AS/S ship
I made sure my hair looked impossibly tidy before I apparated to the Potter’s, I might not have much but I can sure keep it looking a sight better than Potter Sr.’s bed head. I hate thinking of him as Potter Sr. he’ll always still be just Potter, with the spit speckled P to me, no matter how many snotty nosed half breed weasels he sires. Pulling my leather gloves on just a bit firmer and flexing my fingers, I let my cane slip from it’s place pressed into my body for the transport and catch the snake headed thing as it hits the ground. I hate this bloody cane as well, my father’s naturally, but he looks silly when he tries to be intimidating now, his robes that had fallen over him so regally- now a faded shade of grey and draping over his podgy elderly abdomen, make his scowling wrinkles look like laugh lines and invite my mother to shower him with affection and more podge inducing treats. But the cane completes the look for me as I stride up the walk, trying not to feel like I’m thirteen again, like I always do when I come back here.
The door opens just as I mount the last step, Potter -the bastard- is grinning at me, his never aging face mocking my hair, my sneer, my hand me downs.
“ Come in Malfoy, Ginny’s making tea, I’ll just get Scorpius,” He leaves the door gaping and I step inside the homely little house. I was completely shocked to the point where I almost thought I’d shat my pants when Scorpius wrote home in first year, his letter full of tales about his new best friend and housemate, Albus Potter. Enclosed was even a picture of them in firstie flying robes with an arm each thrown about the other’s neck. It felt like looking into a window to the past in an alternate universe where Potter had accepted my hand in friendship.
I fell into step to the kitchen, I’d been here many a times, garnered by Scorpius’ begging and Potter’s strangely outstretched olive branch when he’d gotten a similar if not identical letter from Albus that same year. One thing that never failed to amuse me however was Mrs. Potter; how pathetically plain and slightly pear shaped she was now after years of Quidditch and being a lively youth she finally didn’t match her hard bodied Auror husband.
“ Hey Malfoy, Al said you’d be by today. Scorp-ius-” I winced internally at the pause, Scorpius for whatever reason didn’t mind when this hug giving, sibling providing, surrogate family shortened his name to ‘Scorp’. It was almost as offensive as the one time Astoria had tried out ‘Drake’, “-has been a pleasure, as usual, better manners than any seventeen year old I’ve ever met, including my own.” She barely even looked up as she passed me a plebian style mug of tea, admittedly exactly the way I liked it with a lump of sugar and one lemon slice.
I was going to say something scathing but Albus’ older brother barreled into the room before I had the chance, “ Mum, what spell do you use to get ink out of clothes, none of the ones I’ve tried work. Oh, hey Mister Malfoy,” This child didn’t bother me, it was the other two clone-esque creatures that had my skin crawling at every turn. Contrary to the other two, this one didn’t actually look like one particular parent but a strange genetic blended version of them his mother’s cow eyes and bow lips, his father’s jaw line and a weird sort of auburn hair that stuck up in the traditional Potter cowlick at the back.
They nattered to each other for a bit, I gathered that James had just moved out and was still ironing out the kinks in his life’s schedule, today’s drama: laundry. I finished my tea and wondering what was taking Potter so long when Potter nee. Weasley suggested I go and help motivate Scorpius into getting his two week summer sprawl packed up and moving.
I sneered but smoothly exited the kitchen and climbed the steps to the second floor. I always hated this part of the house, so personal and telling, every door to every bedroom and bathroom was open, belching for the world to see the Potters. I’d first had to come up to pry Scorpius away from Al in their second year, assuring and bribing him many a time that he’d see his small friend again and maybe Al could even visit at the manor.
Now upstairs I could see Potter was dealing with a sobbing daughter and my son was nowhere in sight.
“ Right, sorry Malfoy, just got a bit sidetracked I’ll be right out, they should be in Al’s room.” He looked up looking completely uncomfortable still as his daughter sobbed on his shoulder. I didn’t envy him; tears were mysterious things that girls seemed to know the secret ins and outs of and expected their opposites to take to as well.
I stood before the door marked ‘No Lily Allowed’ for who knew how long just wondering how it all came to this when Potter jostled my shoulder.
“ Are they not opening up?” he asked with a frown on his face, I was about to explain I hadn’t knocked yet but he was already Alohamoraing the lock and swinging the door open. Then it was like I was staring at that picture for the first time again, my gut twisting back on itself as I took in the image that was sure to be burnt into my retinas for all time. Our sons were locked in a passionate embrace, devouring each other’s faces, Scorpius was at least fully clothed while Albus shirt seemed to have been rucked up about his shoulders.
It wasn’t the way Albus’s hands were twined into Scorpius’ fair hair, or even the way Scorpius had Albus’ bottom in some sort of death grip as they ground together that made the entire universe come crashing down, no, it was how completely content and uninhibited they were together, how it felt immediately like we’d barged in on something private and sacred, the little kittenish noises coming from each of them shards of ever piercing shrapnel into my tidy little reality.
But then time had to speed up again and they were alerted to our presence, pulling apart and hastily righting clothing while Potter kept trying to say something anything and my knees felt strangely weak and I leaned against the wall for support. The world was spinning now, and the image of them wouldn’t go away it was like some sort of smudgey darkness had finally been rubbed off my vision and the truth was blinding and breathtaking in it’s brilliance.
“ Father…” Scorpius was in front of me, looking concerned and flushed unsure what to do.
“ It’s okay guys, I think he’s just surprised, I am too. Why don’t you uh, go down to the den and we’ll all…talk about this and I’ll get…your father back in order.” Potter said stiltedly to the two boys while he slipped an arm about my waist pulling me upright and in the direction of the bath.
When we entered I pushed him away and staggered to the counter, breaths coming quickly. He closed the door behind us silencing and locking it as he went. I pulled my gloves off and pressed my hands to my face.
“ Look, I don’t want to give them a hard time about this…I know your family isn’t-“
“ Don’t assume, Potter,” I spat feeling old rivalry surging up my throat, “ I’m not about to go breaking them up or whatever it is you were thinking.” He crossed his arms defensively and scowled at me.
“ Well excuse me for interpreting you fainting in my hallway as shock, and then thinking that perhaps your family wouldn’t be very supportive toward poufs considering my son clearly doesn’t have a set of ovaries to give you any sort of heir to the title or whatever it is you call it.” He really didn’t take to being venomous well. His absurd expression deflated my anger and replaced it with something like remorse.
“ Potter, you of all people should know that the name doesn’t make the man.” I paused wondering how to explain my reaction, “ Looking at the two of them…doesn’t it ever give you the feeling that the universe is giving it another go?” I looked up at him truthfully, willing for him to understand. Fortunately, his features smoothed and he nodded.
“ I wonder all the time if I things had just been a bit different, would we have been like them…I mean not like them…” he started sincerely and got edgier at the end. I laughed for once I didn’t care if Potter saw through me entirely.
“ I’m sure I would have snogged you quite thoroughly long ago and changed your mind.” I shook my head and watched the shock spread over his face.
“ Wait, you’re- but you’re married!” he looked pathetically confused and even more on edge now as he glanced about the tiny water closet.
“ It is possible to be both, Potter,” I drawled lazily but really unwilling to get into that particular conversation with Harry bloody Potter of all people, “ They’re probably waiting for us, what are we going to do?” I was wondering what was going on inside of his Gryffindor thick skull how was he going to deal with this new development.
He ran a hand through his hair, it stayed unchanging “Nothing- well no, no more sleep overs-“ he winced at the thought of what he’d left them to for the past two weeks unsupervised. I did too, “ But they’ll be treated as adults and what they want to do is for them to decide but as long as Al is living in my house he’ll abide by my rules and this is…well it goes along the same lines as no girls in your room,” he babbles when he doesn’t know what he’s doing. Charming.
“ That’ll do Potter, I don’t need your four point parenting plan.” The small barb makes him frown and brings joy to my heart that I can still get under his skin, “ Do I need to have Scorpius carted off to a healer?”
“ Wh- no! What, do you think Albus is capable of imperious or something?” he flushes angrily and I blink slowly reminding myself he’s probably only been with the she-weasel and is relatively inexperienced in all aspects of relations.
“ I meant infections, diseases of sexual nature? Or did you think they’ve been playing exploding snap in there and that was all just a very unfortunately timed dare?” his blush darkens.
“ Right. No, Al’s never been with anyone else, he never had time for other people…he was always off with Scorp…” He frowns seemingly forgetting I’m there and visibly shuddering at the little nickname, “ It was obvious all along wasn’t it?” his eyes are flashing, the emerald fire that his son inherited so exactly. I don’t say anything; I can’t reprimand him for not seeing something that I clearly missed as well.
We stare at each other for a moment before he opens the door and steps into the hall. I gather my gloves and follow closely. The Mrs. meets us at the bottom of the stairs asking Harry what’s going on. I hate the way his arm curls about her hips and how he reassures her naturally that it was nothing to worry about but the boys had a bit of explaining to do. They seem so loving together, so unlike anything I’d ever experienced myself, I want to hold her face down in the mud.
Potter leads the way into the Den where Scorpius looks like he’s been preparing for this grave day; he reminds me of how I looked when I was faced with death or carpentry. Albus on the other hand is barely perched on the sofa beside him, his mouth a hard line of determination and as soon as we’re all together he springs up out of his seat.
“ You can’t do this. You can’t make us stop. It’s not fair, James can date anyone he wants why can’t I?!” Weasley looks perplexed at her son and Potter just lets him have out with it, “ Scorp is my best friend okay? He’s my best friend and I love him. And I don’t care that you and him,” he glares at me, “ Have unresolved sexual tension or whatever. I don’t care if you,” he rounds on me, “ Don’t want me anywhere near him because he’s supposed to go off a boff a girl up the duff and have some bratty little pureblooded bastard children. You can’t keep me away.” He turns back to his parents, tears now glimmering in his eyes, “ And if you can’t deal with that then I’ll leave, tonight, I’ll go and live with Teddy, he doesn’t mind,” he clenches his jaw hard and looks down at where Scorpius hasn’t moved a muscle. He draws in a ragged breath.
“ I love you. I never said because I know you’d get all weird about it like before and go off to try and please your family for whatever reason but that isn’t you. And I know you love me too so don’t try to-“
“ Al.” Scorpius finally looks up something unreadable on his face, “ You should have been in Gryffindor.” He says pulling a smile and accepting Al as he crashes down into the seat beside him half laughing and half sobbing at the odd private little exchange they’d just had. Scorpius unsurely shifts and then wraps his arm about Albus’ shoulders, looking unblinkingly up at me. I resist the urge to twitch or snicker, this is turning into one of those trashy Witch’s Love Cauldron novels that Astoria was constantly reading.
“ Father, this isn’t going to be changing. Al is a part of my life and I’m sorry to disappoint you and the family but…” his steady voice wavers and he glances at his companion a sort of internal conflict visibly warring within him. When he looks back up I can see him pleading with me, have out later his eyes shout don’t make a scene just give Albus some hope and let him down easy.
I raise an eyebrow back at him and wish I hadn’t left my cane at the door, it always makes such an appropriate prop to fondle when speaking, “ If you’d let us voice our own opinions before launching into unjustified tirades you might have just found yourselves pleasantly surprised.” Scorpius brightens but Albus still looks surly and quite blotchy now actually.
“ What’s that supposed to mean?” He sounds petulant and I grit my teeth, what an uncouth child, what did Scorpius see in him? And for that matter Scorpius had better not be sinking to his level when they’re alone, he was raised much better.
“ It means we aren’t mad at you,” Potter conjures up three chairs and we all sit, “ Just completely taken by surprise, though looking back…” the corners of his mouth are turning upward now, oh dreaded affection shows it’s ugly face again. The boys are both blushing brightly now, clearly this was still a budding relationship.
“ How long has this been going on?” at least She-Weasel isn’t as thick as her brother, he’d probably still be wondering what was happening, almost fortunate that he married someone with enough brains for the both of them.
Al shifted awkwardly, “ Mum,” he presses like it’s so very embarrassing for him and we’re just pushing all his buttons for no reason.
“ I think your mother is entitled to know how serious your relationship is considering she’s been kind enough to keep the both of you well fed and with a roof over your heads for the past two weeks while you’ve been duping her into believing platonic was as truthful as Merlin’s white beard.” I would never get along with this child, I was sure of it as he scowled back at me.
“ Not long, just it’s hard to…” Scorpius frowned, “ Put a date on it...it’s been a while in coming."
“ He means I kissed him at Christmas under the mistletoe on a lark but it wasn’t until Easter hols that we got our kit together.” Albus relaxed back into the cushions apparently now that it was clear he had to answer the questions and he wasn’t going to get in loads of trouble or be kicked out of the house he was less volatile, his roaring inner lion had retreated for the moment.
“ A few months then, not as long as I was expecting,” Potter sighed but looked at them both very seriously for a moment. “ You both realize that you won’t be having anymore extended sleepovers, at least not in the same room. We’ll also be asking a lot more uncomfortable questions like if you’re having safe sex and other piddly parent pokings, I’m sure Malfoy’s got his own list of concerns as well. But you understand we’re doing this because we love you, yeah?” he reached out and clasped Albus’ shoulder before looking at Scorpius, “ Both of you,” he smiled and withdrew.
Both boys looked happy and peaceful and assured us they’d not try and hide anything else. That was when the eldest Potter sibling walked in with a bowl full of yoghurt and froze mid step upon seeing our little situation.
“ Oi did Mum finally walk in on your two snogging in the linen closet?” he laughed as they both blushed beet red.
“ You already knew?” Potter looked at James as he crossed the room and headed for the study.
“ Yeah, it was hard for a while not to trip over them groping each other…thought Lily was gonna tell you today s’why she’s been bawling for the past week, old Scorpio here broke her wee heart.” He gestured with his spoon before slipping into the study. Why did people have to butcher his name so? It’s not that hard to pronounce: Scorp-ee-us.
“ Don’t get anything sticky!” Weasley-Potter called out after her spilly-spooned son and getting a grunt in reply.
“ It’s not Scorp’s fault Lily fancies him. He didn’t do anything!” Albus looked far too smug and I frown in a mixture of pride that my son is so desirable and disgust that the Potters were fighting over him like some beloved pet.
“ I’ll go talk to Lily,” the Mrs. Potter slid her be-ringed hand over Potter’s shoulders as she got up and left, leaving me scowling in her waist high denim rustling wake.
“ Girl’s affections are not a product of rhyme or reason, trust me. She’ll get over it,” Potter assured Scorpius who just shifted and nodded.
“ I should finish packing,” he said sensibly and stood, Albus jumping up beside him.
“ Right, I’ll help,” he offered and given Potter and my suspicious looks when we stood as well became less eager, “ We’ll be done in ten minutes, I promise, nothing but packing. You can even barge in again if we take longer, Merlin’s honour.” He crossed his heart before grabbing Scorpius’ hand and dragging him off, stampeding up the stairs.
Potter and I stood staring at each other for a moment before moving as one to the hall and front door where I slipped my hands back into my gloves and took up my cane again, my hand had missed the distraction but my mind was repulsed at the stupid symbol and how much it defined my family.
Soon Albus and Scorpius were pounding back down the steps -Scorpius now in robes instead of his casual attire from before- a trunk following them silently to be shown off as completely packed before being shrunk and tucked into Scorpius’ pocket.
“ Right, I’ll see you later then,” Albus rubbed his hands uncomfortably across his thighs. And Scorpius nodded.
“ Thank you for having me over.” He smiled at Albus and looked to Potter, “If you could tell Mrs. Potter I thank her as well,” Potter nodded and patted him on the shoulder, almost the same height as his own. It hit me then how surreal it all was, the four of us so alike but separated by time.
Then Albus smashed the fragile epiphany of it all by laughing and reeling Scorpius in by the neck and planting a final snog on him. Potter’s uncomfortable eyes met mine over their shoulders and I refused to see the look in his eyes that said should have been.
When they finally parted, Scorpius was a shade of dark pink and I took that as my cue to usher him out of the house before anything else detrimental to his complexion could take place.
We walked down the path in silence, only my cane rhythmically tapping the pavement to distract from our thoughts.
“ Aren’t you going to say anything?” he finally muttered and I smirked there was the Malfoy sprit, alive and well, I was almost beginning to doubt him.
“ There’s nothing to say…is there?” I asked as we turned the corner. He definitely has something else to share.
“ No sir.” He shook his head and I preened for a moment in his hard earned respect before going back to my waiting, his mother played this game as well…
“ Just, don’t tell grandfather alright? I think he might have a heart attack or something.” He gushed at once looking at me with such a worried expression that made me smile at the thought of Father finding out his second attempt at a proper son had turned into a flaming homosexual.
“ No, we wouldn’t want him finding out about this. Now there’s only one matter of Malfoy rep-“
“ I’m not the bottom dad.” He rolled his eyes at me and I laughed and pulled an arm around him as I unsheathed my wand and preparation for apparation.
“ That’s my boy.”
The door opens just as I mount the last step, Potter -the bastard- is grinning at me, his never aging face mocking my hair, my sneer, my hand me downs.
“ Come in Malfoy, Ginny’s making tea, I’ll just get Scorpius,” He leaves the door gaping and I step inside the homely little house. I was completely shocked to the point where I almost thought I’d shat my pants when Scorpius wrote home in first year, his letter full of tales about his new best friend and housemate, Albus Potter. Enclosed was even a picture of them in firstie flying robes with an arm each thrown about the other’s neck. It felt like looking into a window to the past in an alternate universe where Potter had accepted my hand in friendship.
I fell into step to the kitchen, I’d been here many a times, garnered by Scorpius’ begging and Potter’s strangely outstretched olive branch when he’d gotten a similar if not identical letter from Albus that same year. One thing that never failed to amuse me however was Mrs. Potter; how pathetically plain and slightly pear shaped she was now after years of Quidditch and being a lively youth she finally didn’t match her hard bodied Auror husband.
“ Hey Malfoy, Al said you’d be by today. Scorp-ius-” I winced internally at the pause, Scorpius for whatever reason didn’t mind when this hug giving, sibling providing, surrogate family shortened his name to ‘Scorp’. It was almost as offensive as the one time Astoria had tried out ‘Drake’, “-has been a pleasure, as usual, better manners than any seventeen year old I’ve ever met, including my own.” She barely even looked up as she passed me a plebian style mug of tea, admittedly exactly the way I liked it with a lump of sugar and one lemon slice.
I was going to say something scathing but Albus’ older brother barreled into the room before I had the chance, “ Mum, what spell do you use to get ink out of clothes, none of the ones I’ve tried work. Oh, hey Mister Malfoy,” This child didn’t bother me, it was the other two clone-esque creatures that had my skin crawling at every turn. Contrary to the other two, this one didn’t actually look like one particular parent but a strange genetic blended version of them his mother’s cow eyes and bow lips, his father’s jaw line and a weird sort of auburn hair that stuck up in the traditional Potter cowlick at the back.
They nattered to each other for a bit, I gathered that James had just moved out and was still ironing out the kinks in his life’s schedule, today’s drama: laundry. I finished my tea and wondering what was taking Potter so long when Potter nee. Weasley suggested I go and help motivate Scorpius into getting his two week summer sprawl packed up and moving.
I sneered but smoothly exited the kitchen and climbed the steps to the second floor. I always hated this part of the house, so personal and telling, every door to every bedroom and bathroom was open, belching for the world to see the Potters. I’d first had to come up to pry Scorpius away from Al in their second year, assuring and bribing him many a time that he’d see his small friend again and maybe Al could even visit at the manor.
Now upstairs I could see Potter was dealing with a sobbing daughter and my son was nowhere in sight.
“ Right, sorry Malfoy, just got a bit sidetracked I’ll be right out, they should be in Al’s room.” He looked up looking completely uncomfortable still as his daughter sobbed on his shoulder. I didn’t envy him; tears were mysterious things that girls seemed to know the secret ins and outs of and expected their opposites to take to as well.
I stood before the door marked ‘No Lily Allowed’ for who knew how long just wondering how it all came to this when Potter jostled my shoulder.
“ Are they not opening up?” he asked with a frown on his face, I was about to explain I hadn’t knocked yet but he was already Alohamoraing the lock and swinging the door open. Then it was like I was staring at that picture for the first time again, my gut twisting back on itself as I took in the image that was sure to be burnt into my retinas for all time. Our sons were locked in a passionate embrace, devouring each other’s faces, Scorpius was at least fully clothed while Albus shirt seemed to have been rucked up about his shoulders.
It wasn’t the way Albus’s hands were twined into Scorpius’ fair hair, or even the way Scorpius had Albus’ bottom in some sort of death grip as they ground together that made the entire universe come crashing down, no, it was how completely content and uninhibited they were together, how it felt immediately like we’d barged in on something private and sacred, the little kittenish noises coming from each of them shards of ever piercing shrapnel into my tidy little reality.
But then time had to speed up again and they were alerted to our presence, pulling apart and hastily righting clothing while Potter kept trying to say something anything and my knees felt strangely weak and I leaned against the wall for support. The world was spinning now, and the image of them wouldn’t go away it was like some sort of smudgey darkness had finally been rubbed off my vision and the truth was blinding and breathtaking in it’s brilliance.
“ Father…” Scorpius was in front of me, looking concerned and flushed unsure what to do.
“ It’s okay guys, I think he’s just surprised, I am too. Why don’t you uh, go down to the den and we’ll all…talk about this and I’ll get…your father back in order.” Potter said stiltedly to the two boys while he slipped an arm about my waist pulling me upright and in the direction of the bath.
When we entered I pushed him away and staggered to the counter, breaths coming quickly. He closed the door behind us silencing and locking it as he went. I pulled my gloves off and pressed my hands to my face.
“ Look, I don’t want to give them a hard time about this…I know your family isn’t-“
“ Don’t assume, Potter,” I spat feeling old rivalry surging up my throat, “ I’m not about to go breaking them up or whatever it is you were thinking.” He crossed his arms defensively and scowled at me.
“ Well excuse me for interpreting you fainting in my hallway as shock, and then thinking that perhaps your family wouldn’t be very supportive toward poufs considering my son clearly doesn’t have a set of ovaries to give you any sort of heir to the title or whatever it is you call it.” He really didn’t take to being venomous well. His absurd expression deflated my anger and replaced it with something like remorse.
“ Potter, you of all people should know that the name doesn’t make the man.” I paused wondering how to explain my reaction, “ Looking at the two of them…doesn’t it ever give you the feeling that the universe is giving it another go?” I looked up at him truthfully, willing for him to understand. Fortunately, his features smoothed and he nodded.
“ I wonder all the time if I things had just been a bit different, would we have been like them…I mean not like them…” he started sincerely and got edgier at the end. I laughed for once I didn’t care if Potter saw through me entirely.
“ I’m sure I would have snogged you quite thoroughly long ago and changed your mind.” I shook my head and watched the shock spread over his face.
“ Wait, you’re- but you’re married!” he looked pathetically confused and even more on edge now as he glanced about the tiny water closet.
“ It is possible to be both, Potter,” I drawled lazily but really unwilling to get into that particular conversation with Harry bloody Potter of all people, “ They’re probably waiting for us, what are we going to do?” I was wondering what was going on inside of his Gryffindor thick skull how was he going to deal with this new development.
He ran a hand through his hair, it stayed unchanging “Nothing- well no, no more sleep overs-“ he winced at the thought of what he’d left them to for the past two weeks unsupervised. I did too, “ But they’ll be treated as adults and what they want to do is for them to decide but as long as Al is living in my house he’ll abide by my rules and this is…well it goes along the same lines as no girls in your room,” he babbles when he doesn’t know what he’s doing. Charming.
“ That’ll do Potter, I don’t need your four point parenting plan.” The small barb makes him frown and brings joy to my heart that I can still get under his skin, “ Do I need to have Scorpius carted off to a healer?”
“ Wh- no! What, do you think Albus is capable of imperious or something?” he flushes angrily and I blink slowly reminding myself he’s probably only been with the she-weasel and is relatively inexperienced in all aspects of relations.
“ I meant infections, diseases of sexual nature? Or did you think they’ve been playing exploding snap in there and that was all just a very unfortunately timed dare?” his blush darkens.
“ Right. No, Al’s never been with anyone else, he never had time for other people…he was always off with Scorp…” He frowns seemingly forgetting I’m there and visibly shuddering at the little nickname, “ It was obvious all along wasn’t it?” his eyes are flashing, the emerald fire that his son inherited so exactly. I don’t say anything; I can’t reprimand him for not seeing something that I clearly missed as well.
We stare at each other for a moment before he opens the door and steps into the hall. I gather my gloves and follow closely. The Mrs. meets us at the bottom of the stairs asking Harry what’s going on. I hate the way his arm curls about her hips and how he reassures her naturally that it was nothing to worry about but the boys had a bit of explaining to do. They seem so loving together, so unlike anything I’d ever experienced myself, I want to hold her face down in the mud.
Potter leads the way into the Den where Scorpius looks like he’s been preparing for this grave day; he reminds me of how I looked when I was faced with death or carpentry. Albus on the other hand is barely perched on the sofa beside him, his mouth a hard line of determination and as soon as we’re all together he springs up out of his seat.
“ You can’t do this. You can’t make us stop. It’s not fair, James can date anyone he wants why can’t I?!” Weasley looks perplexed at her son and Potter just lets him have out with it, “ Scorp is my best friend okay? He’s my best friend and I love him. And I don’t care that you and him,” he glares at me, “ Have unresolved sexual tension or whatever. I don’t care if you,” he rounds on me, “ Don’t want me anywhere near him because he’s supposed to go off a boff a girl up the duff and have some bratty little pureblooded bastard children. You can’t keep me away.” He turns back to his parents, tears now glimmering in his eyes, “ And if you can’t deal with that then I’ll leave, tonight, I’ll go and live with Teddy, he doesn’t mind,” he clenches his jaw hard and looks down at where Scorpius hasn’t moved a muscle. He draws in a ragged breath.
“ I love you. I never said because I know you’d get all weird about it like before and go off to try and please your family for whatever reason but that isn’t you. And I know you love me too so don’t try to-“
“ Al.” Scorpius finally looks up something unreadable on his face, “ You should have been in Gryffindor.” He says pulling a smile and accepting Al as he crashes down into the seat beside him half laughing and half sobbing at the odd private little exchange they’d just had. Scorpius unsurely shifts and then wraps his arm about Albus’ shoulders, looking unblinkingly up at me. I resist the urge to twitch or snicker, this is turning into one of those trashy Witch’s Love Cauldron novels that Astoria was constantly reading.
“ Father, this isn’t going to be changing. Al is a part of my life and I’m sorry to disappoint you and the family but…” his steady voice wavers and he glances at his companion a sort of internal conflict visibly warring within him. When he looks back up I can see him pleading with me, have out later his eyes shout don’t make a scene just give Albus some hope and let him down easy.
I raise an eyebrow back at him and wish I hadn’t left my cane at the door, it always makes such an appropriate prop to fondle when speaking, “ If you’d let us voice our own opinions before launching into unjustified tirades you might have just found yourselves pleasantly surprised.” Scorpius brightens but Albus still looks surly and quite blotchy now actually.
“ What’s that supposed to mean?” He sounds petulant and I grit my teeth, what an uncouth child, what did Scorpius see in him? And for that matter Scorpius had better not be sinking to his level when they’re alone, he was raised much better.
“ It means we aren’t mad at you,” Potter conjures up three chairs and we all sit, “ Just completely taken by surprise, though looking back…” the corners of his mouth are turning upward now, oh dreaded affection shows it’s ugly face again. The boys are both blushing brightly now, clearly this was still a budding relationship.
“ How long has this been going on?” at least She-Weasel isn’t as thick as her brother, he’d probably still be wondering what was happening, almost fortunate that he married someone with enough brains for the both of them.
Al shifted awkwardly, “ Mum,” he presses like it’s so very embarrassing for him and we’re just pushing all his buttons for no reason.
“ I think your mother is entitled to know how serious your relationship is considering she’s been kind enough to keep the both of you well fed and with a roof over your heads for the past two weeks while you’ve been duping her into believing platonic was as truthful as Merlin’s white beard.” I would never get along with this child, I was sure of it as he scowled back at me.
“ Not long, just it’s hard to…” Scorpius frowned, “ Put a date on it...it’s been a while in coming."
“ He means I kissed him at Christmas under the mistletoe on a lark but it wasn’t until Easter hols that we got our kit together.” Albus relaxed back into the cushions apparently now that it was clear he had to answer the questions and he wasn’t going to get in loads of trouble or be kicked out of the house he was less volatile, his roaring inner lion had retreated for the moment.
“ A few months then, not as long as I was expecting,” Potter sighed but looked at them both very seriously for a moment. “ You both realize that you won’t be having anymore extended sleepovers, at least not in the same room. We’ll also be asking a lot more uncomfortable questions like if you’re having safe sex and other piddly parent pokings, I’m sure Malfoy’s got his own list of concerns as well. But you understand we’re doing this because we love you, yeah?” he reached out and clasped Albus’ shoulder before looking at Scorpius, “ Both of you,” he smiled and withdrew.
Both boys looked happy and peaceful and assured us they’d not try and hide anything else. That was when the eldest Potter sibling walked in with a bowl full of yoghurt and froze mid step upon seeing our little situation.
“ Oi did Mum finally walk in on your two snogging in the linen closet?” he laughed as they both blushed beet red.
“ You already knew?” Potter looked at James as he crossed the room and headed for the study.
“ Yeah, it was hard for a while not to trip over them groping each other…thought Lily was gonna tell you today s’why she’s been bawling for the past week, old Scorpio here broke her wee heart.” He gestured with his spoon before slipping into the study. Why did people have to butcher his name so? It’s not that hard to pronounce: Scorp-ee-us.
“ Don’t get anything sticky!” Weasley-Potter called out after her spilly-spooned son and getting a grunt in reply.
“ It’s not Scorp’s fault Lily fancies him. He didn’t do anything!” Albus looked far too smug and I frown in a mixture of pride that my son is so desirable and disgust that the Potters were fighting over him like some beloved pet.
“ I’ll go talk to Lily,” the Mrs. Potter slid her be-ringed hand over Potter’s shoulders as she got up and left, leaving me scowling in her waist high denim rustling wake.
“ Girl’s affections are not a product of rhyme or reason, trust me. She’ll get over it,” Potter assured Scorpius who just shifted and nodded.
“ I should finish packing,” he said sensibly and stood, Albus jumping up beside him.
“ Right, I’ll help,” he offered and given Potter and my suspicious looks when we stood as well became less eager, “ We’ll be done in ten minutes, I promise, nothing but packing. You can even barge in again if we take longer, Merlin’s honour.” He crossed his heart before grabbing Scorpius’ hand and dragging him off, stampeding up the stairs.
Potter and I stood staring at each other for a moment before moving as one to the hall and front door where I slipped my hands back into my gloves and took up my cane again, my hand had missed the distraction but my mind was repulsed at the stupid symbol and how much it defined my family.
Soon Albus and Scorpius were pounding back down the steps -Scorpius now in robes instead of his casual attire from before- a trunk following them silently to be shown off as completely packed before being shrunk and tucked into Scorpius’ pocket.
“ Right, I’ll see you later then,” Albus rubbed his hands uncomfortably across his thighs. And Scorpius nodded.
“ Thank you for having me over.” He smiled at Albus and looked to Potter, “If you could tell Mrs. Potter I thank her as well,” Potter nodded and patted him on the shoulder, almost the same height as his own. It hit me then how surreal it all was, the four of us so alike but separated by time.
Then Albus smashed the fragile epiphany of it all by laughing and reeling Scorpius in by the neck and planting a final snog on him. Potter’s uncomfortable eyes met mine over their shoulders and I refused to see the look in his eyes that said should have been.
When they finally parted, Scorpius was a shade of dark pink and I took that as my cue to usher him out of the house before anything else detrimental to his complexion could take place.
We walked down the path in silence, only my cane rhythmically tapping the pavement to distract from our thoughts.
“ Aren’t you going to say anything?” he finally muttered and I smirked there was the Malfoy sprit, alive and well, I was almost beginning to doubt him.
“ There’s nothing to say…is there?” I asked as we turned the corner. He definitely has something else to share.
“ No sir.” He shook his head and I preened for a moment in his hard earned respect before going back to my waiting, his mother played this game as well…
“ Just, don’t tell grandfather alright? I think he might have a heart attack or something.” He gushed at once looking at me with such a worried expression that made me smile at the thought of Father finding out his second attempt at a proper son had turned into a flaming homosexual.
“ No, we wouldn’t want him finding out about this. Now there’s only one matter of Malfoy rep-“
“ I’m not the bottom dad.” He rolled his eyes at me and I laughed and pulled an arm around him as I unsheathed my wand and preparation for apparation.
“ That’s my boy.”