A/N: It's been a long while since I last posted to this website, and an even longer while since I posted anything romantic. Which is why this might come as a surprise to anyone who has read my other Ginny x Harry stories, that this is very much out of the realms of my normal writing. But a lot has changed since then, including my Harry Potter opinions. Don't get me wrong! Hinny is still up there - but since reading Cursed Child, and given that I'll be seeing the play next February, I thought that a bigger gaping hole needed filling in the romantic canon of JKR's world.

Scorbus.

I'm not going to go into a rant about how they should be together - I think my fanfic speaks for itself. But JK Rowling, if it was bad enough that you've brought me back from the real world and into the world of fanfiction again, just to write for a sadly lacking but desperately perfect ship, I think it's safe to say that you should have written Scorpius and Albus together.

Aside from that one issue, you're still my Queen; and you still have the rights to the world I am about to dive head-first back into. But I genuinely think Scorbus was a missed opportunity.

Thus, I have taken those two precious smols into my own hands and have given them the love they deserve. Enjoy xx

Albus' Letter

I told him to meet me at the top of the Astronomy Tower at exactly midnight. It didn't exactly matter that we meet up here; we were in the same house, we slept in the same room, and when this was all over perhaps there'd be an awkward moment when we both realised we were walking back to the same place anyway.

But it felt better up here. Up here, my mind was clearer. The night air helped to keep me calm and saying what I had to say to him didn't seem as daunting if my words were carried off by the chilly Autumn wind.

We'd only been back at school for little over a month and already it was too much to handle. After a summer like the one we had just passed, I had been stupid to believe that things would be alright.

Not after that letter of mine… not after his silence because of it. Of course things weren't alright.

So, I asked that he meet me here. After a little over a month of avoiding each other's gazes, finding other people to sit with and making sure never to be alone in a room together… I wanted it to end. We had to go forwards. Whatever that meant, I would have to brave it.

Even if it meant losing him. Knowing had to be better than this horrible limbo.

When he arrived, I was sitting at the edge of the tower – legs dangling over the edge, forehead pressed against the handrail. It took his voice to pull me from my thoughts –

'Albus…?'

My heart clenched painfully and for just a moment, it was like I couldn't breathe; like the sound of his delicate voice wrapped around my name took all the air suddenly from my surroundings.

Slowly, I turned my head… and for the first time in what was now three months, I got a proper look at him.

Scorpius – my Scorpius –

How painfully inaccurate.

I got to my feet to greet him, trying very hard not to stumble over my shaking legs – 'H-hey—'

He looked uncertain, flighty, like he could bolt at any moment. So unlike himself, it seemed to me, so unlike my best friend, who I'd known and loved for going on seven years now…

His eyes were hooded, his hair uncharacteristically dishevelled. In fact, the more I looked at him, the more it occurred to me how not himself Scorpius looked.

'Hey, are you alright?' I asked, voice less shaky. It was seven-year-old instincts that brought those words from my mouth and momentarily distracted me from the reason as to why I'd brought him here.

'I'm alright, Albus.' His expression seemed to shutter right before my eyes, and he all but retreated a step. In response, a part of me seemed to reach for him – 'You… you said to meet you here.'

That seemed to be his way of getting right to the point. In some aspects, it hurt me almost as much as these past few months had hurt. I can't believe I'd ruined our friendship. I can't believe I'd taken my best friend and turned him into a stranger.

Ignoring the burn behind my eyes, I nodded. My hands were braced behind me on the rail, curling tightly around the cold, biting metal. 'I had to talk to you, Scor—'

His elegant brows knitted together. 'Oh.' A pause. 'What about?'

And I couldn't help but stare at him. What about? When he didn't seem to pick up on the fact that his words had just cut straight through any pretence that I was alright, I stammered out, 'W-what – Scor, we haven't talked since… since the end of Sixth Year—'

I watched his eyebrows furrow deeper… and he averted his gaze, turning his head so I couldn't read his expression. 'I know.'

My stomach turned itself inside out and my knees went weak.

For a long, long time, I couldn't think of anything to combat this with. And we just stood in silence.

I searched his features for any hint of my best friend, of the boy… the young man whom I adored, whom I had thought adored me –

There was only distant, impenetrable cool. I was reminded of his father… then decided instantly that this was not a good thing.

'S-Scor—' My voice cracked as I tried to speak, and it had me clenching my jaw. 'Look… look. I-I know I messed up, alright? That letter—' His expression seemed to shift but I gleaned nothing more from the change than I had before '—I know it was stupid of me to… to write it, and I'm sorry, truly, Scor, I'm sorry, but – please, let's not… don't… I don't want to be the one responsible for the end of our friendship. Please. Maybe… maybe it's too late to go back now, I don't know, but I don't want this to be it.'

He seemed to sway a little on the spot, but he didn't turn his head or say anything, or give anything more away in his expression. I'd always hated that about him, always, that so often his features said nothing of his feelings.

'Please, Scor.' Some distant part of me marvelled that he had this much power over me, that he had me begging easily, that if he required it, he could have had me on my knees before him, willing to surrender absolutely anything for a look, or… or a smile, or – 'We've been through so much, we're… we're better than this! Than to let a stupid… a stupid whim of mine ruin it all – Scor… Scorpius, please—'

Only on his full name did he turn his head, almost in habitual surprise that I had used the full three syllables. That barely ever happened. And for the first time all night, I saw something stir in his pale green eyes, almost silver in this light.

'Albus.' His delicate lips tugged down into a frown. 'That's not… this isn't your fault.' His voice was almost gruff.

'Yes it is,' I flinched, 'of course it is. It's all my fault, but if you can just forget that the summer ever happened—'

'Albus, stop.'

'No, Scorpius, I can't – how could I stop? You're my best friend, and you have been for the best parts of my life, I can't just sit down and take it when I've ruined it all—'

'Albus, you've ruined nothing.'

'Then why are you ignoring me?' I demanded, searching his gaze. The cold distance seemed to falter and for I moment I thought I might have gotten somewhere. 'Why haven't you spoken to me, or even looked at me? Why didn't you write back?' I flinched, then said, 'I-I know it was probably scary and unwanted, and I had no right to… to bollocks it all up like that…'

But the distance had returned, and with it a kind of resolute hardness. 'Stop.'

'No, I—'

'You don't understand anything, Albus,' Scorpius said.

Anger filled me and I cried, 'No, you're right I don't! So please explain it to me…!'

'I-I can't…' Scorpius' hands curled into fists around his robes and he took a physical step back.

So I took one forward, then another, looking at him with wide, searching eyes. 'Why not?' I demanded.

'Albus—'

'Why not, Scorpius? Why can't you explain it?'

Scorpius was silent, looking at me now with a deep, upset frown. He looked closest, now, to the man I knew, but I hated that it had come at a moment of clear distress for him.

I understood none of this; none of how he was acting, nor anything of what he was saying. If only he would just –

When I saw tears fill his eyes, something base and utterly instinctual within me broke – and all my anger dissipated within the moment.

'Scor?' I stared.

He mumbled something and stepped back, but it was a second too late for I reached out and pulled him into a hug almost instantly. For just a moment or two, he seemed to protest, pushing weakly against me, but as I pulled him even closer, he stiffened… then went limp, turning his head into me. Then he began to cry in earnest.

'A-Al—' He shuddered, hands curling around the front of my shirt.

Surprise and utmost devastation coursed through me as I held him close. Whilst this did nothing to ease my confusion, I knew without even having to think about it that nothing mattered any more as much as my best friend's sudden and very clear sadness.

He needed me. Whether he liked that fact or not.

I pulled my arms tightly around him, and he seemed to cry harder.

'Oh… Scor…' I sighed.

He just sobbed painfully into my shoulder.

It seemed to take forever for him to calm even a little. He just cried and cried and cried, and I held him through it all, patient and aching. That had always been the way. His sadness was mine, and vice versa.

Now, with his clear devastation, I felt almost close to tears myself.

But eventually… eventually, his sobs began to ease off. And Scorpius, with gentle shudders and pants, grew slowly silent and calm in my arms.

The knot in my stomach did not ease, however. I could still feel him shaking from head to toe.

'Scorpius,' I murmured, 'what is it?'

And I felt him weaken against me.

'Albus…' he whimpered.

'I'm here.' The words slipped out, and I had no mind to regret them in this moment, though I might later.

He sighed, softly and sweetly. And I had the most inappropriate urge to kiss his forehead, and up into his hair – an urge which I did not act upon.

'Please,' I murmured instead, 'tell me what's wrong.'

It took a moment. But he eventually murmured, 'Y-your letter—'

Oh.

I flinched and felt my arms slacken around him; he whimpered and pulled close, 'No,' he whispered, barely audibly.

I froze.

And after a few terse pauses, he said, 'Nothing's ever made me happier than your letter did.'

It was like the world suddenly stopped existing outside of this moment; this pocket, bubble… just us two – and his words…

'What…?' I stammered out gently, blinking.

He gave a soft and… rather pitiful sniffle, and I wondered vaguely at the state of my robes now that he'd cried all over them – 'I loved your letter,' he proclaimed weakly.

'You did?!'

He nodded slowly.

'Then… then why—?'

'My… my father… loved it less—' And in my arms, I felt Scorpius flinch.

Immediately, everything seemed to click into place. And the realisation chilled me from head to toe.

'Your father?' My tone darkened.

'Yes.' Now that he'd gotten it out, the tension was gone from Scorpius' body. He leant against me heavily. 'He… he found the letter I intended to send back to you. Found it and… and read it… and—'

'Oh, Scor,' I breathed out, blinking at the feeling of everything slotting into place.

'He wasn't angry,' Scorpius murmured. I could feel him now playing absently with the collar of my shirt and I tried very hard to ignore it for the moment. 'He was… disappointed. I could tell. He… he had so little to say about it, I could barely stand it – he said if… if that was what I wanted, I should just go right ahead. But… it didn't feel right, Albus,' he whispered. 'I knew what he wanted, and… and I felt I had a duty not to go against that.'

Here, Scorpius swallowed.

Gently, I continued for him, 'So you didn't write back… and we spent the whole summer not seeing or speaking to each other.'

'Albus—' There was pain in his voice now '—I'm sorry.'

'It's alright,' I answered easily, and… I found I meant it. Now that I understood, it didn't hurt nearly as much. He wanted to make his father happy.

I, of all people, knew what that felt like.

'I thought I could handle it,' Scorpius mumbled, 'just for a year. I thought… that when we both turn seventeen, and leave Hogwarts, then I'd tell you how I feel, and though perhaps it would hurt Father, at least we'd be adults and perhaps that would make me a little braver. But… it's been so hard, Albus.' And he sounded miserable. It made me pull him tighter against me, instinctively. 'Being away from you… it's been even worse than it was three years ago. There's no way I could have lasted the whole year – I… I was going to tell you by Halloween. But… I-I guess you got there first—'

And in spite of it all, this made me smile. Even in his soft, saddened tone, he sounded miffed that I'd beaten him to this.

My stomach clenched for how much I'd missed him.

With a slow, releasing sigh, I bowed my head and pressed my nose to his hair. He froze and gave a sweet and surprised little sound –

'I've missed you,' I croaked, voice hoarse.

His fingers curled around my shirt even tighter. 'I'm sorry, Albus.'

'It's alright,' I said softly. 'I forgive you.'

He was silent, but I thought I felt his lithe form relax a little. After a few long and incredible moments, he muttered, 'I adored your letter, Albus. It must have taken a lot of bravery to write it.'

Merlin only knew.

I had drafted and redrafted and scored out and rewritten over and over and over again. And I had forced Lily to post it for me because I was too scared to even call our owl down from her perch.

Nevertheless, the words had made their way to Scorpius… and he had, apparently, taken well to them.

I didn't even mind that up until now, I hadn't been convinced that this was the case. Hearing him speak this now… it made up for it. Immeasurably.

'I was terrified,' I said, almost flatly.

He gave one of those sweet, sympathetic hums that I so adored. It made me smile. How had I gone three months without him?

Badly. I'd gone very badly.

'I'm sorry, Albus,' Scorpius muttered. After a moment, he very carefully pulled back, but only half a metre – just enough to meet my gaze now.

I was relieved to find life behind his eyes once more. A smile lifted my lips immediately.

'But…' he whispered, looking hesitant.

'Yes…?'

'I… I feel the same way.' And he said this almost hopefully, as if he thought I may have changed my mind in the three months since I'd written to him.

My spirit almost leapt within me and I blinked a few times, feeling my expression light up. 'Do you?'

Timidly, he nodded, and his fringe, normally so carefully combed back, fell in front of his eyes.

He… felt the same way. He felt the same way.

I could feel my heart thrumming hard against my ribcage, but I rejoiced in the sensation, knowing it was better than the terrible emptiness that had presided there for the past three months.

With the beginnings of a wide smile turning up the corners of my lips, I reached out and brushed his hair back into place. My smile widened at the sweet little blink he gave me, almost surprised at the touch.

'Albus,' he breathed my name.

Shivers ran the length of my body, and I let my smile fill my entire face now. 'Scorpius.' But I said his name like an affirmation, like a declaration… like a confirmation –

His eyes grew a little wide. And then he was smiling too, broadly and brightly. 'Albus,' he laughed.

'Scor—' I pressed my forehead to his and kissed him.

He didn't seem surprised, even as I felt his breath hitch. Instead, he just melted against me, hands back at my shirt but in a completely different way now. He pulled himself close, fitting his body perfectly against mine the way I had craved for so long now –

It was just as perfect as I had imagined, as I dreamt, as I had longed for. His smooth lips pressed hard against mine… his sweet, boyish scent fogging my mind and his firm body yielding to me as we kissed and kissed and kissed…

I let it deepen, slipping my tongue into his mouth. And he gave a stupidly and startlingly sweet, attractive little whimper. Sweet Salazar –

That sound of his had me giving a moan of my own, and pulling him closer, 'Scor…' His name rumbled in my chest.

And he grinned against my lips, for just a moment, before the kiss demanded he do other things with his mouth.

It was a long time before either of us stepped away. It seemed we had both wanted this for so long… neither of us wanted it to end once it had finally arrived.

But it did end. Eventually – he leant against me when we broke away, panting and wound tightly in my arms.

There was something about feeling him this way, pressed close and only barely in control of his body, that made me inexplicably happy. This was what I had wanted for years now. This – him.

For a long time, neither of us spoke. It registered with me that we were standing, entwined, at the top of the Astronomy Tower, past midnight and very much outside the limits of curfew.

But I loved this too much, loved him too much, to even think about moving.

'Albus,' he sighed.

'Yeah?' I smiled, unable to help myself.

'I love you.'

Pleasure filled my entire being; but more than that, I was struck with the strangest sense of something falling into place within me, as if it had been waiting for those words before finally, with utmost relief, fulfilling its place, nestled closely against my heart.

'I love you, too,' I said, a slight wondering tone to the words.

He whimpered and pulled me closer. I went only too happily.

It was a while still later that either of us broke the silence. And when I did, I was sad to know that I was leaving our little bubble of perfection behind.

'But what about your father?'

Scorpius sighed. He didn't seem surprised that I'd asked.

'I'm… going to have to tell him, aren't I?'

I squeezed him. 'Are you sure?'

'Yes.' He sounded it. I even felt the little nod that he gave against my neck. 'I… I know he won't like it. But…' he sighed, 'I'm… not going to ever pretend again that I can live without you, Albus.'

'Never again?'

'Never.' And Scor – my wonderful, sweet best friend – was solemn.

I kissed his forehead hard.

It made him laugh, and the sound… was like pure happiness, warming me entirely.

Then he gave a soft sigh… and muttered, 'But I know he loves me, Albus.' He was still speaking about his father. 'I trust… that this isn't going to change it. I don't think… either of us has been happy all this time that I've been away from you. Even if he doesn't like it… I don't think even Father can deny that everything is better when I'm with you.'

The happiness that filled me at hearing those words would have been impossible to try to verbalise. But my smile was radiant and warm. It was my turn to give a gentle laugh.

I pulled back just enough to tilt his head up into another kiss. He was only too happy to yield to it.

A few moments later saw us sitting at the edge of the tower, side by side, legs pressed close together. Neither of us spoke, and there was almost nothing different to how things were a month ago.

Only now his hand rested easily on my thigh… and my arm was around him, my fingers dipping beneath his shirt and curling around his waist.

These three months had been awful, and I never wanted a repeat of them… but I was glad for what they had brought us to here.

And though it was scary to think of the future – how his father would react, how my family would react… just as it had been for the past seven years, we were both equally comforted by the other's presence, knowing innately that nothing was impossible when we were together.

The End