Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the situations all the poor characters get put in. Everything else belongs to someone else and they probably want to keep it that way. Thanks so much for reading, hope you enjoy and let me know what you think.

Wakeful Thoughts

Scorpius awoke to the unfamiliar feeling of being snuggled against someone. Someone, the blonde slowly realized as he fought off sleep, was sleeping beside him. And that someone's even breathing was stirring his hair, the other man's arms wrapped around him while their legs were tangled together under the covers. Going very still Scorpius didn't breath at all as he tried to figure out how he'd come to be in his present situation. Then it all came rushing back to him and Scorpius was torn between enjoying the fact that he was in Al's arms and the pain as he remembered why the Gryffindor had joined him in his bed in the first place.

Pleasure and pain, the story of their relationship together, Scorpius thought darkly as he forced himself to relax, settling back against the other man as he closed his eyes once more. Reality sucked, and at least lying here with Al like this, he could pretend for a while that his dreams were the real reality, and that he and the other man were still together and always would be.

Far too soon for the blonde's liking Al began to stir against him, the Gryffindor's grip tightening and then loosening as the man clued into where he was and who he was holding.

"Sorry." He wasn't really, but it seemed like he should apologize just in case Scorpius was annoyed by their present situation but didn't want to say so.

"It's all right. You tend to cuddle in your sleep. I knew that." Scorpius said softly, staring straight ahead as he waited to see what the man would say or do now that they were both awake and aware. He wouldn't be the one to pull away, even though that was probably the smart thing to do. Not today, anyway.

"That I do." Al agreed as he stayed where he was, enjoying the calm intimacy of the moment. It had been a long time since they been quite so at ease with each other, and they'd certainly never shared a bed together before. It figured that it had taken a personal emergency to bring this about, Al thought ruefully.

"Feeling any better?" The Gryffindor asked after several moments of silence.

Quiet for a couple heartbeats Scorpius finally shrugged his shoulders ever so slightly. "At the moment I'd say I've felt worse. That's about as positive as I can be at the moment."

"That's probably more positive than I'd be in your shoes."

Scorpius's lips curved ever so slightly. "Your father would never break up with your mother, he'd be too afraid of what her brothers and her mother would do to him. And she'd be too afraid of what the rest of the wizarding world would do to her to ever break up with the Chosen One."

Al chuckled, agreeing with the Slytherin one hundred percent on that point. It certainly was a comfort to know that his parents would have those additional incentives to stay together.

Scorpius smiled a little too. He was glad that the man holding him so gently would never know what it was to be in his present situation. Because being him right now sucked even more than it usually did. And that was saying something.

And since his current line of thinking was more than somewhat depressing Scorpius pointed out the obvious. "We should probably start getting ready to head for breakfast. The other two will be out of bed soon too." Both Gellert and Wimbledon tended to stay in bed until they had to, but his original roommate was getting up for breakfast these days. He preferred not to think about why the two were sharing a bed.

"Yeah, I guess so." Slowly withdrawing his arms from around the other man's waist Al sat up and watched as the blonde did the same. Reaching out Al smiled as he smoothed down the man's slight bed head, which wasn't as bad as his but still pretty adorable. "Good morning, by the way."

"Good morning to you too."

With sincere regret the two separated, Al heading up to his bunk to get changed for the day while Scorpius remained in his to do the same. Both were dressed and ready to head out when their roommates came out of their bed, thankfully dressed as well and ready to go. The four collected their book bags and then they headed for breakfast together, none of them talking as they ignored the chatter of the students around them.

Arriving at the hall in good time the four took their now customary seats, Christopher and Domi soon joining them with tired good mornings.

When it was time for the owls to deliver their mail for the morning Scorpius had already steeled himself for the blow when the large eagle owl swooped down in front of him. His father had probably traveled to a post office nearby so that the news would get to him promptly without his male parent actually having to come to the school and deal with his son's reaction to his parents splitting up.

His father was great at avoiding stuff he didn't want to deal with through the mail.

Opening the envelope addressed in him in his father's handwriting Scorpius read the letter through, wondering absently if his grandfather had proofread the letter before allowing his son to see it on its way. It sounded more like the family patriarch than it did his father. Or maybe he just wanted to believe that had his father written it there would be more emotion and feeling in the message.

"How bad is it?" Al asked from the man's side, having to restrain himself from grabbing the letter from the blonde's hand so that he could see what the man's idiot father had written. He couldn't see how the older man could argue his side successfully.

Folding the letter back up Scorpius shoved it into his robe pocket without letting any of them see it. "About what I expected it to say." He didn't want to get into it, even with someone as close to him as Al.

Giving the blonde's shoulder a quick squeeze Al nodded his acceptance and then turned his attention to his breakfast, squashing the urge to ask to read the letter himself.

The Gryffindor had just finished buttering a slice of toast when another package dropped in front of Scorpius, surprising them all. "Who's this one from?"

Scorpius studied the package closely, wariness in his eyes before he recognized the writing on the paper covered delivery. "It looks like Teddy's handwriting on the front." Peeling back the paper the blonde retrieved the folded piece of white parchment that sat on top of the box that contained whatever his cousin had sent him. Unfolding the note Scorpius broke out into a wide, tender smile as he read the words written in crayon across the parchment.

Someone had obviously written out the words in pencil and Flora, with some success, had drawn over said words with her various crayons to spell, 'DON'T BE SAD, UNCLE SCOR. I LOVE YOU'. At the bottom were a bunch of Xs and Os as well as Flora's unique signature, complete with a daisy in the place of the O. All around the words were hearts, stars, rainbows and more flowers, plus two stick figures holding hands that were supposed to represent the two of them apparently.

Smiling as well Al slugged an arm over the man's shoulder. "Nice."

"Very nice." Scorpius agreed huskily, wishing the little girl was there so that he could give her a nice big hug. Retrieving his book bag from under his seat the blonde carefully folded the piece of parchment again, sliding it between the pages of one of his textbooks so that nothing could happen to it. Safely stowing the bag back under his seat Scorpius turned his attention back to the box he had yet to open.

Lifting the top he laughed as he saw what else Flora had made for him.

Al laughed too when he caught sight of what was in the box. "She always goes nuts with the chocolate chips."

Turning the box so that the others could see Scorpius displayed the chocolate chip cookies, which were probably half dough, half chocolate chips. Obviously made by Flora, everyone who'd been on the receiving end of some of her cookies knew. In Flora's world enough was never enough chocolate wise.

"I'll share, don't worry." Scorpius assured them, feeling very warm and loved at the moment, and wanted to share the feeling. Plus he was liable to get sick if he ate them all, especially given how much of the cookies were chocolate.

Domi shook her head. "They're your comfort food, Malfoy. Just don't eat them all right away or you'll get sick."

Scorpius raised a surprised eyebrow. "Normally you like the idea of me getting sick, Weasley. Don't tell me you're going soft on me?"

"As if that could ever happen." She sniffed in derision. "I just don't want to risk you throwing up on my already ugly uniform and making it that much more hideous. Knowing you you'd aim for me."

Inclining his head Scorpius didn't disagree, though he knew better.

)

Walking down the hallway on the way to their first class together Domi deliberately cuddled close to her boyfriend, arm in arm as she looked up at him. "Is this castle of yours always so bloody cold? It's only the first week of November and it's already so cold. How am I supposed to keep you wrapped around my little finger if I have to bundle up every day like I'm an Eskimo?"

Lips twitching Christopher lowered his head to brush said lips against the top of her head.

"I know, I'm so hot that even dressed as an Eskimo I kick the drooping asses of all the other girls here but still…it annoys me on a primitive level to have to tone down my sex appeal just so that I don't end up as a human icicle."

If there was one thing you could say about Dominique Weasley, it was that she never lacked for self confidence. She had more than any ten people should really have, Christopher thought, marveling over her even as he enjoyed her. He was never bored around her, that was for sure.

Letting go of his arm Domi put her hands on her hips and gave him a 'don't mess with me' look. "Something I'm saying is amusing you?"

Pulling out his notebook and pencil Christopher scrawled out a quick note. 'You're always amusing me, Silly'.

"Oh really." Now there was definite heat in the blonde's eyes. "You think I'M silly? Because from where I'm standing, Furhead, you're the silly one to think you can call me silly and get away with it."

The werewolf's lips curved into a smile, not taking offense in the least.

"Uhm, Christopher, when she's making that face at you you should probably run. Away. Fast. Like your life depends upon it."

Turning his head to meet the other man's gaze Christopher smiled at the redhead and signed his response. 'I think I can handle anything she has to dish out'. And someone had to get it through her head that while she really was amazing that didn't change the fact that the world was not hers for the manipulating. And that while he was a dog he didn't obey anyone unless he damn well felt like it or had no other choice.

Albus shook his head at the werewolf. "You wouldn't be the first to think that, my friend. And be horribly, horribly wrong about that. But I salute you for trying and wish you all the best in your endeavor. Sincerely."

At Albus's side Gellert rolled his eyes over the foolishness of it all.

"To think what? What endeavor?" Domi wanted to know, not at all pleased that they were probably talking about her. She had a feeling she wouldn't like what they were saying either. And while it went against the grain to punish her Alby the girl had no problem with whacking their heads together if necessary.

Knowing her well Albus gave her his most innocent and charming of smiles. "I was just telling him that it was in his best interests to take you seriously when you threaten him."

Domi nodded decisively. "You would do well to listen to my Alby."

"If you're a real man you'll show her whose boss." Was Gellert's opinion, deliberately adding fuel to the fire while his lover looked at him like he was seriously considering whacking him upside the head. "What? They're both so alpha they're libel to kill each other if she doesn't get it through her thick skull that he's not going to bow and scrape to her the way other idiots have done in the past. Not to mention the fact that if she were to succeed in molding him to her specifications she wouldn't want him anymore anyway."

Christopher nodded in complete agreement.

"So you're arguing with me to keep me interested in you?" Domi wanted to know.

Such an ego you have, Christopher thought affectionately as he leaned down to place a kiss against her hair again.

Domi considered this and then linked their arms again. "Well that's alright then."

)

When Al had a free period the Gryffindor headed off to a deserted hallway and leaning back against the stone wall opened the letter he'd received that morning as well. It had been one of the last to arrive and he'd simply taken it from the owl and shoved it into his robe pocket so that he could concentrate on Scorpius's family situation. But on the way to his first class he'd pulled the letter out long enough to read who it was from and that had been more than enough to have him shoving it back into his pocket again. Thankfully he was pretty sure that Albus had been too busy talking to Gellert at breakfast to notice the delivery. If luck was with him he wouldn't have to lie about who it was from later.

But what did Mickey want?

Unfolding the single sheet of paper Al's eyes narrowed and his expression went from curious to seriously pissed off as he absorbed the information.

Once he'd finished reading the Gryffindor refolded the letter and stuck it back in the envelope, now faced with a moral dilemma. On the one hand he'd promised Albus not to see Jordan again since the last time he'd been face to face with the man he'd tried his level best to beat the football playing gobshite to a bloody pulp. But on the other hand if he didn't show up someone else would suffer as a result which wasn't good either.

Though he hadn't exactly promised never to deliberately see Jordan again, Al silently mused to himself as he rhythmically tapped the letter against his arm. He'd promised not to seek the man out in order to beat him up again or meet Jordan alone. So if he took someone with him, someone to keep him in line, he could claim that he'd kept his word when Albus found out what he'd done, the Gryffindor decided.

Albus would find out after all, Mickey would probably spill the beans.

But who should he take with him? And what excuse was he going to give Albus for him disappearing for a few hours on Sunday?

A good excuse didn't come to mind, but Al soon figured out who he could bring that would meet his requirements. Though whether the man would be willing to come was a question he didn't know the answer to. Christopher was a hard to read and understand kind of guy. If the werewolf could come at all, the Gryffindor added mentally, since he didn't know what the rules were on this continent for the other man.

So at their next class together, while they were supposed to be taking notes, Al slipped the werewolf a scrap piece of parchment asking the werewolf if he had plans for Sunday.

Christopher turned his head and subtly shook it no.

'Do you play/like watching football? I mean the British version of the game'. Al added that last part to the note since he often got confused thanks to Albus's father, who was a big American football fan. In his opinion the sports world needed to decide once and for all what was football and what was soccer. It could get damn annoying depending on the nationality of the person you were talking to.

The man wanted him to go to a football game with him? Definitely confused Christopher pulled out his quill and scrawled out a reply. 'I've never played but I know the rules and I've been to games with my father. It's a fairly simple but entertaining enough sport. Why?'

'From the sounds of it my team is having problems finding decent players. Bringing someone who could possibly play would be an added bonus'. Al wrote back. 'We'd just be gone three hours or so, and you can't tell Domi, Albus or Gellert about it. It's a long story, too long to write out now but I'll tell you later'.

Very intrigued now Christopher considered the request carefully. He'd never played football with anyone before, he wasn't the team player type even if anyone had been interested in playing with him. He would probably be good at it, he was naturally athletic, and he was curious to learn more about the situation his girl's cousin was in. Plus the other man would owe him, which could come in handy down the road. Domi would make sure of that, the werewolf thought with a small smile.

'Alright. I'll go. And I won't mention to anyone your plans.'

'Thanks. Appreciate it'.