This was a relaxing exercise for me. I was getting way to sick of my EMPTY WAS MY SOUL STORY and needed a break. R/R for the couple.
Ziegfried
The train was cold. Colder than the outside autumn air. Lucius Diablo Malfoy pulled his fur lined, dragon's hide cloak closer to his lithe body, biting hard on his lower lip. Bloody Hell, every school he attended had an obsession with heating during the summer and cooling during the winter. It was insane. It didn't help that he was sick; his throat was grated and sore, his skin pale. He always got sick during the winter, but besides that, it was his favorite season. Because everything died and got covered in pretty, white nothingness.
He let out a cough, hacking until he thought he might vomit, curling into a little black ball until the attack passed. He sat up, and idly fished for a handkerchief. It was as his father said; "Sickness is a means of culling the weak." And he wasn't weak…so he would get over it. He pulled his handkerchief out of his cloak pocket and wiped his mouth, not caring to notice the dots of crimson blood on it.
He leaned back and curled his 'chief into a little ball in his hand. Maybe it was because he was sick that everyone was avoiding him. The train car he sat in was abandoned, while surrounding ones sat filled with warm, healthy, laughing bodies. Or maybe it was because he was new. Lucius sighed, noticing with saddened eyes that his breath came out in a steamy mist, while in the other car the windows were clouded over. Still, being cold was better than being surrounded by idiots.
Bitterly, he pulled the cloak closer and prepared himself for a nap. A witch passed by his car, peeked in the window, shook her head, and moved on by. So even a servant wasn't willing to talk to him. Not that he wanted to converse with the likes of her. Minutes passed slowly, and he began to feel his eyelids drop. Occasionally he would start coughing again, wipe his mouth free of blood, then try to go to sleep again. It was hard; the train kept bumping and shifting.
Just as he was beginning to drift, the door to his car opened and slammed shut. Lucius peeked his eyes open and saw, to his delight, a fellow student. The boy was thin, thinner that he even, and his skin a pale yellow. The boy moved like a blur and dive-bombed into a seat. He sat, clenching his fists and shaking as though he were about to cry. His dark hair covered his face like a curtain, so he could read nothing about the boy.
"T-That b-bastard!!!" the scrawny boy hissed into his palm," One of these days I-I'll kill him."
Lucius cocked his head curiously, his pale eyes narrowed in observation.
The dark boy was obviously shaken up; he trembled slightly and twisted a dark lock of hair in one hand. In the other hand was what looked like a book…or something along those lines. A book that had no pages-they had all been ripped out.
"Upperclassmen?" Lucius wondered aloud.
The black haired boy looked up. His face was interesting, he had a long nose, and oriental shaped eyes, his skin was a smooth alabaster. Lucius guessed they were in the same year. The boy looked him over in a similar fashion and drew in his breath sharply, as if there was something impressive about him, or even…exotic. Lucius smirked; used to the reaction he received from people, his eyes and hair were different, silver both of them, like a lake under the full moon.
The boy hesitated, then spoke," I was…talking to some people I know and they ripped up my book. It-It was my father's…it was antique." He lifted it up, showing the leather covers with a gold clasp, inside the book were ragged, ripped ends of paper.
Lucius raised his eyebrows in disapproval.
"Did you fight?"
The boy pursed his lips, turning them into a fine line.
"There were too many of them." He whispered, his voice laced in bitterness.
Lucius nodded, and opened his mouth to inquire, exactly which people, but was stopped by a bout of coughing. He bowled over, a fiery pain seizing his insides, and as he coughed he felt blood oozing from his mouth. The black haired boy pulled back, horrified. That's right, Lucius scowled, closing his eyes, be afraid of me-everyone else is. He listened for the sound of a door closing and shutting, but it never came. He sat up, in shock, his handkerchief pressed to his mouth.
The boy sat perplexed, with a look of…admiration on his face. Lucius slowly pulled his handkerchief away and balled it back into his hand.
"My name is Severus Snape." He said abruptly, offering his hand.
Lucius blinked slowly, then took it.
"Lucius Diablo Malfoy." He replied hoarsely.
Severus smiled. It was a pleasant smile. Lucius had the feeling he didn't do it very often. Just like him. Even stranger, he felt the sides of his own mouth ticking up slightly. He liked this boy. Perhaps they would be friends. Perhaps even more. It was one of the reasons he had been kicked out of his previous schools.
"So," Severus shifted in his seat, suddenly comfortable, "You're sick. With tuberculosis I presume?"
Lucius nodded.
"I get it every winter."
Severus eyed him quietly; his thin little fingers twisting in his cloak, his mouth biting down on his lower lip. Lucius could tell by his uneven movements that he wasn't used to pleasant talks and conversations. It was probable that the boy didn't even have any friends.
"Are you new to Hogwarts?" he blurted out.
"Of course, fifth year, I should be in." Lucius let out a dramatic yawn, and turned to look at their surrounding cars. Everyone was so bloody talkative, and overly perky. A witch tried to calm a cluster of first years down in the car to their left. Severus bit his lip again, anxious to keep a friend.
"I'm a fifth year, too." He announced, worriedly watching the tow-headed boy.
Lucius nodded, as if to say, I thought as much.
"And in Slytherin." He continued.
Lucius smirked.
"I will be too."
Severus blinked.
"H-how do you know? No one knows what house they'll be put in. I mean…it's up to the sorting hat, really."
Lucius smiled bitterly and turned again. In the car to his right were a bunch of goons, one with glasses and a girl with flaming red hair. They were approaching their car. He turned back to Snape, and sneered.
"Where else would they put someone who's named after the devil?"
Severus seemed to ponder this for a while, then nodded.
"Yeah," he replied, "Where else would they put someone who's name is practically 'severe'."
Lucius laughed out loud. It was beginning to warm up in the car, and Lucius felt the pressure on his chest lift. He leaned towards the little Snape.
"I like you, Severus Snape. You seem like…fun." He held his eyes half closed, like a snake's, and tilting his head in that oh-so perfect angle. Fun, his mind turned over, maybe fun in many different ways…
"Hey, James, check this out!!!" A loud, whiney voice interrupted his thoughts. He turned, and saw what looked like a rat, only boy size at the door to his car. Snape seized his chest tightly, clutching his book, his little fingers trembling. His face was filled with determination. Perhaps that rat boy had something to do with the destruction of Snape's book.
A boy with tousled black hair and glasses came to the entryway, followed by another black-haired boy, a thin, pale boy, and a girl with a large amount of red hair. Lucius stood, showing off his impressive height, and pulling back his shoulders to decrease his sickly hunch.
"Snape's got a boyfriend!!" the sniveling rat boy squealed in delight, clapping his fat hands together. The boy with glasses stepped into the car, the rest of his gang followed. He eyed Lucius carefully, his posture not the least bit threatening.
"Hello." He began, offering his hand, "I'm James Potter. And you are?"
Lucius didn't offer his hand in return.
"Lucius. Lucius Malfoy." He hissed, his eyes narrowing.
The black-haired boy behind James gasped. So did the thin boy behind him, and so did the rat boy.
"James!!" the black haired boy cried out, running in front of Potter. "He's a supporter of Voldemort!"
"No, that would be my father." Replied Lucius, a sneer taking its place on his face. He didn't like these people, even if the two black haired boys were attractive.
The rat boy squeaked and ran foreword as if to hide behind James, but Snape stood up.
"What do you bunch of dunderheads want from us?" he snarled.
"We came to give you this." Replied the black haired boy, as he drew from his pockets sheafs of paper. They were the pages from the book.
"That's for calling Lily a Mudblood, Snape."
And he dumped them at Severus' feet. Snape stood still, pale as a ghost, but showed no signs of anger. Instead, it was Malfoy who suddenly became enraged, his cheeks got two angry red spots on them but before he could roar at the rat boy and company, an attack seized him. He doubled over again coughing harder than before, his chest burning, burning, burning. He moaned in pain before bringing the handkerchief back up to his mouth. The group eyed him carefully.
"Is he sick?"
"I don't doubt it."
"Are you o.k?"
"Shit. I don't wanna get sick. Let's get out of here."
"Sirius, we should call for the nurse, not abandon him."
"Leave him alone!" he heard Snape hiss.
It felt like his chest was exploding, it hurt like hell, and he just couldn't stop coughing. Blood was beginning to dribble through his handkerchief and down his fingers. He looked up, his eyes watering with pain.
"Get the nurse." He croaked feebly, before falling again, and bleeding into his 'chief.
"Get the nurse Lupin!" someone yelled.
"Right."
"What do we do?"
"Just calm down…"
"Pettigrew, get some towels."
"OK!"
"Here man, let me help you." Someone began to grab his shoulder. He pulled violently away, his hacking increasing.
"I said leave him alone!" Snape snarled fiercely, standing at his side.
"Chill, we're trying to help."
"You aren't' doing much, Mudblood!!"
"Don't call me that!"
"Would you stop bickering!"
Then finally, over the hubbub came a loud voice.
"The nurse is here!!"
It was then that he saw red. He vomited blood, a puddle began to form at his feet; and he collapsed, moaning in pain. An elderly nurse and someone else ran to his side. He heard her say something about picking him up, but the rest was blotted by pain in his ears. His mind started to drift. He thought about that weird gang of teenagers surrounding him now…who were they? What did they have against Snape?
Strong, steely hands pulled him into consciousness. He felt himself being gently lifted, and carried from the car into another compartment. His arms lay uselessly by his sides and his head lolled about his carrier's waist. He wrenched all the strength he could from his sick body and pulled his head up to glance at his carrier. It was the boy with the black hair. The one who ripped Snape's book up, the one who seemed so volatile in his ways, the one with blazing blue eyes, had him in a maiden-esque posture and was carrying him to safety. Little beads of sweat were forming on the boy's forehead, but to his surprise, that was the only sign of exhaustion he showed at carrying Lucius. Lucius let out a soft moan, which caught the boy's attention, before he fell limp again, dangling in the boy's arms. His mind wavered on a thin line of consciousness for quite some time.
The nurse laid him down on the only bed she had, took his temperature, gasped, and began to cast curative spells. There was no cure for his case of tuberculosis. Only Muggles had a semi-cure, something by the name of "anti-biotics", and his father would never, ever use something made by Muggles, even if his son's life depended on it. Lucius let out a hiss of pain as his lungs quivered, the infection reacting to the spells. He turned, desperate for a means of distraction.
Severus was at his side, as was the black-haired boy. They stood on opposite sides of the room, Snape fingering his ripped book cover, wary to leave his newfound friend, and the black haired boy stood casually, leaning against the wall. His blue eyes regarded Lucius with interest.
"Why are you here, Sirius Black? Shouldn't you be toting Potter?" growled Severus meaningfully.
Sirius. So that was his name. Why he was there, and why he was staying was very questionable to Lucius. He and Severus didn't seem to be on best terms, so why would he care for one of Snape's few friends?
Sirius ignored Snape and turned back to Lucius. The white haired boy was fully conscious now, and he stared back. Sirius stopped moving as their eyes locked. Lucius watched him react in a similar fashion as Snape did, sharply inhaling, then staring. He turned away, beginning to cough again, wishing he had his kerchief.
"Are you ok?" Sirius asked uncomfortably.
"That's obvious!" Snape spat, twisting the book cover roughly in his hands.
Sirius glared at him, and Snape back, the nurse got up to get help, leaving the trio alone in an uncomfortable silence. Lucius glanced at the two boys; mildly amused by their antics. Snape was scooting possessively to his side, while Sirius sullenly eyed him, cracking his knuckles. Lucius let out a moan of self-pity. Both of them were practically wearing their hearts on their sleeves.
"Severus." Lucius inquired, eager to break the silence.
Snape jumped, even more eager to prove his self worth to Lucius.
"Yes?"
"Could you get some warm pumpkin juice for me? My throat is killing me…"Lucius let out a dramatic sigh, even though it wasn't far from true.
Snape nodded, turned, and stopped at the door. He rounded on Sirius and shot him a glare that would send a Basilisk running, then flicked the door handle and stalked out. Behind Lucius, Sirius let out a breath of relief.
"I thought he would never leave. Little leech bugger."
Lucius raised his eyebrows but said nothing more.
The black haired boy turned with a feiry animation, an odd look in his eyes. Lucius stifled a smile at how animalistic the boy moved and acted. Everything was on impulse, no thought involved. It was interesting, at least.
"So," Sirius began, "My name is Sirius Black, and yours is Lucius Malfoy. I've heard of your father. Not well liked where I'm from, but you aren't him are you?" he reached in his pockets and fished out a bloody handkerchief. It was drying; the red, wet blood had gone to a crusty brown. The boy glanced at it, fingered it, and offered it back to Lucius. He declined.
"Throw that out. It's too dirty to bother cleaning."
Sirius shrugged and stuck it back into his pocket.
"Pretty sick aren't you?" he asked quietly.
"How'd you guess?" Lucius sneered.
"You're so light. Like a girl."
At this Lucius made a face, then coughed weakly, and looked up at the ceiling. He was beginning to feel the weight of losing so much blood all at once on his shoulders, and his head, and everywhere else. He knew he looked girly, his skin and physique was appealing to men and women. He was beautiful, and he liked to use that advantage. He smiled slightly, then coughed.
Sirius moved closer, and took a seat on the space of the bed not occupied by Lucius. He leaned in closely, and as he did, Lucius closed his eyes, pretending not to notice.
"Hey." Sirius whispered.
Lucius ignored him.
"You asleep?" he asked.
Lucius ignored him again.
He waited patiently for Sirius to leave, as he no longer wished to talk to the hypocritical boy. But Sirius neither moved nor left. So he began to even his breaths, preparing for sleep, parting his mouth slightly for better air. He felt Sirius start to move, and hoped it was off the bed and out the door. It wasn't.
Hot breath touched his neck and cheek, and he felt Sirius shift his weight over top of him. He let out a soft gasp as tender lips came in contact with his neck. A hand traced its fingers in his silky hair, twisting it as another kiss was placed on his throat. Lucius arched his back in slight protest, and another arm came around him, grabbing his shoulder. Hot lips traced up and down his neck, then up his chin.
There was a slight pause as he heard Sirius fumble around the room, then he felt the lights being flicked off, and heard the door being locked. Moments later, Sirius' weight was upon him again, warm in some foreign way.
He forcefully locked his lips with Lucius, letting his tongue into his mouth. Lucius let him explore eagerly. He kissed harder, more passionately, grabbing Lucius' cloak and twisting it in his hands. He pressed their bodies together rubbing into Lucius like a wild animal, taking deeper and deeper tastes. His hands roamed down to Lucius' chest, eager to discover the soft, creamy flesh beneath.
Lucius let out a hiss. He twisted violently from Sirius' kiss and pushed him away. Sirius let out a gasp.
"You're awake!" he squeaked, in the pitch black.
"Who wouldn't be?" Lucius snarled.
Sirius jumped and turned on the lights. His hair was disheveled, and he was glistening from lusty sweat. His bright blue eyes stared fearfully at Lucius.
"I'm-I'm so-so sorry!! I don't know- I don't know what came over me! Please! Y-You have to believe me!!"
"Oh. Really." Lucius teased, "I see, you're just in-the-closet. Can't wait to tell Snape."
"NO!!" screamed Sirius, and in an instant he was on Lucius. He grabbed him roughly by the collar. "If you tell him…I'll kill you." He snarled.
Lucius smiled passively.
"So you're gay."
Sirius shifted uncomfortably, his face revealing several conflicting emotions. He let Lucius go and bit his lip sadly. Then he nodded.
"How pleasant."
It was then that Severus stalked in, carrying a cup of steaming pumpkin juice. Lucius drunk it in large sips, literally undulating as the steamy liquid soothed his ragged throat.
Severus shot Sirius a look. Black pretended to take the hint and sorrowfully shuffled out of the room, shooting a pensive glance at Lucius. His footsteps could be heard, before the car door opened and shut with a click. Severus nearly exploded with obscenities. Lucius sighed as the boy rambled on. This was going to be a hectic year.
Snape noticed his dismayed look and stopped. He carefully took a seat by Lucius, and began to glance nervously at his thin little fingers. It seemed to be a stress habit for him. Laughably, little Severus was still carrying his book cover around, as if it were his baby. Lucius bit off a giggle.
"What?" Snape asked.
"Nothing, Nothing…" Lucius sighed and went back to staring at the ceiling. He felt himself drifting for real this time. He straightened his blankets and shifted around. He noticed, without much surprise, that it was no longer cold in the train. So even big hunks of metal warmed once in a while.
Severus sat by his side after he had gone to sleep, still fingering his book.
VOTE: WILL IT BE SEVERUS OR SIRIUS LUCIUS GETS JIGGY WITH?
Plot suggestions are needed.
Well, that's it folks. So far at least. Remember, if you want the story to go a certain way, tell me.
Yari