Note: I decided the previous chapter sucked (I wrote that when I was ill so no wonder) so I've written a new one, hopefully a better one. So thanks for reading

Chapter 10

Scorpius looked pale and worn out. I couldn't get rid of the image of him curled up into a defenceless ball crying helplessly. I couldn't imagine how much it must have hurt. I felt angry at what James had done but at the same time I felt grief for what my brother had become. How long had he been slowly descending into madness and how could all of us have remained oblivious to it? I was so stupid.

Scorpius groaned, his eyelids slowly flickering open. "A-Albus?" He muttered groggily.

I gave him a weak smile. "Hi. How do you feel?"

"Shit."

"Sorry. That was a stupid question." I stared down at my lap, feeling even more desolate.

"I was starting to get scared that you would leave me," the intensity of his gaze forced me to look up and I saw the vulnerability he tried so hard to hide laid out on his face like an open book. "The thought of that terrified me. I don't know what I would do without you."

I averted my gaze. "You were okay for five year—argh!"

Scorpius had grabbed my wrist and had pulled me on to the bed. He wrapped his arms around my back and pulled me close to his chest. "If you ever think about leaving me I will bury your body in a fucking ditch."

His words filled with such passion made me cling to him tighter. I had come here with the intent to end things between us, but I just couldn't. Being in Scorpius' arms made me feel so happy and I didn't want to leave them. "I'm selfish. Being with you only ends up with you getting hurt but I just can't bear to be separated from you."

"Then don't leave," his lips grazed my ears. "Tell me why you don't want to leave me."

"Scorpius—"

"TELL ME!" Tears were welling up in Scorpius' eyes. James had damaged something in him and I wasn't sure if it could be fixed.

"Because I love you." Just thinking those words embarrassed me but with Scorpius looking so vulnerable I had no trouble saying them out loud. He was always looking after me and now it was my turn to return the favour.

Scorpius would have said it back this time but he didn't. He just buried his face in my neck and remained silent. Something in him had changed and it was only to be expected when he had been tortured so brutally.

"Scorpius." I murmured.

"What?" The pillow muffled his voice.

I pushed him off me and gripped his head in my hands. He didn't bother hiding the raw pain in his grey eyes. "Kiss me."

"I'm not in the mood."

I grabbed the fronts of the hospital gown and kissed him forcefully. His lips were scaly and they were cut from him biting them all the time, but I didn't care. They were Scorpius' lips. I broke off and caressed his face with the back of my hand.

Scorpius' voice was raw with emotion. "I love you, Albus Severus Potter."

We just held each other and talked about useless things, but it helped calm both of us down. It also distracted us from the bad memories of what had happened for the time being.

"What were you thinking when I told you I loved you for the first time?" Scorpius asked, resting his head on my chest.

"Scared," I admitted, running my fingers through his hair. It always felt so soft and silky, unlike my messy rat's nest of a hair but Scorpius didn't care. He loved me for my personality and not my looks. "But at the same time happy."

"Why?"

I scowled at him. "You know why."

He smiled faintly. "I want to hear you say it."

Oh god, this was so fucking embarrassing but Scorpius wasn't going to leave me alone until I said it. "Because that's the first time someone said 'I love you' who isn't my mum. Happy?"

"Very," He kissed me on the lips and hugged me tightly. "Don't ever leave me."

"I said I wouldn't."

"I know."

It was strange seeing Scorpius act so needy but I didn't blame him after what he had been through. It was why I had to be the strong one, for both of our sakes. Scorpius always place me before himself and now I had to stop being selfish. I took hold of his hand and intertwined our fingers together. "Scorpius, I want to stay in Hogwarts for the seventh year."

Scorpius blinked slowly as if he thought what I had said was a dream. "What about art college?"

"I can always take a course as a mature student," I replied. "I know the Muggle world isn't what you want. I'm fine as long as I'm with you."

"Albus," Scorpius whispered, touching my cheek. "Any minute I might just get down on my knees and propose to you."

I felt my cheeks go red. "Idiot! Don't say stupid shit like that!"

Scorpius had already fallen asleep before he could listen to my ranting. I sighed, staring down at his sleeping form in my lap. He looked so much like a child when he slept, and I found myself smiling. He would probably attack me if he knew I thought he was very cute when he slept. I made a mental note to try and get Scorpius to reveal his vulnerable side more often.

"Um…Al?" Rose was staring down at her feet, her face bright red. "It's time to go."

Oh god, I couldn't believe she saw me in such an embarrassing position. Careful not to disturb his sleep, I gently untangled myself from Scorpius. I lingered by Scorpius' bed hesitantly, but I didn't want to kiss him in front of Rose. I wasn't that confident yet. Rose helpfully left the room. I gave Scorpius a quick kiss and left his hospital room.

"Al, I'm really sorry," Rose said, looking on the verge of crying again. "I—"

I didn't want to hear the rest of what she had to say. I grabbed her and hugged her tightly. I would have never done this before but a lot of things had happened and they had changed me for the better.

"Al." Rose was frozen in shock.

"I love you, Rosie," I said, letting go of her and gripping her hand. "So don't cry."

A shaky smile crossed her lips, and she wiped away her tears. "I love you too, Al."

"There you guys are!" Hugo waved to us from the hospital doors.

The two of us walked over to them and Rose immediately went over to Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione. We all went home and when everyone was gathered in the living room I made the announcement Scorpius and I had originally planned. "I'm in love with Scorpius and he's my boyfriend."

Mum, Dad and Rosie were the only people who didn't look shocked. I had feared being rejected by my whole family but none of them said a bad word.

"So much for staying away from Malfoys." Uncle Ron grumbled.

"Ron!" Aunt Hermione exclaimed.

"I'm just joking!"

"So…You're gay?" Hugo said slowly.

Rose rolled her eyes. "Really Hugo? Do you always have to be so slow?"

"Shut up!"

"That's enough, both of you." Aunt Hermione scolded.

Everyone was acting normal. None of them were treating me like a freak which I had been so scared of. Scorpius was right for me to tell them. The thought of him having to spend Christmas in a hospital left a searing pain in my chest and I ran upstairs into my room so that everyone wouldn't see me crying.

I clutched the emerald Slytherin ring in my hand and pressed it to my lips. You're one of us. No one had made me feel like I belonged anywhere. I was a Potter which made my whole house hate me, and the person who should have hated me the most was the one who made me feel worth something. Those words Scorpius spoke to me had made me feel so happy. Goddamn it, this love in my heart was clouding my mind until I could only think of him. Was this what love was?

There was a knock on the door and Mum came in, carrying a plate with food on it. "I thought you might get hungry." She sat down beside me on the bed and handed the plate to me.

"I'm not hungry."

She placed the plate on the floor and pointed at the ring. "Did Scorpius give that to you?"

I nodded.

"Can I look at it?"

I handed it to her and she turned it in her fingers. "It's very beautiful. I guess this means you're his fiancé now."

"What!" I exclaimed, taking the ring back from her. "We're guys!"

Mum laughed, ruffling my hair. "I'm glad you have Scorpius. You've become more outspoken."

"You're not freaked out?"

Mum frowned. "Of course not. You are my son and if Scorpius makes you happy then I'm happy as well."

I couldn't keep it in any longer. I told Mum everything about how I had planned to run away from home to go to art college without telling them anything. I told her how trapped I felt in this world because I couldn't fit into Gryffindor or Slytherin so I thought I could try to fit in the Muggle world.

Once I had finished talking Mum calmly asked, "And now?"

I forced down the tears that were threatening to pour out. "I want to stay in Howarts with Scorpius."

"Al, if you decided to go to an art college, your father and I still would have supported you." She hugged me.

I no longer felt restless and questioned who I was. I knew who I was. I was Albus Sirius Potter, someone who wanted to be an artist. I was me and I wouldn't change that for anything else.

That night I dreamt of the first time I sketched Scorpius. Scorpius Malfoy, my sworn enemy with a permanent smirk on his face, but beneath that façade was a normal boy with the kindest grey eyes you would have ever seen. He was mine.