Chapter Six

Author's note: So, I apologize that this hasn't really been going anywhere. As I'm sure you know, this has not been planned or anything; I just write, and post. I apologize if it is a load of bollocks and the worst thing you have ever read. But I'm trying to buck my ideas up and write something decent. But I don't know what you want, because none of you review… So I'm trying to write something, and I have nothing to go on. So if you could take a minute out of your busy schedules to review the chapter you have just read, I would be forever grateful. Thank you. Now, on with the show.

Author's note 2 – Wait. I'm going to be updating twice this week. Don't ask why because I have no idea, but I've already written this, and started chapter seven, and just thought I'd update today and Thursday. Hooray! NOW on with the show.

Merlin, it's dark.
Wait, no.
I can't open my eyes. I can't move.
Why can't I open my eyes?
Why can't I fucking move?
What's going on?
Is this another nightmare?
Please, I want to move. I want to see.
I'm sorry! I know I've been insufferable.
I've been a complete wanker. But please. Please! Please.

…

…

Al watched as Scorpius twitched and grumbled in his sleep. He desperately wanted to wake him up, to hold him close, to kiss all of his pain away. But Madame Pomfrey forbade him. All he could do was sit and watch and hold his … best friend's hand. I don't like the term 'boyfriend'; it doesn't express enough emotion. 'Lovers' just sounds awful – we haven't haven't even had sex yet… he thought to himself. He had done his fair share of crying. He wished Scorpius had spoken to him instead of shrugging him off, but he knew he didn't want to talk about it.

He had spoken to Madame Pomfrey many times – every time she had walked into the Hospital Wing – and he knew exactly what was wrong. He just didn't know why. How could he not have noticed? How do you just-

'ALBUS!' came the piercing screech, ripped from Scorpius' lungs. It was not, by any means, a pleasant noise. It was one full of terror and pain and confusion. Albus was on his feet in seconds, shouting for the mediwitch. She, too, was by the blond's bedside in seconds.

Scorpius had his eyes wide open; he was shaking and was covered in a cold sweat. He looked around, surveying his surroundings, and seemed to not know where he was. He was just whimpering Al's name over and over.

'Scorpius! Oh my, Score!' Al cried, clutching the other boy's hand like he was the one who needed a lifeline. He turned his face to Pomfrey, face full of misaimed anger. 'What's wrong with him?' he snarled. 'You said he'd be fine when he awoke. He is not fucking fine! What did you do?'

'I assure you, Mister Potter, I have done nothing but help this boy,' she said, voice and face amazingly calm, though her eyes looked troubled. She cast the usual spells to check his health, brows furrowing slightly. 'He is well, Mister Potter. I believe he just had a nightmare. He does need more sleep, but I would not advise it; not yet. Go to him, Mister Potter, but do not agitate him. I will be back,' she said, sounding more threatening than consoling.

Still fuming, he turned his attention back to Scorpius. He placed his hand on the other boy's cheek, rubbing small circles with his thumb. Scorpius seemed to have calmed down, and was now looking at Albus with tear-filled eyes.

'Albus,' he croaked, voice thick with sleep and scratchy from screaming.

'Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you tell me about you not eating; you cutting! I could have helped, Scorpius! Everyone would have helped,' Albus said, his own eyes filling with tears.

Neither of them would cry; not in front of each other. I'm turning into a fucking Hufflepuff, they both thought.

'I couldn't tell you. You would've left. You would've pissed off and left me on my own. I couldn't let that happen, Al. I need you. I-' he cut himself off before saying it; before saying those three little words. He wanted to say it; Merlin, did he want to. He felt it; deep in his heart, in his soul, in his every fibre, he felt it. But he couldn't say it! What a preposterous idea.

Love is folly; it makes you tear down your defences and then, when you're nice and exposed, like a snake it lunges. It springs for your heart, injecting the cold, dangerous poison that is deception and lies, and sends it swirling and cascading through your body, making you doubt, making you argue making you hate. And once your defences are down, it's nigh on impossible to build them back up.

Love is stupid and ridiculous and makes you act irrationally and blinds you from what should mean something; from what is important.

But Gods, did Scorpius want to say it.

He didn't. He kept mum and instead looked down at himself, at his bandaged arms. He looked back up Albus again, all the sorrow in the world swimming in his eyes. Albus just nodded.

…

…

It had been only two days since Scorpius had been allowed to leave the Hospital Wing. He had spent three days in there, Albus at his side, talking about pointless things, avoiding the subject of how he landed himself in the Hospital Wing. Albus had tried to bring it up only once more, and Scorpius had frozen him out. He tried telling him that he wouldn't leave under any circumstances then, but Scorpius simply refused to acknowledge Al then, so he gave up.

Al knew Scorpius would talk eventually, but he just had to be patient. Unfortunately, Albus Potter, like every Potter, was not very virtuous, and hence thought that after a few days Scorpius would be ready to talk…

They were sat in the Common Room playing Wizard Chess; Rosie was off with Declan and everyone else, well, who cares where they were? All that matters is that Albus and Scorpius were alone in the Common Room. The chess game was not necessary, but details and all. Anyway, it was all of a sudden that Albus glanced up at Scorpius after his Knight destroyed the blond's Rook. Score met his gaze, smirking. 'Well played.' Al nodded.

'We need to talk,' he said, folding his hands on the table in front of him.

Scorpius immediately closed in on himself. 'Al,' he said warningly. 'We don't.'

'No, we really do, Scorpius.' The raven-haired boy's face turned serious.

'No, we don't.'

'We-' Al huffed. 'We're bickering like children. But in all seriousness, Scorpius, we need to talk. Why did you harm yourself?' he asked; his voice was not exactly soothing. Scorpius just glared at him. He tried again. 'Why have you been starving yourself?' he demanded.

'You're not very good at this, are you, Albus?' Score said, his voice heavy with sarcasm. 'Because I need to, and because I'm not hungry. There, are we done? Can I go, Professor?'

Albus leaped out of his chair, leaned over the table and grabbed Scorpius by his cloak so fast, it left Scorpius startled for a mere second. 'You son-of-a-bitch. Drop the fucking act, Scorpius. Do you know what you're doing to yourself? Do you know what you're doing to Rosie, to your family? To me? Do you have any idea on how reckless you're being; how selfish?'

'SELFISH? That's rich coming from you!' Scorpius screamed. 'Do you have any idea what you're doing to me?' Score mocked, mimicking Al's voice. 'Oh, la la, I'm Albus, I think I'm perfect because I'm the son of Harry Fucking Potter. I get to be all high and righteous and spit on everyone who does wrong by me. I've got a stick so far up my arse-'

Al punched him. He didn't use his wand to cast a hex; it wouldn't be satisfying enough. Instead, he brought his fist up and smashed it into Scorpius' jaw. There was a crunch and Score screamed. 'You fucking asshole!' the blond shouted, clutching his jaw in one hand, his wand in the other. 'You complete wanker. I thought we were friends! I fucking… I… Fuck you!' The Malfoy boy screamed, sprinting out of the Common Room, and disappeared into the depths of Hogwarts.

Albus stood, shaking with fury and regret, clutching his fist, staring at the entrance the the Common Room. That went swimmingly, he thought before slumping back into his chair.

…

…

Scorpius crept back into the Common Room and around midnight. It was empty, luckily, and the fire was just a pit of glowing embers. He tip toed up the stairs to the dorm and stuck his head around. Everyone was fast asleep. Thank Merlin, he thought, and padded over to his bunk; he growled when he saw Albus occupying it. 'Get out of my bed.'

Albus just continued to stare at his hands. Score had his wand pointed at him in seconds; he didn't flinch. 'I said-'

'I know what you said. I know very well what you said,' Al whispered, and Score knew he was talking about earlier, in the Common Room. 'I just want to help, Score! Why won't you let me help?' All the guilt of punching Scorpius was reflected in his eyes and in his words. 'I just want to help.'

Scorpius stood there, shocked, numb, empty. 'I'm sorry.' He muttered as he turned around to leave. He felt Al grab his wrist. He stumbled and fell back onto the bed. 'What are you doing?' he said, voice harsh, but just a whisper; Caleb was still asleep.

'Don't you leave; I need to say sorry.' Al then smashed his lips against Score's.

Scorpius' brain went into overload. 'What are you doing?' he repeated, shouting this time. He heard Caleb squeak in surprise, and fall from his bed. He would've laugh had he not been so outraged. He jump from his own bed, aiming a full on death glare at Albus. 'You break my jaw, and then you try to snog me? What the fuck is wrong with you?'

'What the fuck is wrong with me? Really? You're going to pull that one? Really. Scorpius, you fucking-'

'Guys, will y' shut the fuck up? I'm trying to fucking sleep, for Merlin's sake! Take your lover's tiff elsewhere.'

'Piss off, Caleb!' came the chorused reply.

'Hey! Don't y' tell me to piss off! Y' just woke me up, y' idiots! Now either fuck and make up or I'll hex you both. At least shut the fuck up. Y' know. Sleep? It's great. You should try it sometime. Maybe together. But not whilst I'm in the room, please. I like my eyes. Cheers. Now, go.' Albus and Scorpius just blinked at Caleb, and then at each other.

'I am sorry, you know,' Al said solemnly. The pillow from Caleb's direction narrowly missing his head lessened the effect, though.

'I know,' Scorpius sighed. 'Move over. Or get out. This is my bed, you know…' he said, climbing in beside Al anyway, and facing away from him.

'Mm, I know,' the dark-haired boy mumbled, wrapping his arms around Score's waist. 'Y' know, sleeping with each other sounds like a rather good idea,' he whispered in the blond's ear. He felt the other boy shiver against him. 'I'm just saying.' He smirked.

'No. Not now. I'm still pissed at you.'

Al took the blond's earlobe between his teeth, biting gently. 'Are you? But I was only trying to help…'

'I know… But you didn't have to be a prick about it.'

Al ran his hand over the blond's chest. He relished in the gasp, his smirk growing. 'You were being a prick, too.'

'Hn, it was justified.' His eyelids fluttered shut.

Al's hand scratched a path down the toned chest, stopping at the waistband of the other's boxer shorts (somehow he had changed; magically, probably). His nails glided from one hip bone to the other and back. Scorpius bit back a moan, fighting the urge to arch his back. 'I'm still mad…' he said, voice strained.

This time, Albus did not have a witty remark. He just kept using his nails to make the boy in his arms quiver and squirm.

After a few agonizing minutes of pure, blissful torture, Score cracked. 'Fine! I'll fuck you. Or you can fuck me. I don't care! Just stop fucking teasing!' he shouted, forgetting about Caleb who promptly screamed;

'I SAID NOT WHILST I WAS IN THE ROOM, YOU FUCKWITS!'