Scorbus: Cute Moments

Hogsmeade.

~ AUTHOR'S POV ~

The Christmas spirit was started to infect Hogwarts and everyone was getting ready for the break and going home to see their families. The smell of fresh-baked cookies wafted through the halls as students trudged to finish up the last of their exams. Albus Potter was now in his 5th year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he had gained muscle and grown a lot since his first year, thanks to being on the quidditch team. His brunette hair was unkept and his face was splattered in an array of freckles, like the constellations he was currently taking a test on. He was trying to think about the constellation Orion's Belt, but he couldn't focus on his paper because someone was staring at him. Scorpius Malfoy. His best friend. He was trying to hide it but Albus could see him sneaking glances from across the classroom and blushing and grinning whenever Albus would look back at him. The two had been inseparable since first year, it started with sneaking off at night to talk for hours about everything , to both of them not being able to stop thinking about the other.

But they were only friend of course, as they both insisted to each other and to themselves multiple times a day. Friends, nothing more. Friends, right?

Before they could realize the class was over and they were rushing down the halls for Lunch.
"Albus," Scorpius was speaking to his friend as they made there way to the Great Hall, "I was wondering if tomorrow you wanted to go to Hogsmeade, yeah? You got the form turned in right?"
"Of course I did and of course I would love to go, but you have to promise me you'll buy me a butterbeer." Albus turned to Scorpius and winked.
Scorpius reached up and ran his hands through his hair, with Albus trying to not seem phased.
He looks so good when he does that. Albus thought to himself.
"Right, I'll buy you a butterbeer Al," his hand fell from his hair and suddenly brushed against Albus's. Electricity formed at the touch, and it happened again. And again. Neither boy acknowledged the delicate traces on each other's fingers until they reached the great hall, and Albus's freckles were vibrant against his red face.

~

A soft blanket of snow covered Hogsmeade when they arrived, and the town looked as picturesque as ever.
"I need a butterbeer, now." Albus stated, gazing at the beauty.
"Lets get on with it then!" Scorpius responded, linking his arm playfully with Albus and then set down the street until they reached The Three Broomsticks. The cute bar was framed in soft, pearly snow and Albus's face lit up when he saw the familiar building. Scorpius glanced over at him and smirked his crooked smile, as one of his favorite things about Albus was his ability to get excited about the simplest things- as if every corner and crook of their world at Hogwarts was special in some way. Even just the three broomsticks.
        They walked through the doors and sat down at a table for two, but both of them sat in the bench portion so their legs could touch and their hands brush when they reached for their butterbeer.
"Are you excited for Christmas?" Albus asked Scorpius, smiling and swinging his legs under the table- secretly hoping to accidentally hit Scorpius's leg.
"Yeah, Im excited as always but I'm of course going to miss Hogwarts-" and you, he thought finishing his sentence in his head.
"Yeah.. you'll be sure to write to me, right?" Albus said, with a little nervousness in his voice. He was always insecure that once Scorpius got home to his fancy family he would forget about him. There was always a nagging on Albus's self confidence that he wasn't good enough for his perfect, blonde haired friend. He took a large sip of his butterbeer to try and hide his psyche.
But, like reading his mind, Scorpius knew what was going on in this conversation. "Of course I'll write to you." He proudly stated, grabbing Albus's fingers softly and squeezing them.
For a moment, both the boys locked eye contact, their hands pieced together, and their legs gently found each other beneath the table. It seemed like everything in The Three Broomsticks froze in time at this simple touch from Scorpius.
Albus noticed he had a little bit of depth on the corner of his lip. His mind wandered into a chasm and he thought what it would be like to kiss it off.
Instead, and probably more logically, he reached up, broke the touch, and wiped it off ever so gently- as if not trying to disrupt the order of the universe.
But it was too late, the bond was broken, and Scorpius blushed against his pale face, they both mumbled something or other about just being friends, and mentioned they should walk down Albus's favorite part of Hogsmeade together.

-

They strolled past cookie cutter shops and adorable restaurants decorated in colours and pastel charms unique to hogsmeade. Albus's face lit up through it all as he pointed out uniquely cut stucco's and overhangings that framed the street perfectly.
What a nerd, Scorpius thought jokingly. In truth he loved listening to Albus rant about every small detail he enjoyed seeing at Hogsmeade.
They suddenly went past the store that seemed to wrap a tendril around Albus's fingers and lure him just with it's decorated windows.
Artie's Art Supplies and other Wizardly Patron Goods
The art store. Where everything from brushes to canvases to community paintings commissioned for the store, it always captured Albus's attention. He was a nerd for art.
"Let's just go in, why don't we!" Scorpius said on a whim. He usually forced his friend to skip it, for he could be forced to spend hours and hours in there and then Albus would leave with no galleons, but he thought why not.
Albus's face lit up and Scorpius almost died on the spot.
God he was so cute.
God I am in it so deep.
Just friends?
And so, Albus grabbed Scorpius and they escaped the street of Hogsmeade into their own little fantasy world.
Browsing sections of paints and supplies for hours, talking and talking as if nothing in the world matterd. Listening to Albus go on about everything they saw, and not caring when the sun hung low in the sky and snow came down in soft tendrils.
"I want to paint Hogsmeade." Albus said matter of factly. "Especially when it snows. It's so nice, isn't it?"
Scorpius ran his hand through his hair nervously and picked at his nails, trying to avoid looking at Albus.
"Yeah, mate it's really beautiful." He was looking but Albus wasn't paying attention as his mind wandered to Hogsmeade and paints and everything. Then he noticed.
Scorpius was mentally trying to memorize every aspect of Albus's profile. The way his nose curved and his freckles, his green eyes and perfect eyelashes reaching towards the heavens.
"What are you looking at.. dork." Albus said. He moved closer to Scorpius.
"Nothing. Nothing at all... just you... look like your dad." Scorpius mumbled, still looking.
I should try painting, he thought, because I want to encapsulate his face in time forever.
And maybe it was the atmosphere Hogsmeade produced or maybe it was the butterbeer or maybe the constellations on Albus's face but Scorpius could not stand suspended in time forever and he reached out to Albus.
He gently but firmly grabbed Albus around the waist and pulled him close, leaning against him and planting a kiss on his lips. They were soft, like a rose petal, and Albus kissed back.
The Colour Changing Paints stood around them like a cheering audience as they engaged in a deep and playful kiss, pulling each other close and running hands through each other's hair.
It was a good day in Hogsmeade.