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“Potter! What are you doing here?”
Al recognized the voice from where he sat on the bottom stair and didn’t want to look up. But he did. And what he saw was Scorpius Malfoy descending the stairs. Not wanting a confrontation. Al hung his head, resting his chin in his hands, bent elbows resting on his knees. “Go away, Malfoy.”
“I—”
He lifted his head again. “I don’t want to hear it. Stay away from my family right now and stay the hell away from me. I don’t need you right now.” His voice wavered on that last bit, however, and he had to swallow to keep his fluttering stomach in check.
It wasn’t right to feel like this right now. His mum was dying and they might not get home in time to say goodbye to her. It was not an appropriate time to secretly have the hots for the son of his father’s school rival.
“Not sure you heard me. What are you doing here?”
With a deep breath in and out under his belt, Al blurted out, “I’m going home for a few days because my mum’s dying, all right!”
Scorpius sat down on the bottom stair as well. The stairs were irregularly carved and smooth from years of foot traffic, and Albus felt like sliding right off them into a puddle of misery, but he felt some strange pull to stay there, close to Malfoy. “No, I mean, what are you doing sitting here when the rest of your family’s at the station already?”
Al turned his head and looked at him then, because he just couldn’t hold back any longer, a flood of tears burst forth.
“Oh…” Scorpius pulled back, clearly surprised at the suddenness. “Oh. No. Don’t do that.” Al couldn’t help it. Tears spilled freely from his eyes, his voice hitching with uneven, uncontrollable breaths. “C’mon, Al. Stop…” trailing off, Scorpius leaned over and pressed his lips to Albus’.
The tears stopped immediately as shock hit in full force. Arousal snuck in around that as well, and Al found himself leaning over, encouraging the kiss, breathing heavily through his nose as the kiss helped him regain control. When Scorpius pulled back, the boy nodded. “That’s better.”
“What the hell was that?”
A shrug. “It worked, didn’t it?”
Al nodded.
“And you didn’t completely hate it, did you?”
Al shook his head. “I didn’t… hate it at all,” he said with a little smile.
Scorpius returned the smile. “Much better. Look, I know this situation is crap, but you got twelve great years with your mum. That’s more than some people get. Don’t go ruining that now.”
Al sniffed, staring at Scorpius. He hadn’t expected the kiss, naturally. But he really hadn’t expected this talk.
“It’s gonna be sad. But don’t let that cloud your last memories of her. And when she sees you for the last time, don’t let it be with tears running down your face. They make you look pretty cute…” Scorpius pulled out a handkerchief, neatly folded and perfectly pressed. He wiped Al’s cheeks. “But you look even better without them.”
Al nodded, swallowed, and suddenly found himself with Scorpius’ monogrammed handkerchief pressed into his palm. His fingers closed around it tightly, squeezing his nervousness away.
“There will be time for plenty of tears afterward and you’ll have your family to help you. But right now you have to be brave and strong and show her you’ll be all right. Show her that her love is what you’ll remember, not her death.”
Al wasn’t so sure he could do that. He felt the tears welling up behind his eyes. He looked up at the entry hall ceiling high above, eyes wide. And suddenly Scorpius’ mouth was there again, with an even stronger kiss.
And when Scorpius pulled back, his pale, pointed face was wet with Al’s spilled tears. He didn’t ask for his hanky back, just wiped them off with his sleeve. Then he stood and picked up the handle of Al’s suitcase. “You need to be with your family. I’ll see you as far as the carriages. It won’t do your family any good to see me on the platform, and I’d rather kiss you goodbye in private anyway.”
Al sat there for a minute. Then he slowly smiled, licked his lips. “I think you’re the brave one today. You should’ve been in Gryffindor.”
Scorpius pulled a face, wrinkling up his nose. “No way. I’m a Slytherin through and through. I’ll do anything to get what I want.” He reached out, wanting Al’s hand.
Al took it and squeezed, his other hand still clutching the hanky, folding it so that the green SM initials were hidden for now.