Found In the Past

4

Albus POV:

When I finally find Scorpius after the horrific dance lesson, he looks like he's seen a ghost or something. Maybe Nearly Headless Nick did that gory trick with his neck again... I walk up to him, but he doesn't seem to notice which is odd.

"Hey," I repeat, "How's space?"

"How's what?" Scorpius blinks rapidly as if coming back his sense.

"It's like a muggle term. Staring off into space or something. I'll explain later," I shrug and he nods absently, still looking out of it. "Did something happen?" I ask hesitantly.

"Actually yeah," a small smile stretched across his lips, "Rose talked to me of her own free will!" He informs me excitedly. I take a step back, surprised.

"Wow. Did she not completely reject you this time?" I ask with a small laugh as my heart unexplainably twists.

"It's even better than that! She's asked me to go to Hogsmeade with her," Scorpius corrects me with a grin. His smile still is wide, but his eyes are kind of glazed. It's like he hasn't quite decided how to feel, which is odd considering how long he's been pining after my cousin.

The sides of my mouth twitch down for a second as I try to collect myself. I feel really unsettled, but ultimately decide that the root of my confusion lies in my best friend going out with my cousin. That's a lot to get used to and my protective instinct is going haywire. Scorp's my only friend, and Rose is my only slightly-bearable cousin.

"The second step to our marriage is complete!" Scorp laughs, trying to clear the air of the awkwardness that's fallen over us. I nod stiffly and notice the light instantly dies in his eyes. You knew he's loved her for years, I remind myself, wringing my hands behind my back where he can't see. So why does it hurt so much now that she's started to return his feelings?

"Where will you go in Hogsmeade?" I ask him with a smile, though my heart isn't into it. I swear I see Scorpius' face fall at my reaction.

"I dunno. She asked me" he admits sheepishly, looking away.

That was my own fault, I scold myself. You pushed him to dance with Rose. I literally pushed him. Yet, just as the waltz started, I'd felt a wave of nausea. It felt wrong just standing there all by myself. Scorpius has been my only friend for years, sometimes being the only person I talk to for weeks on end. Without him besides me, laughing at my jokes, begging me to study, even just being there through everything... it felt so wrong. I need him.

"Al? Is something the matter?" Scorpius places a hand on my shoulder and I look up to see his eyes layered with even more confusion.

"I'm exhausted, actually. I need some rest. See you!" I pull away and hurry out the door before he can follow me.

*****

The first day at Hogwarts. My hands shook as the hat flopped onto my head, contemplating. I started to sweat nervously, fears of not being a Gryffindor running through my brain. The ancient, talking hat was taking longer for me than anyone else.

"SLYTHERIN!" The hat suddenly called out for the room to hear. The hall fell silent. There was no clapping like there had been for anyone else. I place the hat back, barely able to move. Then, to break the crushing silence, one pair of hands started applauding. I glanced up to meet the grey eyes of my now-fellow-Slytherin who I'd sat with on the train. Scorpius Malfoy.

*****

"Wait!!" I hear Scorpius behind me, trying to catch up. Picking up my pace, I enter a chamber and start to run up the moving staircase. I don't know where they're taking me, but I just have to avoid my friend and these feelings I really need to sort out.

*****

"Al?" I heard my former friend question. My father's hand on my shoulder tensed and I looked up to see his stern gaze.

"Goodbye, Malfoy," I told Scorpius, voice cracking to match my heart. I had never called him Malfoy before then. Ever. Hopefully he realized that I was trying to tell him that wasn't me... The staircase moved then, completely separating us for the first time in years. I saw his grey eyes cloud over with pain and turned away, unable to bear the agony of it all.

*****

The staircase stops moving and I race into another corridor. The memories are hitting me randomly but there are some things I really don't want to remember.

*****

"We missed?" I asked my friend, shocked. I had watched the spell hit Cedric directly, but something happened and he was now fine. We must have transported back into our own time line since the tournament was no longer commencing around us.

"Yes! Yes and it's amazing!!" Scorp suddenly hugged me tightly, and I wrapped my arms around him instinctively. We stayed there for a minute, underwater and together. For a brief, beautiful minute I forgot that we were only friends.

*****

I find myself panting at the entrance to the huge Hogwart's Library, unable to run further. There are no footsteps behind me, so I must have lost Scorpius. I push the doors open and enter silently into the rows of books he has spent so much time in. I sink to my knees once I'm out of view of the other students. Maybe I'll study later, but for now, I just need space and time.

*****

The music came on and I watched as the boy I liked started dancing with a beautiful girl. They moved in perfect harmony, each step they took imprinting onto my heart. I couldn't stop watching the son of my father's rival. I was drawn to that soft, platinum-blonde hair, that tiny spark in the middle of his stormy eyes, and that oh-so-brilliant smile. The same smile he was giving to Rose right now.

For a split second, he looked back at me, and I tried to give him a supportive smile. A feeling settled over my heart, black and twisting. Disappointment. Bitterness. Hurt. Of course my cousin would win over my only friend. Of course he would have fallen for her unique, flaming-red hair. The way her chin jutted out like she always knew best. The way her blue eyes stared right into your soul. Why wouldn't he? Why would he ever look at me the way he looked at her?

*****

I don't realize I fell asleep until I wake up in the library and check the ivory black clock that's on the wall next to me. It's 3:00 AM. I groan and pick myself out of the books about Quidditch I was reading. I make my way back to the Slytherin common room, careful to avoid anyone since it's long past curfew. "Pure-blood," I mutter the awful password quickly to open the entrance.

"Why are you up?" The portrait asks me. I put a finger to my lips and ignore its grumblings as I walk through. I climb up the staircase that's laced with green and finally make my way to my dorm room. The light is on, even though Scorp is asleep. He must have been waiting for me. I cast a smile down onto his peaceful form and climb into bed.

"I hope your date goes well," I whisper to the darkness. "You deserve it to."