Keeping Secrets
Scorpius/Albus Severus, pre-Harry/Draco [PG, 1446 words]
Disclaimer: JK Rowling and co own everything. I'm writing for fun and not for profit.
A/N: Hey, it's been a very long time since I've written something. But it's 19 years later and I'm in Orlando and how could I not write some Scorbus. First time writing this pairing and I couldn't resist adding Harry/Draco even if it's pre-slash. Un-beta'd, but I do hope you enjoy.
Summary: "Albus," Scorpius said, "I really want to tell my father about Harry Potter's crush on him."
Keeping Secrets
"You cannot tell your father about this, Scorpius," Albus said.
Scorpius squirmed, biting his lip. "I can't do that, Albus. I tell my father everything. He's my best friend, you know."
"I thought I was your best friend," Albus shot back and fell back onto the many pillows Scorpius had on his bed, wanting nothing more than to drag him down and snog him to make him stop talking. It was their last night at Hogwarts after all and he wanted to make it unforgettable.
Scorpius smiled. "Well, yes, you are, but that's changed now. You've been upgraded, you see. You're no longer on the top of my list. In fact, you're on an entirely separate list."
"What list?" Albus asked, frowning. "Scorpius, what are you talking about? I hate to tell this to you, but you're not making any sense. Again."
"Yeah, you see, I have a list of friends. And before Hogwarts, I only had my dad's name on the list. And Scorpius, my owl," Scorpius clarified. "And then you came along and you became my best friend. You talked to me right there on the train, when up until then you had probably only heard unpleasant rumours about my family. I was sure my father would have thought I was lying when I wrote to him the first night I was at Hogwarts. I mean a Potter and a Malfoy becoming friends? What a laughable idea. Yet it did happen and it's something I've never regretted."
Albus didn't know what to say. Yes, being friends with Scorpius was the best thing in his life. He had his siblings, of course, and more cousins than he could count, but no one understood him better than Scorpius.
"You supported me when I wanted to try out for Quidditch, though not at first, right? And you were totally right about Rose. I mean, what was I thinking? Yeah, she's smart and pretty and can play a mean game of Quidditch-" Scorpius faltered. "But the point is, I was wrong. Yeah, Rose is brilliant, but she wasn't you. I need someone whom I can always count on. Sure, we've had a few glitches-third year comes to mind- but I am never happier than when I am with you, Albus."
Albus looked away. Scorpius, despite being a Slytherin, wore his heart on his sleeve. And as uncomfortable as it was to hear it sometimes, he was secretly glad that Scorpius was brave enough to tell him. He was also glad that they could share what they were thinking about, even if Scorpius did most of the sharing. "Me too," Albus said at last, giving Scorpius a smile and reaching out to squeeze his hand.
"But you've been upgraded, you see. You're my boyfriend!" Scorpius said and Albus winced when Scorpius laid down beside him and hugged him tightly. "No, that doesn't sound right. You are more than that. You're my lover," he said proudly.
"How did sweet little Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy end up in Slytherin?" Albus murmured.
"Oh, that's simple, Albus," Scorpius said with a smile. "You've corrupted me from the very beginning. You're the boy my father warned me about."
They both laughed. Scorpius was anything but corrupted. "Surprisingly, my father adores you. You're the rebellious Slytherin in a family full of Gryffindors."
Albus nudged Scorpius' shoulder. "I bet he was shocked when you didn't Sort Hufflepuff."
Scorpius shrugged. "Uncle Blaise said my father lost a lot of money on that bet."
"Let me guess, he wasn't able to buy his monthly supply of cosmetics and hair products," Albus deadpanned.
"Probably," Scorpius said, smiling.
"It's a good thing he loves you, then," Albus said, and frowned when Scorpius' smile disappeared.
"Hmm," Scorpius responded and busied himself with tracing curlicue patterns on Albus' chest. Despite the slight ticklish feeling, Scorpius' response had him worried.
"What's wrong, Scorpius?"
"Albus," Scorpius said, turning on side so that he could see him. "I really want to tell my father about Harry Potter's crush on him."
"What! Why do you want to do that?"
Scorpius took a deep breath. "Because, well, I want my father to be happy. He's had a shitty childhood-"
"Scorpius!" Albus said in shock. Scorpius almost never swore and if he did, it meant he wanted to be taken seriously.
"They lived through a war, Albus. Can you imagine just how terrible that was? And then to come out on the losing side. It took a very long time for my father to be okay. And he managed to do that with the support of my grandmother and my mother. And don't tell anyone, but my grandmother told me that my father probably wouldn't have lived much longer if I hadn't survived our third year. Now do you see why I would want him to have a chance at happiness?"
Albus didn't know what to say to that. And that was saying something because in the seven years of being friends, he had thought that Scorpius had said everything that could possibly be said under the stars. Scorpius couldn't surprise him anymore.
Well, except for Scorpius showing up at the beginning of their final year and kissing him as soon as he had invited Albus to his own room that had been given to him for being Head Boy. And had very quietly, almost shyly, told him that they couldn't be friends anymore; he wanted to be boyfriends.
Without missing a heartbeat, Albus had said yes. And that made his final year of Hogwarts so much better than his first. He and Scorpius, who, despite his Head Boy status and very much due to Albus' influence, (so maybe he was a little corrupted), had snuck around Hogwarts ignoring their responsibilities.
"It just seems too weird," Albus said at last. "Scorpius, whatever you heard my father say last Christmas, that was just the ramblings of a crazy person. One who was possibly drunk. And all he said was that your father was fit. You have to take that into account."
"And that he had a fine arse, don't forget that. But a drunk man's words are a sober man's thoughts. That's how my father told me his feelings about your father. Besides, I have it on good authority that his drink was spiked with a truth serum so he wasn't lying when he said that."
Albus stared at him wide-eyed. "You put Veritaserum in my father's drink? And didn't get caught?"
Scorpius shook his head. "Not Veritaserum. I used one of your uncle's products. I just wanted to know if the rumours were true."
Albus stayed silent, thinking about everything. Sure, his mother and father had had an amicable divorce, but sometimes his father worked too hard at the Ministry, staying there overnight instead of going home to an empty house. He hadn't gone out on a date in ages, saying that he didn't want to have someone fawn over him because of his fame. Perhaps Mr Malfoy was just the person who could make his father happier.
"You know my father hates the spotlight-"
"I know that. But my father will be so subtle, it'll work. It will. Trust me on that, Albus."
He looked over to Scorpius and sighed. "If this ends up being a disaster, it'll be all your fault," Albus said at last. "But promise me that you will not play matchmaker with the rest of my family."
"Sure," Scorpius agreed readily. "But you don't have to worry about that because it will be great! I just know it."
"Wouldn't it be weird seeing our dads together?"
"We're seventeen, Albus. I think we can be the mature, responsible adults that everyone thinks we are."
They managed to keep a straight face for three seconds before they burst out laughing.
"Ugh, if it turns out well and they get married, we will be brothers." Albus looked horrified at the prospect.
"There's a way around that," Scorpius said. "We'll just have to get married before they do."
Albus was wrong. It seemed that Scorpius could always find something new to say that could shock him into silence. "I'll hold you to that promise," he said before rolling them over so that he was on top of Scorpius and began snogging him until they were both breathless.
When he pulled away, Albus whispered, "You don't know how amazing you are, Scorpius Potter."
"Hey, I didn't agree to that! If anything, you'd be Albus Malfoy. In fact, I think -"
Albus kissed him again. "No more thinking. We can figure that out later. Right now you should spend our last night at Hogwarts showing me how corrupted you've become."