Title: Catalyst
Rating: PG13
Word Count: 580ish
Prompts used: Written for Week Two of the ass_carnival. Person: Harry Potter; Place: a meadow/grassy area; Object one: grasshopper; Object two: glass bottle; Food: grapes; Emotion: jealousy; Song one: "Good Riddance" - Green Day; Song two: "Green Eyes" - Coldplay (hope the reference is obvious enough); Quote: 'Well, next time you leave, say goodbye." "Next time I leave, I'll just take you with me." – The Big Green; Freeform: something Irish (Guinness beer)
Summary: Harry wants something his son has and hopes it's not too late for him.
Warnings: I'm still so doped up on pain meds, but got the spark of an idea when I saw the prompts. I have no idea if it's rubbish as my mind is too buzzed to tell the difference between gold and dog turds. Unbetaed as I'm running out of time to enter for this week. Good luck to you brave souls who continue.
Disclaimer: This piece of fiction is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros. Inc. No money is being made, no copyright or trademark infringement, or offence is intended. All characters depicted in sexual situations are above the age of consent.

Catalyst

This is another turning point, a fork stuck in the road.

The thought struck Harry as he leaned back against the rough-barked tree behind him, absently watching a green grasshopper hop along into the mouth of one of Albus' discarded Guinness bottles. This was the time for decisions, for change, and, as he watched his children...although they could hardly be called children now... fly above the grassy meadow on their brooms, he realised that he'd already made his.

He and Ginny...they just didn't work anymore. There was a time when he carried such a load and Ginny had made it lighter, she'd been the rock upon which he stood. They'd grown up together, had children together, made a life together...

And grown apart together.

They no longer understood each other, they'd fallen out of rhythm, and Harry knew it couldn't go on. They had both been miserable for a long time and now, it was time for one of them to be strong enough to end it.

He threw a grape at the grasshopper which was now emerging wonkily from the empty bottle of ale then looked up when he heard a pop and a loud, joyous shout of 'Scorp!'. Albus was streaming towards the ground at breakneck speed and Harry frowned, opening his mouth to yell at him to slow down, but he was beaten to it by the new arrival.

'Albus Severus! If you break something, don't expect me to kiss it better.'

Albus laughed as if that was the funniest thing he'd ever heard then the moment his broom was close enough to the ground, he leapt off and catapulted himself into Scorpius Malfoy's arms.

Crude catcalls rained from the sky as James and Lily circled their brooms around the couple, but the entwined teens were oblivious, caught up in an embrace that was so heated, Harry felt his cheeks warm, but he found it impossible to look away.

This - the two boys snogging in front of him without a thought of discretion - had been the catalyst for his recent decision and Harry let out an ironic snort that yet again, a Malfoy was playing havoc with his life in some fashion. Ever since Albus had come out six months ago and revealed he and Scorpius had been...er...involved for several weeks, Harry had found himself watching the nineteen year olds with an odd mix of jealousy and longing. He and Ginny had loved each other, but they had never had what his son and his partner did: that all consuming desire and need, that completely unashamed passion that sparked in their eyes whenever they looked at each other. That is what Harry wanted to experience before it was too late – and he knew he would never find it with Ginny.

'Next time you leave, say goodbye,' Harry heard Albus admonish Scorpius, who had left in a hurry a week earlier to be by his ill mother's side.

Scorpius smiled a sweet, tender, private smile that Harry felt uncomfortable witnessing, before he kissed Albus softly on the lips. 'Next time I leave, I'll just take you with me,' he murmured against the other man's mouth and Albus made a whimpering noise in his throat before hauling the blonde in for another deep kiss.

Lily landed on the ground beside him, shaking Harry from his contemplation. 'They are so sweet together,' she whispered to Harry, settling herself on the rug next to him. 'I hope I find someone that makes me feel like that one day.'

'So do I, Lil,' Harry murmured, knowing she didn't understand that his words expressed a hope for the both of them. 'So do I.'

fin.