Albus/Scorpius: As Long As I've Got You By My Side

Unexpected Emotions

Soon, it was time for Albus and Scorpius to return home for the summer holidays. Just as they had done the previous year, the two young wizards spent a fair amount of time together during their break from school. It was during this time that Albus began to notice a change in his feelings towards Scorpius. Up until now, he had taken most of the casual touches between them for granted. Things had become a bit different; he was now hyperaware of every brush of Scorpius's skin on his. These newfound feelings were starting to scare him slightly, but something told him that this time, he couldn't confide in Scorpius as he usually would when faced with any problem. He decided to try and ignore it, pretending that things between him and his best friend were just the same as they'd always been.

Fortunately for Albus, Scorpius didn't seem to notice any sort of change in his friend. This, perhaps, had to do with the fact that he was beginning to deal with a similar change in emotions...

=(-)=

"See you on September the first", said Scorpius, giving Albus a big hug.

"I'll be counting the days", whispered Albus, his face turning bright red at the sudden embrace.

As he watched Scorpius sprinkle Floo Powder into the fireplace and then step in himself, Albus felt a strange mix of emptiness and relief. A part of him wanted to follow his friend through the fire, but there was also another, smaller part of him that was almost glad to see him go. The underlying tension that had been present since Scorpius had come to visit was dissipating, replaced by a sense of loneliness. This was both good and bad; Albus couldn't decide which overpowered the other. He resolved to push all thoughts of Scorpius from his mind and focus on the pile of homework that he still had yet to finish.

SSS

September arrived much more quickly than Scorpius had anticipated. As always, he was very excited to see Albus again. This time, however, the excitement was mixed with a sort of anxiety, somehow different from the anxiety with which he had become familiar. He still had anxiety attacks every so often, as well as a general nervous feeling that he carried with him more often than not. This was not the same; it felt like excitement paired with dread. Scorpius pondered his strange pattern of emotions on his way to the King's Cross train station, but was unable to think of a logical way to explain them, except for...

Oh, no.

=(-)=

Scorpius scanned the platform 9 3/4, looking for Albus. Just as he caught sight of Mrs. Potter, a pair of familiar hands came from behind and covered his eyes. A voice could be heard, saying quietly in his ear,

"Guess who?".

"Hmm, I wonder", Scorpius smirked. "It couldn't be... Albus Severus Potter?"

"The very same".

The hands removed themselves from Scorpius's face, and he was met with a pair of bright green eyes, sparkling with happiness. Albus's cheeks reddened as he leaned forward to pull Scorpius into a tight hug. His face was rarely it's natural colour around Scorpius anymore (not that Scorpius had noticed- the poor boy was completely oblivious to his friend's change in feelings towards him).

Scorpius felt his own face heat up as they broke apart, but he acted the same as he always did with Albus.

"Ready to get on the train, then?", he asked.

Albus responded by linking his arm through Scorpius's and practically dragging the other boy towards the Hogwarts Express.

=(-)=

Albus and Scorpius's third year at Hogwarts had gotten off to a fairly good start. It was Lily's first year, and she was sorted into Hufflepuff, much to Albus's disbelief.

"I don't know what I expected, but it certainly wasn't this!", he said to Scorpius as they watched her hop off the stool and make her way over to the Hufflepuff table.

Nevertheless, he cheered for her as loudly as possible, along with the rest of their family members.

"She'll be a good student, I think", said Scorpius, almost to himself.

He smiled fondly at Albus, who was still enthusiastically applauding his sister.

From the Hufflepuff table, Lily saw the way Scorpius was looking at her brother. Wise and observant beyond her eleven years, she knew exactly what was going on. She only hoped that her idiot brother would notice the same things that she did. Watching the way Albus pressed closer to Scorpius on their bench at the Slytherin, she wondered if he already had...

SSS

Soon, the last of summer's lingering warmth dissipated, replaced with frigid gusts and chillier air. Early one particularly cold morning in late October, Scorpius Malfoy could be found in the Slytherin common room. He was trying to wrap the gift he planned to give Albus for his birthday. Unfortunately, it was relatively difficult to wrap a potted plant. After a few more fruitless attempts at magically wrapping Albus's present, Scorpius decided not to bother with wrapping paper. No longer preoccupied, he started to get a bit antsy. It was so tempting to rush back into the dormitory and shake Albus awake, but Scorpius didn't think he'd be too happy to wake up at 6:24 A.M. on a Saturday.

=(-)=

Finally, Scorpius decided that he'd waited long enough- he was going back to the dormitory. Stomach fluttering, he walked up the stairs and through the door. He hid Albus's present behind his back as he made his way over to said boy's bed. Leaning over his Albus's sleeping form, he brought his face close to his friend's and whispered,

"Happy Birthday, Albie".

Albus opened his eyes lazily, peering blearily up at Scorpius. He gave a leisurely grin and reached up to wrap Scorpius in a one-armed hug, free of any inhibitions in his still-half-asleep state.

"And happy it shall be", he murmured. "As long as it involves you".

Scorpius turned pink at these words, and Albus, realising what he'd just said, hastily removed his arm and blushed crimson.

"I- er, I only meant...", he stuttered and trailed off.

Scorpius giggled, his heart leaping with a sudden jubilation.

A happy birthday, indeed.