The Aftermath

by Phictionmaker7

"Think of me as you think of your brother," Scorpius could not believe his own words. "Trust me with your secrets, your life, your love, and I'll protect it. I may have had some slip-ups but that doesn't define who I am just as it doesn't you. I'll be there like James has. Let me be your brother." Their eyes met in the dimly lit corridor. AS/S AlbusxScorp rated M complete

"No one had bothered to care for him.

No one had listened to his words,

he pleads for

help.

But everyone wondered why he did it.

Why he took the jump that ended his life.

No one heard him.

No one bothered to care.

No one, except

me."

"Well done Albus, well done! I'd hate to see who would have to follow that! Ah let's see," professor Slughorn drawled out as he addressed his creative writing elective class. After the war had ended many wizards wanted their children to be a bit more open minded so nothing like that could ever happen again. The wizards figured that if they added a bit of new culture, but held on strongly to the old one, that the kids would be able to appreciate more and learn more about a world that wasn't theirs. Thus, electives happened; students choose what they want, and for the most part they got it. The students are graded just the same and they have fun while they learn. "Mister Malfoy, you're presenting next."

Malfoy.

Hogwarts resident douche bag.

He arose from his chair, smugly. "What is your piece titled Mister Malfoy?" Professor Slughorn asked slowly and sweetly while he rubbed his ever-growing belly.

"It's called the 'Circle of Life'." He said smugly as he stood in front of the middle of the classroom.

"Very well sir, you may now begin."

"Sex is A Sensation.

Driven by Temptation.

A guy sticks his Location

In a girl's Destination.

To increase the Population.

For the next Generation.

Do you get my Explanation?

or Do you need a Demonstration?"

The entirety of the females in the class looked a tad green as the male population, excluding Albus, snickered stupidly. "Err, thank you mister Malfoy, but you completely missed the point of the assignment."

Scorpius turned around slowly. "Wasn't the point of this God forsaken assignment," he stressed, "to write a poem. Well I did that!"

"The assignment was to write of a great pain."

"I did. I don't like people!" He cried comically.

"It shows," Albus cut in.

Scorpius wasn't stupid enough to challenge the Gryffindor by saying anything, so he remained silent. He wasn't stupid after all. He was just a... boy. Albus and Scorpius' eye met. Both were giving the other their best death glares, Albus', as per usual, won.

"Class is dismissed! I'll see you all tomorrow." Cried Slughorn as the end-of-the-day bell sounded. Albus finished packing his belongings into his messenger bag as Scorpius made his way over to him.

"What do you think you're doing Potter? Are you trying to make me look a fool?"

"No, you do that very well on your own, dearest colleague." Albus' wit knew no bounds. Scorpius flushed with anger and Albus could see just how long his eyelashes were when he blinked. They were very close together. Scorpius took another step close to Albus. They were too close. Albus couldn't breathe. The air all smelt like him. It was overwhelming. He needed to break free of Malfoy's curse on him before they came back... the...feelings.

"I'd ask you kindly to move, but I know kind is a foreign concept for you, so scram Malfoy!" His eyes darkened slightly.

"Well, well, well, why does little Potter want me to move, eh? Can't stand to be around my beauty for too long, is that it?"

"Can't stand is more like it." Albus mumbled. Their eyes locked again. Time seemed to stand still. Star-light grey met emerald green. Both refused to look away. Out of definite stubbornness of course.

"I have to go," Albus murmured. "I have to meet my boyfriend." Scorpius' gaze fell to the floor. His face crestfallen, but only for the briefest of moments. His usual gormless, defiance coming back into his, now, sad eyes.

"Oh yes," he drawled, his tone betrayed his eyes. "Usually I'd ask how stupid dicks are before I insult them, but since I'm not kind I don't think I will." His shoulders tensed. Scorpius knew how Albus would react.

Instead of getting upset over it Albus turned and walked away. He couldn't help looking back. It was a perfectly normal thing to do. But when he turned Scorpius saw the look in his eyes. The look of utter brokenness. Of utter pain. It was a look so far beyond his years it scared Scorpius.

His shoulders relaxed.

Albus' normally strong, happy eyes were full of unsheltered tears. Why is he crying?

His shoulders tensed.

"I have to go now," Scorpius was impressed. Even with tears streaming down his face Albus did not sound broken. He sounded strong, like a bull.

"Wait!"

Albus turned.

"What?"

"I'm sorry." Albus scoffed.

"If you were sorry it wouldn't happen again."

Albus made to leave. "Wait!" Scorpius called. "It won't. I promise." He whispered.

Albus turned quickly. "Why do you always pick with me Malfoy? Am I so entertaining an do you really have nothing more to do than pick with me? Soft ho! Have you no life, Malfoy? Only despair! To whom hath stolen it by t'e? Where hath it gone? Shall I-" Albus would have kept his mocking Shakespearean rant going if not for one thing.

Scorpius kissed him.

Right smack when he was taking.

The kiss, oh god the kiss! It was bloody amazing. Tongues thrashed together, teeth crashed against each other and the earth seemed to stand still. All the wind was knocked out of Albus' body by the earth stilling kiss. After what seemed like eternity, the two broke apart, "that was rude."

Scorpius laughed with a carefree look in his eyes. Albus beamed at him and moved in closer. Suddenly Scorpius jumped away from Albus. "This was a mistake. It can never happen again." Scorpius scurried out of the room faster than lightning leaving a confused, hurt Albus behind.

()

"Hey honey," Danny said as he kissed Albus full on the mouth in front of the entire common room.

"Hey." Albus kissed him back slow and sweet, not caring who saw them snoging like tomorrow would never come. Danny pulled back from Albus satiated with utter happiness. Albus faked a beautiful smile. Malfoy was better he thought.

"I missed you so much. I came to the common room just as we planned, but you weren't here. I was beginning to worry...why were you gone so long, Albie?" Danny's big brown eyes stared into Albus' soul. I was cheating on you, Albus thought. I-Oh shit! He remembered why Danny was waiting for him. They were supposed to have sex after their last class to make up for Danny's missed birthday sex... (It was a must-do in teenage relationships.)

"Danny I am so sorry to say this but..." Albus started.

No he couldn't. Not with those eyes gazing at him as if he were the most important person in the world. He wouldn't. Albus loved Danny. Loved.

Loved, with an -ed. The snog with Malfoy hadn't had that much of an effect on him, right? It was just the warm feel of his lips against his. The way their bodies meshed together perfectly. The way Albus moaned into the kiss like a whore, grasping at his clothes, while desperately trying to obtain more friction...

"What is it Al, you've got this sad look in your eyes. Is something the matter?" Danny asked seriously.

Albus internally sighed. "No baby, everything's alright." Albus swayed his hip deliciously as he made his way towards his boyfriend. "Now, remind me again, what was supposed to happen tonight, baby?" Albus purred.

Danny laughed and grinned at Albus as he squeezed his right buttox. Albus moaned. "I can't wait to fuck this ass." There was another moan. "That's right baby say my name," Danny whispered in Albus' ear. After a long, meaningless kiss, to Albus anyway, the two ran off in search for the room of requirement.

()

"Alright class alright, who's next!" Shouted Slughorn blissfully. "Who has the courage, to take the stage?" Slughorn made an absurd hand gesture as he spoke his meaningful words to his elective class.

"Albus!" A blond shouted to the agreement of other classmates. Albus turned directly behind him to quickly face her.

"Bitch, I will punch you in your uterus if you say my name again!" The majority of the class laughed at their antics. The two friends knew no bounds.

"Funny, I don't remember that as your reaction when Danny said it last night..." Albus' face reddened considerably and his glare deepened.

"Aww you mad, Albie. You mad, bro?" Clara mocked, while deepening her voice and raising her arms in a "Y" shape.

"Oh, go get Herpes," he said. He shot another glare her way to shut her up after saying, "you better sleep with one eye open Clay-clay." She laughed good naturedly, but as she made to retort to Albus' last comment another voice broke into the conversation.

"I'll go professor!" The entire class looked as to who was brave enough to start presentations off. It was... Malfoy.

Malfoy.

Malfoy, brave?

Malfoy?

"Scorpius m'boy who've already gone, why would you want to go again?" Slughorn questioned.

"Well," Scorpius started. "Someone told me yesterday that I had some growing up to do, and I'm willing to try it. And plus I've been...what's the term...inspired? Yes, inspired! May I have the honor of sharing my work with the class, sir?"

Slughorn looked taken aback, as did the rest of the class, but no one looked more shocked than Albus.

His mouth had dropped to a very unattractive "O" shape. Clara quietly told him to close it ("or dicks would fly in,"); he told her to go fuck herself. She said her boyfriend was for that. Again, the friends knew no bounds.

"Yes, no one had bothered to care for him.

Yes, no one heard his cries, but

No,

not everyone wondered why.

I didn't. I saw the jump coming,

saw the tides churning,

saw the hope dying.

Saw the future.

He and I had a similar fate.

He jumped, I felt jumped.

He died, I'm dying.

Everyday, every minute, every time

I see him with you.

The only reason we're different-I saw you dying too.

With him.

I had hope, dreams, I thought I had you.

Yes, no one had bothered to care.

Yes, no one heard his cries, but

not everyone wondered why."

As scorpius left the presenting area he was greeted with a roaring, thundering applause. Albus stood up, walked towards him, and told him, "that was utterly beautiful Mal-Scorpius. What made you write that?"

"I told you," he said. "I was inspired." Albus smiled a knowing smile and made to walk back to his seat, but Scorpius grabbed his arm. "I'm sorry." He said as he sat down. Albus stood in front of the class, shell shocked. He stood there for so long that Slughorn thought that he, too wanted to re-do his piece.

"No, no I don't. I'll-I'll just sit now." More of the class presented their free verse poems and stories, some, of course better than others. But in Albus' mind, none compared to Scorpius' poem. The class came and went as it usually did, only this time, Albus wanted to leave. The bell sounded.

Albus and Clara said their goodbyes and departed, promising to catch up with each other later. Albus took a deep breath and walked towards the last person in the room-Scorpius.

"Hey."

"Hey."

All was quiet and awkward when the two remained silent, neither being able to think of a more intelligent thing to say than, "so". After Scorpius was all packed and ready to return to his common room Albus let it all out. "I slept with someone I shouldn't have last night." Scorpius' eyes didn't widen, in fact, he didn't look shocked in the slightest, as if everyday people told him who they slept with and why. He was about to comment but Albus spoke before he could fill the white noise. "I was supposed to sleep with you." At this, Scorpius looked shocked.

"Wha-what? Me, you wanted to sleep with me yesterday? Why?"

"Yes, I did. I almost broke up with Danny because of you. All I could think about was that kiss and how right it felt. The next thing I know I'm comparing you and Danny together and you always won. Always! But just as I was about to break up with him I looked into his eyes and he looked so scared and sad and so damn trusting! He trusts me and I cheated on him. And the worse part is I want to do it again. I felt so good when you held me and snogged me and just...owned me. I wanna know what it's like to be under you as you pound into my tight little ass. I wanna see how hard I can get your dick to be. I want to be the source of your pleasure and the reason why coming in that moment I want us, together. But I slept with Danny and now, I'm torn."

Scorpius stayed quiet all throughout Albus' rant/speech (glad it wasn't Shakespearean) until the very end where he just had to let out a laugh. "I had no idea Strosse was that big, hopefully I won't pale in comparison." At Albus' look Scorpius' joking stopped abruptly. "Uh um, Al, you remember my poem right?" God how stupid could you get Malfoy, he thought. It's not like it was a million years ago. Albus nodded. "Well, that whole thing was about you. I've been watching you with Strosse for a while now, and everytime I see two together, which isn't a lot by the way, I get jealous and mad and even die a little bit inside. But the only reason I haven't basically made an ass out of myself is because you never looked happy. But I noticed that you look happy here, with me, and before with that blond chick," he stopped speaking. His voice broke off sadly, painfully. "What she said about you and Danny, that gave me the courage to read the poem." Scorpius handed the sheet he read off of to Albus. And left. Albus looked at the sheet.

It was blank.

All of that came from him in that one moment. It was a message to Albus about how he felt about him. Albus couldn't breathe. He left too. Grateful that today was Friday; he would need a break after to day.

()

"But why?" Danny said as he sat on the bed in the room of requirement gravely. "Where did we go wrong?"

"It's not you it's me!" Albus cried. Danny scoffed at him.

"Right it's not me. This has nothing to do with me!" Danny yelled sarcastically. "In fact I bet-"

"STOP IT!" Albus cried as he, too, fell onto the bed, sobbing into the sleeve of his muggle jumper. "I'm sorry, Danny. I just have to do this."

"Why," he said again, much softer now.

"Because I think there's someone who likes me."

"Albus everyone likes you."

"No," he started, "I mean likes me likes me. And I really think this could turn into something. And he pointed some things out to me out that I've been trying to deny, but I just can't anymore." He took a deep breath. "Danny, I feel out of love with you and I'm sorry, so so sorry, but I cheated on you with this guy."

Danny stood up from the bed slowly. "With whom," he said quietly, respectfully.

"What," Albus gasped.

"With whom did you cheat on me with, Albus." His voice was cold and hard now. It scared Albus, but only slightly. He didn't answer. "With whom," Danny asked again.

"Malfoy."

"Malfoy?! Man, oh man, when people say aim for the stars they usually mean those who aren't infamous for wizarding felonies! Malfoy! God! What was it about him-" Albus tried to speak but was spoken over. "-that made him so special? Was it his hair, his eyes, I bet you slept with him you little cunt!" Albus gasped and tried to protest, but couldn't get a word in. "I know the lengths you would go to get your hands on some cock. Well you sure did get it now didn't 'cha?" Danny mocked, "horny little bitch!"

Albus stayed quiet. "That's why."

"What?"

"That's why I want to break up with you and why I want to kiss him again." Danny shot Albus a confused look. "Everyday, every fight, every emotion I feel besides happiness, every time you think someone is talking about you, when they're clearly not, you freak out and take your anger out on me, and quite frankly, I'm sick of it. And I'm so happy Scorpius opened my eyes to make me see how unhappy I've been with you. I owe him-"

"-A good fuck, I know."

"See! Why do you always have to do something like that? I should have left you last year, but no, everyone thought I was overreacting and convinced me that you really do care about me!"

"Of course I really care about you Al. You're my everything and without you I'd-"

"Shut up! Just accept that your bullshit isn't working with me anymore. I mean it; we're done." Danny looked frozen as if he hadn't been told "no" before. His eyes popped out of his head; he held his breath; his entire body stiffened. He was slowly turning purple from lack of oxygen reaching his brain. One would think he'd be used to that by now...

"You don't mean that Albus. I know you still love me, you've got to because I still love you-no wait! where are you going? You can't just leave me here, Albus I'm your boyfriend!"

"Not anymore." Albus turned slowly, stealing a final look at his lover of two winters. "Goodbye Danny."

Albus left before Danny could respond, so naturally he never heard Danny's soft reply of, "Goodbye Albie."

()

"I was looking for you." Scorpius smiled softly.

"Were you really, or is that just the line you say to all the girls?" Albus replied smoothly.

"Only the breathtaking ones."

"Really?" Albus said softly.

"I don't remember liking girls, so I guess," Scorpius drawled. "If you're a girl I have no business with you after all." He turned to leave Albus pulled him back laughing.

"Don't take me too seriously, or you'll be a very sad person." Scorpius laughed again.

"I'll keep that in mind," he said. Their happy laughter died off and the recent past suddenly flew into Albus' conscience brain again. His smiled slowly as he thought of the past. Then what he had just done to Danny flooded his mind. Thoughts of Danny wouldn't stop Albus couldn't take it. Danny hit him like a bag of bricks. His smile disappeared off of his face Scorpius noticed immediately and missed it. He loved Albus' smile; it always made him feel better. Albus' smile reminded him that there was still perfect, beautiful, humble things in the world despite how backward it has become.

"Hey what's wrong?"

Albus whipped his nose noisily, "S'nothing."

"My flat arse it's 's'nothing'! Now you tell me what made you stop smiling-"

"Or what!" Albus yelled. "What would you do to me? I'm already in a barren wasteland you and your friends call hell. What else could there possibly be that you could do to me Scorpius? What!" Albus' breathing was haggard as if he'd been fighting a great battle, then again, maybe he has...

"Al-I-I'm sorry. Please just talk to me. Open up to me."

"How can I trust you?" He shot back angrily, though if the anger was projected at Malfoy is highly unlikely.

Scorpius felt hurt at Albus' words. In his mind he and Al were getting along, if not, greatly. Why the sudden change? He thought, curiosity filling his eyes. "Think of me as you think of your brother," Scorpius could not believe his own words. "Trust me with your secrets, your life, your love, and I'll protect it. I may have had some slip-ups but that doesn't define who I am just as it doesn't you. I'll be there like James has. Let me be your brother." Their eyes met in the dimly lit corridor.

"I can't," Scorpius' heart could be heard shattering into a trillion pieces.

"Why?" He breathed as he bowed his head.

"I'm not a very big fan of incest."

Scorpius' head shot up faster than a bullet. "What do you mean?"

Albus pretended to think, "how many other ways can what I just said be interpreted?"

"Three," Scorpius answered nochanly. "Fangirl, fact, then-oh then!- there's something more."

Albus' brow raised as he cocked his head to the side, smiling slightly. "More how?" He purred, walking closer to the only other occupant of the lonely corridor. He placed his hands on Scorpius' chest. To his surprise Scorpius shook his head and stepped back. Slytherin pride met-green and grey-Albus' watered slightly; he stepped back and shook his head in a chastising manor to himself. "I should have known, I really should 'ave that it would turn out this way. I took a leap of faith and fell into a dark, dismal abyss, swallowing me whole, as if I were a mere plague, as if I deserved this-this unbearable pain!"

"What pain," Scorpius strode two steps closer to Albus, then another, their faces inches apart. The pain of watching someone's heart break when you tell them you don't love them anymore, nothing was worse than that.

Albus wiped his eyes again. "You know what, just forget it!" Albus made to leave, but he found that he couldn't, literally. Scorpius held him back and slowly, oh so slowly, turned him around.

"I don't want to forget it. Trust me, tell me. I'll be there." Albus shook his head.

"I've got to go." Before Scorpius could pull him back again, he ran. Albus tried to be as well kept and put together as he could, but Scorpius still heard his sob.

The advice Scorpius' father gave him flooded his mind: 'if someone you love runs away, you don't chase them. Let them come to you, if they love you too, this they will do.'

"Not today, Dad." Scorpius sprinted after Albus. He refused to lose him to someone else, not this time. Not again. Never again. After the minutes felt like hours of running he found him. Outside on the grounds. He was walking towards a big shady tree; the very same which his father and his father before him sat, laughed, and lived their lives. Albus felt a surge of peace rush around and through him despite the nip in the air. A calming sensation over took him whenever he walked past the tree, knowing it's history. He'd always felt so connected to everything around the tree and felt closer to the family he wish he had known. He felt his mind begin to clear. Taking late night walks around the tree, Albus found, always seemed to clear his mind. It was as if the past experiences of the tree found a path inside Albus' mind; suddenly Albus would always see the light-that he'd been wrong or could not be more now, the tree-his tree was just as confused as he was.

Albus heard a twig snap and looked around at his surroundings. He saw nothing and decided-more like pretended-it was merely the let out a great sigh; perhaps he was wrong in this. Then again, maybe not. He had ended his entire relationship-albeit it was with a bipolar tool, but still. He gave up so much for one person and got the one thing he didn't want back. The one thing. In the entire world.

Rejected.

Albus felt himself falling for Scorpius. He could easily see their chemistry; so much, in fact, that it was painful. He shook his head again, trying, in vain, to clear it of the world and all of his petty problems. When suddenly, he looked up as he heard another twig. This time, however, it was accompanied by a voice. A voice he both loathed and loved to hear.

"What pain, Albus?" His heart stopped at the sound.

Scorpius.

He took a deep breath. "Why are you here? Here to push me away again, are you?" Albus glared at Scorpius; right now half of him wanted the bastard in Azkaban for hurting him. The other, more forgiving half of him wanted to pull the stupid boy close and never let him go, and actually thank him for following him out here in the night. When two halves of you are fighting, which side do you choose? Half of what you want or half of what you want?

"Please answer me," Scorpius said, edging closer to Albus.

He sighed again. "The pain," he started slowly, "of loving someone and have them push you away, both figuratively and physically."

All of the wind that had been brave enough to stay had been knocked out of him. Did he just hear that correctly? Did albus just say he loved him? "Wh-what," he started. "How can you love me?" Scorpius nearly shouted in confusion and piled up anger.

"How do you mean?"

"We haven't been through hell and back more times than we can count together! We've done nothing together! Never helped each other! Never-"

"You dare say I've never helped you? You dare? And here I thought you were not brazen at all!" Albus yelled throwing his hands into the air. "When all of your so called friends left you or were 'too busy'," he mimicked. "I was there. I knew you, you irked me, but I was there. We talked about your problems and mine own. You can't say that we don't have a bond! God will you for once stop lying to yourself about your feelings? Isn't that actually what you talked to me about?"

This was true. There was no point in even trying to deny it. When Scorpius was at an all time low and no one seemed to have time to help him feel less of a failure to his father, grandfather, and himself Albus was there for him.

Scorpius had found him in the library. He noticed the boy looked very sad as if he'd been crying. Probably from that stupid boyfriend of his, Scorpius remembered thinking. The library had been empty par the themselves. Albus, originally was just going to nod in acknowledgement to Scorpius, but he did not. He saw, instead of Scorpius's usual smirk and somewhat demeaning glare, he saw eyes holding unshared tears and a mouth trying desperately to feign to smile. As soon as Albus saw this he forced Scorpius to talk to him and found him to be a good bloke. Funny as hell. A great listener. And they had almost kissed. Albus had just started dating Danny, but Scorpius pulled his attention more than Danny ever did. Albus saw himself falling so damn hard for the boy before him, but the next day after Scorpius's feelings and inner being were settled. The boy acted as if their meeting had never happened. Albus was going to make an effort that day to try and really get to know the Scorpius he had met in the library. The totally unguarded, happy, witty kid that always made him smile and made him want to do better. The fact that Scorpius acted as if nothing had happened hurt Albus more than words can say. It was then that Albus resented the boy he could never stop thinking about. It was also then that Scorpius resented Albus for being cold towards him.

Scorpius snapped out of his mini daydream. He did remember. He knew he did. Sometimes he wish he could forget it all. Sometimes he wished he never met Albus Potter because then he would have gotten sleep if there was a rumor about him being hurt. He would have saved himself the heartache he felt when Albus ran away from him. And his cock wouldn't have been pulled and tugged so hard, in an attempt to get images of Albus bending over and moaning out of his head. His hands bonded together...he'd try to struggle at first asking for a less harsh position but he wouldn't listen...sometimes he even thought of...off topic.

"Yes it is what I talked about with you. And Al," started Scorpius. "I just wanted to say I was sorry for the way I treated you after we really connected together in the library almost two years ago. I thought that-for some reason after I shared my life story with-you would suddenly turn into your brother and tell the world, not just my secrets; but Malfoy secrets too. I wanted to protected everything. But I'm done being stupid. You're finally done dating that asswipe, Daniel, and I want you for myself." Albus looked doubtful. He glanced at the high branches in the tree above him, as if he were trying to count them all. "I promise, please just give me a chance and I'll prove to you that I really am that guy you couldn't stop thinking about two years ago. He's still in here. And for some reason, "Scorpius paused. "You always seem to bring him out." Albus smiled and laughed at Scorpius throwing his arms around his neck.

"So what do you say, Al?" Scorpius said bringing their foreheads together as they looked into each other's eyes.

Albus pretended to ponder over the question before giving a dramatic sigh and saying, "oh alright. If I have to." Scorpius smiled. Albus giggled.

Their happy smiles vanished from their faces quite suddenly as a new emotion overtook them.

Lust.

Albus leaned in and snogged Scorpius full on the mouth and he returned it with full force and just as much, if not even more, passion than before. Scorpius, seizing the moment, picked Albus up and placed him down closer to his tree and the two began undressing each other furiously, refusing to let their lips break contact, even for a moment. Albus, thinking ahead casted a powerful silencing charm as well as clocking spell, making it so that no one-professors, students, ghosts, creatures-could interrupt them with nonsense or start yelling at them for fornicating. Smiling, Scorpius climbed on top of Albus and for the next two hours the two boys made sweet, sweet love, fucked, and had rough sex, then made love again. They fell asleep on the school grounds cuddling each other and were so damn happy they didn't have school in the next morning.

Albus woke up at dawn and watched Scorpius sleep. He looked just like the kid Albus realized he fell in love with, and now he acted just like him too. Scorpius squeezed him tighter in his sleep and Albus smiled kissing the top of his head.

For the first time in a long time, Albus felt truly happy. And he never bothered to try and hide the smile anymore.