Sins of the Fathers
"I hate you."
The single sentence settled against his skin and slowly wormed its way to his heart. His knuckles turn pale as he clenched his fist at his side. It was all he could do not to break down crying and beg his fair-haired lover not to say that, to kiss him and hold him and tell him that it's going to be alright. They would work it out.
He longed to believe that.
Scorpius set his head against James's shoulder and sobbed silently, shoulders heaving. James let himself fall back against the wall of that alcove in the dungeons they always went to and threw his arms around the smaller boy. It was when he began to feel dampness on his chest that he noticed that Scorpius had been crying the entire time.
James rubbed his hands over the small of Scorpius's back soothingly. He said nothing. He didn't know what to say. He hated himself too.
He hadn't meant for this to happen. He knew that his family and Scorp's family had hated each other long before their fathers had gone to school. He knew that it wasn't their fathers' faults. That their grandfathers hated each other as well (and it had continued in that pattern for centuries and centuries).
But he couldn't help but feel that if their fathers hadn't been mortal enemies, this wouldn't be such a problem. If his father wasn't Harry Potter, and if Scorpius's father wasn't Draco Malfoy, then maybe they would have eventually worked out.
Sure, some people might think it was a little weird how they had gone from rivals to lovers in a period of a few months. Sure, some people might even have a problem with the whole gay thing. It just seemed so minor in comparison to everything else.
Scorpius put his hands on James's chest and pushed himself away from the broad-shouldered seventh year. "I was supposed to have met Rose in the library twenty minutes ago," he explained somewhat apologetically, "She'll be wondering where I am."
James nodded. "Well," he said, eyes flickering between Scorpius's mouth and his warm gray eyes. His index finger wiped away the tears one by one. "You'd better get going then," he ended huskily.
Scorpius's eyes settled on James's lips. Tentatively, he brushed his mouth against James's chastely. "I'll see you tomorrow, then?"
James laughed softly. "Yeah, I guess you will."
Scorpius gave him a quick smile before turning around to leave. James caught his arm and drew him back, capturing his mouth. Scorpius melted.
When James let him go, all traces of melancholy were gone. Scorpius blushed slightly and turned to leave again. He lingered in front of James, who had been induced into a light-headed daze by the blonde, for a moment before walking down the hall.
James left as well. He really did need to get that Advanced Charms essay done, after all, and curfew was swiftly approaching. When he was halfway done the hall, he hard Scorpius call, "James!"
Surprised, he turned back around.
"I don't hate you," Scorpius said quietly. Although they were pretty far away from each other, James still knew what he had said.
He smiled sadly. "I know."
"Merlin, I hate you, Potter," a similar tow-head snarled as he rammed another raven-haired boy against the stone wall. He harshly ravaged his mouth, and the other boy did nothing to stop him, but instead threw his arms around the blonde's neck and smiled.
Breaking the kiss for air, he gasped, "I know, Malfoy. I hate you too."
They had just finished Potions. Snape had been unmerciful towards Longbottom, per usual, and Potter had been unfortunate enough to be paired with the bumbling idiot. Draco snorted as he remembered the look on Potter's face when Longbottom blew up their third cauldron in a row. Priceless.
Harry smiled too. "What's so funny?" he whisper-asked as he nuzzled his head against Draco's neck.
"Oh, I was just remembering how that oaf you call a Gryffindor burned off your eyebrows," he remarked with a cruel laugh, placing kisses where Harry's eyebrows used to be. "You had such nice eyebrows too," he pouted.
Harry stopped smiling. He drew away from the other boy and pushed away from him angrily. "I don't understand why you have to be so mean to Neville, of all people," he said, eyes burning. "If you knew half of the things he'd been through, you wouldn't dare be so mean. It's so unnecessary, Draco."
He traced a finger along the remains of his eyebrows self-consciously. "And they'll grow back," he added.
"Come off it, Harry. You know that I'll never be nice to Longbottom or any other Gryffindor that dares cross my path," he retorted, puffing his chest out proudly.
"And your eyebrows are cute." He caressed Harry's neck and grinned toothily.
"I just-" he began to reply heatedly, when Draco interrupted him by pressing his lips against Harry's. Draco rubbed his thumb against Harry's cheek, and Harry's mouth quirked upwards.
"Don't think you're getting off easy," Harry murmured.
"Oh, never," Draco said, which was muffled against Harry's shirt.
When a group of Hufflepuffs passed the alcove the two were hidden in, each stiffened. As soon as they had passed, Draco drew Harry into another kiss. Harry resisted and pulled back.
"We can't," he told him. "Not now. That was too close…someone's going to find us."
Draco nodded in agreement, albeit glumly. He walked out of the alcoves, hands shoved down into his pockets (incredibly un-Malfoy-like). Harry followed suit and the two were open to all eyes. Harry quickly looked around, to see that the hallway was now empty.
"See you tomorrow, Potter," Draco drawled, smirking. He glanced about the hallway as well, before stepping closer to Harry and pecking him softly once more.
"First thing in the morning," Harry agreed.
Draco deepened the kiss, and Harry let him. The two were lost in the moment, hands raking over the other and panting for air.
Harry heard Ron's voice from down the hall and panicked. Draco must have heard it as well, because in the time it had taken to start the kiss, it was ended. Draco's eyes were clouded with lust and something else Harry couldn't quite place. He looked as if he were going to say something, when Ron and Hermione turned the corner, Seamus and Dean trailing behind them.
Draco wound his arm back and punched Harry square in the jaw. Harry staggered backwards, feeling shooting pain below his mouth. "Ugh," he intoned rubbed it gently. Draco tried desperately to communicate silently that he was so sorry, that he had to do it. Harry nodded his head minimally, so that the four Gryffindors wouldn't understand.
Harry pushed Draco to the ground and straddled his stomach. He held Draco's arms above his head. It was all Draco could do to keep from moaning. Harry, remembering that he was supposed to be fighting the boy, not making love to him, knocked his fist into Draco's eyes. He was sure that tomorrow there would be a purple swell where his hand had been.
There, Harry thought contently, an eye for an eye. Rather, an eye for a chin, he had amended later.
Hermione shrieked, and Ron rushed to Harry's side. Seamus and Dean pulled Harry off of Draco, Harry kicking and snarling the entire time. After all, he had to keep the effect. Draco pulled himself off of the group and clutched his eye. With a backward glance to the five, he power walked towards the infirmary.
"Are you okay, mate?" Dean asked, eyes wide.
Harry bit the inside of his lip to keep himself from smiling. He was quite alright indeed.
"Malfoy, Scorpius," Professor Sprout called during roll-call in Herbology. They were in Greenhouse 5 today, studying common plants that would be found in wizarding households. James was caddy-corner from him, across from Reagan Wood, who was sitting beside him.
He had been placed in an advanced course of Herbology when he had aced his Herbology OWLS last year. Seeing as it was the only class he had with James, and practically the only time he saw him out of the day, he was grateful for the decision.
"Here," he replied quietly, putting on his dragonhide gloves.
"Potter, James," she continued.
With a sidelong glance at Scorpius, he responded, "Here as well, Professor Sprout." Professor Sprout beamed at James, he was clearly a favorite in the class. Scorpius suppressed a roll of his eyes. James being the goody-two-shoes always made him chuckle.
He had found Rose last night, but not in the library. She was back in their common room, impatiently awaiting his return, with a book on famous muggle chemists in hand. As she flicked her gold-red hair, he couldn't help but think of how the color of her hair reflected their house colors. Red and gold, both Weasley colors and Gryffindor colors.
James was a Ravenclaw.
"Class, today we will be learning how to care for Bolivian Basil plants…" Professor Sprout began to lecture.
James dropped his head below the table, as if to tie his shoe. When he emerged, he looked pointedly at Scorpius and then towards the ground. Scorpius waited a few minutes, making sure no one noticed the similar behavior when he as well dropped down.
He found a crumpled piece of parchment that must have ricocheted off of his leg when James threw it. He picked it up and straightened up.
Professor Sprout eyed him warily. "Is everything alright, Mr. Malfoy?"
Scorpius blushed. "Yes, it is. I was tying my shoe. Sorry," he apologized, words mushing together. She nodded, the apology seemed to have worked, and continued with the lesson. Reagan smirked at him and flipped the page of the book they were sharing.
Scorpius smiled back, but Reagan wasn't looking anymore. James was. He stared at Scorpius, a calculating expression marring his otherwise certain face.
But James was always looking.
He paid attention to the class for a few minutes, before uncrumpling the piece of paper.
On it was a short note.
Scorp, I love you.
Scorpius felt himself go cold. He forced an unfeeling mask onto his face, he didn't want to upset James in the middle of class. James always let his temper get the best of him, and if that happened know, Scorpius wasn't sure that James wouldn't tell their secret.
He liked James. A lot. But love? He didn't know. He was only sixteen, for Merlin's sake! He was in his sixth year.
He was inexperienced. James was his second boyfriend, and he never really had a thing for girls. How was he supposed to know what love felt like?
He didn't want to hurt James. James was the most important thing in his life. He was so constant, always there. His father was never there, his mother was either too drunk or stoned to care about him. He didn't want James to leave him.
But he didn't want to have to lie to James either. Scorpius felt his eyes fill up with tears. He just didn't know!
He raised his hand.
"Yes, Mr. Malfoy?" Professor Sprout answered, exasperated.
Scorpius went green. "I, I need…" he began, but ran out of the greenhouse when he felt his stomach begin to creep up his throat.
"I'll go after him, Professor," James offered and took off on a brisk walk after him.
Scorpius made it to the shrubs behind Hagrid's hut before he tossed his lunch. It was a good bit away from the greenhouse, and definitely out of sight. James held back his shoulder-length hair with one hand and rubbed his back with the other as Scorpius heaved.
When the sickness subsided, Scorpius sat back, legs criss-crossed. He rubbed his nose and leaned into James, who was also now sitting, legs on either side of Scorpius's body. James put his arms around Scorpius's shoulders and pulled him into a hug.
"Are you alright?" he asked, worry creasing his forehead.
Scorpius turned around to face James. He didn't answer, but burrowed his head into James's arm pit.
James waited patiently for Scorpius's response.
"I don't know," he replied quietly.
James was quiet too for a while. "That's okay," he finally said.
Scorpius looked up into James's eyes. "I do like you, James. I like you a lot. I just…I don't know…" he drifted off and then lowered his eyes. James pulled him into a tighter hug, so that his chin was set atop Scorpius's head.
"That's okay," he repeated. "I love you, Scorp. And I'll continue to love you until you make up your mind. I don't need to know right away."
"Thank you," Scorpius whispered.
"Good going, Potter," Draco sneered. "You just had to go and start that fight. As if I needed another detention this year."
Harry didn't answer, but kept his eyes trained on the cauldron he was scrubbing. Draco glanced over at Snape. He was checking some first year essays, when a loud bang came from outside. He arched an eyebrow and stood up, calmly walking out the door.
When he snapped the door shut, Draco spoke to Harry once more. "I'm sorry for your jaw," he said sincerely.
"And I'm sorry about your eye," Harry replied. The swell around Draco's eye was purple, as he had predicted, but also with black and blue swirled in.
"I think it's quite becoming myself," Draco joked.
Harry closed his eyes and smiled. "Very sexy indeed."
Draco picked up his sponge and began to scrub casually at his cauldron. When Snape came back in, they both were working diligently.
"Isn't this surprising," Snape drawled softly. "Potter actually doing his work, instead of starting fights. I applaud you."
Harry didn't say anything in response. By now, he knew better. And it really wasn't worth another detention.
When a bigger and louder bang came from outside, Snape sighed and went to attend to that as well. On the way out, the two heard him muttering, "That bothersome Peeves…"
"I love you," Draco said, without fully thinking about what he was saying.
Harry froze. "What?" he asked sharply.
Draco realized what he had said. It wasn't as if he didn't mean it; he just knew that Harry wasn't ready for this step yet, if he ever would be. He grimaced.
"You heard what I said," he replied, though not unkindly.
"I was hoping that I had misheard," Harry said solemnly. He picked off a burnt piece of matter that was on his pot.
"Is that all you have to say?" Draco asked, eyes beginning to burn with embarrassment and rejection. He stared at Harry, who refused to look at him.
"I didn't think that this was a love-thing," Harry finally said.
"A love-thing?" Draco asked in astonishment, "A love-thing."
"I didn't think—" Harry began.
Draco cut him off. "No, you didn't think." Draco slammed his fist against his desk. "You didn't think that I cared about you? Why the hell else would I even bother…? Why would we have continued our relationship if I didn't care. If you didn't care."
"Of course I…care…about you, Draco," Harry said uncomfortably, "I just didn't think that what we had was a commitment thing."
"You care about me, but you have no qualms about tramping all over my heart," Draco rebutted.
"Well," Harry began, feathers getting ruffled, "You wouldn't have bothered? You wouldn't have bothered with me if you didn't know that I would fall in love with you eventually, if that right?"
"Don't take this off of yourself, Harry," Draco spat. "Just because you're the freaking poster boy for commitment anxiety doesn't mean that you can use that excuse time after time."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Harry cried out.
"What do you think it meant," Draco snarled. Each was scowling at the other when Snape re-entered the room.
Snape once again quirked his eyebrow at the change of atmosphere. He chose not to remark, as the two boys were glaring daggers at each other.
"Well," Snape drawled when the clock on his desk tolled midnight, "You are free to go. Try to keep out of trouble for one night."
Harry stomped out of the room, and Draco followed behind him. Harry continued towards Gryffindor tower without looking back. Draco stopped as soon as they were around the corner from the Potions room. "Come on, Har," he plead, "You know I didn't mean it."
Harry stopped but didn't turn around. "Didn't mean what, Draco, that fact that I'm a poster boy for commitment anxiety or that you loved me."
"I do love you," Draco said.
"I don't believe you," Harry whispered. He took off down the hall, and Draco didn't follow him this time.
"But I do. I love you completely and unconditionally," Draco said, though no one was there to hear.
"Is it true?" Albus asked James angrily at breakfast the next morning. He was sitting with his family at the Gryffindor table, a tradition they had started when Lily had come to Hogwarts a few years ago and had continued. Scorpius was a few seats away.
"That you're a total prat who happens to be failing Transfig?" James answered light-heartedly. "Yeah, of course it is."
Albus didn't smile. "Is it true that you're screwing Malfoy?" he asked coldly.
The Great Hall quieted. James looked over at Scorpius, who had gone pale and was a second away from hiding behind Rose. James looked back at Albus, who was glaring at his older brother.
"His name is Scorpius," James answered calmly.
"So you are screwing him," Albus said loudly. "I knew it!"
"I've never had sex with him, Albus," James replied. Scorpius looked as if he were about to faint.
"You're a traitor to the Potter name, James," Albus sneered. "I'm ashamed to call you my brother."
"You seem to be the only one with a problem towards Scorpius, Al. Lily adores Scorpius; he's Rose's best friend. You're the only one who so biased that they can't let go of the past," James retorted, tone beginning to flare with anger.
"Are you in a relationship with him or not," Albus rephrased.
James paused to think of how to answer most accurately. He caught Scorpius's eye and smiled reassuringly. He looked up at his brother, who was standing over him while James was sitting on the bench still. "I love him," he said simply.
Albus's eyes got as wide as saucers. "What?!" he screeched.
"First you're screwing Malfoy, and now you're in love with him!" he said hysterically. "What is the world coming to?"
James looked for Scorpius at where he had been sitting, but found no one there. James frantically looked towards the double doors of the Great Hall. Scorpius wasn't there either. He felt a hand on his shoulder. He swiveled his head upwards to see that it was Scorpius beside him.
Scorpius looked at Albus, who was agape. "And I love him back," he said loudly, so that everyone could hear. James felt like his heart was going to spill open.
He interlaced his fingers with Scorpius's and stood up. "Really?" James asked tentatively, as if Scorpius was going to yell 'psych' at any given moment.
"I do," Scorpius attested.
"I love you completely and unconditionally."
The end! Let me say that this story was intended to fall within canon's guidelines, with the exception of the added D/H relationship, of course. So that should clue you guys in on what happened to Harry and Draco's relationship.
Review please!