JPOV

I found my Hufflepuff boyfriend in a corridor off the third floor near an empty charms classroom. He looked a little fidgety, I noted as he checked his Patek Phillipe watch for the fourth time in as many minutes. Finally, not willing to wait any longer, I snuck up behind him and caught his jaw with my hand, turning him towards me for a passionate kiss. I had timed my stalking perfectly, pouncing to catch him completely unawares.

I slipped my tongue into his mouth as I had so often done before. Except this time was unlike any of the of the others. Instead of yielding under the pressure of my embrace, the beautiful princeling shove me violently away. A startled kind of panic bloomed on his face as he stepped nervously back up against a wall. Terror, confusion, above all disgust…

I could not comprehend what had hit him to cause such a response.

"What the bloody fuck are you doing James! Have you lost the plot?" The blond spat harshly, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand in complete revulsion. I stopped and examined the campy hair clip, the custom Hufflepuff robes, even the style of his locks, but the closer I peered, the more I realized something was wrong with what I saw. Not to mention his outrage had been delivered with a british accent… No french accent and then there was his… smell…

cologne but no pheromones…

"Malfoy?! Fucccck meeeee, I thought you were Cyr!" I groaned, quickly wiping my own mouth at the realization I now had his sickly Malfoy germs on me.

"Cyr? As in Cyril? Why would you be sneaking up to and kissing my—oh Ashera preserve me! You're not having a fling with my cousin are yo—" The blonds eyes went wide when I put my hand over his mouth to stop the embarrassing words from escaping it.

I scanned from either side of the corridor until my attention fell back down to the boy pinned against the wall. I gulped, realizing how much the two really did look alike. Especially with their hair style and light makeup done to match…

The snake bit my hand indignantly, causing me to withdraw the appendage with a pained 'tsk'.

I shook the limb out violently, wincing at the pressure from the force of the attack.

"Don't even think of saying anything to anyone Malfoy. I'm serious. Cyr and I are keeping it secret. For what that's worth to you."

He eyed me skeptically, squinting those pretty sapphires directly up at my face.

Damnit… It was my job to be suspicious of him, how dare he look at me with that doubt woven into his expression. I realized we were still very close to each other so I stepped back, giving the boy space to relax a little… or flee if he felt he needed to.

He stood fast, a kind of defiance in his gaze. Fear was obviously a foreign emotion to my brothers shadow. Contempt and haughtiness however were not.

"I heard you and Katie broke up, but this seems an odd and quite frankly terrible choice of rebound, even for you James."

"Mind your business viper. I don't remember asking you for your input."

"Excuse me? You'll doubtless not need to be reminded how merely five seconds ago you had your tongue shoved halfway down my throat? Besides, Cyr is MY cousin that you're fooling around with. That makes your obvious rebound my business."

"It's not a rebound and we're not fooling around. He's currently one of my best friends… I know he likes guys… even if i don't… so we decided to make this year a special kind of experiment. We just kiss and hold hands for the most par—"

"—I'm sorry? did kissing me make you defective? What on earth made you think I was interested, remotely, in hearing the dynamics of your… whatever it is? You and I are NOT friends. I don't need your explanation!"

The Slytherin spat, making his annoyance clear as polished crystal. He still looked to be in shock from our earlier kiss, his cheeks tinged crimson.

"You don't want my explanation but you're happy to accost me with your judgments? Hang on! Hang on a moment! Why are you even dressed like Cyril in the first place?" The thought hadn't occurred to me until just then.

"He needed to speak to his Uncle Ambrose about Valois politics. They had a secret meeting in Hogsmeade. I also believe, he might be getting scolded because he almost missed a dose of his anti poisoning regimen. The French royals take their children's health very seriously." Scorpius noted.

"He didn't want to worry me?"

"It seems so. Or risk triggering you over Pureblood politics anyway. We all know how you feel about that topic. About his family…"

"So you agreed to play the part of your cousin so he wouldn't miss classes… or worry anyone?"

"OBVIOUSLY. I'm just here to give him his notes from the classes he missed."

"Awfully nice for you, Malfoy. What's the catch?"

"Catch? Don't be simple. First of all Cyril and I have always been very close, this menial favor is nothing compared to what I'd actually risk for his sake. Besides, I AM nice James, though you refuse to notice or ever admit it."

"Because I know you have secrets, I know you have ulterior motives, whatever kind of nice you pretend at being for Al's sake."

"Maybe I do have ulterior motives James… did you ever stop to consider those motives weren't, however, nefarious ones?"

For a moment he had caught me off guard. His argument twisting the gears in my mind.

I examined my little brothers best friend, trying to shake my innate mistrust of him. He searched my face with a kind of hopeful beauty and for the first time I thought of the fierce boy as somewhat delicate and vulnerable himself, like his cousin.

The brief shadow of tenderness that had overcome me, hardened once again into mistrust.

"You'll never convince me of that Malfoy. Blood will out, you have too much of your father and grandfather in you not end up disappointing Al. Or worse, harming him."

Revulsion sprang at my words. His pretty hands shot out to grab me by the collar pulling us closer together for effect.

In that moment, his anger was something I fiercely admired.

"Do you hear what you're saying? Isn't that the purists way of thinking? That muggle blood is inferior? You just think the opposite, that Pure-blood is inferior. Like we're inbred swine bent towards evil and torment. And if your reasoning were to hold true, then what does that mean about your feelings for Cyril VALOIS?! Valois, a family that has remained pureblooded for over a thousand years! Will his blood out too you dumb troll?"

The boys logic confused me. I hated to admit he might have a point so I simply ignored his argument. I shook him off of me, a little nervous over how my body had reacted to the smell of Cyril's cologne.

"Forget it Malfoy. We'll never remedy our mistrust of one another. Sorry for the kiss."

"Whatever, Potter."

"Merde, j'ai l'impression d'avoir manqué quelque chose de complètement dingue." (Damn, I feel like I just missed something completely crazy.) A familiar voice chuckled, arriving in the secluded corridor to the sight of us both still in a huff.

"You're soooo late." Scorpius shot irritably.

"Sorry, my scolding ran over long. Uncle Ambrose practically forced my anti poisoning drought down my throat."

I laughed loudly at the hilarious image of them dressed in identical clothes. Both boys turned on me then, examining me like i'd gone mad. 'Even their expressions are similar' I thought, suddenly reminded of The Scamander twins.

I pulled out my EYEphone and hit the camera app.

"Its too good not to get a photo of this. Get closer you two."

Cyril, always good natured, stuck his tongue out, placing two fingers up behind scorpius's head like rabbit ears. Malfoy looked sullen but managed a smirk, placing a hand around the frenchman's shoulder, a hint of affection on his face.

*click*

*click*

*click*

I showed them the results and Cyril delighted, a radiant happiness beaming from him. The Slytherin merely looked shocked, realizing finally how identical the two appeared. Side by side in the photo it was almost impossible to tell them apart. Although in person, now that they stood together, I could tell which was which… i wagered few others could.

"How are you two even related again?" I thought to ask. There was this weird closeness when they were near each other that reminded me of Lorcan and Lysander or Izanagi and Izanami. They could almost be twins.

"My grandfather Lucius's twin sister—"

"—Was my grandmother Lucinda Malfoy" Cyril added, finishing the explanation.

"James, could you send me that photo? I really want to print and frame it."

"Potter has your private number does he?"

I caught the Slytherin smirking as he asked the question.

"We're… friends. Why would't he have my number?"

The french boy tried to sound casual, but instead it had come out as nervous.

"Friends is it? Strange manner of friends who kiss each other in deserted corridors, don't you think?" Scorpius added, wiping his mouth once more in disgust.

Cyril blushed and looked between the two of us, realizing suddenly what had happened just prior to his arrival.

"Come j'ai dis, quelque chose de complètement dingue." (like I said, something totally nuts.)

"Fais gaffe qu'il ne te blesse pas. C'est un lion sauvage Cyr. Un bête bête enfin." (Be careful not to let him hurt you. He's a wild lion. A dumb beast in other words.)

"I'll thank you not to insult me to my face. Although your concern for my boyfriend is touching."

My hand came around Cyril's waist and the two boys startled at the display. The way I claimed him as mine.

"You're the farthest thing from gay I think i've ever seen. You will end up hurting him… that's not a question of if, but of when."

Malfoy's officiousness and certainty were yet more reasons I would never like him. He's always sticking his nose in where it didn't belong. Not to mention, just like Al, he thinks he bloody knows everything.

"I'll be sure to take your advice and put it right where it belongs. Dans la poubelle" (In the trash bin)

Malfoy sighed and waved a wandless hand over his face back and forth. The magic removed his light touches of makeup and restored his hair and eyelashes to their normal appearance in a melting dissolution of the glamor.

Even the gifted Cyril looked mildly impressed.

"Well, i'll be sure to add my lunch to the trash bin, excuse me while I go and have a good long retch." Malfoy fired back, scanning me up and down as though it were a troll who had just kissed him.

"Don't listen to grumpy Scor. Your kisses are wonderful." Cyr soothed, his mouth painted with a silly smile for me.