Put Your Curse In Reverse [Part 2]

Chapter 12 -Meddle

"Essay first."

"No—snogging first, then a snack, then Quidditch practice, and then the essay," Albus corrected.

Scorpius gave Albus an exasperated look. He tightened his arm around Albus's waist as they started up the stairs. "Essay, snogging, snack, Quidditch."

Albus paused halfway up the staircase. "I think I can walk up on my own. My legs feel really strong today. I'm going to try."

Scorpius grinned. "Yeah? Okay."

Albus nodded. "Just...catch me if I start to fall down."

"I promise," Scorpius nodded.

He waited nervously on his current stair and watched as Albus walked slowly up, step-by-step, his gait somewhat unsteady but functional. He beamed so widely it made his cheeks ache as Albus stepped up onto the top landing. He turned and grinned down at Scorpius.

"Finally!" he said.

"Yes!" Scorpius cheered. "You did it!"

"I did it! And to congratulate me, you can agree that our Transfiguration essays can be the very last thing we do today."

"Albus, they're due in two days! We have the Halloween party tonight! I can't believe you've managed to keep me from doing mine for this long!" Scorpius said. He walked up the rest of the steps separating him and Albus. Albus took his hand as soon as they were at each other's sides again.

"I can believe it," Albus murmured. Scorpius looked down at him with what was supposed to be a stern expression, but Albus's intense eyes turned it into a smile rather quickly. He tugged on Albus's hand and pulled him over. Their hips knocked. He wrapped his arm back around Albus's waist. Albus might not have needed the support to walk anymore, but Scorpius was used to walking that way now, and it felt odd not to.

"Essay, snogging, snack, Quidditch," Scorpius reiterated.

"Snogging, essay, snack, Quidditch," Albus countered.

Scorpius hesitated. They really needed to do the essays immediately...but that was probably the best compromise they'd make...and really—was earlier snogging a bad thing?

"All right," Scorpius said. "But we have to finish the essays."

"And we will...afterwards."

Of course, sticking to a schedule when they were starting with snogging was no easy feat. Scorpius pulled himself away three times before he finally managed to slip back into a somewhat sane state of mind.

"Transfiguration," he heard himself half-groan. Albus's lips had wandered down to his collarbones. He struggled to pull his head out of the trap of arousal. "Albus. Al..."

The internal battle began: Do we really need to do the essay? Yes. Yes, you need to do the essay, Scorpius. But why? Because you—because you have to—

"Oh, Merlin," he said. He collapsed back down against the pillows. He almost gave in and allowed Albus's lips to travel freely, but his nagging anxiety began again. No. Better stop it now, Scorpius, stop it—no, Scorpius, don't—

His self-scoldings enabled him to gain enough willpower to reach down and gently grasp Albus's shoulders.

"Okay, time-out," he urged.

Albus gave a reluctant groan, but he rolled over onto his back a moment later, leaving Scorpius flushed and slightly out of breath against the pillows. The air felt extremely cold against the skin Albus had just been covering. He shut his eyes and focused on settling his breathing and regaining his self-control before he said a word.