Taming

Scorpius came through the floo first and greeted his mother with a kiss on the cheek. He noticed his father looking at his outfit with apparent approval. Scorpius had dressed carefully in dove gray trousers and a finely knit pale blue sweater that Albus thought brought out the blue in his gray eyes. Before he could greet his father, however, Albus followed him through the floo, and Scorpius automatically held out his hand solicitously to help Albus out of the fireplace. Albus was also carefully dressed in black slacks and an deep green button-down shirt, (neatly tucked in, natch).

Still holding his boyfriend’s hand, Scorpius said formally, “Mother, father, I’d like to present my boyfriend, Albus Potter.”

His mother stepped forward first and took Albus’s proffered hand, but then leaned over and gave him a little hug. She was positively beaming, and Scorpius was beyond relieved. His father then stepped forward, and Scorpius could tell he was uneasy, but he shook Albus’s hand in a friendly manor.

“Welcome to Malfoy Manor, Albus. It’s a pleasure to meet you at last. Your parents should be arriving any moment. Could we get you boys something to drink? Astoria’s made tea.”

Albus smiled his most engaging smile, and said, “Thank you so much Mr. Malfoy, Mrs. Malfoy. I would love a cup of tea.” To Scorpius’s great shock, his father actually smiled back at Albus before his mother led Albus over to the tea tray. He heard her ask him if he took milk or sugar and he couldn’t answering for his boyfriend, “Milk, no sugar.”

He felt some insane desire to contrast his relationship with Albus to the silly trysts he’d had in his youth. He wanted his parents to know that Albus was different. Far different than anyone else.

As Astoria chatted with Albus politely, Scorpius’s father said quietly, “Your Albus seems like a delightful boy.”

This praise was quite unexpected, and Scorpius was quite pleased. “He is. I’ve never known anyone like him before.”

“He looks so much like his father at that age, it’s uncanny. Although I suppose Harry will say the same thing about you when he arrives.” Scorpius took note of the fact that his father said ‘Harry’ rather than ‘Potter’ with a sneer as he’d always said in the past. “He’s certainly not at all like Harry at that age, though.”

“How so?”

“Well, Harry had seven years of fighting the Dark Lord under his belt and my image of him at seventeen is forever crystallized in the moment when he slew the Dark Lord. And Harry’s upbringing didn’t have much joy before Hogwarts, either. I’ve seen your Albus smile more since he’s been here than I ever saw Harry smile, I think. Of course, I’m afraid I gave him little reason to smile in my presence. I was quite dreadful as a boy” Draco finished with a chuckle.

Scorpius was rather shocked at this admission. His father had always given the impression that Harry Potter was the difficult one. Before he could inquire further, however, the soft chime sounded announcing that someone was coming through the floo. Albus set down his tea cup and hurried to Scorpius’s side, ready to make introductions.

Harry Potter stepped through the fireplace and Draco Malfoy went forward first to greet him. “Harry, welcome,” he said, shaking Mr. Potter’s hand. The two men exchanged smiles that seemed rather shy to Scorpius. Then Albus’s mother stepped out, and Mr. Potter offered her a hand. “Ginny, it’s good to see you again,” Scorpius’s father greeted her.

She smiled warmly, and Scorpius could see where Lily had gotten her looks. Ginny Potter didn’t look old enough to have children Lily and Albus’s age. Her hair was long and vibrantly red and, for all that Albus looked like his father, there was a sweetness in her smile that reminded Scorpius strongly of Albus.

“Draco, thank you so much for having us. Hello, Astoria. It’s lovely to see you again.” Scorpius’s mother came forward and the women kissed cheeks.

Scorpius belatedly realized that Mr. Potter was staring at him, and he was about to nudge Albus to introduce them when Mr. Potter said, “Merlin, Draco! Have you taken a good look at the two of them? It’s like a time machine! Twenty-five years ago, that could be us standing there.”

“I know. I had just remarked on it myself. It’s uncanny, isn’t it? Of anyone, you and I would have the egos to create copies of ourselves, wouldn’t we?” Draco joked.

Mr. Potter laughed. “Speak for yourself, Malfoy. There’s nothing wrong with my ego.”

Scorpius’s father and Mrs. Potter both laughed at this remark, and Mr. Potter rolled his eyes. “Alby, save me from this mistreatment and introduce us to your boyfriend.”

Scorpius was pleased that he said ‘boyfriend’ without any awkwardness or hesitation. Albus grabbed his hand and pulled Scorpius forward. “Dad, Mum, this is Scorpius.”

Scorpius held out his hand and Mr. Potter shook it. “I’m very pleased to meet you, Mr. Potter.”

“Please, call me Harry,” he replied with a smile.

“And call me Ginny,” Albus’s mother said, also taking his hand. But then she pulled him into a hug and kissed his cheek.

Scorpius smiled at them, pleased.

Scorpius’s mother, smiling delightedly, said, “Supper should be just about ready. Shall we go into the dining room? The house elves have outdone themselves with the menu tonight.”

“House elves, Draco?” Harry asked as they moved into the next room. “Good thing my dear sister-in-law isn’t joining us.”

“If you’re referring to Granger… er, the lovely Mrs. Weasley, rather, you may inform her that all of our staff are freed elves who are paid above the going rate.”

“You really have reformed, haven’t you, Draco?”

“Did you doubt it?”

“I honestly didn’t.”

Scorpius grabbed Albus’s hand and squeezed. He’d been worried about their fathers getting along, and they seemed to be genuinely forgiving each other and healing the old wounds right before everyone’s eyes. Albus smiled at him, and Scorpius could see the pleasure in his eyes. Since the adults were all focused on the reconciliation taking place, Scorpius leaned forward and gave Albus a quick peck on the lips. Then he couldn’t resist a second one. Before he knew it, he was pressing delicate kisses to Albus’s lips, holding his face gently.

“For Merlin’s sake.” His father’s voice caused Scorpius to jump away from Albus, guiltily. “Minerva McGonagall was certainly right about one thing.”

“What’s that?” Harry asked, looking amused.

“It’s going to be impossible to keep our supper down if these two keep making moon eyes at each other.”

Ginny slapped Draco’s arm playfully. “I think they’re adorable.”

“Yes, they are,” Scorpius’s mother agreed.

“Wait, Professor McGonagall said that about us?” Albus squeaked. “I didn’t know anyone noticed!” Everyone laughed at that.

“I will say, though, Draco, it’s a little disconcerting watching someone who looks so much like me kiss someone who looks so much like you.” Harry teased.

Scorpius, who had rarely seen his father in such a jovial mood, was shocked when his father’s reaction was to throw his head back and laugh at that. In the past, Draco Malfoy had always seemed uncomfortable with his son’s proclivities. Although, now that he thought about it, maybe his father wouldn’t have minded his son being same-sex oriented if Scorpius hadn’t been diligently trying to fuck everyone he’d ever met and would meet in the future.

In fact, looking back, Scorpius realized that his father had never once criticized him for sleeping with males or ever called him a slur on that topic. The “slutting about” and the lack of discretion had been the only things that his father had ever criticized him for.

Draco was still laughing as they sat down. “Maybe I should have tried, Potter. We could’ve stopped all the petty fighting years ago.”

Ginny huffed. “He probably would’ve gone for it. Harry was determined to consider everyone at Hogwarts besides me.”

“Now, I find that hard to believe,” Astoria said kindly.

“But it’s true! For all that Albus looks like his father, he’s a lot like me. He waited patiently for over six years for Scorpius to notice that he existed, and I waited six long years myself, loving Harry from afar, before he ever noticed that I was there.”

“Now, I knew you existed!” Harry protested.

“Sure, as your best friend’s little sister. It took you more than six years to notice that I was mad for you. And perfect for you, as well. Git.”

“And she’s not bitter about it at all, folks,” Harry joked.

“So how did you finally get him to notice you?” Scorpius couldn’t help asking.

Ginny blushed delicately and it reminded Scorpius so much of Albus’s charming blushes that he had to grab his boyfriend’s hand under the table and squeeze. “It’s a bit embarrassing, but I deliberately set out to make him jealous. I certainly wasn’t interested in anyone else, but Herm… er… my friends suggested that I try dating some other boys and seeing if that didn’t get Harry off his bum. And since males are delightfully predictable, it worked like a charm.”

“Hermione is the one who told you to do that? I’m going to strangle that little meddler!” Harry burst out. “I never knew that part of the story. And after the first time I saw you snogging someone else, I was in agony for months waiting for you to break up with him!” They all laughed at the idea of poor Harry being so easily led.

“Luckily, you didn’t resort to doing that,” Scorpius told Albus. “I got in enough trouble at Hogwarts before you came along. I think my parents wouldn’t have taken well to me murdering a bloke in cold blood.”

Albus grinned at him. “You wouldn’t have cared. You didn’t even know I was alive. Why would you care who I was snogging?”

“Because before your considerable calming influence, I was a selfish, greedy monster who didn’t like anyone else to have something that he didn’t have.” Scorpius replied, self-deprecatingly.

“Why Draco, he truly is your son,” Harry quipped. Draco merely rolled his eyes.

Ignoring their parents’ byplay, Scorpius told Albus seriously, “You saved me from myself, and don’t ever forget how grateful I am.”

“As are we,” Astoria put in, gently. “I was afraid that Scorpius was headed for a life that would leave him lonely and unfulfilled. It was the only thing that really bothered me about your behavior at school, darling. I was worried that you were cutting yourself off.”

“I was. Thankfully, I learned how to connect. And as long as we’re being serious, I just want to thank you both, all of you in fact, for taking it so well that I didn’t bring home a girl to meet you.”

“We had noticed that,” Draco said dryly.

Astoria shot Draco a dirty look. “We don’t mind in the least. As long as you’re happy, we’re happy.”

“Your mother is, as usual, correct. Your happiness is all that’s important, which is why I came down on you so hard for your behavior in the past. As your mother said a moment ago, you were headed for destruction, and I couldn’t abide seeing it.”

“Not to mention that I wasn’t comporting myself in a way befitting a Malfoy,” Scorpius gently teased his father.

“No, and that’s what’s really important,” his father teased him back. Scorpius felt like he was literally glowing. He couldn’t remember his father ever being in a better mood. Well, actually that wasn’t true. He remembered plenty of times when he was a child when his father had laughed and joked and teased. They’d played games together, and his father had always been willing to indulge him, crawling in and out of forts built with sofa cushions, watching endless puppet shows and battles staged with toy soldiers, and reading him story after story before bed.

It wasn’t until Scorpius started misbehaving at school that his father had begun treating him with that cold, stiff demeanor. And Scorpius had been too much of a brat to see it. Draco had always preached propriety and the importance of the Malfoy name to his son, but he hadn’t been cruel or unreasonable about it. It was really the only rule that his father had insisted on, and Scorpius had blatantly trampled all over it in his misguided quest for popularity. He wondered if perhaps he hadn’t broken his father’s heart a little by doing that. He resolved to speak to his father later. It seemed that he owed an apology.