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"Scorpius!" Albus cried out. His clammy hands gripped the old Holyhead Harpies sheets as his heart erratically thumped against his chest. He shot up and slowly opened his eyes, fearing the scene he'd be met with. Instead, his eyes blearily adjusted to the familiar walls of his bedroom.
He flopped back against the mattress and let out a long breath, not bothering to glance at the time. Lily would barge in soon enough. "It was just another nightmare," he grumbled to himself, tugging the sheets over his head.
The scene replayed in his mind like it always did. The wind whipped his hair and small tears began to prick his eyes as his legs stood rooted to the Quidditch pitch. Delphi's crazed smirk grew as she aimed her wand at Scorpius. "Crucio!"
Scorpius' poorly repressed screams echoed across the field. Albus stared, unaware of the guttural sounds coming from his own throat. I can't keep doing this to myself, he relented. Albus shifted under his covers, trying to shield away the persistent thoughts.
Scorpius could have died that day. Albus' quips would have never produced another endearing chuckle. Long nights in the Slytherin Dungeon gushing about their separate futures would have ceased. Scorpius' legs wouldn't lightly brush his as they sat in the Great Hall. He wouldn't have ever felt Scorpius again. His bed suddenly felt like a furnace. He should've done more to stop Delphi; distracted her or performed a nonverbal hex. Why didn't he study nonverbal spells more? Why couldn't he stop her? What if—
The door flew open. "Albus, Mum said you need to come down now if you still want to pick Scorpius up today," the words toppled out of Lily's mouth, "and if your late, then Mum won't have time to pick up Marigold, and then James won't see Colette 'til school starts—then again, that may be in everyone's best interest." She plopped onto the end of the bed, ignoring Albus' disinterest.
"I'll be down soon." He lazily prodded her with his foot from beneath the duvet.
"You should really tell Mum and Dad." She sprawled out on the bed, trapping his wayward foot. "About the nightmares," she prompted.
"I thought I told you to forget about that. Just because we share a wall doesn't mean you need to listen for every detail of my life," Albus huffed. He extracted his foot from Lily and begrudgingly climbed out of bed. The covers landed on her face.
"That was one time!" her muffled voice replied as she scrambled to follow him into the hall. "It's not like I can help it when your quietening charms are so weak!" Her entire face wrinkled in instant regret.
Albus abruptly paused at the top of the wooden stairs. He always thought Lily exaggerated how much she heard to get a rise out of him, but did he really cry that much? Oh Merlin, how often did he call out for Scorpius? The healers assured him the Sleeping Draughts would ease the night terrors. The only other time he felt confident in his dreaming capabilities was when he stayed over at Scorpius's. This was the first one he remembered having in weeks.
He contemplated entertaining her with a response before hurrying down the stairs. Some battles were better off surrendered. He rounded the corner into the kitchen where Harry was commandeering the stove top. Ginny sat at the table idly flipping through the latest Daily Prophet. Albus took a seat across from James, who was already on his third serving of bacon.
"Good morning." His mum's eyes flitted over his face as she set the paper down. She gently pushed a warm cup of tea into his hands and kissed his forehead. She must've seen his disheveled appearance and taken pity on him. He gratefully brought the cup to his lips.
"You're gifted with my presence once more," Lily announced, plucking a slice of toast from the platter in the middle of the table. She slabbed a thick layer of strawberry jam on top.
"So, is everyone ready for another year?" His father turned their way, a burgundy spatula in hand.
James gleefully replied, "Lettie and I already bought our books and such the other day."
"Tired of school shopping with your mum, James?" Ginny lightly teased, a grin spreading on her face.
"No!" He dramatically gasped, wounded by the thought of offending his mother. "We were already out, so it seemed like the logical thing to do! I even brought back those spell-checking quills you like."
"And some Mandrake leaves," Lily snickered.
James whispered through gritted teeth, "I thought I gave you enough sweets to keep your mouth shut."
Ginny quirked an eyebrow as she met Harry's eyes. Albus always wondered how they silently communicated so effortlessly.
Harry sighed. "James, we've been over this. You are not becoming an animagus, nor should you be bribing your sister with sweets."
James opened his mouth, prepared to argue back.
"We'll discuss it later." Ginny shot him a pointed look and turned to Albus. "How're you today?"
"Fine."
Lily goaded, "he'll feel better once Scorpius arrives. This week's really tested them. How will they ever get over an entire week of separation?" She airily tossed an arm against her head, feigning disbelief.
Albus felt his face heat up. He directed a menacing glare at his sister.
For the first time in his life, he agreed with Lily's teasing. The past seven days had been the longest of his life. Even longer than the time he and James were grounded for attempting to fly one of their Uncle Ron's experimental brooms to the Quidditch World Cup.
Harry's voice pierced the air. "Lily Luna, that is enough." She froze. Their dad rarely used that tone with her.
Harry's abnormally harsh scolding barely reached Albus' ears. Conflicting thoughts swirled in his head. He never wanted to be separated from Scorpius again, and that realization terrified him. All summer, he'd been grappling with the idea that maybe he cared about Scorpius' well-being a bit more than the average friend. It would be an understatement to say they endured a lot together. It was all so… unsettling.
Equally horrifying, he was nervous to reunite with Scorpius. The same Scorpius who became ecstatic at the prospect of a lengthy essay on the healing properties of Grindylow tentacles and found categorizing books thrilling. That Scorpius. He began to pick at the corner of the already chipped chair. Sure, they'd been best friends for nearly four years, but Albus had no indication that Scorpius shared his feelings. A door angrily slamming shut finally interrupted his inner turmoil.
"We pick Marigold up in thirty minutes! Then it's straight to the Burrow!" Ginny yelled from the bottom of the stairs.
Albus blinked, suddenly aware he was the only one left at the table. His dad still stood behind the granite counter, eyeing him warily.
"I'm going to go get ready." Albus' voice faltered slightly. He swerved by his mum and retreated to his bedroom.
"Harry, I think the pan is clean." Ginny flicked her wand, interrupting the pan's incessant self-scrubbing.
"Something's wrong."
"I'd be concerned if something wasn't," she chuckled.
"Did you notice Al—" he cleared his throat, "Albus at breakfast? He looked like he might be sick before he scurried off. I thought we were getting better. I thought I was getting better."
Her voice softened at his worried tone. "You're both still adjusting. It's not like he's going to become the kid we remember over the span of two months."
Harry leaned against the counter and hung his head, letting Ginny's words ruminate.
"I still blame myself, you know." His voice sounded hollower than he meant it to.
"You don't think I feel the same way? Every day I look at him and wonder how we never noticed." She took Harry's hands into hers, grounding him. "But he came back. We got him back. And that's what matters. We get a second chance." Ginny lightly rubbed her thumb over the fading scars littering his hands. "Although, it might've been a bit easier if he hadn't stayed at Malfoy Manor all summer." She attempted to lighten the mood. "Want me to check on him?"
"I will. You handle Lily. She deflected too much to not be up to something," he said.
Ginny patted his arm and gave him a reassuring smile before making her way to Lily's room. Harry ran a hand through his hair and took a couple of paces around the kitchen before mustering up the courage to go upstairs and confront Albus. He faced Voldemort seven times before the age of eighteen. Why did chatting with his son frighten him more?
He now stood in front of Albus' door. The "knock before entering" sign six-year-old Lily enthusiastically crafted was still hastily taped to the door. If only she was as excited to follow the sign as she was making it. Harry smiled fondly, remembering the campaign he and Ginny forged to convince their children to knock before entering an occupied room. There had been a few too many close calls. He hesitantly raised his fist, gave two soft knocks, and waited.
He heard a sharp click before the door creaked open. He peered through the crack, eyes darting around the room before landing on Albus perched on his bed rifling through a dense stack of old letters. Even from his position behind the door, Harry could glimpse the unmistakable sheen of an emerald seal on the bottom of each page.
Ever intrigued by his son, Harry fully stepped into the room. "I thought Mum made it clear dawdling was not on the schedule today. Need any help?" He gestured to the now scattered pile.
Albus briefly paused his searching and glanced up at him. "Just sorting."
Out of all his children, Albus was the hardest to read. This was a fact James and Lily reveled in, much to his and Ginny's dismay. His other children knew they could rely on Albus not to budge when interrogated about remarkably sneaky schemes. Over the years, he and Ginny prided themselves on solving the puzzle of Albus. He had his telltale signs of distress, like fidgeting his hands or a barely noticeable warble in his voice, but those only revealed themselves after a stifling amount of time and pressure. Harry thought he had mastered his Albus-reading skills until a year ago. Now, he felt like the pieces didn't quite fit together.
"I happen to be an expert in letter sorting. The fan mail pushed your mum over the edge while pregnant."
That remark earned a quiet snort from Albus. Harry's heart exploded.
"Anything in particular you're looking for?" Harry leaned over, peering over the numerous letters.
Albus struggled to meet his eyes. Harry noticed he had begun curling the edge of the parchment in front of him. Time to try a different angle.
"Did Scorpius write at all during—"
"The nightmares are back!" Albus blurted out, his green eyes widened in a state of panic.
Harry was not expecting that. Or even a response. Maybe he should go swap lectures with Ginny. No, Albus chose to open up to him. This was the outcome he wanted. He could do this.
"Oh. Have you been taking the Sleeping Draughts the healers prescribed?"
"Yes. They worked. For a bit. At least I thought they did," he mumbled the last sentence.
Harry didn't respond, hoping Albus would supply him with something less cryptic.
"Lily said she's been able to hear me. Screaming." His face reddened, and his voice was hardly above a whisper. "But I haven't dreamt in weeks."
Harry instinctually moved to hug his son but forced himself to stop. He wasn't quite sure how Albus would react to a sudden onset of affection. He decided on carefully laying an arm around his shoulders. Harry braced himself for Albus to inevitably flinch away. However, a weight landed on his own shoulder. A tightness pulled at his chest. He didn't know if it was from love, concern, or both. He began to recount the seemingly endless nights he'd wake drenched in sweat and fear. He dedicated his life to protecting his children so they'd never experience the same. It pained him to watch his son navigate the same horrors. Albus would never have been put in this situation if it weren't for him. Why couldn't he have stopped this?
"We'll figure it out. I promise." He rested his head against Albus' messy hair.
Albus shoved the letters back inside his bottom desk drawer. He really needed to stop overthinking. Scorpius was rubbing off on him.
He did not have the time (or energy) to unpack what had transpired moments ago. All he knew was that his dad seemed to be trying, and now he was actually going to be late picking up Scorpius.
Ginny called up the stairs as he hurriedly pulled on a pair of green and silver socks Scorpius had gifted him. They were only one piece of the Slytherin ensemble Scorpius bought him for Christmas their third year at Hogwarts. "To prove you do belong," his voice rang in Albus' ears.
Albus threw on his trainers and met his mum by the fireplace where she was impatiently tapping her foot. Before Ginny could admonish him, he wordlessly grabbed a fistful of Floo powder and let the green flames swallow them.
Albus forgot how cold the manor seemed to those who rarely spent time there. Despite Draco's best efforts, there was only so much Persian rugs and warm lanterns could do to suppress the Malfoy legacy. They stepped onto the marble floor of the formal drawing room. Two glass chandeliers hung from the ceiling and velvet curtains cascaded down the stone walls. Albus' attention turned to Ginny, who was scanning the room. It was unusual for Draco to be absent from a nearby armchair, politely awaiting his guests' arrival.
"We finally beat him for once." Mild satisfaction crept into his mum's voice. She brushed the dust off her arms before busying herself with Albus.
He obliged her for a moment before protesting, "Mum, they could walk in any second now. Does it really matter if there's a speck of soot on my elbow? I thought you didn't care about image. It was for 'people who have nothing better to do than worry about how their arse looks in Witch Weekly.'"
"That's for the press, Albus, not for meeting your very close friend's father." She reached up, attempting to smooth his hair. His growth spurt only made him a measly three inches taller than her, a fact James constantly reminded him of.
Albus failed to fight the pink hue rapidly overtaking his face. Weasley genes, he bitterly thought.
Thankfully, Tully the house-elf rescued him from his mother's allusive comments.
"Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Scorpius will be down shortly. Would the Potters like some tea while they wait or perhaps the biscuits Mr. Albus is so fond of?"
"That won't be necessary, thank you Tully," Albus responded kindly.
Tully gave a respectful nod before leaving Ginny and Albus alone once again.
"I'd be naive to assume Mr. Albus's biscuits are sugar-free?" Ginny smirked as she sunk into a plush armchair next to the fireplace. She gestured for Albus to do the same. "At this rate, I'm going to win the competition, and that was not the intended goal."
"Are we really going to pretend I didn't watch you scarf down a slice of cake like a starved Puffskein on Dad's birthday? At least I try to hide my indulgences," Albus replied dryly. He hesitantly sat on the edge of the leather sofa across from her.
Ginny rolled her eyes, secretly delighted Albus' wit had returned. "How about we agree neither of us saw or heard anything?" Albus appeared doubtful. "Ah, Draco," she kept her tone friendly.
Albus automatically stood at his mother's sudden greeting.
"Ginny." Draco nodded curtly. "Albus, it's wonderful to see you again." He held out his hand.
"Likewise, Mr. Malfoy." Albus shook his hand while his eyes trailed over Draco's shoulder toward the doorway.
Taking note of Albus' restlessness, Draco stated, "Scorpius is just finishing packing. You're welcome to join him."
Albus responded with a quick, "thanks," before forcing himself to walk at a normal pace until he exited the room. He took a couple of turns before reaching the double staircase which led to the second floor. Albus couldn't believe there was a time where he got lost in the Manor's halls. When he first started visiting Scorpius during the summers, he followed him like a lost lamb. It was rare that Scorpius was the one leading them through unfamiliar passages and rows of mahogany doors.
Albus poked his head inside Scorpius' pristine room. All of his anxieties melted away at the comforting scent of parchment and a dash of peppermint. "Scorpius?"
A blonde head suddenly popped out from behind the closet door. Scorpius' eyes visibly lit up behind his reading glasses, and he beamed. "Albus!"
Albus had barely any time to brace himself before Scorpius rushed toward him and engulfed him in a hug. Albus did not hesitate to wrap his arms around him. A year ago, this simple action was foreign to them. Now, Albus couldn't imagine a world where it wasn't normal for him to embrace his best friend or playfully squeeze his shoulder. He found himself subconsciously leaning into Scorpius' warmth at the thought.
After a moment, Albus reluctantly withdrew his arms, opting to settle his hands on Scorpius' shoulders. He dared to glance up at Scorpius, hoping he wouldn't find any silent objections at the continued contact. Scorpius had a look of contentment etched across his slightly tanned face.
"How was France?" Albus removed his hands. He sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck, his feelings suddenly resurfacing as his adrenaline wore off.
"Excellent! I don't think I could ever tire of their museums and libraries. Albeit, the sheer volume of books and artifacts are quite overwhelming at first. Did you know the Bibliothèque Nationale de la Société Magique has the largest collection of books regarding curse damage? You'll need to join us next time, I'm sure Dad wouldn't mind. You would love the crêperie down the street from the chateau," Scorpius rambled, ignoring—or possibly oblivious to—Albus' change in demeanor. "Although, I'm sure you enjoyed being home with your family this week. At the Nest," he rushed to tack on.
Albus sighed, slightly exasperated. "Scorp, we've been over this. I would not have stayed at the Manor all summer if I was sick of you." Scorpius continuously snuck this topic into their conversations the longer it seemed Albus was pushing off returning home.
"I know, but I shouldn't be encouraging you. It's not fair of me to monopolize all your time. Your family probably misses you," Scorpius stated, completely serious. Albus observed the visible guilt racking his face.
"Which is precisely why you're coming back with me this time. I'm also not sure how many more Potter lectures I can handle alone. I thought the fretting would lighten up after Aunt Hermione mandated we see those mental relief healers."
"Counseling healers," Scorpius corrected.
"Yes, counseling healers," Albus repeated.
"So Harry took you on another father-son bonding excursion?"
He shuddered at the suggestion. "No, thank goodness. Only cornered me in my bedroom. I panicked and said the night terrors are back."
"Well, are they?"
Albus stared at the floor.
"Oh, Albus," Scorpius didn't try to hide the disappointment and pity puncturing his voice. "My counselor did say honesty is a step in the right direction," he subtly pressed.
Albus tore his gaze from the carpet and lifted the gold handles of one of Scorpius' many trunks. "We've been up here too long." He began carrying the surprisingly light trunk out the door. Scorpius must've been practicing his feather-light charm.
Scorpius' hand apprehensively caught the crook of his arm. He stopped. "I thought we were working on being less dark and broody?" he gently chastised.
Albus relented, "we can talk later."
The Burrow was the only place Scorpius Malfoy felt at ease—well, besides the Manor's library and the willow tree he and Albus frequented by the Black Lake. He enjoyed being surrounded by Albus' loving family. The first time Scorpius attended a Potter-Weasley event, he slipped into his diplomatic Malfoy persona out of nervousness. It only took a couple of sincere compliments from Molly, patient probing from various aunts and uncles, and stable support from Albus for his facade to crumble. Currently curled up in a chair at the dining table, it felt like he always belonged.
Boisterous laughter filled the air as George finished one of his stories from the opening week of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes.
"You're telling me you accidentally sold a highly concentrated vial of Veritaserum instead of a love potion?" Scorpius asked incredulously. "You should've been arrested!"
"I'm sure it all worked out for the happy couple." George lazily waved his hand and took a sip of his drink. Angelina jokingly slapped his arm. "Love always finds a way."
Scorpius caught Albus quietly groan beside him. "And that's our cue." He pulled Scorpius up from the table and led him outside as the adults continued talking and topping off their glasses.
The sky blended into brilliant shades of pinks and oranges as Scorpius and Albus strolled through the Burrow’s fields. They were the last of Albus' cousins to leave the table after a chaotic dinner. Most of them had already broken off into smaller groups throughout the property.
Scorpius' hand grazed the taller grass as they aimlessly walked and chatted.
"Do you hear that?" Scorpius interrupted Albus' musings on whether the Trolley Witch would recognize them this year.
A soft rhythmic dmph dmph dmph pulsed across the field.
"Sounds like music." Albus began taking determined strides in the direction of his Grandpa Arthur's old tinkering shed. Scorpius followed him without question.
The music grew louder and the sound of stifled giggles could be heard as they rapidly approached the shed.
Albus yanked on the rusting door until it opened up just enough for them to squeeze inside. Although they clearly discovered the source of the noise, dusty work benches bestrewn with Muggle trinkets greeted them. A thick tarp hung from the ceiling, blocking the other half of the room. Yellow light seeped through the edges. Albus roughly moved it aside so he and Scorpius could duck underneath.
"What on earth..?" Albus muttered.
Scorpius stood silently next to Albus. He'd been to plenty of parties and soirées as a child but none quite like this. Stained and battered rugs covered the cement floor, and colorful streamers were precariously strung on the lanterns dangling from the curved ceiling. Someone had even enchanted the ceiling to reflect a rainbow of speckled light around the room. Scorpius made a mental note to look up that spell later.
People were clustered throughout the intimate space. Scorpius heard snippets of hushed conversations as the music continued to blare. Cheers erupted from one corner as he caught Lily winning a game of Exploding Snap. A mound of candy was pushed in her direction, which Marigold immediately began counting. He eyed Albus, unsurprised to see a look of disdain on his face.
"Albus! Scorpius! Just the men I've been looking for. I was wondering when you'd turn up." James sauntered over. He ruffled Albus' hair and haphazardly threw a heavy arm around each of them.
"Albus?" Scorpius squeaked. He began to hunch over under the dead weight of James' arm. It was all becoming a tad much.
"James!" Albus snapped. "What is going on? When did all this happen? Was it your idea? Mum and Dad are going to kill you! Why is Lily orchestrating a gambling ring, and what is that smell?" Albus sniffed the air. "Merlin, you reek of alcohol, James!"
"Albus," Scorpius hissed.
"Relax dear brother, everything is under control. We've been planning this for weeks. Dominique cast some quietening charms, Fred nicked some Firewhisky from Teddy's stash, and—"
Albus yelped, "you're letting our baby sister drink?"
"Of course not! I didn't even entertain the thought of letting her in until she convinced me I needed her to distract Mum and Dad! Rose is guarding the alcohol, and there's some pixie punch for those not of age." James vaguely gestured at the table with various mismatched platters against the wall. "It's just a small celebration for Fred, Louis, Lettie, and I's final year and everyone else's last Saturday of the summer."
"Albus!" Scorpius exclaimed.
The shrillness of his voice finally ripped Albus' attention away from berating James. It only took one brief look at his panicked expression for Albus to pry himself and Scorpius out from under his brother's firm hold.
"Jamie!" Colette sweetly beckoned him.
"Coming Lettie Loo!" He shouted back with a sappy smile. Albus gagged. "Just try to enjoy yourselves, alright?" James' joking manner evaporated as he locked eyes with both of them before disappearing into the crowd.
Scorpius cringed. "Isn't he Head Boy this year?"
"Yep."
This must be what it felt like to fight in the Battle of Hogwarts, Scorpius dismally thought. Each step he took toward the Burrow, he felt his father's trust in him waning. It was Scorpius' turn to return to the main gathering as to not arouse any suspicions. Unfortunately, Louis overheard him telling Albus he needed a break and promptly shoved him out into the cool night air alone.
As he trudged back to the house, it dawned on him that this was his first time being around the Potter-Weasleys without Albus. Surely, that would raise some eyebrows. By the time he finished debating whether it was too late to turn back for Albus or not, Scorpius found himself awkwardly stood in the Burrow's quaint kitchen half listening to Percy drone on about his current proposal to reclassify certain hexes and jinxes at the Ministry.
Under normal circumstances, Scorpius would have found the conversation riveting. However, Albus' prominent absence beside him made his stomach flip. He let a breath out through his nose, amused this was the first time he wanted to return to a party of his own free will.
They were having fun. Once James abandoned them for Colette, Albus dragged Scorpius to the spread of desserts and drinks. As promised, Rose blocked the crate of Firewhisky like her life depended on it. She stood with her arms crossed and a steely expression plastered on her face. Unnerved by Rose's stoicism, Scorpius hastily grabbed two Cauldron Cakes before silently pleading with Albus to not have a row with one of their few friends. Albus glared at her, but stalked off after Scorpius without complaint. Her eyes followed them until there was a healthy distance between them and the liquor. They munched away, people watching and whispering comments to each other. Scorpius then became engrossed in a game of Gobstones with Lily. Her lump of sweets grew a tiny bit bigger after their match. Right before Scorpius was kicked outside, he and Albus bravely entered the dance floor.
Scorpius was giddy as they were knocked around in the middle of the mob. A shock surged through him every time a part of him accidentally touched Albus. At this distance, he could count every freckle on Albus' face. Scorpius had also never seen Albus this carefree and elated in his life. It made him buzz with happiness. For once, they were allowed to be themselves.
In the back of his mind, Scorpius knew he wasn't being completely himself. If he acted on his true emotions, the small gap between him and Albus would have closed, and he'd still be in that musty shed. How desperately he wished he had the courage to have a simple conversation.
According to his observations throughout the summer, there was an 85% chance Albus shared his feelings. Scorpius had a talent—his mum had called it—for perceiving what others could not. It most likely stemmed from a place of loneliness and boredom as a child and reemerged as a defense against his attackers at Hogwarts. Either way, he was pretty sure he would combust if he didn't speak with Albus soon.
"Are you alright?" Percy asked, breaking Scorpius out of his trance.
"Of course, I'm positively perfect! You know me, calm as a Crup!" He replied too quickly, shooting him a fake smile. If, out of all people, Percy noticed Scorpius was off, he was done for. "It was nice chatting, but I should check on Albus. Don't want to leave him alone with Fred and Lily for too long," he fibbed. Well, it was sort of true. Albus was with Lily and Fred. At a definitely not parent approved party.
Scorpius briskly headed toward the back kitchen exit. He heard Percy mumble something akin to, "I hadn't even gotten to the third phase of my revisionary plan," as the door slammed shut.
He took a deep breath and ran through a couple of the breathing exercises Albus had taught him. Albus. His breath hitched. Yes, he was going to confess his love to Albus tonight.
He opened the shed door and marched into the party, not giving himself the chance to back out. He scanned the sea full of red hair for a spot of black. Suddenly, a body crashed into his back and familiar arms snaked around his waist. Albus' ambush puzzled him but was not unwelcome.
"You were gone too long," Albus mumbled into his shoulder.
"It was only about an hour," Scorpius said warmly. He attempted to twist around and face Albus, but Albus' grip only tightened.
"No, you left me for a week. An entire seven days. I missed you. Never do that again," Albus trailed off. He solemnly buried his face further into Scorpius.
Taken aback by his openness, Scorpius forced Albus to relinquish his hold. Finally regaining the ability to turn, Scorpius saw a dramatic scowl grace Albus' face. His hair was also somehow more unruly than usual. Albus began to sway without the support of Scorpius.
"Albus, are you drunk?"
"Dunno. I got passed a couple drinks, but they tasted like sour pumpkin juice," he slurred.
Scorpius bit his lip. "Come on, let's find you a chair." He slipped a supporting arm behind Albus and carefully slung one of Albus' arms over his shoulder. A dazed grin immediately took over Albus' face at the resumed contact.
As Scorpius guided Albus to a secluded area, he felt sly fingers begin to twist the hair at the nape of his neck. He attempted to maintain a neutral expression on his face, reminding himself that Albus was in no capacity to think clearly.
A scuffed and weathered trunk caught his eye. It would have to do for now. Before Scorpius could safely lower Albus onto the trunk, he took it upon himself to collapse onto it. His body awkwardly slanted against the wall, and his head lolled in a way that his neck would find unforgivable in the morning. Albus' dead weight made it impossible for Scorpius to maneuver him into a more suitable position.
Scorpius picked up an empty cup and slid his wand out from his back pocket. He muttered a quick Scourgify, then Aguamenti, before handing it to Albus.
"Drink this and stay right here. I'm going to find James. Hopefully, he has a Pepperup Potion," Scorpius explained. He failed to mask the uneasiness creeping into his voice but hoped Albus wouldn't take notice.
"No!" Albus declared with a certain fervor that Scorpius didn't think he currently had in him. "I need you Scorpius. If you're going somewhere, I'm coming with you." He struggled to stand before falling back onto the trunk.
"Albus, I promise you I'll be right back," he replied steadily. He surprised himself with how calm he now sounded, even if he felt the exact opposite. "As much as I would like to stay with you, I'm sure your parents and James wouldn't appreciate me bringing you home barely able to string a sentence together." Scorpius rested a reassuring hand on his shoulder. He wasn't sure if the gesture was meant to comfort him or Albus.
"But I love you," Albus whined under his breath.
"I know." Scorpius appeased, flashing him a weak smile. Albus Potter was going to be the death of him. He took a few small steps back, knowing he'd give in to Albus' pleas if he didn't start walking.
"No, Scorp, I love you." The determination of Albus' words shone through his muddled delivery.
Scorpius stopped in his tracks, his heart shattering at the quiet confession. There goes his plan to remain calm. Tears began to well in his eyes. He wiped them away before they could truly form and turned back around. "Albus," his voice cracked. He inhaled through his nose before continuing. "I understand, but we are not doing this right now. We can talk in the morning once you can remember what you're saying. Please," he begged.
Albus stared at him stubbornly for a couple of seconds before nodding. "If that's what you want, Scorp."
Scorpius could only respond with a sympathetic smile lest he turn into a blubbering mess. He dashed off to find his second Potter of the night.
It didn't take long for Scorpius to stumble upon James languidly laying across Colette's lap as she stroked his hair and patiently listened to Lily rant about something.
"Hello Lettie, James, sorry to interrupt," he politely began. A hint of shakiness still peppered his voice from his previous verbal exchange.
They looked up at him, seemingly unbothered.
"It appears Albus is drunk," he finished bluntly. Although Albus' words struck his core, he did not want to spare another moment away from his inebriated friend.
"No way!" Lily guffawed.
James sobered up at the mention of drunk and Albus in the same sentence. He fell off Colette's lap in his haste to stand. He shook his head, somewhat disoriented.
"Careful Jamie, it's only a bit of alcohol. I'm sure he'll be fine," Colette soothed as James attempted to stand once again.
Concern laced his voice. "Where is he?"
"I left him sitting on an old trunk." Scorpius began to walk in Albus' direction.
"Merlin, this will be a sight." Lily trailed after them.
James urgently walked beside Scorpius even though he had no indication as to where their destination was.
"I take it Albus doesn't drink much?" Scorpius noticed him periodically squeezing Colette's hand as they pushed through the crowd.
Although he and Albus often discussed coming-of-age milestones they had and hadn't checked off, it never crossed his mind that Albus had never drank before. He assumed with such a large family, it was bound to happen sometime without him present.
James answered distractedly, "yeah, this would be his first time. One of the few rules Mum and Dad were strict about."
Albus came into view as they ducked around another person. He remained sat on the trunk with his eyes closed, only being propped up by the wall he was slouched against.
"Al? Al? Can you hear me?" James squatted down to Albus' eye level.
Albus slowly blinked before appearing to remember something. "Where's Scorpius?" he asked worriedly. He flailed his arms toward James as if his brother would purposely be hiding Scorpius from him.
Lily sniggered, "bit of a lightweight, this one." James shot her a look of disapproval before refocusing on Albus.
"I'm right here," Scorpius interjected, placing a comforting hand on Albus' shoulder. "James is also here with the Pepperup Potion."
Scorpius prayed Albus would keep his mouth shut long enough for James to administer the potion.
"Should be enough to get him home with Mum and Dad," James murmured, uncorking the pink flask Colette had passed him.
Scorpius tilted Albus' head back so James could pour the syrupy liquid down his throat.
Albus spluttered and coughed as the potion presumedly hit his tongue.
"That," Albus wheezed, "is vile." He clambered for the water Scorpius had given him earlier.
"I always thought it tasted of toasted marshmallow," Lily pondered.
"How do you feel?" Colette asked, watching Albus for any sign of discontent.
"A bit floaty, but not as out of it as before."
James let out a sigh of relief. "Alright, I guess we should wrap this up before the potion wears off and anything else unbecoming happens under my supervision."
Colette and James got to work cleaning and dismissing people in groups like it was part of their usual daily routine. By the time they finished, there wasn't a stray cup to be seen or dusty candle out of place. Scorpius was impressed yet horrified by their attention to detail. He would definitely need to debrief with Albus some time.
Albus wanted to hole himself up in his room for eternity. He had a throbbing headache and knew something of significance had occurred last night. A particular rustling sound caused a hot pain to shoot through his head. He sleepily opened one eye just in time to view Scorpius toss on a thin blue jumper and quietly skirt out of the room.
Shit. Albus pressed a palm to his forehead, now wide awake. Every memory from the night before flooded his consciousnesss at once. This hurt worse than his headache.
He'd definitely told Scorpius he loved him. There'd be no way out of it now. Of course, he could spin it into a friendly drunken mishap or lie completely, but he couldn't do that to his best friend, someone who'd stuck beside him through the worst of his blind depression. If the guilt didn't eat him alive, then stewing in his feelings would. He needed to handle this, maturely this time.
Albus rose from his bed and lunged for the nearest jumper before racing to catch up with Scorpius.
He peeked inside the living room and kitchen with no sign of Scorpius. He couldn't have left, had he? Albus would never forgive himself. An unexpected chill from the ajar kitchen door tickled his skin. Albus let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. He's still here, no need to stress, he failed to reassure himself.
The rocks crunched beneath his slippers as he gradually walked over to the occupied swinging bench in the back garden. It creaked under his newly added weight.
The fresh air was still damp from the morning dew, and clouds shielded them from the rising sun. Albus quietly observed Scorpius. His features were fuzzier from the overcast weather, but Albus could make out the pronounced lines of his face. Neither boy spoke for a moment.
"I'm sorry about last night."
"It's alright, quite amusing, actually. You had James practically carry you out of the Floo," Scorpius said lightheartedly, trying to mask the painful memory that was the night before.
"Wasn't my best moment," Albus admitted.
They both paused, unsure how to proceed.
"Listen," Albus shifted his body so he was facing Scorpius, "I know I said some, some things last night. I'm not going to pretend I forgot what they were."
That caught Scorpius' attention.
Albus leaned back and pinched the bridge of his nose in concentration, eerily reminding Scorpius of Harry. His mouth opened and closed a couple of times before finally deciding to speak. "Last week was awful. I didn't want to leave my bed half the time. It's like my brain couldn't find a reason to. When I did try to go about my day, my mind always wandered to you." His eyes briefly flickered up at Scorpius before continuing, "I'd be setting the table and wonder, 'What is Scorpius doing right now?' or helping Dad garden and think, 'Scorpius would hate this.' Every time James made a cheesy joke, I'd search for your eyes before remembering you weren't there. Every time an owl dropped in, I pathetically hoped you'd sent a letter. Did you know," Albus let out an empty chuckle, "yesterday morning, I went through every letter you'd sent me trying to find any clue that hinted at a feeling beyond friendship." He twisted his fingers. "I just can't pretend anymore. I need you in my life, Scorpius. Even if that means staying frien—"
"I'm in love with you, Albus." The words left Scorpius' mouth before he could process them. "From the depths of my belly, to the tips of my fingers. I love you, Albus Potter."
"What?" Albus replied, perplexed. He'd clearly been expecting a different answer.
"I had a feeling and was going to tell you last night after I returned to the party, but…" he tapered off.
Realization hit him. "I'm an idiot. I messed up your grand Malfoy plans, didn't I?" Albus groaned, covering his face with his hands.
"No, it just wasn't the best timing. On either end. Spur of the moment on my part, really." Scorpius didn't hesitate to reassure him. "I was going to pull you aside, but that's as far as I planned."
"I never thought I'd hear the day Scorpius Malfoy didn't have a fully fledged plan." Albus smiled cheekily, flustering Scorpius.
"Did you really want an elaborate confession of my undying love?" he countered, a hint of sarcasm evident in his tone. "It's not too late for us to ride off into the sunset on the back of a Hippogriff with some of Tully's treacle tart."
Albus laughed fully, gazing back up at Scorpius, his face now a shade pinker. He continued to play along. "You really know the way to a man's heart."
Scorpius shrugged, satisfied. "What can I say? It's in my blood."
Albus could only stare adoringly at his dorky friend. Before long, he could practically see the cogs turning once again in Scorpius' brain.
"Was that when your dad cornered you? With the letters?"
"Yes, but you are moving on too fast." He put a hand on Scorpius' knee. "I'm also in love with you, Scorpius Malfoy."
"I kind of forgot you hadn't said that part yet."
Baffled, Albus replied, "what did you think that whole tangent was leading to?"
"Well, probably that. It's not often you're the one rambling!" He floppily gestured at Albus. "But I guess I already knew deep down," feeling a burst of boldness, he added, "and the fact you can't seem to keep your hands off of me." He put his hand over Albus', which still rested on his knee.
"Is Malfoy the Unanxious making a reappearance?" Albus teased, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"If that's what you want?"
"You'll have to find out for yourself." He confidently leaned toward Scorpius until their faces met.
Ginny casually leaned against the kitchen doorframe.
"What is it? I heard the ward get tripped." Harry frantically came up behind her. He held his wand out defensively.
She shushed him and merely nodded toward the end of the pebbled path.
Harry's gaze followed hers. Scorpius was cozily tucked into Albus' side. Their son's arms were cradled around the taller boy. Albus sleepily bent down and kissed his head. The peacefulness of the display filled him with relief.
"I knew that week wore him down," Ginny said knowingly. She turned around to face Harry and shut the door, careful not to disturb the two boys outside. She clasped her hands around his neck and gave him a quick peck. "Now, we've finally got him back."