Found In the Past

38

Albus's POV

"Really!" I sigh and glare pointedly at the canvas Lily's holding up. "THIS is what you wanted me to see?" I examine the oil painting again just in case I missed something the first time around. The three blobs she called grey hounds are 'howling up' at a what I think it supposed to be a purple moon? I mean... abstractly it would theoretically work. Maybe.

"Come on, Al! Just look at it," Lily uses her  pettiest baby voice and I roll my eyes in response.

"Okay, I saw it Lil. Can I go downstairs now?" I ask impatiently but she holds up a hand to interrupt.

"Looking for someone?" Lily places a hand on her hip and gives me a look. I'm starting to hate having a knowledgable little sister. I refuse to give her the satisfaction of being completely spot on, so I sit down on a random chair and put my hands behind my head, leaning back. We stay like that for a while, just staring at one another. Potters can be very stubborn at times, and we're two of the worst.

"You're ABSOLUTELY wrong you know," I comment dryly. Lily scoffs, a gesture very reminiscent of Rose.

"Sureeee," The amount of sarcasm heaped into that one word could probably power a small school. "And there that someone is now," Lily mumbles and my gaze quickly lands on a pair of familiar gray eyes that have appeared in the doorway. I stop breathing and instead of the retort I have on the tip of my tongue, I jumble everything together and proceed to make a complete fool of myself.

"Iermtolmyfamdaanhefin," I stutter out. My eyes can't seem to leave Scorp's face. I get my bearings and attempt to speak again.

"I have to tell you-" we both start suddenly at the same time.

"I'll leave you two alone," Lily blurts out. She gives us a goofy smile and I watch her exit. I turn back to Scorpius but immediately notice that his face is paler than usual. Oh no...

"You first!" He gestures for me to continue. I suddenly feel quite unsure of myself. What if he's changed his mind about liking me? The kiss felt so unreal... but what if- NO! I interrupt my anxious thoughts. I'm done being painfully in love with him after all that we've been through. I'm not ready to become his best mate again. Or ever. I want something else and it's time I stop denying it.

"I-I know that we had that fight.... but I've... I've decided that I'm ready for everything. If you are. And if for some really weird reason, if you'd still want to be with me," I tell him in a burst of erratic speech. I continue going and I force myself to look in his eyes. "I told my father about how I feel. About you."

"You did?!" Scorp exclaims, voice full of an emotion I can't place. I can see how his entire face has lit up in happiness, but the joy doesn't even last a minute. My best friend looks away as if remembering a very important detail: He doesn't want me that way.

"Oh," is all I mumble. "What did you want to tell me?" At my question, his shoulders tighten and I glance down to see his fists clench into small fist. The motion is something so un-Scorpius-like, it knocks me back a step.

"I need to tell you... okay so... I talked to my father who talked to the doctor..." a million fears jolt through me at his words and Scorpius steps forwards as if sensing it, "It's just that there's been a change in the plans, Al," He takes a breath and his grey eyes meet mine. "Instead of leaving for Hogwarts tomorrow with you.... I have to wait. I have to wait two months."

"Really?" I breathe out in a small voice. It's all I can seem to get out but his silence is answer enough.

"I understand if you don't want to be with me. I've made your life too hard already," His voice catches on itself and my heart wrenches in my gut. I never meant to say what I did about being a loser because of him. I never wanted him to remember that...

"This is not your fault," I say firmly and Scorpius turns his head almost all of the way towards me again. "I..." before I can say I still want him more than anything, the realization hits me. Two entire months. I barely survived three weeks without Scorpius by my side. How could I stand...? my heart twists violently and I back away from him. "I need to think," is all I manage to say before rushing out the door.

**************************************************************

"Albus? Gin said that you came up here with Lily. I know that you're here somewhere!" I hear my father yell from close by. I stand up slowly, pulling my head out of my hands. I step out into the doorway of the closet and lean against the frame.

"I'm here," I tell my father quietly. His head whips around and smiles when he spots me. "Hi. What did you want to tell me?" I ask and his brows crease together.

"You haven't been talking to us all day. Did something happen?" He asks and the secretive glint in his eye makes me want to hex him. I know he's asking about a certain blonde haired boy I never seem can get out of my mind.

"Scorpius's not coming back with us. He's coming back to Hogwarts in a couple of months," I whisper, unable to disguise the pain in my voice.

"I know this is hard, Albu- Al. But if anyone can make it through this, it's you," My father tells me, taking me completely off guard. Then, he does something that surprises me even more. He hands me a sheet of parchment with a scrawled signature.

"I KNOW you will work things out. That's why I signed your Hogsmead permission form. I... you burned it. Third year. So I'm assuming you've never been, which is a huge missed opportunity. Maybe when Scorpius gets back, you can take him on a date. Just not to Madame Puddifoots the tea shop," My father wrinkles his nose in disgust, and I can't stop a short burst of laughter from slipping out of my mouth at the comment.

"Okay," I tell him quietly, walking out of the closet to take the tiny piece of paper. Two months? I can do two months. Of course I can wait.