Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any characters from the original series, I do however own my OC's and this story. Please do not copy or reproduce without my permission. Thank you.
Warning: There is BoyXBoy action in this story (this is not explicit in this chapter) if you don't like it, don't read it.
Notes from the Author:
Thank you so much everyone and thanks to star2000 for the review and the push for me to plan this story out and to get writing more chapters sooner. I have now determined how many parts there will be and if there is enough interest, I will write a sequel. Thank you for reading and don't forget to let me know what you think :)
It had been a week since the trip to Hogsmeade and nothing else had really happened between the boys, much to Mae's disappointment. They gave each other some peculiar looks in the hall or in class but nothing else seemed to be out of the ordinary, to the unknowing observer. If one looked close enough, they'd see the faint blush on Scorpius' cheeks and his shy smile when Albus looked his way. The shit-eating grin on Albus was hard to miss as well, when he was around the Slytherin.
And so it came to pass that the tutoring began again. The potions master was glad that the boys had worked out whatever spat or differences they'd had, because he didn't really want to have to fail a Potter. Especially when he believed that the boy had the potential to do so well.
Albus walked down the library with his potions books and with '1001 Potion Ingredients you can Grow Yourself', which he'd finally be able to return. Scorpius was waiting in their usual spot from before, once again poring over a book. Al took the time to drink in the sight, glad to be able to think of him in a certain way and to actually be standing next to the Slytherin again. Finally, he made his way towards the table and set his bag down. Just as when they first started, Scorpius did not look up but finished either his sentence, paragraph or page (Albus wasn't really sure which) and then shut his book, looking up. His gaze was normal as it had been before, except for the hint of a shy smile on his face, but it disappeared almost instantly as it grew serious.
"So, how have your studies been going since our... last meeting." Scorpius said, pausing for a moment as if not knowing what to call their last tutoring session. A fight, he supposed, but was not really sure if he could call it that. It had been Albus being stubborn and him running away. Did that count as a fight?
"Uh... fine?" Albus said, and put his hand on the back of his head and sighed. "Ok, so not so good, but I can definitely improve!" he said with reassurance and began pulling out his books, while Scorpius looked on with disdain. The last one he pulled out was the herbology book that he'd taken last time and he handed it over. "This is from last time... You forgot it and wouldn't speak to me so I didn't really get the chance to return it." he said. Scorpius smiled and thanked him. Both boys ignored that the Potter could have given it to someone else to return, it seemed that this solution was besides the point.
"Alright, I suppose we should get started. Show me that last written test and we'll see where you need to concentrate on most." Scorpius began, once again, all business. Albus did so and with that guide they moved onto the most troubling and difficult subjects first. Well... subject. They didn't really get past more than one.
When they had been tutoring before, the sessions had never extended over two hours and usually was only around one, but since they met a little earlier now, it was a little past two hours that their session was interrupted. A girl walked by them quickly, but neither looked up and then suddenly both turned as they heard a little cry. They looked up to see Patricia pulling Mae along by the arm from a small alcove near the boys that would have hidden her from their view. The Slytherin was muttering things to her friend that neither boy could hear, but she seemed to be a little pissed off, at least.
The girls drew near and Patricia nodded to Scorpius, which between them would have signified an apology. Pure bloods didn't like to apologize, most at least. Especially those in Slytherin it seemed, but whatever transpired in that nod was understood by both parties. Scorpius reached over and picked up the book that Albus had returned to him and held it out to her.
"I finally found that book of yours I thought I'd lost." he said and Patricia took it. Again, no apologies were uttered but there was an understanding.
"I'll just get this fool out of your way. You two enjoy your studying." she said and walked away, still pulling Mae who seemed to be fighting back. Most of what she said was unintelligible but just as she was about to leave the library, both boys could distinctly hear her whining and complaining that she hadn't gotten to see them kiss yet. Albus stared after them, shocked at what he had just heard and when he turned back, Scorpius' face was still beet red. They gave each other a different sort of look, but the Slytherin broke the gaze and turned back to the books. Half an hour later, they packed up to go, as it was nearing curfew and they parted ways with a light kiss, which had Albus giddy and floating on air all the way back to the Gryffindor tower.
James looked over his fifth Quidditch strategy of the evening for the fourth time. His mind wasn't registering of functioning properly. The ideas had been building up for a while now, but it was really beginning to affect him. He had a nagging sensation in the back of his mind that something important was going on with his little brother. Something strange or bad had happened and for some reason, he couldn't remembered it. He hadn't been able to bring himself to ask anyone about what had happened at the dance except Reagan who had avoided the question entirely and had given him a look so full of hurt that he felt like a jerk without even knowing what he'd done. The Potter had apologized which it seemed had helped her a bit, but he still didn't know what he had apologized for.
Finally, the Gryffindor but the plans away and decided to turn in. He wasn't fit to be learning anything it seemed and lay in bed awake for quite some time, trying to remember what it was he desperately could not.
Dane Equerra sat in the Hufflepuff common room brooding. No one bothered him, especially when he got like this. He had friends but they knew to stay away. No one in the entire house ever mentioned what had happened at the Halloween dance when there was even the slightest chance that Dane was around. Surely, it might have been talked about by some teenage girls in their bathroom, but nothing was uttered within his earshot. He was bitter and everyone knew it.
He would have Scorpius back. He was beginning to see that sweet smile of the Slytherin that he'd had before their relationship and wanted to wipe it off his face. No one should be permitted to see it but him. He had to figure out a way to get this Albus Potter out of the picture and soon, before his property forgot who it belonged to.
Scorpius had been laying awake in his room for quite some time. His enchanted window offered no moonlight as outside appeared to be cloudy, and for this he was a bit glad. He sat in the darkness thinking about many things. Thinking about Dane, which he tried to push away, and thinking about Albus which he also pushed away, but for different reasons. Mostly, he thought of his father, which elicited shudders and then his grandfather, which elicited terror itself. What if they ever found out? His orientation was one thing, he knew that at least his grandfather had once had things speculated about him. Malfoys had enough money that it wasn't really a problem. The problem was that not only was he the 'bitch' so to speak, which no Malfoy would tolerate (but him it seemed), he was also with a Potter.
They hadn't ever officially said they were going out, much like with Dane, but they were taking things slowly. Scorpius hated hoping that it would be very slowly and wished he could tell the Gryffindor some of his worries. This was strange as he'd never had the urge to share and divulge before. Still, he wanted the boy to know that this would be the reason for reluctance.
All of the sudden, he heard the shifting of something and sat straight up in bed, staring towards the door. He knew that sound well and terror gripped him. He thought to whisper out Dane's name, afraid that the Hufflepuff had snuck into his room as he had so many times in the past. Shortly after Halloween, the Slytherin house password had changed but who knew if he'd aquired it yet.
There was a shift of weight on the lower end of the bed and immediately, Scorpius' fearful gaze shifted to a proud one. He would not show fear, not this time. "Come out. I know you're there." he said, his voice strong and he hoped that he'd be able to keep it that way.
"Aw, I was hoping I'd get to wake you up with a kiss." a voice came from the darkness and then suddenly, someone was there and to Scorpius' surprise, it wasn't Dane. He smiled as Albus leaned in and gave him a kiss. "I just wanted to see you and wish you goodnight. I couldn't sleep." he said and Scorpius pulled him into a tight hug and actually began sobbing into his shoulder. He had been so afraid that it was Dane, and the Potter comforted him, not knowing why but enjoying the contact. They sat there for quite some time before Albus took his cloak, which he told Scorpius was what had allowed him to get around undetected, and disappeared into the night. It didn't take long before the Slytherin fell into a deep sleep with a smile still on his face.
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