Chapter Five
Three days after the incident when Lucius had found himself inadvertently massaging Snape's temples, Tom called a meeting for all the Death Eaters. The Malfoy Manor was crowded by early evening, most of the others had arrived by seven and Narcissa set about fussing over them and offering them drinks. One would never have been able to tell that it was a meeting of dark wizards who had promised themselves to Lord Voldemort.
Of course, Snape thought darkly, watching Narcissa, one would never be able to tell that the Malfoy housewife was really an evil bitch. He watched her busy herself in the parlour, pouring drinks for random Death Eaters, holding out napkins and glasses for them. She disgusted him, scurrying about like she was a normal woman instead of a servant to a Dark Lord. What disgusted him even more was that Lucius pretended to love her, slept with her, got her pregnant and still pretended that he found her attractive.
She was more than seven months pregnant now, her stomach swollen with whatever beast of a child came out of her. If the baby was a child Snape imagined she'd be exactly like Narcissa; vain and annoying from the moment he laid eyes on her. If the child was a boy he would be the exact image of Lucius; attractive but spoiled, accustomed to being given whatever he wanted.
"Severus!" a voice snapped and he turned his gaze from Narcissa to find Tom staring at him.
"Yes?" Snape asked carefully.
"It's time to start the meeting if you would kindly tear your eyes away from Lucius' wife."
Quiet laughter rippled through the group and Snape pressed his mouth into a thin, angry line. Tom just smiled at him, then returned his attention to the entire group. He began to speak, but Snape tuned him out, his black eyes falling first on Narcissa's smug face, then Lucius' passive one. He found it hard to imagine that they had any sort of real relationship, especially now that Narcissa was twice her normal size and far less attractive than normal . . . if Lucius had ever really found her attractive at all.
Snape found himself studying Lucius carefully, taking it everything there was to take in about the man. He was beyond handsome, Snape had decided that long ago. There was something about Lucius, something more than the other students had ever had inside of them. It wasn't the shining hair or the clear, grey eyes, nor was it the chiselled features and perfectly pale skin. That was definitely part of it but there was something more, something cocky and knowledgeable behind his eyes. Snape both hated and desired that look; he hated knowing Narcissa saw it every night before she slept and desired to have Lucius turn those grey eyes on him.
"Severus," Tom said again, turning green eyes on the other man. "Do you have any news regarding your potions?"
Snape glanced at him and blinked. "I'm sorry?"
Tom narrowed his eyes and whipped out his wand. "Crucio."
It took Snape's mind a moment to register what was happening to his body. He dropped from his chair, his forehead slamming into the carpeted floor and his vision swam. Before he could prevent it a scream bubbled up in his throat and spilled over his lips, piercing the stunned silence of the room. Without realizing what he was doing, Snape grasped at the carpet, his fingers twisting in the soft material. He pressed his face against the floor, his body wracked with an unbearable pain and he screamed again.
When the room was silent once more Tom smiled. "Perhaps that will teach you to pay attention, Severus."
Snape nodded into the floor.
"Get up," Tom snapped. "Get to your feet and tell me your news of your potions."
Snape stood slowly, his legs shaking as he grasped at the arm of a chair.
"Stand up," Tom said harshly. "Now."
Snape let go of the arm chair and stood, still trembling with the after effects of the curse. "The explosive Erumpent potion is perfect," he said hoarsely. "Another batch should be ready tomorrow." He breathed in deeply, his breath coming out in ragged gasps. "You'll be able to test it by the weekend."
"Perfect," Tom said, smiling dangerously. "You may go."
Snape turned and stumbled from the room, not knowing where he was going but certain that he had to get out of the room before he collapsed again. He made it halfway down the hall and up four stairs before his legs gave out and he came crashing down to his knees. His hand grasped uselessly for the banister before he submitted himself to the fall and he braced himself for the hard wood of the floor.
His head cracked against the edge of a stair and he moaned, the sound muffled by his arm throw over his face.
"Look at you," a voice hissed near his ear and a moment later, Snape felt himself being lifted back to his feet.
Lucius was holding him steady, staring at him with a mix of anger and concern.
"Let's get you upstairs," he said, then dragged Snape along behind him. They stumbled up the stairs together and down the hall toward a bathroom. Lucius dumped Snape on the ledge of the enormous bathtub, then slammed the door and locked it with his wand.
"You have got to be the stupidest man I have ever met," he hissed angrily. "Don't you know what he can do to you?"
Snape stared blearily at Lucius. "I never thought that . . ."
"Never mind what you thought," Lucius snapped. He looked flustered, far more angry and far less composed than Snape had ever seen him before. "Tom is dangerous, Severus. He's far more powerful than you and I. Don't make him do that to you again."
Snape just nodded as Lucius moved toward the bathtub and turned on the taps. Hot water gushed out of them, a sweet smell filling the air quickly.
"Get undressed and get it," Lucius snapped.
Snape stared at him.
Lucius sighed impatiently. "It's a healing water, you'll feel better."
Snape nodded, still not completely coherent and began to remove his robes. His mind snapped back into sharp reality when he realized that Lucius wasn't looking away. Soon enough he'd be completely naked before the man who had once been his lover, the man he hadn't touched in years.
"Turn around, Lucius," Snape said softly.
Lucius blinked, then sneered at him and turned his back toward him.
Snape quickly finished undressed and slipped into the hot bath, finding that it immediately soothed him. His head felt cleared and the pain in his body was swiftly diluted. He breathed a contented sigh of relief and leaned his head against the cool stone with his eyes closed.
"Better?" Lucius asked.
Snape opened his eyes and nodded. "Very much."
"You have to be more careful, Severus. Tom's a powerful man and he'll do whatever it takes to reach the top."
"And I suppose you'll be right there with him when he reaches the top."
Lucius narrowed his eyes. "Why do you insist on causing trouble?"
Snape glanced at him. "Me?"
"Yes, you."
"What kind of trouble?"
"The kind where we end up in a steamy bathroom and one of us is undressed," Lucius said softly.
Snape stared at him, not sure he had actually heard the words coming from Lucius' mouth. That certainly wasn't the answer he had been expecting, not by a long shot.
"As I recall, you asked me to get undressed," Snape pointed out.
Lucius turned away once more. "If you feel better get out and dry yourself off, then I'll take care of that nasty cut on your head."
Snape sighed deeply, completely confused by the abrupt direction changes their conversation was taking. One minute they were fighting, the next Lucius seemed uncomfortable and now he was off in another world. Snape stepped out of the bath and grabbed a nearby towel, drying his body quickly and stepping back into his clothing. He didn't want to dwell on whatever was happening between them, he just wanted to get dressed and get out.
"You're still bleeding," Lucius said as Snape stepped toward the door.
"I'll take care of it," Snape said.
Lucius growled in his throat. "Stop being so stubborn and come here."
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Snape asked.
Lucius glared at him and pointed to the floor in front him. Snape rolled his eyes, but walked across the room to stand a few feet away from the blonde. They stared at each other for a long moment then Lucius picked up a wet towel and dabbed it gently against Snape's forehead where he had hit the stair. Snape winced involuntarily, but let Lucius continue to clean the wound of the dried blood. Lucius' cool hand reached for his forehead, brushing back the dark hair that hung in Snape's face. The towel brushed gently over his skin, Lucius' hand still holding Snape's hair back.
"There. Now you're presentable, at least," Lucius said.
Snape stared at him. There were standing unbearably close to each other, the wet towel still resting gently against his face and Lucius' hand still in his hair. It was awkward and wonderful all at the same time, like they were frightened children again, fumbling self consciously toward each other in the dark. Snape's hand found it's way to Lucius' waist, pushing back the thick robes to rest gently against the thin material of his shirt. His fingers were trembling and he wanted to stop them but he couldn't. He couldn't stop himself as he let his face move closer to Lucius', their lips almost touching.
"I miss this," Lucius whispered before pressing his lips gently against Snape's.
Snape nearly choked, felt tears well up in his eyes and forced them back down. The feel of Lucius was so familiar, so right that he was immediately taken back to school when they had been together. Back to when they had been in love.
The warm lips and wet tongue were heaven, a taste of everything he had missed over the past year, working alone in his potions and ignoring the heated tension between them. The hand holding the towel dropped to Snape's waist, pulling him closer. The hand in his hair tangled deeper in the strands, clinging tightly as if letting go would be the end of them both.
In that moment Snape really felt that it would be the end of them. If he had to stop the kiss, if he ever had to face the world again without Lucius by his side, he felt as if he would die. They were meant to be together, that was the only answer to the feelings rising up inside him.
Lucius broke the kiss suddenly, breathing hard and staring into Snape's eyes.
"I miss this," he said again, then bent to claim Snape's mouth once more.
End Chapter Five
Three days after the incident when Lucius had found himself inadvertently massaging Snape's temples, Tom called a meeting for all the Death Eaters. The Malfoy Manor was crowded by early evening, most of the others had arrived by seven and Narcissa set about fussing over them and offering them drinks. One would never have been able to tell that it was a meeting of dark wizards who had promised themselves to Lord Voldemort.
Of course, Snape thought darkly, watching Narcissa, one would never be able to tell that the Malfoy housewife was really an evil bitch. He watched her busy herself in the parlour, pouring drinks for random Death Eaters, holding out napkins and glasses for them. She disgusted him, scurrying about like she was a normal woman instead of a servant to a Dark Lord. What disgusted him even more was that Lucius pretended to love her, slept with her, got her pregnant and still pretended that he found her attractive.
She was more than seven months pregnant now, her stomach swollen with whatever beast of a child came out of her. If the baby was a child Snape imagined she'd be exactly like Narcissa; vain and annoying from the moment he laid eyes on her. If the child was a boy he would be the exact image of Lucius; attractive but spoiled, accustomed to being given whatever he wanted.
"Severus!" a voice snapped and he turned his gaze from Narcissa to find Tom staring at him.
"Yes?" Snape asked carefully.
"It's time to start the meeting if you would kindly tear your eyes away from Lucius' wife."
Quiet laughter rippled through the group and Snape pressed his mouth into a thin, angry line. Tom just smiled at him, then returned his attention to the entire group. He began to speak, but Snape tuned him out, his black eyes falling first on Narcissa's smug face, then Lucius' passive one. He found it hard to imagine that they had any sort of real relationship, especially now that Narcissa was twice her normal size and far less attractive than normal . . . if Lucius had ever really found her attractive at all.
Snape found himself studying Lucius carefully, taking it everything there was to take in about the man. He was beyond handsome, Snape had decided that long ago. There was something about Lucius, something more than the other students had ever had inside of them. It wasn't the shining hair or the clear, grey eyes, nor was it the chiselled features and perfectly pale skin. That was definitely part of it but there was something more, something cocky and knowledgeable behind his eyes. Snape both hated and desired that look; he hated knowing Narcissa saw it every night before she slept and desired to have Lucius turn those grey eyes on him.
"Severus," Tom said again, turning green eyes on the other man. "Do you have any news regarding your potions?"
Snape glanced at him and blinked. "I'm sorry?"
Tom narrowed his eyes and whipped out his wand. "Crucio."
It took Snape's mind a moment to register what was happening to his body. He dropped from his chair, his forehead slamming into the carpeted floor and his vision swam. Before he could prevent it a scream bubbled up in his throat and spilled over his lips, piercing the stunned silence of the room. Without realizing what he was doing, Snape grasped at the carpet, his fingers twisting in the soft material. He pressed his face against the floor, his body wracked with an unbearable pain and he screamed again.
When the room was silent once more Tom smiled. "Perhaps that will teach you to pay attention, Severus."
Snape nodded into the floor.
"Get up," Tom snapped. "Get to your feet and tell me your news of your potions."
Snape stood slowly, his legs shaking as he grasped at the arm of a chair.
"Stand up," Tom said harshly. "Now."
Snape let go of the arm chair and stood, still trembling with the after effects of the curse. "The explosive Erumpent potion is perfect," he said hoarsely. "Another batch should be ready tomorrow." He breathed in deeply, his breath coming out in ragged gasps. "You'll be able to test it by the weekend."
"Perfect," Tom said, smiling dangerously. "You may go."
Snape turned and stumbled from the room, not knowing where he was going but certain that he had to get out of the room before he collapsed again. He made it halfway down the hall and up four stairs before his legs gave out and he came crashing down to his knees. His hand grasped uselessly for the banister before he submitted himself to the fall and he braced himself for the hard wood of the floor.
His head cracked against the edge of a stair and he moaned, the sound muffled by his arm throw over his face.
"Look at you," a voice hissed near his ear and a moment later, Snape felt himself being lifted back to his feet.
Lucius was holding him steady, staring at him with a mix of anger and concern.
"Let's get you upstairs," he said, then dragged Snape along behind him. They stumbled up the stairs together and down the hall toward a bathroom. Lucius dumped Snape on the ledge of the enormous bathtub, then slammed the door and locked it with his wand.
"You have got to be the stupidest man I have ever met," he hissed angrily. "Don't you know what he can do to you?"
Snape stared blearily at Lucius. "I never thought that . . ."
"Never mind what you thought," Lucius snapped. He looked flustered, far more angry and far less composed than Snape had ever seen him before. "Tom is dangerous, Severus. He's far more powerful than you and I. Don't make him do that to you again."
Snape just nodded as Lucius moved toward the bathtub and turned on the taps. Hot water gushed out of them, a sweet smell filling the air quickly.
"Get undressed and get it," Lucius snapped.
Snape stared at him.
Lucius sighed impatiently. "It's a healing water, you'll feel better."
Snape nodded, still not completely coherent and began to remove his robes. His mind snapped back into sharp reality when he realized that Lucius wasn't looking away. Soon enough he'd be completely naked before the man who had once been his lover, the man he hadn't touched in years.
"Turn around, Lucius," Snape said softly.
Lucius blinked, then sneered at him and turned his back toward him.
Snape quickly finished undressed and slipped into the hot bath, finding that it immediately soothed him. His head felt cleared and the pain in his body was swiftly diluted. He breathed a contented sigh of relief and leaned his head against the cool stone with his eyes closed.
"Better?" Lucius asked.
Snape opened his eyes and nodded. "Very much."
"You have to be more careful, Severus. Tom's a powerful man and he'll do whatever it takes to reach the top."
"And I suppose you'll be right there with him when he reaches the top."
Lucius narrowed his eyes. "Why do you insist on causing trouble?"
Snape glanced at him. "Me?"
"Yes, you."
"What kind of trouble?"
"The kind where we end up in a steamy bathroom and one of us is undressed," Lucius said softly.
Snape stared at him, not sure he had actually heard the words coming from Lucius' mouth. That certainly wasn't the answer he had been expecting, not by a long shot.
"As I recall, you asked me to get undressed," Snape pointed out.
Lucius turned away once more. "If you feel better get out and dry yourself off, then I'll take care of that nasty cut on your head."
Snape sighed deeply, completely confused by the abrupt direction changes their conversation was taking. One minute they were fighting, the next Lucius seemed uncomfortable and now he was off in another world. Snape stepped out of the bath and grabbed a nearby towel, drying his body quickly and stepping back into his clothing. He didn't want to dwell on whatever was happening between them, he just wanted to get dressed and get out.
"You're still bleeding," Lucius said as Snape stepped toward the door.
"I'll take care of it," Snape said.
Lucius growled in his throat. "Stop being so stubborn and come here."
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Snape asked.
Lucius glared at him and pointed to the floor in front him. Snape rolled his eyes, but walked across the room to stand a few feet away from the blonde. They stared at each other for a long moment then Lucius picked up a wet towel and dabbed it gently against Snape's forehead where he had hit the stair. Snape winced involuntarily, but let Lucius continue to clean the wound of the dried blood. Lucius' cool hand reached for his forehead, brushing back the dark hair that hung in Snape's face. The towel brushed gently over his skin, Lucius' hand still holding Snape's hair back.
"There. Now you're presentable, at least," Lucius said.
Snape stared at him. There were standing unbearably close to each other, the wet towel still resting gently against his face and Lucius' hand still in his hair. It was awkward and wonderful all at the same time, like they were frightened children again, fumbling self consciously toward each other in the dark. Snape's hand found it's way to Lucius' waist, pushing back the thick robes to rest gently against the thin material of his shirt. His fingers were trembling and he wanted to stop them but he couldn't. He couldn't stop himself as he let his face move closer to Lucius', their lips almost touching.
"I miss this," Lucius whispered before pressing his lips gently against Snape's.
Snape nearly choked, felt tears well up in his eyes and forced them back down. The feel of Lucius was so familiar, so right that he was immediately taken back to school when they had been together. Back to when they had been in love.
The warm lips and wet tongue were heaven, a taste of everything he had missed over the past year, working alone in his potions and ignoring the heated tension between them. The hand holding the towel dropped to Snape's waist, pulling him closer. The hand in his hair tangled deeper in the strands, clinging tightly as if letting go would be the end of them both.
In that moment Snape really felt that it would be the end of them. If he had to stop the kiss, if he ever had to face the world again without Lucius by his side, he felt as if he would die. They were meant to be together, that was the only answer to the feelings rising up inside him.
Lucius broke the kiss suddenly, breathing hard and staring into Snape's eyes.
"I miss this," he said again, then bent to claim Snape's mouth once more.
End Chapter Five