Author's Note: Some reviewers have commented on how James is a really great big brother. So many second generation fics about Al portray James as the biggest prick in the world who cares only about himself and his overinflated ego. There's nothing wrong with that for those stories I guess, but for mine I felt like, although he can undoubtedly be a bit of a git (that's pretty much established in the DH Epilogue) he's actually a good big brother when he wants to be and he cares a lot about Al, even if he doesn't always show it.

Disclaimer: If you don't know that Harry Potter and the song don't belong to me then I think you need help

Chapter Seven: Or Maybe I'll Just Steal Your Heart

Albus and James were walking back up to Gryffindor Tower after Quidditch practice.

"What was up with missing the Snitch there, little bro?" he teased, punching Albus on the shoulder.

"Ow!" said Albus, jumping back.

"What's your deal?" said James. "I didn't punch you that hard."

He punched him again, grinning.

Albus winced.

"What's wrong with you?" said James. "You hurt or something?"

"No," said Albus defensively.

"That's the same arm you were having trouble with during practice," said James slowly. "Did something happen?"

"No," said Albus again.

Suddenly James shot out his arm and punched Albus in the shoulder again.

"Ouch! What was that for?"

"You are hurt," said James. "Let me see."

"It's nothing," said Albus, pulling away.

James grabbed Albus's arm and pulled back his robes.

"What the hell Al?" he said. "Your arm's like one big bruise! Who did this to you?"

"It was an accident," said Albus. "He didn't mean to."

"Who didn't mean to, Al?"

"Nobody."

"Al."

"He's hurt okay? He didn't know what he was doing."

"It was the Malfoy kid wasn't it?"

"I told you, it's no big deal."

"He hurt you! I don't want you hanging around with him."

"He needs me. James, please. I'm his only friend."

"I mean it, Al," said James. "For you I was willing to give him a chance, but he's beating you up, you can't trust that kid. He's trouble. He's a Malfoy."

"He's not 'beating me up', James," said Albus. "It was a one time thing. An accident. He's not trouble, he's just a little—messed up."

"No shit he's messed up," said James. "And I don't want you getting yourself into that. You saved his life. It's not your issue anymore."

"It is my issue, James. He's my friend."

"Since when?"

"Since—since now, okay? Don't ask me to explain it, I don't understand it either, but I can't just walk away from him. Not again. James, if you don't want anything to do with him, fine, I understand, but if I don't help him, who will?"

James looked at his brother. "Okay, fine," he said grudgingly. But if he hurts you again...."

"James, you hurt me all the time!"

"Yeah, but that's different. I'm allowed to hurt you. I'm your brother!"

Albus laughed. "Sure, that makes a whole lot of sense..."

*****TTG*****

The next day when Albus came back to the common room after classes he tapped his little sister, who was talking with her friends, on the shoulder.

"Lily?"

"What?"

"Can you meet me in the hospital wing in about an hour?"

"Why?" asked Lily curiously.

Albus gave her a significant look and recognition dawned on the eleven-year-old's face.

"Oh! Yeah, sure," said Lily.

"Thanks, Lils."

"No problem, Al."

Albus made his way up to the hospital wing and let himself into Scorpius's room.

Scorpius was sitting Indian-style in the middle of the bed. Someone had given him a sketchpad and pencil and he was bent over, intent on his drawing. He was pretty, thought Albus, watching him, almost girlish, with his long blond hair and pixie-like features. Before, when they had hated each other, Albus had called Scorpius a "pretty boy" as an insult, but the label wasn't really that far off the mark.

"I didn't know you could draw," said Albus.

Scorpius jumped and his sketchpad and pencil flew out of his hand.

"Sorry," said Albus, biting his lip. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's fine," said Scorpius, still breathing rather quickly and looking embarrassed. He quickly shoved the sketch under his pillow. "How're you?"

"Me? I'm fine," said Albus. "How're you?"

Scorpius gave a one shouldered shrug. "I've been worse."

Albus sat down beside his friend. "Did you talk to her?"

Scorpius didn't have to ask who Albus was talking about. "Uh huh," he said absently, twirling a lock of blond hair around his finger. "I told her—about how I haven't got any real friends. Didn't have any real friends," he amended, eyes flicking toward Albus. "We—er—talked about it."

There was a moment of silence. Then Albus said, "What were you drawing?"

"Nothing much," mumbled Scorpius evasively.

"Can I see?" asked Albus, reaching for the sketchbook.

"No!" said Scorpius, shoving Albus away by the shoulder.

"Ow!" said Albus, grabbing his shoulder.

Scorpius's eyes went wide. "Al? Al, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," said Albus, grimacing. "Sore shoulder. Quidditch."

"Let me see," said Scorpius.

"No, it's fine," said Albus a little too quickly.

Before Albus could stop him, Scorpius's slim fingers reached up and pulled down the collar of Albus's robes, exposing a purple and green fist-sized bruise.

Scorpius sucked in his breath. "I did that, didn't I?"

"Scorp, I get bruises all the time," said Albus evasively.

"How many more?" asked Scorpius, rolling up Albus's sleeves, revealing several smaller bruises.

"A few," said Albus reluctantly.

"Oh, Al..." said Scorpius, turning his face away in shame.

"It's okay. Really," said Albus, patting his friend's shoulder.

Scorpius flinched. "It's not," he said.

"They're only bruises, Scorp," said Albus. "They'll heal. What made you lash out at me like that anyway?"

"I thought you were—someone else," muttered Scorpius.

Albus looked at him questioningly but Scorpius didn't elaborate. Albus glanced at his watch.

"Hold on a minute, Scorp," he said, standing up. "I'll be right back."

Albus left the room and went into the main hospital wing. Lily was sitting in one of the plastic chairs, swinging her feet back and forth; she was small, her feet didn't even reach the ground. This was one of the reasons Albus had though that she would be the best one to meet Scorpius first. She could be full of energy when she was excited, but she could also be sweet and calm, and she wasn't at all intimidating.

"Come on, Lils," said Albus.

His sister stood up and followed him back to Scorpius's room.

*****TTG*****

Scorpius looked up when Albus entered the room. This time he wasn't alone. Scorpius stared at the small red-headed girl behind him. Scorpius didn't remember her name, but he recognized her as Albus's younger sister. A first year, he thought.

"Scorp, this is my sister Lily," said Albus.

"Hi, Scorpius." said the little girl, smiling sweetly and openly.

"Hi," said Scorpius.

"I'm Lily," she said. "You're Scorpius. It's nice to meet you."

"Er—you too," said Scorpius, warming to her smile in spite of himself.

Lily cocked her head. "You're pretty," she announced candidly.

Scorpius gaped at her.

"Lily!" exclaimed Albus, looking mortified. "You don't tell boys that they're pretty!"

"But he is," Lily insisted.

"No, it's fine," said Scorpius. "Er—thanks, Lily."

"You're welcome," she said, flashing a cheeky grin at her brother. Scorpius decided that he liked this girl.

Lily walked toward him. Scorpius tried to shove his wrists, now bandage-free but still vividly scarred, out of sight, but the little girl grabbed his arm. Face somber, she stared at the scars for a couple seconds.

Scorpius glanced up at Albus. Would the other boy be angry with him? First he beat Albus up, and now Albus's eleven-year-old sister was looking at the evidence of his suicide attempt.

"You didn't have any friends," the girl said. It wasn't a question. Scorpius shook his head anyway.

"Now you have two," announced Lily, "so you won't be depressed. And you won't try that," she indicated the cuts on his arms.

"Lily," said Scorpius, fumbling for words. "You shouldn't—"

"I'm nearly twelve, Scorpius," said Lily. "I'm not a baby. When my mum was in her first year she was captured by Voldemort. In my dad's first year he fought Voldemort. I know you tried to kill yourself." Here her lip trembled. "You must have been really, really upset. I though you were a git before, but now Albus likes you. So I like you too. You seem nice. I'm glad I got a chance to know you."

Scorpius patted Lily's shoulder. "I'm glad I got the chance to know you too."

*****TTG*****

After Albus and Lily had left, Scorpius sat on his bed, thinking. Albus. Albus Potter. They had hated each other, hated each other since they had met on the Hogwarts Express at the beginning of their first year. Scorpius had been okay then. It was during that year that his life had started to go downhill. And now Albus and he were...friends? Could Albus, Albus and his bright, easygoing little sister, make Scorpius's life worth living again? He though of the way Albus had stood up to his father; how he had stayed by Scorpius even when Scorpius had hit him; the look in his bright green eyes when he had told him everything was going to be okay; the warmth of Albus's bare shoulder under his fingertips...

AN: Yay! Scorpius's POV! I thought it was about time to get inside the poor kid's head, but I couldn't really do it before now because it was really about Albus at the beginning and Scorpius's character really has to be revealed more slowly.

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