"Ashlyn Nott?" Rose nearly screamed. I just nodded tiredly. "How, in the name of Merlin's saggy balls, did this happen?"
The one thing I couldn't stop thinking about. How could this have gone so far?
"So Al," Scorpius said.
"So Scor," I laughed. Scorpius looked uneasy. "Is something wrong Scor? You look upset about something."
"Well…something's happened."
"Well, go on then. Spit it out." I sneered, sensing it had something to do with Ashlyn Nott. If only I knew how right I was.
"I… I'm engaged."
"If this is a proposal Scor, try again." I said, knowing what he actually meant, and yet hoping to God it wasn't true.
"It's not…I'm engaged to Ash." I instantly became cold. I felt like my insides had frozen over.
"Excuse me?" I asked, scarcely believing him.
"Ash and I are engaged."
"Al," Rose voice came gently, disrupting my thoughts. "Let's go inside, I'll tell Lorcan we need some alone time." she cast her patronus, an otter like her mother's, and spoke to it. It bounded off, presumably to Lorcan.
She made tea and I was reminded of 3 weeks before, when Scorpius and I had fought over none other than Ashlyn Nott. I wish it was that simple now.
"Ash? Ash!? Oh of course your perfect little bride Ash. No really, congratulations, boyfriend. I can see our relationship of four fucking years meant nothing to you."
"No really, my dad forced me to propose! It meant nothing!"
"What do I care if it meant anything? What matters is you're engaged with the girl you've been fucking cheating on me with for 2 years. Actually, no. You've been cheating on Ashlyn with me, because clearly that is your real relationship! I can't believe I could've been this stupid!"
"Al-" Scorpius began.
"No. Fuck no. You don't get to make your half-assed little excuses, okay? I stayed with you for four years. You dated Nott for two of the four years we were together, and you know what? I put up with it, because I loved you. I got that you didn't want anyone to find out about us and you kept telling me that she meant nothing to you! Well guess what! She won! She's the fiancée and what am I? The pointless boyfriend from your gay phase? I can't do this Scorpius. You have been playing jump rope with 'the line' for two years and you finally crossed it. Enjoy your wedding." I snapped. I turned away, the tears already pooling in my eyes.
"Albus Severus, turn around right now!" Scorpius yelled.
"I'm sorry Scorpius," I said, still not turning around. "You don't have control over me. Not anymore." I disapparated out, ignoring his cries behind me.
Rose gave me the tea and I sipped at it half-heartedly.
"You told me so Rose. You were right." I said hollowly.
"Maybe I was, but I wish I wasn't," she answered.
"I really thought he loved me Rose. I really did."
"I do!" a voice called out. I spun around in my seat. I was too shocked to do anything, but Rose apparently was not. She was on her feet with her wand drawn within seconds. She put her wand underneath his chin.
"Get out Malfoy!" she attempted to snarl, but Scorpius, Rose, and I had been best friends since our first year at Hogwarts. She had a difficult time being mean to him, even if it was for good reason. He ignored her.
"Please Scorpius," I said tiredly, "just leave."
"Malfoy!" she warned.
"Rose, just shut up okay!" Scorpius yelled. He looked regretful as soon as he said it. I could tell he hadn't meant to unleash his temper on her, but Rose was a Weasley. With Weasleys comes temper. Rose narrowed her eyes.
"No you shut up Malfoy! You break my cousin's heart, you barge into my flat unannounced, and you get fucking engaged to the vanity-obsessed, selfish, materialistic girl from school. Then you tell me to shut up?! No way. For years I've taken pity on you. I knew you weren't ready to come out and neither Al nor I ever pushed you, but dammit! You cannot get engaged to Ashlyn Nott when you are dating my cousin. And you do not tell me to shut up in my own flat! So I'll say this one more time Malfoy, get the bloody hell out of my flat!"
The last time I had seen Rose even close to this mad was when Fred and Roxanne charmed her books to scream every time she tried to read them.
But even that was nothing compared to the look of sheer rage on her face. However, Scorpius had known Rose and been her best friend, for eight years. He paled, but he did not step down. To be honest, if Rose's wand was pointed at me like that, I would probably step away from the argument quickly. I had to be at least a little impressed.
"Rose, please. I just need to speak to Al." I stood up and put my hand on Rosie's shoulder. She had done enough for me to last a lifetime. This was my battle, not hers. I mustered up my strength and my nastiest glare.
"That's Albus to you, Scorpius." Just saying those words took me back to a time when I had said the exact opposite and my heart broke all over again.
I couldn't believe I had lost Rose in the crowd! I hoped she was okay and made up my mind to find her before the train stopped. I stepped into a random compartment and saw a small boy sitting alone on a bench, reading his book. The boy had short blond hair that hung loose and touched his ears.
"Erm, excuse me? Could I sit here?" I spoke nervously.
"Sure thing!" he said, bringing his head out of his book. His eyes bugged out when he saw me. "Bloody hell! You're Albus Severus Potter, aren't you? It's so nice to meet you! I'm Scorpius Malfoy!" Scorpius said, his grey eyes shining.
He clutched his book to his chest with one hand and stuck out the other. He was supposed to be my enemy, right? That's what Uncle Ron said. But he seemed nice enough. And daddy had always told me to give people a chance. But if he was supposed to be my friend, something would have to change.
I smiled at him politely, as mummy always told me that it makes people feel nice when you smile at them. He grinned in response.
"It's nice to meet you too! But if we're going to be friends, please don't call me Albus or Albus Severus, that makes me sound like an old man, don't you think? Just call me Al! Everyone else calls me Al!"
"Alright…Al." I grinned at the way my name sounded when he said it.
"Okay, Albus then," he said, but his eyes were downcast. "Please. I just want to talk. I steeled my nerves.
"Alright, fine." I replied. Rose glanced at me in concern, but said nothing.
"Don't try anything Malfoy," she growled and walked out of the room. I knew she would be listening in, just in case I needed help. I stared down at the floor, not wanting to meet his eyes. Scorpius took a deep breath, as though preparing himself.
"You were right, Al." I glanced up in shock. I had expected to hear many things, but this was not one of them. "I thought that because I loved you and you knew that, I could do whatever it took to keep my family happy. You knew that I dated Ashlyn because I didn't want to come out, so it didn't feel like cheating. But it was cheating, essentially. I was with two people at the same time and that wasn't fair to either of you. So I came out to Ashlyn."
My jaw dropped, but I recovered before he could see my shock. I schooled my features into a mask of indifference.
"And what did she say?"
"Oh she practically had an aneurysm, but once she was over the fact that she wasn't going to have a rich husband to give her money for shopping, she was excited that she had a gay best friend to go shopping with. I don't think she ever loved me. Plus, she may be vain and materialistic, but she's a Slytherin. She's pretty clever. Maybe she even knew already, I don't know, honestly. But she definitely knew I never loved her."
"Oh," I said, not really knowing what else to say.
"So after that bridge was crossed," he continued, "I came out to my parents." This time I was less calm.
"What?!" I yelled.
"Well, yes," he said airily. "In fact, I've just been disowned by my father. The fact that I went into auror training after school was already pretty bad, and since then I've been bouncing on his last nerve. This was just the cherry on top of the disappointment sundae that is having me as a son." His tone was light, but I could tell he was upset. I took a deep breath.
"You did all of that for me?" I asked quietly.
"It was time," was all he said. I paused.
I was a Gryffindor, yes, but that didn't make me impulsive. My family and friends had often joked that I was far too careful to be a Gryffindor. I wasn't brash like my brother or even confident like Rose. Apart from being brave and chivalrous (at least, that's what the hat said), I could have easily been in Ravenclaw. However, at this moment, all my Gryffindor courage came bursting out of me at once.
I grabbed his tie. He flinched, but didn't say anything. He looked as though he expected me to beat the living shit out of him, but he forgot. I wasn't Rosie. I tugged him closer until our lips touched and snogged him for all my life was worth.
"What was that?" he asked, baffled.
"It's not all going to be all hugs and kisses from now on, Scor," I said releasing his tie. "But I'll give you another chance."
"Thank you Al!" he said, eyes shining. He looked just like that eleven year old kid I had met on the Hogwarts Express. He leaned in to kiss me, but I put my hand on his mouth.
"Give it some time Scor," I said. He nodded. He looked slightly disappointed, but his smile was real when he said,
"I can give it all the time in the world, as long as I'm with you."
A/N: Well that took forever. It's pretty mushy, but we all need a little mushiness! Review! Also, review "A Classic Love Story."