Author's Note: Yay! Finally a chapter that's over 1000 words. I hope you like it.
And just a note, though it isn't really happening with this story so much as some of my others, but if you ask me a question in an anonymous review, I can't answer it! Quite frustrating. Okay, sorry, now you can go ahead and read the chapter.
-SQ
Disclaimer: Really guys, you ought to know by now that Harry Potter isn't mine. In fact, I'm pretty sure you knew that before you started reading this.
Chapter Seven: Have I Ever Told You That You're a Good Friend?
When the shrill beeping awoke him in the morning, Albus went to check on Scorpius. Laying his hand on the other boy's forehead, he knew he was no better than the night before.
"I'm g-going to get some b-breakfast, okay?" he said to the sleeping boy, even though he knew Scorpius couldn't hear him. "I'll be r-right back."
Albus went downstairs and grabbed an apple and some cereal and toast for himself, then he began looking for something that Scorpius might be able to keep down. He finally selected some soda crackers and a bottle of ginger ale, a Muggle soda that his friend was inexplicable fond of, much to the dismay of his rather traditionalist parents. Soaking the crackers in a little bit of water to soften them, he returned to the bedroom with his and Scorpius's food.
Scorpius was still asleep. Albus hated to wake him, since Scorpius was so sick, but he simply had to eat. It had been three days since he had successfully kept down anything but water.
"Scor," he said softly, touching the blond's shoulder. "Scor, I'm s-sorry, but you g-gotta wake up m-mate." He shook Scorpius's shoulder harder. "Scor, Sc-cor."
Scorpius whimpered and turned toward Albus's voice without opening his eyes.
"Albus Severus?"
"Yeah, it's m-me. Can you s-sit up, Scor?"
"I don't know," said Scorpius.
Albus, trying to be as gentle as possible, helped Scorpius sit up so that he was leaning against the headboard. His eyes were glassy and unfocused and Albus got the distinct impression that he wasn't completely there.
"Scor," he said, putting the bottle of ginger ale into Scorpius's hands. "Try and d-drink this, okay?"
Scorpius took it, but then nearly dropped it. Albus caught his hands with his own. "C-Can you hold it?"
Scorpius shook his head.
Albus fed Scorpius the ginger ale and the soggy soda crackers, praying that his body wouldn't reject them.
"H-how do you f-feel?" he asked after a few minutes, when it appeared that Scorpius wasn't going to be sick again.
"Hot and cold and pain," said Scorpius, eyes half closed. "Not good."
"Do y-you feel n-nauseous at all?"
"Yes."
"Do you th-think you're going t-to be s-sick?"
"No."
Relieved, but still quite anxious about his friend, Albus pressed a cool cloth against Scorpius's forehead.
"L-lean back ag-gainst me," he said. "I'm g-going to t-take your t-temperature."
Scorpius willingly obeyed and Albus slid the thermometer under his tongue. Scorpius gagged slightly and shivered.
"Shhh," said Albus, rubbing his friend's back. He waited a minute and then checked the thermometer.
"Oh M-Merlin."
Scorpius's temperature had risen again. The thermometer now read 40.6 (105.1)
With an effort Scorpius twisted around to face him.
"Have I ever told you that you're a good friend?" he said. His voice sounded thick, as though he was having to force his lips and tongue to shape the words.
Albus blushed. "Scor..."
"No, really. I don't think I've ever told you that before. I should have."
"Scor, st-top it."
"I know I can be kind of...cold...and I just wanted you to know—"
"Scor," said Albus, "Scor, you're sc-scaring me."
Scorpius managed to lift his hand to Albus's hair. "Don't be scared," he whispered, but something about the way he said it made it from reassuring.
*****TWAMM*****
That was the last coherent sentence Scorpius said that day. Soon after he slipped into a restless sleep, tossing and turning on the bed beside Albus. Time and time again he would throw the covers off, and then begin to shiver violently, and Albus would patiently replace the covers over Scorpius and do his best to make him comfortable. Then the whole process would be repeated.
"Scorpius, p-please," said Albus, rubbing his friend's shoulder, "calm d-down. You'll h-hurt yourself."
Albus did not return to his own bed that night. He sat up for hours, mopping Scorpius's brow, neck, and chest with cool water and talking to him in as much of a low, calming voice as he could manage. He talked until he was hoarse and Scorpius finally settled a bit.
Albus leaned back against the headboard, Scorpius's fair head in his lap, and closed his eyes, intending to rest them for a moment only. One hand flopped next to him on the coverlet while the other's fingers laced themselves loosely through his sick friend's flaxen hair.
*****TWAMM*****
Albus woke with a start when Scorpius became restless again. Cursing himself for falling asleep, he extricated himself from the bed and got up to get himself some breakfast and another dose of Immune-Boosting Potion. Then he grabbed another bottle of ginger ale, a box of soda crackers, and some water.
"Scor," he said, sitting down on the bed again. "Scor, c-can you hear m-me?"
Scorpius moaned.
"Scor, Scor, w-wake up."
"Albus...Severus..."
"I'm h-here," said Albus. "Oh Scor, d-don't cry, don't c-cry..." for hot tears had begun to run down Scorpius, the boy who never, ever cried's, cheeks.
"Albus Severus," he sobbed. "Where are you?"
"Sc-corpius, Scorpius I'm r-right here." He took Scorpius's hot, dry hand in his own, pressing it to his cheek.
Scorpius calmed slightly and allowed Albus to lift him into a sitting position. Albus wiped the tears from Scorpius's fevered cheeks and then tipped the soda to his lips.
"D-drink this, Scor. Th-there you g-go."
Scorpius woke up just enough to swallow the ginger ale and crackers that Albus had brought for him. When the food was gone, Albus mopped Scorpius's brow and said "Scor?"
Scorpius's eyelids fluttered and he looked dazedly at Albus.
"Snow," he murmured. "So much snow..."
Albus bit his lip and wrapped the blankets more tightly around his friend before laying him back down on the bed.
Immediately Scorpius began to whimper and thrash again.
"Scor, wh-what's wrong?"
He laid his hand against Scorpius's cheek. This seemed to marginally comfort the blond, who curled himself against Albus. Albus gently moved Scorpius's head onto his lap and absently stroked his hair until he fell back into a fevered slumber.
*****TWAMM*****
Albus was doing his homework. Admittedly it was hard to concentrate, but what else was there to do? He couldn't leave Scorpius alone; the other boy's fever had risen even higher, so that he was almost uncomfortably hot to the touch. Even so, Albus sat with Scorpius's head pillowed on his lap, fingers of his right hand resting on Scorpius's cheek while he scribbled Potions notes with his left.
Every now and then Scorpius would half-way wake up and begin to cry, reaching out for Albus and saying his name over and over.
"Abus Severus...Albus...Albus Severus..."
"Scor, I'm h-here. What d-do you w-want? P-please... tell me...I'll d-do anything..."
But, of course, Scorpius gave no answer.
Not knowing what to do, Albus set aside his homework and lay down beside his friend, wrapping his arms around the weak, feverish boy.
Surprisingly, this seemed to help; Scorpius's breathing became fractionally easier, less panicked, and his restless movement eased. Albus buried his face in Scorpius's silky hair. It felt oddly comfortable, lying there with his best friend cradled in his arms. Albus would have thought it would be awkward, but their bodies seemed to fit together naturally, as if they had been formed with each other in mind. Not that this was new idea; Albus, at least, had often felt that he was never quite complete unless Scorpius was around. Of course it was too much to hope that the confident, independent Malfoy felt the same way about him.
"I w-wish you'd w-wake up, Scor," Albus murmured into Scorpius's hair. But Scorpius slept on.
AN: I know, I know, Scorpius keeps getting sicker and sicker. But I promise he will get better eventually. In a way this is good for Albus. As you can probably see his self-esteem needs a little bit of work. Still, it really sucks for all involved. Except me, of course, and I hope for you readers ;)
And for anyone wondering how much of the three weeks has gone by, since with the odd schedule they're keeping it's quite hard to tell, I am keeping track. This chapter just wrapped up day 9.
Reviews would, as always, be very much appreciated. And replied to, granted that you've signed in of course.
-SQ
