Disclaimer: This is not mine. Don't sue!

Note: ... I never expected to write this. I haven't technically been in the HP fandom in over two years but, well, here you go! This is entirely blamed on Maxine-chan( who also beta'd this, thanks!). Who you should all stalk because she writes amazing fic. ;) (P.S. My KH fic will be updated soon! It's with my Beta now.)

House Games.

"I dare you to snog Malfoy."

Albus cocks an eyebrow and glances over at the rapidly paling blond opposite him. He turns back to Ember Parkinson and asks, "With tongue?"

"No, I meant with your wand, you prat," Ember retorts with a roll of her eyes and flick of her dark hair over her shoulder. "Get on with it and stop stalling."

"Do I not get a say in this?" Scorpius speaks up indignantly, crossing his arms over his chest and looking away from Albus with great determination. "I never agreed to kissing Potter. In fact, I don't recall agreeing to play this game in the first place."

Ember sighs. "It is a House game, Scorpius. You have to play. If you don't you have to go walk the corridors until morning or until you get caught, whichever comes first. Those are the rules."

Scorpius opens his mouth, preparing to protest once more, but Albus is suddenly in his face, a wicked grin spreading over his lips and all he can see is white teeth and green eyes. "...Bollocks," he murmurs and he can feel Albus chuckling as he exhales over his face.

"Scared, Scorpius?" Albus whispers, leaning in just a little closer, and Scorpius tries to distract himself by counting the numerous freckles scattered over his nose.

"You wish, Albus," he sneers half heartedly.

The others in the room murmur excitedly, whispering and giggling together, but Scorpius barely even hears them. He swallows, feeling his palms beginning to sweat against his sides and he has a feeling that his cheeks must be flushed because his face feels hot.

As usual, Albus looks calm and composed, a smaller smile playing around his upturned lips and Scorpius focuses on them until he can no longer see them. Instead he can feel them on his own and he stops breathing. Albus' lips are soft and slightly moist, not rough and dry as he expected them to be from all the flying he does in the cold winds.

Scorpius allows his eyes to fall closed but he doesn't move his hands from his sides, his fists bunched tightly and fingernails digging into his palms. It's not that it is uncomfortable or even awkward, it just feels strange to be kissing his best friend and... and enjoying it.

Needing to take a breath, Scorpius' lips part on their own accord and he starts when he feels what can only be a tongue sneaking forward to touch his lips and push inside his mouth, encouraging his lips to part further. Scorpius breathes faster and his brows furrow slightly. He doesn't move to return the kiss, still feeling too strange but when Albus makes a soft sound, a sound that Scorpius wasn't prepared for, he completely freezes before promptly pulling back.

"Wh-Wha-?" Albus mumbles, startled, his eyes wide and surprised. "Scorpius?"

"Hey now, that wasn't enough for the dare," Ember admonishes with a pointed glare at both of them.

Scorpius looks from Albus to Ember, and then at everyone else in the room staring at him. He wipes at his mouth, still frowning, and gets to his feet. "I'm going to bed. I've had enough of this sodding game."

As he stands, everyone protests except for Albus, who stays silent and looks towards the fire, worrying his lower lip with his teeth. Scorpius doesn't reply, he steps over legs and bodies splayed out over the floor and heads straight for the stairs towards his dormitory, leaving the others behind and taking only his thoughts with him.

The seclusion only prompts him to linger over what happened, no distractions to sway his thoughts into different areas and he falls down on his bed, covering his face with his pillow with an irritated sigh. It shouldn't really matter – it's only Albus and they've been friends on and off for five years now. But it bothers him and it bothers him even more that it bothers him in the first place. And ultimately it shouldn't bother him because it's not the first time they have kissed.

"Scorp?" Albus knocks, and then opens the door slowly – Scorpius hears the familiar creak. "You okay?"

"I'm absolutely fabulous, Potter," Scorpius retorts, words somewhat lost in the material of his pillow.

"Accio pillow," Albus mutters. Scorpius makes a grab for the pillow as it lifts off his head but he misses it and watches as it sails straight into Albus' waiting arms, a smirk curving his lips. "There, there. Now, care to repeat yourself? I thought you sounded a lot like one of those cursed portraits or were talking in tongues."

"Oh sod off," he grumbles, sitting up and swinging his legs to the floor. "I have homework to do."

"Liar," Albus sings, throwing himself down on Scorpius' bed and making himself comfortable with the pillow he had stolen from him. "I copied your notes earlier, remember? Pull the other leg, mate."

Scorpius purses his lips, standing and turning to look down at the other boy lying on his bed as if it was his own. He watches as Albus closes his eyes and fold his arms under his head, his ever present smile on his lips. ...His lips that are still a little swollen and wet looking. Scorpius licks his own without thought, biting down on his lower lip as he recalls what it had felt like and how different it had been from their first accidental kiss.

Shaking his head, Scorpius scowls and points his wand at Albus' head. "Fine. You caught me. Now will you bugger off?"

"No, I'm awfully comfortable here," Albus replies with a content sigh. "Did you get your dad to send more a comfortable mattress or something? Because this isbrilliant. I think I might bunk here from now on."

"Yes, he did," Scorpius snaps, "but you are not sharing my bed. Now – get off."

Albus laughs and looks up at him with one eye. "Make me, Malfoy. If you dare, that is."

"'If I dare'?" Scorpius repeats coldly, his eyes flashing, and he lifts his wand up, mouth opening to mutter a suitable hex at his best mate –

"Okay, okay!" Albus says quickly, sitting up and shuffling off the bed. Looking at Scorpius warily, he scratches the back of his neck and grins sheepishly. "You can be a scary bastard, you know that?"

"Thank you," Scorpius replies with a satisfied smirk.

"But... Well, I'm not letting you off so easily, Scorp," Albus says, suddenly serious. "What happened before? You completely froze up there."

"I don't want to talk about it," Scorpius mutters stiffly, putting his wand away. Then continues, "I wasn't comfortable, that's all."

For a moment there is only silence and they both stand awkwardly, neither looking at the other but sneaking looks every other second. It is only when they catch each other looking do they relax, breaking out in embarrassed chuckles, and they sit down on Scorpius' bed, still grinning at each other goofily.

"You're too damn serious, Scorp," Albus chortles, shaking his head side to side. "It was only a game. It didn't bother me. In fact, I rather enjoyed myself." Albus laughs again but Scorpius can tell that it is slightly forced, awkward.

"Of course you did, Potter," Scorpius mutters, bumping their shoulders together. "You just like snogging and it doesn't matter who it is."

He expects Albus to laugh along with him or at least deny what he said but he remains silent. He looks at him, eyebrow quirked, and prods him. "Potter? ...Al?"

"That isn't exactly true," Albus mumbles. "It matters... Sometimes."

"Oh?" Scorpius watches him, curious, and he notes that Albus looks uncomfortable; his cheeks are tinted a slight pink that makes his freckles stand out and he's smiling more ridiculously than usual. Albus turns and meets his gaze, holding it and Scorpius thinks that there isn't as much space between them as there was only a few seconds ago.

"Yeah," Albus replies and Scorpius feels the words over his parted, waiting lips. There is an urge to pull back, to question what the bloody hell Albus thinks he's doing, but he is distracted by lips and tongue and the slightest hint of teeth.

It is better than their first – which had been closed mouths, bumping noses and shocked silence for two weeks afterwards. It was better than their second because they are alone and it feels natural – and Scorpius kisses Albus back, offering him something to kiss and push against, something to climb on top of and press down on the bed and snog breathless.

Albus pulls back, hovering over him, his self assured grin making him look ridiculous and cocky all at once. "Hey, Malfoy?"

"What, Potter?"

"I dare you to suck me off."

Fin.