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ONE - GINNY POTTER
Ginny thought that Albus would be pleased to see the end of his fourth year at Hogwarts, a year that had been challenging and traumatic for the whole Potter family, and none more than for Albus, but he seems somewhat despondent in the car on the way home from King’s Cross Station. James is lamenting loudly about how he’s only got one year left at Hogwarts, and Lily is describing at one hundred miles an hour the training plan she has devised herself so she will get onto the Gryffindor Quidditch team come September, and Albus is sat staring silently out of the window.
“Are you okay, Al?” Ginny asks quietly once both of her other children have stopped to draw breath, appraising Albus in the mirror. Albus nods without looking at her, and she exchanges a pointed glance with Harry.
When they get home, Harry helps Lily and James drag their trunks upstairs, and Ginny takes Albus’ elbow and gently steers him into the sitting room.
“Mum, honestly I’m fine.” Albus says, pre-empting the conversation she wants to have with him.
“I just want to make sure that’s all. Last year was really hard for you.” Ginny says softly, brushing some hair away from Albus’ forehead (she has had about much luck taming Albus’ hair as Harry has his).
“It was, and I wasn’t okay for a really long time, but honestly I’m doing a lot better now. Scorpius has helped a lot .” Albus says.
“That’s good, he’s been a good friend to you.” Ginny says, and Albus nods.
“He’s the best.” Albus says, and Ginny notes that his eyes look a little sad.
“Come here.” Ginny says, opening her arms, and Albus steps into them and accepts the hug. She hugs him back tightly, and presses a kiss into his unruly curls.
“You know we’re here for you, don’t you?” Ginny says softly.
“I do, and honestly I’m fine.” Albus insists again, and Ginny finally lets him go.
“Okay, I believe you. Now will you help me with your trunk please?”
“Of course.” Albus says, escaping the room almost immediately. She follows him, shaking her head; she will never understand Albus’ (and Harry’s) disdain at having conversations about their feelings.
They carry the trunk upstairs together and into Albus’ room. As they put the trunk on Albus’ bed, Harry knocks on the door and puts his head round.
“Hello Al, I was just about to go and make dinner, I was wondering if you wanted to give me a hand?” he asks, smiling in the way Ginny knows means he’s really trying.
“Er, I’m not sure, my trunk-”Albus starts, but Ginny cuts across him.
“Don’t worry about it, I’ll sort it out if you don’t mind?” Ginny says; usually she encourages her children to tidy their trunks as soon as they get home so they don’t leave piles of washing festering until the last day of August, but she thinks Harry and Albus trying to sort out their relationship is slightly more important.
“No, I don’t mind. I’d love to Dad.” Albus says, sporting an identical smile as his father. Ginny smiles too as they both leave the room, and she turns to Albus’ bed.
She rifles through Albus’ trunk, pulling out clothes that can be washed and carefully depositing his personal items on the bed for him to sort out later. She is respectful of her children’s things the way her brothers never were of hers, and she ignores the scrolls of letters addressed to Albus, and the small green notebook she assumes is her middle child’s diary, no matter how much a small niggling feeling in her mind is trying to get her to read them to make sure he really is okay.
The one thing she can’t ignore though, is the pink, heart adorned card that falls out from the middle of a pile of carefully folded jumpers.
She doesn’t mean to read it, but it has fallen open, and as she picks it up her eyes are drawn to the impeccable handwriting.
To Albus,
I can’t believe this year is nearly over. Thank you for being the best friend there is. I’ll miss you over the holidays!
Love from, Scorpius
Ah, she thinks, as she re-folds the card and puts it on the bed with the rest of her son’s things, that’s why Albus had been so upset at the school year ending.
TWO - DRACO MALFOY
Draco is used to the sound of silence in his home, he doesn’t mind it (not really anyway) but he also likes it when Scorpius is home for summer, and he can hear Scorpius’ music or the quiet shuffling of him moving around, and the house is full of the sounds of the conversations that they have over dinner and breakfast.
He also likes it when Albus is here, because then Scorpius laughs more. He can hear Scorpius laughing now, and it’s with a smile that he goes into the kitchen where his son and his son’s best friend are seated around the dining table.
“Morning Dad!” Scorpius’ smile is bright too.
“Good morning, both sleep well?” Draco asks, making his way over to the coffee pot on one of the kitchen counters, and casting a warming spell over it.
“Yes thank you, and thank you for having me Mr Malfoy.” Albus says.
“You’re more than welcome here Albus.” Draco says, and Scorpius beams at him. Draco turns back to the coffee pot, and Scorpius carries on whatever it was he was talking about; Draco can barely keep up. He’s chattering a hundred miles an hour about something in History of Magic that he’s looking forward to studying when they go back for their fifth year at Hogwarts, but Draco thinks he’s too late to the conversation to really get it. He tunes Scorpius’ rambling out as he busies himself with breakfast, and is only pulled back into the room when there’s a sudden silence.
“Sorry, you probably want me to be quiet don’t you?” Scorpius’ voice is small and quiet, and Draco feels his hand automatically tighten around his mug as he turns to look at the two boys. He is surprised to see that Albus has reached out and squeezed the top of Scorpius’ hand, a small smile on his face.
“I never want you to be quiet.” Albus’ voice is soft and reassuring, and the smile that Scorpius sends to Albus is so fond and genuine that Draco looks away; that is far too tender a look for a father to have seen.
“I’m going back upstairs.” Draco announces awkwardly.
“Okay, see you later.” Scorpius sends a brief smile in Draco’s direction, and then he’s off on his monologue again and Albus is wearing a blissful expression of complete attention as he stares at Scorpius, his chin propped up by his hand and a small smile on his face.
As Draco walks back upstairs, he realises where he’s seen those expressions before. It is not dissimilar to the way he felt listening to Astoria, and the look that she would have on her face when she spoke about something she was really passionate about.
He suddenly realises why Scorpius laughs more when Albus is here.
THREE - KIAN FINNIGAN-THOMAS
Albus and Scorpius do some of their best studying in their dorm. Albus maintains it’s because there’s something soothing about the colour green, and Scorpius claims it’s because he’s not allowed to eat sweets in the library. Both of them actually prefer it because it’s easier for the two of them to talk, and because they can avoid most of the staring if they stay in their dorm.
Tonight though, Albus is not in the mood to study, and he has been making paper cranes for the past half an hour whilst whining that Scorpius isn’t paying him any attention. Scorpius is, as usual, enthralled in a book and isn’t paying Albus any attention – that is until Albus flicks his wand and one the paper cranes flies in front of Scorpius’ book.
“Al, will you stop it!” Scorpius says, but he’s laughing, and Albus knows he’s not really annoyed.
“Sorry, I’m bored. I didn’t sleep well last night and I can’t concentrate.” Albus says, and Scorpius’ expression turns concerned as he focuses his full attention on Albus.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Scorpius asks softly, and Albus contemplates for a second before he shakes his head.
“No it’s okay, don’t worry. It wasn’t nightmare-y or anything.” Albus says, and Scorpius nods.
“Okay, you know where I am if you change your mind.” Scorpius says.
“Yeah, of course.” Albus says and Scorpius smiles briefly at him before returning his attention back to his book. Albus looks at Scorpius fondly for a second before gathering up his things to change for bed.
When he returns, he opts to sit on Scorpius’ bed rather than his own. He wriggles up to Scorpius as close as he can get, poking him in the arm until he puts his book down again.
“What now?” Scorpius tries to sound exasperated, but he doesn’t manage it.
“I’m cold.” Albus mutters, nudging Scorpius’ arm until he can fit his head under it to rest on Scorpius’ chest, and he slings an arm across Scorpius’ belly. It is his standard position when he’s cold; Scorpius’ natural temperature is always slightly warmer than normal and Albus is always ready to take full advantage of his more than willing personal hot water bottle. Scorpius affectionately scratches the top of Albus’ head and moves his book so he can read one-handed as not to disturb Albus.
“Will you read to me?” Albus asks.
“Yeah of course.” Scorpius says softly, and he turns the page of his book with his thumb and starts reading aloud.
- - -
Kian Finnigan-Thomas traipses up the stairs from the Slytherin common room to the dormitory. He is knackered, and can’t wait to get into bed. When he pushes the door open, he can’t help but smile at the sight that greets him.
Scorpius Malfoy is stretched out on his bed, one arm dangling off it and a book barely still in his grasp, his head resting to the side. Albus Potter is curled up next to him, his face buried in Scorpius’ chest and his arm curled up Scorpius’ body. They are both fast asleep.
Kian flicks his wand and casts a silent charm so that the curtains of both Albus’ and Scorpius’ beds shuffle quietly closed.
He doesn’t mind that they’re in love, but he’s not sure what the rest of their dorm mates would say if they saw them.
FOUR - PROFESSOR HICKS
“Right, we’re attempting a tricky potion today everyone so hurry up and settle down!” Professor Hicks calls the her sixth years as they filter into her classroom in the dungeons. The students quickly sit down, some of them sporting expressions of mild curiosity, and some of them looking like they want the class to be over already.
She waits until the last two students – Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy, again, she notes – have filed into the classroom before flicking her wand. The word Amortentia appears on it in chalk and, she notices with pride, everyone seems to be paying more attention.
“I want you to split into pairs for today’s exercise and you’re going to attempt to brew one of the most powerful love potions in the world. It may come up on your NEWT exams and I want you all the be prepared for that eventuality. You’ve got until the end of the class.” she flicks her wand again, and the instructions appear on the board beneath the name of the potion. “You may begin!”
There is a slight kerfuffle as the students split up, some making their way over to the store cupboards, others poking the fire beneath the cauldrons and squinting at the board. She walks among the students, correcting those who she can see are going wrong, and praising those who are working quickly and efficiently.
In the older classes she teaches, she’s always interested to see how the pairs work together as they have been for years. Polly Chapman and Yann Fredericks bicker loudly and flirtily, but always make an alright potion in the end, Kian Finnigan-Thomas and Jennifer Bones work studiously and methodically without any real flair, and Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy seem to know exactly what the other one wants without once speaking to each other.
(She would never admit it because teachers aren’t supposed to play favourites, but she has a soft spot for Albus and Scorpius; Albus is a Potions genius, and Scorpius is always so enthusiastic in her classes).
The lesson ticks on, and Professor Hicks is delighted that most of her students seem to be managing pretty well. When there’s only a few minutes of the lesson left, she goes back up to the front of the classroom and addresses the whole class.
“You should all be about there with your potions now, and if you’ve done it right, you should be able to smell the things that you find most attractive. If you feel like it, you can write down what it is you smell just so you know if you’ve done it right. You don’t have to show anyone, it’s purely for your own personal gain.” Professor Hicks says, and there’s a small shuffling as a handful of people get quills and parchment out.
She stays at the front of the room out of respect for her student’s privacy, and doesn’t notice that it’s nearly time for class to end. The bell rings to signal the end of class, and the Professor realises she hasn’t asked for the potions.
“Will you all bring me a vial of your potion please, quick as you can?” she calls, and whips around the classroom, cajoling her students into action (after a class on Amortentia, most of her students always seem a little giggly and distracted).
She catches sight of a list on one of the desks at the back of the classroom, impeccable and curly handwriting listing chocolate, blown out flames, earth after rain. She ignores it for want of rushing her students out so she can set up for the next class.
When the classroom is empty, she scoops up the list to throw it in the bin and catches sight of a scrunched up piece of parchment underneath the other chair of the same desk. She flattens it (just in case it’s important), and sees a messy scrawl listing old books, pepper mint, Slytherin dorm .
She thinks of quiet, bookish Scorpius who sneaks sweets into class likes he thinks she doesn’t notice, and potions genius Albus, who always has dirt under his nails from working with his godfather in the greenhouses, and smiles.
FIVE – LILY POTTER
Lily is finding fifth year difficult. She is loving her classes and Quidditch, but the revision? Not so much. The only thing she likes about the studying is that the more she does, the closer it means she is to finishing and she can carry on with things she actually wants to do.
Today, for example, the spring sunshine looks incredibly enticing but she’s stuck in the library revising the definitions of various Charms and the theory behind them. There is compensation in that a lot of her classmates are here, and most seventh years are as well to study for their NEWTs.
Slightly bored and after a break, Lily leans back in her chair and glances around before her eyes settle on two students sat in a quiet corner by themselves. Her brother and his best friend, who have been spending as much time in the library this year as her. She finds comfort in that; it means less people are picking on them, and they feel more comfortable being in the presence of the other Hogwarts students.
She watches them for a minute, for want of anything better to do, and realises that actually only one of them is studying.
Albus is clearly concentrating on his work, a book open on the table in front of him, alternating between reading from it and scribbling down notes on a piece of parchment. Scorpius is sat next to him, his elbows resting on the table and his quill in his hand, but he is definitely not studying. He is just watching Albus.
Lily is paying slightly more attention to them now, and as soon as Albus shifts slightly in his seat, Scorpius seems startled into working, and then Albus doesn’t do anything for a moment but leans back in his chair and watches Scorpius for a few minutes.
And so it goes on, both of them sneaking glances across the table when the other isn’t looking. Lily wishes they would catch each other just to see what would happen.
She shakes her head at how oblivious they are, and gets back to work.
+1 – SCORPIUS MALFOY & ALBUS POTTER
“Can you believe it’s our last day at Hogwarts?” Scorpius says, closing his trunk for the last time and looking over at his best friend, who is sitting crossed legged on his bed and twisting his Slytherin scarf in his hands.
Albus shakes his head but doesn’t say anything.
“Are you okay?” Scorpius asks, concerned, as he goes over to Albus’ bed and climbs on it to sit next to him. Albus shakes his head again, and looks away from Scorpius. Scorpius has been friends with Albus long enough to know that that means he’s really upset, but doesn’t want Scorpius to know.
Scorpius shuffles up closer to Albus so he can wrap his arms around Albus’ waist and drop his chin onto Albus’ shoulder.
“What’s wrong, Al?” Scorpius asks softly, and Albus sniffs loudly before taking Scorpius’ arms from round him and turning back to face him. Scorpius can see tears swimming in Albus’ eyes, and he feels his heart sink.
“Please talk to me.” Scorpius encourages gently; he never pushes Albus, and he never will, but neither does he want Albus to needlessly suffer in silence. Albus doesn’t speak for a moment, and Scorpius thinks that maybe he won’t, until he clears his throat and blinks a couple of times to get rid of the tears.
“I’m just going to miss you that’s all.” Albus says, and his voice breaks, and so does Scorpius’ heart.
“You don’t need to miss me Al, we’re going to see each other all the time.” Scorpius reasons. He doesn’t know if he’s trying to reassure Albus or himself; he’s been worrying since September what this summer will bring. He is worried that the distance between him and Albus will actually mean something now, and that they won’t have time for each other when there are actual careers in the way.
“Are we?” Albus asks, and it’s like all of Scorpius’ worst fears have come true. If Albus thinks it too, then what’s going to happen to them?
“Of course.” Scorpius says instead, but his voice trembles and gives him away slightly. Albus looks distressed.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you as well!”
“No, you didn’t. I’m just scared about what’s going to happen to us next.” Scorpius admits, and Albus reaches out to take one of Scorpius’ hands in both of his.
“So am I, Scor. But I know that I’m going to do everything I can to keep you in my life. I cannot, I cannot , imagine what I would do without you and there is no way I’m letting you go easily.” Albus’ voice is firm, and Scorpius feels his heart flutter.
“I’m going to do everything I can to keep you in my life too.” he says, and Albus nearly smiles, letting go of Scorpius’ hand and pushing forward to wrap him in a hug. Scorpius hugs Albus back tightly, and closes his eyes.
He thinks about all the moments they’ve had in this room; the hugs, the laughter, the games of exploding snap. He thinks about all the nights they’ve shared, whispering into the small hours of the morning, or cuddling together to get rid of the cold or the nightmares.
He thinks about his classes; how Albus helped him cast his first Patronus at aged 16 (how Albus basically is his Patronus), how when he smells Amortentia, he is reminded of Albus and home.
He thinks about all the times he’s caught himself staring at Albus during class, when they’re studying, when Albus is in the middle of concentrating hard on a potion. He thinks about all the times he’s caught himself missing Albus.
He thinks about himself, and how he is a happier, brighter, better person because of Albus.
And then he realises something he thinks he should have realised long ago. Isn’t he supposed to be smart? How can it have taken him this long to realise what all that means? He pulls out of the hug, and looks at his best friend, who seems to have a glimmer of something new in his eye too.
“I love you.” Scorpius says, and he sees Albus’ eyes widen, and he realises that he has heard that in stereo, that Albus has said it too.
“I love you.” he says again grinning, giggling, wanting Albus to hear it properly, and Albus is smiling back.
“I love you too, I love you so much.” Albus replies, and his voice sounds thick with tears again, but these are different tears, these are happy tears.
“Merlin, we’re stupid. How long do you think we’ve been in love?” Scorpius says, and Albus lets out a snort of laughter that in anyone else he would find unattractive, but from Albus it just makes his heart glow.
“I don’t know. Fourth year, maybe?” Albus replies, and Scorpius thinks back.
“I think you’re probably right.” Scorpius says. Albus is smiling at him blissfully, and Scorpius cups his face to rub at the stray tears that have fallen down his cheeks.
“Do you think anyone else knew?” Albus asks.
“No, I don’t think so. Not if we didn’t. How could they have known?”