Disclaimer: I only own the original characters and the story line. Everything else belongs to J.K. Rowling.

"When are the quidditch try-outs going to be for Slytherin?" Scorpius asked one day as he lounged on the couch in the Slytherin Common Room where he and Al had taken to spending much of their time.

"When were the try-outs for your house?" Al asked, not looking up from the parchment on which he was writing.

"Last month."

"Then I'd imagine ours are over as well."

"What?" Scorpius sat up, looking to the boy who was slowly becoming his favourite friend, "Why didn't you tell me? I could have come and cheered you on."

Al snorted, "Well for one, we weren't friends last month."

"Correction: you were trying to not be my friend last month."

Al gave him a long-suffering look, "I didn't try out this year."

"You didn't...what?" Scorpius stared at Al, not comprehending what he was saying, "But you love quidditch!"

Al raised a questioning brow, his expression clearly asking Scorpius how he knew this fact. Scorpius flushed but didn't offer an explanation, instead waiting for Al's response.

"I don't love quidditch. I've actually hated it the past four years I've been on the team. I play fairly well, but the only reason I kept getting selected is because each year the captain assumed that since I was Harry Potter's son and so I should be great at seeking. They didn't even have me go for try-outs most of the time."

Scorpius let this information sink in, frowning slightly as he looked back up at his friend, "So you decided not to be on the team this year?"

Al's lips curved in a kind of bitter smile, "Not exactly."

Scorpius felt a tug on his heart and reached out to hold his friend's hand, squeezing it lightly, "What happened, Al?"

Al blinked at the sound of his first name. Up until now both of them had been careful to refer to one another as 'Potter' or 'Malfoy'. This was the first time Scorpius had called him 'Al'. Al found that he preferred it.

"I'd always asked Dad not to come for my games because I knew he'd take one look at me playing and know I wasn't enjoying myself, but he came for Gryffindor match last year. And after he watched me he took me aside and told me not to play if it wasn't something I loved doing." Al shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand as he sat back from his parchment.

Scorpius remembered that game. He played on the Gryffindor team as the Keeper and he had always been hyperaware of Al's actions. He had seen Al slip away from the grounds with his father, but he hadn't seen them return.

"Why did you play it for four years if you didn't like it?" He asked, not understanding Al's reasoning for this.

"It's what Potters do." Was Al's seemingly simple answer. But in that answer Scorpius sensed a whole mess of problems.

He frowned, "What does that mean?"

Al regarded him for a long moment, as if wondering whether or not to answer Scorpius's question. He finally sighed, "It means that everyone in my family plays quidditch. Even Lily secured herself a place on the Gryffindor team last year."

Scorpius stared at his friend, his brows furrowing in concern. Surely Al realised no one in his family expected him to do what they did. In fact, it was one of the things Scorpius loved most about Al's parents. They allowed their children the freedom to be who they wanted to be and do what they wanted to do. Draco Malfoy had always had a particular dream in mind for Scorpius. Though that dream had shattered when Scorpius had been sorted into Gryffindor and then later discovered he was gay. Scorpius shook his head slightly and focused on Al once more.

"You don't have to do anything you don't want to, Al." Scorpius shifted closer to his friend, wrapping an arm around his shoulder, "There's nothing wrong with not liking quidditch."

He had thought he was being comforting, but the way Al froze up beside him before he got up and began packing his things indicated that Scorpius's words had had the opposite effect.

"Of course you don't understand." Al mumbled, shaking his head, wondering what had possessed him to reveal as much of himself as he had to Scorpius in that moment. He hadn't even told Fran and Dai about this.

"Al-"

"I'm feeling really tired. I think I'll skip dinner today. Goodnight, Malfoy." And then he was gone.

Scorpius sat in his seat long after Al was gone and marvelled that what had hurt him the most in that exchange was the fact that Al had still referred to him as 'Malfoy'.

"Are you and Scor fighting?" Fran asked finally, her curiosity getting the better of her.

It had seemed like, for the past few weeks, Al and Scorpius had been practically inseparable. They had meals together, were Potions partners, hung out in the library and every so often spent time with Al's Slytherin friends or Scorpius's Gryffindor friends. Fran had asked Al about it initially, and he had said he was giving being friends with Scorpius a try. When he had seen the excited gleam in Fran's eyes he had assured her, in a wry tone, that friends was about as far as he would ever be willing to go with Malfoy. But a girl could dream.

For the past three days though, something seemed off. The two boys were still together all the time, but the easy camaraderie that had sprung up between them seemed to be missing. Al was more reserved and Fran could tell that Scorpius was clueless on how to fix their friendship. Which made Fran wonder, what exactly had Scorpius done to set off Al's defences?

"No." Al said simply, his eyes opening briefly to rest on her face before closing once more. It was the weekend and Dai, Al and Fran had decided to soak up some sunlight. They were sprawled out on the front lawn under the sun side by side. Damien was reading a book, Al had his eyes closed and seemed happy with just lying there, but Fran was restless. Scorpius was good for Al; she just knew she was right about that. She was going to help her childhood friend out with this.

"Oh? Then where is he?" She challenged.

Al groaned, a groan of pure irritation, "I'm not the centre of his universe, Fran. He had quidditch practice, and then he mentioned going to Hogsmeade."

"And he didn't ask you to go with him?" Somehow Fran doubted that.

Al opened a single green eye and regarded her for a moment, "I didn't want to go." He closed his eye once more, "It sounded like too much effort."

"I for one agree with him." Damien said, shooting his girlfriend a look of warning as he set his book down and stretched, "Today is the perfect day to be lazy."

Al hummed his approval of Dai's words as he pushed Scorpius out of his mind. He didn't want to think about the Gryffindor and their complicated friendship. Not today.

But of course, Fran didn't take the hint.

"Come on, Al. Why aren't you talking to Scorpius properly? What happened?"

Al frowned, "Whatever happened, and I'm not saying anything did, is between both of us. Stop meddling. I told him I'd give being friends with him a try, and I did. I don't think it's going to work out."

"What?!" Fran's shrill voice attracted a bit of attention, "That's unfair!"

Al gave up on trying to keep up the pretence of sunbathing. He stood and glared down at his best friend, "Why are you pushing this? It doesn't even bloody involve you!"

"Because you're happy when he's around." Fran cried, throwing her arms up in frustration, "I want you to be happy!"

Al's brows rose at her statement, and he couldn't help his bemused smile, "What on earth makes you think I was unhappy before Scorpius deigned to be my friend?"

"You may not have been unhappy, but you weren't happy. There always seems to be something weighing on you, Al. Something that you don't talk about to Dai or me. And in the past few weeks that you've been around Scor, it feels like whatever was bothering you just kind of disappeared." Fran said, aware that several people were now listening in. She ought not to bring up such a sensitive topic in public like this, but she knew if she didn't speak now, Al would never give her the opportunity to bring it up again.

Al let his eyes sweep his surroundings as discreetly as he could manage. He could make out Louis, his cousin, lounging under a nearby tree with his friends. Just from the way Louis seemed to be sitting up straight alerted Al to the fact that he was listening to every word. This was not good. He dusted himself off, levelling a look that spoke of horrible consequences for Fran if she did not let him walk away from this conversation, "It never disappeared, and it's never going to. Your love for dramatic scenes like this is precisely why I don't confide in you." He said in a low, dangerous voice. He turned to head back to the castle and paused when he realised Scorpius was standing a few feet behind him, looking like he'd been hit on the head with a club.

Shaking his head, because he really did not know how what had seemed like a wonderful afternoon a few moments ago could become such a bloody nightmare, he ignored Scorpius and walked back to the castle. What he wanted now was time alone and he knew where to go to get it.

Scorpius was waiting for him when he finally left the Room of Requirement a few hours later. Al paused, his green eyes giving away his surprise.

"How did you know where I'd gone?" He asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

Scorpius shrugged, his grey eyes focusing on Al's face, "I think I understand what I did to piss you off that evening in your common room." He said evenly, his eyes darting about Al's face as if looking for something.

Al worked to keep his expression unreadable and his tone neutral, "Oh? What do you think you did?"

"I didn't take away the right meaning from your words. I deduced wrongly about what was bothering you." Scorpius said, knowing even as he spoke that he was right. Al might be very good at keeping his emotions off his face, but Scorpius had been reading him for so many years now. He could make out the apprehension in Al's eyes.

"And what was bothering me?" Al asked carefully. He was torn between wanting Scorpius to know and being terrified that Scorpius might know. His secret made him weak and vulnerable and Al hated feeling either of those things.

His relief was tinged with the slightest hint of disappointment when Scorpius said softly, "I don't know, Al." He took a step closer to the Slytherin, reaching out to take his hands, "But I've been talking to you for a little over a month now. How could you expect me to figure out something that even your best friends for six years haven't been able to work out?"

Al frowned, his grip on Scorpius's hands tightening involuntarily, "It's not the same thing. I thought you would understand. You understand me better than most people."

Scorpius couldn't help his light chuckle as he stepped closer so he was mere inches away from Al, their equal heights allowing them to hold one another's gaze. "And you would throw that away?"

Al felt his breath catch in his throat as he looked at Scorpius. It was there again. That warm, soft look in those silvery eyes. They seemed to almost glow with emotion, and it made Al's heart contract and his stomach flip. He blinked, taking a deep breath, what was happening?

Scorpius inhaled the sharp scent of chocolate and vanilla that seemed to cling to Al. Just what in the wizarding world did the Slytherin use to make him smell so...yummy? Scorpius was half tempted to lean in further and lick a line from the side of Al's neck to his ear lobe. Would he taste as good as he smelt?

It was his blood rushing to his groin and his stomach tightening with lust that brought Scorpius back to the present. He took a step back, trying not to tremble as he did. Merlin, what had that been? He had never felt desire that strong before. He looked back to Al and found that the other boy was looking steadily away from him, breathing deeply. Had he realised what had been going through Scorpius's mind? The thought worried the Gryffindor. After all, he had come here to win back his friend, not freak him out.

"Al?"

Green eyes snapped back to his face and Scorpius was nearly bowled over by the depth of emotion in them. He couldn't identify all of them, but he could make out some. Determination, resolve...anxiety?

"I won't throw it away." Al said finally, breaking the silence.

Relief flooded through Scorpius's system, and if he had known he could control his body's reactions, he would have launched himself on Al and held on to him tightly. As it was though, that action seemed too risky. Especially when the mere thought of having Al's warm body pressed against him was making him harder. So he decided to forego the hug and decided on squeezing the hands he somehow still held.

Al squeezed back and gave him a light smile before pulling his hands away. He rubbed the back of his neck now, a sign of nervousness, "You were supposed to be in Hogsmeade."

"It wasn't any fun without you." Scorpius said truthfully, "Besides, I'm glad I came back early."

Al looked at him warily, making him chuckle, "Worried I'm going to say something embarrassingly gooey again?"

"Quite." Al said, biting back his smile.

"Well, you're right. I am." Scorpius confirmed, beginning to walk towards the staircase, knowing his friend would follow.

Al let out a long-suffering sigh, "Okay then, out with it."

"I got to hear you call me Scorpius." He said, grinning widely.

Al rolled his eyes, but his cheeks flushed with colour, "And you called me a nutter."

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~Living to Laugh and Love