Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the situations all characters find themselves in. Thanks for sticking with me this long, it's been a pleasure.
Together Again
By ten the next morning Rorake's room at St. Mungos had begun to look like a garden. Somehow it had gotten around to all of Louis's fangirls, both past and present, that he had been injured protecting their prince. And they were all very grateful and eager to shower him with flowers, get well cards and even stuffed animals. There were also girls guarding his room since apparently they had no faith that anyone could protect their prince as well as they could. Numerous individuals had tried to get them to leave, but so far none had been very successful. The girls weren't going anywhere as long as their prince was in Rorake's room and thus far Louis had refused to budge from his bedside. The blonde had had a firm grip on his hand since they arrived and had let go only briefly to go to the washroom and eat the food Louis's sisters smuggled in for all of them since apparently everyone with brains knew how fattening hospital food was.
Scorpius hadn't left him either, Rorake thought as he glanced over to the seat his friend occupied. And though his childhood friend's cared about his well being, Rorake knew that the other man was there because Louis was the only way Scorpius was ever going to get to Al any time soon. Various members of the Weasley family came by every so often to give updates on Albus's condition, updates Scorpius wouldn't get otherwise. And non immediate family members were going to be allowed to see Albus in groups of twos in another hour or so. Louis would try to get Scorpius in somehow, though Rorake didn't see how his man thought he was going to pull it off. But this was Louis, Rorake thought as he turned his head to look at his Gryffindor. The man was very good at getting his own way.
Smiling when his man's eyes returned to meet his, Louis squeezed Rorake's hand. "That's an interesting look in your eye."
"Just glad to be alive." Rorake said softly, well aware of the audience they had. Louis's parents had taken up residence in the room along with his own mother and Scorpius's parents. The Malfoys had stayed by their son through the night, Mrs. Malfoy leaving only long enough to retrieve fresh clothes for herself and her men. It had been pretty funny watching everyone's reactions when, the night before, Louis had shocked the hell out of everyone by climbing into his hospital bed beside him, snuggling up against his side like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Both their mothers had looked like they were going to faint dead away for a second there.
He had a feeling he was in for the Weasley version of the Inquisition once he was back on his feet so to speak. Or maybe they were just waiting for Louis to leave the room. That could be it too.
It was going to be interesting once Louis went on his mission to smuggle Scorpius into Al's hospital room.
Louis was a self confident man by nature, overly so, but even he wasn't completely sure how he was going to get the rest of his family to let him take Scorpius Malfoy into Al's hospital room. He couldn't use all of his usual tactics because they were his family, they knew all his tells and tricks. Fooling them wasn't going to be an option. And if he knew his uncle, and he did, Uncle Harry would have every protective spell in the book placed around Al's private suite. Spells that would make changing Scorpius's appearance a pointless endeavor, especially since only family was being let in to see his best friend at this point. And it wasn't like he had Polyjuice potion hiding up his sleeve for just such an occasion.
That he had to do this for a man he didn't even particular like was also annoying, but having spent over twelve hours trapped in the same room as Scorpius Louis was forced to admit that whatever the Slytherin's faults, which were too numerous for him to count, the man genuinely loved Al. The man had suffered silently all through the night, barred from Al's room by his blood, previous actions and the covertness of his relationship with Al. And the Slytherin was seriously suffering; Louis had only to look across Rorake's bed to see how much. The man had one hell of a poker face, but Scorpius was looking a little too much like his father around the edges at the moment. That same air that Draco Malfoy had, suggesting inner pain so great they could do nothing but hold it in for fear of breaking.
He'd imagine he'd look much the same in the other man's shoes.
Well no, Louis silently admitted to himself, he would probably be pacing, cursing, cajoling and demanding to be let into his man's room if the situations were reversed.
But they were alike in their love for Al, and because he loved Al and understood his cousin Louis knew he had to get Scorpius to his cousin ASAP.
He was so not looking forward to it.
)
When the time came and Rosie showed up to announce that it was Louis's turn to come and see Al briefly, Louis gave Rorake's hand one last squeeze and then surprised everyone but Rorake and the Malfoys when he motioned to Scorpius to come with him. Members of his family all gave him questioning looks but Louis ignored them, deliberately driving home to all of them that he wasn't going to be explaining himself until he was good and ready.
So it was the three of them that walked out of the room, Scorpius hanging slightly back as he let Louis and Rosie take the lead. Louis ordered his fangirls to continue to guard Rorake, which they reluctantly agreed to do.
"Why is he coming?" Rosie hissed through her teeth at her cousin, her eyes demanding answers while conveying her uneasiness with having a Slytherin at her unguarded back.
"I can't tell you at the moment. Just trust me."
Rosie gave him a hard look before glancing over her shoulder, meeting the Slytherin's gaze briefly before she went back to looking in front of her. So much of this didn't make sense, she thought darkly, wrapping her arms around herself as she did her best to ignore everyone around her while being aware of them, just in case. Here she was with a Malfoy, one who'd been making trouble for Albus since their first year, but who apparently wasn't as bad as everyone thought him to be. Or not so bad that he'd been a part of the evil plans that had been hatched against her cousin the night before.
But why was Malfoy coming with them? Was Louis friends with the blonde now, because Malfoy was friends with the Slytherin her cousin was apparently dating?
"Who's supposed to go in with me?" Louis asked her, knowing that they were going in in groups of two. The healers had made dire threats if their rules weren't followed regarding visitors.
"Lucy."
Louis felt a small smile grace his lips. Excellent. One thing was going his way. Lucy owed him a favor and he was going to call it in.
When they reached the hallway where Al's private room was Louis wasn't surprised to find it packed with his relatives and friends of the family. Everyone had come and Louis had no doubt that they'd stay for as long as the healers would allow them. They would all be surprised by what he was about to do except for Frankie, who apparently had seen Al and Scorpius getting cozy on the train ride home. According to Al the Hufflepuff had been struck dumb by what he'd seen, but Louis figured the other man would have recovered his senses by now. He could only hope their friend had the sense to keep his mouth shut for the time being.
Taking a deep breath and praying for luck Louis stopped, waited until Scorpius was at his side, and then spoke softly under his breath. "I'll do the talking. Say nothing or this isn't going to work."
Though it went against every fiber of his being to do so, Scorpius nodded his head.
And he was so close now, Scorpius thought as his eyes looked past the Gryffindor to the door the rest of the man's family was guarding. Al was behind that door. If he had to bite his own tongue off to keep quiet, and put himself in the Weasley's hands temporarily, then so be it.
So the two walked side by side through the crowd that parted ways for them, everyone wearing shocked expressions as they looked to each other and at Louis for answers as to why Louis was bringing a Slytherin into their midst. Marching up to his grandfather Louis concentrated solely on him. "Where are Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny?"
"They're talking with the healers about taking Al home as soon as possible. Your grandmother is with them."
Good, that was very good. There was no way his uncle would have let him bring Scorpius into the room. So far so good.
Looking around until he spotted his cousin Louis didn't bother to beat around the bush, knowing that every second counted. The longer everyone was off balance the better the chance he had to blindside them into letting him smuggle Scorpius in to Al. "Lucy. You owe me a favor and I'm calling it in. Malfoy's going in with me. Sorry."
While Lucy gapped at her younger cousin in surprise Rosie spoke up.
"Are you out of your mind, Louis? Is he making you do this?" The girl added, giving the stony faced Slytherin a suspicious look.
"You can do a quick scan of me if you want but I haven't been bespelled or cursed or threatened by him. At least not today." Louis added, trying to bring a touch of humor to the conversation. "I know how weird this is but I have my reasons and I can't tell you about them at the moment. But they're good ones. You all know how close Al and I are, you know I would never let Scorpius near him if I thought he'd do something to him. So you all are just going to have to trust me and let us in."
"Let him in."
All eyes moved from Louis to Frankie, who stood off to one side with his parents, who were looking down at their child like he too had lost his marbles.
Hunching his shoulders as he shuffled his feet Frankie's words were a little stammered, but full of conviction. "I know…I know why Louis is…let him take Malfoy with him. It's what Al would want."
Not waiting for anyone to agree Louis got a good grip on Scorpius's arm and pulled him towards the door, coming to a halt when James moved to block their way, his cousin's eyes and the wand in James's hand signaling clearly that he had no intention of letting Scorpius anywhere near his little brother.
Taking another deep breath Louis moved forward until he and James were all but nose to nose. It was then he pulled out the ace he'd been holding for this particular face off. Pitching his voice low once more so that only James could hear, Louis gave his final argument.
"You'll let him in because he's the reason Lily isn't in this place trying to overcome the physical and mental torture Cavendish and his friends would have put her through if Scorpius hadn't warned Al what they intended to do. You owe him for that so you are going to get out of the way, James. Now."
Pushing his cousin lightly off to the side, something he would have never been able to do if the man hadn't been stunned speechless, Louis opened the door, hurried them both through, and then closed it hard behind them.
Letting Scorpius's arm go Louis got straight to the point. "Go. I'll hold them off. Don't make me sorry."
)
Knowing every second counted Scorpius hurried into the room, knowing that the other blonde would only be able to keep them all out for a few minutes at best. His lover was the only one in the room, the Gryffindor lying still and silent in his bed. Walking over to sit on the side of the bed Scorpius stared at the man with a huge lump in his throat, reaching out to finger the sides of the white bandages wrapped around the man's head to cover the wounded side of the Gryffindor's face. He was so pale and still, Scorpius thought as he stared down at his man. You aren't supposed to be pale and still. You're supposed to be tanned, moving, and driving me crazy.
As if he's spoken the words out loud Al's lashes began to flutter, and slowly the Gryffindor opened his remaining good eye to meet Scorpius's. When the Slytherin just stared down at him Al smiled just a bit. "I know what you're thinking. You're thinking that I'm going to be so much hotter when I get the eye patch."
"Idiot. You're such an idiot." Scorpius choked out, leaning forward to bury his face in the side of the other man's neck. "You're the King of the Idiots."
"Yeah, yeah, I love you too."
Scorpius stilled, moving up so that he could see the Gryffindor's face. "What?"
"I love you. I've been an idiot prat not to tell you that. I love you, Scorpius Malfoy. Even if you are the Emperor of the Idiots."
Staring at the man, seeing that he meant it, Scorpius's lips twitched, and then curled into a wide, true grin. "If I'm the Emperor than I'm upgrading you to God of the Idiots."
"I like the idea of being your god." Al drawled out with a grin of his own.
"You aren't up to being worshipped." Scorpius pointed out, then leaned forward to kiss the man as gently as he could, sighing with contentment when the Gryffindor weakly kissed him back as much as he was able. Pulling back Scorpius admitted the words he'd been cursing himself for not saying a million times since he'd learned the other man was in danger. "I love you too."
"Knew it." Though he hadn't really for sure, which had Al grinning like an idiot and forgetting all about his eye, the major headache he had pounding in his head, and pretty much everything else but the fact that his lover loved him in return. "Now kiss me some more, Emperor, or I'll have you kicked out of the Idiot bed."
"With pleasure."
)
Louis tried, he really did. But it hadn't taken long for those closest to him to recover their senses and try to get in. And while Louis was pretty damn proud of his spell casting skills, they were too skilled, especially his Aunt Hermione, to be kept out for long. As soon as they got through they all bulldozed past him, Al's parents in the lead with the Malfoys close on their heels, having come to stand by in case their son got into any trouble. Pinned down by his cousin Fred Louis tried to call out a warning but it was already too late.
Everyone came to a grinding halt as they took in the scene before them. The two teenage boys were in Al's bed, together, making out with as much enthusiasm as they were up too given all they'd been through since the night before. Al had tugged the Slytherin's hair loose but it didn't provide enough of a curtain to keep it from being brutally obvious that there was some serious tongue action going on between Al and Scorpius's mouths.
"Oh my God." Was the best Harry could get out, horror such as he hadn't known in a very long time written all over his suddenly very pale face.
Crossing his arms smugly Draco couldn't help but rub it in, even as he looked anywhere but at the bed. "I guess your relationship with your son isn't as good as mine. I already knew."
Looking over at the Slytherin Harry looked ready to choke his former nemesis with his bare hands. And instinct had him lashing right back. "They look just like us when we were that age."
If it were possible for Draco to go any paler he would have. "You bastard! You…you…I had finally managed to accept the whole thing without even getting nauseated! I was…you…and for your information they don't look like us." Draco stuttered out, eager to draw blood in return for the man's destruction of his mental well being. "They look like our fathers."
Going as white as a sheet Harry stared at the man in horror. "Oh but I hate you!"
"I hate you more!"
"No, I hate you more, you Slytherin-mpph."
Harry's words were cut off by his wife slapping a hand over her husband's mouth. "That's enough, both of you."
"Exactly." Grabbing her sputtering husband's arm, Astoria exchanged a nod of understanding from Ginny, the two both dragging their struggling, cursing, insulting husbands from the room.
James turned his head to watch them go and then looked back at the two in the bed, somehow completely unaware of their audience. "Oh but I'm going to be sick."
"Makes you wonder how Al thanked him for saving me." Lily drawled out, wiggling her eyebrows at her brother, who really did look like he was going to be sick.
Glaring at his sister James started pulling her out of the room after their parents, calling out for everyone to do the same.
When everyone was out of the room once more Scorpius finally broke off the kiss, smiling down at the dazed looking Gryffindor. "That ought to take care of them all being informed that you're mine now."
"You are so bad." Was Al's opinion, too worn out to shake his head at Scorpius's smugness.
"You love that I'm bad." Scorpius pointed out.
"Since I love you I guess I can't argue with that, can I?"
Scorpius grinned as he leaned down for another kiss. "Care to be corrupted a little more, Potter?"
"Anytime, Malfoy. Anytime."
)
The End…Sorta….
There is a planned short sequel that will focus on Louis/Rorake since they didn't get their 'quality time' together in this fanfic. It will also wrap up the loose ends like the law problem. First chapter should be up next week.