Author's Note: Short, short, I know this is short. But it's the chapter, what can you do? Hope you're still enjoying the story.

-SQ

Disclaimer: The only thing that's mine is the plot. Period.

Chapter Five: It Shouldn't Be This Hard

Scorpius did not feel better when he woke up. He felt worse. There was a fire raging over his skin, consuming his entire body from the inside out. It scorched his throat and burnt his flesh and flickered red behind his closed eyelids.

Albus sat up in bed, unsure what had woken him. The sun streaming in through the curtains told him it was daytime, probably late morning, but it was nearly silent in the room; the only sounds his and Scorpius's breathing. Scorpius...

Albus threw back his covers and went quickly over to Scorpius's bed. Now he knew what had woken him; Scorpius's breathing was ragged and strangled, he twitched under his blankets and his eyes rolled restlessly behind his lids.

As Albus reached out to touch Scorpius's shoulder he realized that his friend was practically radiating heat. He pressed his palm to Scorpius's forehead and gasped.

"Oh M-Merlin, Scor...you f-feel like you're on f-fire..."

"Fire..." moaned Scorpius. "Fire...hot..."

Albus tore the blankets off of Scorpius. He was drenched with sweat. His eyelids flickered.

"Albus Severus..."

"Hush, shhh," said Albus, conjuring a bowl of cool water and a washcloth. He dabbed Scorpius's burning forehead, cheeks, neck, and chest, the droplets trickling down his nose and chin and running in rivulets through his pale hair.

"S-Scor?" said Albus hesitantly. "Scor..." He sniffled. Must not cry. "Are you aw-wake?"

The water felt good on Scorpius's face and chest, cooling the flames that enveloped him. A voice was calling his name. Albus's. He sounded upset...

Scorpius forced his eyes open, blinking as Albus swam into focus. "Albus Severus?"

"Scor." Albus's face broke into a relieved grin. "M-Merlin, Scor, are y-you alright?"

"I think so," said Scorpius. His voice was barely a whisper.

"Wh-what a st-stupid question," said Albus. "Of c-course you're n-not alright." He pressed the cool cloth to Scorpius's face again, gently running it down over his neck and chest.

Scorpius shivered slightly, though he wasn't cold. "That feels good," he whispered.

"You're r-really, really w-warm, Scor," said Albus. "I sh-shouldn't have l-left you."

"Don't—be—ridiculous," said Scorpius. "You didn't leave. You had to sleep."

Albus nodded. "I s-suppose. Scor, c-can you sit up?"

With Albus's help Scorpius managed to get into a sitting position. He waited with the thermometer under his tongue as Albus bathed his face, neck, and shoulders in cool water.

*beep beep beep*

Albus took out the thermometer and looked at it.

"Oh Scor..."

"What is it?" whispered the blond.

Albus bit his lip.

"Albus Severus, tell me."

"F-forty point t-two." (104.4)

Scorpius reached up and laid his hand against the other boy's chest. "Hey, I'll be okay."

"Of course you will," said Albus firmly, covering Scorpius's hand with his own.

"Of course," agreed Scorpius faintly. "You'll take good care of me."

*****TWAMM*****

Albus spent the entire day by Scorpius's bedside, leaving the room only to eat and use the bathroom. Mostly Scorpius slept, his fair head resting on Albus's lap or shoulder. Every time he woke he seemed more disoriented, and Albus had to struggle to maintain the calm, confident demeanor that didn't come naturally to him.

"Albus Severus..."

"W-What is it, Scor?"

Scorpius shivered. "Where are you?"

"I'm h-here. I'm r-right here," said Albus, taking Scorpius's hand.

"You shouldn't be," he said, though he desperately wanted him to stay. "You'll get sick."

"I w-won't," said Albus. "And l-leaving you n-now wouldn't make any d-difference anyway."

"Thirsty..."

Albus helped Scorpius to sit up and tilted a glass of water to his lips. Scorpius drank, water dripping down his chin as he gulped.

"D-Don't drink so f-fast," said Albus, patting Scorpius on the back as he coughed. "You'll ch-choke."

Scorpius slowed his pace. "Albus Severus?"

"Mmhmm?"

Scorpius tilted his head so he could look into Albus's face.

The boy above him smiled down at him. Scorpius had always love Albus's smile "Hey, w-what's up?"

He sounded calm, but his stutter gave him away, as did the look behind his emerald green eyes.

Scorpius pulled himself upright; Albus put a hand on his back. Scorpius's gray eyes were glazed with fever.

Scorpius couldn't remember what he had been going to say, no thought seemed to be able to stay in his mind long enough for him to express it. Finally he muttered, "I have to go to the bathroom..."

"Oh!" said Albus. "Here." He slung Scorpius's arm around his shoulders and wrapped his own arm around Scorpius's waist. They stood up. It was awkward, since Scorpius's was a good two inches taller than Albus, but with Albus's help Scorpius walked to the bathroom and back.

"Fuck," said Scorpius as he crawled back into bed. The brief walk had cleared his head slightly. "It shouldn't be that hard to take a piss."

Albus laughed shakily and patted Scorpius on the shoulder. "D-don't worry," he said, "I won't tell anyone."

Scorpius laughed, which soon turned into a dry cough. Albus rubbed his back. "B-breathe," he advised.

Scorpius smiled, his eyes drifting closed once more.

"I th-think you'll b-be more comfortable l-lying down," said Albus.

Scorpius laid his head in Albus's lap, taking comfort in the other boy's presence.

"Do you mind?"

"Not at all," said Albus, pulling the blankets up over Scorpius's chest and resting his hand on top of them, right over the other boy's heart.

AN: There was some cute stuff in this chapter, huh? At least I thought so, but maybe I should let you be the judge of that. In a review? ;)

-SQ