Author's note: Howdy! Um… I just want to say that I'm 100 Texan and NOT British, so I apologize for any Americanisims/Texanisms. This is un-betaed, but I'm an editor, so hopefully there aren't any glaring errors. If there are, then feel free to kick my ass about them.
A Father's Love
"And they lived happily after until the end of their days," Draco Malfoy finished, closing the fairytale book he had been reading from. Scorpius Malfoy yawned and snuggled into his father's side.
"Daddy, do people really fall in love and live happily ever after?" he asked sleepily. Draco set the heavy book on the bedside table and put an arm around his son, the light of his life, and the one person who would love him unconditionally.
"Well, some do. You just have to find that special person," he said, stroking Scorpius' hair soothingly. The young boy made a contented sound as his father's voice lulled him to sleep, which he was abruptly pulled from when he heard the telltale sound of a zipper. Draco heard it, too. He kissed the crown of his son's head and slid off the side of the bed to see where the noise came from.
"Hurry up, Twinky! Get those bags downstairs!" Astoria Greengrass barked at the house-elf. Twinky squeaked and lugged the heavy suitcase down the stairs.
"Astoria, what are you doing?" Draco asked warily. He was pretty sure he knew what she was doing; he'd known for months. Ever since she found that Brazilian Quidditch star at the World Cup, she'd been taken with his large muscles and charming smile.
"I'm leaving, Draco. For good," she said stiffly. Draco saw red.
"You're leaving me? What about your son!" he yelled, not thinking that Scorpius could hear them perfectly from his room.
"He's your problem now," she replied, straightening her robe and walking past him. Draco ran after her.
"How dare you say that? What, you going to go live with your Brazilian bon-bon? Is this fling more important than Scorpius or me? How can you do this to him?" he questioned, following her down the stairs to the ground floor.
"Oh, honestly, Draco! You care more about that little snot than you ever did about me! He gets all your attention and affections, and I'm left unsatisfied and unloved!" she yelled, dropping her cool composure.
"You can't expect me to spend every waking moment with you when I've got a five-year-old son who needs me! While you're off all the time with your girlfriends and what's-his-name, I'm home with him! You have no idea how much it hurts him!" he shouted, his voice echoing off the marble foyer.
"I wouldn't get any attention if I stayed home anyway! I'm going to be with someone who places me as his highest priority. Good evening, Mister Malfoy!" she spat, throwing her wedding ring at his feet. He watched helplessly as she stormed out of the manor, the house-elf running after her.
"Daddy?" a timid voice asked behind him. Draco bit his lip and turned to see Scorpius shaking under the stairs where he'd been hiding, surreptitiously listening to his parents argue. "Is Mummy gone?" he asked brokenly. Draco felt his heart break as he saw his son tremble, trying not to cry. He sat on the hard floor and opened his arms, shortly filled with the blond boy.
"Yes, Scorpius. She's gone. But we don't need her," he said, silent tears cascading down his cheeks. Scorpius pulled back and looked into his father's face, surprised that he was crying.
"But what are we gonna do without a mummy?" he asked. Draco thumbed the tears from the small face, smiling through his own.
"From now on, I'm going to be your mummy and your daddy. Is that all right?" he asked. Scorpius smiled and nodded. "Here," Draco said, picking up Astoria's wedding ring. He pulled his wand out of his pocket and spelled a necklace chain into his hand. After threading the ring through it, he put the chain over his son's head. "I want you to keep this for me," he said softly.
"I'll take real good care of it," Scorpius said, cupping the ring in his hand. It had one diamond in the middle and three small garnets on either side of it, set into a white-gold wedding band.
"I know you will, and I promise to take real good care of you. Deal?" Draco said, holding his hand out professionally. Scorpius smiled and shook his father's hand.
"Deal."
Scorpius scooped up a small black puppy from the lot of grey and ginger puppies, cuddling the warm bundle against his chest. Draco had brought Scorpius to a Wizarding pet store in England, determined to find a pet that would make him happy. Scorpius refused to befriend any of the kids at his private school or in his dance classes, opting to sit by himself and withdraw. Draco knew he couldn't make his stubborn son socialize, but he could at least find him an animal friend. Scorpius, however, wasn't aware of this trick.
"Do you like that one?" Draco asked. The blond boy was lightly petting the black puppy behind the ears. He nodded and rubbed his cheek across its soft fur. "Would you like to bring him home?"
Scorpius' eyes widened.
"Can I?" he asked. Draco nodded and smiled. Scorpius beamed and snuggled his puppy.
"Thank you, Daddy!" he squealed, hugging his father's waist lightly as not to squish the puppy. Draco's heart warmed and he rubbed his son's back.
"What would you like to name him?" he asked as they walked to the register, the black dog now on a leash and collar, Draco holding the food and water bowl. Scorpius hmm'ed to himself.
"Puffle," he decided. Draco arched an eyebrow. "Yes, Puffle is a good name, isn't it, Daddy?" he asked innocently. Draco smiled and nodded. He paid for the animal and its necessities before leaving the pet store, glad that he found his son a new friend. The smile on the boy's face was worth it.
September 1
Scorpius was knocked from his sleep when he heard the jeering voice of James Potter.
"Hello, Lily. How are you and your snakes doing?" he asked snidely. Lily Potter stuck her tongue out at James, straightening her Slytherin tie.
"Bugger off, James," she replied through gritted teeth.
"Tell me, Lily, what's it like being a snake with that Malfoy kid, huh? I'm absolutely dying to know," he said dramatically, looking pointedly at Scorpius, who turned red and pretended to still be asleep.
"Fuck off, James," someone said from the corridor. James sneered at his little brother and went to his compartment at the other end with the rest of his Gryffindor cronies. Albus Potter sighed and joined Lily and Scorpius in their compartment, closing the door behind him.
"I apologize for my brother's abysmal behavior," Albus said to Scorpius' feigned-sleep form. He could tell by the way he was breathing that he was indeed awake. The blond sat up and ran a hand through his long hair, gripping the ring on his necklace, just making sure it was still there.
"Yeah, James is an arse," Lily tacked on. Scorpius nodded and tucked one side of his hair behind his ear in a shy gesture. Albus studied him.
"Al, this is Rory," she said, gesturing to Scorpius. Albus smiled widely and held his hand out to the blond.
"Enchanted," Albus said charmingly, shamelessly flirting. Scorpius blushed and shook Albus' hand gently. His father always told him to shake firmly so they know you're there, but he could never bring himself to do it.
"Nice to meet you," Scorpius said with pasted-on politeness. He'd never gotten the knack of talking to people since the only people he talked to were his dad and his dog.
"Loosen up!" Albus encouraged. "Us Gryffindors don't bite except on special occasions," he teased. Scorpius smiled slightly at that, making Albus feel like he'd accomplished something. "I don't suppose I have a class with you?"
"We've been in the same Potions class for five years," he said softly. Albus blanched and coughed uncomfortably. "I always sat behind you. I don't expect you to remember me."
"Ah, well, now I will, won't I?" he asked. "So, you're Draco Malfoy's kid, right?" he asked. Scorpius nodded eagerly.
"Mhm. You know him?" he asked. Albus was taken aback by his sudden change in attitude, but nodded.
"Yeah. My dad used to know him in school," Albus said vaguely, watching Scorpius finger-comb his long hair. It was sort of… captivating. The train lurched.
"Looks like we're here!" Lily announced happily. She pulled her trunk down and helped Scorpius with his.
"See ya, Al!" she called as her and Scorpius walked off the train, Albus watching the boy's hair sway in the breeze.
September 15
Albus watched Scorpius. He always was with Lily, obviously her best friend. Of course, he already knew that. When she'd write home, she'd write more about 'Rory' than anything else. Apparently, he was a dancer and had been since he was six. Albus couldn't imagine being dedicated to something so fully for that long.
Albus was watching the boy right now in the Great Hall. He opted to wear his hair in a low ponytail than free like he did on the train. He just smiled at something Lily said, and it had to be the prettiest smile he believed he'd ever seen. Oh! Albus could see that he had dimples, too. How cute!
"Albus!" Rose said, poking Albus' arm with her fork.
"Ow! What?" he asked irritably while rubbing his arm.
"I've been poking you for five minutes! I need you to quiz me for our OWLs!" she said pleadingly. Albus rolled his eyes.
"Those are even until the end of the year, Rosie Posy," he replied exasperatedly. She stabbed him again with her fork where he was sure he'd have four little poke-mark bruises in the morning.
"Don't call me Rosy Posy, Ally!" she teased. He glared at her and stole her roll, stuffing it in his mouth all at once. She made an offended noise and stole one of his sausages right back. He smiled around his mouthful and swallowed.
"Rosie, what do you know about Rory Malfoy?" he asked. She arched a red eyebrow at him.
"Scorpius?" she clarified. He looked at her funny. "That's his full name." Realization dawned on his face and he nodded. "Well, I know he's an only child," Albus shivered, "and that he lives with just his dad. Oh, and he's naturally blond," she added, smiling.
"He's only got a dad?" he asked. She nodded.
"That's what Lily told me. Won't tell me why, though. Says it's none of my business. Damn Slytherin," she mumbled, shoveling mashed potatoes into her mouth. He smiled, looking at Scorpius again, who was delicately nibbling on a green bean.
"I think I'm gonna talk to him," he told her. She shrugged.
Albus waited until Scorpius was finished eating before he made his move. When he left the Great Hall, Albus followed, shoeless as not to make any noise.
He followed him up countless flights of stairs, amazed he hadn't been noticed yet, when the blond walked back and fourth in front of a space of wall. What was he doing? When a door appeared, Albus' eyebrows went up. He followed the slight boy into the hidden room.
It had turned into a large, wood-paneled studio with a mirror going along the entire wall. There was a bar perched on the wall and a Wizarding music player. There was a little alcove inside where Albus could hide and watch -- apparently the Room saw that, too. Albus watched with wide eyes as Scorpius flicked his wand at the stereo, a dance song starting to pound out of the speakers.
Scorpius threw his robe off and rolled his sleeves up, toeing out of his shoes at the same time. Albus winced as he slid down slowly into the splits. Albus hurt just watching him. When he started to stretch, though, Albus couldn't look away. He wished he could watch the muscles moving under Scorpius' shirt, but it was rather baggy on his frame.
When that song ended, he stood and waited patiently for the next one to start. It was… odd to say the least. A pair of small tap shoes materialized in front of Scorpius' feet and he slipped them on, standing just in time to start dancing. Albus didn't want to blink as he watched.
This beautiful boy mouthed the words to the song while he tapped, which was fluid like water. Albus wondered how one could spin so fast and not get dizzy and fall on his ass, but Scorpius managed it. Albus wasn't a romantic, but he felt the need to compare Scorpius' dancing to a swan at the moment. That was, until Scorpius fell.
First, his hair tie flew out of his hair in the middle of a spin, resulting in his hair slapping him in the face, ending with him losing his balance and falling on his leg awkwardly. He blew the hair out of his face with a grimace, reaching down to his ankle, which had a bruise, no doubt sprained.
"Atch!" he said softly, prodding his ankle. "Fuck!"
Albus didn't even think about what he was doing when he flung himself out of the closet (no pun intended) and dropped to Scorpius' feet.
"Are you okay? Does it hurt really bad?" he asked, elevating the pale ankle and laying it on his knee.
"Where did you come from?" he asked.
"I would have thought you'd have had that conversation with your dad years ago," Albus replied dryly. Scorpius blushed and didn't look into the subject further, not noticing that Albus said 'dad' instead of 'parents' like a normal kid would have.
"Yeah, it does," he said, wincing as Albus gently pulled his shoe off.
"I think you need to see the nurse," Albus said, looking at the ankle from all angles, already noticing the swelling.
"And how do you expect me to get there?" Scorpius countered.
"Well, you look small. I could carry you," Albus offered. Scorpius shook his head.
"No, that'd be way too embarrass-- AAH!" he exclaimed as Albus ignored his request, lifting him into the air and proceeding to carry him all the way down to the nurse's office. He was right; Scorpius was small, and impossibly light.
"What's this?" the nurse, Madam Helluin, asked as Albus carried Scorpius into the infirmary.
"We've got a sprained ankle, Madam," Albus replied, setting the light blond on a cot.
"Oh, that can be fixed in no time!" she said, bustling away. She came back with an ice pack and spellotaped it to Scorpius' gimpy ankle.
"I'm afraid that's all we can do for it. Keep that on for thirty minutes, and then you can head back to your dormitory," she informed him, going to attend to another patient. Scorpius sighed and flopped back against the pillows. Albus cupped his ear with his hand, making a strange face, obviously expecting Scorpius to thank him. He sighed again.
"Thank you, Albus, for carrying me down seven flights of stairs," he said, smiling at the triumphant look on Albus' face.
"It was only the proper thing to do," he said proudly. "So, those were some pretty nice moves in there." Scorpius blushed. "No, seriously! I could never do anything like that! What were you practicing for?"
"A recital," he said embarrassedly. Albus smiled. "It's supposed to be a duo, but my partner goes to a Wizarding school in Australia, but I'll see him at Christmas."
"Ah, so do you only tap?" Albus asked, trying to show interest.
"Tap, lyrical, jazz, ballet, and interpretive," he answered. Albus gaped.
"When exactly do you have time to do all of this?" he asked. "You must dance twenty-four seven!"
Scorpius smiled. "Three or four hours every day, except Sunday, since I was six," he said, blushing a little more prominently.
"Wow. I thought I was obsessed with computer games, but my hours are nothing compared to that. That takes real dedication," Albus said bemusedly. Scorpius' transparent brow furrowed in confusion.
"Comm-pue-tur? What's that?" he asked. Albus stuttered for a minute.
"Uh-h, it's a Muggle thing. Complicated," he answered vaguely. Scorpius nodded.
"So," Albus jumped, "is there a reason you stalked me?" Scorpius asked. It was Albus' turn to blush.
"Yes, and it's a very good reason," he stated confidently. Scorpius arched an eyebrow.
"You gonna tell me what the very good reason is?"
"Nope." Albus smiled. "You're just gonna have to figure that one out, wily Slytherin."
Scorpius grinned. He loved a challenge.