Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.

A/N: Thank you very much to my wonderful beta, Lisa.

Am I asking for so much?

I'm not asking to be understood.

Am I asking for so much?

I'm just looking for a brand new friend.

First year.

"What if the rest of the children are horrible and don't like me?" asked Scorpius Malfoy, voicing his worries for the first time.

Draco Malfoy only wished he had done so sooner, so that he could have had a proper talk with his obviously anxious son. It was Scorpius' first year at Hogwarts, and he should have already been on the train. I'll have to make this quick, he thought, placing his hands reassuringly on Scorpius' shoulders and kneeling down so that he was looking him in the eyes that were so very like his own.

"They won't, Scorpius," he began firmly. "Just be yourself, and they will forget all about your last name." Scorpius was a sweet, good-natured child, and Draco's pride in him grew with every breath he took. It pained him to think that people would judge him cruelly based on the mistakes he and his father had made during the war. Scorpius did not deserve that sort of treatment. Draco had faith in him though. He was strong, and if anyone would be able to redeem the Malfoy name, it would be him.

Scorpius nodded at his father, trying to look as though his words had eased his fear. They had not, and Draco was not fooled. The whistle blew, signalling that any children not already on the train should board now. "You'd best go, Scorpius."Draco pulled him in for a brief but warm hug. This soothed Scorpius' distress better than any words ever could.

His mother, Astoria Malfoy, hugged him tightly against her chest. "Be careful, won't you?" she fretted. "Write regularly and let us know which house you are sorted into. If you've forgotten anything, we'll owl it. We love you, darling!""Okay, Mum, love you both." He watched his parents get smaller and smaller until the train turned a corner and he could no longer see them at all. He sighed and began looking for a compartment to sit in. He knew he should probably try and socialise with the others in his year, but he really did not want to. Just the thought of it made him so nervous that he thought he might vomit. So, instead he looked for an empty the time he reached the end of the train, he desperately wished that he hadn't spent so much time on the platform, because all the compartments seemed to be occupied. Panic began to rise within him.

I'm going to have to sit out in the aisle! he thought frantically. On his way back to the top of the train, he passed a compartment with just one boy inside. The boy was rather scrawny looking with unkempt black hair and had his nose in a book. Scorpius didn't think he looked too threatening. He knocked on the door and slid it opened. The boy looked up from his book and smiled.

"Hello," Scorpius began politely, thanking God that he hadn't stuttered. He always did that when he was nervous. "Would you mind if I sat in here with you?" The boy beamed. "No, not at all. I could do with some company. My brother won't let me sit with him, and I have no idea what's happened to my friend Mathew. Who knows where he's gone…" Scorpius snickered at the boy's complete lack of concern about what had happened to his friend.

"I'm Scorpius Malfoy." He held out his hand to the boy, half expecting him to make a nasty face upon hearing his name, but to his surprise the boy just smiled again and shook his hand. "Albus Severus Potter," he said, grimacing slightly as he said it. "But please call me Al. I really must insist." Scorpius chuckled. "Nice to meet you, Al." "You too." "So… You're Harry Potter's son." It was not a question. "Yeah," Albus said. "And you are Draco Malfoy's son. Our dads didn't like each other." "No, they didn't," agreed Scorpius. "My father respects him now, though. Your dad saved my fathers life. I should thank him one day."Albus didn't say anything at first. He had, of course, heard the story of how his dad had saved 'that git Malfoy' told many times by his Uncle Ron. "Just because our fathers weren't friends doesn't mean we can't be. I mean, if you want to be," said Albus. Scorpius smiled widely at him, the expression brightening his entire face. "I'd like that."

They chatted about everything from family to Quidditch. They discovered, to their great pleasure, that they both supported the same team, the Falmouth Falcons. They rambled excitedly about games they had been to and their favourite players until the lady with the trolley knocked on the door. "So," said Albus round a mouthful of chocolate frog, "what house do you think you'll be in?" "I don't know. My whole family has been in Slytherin, so I'll probably end up there. I think that's what father's hoping for." He gingerly picked a Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Bean from the box. "What about you?

"Well, I was actually really worried about it," Albus confessed. "My brother, James, kept telling me I would end up in Slytherin and that the family would shun me, but I spoke to my dad, and he says he and my mum will be proud of me wherever I end up. So I don't really mind, although," he said making a face, "I'd rather not be in Hufflepuff." "No, me neither," Scorpius agreed. Then he snorted. "The look on my father's face would be hilarious if, God forbid, I was ever sorted into Hufflepuff, though."

"Also, my dad says the Sorting Hat takes what you want into account," Albus informed him.

"Really?" asked Scorpius, seeming intrigued. "How does he know?" "It wanted to put him in Slytherin, and he asked it not to, so it didn't," explained Albus with a shrug.

They talked easily for the rest of the journey, basking in each other's company until all too soon they were standing in the Great Hall waiting to be sorted.

Albus was fiercely returning the glares James had been shooting him since he had spotted him with the young Malfoy.

"Malfoy, Scorpius." Fear gripped Scorpius and seemed to have taken control of his legs, which for the life of him, he could not make move. Albus gave him an encouraging push in the direction of the stool. As soon as the hat was on his head, it began speaking in a low voice that made him shiver slightly.

"Hmm, a Malfoy. Different from the rest, I see, more kind hearted and very intelligent, but there's no denying that cunning streak and thirst to prove yourself. You could do well in Ravenclaw, you know, but no, you belong in… SLYTHERIN!"

Scorpius heaved a deep sigh of relief as he stood. Albus was giving him a thumbs up and he smirked back at him before joining his new housemates at the Slytherin table. Scorpius let his mind wander as he looked around the Great Hall in awe. He had never imagined it to be as grand as it was. He vaguely recalled hearing a "Thomas, Mathew," being sorted into Ravenclaw and wondered idly whether he was the friend Albus had mentioned. If it was, Albus was likely to ask the hat to put him in Ravenclaw, too. He was surprised when this thought made him feel disappointed and a little jealous. It was irrational, he told himself. He'd only known Albus for a few hours. He had no right to think that Albus would feel any loyalty towards him. That is why it came as such a shock to Scorpius when Albus was indeed placed in Slytherin, much to the horror of his family at the Gryffindor table. Albus didn't seem to be worried by their reactions, though; he had simply smiled sweetly at them all before dropping into the seat next to Scorpius at the Slytherin table.

"Did you ask to be put here?" inquired Scorpius.

"Yes," Albus replied, lifting his goblet of pumpkin juice to his lips.

Scorpius hesitated before asking his next question, "Because of me?"

"Yes," Albus repeated, the corners of his mouth quirking upwards into a cheeky smile.

They turned to face each other and clinked their goblets together in a silent toast.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed. Please review, it makes me a happy writer!
Chapter two is ready to be posted, the more reviews I get the quicker I'll update. ;)