More Than Friends | Albus x Scorpius

Part Twenty-One: Happiest Time

Before walking downstairs with Scorpius, Albus had tried to straighten his hair to no avail. Scorpius tugged Albus out of the bathroom behind him. They walked down to the dining room where Vimy was just setting down plates of pancakes, bottles of syrup, dished of jams and butter, marmalade, biscuits, and pitchers of orange juice and water.

Scorpius apologized to Vimy again and Albus thanked her. She looked very proud of herself and washed dishes at the sink while Albus and Scorpius sat at their usual seats across from each other.

"Do you want to go out for a while?"

"Out where?" Albus asked with a small chuckle. "Your father said that you know the rules. And he told me to not go to the Muggle village."

"We can walk the forest for a little while. Or just walk down the road."

Albus nodded and replied, "Yeah, sure. Are the woods...safe?"

"I used to go in there with my Mum. We even built a tree house, though I haven't been in that part of the forest in years. Maybe it's still up..."

Albus added, "We just have to dress warmly. Maybe get some food too."

Scorpius blinked and asked, "We can go?"

"Yeah, 'course. It'll be fun."

Scorpius smiled and the two finished quickly. Scorpius was about to walk outside when Albus asked, "Do you have any extra boots?"

"Yes, I got a pair last year from my grandfather. He thought I would grow into them or whatever. Maybe they'll fit you."

Scorpius ran upstairs and came back down minutes later with a pair of black winter boots with black fur. Albus put them on, noticing that they were a little big on him, but not much. He looked at Scorpius and suggested, "Maybe we should get scarves and a spare jacket or two, just in case."

Scorpius asked, "Are you going to use them on yourself or me?"

"What do you mean?" Albus asked, turning slightly red, turning his head to hide his small smile.

"Are you trying to keep me warm?"

"No!" Albus breathed out with a nervous laugh. He pointed to the stairs and muttered, "I'll just get a couple of sweaters and scarves. Maybe a blanket."

Scorpius smiled and swooned whenever Albus was out of sight. I love him! Maybe he'll propose to me today! Scorpius shook his head and told himself, You're sixteen, Scorpius. Sixteen! Don't think about that.

Albus came back downstairs with two of his extra sweaters, a pair of scarves, and a light, but warm, extra blanket. Scorpius smiled and asked, "Want a bag for that?"

Albus nodded shyly. Scorpius asked Vimy to get them an extra backpack, large enough to fit the sweaters and blanket. Scorpius put the backpack of food on and Vimy brought the two of them thermal mugs full of hot chocolate, wishing them well. Scorpius made sure to put his wand in the waistband of his skinny jeans.

The two walked outside, Albus looked at what Scorpius was wearing; skinny jeans, a sweater, and his winter boots, snow crunching under them. The two were barely walking out of the front gates when Albus wrapped a blue scarf around Scorpius' neck gently and with a smile when he turned around.

"Worried I'll catch a cold?" Scorpius teased. Albus saw his pink nose and rosy cheeks and love in his eyes.

"Yeah. You looked cold."

Scorpius laughed and held Albus' hand, intertwining their fingers. They sipped the scorching cocoa and walked silently, listening to the snow crunch beneath their boots. Albus snuck a few glances at Scorpius, who seemed preoccupied with his thoughts.

Albus coughed dryly, asking, "Do you wanna go back?"

Scorpius shook his head, and explained, "I just haven't been there in so long. Hopefully, it's there and hasn't rotted away yet."

Albus reassured, "I'm sure it's there."

Scorpius smiled, "Thanks, "

Albus smiled back at him and he shivered slightly. Albus quickly asked, "Do you need another sweater?"

Scorpius was shaking his head when Albus took his leather jacket off and put it on Scorpius after taking the backpack off of him. "You didn't have to ---"

"It's alright, " Albus interrupted, putting another sweater on. Scorpius did look great in his leather jacket...

Scorpius looked away and muttered, "Overprotective..."

"I'm not protective. I'm just nice."

Scorpius pointed out, "Getting extra clothes, scarves, a blanket, food, putting a scarf on me, giving me your jacket... What do you call that?"

Albus thought for a moment before smiling and bending down, kissing Scorpius' neck, making him giggle and smile. "A very good boyfriend."

"Good answer, Albus, " Scorpius responded.

Albus smiled as the two walked on, their hands swinging slightly between them. Suddenly, Scorpius stopped and looked around. His blue eyes lit up when he looked up into the bare canopy of the trees. Scorpius let go of Albus' hand and ran to a large, thick oak tree.

Albus tilted his head up and saw a shed-like structure high in the trees connected between two oaks, not just one. Albus saw thick slabs of wood nailed into one of the trees. They looked old and somewhat unstable, as one was hanging off of the tree by one side. 

Scorpius excitedly suggested, "How about you go up first?"

"It doesn't look safe, " Albus pointed out. He turned to Scorpius and said, "You go first."

Scorpius asked, "It looks unsafe...so you want me to go first?"

Albus smiled and responded, "I'll stand under you so that, if you fall, I'll catch you."

"Are you sure you don't want to go first?"

"I'm more than sure, Scorpius."

Scorpius started to go up the tree when Albus tugged him back to solid ground. Albus saw that he was about to ask what he was doing when Albus shrugged off the backpack that he had on, which contained the blanket and extra sweater and scarf.

"Here, take this up with you. It's lighter and it's gonna be cold up there."

Scorpius took off his bag with the food and he exchanged bags with Albus. Scorpius climbed up carefully, his numb fingers gripping the wood tightly. The wood was cold and iced over, making Scorpius' feet slip occasionally and causing his fingertips to turn the faintest shade of the lightest blue.

Scorpius looked down and saw Albus with his arms at his side, rubbing his hands on his pants. Scorpius called down, "I'm finally taller than you!"

Albus laughed and replied, "Not for long, you're not!"

Scorpius scrambled into the large tree house and shivered as he looked around. There was a small spider web in one of the upper corners and a couple of large scratches on the ceiling.

Albus began his climb, fingers slipping every once in a while. He bit his lip as he climbed higher into the bare trees, repeating to himself the entire way up; Don't look down. Don't look down...

He didn't know exactly how high he was up, but judging by the way he watched Scorpius climb made him think that he was pretty high up. Albus climbed swiftly, pulling himself through the opening.

Scorpius and tried to spread out a blanket and tried to warm his hands together, trying to rub circulation into his numb fingers. Albus pulled him close, wrapping the blanket around the two of them.

Albus' warm breath and skin made goosebumps appear when he touched his cool skin, causing him to shiver slightly too.

Scorpius whispered Albus' name against his neck and both of them felt like they would never be as happy as this.