Disclaimer: For the fourteenth time, not I do not own Harry Potter

Chapter Fourteen: Stop Sending Me Mixed Messages!

Albus watched Scorpius scratch something out on his Potions essay. He was bent double over the parchment, his hair falling sexily into his gray eyes. Beads of sweat stood out on his pale forehead.

Albus resisted the urge to wipe them away.

"Scor, maybe you should take a break."

Scorpius shook his head impatiently. "Not now, Al, I'm right in the middle of this essay."

Albus felt like he'd been punched in the gut. "What did you just call me?"

"Huh?" said Scorpius. But Albus wasn't fooled. Scorpius knew exactly what he'd called him.

"You just called me Al," said Albus.

"Yeah," said Scorpius, not meeting his eyes. "A lot of people call you Al."

"Not you," said Albus." You've never called me Al. You always call me Albus Severus."

Scorpius shrugged, still avoiding Albus's gaze.

Albus sighed and turned away from the blond, leaving him to the homework Albus knew he was using to avoid having to talk to Albus.

It had been two days since Albus had told his best friend that he loved him and those two days had been filled with a tension that was nearly palpable. Albus tried not to stare at Scorpius because he didn't want to make the other boy any more uncomfortable than he already was, but when he wasn't looking at him he could feel Scorpius's eyes on his back. Albus had decided that the best thing to do was just to be his normal, courteous, caring self, but it was difficult when all he wanted to do with snog the other boy. And Scorpius wasn't making it any easier.

"Lunch is ready, Scor, why don't you come downstairs to eat it."

Scorpius nodded and put down his book. Albus held out his hands to help him up. Scorpius had regained the ability to stand and walk on his own, but he still tired a bit more easily than normal, and his cheeks had not regained their customary pink tinge.

Scorpius took Albus's hands, standing up so that their chests were almost touching. Albus stifled a gasp and tried to draw back, but Scorpius held him there.

"Scorpius," he managed. "Lunch..."

Scorpius seemed to come back to himself and stepped quickly away from Albus, leading the way down the stairs and into the kitchen.

"Here," said Albus, "let me get you—"

"I can do it myself," said Scorpius quickly, snatching his hand back as it accidentally brushed Albus's.

Albus plastered a fake smile on his face. "Good, you're getting better then."

*****TWAMM*****

Albus stuck his head into Scorpius's bedroom. The blond was sitting on his bed, polishing his broomstick.

"Hey, Scor," said Albus, plopping himself down beside his friend. Scorpius scooted a few inches away from him.

"How's the broom?" asked Albus.

"It's good. I never got a chance to clean it after the last time I flew, seeing as that's when I got sick and all."

"I never even thought about that," said Albus. "I haven't cleaned mine since then either. Let me go get it."

Albus came back a minute later with his broom. "Can I use your kit?"

"Sure," said Scorpius, pushing the box over.

Albus reached for it and his fingers met Scorpius with an electrifying shock that he was amazed Scorpius couldn't feel. Or maybe he did feel it, because Albus suddenly found himself looking into a pair of intense gray eyes. He opened his mouth to apologize, but Scorpius beat him to it.

"I've just noticed—you've stopped stuttering."

Albus blinked. "Er—yeah...I have haven't I?"

Scorpius brought his face closer to Albus's "What made you stop?"

"I don't know, said Albus, trying to focus on his words rather than on the moist pink lips mere inches from his own. "I hadn't really noticed either..."

Scorpius half raised his hand, as though he wanted to touch Albus's face. Albus's heart beat a wild, erratic rhythm in his chest. He suddenly realized that their hands were still touching on top of the broom care box.

Scorpius tilted his head. "I wish I'd noticed when you stopped..."

Albus stood up. "Scorpius, stop it!"

Scorpius looked confused and taken aback. "Stop what?"

"Stop sending me mixed messages!" said Albus. "I get that you don't return my feelings, and I understand. But I'm in love with you for Merlin's sake! It isn't easy for me to ignore that, and it's even less easy when you do things like this. So please, for my sanity and for yours, don't touch me, don't get so close to me, don't...gaze into my eyes. We've been best friends for six years, and I don't want to lose that, but please, Scor, don't make this harder for me than it already is."

Albus realized there were tears streaming down his cheeks.

"Albus..." Scorpius stood and took a step toward his friend.

"Don't Scor, please don't..." said Albus, even as his body responded to the other boy's proximity.

"Albus—"

Albus shrugged Scorpius's hands off his shoulders. "Please, please don't do that, Scorpius. It's not helping. I—I need to be alone for a minute."

Albus turned and nearly ran out of the room, hot tears splashing onto the floor as he blindly descended the stairs and let himself out into the starlit yard. He sank onto a bench.

He had lost his cool. He had promised himself that he would act normal, would keep it together around Scorpius, but he hadn't been able to. Even that was beyond him. He buried his face in his hands. Why did it have to be Scorpius? Why?

Albus felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Albus Severus, are you okay?"

Albus lifted his eyes to glance at Scorpius. "You shouldn't be out here without a coat," he said automatically.

Scorpius sat beside him on the bench. "I asked if you were okay."

"No," said Albus.

Scorpius pulled Albus's head against his chest; the dark-haired boy was powerless to resist. Scorpius stroked his unruly black locks while Albus cried himself out against Scorpius's thin t-shirt and was lulled by the even sound of Scorpius heartbeat. Finally he looked up.

"Thank you. I'm sorry," he said thickly.

"It's okay," said Scorpius. "You're right. I have been being a prat."

"No, Scor, it's not—"

"No, listen." Scorpius silenced him. "If a girl I'd never thought of dating told me she liked me or asked me out I'd give her a chance, even if I didn't think I was really interested in her. Yet here I am, telling you how wonderful you are, you're my best friend for Merlin's sake, and I won't even give you the same courtesy."

"Scorpius, you don't owe me anything," said Albus.

"That's where you're wrong," said Scorpius. "I owe you the same chance I would give any girl. Not because you saved my life, though I am eternally grateful, but because you were brave and honest enough to tell me how you feel. Anyone, girl or bloke, would be lucky to date you. As your mother is forever telling me, how am I supposed to know if I like it if I don't try it?" Scorpius ran a hand through his pale hair and leaned closer to Albus, so that they were almost nose to nose. "I need to warn you," he said softly, "I've never once considered that I might be gay, and it may be that this doesn't work at all. I don't want to get your hopes up only to—"

"Scorpius," said Albus impatiently, "you're driving me crazy. Are you going to kiss me or not? Because if you're not I really need you to move away from—"

Scorpius's mouth met his and all thought ceased. It was utter, mindless, heavenly bliss. Albus returned the kiss hungrily, arms moving of their own accord to circle Scorpius's waist as he pressed himself closer to the boy he was madly in love with, feeling pressure between his legs as all of him rose to meet the other boy.

Scorpius broke the contact. "Albus. Albus! Albus Severus!"

Albus came back to himself. "Oh Scor, I'm sorry!" he said, quickly releasing his vice-like grip on Scorpius's arms. There were indents where his fingers had pressed into the pale flesh, a sure sign of bruising later.

"Oh Merlin, I've hurt you. Are you okay?" He touched Scorpius blond hair tenderly. "I didn't mean to lose control like that. Scorpius, you're shivering."

"You were right," said Scorpius. "I should have brought a coat. Albus Severus, that was the best kiss I've ever had in my life."

"Really?"

"I think it might have to do with the fact that the person kissing me is really in love with me."

Albus blushed.

Scorpius cupped his cheek in a long-fingered hand. "I think I might be able to do this, if we take it just a bit slower than that. I'm sorry about sending you mixed messages, I really didn't mean to. It freaked me out, honestly, when you told me you loved me. But I shouldn't have pushed you away like that. It's just...every time I looked at you I saw such love in your eyes, and I wanted to respond in spite of myself. And that freaked me out even more. It feels good to be loved like that, unbelievably good, but it's also kind of scary. And you still loved me, even after I rejected you. There was still no malice, only love. I know the same couldn't be said for me if our positions were reversed. You mean so much to me, Albus Severus, so much. I swear I'll never take you for granted again. I never thought the way I cared about you was romantic...but now I'm not so sure. Because it felt damn good to kiss you."

Albus smiled. "It felt damn good to kiss you too Scor, and I know care about you romantically. I love you. You really want to try this? You're not just doing this to make me feel better?"

Scorpius shook his head. "No, Albus Severus, I really do want to try this. The longer I look at you the more I feel things that are decidedly not platonic." He laid his head on Albus's shoulder. "Merlin I'm tired."

Albus kissed the top of his fair head and then smoothed his hair back from his brow. "No wonder, you're still running a slight temperature. Some caretaker I am, snogging you senseless in the chilly night with no coat." He rubbed Scorpius's arms.

Scorpius snuggled against him. "Merlin, I missed this. If there was anything good about being sick it was have you hold me like this. Even if I didn't realize then why I felt that way. Usually I'm not one for physical affection but from you it feels so...right."

Albus smiled fondly. "I'm glad. I missed it too. But you don't need to be sick for me to hold you. I'll do it anytime you ask." He took a deep breath of nighttime air. "I can't believe this is really happening. Please tell me I'm not dreaming, Scor. I don't think I could handle having to wake up from this."

Scorpius sat up. "You're not dreaming, Albus Severus," he said. "This is real. And I actually think we can make it work."

"Good," said Albus, standing and pulling Scorpius up with an arm around his waist. "And now it's time for bed, my dear, ailing love."

The boys returned to Scorpius's bedroom and Scorpius fell gratefully into his bed. Albus bent over him and kissed him lightly on the lips. "Goodnight, hun," he said. "Sweet dreams. I love you."

Scorpius reached up and cupped Albus's cheek in his hand, stopping him from leaving. "I just remembered when you stopped stuttering, Albus Severus," he said. "It was right when you told me you loved me."

AN: Awwww... How many of you noticed that Al stopped stuttering as soon as he told Scor he loved him? And we knew Scor had to come around eventually. The only way I'll know what you liked about it and what you didn't is if you review ;)

-SQ