Soldiers and Serpents //Scorbus

53 Drift

Scorpius showered and collapsed onto his bed in the Slytherin dorms afterward, exhausted from the party and the day. Albus probably returns to the dorms an hour later. He sits on his bunk, and Scorpius shifts to see him better. "Hey, where were you?"

"I was saying bye to Luke but we got into an argument." Albus reveals. "I wanted to leave things on a good note but... I'll tell you what happened tomorrow." He rubs his eyes, shedding his clothes to change into pajamas. Scorpius blinked in the dark, and sat up a bit more. His head still pounding from alcohol.

"Tell me now." Scorpius requests. Albus shook his head, and when he was done changing he didn't slip back into his bed. He actually walked over to Scorpius's, and the blonde scooted over to make room for him. "Are you okay?" He asks softly, hugging Albus against him as the smaller boy lays down. The brunette lets out a soft sniffle, and Scorpius understood immediately that no. He wasn't okay.

Scorpius pulled the blankets over them, hugging the boy and pressing his lips to Albus's forehead. "You can tell me tomorrow. Just try to sleep, love." He tells him gently. Albus shakes a little with soft sobs, and wipes any tears away with his hands. If Scorpius didn't feel so sick and didn't have alcohol in his system, he knew he'd be worried and anxiety ridden over whatever had happened with Albus. But he was calm, and honestly that's probably what Albus needed in the moment.

"Goodnight." Albus tells him softly, hugging Scorpius close. The blonde feels Albus's tense body begin to relax in his arms, the blanket heating them both- carving out their separate world from the Slytherin dorm. The soft shakes stopped, and Scorpius waited until Albus's breathing became labored with sleep until he finally closed his eyes.

Scorpius didn't fall asleep for awhile, and the first rays of sunlight had started to shine through the curtains as he finally drifted off for a few hours.

Blackness swirled around Scorpius and he opened his eyes to find himself in the Malfoy Manor. His legs carried him down the hallway, having their own agenda. His eyes scanned the home, looking for his family. The Malfoy's. He didn't see anyone there. His fathers office was empty. His sister's room barren. The study room undisturbed. Dust gathering on the sleek coffee table in the center of the room.

Scorpius headed back towards the front door and opened it, and standing just outside the double doors was Aries. She looked up from a leather bound book, meeting his gaze with her intense dark eyes. They seemed to suck in his soul. But instead of the mask of steel on her features that she usually wore to shut her emotions tightly out, her face was streamed with tears. Dark mascara ran down her face, leaving wet streaks of translucent black down her face.

"Sal?" She asked hesitantly, like she was scared he'd slam the door in her face. He took in the messy hair that was normally so straight, a black curtain that fell around her head. The hoodie and sweats. Clothes he never would've imagined her wearing.

As much as Scorpius debated on doing just what she feared; slamming that door, he couldn't. He was trapped in this dream. He stepped out into the cold night, and pulled the Slytherin girl into his arms. Aries hugs him back, and he realized this might be the last hug he'd get from her. Real or not. Tears burned the back of his eyes and pooled up before spilling over.

She was warm against him despite the cold weather that kissed their faces. He knew she wasn't out here for long, then. "Why are you here?" Scorpius asks, voice cracking as he pulled away to look at her face. The girl wipes the mascara streaks with her bare fingers, still clutching the book to herself.

"To apologize. But I don't have long." She took a deep breath. "I'm sorry about your father. Cypress." Scorpius felt his stomach twist into a knot. His face flush from sadness, tears wetting his cheeks. "Do you forgive me?"