Scorpius's grin fades as he feels James's hands smoothing down his shoulders. The comfort he takes from that.... It can't really be put into words. It's stupid, to get this emotionally invested in someone who obviously doesn't even know themselves well enough to be honest in their own heads, let alone to others. But it's hard to help, when James is nice to him and not bad at snogging to boot.

When James jumps back, Scorpius follows his gaze and sighs. He can hear talking down the hall.

"It's fine," he murmurs, slipping out of James's room.

Al's voice pierces the silence: "Scorpius!!!!!!" And then Scorpius is knocked back into the wall in a brash, rib-breaking hug. "What the bloody hell is the matter with you? Where were you?! Merlin, you idiot!!"