WARNINGS: Chapter contains references to rape/non-con, self-harm, and panic attacks.

Albus felt warm, but pleasantly warm, and relaxed. He realized, dimly, that he was laying down in a soft, comfortable bed, and someone was holding his hand. For once, that did not make him panic. In fact, he felt very calm at the moment, almost as if he was floating. The pain that Albus had grown so used to being in his arm over the past few days was nonexistent.

He opened his eyes blearily and found himself looking at his mother, who was asleep in the chair next to the bed, one hand outstretched to hold his. She looked as if she had been crying. He wondered why.

Turning his head, he found his father sitting in a chair on the other side of his bed. He was awake and he looked up at Albus when he moved, leaning closer, "Hey, Al. How do you feel?"

Albus hummed briefly in thought before answering, with a loopy grin, "Floaty."

Harry gave a sort of watery laugh at Albus' words, "Yeah, Madame Stafford gave you a calming drought so that you would have a more restful sleep, and it probably hasn't gone away completely yet."

Madame Stafford. That meant he was in the Hospital Wing. He glanced around briefly. No one else was in the Hospital Wing, thankfully. Madame Stafford was even in her office.

"Mm," Albus responded. He closed his eyes, feeling weightless, and then looked up at his father, "What happened?"

Harry was silent for a moment, frowning in thought as he looked at Albus, "I was hoping that you could tell me," he answered finally, "What do you remember?"

He closed his eyes again, thinking. Truthfully, he couldn't remember much. Everything was a big blur and something told him that he probably didn't want to remember. Still, he strained his memory, trying to recall what had landed him in the Hospital Wing.

"What's a better way to make him jealous than sleeping with his brother?"

His eyes snapped open, a gasp escaping his lips, "Ava."

Harry quickly reached forward to grab Albus' hand and then pulled away, as if thinking better of it, "Hey, it's okay. She's not here. She's in Auror custody."

"W-what?"

Memories were rushing back and he whimpered lightly, confused and disoriented.

"She confessed," Harry continued, voice soft and soothing, "Lily figured it out and confronted her and she confessed. She can't hurt you again."

His eyes flickered around the room, trying to take that information in. He noticed that Ginny was beginning to wake up from the voices, blinking blearily, and he turned back to his father with dread, "Who all knows?"

"Not many. We're trying to keep this under the rug because you're a minor," Harry said, "Your mum and I know, and so do James and Lily. Neville and the Headmistress know as well. Scorpius and Rose do, too. They're the ones who… found you."

Found him?

Oh.

He glanced down at his arm. It wasn't bandaged. The cuts that he had inflicted on himself over the past few days were completely healed, leaving smooth, healthy skin. He could remember sitting in that bathroom, cutting his wrists, chest heaving with sobs. He hadn't been paying much attention to the cuts themselves, instead focusing on the pain that they brought, but he quickly realized when one cup began to bleed much more than the others.

He had gone too deep and cut an artery. He couldn't find it in himself to get up and get help, too ashamed, and had just hoped the bleeding would stop.

It hadn't, and he had passed out before too long.

Albus bit his lip hard, looking down, "He hates me, doesn't he?"

"Well, if sitting outside the Hospital Wing for the past ten hours, begging to be let in to see you is hating you, then sure."

Ginny had woken up now in time to hear this exchange. She hummed lightly and squeezed his hand. Maybe it was the calming drought, or maybe it was the fact that she was his mum, but the touch didn't make him feel anything but safe, "He doesn't hate you, baby. He's been worried sick. Poor thing kept asking to see you, but you know Madame Stafford. She's very finicky about letting people in to see sick patients."

"'m not sick," Albus mumbled, pushing himself up slowly in the bed. He frowned heavily and stared at his wrist, mourning the loss of his cuts but unwilling to admit it in front of his parents.

"Albus," Ginny said after a moment of silence between the three of them. He looked up, seeing tears in her eyes. He swallowed back the guilt, "Do you want to talk about why you…. Why you…"

Albus knew what she was talking about. He chewed on his lips, an innocent gesture that he tried to use to get a little bit of pain from, anything that would make this easier. It didn't work. The calming drought, that had eased away just enough to make him feel the very beginnings of panic, was holding it back.

"I didn't mean to," he admitted after a moment, quietly, looking down at his hands so he didn't see his parent's reaction. A part of him wanted to cry, but the calming drought wouldn't let him, "I just wanted to distract myself from… from everything. I didn't mean to c-cut that deep."

It was the first time even admitting that he was cutting. It was hard. He knew that if he didn't have the calming potion, there would be no way he would even be able to say it.

There was a beat of silence. He couldn't find it in himself to look up. His chest felt tight, but not tight enough for him not to be able to breathe, so he tried to pretend like it wasn't there.

"Al," Harry whispered finally, "I can't begin to imagine what you have been going through. I went through a different type of struggles in school. However, I can promise you that there are better ways to cope than this. This is… this is dangerous. I don't know what I would do if I lost you, Albus."

The calming drought wasn't strong enough to stop the tears this time. A few slipped out of his eyes, "I'm sorry."

He really was. His father had lost so many people in his life and Albus had seen him on the anniversary of their deaths. Harry cared deeply about his children. Albus could never think of putting him or his mother through that.

Harry sighed and then continued, "Headmistress Bolton thinks it best that you come home for about a week to recover. Since Ava was arrested, people are going to be talking about it for a while and she thinks that it's best for you to avoid the aftermath of that."

Albus closed his eyes slowly. Dimly, he was aware that his disappearance right when Ava was arrested would sound suspicious, but he couldn't find it in himself to care. The thought of having to attend classes after everything that had happened, surrounded by people who knew that he and Ava had slept together, was overwhelming.

He nodded after a moment, "That sounds like a good idea."

Harry nodded quickly and gave Albus a light, reassuring smile, "The story is going to be that you've come down with Dragon Pox. Scorpius has already agreed to tell everyone that Ava was lying. We're going to do our best to keep this under wraps."

Albus simply nodded. He kept staring at his lips, biting his lip hard. Then, quietly he whispered, "I want to see Scorpius."

Harry and Ginny were both silent again and Albus really wished they wouldn't be. He was getting tired of all of these awkward silences. This wasn't a situation that he ever thought he would be in.

"Are you sure?" Ginny asked softly.

He looked up, connecting his eyes were his mother's eyes, and nodded, "Yes, I want to see him."

"Okay," Ginny nodded shortly. She stood up and gestured for Harry to come with her. He looked a little more reluctant but eventually he nodded, following her out of the Hospital Wing.

He could hear soft words from outside of the Hospital Wing once they left and he strained his ears to try and hear what they were saying.

"He wants to see you, Scorpius," that was his father.

Scorpius' hesitant voice spoke up. It was quieter, most unsure, but Albus still heard him, "Really?"

There wasn't an answer but Albus had a feeling that the man nodded. Then, before Scorpius walked in, Albus heard the distinct voice of his sister, "You better tell him that I'm coming in next."

That made him smile a bit but it quickly fell as nervousness overwhelmed him. He looked up, seeing Scorpius walking in. The boy had obviously been crying, and Merlin, Albus was tired of everyone crying. Why did he have to hurt everyone around him?

"Hey," he said softly, nervously, as Scorpius approached.

The blonde took a seat next to his bed. He didn't greet him, instead launching into an apology, "I'm so sorry, Albus. I never should have thought that you would cheat on me. I never should have gotten drunk or left you in the Observatory or-"

Albus interrupted him quickly, "It's okay, Scorpius."

"It's not okay!" Scorpius shook his head, fresh tears springing to his eyes, "You tried to… you tried to… I thought I lost you, Albus! And the last thing that I would have told you was that we were over because I was stupid and a horrible boyfriend and I understand if you hate me because-"

"Scorpius!" Albus said a bit louder. He reached over and grabbed Scorpius' hand, "I could never hate you. It's my fault. I should have told you what happened. You didn't know. It's not your fault. I was just scared that you would… think I was disgusting."

The blonde shook his head desperately. He squeezed Albus' hand and looked firmly in Albus eyes, "I would never think that. None of this was your fault, okay? Lily told me what she said. Nothing that happened to you was your fault. I wish you had told me but I don't blame you for that, but you have to promise me that you won't try to… do that again."

Albus knew what he was talking about. He swallowed thickly, "I didn't mean to cut that deep."

"You shouldn't have been cutting at all, Albie."

The words were said quietly, so broken and sorrowful, but Albus could only cringe at the words. His heart sped up slightly. He felt on the verge of a panic attack, but the calming potion that was still rushing through his veins prevented him from going over. He whispered quietly, "Can you… can you not call me that?"

"What?"

"She called me that," he responded shamefully, and it was the first time he had even brought what happened up at all. His stomach squirmed with anxiousness, "and I-"

"I won't call you that," Scorpius answered quickly, looking a bit horrified at that. Then, sincerely, he asked, "Is there anything else I need to know about?"

Relieved that Scorpius wasn't going to call him stupid for that little request, he continued hesitantly, knowing that the next one was going to be harder, "I-I can't do touching right now. At least not… not when I'm not expecting it."

Scorpius only nodded quietly. He went to pull his hand away but Albus squeezed harder, "This is okay."

The blonde smiled at him softly. He moved closer to Albus but didn't touch him in any other way, "I'm so sorry, Albus."

"I already told you. Don't be," Albus responded. He leaned back on the bed, feeling tired, "Are we still…"

"Only if you want to be," Scorpius said softly. He licked his lips nervously and looked away, "I do still love you, Albus. I lied the other day. I never stopped, not even when I thought you cheated on me. I don't want to lose you, but if you can't be with me after what I did, I understand. I know that I-"

"Shut up, doofus," Albus grinned at his boyfriend, "I love you. I don't want to break up."

Scorpius sighed in relief and he smiled widely. Albus couldn't help but match the expression. For the first time since it happened, he felt a load lift off of his shoulders. Scorpius knew and he still loved him. He still loved him.

"What time is it?" he asked after a moment of basking in the relief.

Scorpius cast a quick Tempus charm which showed the time, "7:32."

Almost as if hearing him, Scorpius' stomach growled.

"Have you eaten dinner yet?"

Scorpius shook his head, looking perplexed, "Of course not. I've been sitting outside the Hospital Wing with Lily and Rose since you were brought in. Rose left a little while ago to eat with Olivia, but I wasn't about to leave."

Albus quirked an eyebrow at him, "Go eat, Scorpius. I'm okay."

"Are you sure?" Scorpius said, concerned, "I mean, I'm not that hungry. I can stay."

Albus waved his hand, "Go, I'll be fine. I heard Lily outside, anyway. Send her in."

Still looking a bit unsure, Scorpius squeezed Albus' hand again and stood up, "I'll be back soon," he promised, before walking to the door.

There was a short pause between Scorpius leaving and his sister coming in, and Albus used that moment to think, mentally preparing himself.

Then, they were coming in. Lily ran towards the bed and didn't even bother to sit down.

"Did you and Scorpius make up?" Lily asked, wasting no time in demanding her answer.

Albus nodded at his sister, "Yeah, we did."

Lily nodded shortly, "Good," she said, "I'm really glad that you're okay. Mum told me that you're going home for a week. If you have another panic attack, you get their help, okay?"

He nodded again, "I will," he promised, and then, softer, he said, "Thanks for… what you did."

"No problem. I'd do anything for you," she said honestly, before grinning, "Besides, watching Headmistress Bolton snap her wand made my entire year."

His eyes widened at that information, "She snapped her wand?"

Lily nodded excitedly, "She's been expelled, and I'm pretty sure she is going to go to Azkaban. She's 18, after all. She can be tried as an adult."

A part of Albus felt like he should feel guilty for that. After all, for three years, Albus had been fairly close to Ava, who had been on again off again with his brother, but he couldn't find it in himself to feel anything but relief.

He frowned lightly as he remembered James, "Is James…"

He trailed off, unable to finish it.

Lily's smile fell at his words. She huffed gently, crossing her arms over her chest, "He's being a jerk," she answered finally, after a moment, "He'll come around, though."

He hummed lightly in answer, unable to come up with any words. He closed his eyes and leaned against his pillow, "Mind if I sleep a bit?"

"No, go to sleep. Mum said that the diagnostic scan showed that you haven't been sleeping," her voice leaked of disapproval, "I'll be right here."

Albus nodded lightly. He tried not to think of James and how much his brother probably hated him. Instead, he thought of Scorpius. For the first time, thoughts of Scorpius didn't make him feel uneasy or nervous or guilty. Instead, he was filled with peace, just like he used to be.

He fell asleep within minutes, Scorpius on his mind and Lily sitting nearby.