Skinny Love [SCORBUS] ; hp next generation

Chapter Eight

Albus's pov

Back at Hogwarts, things weren't super awkward anymore. Albus and Scorpius both kind of pretended that Christmas break just never happened. Albus did remember to give Scorpius his present, but Scorpius hadn't really said anything about it though, because the train ride back to Hogwarts was tense. They both couldn't stop thinking about what happened at The Burrow. Albus, about how Scorpius would never want to kiss him, and Scorpius, about how he hurt Albus. But that was the end of it, when they stepped off of the train, it disapated. A few months had passed since then. And the end of the year was nearing.

Albus still wasn't over what happened though, it pained him. Every time Scorpius looked at Rose, he felt anger rise within him, and sadness. Scorpius hadn't seemed to be his normal self either, his usual peppiness had been replaced by heavy eyes and fake smiles. But he was better now, as time moved on. Albus suspected he hadn't been getting enough sleep, as he often heard the boy up at night, restless. Albus wasn't sure why, though.

They were in the library, studying for the O.W.L exams at Scorpius's request. Albus, however, wasn't studying much. His eyes were skimming over the words, not picking up much. He found it increasingly hard to concentrate with Scorpius sitting next to him. Scorpius, frustratedly ran a hand through his hair, and Albus wondered what it would feel like to do it himself.

Then he noticed Scorpius's bottom lip, trapped in between his teeth, and couldn't help but take note on how attractive that was. Hot, even. Scorpius must have felt Albus staring, because he looked up at Albus and quirked an eyebrow.

Albus's neck flushed up to his cheeks and he tore his gaze away.

"Are you okay Al?" Scorpius questioned.

Albus nodded, too quickly. "Y-yeah, yeah I'm fine. Just have trouble studying, my head hurts a bit." Albus lied.

Scorpius leaned forward and put his hand on Albus's forehead. "Well, you are hot." He said, and his eyes widened. "I-I mean temperature wise! Not physically wise! B-but I mean you aren't doing too terrible in that category either...I-I oh why is this happening to me." Scorpius withdrew his arm and put his head in his hands, embarrassed. "I'm sorry!" He whispered.

Albus couldn't keep the smile off of his face. Did Scorpius call him hot? Did Scorpius find him hot? Now Albus leaned forward, and pulled Scorpius's hands away from his face, taking them in his own. "It's okay Scorp." He said, still smiling, and eyes almost twinkling.

Scorpius hesitantly lifted his eyes up to Albus's, and when he found him smiling at him, Scorpius allowed himself to smile back. "I-I'm just so...awkward I don't know!" Scorpius exclaimed. When his eyes dropped down to his hands in Albus's, the color returned to his face.

Albus rubbed his thumb over Scorpius's knuckles. "Well, if it means anything, you aren't doing too bad in the hot category either." He said smiling, wondering where his newfound confidence came from. He noticed that when he's around Scorpius, smiling seems to come easier to him.

Scorpius looked away, and for a second Albus thought he had said something wrong. But when he looked back, Albus realized that Scorpius was trying to suppress his smile. Scorpius pulled his hands back up to hide his face, though Albus was still holding on to his hands.

"Oh Albus, the things you do to me!" Scorpius exclaimed, and giggled.

Albus smile grew even bigger, and he really didn't think that was possible for him, but he supposed it was when Scorpius was around.

Suddenly, Scorpius let go of Albus's hands and leaned forward, pulling him into a hug. It took Albus by surprise, but nonetheless, he wrapped his arms around the kind boy in return.

"Oh right, we do this now. I like it. I think we should do this more often." Albus nervously rambled.

He felt Scorpius smile, and burry his face into the crook of Albus's neck.

"Thank you for being my friend Albus. My very very best friend! I would be so lost without you. " Scorpius told him, honestly.

Albus hugged Scorpius tighter. Albus couldn't say what he wanted to say, sometimes I think I'm in love with you. Because he knew that no matter how much Scorpius seemed like he felt the same sometimes, he didn't. Rose proved that, and Christmas proved that.

So instead, he said "I love being your best friend, Scorp."

"Love! Yes!" Scorpius exclaimed. He pulled back, and took one of Albus's hands. "I, I love you Albus Severus. You're so...Albus-y. Very much. I love it. I love that about you." Scorpius giggled.

Albus's eyes widened. He forced himself to stay calm, because he didn't know how Scorpius meant it.

"And I, love you too Scorpius Hyperion. Because you are very...Scorpius-y." He said, borrowing Scorpius's adjective, and laughed. Scorpius smiled along with him, and Albus felt his heart grow bigger.

They both knew that this was the part when they should have added, as a friend, of course. I love you as a friend. But they didn't. And Albus, well, he was alright with that.