Put Your Curse In Reverse [Part 2]

Chapter 4 - Curse

"Yeah, and honestly...after that day...my obsession with Brazilian Chaser Gonçalo Flores made a lot more sense..."

Scorpius snickered. "Nothing much to do with Quidditch, huh?"

"Yeah—not really, as it turns out," Albus admitted, grinning.

A comfortable silence settled over them. Scorpius stifled a yawn into his palm. He blinked tiredly down at Albus.

"So what you're saying is...we should be like the couple in the corner."

Albus looked back at them.

"Yes. Well—sort of. I think they might be...ugh, well, let's just say some things should be private. But maybe not everything."

Scorpius shot a curious look the couple's way. He immediately looked away.

"Oh my! Is that allowed?!"

"Almost certainly not."

They shared a grimace. Scorpius was feeling better—that weird wave of sadness he'd felt at the start had gone, and once it had, he couldn't even remember where it'd come from or why he'd had it.

"Okay. I'm ready. I agree. We're going to get bullied mercilessly. But, well...bring it on."

Albus beamed. "Yeah? You're sure? You're ready for the 'twisted, forbidden love' comments?"

"I was sure that I was. And then we got here. And I saw how upset their words made you, so then I wasn't so sure. But now you seem sure. So I'm sure," he rambled. "I just want...well, Albus, I'm okay as long as I've got you. It's you I'm worried about."

Albus laughed. Scorpius smiled down at him, a bit confused.

"What?"

Albus shot a quick look around the common room, and then with his lips still curled up into a smile, he leaned forward and pressed his mouth to Scorpius's. His stomach lurched. He reached up to touch Albus—to hold his face in his hands, to cup the back of his neck, something—but Albus leaned back before he could. He was still grinning.

"You're what I've been worried about," Albus said.

"Oh," Scorpius grinned. "Well—that's silly. We should communicate more efficiently."

"I'll make note of that. Hey—why don't you put it in the planner my aunt gave you? You've put everything else into it," he teased.

Scorpius sniffed. "I won't apologize for my organization, Albus."

"No—I'd never expect you to."

They held their eye contact for a moment. Albus's eyes were beginning to do that thing.

"That!"

"What?"

"Your eyes, Albus. You make them...smoldering. And I think you're doing it to drive me mad."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Albus said, "but if it drives you mad, I'm probably glad I'm doing it."

Flirty Albus. There he was. Fleeting, quick, always gone too soon. Scorpius licked his lips and struggled to gather his scrambling thoughts. For a moment, all he could think about was his boyfriend's eyes paired with that tiny smirk...

He had no idea what his own face was doing, but whatever it was, Albus seemed to like it. He leaned closer, his eyes studying Scorpius's intently.

"You know. Sig went to sleep already. And everybody else..." he gestured around the common room. Scorpius's eyes jumped from person to person until he'd accounted for every other fifth-year boy. He gulped, pleased and a bit nervous.