A Match Made In Hell
Disclaimer: If I owned any of these characters, I wouldn't be here. I'd be arranging an impromptu lunch with Tom Felton and David Thewlis. As it is, I'll have to make do with JK Rowling's Draco Malfoy. I think he'll do.
...
Just know it was you all along who had a hold of my heart,
But the demon and me were the best of friends from the start.
So the time we shared it was precious to me,
All the while I was dreaming of revelry.
'Revelry' - Kings Of Leon
...
Chapter Twenty One - Trust Issues
When Albus woke up he knew at once he wasn't in his bed. The sheets smelt wrong, the mattress felt different, and there was a teenage boy sleeping on his chest.
He mainly attributed the knowledge to the sheets.
For a few blissful seconds he was filled with giddiness as memories flooding back. He had sex last night.
He, Albus Potter had sex last night.
With Scorpius Malfoy.
A Potter and a Malfoy had sex last night.
It was the best feeling. Ever.
But then reality hit; the bubble popped. Today was the final task. In a few hours he would be climbing a mountain, in a desperate and well publicised race against his lover of a few hours.
Wasn't that just ironic.
He wanted nothing more than to snuggle into the pale arms which were wrapped around him, and he vaguely wondered what the penalty would be if neither contestant showed up. But he knew it wasn't an option, and it was with a heavy heart that he slid out of Scorpius's arms, onto the carpeted floor.
He wondered what time it was, and instantly a clock appeared on the wall. It told him it was 8:03am. He had just less than two hours, and he wasn't even dressed yet.
Realising all his outdoor clothes were back in his dormitory, he gave Scorpius one last, longing look and padded out of the room.
.-.
When Scorpius awoke, he found he was lying alone and naked in an unfamiliar bed. He remembered instantly what had happened the night of before, and he smirked. I fucked Potter, he thought gleefully. His smirk melted away when he looked around the room to see that said Potter had left. His heart sank.
Had he regretted what had happened? Was this too much for him? He panicked, his fingers knotting in the duvet.
Then his Malfoy traits kicked in. How dare he run off and leave me here, without so much as a goodbye! he fumed. The nerve of him! Did he not understand it was the worst thing you could ever do after sex? Leave your partner whilst they slept?
Or was this some plot to win the tournament? Seduce Scorpius, and deliberately upset and weaken him by leaving him on the very day of the final task? He fisted the duvet, anger bubbling through him.
It felt strangely familiar to be angry at Albus Potter once more. Of course it was for entirely different reasons, but the sentiment was the same. Perhaps there was a bit more of hurt involved then he was accustomed to; but he swept that aside. If that was how Potter wanted to be, let him. Scorpius Malfoy could give just as good as he got, make no mistake. He was no pawn in anyone's game. He'd win that task if it killed him.
It was just a shame he'd realised something pivotal only a few hours before.
He was in love with Albus.
.-.
Albus was hailed heartily when he stepped into the Great Hall that morning. For the most part.
Rose thumped him hard the moment he sat down next to her, and he swore angrily.
"What was that for?!"
"You..! Louis told me you never came back to the tower last night! Have you any idea how worried I've been?! I thought Violet Parkinson might have got to you again, or anything..!"
Albus immediately felt guilty. He had been a bit too preoccupied to think about people missing him from Gryffindor. He smiled sheepishly at her.
"Sorry Rosie. I slept.. elsewhere."
Rose raised a suspicious eyebrow.
"Elsewhere being.. where, exactly?"
Albus noticed Louis, James, Fred and Liam lean in interestedly.
"Er-" he said, for once unable to come up with a smart answer. It would seem his reputation as the cheekiest Potter had failed him when he needed it most.
"...He got lucky!" James said delightedly, peering into Albus's face. Fred leaned in too. "Do you know, James, I think you're right." he agreed, grinning like a Cheshire cat.
Rose smiled knowingly, and leaned over brush her lips against Liam Finnigan's ear. Liam's face also split into a wide smile. "I know who it is!" he crowed. "A certain blond someone, is it?" he asked a blushing Albus. He wished he knew how to Disapparate.
"..Oh god." said James weakly, sinking back into his chair. "Please don't tell me it was Malfoy. I thought that was just a temporary.. Oh god." he caught the sheepish look on Albus's face.
Rose and Liam smiled smugly.
Not long after, Albus pushed his plate away from him, feeling sick with nerves. The clock was inching towards ten, and it was only just hitting him that soon the whole school were expecting him to a climb a mountain.
A mountain.
Rose noticed his stricken expression and turned away from her conversation with Liam, who looked immensely disappointed. She rubbed his back sympathetically.
"You'll do fine, Al." she told him, her face softened in a way that was reminiscent of her mother. Albus nodded mutely.
"No one will see what happens on that mountain. We're all sitting in stands a quarter of a mile away. Whether you do well or badly, no one will see. But I know you have it in you to do well. Your name didn't come out of the hat for no reason."
Albus smiled gratefully at her. He hadn't failed to notice that Slytherin was missing a certain student either, and it wasn't helping the already on-edge nerves. He worried that Scorpius was sleeping on, unaware of the time. Maybe he should have woken him.
Fifteen minutes later, at 9:35, he was certain he should have woken him, and was jumping up and down in his seat, torn between going and trusting Scorpius to handle himself.
An outbreak of voices made his head swivel to the door, and he saw a swarm of Slytherins entering the hall, all jostling and jumping round someone in the middle of the pack.
Scorpius, naturally.
He noticed all the Slytherins with him had gold crowns on, set with emeralds, presumably some form of showing their support. Albus's stomach dropped further, but the relief he felt at seeing his lover was immense. He watched the pale boy intently, waiting for him to look at him as he surely would-
But he didn't. Scorpius, shepherded by many crown-bearing Slytherins looked steadfastly at anywhere but Albus. Albus felt even more sick, if possible. Why was he being ignored again? Today of all days? The morning after..?
Finally, finally, Scorpius's grey eyes wandered to the Gryffindor table, and Albus held his breath as they swept over him. And carried on. Without so much as a blink.
Albus felt truly confused and rejected, and it was with a miserable feeling that he got to his feet, surrounded by cheering Gryffindors. It was with a furrowed brow that he allowed himself to be clapped on the back by what felt like hundreds of people. It was with a heavy heart that he was jostled out of the hall by a stampede of happy Gryffindors, down to the edge of the grounds, and the mountains.
Rose held his hand tightly the whole time, some how sensing his dejection even though she did not know the cause. She led him firmly to Professor McGonagall, who was standing between a scarlet and a emerald flag.
"Ah, you're here Potter." she said crisply, surveying him over her glasses.
Trouble in paradise? she wondered dryly. She should have known things would go wrong for the school's hottest couple on this day. It would take a very strong couple to survive being pit against each other, never mind one where both participants were headstrong, fiery and stubborn.
She indicated the scarlet flag to Albus and consulted her watch.
"We're just waiting for Mr Malfoy now." she told him, noticing the flinch when she said his name. Albus took the time to survey the scene before him.
The mountain base was surrounded by crescent shapes stands, which where already full; the side on the left was a solid mass of emerald, and the right was scarlet clad. He saw several Slytherin posters, the politest of which saying- "Kill
Potter!" and the worst saying "Beat Up-The-Arse-Albus!" and "Down with I-Like-Prick-Potter!".
Albus shuddered and turned away, to see a crowd coming down the hill, with a familiar white blonde leading them. Albus felt butterflies stir in his stomach, and mentally scolded himself. What was he, twelve?
As Scorpius's sneering face grew closer and closer, Albus grew all the more bewildered as to the meaning behind it. Had he been bad in bed last night? Was the whole thing a sham? Had he inadvertently offended him?
He had no time to fully think it through, as Professor McGonagall hurriedly separated Scorpius from his friends and pulled him to the emerald flag. She cast a 'Sonorus' and welcomed the audience with a magically magnified voice.
Albus didn't bother to listen; he knew the gist of what she was saying. He was momentarily distracted by a stand devoid of emerald or scarlet, filled with teachers and guests. He recognised his father, who appeared to be deep in conversation with the man next to him.
This man had hair of the palest blonde, even more so than Scorpius's, which he hadn't known to be possible. He assumed he was finally seeing the infamous Draco Malfoy. His attention was drawn away from the man by when he heard his name being boomed by Professor McGonagall's voice.
"...Potter and Scorpius Malfoy, of Gryffindor and Slytherin respectively-" both of the coloured stands cheered. "-are now in place ready to begin on the sound of the cannon. Three-"
Albus readied himself for a sprint towards the base of the mountain.
"-two-"
He finally glanced at the pale boy beside him. He was startled when he met a steely, hard glance. He was wondering how to retaliate when-
Boom!
The cannon had sounded.
Apologies for such a short chapter after such a long time, but this was my last chance to upload before Sunday so I thought it wise to upload this little chapter to tide you over until something more substantial in two days. I'd still like your thoughts though!:)
P.S and the lyrics at the beginning? My favourite band of all time, and my favourite line -
'But the demon and me were the best of friends from the start'
which always reminds me of Draco Malfoy. In case you care, which you probably don't.