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

It turned out that Lorcan had walked into the dorms with Lily while they were being particularly vocal. Lily had, of course, gone red in the face with excitement before darting down to call her brother and Nicola up to the room. Thankfully James had missed the worst of it, but he had heard enough for Scorpius to know his life was going to be miserable for the next few weeks. Al didn't seem too worried about that though. Those scratches were still there on James's arms.

"Wait." Al frowned, turning to Lorcan, "What do you mean you came up here with Lily?"

Horror and realisation registered on both brothers' faces and neither Nicola nor Scorpius were quick enough to stop them from launching themselves at Lorcan, shoving the boy up against the wall as both of them glared menacingly at him.

"Al! James! Let him go!"

"She's only fourteen!" Al growled at Lorcan, stepping away and taking out his wand as James held the boy still.

"What the fuck were you thinking bringing her up here?" James added, eyes narrowed.

Lorcan gulped, looking to Scorpius pleadingly before looking back at Al's wand fearfully, "We were only coming up here to talk, I swear."

"Stop being such barbarians!" Lily cried, stomping her feet in a tantrum.

"Do you see that?" Al asked, pointing at his sister's feet with one hand, keeping his wand trained on Lorcan, "She's throwing a tantrum. She still throws fucking tantrums and you want to shag her?"

Realising that it was time he stepped in, Scorpius placed a hand on Al's shoulder, "Al."

"Don't come near me, Scor, or I'll hex you too. Don't think for a minute I won't."

Scorpius dropped his hand and stepped back, shrugging helplessly at his friend.

"Okay! Okay! I won't do it again!" Lorcan said, putting his hands up in surrender.

"Are you going to dump her just because the two of us shook you up?" James asked him with a sneer.

"N-No, of course not. I'm not going to dump her, okay? And I won't bring her up here again. I swear!" Lorcan promised, eyes never leaving Al's wand.

Both brothers exchanged glances and James nodded, letting Lorcan go. The boy sagged against the wall and the other three in the room were about to sigh in relief when Al flicked his wand. "Colovaria." He said coolly.

They watched in fascinated horror, as Lorcan's brown hair became a partly shocking pink and partly lime green.

"Albus Severus Potter, you change his hair back right this instant!" Lily thundered, doing an excellent impression of their mother.

"It'll only last a week." Al said with a shrug, waiting till Lorcan met his gaze to say, "It should serve as a good enough reminder of this evening. Right, Lor?"

Lorcan shook his head in disbelief, looking away from Al to Lily, "I told you. We ought to have gone to the Room of Requirement."

Scorpius and Nicola groaned as Lily paled in horror. Al and James both pointed their wands at Lorcan.

"Petrificus Totalus!" The strength of the double spell sent Lorcan flying back to hit the wall before he fell to the floor.

Scorpius sighed, moving to tug Al's wand arm down to keep him from doing any more damage. "That would have definitely hurt. Nicola, maybe you ought to take Lorcan to the Hospital Wing."

Nicola nodded glumly, muttering under her breath about idiot boys who didn't know to quit when they were ahead as she did a silent levicorpus, guiding Lorcan's body out the door.

"Lils, James, go get showered and changed. Meet Al and me in the common room. We're all going down to the kitchens, understood?" Scorpius asked in a no-nonsense voice.

All the Potter siblings nodded glumly before going their respective ways.

Scorpius rolled his eyes, "Just what did I get myself into?" He wondered, following Al into the bathroom.

Al was sitting on his bed, waiting, when Scorpius came out of the bathroom. He had obviously helped himself to a pair of pajamas and a loose tee from Scorpius's trunk. He looked up as Scorpius walked toward him, his shoulders hunched defensively.

"He deserved it."

Scorpius rolled his eyes, "I suppose he did, from your point of view."

Green eyes widened, "You aren't angry?"

Scorpius sighed, sitting down beside him, "Not as much as I ought to be."

"Oh." Al's lips curved in a grin, "Which part are you angry about?"

Scorpius entwined his fingers with Al's, "Would I be a very horrible friend if I said I'm only angry with you for threatening to hex me?"

Al chuckled, turning to frame Scorpius's face in his hands, "Depends on whose perspective you're looking at it from. From mine, it doesn't make you a horrible friend at all."

Scorpius pushed Al's hands away, raising a single brow sceptically, "I don't think you can still be classified as a friend, Al."

The smile faded and confusion entered the Slytherin's expression, "Why not?"

"Because," Scorpius let his lips curve into a slow smile, "if I were referring to you, I'd be more likely to call you my boyfriend."

Al's green eyes shone with emotion as Scorpius's words registered, and he leaned forward to press his lips to the Gryffindor's. First gently in chaste kisses, then with more urgency as mouths opened and tongues explored, until Scorpius was pressed back on his mattress and Al was hovering over him. Both of them looked at each other for a long moment before Al pressed another kiss to Scorpius's lips and said, "I'm sorry I threatened to hex you."

Scorpius grinned, "You're forgiven." He sat up, pushing Al back as he did, "And as much as I'd love to keep you in my bed, we are supposed to meet your brother and sister downstairs. So move."

Al groaned, "No. Let's not. Lily is going to lecture us. And then she's going to write to Mum tomorrow morning, and Mum will send James and I a howler the day after. We really don't need to talk to each other." Al leaned forward, nuzzling Scorpius's cheek, pressing a light kiss there, "Let's stay here."

Scorpius turned his head, catching Al's lips in a sweet kiss that had him thinking he had won, before pulling away and standing, "Nice try. Come on."

Pouting adorably, Al followed Scorpius out of the dorms and down to the common room. James and Lily were already there, recounting the night's adventures to Frank and Rose. All four of them greeted the boys, Lily more reluctantly than the rest.

"Sounds like we missed quite a lot of excitement." Rose said, looking meaningfully between Al and Scorpius, making the boys chuckle.

"Yes, I suppose you did." Scorpius agreed before turning to Lily and James, "Ready to head out?"

James frowned, "Do we have to?"

Al nodded, "We do. He isn't going to change his mind. I tried."

James pondered that, "Maybe you aren't sexy enough Al."

Al glowered at his elder brother but, surprisingly, he did nothing.

James blinked, "No curse? Really? Are you feeling all right, Al? Do we need to take you to see Madam Juniper in the Hospital Wing?"

"You are a veritable glutton for punishment." Scorpius said incredulously, shaking his head at James, "If he had his wand, he'd have jinxed you ten times by now."

James's mouth dropped open, "You took away his wand?!"

"On the way down here." Scorpius confirmed as held out his hand, "And I'm taking yours too."

"No!" James cried, hugging his wand to himself.

"James Sirius Potter, you are going to listen to Scorpius or I will write to your mum with Lily." Nicola said sternly, walking into the common room.

Scorpius smiled at her, "How's Lorcan?"

"Madam Juniper managed to revive him, but she couldn't get his hair to change back to its original colour. When she asked him who had attacked him, he said he couldn't remember."

"So he isn't that dumb after all." Al murmured, earning an elbow in the stomach, "Ow! Scor!"

"Yes, Lorcan behaved like an idiot tonight but he's still my friend. Don't be an ass." Scorpius scolded, narrowing his eyes at his boyfriend.

Al sighed, "Oh alright. Can we get this stupid thing over with?"

"Where are you lot going?" Rose asked curiously.

"Kitchen. To chat, clear the air and have hot chocolate." Scorpius supplied, "Are you interested in joining us?"

"Hot chocolate sounds divine." Frank said, grinning.

"I'm coming too." Rose chimed in.

The large group filed out of the common room, chattering and laughing amongst themselves. Al and Scorpius brought up the rear; their hands linked as they walked down the hallways of the school.

I see that I have new followers and favourites :) Yay!

Read and review as always.

~Living to Laugh and Love