"Lovesick, huh?"

Scorpius jumped. Albus grinned and sat down next to Scorpius on his perch on the couch of the Slytherin common room.

"Oh, I've seen it all, Scorpius. The look on your face, you're doodling on your homework- who's the lucky girl?"

"Shut up, Albus," Scorpius muttered, but he couldn't help it - he was grinning the goofy little half-grin he always smiled when he thought of Rose.

"Knew it." Albus leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Yule Ball's coming up. I dare you."

"Yeah, right."

"No, really!" Albus insisted.

Scorpius shook his head.

"Scared?" Albus raised one of his eyebrows, an ability of his that Scorpius was incredibly jealous of.

"No." He couldn't help the defensive tone coming into his voice.

"Yeah, you are."

"Yeah, well - well, you are, too!"

He knew it was a lame answer as soon as he said it - sort of the more mature equivalent of "so's your face," but it was all he could think of at the moment.

To his surprise, Albus blushed.

"Actually. . ." he hemmed. "You know Polly Chapman, right?"

Scorpius attempted unsuccessfully to raise an eyebrow. "The girl who practically worships the ground under my feet? Yeah, I know her. Whyyyyyyy?"

He said the last word with a drawl in his voice. Albus's blush deepened.

"You like her?"

"No!"

"Yeah," Scorpius said lazily. "I've seen it all. The look on your face-"

"Shut up, Scorpius."

"Doesn't feel so good when it's you, eh?" He was grinning, and so was Albus, both of their faces still pink.

"Make you a deal," Albus said, leaning in conspiratorially. "You get Polly to go with me. I get Rose to go with you. Polly likes you, Rose is my cousin - advantages."

Scorpius grinned. "You're joking."

"Dead serious."

"You wouldn't - you -"

Albus leaned back and folded his arms behind his head. "Yes?"

"Nothing," Scorpius said sullenly.

"So that's a yes?"

Scorpius rolled his eyes. "Fine."