Alice couldn't really tell you when she and Bellatrix Black had began to meet up in the astronomy tower, but they did. Every Wednesday and Thursday at midnight, Alice and Bellatrix would meet without fail.
And, if Alice couldn't tell you when they had started meeting, she definitely could not tell you when they had started dating, sending glances at one another over the Great Hall, or stealing risky kisses between lessons.
Alice couldn't tell you when any of it had started, but she loved every moment she got with Bellatrix. Her Bellatrix. She made Alice feel like she could relax and be herself whenever they were together, and Bellatrix had told Alice on many occasions that she made her feel the same way.
Currently, it was Wednesday, and Alice was curled up in Bellatrix's arms, playing with the hem of her pyjama shirt while Bellatrix's fingers carded through her hair.
"You're so beautiful, Al," Bellatrix whispered, pressing a kiss to the crown of Alice's head.
"Have you seen yourself?" Alice joked back, leaning her head back so she could look into Bellatrix's eyes.
Bellatrix shook her head fondly. "I mean it, love," she murmured, pressing her lips to Alice's forehead. "I'm stunned by your beauty whenever I see you. Sometimes, when we're in the Great Hall, I have to restrain myself from walking straight up to you and snogging you in front of everyone."
Alice grinned widely, tears gathering in her eyes.
Bellatrix's eyes widened and she sat up more, turning Alice so they were facing each other.
"What's wrong, love?" she asked, genuinely confused as to why Alice was crying. "Why are you crying? Did I say something wrong?"
Alice shook her head softly, and pressed her lips to Bellatrix's for a moment. When she pulled away it was only by an inch and she looked into Bellatrix's eyes.
"No, Bella," she said firmly, "You haven't said anything wrong. You just make me so bloody happy."
Slowly, a smile spread across Bellatrix's face as she understood what Alice was saying and she took the girl's head in her hands, smashing her lips against Alice's.
Alice kissed back, and the kiss was soft and full of all the love they had yet to confess aloud but they both knew was there.
Bellatrix broke the kiss in favour of pressing kiss after kiss on Alice's forehead, cheeks, nose, eyelids, both sides of her jaw and her lips once again.
"I love you," Alice breathed out, not being able to stop herself.
The massive smile that made its way onto Bellatrix's face, and the tears that filled her eyes made Alice believe she was very glad Alice hadn't stopped herself.
"I.." she began, hiccuping. Alice reached up and cupped her face, wiping the tears with her thumb.
"Take your time, sweetheart," Alice said, "There's no rush."
Bellatrix shook her head determinedly, and look Alice directly in the eyes, her eyes full of love and adoration that was reserved for Alice and Alice only.
"I.. I love you, Alice," Bellatrix blurted. "I think I have since I saw you on the train in our third year and I think I always will, because how could I not? You're so amazing."
Now it was Alice's turn to cry, because, Merlin, Bellatrix was beautiful and her words are beautiful.
Carefully, she brought their foreheads together, and they looked into each other's eyes.
Merlin knows how long they stayed there for, simply gazing into each other and whispering 'I love you' whenever they felt like it, because they could.
The thing that broke them up was the sunrise, which they still stayed and watched together despite the fact they had not slept a wink, and that they should definitely be getting back to their dorm rooms.
Who cares, though? They're young and in love.