Title: Alleviated Boredom
Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairing: Albus Severus Potter/Armand Zabini (OMC)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Something new.
Albus was bored.
His homework, as usual, was finished far ahead of time. He'd even written letters, in response, to both of his parents and his uncle Charlie. It looked as though he'd be spending two weeks in Romania over the summer. At least that was something to look forward to.
His best friend, Scorpius Malfoy, was nowhere to be seen, which meant that he had disappeared for the evening with Rose. And so, Albus found himself forced to survey the Slytherin common room for something to do.
There was the typical sample of students tonight. A group of Fifth Years were gathered around a table, huddled over their notes for various classes in preparation for their upcoming O.W.L.s. In another corner, a duo of Second Years were gathered around a cauldron, brewing something that, no doubt, should not have been shown to Albus's father or Uncle Ron.
Albus positioned himself on a sofa in a small corner of the common room where he would be, more or less, unnoticed. Opening the dog-eared novel that he'd brought into the common room, he began to read. He stopped a few minutes later.
Someone was watching him.
He looked up in the direction of the perpetrator and found himself looking into the dark and intense eyes of Armand Zabini who was leaning casually against one wall, arms folded gracefully across his lean, muscular chest.
Armand was legendary. He was Scorpius's cousin, and not only did he make no secret of not only his large number of sexual conquests, but it was also very well known that gender was of little consequence to him.
In truth, a large number of the Pureblooded community was thus inclined. They were an elite and erudite bunch, and, according to the gossip that flowed around the Slytherin common room as easily as illegal potions, fairly enlightened as far as sexuality was concerned. The only thing that really mattered to most Purebloods was that you eventually married- or at the very least impregnated- a Witch of suitable background, and produced more Purebloods to continue the noble tradition. Who you slept with in the meantime was of no consequence.
From across the vast dungeon chamber, Albus felt his face heat as Armand blatantly studied him. He dropped his gaze back to his book and wondered what the older boy was thinking. Albus's very public break-up with Colum Finnegan last month had been the subject of gossip for days in both his own Slytherin and in Colum's home of Gryffindor. Since then, however, someone else had gotten caught snogging someone in a broom closet during nightly patrols, attention had shifted, and Albus found himself fading back into welcome obscurity. (As obscure as was possible, anyway, for the youngest son and spitting image of Harry Potter.)
Albus could tell that Armand's focus hadn't shifted, and so he looked up, meeting Armand's eye. The other boy's smile took on a predatory edge and Albus felt the bottom drop out of his stomach. Suddenly, something seemed to make up Armand's mind for him, and he pushed himself away from the wall, crossing the common room in long strides until he was standing directly in front of Albus.
"Potter." Armand was one of the few Slytherins who referred to Albus by his surname. Albus felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end, but was fortunately able to pull it together enough to respond with something incredibly brilliant.
"Zabini." He looked back at his book, attempting to look as though he was really and truly interested in whatever the hell it was he was reading.
"Would you like some company, perhaps?" Armand gestured to the rest of the empty sofa and Albus shrugged, forcing himself to pay attention to his book.
When Armand dropped onto the sofa next to him, Albus felt himself instantly attune to every movement. He tried to stop his brain from analyzing the possible purpose of their current situation, he wouldn't allow himself to think about it. After all, it was likely that the eldest Zabini simply wanted to talk. They were both fairly enthusiastic Quidditch fans, after all. They also shared several common interests academically.
However, something about the way that he had been looking at Albus earlier had the younger boy very much doubting that there was an innocent explanation for the eldest Zabini son's interest.
They passed a few moments in silence, Zabini pulling a worn paperback from his pocket and starting to read, himself. Albus began to think that his admittedly hopeful analysis might have been jumping the gun just a bit.
That was when a long arm suddenly draped itself across Albus's shoulders. He nearly jumped out of his skin. He made no move to dislodge it, though, and Armand apparently took that lack of resistance as tacit compliance.
A slim finger began tracing faint shapes on Albus's shoulder through the thin cotton of his t-shirt and Albus couldn't repress the small shudder that went through him. Out of the corner of his eye, Armand looked over and grinned.
"How's your book, Potter?" The voice came from right next to his ear, and Albus jumped. He had been trying to focus on his reading so hard that he hadn't even realized that Armand had leaned in so close. The older boy chuckled and Albus swallowed thickly. His tongue suddenly felt too large for his mouth.
"Fine," he forced out.
"Good to know." The breath against his ear sent goosebumps trailing down Albus's neck. Another chuckle caused a few more. "What's it about?"
"I haven't the faintest idea," Albus admitted, feeling his face heat again. He hated that it was so obvious when he blushed.
"Is that the case? Well, then." Albus thought he had to be imagining the faint touch of lips against his ear, but he shivered again nonetheless. "Would you like, perhaps, to put the book down and go for a little stroll with me?"
This was not an invitation to simply take in the sights of the dungeon corridor and Albus knew it. This was a proposition. A proposition from Armand Zabini. This was, in fact, a once in a lifetime opportunity, and Albus had no intention of letting it pass by unheeded.
"Absolutely." Albus shut the book as calmly as he could and managed to slam it closed fairly lightly. He dropped it onto the coffee table in front of the sofa and stood, stretching nonchalantly while he waited for Zabini's next move.
Armand seemed content simply to observe Albus's activity. He trailed his eyes all the way over the younger boy's form, grinning languidly at him for a moment. Albus's blush doubled at the other's appraising eye.
"Hmm. Nice." Armand nodded. "Let's go, then." He rose, suddenly, and moved out of the common room and into the corridor. Albus trailed hurriedly after, managing to only trip once.
His night had just gotten interesting.