i do not know bsl at all except that the alphabet uses two hands, so i wrote this all with asl in mind because that's what i know

for ghost hunting - task #1: write about someone dealing with a physical disability (deafness)

for 366 words - language

for writing club: showtime - simon zealots/poor jerusalem (understand); marvel appreciation - sif (unrequited love)

for gwen's candy shop - chronic health issues (deafness)

for reserve league - season 3, round 3, chaser 3, write about your otp dealing with a physical illness

3475 words by google docs

Not that he would admit it to his father, but when he's going on the train to Hogwarts, Scorpius is nervous. He's spent his entire life practicing lip reading, and his father has sworn that he talked to Headmistress McGonagall about Scorpius' deafness, but he's still unsure about leaving for Hogwarts for an entire year. He finds an empty compartment on the train to sit in, and he tries to fall asleep.

He may not be able to hear any noises, but his brain is plenty loud.

…

When he wakes up, there's someone else in his compartment. It's a boy, probably a first year like him by the looks of it, with messy brown hair and sparkling green eyes. The boy says several things at once, but he's talking too fast for Scorpius to read his lips. He already doesn't know how to react. He was hoping he would've had time to mentally prepare himself before he had to have any real interaction with another kid.

Scorpius looks at him blankly, and the other boy stares back at him. Slowly, Scorpius shakes his head and points to his ears.

I can't hear you, he mouths, not sure if the other boy knows what he's saying. It takes a moment, but Scorpius can see it in the boy's face when it clicks.

"Are you deaf?" Scorpius can see the other boy ask. He's about to reply, when the other boy waves his hands really quickly. Scorpius waits, and the boy slowly points a finger from his mouth to his ear and then at Scorpius.

Scorpius is shocked. He had gone over all of the bad scenarios in his head, but he never considered that someone else in Hogwarts would know sign language.

You know sign language? he signs quickly, eager to find someone he can authentically speak with.

The other boy hesitates, before signing, I'm learning.

That's fine. Scorpius will take that, too. Taking extra care to sign slowly, he asks, what's your name?

The other boy thinks for a second before spelling his name out. His fingerspelling isn't so good — he keeps on moving his hand all over the place — but Scorpius doesn't care.

A-L-B-U-S, he spells. And Scorpius grins at him.

I'm S-C-O-R-P-I-U-S, he says, and to make it simpler, he points to his head and moves his hand away while making the letter S — his sign name.

Albus repeats his sign name back to Scorpius, and Scorpius grins. He only slightly hesitates before hooking two fingers and interlocking them. Friends?

It doesn't take any time for Albus to sign it back.

…

To Scorpius' surprise, getting used to Hogwarts is pretty easy. Him and Albus are both sorted into Gryffindor, so they share all of their classes. All of his teachers write almost everything on the board for him, and if he ever has no idea what's going on, he turns to Albus with a confused look and gets him to write a note for what's happening.

It's really nice to have a friend, and he's really glad it's Albus. Scorpius tries to teach him sign language, and Albus gets much better at signing.

Scorpius doesn't have any other friends. He realizes that, but also, he realizes that he doesn't particularly care. As Scorpius is teaching Albus how to sign different potions ingredients in their dorm room, he realizes that Albus is worth ten friends. He's all that Scorpius needs.

…

They go home for the summer, and Scorpius hugs him goodbye on the platform before they walk over to their respective parents. As he approaches his father, Scorpius notices him staring at Albus heading towards his own dad.

Who was that? his father asks him when he looks at Scorpius.

Albus Potter, Scorpius signs back, taking his time to sign each and every letter carefully. His father looks back at where the Potters were, but Scorpius doesn't see them anymore.

Did you have a good year? Scorpius' father asks next. Scorpius nods, and his father smiles.

…

As soon as Scorpius gets home, he sends an owl to Albus. Letter-writing isn't the same as seeing each other face to face, but at least when they write Albus can use all the words he doesn't know in sign language yet.

Over the next three months, they send each other letter after letter. It takes a while for Scorpius to do anything other than write letters to Albus and wonder when he'll get one back. They tell each other about their summer holidays, and how they're families are (Albus has been spending the summer at his grandparents, and so has Scorpius) and about how they're excited for the upcoming year and to see each other again.

The night before they go back to Hogwarts, Scorpius lays awake, thinking about if Albus changed at all over the summer. He wonders if he did. He thinks about how perfect it'll be, reuniting with Albus.

Three months have seemed like forever.

…

As soon as Albus finds where Scorpius is sitting, he puts both of his hands up.

I have a surprise, he says, and Scorpius takes note at how much smoother his signing is. It's still not perfect, of course, but Scorpius is thinking of Albus' shaky signing. Also, he doesn't remember teaching Albus how to sign the word surprise.

What? Scorpius asks, feeling excited.

I took sign language classes this summer, Albus tells him, and Scorpius doesn't know what to say to that. He didn't go to a Muggle primary school like he knows most of his classmates did, so he didn't have any friends from before Hogwarts, and even within Hogwarts he really only became friends with Albus. Clicking with Albus was easy.

Still, he's never been so touched before. He doesn't think, if had another friend, that someone else would have done this for him.

Tears start to fill his eyes, before he can stop them, and he really doesn't want to cry in front of Albus. That'll be embarrassing. Albus sees them, anyway, and sits down next to Scorpius, looking confused. He makes a fist and circles it over his heart. Sorry.

Scorpius doesn't know how to respond, so he responds by wrapping his arms around Albus and squeezes him, hard. It takes Albus a second to realize what's happening, but when he does, he wraps his arms around Scorpius, too.

It's nice to have his best friend physically there.

…

Their second year goes by fast, and before he knows it, Scorpius has to choose electives to take next year. Albus is beside him, with the same form all second years got. He peeks over, trying to look at what classes Albus is choosing, but he can't see Albus' paper.

Scorpius looks back down at his own form and then looks back at Albus. He doesn't know which classes to choose. The thing is, he hasn't realized how much he depends on Albus in class. Next year, unlike their first two years at Hogwarts, they might not share the same classes. With a sigh, he snaps his fingers to get Albus' attention. Albus looks up at him.

What classes are you taking? he signs, putting his form on his lap.

Albus places his form down, too, and signs back, I think Arithmancy and Divination. He signs back.

Scorpius looks back down at his form and frowns. He doesn't really like the sound of either of them. His gut instinct is to take Care of Magical Creatures and Muggle Studies, but if Albus isn't taking them…

What about Care of Magical Creatures? he asks, looking back at Albus. Albus wrinkles his nose.

I don't like animals, he replies.

Scorpius sighs. He knows that he should do what he'll enjoy, but being with Albus is something that he'll enjoy. Still, he knows that he shouldn't choose a class that he doesn't like.

He signs up for Care of Magical Creatures and Divination. Albus signs up for Arithmancy and Divination.

…

Somehow, the gods were on Scorpius' side, and when he gets his schedule, he and Albus have all of their core classes together. Still, having classes without Albus is immediately overwhelming.

All of his teachers know that he's deaf, of course, but Scorpius didn't realize how much he really depended on Albus in their classes. It hits him on the first day of Muggle Studies, when the Ravenclaw girl sitting next to him is talking to him and he doesn't realize for a few moments.

He turns to her, when he realizes that there's someone next to him, and he feels a little bit mortified. He wants to talk, to tell her anything, but he just… can't.

The girl has frizzy red hair and freckles across her face, and she says something that Scorpius doesn't really see, but he catches the word "deaf" in there, so he nods.

The girl nods, and then turns away, rummaging in her bag for something. She pulls out a piece of parchment and a quill, and scribbles something on it.

I'm Rose Weasley, the parchment says. I'm Albus' cousin.

Scorpius looks at the paper for a moment before registering that he should write something back.

He grabs his out quill out of his bag, and writes back I'm Scorpius Malfoy.

Rose takes the parchment back and writes out on it, I don't know sign language yet, but I'm willing to learn it if you want me to.

And just like that, Scorpius suddenly has another friend.

…

Care of Magical Creatures is different from Muggle Studies, but Scorpius likes it. They mostly work with the animals themselves, so he doesn't have to talk to other kids in his class much. Still, he becomes friends with a Hufflepuff boy in his year named Lorcan. He doesn't know sign language, either but Lorcan doesn't really talk that much, but when he does, he talks pretty slow, so it's easy to understand what he's saying. Lorcan also doesn't mind Scorpius not talking back. They observe flobberworms together, and Scorpius hasn't officially asked him if they can be friends, but Scorpius thinks he counts.

The rest of the school year passes by quickly with Lorcan and Rose on Scorpius' side.

And, of course, as always, Albus. He always makes sure to make time with Albus. Somehow, not having all of their classes together, makes them even closer. They have to actually make time to see each other more, and Scorpius really loves spending time with Albus. That part will never change, he doesn't think.

…

Halfway into their fourth year, Albus gets a girlfriend. It's a Slytherin girl in their year. Carla Parkinson. She's pretty, and Scorpius has never talked to her directly, but she seems nice enough. Still, Scorpius feels pissed about it. Albus starts spending more time with her, and Scorpius feels sort of annoyed that he's spending less time with him. Albus is Scorpius' only friend. He doesn't have anyone else to sign to.

Still, that's more of an annoyance, not a reason to be pissed. He doesn't know why he feels so pissed about it, but it hits him in Transfiguration. McGonagall says something, but she goes too fast for Scorpius to pick up what she's talking about. He turns to Albus to figure out what she said, and he realizes, with a shock, that Albus isn't even next to him. They had different classes last block, but Scorpius is sure that he saw Albus walk into the room. Scorpius just assumed that Albus sat next to him, as always, but Scorpius also has been too upset with Albus to look at him properly for the past week, ever since he's started dating Carla. Scorpius twists around to look at the other desks. He spots Albus almost right away.

And right besides him is Carla.

He feels even more pissed.

…

That night, before they go to bed, Scorpius casually signs to Albus, You left me in Transfiguration.

Albus stares at him for a second, like he's shocked that Scorpius would bring it up. Of course Scorpius would! It's one thing if Albus would just spend less time with him because of his new girlfriend, but to ditch him in class? They had had a silent agreement, ever since first year, that Albus would be there to catch what Scorpius couldn't. It's hard enough in the classes that Scorpius doesn't share with Albus, but for Albus to just ditch him in the classes that they do share?

I wanted to sit next to Carla, Albus signs to Scorpius, before turning to his trunk and putting his socks in them. Scorpius scoffs, and it must sound loud, because Albus looks back at him.

What about me? he asks Albus. Albus rolls his eyes and frowns.

What about you? he asks rights back.

You're just going to leave me alone? he challenges. He feels all of these pent up emotions coming out of him, and he doesn't know where they're coming from. All that he knows is that he's pissed. He's pissed at Albus, and he's upset, and he's angry, and he hates Carla. He hates Carla!

Albus says something to the ceiling. Scorpius sees his mouth move, but can't tell what he actually says, and that pisses him off further.

Get another friend, Albus signs to Scorpius, looking about as pissed as Scorpius feels. Except, now Scorpius feels hurt, as well.

I have other friends. You're supposed to be my best friend, he signs. Something stings behind his eyes, and he feels like he's about to start crying. He can't do that. He blinks, and focuses back on Albus.

It's not my fault you're jealous of me dating someone, Albus says. He fully turns away, now, and Scorpius is shocked. He's not jealous. That would be insane. Albus is his best friend, even if Scorpius might not be his, apparently. Scorpius wants Albus to be happy.

He just wants to keep his friend while he is.

Albus turns around to sign something else, but Scorpius does the pettiest thing he's ever done: he closes his eyes. It both effectively means that he doesn't know whatever Albus wants to say, and it stops the tears from falling out of his eyes. Part of him really wants to open his eyes and apologize to Albus and just be friends again.

Part of him wants to keep on ignoring him and just go to sleep.

That part of him wins.

…

Scorpius feels awful about it, but he spends the next several weeks avoiding Albus. They still see each other, though; they share a dormitory, and most of their classes. Still, Scorpius refuses to talk to him at all. He shares some core classes with Rose, who's eager to practice her sign language, so she lets him sit next to her in those classes. Scorpius appreciates the gesture of her trying to learn sign language to communicate with him, but it just makes him think of Albus, and that makes him sad. He misses Albus.

It hits him during lunch that this whole fight is only really affecting him. He realizes it because in the Great Hall he can't just go sit next to Rose at the Ravenclaw table. He has to stay at the Gryffindor table. Albus does, too, and Scorpius thought he would've won that point — they both don't have anyone to sit next to if they're not sitting next to each other — but he realizes that Albus is sitting in the middle of another group of people, a little ways down from where Scorpius is sitting, alone. He doesn't know what they're saying, but he sees Albus laugh, and he thinks about how much he misses that laugh.

He spends the rest of lunch thinking about Albus, and his eyes can't help but follow Albus and Carla as they walk out of the Great Hall. He wishes he had that, what Carla has.

And then he has the second big revelation of the day: he wishes he had that.

Albus was right, and it hits Scorpius right in between the eyes. He's jealous.

He likes Albus.

…

Scorpius spends the rest of the school year miserable. He spends the rest of the school year missing Albus, and trying to forget about him, to no avail. When the summer comes around, he holes himself up in his bedroom. It's not so different from previous summers, except he spent those writing letters to Albus. He can't do that, now.

After about a week, his father enters his room. Scorpius looks up from the book that he's tried to get consumed by.

We're going to take a vacation, his father says. Scorpius rolls his eyes and looks back at his book. They're probably going to Scorpius' grandparents, or to his relatives in France, or somewhere where he just doesn't want to be. His father waves his hand, catching Scorpius' attention. He looks back at him.

We're visiting the Weasleys and Potters.

…

Scorpius vows that he's going to be more open with his parents. If he was, he wouldn't be subjected to spending a week directly in Albus' midst. It turns out that because Scorpius and Albus grew so close, Scorpius' mom, who works at the Ministry with Albus' dad, started a friendship between their parents. And then, to surprise Albus and Scorpius, they were invited to the annual Weasley family reunion.

The only silver lining Scorpius finds is that Rose is there, too. Scorpius thinks that he would go crazy if he couldn't attach himself immediately to Rose. When he does so, though, walking right past Albus, she gives him a strange look. She looks like she's about to tell him off, but Scorpius looks away. He doesn't need to see it from her.

Scorpius has to share a room with Albus, of course, but Scorpius also spent the last part of their fourth year ignoring Albus, even in their dorms, so he thinks he'll be fine.

It's hard, to not look at Albus, when all he wants to do is sign with Albus, and look at him, and —

But he is. He is fine, for the first few days, at least. On the fourth night of Scorpius staying there, Albus signs his name.

Scorpius ignores it, but he can't make himself fully look away. He peaks a look, and Albus is sitting on his bed, signing his name over and over again.

Finally, Scorpius signs, What?, exasperated.

Albus pauses, like he didn't expect Scorpius to respond. Finally, he signs, Carla and I broke up.

That gives Scorpius pause. He doesn't know why they did, but suddenly he wants to kiss him.

That would be a bad idea.

Instead, Scorpius signs, Why?

Albus sighs, and Scorpius waits for a response.

I didn't like her, he says, and Scorpius waits for more of an elaboration, because it seems to Scorpius that Albus did. I liked someone else and I dated her to ignore that fact.

Scorpius still signs nothing. Albus doesn't either, and finally Scorpius asks, Who?

Albus bites his lip, and he does four simple signs. He makes two fists and moves them from his chest dowards, and then points at himself, and then makes a two flat O with his hands and pressed the tips of his fingers together and then brings it up to his hand and then finally points to Scorpius.

It takes too long for Scorpius to realize that Albus is asking Can I kiss you?

In response, Scorpius flings himself at Albus and pressed their lips together. It feels more magical than actually learning at Hogwarts. Albus pulls away first, and he searches Scorpius' face, taking him in.

"I love you," Albus says. Or maybe it's "Elephant shoes". Or "Olive juice". He's pretty sure it's "I love you". Scorpius for the first time in his life, wishes he could hear, if just to hear those words come out of Albus' mouth. Albus looks shocked, like he didn't mean to say that, and he looks away for a second, before looking back at Scorpius and raises up a single hand. Scorpius hasn't seen Albus' hand shake so much when signing since they first met.

Still, Albus manages to put down his middle and ring finger. I love you.

Scorpius leans in, and he kisses him again, and it's just as good as the first kiss. When he pulls away, he notices that Albus' eyes are full of tears. Letting out a little laugh, Scorpius cups Albus' cheek with his hand, and wipes the tears away. He sees Albus, laugh, too, and it registers that Albus has happy tears.

Scorpius raises up a single hand, his palm facing Albus and only his middle and ring finger down.

I love you.