Disclaimer: I only own the original characters and the story line. Everything else belongs to J.K. Rowling.
Two days later when the mail came in, James and Al exchanged long-suffering looks over their respective tables. They had long since learnt not to try and run with the howler. Instead, they waited until it burst, usually at the same time, amplifying their mother's voice tenfold.
"You look like you're at your trial in Azkaban." Scorpius joked, sliding into his now regular seat at the Slytherin table beside Al.
Al just frowned, poking at his omelette, his eyes on the owls swooping low over his table. As he had expected, his jet-black owl, Shade, was among them and landed beside him. Surprisingly though, his envelope was white where James's was still red.
A look of complete indignation crossed James's face before the howler burst open.
"JAMES SIRIUS AND ALBUS SEVERUS! IMAGINE MY DISMAY WHEN I GET A LETTER FROM LILY SAYING YOU HAD, YET AGAIN, THREATENED A BOYFRIEND OF HERS AT WAND-POINT! AND THIS TIME YOU ACTUALLY WENT SO FAR AS TO HEX HIM!
I for one think you're doing brilliant work, boys.
Shut up, Harry! Stop encouraging them!
IF I HEAR ABOUT THIS KIND OF THING AGAIN, I WILL PERSONALLY COME UP TO THE SCHOOL AND HEX YOU MYSELF, SEEING THAT IT SEEMS TO BE YOUR PREFERRED METHOD OF ATTACK. ALBUS, DON'T THINK I DON'T KNOW IT WAS YOUR WAND THAT DID THE DAMAGE. YOUR FATHER AND I ARE VERY DISAPPOINTED IN YOU!
Gin, I'm actually completely fine with it.
A sigh was uttered. Boys, I'm going to go kill your father now. HEED MY WARNING AND BEHAVE YOURSELVES! And Scorpius honey, we got Al's letter. We didn't think you'd want our response to be broadcasted in the Great Hall, but I thought you should know we are very happy for you both."
With that, the letter burst into flames.
The silence in the Great Hall was resounding for a few moments and then suddenly it was filled with laughter and excited chatter. Several of the students looked towards Al and Scorpius, who were both red in the face, marvelling that it had taken them quite so long to catch on. Albus had never dated anyone, and he and Scorpius were awfully close. How had they not seen this before?!
Al slumped in his seat, his grip on his own letter so tight that it was crumpling the paper. "That was so bloody embarrassing." He whined, covering his face, "I'm sorry, Scor."
Scorpius let out a short laugh of disbelief, "No, it's alright. That was a fairly unforgettable way of coming out as a couple in Hogwarts." He recalled something Ginny had said and looked to Al, "You sent them a letter telling them about us?"
"Well, yeah. I kind of had to, didn't I? I told you I was okay with people knowing, and I couldn't have my parents find out from someone else." Al pointed out, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck.
Scorpius couldn't help his smile, leaning forward to press a kiss on the corner of Al's mouth, "You're adorable." He murmured against Al's skin.
Al's cheeks flushed, "I am most certainly not." He protested.
"Hm." Scorpius kissed him again before pulling away, "You are. But it's okay, I won't tell anyone. I wouldn't want anyone else to know anyway."
"You two are sickeningly sweet." Fran cooed happily. She had squealed for fifteen minutes straight when Al had told her he was in a relationship with Scorpius. "Scor, have you told your parents?"
Scorpius blinked, "Oh, bollocks. No, I didn't think about it. I don't generally tell them every time I get a new boyfriend." Even as the words left his lips, before he felt Al stiffen up beside him, he had known he'd said the wrong thing.
"Right." Al's expression was stony now as he smoothened out his letter and pushed away his plate of food. "I'm going to head to the common room and read this letter."
Scorpius felt his stomach sink but tried to salvage the situation, "You know what? I'm not all that hungry either. I'll come with you."
Al shook his head, not looking at Scorpius as he muttered, "No, don't. I really just want to be alone."
Scorpius watched Al leave and covered his face with his hands, "Bloody hell. I completely stuffed that up!"
"That you did." Fran agreed with a sigh, "He isn't going to want to see you for the next few days."
"Next few days?" Scorpius felt a hint of desperation, "But I didn't mean it the way it sounded!"
"And Al knows that, subconsciously." Damien said with a small, sad smile, "That's why it'll only be a few days and not a few weeks."
Fran huffed her agreement; "No one can make you repent your actions quite like Al can."
Scorpius groaned, banging his forehead on the table repeatedly. He had just gotten Al. He didn't think he could do without him for a few days. He'd already made up his mind that the only time he would make do without Al was during the holidays!
He had to find a way to apologise.
With that determined thought, Scorpius got up, rubbing at his forehead (banging his head on the table had been stupid in retrospect) and started on his way to the Slytherin Common Room.
Dear Al,
Your father and I read your letter yesterday, and sweetheart, we're so happy for you. I'll admit I had suspected that you might be gay, but I was not sure until I received your letter. I'm so proud of you for being who you are and making no excuses for it. Your father wanted me to tell you that we would let your grandparents and the rest of the family know. That way, when you ask Scorpius home for Christmas, there won't be any confusion as to what you both mean to one another.
And that brings me to my second point, Al. I can honestly not think of anyone better suited for you than Scorpius, though I'll admit it came as a bit of a surprise to me. Especially given that you barely exchanged a few words whenever he came to stay with us in Godric's Hollow. He's kind, thoughtful and just so charming, not to mention gorgeous. I keep telling your father that had Draco Malfoy been quite as good-looking when we were in school, he might have had some competition.
What your mother is trying to say Al, in the most roundabout way possible, is that we love you and we accept you and your choice of partner. Scorpius is welcome home at any time. Please give him our love as well.
Your mother wants me to remind you to stay out of trouble, but that would just be a waste of breath. I'm not one for wasting breaths.
Enjoy the rest of the term, and we'll see you in a month or so.
Lots of love,
Mum and Dad
Scorpius set the letter down on the bedside table where it had been placed and looked to the bed that had its emerald green curtains tightly shut around it. He had really really stuffed this up.
"Al?"
Silence met his hesitant call and Scorpius sighed, sitting down on the floor with his back against the bedside table, "Al, I'm sorry. I know it sounded bad, but I didn't mean it. You aren't just another boyfriend. I shouldn't have said what I did. It just slipped out."
More silence.
"Al, please, you know how much you mean to me. I'm constantly telling you and you're constantly accusing me of being too gooey." Scorpius said desperately.
"For all I know that's how you were with all your boyfriends."
Feeling ecstatic at finally getting a response, Scorpius moved to sit on his knees, facing the curtained bed, "I wasn't. I swear. Half my boyfriends dumped me because whenever you were in the same room as me I couldn't keep my eyes off you. I've been fascinated by you since before I even knew I was gay." Scorpius admitted, red-faced. These were not things he had ever planned on telling Al. Not yet, anyway. But desperate times called for desperate measures.
Curtains opened and Al was looking down at him, eyes narrowed, "If you're lying just to—mmph!" Al's words were cut off by Scorpius's lips as he pressed hard kisses to Al's lips, jaw and neck, whimpering in pure relief and bone-deep need.
"I'm pants at lying." Scorpius said, straddling Al so he was sitting on his lap. He wrapped his arms around Al's neck and pulled him in for another kiss, "I want you. Only you. No one else mattered the way you do. I promise. Don't leave me."
Al studied him solemnly and seeing the panic in those silver eyes, he sighed, pulling Scorpius onto the bed with him before shutting the curtains and uttering privacy and silencing spells. He allowed Scorpius to mould his body to his, leaving little space between them. Al wrapped his arms around his boyfriend's waist, running one hand through his pale golden hair, "I was never going to leave you. Punish you, maybe, but not leave. I just came out to the whole bloody school for you. Did you really think I'd let you walk away from me so easily?"
"Your friends scared me." Scorpius admitted, nuzzling Al's neck, "They said you'd stay away for days."
"I might have if they had pissed me off. With you, all I was willing to manage was to keep out of your way till dinner. I figured that would have been enough of a punishment." Al said, chuckling.
"It would have." Scorpius agreed, sighing contentedly as he snuggled further into Al's body, "I read your parents' letter. I'm glad they're okay with this."
Al seemed to hesitate for a moment, and before he spoke Scorpius said gently, "I sent Mother a letter before coming here. She'll tell Father."
"Oh." Al frowned, "He will still be alright with showing me his new potions right?"
Scorpius snorted, "I'm sure he will."
Al's eyes lit up with excitement, "You think he would introduce me to his vampire clients if I asked?"
"We'll see." Scorpius promised, pressing a light kiss to Al's neck, "Be fairly warned, I'm going to be incredibly needy and clingy for the next few days."
Al grinned, kissing Scorpius's temple, "I'll keep it in mind."
Two chapters in one day :)
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~Living to Laugh and Love