 'that' clueless.. he'd opened his eyes from his wish staring into her own and had shifted his seat. He was telling her about a second present, his hand warm and gentle on her arm and expressing how it wasn't just his present to her but also his wish.. and then he was leaning in towards her.. and though her heart felt as though it might race out of her chest and her eyes glowed yellow beneath her now closed lids she didn't pull away from him.. refused on a subconscious level to acknowledge the pounding on the fear fill closet in her mind and instead leaned into the kiss, leaned into Al... tilting her head a bit and smiling softly back against his lips. For the breath of a few endless seconds the world stood still and everything just seemed blissfully absent with the exception of Al's lips against her own, soft and seeming to fit as if meant to be there.. and the rest of him so close and so warm in the chill of the evening.

Laughter.. intruding on this wonderful moment as the twins came barreling out of the burrow. Oblivious to scene unfolding on the swing and dashing off in the other direction across the garden...a sudden bout of a row..and yet in the next second mickey taking and laughter again. Because they were like that..had a loving friendship as siblings that could never be breached or bothered by the awkward what ifs of romance yeah?..... But this...this could.

The closet in her mind burst wide open and a torrent of fears and worries and emotions held at bay for the last few weeks spilled forth again into her mind. Rideing at the crest of the tidal wave was the worst and most looming..the one that spawned and fed the rest.. What if it just 'didn't' work? And what if it changed things between them when it fell apart? .. was she willing to risk that??..before she'd have given a firm no of an answer yet now.. she 'wanted' to be with Al damn it!...and he wanted that to..obviously. But she just wouldn't..couldn't do that to them right?..risk everything they had for what might be some short lived romance.. making them them awkward with each other and leaving things changed.

Quickly she broke the kiss.. pulling back and opening her eyes to gaze on Al's face rather shamefully.. as the self appointed guardian of their friendship in this mater she'd failed them both...she 'so' sucked right? Her eyes, having gone a tranquil and content sky blue while kissing him clouded as she looked back at him and flooded in a storm of clashing colors as a menagerie of emotion assaulted her at once..fought for dominance that wasn't to be had in her confused thoughts. They all rolled together into a murky brown color highlighted with random fleck of so many different emotions..a color that Al would have never before seen as it was appearing for the first time.

Shaking her head..a frown slowly tugging into place.. she fought back the tears the were threatening to build in her eyes and succeeded in only having a faint catch and quiver sound in her voice that might give away her sorrow. " I... I don't 'want' this ... sorry Al, I just don't, right? " Her heart felt as though it were shattering in the telling of that out right lie and suddenly she felt she simply had to get away for the moment. She was going to cry, much as she hated it, and Al couldn't see that.. he couldn't know how upset she was because she knew him and if he did see he'd not let it go.

Standing quickly she gathered Sev against her, managing to keep all but the faintest trace of the pain she was feeling form her voice, even if her eyes had turned into a rolling hurricane of mud and brief flashes of color. " We should head in yeah? .. Your mum will be wondering where we're at..getting worried.." Watching him she found she couldn't stand it any longer, her lip quivered and she ducked away without waiting for his response.. towards the house..towards Rosie's room where she could change and bury her face it Sev's soft fur beneath her blankets and spill in silence the hot tears she knew were coming with no one the wiser for it.

[mgirl03]

It was amazing how fast your feelings could change. It was amazing how fast situations could change. He had had more experiences than he could count with them, and plenty of them were with feelings and relationships. How suddenly, he found himself with Cissa in the Room of Requirement, where he was kissing her and realizing that he had a crush, and therefore they began to date. There was the time he saw Rory with Soren, kissing, and suddenly his feelings all changed; the crush on Cissa had been crumpling but was suddenly gone, replaced with another. He broke up with Cissa, Rory broke up with Soren, and all of these sudden changes in situations and feelings all led to him, sitting here on a swing, with his lips pressed against his best friend's.

It was great, for a moment. She was kissing him back. Albus Potter was kissing Rory Blake, and for a few seconds everything was right in the world. He could smell her, apples and daisies and just a Rory like smell all around. Even though he couldn't see her, Al felt the smile in her lips, which were warm and soft and fit against his as if they were made that way (okay, so he was being corny--could you blame him?). Together, Rory and Al leaned into each other and kissed under a billion beautiful stars. She kissed him back.

Suddenly though, the situation changed. Jale and Laney came bursting out of the back door, dashing around and laughing and talking and yelling across from them, oblivious to what was going on in this dark section of the garden. For a moment, Al heard the sounds as if magnified, but they fell away as he remembered that right now, he was kissing Rory. Or he thought he was, until suddenly the situation changed again; suddenly, Rory was jerking back from him, causing his eyes to fly open, looking straight into a face that no longer looked the least bit happy.

He felt confused, groggy as if he had just woken from a deep sleep. Why had Rory jerked back? Why did she look so ashamed, and why were her eyes turning...brown? Brown, with all of the colors there in flecks, as if she was so overcome with feelings that nothing could take dominance. Immediately, Al frowned, knowing that something had to be up for that to happen. His thoughts were more worried based, though; obviously something was just wrong, like Laney falling or Jale breaking a leg or something like that. Something to worry about, but not feel...devasted.

That was a good word for the way he felt as she spoke. Al's heart dropped, straight past his stomach, past even his shoes, to fall deep into the core of the Earth. She didn't want this? How did she not want this? She had kissed him, hadn't she? She had smiled, she had liked it, she liked him! The plan had worked, and Rory and him were going to date, like he wanted to so bad. So bloody bad, but she was sounding sad and she was standing and cuddling Sev and looked as if she really didn't want this. Al stared at her, no longer frowning; he looked nothing but shocked, with his mouth a little slack and a lump slowly forming in his throat.

When she spoke again, he heard that tone once more, although it was a bit fainter this time. Sadness. She wasn't angry, she wasn't confident, she was sad. Why? Was it because she was sad that he liked her, sad that he had made a mess of everything? Was she sad that he liked her when she didn't like him back? Was she sad that he was apparently so pathetic? Albus couldn't do anything but sit and watch her go back in. He sat there and did not move as Laney and Jale chased each other back into the Burrow. He did not move as softly, somewhere, a coyote howled, and it sounded sad and lonely and reflected how he felt perfectly.

Slowly, heavily, he pulled himself to his feet. No, he did not have a hot burning feeling behind his eyes. No, he didn't have a heart that had shattered into as many pieces as there were stars. No; he was perfectly fine. So Rory didn't like him. So Rory had kissed him back and then suddenly stopped, obviously not pleased. So his plan hadn't worked, so his best friend probably hated him, so bloody what? It didn't matter, it didn't bug him. Except for that it did. Horribly.

Slowly, Al made his way inside the Burrow again and shut the door. He trudged in towards the sitting room, stopped in the doorway, and peaked his head inside. "I'm going to bed," he said, and his voice sounded distant and hollow. Dead. How was this happening? How was his mind blank and yet reeling at the same time? How could his heart be gone yet as heavy as lead? How was anything in the world still the same, when nothing, nothing at all made sense anymore?

Al knew that they were all giving him an odd look, everyone probably wondering what was wrong with him. He knew he was pale and looked like he had just had his heart broken. He knew it, and couldn't give a care. He didn't let anybody say anything, not his Mum or Dad or James or Lily or anyone. He didn't want to, or need to, hear it. So he turned on his heel, moved up the stairs, and finally made it to his room and shut the door behind him.

Moving as if he were old, Albus walked to the bed and fell on top of it. He hadn't turned on the lights, hadn't gotten undressed, nothing. Al let his face bury into the pillow and took a deep breath, the lump in his throat growing. It was amazing to think that not too long ago, he had been kissing Rory, not a care in the world. It was as he layed there, trying not to get upset and failing horribly, that he realized just how much he really liked the girl who didn't like him back.

When Al heard the coyote howl outside the Burrow again, he curled up onto his side and wished that he wasn't human, so that he didn't have to feel like this.