Author's Note: This chapter was originally too short, so I went back through and added and extended some stuff, and then it ended up begin on the long side. I hope you like it; I really tried to get all the phrasing and wording just right, especially where it's most important.

-SQ

Disclaimer: I don't own Albus Potter, Scorpius Malfoy, Rose Weasley, Malfoy Manor (though that would be pretty sweet), Ginny Potter, Astoria Malfoy, etc, etc, etc.

Chapter Twelve: I Love You

Scorpius sat up gingerly and gritted his teeth. He hated being sick. His head throbbed, his muscles ached, and he felt shivery and slightly nauseas. He also felt like a damn fool for not even being able to stand up on his own. Though he had to admit it was a great improvement on the way he'd felt a few days ago, or even yesterday, the best way to describe how Scorpius was feeling at the moment was just plain lousy.

He looked around the room and his eyes fell on Albus. His mood softened. Dear, sweet, insecure Albus; who could have known that he could be so strong? And yet thank Merlin he had been. Scorpius knew that he himself would have cracked under the pressure.

Not that Albus wasn't showing signs of being distinctly worse for wear. Albus's head was resting on his hand, his face was turned toward Scorpius's bed, his green eyes closed. He looked pale and drawn; there were lines and creases etched into his forehead and around his mouth that hadn't been there before, the kind that would be there for the rest of the young man's (hopefully long) life.

Scorpius felt as though something precious had been lost forever in the marring of Albus's childish, innocent beauty. Not that he was any less handsome now, but he looked older, as though he had aged from boy to man in the course of two weeks.

And I wasn't even awake to see it... and if I had been, it never would have happened.

"Albus Severus?" said Scorpius softly, unsure whether his friend was asleep or merely resting. "Are you okay?"

Albus opened his eyes. "M-me? I'm fine. What ab-bout you?"

Scorpius shrugged. The muscles in his shoulders protested loudly. "I've been better."

Albus came over and sat on the edge of Scorpius's bed. Scorpius lifted a hand and tucked a stray lock of black hair behind Albus's ear. The dark-haired boy needed a haircut. "You look tired."

Albus caught his breath at the gesture, and when he smiled his lips were shaky. "Y-You look l-like shit."

Scorpius laughed. Albus had always though Scorpius's laugh sounded like bells; sharp and musical.

"I feel like I should be offended," he said.

"You're al-lowed to look l-like shit right n-now," said Albus.

"Well, thank you," said Scorpius wryly. "It's good to know I have your permission."

"It's g-good to hear you l-laugh again," said Albus.

"It's hard not to with you around." said Scorpius. "You goof ball."

It was Albus's turn to laugh. "There's a M-Muggle saying: 'L-Laughter is the b-best medicine.'"

"Does that make you my drug?" asked Scorpius teasingly.

Albus blushed but said, "Y-You make m-me laugh just as m-much as I make y-you laugh!"

"Well maybe we're each other's drugs then," said Scorpius.

"I th-think I can l-live with that," said Albus.

"Who said you had a choice?" said Scorpius.

"No w-wonder the teachers called us the w-worst behaved R-Ravenclaws in r-recent memory," said Albus, shaking his head.

"Hmph," snorted Scorpius. "Like that's a difficult feat to accomplish."

"C-Come on, you," said Albus fondly, "It's a l-lovely day. I thought you m-might enjoy eating b-breakfast outside."

*****TWAMM*****

Albus helped Scorpius, who was still very weak and not at all steady, down the stairs and out onto the lawn. There Scorpius sank gratefully down onto a blanket Albus had laid on the grass, leaning against several soft, downy pillows. Albus sat down next to him.

"Are you c-comfortable, Scor?"

"Yes, yes," said Scorpius, waving his hand. "You don't have to...to pamper me."

Albus smiled. "I like to p-pamper you. Bes-sides, you're ill." He handed Scorpius a bowl of fruit. "Eat th-that. What will your m-mother say if she c-comes home to find a sk-keleton instead of her s-son?"

Scorpius rolled his eyes but accepted the fruit. "Your mother's the one who's always trying to get me to eat second and third helpings of everything."

"Yeah, and sh-she's the one I have to d-deal with!

"Speaking of mothers," said Scorpius, "do my parents know I was ill?"

Albus shook his head. "N-None of the owls have b-been here to send a l-letter."

"Good," said Scorpius. "Even if the owls do come back don't send them a letter."

"They're g-going to notice someth-thing's up when they get b-back, Scor," said Albus. "They'll be home in s-six days and you still c-can't even st-tand on your own."

"I know, I know," said Scorpius. "But there's no use in ruining the rest of their vacation by telling them now, especially since I'm getting better. Anyone you write to is going to want to come rushing down here right away, you know that, and I'd prefer if it was just the two of us until I'm feeling at least somewhat better."

He leaned back against the pillows, his throat dry from so much talking.

Albus nodded. "Alr-right, Scor." He pressed a glass of milk into Scorpius's hands. "Drink."

*****TWAMM*****

That evening an owl arrived from Rose.

Dear Al and Scor,

Hi boys! How are your three weeks with Malfoy Manor "all to yourselves" going so far? Have you broken anything yet? Sorry I didn't write sooner, but I had to find a time to write and send this letter in between all of the Muggle stuff I'm doing. No doubt that sounds very boring to you Scorpius but, for your information, I am having a lot of fun. Still, I'm looking forward to returning to the magical world soon. I think I might even be missing the two of you, what's wrong with me? I expect a full recount of you exploits when I see you again.

Love, Rose.

Both boys stared down at the letter.

"Little does she know," said Scorpius, shaking his head.

"She'll exp-pect us to wr-rite her back," said Albus.

Scorpius nodded. "I wouldn't fancy the rant we'd get if we don't even if I were well."

*****TWAMM*****

Rose,

Hi yourself! We think we might just be missing you a teeny weenie bit too; we'll get back to you on that. As for how our time's going, well... it's a story alright, we'll give you that much. Actually, Scorpius has been quite ill for most of it.

Now before you start fretting and trying to Apparate back here immediately, I want to assure you that I'm fine now Rose, really. I'm not quite better yet, but I'm getting there.

Please enjoy the rest of your vacation and try not to worry; we'll see you when you get back.

Albus and Scorpius

*****TWAMM*****

Scorpius continued to improve, albeit very slowly. After two more days of spending their mornings outside and then retreating indoors for the hottest part of the day, Scorpius's temperature had leveled out at 37.6 (99.7). He was still quite trembly and rather weak, but he needed fairly minimal help from Albus to get around, though he still tired easily.

It was now evening and Albus and Scorpius had come back outside to watch the sunset. They sat back to back on the blanket, cups of cocoa clutched in their hands, knees drawn up to their chests. Both boys appeared relaxed, but they were both keenly aware of their physical proximity to each other.

"Sc-corpius," said Albus suddenly. "Do you r-really think I'm w-worth something?"

Scorpius twisted around to face him. "Why do you even have to ask that? Of course I think you're worth something! You are worth something! You're worth a great deal. Both in general and to me."

Albus swirled his cocoa around in his cup with his spoon, watching the half-melted marshmallows bob up and down on the surface. He felt a hand under his chin.

"Albus Severus, what is it you want from me? If it's within my power to give it to you I will. It's the least can do."

Albus looked into Scorpius's gray eyes and felt like a fly caught in a spider's web. If he had any of his family's Gryffidor courage buried within him, now was the time to utilize it.

"I love you."

Scorpius didn't say anything and Albus, unsure whether he had even said the words aloud, said it again.

"I love you."

"You can't be serious."

"I am," said Albus. "I'm sorry, I can't help it. I love you." He wanted to say it a hundred times, a thousand, a million. It felt so liberating to finally say the words, even if Scorpius didn't feel the same, even if his best friend could never look at him the same way again. At least he knew. He knew how Albus felt.

"I love you, Scorpius Malfoy, I love you."

Scorpius felt suddenly light-headed. His mug of cocoa slipped from his fingers and rolled across the grass, the warm, brown liquid soaking into the earth and darkening it. He tried to stand and the world tilted and spun. Albus caught him as he fainted.

AN: And that, ladies and gentlemen, is what we call a cliffhanger.

Yes, yes he did find the courage to tell Scorpius how he felt, but what does Scorpius think about it? You'll have to read on and find out, now won't you?

You could also do something like...say...review ;)

-SQ