Work Text:
Al ran his hand through his hair, messing it up. Scorpius took his hand and kissed his knuckles.
“It’ll be okay, Al,” he said.
“It’ll be weird,” worried Al.
“Come on. You’ve met my dad, and that went okay, even though he was a Death Eater and stuff and he’s like, the strictest dad ever-”
“He is not, he lets you take me to your room even though he knows we’re boyfriends!” Al interrupted.
“Al, you don’t know your dad will stop us,” protested Scorpius.
“He won’t let James and his girlfriend be in any room with the door closed.”
Scorpius studied his nails. “I guess you’re right. But I want your dad to know about us, and I really do think it will be okay.”
Al sighed. “I guess.”
The boys finally stepped through the Floo, first Al and then Scorpius, appearing in Al’s house.
The decor had changed since Ginny Potter’s death a few years ago. All her Quidditch paraphernalia had been put away, replaced with generic framed pictures of waterfalls and flowers. The family photos had been replaced with more recent shots of James Sirius, Albus Severus, and Lily Luna.
There was one other change: a tall man with dark hair had Al’s dad pinned to the living room wall and appeared to be - kissing him?!
Al squeaked and tried to drag Scorpius away, but it was too late. His dad was staring right at them with wide eyes. He mumbled something against the stranger’s lips, and the two broke apart.
Al stared at his dad, like a rabbit caught in the beam of a Lumos and hoping that if it stayed still enough it wouldn’t be seen.
“Al,” said his dad. “Scorpius. I wasn’t expecting you back so soon.”
“No,” Al heard himself saying, “clearly you weren’t.” As soon as the words left his mouth his face flamed and he hid it in Scorpius’s shoulder.
“You wanted us to come here!”
Scorpius smiled sheepishly. “I didn’t know!”
Al’s dad was looking between his son and his son’s companion. “Is there something you need to tell me, boys?”
Al nodded.
“Then I think we should all sit down,” said his dad, and seated himself on the sofa. The stranger sat next to him, really rather close, and wrapped a hand around his wrist. He nodded at the boys.
Al sat in an armchair, Scorpius perching on the arm beside him. “It’ll be okay,” Scorpius whispered.
“Um,” said Al. “Scorpius and I… he’s my boyfriend!”
There was a faint hint of a smile on the stranger’s face. Al’s dad looked, for a moment, like all his worst dreams had come true, then schooled his features into a smile. Al hoped Scorpius hadn’t seen, but judging by his boyfriend’s resigned sigh, he had.
“Dad. You look like Scorpius and I are the worst thing you can imagine.”
Al’s dad shook his head. “That’s not it. I’m just - imagining being related to Malfoy. Draco, that is.”
Scorpius cackled. Al’s face flushed bright red. “Dad! We’re not thinking about that yet!”
The stranger was shaking with laughter, much to Al’s dad’s mortification. “Come on, Harry!” said the stranger. “You have to admit it’s funny! You had them terrified for a moment there! You’re absorbing - you’re absorbing the evil!”
Al’s dad sighed. “All right. I imagine you have questions, especially you, Al.”
Al nodded. Scorpius squeezed his shoulder.
“Well, you know I haven’t had a partner since your mother… I don’t want you to feel like I’m betraying her memory, I still miss her and love her… but the world is moving on and so am I. This is my boyfriend, Tom Riddle.”