ZOMG so much friend fluff! So not gonna lie but I got this idea when I was a wee bit drunk. But also I dedicate this story to my new friend Tinylexie. Also somewhat inspired by Ausland's interpretation of Severus and Lily's relationship…sort of, well it gave me the idea so there. Yeah so Lucius is a wee bit OOC but hey alcohol is involved so he can't be held responsible. Also he's charming, I think. Okay lets go!

Had it been anyone else, Severus would not have agreed to this. But it was Lucius and it was the night before his wedding. He had no choice. In Severus' opinion, Lucius was far too happy for such an occasion. It was also of his opinion that stag parties were a barbaric and foolish tradition. Lucius had practically dragged him out into the street and shoved him through the door of the pub. Severus sneered at the interior as soon as they stepped in. Lucius ignored his friend's distain and pushed him further towards the bar.
"Jamison!" Lucius yelled over the music. The bartender nodded and brought back two shot glasses with a dark brown liquid. Lucius slid one of them over to his sour friend and raised his glass. "Come now Severus, you promised to have a good time."

"I promised I'd try." He said snatching his glass. Lucius smirked and clinked his against Severus'.

"Cheers mate." He said before tossing the entire content into his mouth. Before downing his own drink, Severus smelled it. It was strong, he could feel the burning in his throat before the glass even touched his lips. He winced as it traveled down his throat and dropped itself into his stomach. He shivered and leaned on the bar, as though the full effect of the liquor had taken over him. Lucius laughed and patted his friend on the shoulder.

"See!" He teased. "Wasn't so bad." Severus looked back with a glare. "Ah." Lucius nodded behind Severus. "Look what we have here." His black-haired companion looked back to see two women hiding their giggles at Lucius' smile. Severus lightly smacked his friend on the cheek who was still gawking at the ladies.

"Oi!" Lucius refocused himself. "You're about to be married tomorrow. You can't be looking at those hens!"

"On the contrary my friend. That's all I can do now." Severus gave a sour frown and ordered a cider from the bar. Something lighter on his stomach but strong enough to get him through the evening. Severus wasn't fond of Lucius' giddy behavior. He generally had a superior attitude, a sort of smugness that made it seem as though he were always happy with himself. But at the moment he truly was reveling in the small attention he was getting from the women at the other side of the bar. Severus glanced over to them, they turned in towards each other, whispering no doubt about his lavish long blond hair and his icy stare. A look that was dangerous but begged to be engaged.

"Good evening ladies." Lucius pulled the one barstool between him and Severus and offered it to the brunette. She had long hair almost matching Lucius' with green eyes. She sat with her back at the bar so she could look at the two of them. Her friend, who had short blond hair pulled a stool from Severus' right and sat facing her friend and the bar. "May I introduce myself." He held out his hand first to the blonde. "I am Lucius Malfoy." He kissed her hand which made her blush. Severus rolled his eyes. He took the brunette's hand making the same gesture that did not fail to make her giggle. "And this dark and handsome man is my friend, Severus Snape."

He hadn't expected that. Severus took a step back and swallowed. All three of them sensed his sudden shyness and to save him the girls extended their hands to him first.

"I'm Mary." Said the brunette. Severus nodded and took her hand only to have the blond steal it from her.

"And I'm Lila. You both have such…regal names."

"Well actually…" Lucius said stealing the attention away, which Severus was content with. "We're cousins and we both come from illustrious families." Severus shot his friend a look cross between annoyance and abhorrence at his lie.

"So you're related by your mothers."

"That's right." Declared Lucius as he slid his arm around the brunette's shoulder. Severus searched her face to see apprehension but saw none.

"So what do you do?" Lila asked moving a little closer to Severus.

"Ah you see Severus is a private tutor. Highly coveted by many wealthy families to teach their children." Both girls cooed. Lila patted his shoulder with a slight rub.

"That's great, you must be great with kids." Severus looked at Lucius who nodded, confirming he should answer.

"Yes…I…like kids." He said slowly, disgusted by his own lie. Anyone with the slightest intuition would be able to hear his sarcasm and see his insincerity.

"And you…?" Mary pinched Lucius' cheek and poked him before settling back into her stool.

"Oh me well…I-"

"An artist." Severus interrupted. Normally Lucius would be horrified but he enjoyed the devious side of his friend and so played along.

"Goodness." Lila said with a hand to her chest. "Let me guess…you're a…sketch artist."

"In fact you're-"

"Wrong. He's a dancer." Severus raised a brow in challenge. Lucius smirked and took another swing of his drink.

"Are you really?"

"My cousin has a poor sense of humor I'm afraid. I did dance in college a bit but now I paint." Again they cooed and awed at Lucius.

"Whats your favorite subject?"

"Why…beautiful creatures of course. Much like yourselves."

"Oh stop you!" Said Mary with a light slap on his knee. Severus turned to the bar and requested a shot of whiskey. After it passed through his throat he sighed and looked over at Lucius who nodded to a vacant pool table. Severus shook his head. 'No' he said 'Lets not'. Whether his friend had misinterpreted his plea, or read it perfectly Lucius suggested a round to the girls.

"Come now how about a round?"

"Oh I'm rubbish at pool." Mary said through another insufferable giggle.

"Nonsense!" Lucius said standing pushing her toward the table. "You and I shall be on a team and Severus will take the lovely Lila. Eh Severus?"

"In a moment." He mumbled eyeing his empty shot glass. He slid it back to the bar tender and made his way to a jukebox not far from the table. Lucius shook his head. He would never understand Severus' fascination with muggle music. That screeching guitar and what they passed off as singing was more like moaning. Lila slinked in behind him and watched in awe at his indifference towards her. He knew she was there but continued to flip through the records before selecting a Led Zeppelin album.

"Oh I like that Robert Plant." She said as she tugged on him to come play pool. He followed automatically. His feet led the way but his mind was lost to the strong alcohol already pumping through his body. Lucius tossed his friend a pool stick and insisted he break. He leaned into the table wrenching his eyes shut until the music blared into his ears.

"HEY HEY MAMA, said the way you move, gonna make you sweat, gonna make you groove." At the first rift he shot his right arm forward shattering the triangle formation. The balls scattered off the walls and bounced into each other until finally stopping. On the first shot he managed to sink the twelve ball in the upper left pocket. Lila and Mary clapped eagerly and congratulated him.

"Well done cousin." Lucius handed off his pool stick to his partner. "Guess that makes us solids." Severus stood up silently begging him to stop calling him that. Lucius smiled and ordered another round. Severus was able to get the fourteen in until it was Mary's turn. For a giggling imbecile she wasn't terrible at the game. She hadn't hit any in but she sure did make the next turn difficult for Severus' partner. There was a clear shot for the ten but the solid two stood in the way. Lila took position. She took her time and just before she gave a hard thrust with the cue, Severus grabbed the end and tugged it towards him.

"Here." He said, and the two of them sank down into the green felt. He took her left hand and positioned it to stand firm on the table. With her other arm, he placed her aim just off the right side of the white ball. "Now." he said lowly, as though he didn't want Lucius to hear. "You don't need to shove it hard, just give it a tap off the side like that." He pointed to the spot, his finger hovering over the empty space before returning to direct her aim. "Don't take your eye off it." She nodded and after a few breaths did exactly as he instructed with success of not hitting their opponent's ball. She jumped and hugged him briefly.

"I've never been able to get one in!" She exclaimed and took a high five from Mary. "Thank you." Severus smirked at Lucius and returned to their high table to take another drink. "Right then which should I go for next?" Severus swallowed and pointed to the eleven. She nodded.

"Well well Severus, I didn't know you were so good with the ladies." Lucius chuckled now that they were if at the moment, alone.

"I'm not." Severus said annoyed. "You put me into this."

"Oh come now. She'll be all over you by the end of the night. If you play your cards right." Severus glared at his friend, offended, appalled. "What?"

"I don't want her…all over me." He snapped.

"Why not?" Why not indeed. Even if she was a muggle she was cute. Petite compared to Severus' monstrous height. It wouldn't amount to anything but at least he could have fun. Lucius wasn't entirely sure his friend had experienced a woman. And for some reason the urge to put him with her raised inside of him. If only to have Severus grumble the next morning and hurl a 'Shut up.' at him.

"Lucius, I think its time we leave. Narcissa will-"

"Whose that?" Mary said coming back towards them. Even Lila had abandoned her recent success at the game to hear their conversation. Unfazed and without stumble Lucius smiled and retrieved a picture from his front pocket.

"You see ladies, this is my bride to be." He allowed them to take the photo which surprised Severus, he held on to that like it was an antidote to a poison pumping through his blood.

"She's beautiful." Mary said, which also surprised Severus. He expected that revelation to land him a hard strike to the face and both of them to storm off. Something he would have found amusing and fitting end to their night. But no, they congratulated him and placed the picture back into his hands which he glanced longingly at before putting it back into his pocket.

"How did you get so lucky?" Lila asked as she chugged the last bit of her beer down.

"Ah well I all I can say is that I am lucky. I say this will all affirmation-" Oh gods, Severus thought, he really is drunk now. "I go into this marriage a happy man. It is beyond family duty." Another shot of brown liquid when into his mouth and once swallowed he stood tall as he could and shouted. "I LOVE NARCISSA BLACK WITH ALL THE HEART A MAN CAN HAVE! SHE WILL BARE ME EQUIALLY BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN! I SHALL LOVE FOREVER AS I DO THIS MOMENT!"

Severus hid his face in his palm as the pub cheered and rallied around his speech. Clapping and toasting to him. Both of their companions swooned at his declaration of love. Severus decided he needed another drink. For the moment he left Lucius in the capable hands of the other patrons and moved to slouch at the bar. His face still resting in his hand he groaned and contemplated at his next drink. Narcissa would murder him if she found out this was what their evening was like. Surly she had pictured them at nice restaurant and bar toasting silently to one another in the most dignified manner that Lucius always presented himself as. But no, they were in some horrid muggle pub in the digs of London.

"Gods." he groaned and decided on another shot of whiskey and a cider to wash it down. It would be his last. They wouldn't be able to apperate in this condition so it would be his job to get them home. Lila joined him at his left and nudged him for attention.

"So it's a stag party eh?"

"He insisted." Severus said dryly, staring down the light cider.

"Haven't you got one?"

"What, a party?"

"No. A wife, girlfriend?" There was hope in her voice.

"No. I had one…sort of."

"How do you sort of have a wife?" She laughed.

"I mean…" He winced his eyes shut and exhaled. Thinking very carefully about the next words to come out of his mouth. "I had a friend, who I liked. But she…she's with someone else now." He took another large gulp of his drink and slammed it back onto the bar.

"I see. So, you're still hung up on her eh?"

"Ye-up."

"Well that's a shame isn't it? For her I mean." He had every intention of turning to her and begin a long, slow rant about how she knew nothing of him or Lily and had no right to even speak of them. But when he finally faced her there was a strange collision of somber relief in her eyes. He couldn't read her emotions exactly all he knew was that they were genuine. He dismissed her with a twitching grin.

"Did you know…" Lucius began. "That Severus is a genius."

"Oh I believe that." Mary said with an arm around him.

"Absolutely brilliant. Once you get past his…" Lucius motioned at Severus' entire body which now stood before him impatient as ever. "Well all of that scariness he's quite a gentle soul."

"Awwww" Mary sang delightfully. "that's so sweet of you to say."

"Its true. There was this girl you see-"

"Lucius."

"Hush Severus. This girl in school head over heels for her, still is."

"Lucius, don't!" Severus snapped no longer hiding his irritation.

"Hopeless romantic. She's not good enough for him. On top of that she's a mud-"
"Lucius!" Lucius snapped out of his drunken stupor and suddenly realized what he had been and was about to say. A sort of apology flashed in his eyes as he cleared his throat and stood up from the stool.

"Right well." He said, collecting himself. "My cousin has made his point clear. We should be off now ladies." They both whined at the news of their departure. "No, I know I'm sorry but I am getting married tomorrow. I don't want to look a fright when my bride comes down the aisle." Mary gave Lucius a hug and a kiss on the cheek congratulating him and wishing him the best of luck. After some assurance to Severus that he wouldn't vomit Lucius staggered towards the door. "Farewell!" He called out as Severus shoved him out into the cold night not wanting to look back.

If they could make it to the leaky cauldron they'd be able to use the floo to get back to Malfoy manor. Severus walked with a brisk that Lucius answered only with a light jog to catch up. He could easily match his pace, the two of them being so tall but it was the silent fury building inside his friend that made Lucius uneasy.

"I know you're upset but you can't expect us to walk in silence the whole way."

"Expect? I was hoping." he snapped back at Lucius who was slightly behind him.

"I'm sorry I embarrassed you a little." Lucius looked to see that the street was vacant and even still spoke in a whisper. "I'm sorry I almost called her a-"

"Don't!" He stopped in the middle of the pavement and opened his mouth to say more but nothing, except an exacerbated sigh came out. "You've said… quite enough already." Severus turned on his heel content with leaving his friend alone in the muggle London no matter what Narcissa would say in the morning.

"Its true though…" He said. "Severus." That got his friend to stop, not to turn and look at him but stop at least. "What I said in the pub, what I actually said." Lucius was sounding more sober now and perhaps was. His voice was solid, with meaning and purpose. He took a few steps towards Severus until they were only inches apart, so that he could still whisper.

"What is true?" He kept his head down at the wet road glistening in the street lights.

"Lily isn't good enough for you." There was disagreement in Severus' eyes but he allowed him to speak. "You made one mistake and now she won't speak to you."

"It isn't just that…"

"Also she doesn't accept you for who you are. Everything in her world is bright and perfect. She doesn't see gray or black or anything that disrupts her linear path." A light rain began to fall along with a cold wind, sticking his black hair to his pale face.

"I said, horrible things to her."

"Thing!" He corrected. "One horrible thing! And it was after you were being tormented and bullied by Potter! Which I may add was not a novelty experience. Had I been there…" He drifted for a moment. Lucius bit his lip and tried his best to clear his mind of the hazy inebriation. "Had I been there, I would have given her a reason to hate you. A real reason. She was supposed to be your friend and she turned her back on you at the slightest resistance."

This time Lucius stormed off. He couldn't stand to see someone with as much potential as Severus be stunted by Lily's rejection. He didn't care about a lot of people, but one of them was with him tonight. Astounded by Lucius' profound assessment, which in his subconscious he shamefully agreed, he followed him.

The remainder of the journey was spent in silence. They briefly rode the underground until Severus nudged his companion awake to depart for their station. Quietly the took to the fireplace and with an arm around Luicus' waist Severus released the powder and declared "Malfoy Manor." They exited the fire pit and Severus sat Lucius down at the dinning table.

"Stay here." He turned for the door. "You need water."

"Quickly." Lucius moaned with his face now in the table. The door on the far end of the room opened. Both of them jerked to see who it was. Narcissa stepped in quickly and shut the door behind her.

"Severus?" She whispered and reached for her wand. "Lumos." She sighed with relief. She hurried over to Lucius and stroked his forehead with her thumb. Narcissa placed a kiss on his temple "Poor thing." She said with a half chuckle. "I told you to take it easy."

"Oh my dear." Lucius sat up and took her hand into his. "But Severus insisted." To which he rolled his eyes, he was back to his whimsical mannerisms. She shook her head but couldn't hold back the smile in her lips. She looked up at Severus who responded with the best smile he could give.

"I'm just glad you got here safely. No telling what muggles do in places like that."

"I assure you." Lucius said with a kiss to the back of her hand. "Nothing would keep me from our joyous union." With a small tug he pulled her into his lap and trapped her with his embrace. "And besides. I had dear Severus to keep me safe." She laughed and kept him still with both hands holding his face.

"Of course." She kissed him. Severus felt his stomach drop and his heart ache. Many would never guessed that Narcissa and Lucius had such affection, dare say love for each other. Severus had his doubts at first, being that it was an arrangement but it seemed that only made things easier for them. From the moment it was announced they took to each other as though it had always been that way. He quietly envied their connection. Narcissa looked up and gave another warm smile to Severus. "Thank you for brining him back to me."

"I assure you my role was only to ensure he got back on time. No force in this world magical or otherwise would have kept him from you." Severus swallowed the bad taste in his mouth. He felt sick saying such words, true that they were it didn't feel right passing his lips. There was a falseness in him, not that it wasn't true but how he hid the contempt in his heart. Wishing for a moment they had just shared in his presence.

He pulled Lucius up by the elbow. "Come on, to bed." he ordered and like a child Lucius whined to stay put with his bride. With both Narcissa and Severus coercing him, Lucius got to his feet and allowed his old friend to direct him to his bedroom. Exhausted and not only by Lucius' antics of the evening but the emotional weight pressed on him, Severus outright threw Lucius onto his bed and slouched in the chair next to him. Slowly Lucius crawled to reach the pillows and stuffed his face into them.

"Severus…"

"What?" He answered almost asleep.

"I'm sorry for what I said…"

"Don't be stupid. Now go to sleep, you have a big day tomorrow. She might be sunshine and rainbows now but Narcissa will not think twice about using crucio on you if you mess up her wedding."

"Right. Good night Severus."

"Good night Lucius."