AN: Being in the Southern Hemisphere, it's the middle of winter. I'm freezing my arse off here.

himeoka tsuki asked me who wears the pants in this relationship. . . lol. If you refer to the beginning chapters, you'll see that Scorpius (despite being like really cute and tiny) dominates their friendship. I should think that they have a pretty open, equal relationship, but at the end of the day I think the little Malfoy is the boss. (**,)

Another reviewer thinks that it isn't plausible for Al and Scor not to realize the boundaries of friendship. My reasoning is that they've both probably lived pretty sheltered lives. I can imagine Harry dissociating himself and his family with Muggles, due to his bad childhood in the Muggle world. Therefore, don't you think Albus's ideas about friendship might be warped from lack of exposure to kids his own age (that aren't family)? I do. In this story, anyway, Albus didn't have many friends and was quite shy at the beginning, before he met Scorpius. As for Scorpius, I think he knows more than he lets on. . . Or maybe he's just confused? It happens a lot, during adolescence. Really.

I know this chapter also short, but hey. I did warn you in the summary in the very first chapter that most chapters would be less than 1000 words. So don't moan at me about it, 'kay? hehe. I hope it enjoy this chapter nonetheless.

Disclaimer: Don't own any of the characters or anything even remotely related to the Harry Potter Franchise, except my own copies of the books and some merchandise.

Lies

Scorpius had gone through three girls before Albus eventually plucked up the courage to ask a girl out. She pretty and she made Albus laugh, but he didn't really have anything close to what he had with Scorpius. And he wasn't even sure what that was.

Albus and Scorpius made an effort to make sure they spent loads of time together, as it was getting increasingly difficult to balance having a girlfriend with the ever-growing workload that school was placing upon them.

Albus and Scorpius also frequently found themselves in each other's arms. At that point it had become a normal part of their friendship. They didn't even think of it as abnormal, not that they ever had. Only now, they were so used to it that they couldn't imagine their lives without the other, and their friendship without romance.

One day, in their fourth year, Scorpius was walking across the Hogwarts grounds, hand in hand with his latest girlfriend. He'd been with this one a while. They liked each other a lot. They went to stand by the edge of the lake, admiring the late afternoon sun low in the sky, gleaming on the water's sparkling surface.

"This is mine and Ally's favourite time of day" Scorpius commented matter-of-factly.

"Why's that?" the pretty brunette asked, adjusting her tie so that it was looser.

"Because, in the holidays, since we were twelve, this is the time of the day we'd have our "special" time." The girl raised her eyebrows. "We'd lie in, in the mornings, spend the hottest time of the day playing Quidditch with my dad, or with Ally's family, or both. We'd have supper with the family –whomever's it happened to be- in the evenings before we went to bed. Ally and me, we'd stay up late into the night, just talking" Scorpius reminisced.

"So why was the afternoon your favourite time of day?" Scorpius's girlfriend enquired. He turned and grinned at her.

"Because that was our time" he said simply.

"What did you do, though?" she asked, growing impatient.

"We'd explore the caves near my house. We'd walk along the beach; we'd swim in the sea sometimes. We'd lay under the apple trees and look at the clouds. We'd just be, in each others' company"

"That sounds very romantic" the brunette said, a hint of jealousy in her melodic voice. Scorpius just looked at her. "You're either very blind, or very mean, Scorpius Malfoy" the girl said unkindly.

"Excuse me?" Scorpius replied, scandalized. No one spoke to him in that tone of voice. Ever.

"It's the former if you can't see what's staring you in the face. You're in love with Albus!"

"What?!" Scorpius exclaimed, shocked.

"It's the latter, if you know you're in love with Albus but insist on dating girls like me anyway" the girl said. Scorpius scoffed. "Why are you using me, Scorpius?" she asked, hurt. "To make people think you're straight? What is it?" When he didn't reply, she continued. "You will never love me as much as you love him"

"He's my best friend! Of course I love him more than you! But I'm dating you, aren't I? I gave you my heart, didn't I?" the blonde retaliated.

"We may be dating but that means nothing. I don't have anything with you that you don't already have with him. And no, you never gave me anything! You can't give me what already belongs to someone else!" she started crying.

"I don't have to listen to this" Scorpius said quietly, dangerously. He looked at her, shook his head, and turned his back on her as he made his way back to the castle.

"You can lie to yourself as much as you like. I know it's true!" she said, through tears.

He didn't turn back.

AN: Harsh. Hehe. What will Scorpius do now that he has to confront his feelings? Will he find the truth buried in his confusion? Read next chapter and find out! And review!

Next Chapter: Truth

Albus's heart-rate sped up, as it always did when those grey eyes poured themselves into his green ones.

. . .to be continued!