Telling Mother

Alice Widdicomb watched through the train window as the countryside rapidly gave way to increasingly clumped-together buildings. "Almost there now," she declared. She fluffed her hair with her fingers. "How do I look?"

Frank Longbottom didn't turn from the window. He didn't even stop fidgeting with his tie. "Fine."

"You have astounding peripheral vision," Alice deadpanned. "Are you part owl? Wait...even owls have to turn their heads to see properly, don't they? What animal was I thinking of?" She tapped a finger across her lips in a contemplative gesture. "Not owls...."

Frank exhaled shakily.

"What's wrong?" Alice leaned forward and propped her elbows on her knees. "You're not coming down with something, are you?"

He wrenched his gaze from the window and faced her. She unconsciously straightened back against her seat.

"Dear Merlin, you look ghastly."

He shrugged. "I didn't sleep much last night."

"How 'not much'?"

"Not at all."

"The night before Easter holidays? What could there possibly be for you to lose sleep...." She trailed off as Frank grimaced.

Since Alice was in Gryffindor, and Frank was in Ravenclaw, they had known each other only by sight until their second year, when they had shared a cauldron during Double Potions. Now, on the eve of the Easter holidays of their sixth year, Alice had known Frank for almost five years, and been dating him for a little over four months, and only known one thing that ever made him grimace like that.

"You didn't tell her."

He shook his head.

Her mouth formed words soundlessly as her brain entered panic mode.

"I'm really sorry."

"You don't want me coming home with you? Should I owl my parents to tell them my plans have changed?"

"No," he said hurriedly. "No, I still want you to come. I just...haven't told her yet."

"I thought she liked me. I mean, whenever I see her at the station, it looks as though she likes me."

"She likes you just fine as my friend Alice," said Frank. "It's the girlfriend part I'm not so sure about."

Alice nodded. She felt a little faint and wished there was some way she could have the lady who pushed the snack trolley bring her a glass of water. "You know," she said, trying to keep her voice steady, "you not talking about your mum very much makes her a bit...."

"Intimidating?"

"'Horrifying' was the word I was going to use," she said. Her lightheadedness was dissolving as swiftly as her temper was rising. "What do you expect me to do? Shall I walk on up to her and say, 'Hello, Mrs. Longbottom, remember me? I'm Alice Widdicomb, and I'm stealing your baby boy's affections from you. Oh, and by the way, I'm staying for the holidays, hope you don't mind'?"

"I don't think she'll say...."

"But she'll be thinking it," Alice insisted. "You're her only son. You're all she's got."

Frank looked miserable. "I've given you a rather bad impression of her, haven't I?"

Alice quirked an eyebrow by way of response. Her boyfriend sighed.

"She's fine, really. She's my mum, and I love her," he added in a defensive tone. "She's just...hard to explain properly."

"All right," Alice said cautiously.

"After Dad died, Mum went all...well, she has a right to be protective of me, doesn't she? Like you say, I'm all she's got." He thrust his hands into his hair and stared steadily at his feet. "I thought this might be better if I sprung it on her in person."

"You don't sound so sure now."

"I'm really sorry," he repeated.

"I'm sorry, too," she said. "Sorry you think I'm such an embarrassment."

His head shot up, and she saw the confidence he had first shown back when he was helping her with her Potions assignment. "I don't. Listen, I may be all my mum's got, but she's not all I've got. And not the best, either."

She smiled wryly. "You like me better than you like your mum, do you?"

"She'll like you better than she likes me by the time we have to go back to school," he said determinedly.

Alice laughed and aimed a gentle kick at his foot. "I'll more than settle for her liking us."

The first thing they saw when they stepped down from the train was a robust-looking woman wearing a large vulture hat that made her look out of place even in the crush of witches and wizards on the platform.

"Frank! Alice!" she called, waving them over to a trolley she had secured. "There you are. Do you have all your things?"

Frank squared his shoulders as though preparing for battle. "Mum," he said, "you remember Alice."

"Don't be daft," she said. "Who was I just calling to if not Alice?"

"Well," said Frank, "she's not my friend anymore."

Amusingly similar incredulous expressions sprang to the faces of both Mrs. Longbottom and Alice.

Frank rushed to finish his thought. "I mean, she's not only my friend anymore, she's my girlfriend, too."

In the ensuing silence, he reached for Alice's hand and held it firmly. Mrs. Longbottom looked back and forth between one and the other as though she were watching a Quidditch match.

"That's all?" she said finally. "We were waiting in the middle of the platform for that announcement? Goodness, Frank, I have tea with Sally Widdicomb every other Thursday."

Frank stared at his mother blankly.

"I apologize for Frank's manners, dear," Mrs. Longbottom said to Alice. "Let me help you with your things."

As she waved her wand and moved the trunks onto the trolley, Alice leaned over to whisper in Frank's ear. "I have a feeling your mum is going to like us rather well."

Frank caught his mother's eye and could have sworn she winked at him before turning back to the trolley. He grinned.

"So do I," he said.