…you're a loveable angelic piece of perfect,
and anything I do for you is worth it times a
million and a half…

…'cause I love you and I'd like to spend
forever in the subtle warmth inside your
arms like fireplace's embers

I will try my best to keep you by my side
'til the weather
turns apocalyptic and we end up
drifting to the nether…

~ from Valentine by Atlas

CHAPTER ONE
Et Voilà!

Easter 2023

Albus Potter found himself pacing outside his father's office. The rhythm was soothing; back and forth back and forth across the upstairs landing. Only the notion of speaking to his father would get him worked up like this. It shouldn't be this hard and yet he couldn't bring himself to knock on the door.

"You know, you're going to wear a hole into the floor if you keep doing that."

Sparing a glance in the direction of the amused voice as he continued moving, he was only mildly surprised to find his godbrother leaned against James' bedroom doorframe, watching him. It wasn't unusual to see Teddy Lupin around the Potter house, especially at the beginning of the school holidays when Albus and his siblings plus the Weasley cousins were back from Hogwarts.

There was a smirk on his face and his hair was back to his preferred mix of pale blue and purple flecks, Albus noticed. Mermaid hair was how Lily described it. Last time he'd seen the twenty-four-year-old back during the Christmas holidays, it had been a deep maroon after another fight with Victoire.

"Nice to see you, too," Albus bit back.

"C'mon, you don't mean it like that."

Albus stopped his pacing and slid against the nearest wall, next to the door to his father's study and sighed. "No, sorry," he said quietly, running a hand through his hair. It was the honest truth. Teddy was a second brother in all but blood, certainly one that actually listened to Albus. He was also spectacular at keeping James in line, and not just because he was snogging him. Now that was a whole new can of flobberworms.

Teddy flopped down lightly beside him. "So, how's Scorpius?"

Albus snorted softly. Teddy may well be trying to help distract him from his anxiety but did he have to go straight for the thing that made his cheeks blush. Well, two could play at that game. "How's James? How's Victoire?"

"I'm experimenting, you know that. But forget about me, Al," he dismissed, nudging him with his elbow. Teddy was literally the only person on earth besides Scorpius who could get away with calling him Al. "I'm asking you."

Albus nudged him back. "He's fine, we're fine. School is basically normal now and it's…nice."

"You've been out since, what, last summer?"

"June, yeah. Just after O.W.L exams, Scorpius kissed me in the corridor in front of everyone the day after our Potions final. Honestly, it was the best feeling since our very first kiss on Christmas Eve. We kept it to ourselves so we could just be us, you know? But hiding, not being able to be one-hundred percent ourselves one-hundred percent of the time was grating on us both, and so we agreed we'd become public after exams. And somehow, kids at school are actually okay with it."

"I have it on good authority from Lily that most students had betting pools on you two anyway. Your cousins certainly did."

"I love him, Teddy, and that was all that mattered in the end. Still is."

They fell into a companionable silence. Albus found his eyes tracing the patterns of the wallpaper.

Teddy broke first. "So, if it's not about coming out, what do you need to talk to Dad about? Surely you've had the sex talk by now!"

Albus smacked his godbrother on the arm, his mock glare breaking into laughter at the mischievous look on his face. James was rubbing off on him too much. "Oi! It is about me and Scorpius but nothing like that. It was actually Scorp's idea but he'd never have the guts to ask my dad."

"You swear you're not getting married."

"Honestly, Ted, you've been hanging out with James too much! No, we're just us Albus and Scorpius, a not engaged couple, wanting to go on holiday together in the summer."

"Honeymoon?"

"TEDDY LUPIN, I WILL HEX YOU!" Albus launched himself at the older man and they proceeded to have a wrestling match in the hallway like they did when they were kids.

"Woah, what is going on out here?" Harry Potter asked loudly from his office doorway. Neither of them had heard the door open, but they broke apart at the sound of his voice, both in fits of laughter. James also came bounding up the stairs, two mugs of tea levitating behind him.

"Relax, Harry," Teddy gasped out in between giggles. "Albus here wants a chat."

Dad blinked, then smiled. "Oh, sure. Come on in, Albus."

James offered a hand to Teddy, who took it and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet. The two went into James' bedroom as Albus followed their father back into his office. It was rather cluttered, paperwork scattered across the desk and books and files in disarray on the shelves. He always worked from home the first few days of the school holidays.

"What can I do for you, Albus?" His father asked, gesturing with his hand for his son to take a seat in front of the desk. Albus sat, hands wringing in his lap. Looking at his dad as he sat opposite him, his confidence increased at the fond smile the father was giving his youngest son.

Their relationship had improved since Albus' fourth year, and while they still clashed occasionally as parent and child did, Albus was immensely happy with how far they'd come. Dad was more understanding of him, more loving and more relaxed around him. Albus still held anxieties as they had been ingrained in him for so long, but he knew now that his father loved him specifically. He loved him for him, accepted him. One of the turning points had been when he had come out as bisexual, confessing his feelings for Scorpius. He had told his dad first.

"Well, Scorpius comes of age in June, at the start of the summer. We...we were wondering...I was wondering if-" he stammered, looking his dad dead in the eyes. "Ifwecouldgoawaytogetherforaweek." He exhaled, super relieved at having gotten the words out.

"I'm sorry, Albus, I didn't catch that." Great. "I trust everything is okay between you and Scorpius?"

Albus nodded emphatically. "Yes! Yes of course it is." He took a moment to breathe, his heart rate having accelerated fiercely and not in the good way when he was with Scorpius. Come on, Albus Severus Potter, just say it. "Dad, I'm asking you if it would be okay for Scorpius and I to go on holiday for a few days in the summer."

"I see. Alone?"

"Yes. Please."

Harry smiled wryly at his son. "I trust your mum is okay with this?"

"It's Mum, of course she is. She's actually surprised we've haven't asked sooner."

"Yeah well, forgive me for being blunt, Albus, but the last time you and Scorpius went off together alone for a few days it didn't exactly go smoothly, did it?"

"Well, if you want to go there, we did fix everything and Delphi is still in Azkaban is she not?" Albus made sure his tone was soft and light, though he didn't have to force it. He was still cautious, however. The last thing he needed right now was a shouting match.

His father sighed and ran a hand across his face, resting for a split second longer on the lightning bolt scar. "You will both be of age so I can't exactly stop you. Tell me, what do you have in mind?"

"Wait, you actually asked your dad?

"Indeed," Albus replied, throwing an arm around his boyfriend's waist as they made their way to Charms. He'd casually mentioned the subject as they left the Great Hall after breakfast, and Albus couldn't help but enjoy the way the sixteen-year old was completely flummoxed.

Scorpius crinkled his nose adorably. "And he said yes? Albus! Why didn't you say so before!"

"So you wouldn't embarrass yourself in front of them," he said dryly, snorting as Scorpius gave him a dry look back. "Okay, kidding, only partially because of that. You said before the holidays that you really wanted to go camping in the summer, just me and you, and because I knew you'd never ask my mum and dad without melting into a puddle on the floor I asked for you. Honestly, you've known them for years now, Scorp!"

"It's not that they frighten me, it's…Well, okay, your dad is quite scary. I get on perfectly fine with your mum though. But, Albus, they're your parents. You are my boyfriend and Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley are your parents. And don't forget that they did save the Wizarding World and that is still quite a big deal to some people!"

Albus hugged him tighter, planting a kiss on his cheek. He loved when Scorpius got all rambly and flustered, it was just one more checked box on a long list of things that had Albus falling head over heels for him. Scorpius was just so damn precious.

"Don't look at me like that, Albus. It's making me want to snog you senseless."

In response, Albus withdrew his arm from Scorpius' waist, making sure there was a very flirty smile on his face. Then he stepped in front of him, causing them to stop and brought his hand up to grab his boyfriend's tie, stroking his hand down it slowly. He licked his lips before smoothly pulling Scorpius backward by his tie, spinning them around until the blond's back hit the wall. Both of their bags crashed to the floor, forgotten.

Scorpius' yelp of surprise was cut off by Albus pressing his lips against his, the noise melding into a moan. Albus moved his arms, one into his boyfriend's hair, the other stroking down his shirt.

"Get a room!" one of the passing students called, and Albus flashed the bird at them. Scorpius bit down on his lip and it was his turn to moan, using the hand that was buried into his lover's hair as a way to pull them even closer together.

Breathless, they broke apart, Scorpius leaning his forehead down on Albus' and cupping his face.

"As fun as this is, I really don't want to get detention for being late on the first day back." He gave Albus one last peck before giving him a little playful shove and retrieving his bag. "I love you."

Albus picked up his bag and looped it over his shoulder, took Scorpius' hand and they resumed walking. "I love you too."

Later that day, Albus found himself entwined around Scorpius in his bed, the latter laying with his head on Albus' chest. He was currently talking their ears off about all the different things they could do while camping in the summer, the most obscure being to try and obtain drinkable water without magic. Albus just lay there enjoying the closeness, absentmindedly stroking a hand over Scorp's back.

"We learned all about it in Muggle Studies! You can pour the water through a coffee filter and use a fire to boil it and get rid of all the nasty bits, et voilà, you're left with clean drinking water."

This made Albus frown. "Scorp, we have wands. We take metal water bottles and use the aguamenti spell, et voilà! Problem solved," he said, sending his hand into the air with a flourish.

Scorpius turned to look at him, resting his chin on his hand. There was a pout on his face. "But, Albuuussss," he whined. "Part of the fun of camping is doing it the Muggle way!"

"In the middle of nowhere? I doubt our parents nor my aunt, who happens to be the Minister for Magic, would just let the two of us loose around a Muggle campsite. I was kind of hoping we'd get ourselves lost in a forest somewhere and just be us, with magic. We'll both be able to use magic outside of school for the first time for Merlin's sake!"

Scorpius shuffled himself further up the bed so he was level with Albus, before closing the distance and kissing him sweetly. "I guess we can compromise. We go camping your way, with magic, but, you let me choose some activities for us to do. These could potentially involve us becoming un-lost for a few hours at a time. Then afterward, we can re-lose ourselves."

"You're such a dork." Albus couldn't help shaking his head at him.

"That is why you love me." Scorpius grinned stupidly and Albus grabbed his cheek so he could kiss that damn thing off his face.

Doing so, and taking great pleasure in the way his boyfriend responded to him, Albus hitched his leg over Scorpius' hip and rolled them so the blond was beneath him. Scorpius immediately covered his mouth with his, kissing him passionately and the seventeen-year-old couldn't help groaning in pleasure as heat seared downwards to his crotch.

"Think you've got another round in you, Malfoy?"

"Bring it on, Potter."