The Prank
Albus, still reluctant after James left him, shuffles upstairs. He mutters curses to himself under his breath as he looks for the extra gear in the supply closet. After looking and only finding a broom and shoulder pads he decides to call it quits. Maybe James already took most everything , or he was plotting to make him fly after all.
He starts back down the steps when he hears footsteps making their way up towards him. He’s confused until he spots a familiar blonde head pop up from around the corner. His stomach flips with what Albust guesses must be excitement to see his best friend.
“Scorpius?” Albus says his voice cracking from his throat going dry making it form into a question, “I um, when did you get here?”
“Just now,” fake Scorpius shrugs, “James said you’d be up here,” there’s a beat of silence before he continues, “The sun makes your hair look so soft,” fake Scorp says awkwardly.
“Um what?” Albus asks not sure if he heard correctly. It feels like his brain has blown a circuit.
“I mean, you look beautiful,” fake Scorpius says bashfully looking at the floor. Pink dusts his pale features highlighting long golden lashes and faint freckles.
Albus hears his heart in his head and he knows his face probably resembles his brother’s dark red hair. Is Scorpius trying to say something? “I don’t…sorry what?” Albus says squinting at Scorps face like it’ll help him understand.
“Do you not feel the same about me? Albus, am I not beautiful?” Fake Scorpius asks looking scared and it suddenly hits Albus like a truck as to what’s happening.
“I’m sorry…I’ve got to go,” Albus says, dropping the gear against the rail before dashing back up the few steps he’d come down to the nearest bathroom.
Finding the bathroom he lets himself fall against the door letting it slam shut and sinks down to the floor. His heart is still hammering in his chest and his mouth is void of any moisture. He’s left wondering what the fuck just happened. What had possessed his friend to say all that? Could Scorp actually have feelings for him? If he does then what about Rose? Scorpius has always made sure that Albus has never once forgotten his plans to one day impress her. Why the sudden shift? Albus remembers how bashful Scorpius had looked confessing that he found Albus beautiful. If only the other boy could have seen himself, Albus finds himself thinking that Scorpius might be the walking definition of beauty. It scares him more than anything to think of asking out his best friend, but if Scorpius really found him beautiful, then the thought of the two of them being more was absolutely thrilling. Albus found himself smiling thinking about the two of them together. Scorpius Malfoy and Albus Potter, together forever. It was a beautiful thought which reminds him he never answered Scorpius. Thinking he’s already almost ruined Easter he leaves the bathroom to go tell Scorp he fancies him too. “It’s just Scorpius, he’s my best mate, and he feels the same,” he tells himself trying to shake the jittery feeling from his limbs.
After gaining enough confidence to leave the bathroom Albus makes his way back down the stairs and snags the quidditch gear once more. He’s a little disappointed that Scorpius didn’t stick around but decides he doesn’t really blame him after he ran off.
When he reaches the bottom of the stairs Scorps' cousin, Teddy, is leaning against the rail like he’s waiting for something.
“Hey Teddy!” Albus is enthusiastic and it pains Teddy that he looks like he just won the lottery, “You won’t believe what just happened,” he adds and Teddy can only guess that this is not going to be good.
“About that, Albus I should talk to you about something.”
“We are talking though,” Albus scoffs at his own joke, “have you seen Scorp by chance? He’s asked me something and I’m ready to answer. I think I really like him,” Albus says clearly giddy and excited. It’s clear to Teddy now that they’re not dating but not just that, they weren’t even aware they could be.
“Albus, I’m so sorry,” Teddy starts and Albus looks up at him for the first time and realizes something is terribly wrong. Teddy’s face looked extremely pale, his eyes glassy with tears, and his hair turned a stormier shade of blue. “I’m so sorry,” he repeats, “it was James’ stupid idea, said he was worried about you. We had no idea that you didn’t know you had buried your feelings for Scorpius. We thought you were secretly together.”
It was Albus’ turn to fade to white, he felt all his excitement drain out his finger tips. It was as if his blood turned to ice and the broom and shoulder pads clattered to the floor.
Looking over Teddy’s clothes was all the proof needed that the Scorpius that had called him beautiful wasn’t real. He had just been so blinded by his excitement to see Scorpius that he hadn’t paid any attention.
Teddy’s oversized, blue, denim, jacket and white sneakers were a far cry from what a Malfoy would wear. Especially since Scorp had asked him what he should wear and Albus said he wasn’t sure so Scorpius said he’d wear something nice. To impress Rose of course. Albus knows that to Scorpius nice is leather shoes, perfectly tailored pants, and a dashing knit sweater.
How could he be so naive? Scorp would never like Albus, not in the way Albus hardly understood himself. He’s starting to think it’s a miracle that Scorp wasn’t his gay awakening. He only found out when Rose forced him to watch quidditch and he just kept ogling the players arses. He hadn’t realized it until Rose asked him to go and he agreed too easily and she gave him a knowing look that made him go completely red.
Albus looks back at Teddy, head still reeling from his feelings being toyed with, “You’re both awful!” Albus says before running off again.