Gift for the comm
Author:cryptaviscus
Title: Now That's What I Call Initiative
Pairing(s): Albus/Scorpius
Summary: Albus Potter is a clumsy, confused student who likes to start-up clubs. Scorpius Malfoy likes joining them. Will Al figure it out for himself?
Rating: G
Warning(s): None
Word Count: 2,500+
Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters herein are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No copyright infringement is intended.
Author's Notes: My gift for the watchers and the comm J
It was dangerously close to midnight and Albus still hadn't turned in his twenty-foot essay for Charms. He ran unabashedly through the abandoned halls, his arms flailing and knees jerky. So he wasn't the most graceful athlete in Hogwarts, at least his older brother James wasn't around to laugh at him. Albus turned a corner and tripped on his robe. He got up and resumed his mad dash to Gryffindor Tower. Scrubbing cauldrons down at the dungeons had taken longer than he expected. He cursed at Parkinson for picking a fight with him then sabotaging his potion. It exploded right in the middle of Professor Billon's lecture. Not only did he get his first failing grade in Potions, but he also had to stay behind and clean out the dirty cauldrons the Firsties used.
Albus was glad he had his cousin Hugo help him with his assignment. Now, all he had to do was get it from his room, sprint to Professor Dole's office and hand it in. He wheezed and coughed, forcing air into his lungs. The Portrait was still two floors up and a few corridors over. Albus had to slow down to get his breath back. He didn't stop though, instead he did a sort of fast-walk, legs striding as far as they'd go. Finally, he got in front of the Fat Lady and, after waking her up, entered his common room.
Not a lot of people were around this late but he spotted some of his dorm mates snoring in front of the fireplace. Groaning, he approached the closest one and shook him awake.
"Please tell me you guys just passed out in the common room because you were too lazy to go to bed and not because Chauncey has company."
"Mhm? Chaunce - compa -," his roommate yawned. "-ny." He shuffled back to sleep.
Albus anxiously bounced in the balls of his feet. "I'll be quick," he muttered to himself.
Walking up the stairs to his own dormitory never seemed so scary before. Granted, he never thought he'd intentionally break the "company" law before either. He reasoned that this was an emergency and that he'd semi-close his eyes and erase any memory of the incident later. He'd just go in, snatch the parchment he knew was on his bed and race out of there. Chauncey would understand.
Albus crept up to the door and eyed the Gryffindor tie looped loosely around the doorknob. He pressed his ear to the door. 'Oh, thank god there's no noise,' he thought. 'Now if only there isn't a silencing charm that would be rendered useless if I went in.'
He pushed the door open slowly as to decrease the likelihood of it creaking. As a rule, no one locked the door. Two weeks into their first year, Robert Tinker hit his head on the bedpost after tripping over his own trousers. He was dressing up and, being the bashful eleven year old that he was, had locked the door. Two second years were passing by when they heard the loud crash. They couldn't open the door and ran to get someone. It took a while because none of the older students were around. When they finally got the door open, Robby barely had a pulse and blood was spreading on the floor. He recovered from his ordeal but since then, no one in their dorm locked their door.
The lights were switched off and all the beds were empty. All, except Al's. The curtains around his bed were drawn. He had a bad feeling about that. Albus walked slowly towards it and took a deep breath. He warily pulled one side of the curtain open. With his other hand, Al took hold of his wand and whispered, "Lumos".
Pale light danced around the two bodies sleeping on his bed. Chauncey was a tall chunk of muscle draped over porcelain skin. Albus' bedcovers barely concealed their entwined bodies. Blond hair was splashed against his maroon pillows and he had to do a double take to identify the mystery guest. It was Scorpius Malfoy, Captain of the Slytherin Quidditch Team and, apparently, Chauncey's new boyfriend. Albus didn't even know Scor swung that way. When he tilted his head in wonder, he saw a bit of parchment sticking out below Scorpius' ribs.
Al repressed the thought that his essay was now ‘tainted’ and concentrated on just submitting the damn thing. Careful to avoid touching any skin, he tried to wriggle his homework free. But there was absolutely no way of getting the parchment out without it either tearing or waking up the snoozing couple. The fact was proven when one grey eye opened.
"Al?"
"Hey, Scor," he croaked out.
"Watcha' doing?"
"Uhm, trying to get my homework?"
Scorpius smiled weakly and pushed the burly Gryffindor off of him. He then gracefully arched his back, lifting himself partially off the bed. Albus swallowed thickly and snatched at his essay.
"Thanks," he said, averting his eyes and trying not to look at his naked friend. Scorpius wasn't one of his closest friends but they talked once and a while. He was in some of Albus' clubs with him and they both took Arithmancy. In his book, that warranted enough respect not to ogle each other's bare body parts. "I better go and - Professor Dole said until midnight - I didn't know you'd - nevermind."
He was babbling again as he often did when he was uncomfortable. After six years together it was no longer a secret that Chauncey liked to sleep around, but seeing it up close and with someone he actually knew wasn't a fun experience. Add that to Al's own confused libido and well -
"Is everything alright?" Scorpius asked.
"Yeah," Al replied with a weak smile. "Just - uh - Why are you on my bed?"
"Oh!" Scorpius exclaimed. A look of realization crossed his face as he scanned his surroundings. He stretched out, his arms high over his head and lean muscles taut. "Comfy."
Albus felt a blush coming on so he began turning around. A hand grabbed at the edge of his robe.
"Goodnight," Scorpius called out.
"'Night," Al replied. He left quickly after that, his mind half on his friend half on his assignment.
***
Christmas Hols was a busy time for Albus. He had to coordinate the post-vacation activities of all his clubs, oversee the applications of the aspiring members and begin planning for the end of the year celebrations. That was why he had his head in the fireplace speaking with the Vice President of the Hogwarts Book Club while a number of owls hooted behind him.
"Albus Potter!" his mother called out. "Get you head out of the fireplace right now and get ready for Teddy's wedding."
"See you at the wedding, Scor," Albus finished. The flames whooshed and died. He got up and faced Ginny's reproachful expression.
"You haven't even taken a shower yet? And why are all these owls here?"
"Club stuff mum," he explained.
"Go on," she said making shooing gestures at the owls. "Get yourself cleaned up and put on your dress robes. Then go see if your brother and sister are ready."
Albus rolled his eyes and made his way upstairs. He scrunched up his nose at the idea of wearing formal robes. When he passed by his parents' room, he saw his dad with the same expression on his face. The elder Potter was facing a full length mirror and twisted this way and that.
"Hey, dad!" Albus called, coming into the room and plopping down on the bed.
"Albus," Harry said, staring at his son through the mirror. "Take a shower, now. Your mum will have a fit if she sees you not dressed."
"What's wrong with your collar?" Al asked, changing the subject. His dad was fussing with the stiff high collar, bending it out of shape.
"Honestly, son," he sighed. "I think I'm what's wrong with the collar."
Everyone was making a fuss and bringing out their best robes for the wedding. Not only because it was a sacred ceremony for any wizard or witch but also because it was being held at Malfoy Manor. Draco Malfoy had insisted that the Lupin-Weasley nuptials be held at his home. It was only natural since Teddy was his nephew and, it wasn't mentioned but understood, because Victoire was Bill Weasley's daughter. Let it not be said that a Malfoy didn't repay old debts.
The ballroom was pristine and the ceremony itself long and chock-full of ancient rites. Albus was bored and fidgeting in his seat. He still had to pre-order the new muggle CPR dummies for his First Aid Training Guild, organize the teams for The Alternative Sports Society and call Bettina to make sure she goes over their budget for the Culinary Festival. Letting his eyes and thoughts wander, he saw Scorpius Malfoy sitting a few rows over. They haven't talked since their brief meeting that morning where they discussed the Pros and Cons of asking the Head Librarian to hold a lecture for the book club. As Al stared at the blond's shoulders and how they filled out his charcoal grey robes perfectly, the images of his naked body flashed through his mind. He felt his cheeks heat up. Scorpius turned and caught his gaze. The heat spread down from his neck all the way to the pit of his stomach. Al nervously rubbed the back of his neck. Scorpius grinned and motioned with his head that they sneak out. The Gryffindor shook his head. Al couldn't do it, his mum would have his head.
Scorpius stood up slowly and walked to the side. No one seemed to notice him move. His grey robes hardly rustled as he made his way outside. Albus thought hard. He needed a distraction or some kind of excuse. This needed subtlety and cunning. He stood up and whispered to James who was sitting to his left, "Toilet."
Shuffling past a few more people, Albus finally reached the end. He hoped those soft things he stepped on were just anomalies in the carpet and not feet. Al looked around the spacious hall but couldn't spot Scor anywhere. A hand grabbed him by the elbow and spun him around. But because Al had always been a clumsy boy and the person who grabbed him was strong, he tripped and hit his forehead on the other's.
"That's going to leave a mark," Al mumbled, rubbing his forehead.
Scorpius let out a guffaw. He then pulled on Albus' elbow again and lead him to a grand staircase.
"Hey," Al said. "Where are we going?"
"My room," Scor replied. "I wanna show you something."
Their footsteps echoed in the empty manor. Al thought it odd that a house would be quiet. Back at home, there was no end to the noise. If his siblings weren't making a racket, it would be the muggle appliances or the owls or the paintings. Here, it was like a tomb, a very large and opulent tomb.
They finally made it to Scorpius' room after so many twists and turns Al was sure he wouldn't be able to get back alone. He expected his friend's room to be immaculate and so wasn't prepared for the replica of their messy attic in Malfoy Manor. It wasn't dirty, though. The room just had so much stuff. Drawers were overflowing, shelves were filled to capacity and the bed looked more like an extra storage space than a place to sleep. He could hardly see the hardwood floors with all the books, clothes, trinkets, and other magical paraphernalia about. Looking around, Al saw so many potential places where he could stumble and embarrass himself.
Scorpius deftly navigated through the sea of debris and gestured dramatically at something. "It's my brand new telescope," the blond said excitedly. "Father bought it for me last weekend. Neat, huh."
"I didn't know you were into Astronomy," Al said. He gazed longingly at the telescope, black with the word “Celestron” printed in gold. It was sleek and probably had all the necessary spells installed.
"Yeah, I'm part of F.I.T.S."
Albus tried to recall all the members of his Astronomy club, Fireballs In The Sky. He may have seen Scorpius there once or twice, but since they all usually met at night he couldn't be sure.
"Too bad it isn't nighttime," Scor continued. "It works like a dream. You can come visit anytime and I'd let you try it out. Providing it's dark out, of course." Then, he smiled a sly smile.
Al did a double take. Was it just his imagination or did that smile look seductive?
"I-I better head back," he stammered. "Not that weddings terribly amuse me, but you know, parents." He turned and walked out into a long corridor. Albus looked left, then looked right. After his moment of confusion, he poked his head back into the room.
"Shall I walk you back?" Scorpius asked, sounding amused. Al blushed and nodded.
***
Everything was going wrong and Albus was close to tearing his own hair out. Two of his clubs were feuding with each other. The Ambassadors for House Unity wanted to have a live debate with The Alternative Sports Society to discuss the pitfalls of competition between houses. To which ASS replied with the we're-just-playing-sports-you-all-need-to-Vanish-those-sticks-up-your-arses speech. As the founder of both, each wanted him on their side.
Al buried his head in his hands and groaned. He was in the unusually empty common room. The fire burned low and the silence soothed him. A voice behind him asked, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," he replied. "Only, I can't slice myself into two persons. AHU wants me to be reasonable while ASS wants me to lighten up."
"Okay?"
Scorpius sat down beside him. "If it makes you feel any better, I just broke up with Chauncey."
Al lifted his head and blinked up at Scor. "Why would that make me feel better?" Only, butterflies began flapping around in his stomach and he wanted to barf, just a little.
A fleeting look of hurt flached in Scorpius' eyes before he replied, "Well, I don't have a social life now. I could talk to them for you."
When Al continued to stare, baffled, at him, he explained. "I am the Treasurer of The Ambassadors for House Unity and the Activities Coordinator for The Alternative Sports Society."
"You don't like Alternative Sports," Albus said matter-of-factly. "You like Quidditch. You opposed the initial proposals."
"Well, I don't believe in House Unity," Scorpius sighed. "And I don't like to read or look at stars."
Albus still wasn't following. Why were they sitting in the semi-dark talking about things Scorpius didn't like but apparently wanted to join clubs for?
"You don't get it, do you?" Scorpius asked. He knelt down in front of Al to make sure he had his full attention. "I never liked Chauncey. But I still went out with him and I still joined all those stupid clubs."
"Hey! Those are my stupid clubs, thank-you-very-much."
"Exactly," Scor stated.
"I still don't follow."
The blond shuffled closer, cupping Albus' cheeks. "What do all those clubs and Chauncey have in common?"
A small spark ignited in Al's brain. "Me?" He asked, hopefully.
Scorpius closed the distance between them and lightly kissed him. Without moving back, he murmured against his lips, "You."
Title: Now That's What I Call Initiative
Pairing(s): Albus/Scorpius
Summary: Albus Potter is a clumsy, confused student who likes to start-up clubs. Scorpius Malfoy likes joining them. Will Al figure it out for himself?
Rating: G
Warning(s): None
Word Count: 2,500+
Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters herein are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No copyright infringement is intended.
Author's Notes: My gift for the watchers and the comm J
It was dangerously close to midnight and Albus still hadn't turned in his twenty-foot essay for Charms. He ran unabashedly through the abandoned halls, his arms flailing and knees jerky. So he wasn't the most graceful athlete in Hogwarts, at least his older brother James wasn't around to laugh at him. Albus turned a corner and tripped on his robe. He got up and resumed his mad dash to Gryffindor Tower. Scrubbing cauldrons down at the dungeons had taken longer than he expected. He cursed at Parkinson for picking a fight with him then sabotaging his potion. It exploded right in the middle of Professor Billon's lecture. Not only did he get his first failing grade in Potions, but he also had to stay behind and clean out the dirty cauldrons the Firsties used.
Albus was glad he had his cousin Hugo help him with his assignment. Now, all he had to do was get it from his room, sprint to Professor Dole's office and hand it in. He wheezed and coughed, forcing air into his lungs. The Portrait was still two floors up and a few corridors over. Albus had to slow down to get his breath back. He didn't stop though, instead he did a sort of fast-walk, legs striding as far as they'd go. Finally, he got in front of the Fat Lady and, after waking her up, entered his common room.
Not a lot of people were around this late but he spotted some of his dorm mates snoring in front of the fireplace. Groaning, he approached the closest one and shook him awake.
"Please tell me you guys just passed out in the common room because you were too lazy to go to bed and not because Chauncey has company."
"Mhm? Chaunce - compa -," his roommate yawned. "-ny." He shuffled back to sleep.
Albus anxiously bounced in the balls of his feet. "I'll be quick," he muttered to himself.
Walking up the stairs to his own dormitory never seemed so scary before. Granted, he never thought he'd intentionally break the "company" law before either. He reasoned that this was an emergency and that he'd semi-close his eyes and erase any memory of the incident later. He'd just go in, snatch the parchment he knew was on his bed and race out of there. Chauncey would understand.
Albus crept up to the door and eyed the Gryffindor tie looped loosely around the doorknob. He pressed his ear to the door. 'Oh, thank god there's no noise,' he thought. 'Now if only there isn't a silencing charm that would be rendered useless if I went in.'
He pushed the door open slowly as to decrease the likelihood of it creaking. As a rule, no one locked the door. Two weeks into their first year, Robert Tinker hit his head on the bedpost after tripping over his own trousers. He was dressing up and, being the bashful eleven year old that he was, had locked the door. Two second years were passing by when they heard the loud crash. They couldn't open the door and ran to get someone. It took a while because none of the older students were around. When they finally got the door open, Robby barely had a pulse and blood was spreading on the floor. He recovered from his ordeal but since then, no one in their dorm locked their door.
The lights were switched off and all the beds were empty. All, except Al's. The curtains around his bed were drawn. He had a bad feeling about that. Albus walked slowly towards it and took a deep breath. He warily pulled one side of the curtain open. With his other hand, Al took hold of his wand and whispered, "Lumos".
Pale light danced around the two bodies sleeping on his bed. Chauncey was a tall chunk of muscle draped over porcelain skin. Albus' bedcovers barely concealed their entwined bodies. Blond hair was splashed against his maroon pillows and he had to do a double take to identify the mystery guest. It was Scorpius Malfoy, Captain of the Slytherin Quidditch Team and, apparently, Chauncey's new boyfriend. Albus didn't even know Scor swung that way. When he tilted his head in wonder, he saw a bit of parchment sticking out below Scorpius' ribs.
Al repressed the thought that his essay was now ‘tainted’ and concentrated on just submitting the damn thing. Careful to avoid touching any skin, he tried to wriggle his homework free. But there was absolutely no way of getting the parchment out without it either tearing or waking up the snoozing couple. The fact was proven when one grey eye opened.
"Al?"
"Hey, Scor," he croaked out.
"Watcha' doing?"
"Uhm, trying to get my homework?"
Scorpius smiled weakly and pushed the burly Gryffindor off of him. He then gracefully arched his back, lifting himself partially off the bed. Albus swallowed thickly and snatched at his essay.
"Thanks," he said, averting his eyes and trying not to look at his naked friend. Scorpius wasn't one of his closest friends but they talked once and a while. He was in some of Albus' clubs with him and they both took Arithmancy. In his book, that warranted enough respect not to ogle each other's bare body parts. "I better go and - Professor Dole said until midnight - I didn't know you'd - nevermind."
He was babbling again as he often did when he was uncomfortable. After six years together it was no longer a secret that Chauncey liked to sleep around, but seeing it up close and with someone he actually knew wasn't a fun experience. Add that to Al's own confused libido and well -
"Is everything alright?" Scorpius asked.
"Yeah," Al replied with a weak smile. "Just - uh - Why are you on my bed?"
"Oh!" Scorpius exclaimed. A look of realization crossed his face as he scanned his surroundings. He stretched out, his arms high over his head and lean muscles taut. "Comfy."
Albus felt a blush coming on so he began turning around. A hand grabbed at the edge of his robe.
"Goodnight," Scorpius called out.
"'Night," Al replied. He left quickly after that, his mind half on his friend half on his assignment.
***
Christmas Hols was a busy time for Albus. He had to coordinate the post-vacation activities of all his clubs, oversee the applications of the aspiring members and begin planning for the end of the year celebrations. That was why he had his head in the fireplace speaking with the Vice President of the Hogwarts Book Club while a number of owls hooted behind him.
"Albus Potter!" his mother called out. "Get you head out of the fireplace right now and get ready for Teddy's wedding."
"See you at the wedding, Scor," Albus finished. The flames whooshed and died. He got up and faced Ginny's reproachful expression.
"You haven't even taken a shower yet? And why are all these owls here?"
"Club stuff mum," he explained.
"Go on," she said making shooing gestures at the owls. "Get yourself cleaned up and put on your dress robes. Then go see if your brother and sister are ready."
Albus rolled his eyes and made his way upstairs. He scrunched up his nose at the idea of wearing formal robes. When he passed by his parents' room, he saw his dad with the same expression on his face. The elder Potter was facing a full length mirror and twisted this way and that.
"Hey, dad!" Albus called, coming into the room and plopping down on the bed.
"Albus," Harry said, staring at his son through the mirror. "Take a shower, now. Your mum will have a fit if she sees you not dressed."
"What's wrong with your collar?" Al asked, changing the subject. His dad was fussing with the stiff high collar, bending it out of shape.
"Honestly, son," he sighed. "I think I'm what's wrong with the collar."
Everyone was making a fuss and bringing out their best robes for the wedding. Not only because it was a sacred ceremony for any wizard or witch but also because it was being held at Malfoy Manor. Draco Malfoy had insisted that the Lupin-Weasley nuptials be held at his home. It was only natural since Teddy was his nephew and, it wasn't mentioned but understood, because Victoire was Bill Weasley's daughter. Let it not be said that a Malfoy didn't repay old debts.
The ballroom was pristine and the ceremony itself long and chock-full of ancient rites. Albus was bored and fidgeting in his seat. He still had to pre-order the new muggle CPR dummies for his First Aid Training Guild, organize the teams for The Alternative Sports Society and call Bettina to make sure she goes over their budget for the Culinary Festival. Letting his eyes and thoughts wander, he saw Scorpius Malfoy sitting a few rows over. They haven't talked since their brief meeting that morning where they discussed the Pros and Cons of asking the Head Librarian to hold a lecture for the book club. As Al stared at the blond's shoulders and how they filled out his charcoal grey robes perfectly, the images of his naked body flashed through his mind. He felt his cheeks heat up. Scorpius turned and caught his gaze. The heat spread down from his neck all the way to the pit of his stomach. Al nervously rubbed the back of his neck. Scorpius grinned and motioned with his head that they sneak out. The Gryffindor shook his head. Al couldn't do it, his mum would have his head.
Scorpius stood up slowly and walked to the side. No one seemed to notice him move. His grey robes hardly rustled as he made his way outside. Albus thought hard. He needed a distraction or some kind of excuse. This needed subtlety and cunning. He stood up and whispered to James who was sitting to his left, "Toilet."
Shuffling past a few more people, Albus finally reached the end. He hoped those soft things he stepped on were just anomalies in the carpet and not feet. Al looked around the spacious hall but couldn't spot Scor anywhere. A hand grabbed him by the elbow and spun him around. But because Al had always been a clumsy boy and the person who grabbed him was strong, he tripped and hit his forehead on the other's.
"That's going to leave a mark," Al mumbled, rubbing his forehead.
Scorpius let out a guffaw. He then pulled on Albus' elbow again and lead him to a grand staircase.
"Hey," Al said. "Where are we going?"
"My room," Scor replied. "I wanna show you something."
Their footsteps echoed in the empty manor. Al thought it odd that a house would be quiet. Back at home, there was no end to the noise. If his siblings weren't making a racket, it would be the muggle appliances or the owls or the paintings. Here, it was like a tomb, a very large and opulent tomb.
They finally made it to Scorpius' room after so many twists and turns Al was sure he wouldn't be able to get back alone. He expected his friend's room to be immaculate and so wasn't prepared for the replica of their messy attic in Malfoy Manor. It wasn't dirty, though. The room just had so much stuff. Drawers were overflowing, shelves were filled to capacity and the bed looked more like an extra storage space than a place to sleep. He could hardly see the hardwood floors with all the books, clothes, trinkets, and other magical paraphernalia about. Looking around, Al saw so many potential places where he could stumble and embarrass himself.
Scorpius deftly navigated through the sea of debris and gestured dramatically at something. "It's my brand new telescope," the blond said excitedly. "Father bought it for me last weekend. Neat, huh."
"I didn't know you were into Astronomy," Al said. He gazed longingly at the telescope, black with the word “Celestron” printed in gold. It was sleek and probably had all the necessary spells installed.
"Yeah, I'm part of F.I.T.S."
Albus tried to recall all the members of his Astronomy club, Fireballs In The Sky. He may have seen Scorpius there once or twice, but since they all usually met at night he couldn't be sure.
"Too bad it isn't nighttime," Scor continued. "It works like a dream. You can come visit anytime and I'd let you try it out. Providing it's dark out, of course." Then, he smiled a sly smile.
Al did a double take. Was it just his imagination or did that smile look seductive?
"I-I better head back," he stammered. "Not that weddings terribly amuse me, but you know, parents." He turned and walked out into a long corridor. Albus looked left, then looked right. After his moment of confusion, he poked his head back into the room.
"Shall I walk you back?" Scorpius asked, sounding amused. Al blushed and nodded.
***
Everything was going wrong and Albus was close to tearing his own hair out. Two of his clubs were feuding with each other. The Ambassadors for House Unity wanted to have a live debate with The Alternative Sports Society to discuss the pitfalls of competition between houses. To which ASS replied with the we're-just-playing-sports-you-all-need-to-Vanish-those-sticks-up-your-arses speech. As the founder of both, each wanted him on their side.
Al buried his head in his hands and groaned. He was in the unusually empty common room. The fire burned low and the silence soothed him. A voice behind him asked, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," he replied. "Only, I can't slice myself into two persons. AHU wants me to be reasonable while ASS wants me to lighten up."
"Okay?"
Scorpius sat down beside him. "If it makes you feel any better, I just broke up with Chauncey."
Al lifted his head and blinked up at Scor. "Why would that make me feel better?" Only, butterflies began flapping around in his stomach and he wanted to barf, just a little.
A fleeting look of hurt flached in Scorpius' eyes before he replied, "Well, I don't have a social life now. I could talk to them for you."
When Al continued to stare, baffled, at him, he explained. "I am the Treasurer of The Ambassadors for House Unity and the Activities Coordinator for The Alternative Sports Society."
"You don't like Alternative Sports," Albus said matter-of-factly. "You like Quidditch. You opposed the initial proposals."
"Well, I don't believe in House Unity," Scorpius sighed. "And I don't like to read or look at stars."
Albus still wasn't following. Why were they sitting in the semi-dark talking about things Scorpius didn't like but apparently wanted to join clubs for?
"You don't get it, do you?" Scorpius asked. He knelt down in front of Al to make sure he had his full attention. "I never liked Chauncey. But I still went out with him and I still joined all those stupid clubs."
"Hey! Those are my stupid clubs, thank-you-very-much."
"Exactly," Scor stated.
"I still don't follow."
The blond shuffled closer, cupping Albus' cheeks. "What do all those clubs and Chauncey have in common?"
A small spark ignited in Al's brain. "Me?" He asked, hopefully.
Scorpius closed the distance between them and lightly kissed him. Without moving back, he murmured against his lips, "You."