Summary:Scorpius Malfoy has been absolutely, undeniably and irrevocably in love with Albus Potter since he was eleven years old. He is perfectly happy to watch from the sidelines but his best friend, one Rose Weasley, has decided that she's had enough. Cue anonymous owls, a stolen bottle of Firewhisky, a double detention and a party in the Slytherin dungeon. This plan is 100% foolproof. Possibly.

Rating: M

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or settings that you recognise; they belong to JK Rowling and Warner Bros. I am not making any money from this story. The lyrics belong to Aqualung.

A/N:Most of you will know me, primarily, as a Harry/Draco writer but I've recently discovered the beauty of Albus/Scorpius. This is my first attempt at an AS/S fic - it's based on a quote from "Strange and Beautiful" by Aqualung and takes place throughout the kids' sixth year. Enjoy x

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I've been watching your world from afar, I've been trying to be where you are and I've been secretly falling apart, unseen. To me, you're strange and you're beautiful. You'd be so perfect with me but you just can't see, you turn every head but you don't see me.

Scorpius Malfoy looked up from his book at the sound of raucous laughter from the other side of the Great Hall, where his gaze was met with the smug face of James Potter. He was surrounded by his usual group of friends, admirers and general hangers-on, who were laughing appreciatively at something he'd said. He had his younger brother, Albus, in a headlock and was currently administering what looked like an incredibly painful noogie. The small, dark haired boy managed to struggle free and aimed a hefty kick at the Gryffindor, and every male in the room groaned as his foot made contact with the taller boy's crotch, sending him to the floor in a crumpled heap of red and black robes. Albus blushed slightly as his friends cheered and all eyes turned to him. Slinging his bag over his shoulder, he stepped over his whimpering brother and hastily exited the Hall, a group of friends in tow. How Scorpius desperately wished that he could be part of that group, in such close proximity to the beautiful Slytherin. Even from this distance, he could see the sparkle in those emerald eyes as the raven-haired boy turned to look back at James, and the blonde felt his heart skip a beat.

"Not staring at Al again, are you?" Rose Weasley sighed as she took a seat beside him.

"Of course not!" he said hastily, avoiding his best friend's gaze.

"Just go over and say hello," she suggested casually, ignoring the scandalised look he was giving her. "He knows who you are so it wouldn't be completely weird. Plus it's really distracting watching you staring at my cousin."

"I wasn't staring at him!" he said hotly.

"Oh, come off it, Scorp," she scoffed. "You've been mooning around after him every day since you were eleven, why would today be any different?"

"Excuse me, Malfoys do not moon!" he cried indignantly, earning him a few amused glances from his housemates. He lowered his voice. "I was merely trying to determine where that offensive racket was coming from as it was distracting me from my reading. Unsurprisingly, it had something to do with your idiot of a cousin."

"Doesn't it always?" Rose cast a disapproving look at the other side of the Hall, where Professor Longbottom was helping James to his feet. "One would think that he would have gotten over the fact that Al is in Slytherin by now. Nobody else in the family has a problem with it – even my dad has stopped winding him up about it."

"No matter how often the teachers tell us that we are only separated as a matter of tradition, it can't be denied that it is still viewed as important, especially by prominent Wizarding families. Merlin, the look on Father's face when he found out that I was in Ravenclaw..." Scorpius shuddered. "I thought he was going to pass out."

"My mum was really proud of me and dad said that he was too but I could tell that he was disappointed. But then Hugo, the second bloody coming of Christ, was sorted into Gryffindor and all was right in the world once more," Rose said bitterly. "James just takes any opportunity he can get to tease Al about it. Hugo is exactly the same with me."

Right on cue, Rose's younger brother threw himself down in a seat across from them, chomping loudly on an apple. Scorpius threw him a disgusted look.

"Can't you close your mouth when you eat?"

"Nope," the Gryffindor replied, taking another enormous bite.

The blonde muttered something that sounded like, "neanderthal," but the redhead chose to ignore him.

"What are you swots up to today then? Care for a game of Quidditch?"

"Busy," replied Scorpius, who had returned his attention to the tome in front of him.

"You're reading at the breakfast table? What is this?" Scorpius made to move the book out of Hugo's reach but the younger boy's Quidditch-honed reflexes proved too much for him and the book was snatched from his grip. "This isn't even school work! It's just... a book. You're reading when you don't have to!" he threw the book down as if it would contaminate him and got to his feet. "Fucking Ravenclaws," he muttered, shaking his head as he wandered over to his friends.

"He's such a tosser," Scorpius seethed. Rose tutted and glared at her brother's retreating form.

"We'll be on the pitch if you girls decide you've had enough of your precious reading," the fourth-year called over his shoulder, swaggering out of the Hall with his broom in hand.

"Who brings their broom down to breakfast?" Rose snorted. She rolled her eyes as a group of giggling fourth-year girls rushed to Hugo's side, fawning over him and batting their eyelashes. "What a bloody poser."

"Who would want a bunch of simpering girls following you everywhere you went anyway?" Scorpius wrinkled his nose in disgust. "I can't think of anything creepier."

"I'm sure you wouldn't complain if you had a group of boys all fighting for your attention though," Rose countered, arching an eyebrow.

"Well, that would be... it's just... that's completely different! Not to mention irrelevant. I'm awful at Quidditch," the blonde scowled. "And everything else that one tends to associate with hoards of randy groupies."

"Randy?" Rose sniggered. "What is this, the 1950's?"

Scorpius flushed. "You know what I mean."

"Yes, I do. You're bitter about the fact that only the Quidditch players get any action around here and everyone else is left to find the least repugnant person that'll have them, or else wank themselves blind," she said matter-of-factly. "Don't think that you're the only person in that situation."

"Well, Rose, you could pretty much walk up to any boy in the school and they wouldn't turn you down. Boys are horrible creatures that just take whatever's on offer, regardless of whether or not they fancy them. Or even like them as a person," he added, frowning.

"You're a boy. Does that mean you're a horrible creature?" she grinned.

"Obviously not. Does this look like the face of someone who's taking whatever's on offer?" he pointed to himself. "In case you hadn't noticed, there is a distinct lack of gay boys at this school."

Rose patted his arm sympathetically. "There has to be someone that we can find for you. Is there anyone you like?" He gave her a withering look. "Anyone apart from Al?"

"Nope, only him. The same way that it's been only him every day for five years," he sighed and her brown eyes suddenly sparkled mischievously. He eyed her warily. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"No reason. Come on," she said briskly, grabbing his arm and pulling him to his feet.

"What are you doing?" he barely had time to pick up his book before he was dragged from the Ravenclaw table to the Entrance Hall. "Rosie, where are we going?"

"The Quidditch pitch," she said simply, her eyes still twinkling. She glanced around the Entrance Hall as though looking for someone and Scorpius had a feeling that no good could come of whatever she was planning. Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks and her face broke into a grin.

"Al! Fancy seeing you here!" she cried in mock surprise, and Scorpius made a mental note to kill her in her sleep.

"Hi, guys," Albus said casually, coming to a halt beside them. "Are you coming down to watch?"

"Of course, we wouldn't miss it!" she nodded vigorously and the Slytherin gave her an odd look. He turned to Scorpius.

"Is it just me or does she seem especially weird today?"

Scorpius felt his face grow hot and he prayed to whatever god was listening that he didn't look like a tomato. "Erm... weird," he repeated stupidly, wishing that the ground would open up and swallow him. He cleared his throat. "Are you playing?" he asked, a split-second before he registered that Al was not holding a broom. The smaller boy smiled and gestured to the book in his hand.

"No, I'll just be in the stands. I tend to avoid flying at all costs," he replied as they began making their way down to the Quidditch pitch. "Everyone assumed that I'd be great, like my dad, but I'm awful. A menace, really. I find it better for all involved if I just keep my feet on the ground," Scorpius nodded, not trusting himself to say anything else. "What about you?"

"Oh, um..." he gestured to his own book and gave a nervous laugh. "Snap."

"So you checked that out of the library! I've been trying to get it for weeks but Madam Pince wouldn't tell me who had it," Albus grinned. "She's so creepy; I only speak to her when it's completely unavoidable. My dad says she was here when he was our age so Merlin knows how old she is now. She must be about a hundred and fifty!" he and Rose laughed loudly, but Scorpius feared he would snort or choke or do something similarly embarrassing, and so almost cracked a rib fighting the urge to join in.

"Are you alright, Scorp?" Rose turned to him. "Your face is bright red."

"I'm fine," he mumbled, feeling two sets of eyes on him.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

Rose and Albus laughed and joked the whole way across the grounds with Scorpius trailing behind them, trying to think of excuses that he could make to allow him to leave. He had spent every day for as long as he could remember wishing that he could be close to Albus, talking and joking the way they were now but now that it was actually happening, he couldn't think of a time where he had been more terrified. Why did nobody warn him about this? His father had sat down with him when he was thirteen and spent half an hour giving him the most horrifically uncomfortable talk in the history of the world, filled with details about girls, and sex and things that he assured him were perfectly natural – he had used the word 'urges' for Melin's sake! It didn't get much creepier than that! – but nowhere in this speech had he mentioned this! The way that every time he met Albus' huge green eyes, his brain short-circuited and he lost the ability to speak. All coherent thought was lost every time their shoulders bumped together and he suddenly became very aware of his every movement. His legs seemed very heavy and his arms swung from side to side and oh god, he'd forgotten how to walk. Somehow, he managed to navigate himself across the pitch and into one of the stands. Up and up they climbed and he finally reached the top, hideously out of breath and acutely aware of the fact that Rose was watching his every move. Fighting the urge to push her back down the stairs, he took a seat and opened his book. To his mixed horror and delight, Albus slumped down next to him.

"You don't mind, do you?" he asked, his face deliciously flushed from climbing countless flights of stairs. Scorpius felt his mouth go very dry and he shook his head slowly. He turned his attention to his book and attempted to read but found it impossible to concentrate when the object of his many late-night fantasies was sitting so close that their shoulders were touching. He could hear the Slytherin's rhythmic breathing and he snuck a glance out of the corner of his eye. Albus was already engrossed in his reading, his green eyes flicking back and forth across the page at lightning speed. His shiny black hair fell across his face and he tucked it behind his ear absent-mindedly, where it promptly slid forward into his eyes again. He had a sprinkling of freckles across his nose, which was scrunched up in the most adorable fashion and Scorpius had to battle the urge to lunge forward and ravish him where he sat. Then, almost in slow motion, he saw something that almost caused him to melt on the spot: Albus' tongue darted out and he swept it across his bottom lip to moisten it. The entire action must have been over in less than a second but it was long enough to alert Scorpius to the fact that he had a boner, with nothing but his dusty old library book to disguise it.

Fuck, he thought, fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck! Did he make his excuses and leave - bearing in mind that today was Saturday and therefore there were no voluminous school robes to hide his problem - or did he simply sit and picture the least sexual things that he could think of until it went away? Deciding that it would be rude to leave so soon after they had arrived, coupled with the fact that his crotch would be at Al's eye-level if he stood up, he cast a glance around the school grounds in an attempt to find a distraction.

Come on, he thought desperately, willing his body to listen to him for once. He tapped his foot impatiently, noticing that Rose was watching him with a knowing look on her face.

"Are you alright, Scorp?" she grinned wickedly. "Are you finished with your book?"

"Pardon?" his voice seemed higher than usual and he cleared his throat loudly.

"You haven't turned the page in a while, I was just wondering if you had finished with it."

"Oh, erm..."

"Why don't you give it to Al if you're finished?" she asked sweetly, fighting to keep her face straight. His eyes widened.

"I don't think -"

"Go on, Scorp," she pressed. "Don't be rude."

Albus looked up at him expectantly and he shifted slightly in his seat. A few moments passed and he realised that he must have looked like a complete and utter twat, sitting gawking at Albus without saying a word.

"Sure, I'm finished anyway. Excuse me," he jumped up and hurried towards the stairs, taking them two at a time in his haste to put as much distance between himself and Albus as possible. He ran full-pelt towards the castle, barging past David Finnegan and Stephanie Abbot as they made their way down to the pitch, vaguely aware that they were calling after him, asking if he was alright. Images of Albus' smooth, tanned skin filled his mind and he willed himself to run faster. He was almost at the castle, just a few more minutes and he could put himself out of his misery. He skidded almost to a halt in the Entrance Hall and walked through the corridors as fast as was allowed without incurring the wrath of a prefect until he reached the Ravenclaw Common Room. Not speaking to anyone, he ran up the stairs and entered his dormitory, which, thankfully, was empty. He leaned against the door and closed his eyes, finally pausing to take a deep breath. Images of Albus flashed through his mind and he could still hear his even breathing, still smell his clean, citrusy scent and he could feel the Slytherin's warm weight against him as though he were still sitting beside him on the Quidditch pitch. He replayed the memory of Albus innocently licking his lips and Scorpius groaned, already fumbling with his belt. Pulling out his wand, he tapped the dormitory door, casting both locking and silencing charms before collapsing on his bed.

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Feeling refreshed after a long shower (during which he'd knocked another two out, just in case he saw Albus again and lost all self-control), Scorpius made his way down to the Great Hall for lunch. As he approached the Ravenclaw table, he saw the back of Rose's bushy head and made a beeline for her, however, as he drew closer he saw that she was sitting beside her cousin. He tried his best to slip away unnoticed but Rose caught him in his attempt to escape.

"Scorpius, over here!"

He took a deep breath, resisting the urge to hex his best friend into oblivion, and turned to face her, plastering a smile onto his face. He could feel the colour rising in his cheeks already and his heart was thumping against his ribcage, as though Albus somehow knew what he'd been doing all morning. He took a seat across from them and reached for the jug of pumpkin juice, trying to hide his trembling hands.

"Did you toss, then?" Al asked casually.

CLANG.

Pumpkin juice seeped from the upturned flagon, staining the tablecloth a vivid orange but all Scorpius could do was gape at the Slytherin. After a few moments had passed and it was apparent that the blond was no closer to cleaning up his mess, Rose pulled out her wand and Vanished the stain, observing her friend with a gleeful look in her eye. Scorpius cleared his throat.

"Pardon?"

"Did you toss up? Rose said that you were feeling sick," the raven-haired boy gave him a sympathetic look. The blond threw Rose a dirty look before returning his attention to Albus.

"No, but I feel much better after a couple of hours in my bed."

"I'll bet you do," Rose offered sweetly, reaching out to press a small, slender hand to his forehead. "Are you sure you're okay? You still look a little flushed."

"I'm fine!" he snapped, swatting her hand away. He could feel Albus' eyes on him and his face grew warm as he imagined the other boy licking his lips again. He lowered his gaze to his plate, avoiding the eyes of the two people in front of him.

"Are you sure? You do look a little hot," Al commented and, before Scorpius could react, a different, much warmer hand was against his face. It was all he could do not pounce on the boy and he leapt to his feet, sending his fork clattering to the ground.

"Actually, I think you're right. I'm going to the Hospital Wing," he announced before almost sprinting from the Hall, leaving Rose and Albus to exchange baffled looks. He hurried along the corridor before pulling aside a tapestry and slipping into the alcove that it concealed. He let out a groan of frustration as he slid down the wall, landing with a thump on the cold stone floor. Why was he so pathetic? It had been five years, for Merlin's sake! He had expected things to get better as he grew older but his feelings just seemed to get deeper and more intense as the years passed. At first he had been captivated by the Slytherin's innocent face and easy charm. A couple of years passed and he became more aware of his feelings and what they meant. He would catch himself wishing that he could run his hands through his soft, ebony locks and fantasizing about kissing the young Potter. He had asked his father if it was normal to feel these things and was relieved to hear that yes, it was indeed normal, but could he please find someone other than a Potter to fantasize about? He couldn't tell if his father was joking and so did not press the issue. Instead of getting better as he'd hoped it would, it got immeasurably worse as time wore on. Now, he couldn't even hear Albus' voice without wanting to rip the boy's clothes off. It was all that he could think about! Not exactly a good thing when trying to study for one's OWLs. He sighed and raised a hand to push his hair out of his face, startled to find that his cheeks were wet. He hadn't even realised that he was crying.

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A/N: How was it? Let me know! Cookies to all who review! x