The First Five Years and Beyond
Their research/apprenticeship work is hard, but Scorpius and Albus thrive on it. It's odd at first, being apart all day, when they've always taken classes together. But they're learning so much and find pleasure in sharing with one another, watching how animated the other becomes.
That first posting is an education in and of itself, as they figure out all the little mundane parts of life - who will cook (mostly Albus - Scorpius gets distracted, like with Potions), who will clean (mostly Scorpius - his standards are higher), who will keep track of important dates (both of them, on a giant color coded calendar from the Muggle supermarket), who will kill spiders (always Albus), how to keep a budget. They explore the world around them, both the Wizarding and Muggle sides, and get to know all kinds of people from all walks of life. Their landlady is invaluable in navigating all this. She's the widow of a witch after 50 years together, and she has a shrewd wisdom that reminds them both of Molly Weasley, if with a more acerbic wit. She teaches them how to drive without magical enhancements on a car and how to be the right amount of eccentric to escape unwanted notice.
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They aren't big on partying, but they find that they do enjoy a few drinks and some dancing or a pub quiz now and then. That's how they discover that Albus is mostly oblivious to men hitting on him, and that Scorpius has a jealous streak. Scorpius KNOWS that Albus isn't encouraging anything when he spots him talking to another man across the room, but when that hand touches Albus' arm and then chest Scorpius isn't entirely sure if he Apparates or walks to them and he takes a rather vicious pleasure in being introduced as Albus' husband and making it abundantly clear that they aren't interested in any third. When they Apparate back to their flat it's Scorpius pinning Albus down and snarling "MINE" with flashing eyes, and Albus lets himself go up in flames. Later, seeing the marks left on Albus' skin with his rough handling, Scorpius is ashamed and scared, whispering that it felt like he stepped back into the Scorpion King, but Albus reassures him that it's not true, Albus wouldn't stay for that or let him become that dark, but that he loves all of Scorpius, including this possessive side. Together, they learn to navigate those waters too - how to make sure they're safe and that Scorpius won't hate himself later, but is able to engage with that part of himself in a way they can both enjoy sometimes.
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There are quieter times too, when Scorpius marshals his thoughts at the piano and Albus sketches or paints, happy to be together without the need for any words. They love how whoever is up first will make the tea, how Albus will feed stray cats and try to find homes for them, how much fun they have putting out food for whatever local songbirds there are.
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Their first Christmastime report goes well, and they move on to other assignments. Sometimes they're only a couple of months in one place, sometimes more, but as they near the end of their five years they've learned a lot, published some well-received papers in both Wizarding and Muggle publications, and Scorpius is well on his way to writing his first book.
They're trying to figure out what to do next when Draco approaches them with a proposal: he and Neville have both earned degrees from Muggle institutions now; Scorpius and Albus have studied more with and about Muggles than most witches or wizards, and they all know that the world is changing and that the Wizarding world needs to change with it. Draco would like to use the Malfoy money, most of it, to found an institute for cooperative study - a resource for Squibs and Muggle-born witches and wizards, and those marrying in or out of the Wizarding world, and to understand the things they've been learning about from the Muggle world. Neville is ready to leave Hogwarts to join this effort, and between the four of them and support from Hogwarts and the Ministry of Magic Draco really thinks it can work.
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So, they move into Malfoy Manor. The West Wing is kept private, and Draco moves to the top floor - he's finally sold or destroyed the collection of Dark artifacts that once lived there - and Scorpius and Albus move in. Neville and his wife move nearby, and the rest of the Manor becomes the core of the new Malfoy Institute for Cooperative Academics (MICA), including the Astoria Library and Potter Greenhouses (which Albus privately refers to as the Potting Sheds).