Chapter Text
Fic Aesthetic- https://alphaalnitak.tumblr.com/post/173981299660/aesthetic-for-my-fic-closer
§ -Platform 9 3/4, Kings Cross- §
Freshly robed students bustled about frantically with their families, pushing luggage full trolleys along platform 9 and 3/4. Steam rose like smoke from the ancient train sitting placid by them, recently arrived for pick up and on rout to the Wizarding School of Hogwarts.
"Christmas went too fast." Lilly sighed, hugging her mother as the three siblings said their last goodbyes to their parents.
"I can't believe the holidays are over already!" James agreed, stretching his arms out above his head and taking a deep breath before he had to get into one of the stuffy train compartments. "Well, at least we're gonna kick Slytherin ass in the Quidditch tournament this year!" He grinned as the majority of his family rolled their eyes. "Gotta keep the Potter tradition of winning going." James smirked down at his younger brother who glared daggers back. The two were only and inch apart due to Albus's recent growth spurt, but the older was milking every millimetre he had over him.
"It's your last year, N.E.W.Ts are coming up. I expect you to be focusing on studying, not chasing flying golden balls through the clouds." Ginny stated firmly with a small smile as she hugged her eldest tightly.
"I'll be fine, this one on the other hand is lucky if he passes fifth year. He can barely fly a broom!" James grinned as his brother sharped his death glare, the eighteen-year-old acting completely innocent as his parents gave him 'the look'.
"Behave James, you’re an adult now. It's time to be more serious about your schooling, and family."
"I am serious. It's my middle name." He grinned at his own joke till Ginny hardened her parental stare, successfully shutting him up.
"Albus!!!" There was a moment of frozen shock between the group at the call, the youngest male Potter's eyes wide as a blur of blond flew in his direction. The teen wizard stumbled back, trying to steady himself as his younger sister giggled, people around them staring in some kind of awe as he was tackled.
The brunette finally found his footing and looked down at the blond grinning brightly up at him.
"Hi." Scorpius greeted, as if nothing was out of place. Albus smiled back and gently squeezed the boy who had him in a tight hug.
"Hey."
"Scorpius! You’re making a scene. Get off him." Draco followed behind in a hurried fashion with his sons floating trunk (Malfoy’s were no peasants, they did not push trolleys around), a scowl on his face. Scorpius rolled his eyes and unhooked himself from the other teen, still staying unnecessarily close just to irritate his father, almost hanging from Albus’s arm. Draco only rolled his eyes.
"Potter." Malfoy greeted Harry formally, stiffly standing parallel to the group.
"Draco." Harry replied with a smile and a nod, the blond relaxing slightly at the friendly salutation and smiling softly back at him. The two were knocked from their odd trance as Lilly giggled, watching Scorpius whisper into Albus's ear, the brunette blushing.
"You're taller than me now~ That's a first." The blond said quietly, lip grazing his earlobe accidentally. Draco coughed for their attention and broke the moment, giving Scorpius a warning look. The blond only smiled innocently back at him till his father shut his eyes to shake his head, at which point the boy quickly poked his tongue out and made a face. The Potters’ stifled chuckles at the sight, till Ginny coughed for attention.
"All right you lot. On the train." She commanded, shoving them all along towards the Hogwarts Express's entrance. The teens grabbed their luggage and pets, Albus his ferret and Scorpius his owl. Draco looked at the ferret sceptically and to Harry, who was trying not to laugh.
The four scrambled on as the conductor gave the last call.
"See ya." James farewelled once they were inside, patting his brother on the back and tousling Lilly's hair before he left to find his friends.
"I feel left out." Scorpius pouted as he was walked passed by the other with only a smile as a goodbye. Lilly giggled before hugging Albus and saying her goodbyes, kissing Scorpius on the cheek quickly as she skipped off. Scorpius grinned.
"Naww, she likes me!" The boy’s smile reached his eyes as Albus rolled his with a fond expression.
"Usual spot?" The brunette asked, walking towards their proclaimed compartment as the blond nodded, following close behind.
The teen stopped as they arrived, surprised to see Rose sitting inside. She smiled as she saw him and beckoned them in, Scorpius looking in with an excited smile.
"Hi Rose!"
"Scorpius." The blond sighed dreamily and sat on the chair beside her dramatically.
"She said my name. Did you hear that Albus?" Albus sat across from them and nodded, finding he'd missed his friend’s antics.
"I was busy studying most of the holidays so I didn't get much chance to catch up with Albus, I thought I'd do it now." Rose said, smiling genuinely at the bubbly blond. Albus furrowed his brows at the two, unknown to them as they began talking animatedly. Rose even chuckled at Scorpius's expressive explanation of the conversation he and his father had on the way over. Apparently, the Malfoy head had chosen then of all times to give him an abbreviation of 'the talk', and gotten so awkward he'd ended up a babbling blushing mess. Scorpius had cracked up laughing and explained his mother had already informed him when he was eleven. Astoria had been determined that she would be the one to teach him before she passed, knowing her husband was ill equipped for the task.
The brunette coughed quietly, hoping they would notice his being left out, but they were too loud and deep in their conversation to hear. It honestly bothered him the two were getting on so well. Scorpius's comment from when he'd asked Rose out on a date last year, that her pity would turn to love and ultimately marriage, played over in Potter's mind. It was greatly unsettling the other might actually be right.
"Albus?" The two's conversation had stopped without him noticing and Scorpius was looking over at him concerned.
"Anything from the trolley love?" The three's eyes turned to the now open door and Scorpius jolted, throwing himself over to the other seat, hiding behind Albus as the trolley lady smiled at them. The old lady sharpened her stare at the two boys and Scorpius shivered.
"No sweets for you two." She announced harshly, before fixing her gaze on Rose. "Anything from the trolley, dear?" The old woman asked sweetly. It was impossible to tell she had tentacles, of all things.
"Umm, a pumpkin pastry, two treacle tarts, three chocolate frogs, two fizzing whizzbees, aannnd..." Scorpius looked at her pleadingly, hands together as if in prayer. "A Pepper Imp please." Scorpius did a fist bump and the old witch nodded, pulling all the items off the trolley and into paper bags before passing them to Rose and moving on. The redhead passed him the bag containing the Pepper Imp and he grinned, thanking her fervently like a happy little puppy. It was a wonder the boy wasn’t in Hufflepuff.
Albus frowned again, even as he was passed a tart, his low mood returned till Scorpius yelped, steam pouring from his ears after popping the particularly large Pepper in his mouth, both Albus and Rose laughing at the sight.
§ -Slytherin 5th year boys’ dorms, Hogwarts- §
"Yes! Same dorm!" Scorpius exclaimed as they entered one of the dungeon bedrooms, dropping his luggage by the bed closest to the wall. Albus followed after and claimed the only bed beside his.
"We're always in the same dorm." Albus said, watching the blond as he sat on his bed.
"Not always..." Scorpius mumbled, eyes falling to look at his feet in a depressed manner. The brunette sat beside him, wrapping an arm around the other in a side-hug, the blond leaning into the other and shutting his eyes, a sigh escaping his lips.
"Don't worry. That's all over now."
"I know. It just scares me. To just turn up to school and be torn apart. Suddenly we were in different classes, different dorms! I just don't want to be all alone again."
"Me neither." After a moment of quiet, ignoring odd looks from the other Slytherin boys, Scorpius smiled and nuzzled into the other’s side.
"We should do this more often." Albus chuckled and squeezed the other a little tighter.
"Yeah. Yeah we should."
§ -Quidditch field, Hogwarts- §
"Wow!"
"Check out Malfoy!" Scorpius flew on his broom with unbreakable focus, stealing the ball with ease from a fellow Slytherin and making a sharp turn, hair flying as he smiled wildly, speeding towards the goal and tossing the ball in over the keeper’s shoulder.
"Very impressive, mister Malfoy." Madam Hooch announced as Scorpius stopped, hopping of his broom with a grin, hair immaculate despite the speeds he'd been flying. "Dare I say you've passed tryouts with flying colours." There was a series of high fives at the news as Albus watched from the sidelines. Only the Slytherin's star player seemed irritated, seeing as it was him the ball had been stolen from.
Albus wasn't at all surprised. Scorpius had always been skilled with a broom. They had written to each other all throughout break, and Scorpius had found the best way to bond with his father was through Quidditch. Draco had even bought him the latest Firebolt for Christmas. He'd spent the majority of the holidays practising, even chasing a fake snitch through the house and surrounding forest. His father hadn't been too happy with that.
"He's amazing huh?" One of the team's keeper's commented, standing by Albus as he tied up his shoe.
"Yep."
"You going to try out?" The boy asked, eyes on the field as Scorpius got back on his broom.
"No no, just coming to watch." The blond was back in the air in a second, whooping with the rest of the team as a practice game started, those who had failed tryouts leaving with bitter expressions. The boy beside Albus ran back on field with his broom and joined them.
Albus's eyes were trained on the blond as he grinned down at him, Scorpius waving before they began to play, sparkles flying from his hair as it whipped in the wind.
§ -Slytherin 5th year boys’ dorms, Hogwarts- §
Albus froze as he entered the boys’ dorm, just returned from showering. Most of the other's had either already gone to bed or sat studying with their curtains drawn, but that wasn't what was surprising. His and Scorpius's beds had been pushed together, and a fort created using the blankets, sheets and curtains that once adorned the two beds.
"Scorpius?" There was movement within the fort before a blond head poked out the end between the flaps. "Wha-?"
"Shut up and get in the fucking blanket fort." The teen replied seriously before ducking back inside. Albus shrugged to himself before following, slipping inside the homemade cubby. They bumped around in the dark, Scorpius giggling till Albus took out his wand.
"Lumos." A warm light radiated from the tip, brightening the blonde’s face.
"The palace of makeshift cotton strongholds, I believe you'll find." He announced, laying back onto the pile of pillows he had somehow acquired. Probably from the others’ beds, hopefully they weren't too upset about that.
"Aren't we a little old for this?" Albus asked looking around the space of illuminated forest green sheets. The cotton seemed to shimmer in the light.
Scorpius looked at him with mock horror.
"You can never be too old for blanket forts!" He proclaimed, sitting up. "Look, we could totally live out of here. We have study books," He gestured to the various small stacks of books in the corners, "sweets," he pulled a paper bag out from under a pillow and shook it, the sound of lolly wrappers crunching around, "all we could ever need!" Albus chuckled and nodded to his friend, taking an offered sweet and unwrapping it.
"Have we got Charms tomorrow?" Albus asked, enjoying how the treat fizzed in his mouth.
"No, Potions."
"Oh yeah."
"I have my first official Quidditch practice tomorrow after dinner. Wanna come watch?"
"Nah, I'll study." Scorpius pouted. "I'll come next time, promise."
"Okay, I'll let you off this time." The blond smiled, popping a sweet on his tongue. He coughed as it exploded, a ring of smoke leaving his mouth as the two chuckled.
"Dad bought me the unlabelled assorted ones. Never know what you’re gonna get." He said, coughing again.
"So, are we going to sleep under here?" Scorpius nodded with a grin, smile falling as he looked at the other unsure.
"You don't want to?"
"No, I do."
"So what's up? You've been pretty quiet..." Albus only continued to stare at him, as if daydreaming or taking in each and every feature, commemorating it to heart. After a few seconds with no response, eyes still locked, he finally spoke with a small smile.
"It's nothing. You got taller." Scorpius scoffed.
"By what? A millimetre! You grew another fucking foot!" Albus chuckled and nodded almost shyly, laughter dying down back to silence, smiles adorning both their faces. Scorpius's gaze never wavered while Albus had trouble keeping the eye contact. It was nice though, increasingly awkward, but nice. The blond didn't seem to be noticing the apparent awkwardness anyway. He just continued to look back at him, ice-blue eyes glimmering in the spell of light's illumination. His smile faltered and he seemed to flutter his eyelids. Albus wasn't sure if he was reading the moment wrong, or if they were actually having a more-than-friend moment.
He leaned in closer, only slightly, and Scorpius following suit in an equally unsure manner. The blond swallowed, throat bobbing as his pink lips parted slightly, approaching shyly. They were full and soft looking, not chapped or dry. Albus kept his eyes trained on the perfect parted entrance to the other’s mouth, finding avoiding his eyes made it so much easier to lean closer that little bit faster. Their gazes flickered together with only and inch between them, both stopping.
He could feel the blonde’s light breath on his bottom lip, ghosting over his skin. Scorpius's eyes drifted shut as he moved even closer, head tilted as he came up to meet the Potter’s lips.
It was like taking his first breath of air, the taste of water after being parched. It was so intoxicating the blond found himself reaching up and running his hands up through the other’s hair, diving deeper and deeper into the kiss. Albus kissed with just as much abandon, lost in the feeling of the other’s petal soft lips.
The two's silhouettes on the green sheets pulled one another close, innocent and passionate as the light faded.
§
Albus's body clock was a magical thing. No matter the day he always managed to wake up at the same time, seven am. It was a useful skill when you spent ninety percent of your time in a dungeon, without a hint of sunlight. Scorpius was the exact opposite. If left to his own devices he would happily sleep till noon, Albus mused silently as he looked at the sleeping blond in his arms fondly. He would gladly sit there till mid-day like that, if not for the fact he yawned and shifted slightly, the teen's blond lashes fluttering before they slowly opened. Seeing the other he smiled, platinum locks wavy and tossed, framing his perfect face in the dark.
"Hi."
"Hey." Now accustomed to the shadows Albus could see the change in hue to the other’s cheeks as he shifted, cuddling closer. His eyes drifted back shut, and the brunette watched as his lashes fell to grace his pink cheeks. He really was beautiful, perfect and full cupids-bow lips, long eyelashes, and his skin. Merlin, he had the most perfect skin. Pale and smooth, not a blemish to be seen.
Scorpius sighed sleepily and barely peaked an eye open.
"What's the time?"
"'Bout seven."
"Ugh, don't wanna get up." The blond grumbled, nuzzling closer into the other’s chest. Albus smile and shut his own eyes, combing his fingers through the other's impossibly silky hair.
What had started as an innocent kiss between friends the night before had turned to a full make-out session, the two having fallen asleep with swollen lips sometime after one am. Still, Albus couldn't say he didn't want to continue, fatigue and wizarding education be damned.
Scorpius pulled his face from the other's chest and smiled, eyes finally at least half open. A quick peck and the blond begrudgingly sat up, mumbling that he was going to change, and slipped out of the tent-like structure. Albus grinned, hands behind his head as he blinded the bed canopy with his smile.