This story is dedicated to my amazing friend Ciára. She's fantastic :) Ciára, I hope you like this story, you make a little cameo :P (She's weasleyboots on this site if you want to check her out!)

As always, the characters all belong to the wonderful JKR.

Hope you all like it!

Scorpius was over at the Potters' for the Christmas break. His parents had important business in France, and he was given the choice between Hogwarts and Albus' place. Of course, he chose Albus. They had just finished their dinner and everyone, save for Mr. and Mrs. Potter who were cleaning up the kitchen, was sitting in by the fireplace. Lily and her friend were putting plaits in each other's hair, James and his girlfriend Ciára were cuddling on the couch, and Albus and Scorpius were trying to unsuccessfully make some tinsel drape itself artistically on the tree. It currently looked like a couple of drunken wizards threw it at the tree.

"This is useless" Al murmured quietly, smiling.

"I completely agree" Scorpius grinned.

The boys got off the floor and sat in an empty couch.

"Look at them" Albus said, nodding in the direction of his brother, "They're kind of cute, aren't they?"

Scorpius was not expecting that. He thought Albus was going to call them sickening or something, being all dopey on the couch. He liked Albus; he had liked Albus since fourth year. And now they were in their last, and he still hadn't said anything. He knew Albus was as gay as he was, but he had not yet managed to muster up to courage to ask his best mate out. And then he goes and calls another couple cute and all Scorpius wanted to say was "That could be us!"

"Scor?" Albus was looking at him questioningly now, he had stayed silent for too long.

"What? Oh! Yeah, they are." He agreed, "I'm really happy for James, he finally found someone worth holding on to."

"I wish I had a boyfriend. One that would take care of me, and joke with me and who wouldn't hesitate to push me up against a wall and snog me senseless" Albus smiled wryly.

"One day, some guy will do that. He'll do everything you just mentioned and more. He'll treat you like gold, and he'll even cuddle after sex." Scorpius didn't know where the sappiness was coming from. He thought that maybe the crackling fire, soft music and his sated stomach had something to do with it.

Albus exhaled slowly, now grinning at his friend "Oh yeah? When do you reckon that day will come?"

"As soon as you want it to Al," Scorpius replied. He immediately felt warm and regretted saying anything. Albus looked like he was about to say something, but Scorpius feigned a yawn "You know, I'm pretty tired, you want to head to sleep now?"

Albus looked a little taken aback at the sudden change in conversation topic, and he was still trying to figure out what Scorpius had implied, but he nodded and the two of them bid everyone goodnight and headed to Albus' room.

…

"Hey Scorpius? You awake?" Albus asked fifteen minutes after both boys had climbed into their beds (Scorpius was on a cot near the window in Albus' room).

"Yeah, what's wrong?"

"What did you mean?"

"What are you talking about Al?" Scorpius sighed, pretending to be tired even though he knew exactly what was playing on his friend's mind.

"Before we came upstairs, you said I could have a boyfriend as soon as I wanted one. Remember?"

"Of course you could, you're a fit bloke and anyone would be lucky to have you." Scorpius was glad that he was hidden in the dark. He was sure that he was brighter red than a tomato.

He heard Albus chuckling, "Thanks mate. Same goes for you."

Scorpius smiled wryly. Albus didn't say anything else, and soon Scorpius drifted off to sleep. Albus however, was still awake.

For as long as he could remember, he and James had a little tradition on the night of the 24th of December. They'd creep downstairs early in the morning, while everyone was asleep, and make some hot chocolate and just talk. When they were younger, it was talks about what they hoped to open in the morning at their grandparents' house. But recently, it was just some brotherly catching up.

Albus padded downstairs, being careful not to wake Scorpius on his way out of his room. When he reached the tree, he was pleased to see that James was already there.

"Took you long enough" James smiled, holding out a mug for his brother.

"Sorry mate, how long have you been down here?"

"Ten minutes!"

Albus shot him a look but accepted the mug gratefully. "Oi, you could have put a warming charm on this mug! It never tastes as good if it's not piping hot!"

"Your fault for getting here so late" James smirked, reaching over and ruffling Albus' hair, "You get out okay? Didn't wake your boyfriend did you?"

"My boyfriend? Oh, come off it James, you know we're not dating."

"I also know he wants to."

"What?" Albus felt his blood run cold. Scorpius wanted to date…him?

"Al, don't tell me you're that thick!"

"Don't be a git!"

"No Al, I'm being serious."

"Shut up James. Let's talk about something else" Albus was starting to feel very uncomfortable. The idea that Scorpius might like him was…scary. But a good kind of scary, a kind of scary that Albus felt he could embrace.

"Okay fine, listen. I wouldn't have noticed. But Ciára asked me if you two were together. And when I laughed and said no, she mentioned that you guys would be really cute and stuff. And I know you're gay, and I'm pretty sure he is. So, I watched him a bit…oh don't give me that look Al! I was doing research! Anyway, I watched him a bit and noticed that he's always smiling at you. Not just regular smiling, like...smiling. Then I saw him checking out your arse when you walked up the stairs the other night!"

"Blimey. I dunno what to say" Albus' mind was racing.

"I would have thought that you'd have figured it out by now mate, you're usually not too bad with feelings and crap like that." James was almost laughing now. Seeing Albus panic though, he decided that the best course of action would be to change the subject and let his little brother mull over things in his own time.

The Potter boys ended up staying downstairs for another two hours, and when neither of them could keep his eyes open, they both trudged back to their respective rooms. Although the last thing they talked about was a scandal at Gringotts, Albus was only thinking about Scorpius as he opened the door as quietly as he could.

Scorpius was a very light sleeper, he threw off sleep easily and hearing the door creak at five o'clock in the morning had him opening sleepy eyes.

"Al? Is that you?" He mumbled, his voice deeper than usual because of the sleep.

Albus shivered as he made his way over to his bed. "Yeah it's me. Go back to sleep"

Scorpius sat up a little "Where were you?"

"I was talking to James downstairs. Old tradition" Albus was now in bed, and hoping that Scorpius would drop it. He had never kept anything from him, but he couldn't fathom how he was supposed to bring up possibly liking him. He just needed to think right now, and if Scorpius kept asking questions, everything would be out in the open a lot sooner than he would like.

"Oh. Okay."

"Sorry to wake you Scor. Goodnight"

"Night Al"