GRAND THEFT AUTUMN

Blaming the Count- obvious or brilliant because it’s too obvious for people to guess?

“I’m just gonna be there for the food, honestly. Though intrigue is a mighty fine spice, I don’t have any more money  to bet on this game of ‘whodunit’.       . . . . . Though if I did have money, it wouldn’t be on the Count.”

Let’s just take a moment to be thankful for the fact the theme of the dinner is infinitely better than last year’s “Wild, Wild West” calamity. Professor Fitzgerald’s attempt at a Southern accent was so tragic.

“What? Let me guess, next you’re gonna say you didn’t enjoy his marvelous cowboy hat, either.” 

“Okay I totally approve, so don’t take this as me not approving, but isn’t that kind of long?”

“... You totally don’t approve, do you.”

“First, sorry for your loss. Second, would you just call him Mad Max?”

“It would be a shame not to use his full name, don’t you think?”

“Wait a second…. you were actually doing the Transfiguration assignment?”

“I was! Feel free to applaud–– it’ll make me feel better about losing both the fight and the bird.”

Well- if you were just in a  fight than it isn’t a trick question. Were you in a fight? Or are you just enjoying the disheveled look today?

“First of all, I’ve never been in a fight in my entire life. Second of all, that bird had it coming. Served him right for not turning back into a goblet.”

No. No, no, no, no, no, no, and, for this one day only, a special bonus no.

“–––in all fairness, I was pretty sure you’d hex me if I asked you to fork.”

“Did you ever learn how to properly tie a tie? Honestly you look like you were just in a fight.”

“I feel like that’s a trick question. Is that a trick question?”

“Could you just…”

“That way?” He hooks a thumb over his shoulder, indicating the hall behind him. “I was actually just walking from that direction, so.. like, turning around and going back would be kinda counter-productive.”

“It seems as though everyone is having a rough day, so I thought it would be a good time to hand out some flowers. Would you care for one?”

“Now would usually be the moment where I’d cheerfully accept, but I don’t think those are my color. They’d look nice in your hair, though.”

HIs cavalier attitude did little to persuade her to let him go, so with the kisses placed against her head she burrowed closer into him, not caring that they were in public where everyone could see him- her heart was still racing from the fact that he had fallen off the astronomy tower. Sometimes she really wondered if he was a super hero. Amelia spoke into his shirt, breathing him in. “I swear to Merlin if you ever do anything like that I’m going to make sure Madame Pomfrey forces you to mend those bones the muggle way, you foolish, ridiculous, insane, beatiful,  worrying, Gryffindor.”

“..That doesn’t sound like a fun time. Sign me out.” Frank wrinkles his nose but still presses her closer, marvelling at how delicate she felt in his arms despite the fact that he knew very well he held a beautiful, deadly hurricane of a girl. “I promise not to sit and think in the Astronomy tower ever again, yeah? No more accidents for me. The next time I get hurt will be from something slightly less dumb and... uh, deadly.” 

“Y- you fell? You fell off of the astronomy tower? You, Frank Longbottom, fell of off the bloody astronomy tower and you’re standing in front of me like nothing’s wrong? Like you’re completely casual?” Before he had a chance to brush it off or make another joke Amelia is in his arms, squeezing him more than she thinks is necessary, but not enough to ever satisfy how happy she is that he’s standing there at all. 

Maybe if she hadn’t just informed him how important he was to her, her anxious words and tight embrace might have gotten to him–– but Frank was already gone, already floated up to cloud nine. He presses a kiss to the crown of her head and to the side of her temple, arms squeezing her right back. “...Nothing’s wrong, sunshine.” The petname rolled off his tongue rather unexpectedly, but he liked it. He’d call her that from now on. “I’m fine, you’re fine. We’re both here. I’ve drunk enough skelegrow to grow a few extra people.”

The pretense falls as she’s no longer interested in playing their word game. Slowly she steps forward, daring to reach her hand out and cup his chin, her thumb following the line in his cheek. “Of course, you’re important to me, you dolt.” The fact that he could think anything else wasendlessly worrying. “And it’s okay- I’m just glad that you’re okay…. What happened?”

His lips quirk up into a wry smile. “..I was doing some late-night thinking and ended up accidentally falling from the Astronomy tower. I feel like it’s a sign.. no more thinking for me.”

She hadn’t been standing next to Frank for long, but when he turned to face her she returned his smile with a grin. “Hey.” she reached down and picked up the sweet which he had put back down “This one is my favourite flavour how can you swap it for that one?”

He smiles and looks back at the sweet he’d forsaken, the sweet in her hand. “..Doesn’t feel.. autumnal enough for me. I dunno. Sweets are a serious business, okay?”