A Match Made In Hell
Disclaimer: I think you know by know I don't own many of these characters. Not even Draco.
...
I have died everyday waiting for you,
Darling don't be afraid I have loved you,
For a thousand years,
I'll love you for a thousand more.
'A Thousand Years' - Christina Perri
...
Chapter Fourteen - Game Over
Scorpius stood, frozen, for a good thirty seconds, unsure what to do now. He was done for, he knew that. His secret was out. Undisguised mutters and whispers were breaking out, and still he remained rooted to the spot.
But then he noticed the sallowness of Albus's complexion, the way his breathing was hitched, and he remembered suddenly that he had been poisoned. He quickly and expertly analysed the poison in the vial, easily detecting which poison it was. This task would be only too easy, he thought.
Half an hour later, he had changed his mind. He hasn't been banking on how distracting it was to see Albus slipping further and further away from him, looking more ill by the minute.
It went against all instincts not to run over, soothe him, hold him, and try to help. In his most desperate moments, he thought it should be illegal to be expected to think clearly when the one he cared so much about was dying.
But he relentlessly ploughed on with his antidote, and was incredibly relieved when he finished brewing it in record time. He gently tipped his solution into a vial, and stood surveying it for a few moments. He slowly walked over to Albus, being sure not to drop or harm the precious antidote in any way.
He uncorked the bottle, and slowly brought his fingers to Albus's mouth. He gently parted the pink, dry lips, allowing his finger pad to brush along them. The lips he used to devour,c he thought sadly.
He remembered where he was with a jolt, and blushing furiously, hurriedly poured the potion in.
Nothing happened. He anxiously shook the vial, desperate to get every drop out, but Albus did not so much as twitch, but remained unearthly pale. Scorpius glanced up at Professor McGonagall, panic etched in his face. Her hand flew up to her mouth.
Scorpius watched Albus desperately, whilst panic and nausea welled up inside of him. He clutched Albus's hand, uncaring that the whole school could see.
The contact seemed to trigger something; Albus murmured something indistinctly, almost drowned out by Professor McGonagall's gasp. Scorpius could have sworn he heard "Scor.." but determined this to be wishful thinking. He shook Albus gently.
"Are you Ok? Can you hear me?" he whispered, blonde hair falling into his eyes with the motion. Albus nodded slowly, his eyes still shut. Scorpius breathed a sigh of relief as he watched Madam Abbot swoop over. He'd done it.
"Well done, Mr Malfoy." Professor McGonagall said unexpectedly. He glanced round at her. "The fastest time yet. You're a finalist now." She gave him a rare smile, before hurrying off.
Scorpius felt weak with relief as he watched Albus stir and groan. He hasn't realised he'd been shaking.
Albus's green eyes were flicking between Madam Abott and the ceiling, but Scorpius willed him to look over, to give him some attention. He wanted Albus to see it was he that saved him, he that had declared him the one cared most about. He wanted to see the look in Albus's eyes when he figured that out. When he realised how much he meant to Scorpius Malfoy.
Scorpius had just taken a tentative step closer to him when his shoulder was seized, and he was roughly swung round. He came nose to nose with an irate Violet Parkinson.
"The person you care most about?!" she screeched. "Not me?! Potter?!"
.-.
Dinner that night was a noisy and excitable affair, as Scorpius knew it would be. He remained in the Entrance Hall for at least 10 minutes before working up the courage to enter.
The entire school had so far been under the impression that Albus Potter was his ancient enemy. They now knew that, in fact, he was the person he cared most about in the world. The one he would miss the most. It was the single most embarrassing thing to ever happen to him. It just screamed that Scorpius was in love with him.
Which he was pretty sure he was.
His friend's reactions had given him a good idea of what the school was thinking. Violet had screamed a string of obscenities in a high pitch voice, before breaking down in sobs, repeatedly asking why it wasn't her, and what Albus had that she didn't.
Alfie Goyle had just stated the facts in a time of utter disbelief - ("You care most about Albus Potter? You'd miss Potter? That Gryffindor bender?") - and everyone else had demanded an explanation as to why Scorpius would miss his supposed source of hatred and loathing.
Scorpius had gave a few half hearted replies of- "I'd miss call him a dick and taking the piss out of him! That's why he was picked!...", before he escaped into the bathroom, where he had hidden until now.
He knew the game was up now. He could no longer keep up the act of cool indifference; Albus knew he still cared for him. So he might as well bite the bullet.
With that thought in mind, he walked into the Great Hall.
He haughtily strode to his seat, with his nose held high in the air, acknowledging the hails of congratulations from fellow students with brief nods. He collapsed in his seat with undisguised relief, where Stefan and Damon looked at him in surprise.
"That's ten Galleons you owe me." Stefan said suddenly, turning to his twin. Scorpius frowned in confusion.
"He bet me ten Galleons you wouldn't turn up for dinner." Stefan told him gleefully, as Damon huffed.
Scorpius rolled his eyes, carefully looking anywhere but at Albus, or any of the stupid Gryffindors. Instead, he listened studiously to his classmates' retellings of Jennifer Baddock's task.
It would seem she had broken down in tears upon discovering her boyfriend poisoned, and had been rendered quite unable to brew an antidote.
This left he and Albus has the only two in the final task, and Scorpius could not resist a shiver of anticipation.
I've got it bad, he realised somewhat ruefully, and looked over to where the object of his fantasies was lounging oh-so-gracefully. Even with his red tie askew, and his hair ruffled as usual, Scorpius found his mouth had suddenly gone dry.
And then, just as it always had been with them, Albus looked up as if Scorpius had physically called his name. The look Scorpius saw in his eyes, before Albus had time to hide it , was one of pure, raw undiluted lust, and it hit Scorpius hard and enveloped him, nurturing and caressing all his senses.
He must have looked astonished, for Albus coughed at that moment, and embarrassedly ducked his head for a few moments. When he looked up, and found Scorpius was still staring fiercely at him, Albus mouthed the words 'Thank you.'
Which was when it happened. The revelation. The enlightenment. It hit Scorpius hard, and he could barely believe it, but he realised it was true.
Albus cared for him.
The feeling was mutual - Scorpius wasn't alone.
Albus liked him back, and oh the sweet glory.
He was suddenly sick of the game they were playing, all the careful flirting and jealousy tactics- being a Slytherin and a Gryffindor.
He had to end this game that was driving him mad, and tell him how he felt.
Barely aware of what he was doing, Scorpius gracefully slid out of his seat, and walked the length of the Great Hall. He felt every eye on him, but did not care.
Within seconds, he had reached the Gryffindor table, and was growing closer and closer to Albus, his astonished and flushed expression growing clearer and clearer, until he was by his side, and Scorpius was speaking, and-
"I like you, Albus Potter. I like you very much. You were my hostage because I'd miss you dearly if you weren't in my life. I can't imagine how I would feel if that happened, so here I am. I've given up pretending I don't care, given up this elusive game we've been playing. Ignoring the fact I'm a Slytherin. Ignoring the fact we're rivals. Ignoring the whole damn school. Because I can't keep away from you any longer."
He wasn't aware of every word tumbling from his mouth, but he knew each one was from the heart, and he gazed ferociously at Albus, who had a peculiar expression on his face.
It was then that Albus reached up and grabbed his tie, closing the distance between them...
Aha! Finallyyyy they've realised each other's feelings! I was getting frustrated, and I was the one writing it! How do you feel about me keeping them apart for a few more chapters? Muahaha, tell me in the reviews...Speaking of which, they have been AWESOME so far, I especially love the people who tell me which passages they like and why, hinthint :) the birthday ones were lovely too, I had a great 89th birthday. (Kidding!)
And my other fic Wonderwall needs love too! It's not too bad, I promise.
Finally, shoutout for the first person to tell me who the Zabini twins are named after?