Authors' Note: Look, look! We're updating in a timely manner. Scor didn't even have to poke and probe Al to get this done! This is Al's way of apologizing for making you wait so long for the last update.

-Al & Scor

Disclaimer: Shockingly, we still don't own Harry Potter. And probably never will.

Chapter 7: I Haven't Been Completely Honest

Madame Pomfrey had told Albus to go out and enjoy the nice autumn weather, but actually Albus had rather a lot of homework that really needed doing if he wasn't going to be in danger of failing even more classes. So instead he turned his steps back toward the dungeons, bemoaning the loss of the pale sunshine outside.

He found the common room reasonably full, a decent number of people choosing either work or some other occupation over spending time on the grounds. Slytherins weren't exactly known as the outdoorsy type, after all.

Spying a group of his friends sitting in a group of chairs near the fire, he went over to join them, plopping his bag down at his feet and sinking into an emerald green high-backed armchair.

"Ah, the famous Albus Potter returns from Merlin know what kind of dangerous task!" Ryan Pritchard pronounced with his usual dramatics. "Pray tell, Al what did you fight this time?" he laughed.

"You are so immature, Ryan," sighed a brown haired girl in the chair next to him who wore her hair in a thick braid.

Ryan snorted, "Oh come on Alice, don't be such a buzzkill."

"You look a bit pale, Al, something wrong?" Terrence Harper seemed to be the only one taking notice of that.

"I'm not my dad," said Albus, glaring at Ryan. "The only thing I need to conquer is Potions. And yes, Terrence, something is wrong."

When several seconds passed and Albus didn't offer to elaborate further, Alec asked, "Al, what's wrong. This morning you said something about Malfoy and the hospital wing and the Quidditch team. Did something happen? Is someone hurt? The team can still play, can't they?"

"Oh the team can still bloody well play," said Albus angrily. "Though it'll serve them right if they're all suspended. It's Scorpius who's hurt! They put him in the hospital wing!"

"MALFAG?"

Alice Higgs gave Ryan a look.

"What? That's what they call him," the boy with the bronze coloured hair said.

Terrence blinked, "They sent him to the hospital wing? Merlin Al, what the heck did they do?"

"Don't call him that!" said Albus angrily. "What does everyone have against him! What did he ever do to any of you?" He pounded his fists against the arms of the chair, angry tears prickling at his eyes. Not again. Why did he always have to cry?

"Al," Alec moved closer to him. "Hey, Al, calm down. Tell us what happened."

Albus sniffled. "They beat him up. They're always picking on him and I told them to cut it out, so they found him after practice and they...they b-beat him until he was unc-conscious. Garret wouldn't stop kicking him!"

"Easy Al," Alice said in a calm, melodious voice. "We don't have anything against him, but he is a Malfoy…no one really likes them…because of what happened during the war…"

Ryan nodded firmly, "True, and still, shit… I mean I've seen them bugging him before, but I seriously didn't know they'd hurt him like that. I guess not even Malfoy deserves that."

Terrence bit his bottom lip. "Bole? I always thought he was a bit unstable or something. Is…is Malfoy okay?"

Alec simply reached out and put a hand on Albus's shoulder.

Albus took a deep breath, blinking rapidly. "Madam Pomfrey was able to heal all the bruises and his broken ribs and stuff right away, but he has internal bleeding and a concussion and a bruised lung. And one of his ribs was practically shattered, so that's harder to fix too." He rubbed his face. "He could have been beaten to death and it just seems like no one besides me even cares."

"I care, mate," said Alec. "I mean, Malfoy's weird, but I've never known him to do anything bad. He mostly just does his homework and reads really big books. And no one should be getting beaten up like that."

Ryan nodded slowly, not sure what to say really; soothing people wasn't his strongest suit.

Alice placed a hand on his. "It'll be fine Al, I am sure. There isn't a injury Madam Pomfrey can't fix. It might take time but I am sure Malfoy will be okay..."

Terrence nodded, "Yes, and back being a bookworm, in a good way..."

Albus nodded, staring morosely at his hands. "It isn't fair," he said finally. "How come I have friends and Malfoy doesn't? How come he gets picked on and beat up and I don't?"

His four friends looked at each other.

"Well, mate," said Alec finally. "You're the Slytherin Seeker, you're fairly good looking, at least the girls think so, you're outgoing and friendly, you're smart—maybe not book smart, but people smart—and you definitely know how to get what you want… It doesn't hurt that you're Harry Potter's son either."

Albus groaned. "Sometimes I get sick of being 'Harry Potter's son'. Why couldn't James have gotten the green eyes and the stupid hair?"

"You don't mean that," said Alec.

"No, I don't," admitted Albus. "I like my eyes. And my hair. I also like Scorpius Malfoy. Why is that such a heinous crime? Surely beating him up should be worse than being nice to him!"

"He is right," nodded Alice, "But people are prejudiced; they don't look twice."

It was true; people saw you once and then you had a mark on you.

"But why hasn't he told someone before? Like Professor Darin?" Asked Ryan. "Why did he let it happen? Maybe he is a masochist?"

Terrence punched him in the shoulder.

"What, I was just suggesting it."

"He's not a masochist," snapped Albus, glaring at Ryan. "He didn't tell anyone because he said they threatened to—well, I don't know what they threatened to do if he told, he wouldn't say, but probably this."

"I've seen him with bruises before," said Alec thoughtfully. "But I always just assumed it was because he was so clumsy. He is clumsy."

The three other nodded.

"That is true." said Alice, "But he is good with spells. We had that duel last year, remember? He has a quick draw."

"So, how long have they been, you know, using him as their private punching bag?" Ryan asked.

"Since second year," said Albus. "After he didn't make the Quidditch team."

Alec suddenly laughed.

"Hey, what are you laughing at?" demanded Albus. "It isn't funny."

"No, Al, sorry, it's not," said Alec. "I was just imagining Malfoy playing Quidditch. Go on."

"I don't know what other 'on' there is," said Albus. "Basically they've been making his life a living hell since he didn't get on the team and I did and I never even noticed."

"How did you find out in the first place?" asked Terrence, leaning on the arm rest.

The other two seemed interested in knowing that as well

"He's been tutoring Al in Potions," said Alec.

"He has? Well that explains why your Potion grade has gone up." Ryan laughed, which made Terrence punch him again.

"It's true."

Alice shook her head. "Well, I am glad you're getting help Al, even if it is from Malfoy. And, well, I am glad he has gotten a friend now, he clearly needs one."

"Yeah, well, it was that or get kicked off the Quidditch team. Not that I think I'd mind that quite as much now…"

Albus took out his Transfiguration textbook and got started on his homework. A few minutes later Alec said, "So, er, Al, where does this whole thing put you and Trish?"

Albus looked up from his parchment. "Off again, I suppose. I mean, I can't just go around snogging someone who would be a part of that, you know? It wouldn't be fair to Scorpius. And I wouldn't want to."

"I never really liked her." admited Alice. "She is too much off a show-off for my taste...never knew what you saw in her... You can do much better," she said, toying with her braid.

Ryan and Terrence exchanged looks; they both knew Alice had a thing for Albus, but they didn't say anything; it could ruin their little gang.

Albus shrugged and then sighed, recognizing this as a sign that their friend was done talking, the rest of the Slytherins turned back to what they had been doing.

*****UTS*****

Scorpius was in the middle of an old, rather thick book when someone opened the door to the Hospital Wing.

"Scorpius."

The boy looked up to see his father standing in the doorway.

"Scorpius," said Draco, crossing quickly to his son. "What happened?" He knelt by the bed, hands hovering as if he wanted to touch the injured boy, to comfort him or make sure he was alright, but was not quite sure how to go about it. "Did you get into a fight with your teammates? What did they do to you?"

Scorpius lowered his gaze not sure if he could manage to look at his father.

"I... I haven't been completely honest with you, Father. I am very sorry but…they…they aren't my teammates. I…I didn't make the team…"

The blonde tightened his fists, biting into his lip to the point that it almost started bleeding.

Draco blinked. "You didn't make the team? Don't be absurd! You told me you were made Seeker in your second year, just like I was. Why would you tell me that if it wasn't true?"

"I... I thought you'd be too disappointed if I told you the truth…"

Scorpius slowly looked at his father. "I am no good at sports... I…I just said so because you looked so…happy when I did… I just wanted you to be proud of me…"

I wanted you to be proud of me. How many times had Draco said that to his own father? How many things had he done to try to make Lucius proud of him, because nothing was ever enough?

"Scorpius, lying isn't something to be proud of," he said, his hands still hovering awkwardly over his son. "But being first in almost every class is."

The boy blinked. "I am sorry, father," he said slowly, swallowing. "I should have told you the truth."
Scorpius moved a bit, sitting up in the bed, "I should have told you everything, but…I was scared. I know, 'Malfoys aren't afraid of anything." So Grandfather tells me all the time, but…"

"What your grandfather says can go take a leap off the nearest cliff," said Draco shortly. Then, "What do you mean, 'everything'?"

Scorpius bit his lip again, actually making it bleed.

"This wasn't the first time I've…gotten rough treatment from the team… Actually, it isn't even the tenth time…" He sighed, "But ever this bad before… And they said that if I told they'd…kill me…so I just went with it."

"They what?" Draco felt white-hot rage rise inside of him. "Why did you not tell me of this?" he demanded. "I will have every single one of those bastards thrown out of this school and straight into Azkaban! How dare they lay a hand on my son! Why didn't you tell me?"

Scorpius moved again, causing burning pain to shoot through his slender body. He gave a short scream, leaning back against the headboard. He kept gasping for some seconds, then looked at his father. "I…I wanted to…fix things myself…" he said slowly, traces of pain in his voice.

Draco jerked, as though Scorpius's scream had caused him physical pain. "Scorpius!" This time he did touch his son, laying a hand on the thin shoulder. "You don't need to fix things yourself. That is what you have a father for." He tightened his grip on Scorpius's shoulder. "I am going to make sure that not a single member of that Quidditch team sees the light of day again."

"No…not all of them… Their… Al didn't do anything…" His voice was trembling, but still, feeling his father's hand on his shoulder gave him some strange and not too often experienced comfort.

"Al?" said Draco, confused. "Who is Al?"

"Oh… Albus…Albus Potter. He…he got the Seeker position…and…we're…friends now…" Scorpius looked at his father. "I know what you think of the Potters, but…Al is alright; he helped me."

"I do not know this Albus Potter," Draco, a trifle stiffly, "but I have a great deal of…respect for his father. I fail to see, however, how you could be friends with anyone on the team that has treated you so foully."

"But he didn't!" Scipious blurted out, causing him to whimper in pain again.

Draco's hand tightened once more on his shoulder. "Even if he did not participate, surely he knew what his teammates were doing."

"No, no he didn't!" Scorpius was rather sure he'd faint any second. His vision was getting blurry. "He…he helped me, Father. He is…my only friend!"

"Scorpius, relax," commanded his father, placing a surprisingly gentle hand behind his back. "He must be a very dense friend then; though taking into account who his parents are, I suppose it is not all together surprising. But how can he be your only friend? What about that Parkinson girl?"

Scorpius closed his eyes. "Violeta? She only speaks with me if there is no one else in sight. Albus doesn't care who is around. Father, he is the reason I am alive right now. He stopped them…" The boy opened his gray eyes again; they seemed a bit out of focus.

Draco sighed. "Very well. You should rest. I will be back later with your mother. We can discuss this more once you have recovered."

The younger blonde nodded weakly. "Just…just don't make me transfer…please…" Scorpius looked at his father with beseeching eyes.

"We will discuss it later," said Draco firmly. "Rest now." And he waved his wand and cast a sleeping charm over his son.

AN: For those of you who know Al's work as SQ, yes, this is her Draco.

As always, we appreciate your reviews, and for those of you who know what we're talking about, Happy Syttende Mai!

-Al & Scor