(A/N): The only reason that this is so rushed is because I was trying to finish it so it wouldn’t need to be a multi-chaptered fic. Luckily I succeeded. Yeehaw.
“Alfred Jones,” I called, lifting my robes over my ankles to run after the boy sprinting ahead of me, “No running in the corridors!”
“You’re breaking the rules by running after me,” he retorted, running backwards so he could look at me while he talked.
I knew what was going to happen before it did. Alfred wasn’t facing where he was going. A stairwell turned and… Alfred fell like a bag of bricks. The stairwell hit him in the head. I cursed under my breath, running as fast as I could to check his pulse. I let out a breath I didn’t even know I was holding when I felt a steady pulse. But the nasty bump on his head didn’t look too good. I needed to get him to Madam Pomfrey.
Unluckily for me, I was weak. As strong as my magic was, I was not very physically strong. It took me a few tries before I realized that I could use magic to carry him.
And I didn’t explain to anyone I passed why I had an unconscious Alfred was suspended in the air with me until I got Alfred to the nurse.
“He’s nothing but trouble,” she mumbled as she checked his vital signs.
“You’re right, ma’am.” I nodded.
“You’re no better, yourself, Mister Prefect. Despite your title, you can’t manage not getting into petty fights with him.” She gestured towards Alfred, who was still lying on the small bed.
I didn’t reply, choosing to sit in one of the chairs situated near the cot and stay silent. It was late, so all of my classes were over. The only reason I was wandering the corridors at all was that I was getting my nightly tea. Needless to say, I didn’t end up getting my tea.
I pushed my eye mask from the top of my head back to my eyes.
“Wake me up when he’s conscious,” I mumbled drowsily.
“So you do have a soft spot for Mr. Jones,” she commented.
“No, I just… it’s my fault that he got hurt, so I need to apologize.”
“Okay.” She sounded skeptical.
I ignored her, falling asleep surprisingly fast.
I woke to Madam Pomfrey shaking my shoulder. I pushed my face mask onto the top of my head.
“Alfred’s going to be perfectly fine, except for one thing…” Her voice trailed off.
“What is it?” I asked, looking over to where Alfred was sitting up on the cot.
“He seems to have a bit of amnesia.”
“Anything else?” I asked.
“Well, he’s made a few incorrect assumptions about why you’re here.” Madam Pomfrey kept her voice quiet so that Alfred wouldn’t hear, “He seemed quite happy about it and I didn’t have the heart to correct him.”
Alfred’s face practically lit up when he noticed that I was looking at him. “Babe! You’re awake! I just got up and I don’t really remember much about anything that’s happened since my first year here at Hogwarts, but I’m sure it’ll come back eventually. So don’t take it personally that I don’t remember too much about being with you. I totally recognize your face though. I just can’t place it in my head. It’s weird.”
I knew that people with strong feelings about someone could sometimes faintly remember that person despite amnesia, but I didn’t know that that hate was a strong enough emotion. I was tempted to tell him the truth, but when I looked back at that purely happy grin, I couldn’t bear to.
“Oh! Yes. I, too, am quite sad that you forgot about everything we did together, but don’t worry. We can make more memories, love.” I mentally slapped myself in the face. I was talking to my enemy, Alfred F. Jones, a Gryffindor, like a lovesick idiot.
“You’re right! Let’s go!” Alfred kicked the covers off of himself and got up, reaching for my hand. I let him take it, accepting my fate.
“Don’t let him get too far alone. He might get lost. Gradually try to reintroduce him to things from his life,” Madam Pomfrey told me.
“Okay. I’ll try my hardest,” I replied, giving her a salute as Alfred and I left her office.
“So what do you want to do first?” Alfred asked once we left the room.
“We have classes in a few hours, so it’s time to get some rest. Go ahead to the Gryffindor common room. We have our first class together, so if you’re confused about where to go, I’ll meet you at your common room in the morning.” I ran one of my hands through his hair, trying to act more romantic. “Try not to miss me too much, because I know I’ll be missing you.”
“If even amnesia won’t let me forget that heavenly face of yours, I know that time without you will eat away at me.” Alfred gave me a smile.
Once I got back to the Slytherin common room, I silently panicked. I knew that someone would let Alfred into the Gryffindor common room. Despite not being a Prefect, he was practically their golden boy.
That’s why we fought most of the time.
He was a classic Gryffindor. Brave and strong. Definitely heroic. But dumb as shit.
I was a classic Slytherin. Snappy and rude. Sarcastic as hell. But unlike some other Slytherins, I wasn’t bigoted or anything. I didn’t want to be a Death Eater. It was annoying how people assumed that about every Slytherin. I didn’t care that Alfred was muggle-born and I was a pureblood. We fought because we disagreed, not because of prejudice.
It didn’t help that Alfred was rather handsome and I was rather gay. I couldn’t help finding him somewhat attractive. Hormones and puberty made it weird. Every time we argued, I couldn’t help but notice his masculine charm.
I tried not to bang my head on my nightstand. Pretending to date Alfred would be a struggle. Especially with not taking advantage of him. I knew for a fact that Alfred had never kissed anyone- I mean, neither had I, but that wasn’t important- and I didn’t want him to lose his first kiss to someone who he only dated because of a misunderstanding.
I fell asleep with a foggy mind.
Once I woke up and got dressed, I rushed to the portrait that marked the entrance to the Gryffindor common room, leaning on the wall as I waited for Alfred.
He rushed out very last minute, waving as he spotted me.
“Hi Arthur!” He took my hand awkwardly and I noticed that his palms were quite sweaty. “I’m not one hundred percent sure how to tie my tie.”
I sighed. “That’s okay. I’ll do it for you.”
I felt the eyes of every Gryffindor who hadn’t already left for class on us as I tied Alfred’s tie for him. I could almost hear their thoughts. Wondering why Alfred and I were getting along. Wondering why our faces were almost close enough to touch and we weren’t screaming at each other. Wondering why he intertwined our fingers the moment I finished tying his tie.
I tried to push the thoughts from my head as I walked with Alfred.
“So tell me about you,” he said.
“What do you want to know about me?” I asked, fixing my eyes on a point in the distance so I wouldn’t have to make uncomfortable eye contact with Alfred or any other student.
“What did you like to do with me? If I’m setting up dates and stuff, I at least wanna know what you like.” His manner of speaking almost made me smile. It just sounded so irrefutably Alfred.
I tried to think of a quick lie. Something that we would enjoy doing on a date. And it clicked. “Well, we liked to stargaze. You would get so excited over pointing to the stars and telling me which ones they were. And we would sit up on the roof where none of the professors could see us and kiss until the sun rose.”
“Sounds nice. I might not remember that specifically, but I do remember the names of the stars. Maybe if you wanna do it sometimes, I’ll make it a night you won’t forget.” Alfred winked at me.
I tried- and failed- to hold back my laughter. “Your amnesia puns are truly… unforgettable.”
And we laughed all the way to class, where we walked in together, fingers entwined.
I pulled my hand away from Alfred’s when we walked in.
“Mister Kirkland. Mister Jones. You’re late for Potions class.”
“I’m quite sorry, sir. You can ask Madam Pomfrey if you need testimony as to why we were late.”
“It’s okay, Arthur. I know you have stuff to do in the mornings, but I must be taking ten points from Gryffindor for this.” The professor favored Slytherins. It was obvious. I almost didn’t want to take the bullet that would be defending Alfred, but I knew that no-one else would. And if Alfred defended himself, he’d end up in more trouble for back-talk.
“Ask Madam Pomfrey for Alfred’s excuse. He’s late for the same reason that I am,” I grumbled reluctantly.
“Yeah! Me and Artie were late for the same reason.”
I cringed at the nickname, but continued to my seat nonetheless. Alfred took the seat next to me.
“Since you two are the last ones to arrive, you’ll be partners for this experiment,” the professor said.
“What are we doing today, Professor?” I asked, sitting up straight in my seat.
“We’re doing potion identifying. Each pair has a cauldron in front of them and the assignment is to identify the potion. There is just one rule. You’re not allowed to drink any of the potions. Your time starts… now.” He started a stopwatch on his desk, leaning back in his chair to read something off of a scroll.
Alfred looked distressed.
“Something wrong?” I asked, looking at the color of the potion. It wasn’t unique. I knew hundreds of potions that could’ve been.
“I don’t remember anything about potions,” Alfred whispered.
“Don’t worry. That’s not the amnesia. You never paid attention in potions class.” I licked my lips as I investigated the strange steam coming from the liquid. “Just leave it to me.”
“Okay. I trust you.” He pulled parchment and a pencil out of his bag, not wasting money on a quill and ink.
The steam and the color didn’t signify any particular potion, so I took a whiff. The intoxicating smell alone should’ve clued me in on what it was, but I wanted to tell exactly what I smelled. And it was perfect.
Old books, earl grey, and something inherently masculine. Like Axe shampoo mixed with sweat.
I glanced at Alfred, tempted to try to prove my theory. I leaned over to smell his hair and it was the smell. I silently cursed as I looked back at the potion.
I raised my hand and the professor called on me almost immediately.
“Yes Arthur?”
“The potion is Amortentia,” I grumbled.
“And can you tell me how you got to that conclusion?” He asked.
“The smell. It smelled like things that I love. That, coupled with the color and the steam, was all that I needed to know what potion it is.” I kept my answer as vague as possible. I didn’t want anyone knowing that I realized it because I knew I was falling for Alfred F. Jones.
“Correct. Ten points to Slytherin.” The professor smirked as he added my points to the chart.
I couldn’t help but think of that Amortentia every time that I looked at Alfred after that. During that week, my daily routine was just helping Alfred and avoiding any kisses from him. And classes, but those were far less important than managing Alfred.
It was all going perfectly until one night.
“Why won’t you kiss me?” Alfred asked, pointing a finger at me.
“I just feel like we’re moving too fast,” I lied.
“Tell the truth!”
“You don’t understand anything!”
“Well then maybe we should break up!”
And shouting at each other on the roof, I saw something click in his head. Memories. That’s all it took. Shouting at each other like we normally did. Alfred’s brain was so used to fighting with me that that was all it took to trigger his memories.
“Alfred,” I whispered.
“Oh wait, I guess we can’t break up if we were never together in the first place.” He paused, glaring at me. “Couldn’t you have told me the truth from the beginning?” he shouted, “Instead of just trying to embarrass me?”
“Shut up! You don’t know anything! I love you, you idiot. And you looked so happy when you thought I was your boyfriend. I couldn’t hurt you like that.”
“Well I remember everything now.” He took a deep breath. “And you know, since you love me too, I think that I wanna keep dating you.” Alfred pulled me closer to him. “Look, a shooting star.” He pointed up and, lo and behold, there it was.
I silently wished for Alfred to kiss me. He gently pushed my hair out of my face. I knew it was the right moment. Our lips got closer until they finally touched. And it was glorious.
And as we kissed under the stars, I thought that maybe that imaginary stargazing date was finally ours.
