James hesitantly led Alexi back inside when Albus called them to dinner. Everyone else was already seated with only two chairs left…on opposite ends of the table. He leaned down and murmured for the blonde to sit in-between his siblings, figuring that was a more comfortable spot than by his parents. "This looks great, mum," he tried to grin along with the compliment as he took his seat but his voice sounded strained.
"Yeah, it does. Thank you for inviting me over," Alexi piped up, and it was with a breath of relief that James noted there was no sign of his nervousness in his voice. The petite male flashed one of his smiles, so genuine and sweet.
Everyone sat quietly as they dished up their food, and James began to relax. This wasn't so bad. Why had he been panicking? There was no reason to–
"So! Alexi, was it?... I see you're in Ravenclaw. What does your father think of that, seeing as everyone else in your family is a Slytherin?" Harry spoke up, fixing the Malfoy with a cold gaze. Well… at least there had been a few minutes of peace.
Lexi hurried to swallow his bite of mashed potatoes and smiled a little again. "He was proud of me. He said it suits me."
"What has your father been up to these days?" Ginny asked next, never taking her eyes off of the piece of meat she was cutting up into impossibly tiny pieces. "I would assume he works in the ministry like his father before him."
Harry snorted before Alexi had a chance to speak. "Yes, just how much does he take after your grandfather? Has he killed many muggles lately?"
The blonde's eyes widened and he shook his head, stammering as he tried to find the right words.
"Is he helping plan another attempt to overthrow the ministry? Oh, that would be grand, wouldn't it! And how busy are the dungeons in Malfoy Manor these days, my dear? Imprisoned and tortured any innocent school girls or old men lately?"
"N-n-no! Why… why would you… My father… he isn't... he doesn't…"
"He isn't what?" Harry yelled, "Evil? A murderer? You're wrong! He is that and so much more. Pathetic, cowardly—"
"That's enough!" James pounded a fist on the table as he watched his love's eyes fill with tears. "Damn it, that's enough!" He stood up and went to the other side of the table. He reached gently for Alexi's arm and pulled him up, holding him close against his side as he started towards the door.
"I'm sorry," the small male whispered as he was ushered outside, but was silenced with a kiss.
"Wait for me here, I forgot something inside," James instructed him once they were a safe distance from the house. He leaned down to give his partner another gentle peck on the lips, hoping to ease some of his hurt before he hurried back.
Everyone was still sitting around the table, eating as if nothing had happened. "You didn't even give him a chance! You bastard! Invite him to dinner making him think that maybe you'll finally accept him and then treat him the way you did! You all should be ashamed." He wheeled on his siblings next. "And how could you not stand up for him? You've gone to school with him! I know you've seen him around. What impression do you get of him at school, huh?"
"I… well… I don't really see him talk to many people. He keeps to himself, mostly. But I have heard he's really nice; his brother's complete opposite," Albus admitted quietly after a moment.
"But you couldn't have shared any of that before letting our father attack him? Thanks a lot, bro. Good to know I can count on you." And with that he turned on his heel and left before anyone else had a chance to put in a word.
James pulled Alexi to him as he shut the door of his small room above the Three Broomsticks, and led them both to the bed. "Don't let what he said bother you, sweetling," he murmured as the blonde got comfortable against him, head tucked under his chin, and thin legs tangled with his own. "He and your father had a rough history, he is just too immature to let it go or to at least know better than to take it out on you."
"I'm trying not to let it bother me. I just feel like I let you down, you know? You wanted us all to get along so badly and I couldn't make that happen."
"You let me down? Lexi… if anything I was the one to fail you. I led you in there completely unprepared and you were the one to suffer for it. Now let's speak no more on the subject." He was quiet for a moment then leaned in to nip lightly at his lover's ear. "I think I know just the way to make you forget alllll about what happened."
"Oh you think so, do you?" Alexi murmured back, a smile in his voice though he tried to sound skeptical.
"Yes. Let me show you!" With that he rolled the boy over onto his back and leaned in for a crushing, passionate kiss, silencing the squealed giggle that had been pressing through those plush lips he knew so well.
His desperation soon wore off on Lexi and before long they had each other stripped down to just their underwear. With a bit of skillful wriggling, James managed to get his own off without ever moving his hands from where they cupped the blonde's cheeks, but then he pulled back to look down into the lovely hazel eyes staring back at him full of annoyance.
"Please, James…" he whimpered, arching his slim body up, not liking that all contact had been withdrawn so suddenly.
But in all the years they were together, the number of times they had actually had sex were few enough to count on one hand because usually Alexi was a bit shyer about the whole thing and James was so afraid of hurting him.
"Are you sure this is what you want, my love?" He murmured, gently brushing strands of long, silky hair away from his face.
"Yes," came his answer quickly, and he was pulled back down for another kiss.
And with not a moment more of hesitation, James joined his body with Lexi's.
They lay together afterwards in a tangle of sheets and sweat slicked limbs, both of James' strong arms wrapped about the younger boy who was currently drifting in and out of sleep. "I'm done with my family," he whispered after a moment.
Alexi's slight body tensed at those words, suddenly very alert. "Don't say that," he murmured.
"It's true. The way they treated you is unacceptable. I don't want anything to do with them." James wasn't sure what reaction he had been expecting, but he was deeply shocked when his lover pulled away and stumbled from the bed. He gripped the bedpost to aid his trembling legs as he set about dressing himself, eyes full of tears again.
"How can you push the blame for this on me?" And the look he gave James damn near broke the man's heart.
"I wasn't blaming you… Lexi… I'm thanking you for helping me to see who they really are!"
"I didn't want this. I didn't want them to hate me and for it to create problems for you! I told you all along it was a bad idea for me to meet them but I did it anyways because I knew what it meant to you. But this isn't my fault." He looked away from James and backed towards the door, shoes in his arms. "I already told you I'm sorry." He turned, long hair whipping freely about his thin shoulders as he started down the hall.
If his heart wasn't crushed before, it was now as he watched Alexi struggle down the hall on legs still slightly uncertain after their romp.