AN: Sorry it's been so long since updates. I had a close family friend die on Friday and I've been hit pretty hard by that. Plus, I start a new job next week. Preparing for it has taken a lot of my time. So, I don't know when I'll next update, but hopefully it won't be too long.
In the meantime, thank you for all the support! It is very deeply appreciated.
Lucius tapped his foot to a rhythm to a song he had heard in his youth. He swished his bourbon in his highball glass before inhaling it. Knowing Severus, he would be irritated that Lucius had taken the liberty of using one of his highballs, but desperate times called for desperate measures.
Speaking of which, how could Severus not know Lucius was present? Could he not feel the wards activating? What could be so important that Severus hadn't so much as investigated who was inside?
Lucius took a sip, contemplating the uncanniness of the situation.
The door creaked open, revealing the person he had awaited.
"Hello," Lucius purred, plastering on the most pleasant expression he could.
Severus stepped through the door and frowned. There was something odd about the expression. Usually, his eyes were emotionless or contained some type of malice. Today, it was as if even Lucius' presence couldn't ruin the man in black's mood. Could his good mood have something to do with the tea set levitating around him? Who would he have had tea with though? How long had been having tea with anyone?
What in Merlin's name was going on?
"Would you like a glass of Angel's Envy?" Lucius pointed to the glass bottle on the coffee table.
"No, although," he glared at the glass in Lucius' hand. "It appears as if you helped yourself to one of my glasses."
"We're close enough friends to where I figured I could take the liberty of getting one for myself."
"Indeed," Severus muttered.
"Are you sure you don't want a bourbon?" Lucius raised the bottle. "It is quite delicious."
"I am fine, although I would like to know what you are doing here."
"I came here to check on you," Lucius answered. "When you didn't answer my letter, I was afraid something may have happened to you."
"I am quite well." Severus went into the kitchen, his floating tea set again. "Meaning you are free to leave at any time."
"Well, I'm here now. May as well converse with you." Lucius followed him inside.
Severus grumbled something, but did not turn to his friend.
"It looks as if you've been enjoying some tea time."
Severus did not answer.
"Was it enjoyable?"
"Lucius, state your reason for being here so I can get on with the rest of my evening."
"I told you." The blond leaned against the table. "I wanted to check on your welfare after not receiving a response to my distressing letter."
"Get off of it. You don't give a shit about my welfare." Severus lowered the tea set into a sink.
"I'm wounded." Lucius put his free hand above his heart. "I care very deeply for you, so deeply I am interrupting an evening with Narcissa to be with you."
"No, you want to rant to someone about the latest Daily Prophet article. Narcissa has no doubt told you to shut up, Draco must be refusing to answer his floo, so you decided to converse with me."
"Narcissa is too nice to tell me to 'shut up.'"
"But she is undoubtedly as exhausted with this subject as I am."
"She shares my concerns." Lucius lowered his voice. "As should you."
"Why should I be concerned with a Daily Prophet article which will be forgotten in a few days?" Severus turned on the faucet.
"Because it is clouding people's perception of Draco, and could expose him to disgrace if left unaddressed. I need your input on my latest plan."
"What latest plan?"
"The plan where I shut down any future articles."
"I know this will come as a shock to you." Severus put some soap into the sink. "But nobody cares about this so called scandal other than you."
"If Draco cared about his company, he'd care about what people are saying about him."
"What does this article have to do with him? He wasn't mentioned once."
"But people are thinking about him now."
"No," Severus rolled up his sleeves. "You are thinking about the embarrassment of Draco's ex-fiancee running off the a Hufflepuff. Instead of letting this all go like a normal person, you are choosing to obsess over it and force others to do so."
"It's difficult to move on from bad publicity."
"It is difficult for you to move on from bad publicity." Severus grabbed a dark green wash cloth. "The rest of us find a way to ignore it and move on with our lives."
"That's not what you said a few years ago."
Severus turned off the faucet and turned to him.
"If I recall correctly you were no fan of the publicity you received."
"This situation is different," Severus' voice was softer.
"Is it?" Lucius asked. "They are still obsessing over his love life, something you know all too well."
"Nobody's interviewed Draco yet, so our situations are different." Severus began to wash the dishes.
"How long will it be until they begin asking questions?"
Severus muttered a few choice words under his breath. Lucius considered asking him to speak up, but he had more important things on his mind than scolding Severus.
"You seem distracted," Lucius stepped closer. "Why don't you put down the washcloth and focus on having a bourbon. Surely this chore can wait until the morning."
"As tempting as drinking something which tastes like gasoline is, these need to be cleaned by tomorrow. Seeing as to how I am already bored with your hysterics, I prefer to focus upon them."
"Why do they need to be cleaned by tomorrow? You aren't expecting to have tea with anyone, are you?"
"Would there be any urgency in cleaning my tea set if I did not intend to have tea with someone tomorrow?"
"Ooh." Lucius watched as a bubble floated upwards. "May I ask who?"
"You may ask." He rinsed off a cup as the bubble popped. "But there is no reason I must answer."
"You aren't having tea with Longbottom again, are you?"
"It would be more pleasant to have tea with him than tea with most others."
"But it's still a no." Lucius tapped his chin. "Minerva tends to bring her own tea set, so it isn't her."
Severus grunted as he continued to wash the dishes.
"It isn't Granger, is it?"
Severus twisted his lower lip.
"Oh my," Lucius eyes grew. "It is her."
Severus sighed as he dried another tea cup.
"I did not think you felt so strongly towards her."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Severus snapped.
"It means you only have tea only with those you like."
"You talk as if that fact makes me abnormal."
"It is abnormal for you to like anyone enough to be in the same room as them, much less have tea with them."
"I do not like you enough to continue having this conversation."
"When did Ms Granger go from being a headache to someone you had tea with?" Lucius demanded.
"Since I realized if she was drinking tea she would not be yapping into my ear, as you have been doing."
"True, but she may misinterpret your intentions as you liking her."
"That would be tragic, wouldn't it?" Severus returned to doing his dishes.
"Not tragic enough," Lucius muttered.
"Hermione is not wholly unpleasant company, unlike you…"
"Hermione!"
Severus startled.
"When on earth did she become Hermione?"
"We work together." Severus shrugged. "It seems natural to call her by her first name."
"It wasn't natural a week ago."
"Why is this so upsetting?"
Lucius closed his mouth.
"Hermione and I work together. A week ago that was fine. Why is it suddenly a problem?" His voice was louder.
"It isn't," Lucius forced himself to grin At least it is not a problem yet.
Only the splashing and dripping of the water could be heard. Lucius took a sip of bourbon, allowing the liquid to warm his chest.
"Anytime you wish to leave is fine with me," Severus said.
"I actually think I must stay, if only to restore you to your sanity."
"Right now, you are the one driving me to insanity, and doing an excellent job of it I may add."
"When did you begin to enjoy being with Granger?" Lucius asked.
Severus turned to him. "Her name is Hermione."
"Fine, Hermione. When did you start liking Hermione?"
"That is none of your concern."
"Perhaps not, but I am terribly confused right now. Up to this point, she has been nothing more than a headache. Now, she is suddenly a good friend."
"Right now, you are the only person causing me a headache."
"So you don't deny she's a good friend."
"She's," Severus shook his head. "It is complicated."
"Oh I think it's simple," Lucius replied. "You have taken a liking to her. In the meantime, she is using you."
"Using me for what?" He looked right into Lucius eyes.
"I don't know, but it could for a variety of reasons. She may want the fame which would come from dating you," Lucius said.
"She has enough fame from being the third person of the Golden Trio. That would be much more positive attention than anything I could provide her."
"She may want to tame you, see if she's the woman who could control you."
"Why would she ever want to do that?"
"I don't know. Perhaps she likes a challenge."
"I'd think she want to take on a more academic endeavor for a challenge."
"She is still a woman. Why do women want to do anything with a man?"
"Do you know what I think?" Severus pulled out his wand and tapped it on the counter. The water began to drain.
"What?"
"I think you are irritated that nobody is taking your concerns about Draco's dating life seriously, so you're searching for drama where none exists so everyone refocuses their attention upon you."
"Are you telling me you are not worried about Draco's marital prospects?"
"I'm saying it's about time to let him make a bloody decision for himself."
"What if that decision leads to a broken heart?" Lucius asked. "Would you fault me for wanting to protect him from that?"
"He is a grown arse adult who needs to be treated as such." Severus hung his washcloth and the towel he had used for drying off the ledge.
"I do not understand," Lucius argued. "About a month ago you were on my side. Now you want him to make his own decisions?"
"I always wanted him to make his own decisions, but you could never stomach it."
"You said women were a waste of his time, that he should pursue other interests."
"He should have a well rounded life, but if that includes a woman, then so be it."
"Where did this sudden attitude come from?"
"It came when I thought about what you were doing, and realized you were completely in the wrong. It is time to let Draco live his own life, even if he gets hurt."
"I see," Lucius growled.
"Do you have anything else you need to speak with me about, or did you just come here to express your displeasure over the Daily Prophet article."
"I came here for some information," Lucius said. "And I got it."
"I take it you are not happy with what you discovered."
"Not at all."
"That is unfortunate." Severus said.
If Lucius didn't know any better, he'd say Severus had a small smile. Even more curious was that his Occlumency shields weren't up. It was subtle, but he seemed happy.
What was in it for Hermione if he was happy?