Lovely (a Scorbus story)

Part 24

"You look beautiful," Albus said.

"Thanks." Emma, who was wearing shimmering silver dress robes, smiled at Albus. "Shall we go?"

They followed the procession of the other Slytherin students to the Great Hall.

At the entrance, students from every House and school merged, years four and up. Max, looking beautiful but angry, was shuffling along next to Scorpius. Aurélie was on the arm of the Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain, a smug expression on her face.

Emma leaned close. "Max doesn't look happy, does she?"

"No, she doesn't." Albus couldn't help grinning a bit. "Neither does Scorpius."

Emma made a disgusted sound. "I can't believe she's going with Scorpius just to spite you."

"You think that's why?" Albus shot her a quizzical look.

"I can't imagine why else," Emma replied, expression unreadable.

They walked in silence.

"Come on," Emma said. "The champions are congregating at the front of the room."

Albus followed Emma as she steered them through the crowd. People stopped conversation to stare at Emma's brilliant gown. From the other direction, Scorpius and Max were pushing through towards Aurélie and Garrett.

"They actually do make a cute couple," a Ravenclaw girl, upon noticing Emma and Albus, pointed out to her date. Albus could tell from his clenched jaw that Scorpius had heard. Max whispered something to him, and he looked slightly mollified.

Emma squinted. "Actually, on second thought, they're getting on better than I thought."

Albus shook his head. "It sets off warning bells," he said. "Who do you think asked who?"

Emma looked apprehensive. "I did ask that. She said it was a 'mutual agreement.'"

"A what?" Albus looked startled, but didn't get a chance to press further, as Professor McGonagall approached them.

"Are you ready?" she asked.

Emma nodded, grasping Albus's hand.

"How do I do this?" he hissed. "I wasn't paying attention."

Emma rolled her eyes. "I'll lead. Just don't make it difficult."

The music started and the champions assembled on the dance floor.

This isn't so bad.

Emma guided him across the dance floor in a series of glides and spins, smiling up at him with her big blue eyes practically boring into his soul. 

And all too soon, the rest of the school was joining them, and the dance floor was crowded with students, spinning and twirling.

He didn't know how long it was after that—ten minutes, an hour, a year—when Emma disengaged, pushing her hair behind her ears and grinning.

"Want to get a drink?" she mouthed over the noise, and Albus nodded.

"Sit," she instructed. "I'll get us butterbeers."

Albus picked a table at random and sat.

"Hey." The person across the table leaned forward. "You two look cozy."

"Hey, Max," Albus answered tiredly. "You guys do, too." In truth, Albus had no idea how Max and Scorpius looked, as he had only been watching Emma.

Max frowned. "Yeah, right."

"Okay, I have no idea. How's Scorpius?"

"He ditched about five minutes ago," Max said, hooking a thumb towards the door.

"Oh." Albus's first instinct was to go after him, but he shook the feeling off. "Sorry."

Max regarded him. "You should talk to him."

"No, I really don't think so," Albus said as Emma approached with two butterbeers.

"Here you go." Emma deposited one in front of him and slid in the seat next to him. "Max."

"Emma," Max said coolly.

Albus raised an eyebrow. The trio sat in silence for a moment, Emma and Albus drinking their butterbeers.

"Want to, uh, go for a walk?" Emma suggested brightly, throwing another glance at Max. "It's a bit hot in here."

"Sure." Albus stood up, leaving his half-empty butterbeer on the table. Emma put hers next to it. "Let's go."

They walked together out the door and into the frosty night air.

"Have you got any owls from your parents recently?" Emma asked conversationally.

"No, but Sirius owled me the other day. I think he's trying to get to know me."

Emma, who had heard the whole Sirius saga, nodded. "You're a very good person to get to know."

Albus glanced at her quizzically.

"That was the dumbest sentence that's ever come out of my mouth," she mumbled. "I'm sorry."

Albus snorted. "Don't worry about it, I've said dumber things. Like, 'Scorpius Malfoy is my best friend.' That was one of the dumbest things I've ever said."

Emma bit her lip, looking concerned. "Albus—"

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring Scorpius up," he said. "Not tonight, while we're here and having fun."

"You are having fun, aren't you? You don't wish you'd gone with him?"

"Over you? Never."

Before he even knew what he was doing, he leaned forward and kissed her.

Emma reeled back in shock.

"Oh, God." Oh crap. What did I do?  "I'm so sorry, Emma—"

"No," she said quickly. "Don't be sorry."

"I—what?"

"Don't be sorry," she said, kissing him again. "But...I thought you didn't like me like that."

"Honestly, I don't know what I think."

And they were kissing again, somehow, and it was different than kissing Scorpius, in that it wasn't Scorpius, it was Emma, his best friend Emma, who was now no longer his best friend but something different to him.

And they were only broken apart by the horrified gasp of an all-too-familiar pale blond boy, standing farther down the path, a red-haired girl at his shoulder.

"Were you spying on us?" Albus demanded, stepping forward. "Were you?"

Scorpius didn't answer, but turned tail and dashed back to the school.

"Max, I thought you'd said he left," Albus said. "But it seemed like you knew exactly where he was."

Max didn't answer, shifting her weight.

"I don't know what's going on," Albus said angrily. "But both of you, leave me alone."

He pushed past Max and stormed towards the castle.