Time After Everything || a Sequel to Saving Myself

LII: Final

Jumping as the door burst open, Scorpius saw that it was Harry, closely followed by Albus. Erick jerked his hand away from Scorpius', clasping them in his lap as Harry hugged the blonde tightly, hardly giving him room to breathe.

"Don't you ever scare us like that again, you hear me?" he said in a tight whisper, making Scorpius' eyes burn. "Understand?"

"Yeah, Dad," Scorpius replied, squeezing his eyes shut. "You're kinda hurting me, though."

"Oh," Harry murmured, releasing the blonde, but holding his shoulders to steady his weakened body. "I'm sorry."

Scorpius opened his mouth to speak, but Albus yanked him into a hug, whispering, "I love you. But if you do something that stupid again, I'm going to punch you."

"Got it," he murmured, squeezing his eyes shut and grinning softly when Albus pulled away.

Meanwhile, down in Teddy's office, Draco was pacing back and forth, his hands rubbing the back of his neck. He did his best to ignore Teddy's gaze. "I can't believe that he wants to see me. . ." he muttered softly, more to himself than to Teddy, who sat behind his desk with his hands clasped over his stomach.

The teal-haired Healer frowned, his eyebrows drawing close. "I don't know why, either."

Draco looked at him. "How do I start, Teddy?" he asked, twisting the wedding ring on his finger. "Do I start out with---" he leaned against the wall, the ghost of a smile playing on his tired face. "---'Hey, Scorpius. How are ya?' Or is that too laid back?"

"How about, 'Sorry I almost killed you because I was selfish and was only thinking about myself'?" Teddy replied sarcastically, his glare enough to make Draco turn.

"Teddy," he said, "I already said I was sorry. I didn't think that it would push him over the edge. I never wanted that to happen at all, I just wanted him better and back at home."

Teddy softened, leaning onto his desk and rubbing his face. "Look, Draco, it's just. . .entirely selfish and irresponsible, what you did. Eri---I was the one who found him."

"I know," Draco whispered, tears filling his eyes. "I shouldn't have done it."

"But I know you did it to try and help, even if your method was. . .disgustingly cruel."

"Thank you?"

Teddy sighed. "He loves you, you know."

With an appreciative pat on the arm, Draco asked softly, his eyes and tone sad, not quite believing Teddy's claim. "What if he freaks out again before I see him? What if he---"

"Draco," Teddy interjected, "he's scared, I won't lie, but Scorp's trying, at least. He isn't trying to ignore you anymore." He smiled, adding, "He wants to see you."

Biting his lip, Draco's sighed, smiling softly, doubts still in the back of his mind. "Thanks, Teddy. You've helped a lot, really. I don't know how we would have gotten through this if you hadn't become a Healer."

With a blush crossing his face, Teddy stood and put a hand on Draco's shoulder. "Come on, let's go up and see him."

When they made it up to the ward Scorpius was staying in, Draco saw that Harry and Albus were outside, both waiting impatiently. Draco, twisting his wedding ring nervously still, watched as Harry tapped his foot, twisting a bit of his hair into a tight corkscrew. "W---what happened?" he asked, painfully aware of how his husband's emerald eyes were teary. Rushing over, he couldn't help but feel a pang in his chest whenever he saw Harry distraught. It was as if they were seventeen again, in that small moment that their eyes met.