Hello everyone! This is my first fanfiction dedicated to the HP series. I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 1: The Meeting

The school train was a buzzing flurry as people departed for the holidays. Christmas was perhaps one of the best holidays in the world. For the Potter and Weasley families it was one of their joint favorites.

As students bustled on the platform 9 ¾ their parents waited patiently on the other side, making sure that no muggles were any wiser to the mass of youths mysteriously appearing from a train they could not see.

James and Lily appeared with their luggage on the other side of the barrier. They, like their cousins behind them who were steadily coming through, were looking for their families.

James felt a sharp bump and glared at the back of a platinum blond head as a smirking Scorpius Malfoy made his way through the crowd, ignoring the fact he had collided with the Gryffindor.

James was halted from making a scathing comment at the retreating figure when Lily grabbed his wrist and pointed in a direction to his left. A smile broke out on his face as he caught sight of his parents. They waved at he and Lily who squealed and they hurried over, the Slytherin was quickly forgotten.

Lily's red hair bounced as she grasped her mother in a tight hug and they laughed as, no sooner had James hugged their father in greeting, she began talking faster than they could keep up with about everything at school.

"Well, how was the trip?" Ginny asked her children as Harry spotted Ron and his family headed their way.

"Bor-ing!" Lily exclaimed. "The trolley ran out of chocolate frogs before we could even get a chance at them. Then James decided to Pixie Jinx the licorice mice and they flew all over our compartment the entire ride."

"Hey!" James looked affronted. "You thought it was funny."

Their father laughed and ruffled his son's hair while Ginny put her arms around Lily.

"I'm glad you were able to get some amusement out of the ordeal." Harry whispered in James' ear.

"Hobey-ho there Potters!"

The reunited family looked and realized the arrival of Ron and Hermione. The kids automatically fell in conversation as did the adults. Plans were being made to meet up later after everyone had settled.

"So,' Ron stated casually, 'when are you going to see that client you were talking about?"

Harry shifted and nodded appreciatively at his long time friend's discretion.

"Later tonight. Should be quite the ordeal." He winked a bespectacled eye at the couple who beamed. " As a matter of fact, why don't you come over for dinner later? There will be plenty of room."

Hermione was clasping Rose's hand and grinned at Harry and Ginny. "That will be lovely."

As the large family sat down for dinner and began to eat, Lily sighed and looked out the window at falling snow. Even though she was in high spirits coupled with the fact that Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron, along with her cousins Hugo and Rose were at dinner with them, she felt a bit incomplete.

James who sat on the other side of her noticed and squeezed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. He understood what was bothering his little sister. They were one person short of making this evening exceptional; there brother Albus.

It had been months since they had last seen him and since he did not attend Hogwarts, his schedule was a bit different than theirs, making it almost impossible to catch him when he was home.

He had decided to go to school abroad instead of the familiar castle. Though they were happy for him and understood his thirst for adventure, it shouldn't have meant he needed to travel so far away. Lily huffed, what did a Wizarding School in Asia have that was so much better than Hogwarts anyway?

"Harry? Didn't that client of yours agree to come to dinner?" Hermione looked at him with large eyes and a knowing smile.

"Yes, but he mentioned being a few minutes late."

"Client? You invited someone else to dinner?" James questioned.

"Well, I would like it very much if you were well behaved this time around James. Last time we had someone important over, you nearly made them run out the door. An influence from your rambunctious Uncle George I take it." Harry pretended to frown at his son who winced.

"Aww, dad. You know how I am." He said sheepishly.

"Indeed I do." Harry said knowingly.

Before another word could be mentioned, the door bell rang and Harry did his best not to rush as he pushed himself up and casually said that he'd get it.

Ginny looked at her brother and sister-in-law. "At least he wasn't too late." She sniffed in an offended manner which only caused them to chuckle.

"I wish Al was here." Lily stated and looked at James who nodded sadly.

"Well, your wish is my command." At the sound of the familiar and warm voice the siblings jumped and turned towards the entry way of the dining room.

There, bowing towards them in front of their dad, was their brother whose handsome face was already alight with a smile.

Scorpius scuttled around with his mother in the shopping district of Diagon Alley. Though he would never admit it to anyone outside his usual circle of friends, he enjoyed the prospect of shopping.

His mother was the same way. He looked at her from where he stood next to a shelf of baubles. She was chatting away with the man behind the counter who looked more than happy to be assisting Lady Malfoy.

Scorpius smirked at her. This was her favorite time of year and while most that bore the Malfoy name preferred summer and all the glorious heat that came with it, she was an exception.

Shaking his head he went back to peering over the contents of the shelf when a mass of giggles and laughs emanated from outside. His grey eyes automatically shifted to look in the direction of window and he sneered.

"Potters." He mumbled. Turning around he went to get his mother and completely ignored the fact that there was an extra to their usually small group of four.

They were going to be meeting up with his father soon and Scorpius had one more stop he wanted to make. His mother waved him on as she got caught up in the chance to peak in a new shoe store.

Even though it was winter, Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream shop was still bustling with business.

Other than ice cream, they had a wonderful selection of hot cocoa, warm custard drops and hot fudge that settled nicely over any cold or warm treat. It was the mint cocoa Malfoy was after.

When the door opened a delicious aroma of chocolate and cinnamon wafted around him.

He made his way to the counter and ordered his addiction. Even though Florean had been boarded up during the last year of the war due to the owner's untimely death, there was still a cheerful air about the place when it was reopened when he was five, as if Mr. Florean himself had never left.

A happy jingle signaled another customer and the waiter behind the counter greeted them. Scorpius had glanced to see who had come in and his eyes widened almost imperceptibly.

At the counter looking up at the menu above and smiling warmly at the server, was a boy who could be no older than Scorpius himself.

The blond stared and tried to place where he'd seen him before. But he couldn't, though he had a familiar look about him, it was subtle and he was certain that if he had ever lay eyes on the person before him he would have remembered him easily.

He was beautiful.

His hair was unbelievably black and styled in a choppy manner. His face was handsome and almost held a bronze-like complexion even though his cheeks were flushed from the cold outside.

His winter cloak was a dark grey with a deep red scarf tied around his neck. Taking a moment to discreetly check, Scopius saw that his boots were undoubtedly expensive dragonhyde with modest but tasteful silver adornments.

He was average in height for most boys around Scorpius' age.

His concentration broke when his server spoke.

"Here ya go, young sir." Said the burly man with the white apron. He reminded the pale teen of a large walrus with his smooth bald head and red bushy mustache that dangled stiffly down like a pair of tusks.

"Thanks. Say, have you ever seen him before?"

The walrus man looked over to the other youth and his face visibly smiled beneath his facial hair.

"Sure do. I haven't seen him in a while though, so he must have just arrived back for vacation." The man rumbled deeply.

Then, as if sensing the attention, the boy in question turned to look at them. He cocked his head to the side and Scorpius was rewarded with a breathtaking pair of emerald eyes and warm but cautious smile.

"Hullo Lou. It's been a while." The boy walked over in their direction and took off one of his gloves to shake the man's hand.

"It sure has." Lou returned the grip firmly and then the brunette looked at the other youth.

Scorpius reacted immediately and passed his cup to his left hand so he could shake the proffered hand in his direction. It was a bit cold but the grip was somewhat firm and confident, indicating that the boy was very content in the others company.

Strange since most people aren't in any Malfoy's company, thought the heir.

"Scorpius Malfoy, pleasure."

"The pleasure's all mine, Scorpius. I'm Albus but please call me Al."

Once Al had procured his own confection he indicated a table towards the corner. "Would you like to chat for a moment? I'm waiting for my family and they still have a few minutes to collect me."

The blond nodded and they sat. He had no idea why Lou was looking at them in such a manner as if he couldn't believe his eyes. Whatever, it wasn't his concern.

The kind teen sat across from him with hot fudge malt in hand. Soon a plate of fresh, moist red velvet brownies popped between them and Al flashed a smile at the server behind the bar who shrugged.

"You must like to smile." Scorpius could strangle himself for what he said. It was just the first thing that came out.

Al didn't look offended. "Indeed I do and I like to laugh. Did you know that on average children under the age of ten laugh almost 400 times a day while adults laugh around only 15? So, I figure if I get into the habit enough, perhaps I can change the statistics a bit." He winked when he saw the other boy smile just a little.

"Maybe so, 'Scorpius took a drink of his cocoa, 'You told me you were waiting for family. Who are they?"

This time a wicked smile spread across Al's face and Malfoy almost choked on his chocolate. It could put a Slytherin to shame.

"Can't you guess? I can tell that your trying to place me, but the truth is I haven't seen you either unless we happened across each other when toddlers. Even then I'm sure I would remember you."

"Oh, really?" This stranger put him at ease. It was an odd feeling but it felt nice. Leaning back in his chair he added.

"So you're not going to tell me who you are completely?"

"Nope! We have a few minutes to talk and then I'll tell you who I am. Call it a brief impasse in order to know each other."

Malfoy grinned genuinely at the idea and took a bite of brownie. He was already enjoying this conversation and the others brief display of slytherin-like quality made him curious.

They spoke for little over an hour. Longer than either of them expected to be sitting there, very much enjoying their conversation.

It occurred to Scorpius that his mother was probably wondering where the hell he was but he couldn't find it in him to care. Al was just so easy to talk to and they had turned their time together into a game.

If Al did go to Hogwarts as he suggested he might, then he would most definitely give the sorting hat a run for its magic.

"I just have to say I can't place you. And I'm not referring to your family. I mean, since you plan to go to Hogwarts after the holidays are over I can just imagine you'd give the sorting hat an aneurism, if that was possible." He chuckled and Al leaned closer at the sound.

It took an hour but he most definitely had the blond opening up.

"How do you mean?"

"You use statistics like a showy Ravenclaw. It's absolutely fascinating how you then tie in some sort of ethos to your arguments with such numbers backing you. It makes the things you say very persuasive.

"Your relaxed manner and the confidence with which you speak about some sketchy subjects makes you well adapted to be a Gryffindor and yet,… when you look me dead in the eyes and are able to completely manipulate some of the words I've spoken whispers to me you are most definitely a Slytherin."

At this Scorpius leaned in close to Al as the former had done and did not pull away.

"So, no chance of me being a Hufflepuff then." A playful glint in those green eyes had Scorpius not doubting it was the last house he'd mentioned and that Al somehow knew just that.

A chime from the nearby clock caused the heir to tear his eyes away from the playful ones across from his. His mother would wonder where he was and possibly follow him here. Not that he minded but at the moment… he was more than content to stay there with Al.

"I guess we should locate our relatives." Al said softly and sat back. He looked at the brownies and sighed. He should probably get some for Lily and James. James was not too keen on sweets but he did have them once and again. Lily would go berserk about them.

He smiled thinking how they've always shared their sweets with one another and stayed up till early morning hours talking. It's been a while since they had the chance.

"Shall we?" Al looked up and saw Malfoy standing with his coat already wrapped around his shoulders. He looked very good in the black material and he briefly wondered what it would feel like. He had the strange urge to run a hand over the material as long as Scorpius was in it.

Nodding he asked for a traveling container with a mountain more of the moist confections from the server and they stepped outside in the cold.

In the shop Lou shook his head in incredulity. He'd never seen a Malfoy and Potter so friendly with the other. Perhaps, he mused to himself as he stroked his bright mustache, this could end that century old feud between the two families.

While they had been talking, snow had started to fall and the walks were now packed with fluffy white. Silently they walked together and Scorpius enjoyed the fact that he was the one the other was trusting to lead them.

"Since our time is up, can I know your full name now?" The blond asked as they stopped momentarily under the roof of a vendors stall.

"I guess I can't avoid it can I?"

A frown slightly marred the blonde's face. "Why would you want to avoid it?"

People walked by and at first Al didn't speak. Then finally…

"Potter. My name is Albus Potter." He looked over his shoulder to see Scorpius standing very still.

After what felt like a few minutes, Scorpius snapped out of his reverie. So he had been talking to the long lost son of the Potter family. He should have guessed because he did indeed favor his siblings but neither of them had his eye color.

Oddly enough the loathing he felt towards the others of that ill-fated clan was nonexistent with the boy in front of him.

"You know,' Scorpius began noticing how Al's shoulders seem to tense, 'strangely enough my superior inner-Malfoy can find no fault in that." He smirked and saw relief wash over Al.

Another smirk mimicking his own fell on the brunette's face. "How could it be that my notorious inner-Potter has no suspicions about that?"

After another staring match they couldn't hold their faces straight any longer and while Malfoy chuckled he could not help but feel a pleasant rush at the sound of Al's laughter. It was light and feathery but echoed throughout the place they stood.

Across the street Lady Malfoy watched the scene. She smiled to herself as she could see the complete relaxation in her son's gestures. But when she looked at Scopius face, he wore a look that she recognized immediately, and her smile grew wider. It was the look he got when he found or was presented with something rare, a look that clearly said Mine.

Draco, she mused as she headed their way, was going to have a field day.

A/N: So, what do you think? I know it's a slow start but I am going purely off reader response on this and if you have ideas you'd like for me to incorporate then by all means please tell me.

I'm playing this by ear. Reviews would be lovely and any flames will be extinguished with ice cream. ^^ But serious critique is also appreciated.

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