Unspoken Love

14: FIRST DANCE

     DECEMBER 16th

     It had been 3 days. Scorpius never left his bed except to shower once or twice when Albus managed to coax him into it, and even then he would just stand in the shower, unmoving as he let the water run down on him. Or, to Albus's dismay, he would lay down in the full tub and submerge himself under the water for far too long. Like he wanted to sink down and never come back up again.

     To the protests of Albus, he had also pulled out the frame of the Malfoy family portrait and sat it upright on his bedside table and while lying in bed, which was all minutes of the day, he would stare at his mother through puffy eyes.

"Scorpius, you're only torturing yourself." Albus would say.

"You don't know what I need or don't need." Scorpius would snap back before pulling the blankets over his head.

     His comments didn't exactly hurt Albus's feelings, he knew Scorpius just wanted to be left alone, so for most of the day he would wander about the manor or sit in the library while periodically checking on Scorpius, who would be sleeping most of the time. Albus just wished he knew how to make Scorpius feel better. All he could do was be there.

     Draco didn't come upstairs that much, he didn't know what to do or what to say. He brought Scorpius food, but he hardly ate it, he tried telling himself it was just his rubbish cooking.

     Scorpius cried, they knew he did because his eyes were in a constant state of redness all the time, but it was soft crying, they didn't really know when he was doing it because silent tears would just roll down his face until he staunched them into his pillow and wiped them away or eventually fell asleep. He slept a lot. Albus wondered if he was tired of sleeping, but he couldn't get Scorpius out of bed so he figured he wasn't.

     It was nighttime at the manor, Scorpius had been asleep since the afternoon, or rather slipping in and out of consciousness while Albus read quietly next to him. At around 10p.m. Albus figured Scorpius would wake up soon so he got up, tip-toed across his bedroom and wandered downstairs.

"Just getting a bit of water so he'll have some when he wakes up." Albus said as he entered the kitchen, to see Draco sitting at the large island. He was evidently doing ministry work as folders were splayed in front of him, documents and things..but he didn't really seem to be focused. His quill was still sitting in the ink untouched and the papers were unmarked.

"Good thinking." Draco muttered, scratching at a spot in the marble countertop, he hesitated before continuing, "Do you know who gave him the Alihotsy?"

"I.." Albus trailed off, "I don't know. He went outside for some fresh air and came back with it. I don't know who went outside with him," Albus lied. It had to be Teddy, but he was sure Teddy never meant for this to happen and Draco would go positively ballistic if he knew. Draco just nodded and looked back down at the counter. It didn't really seem like it mattered to him anymore. Not compared to the shadow lying upstairs.

"Coffee?" Albus asked, switching on the coffee maker that was by the sink.

"Thanks...do I look that tired?" Draco asked, looking up. Albus narrowed his eyes to study him. He did. His hair was slightly disheveled, a sight that Albus had never quite seen before except for when Draco went to the hospital wing after Scorpius's fight. He supposed this unraveling of Draco's vanity was always caused by Scorpius in peril. Draco was wearing comfortable trousers and a dark green sweater, which was also unusual because he normally strutted around in a black suit, even in the manor. Albus eyed Draco's slight dark circles and turned to pour the hot coffee.