A cool summer breeze blew past Albus Potter as he stared off the cliffs near Shell Cottage. His hair fell into his eyes and he brushed it away with a dark hand. His mum had been insisting that he needed a haircut but he liked it a little long.

His eyes followed a screeching gull and he sighed. Somewhere his best friend was off on a date with his cousin, Rose Granger-Weasley, and it was eating him alive. He needed help.

"Hey, Albus," a pleasant voice said from behind him.

"Hey, Teddy," Albus replied.

"What's the matter?"

Albus wiped at his eyes and turned around. If anyone could help him it was his father's godchild, Teddy Lupin. Teddy was basically family anyway and they were engaged to Albus's cousin, Victoire. Teddy was wearing a pretty wild brightly-coloured set of robes that ended in a flowing skirt.

Albus appreciated Teddy's uniqueness. They were cool and unapologetically queer. Teddy wasn't the only queer person in Albus's family but they seemed the best person to talk to.

"I… I don't know how to say it," Albus said.

"It's him, isn't it? Scorpius?" Teddy said.

"Yeah," Albus admitted.

Albus turned back to the sea. He cursed himself for wishing that Scorpius was here with him but he couldn't help it. It was so beautiful and calming. He wanted to share everything beautiful with his best friend. He wanted to be able to hold his hand and just… exist here, in this moment.

"I can relate. I fell in love with my best mate once," Teddy said.

"Yeah, but that actually worked out for you, didn't it?" Albus countered, still facing the sea.

"Oh. You think I mean Vic?" Teddy said.

Albus turned back around, feeling lost. Teddy smiled widely. Albus couldn't help but find his eyes drawn to Teddy's bottom lip piercing. He had always thought it was neat. Teddy also had some neat tattoos. They had a phoenix on their back and a wolf on their shoulder in honor of Teddy's father and their mother's wand tattooed on the other arm. Maybe someday Albus's dad would let him get a piercing or a tattoo… but probably not.

"I had a first year crush. Actually… it lasted most of second year too," Teddy said, shaking their head.

"How did it go?" Albus asked.

"Not well, I'm afraid. I was young and a bit naive. Anyone could've seen he wasn't into me… except for me, of course. I was an immature little arsehole about it. I avoided him to protect myself once I found out he wasn't interested. That was unfair and I mean… we were only twelve. I got over it," Teddy said.

"Then what chance do I have?" Albus asked, his voice straining.

Teddy smiled.

"Then I became friends with Vic. I mean, obviously, we were already friends. I grew up around you lot, didn't I? But once Vic started Hogwarts… we just… clicked," Teddy said with a nostalgic smile.

"Scorpius and I… I don't know. It's like he's everything to me. I can't imagine life without him by my side. I just thought this was how friendship felt. But then he told me that Rose finally said yes and I…," Albus said, feeling himself start to cry again.

Teddy stepped forward and a placed a hand on Albus's shoulder affectionately.

"It feels like you're dying. Like you'll never be happy again," Teddy said.

"Yes," Albus said, sniffling.

"Did you know Vic and I broke up once?" Teddy asked.

"No," Albus said, giving Teddy a confused look.

"We dated for a few months when I was in fifth year and Vic was in third year. We didn't tell anyone. I think we were both… figuring ourselves out. I was especially worried about Vic. She was so young. And also… we were worried the family wouldn't approve," Teddy said.

"But that's ridiculous! You were always a part of the family but now it's even better!" Albus said.

"I know. It's fine really. We both figured out our genders and that we were queer and we came together more complete than we were before. And loads more mature, if I'm being honest," Teddy said then chuckled.

Albus looked away, feeling nervous. Thoughts of gender identity swirled in his mind, begging to be acknowledged. Oh, dammit, just ask them, Albus internally scolded himself.

"What does it feel like, Teddy? Being… I mean… umm… not being a man or a woman?" Albus asked, still avoiding Teddy's eyes.

"It doesn't feel like anything, really. It's just part of who I am. Some people feel that thing and others don't. I don't. Vic feels both. Sometimes she's Victoire and sometimes he's Vic. We both express ourselves in a way that makes us comfortable," Teddy said.

"Sometimes I… I don't understand what I'm supposed to feel,"Albus admitted.

"You're not supposed to feel anything. There aren't any rules," Teddy said.

Albus pulled away, finding himself once again looking out at the sea.

"Aren't there? Isn't it just nature? If I say that I'm in love with my best friend and I don't always feel like I'm a boy… am I defying nature?" Albus asked.

"Come on, Albus. You know that isn't true. Humans invented these concepts. They didn't come from nature," Teddy said.

Albus sighed. It would be much easier to believe he was just wrong to feel everything he felt. Instead he had to live with the reality. He was in love with his best mate and it was possible it wasn't mutual.

"So where does that leave me?" Albus said.

"That's for you to decide. But just know: everything you feel is OK. Your feelings are valid, Albus," Teddy said and Albus turned around and hugged Teddy tightly, unable to hold back his tears.

"I didn't know how I felt. I didn't even know, until he told me he was going out with Rose," Albus sobbed.

Teddy rubbed Albus's back, saying nothing. Albus felt a river of a pain pouring from him.

"I want it to go badly between them and… I hate myself for that," Albus said, pulling away and desperately wiping at his eyes.

Teddy frowned.

"He's my best friend! I should be happy for him!" Albus shouted, his pain turning to anger.

"What's going on over here?" a familiar voice asked.

"Hey, Vic," Teddy said as Victoire marched over.

Victoire walked up. She was wearing a skirt and had her red hair long. She must be feeling more like Victoire than Vic today, though Teddy almost always called her Vic.

"Albus, what's the matter?" Victoire asked, rushing over and hugging him.

"It's Scorpius. He's on a date with Rose," Albus said.

"Oh," Victoire said, realisation in her voice.

"It hurts," Albus said, trying to fight back more tears.

"Well, I mean, I wouldn't worry. Rose is gay," Victoire said flatly as if she had just described water as being wet.

"What?" Albus said, his heart skipping a beat.

"Yeah. I mean… I guess I thought everyone knew. Just like… well, we kinda thought you and Scorpius were already dating. But sometimes Teddy and I… well, we might pay attention to this stuff more than everyone else, I guess," Victoire said with an embarrassed smile.

Albus looked at Teddy who shrugged. Teddy hadn't even let on that they had suspicions about him and Scorpius.

"The whole family is queer, Albus. Every last one of you Weasley-Potter-Grangers. If one of you is straight, you're keeping it pretty secret," Teddy said then laughed.

"Come on. Uncle Ron is straight," Albus said, suddenly finding himself smiling.

Teddy and Victoire shared a knowing glanced and laughed.

"No way!" Albus said.

"Cheer up, cousin. You're never alone. And anyhow, I've seen the way the Scorpion King looks at you," Victoire said, clearly struggling not to laugh.

Albus covered his face with embarrassment at the mention of Scorpius's nickname from an alternate timeline that he personally was choosing to believe never existed. Well… aside from the part where it brought him and Scorpius closer.

"Huh," Albus said, with sudden awareness.

"What?" Victoire said.

"I just remembered something Scorpius said. He hugged me and mentioned 'this new version of us' that was in his head," Albus said.

"Maybe Scorpius just needs a nudge, mate," Teddy said.

"A nudge. Or something. Yeah. Maybe. Thanks… to both of you," Albus said.

"No problem," Victoire said and she and Teddy both embraced Albus.

Moments later they all pulled away.

"I suppose I better head home. Scorpius is supposed to come by our place after his date," Albus said.

"Come on. You can use the chimney at Shell Cottage to get back," Victoire said, and Albus followed them down the path.

"How'd it go?" Albus asked as Scorpius entered his bedroom and flopped down onto Albus's bed.

"Terrible. Awful," Scorpius groaned.

Albus resisted the urge to smile. He needed to focus on just being a good friend right now.

"I'm sorry," Albus said.

"I'm not. I guess. I mean… she did let me down nicely. She was nice," Scorpius said.

Albus scoffed.

"Really, she was! I guess she just… she wanted to make it clear that we could be friends but she wasn't interested," Scorpius explained

"That's all she said?" Albus asked.

Scorpius's grey eyes looked across the room at Albus who was seated at his desk. He frowned.

"She said she was seeing someone else. She was… seeing a girl. Sarah Beecroft. Albus… I think Rose might be gay!" Scorpius said.

"Oh?" Albus said and grinned wickedly.

"Wait! You know! And here I was thinking I was just a big geek who couldn't measure up to someone as cool as Rose Granger-Weasley and you're sitting there not the least bit surprised that your cousin, who you know I fancy, is gay," Scorpius said then laughed and scooted to the end of the bed, sitting next to Albus.

"Relax, mate. I only found out this afternoon. Not like I could bust into your date and shout 'she's gay, you can both go home!', now could I?" Albus said, not admitting that he loved that idea, actually.

Scorpius turned and smiled at Albus, placing hands on his shoulders then suddenly pushed him back against the bed. Albus felt his body flush with excitement.

"You absolute shit!" Scorpius said, pressing his hands down on Albus's shoulders and grinning wide.

Albus was forced to look up into Scorpius's perfect face. He liked the angles of it, the sharpness of his nose and jawline. The curious shape of his pale, pink lips.

Albus laughed then heaved to roll Scorpius under him, now pinning him to the bed.

"You've been bested, Scorpion King," Albus said with a mischievous grin.

Scorpius bit his lip, closed his eyes then chuckled. Scorpius opened his eyes then swept Albus's legs and tossed him onto his back, his head nearly hanging off the bed as Scorpius straddled him.

"Think again. The Scorpion King is triumphant," Scorpius said, looking proud.

Albus stared at Scorpius's lips and desperately longed to find out what how they would feel like against his lips.

"Albus?" Scorpius asked.

"Yeah?" Albus replied, inching closer to Scorpius's face.

"I… I think I've just realised something," Scorpius said.

"Me too," Albus replied then pressed his mouth into Scorpius's.

Their lips glided against each other, soft and warm. Albus felt more alive than he ever had felt in that moment. He felt like he was losing control and he didn't mind in the slightest.

Kissing Scorpius was heavenly and it felt so bloody right. Albus had never kissed anyone before, well not really, and he was almost certain Scorpius never had either. Maybe they weren't even doing it right, and maybe they were using too much tongue… or not enough tongue. But absent of experience they both had desire, finally fulfilled. Tears filled Albus's eyes as he let his body press against Scorpius's, not knowing what he should be doing with his hands right now.

Their lips moved together and Albus felt his body aching with desperation and love. He pulled away and looked down at Scorpius again.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have… Was… Was that OK?"

"Of course, you should have. It was amazing. I owe you a thousand high fives," Scorpius said then leaned back up into Albus's mouth again, moaning with apparent joy.

Albus could feel himself melting inside, his thoughts and feelings becoming a gooey mess. Scorpius pulled away and laughed.

"I didn't even know. I mean… I knew but… I didn't know know, you know?" Scorpius said.

"I know. You are such a geek, Scorpius," Albus said.

"I know," he said and kissed Albus again.

And then they fell off the bed, landing in a tangled mess of limbs.

"Ow!" Albus shouted.

"Ohhh. Bollocks," Scorpius said.

The door to the bedroom opened, Albus's mum standing there looking concerned.

"Are the two of you all right?" his mum asked, her face somewhere between amused and concerned.

"I think so," Albus said.

"Your son just lacks true athletic skill, Mrs. Potter," Scorpius said, looking pleased with himself.

"Just don't break anything. Are you staying for supper, Scorpius?" Albus's mum asked.

"I might," Scorpius said.

"Well, it'll be ready in half an hour. Hopefully, Albus's dad will be home by then," she said then closed the door.

Later that night Albus was lying in bed, struggling to sleep. His mind thrummed with thoughts of Scorpius Malfoy. He couldn't stop picturing himself holding hands with Scorpius in halls at school and all the different places he wanted to kiss Scorpius at. And they would be sharing a room together all year! Would people talk about them? Would they be that Slytherin couple that everyone envied?

They always had shared a room but this year would be different and for the first time, Albus Potter was looking forward to another year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.