To Endure by Kireshai.
Pairing: Albus Severus/Scorpius, ASS as some might call it.
Rating: PG. 'Cos I might swear.
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Harry Potter. That honour falls to someone else. Same for the Princess Bride.
Summary: Scorpius is altogether unsurprising to many people. Unlike Albus, who seems to shock people every day. Until one day...
Author's note: So, I had an idea in my head for using a line from the princess bride, so I started writing this, but then the surprising/unsurprising plot bunny took hold and ended up being the main overriding theme of the fic. Still kept the line though.
No-one who knew the history of the Malfoy family was shocked on the day that Scorpius Malfoy was sorted into Slytherin. Perhaps confused, bamboozled, mystified by the time he sat on the stool, hat covering his eyes, and feet twitching in what was probably impatience. He may have been the student that had spent the longest time in history on that stool, but when it came to the words the hat shouted, not a single person in the hall was surprised.
Surprised didn't cover it, when, five minutes later, Albus Potter took his turn to sit on the battered old stool, the hat sliding down to cover even his decently sized nose, almost a reminder of one of his namesakes. Scoring himself the place of second longest session in history as he sat there, wringing his hands slowly, and mouthing words that no-one could hear, Albus shocked the hall into silence as the hat bellowed, "Slytherin!" Most were too shocked to hear the slight note of disapproval in the hat's voice, but it was there, and there was a slightly guilty look on Albus' face as he paced steadily to the Slytherin table.
Upon reaching the table, Albus slipped into the empty seat beside Scorpius, smiling warmly at the older student on his other side and the students across from him. He turned to face the boy beside him, and held out his hand in greeting. "Hi. I'm Albus. Nice to meet you."
Slowly, Scorpius turned from the person seated on his other side to glance at Albus. His eyes swept up and down, taking in the entirety of Albus, from his black hair to his green eyes to his thin, pale face. A sneer appeared on Scorpius' face, and he drawled, "do I know you?," before turning once again to the person on his other side and commenting serenely on the draughtiness of the hall.
It was a while before Albus lost his shocked expression, when he was drawn into conversation by an older Slytherin who claimed to be a prefect, but throughout the dinner he sneaked quick glances at the blonde boy beside him, unable to stop himself.
A heirarchy developed quickly amongst the first year Slytherin boys. It was no surprise that Scorpius Malfoy became the ruler of the roost, with all the other boys in first year, including the other houses, currying for his favour. What did shock some students was Albus Potter's choice to become something akin to Scorpius' personal slave.
The first class of their year was potions. Professor Clearwater spoke gravely about how serious the year ahead of them would be, before beginning a talk on the outline of the year ahead. No-one noticed how Albus would glance at Scorpius, except for his cousin sitting beside him, who, predictably, had joined her Weasley brethren in Gryffindor.
"Al, stop looking at him and pay attention." Rose nudged Albus with her elbow, and he turned his head to look at her, but did not really seem to be registering her presence. "Al, you need to listen. Otherwise I won't be your partner, because you won't know what to do."
"Quiet there!" Professor Clearwater turned her steely gaze on the pair of cousins. "I will have no misbehaviour in my class, or I will emulate the infamous potions professor who taught me."
Rose lowered her head demurely, and murmured, "sorry, Professor." Albus on the other hand, barely took notice of being upbraided by their teacher. His gaze was fixed downwards, but would constantly flicker towards the blonde boy in front of them. For the rest of the lesson, Rose watched her cousin as he glanced at Scorpius, and occasionally nudged him again when he spent too long staring inappropriately at the other boy.
At the end of the lesson, Albus hurriedly packed his bag, and rushed over to Scorpius, ignoring his cousin's annoyed shouts. Albus smiled in a nervous manner, and held out his hand warily. "Would you like me to carry that for you, Scorpius?"
Scorpius turned to him, but his only response was to sneer slightly, before turning away and walking off, leaving his bag behind. Albus smiled brightly, and picked the bag up with his outstretched hand, scurrying after the blonde as he swept from the classroom.
Not an eyebrow was raised when Scorpius began to refer to Albus simply as boy. It seemed so natural for him to be derogatory towards those he viewed as inferior. He was a Malfoy after all. What did surprise the first years was that Albus, far from disapproving of this derisive treatment, took it as encouragement to continue his subservient behaviour.
It was halfway through first year, and Scorpius Malfoy had still not uttered a word to Albus Potter since that one sentence on the night of the sorting. In fact, most of the time he barely noticed the boy's existence, even when Albus was following him like a lost puppy, adoring gaze directed only at the blonde boy.
At the end of another gruelling potions class, (Professor Clearwater was as hard a taskmaster as her many predecessors had been) Albus once again abandoned his cousin hurriedly to rush over to Scorpius, ready to wait on him hand and foot, as he had come to do. Before Albus reached him, Scorpius had turned his head, as if searching for him, and letting his eyes rest on Albus, had drawled, "oh, boy, there you are. Carry this for me."
At the words spoken, Albus' face lit up, and he stepped forward reverently. He took the bag in his hands and whispered, "as you wish."
It was no surprise that as the years went by, Scorpius Malfoy became the most beautiful person in Hogwarts, as voted by the student body. He grew tall and thin like his father, with pointed features and pale, luminescent skin. His hair was as pale as a unicorn's, and his eyes like the full round moon. His lips, soft and kissable, his nose, small and pointed. To the many people around him, he was perfection itself, desirable, yet unattainable. Still, the many students of Hogwarts flocked towards him, garnering for his looks and good opinion. Swooning at the receipt of one of his practised, perfect smiles.
The school was completely unprepared for the change that came to Albus Potter in the summer between fifth and sixth year, and many people were stunned when he walked into the hall on the evening of the sorting. In the last year, he had grown to be tall. One of the tallest boys in the school, and had developed a gangly figure akin to that of his grandfather, but with the better physique achieved by playing quidditch for years. He had tanned over the summer, and his green eyes blazed in contrast to his dark skin and hair. His nose was regrettable, seemingly out of nowhere, and unlike any of his relations, protruding and oh so slightly hooked.
Albus soon found himself with his own little gaggle of admirers. Nothing on the scale of Scorpius, but still enough to attract the attention of other students, the teachers, and the school idol himself.
On the second day of their sixth year, Scorpius, Albus and their sixth year Slytherin peers were accompanied by a small group of admirers on their way to breakfast. As always, Scorpius took his seat near the end of the Slytherin table, and Albus took his seat, not next to him, but nearby. As the meal progressed and other students finished their own food, they flocked towards the Slytherin table, forming small clusters around the two sixth years.
Scorpius smiled radiantly at the students who came to join him, commenting smartly when spoken to, and bathing in the adoration of those around him. Albus, on the other hand, blushed profusely when spoken to, but managed to stutter responses. As the weeks wore on, Albus became used to the attention, and grew more confident with his smiles and conversation.
As the term closed in on Halloween, Scorpius began to notice the crowd of followers that the other boy was gathering and one day, a look crossed his face that had perhaps never graced it before. It was there but a moment, and none of those around him saw it, but it was there, and it was the only reflection of the feelings he found growing inside of him.
Brushing aside his circle of 'friends', Scorpius swept majestically up to Albus, and said imperiously, "boy, my arm is tired, carry my bag for me today."
Albus turned at his words, and smiled gently, not the beaming smile of former years, or the cheeky grin that he had become accustomed to wearing when swamped with admirers, before murmuring, "as you wish." Ducking his head slightly and excusing himself, he strode to the bag, which lay on the table, swept it into his arms, and waited patiently for more instruction, gazing at Scorpius intently.
It was entirely expected the day that Scorpius came into the school wearing his prefect badge. Though he often acted superior to the people around him, he was well liked, good at his school work, and well disciplined in general. He would be the perfect person to ensure proper behaviour and cooperation from the student body.
Two years later, Albus shocked the entire school, except, of course, for the wise Headmistress McGonagall, when he walked into the hall on the first evening of seventh year, shiny new Head Boy badge gleaming on his chest. Many had thought that it would be Scorpius, school idol and ideal student who would be given the honour, not shy, average Albus, who always did well, but not spectacularly, who was well liked, but not authoritative.
On the evening in question, Albus rose to make a speech to the school, as had become custom in recent years. He was accompanied by Kathleen Finch-Fletchley, the Hufflepuff seventh year who had been a shoe-in for head girl since second year.
It was a short speech for both, Albus spoke of the honour of their duty, and his eagerness to serve the school he loved. At the end of his speech, Albus grasped hands with Kathleen in excitement, and they shared a smile, encouraging and supporting each other in their new roles.
At the Gryffindor table, Rose Weasley watched the entire scene in interest, and noted that throughout the whole speech, Albus had not glanced once at his fellow Slytherin seventh years, or in particular, Scorpius. In her scrutiny she also noticed that Scorpius now seemed to be watching her cousin, almost as intently as her cousin had once watched him. She shrugged it off, because it was common knowledge that Scorpius Malfoy treated Albus Potter almost as badly as the dirt beneath his feet.
Scorpius Malfoy surprised himself the day that he realised he loved Albus Potter more than anyone else in the world. He had looked at him for so long as someone beneath him, simply because the boy had let himself be looked upon as such. At the same time, he was not at all surprised that it was Potter that he had fallen for. Someone so giving, so loving, so gentle and kind, not at all Slytherin, and not at all like himself. After all, they say opposites attract.
For the weeks that followed his realisation, Scorpius became hyperaware of everything that Albus did. He was fixated on the other boy in class, whenever he spoke or moved. At mealtimes, he refused to look at him, but every fidget and word had his senses tingling in awareness. He couldn't not notice. His hypersensitivity also led Scorpius to notice the changes in Albus' behaviour. Though before, Albus would look at him often, with an expression that he did not really understand, now the other boy barely glanced at him.
When he spoke to Albus to ask him to do something, the shy smile was still there, but the words were gone, and Scorpius found himself missing them, those three words that Albus had always spoken to him and only him. An empty hole opened up in his life, a place that he had never before realised was filled, but now that it was absent, he noticed the presence.
Scorpius' new hypersensitivity also led him to notice the people who Albus spent much of his time with. He was pleased to see it consisted mostly of his cousin, and occasionally his younger sister, but he found himself perturbed to find that Albus also spent copious amounts of time in the company of Kathleen Finch-Fletchley, the Head Girl. In addition to the large amounts of time spent together, to him they seemed inappropriately intimate for people with a professional working relationship.
Frustration grew within Scorpius, and he found himself becoming short with the people around him. Knowing he had to do something, Scorpius manoeuvred to have their dormitory free of all but himself and Albus, but he found himself at a loss for words, he knew not what to say to the boy that he loved so dearly, yet knew nothing of.
"Boy, bring me that book," Scorpius commanded, trying his hardest to control the wavering in his voice. Albus smiled at him, picking up the book, and handing it to him slowly, their fingers touching slightly, but for so long it was almost unbearable to Scorpius. Once his errand was complete, Albus returned to his bed, and picked up the scroll that he had been reading.
"It's too cold, do something to warm the room." Almost without looking up, Albus flicked his wand carelessly, and the room was instantly a perfectly comfortable temperature. The lack of verbal response lowered Scorpius' spirits immeasurably, and he felt himself sinking into despair. This in turn made him reckless, and a new determination came into his silver eyes as he looked across the room at Albus.
"Albus." Albus looked up in surprise at his name, but the surprised expression soon turned into a happy one, and he smiled his gentle smile once again. "Come here. Stand before me." Scorpius wasn't sure if it was the right thing to do, but it was the only way he knew to speak to the other boy, and he knew that once, before, Albus had liked him despite it.
As Albus walked towards him, Scorpius stood, and found himself looking slightly upwards at the boy who he never realised had managed somehow to grow taller than him one day. Unable to control himself, Scorpius threw himself at Albus, burying his head in the other boy's chest. "Oh Albus," Scorpius pleaded desperately, "Albus, I love you, and I know I always have. Tell me, please, oh, tell me if you love me too. I thought once that you might have, but I just cannot tell anymore." Scorpius' hands were gripping Albus shirt tightly, and he felt himself shaking in agony.
"I've already told you." Albus' voice was deep and musical, and Scorpius was sure that it had never sounded that wonderful before. "Many times I've told you."
Scorpius could only wonder what Albus meant, but he took courage from the lack of complete rejection, and looked up into Albus' green eyes mistily. "Then, if you love me, hold me. If you love me, kiss me, and never let go."
For a second Scorpius was sure that he'd been wrong, and that Albus would turn him away, but then his face was graced with the beautific smile he had worn as a younger child, and he was already leaning down to press his lips against Scorpius' as he whispered, "as you wish."
A moment later, and Albus' lips were upon his, but Scorpius barely noticed for the revelation that came upon him as he heard the whispered words that Albus had spoken. He understood now, what Albus meant every time he had said those words. Those special three words, so meaningless to the world, were Albus' way of telling Scorpius that he loved him. Had always loved him, since the moment that he had seen him.
As the moment of revelation passed, Scorpius lost himself to the kiss, raising his arms to loop them around the other boy's neck and Albus slid his arms down to Scorpius' thin waist. It was perfect, and they stayed connected for as long as they could, but eventually they had to stop, and they pulled apart, gazing lovingly into one another's eyes.
Finally, Albus whispered, "marry me, Scorpius Malfoy."
For Scorpius, there could only ever be one reply. "As you wish, Albus Potter, as you wish."
So, there is one of the randomest stories i've ever written. I know it seems to make little sense for Albus to still fancy Scorpius, after him being so shitty, but if you read my inspriation (The Princess Bride), that's kind of how it happens, and the thing is that it's a bit superficial, but that the other person realises the worth of something when they think they could lose it. Anyway, review if you have the time, because I'd love to know how awkward and disjointed it is.