Array
(
[text] =>

Harry's P.O.V

          It was Boxing Day and I was up yet again, bright and early. I was happy though because Albus had a good Christmas and he had been very comfortable with all of us. I decided to check on Albus to see if he was okay after the long day we had. I creaked open the door and he was curled up with a blonde boy. Scorpius. I walked over to him and noticed Scorpius' eyes were a bit crusty which indicated he was crying.  I frowned and shook him gently. He groaned and his eyes fluttered open. He blinked at me a few times and looked around.

            "Oh sorry." He muttered. "I didn't mean to fall asleep."

            "Are you alright?" I asked in a whisper. He looked at my perplexed. "It looks like you were crying." I told him and his eyes widened.

            "Oh!" He sat up. "I was crying but I was happy. Albus talked to me last night." He told me.

            "What?!" I yelled and Albus started to stir. He didn't wake up, just snuggled into Scorpius. "He talked?" I dropped my voice.

            "Yeah." Scorpius smiled. "He said my name, thank you and that..." He trailed off and I looked at him.

            "And that what?" I asked and he blushed.

            "That he loved me too." He mumbled and I suppressed a smile. "I don't know if he'll talk now but he did. He talked." He told me and his eyes filled up again. He blinked them away and I did smile this time. It showed me how much this kid actually cared about my son. I knew he did but I didn't know how deep his compassion was. "I hope you can hear him speak again."

            "What are you doing here anyway?" I asked. "Like last night, why'd you come over?"

            "I wanted to give him his gift." He pointed to the table. "It's a sketch book. I was gonna give you all your gifts today."

            "You got us gifts?" I asked and he nodded.

            "Of course I did. You've been so hospitable." He told us and I smiled.

            "You've already given is a wonderful gift, that being Albus back home with us." I admitted but he shook his head.

            "No, I was just in the wrong place at the right time." He waved a dismissive hand. "But I'm happy he's home too." Albus started to stir and I saw his eyes opened. He blinked a few times before grinning at Scorpius

            "Morning Albus." Scorpius greeted. "Your dad is here. Do you wanna try saying hi?" He asked and Albus looked at me. He blinked a times before sitting up. His mouth started to move.

            "H-hi." He spoke shakily. Tear sprung to my eyes and I bit my lip.

            "Hi Albus." I told him.

            "D...dad." He told me and moved closed to me. He grabbed my hand and then held it against his chest. "L-love." He told me and I let out a cry.

            "I love you too Albus." I sniffled.

            "N-no c-cry." He told me and I shook my head.

            "I'm just so happy to hear you speak again baby." I answered and he just grinned.  Scorpius ran a hand through Albus' hair. He closed his eyes and hummed.

            "S... S-Scorpius." Albus spoke shakily.    

            "Yes Albus?" Scorpius asked.

            "L-love." Albus said and Scorpius kissed his cheek.

            "I love you too buddy." Scorpius told him and then bit his lip. "I should um get back to my room now, is it okay if I come over later?" He asked and I nodded. "Okay, I'll see you later." He told us. He got out of bed and then walked across the bridge into his room. I looked at Albus. He blinked at me before moving his mouth again.

            "H-hungry." He told me and I blinked at him a bit. It was weird to hear him finally speak after four months of not hearing it.

            "You're hungry?" I asked and he nodded once. "Okay, I can make you something." I told him and he got out bed. He instantly hugged me and buried his face into my chest. I wrapped my arm around him and we walked down the stairs like that and into the kitchen. He sat down at the table as I went to the fridge.

            "So what do you want? Eggs?" I asked and then I looked at him.

            "Y-yes." He told me and I smiled. "E-eggs and b... t-toast." He told me.

            "Okay, I can do that." I told him and pulled out two eggs. "What kind of eggs?" I asked.

            "S-soft..." He trailed off as if he forgot the word.

            "Soft boiled?" I asked and he nodded. I pulled out a pot from the cabinet and then filled it with water. I placed the eggs inside and let it boil slowly. Then I pulled out the bread and toaster. I put the bread in the toaster but didn't press the button to pull it down yet. I let the eggs boil and then once they were close, I put the bread down to cook. Albus waited patiently and when it was ready, I placed it in front of him and sat down with my coffee.

            "Th... thanks." He bobbed his head with the word like he was having difficulty.

            "You're welcome." I told him. He shakily broke the shell of his egg and then mashed his egg with the toast like he usually did. I had never noticed the tremor in his hands and I figured it was more out anxiety than anything else.  Soon enough Ginny ventured down and she smiled at us.

            "Good morning." She greeted.

            "Good morning." I greeted and she leaned into kiss my lips.

            "M-morning." Albus spoke to her. She was so surprised that she bit my lip. I groaned as the blood started to fill my mouth.

            "You spoke." She told him and he nodded once. I quickly got something to blot my mouth. "Oh sweetie, that's so great." She rushed over to Albus and hugged him tightly. He shakily hugged her back.

            "L-love." He told her and she let out a sob.

            "Yes Albus. I love you too."

~~~

Scorpius' P.O.V

          I walked into the Potter's house bearing gifts. James and Albus were seated in the living room. James was playing a video game as Albus was using his sketch book. I smiled and said hello. Albus immediately stopped what he was doing and ran over to me.

            "Hey there Albus, are you drawing?" I asked and he shook his head.

            "S-sketching." He told me and then swallowed. "J-James." He told me and I smiled. I kissed his head.

            "Sketching James, huh? Don't make him too ugly, yeah?" I told him and he grinned.

            "Hey, I happen to be very attractive." James told me as he played his game.

            "Oh very much so James, it's taken every ounce I have not to pounce on you." I told him and he smirked bouncing his eyebrows.

            "Always knew you'd come after me." He told me and I just shook my head. I looked at Albus, "Your brother has a big head."

            "V-very." He agreed and I let out a surprised laugh.

            "Ah see Jamesie, he's on my team." I told them boy who muttered something along the lines of 'he always has been', which I had chosen to ignore. "Pause the game you twit." I told him so he did. I handed him his gift.

            "Oh yours is upstairs, let me get it." He told me and I blinked at him.  "What?"

            "You got me something?" I asked and he smiled.

            "Of course I did, I'll be right back." He told me and I nodded. He disappeared up the stairs and I looked at Albus.

            "Any clues on what he got me?" I asked

            "N-no." He told me. "T-think jewelry." He didn't stutter the last word so I smiled. I pet his head and he leaned in closer to me.

            "Well I got him a necklace. I wasn't sure what to get your sister or cousin, so I just got Rose a book. Lily, I got a bracelet. Nothing too fancy." I explained to him.

            "L-Lily g-gave me a... c-colored p-pencils." He told me and I smiled. He had uttered a sentence.

            "Well that's good. Maybe you could sketch me next." I told him and he blinked at me.

            "S...S-sure." He told me. "L-love to." I leaned in and kissed his cheek.

            "I'm happy to hear that." I told him and James reemerged. He sat back down with us and handed me my gift. Albus snuggled up to shoulder as I opened my gift. I had handed James his gift so he was tearing into his. I opened mine, and it was bracelet. It had my zodiac symbol on it which was a Pisces.

            "Erm, I didn't know what to get you but you deserved a gift so I bought it for you."

            "I love it." I answered honestly slipping it on. He finished opening his gift and it was a necklace. One of those ones where I'd get one half and he'd get the other. It said 'weirdo #1' or 'weirdo #2'. "Um it maybe seem a little erm gay?" I stated more as a question.

            "I love it." He laughed. "I get the weirdo number one though. I am the number guy." He told me and I rolled my eyes. He gave me the weirdo number two and I put it around my neck. Albus looked at it and he smiled.

            "You like it Albus?" I asked.

            "Y-yes." He told me. "W-weirdo." I laughed and poked his cheek. 

            "Oh why thank you Albus, I am not as weird as your brother here. He wants to admit to be the number one weirdo." I smiled as James huffed. Albus grinned and snuggled closer to me. Lily walked into the room with a biscuit.

            "Oh hi Scorp." She greeted.

            "Oh Lily come here." I beckoned and she did. I pulled out her gift and handed it to her. "Happy Christmas." I handed her the gift and she smiled.

            "Thank you." She beamed. "Um your gift is upstairs." She told me and I blinked at her.

            "You got me a gift?" I asked and she nodded.

            "Of course I did." She told me. "It's the least I could do." She mentioned. She ran upstairs and then came back quickly. She handed me the box.

            "Thank you." I placed it on my lap and opened it up. It was a band tee which I gratefully took. She loved her bracelet and hugged me. Ginny and Harry ventured into the house. They were at Ginny's parent's house but decided the kids should stay home. They weren't complaining. I gave them their conjoined gift which was something for their kitchen. They actually got me something. It was something small but I treasured it. It was little jar filled with notes of gratitude. From the whole family. It was labeled the Happiness Jar. I thanked them profusely.

            "We have one more gift for you. My mother wanted us to give it you."  She handed me this box so I opened it. I removed the tissue paper and it was a knitted green sweater. It was soft to the touch and when I picked it up, it had an S on the front.

            "Ah son, you got a Weasley sweater. We all have one so you're part of the family now." James told me and my throat constricted.

            "Thank you so much." I spoke softly. It hit me hard that I had received more than just a few friends. I got myself a second family.

[text_hash] => bfae1f83
)