If We Can Turn Back Time

Chapter 1: Albus

(These characters are the creations of J.K Rowling, not me)

There's a boy standing under the courtyard tree over there. 

The snow is falling around him, surrounding him in a white, fluffy halo. He opens his mouth and catches snowflakes with his tongue. He swallows. He smiles. His eyes are glittering with an innocent glow of pure happiness. He reminds me of snow. He's in Slytherin. His name is Scorpius Malfoy. I call him Scorp. And he's the most important person in my life. 

"Hey!" I call out, waving. Scorpius turns around and looks at me with his glittering green eyes. I can see the corners of his lips pushing his eyes until they are the shape of two crescent moons. I smile too. He runs over to me, leaving little footsteps on the snow. 

"Hi." Scorpius exclaims. He is a little too jumpy. Jumpier than usual. I bet he is going to be as sprightly as he is even if he becomes old with knobby knees and a ramified memory of good and bad and forgotten. I hope I am remembered as Albus Severus Potter. Best friend. 

"Hi." I sigh and tackle him with a hug. My arms wrap around his shoulders. Scorpius hugs me back. 

"I missed you so much. Christmas wasn't Christmas without you." Scorpius whispers, his voice muffled completely by my Slytherin scarf. His blonde hair smells of eggnog and peppermint. He smells like home. Hugging has become our thing. Totally not weird at all. 

Hogwarts in wintertime is more beautiful than usual, and with the night pulling itself over the rooftops and filling the air with dappled stars, I feel like stopping time. 

"Come on! Let's go inside." Scorpius exclaims and grabs my hand. That moment, I really feel like stopping time. His touch sends shivers up my spine, and it's like fireworks in my veins. I immediately feel my cheeks heating up into a bright red glow. I squeeze his hand back and Scorpius exhales a little gasp. 

"How's Rose doing?" He asks.

"She's still pitying you. And she's practicing quidditch like a madman." 

Scorpius laughs with a sonorous sound of joy. I smile at the sound. 

"My dad says that Rose is going to open up someday. I hope she does. Then, we can be like Harry, Ron, and Hermione!" 

"I'll be Harry." I say. 

"I'll be Hermione." Scorp exclaims. I laugh. It's hilarious. 

"Rose will absolutely love being Ron!" 

We run inside holding hands. I don't know what this is but it's some strange sort of galvanism. It's healing me slowly. I feel more at home with Scorpius than James or Lilly. For some reason, sometimes, he's more than a best friend. But I don't know what. 

"Race you to the dorms!" I shout and we both break into a run down to the dungeons with Peeves stopping abruptly by the presence of its darkness. 

"Oh little Potter can say goodbye! He's looking at Scorpius with googly-eyes!" Peeves shrieks with laughter and cackles away, dropping a bottle of ink on a Hufflepuff's head. The Hufflepuff screams and I burst out in laughter. 

"I bet I'm gonna win!" Scorpius laughs and turns around with his hands in the air. He's still running with his scrawny legs that have outgrown his uniform already. I suppose Draco has to buy him a new pair of trousers. His blonde hair has fallen into his eyes. I want to fix it so bad. I want to tuck them behind his ears so I can see his green eyes again. 

"Woah!" 

Scorp suddenly stumbles over. And I fall over him like a domino. 

And I know it's such a cliché. I know it's such a stupid little cliché.

But my arms are pinned right next to the ears of Scorpius which are bright red. I am holding him down on the ground and my face is directly over his face. And I can see him so clearly. Every crevice and every valley of his pale face. His sharp nose and his lips. His eyes are wide open, and his cheeks are bright red. His breath is oddly audible. His heartbeat is audible. And now, and now I can see why his smile is so beautiful. I see why I always like to see his glimmering eyes. He is beautiful himself. He is a beautiful person. 

I see what is going on with me. 

I like Scorpius. I like like Scorpius.