Six months later.
"Albus Severus Potter, do you swear to tell the whole truth, nothing but the truth, so help you Merlin?"
"I do." Albus swallowed. He hadn't seen, owled, flood with or altogether heard from a single family member in months and yet there they all were. Staring at him… glaring at him? Was that a glare or is that just how they always looked? Maybe being such terrible people just made your face look like that. Oh, Lily was waving at him, so he guessed it wasn't all bad.
"What is your relationship with Scorpius Malfoy?" Albus swallowed, and was snapped away from his thoughts.
"Currently, I don't really have one. Haven't spoken to him in months- I saw him at graduation, but that's about it since he left Hogwarts".
"And what about before that?"
"Before he left Hogwarts?" Ron's defence attorney just nodded, Al wasn't really sure if he was being treated as though he were a hostile witness, or not. He supposed he could be – after all, he wasn't exactly team Ron in all of this. "Before that he was my potion tutor and we were friends". The attorney raised an eyebrow,
"Really, is that all you were? Friends?" Albus blinked,
"Well, from my perspective we were friends but…"
"So did you or did you not claim to your teachers that the young Mr. Malfoy was harassing and making unwanted advances towards you?" Ahh. Hostile witness it is, then.
"I made the unfortunate mistake of snapping at Scorpius during a potions lesson, it was a mistake and only happened because I was already frustrated. I have apologised to Scorpius for my behaviour and can state with confidence that he did not behave inappropriately." Feeling the fear creep up inside him, he forced himself to breathe and count back from 20 – there were so many eyes on him, and fuck did he hate it when people stared. But this was important. He'd practised in the mirror for this. He couldn't mess this up – not after everything.
"I see. So you did make the claims but then later rescinded them. Do you make a habit of lying, Mr Potter?"
"No, and I think you will find that I did tell the truth when asked- I only snapped at him when I thought we were alone, I didn't know a teacher was in the room."
"I see, and so you relationship with Scorpius, how would you define it?" He shrugged,
"OK, I guess. Or at least it was, before Christmas…"
"And yet, we have more reports saying that you physically assaulted him and slammed his head into a table, stood by whilst he was assaulted on the Hogwarts express and bad mouthed him repeatedly to your siblings and cousins."
"I'm not hearing a question there, or is your intent just to make statements about what you've heard?" Al clenched his jaw, he knew it was best not to antagonise these people but he was so sick of this whole thing. His eyes wandered over to Scorpius who was sat in the prosecution stall, he smiled weakly at Albus.
"My apologies, let me re-phrase. If you had so many altercations with this boy, why did you invite him to your house- and why, pray tell, are you now making claims that Scorpius did nothing to provoke my client?" God, there were a lot of people here… he wished they would all just fuck off.
"So that's your strategy? To blame the victim? He was thrown across a room and impaled – I'm not sure what more there is to discuss." For his part, the lawyer looked taken aback, and he shifted his gaze over to Ron who simply shrugged. Clearly they had expected Albus to get frazzled and crack under the pressure, but he wouldn't give them the satisfaction. This was his moment to prove he was more than a weak little boy who hated attention.
"We're simply here to understand the facts of the case…"
"Yes, well – I think the facts of the case are quite clear. Scorpius tried to leave my parent's home, and Ron did not let him instead, he assaulted him when he was still a minor. Bottom line, cut and dry what other facts do we need to hear?"
:"Well, Mr. Potter, we are asking that the court take into consideration the ongoing harassment and interference in Mr Weasley's life by the Malfoy family. It has become clear over the course of this trial that they have wormed their way into all aspects of his life; his job, his personal life, even his marriage". The barrister gestured sideways towards the Malfoy's, "They have hounded him- squandering every opportunity that Ronald had presented to him and drove him to this. The fact that you yourself, Mr Potter, admit to snapping because you were so frustrated as a result of a Malfoy should in itself be testament to what an insidious family we are dealing with." Al simply rolled his eyes,
"You're so full of crap… Ohh, sorry- I suppose you're not supposed to swear here, huh?" He looked at the judge who simply shook his head "You're so full of garbage, none of that is true- Ron is a bitter angry man who lashed out at the wrong person. He's the reason he's miserable, no one else. Sometimes people get what they deserve because they work for it, and Scorpius is the hardest working person I know. I don't really know his father, but everything you mentioned seems like a list of issues between Malfoy senior and Ron… Not Scorpius."
"Of course, Mr. Potter…" He shuffled his notes around on the table before looking back up at Al "And one last thing, how long have you been in love with Scorpius Malfoy?"
**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**
Albus left the courtroom in the worst mood he'd ever been in. What an absolute wanker, forcing him to… well, never mind it's over with. He just hoped Ron would get what was coming to him and everyone could move on with their lives. Al Stormed towards the exit – he needed to leave before he hexed someone.
That barrister was a piece of work, humiliating him in front of all those people – as they just stared at him, watched him, judged him. No, he shouldn't think like that- he'd been doing such a good job of changing the way he thought about these things, he shouldn't let this get to him so bad… even if he did really want to cast a severing charm on the man's bollocks.
The guy made a while song and dance about that fact that Scorpius had given him a copy of his memory of the evening. Ron's team tried to run with the defence that the Malfoy's had doctored or tampered with the memory in order to cast both Ron and Harry in a terrible light – and that this alone was evidence of collusion between the two boys. "The young Mr Malfoy is simply taking advantage of this poor lovestruck fool for his own nefarious purposes" … Al would be lying if he said it didn't sting to hear.
No sooner had Al left the courthouse, he was mobbed by reporters, question after question flung in his direction- bright bulb flashes and people clawing for his statement. It was all too much – try as he might he just couldn't take it. Too many people, too many eyes, too much attention… He wasn't strong enough. Feeling a familiar panic rise in his chest, Al started to hyperventilate- but not before he felt a hand on his shoulder and was pulled into oblivion.
**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**
"Here, eat this." Albus squinted at the bar shoved into his hand, a purple wrapper with the word 'Cadburys' on it.
"Chocolate?"
"It'll help." Albus turned to look at the individual speaking to him –
"Mr Malfoy?" He nodded,
"Yes, well – couldn't exactly let you have a panic attack on the steps of the courthouse, could I?" Al shrugged and looked around,
"Where…" Albus looked around the tiny apartment they were currently in, "Where are we?"
"Take a look outside, see if you recognise it". Al took a bite of the chocolate and looked out of the window next to the couch he was sat on.
"The café?" The older Malfoy hummed,
"yes, close to your little coffee shop." Al smiles as he watched customers pop in and out of Myra's greasy spoon - his one true constant these past few months.
"How did you know about Myra? Have you been spying on me?" Draco snorted,
"Don't think so highly of yourself- I'm a very busy man." He paused slightly, "My son, on the other hand, appears to be almost worryingly concerned with your well-being." Al frowned, this didn't make any sense, how did Scorp know about Myra?
"I don't understand."
"Well, eat your chocolate and I'll explain." Al nodded and did as he was told,
"Scorp used a small portion of his savings to rent this place. I only found out about it when we started prep for our court date, but it appears he has taken to watching over you like some kind of injured bird." Al dipped his head, admonished. He didn't mean to be such a burden. Silence stretched out between the two men… "If I'm honest, I find the whole thing rather adorable… if a little annoying" Al blinked,
"What?" Draco smiled and took a seat across from Albus,
"He cares about you, Al. He knew he wasn't allowed to speak to you, yet every school holiday he came here to check on you. He even put on a glamour once or twice and pretended to be a customer… left an obscene tip." Albus's mind jumped immediately to the stranger who left him £100 in an envelope, which helped him to buy school supplies. Scorp had been there the entire time? "I don't want to tell you how to live your life, but…the trail is over. Whether or not your family like it they are going to lose- this is an open and closed case of assault with intent against a minor and they know it. We kept the memory of your father from reaching the public in exchange for an agreement that he would not publicly disparage any Malfoy and would support various charitable and business ventures we have secured. It appears as though he has kept his word, and so we're done."
"What about Ron?" Draco shrugged-
"In our suit we levied for both a private and a public prosecution. The public, criminal, element of the trail carries about a two year sentence but given his connections and lack of record we expect it will be a year's suspended sentence". Draco paused and shook his head "I'm not going to sugar coat this, we also filed a private prosecution for civil damages. This is ongoing, but the Weasley lawyers have missed the last three deadlines. With the likely award, associated legal fees he'll have to pay and the mountain of paperwork we buried him in – Ronald Weasley will be bankrupt several times over. Not even the Potter coffers will get him out of this one." Al just nodded.
"Hell hath no fury like a Malfoy scorned, right?" The blonde just shook his head,
"Look, Albus… The only reason I brought you here was to show you how much my son cares for you." He pointed across the street, "Even after everything, he never stopped." Standing up from the chair, Draco made his way to the fireplace, "He'll likely be here at some point this evening, so if you want to pursue him… You have my blessing. In spite of your familial hiccups, you really came through for him today. You should be proud of yourself." Al didn't even get a chance to respond, as the other man stepped through the fire in a sea of green flames.
Well, Fuck.
Shoving the last of the chocolate into his mouth, Albus simply waited. It was now or never.
**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**/_/**
Scorpius came through the floo about an hour after his father left. At first, Al didn't make a move to greet him, simply watching as his stepped into the apartment and shrugged off his coat. Making his way to the kitchen, he poured himself a glass of water – his back still to the other man. "You know, it's considered rude to break into other people's homes, yes?" he asked before setting the cup aside and turning to face Albus who was sat on the sofa in the open planned lounge.
"It's also considered rude to spy on people, but that didn't' stop you." Scorpius let out a short laugh –
"Yes, well… You really ought to buy yourself some curtains. Not that I didn't appreciate the show." He moved to take a seat opposite Al, "My father brought you here? I can smell his aftershave". Al nodded,
"He seemed to think your renting this place is evidence that you care for me- and…" Al took a breath, "Fuck, Scorpius I've never been able to stop thinking about you. When you left, I was crushed. I spent day after day just wishing you would speak to me – I even had a perfectly lovely guy ask me to go backpacking through Merlin knows where with him, but he just wasn't you." Al cleared his throat, "I know my family put you through a lot, hell I know I put you through a lot – but I'm just going to have to shoot my shot – I love you, Scorpius. I've loved you for as long as I can remember and if you don't feel the same then that's fine, but I can't lose you again without letting you know." Scorpius lent forward and ran a hand through his hair,
"Al, your family…"
"Are gone. Did hasn't spoken to me in months and mum attacked me at Hogwarts- I haven't spoken to any of them in almost a year". Scorpius smiled softly,
"I was just going to say that your family never defined you. I never held what they did against you and I didn't stop caring about you just because I couldn't talk to you. Hell, I rented an apartment across the road from where you work so I could keep an eye on you and cast some proper wards on that café." He stood and moved to sit next to Al and cupped the other man's cheek with his hand "I love you too, Albus. With everything I have." The blonde moved his hand to run through the smaller man's hair, "Now why don't we pick up where we left off in your bedroom more than a year ago?" Smirking, Scorp pulled Albus atop of him, "And this time I don't want to be interrupted until we're both fully satisfied".