Disclaimer: Al is Scor's, Scor is Al's, and both of them are Jo's. None of them are mine.

Chapter Twenty: HUGO WEASLEY!

"Okay, so how else do you propose we get there? Walk?"

"We both have brooms—"

"Because flying across the country in broad daylight won't get us in trouble at all..."

"We could take the Knight Bus—"

"Albus Severus, I thought you wanted to get there as quickly as possible, preferable without risking our necks."

"I do I just don't want you to strain yourself—"

Scorpius crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Albus. "I am fine. I'm perfectly capable of taking you to Rose's house with me by side-along-Apparation."

"We could always go back and ask your dad if we can use the Floo—"

"Absolutely not," said Scorpius firmly. Stop fussing."

Albus gave him a half-smile. "I thought you said my fussing was 'endearing'."

Scorpius rolled his eyes. "Now it's just getting annoying. Come on Albus Severus, let's go. You heard the healer, I'm fine. And I know you know how to Apparate in theory so you can help me. I don't want to spend another minute standing outside my parents' house like some sort of imbecile! Of all the times for you to grow a backbone!"

Albus looked slightly hurt. Scorpius sighed.

"Albus Severus, I'm sorry. That was mean."

Albus shook his head. "No, it's okay. I understand." He laid a hand on Scorpius's arm. Come on then, let's go."

Scorpius managed a strained smile. "Alright, hold on tight!"

*****TWAMM*****

They landed in front of the Weasley house with a soft bump, Albus staggering slightly and hitting his elbow against the fencepost.

"Ow!"

Scorpius shook his long blonde hair out of his eyes. "Are you alright, Albus Severus?"

"Yeah, I just hit my elbow is all," he said, rubbing the offending joint.

Scorpius laughed. "I can never figure out how you're so graceful on a broom and yet so clumsy on your own two feet."

Albus stuck his tongue out at him.

"I can definitely see how you've matured over the last three weeks," Scorpius remarked dryly.

Albus shrugged. "You're the one who was claiming I had matured in the first place, not me."

Scorpius smiled. "And you have. Come on, let's not just stand here like idiots waiting for someone to look out of the window."

Albus and Scorpius walked up the Weasleys' walk and Albus rapped the brass door knocker against the wooden door.

They waited for a minute, glancing at each other, and then heard hurried footsteps. Then the door was thrown open by a rather frazzled looking Ron.

"Albus! Hi! What are you doing here?" he said, sounding surprised. "Not that it isn't a pleasure to see you, but we've just gotten back from our trip and the place is just a bit hectic at the moment."

Albus grinned; the Weasley household could often be described as a "bit hectic".

"I just wanted to talk to Rose for a bit, if she's free," said Albus.

"Well, she's unpacking, but I'm sure she can spare a minute. She was going on about how she absolutely had to see you as soon as she got back. You and Scor—oh, hello, Scorpius, I didn't even see you there."

Scorpius smiled. Though Ron had been anything but thrilled when his only daughter had become friends with Scorpius Malfoy, especially after she had started out hating him so promisingly, over the years Ron had grown to accept their friendship, and even grudgingly to like the youngest Malfoy; not that he would ever openly admit to it.

"Hello Mr. Weasley."

Ron frowned. "Now that I think about it, Rose was practically ranting about you two. Something about you being ill and not telling her..."

Scorpius rolled his eyes. "That's Rose for you. I'm perfectly alright now."

"Enjoy it while it lasts, you might not be once Rose gets her hands on you." Ron chuckled. "Are you sure you wanted to see her?"

Albus grimaced good-naturedly. "Delaying it will only make it worse when it finally comes."

"So true," agreed Ron. "It's the same with her mother." He turned back into the house. "Rose! Rosie! Albus and Scorpius are here to see you!"

Another person appeared in the doorway almost instantly, but it wasn't Rose.

"Ronald Weasley, are you not capable of walking back into the house to find who you're looking for instead of shouting so that you burst all of our ear drums? Honestly, you're worse than the children. Hello, Albus, hello Scorpius."

"Hello Aunt Hermione."

"Hello Mrs. Weasley."

"How has your summer been?"

The two boys shared a glance.

"Er—"

"Keeping us busy."

"That's good to hear," said Hermione, nodding her head in approval. "Excuse me boys, but I really have to finish unpacking. And so do you," she added, giving Ron a pointed look.

"Er—yes, I was just getting there," said Ron hastily.

As Albus's aunt and uncle disappeared back into the house footsteps thundered down the stairs from the second floor, immediately followed by Rose, her auburn curls flying behind her as she ran straight into Albus and Scorpius.

"Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy!" she shouted furiously, knocking the wind out of them as she hugged them tightly and then hit them both soundly upside the head.

"Ow!" said Scorpius, rubbing his head.

"What was that for, Rosie?" asked Albus, glaring at her reproachfully.

"I have been out of my mind—"

"—well that's hardly news—"

"—with worry," she continued, glaring at them. "What kind of letter is that? 'Scorpius has an unknown illness. We're completely alone and stuck here, but don't come!' How was I supposed to enjoy my vacation when I was worrying about the two of you? !"

"We didn't ask you to worry about us," said Scorpius, torn between fond amusement and annoyance. "And as you can see I'm perfectly fine."

"That," said Rose, looking him up and down, "is a matter of opinion. You look as though you haven't eaten in two weeks."

"We're working on that," said Albus.

"Have you been to see a healer?" asked Rose.

"Yes," said Scorpius.

"And...?"

"She prescribed a potion and said that I'll be fine."

"Well...in that case..." said Rose grudgingly. She gave them a slightly apologetic smile. "It's good to see you. And I'm glad you're okay."

The boys grinned back at her.

"It's good to see you too, Rosie.

How was your vacation with the Muggles?"

"It was very fun," said Rose sniffily. "I am glad to be back in the magical world though," she admitted. "I miss my library, and being able to do magic." She looked at Albus. "Oh, but that's right," she said sweetly. You can't do magic yet, can you?"

He glared at her. "Three weeks!" he protested. "Three bloody weeks and then I can do magic outside of school!"

Scorpius and Rose both laughed.

"So what brings you two here anyway?" asked Rose, leaning against the door frame.

"We just thought you might appreciate being graced by the presence of our charming selves," said Scorpius with a smirk.

Rose snorted. "Of course."

"We had a death wish and didn't want you to strain yourself Apparating in order to murder us," said Albus.

"Haha," said Rose. "Very funny." She peered over their shoulders onto the walk. "What's with the trunks? Are you planning on going somewhere? Is that wise so soon after Scor's illness?"

The two boys suddenly became very quiet.

"What?" said Rose, looking in confusion from one stoic face to the other.

Albus bit his lip. Scorpius stared at the door frame above Rose's head.

"Al? Scor?"

"I'm not living at home anymore," said Scorpius finally.

Rose gave him a blank look.

"He got kicked out," Albus said quietly.

"What? Why?"

Albus and Scorpius looked at each other but didn't say anything.

"How could they do that? And right after you've been so ill! I know you're dad's a little...stiff, but I thought he was a better father than that! You didn't do anything to deserve it! Did you? Did you have a fight with your dad?"

"Well no, net exactly..." said Scorpius uncomfortably. "My dad was alright..."

"With your mum then?" said Rose, looking shocked. "But…you've always gotten along so well with your mum! But it'll all blow over right, you're just moving out until things cool down."

Scorpius shook his head. "I don't think so, Rose. There are things...my mother is just never going to accept."

He clenched his jaw, determined not to cry, and Albus laid a comforting hand on his arm.

"I don't understand," said Rose, looking from one boy to the other. "What kind of things? Albus, Scorpius, what aren't you telling me?"

Scorpius sat down heavily on the step and Albus shut the door and sat beside him, motioning for Rose to join them.

"My mother..." started Scorpius, and then stopped. "My mother...is complicated. She..." he ran a hand over his face. "I really don't want to go into this right now, okay? She always has to have her way, and she always has with me. She doesn't understand views that are different than her own. And now I have views that are different than hers." He shrugged helplessly.

Albus put an arm around his shoulders. Rose expected him to flinch away, but instead he simply rested his fair head against Albus's dark one.

Scorpius allowing for, even furthering, physical intimacy?

"What kind of views?" she asked, though her Ravenclaw brain had already begun to formulate an answer.

Albus looked at Scorpius, but when the blonde remained silent he took a deep breath and said, "Scorpius and I are dating."

Rose opened and closed her moth several times before she finally managed in a squeaky voice, "Since when?"

"Since a few days ago," said Scorpius. "And my parents walked in on us snogging."

"Oh..." said Rose, looking slightly queasy, whether from the image of Albus and Scorpius snogging or idea of Scorpius's parents' reactions to walking in on them they weren't sure.

"My mother went ballistic."

"And your father?" Rose asked quietly.

"He's not happy," said Scorpius. "But he understands that it's what I want. He also knows I can't continue living there."

"Oh Scorpius, I'm so sorry." She put her arms around him and he let her hug him briefly before pulling away.

"I'll be okay," he said, more roughly than he had intended.

"Of course you will," said Rose firmly. "You have us. Do you have a place to stay?" She added after a moment.

"He's staying with me," said Albus.

Rose looked at him. "Really? Are you sure that's wise, Al?"

"Why wouldn't it be?"

"Well, you know..." said Rose.

"No I don't know," said Albus. "Why shouldn't Scor stay with me?"

"It's just that...is it a good idea to have your, well, your boyfriend living in your house?"

"Scorpius has stayed with me plenty of times!"

"I know that!" said Rose. "But you weren't dating then!"

"So?" demanded Albus. "What difference does it make? Well, obviously it makes a difference, but we've been best friends for six years! If one of us in in trouble obviously the other one, the other ones, are going to do all they can to help out! We'd both do the same for you, and you'd do the same for either of us. My best friend got kicked out of his house, it's only natural for him to come stay with me."

"I guess when you put it that way it does make sense," said Rose. "Er—if you don't mind me asking, how exactly did you, you know, get together?"

"I realized I was in love with Scorpius when I nearly lost him," said Albus quietly.

"But I didn't know Scorpius was interested in guys," said Rose.

"Neither did I," said Albus. "I just got lucky."

"Neither did I," said Scorpius. "Only once Albus told me I just couldn't stop thinking about it." He smiled ruefully.

"Hold up," said Albus. "What about me?"

"What about you?" said Rose.

"You said you didn't know Scorpius was interested in guys."

"Yes," said Rose.

"What about me?"

"Well, I always just figured you'd come out when you were ready," said Rose.

"Excuse me?"

"I always just figured—"

"I heard what you said," said Albus. "But how did you know I was gay?"

"Well, wasn't it a little bit obvious?" said Rose, looking at Scorpius and shrugging.

Albus shook his head. "The closet isn't nearly as secure as people claim," he grumbled.

"Are you going to tell people that you're dating?" asked Rose.

Scorpius nodded. "But do us a favor Rosie, let us do it please."

"I wouldn't go blabbing something like that!" she said indignantly.

"Just making sure," said Scorpius with a wink.

"You and Albus are dating?"

All three heads shot up from the stoop toward the window above them.

"HUGO!"

A red head ducked out of sight beneath the sill.

"HUGO WEASLEY WE SEE YOU! GET YOUR ASS OUT HERE RIGHT NOW IF YOU VALUE YOUR LIFE!"

Nothing for a few seconds, and then the front door opened and a rather chagrined looking Hugo stepped out onto the porch.

Rose glared fiercely at him. "What have I told you about listening in on my private conversations?"

"Not to do it," mumbled Hugo. "But you were having it right here on the porch! How was I to know it was private!"

"If you hadn't known it was private you wouldn't have been snooping around the window like some sneaky Slytherin," retorted Rose.

"I couldn't help overhearing—"

"Rot," interrupted Rose. "You were spying, like you always do."

"Well he's my cousin too!"

"We're right here, you know," said Scorpius.

Hugo started as though he really had forgotten they were there.

"Are you and Albus really...?"

"Dating?" said Scorpius. "Yes."

"Sweet!" said Hugo.

"Huh?" said Albus and Scorpius together.

"Lils and I have been wondering for years when you'd finally realize you liked blokes and who you'd start dating when you did! We always thought it was a pity that Scorpius didn't swing in that direction too."

"Hold on," said Albus. "Did everyone know that I was gay besides me?"

Hugo shrugged. "I don't think James has noticed yet."

Scorpius snorted. "James not noticing something. Call the Daily Prophet, that'll make headline for sure."

"Hugo," said Rose, shaking a threatening finger at her little brother, "I forbid you to tell anyone about Albus and Scorpius, they want to tell people themselves!"

"I heard, remember?" said Hugo, rolling his eyes. "And unlike some people I know how to keep my mouth shut. But can you do me one favor?" he asked, turning to the older boys.

"What?"

"Can you please tell Lily I found out before her?"

AN: At least it was long, right? Thanks for reading, and extra thanks to those who review! 3

-SQ