Disclaimer: : The only thing I own is the story idea and only some of the witty remarks. I own so little; so please don't steal.

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True

Good friends argue all the time. Differences in opinion were healthy for connections between two people. And besides, they'd argued about all sorts of things before anyway: if Rose was prettier with straight or curly hair, if the moving staircase on the third floor really was possessed by a trickster who never wanted you to be on time for lessons, if the roof of the Great Hall really would collapse in a hurricane to preserve the realness of the weather, if Albus Severus really was a potions prodigy. Oftentimes, as friends do, compromises would result: Rose was okay with wavy hair, the moving staircase was probably being devious in any case, hurricanes didn't strike the area often anyway, and Al was pretty darn good, if not a prodigy.

Today's argument, however, was not one either of them was willing to admit defeat to.

"True love exists," Al insisted stubbornly, crossing his arms as he sat on the windowsill in the Slytherin common room that overlooked the bottom of the Lake. The greenish hue from the water made his complexion look even paler than usual. "Look at my mum and dad. They went to school and knew each other for forever. Then they got married. It's true love. And, and…" he barreled on before Scorpius could interrupt him, "Rose's mum and dad too. They were friends and then they liked each other and then they got married. See? It's love."

"True love doesn't exist," Scorpius sighed, feeling a little exasperated. It felt like explaining the banshee under the bed didn't exist to a child. Beliefs were rather troublesome. "It's all about convenience. My dad married my mum because she was a pure blood and was pretty and had a good family. Not saying that half-bloods are bad or anything," he added quickly before Al could start a rant about that subject. He did not share the feeling of superiority about being pure blood like his father, and he was above pulling a low trick like that. "But you have to look at it another way. Your dad is a famous wizard. Your mum wouldn't have minded marrying a famous wizard. It just so happened he wanted to marry her too, probably to show everyone that he didn't mind people who weren't famous. And Rose's mum is a really smart witch. So obviously her dad wanted to marry someone who would be able to solve all sorts of problems. And he…" He tried to think of an advantage to Ron Weasley, whom his father had never spoken too well of. "…and her dad probably has something good too."

"That's not true," Al pouted, blowing his cheeks out and taking a breath to retort. "My mum loves my dad no matter if he was famous or killed Voldemort or not! And Rose's mum and dad went through a lot of troubles until they started liking each other. If it was for convenience, they probably didn't need to go through all sorts of other people! You know what Rose told me?" Obviously Scorpius didn't know, or Al didn't care because we rushed on. "She said her dad had been jealous of her mum's being friends with Victor Krum (you know, that old Quidditch player) and her mum had been mad when her dad started going out with that one girl's mum…" Al trailed off as he realized he wasn't quite making sense without using names. "But see? It's love. Love jumps through hoops."

"They just wanted to make trouble for themselves," Scorpius scoffed, a small part of his brain wondering why they were arguing in the first place and not working on their Transfiguration homework – you stopped caring about doing homework when you were a fifth year, not a second year.

Al scoffed in exactly the same way. "The point that they wanted to make trouble for themselves says it's not just convenience. I don't know about your dad or mum, but obviously they weren't in love when they got married."

"Who says love's got anything to do with it?" Scorpius decided he had to take his marks in his own hands. As Albus sputtered trying to come up with a comeback for such a scandalous remark, he had taken his parchment and books out of his bag and was trying to write in lake light.

"Love's got everything to do with it!" As an inexperienced twelve-year-old, Albus waved his hands impatiently. "See…see…if you don't love someone, you aren't going to stay married. Like…if I didn't like you, I wouldn't stay friends with you. And I'm sure it's the same for you." Albus nodded, satisfied with this logic.

"Actually, your potion's grade is the only reason why I'm still talking to you."

"That's what you say…" Albus mumbled, starting obtusely out at the lake where the ancient giant squid was pulsating lazily through the water. "Oh, but!" Triumphantly, he pointed a victorious finger at Scorpius, who was still scribbling away. "See, James doesn't like you and he always gives you a hard time when he sees us together in the hallways. If you didn't like me, then you would have stopped being my friend 'cause he bothers you. See! There. Try and say something against that." Leaning back, Albus smiled challengingly. Scorpius sighed, resting his forehead against his hand. He had blotted the parchment when Albus popped that outburst.

"Well, now, Al…" Laying the half-finished homework on the ground next to his bag, Scorpius slid over to Albus, who blinked his wide green eyes at him. "With your faulty logic, tell me this." Leaning over, he quickly pecked Al on the lips and smirked equally as victorious as Al gaped at him. "Was that because I really like you or is it that if you don't shut up, I'm going to get a T on my potions report?"

For a moment, Al seemed at a loss for words, before he jumped up to get his bag. "Obviously you like me!" he deducted, skillfully hiding any suggestion he was flustered through fluid movement. "But I'll get my potions notes anyway!"

Scorpius flicked the ink blot off his parchment as Al scurried back, books in hand with a wide, pink-faced grin on his face. "That's more like it."

End

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Note: I needed this SAS fix. I like Scorpius/Al! It's been a while since my last SAS fic and I just watched the latest HP movie and so it had to happen. I feel like this would be pertinent to some sort of conversation. Thanks for reading!