Forelsket
(n.) the euphoria you experience when you are first falling in love.
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He'd crossed paths with Madeline several times since the Quidditch match and every time, she would give her signature smile in their conversations.
It was almost time for their graduation ceremony and Alastor had never felt more attached to the ancient Scottish castle that had been his home for more than seven years. He walked through all the corridors one last time, his eyes lingering on every detail, every painting, every crack in the stones. He trailed his hand across the walls, feeling the sharp ridges as he took in the magnificent sight of Hogwarts once more.
"You okay there, Al?"
Alastor swung round, coming face to face with Madeline. She was wearing the traditional graduation robes emblazoned with the Hogwarts insignia and her old Wizarding hat from her first year. She smiled at him as their eyes met and she took a few steps towards him.
"Sad to leave?" She asked.
"Something like that," Alastor admitted. He searched his mind for some sort of conversation starter but his brain seemed to have shut down at the sight of her. "This time next year, we're all going to have jobs."
She chuckled, the musical sound filling the air as she leaned against the stone wall. "Don't remind me. I'm nowhere near prepared for the adult life. Or a job."
"Why not? What do you want to be?" Alastor asked, a genuine curiosity about her future. "You're damn good at Quidditch."
Madeline scrunched up her nose, "Not my sort of thing, really." She pulled away from the wall, pacing around as she tried to structure her answer. "International Co Operations are pretty cool. Maybe a translator?" She tried. "I like languages. What about you Moody?"
Alastor resisted the urge to grin at her nickname for him. "I'm thinking along the lines of an Auror."
"Ah." She said with a mischevious smile. "Hero complex." She nudged him jokingly. "All about saving people, you are." She deepened her voice. "Don't you worry Ma'am. Auror Moody is here to save the day." She mimicked and at that Alastor did laugh, so much so that his stomach throbbed but in that exact moment, she surprised him by eliciting an unrestrained, bubbly and joyous sound filled with mirth.
It was a laughter that Alastor felt knock the air out of him. The lack of oxygen in his lungs didn't matter so long as this moment was frozen. He wished he could never leave this second, the free happy moment that was a vacation from the reality of what was to happen. In this moment, there was no graduation, no job, no saying goodbye. Just a boy and a girl laughing till their hearts burst. He knew this moment would be over soon but Alastor also knew that when the laughter left, the memory would stay with him.
She looked beautiful. Her shoulders were shaking with her joy and the loud peals dissolved into uncontrollable silent laughter and it was this moment that Alastor Moody realised what it was that made her so special to him. That made him act the way he did around her. It was the first time that he fully accepted that he liked her. His heart was pumping faster and the adrenaline was building up in his veins.
"Okay, but seriously," she said after taking deep breaths to stem the flow of laughter. "You're gonna be great," she said earnestly, her eyes still alight with vivid sparks.
"Thanks Maddy. Coming from you that means a lot."
"That's alright. Now come on! We're going to be late if we don't go now!" She said and she grabbed his arm and ran through the corridors, both racing each other to the end of their school lives. "Come on slowcoach!" She yelled at him, glancing back over her shoulder.
They stormed down the stairs together, flinging the doors open whilst laughing and shouting. Alastor raced to Madeline, eventually wrapping his arms around her in a cage and she giggled. He took in her wild flower aroma, wanting nothing more than to tell her what he'd realised only moments ago but he could not form the words his heart wanted him to say.
They were just outside the Great Hall and Alastor knew that the moment they opened those doors, he'd lose the opportunity. Madeline moved to push the door open but he reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her close. If he ever wanted to let her know, he'd have to do it now. She looked up at him with wide questioning eyes as leaned in a little closer, their foreheads touching.
"I don't... I don't know how to say this Maddy." He whispered in a low tone, "But I hope you'll let me show you." He said.
His lips brushed against hers; not passionately but innocently, tentatively as he waited for Madeline to react. She stilled, unmoving as Alastor began to pull away, feeling as though he'd made a grave mistake but suddenly she reached out and clasped her hands on both sides of his face, breathing shallowly.
"Alastor, " She whispered slowly, prolonging each sound as if tasting a new flavour. "Thank you."
"What for?" He replied, his voice deep and husky as they stood frozen against each other.
She closed her eyes as the words began to leave her mouth. "For letting me know you feel the same," Her voice wavered slightly as if fearing rejection but she needn't have worried.
He kissed her again and the world fell away. It was slow and soft and assuring in the way that words never could be. She wrapped her arms around his neck as his hands travelled down to her waist pulling her closer until there was no space left between them and Alastor could feel the speedy beating of her heart against his. They pulled apart for air, their breathing quickening and he smiled against her lips pulling her into a meaningful embrace.
"What took you so long?" Madeline murmured jokingly into his shoulder as she stood on the tips of her toes to reach him.
Alastor smiled. "I just didn't know what it was," He pulled apart from their hug but kept a hold onto her hand like his life depended on it. "Let's graduate." He said and with a grin, Madeline whipped her wand out and enchanted the doors to open, revealing the garish decorations of their graduation ceremony.
----
Alastor and Madeline stood side by side in line, surrounded by the rest of their year who chattered excitedly about the prospects of their future whilst waiting for the Headmaster to begin his speech. The pair however, said nothing, their previous actions showing everything that needed to be said between them.
The doors of the Great Hall slammed shut and there was a moment of silence as Professor Dippet, the Headmaster moved to the podium.
"Welcome to the Graduation Ceremony." Dippet said, his voice commanding the attention of all with ease. "Today, you will be leaving Hogwarts as adults worthy of their magic as you step into the Wizarding World. Up until this point, you have studied and worked hard to pave your paths in the world and now you will finally be able to follow them."
At that, Alastor glanced sideways at Madeline who was listening to the Headmaster's words with awe. He squeezed her hand a little and locked his blue eyes with her deep green ones.
"A long time ago, our four founders created Hogwarts with the intention of educating bright minds in Britain to the ways of the magical world. They sorted you into your respective houses based on who they thought you would become. Brave. Intelligent. Hard-working. Ambitious. All of you possess the very qualities that Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin had and without a doubt, they would have been proud of who all of you have become during your seven years here. And now, it is with great pride that I pass you on to do well and make the world a better place." Dippett cleared his throat. "Let's get to it. Woodbridge, Aron."
Aron edged up to the platform and received his diploma, shaking hands with Professor Dippet in the process. "You have been accepted at Gringotts." The Headmaster said and the crowd of seventh years cheered loudly for Aron who beamed and took his seat at his old house table.
The raw sound of cheering is dulled for Alastor as he thinks about his own future. He wondered whether he'd been accepted as an Auror or not and he thought how terrible it would be if he went up to the podium only to find out he'd been declined. The ceremony was moving too quickly.
"Fancourt, Perpetua." She was accepted as a Journalist for the Wizarding Times.
"Mexborough, Glynis." She was to be a Herbologist.
"Erasmus, John." The boy stumbled forward, and walked the aisle to the podium. He accepted his diploma thankfully and breathed out in relief when the Professor informed him of his future job as a Curse Breaker.
And then it was "Moody, Alastor."
He let go of Madeline's hand, who smiled reassuringly at him, pushing him a little towards the podium as the crowd cleared a path for him.
He didn't feel nervous as he walked down the aisle to his future, despite the likely chance that he'd been rejected. The Auror office had one of the hardest admissions processes and very few were good enough for the hardships of the job. As he walked to the centre of the platform, he passed all of his teachers from his various years and he felt a sense of deja vu, casting his mind back to his sorting ceremony in his first year. He shook hands with Dippet and anticipated the answer he was to get.
"You have been accepted into the Auror office!"
The first thing he felt was relief, relief that he didn't have to plan another future, another life and as he walked off the the platform he caught eyes with Madeline who mouthed words at him.
"Congratulations."
And he beamed at her, giving her a thumbs up as she was called to the platform. She walked along the aisle, gracefully and the moment she received her certificate, he cheered the loudest he possibly could. Alastor arose from his seat and clapped so enthusiastically that several heads turned. He ignored them all, eyes only on Madeline's blushing red face.
She rushed off the platform quickly, and headed to the Ravenclaw table, her eyes fixated in Alastor. She smiled softly at his proud expression. To her, he was radiating with nothing but adorability and she was enthralled. She had been for some time but him taking the step that they were both too afraid to make, him returning her feelings, made her more vulnerable to his gaze.
Across the hall, Alastor wondered how this new revelation would change his future. How would Madeline fit into his life? He'd made the right choice in kissing her then and he felt excitement running through his veins at just the thought of having a chance with her.