Chapter Text
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Summer after Hogwarts
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“Albus,” Harry asked, “what time did you tell Scorpius to get here?”
“I told him the portkey was at ten, and he should get here around nine-thirty, but he likes to be early so it’s probably going to be any minute now.”
“Great. Why don’t you and Lily do one last check to make sure games and films are packed, while your mum and I get the rest of the food together.”
Harry found Ginny in the kitchen, where she handed him a list. “Check this over again.” She started stacking bottles, boxes, and tins of food into their travel trunk while Harry looked the list over and pulled food from the fridge.
“This portkey can’t come fast enough,” Harry said, once the kids were out of earshot. “I’m so sick of Albus’s mopey face. It’s only been two weeks since he left school. You’d think he could survive that long without Scorpius.”
“Ugh, I know. I’m glad Draco found them that flat and we won’t have to put up with the whining once we’re back from holiday.”
They’d had dinner with Draco a few times over the last few months, as a chance to get to know him better. Ginny still treated him with caution but at least acknowledged he was different from Lucius. Draco had found the boys a flat only a few streets away from his house. Harry and Ginny appreciated that Draco would be near enough to keep an eye on the boys, and Scorpius liked that he would be within walking distance to Draco’s house where he would be working. He’d done his best to convince Draco to set up a lab outside the house, but Draco insisted he was too set in his ways.
“We’ve come a long way, if that’s your thought on the matter.” Harry laughed and kissed Ginny’s cheek, then locked the food away.
Ginny hummed absently as she stared at the trunk. “What if we’ve forgotten something?”
“We’ll buy a new one. It’s going to be fine.”
“I’m going to check we have all the flying gear.” Ginny left for the broom shed, while Harry levitated the trunk and pushed it ahead of him into the sitting room.
Just as he summoned his and Ginny’s bags from their room, the floo flared to life and Scorpius rolled through.
“Albus!” Scorpius grinned and wrapped Albus in a hug. “I know I’m a little early -”
“I totally called it!” He kissed Scorpius on the cheek and took his two bags to hand them over to Harry. “I’ll get my bags too. Come on, Scorpius.”
Harry refrained from mentioning Albus could summon his bag, and let the two boys run up to Albus’s room to greet each other properly in private. Opening a different lock on the trunk, he found the empty space for the kids’ luggage. Lily’s things were already inside, with space enough for the boys’ things. In another compartment, Harry packed his and Ginny’s things. After all the planning and packing, it was a relief to finally be leaving.
The portkey took the five of them to the same little seaside house they’d rented for James’s post-Hogwarts trip. It hadn’t changed in two years, and the kids naturally gravitated to the rooms they’d used before. Harry followed them up with the trunk, flicking his wand at every window he passed to open them and let in the fresh sea air.
“Scorpius, you can have the room James isn’t using,” Harry said, opening the door across from Albus’s room.
The two boys looked at each other briefly, but then Scorpius followed Harry and crossed to the window. “Beautiful view!”
“What about when James gets here?” Albus asked.
Harry shrugged as he opened the trunk, “He won’t be here until Thursday, so we’ll worry about it then. You should have waited to tell us you were dating, and then we wouldn’t care so much. But I remember being eighteen and you’re just going to have to sneak around like the rest of us had to do.”
“Ugh, Dad, please don’t be gross.” Albus flushed to the roots of his hair, and Harry could only laugh at him as he handed over his two bags.
“You’re the one asking to share a bedroom, with only one bed I might add, with your boyfriend.” But Harry did remember being eighteen so he said, “We’ll consider the arrangements later on when James gets here. That bed looks like it can easily be split in two.”
“Hurry up you two!” Lily yelled, hurrying past them in her bathing suit. “I’m already ready for fun beach times!” She whooped as she skipped down the steps.
Scorpius laughed and dug through the bag Harry handed him. “How is she ready? Her bag’s still here.”
“I think she had her suit on under her clothes,” Harry answered, banishing Lily’s two bags to her room. “You boys get changed. Ginny and I will unpack food and meet you down there.”
Ginny helped him put the food away, grumbling about the hassles of packing, only to unpack an hour later.
“Well, I’m just thankful we didn’t have to spend hours driving in a hot, boring car. And we don’t have to go shopping right now. I’m ready for some sun!”
“You go on with the kids. I’m going to have a lie down.” She went to their room, off the kitchen, and sat on the bed to kick off her shoes.
“Already? We just got here!” Harry tackled her, pressing her flat to the bed and peppering her face with kisses. “Mm… I could stay with you and we can take advantage of probably the only moment of empty house we’ll have all week.”
“You know someone’s coming back any second now for the sunscreen they all left without.”
Almost as soon as the words were out of her mouth, the door slammed and Lily called out, “Mum! Where’s the sunscreen?”
Harry rolled to the bed next to Ginny and sighed. “It’s like they can’t go twenty minutes without our help, and yet they want to be treated like grown, independent adults. It’s ridiculous.”
Ginny kissed his cheek and gave his inner thigh a squeeze. “There’ll be time enough later.” She got up and called to Lily, “It’s in the trunk. I’ll get it.
The weather couldn’t have been better all afternoon. They spent the day in and out of the house, on the beach, as the tide and sun allowed. Harry smiled nonstop, so relieved to have a week off work where he could focus on his family.
With everyone growing so fast, he wanted to cherish this time together. James would only be coming for a few days, which made him wonder about Lily’s trip in two years. Would it just be Harry, Ginny, and Lily? Would James be bringing a girlfriend? Would Albus and Scorpius still be together? He hoped so. Harry loved Albus’s carefree happiness with Scorpius.
After late-night stargazing in their pyjamas, the kids headed upstairs to bed while Harry and Ginny locked up the house. He had been looking forward to bedtime all day because holiday sex was definitely in the top five of his favorite kinds of sex. Sure, the bed didn’t feel quite right, and sand lingered pretty much everywhere, but there were no responsibilities or expectations for tomorrow and that made Harry feel light as a feather.
As Ginny started to close the door, Harry stood behind her, already nibbling at her neck. They both froze when they heard Scorpius’s voice.
“No, just a second, I’m going to - oh damn, Harry already set up the wards. I can’t get out.” There was a brief pause. “No, it’s fine. I can talk to you here.”
Peeking through the door, they saw Scorpius talking on his phone, dropping into an armchair with a smile.
“It’s been such a great day! The weather has been amazing! We were out nearly all day on the beach… Yes, I remembered the sunscreen charm. And the sunscreen potion just in case.” He held out his arm. “Yeah, no sunburn yet. But there’s still time,” he added with a little laugh.
“We should…” Harry whispered. But Ginny shook her head, watching Scorpius through the crack in the door.
“Albus spent a lot of the day sketching. He’s got an idea for a tide clock of sorts, as a huge moving mural and I hope to Merlin it works because I would adore a giant mural of the sea on a wall of my house.”
Scorpius turned in the chair to drop one leg over the arm, while his head fell back over the other side. “I know… he’s so adorable when he’s so excited. He was like a little kid, pocketing shells and things. It was just the sweetest thing. I’m so glad I came.”
His smile fell a little. “Yeah, I mean she’s been nervous, obviously.” Harry felt Ginny’s body tense and circled her waist with his arm for comfort. “But it’s not been too bad.” He sat up in the chair. “Yeah, I think she’s coming around… I know… Yeah, it’s hard on Albus being caught between us, but things are so much better. And I just want him to be happy.” He smiled again. “Thanks, Dad. I hope I always do.”
He stood to walk around the room, his tone shifting slightly. “Okay enough about me… what about you? How did it go brining the dandelion roots?” He frowned as he listened, nodding every so often, murmuring little sounds of assent. “Okay well, we’ll just add that to the notes and see if we can improve the results with the next batch. Maybe it didn’t soak long enough.”
Scorpius’s tone changed again, something lighter and playful. “And what about the shopping? Did you buy anything special today?” Harry and Ginny both held still, wondering at this new topic, and Scorpius’s singsong voice.
“You’re going to miss your chance with her, Dad, if you don’t hurry up and ask her out… Oh please, of course she wants to go out with you! You think she chats up every customer that comes through her line? Saves coupons for them?” He laughed. “Erm, no. I’ve been through tons of check-out lines and I can assure you, no one giggles and blushes like that with their customers. You should give it a shot before someone else snaps her up.”
Scorpius laughed loudly at whatever Draco said, belatedly covering his mouth to smother the sound. “Dad! I promise she’ll say yes and you won’t have to find a new grocery shop! Oh Merlin, you’re being ridiculous.” He bit his lip and said, “It’s been five years, Dad… Mum wouldn’t want you to mourn her so long.”
He sat back down in the armchair, leaning his head on his hand. “I know. I miss her too. She’d want you to be happy. And not so lonely… Yes you are. You almost never leave the house anymore and -” He scoffed. “Liar! You can’t lie to me about these things, Dad!” He smiled. “Yeah, she’d have loved Albus. Probably would have helped with Mrs Potter too. She always knew what to say to set people at ease. I wish I’d inherited that superpower… no, it’s going to be fine. Yeah... yeah… I know. I know and it’s going to be fine! Yeah, all right. I’ll try to remember to call you earlier tomorrow... Okay... I love you too! Goodnight, Dad!”
He hung up the phone and sighed at the ceiling. As he left the room, Ginny closed the door fully. Turning in his arms she asked, “Do you think he’s been faking sincerity all these years in some sort of twisted long con?”
Harry choked on air, his eyes widening in shock. Ginny laughed and said, “Oh my word, you should see your face right now!” She laughed harder and buried her face in his shoulder. “Oh Harry! This is the funniest thing that’s happened all day!”
“I’m not gonna lie - you had me going for a second there.”
“Please, as if any eleven-year-old has the kind of skill to fake sincerity.” She sighed and tugged lightly on his shirt. “That boy doesn’t have a single deceptive bone in his body.”
“No, he really doesn’t.”
She wrapped her arms around Harry and settled deeper into his embrace. “No wonder Albus loves him so much.”
Harry started to reply, but Ginny halted him by sighing heavily and giving him a light push away. She whipped off her shirt with a smirk and threw it at him. “But I don’t want to talk about the boys right now.” Her bra immediately followed. “I believe I was promised sexy fun times…”
“Your wish is my command,” Harry said with a grin, pulling his laughing wife to the bed.
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A few days into their holiday, Harry joined Ginny on the porch, looking out over the beach where the three kids were splashing and laughing in the surf. Lily gave him a big wave, then laughed as Albus doused her with water.
Harry laughed at their antics as he sat in the rocking chair. “I love that they can still play around like that. They haven’t become bored, jaded teens that hate everything.” He sipped at his tea and smiled at Ginny. “Having a good week?”
“Yes, I suppose.” She rocked silently for a moment. “Do you think it’s odd that Albus and Scorpius aren’t very affectionate?”
Harry hummed in thought. “Albus is our least physically affectionate child. Could be they show each other affection in other ways. Plus, I think they’re used to keeping their relationship under wraps, and keep their distance out of habit.”
“Am I still that frightening?” she asked sadly.
“No, love,” Harry said, taking her hand and giving it a kiss. “I think it’s just still new, even though it’s been months since they told you, and they’re just too used to hiding it.”
But Harry could see Ginny’s feelings were hurt that the boys didn’t trust her reactions, even after the strides she’d made in accepting Draco and Scorpius in their lives. She had always been more affectionate than him, and it had taken him years into their marriage to feel as comfortable expressing himself physically as she did. Albus was probably the same way and it would take time for him to open up in that way to Scorpius.
Eager to cheer her, he dragged her down to the beach to play with the kids. Lily shrieked when she saw them, and attacked Ginny with a wet hug, pulling her into the water.
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The next day, the five of them readied for a trip to visit a group of sirens living nearby. The colony visited every summer and let a local sailor bring small groups for pictures and snippets of song. Guests were required to bring gifts, and in return the sirens let them leave unharmed.
Harry opened the door to the shop and a little bell jingled. A wizened old man emerged from the back room with a smile.
“Good afternoon! I’m Captain Birch. Lookin’ to visit the sirens this lovely afternoon?”
“Indeed we are,” Harry said. “There’s the five of us. That all right?”
“Yessir,” the man replied, looking down at his registry book. “You can sign here. It’s five galleons a piece.” He looked up then at all of them and paused on Scorpius and Albus. “Hmph. Your boys are a bit young.”
“Is that going to be a problem?”
“Might could be. Sirens like ‘em young. Especially the blond one.” He squinted at Scorpius. “That your natural color?”
“Er… yes…” Scorpius looked nervously at Albus and stepped closer to him.
Captain Birch pursed his lips with a frown, “Hm, not sure about that. You a virgin?”
Scorpius blushed a violent red and stammered incoherently. Instinctively, he hid himself fully behind Albus, who gripped his hand. Harry moved in front of both boys and said, “Excuse me? Did you just -”
“Now, now,” he said, holding up his hands in defense. “Don’t mean no harm. But he’s a pretty one, with that hair, and those sirens’d love to chew him up and spit out his empty husk. If he’s a virgin, he should stay behind.”
This was the most horrifyingly awkward moment of Harry’s life. In all the trials he’d endured, he never imagined he’d have to turn to his son’s boyfriend and ask if he’d ever… ever done… things. Fucking hell, this outing had been a huge mistake. Briefly he met Ginny’s eyes, and saw his own horror mirrored there. Next to her, Lily’s face had reddened while she choked on her own laughter.
“Er…” Harry said, hesitating as long as he could.
“I - I - well - we’ve done… some things… not - you know - everything but -”
“That’s fine,” Captain Birch interrupted, saving them all from a soul-crushing recital of deeds. “Innocence lost is all that matters.” He pulled two parchments from a folder behind the counter and held a quill out to Scorpius. “Both you boys sign this release form. It’ll be a deposit of an extra five galleons for each of them, in case the sirens give us trouble. Pays for the extra trinkets we might need to offer to keep the boys out of their hands. You’ll get the money back if we don’t need it.”
Harry held Albus’s arm, to keep him signing anything. “Are you saying there’s a chance the boys might get taken in by the sirens?”
“Well now, this group’s been coming by for years and we’ve developed a friendship of sorts. Your girls’ll be fine and I can already tell you won’t interest them. But those two… fresh for the pickin’. It’s probably going to be fine. I’m just addin’ the extra gifts as a precaution.” He pulled a box from below the desk. “They could put a little cotton-wool in their ears, keep ‘em from hearin’ the sound.”
“Sort of defeats the purpose though, doesn’t it?” Albus asked.
Captain Birch shrugged. “It’s a choice you should make now. Once you hear the song, it’s in your blood and there’s no gettin’ rid of it. But it’ll be probably be fine. Besides,” he said to Harry, “a strong wizard like you is surely no match for siren magicks.” He winked and gave a wheezing laugh that did nothing to calm Harry.
No longer sure about this outing, Harry looked Albus and Scorpius over. He turned to Ginny, “Are we sure about this?”
“Scorpius?” Ginny asked.
But he’d already signed the release form. “Yeah, it’ll be fun,” Scorpius said as he handed the form back. “How many chances will we get to hear real sirens? Assuming I make it out alive, it’ll be a great story to tell.”
Lily finally let loose a loud string of giggles. “Oh I’m already planning on telling this story to everyone I know. I’m so sorry James missed it!”
Harry wanted to yank the quill from Albus’s hands but he’d already signed his name. So the five of them followed Captain Birch out to the dock where a trim little boat waited. A pleasant half hour boat ride brought them to a small outcropping of rocks near a tiny island that hardly deserved the name.
“Oh!” Lily exclaimed. “I see one!” She waved to a figure sitting on a rock and got a wave in return.
As soon as he saw her, Harry understood why they might be drawn to someone like Scorpius - he looked just like one. Harry’s only exposure to sirens was some vague recollection of a painting at Hogwarts. This siren had hair as white-blonde as Scorpius, done up in tiny braids to the nape of her neck, then left free flowing in waves. Her upper body was mostly covered in a woven or knotted fabric made from seaweed, laced through with shells, gems, and sea-glass beads. When she saw the boat approach, the siren trilled like a bird with a smile. Just as the boat slowed to a stop, three other sirens appeared in the water.
“Captain Birch! So good to see you have brought us some friends.” Her voice thrummed with magic, giving Harry goosebumps. As her eyes scanned the party, Captain Birch handed sweets to each of the waiting hands in the water. Harry reached into his pocket to grip his wand as she paused on Scorpius and Albus.
“We’ve brought gifts for you,” Captain Birch said, stepping back and letting them approach the boat’s rail. Scorpius and Albus hung back, nervously scanning the four sirens. Ginny, standing on Harry’s left, got a tap on the arm to go first.
“I’ve brought sweets too. A family recipe.” Ginny handed the siren a box that held hand-rolled chocolate truffles.
The siren moaned happily as she opened the box and inhaled the chocolate scent. “A lovely gift!” She handed it back to another siren that looked roughly the same age. Her white-blonde hair was also braided elaborately, but rolled into a bun at the nape of her neck. She put the box in a bag hanging across her body, and it disappeared in such a way that Harry suspected an extension charm.
“And you, principessa?” she asked, turning to Lily on Harry’s right.
“I - I - er - it’s a story I wrote.” She offered a tightly rolled scroll to the siren with shining eyes. “It’s about a fire… a - a candle, telling little stories of the family it illuminates.”
“Intriguing!” the siren said with a smile as she took the scroll. She ran her fingers over the parchment, and seeing it was already waterproofed, handed it to the siren behind her. It also disappeared into the bag.
The other two sirens began to hum quietly, or maybe they’d already been humming and only now was Harry aware of it. He felt it thrumming in his veins, making him rise on his tiptoes, ready to jump as soon as the music reached its peak. The siren’s eyes focused on Harry with an intensity that made him squirm. The melody rolled and thickened, becoming his only thought.
“And you?”
He had to drop Lily’s hand to reach into his pocket for the necklace he’d brought. “It’s a pendant. Made from Alexandrite. It changes color in the light.” The gem was rare in the muggle world, but readily available in the magical world if one knew where to look. Perhaps too extravagant of an offering, but worthwhile if it drew the sirens’ eyes away from Scorpius and Albus.
But only for a moment. Harry wondered if she’d saved the two boys for last on purpose. In particular, the youngest siren seemed keen on drawing their eye. Harry felt their magic inside, so different from Veela allure or an Imperious Curse. It didn’t make him want to do anything, but held him still as though waiting on the edge of a cliff, ready to fly.
“Ah, ragazzino,” she said to Albus. “You have something special, yes?”
Albus didn’t break eye contact as he opened his bag and pulled out a modified crystal ball. Inside, a small candle burned with a dancing flame. The charms on it made the glass warm to the touch, and although the light was faint, it would continue to glow for years to come. He held it out to Ginny, who passed it to the siren. “I brought you a flame.”
“Yes… truly unique,” she said with a smile. She pressed the warmth to her cheek and laughed lightly, a tinkling sound that made something hot pass through Harry. From the side of his eye, he saw Albus blush. When she held the ball out, the youngest siren swam forward for it. This brought her too close for Harry’s comfort but the music held him still, waiting for something.
“And you, mio tesoro, what have you brought us?” Her voice lightened as she spoke, joined in chorus by the sirens behind her. Scorpius’s mouth hung open, his eyes glazed over. She pressed against the rail, joined by the youngest siren. “Do you have a gift for us?”
Scorpius leaned down and had to drop Albus’s hand to reach for the siren.
“No,” Ginny whispered. She squeezed Harry’s hand and he wanted to respond but his arms felt heavy and he waited, still waited. “No,” she said again, but louder. “He’s ours. You can’t!”
“And if he wants to come with us?”
“Scorpius!” Ginny called loudly to him. “Your gift. Give them your gift!”
Instead of reaching into his pocket, he stepped closer to the boat’s rail. “They don’t want it,” he said quietly. “Have to give them something else.” He closed his eyes and swayed on his feet.
“No! Scorpius, stop!” Ginny pulled her wand, but the sirens sang a long, harmonious chord and her fingers trembled, dropping the wand among the ropes and boards on deck. “No! No!” She shook her head but the music was inside and couldn’t be taken away. “Albus… Scorpius…” Ginny dropped to her knees and searched for her wand.
Albus, jarred by Ginny’s shouting, yanked Scorpius back. “You can’t!” He shook his head roughly, trying to dislodge the siren’s song. But it was inside, all around, and Harry knew there was no use. They just had to wait, and it would end soon. So soon.
Scorpius pulled away from Albus and stepped flush to the rail. “I can hear her.” He ran a hand down the young siren’s face. “My lullaby…”
“No, you can’t, it’s not real!” Albus grabbed his arm and pulled him further back, knocking the two of them into the mast. “Scorpius, please!” While the song swelled and pressed on all sides, Albus grabbed Scorpius’s face and pulled him in for a deep, hard kiss. A one-sided kiss, as Scorpius remained wholly unresponsive.
The music sounded from everywhere. Inside Harry, outside. Beside him, he barely registered Lily crying her silent tears and he wondered why, when the song was so nearly finished and the end would bring them all such joy. If they waited long enough.
“Please don’t leave me,” Albus cried against Scorpius’s lips and kissed him again. This time he moved gently and carefully, whispering things Harry couldn’t hear. He saw Scorpius’s fingers twitch, then slowly rise to wrap around Albus’s hips as he returned the kiss with tentative but growing vigour.
A sour, discordant note shattered the song
Ginny gave up on finding her own wand and pulled Harry’s out instead. The young siren screeched loudly and dove deep, just as Ginny aimed a blast of air at the water to send up a spray on the three remaining sirens, to warn rather than injure them. Their song stopped abruptly, finally giving Harry the chance to breathe. His magic surged in him and he used it to summon Ginny’s wand from wherever it had rolled.
Her green eyes flashing, Ginny yelled, “He is ours, and you can’t have him!”
The siren with the bag of gifts cackled loudly and said, “There is a song in her yet.” Still laughing, she swam away.
The leader smirked at Ginny. “He is a rare find. You cannot fault us for trying to keep him. But he is lost to us.” Her eyes darted to the boys, who were still wrapped up in each other. “A love such as theirs is rare. Not easily broken by our song.” She turned to the remaining siren. “A song for them, one of joy. In thanks for their lovely gifts.”
This time when the song swelled, Harry felt pure happiness burst from his heart. It rolled through him, reminding him of the love he’d found in Ginny and the years of laughter and joy they’d had with James, Lily, and Albus. Held in its thrall, he rejoiced in the future to come and the peace the years would bring.
As the song wound down, Ginny and Lily crowded Harry for hugs. He kissed both their heads and hugged them tight, then reached behind for Albus and Scorpius. Laughing, they shared a group hug, and bumped one another as they wiped away stray tears.
“Thank you,” Ginny said to the siren. “That was… more beautiful than I can say.”
The siren swam up to the rail and reached up to caress Ginny’s arm. “You are a queen. Do not let them forget it.”
She turned away, but Albus called out for her to stop. Reaching into Scorpius’s pocket, he pulled out a glass bottle. “He’s a potioneer. A very good one. And he’s made a pain-relieving potion for you.” Albus handed the bottle to Ginny. “In thanks, for your song. And, you know, leaving him with us.” As he spoke, Scorpius wrapped an arm around Albus’s waist.
Ginny handed the bottle to the siren, who smiled. “Truly, you are gracious, ragazzino. Perhaps worthy of him after all.” She turned to the other siren. “Come, sorella, to the depths.” With a last trill, both sirens dove underwater and swam away.
They all breathed a collective sigh of relief, summed up best by Captain Birch, “That surely was damn close!” He gave a raspy laugh and turned the boat for home.
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They were silent as they climbed the stairs to the beach house, all lost in their thoughts. Harry didn’t know how to separate the joy of the final song from the fear that they’d almost lost Scorpius. He opened the door for Ginny and Lily, but Albus and Scorpius stayed behind on the porch.
“I’m going to call my dad. Let him know I’m all right.”
“Ah, yes,” Harry said. He hadn’t even thought of Draco once in all of this. “Good idea. Invite him to dinner.”
“Really?” Scorpius asked, turning his surprised face on Albus.
Ginny popped her head back out. “Yeah, actually, tell him he can join us for the rest of the weekend.”
Scorpius’s mouth dropped open and he looked to Harry for verification. “He can?”
“We almost lost his only child to sirens,” Ginny called from the sitting room. “It’s the very least we can do.”
Harry nodded to the boys and left them to their phone call. He joined Ginny and Lily on the sofa, snuggling up close to his wife. “What an afternoon!”
“It was so incredible!” Lily sighed, resting her head on Ginny’s other shoulder. “The energy, and excitement! I don’t think I even have words for it all.”
Ginny stroked Lily’s hair. “That last song made me cry, it was so beautiful.”
“I feel guilty for having such a good time, what with Albus and Scorpius having such a hard time of it.”
“Oh baby girl, don’t feel bad. Everything turned out all right in the end, so go ahead and be happy about it, all right?” Ginny kissed Lily’s head and squeezed her tight.
Lily hugged Ginny back, then squeezed Harry’s hand too. “I’m going to go write about it now, so I don’t forget anything.”
“Good idea.” Ginny settled in closer to Harry as Lily ran up the stairs to her room. Through the front window, they could see Scorpius pacing back and forth, on the phone with Draco. Albus sat on the loveseat, smiling at whatever Scorpius was saying. “I cannot believe that boy was almost taken by sirens.”
“You saved him.”
“I think that honor goes to Albus, but I did what I could.” Ginny turned in his arms so she could rest her head on his shoulder and drape her arm across his waist. “Their song made me feel so powerful and bold. I didn’t want it to end, because then I’d just be ordinary.”
Harry laughed, “You know you’ll never be ordinary. Ginevra Potter, queen among peasants. She specifically told you not to forget it.” She hummed in agreement. “That was a good idea, to invite Draco.”
Outside, Scorpius pocketed his phone and joined Albus on the loveseat. He rested his head on Albus’s shoulder for a moment, but at words they couldn’t hear, he smiled and nuzzled Albus’s neck and jaw, up to his mouth for a soft kiss.
“If our positions were reversed, nothing would keep me from Albus. It was the least I could do. He can share with Scorpius and James can share with Albus. It’ll be a squeeze, but fun in its own way.”
“We can get a bigger house next holiday.” Harry loved the idea of all his family spilling out of every room, reminding him of summers at the Burrow. So maybe not too big of a house next time.
The boys’ kisses became slower, more lingering. Albus carded his fingers through Scorpius’s hair and traced the line of his jaw with his lips. Scorpius leaned into it, pressing himself ever closer to Albus.
“This is getting awkward. We should leave them to it,” Harry said, standing and offering his hand to Ginny. “Let’s take advantage of everyone’s distraction for a little fun of our own.”
“An excellent idea,” she said with a smile, taking his hand.
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Harry dug his toes into the sand and leaned back in his chair. “There could not be a more perfect day for sitting on the beach.”
“Agreed!” Draco said, tipping his beer bottle toward Harry. Harry tapped it with his own bottle and they both drank deeply.
Draco arrived late last night, and James arrived early in the morning, and now the house brimmed with people and activity. James, Lily, and Ginny were nearby, slowly returning from a walk and a catch-up with James. Albus sat on a blanket by Harry, sketching Scorpius at the water line, searching for shells.
“Better look sharp,” Harry said to Albus. “Looks like some girls are moving in on your territory.” Three girls walking a cute little dog had stopped to chat with Scorpius. But he only had eyes for the dog. They couldn’t hear the conversation, but could see Scorpius making cooing faces and rubbing the dog’s fur vigorously. He scooped the little dog up and petted its head while talking to the girls.
Albus smiled as he set his notebook aside. “I know. I’m waiting for my moment.”
“What moment?”
“That moment he realises they’re flirting with him and panics. Then I can swoop in and save him. Hero of the day.”
Draco snorted. The three of them watched as the girl in the green bikini laughed loudly at something Scorpius said. She tapped him playfully on the arm and smiled seductively.
Harry shook his head in disbelief. “That boy was nearly taken by sirens yesterday. How does he not know they want him?”
Green-bikini shook her head and laughed again, this time pressing her chest to Scorpius’s arm. His smile froze and his eyes widened in mild panic.
“There it is,” Albus whispered, just as Scorpius yelled, “Albus! Albus, come look at this cute little dog!”
Albus adjusted his sunglasses with a wide smile as he approached. The girls smiled at him, clearly pleased at seeing another fit young man join them. Right up until Albus hugged Scorpius from behind and kissed him on the neck.
He ruffled the dog’s fur, leaving his other hand around Scorpius’s waist, and said something Draco and Harry couldn’t hear. Green-bikini stepped back, still smiling at the two of them. Red-and-black-tankini gave them an appraising, lust-filled look.
“That one on the right seems excessively interested, don’t you think?” Draco asked.
“I was just thinking that! James’ll be along shortly and scoop her up. He seems to instinctively know which girl in any group is the most adventurous.”
Sure enough, James left Lily and Ginny behind to join in. The circle widened for him, but he tripped over literally nothing and had to catch red-and-black-tankini as he stumbled into her. She gave him a coy smile and held his arm to ‘steady herself’.
“There it is. He gets that from his mum, because I was never that smooth.”
“Yes well, we had other things to worry about at their age.”
Harry hummed in agreement, then laughed. “Can you imagine us at their age, someone telling us that one day my son would snog your son free of sirens and we’d be laughing about it the next day?” He laughed and sipped at his beer. “Things have certainly changed over the years!”
“For the better.”
“Definitely for the better,” Harry said, watching Albus and Scorpius wander down the beach, hand-in-hand.