you two look at each other. It's disgusting."

Albus's heart dropped, the fear of discovery a cold, hard knot in his stomach. "We're just friends," he said, his voice shaking.

Theodore took a step closer, his eyes glinting with the promise of a revelation that would shake the very foundation of their world. "Friends don't look at each other like that," he said, his voice low and mocking. "Friends don't sneak around like you two have been doing."

Scorpius's mind raced, trying to come up with a plausible explanation, a way to diffuse the situation before it spiraled out of control. But the words stuck in his throat, the truth lodged like a rock in the pit of his stomach.

"What are you going to do?" Albus whispered, his eyes wide with fear. "Please, Theo, don't tell anyone."

Theo's smirk grew wider, the malice in his eyes unmistakable. "Oh, I think the whole school deserves to know what the precious Potter-Malfoy offspring have been up to," he said, his voice a sneer. "I mean, who would have thought the sons of sworn enemies would become... stepbrothers."

The silence that followed was deafening, the air thick with the weight of their secret. Scorpius could feel the

blood drain from his face as the reality of their situation sank in. They had been so caught up in their own world, in their own love, that they had forgotten the consequences of being discovered.

Suddenly, the corridor was too small, the walls closing in around them. The whispers they had heard, the glances they had ignored, all made sense now. They had been foolish to think they could keep their love hidden for long.

But as Theo took a step closer, a fierce determination rose within Scorpius. He wasn't about to let this snake ruin what he and Albus had built. He stepped in front of Albus, shielding him from the other boy's gaze. "You don't know what you're talking about," he said, his voice firm.

Theo's laugh was cold, devoid of humor. "Oh, I think I do," he said. "And I think the whole school will find it quite entertaining."

The threat was clear, and with it, the understanding that their secret was no longer their own. The weight of their families' histories bore down on them, a reminder of the price they might have to pay for their love.

But as they stared each other down, something changed in the air. It was as if the very fabric of the universe shifted, and for a moment, Scorpius knew that they could face whatever came next, as long as they were

together.

They turned and walked away, their heads held high. The whispers and glances followed them, but they didn't look back. They had each other, and that was all that mattered.

That night, in the safety of Scorpius's dormitory, they talked long into the night, their words a tapestry of fear and hope. They knew that their relationship would never be easy, that there would be obstacles and challenges ahead. But as they lay together, their hearts beating in time, they swore to face it all together.

Their love was a declaration of war against the world that had tried to keep them apart. And as they kissed, the promise of forever on their lips, they knew that nothing could ever truly break them.

The following days were a blur of tension and fear. They had to be more careful than ever, their every move scrutinized by the watchful eyes of their peers. But every time they felt the walls closing in, they had only to look at each other to find the strength to keep going.

And in those secret moments, in the hidden corners of the castle, their love grew stronger, a beacon in the dark. They whispered sweet nothings into the night, their bodies a silent symphony of passion and desire.

But the whispers grew louder, the glances more pointed. And soon, it was clear that their secret could no longer

be contained.