Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the situations all characters find themselves in. Hope you enjoy and let me know what you think.

Admiring the Bond

He liked how Scorpius felt in his arms. The way the other man melted into his arms when he was holding him as he was now. Even more he liked the taste of the Slytherin's mouth, the sweet welcome of it as it pressed up against his. He could go on kissing the man for a long, long time, Albus thought to himself, but unfortunately air was required in order to continue existing. Drawing back he smiled, his grin widening at the look of dazed, warm pleasure on Scorpius's face. "I love when you make that face."

Scorpius blinked as he tried to reengage his brain enough to understand Albus's murmured words. "You love my face?" That didn't sound right. He wasn't good looking.

That wasn't exactly what he'd said, but now that he thought about it. "Yeah, I do."

The look on the Slytherin's face said plainly he couldn't see why that would be.

Amused by that, though he'd have to change it, Albus reached out to stroke back down the hair he'd mushed earlier. "So question, even though Phoenix is calling me mummy now, I can still call you wife, right?"

Of the various nicknames assigned to him over the years 'Wife' certainly wasn't the worst, and he knew that Albus meant it affectionately and not in a mocking sort of way which mattered most. It was actually sort of cute sometimes. "I'd prefer you only call me that in private or among your family and close friends. So it's okay as long…as you don't forget I'm a guy." Because it was suddenly occurring to him that Albus could try to deal with their present attraction by casting him in the female role. That wasn't going to happen, couldn't happen. Nothing could be built on that because he was a male and was staying one.

"Trust me, I won't forget." Especially since the closer they got physically the more apparent it was going to be to the both of them that they were guys, Albus thought wryly.

"Good." And moving closer Scorpius pressed his lips against Albus's again in a brief kiss.

Drawing back Albus gave Scorpius a thoughtful look. "So am I your type?"

It took a moment for him to understand what he was being asked, and he had to admit that he really wished the Gryffindor hadn't asked him that. But since he wasn't willing to admit just yet how he felt about the other man Scorpius decided that this was the least he could own up to. "Yes, you're my type."

"Hmmmm…really." Interest gleamed in Albus's eyes and then he narrowed them thoughtfully as his mind started making connections as he thought back through their interactions and lack thereof before Phoenix had come into their lives. And now that he was thinking about it in terms of the idea that Scorpius might be attracted to him…. "Is that why you always stayed away from me before? Leave or duck out of hallways when you'd see me coming. Did you have a crush on me before all this?"

Scorpius's face said it all.

"You did! You did have a crush on me before." And thinking about those first few days together a lot of things suddenly made a lot more sense. "That's why you were freaked out about staying in my room, and me changing in front of you. Why you blushed so much and got so flustered…why didn't you tell me?"

"Isn't that obvious?"

"What? I wouldn't have beaten you up or anything." Insult crossed Albus's face at the thought that Scorpius would think he'd have been an ass about it had he known.

As always, someone up there had a serious hate on for Malfoys, Scorpius thought as he tried to figure out how to reassure the other man that he didn't think he was a jerk while not revealing any more about his feelings than was completely necessary. "I didn't think you'd beat me up. Not like it, but I didn't think you'd come after me if you knew. You can't tell me you told every person you've every crushed on how you felt. Or if you have…well you're a hell of a lot braver than us mere mortals."

Okay, he'd had a couple crushes he'd never admitted to, Albus silently acknowledged, feeling better now that he knew that it had just been the blonde's shyness that had kept the Slytherin from admitting to his crush. And since Scorpius hadn't told him for such a cute reason and was obviously embarrassed over things Albus decided to leave the investigation as to how long Scorpius had had a crush on him for later.

They had plenty of time after all.

)

With a loud yawn Scorpius opened his eyes to mere slits the next morning and reaching out whacked his alarm to shut it off. He hadn't been able to sleep well the night before, too aware of the man sleeping so close to him after their talk, and what he wanted to do more than anything was burrow under his covers and say to hell with going to classes. Okay, he'd like the burrowing more if Albus was snuggled up with him, but then sleeping would be the last thing on his mind, Scorpius groggily mused as he forced himself to throw off his nice, warm covers. Either way he had to get up for school and help look after Phoenix.

Stifling another yawn Scorpius glanced in the direction of Albus's bed, not surprised that the Gryffindor was nowhere in sight. Albus was as much a morning person as he wasn't. And Albus was so lucky he was damn gorgeous or that would be a horrible quality to have, the Slytherin decided as he got out of bed and started to undo his top's buttons, about to slide the material off his shoulders when he sensed that he had company.

Turning Scorpius's lips curved into a small smile at the sight of Albus in the doorway with Phoenix in his arms.

"Don't move."

Blinking in surprise when the Gryffindor set Phoenix on the floor and then dashed out of the room Scorpius remained still, too sleepy to even wonder why he wasn't allowed to move from his present spot. Instead he remained where he was while keeping an eye on Phoenix, who was trying to stick his footsie pajama covered foot into his mouth for some reason.

And then Albus was back and Scorpius's reflexes were too slow for him to bring up his hands in time to block his face when the Gryffindor snapped his picture. "Hey."

"I think I got it." Pleased, Albus grinned, thinking that the Slytherin would have to acknowledge his appeal when he saw the picture he'd just taken. Well that and he wanted a copy for himself, the Gryffindor admitted, his stomach feeling weird over the fact that he was actually finding another man sexy. But seriously, even if he were still completely straight Albus figured he would have thought the Slytherin looked damn hot with the open black top and drawstring bottoms hanging low on the blonde's hips. Add that to the tousled hair and half lidded gaze and Albus had to admit that maybe a quick cold shower was going to be in order for him before he got dressed for the day.

"Why'd you take my picture?" Scorpius grumbled, running a hand through his hair in an effort to tame it down a little.

"You'll see when I develop it." Was Albus's mischievous reply as he walked over and gave the other man a quick kiss. "Good morning."

Unable not to smile just a little Scorpius glanced down at the camera and then back at Albus. "It would be better if you didn't take pictures of me when my hair's a mess."

"I'll keep that in mind. Anyway, I'll let you get dressed while I get him dressed and then we'll switch, kay?" Somehow he doubted a cold shower would help him now.

"Sounds like a plan."

Once he was dressed for the day and his hair was perfectly tamed Scorpius headed into Phoenix's room and took over entertaining the baby while Albus got ready for the day.

And then it was time for them to head out for the day, both boys calling out good morning to the two girls waiting for them.

Albus gave Gabrielle an extra smile since he was pretty sure he had a handle on why she really didn't like him now. He'd realized it last night, after they'd turned in for the night, that if Scorpius had been crushing on him before then Gabrielle would have noticed. Scorpius was her most important person so of course she would have noticed and been hurt by that fact, which meant that it was going to take even longer than he'd expected to win her over. But at least he knew now that she had a legitimate reason for not liking him. He'd feel the same in her shoes.

Gabrielle wasn't sure what to make of that smile, but she decided to ignore it for the moment. "I'm going to be watching Phoenix for Lily today if it's all right with you two." She announced.

When they give her questioning looks Lily gave them rueful looks. "I have an assignment due this afternoon and I was going to finish it last night, I really was, but something came up and I never got around to it and…well I'll need to use my babysitting period to finish it and there's no way the kiddo will stand to be ignored for that long and it wouldn't be fair to him. Elle said she'd do it if it's okay with you guys, which I told her it would be."

It felt weird to have the girl call her by her nickname, only Scorpius did, but Gabrielle didn't correct Lily as she waited to see if Albus Potter would trust her being alone with Phoenix.

"It's fine with me." Albus stated, looking directly at Gabrielle. "I know he's fond of you."

Scorpius seconded that, glad that Gabrielle and Lily were getting along so well. His best friend needed more friends than just him and Lily was a lovely, if a little odd person.

"Then it's settled." Lily announced with a grin. "Now let's go eat, I'm starving!"

)

Gabrielle sat on the floor facing Phoenix, who bounced on his butt and watched her with just as much interest. "Okay, so I've never once in my entire life babysat anyone, much less a baby before." Gabrielle began, propping her head up on her palm. "And I can't go by my own experiences being babysat because my brothers babysat me and their way of doing that was locking me in my room and opening the door only when it was time for dinner, which was always sandwiches. But don't worry, I know that's not normal and I won't do that to you. I try always to avoid following their example, it's worked for me well over the years. So I'm not going to stick you in your crib, but you're going to have to go easy on me since I'm a beginner."

Phoenix cocked his head to the side with a considering look on his little face.

"And if I screw this up you are to blame it all on your Aunt Lily, who talked me into taking babysitting duty even after I told her that I'd never done this before. She's dangerous, your aunt. I need to be more cautious around her or who knows what she'll have me agreeing to next."

Clapping his hands the baby just smiled at her.

"Oh yeah, you're going to be as dangerous as she is, aren't you? Or even worse, come to think of it. But don't think you can use the big eyes technique on me, Kid. Because those are Potter eyes you've got and unlike Scorpius I do not melt before them. In fact, I'm not the least partial to Potter eyes so you'd better learn to work Scorpius's dandelion hair or you're never going to wrap me around your finger the way you do everyone else."

Laughing Phoenix crawled over and into her lap, snuggling up against her with a content sigh.

Looking down at him Gabrielle sighed and admitted, if only to herself, that maybe he already had her wrapped around his little, bitty finger. Picking him up out of her lap she gave him a hug and then getting up walked around to close all the doors before retaking her seat on the floor in the parlor, setting Phoenix before her on his feet. "So, as I recall you like to hide. How about some hide and seek?"

"Seek?" Phoenix repeated, his eyes lighting up. He knew that word.

"I seek, you hide." Gabrielle informed him, putting her hands over her eyes. "Go hide now." She instructed, smiling when she heard the sound of his feet stomping across the floor as he ran away.

As expected the baby hadn't lost his love of hiding in small, impossible to reach him spaces, so that Gabrielle had to strain and twist her body in weird ways to drag him out of his hiding places since apparently he wasn't familiar with the idea that once she found him he was supposed to come out.

And then he finally found his way to a hiding place where she couldn't reach him without literally moving the cabinet the baby was under.

Frowning, Gabrielle was bent over on her knees, idly tapping her fingers on the floor as she debated what to do as she stared at the little boy. She could use her wand to lift the cabinet up, but then how was she supposed to get him to move? She could set the cabinet elsewhere, but knowing Phoenix he'd just follow the cabinet. And she didn't want to use her wand to pull him towards her, what if he hurt his little head? Baby heads were delicate things. Scorpius would hate her forever if she hurt Phoenix even accidentally, and she'd never forgive herself anyway.

"Come on, Phoenix, come on out now." She said for what felt like the hundredth time. "Please come out and I'll…give you something." Unfortunately the baby couldn't be bribed with food.

Peals of baby laughter was Phoenix's reply.

"Your Weasley blood is so showing at the moment."

Shaking her head Gabrielle was about to get up and give the moving the cabinet thing a try when she sensed someone else in the room just as that someone spoke.

"You know, Gabrielle, I have to say, your rear end is absolutely-."

Twisting around Gabrielle had her wand pointed and her spell casted before the man could finish his sentence.

)

Coming into their room Albus and Scorpius both blinked in surprise at the sight of their son sitting in the middle of the parlor floor with a weasel in his lap. The boy was cuddling the creature like it was a stuffed animal, and it was looking at them almost pleadingly. Both looked over in the direction of Gabrielle, who had looked up from the book she was reading and smiled at them with an edge that had the two boys wondering if they had cause to worry.

Had the weasel wandered in on its own, Albus wondered as he walked over and knelt down in front of his son. It wouldn't be the first animal that had found Phoenix, wanting to play with him. But there was just something about the way the creature was looking at him that made him think he was missing something.

"Where did the weasel come from, Gabrielle?" Scorpius asked as he too studied the animal.

"It wandered in. Feel free to chuck it out the nearest window when he's done playing with it." Was her response as she closed her book and got to her feet.

Apparently she wasn't a weasel person. "Okay…thanks for watching him."

Nodding her head in Albus's direction Gabrielle returned their good byes and then headed out without a backward glance.

Still feeling that there was something off about the weasel Albus convinced Phoenix to turn the animal loose by offering the baby one of his quills, knowing how much the baby liked to rub the feather part against his cheek.

While Phoenix did that Albus set the weasel down, eyebrows rising when the weasel pointed to itself and then contorted its body in the shape of an…F?

"What is it doing?" Scorpius asked as they watched the creature stand perfectly straight while its arms curved forward almost like it was going to dive.

"I have a bad feeling he's trying to spell his name." Was Albus's answer as he lightly moved Scorpius away and then drawing his wand pointed it at the weasel. "Finite Incantatem."

And as the three boys watched the weasel grew and morphed into Fred Weasley.

"Out of idle curiosity, Malfoy, does your friend always take compliments so badly?" Fred asked in a conversational tone of voice, very glad that he was no longer a weasel. It wasn't good for a wizard to be a furry creature for too long after all, even though it had been amusing at first.

"She turned you into a weasel because you complimented her?" Albus wasn't surprised that Fred wasn't mad at her, Fred was weird that way after all, but still…turning the man into a weasel struck him as a bad way to respond to a compliment. Of course Fred's idea of a compliment….

"What exactly did you say to her?" Scorpius asked, interrupting Fred before he could respond to Albus's question.

"Well in truth she never let me finish it." And then Fred explained what he'd gotten out before she'd turned him into a weasel.

Shaking his head Scorpius winced. "It's because you mentioned her rear end. She's really sensitive about how big it is. You're lucky she didn't throw you out the window."

Fred considered this. "So I'm in the dog house again?"

"No…right now you're not even allowed on her property."

"Ah…damn."