Closed A Complete Coincidence

[Phineas Ellis]

Phineas didn't really have any business being on the fourth floor corridor. Lessons were over for the day, and it was almost time for dinner, which meant technically he was heading in the wrong direction. Yet some inexplicable force carried him up the stairs, as if his unconscious knew before he did that he wanted to see Alice. He didn't think about her that much. But when he did, he felt sort of fluttery inside, like he was about to blurt out something stupid or fall on his face. Hardly a feeling he wanted to reproduce, yet it was pleasant in its own funny way. He felt happy when he looked at Alice - across the classroom, across the hall, across the courtyard. And she was pretty. That definitely had something to do with it. Actually, that had a lot to do with it. She was beautiful; he could have stared at her all day if he wasn't worried she would notice.

Anyway, he was strolling down the fourth floor corridor as casually as he was able, hands loose in his pockets, admiring the view from the tall windows that overlooked the great lawn. When he reached the door at the end, he turned around and came back the other way. She had to come out eventually - unless she wasn't in, which he hadn't really planned for. Just one more length, he decided, and then he would head down to the great hall and see if he could 'accidentally' bump into her there.

 

[Alice Holland]

Alice had just spent some time out in the gardens, as it was one of her favorite places at Hogwarts. She had met up with Rose and they had just wandered around a bit, chatting. Alice had been happy for the chance to spend some time with her oldest sister. NEWT year was already making her very busy, but they were both aware that Rose would graduate next year and see a whole lot less of Alice until she graduated as well. It was a sad thought, so Alice was a bit gloomy as she headed back to her common room to put her bag in her dormitory before dinner.

But that gloomy feeling faded when she saw Phineas Ellis walking down the corridor of the Hufflepuff common room. Alice had been hoping to chat to the boy earlier, but Uno had come to talk to her instead. She didn't know why Phineas' best friend didn't like her, but she had decided that it wasn't her problem. She wouldn't go out of her way to be mean to Uno, of course, but she also wasn't going to let the girl walk all over her. She also had no intention of staying away from Phineas just because Uno clearly wanted her to. He was way too cute for that, which she was reminded of as she walked up to him. There was always something mischievous about his face, which intrigued her. And his blue eyes were very pretty too. She smiled as she approached him. "Hi Phineas!" She said brightly, stopping near him and tucking some of her hair behind her ear. "What brings you here? It's nice to see you." She said, hoping that he had some time to stick around and chat.

 

[Phineas Ellis]

Finn actually jumped when he saw Alice, as if he hadn't come here expecting to see her. He threw on what he hoped wasn't a creepy smile and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Um, I just took some books back to the library," he said, before realising, with horror, that the library was in the direction he was walking. "Soooo, you, um, going to, um, get some dinner?" he asked, hoping Alice hadn't noticed his mistake, or the fact he'd turned the colour of a ripe tomato.

 

[Alice Holland]

Alice stared at Phineas' smile, noticing once again how cute it was. He got little dimples in his cheeks when he smiled, and it was something she couldn't help focusing on. A part of her regretted approaching him so suddenly, because she hadn't really had much time to think of what to say. "Oh, cool!" She said, nodding as he told her about the books he had brought to the library. She didn't really think that was that cool, but she didn't know what else to say. She then realized the library was up ahead and Phineas had been walking towards it, but shrugged it off. Maybe he had forgotten something. It didn't really matter because it had brought them together to talk. Now she hoped she could keep the conversation going. But she didn't have to think of an excuse to keep talking, because Phineas had offered a new subject of conversation himself. She noticed his cheeks were a little red, which was endearing to her too. Especially because she could feel herself blushing as well. Did Phineas like her too? She sure hoped so. "Yes! I am." She said immediately, forgetting her plans to drop her bag off in the dormitory. She could carry her books to dinner if it meant she could prolong this conversation. "Do you... want to sit together, maybe?" She added, her voice a little softer and a bit less sure now. She wasn't sure what she would do if he said no.

 

[Phineas Ellis]

This was awkward. This was definitely awkward. Was it obvious he liked her? She must have thought he was super sad. "Ew, no," he said automatically, before realising he wasn't talking to Uno, and he actually wanted to sit next to Alice. Then again, he didn't want to sound too keen. "But we can walk together if you want." He started in the direction of the staircase, walking about half as slowly as he would normally to make the trip take as long as possible. His heart was thumping so hard he thought he might be about to keel over. "Umm," he said, struggling to find something, anything to talk about. "Did you ever see the sign someone wrote by your common room door that said 'enter if you smell'? That was me." Good job, Finn. Good job.

 

[Alice Holland]

Alice was feeling pleased, even if she was nervous too. She had suggested eating together in the hopes that Phineas would agree in a casual way, and they could talk about other things instead. His comment startled her, and she felt a flush on her cheeks as she realized he had turned her down. And he's said ew about it it too. Alice's mood immediately dampened a bit, and she only nodded at his suggestion to walk together, staying near him even as her gaze lowered to the ground. Did he really think of her in a bad way? Somehow, she hadn't expected that. There was a silence that fell between them, which was broken when Phineas told her about a joke he had pulled on the common room. Despite her worries and the disappointment, a small giggle escaped Alice. She could never imagine doing something like that, but that was what drew her to Phineas. "Did you really?" She asked him, her expression mingled admiration and amusement. "Did you get caught." She then wrinkled her nose a bit. "We don't really smell, do we?" She said it jokingly, and hoped Phineas would pick that up. Things seemed to be easier when they were light and joking, and when she didn't ask him questions she didn't want him to say no to.

 

[Phineas Ellis]

"Well, I did," Finn said thoughtfully, "but I didn't get told off. My prefect was like, 'Lol, good one.'" He couldn't really remember how accurate that was, but it was certainly how he recalled it. Spotting what looked a little bit like admiration in Alice's eyes, he puffed his chest out, spurred on. "Yeah, it's gross TBH, kind of like, eggs, crusty socks, and homework," he told her, wrinkling his nose and wafting a hand in front of it. "But it's fine, because I like eggs. Oh - not that I like how you smell, or anything - that's so gross. Can you imagine if we liked each other? Ugh, barf, right?" Finn eyed Alice hopefully.

 

[Alice Holland]

Alice raised her eyebrows at Phineas' story about the prefect. That sounded harder to believe. "Did they really?" She asked, a hint of skepticism in her voice. She didn't mean to imply he was lying, but from her own experience with prefects she thought that would probably have gone differently. She laughed a bit as he went on to joke about how Hufflepuffs smelled, even if she had secretly hoped he would have said she didn't smell bad or anything. Instead, her smile drooped as he went on to talk about her specifically, and how it would be gross to imagine if they liked each other. Alice's heart stuttered in her chest, and she came to a halt. "What?" She asked him, looking hurt. All she could imagine was that perhaps Phineas had figured out she liked him, and was trying to turn her down and let her know that it was never going to happen. But if that was the case, why did he have to make mean jokes? She decided to ask him upfront. "If... if you've figured out that I like you, you're right. But if you want to turn me down you could have just said so... and not said that it was bad to sit with me or that liking me would be 'barf'." She said, her hands clenching into fists as her heart started to beat faster. This was not how she had imagined telling Phineas she liked him, but his comments felt too pointed to be a coincidence. Had Uno figured it out and told him? Alice bit her lip, averting her eyes. "You could have just said something." She muttered, wondering why he had even bothered to talk to her if that was the case. "Or said nothing."

 

[Phineas Ellis]

Why did nobody ever believe Finn?! It wasn't like he ever exaggerated, much. He was about to start complaining when Alice came suddenly to a halt. Finn stopped as well, wondering if he'd accidentally upset her. His mother always told him he was insensitive, but personally he didn't see it. Realising he was right, his mouth made the shape of a silent 'o'. He shuffled from foot to foot. A big part of him had hoped Alice might respond this way, yet he hadn't prepared anything to say if she did. "No, I mean, like, it wouldn't be that bad," he gabbled. "I was only saying it to see if... hah! you like me!" Finn grinned, nudging Alice with his shoulder. "I mean who doesn't, am I right? So, do you wanna, like, go to the ball with me?"

 

[Alice Holland]

Alice had her hands clenched into fists at her side, and only then noticed how hard her heart was pounding in her chest. She had never told a boy she liked them before, and she had never imagined it would bee like this. She half expected Phineas to laugh at her or dismiss her, but instead he said it wouldn't be that bad. Then he started saying something else, but didn't quite finish his sentence. Alice blushed a bit as he nudged her, and then realized she was fairly relieved he was taking it lightly and wasn't dismissing her. Though him asking her to the ball was unexpected, and she blinked at him a few times. Did... that mean he liked her too? Why didn't he just say so? Maybe he was just asking her to be nice, but Alice didn't have to think long about her answer. "Yes." She said after a slight pause. "I would like to." She relaxed slightly, relieved, if still a bit troubled. She hesitated for a moment. "We'll meet up near the great hall?" She asked him, hoping that he would come alone and not with Uno in tow.

 

[Phineas Ellis]

Finn grinned, pleased he'd managed to get Alice to admit to liking him without ever admitting he liked her back. For all she knew, he was just asking her to the Ball because he pitied her. "Sure!" he said. "Wear something pretty! OkayIgottagonowbye." Forgetting about his invitation to sit next to him at dinner, Finn legged it down the corridor and out of sight. He couldn't believe it - he'd actually got a date to the Yule Ball! And it was Alice Holland! He was going to look so awesome.