Put Your Curse In Reverse [Part 2]

Chapter 4 - Curse

"I can't believe they've known all along."

"I can," Scorpius admitted.

Albus laughed. "Okay, yeah, I suppose I can, too. Do you think things'll be weird now?"

"Our dorm has always been weird. They've talked to us more today than they did all last year combined."

"Fair point."

Scorpius felt Albus's touch at his waist. After a moment, he wedged his arm between Scorpius's back and the cushions of the couch. He held onto him. Scorpius beamed like an idiot towards the fire and shifted closer to Albus's side. After digging around himself for a bit of bravery, he reached over and set a palm on Albus's thigh. The little jump Albus gave made Scorpius's heart jolt along with it.

They avoided eyes. Somehow, Scorpius knew they'd realized the same thing: if they looked at each other now, they'd end up snogging in the corner of the common room.

Albus sucked in a short breath. Scorpius glanced towards him from the corner of his eye. Albus looked to be considering something.

"Do you remember what my dad said on the train?"

"Honestly, I don't think I've forgotten one thing your dad has ever said," Scorpius admitted.

Albus scrunched up his nose. Scorpius quickly explained himself.

"I mean—! You know, he's Harry Potter. He makes impressive speeches from time to time. It's interesting."

"Right," Albus said. "Well. I was thinking about it. About what he said."

"That it's everybody else's problem if they don't like us?" Scorpius guessed.

"Exactly. And..." he took another deep breath. "I think we should take that advice, all or nothing."

Scorpius waited. Albus couldn't meet his eyes.

"As in...us. Not just us, like you and me. Us." Albus paused. He pointed across the common room. When Scorpius glanced over, he saw a sixth year boy and girl snogging madly in a dark corner. "They can do that. Nobody cares. Nobody even notices. Why can't we?"

Scorpius opened his mouth to respond. The answer seemed simple. But then he closed his lips, because the more he thought about it, the less sense it made.

"I guess...well..."

He felt abruptly uncomfortable and guilty, and he wasn't sure why. He didn't like the feeling. He shifted even closer to Albus in hopes that it would help.

"It's because we're boys," Albus answered for him. "I've been thinking about it."

"My dad said some people would be mean about that," Scorpius admitted.

"Mine, too. When he talked to me about—" Albus broke off. He turned Weasley red again. Scorpius looked down at him in interest, but Albus didn't continue that train of thought. "I thought it was stupid."

"It is stupid."

"But do you remember ever seeing two boys kissing in public? Because I don't. I didn't even know that was something that happened, you know?"

"I did," Scorpius admitted. "But, well. In books. Not real people."

"Oh," Albus said. He loosened his hold on Scorpius's waist for a moment, just so he could turn to face him. Scorpius did the same. Their knees brushed. "I didn't know until I was nine when my mum let me go with her and James to drop Nora's Christmas gift off."

Scorpius felt instantly better, though he wasn't sure why. He smiled widely.

"Dean and Seamus! They're together, you know. Like us. Well—not just like us, they've got a house and a daughter and Dean can paint and he has an art studio and I surely cannot paint but—" Albus was looking at him with soft, amused eyes. Scorpius hesitated. "Carry on."