A/N: Hey y'all! This was written for Hogwarts. Prompts are below. :)

Ghost Hunting Task 4: Write about a sudden change

Word Count: 4065

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Those rights go to JK Rowling.

Enjoy!

Alice sank into the bath, letting out a sigh of relief. The warm water did wonders for her sore muscles, and she felt the tension drain from her shoulders. She let the water run over her back and breathed in deeply. The bubbles in the bath were lavender-scented, which she enjoyed very much. This was just what she needed.

These moments of luxury were rare, and she cherished them greatly, but she was always aware that they would have to end sometime. Still, she managed to put that behind her for the moment. Tonight, all she had to worry about was getting some of this stress out of her mind.

Of course, fifteen minutes after she settled down Neville started screaming.

Alice leapt out of the tub, sloshing water everywhere, and hurriedly pulled a robe around her wet shoulders. She tied it hastily before jogging into her room where Neville was supposed to be sleeping.

She picked the wailing six-month-old up in her arms, shushing him and rocking him back and forth. "Oh, baby, don't cry. Mummy's here, Mummy's here. Are you hungry?"

He only screamed louder, which she took as an affirmative. She quickly made her way to the kitchen and began making the formula for Neville. He stopped crying as he suckled on the nipple of the bottle, his dark blue eyes beginning to droop.

Alice smiled fondly at her baby boy. The adoption had taken a long time, and she would admit to herself that there were days she wanted to give up hope on ever getting the chance to have a child. But as soon as she'd heard about Neville, she knew that he was hers.

All her work had paid off, though—she was now a happy mother of one. Alice pressed a kiss to her son's face. He made up for the fact that she couldn't biologically have children; he was hers, and she was his. She jiggled him until he fell back asleep, then placed him back in his crib. Alice then headed back into the bathroom, pulling the drain to get rid of the water in the tub and finished drying off.

She padded back to bed and dressed, careful not to wake Neville. She then slipped under the duvet, hoping to catch another couple hours of sleep before Neville woke again.

"Bye Lily!" Alice called out to her friend. "Thanks for coming!"

Lily Potter—a strong-willed, beautiful, red-headed woman that Alice adored—smiled at her affectionately. "As if I would get my flowers anywhere else. These are so beautiful, Alice."

Alice beamed back, her round face practically glowing. "You're sweet, Lily. I'll see you tomorrow!"

Lily left the flower shop then, the little bell above the door ringing merrily. It wasn't easy being a single mother with a small business, but regulars like Lily and some of the other locals kept it alive. Whatever the case, Alice had enough to pay her bills and keep Neville content in their little home above the shop. She had employed a few people to help her out and even had a sitter willing to come to the shop to watch him.

That wasn't to say, of course, that she didn't have to work hard. But things were manageable now, which was just how she liked it. As long as she could keep her game up, everything would be fine. But Alice was a sensible woman—she knew that she needed to be ready for unexpected surprises.

She glanced up at the roof, wishing for a moment that she could spare a moment to peek in on Neville. Unfortunately, it was the busiest time of day for the little shop, so she was stuck at the till. She rushed about for the next couple of hours, preparing bouquets and ringing people up. She had a small staff on hand, but she felt sometimes that it would just be faster if she did the brunt of the work, since she knew the place best—a fault she was trying to work on.

She was just rearranging a bunch of sunflowers when Marlene descended the stairs, Neville in her arms. Alice straightened up with a sunny smile and a ran her fingers through her short, dark hair.

"Marlene! Closing time already?"

Marlene laughed, brushing away hair that was just as dark but much longer than Alice's. "It is. Neville's been a love, as always, but I have to dash. You don't mind, do you?"

"Of course not!" Alice chirped. She lifted Neville from Marlene's arms, his weight comforting. "Have a nice night, Marlene. Neville and I will finish up here, then head out for a bit."

Marlene nodded before grabbing her bag from under the counter and rushing out the door, but not before she'd given Alice a one-armed hug.

Alice cleaned up as best she could with Neville on her hip, then spent a couple minutes struggling to put him in the baby carrier. Once he was secure against her chest, she walked toward the door, double checking that she'd locked it. It was, unfortunately, something she used to forget often.

Alice hurried down the block, one hand protectively on Neville's back as she walked. The library was just a couple blocks away, and she wanted to see if any good audiobooks were available.

She rounded a corner, and suddenly a hand flew out and hit her in the nose. Alice stumbled backwards, then promptly tripped on her own feet and began to fall—protect the baby flashed through her mind and she instinctively threw her weight backwards. She hit the sidewalk hard, and Neville, jolted and surprised, began wailing.

"Oh no—I'm so sorry!"

Alice looked up to see a man standing over her, blue eyes wide and horrified. He was offering her his hand. "I really didn't mean to… I suppose I got a bit carried away with my gesticulations…"

Alice took his hand and let him haul her to her feet. She jiggled and soothed Neville, then glanced back up at the stranger. "Er, yes." She touched the tip of her nose, which stung quit a bit. "Got a bit of a punch there, haven't you?"

There was laughter from behind them, and Alice looked past the man to see what must have been his group of friends doubling over in amusement. Alice rolled her eyes and turned back to the man who'd knocked her over. "I have to get going. So… bye."

The man tugged embarrassedly at his dark brown hair, looking contrite. "Bye. I really am very sorry. You're not hurt are you?"

"Just bruised," Alice assured him. "I'll be fine."

Before he could say another word, she slipped past him and hurried to the shop. Her behind was aching badly and her nose stung, but as frustrated as Alice was with the man who'd knocked her over, she could forgive him for a moment of clumsiness.

Alice sighed at her bad luck as she smoothed the dark fuzz on Neville's head with her ringless hand.

The next week found Alice fuming behind the shop's counter, wishing that the woman on the other side would spontaneously combust.

"All I'm saying Alice, dear, is that I really think it would be better if Neville grew up in a more… stable household." Emmeline Vance smiled sweetly. "Every child needs its parents, after all."

Alice bunched her apron in her hands, not missing the emphasis on her use of the plural. "Neville has everything he needs," she said firmly, her voice surprisingly steady.

Emmeline tutted softly. "He needs a father, Alice. He's a little boy and needs some male influence."

Those words made Alice's blood boil. She was too used to listening to people tell her that she wasn't good enough to take care of Neville on her own—that she was letting him down by not actively pursuing a relationship with someone. What they didn't understand was that Alice was perfectly capable of taking care of her son, and the presence of a man wasn't going to improve her parenting skills.

Alice straightened up, bringing herself to her full height. "I don't need a man to show me how to raise my child, boy or not," she said firmly. "I can raise him well on my own, just like I've been doing. Furthermore, Emmeline, I don't need your approval, and I don't want your opinion. Now, you can either act civilly and buy something, or leave."

Emmeline's green eyes lost their warmth. She huffed to herself and flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder as she walked towards the door. Alice didn't relax until the woman had disappeared some way down the street.

Alice pulled over a chair and sat heavily down on it, suddenly exhausted. She was ready for the day to be over.

Unfortunately, that wasn't happening. The bell above the door rang, alerting her that a customer had entered the shop. Alice stood up and put on a brave face, then turned to the person approaching the counter.

She was very surprised to see the man who'd knocked her over the other day. She crossed her arms, wary. "Hullo. Can I help you?"

The man shifted uncomfortably, obviously having recognized her. "Erm, hello. I'm Frank Longbottom—I was wondering if you knew Alice Fortescue? I was told that she would be here."

Alice raised a brow. She didn't know why Frank knew her name, but an unpleasant feeling washed over her. "I'm Alice."

"Oh. Oh! Alice, hello. I wanted to speak with you."

Alice glanced at the clock and tried to smile. It wasn't Frank's fault he'd come at a bad time, after all. "Can you wait a few minutes? I go on break soon."

Frank nodded quickly. "Of course. Take your time."

Alice smiled and waved her hand towards the rest of the store. "Feel free to look around. I'll only be a minute."

Frank grinned and nodded, then got lost in the aisles. Alice helped out a few more customers, wrapping bouquets and happily giving advice on different arrangements. When she was finished, she called over one of her part-time employees and went upstairs to get Neville; she always shared her lunch breaks with him.

She quickly found Frank near the back of the store. "Mr. Longbottom? I'm ready."

Frank jumped, then whirled around to face her, nearly knocking over a stand in the process. He caught it and straightened it, face burning. "I'm so sorry about that. Er, would you like—could I buy you a coffee?"

Alice adjusted Neville on her hip. She thought about it for a moment, then shrugged. "I suppose. But I have to be back soon."

Frank nodded. "This shouldn't take long, I promise."

So Alice followed him to the coffee shop nearby, wondering who this man was and what he wanted from her. It was only when they both had their coffees in front of them that Frank spoke.

"Mrs. Fortescue—"

Alice stiffened. "Miss, actually. I'm not married."

Frank looked mortified. "I'm so sorry, I even knew that, I just wasn't thinking—"

Alice relaxed a bit, sensing that Frank was being sincere. She had to admit that it was a sensible assumption when one saw a woman and child. "That's all right. Call me Alice. I'm not really fond of using my surname."

Frank nodded, looking relieved. "Right then. Alice." He took a deep breath. "The… the adoption agency gave me your information. You see, I'm… I'm Neville's father."

I've flooded through her, stopping her heart. She clutched her baby tighter to her chest, breathing heavily. "Neville," she said quietly, "is my son."

Frank rubbed the back of his neck. "I know you're his adoptive mother. I didn't mean to suggest that he wasn't yours. But I'm his father. His mother didn't have any way to contact me, no one could find me, and I didn't know he'd been born… I know I missed my chance, but I came here today hoping that you might let me in his life."

Alice's head was spinning. "If she couldn't contact you, then how do you know this is your... son?"

"I met his mother again about a week ago, on accident. She felt bad and explained what had happened… She told me that she made sure he was with someone kind and capable," Frank explained. He rubbed the back of his neck. "I want to be a part of my son's life," he said softly. "Please tell me I didn't come in vain."

Alice let Neville chew on her fingers. She stared at her cup, trying to come up with a response. She wanted Neville to know about his biological parents—she'd never had any intention of keeping them from him—but she was unsure what Frank was asking. This was too much like the conversation she had with Emmeline earlier.

"I don't understand what you want from me," she said at last. "I don't want to split custody with you."

"I know," Frank said, but he still looked disappointed. "Could I just… visit sometimes? Or I could watch him when you're busy? Please, Alice. I really want to be a part of his life."

Alice frowned. "I don't even know what sort of person you are."

"I'm not here to hurt him, or you," Frank said solemnly.

Alice wasn't convinced. "You hit my face the first time we met."

Frank flushed. "I swear that was an accident."

She knew that it was, but she couldn't help but feel defensive towards the man. Would he take her to court? Would he hold that threat over her to get what he wanted? She didn't even know him.

But she glanced down at her son, who was happily smacking the table with his chubby fists. She let him grab her finger. Alice didn't need a man in her life… but maybe Neville deserved his father.

She ran her free hand through her hair. "Mr. Longbottom—"

"Frank," he interrupted softly. "I'm not one for surnames, either."

Alice bit her lip. "Frank, then. I understand that you want to be a part of Neville's life… but I'm his mother now. I can't just hand him over to someone claiming to be his father."

Frank's eyes were wide. "I'm not just claiming, she told me, I—"

"I know!" Alice said loudly. She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, squeezing her eyes shut. "I know. I believe you, but the point is that I don't know you. I can't… I'm not going to keep you from Neville. I couldn't do that to my baby. But I'm supervising these visits, and I have the right to insist you never see him again if you do anything to endanger him."

Frank hesitated. "You want complete control over this."

Alice nodded slowly. "I do. Neville is my life. I would do anything to protect him, and I don't know you well enough to know that you'd do the same."

Frank exhaled slowly, leaning back against the booth. "Will that change if I prove myself to you?"

Alice looked him straight in the eye. "If I can trust you, I'll trust you with Neville. But until then…"

"You have the power," Frank supplied.

"Yes." Her voice was quiet.

Frank thought about it a moment. "Okay then," he said at last. "I can do that."

Alice was mildly surprised. It wasn't a deal many would have made. "You don't mind the terms?"

Frank smiled softly. "I can't fault you for being a good mother."

Alice was taken aback. No one had ever bothered to tell her that—to treat her like Neville really was her son. The best part was that she could tell that Frank was being sincere, not just trying to get in her good books.

Since she didn't receive that compliment often, she let herself smile back. "Thank you."

Frank leaned forward and grasped her free hand in both of his, then looked straight into her eyes. "I know that this isn't ideal for you," he began, "and that I just sort of turned your world upside down. I know that it's hard for you to even give me a chance because you don't know what sort of person I am. But this means the world to me, and I can't thank you enough for it."

Alice snorted. "Don't thank me yet." She slid out of the booth and lifted Neville higher on her hip. She didn't miss the way Frank looked at the little boy longingly. "Work ends at six o'clock. Stop by the shop tomorrow, if that works for you."

Frank got to his feet, nodding eagerly. "It does. I'll see you then!"

Her voice rough with pent-up emotion, Alice said, "See you then."

She was a ball of nerves the next day. She kept popping upstairs to check on Neville, even though she knew he was with Marlene. The other girl knew something was wrong, but she knew better than to push Alice for an answer.

But finally, at the end of the day, Alice was closing up shop when the little gold bell above the door rang. Alice wiped her sweaty palms on her ripped jeans. Frank was here.

She hurried over to where Neville was playing on a mat with some toys, picking the adorable, smiley boy up. "I love you," she murmured to him. "Mummy loves you so much, and she's doing this for you, so you better be grateful when you're bigger."

She turned around to see Frank nervously grinning as he weaved through a display of daffodils, his eyes moving to Neville, then to her. "Hullo, Alice."

"Hi, Frank." She kissed Neville's cheek before she continued. "I thought you could just… hold him for a bit while we talk. Then the both of us can get acquainted with you."

Frank's eyes lit up. "Yeah, of course!"

Alice gestured towards the mat. "Do you mind sitting on the floor?"

He answered by walking over and plopping himself down, looking eager to get the meeting started. Alice reluctantly handed Neville over, warning the man to use both hands, lest he dropped him. She sat beside him, hands clenched; it was making her anxious, not having Neville.

"Where do you live?" She thought that that was a reasonable first question.

Frank smiled down at Neville, who was looking at him curiously and slightly guarded. "The outskirts of London. It was a bit of a drive to get here, so I'm pretty glad I decided to stay in the area for a bit."

Alice hummed in response. She was a bit jealous; having her shop in London would do wonders for the business. Still, she liked her little town. She put her chin on her fist and her elbow on her knee. "What's your job like?"

Frank looked amused. "Is this an interrogation?"

Alice shot him an unimpressed look. "Yeah. I'm trying to figure out if I want you near my baby. Job?"

Frank raised a hand in surrender, quickly replacing it on Neville's stomach when Alice opened her mouth. "I'm an editor. I work from home, mostly, and hours are flexible."

Alice nodded. "That sounds nice," she admitted, reminding herself that the goal was to like Frank, not hate him. "That gives you a lot of room to…" She trailed off, glancing at Neville.

Frank finished her thought. "I'd be able to watch him, yeah."

Alice pushed that aside for now, but she and Frank continued to talk through the evening. Then they did it again the next week. And the next. And the next.

And honestly, Alice found herself getting closer to this man. He had completely upturned her life, but it was clear that he wanted to be there for Neville. How could she fault anyone who loved her son?

"Can I ask you something?" Frank asked on one of their visits.

Alice bit into the pizza Frank had ordered. They were in his apartment, which he was renting for a while, and she nearly moaned with delight. It was just how she liked it. Frank remembered. She nodded.

"How come you were so… opposed to me in the first place? Besides the obvious reasons—there seemed to be more to it than that."

Alice winced and set down her pizza, the light atmosphere dying. "It's hard to explain," she mumbled. "I guess I just wanted to prove that… that I could do it. People aren't usually impressed when they see single mothers, you know? I'm always being told that Neville should have a father figure in his life, like I'm not enough." She balled her hands into fists. "But I am enough for him. I don't need a man to come and save me—" She broke off, face flushing. "Anyway, when you came, I knew I couldn't keep you from Neville. But part of me was worried that… maybe they were right. I don't know. It's hard to explain."

Frank reached over and took her hand. He looked outraged on her behalf, which warmed her heart. "That's not true, Alice. I want to be a part of your lives, but I don't need to be. You're enough on your own." His eyes turned sad. "You don't really need me here." His gaze drifted over to Neville. "You're both fine here."

Alice gripped his hand. "Maybe. But maybe I want you here for… for another reason."

Her eyes drifted towards his lips, and she willed herself to get her heart rate under control. This was not the time.

Frank's eyes lit up. "Yeah?"

Alice smirked. "I said maybe." A sudden thought struck her, and she turned to her friend. "Since we're asking big questions…"

Frank tilted his head to the side. "Yes?"

Alice bit her lip. "Why did you go to all that trouble to find Neville if you didn't even have any emotional attachment to his mother?"

Frank set down his pizza slowly. "I… I was told that it would be very hard for me to father a child. When I heard about Neville… well. I thought this might be my only chance."

Alice's eyes were wide. "That's how I felt when I heard about him. He just seemed so perfect… and I can't be a mother on my own, either."

Frank's smile was tired, but genuine. "I guess Neville is our miracle, isn't he?"

Alice smiled fondly down at the boy on the rug. "He really is," she agreed softly.

She glanced out the window, since it was nearing Neville's bedtime, and frowned when she saw what the weather was like. She huffed. "It's raining, just my luck. You don't have an umbrella, do you? I promise I'll return it—I just don't want Neville to get wet."

Frank shook his head. "Why don't you stay here for the night? I'll take the pull-out bed, and you and Neville can take mine." When she opened her mouth to protest, he barrelled on. "We're friends, Alice. I think it's okay if you stay over for a night. And besides, we wouldn't want Neville to catch a cold, would we?"

She hesitated, then relented. He'd come out of nowhere, but Frank really had become her saving grace. And he meant quite a bit to her now. It was nice to have someone as devoted to Neville as she was—someone who understood why she would always put him first.

"Thank you," she murmured once she'd put Neville to bed.

Frank handed her a cup of tea, keeping a mug for himself. "Of course."

He settled down beside her, their shoulders touching. They just sat there for a while, listening to the rain outside and occasionally getting up if Neville stirred. Alice's eyes drooped after a couple hours, and her head fell against Frank's shoulder.

"Alice?" Frank said softly after a minute.

"Yes?" she asked sleepily.

"I lied to you before. About having feelings for Neville's mother."

She sat up, frowning. "You did?"

"Yeah." He swallowed, then turned to face her fully. "As it turns out, I'm very much taken with his mother."

Alice's heart beat a little faster. She raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

He nodded nervously. "Yeah. His adoptive mother, that is."

Alice leaned forward. "Well, I may or may not a thing for his biological father."

Their kiss was slow and sweet, and full of new beginnings. And if that wasn't something to fight for, Alice didn't know what was.

A/N:

Auction: Alice Longbottom

Easter Funfair: Working Bees: "It's raining, just my luck.", Alice Longbottom, singleparent!au

Writing Club:

Assorted Appreciation: 5. Palm Sunday — Write about someone important arriving somewhere

Disney Challenge: Characters 2. Write about searching for something or someone.

Book Club: Artemis Fowl — (color) gold, (plot point) someone is underestimated, (word) power

Showtime: 14. I'd Do Anything — (plant) daffodil

Amber's Attic: 6. "I like it when a flower or a little tuft of grass grows through a crack in the concrete. It's so fuckin' heroic."

Liza's Lodes: 4. (dialogue) "I love you."

Angel's Arcade: 1. Ryu — (word) rough, (object) ripped clothes, (action) clenching fists

Bex's Basement: Bruce Banner 2. (emotion) fear

Film Festival: 14. Single parent!AU; 20. (word) adorable

Constellation Club: 4. Pisces — Omega Piscium (au) florist

Fortnightly Challenges:

Elizabeth Appreciation: 6. Elizabeth Levansa — Write about someone adopted.

Zoo Lover's Day: 9. Gorilla — Write about someone protective of their family

Insane House Challenge: 320. AliceFrank