Chapter Three: Something in the Air
Author's Note: Well, Storm, here ya go- what you were waiting for, you twisted, corrupted thing! And Kate, dear, I WILL corrupt you! Muahahaha.... er... I mean, what? *sigh* What happened to my innocence? ;-)
* * *
The months passed as they were accustomed to doing, bringing about Severus' first experience with the House Cup Tournament. Slytherin won, thanks to Lucius' and his team members' less than cordial playing tactics, sending all of the Slytherin population into an explosion of house spirit. One and all, from first years to seventh years, dressed all in green for days straight, and it was not uncommon to see green smoke shoot from a random wand in the distinct shape of a serpent. Professor Mercio even allowed Severus to brew her a potion that would turn her hair green for a week.
Few others were so... pleased. Several Gryffindors had ended up in the hospital wing directly following the deciding game, including James Potter- though he sadly had no fatal injuries- and almost weren't allowed to attend the last feast of the year by order of Madam Pomfrey. Shame. No remonstration from the professors was enough to put the Slytherins out of sorts. They merely sneered triumphantly at any Gryffindor who thought gave them a dirty look. An obscene gesture was sometimes thrown in when professors weren't around.
And now they were going home. For some reason, it had seemed to Lucius like their days at Hogwarts should have lasted much longer. He had suddenly grown accustomed to the school, to endless classes and overly lavish decorations and even to seeing Muggles every damn day. But most of all, he had grown used to Severus, used to sneaking into his dorm room every day to dump him from his bed before they both went on an early-morning excursion around the school.
That was over now, for an entire summer.
He was practically silent all during the train ride back to Platform 9 3/4. Severus gave up trying to talk to him and instead fell asleep on his shoulder, exhausted from the excitement of the day. Malfoy let his own head rest on top of Severus', his white-blonde hair mingling with black. But he couldn't sleep, so he contented himself with listening to his young friend's steady heartbeat and even breaths.
Crabbe and Goyle sat, as usual, across from them, finally asleep after stuffing themselves full of sweets. It was only then that Lucius allowed his hand to reach for the boy, trailing a long finger along the pale skin of his pointed chin. "I'll miss you, Severus," he said softly.
He stirred briefly. "Miss you too," he mumbled in his sleep, turning slightly to tuck his head under Lucius' chin.
Lucius eyes rolled up to the ceiling of the compartment at the movement. His stomach was twisting into tight knots and his mouth went suddenly dry. Great Merlin. A whole summer with no Severus? No more staying up all night silently poring over books in the library, pressed close together for warmth... no more elaborate schemes to hex Potter and his group without McGonagall noticing... What the hell was he going to do all summer to keep himself from purely going mad?
* * *
The next year, Lucius was waiting outside the Hogwarts Express for the young Snape to arrive, his blonde hair now even longer than it had been the year prior. He tapped his wand expectantly against his leg as his sharp eyes scanned the crowd until he found a familiar slim figure. Perhaps it was not as bone-thin as the year before, but it was a close call. "Severus!" he snapped. The boy's black eyes instantly found Lucius' and he began to make his way towards him.
"'Lo, Lucius," he said, hefting his owl cage up on top of his other baggage. The grey bird inside fluttered indignantly at being jerked around so. "Hush, Javert," he told the thing, poking a finger into the cage to stroke his pet's feathers. The bird only snapped at him. "He's crabby," said Severus, sighing and taking on an ill-mannered look strangely similar to his bird's.
"You're late," was the elder's only greeting. He snapped his fingers to grab Crabbe and Goyle's attention and gestured to Snape's things. Then he turned on his heel and stepped onto the train. With a soft grin, Severus followed, giving a slight nod in greeting to the two oafs carrying his things. He'd missed having Lucius order the boys around for him while he had been at home. It was good to be back.
He noticed with some envy how the crowd inside the train seemed to simply part once they saw Lucius approaching. Snape had to squeeze his way through the mass of humanity to keep up with his friend. Thankfully, his too-thin form allowed him to slip past most everyone.
Suddenly, he lost sight of his friend and paused, standing on tiptoe to look around for the familiar blonde hair. "In here," he heard Lucius growl, and a hand shot out from a doorway and grasped Snape's hand to drag him inside.
Lucius gripped Severus' hand possessively. "Why were you late?" he snarled. He hadn't seen the younger Slytherin all summer, and had missed him desperately. "You kept me waiting." There was a strained quality to the young Malfoy's voice.
Snape stared up at Lucius, squeezing his hand lightly in an attempt at calming him. "I'm sorry... my parents were nearly ready to not let me come and send me to Durmstrang."
That answer was not what Lucius wanted to hear. The grip on Snape's hand tightened almost painfully. "No," he hissed. Severus regarded him calmly, waiting for the hot-tempered boy to return to normal, to realize that Snape had not going to Durmstrang but was returning to Hogwarts, with him.
Snape had witnessed many such episodes last year, although... he glanced down at where their hands were locked in a sweaty grip, none had bee quite like this. And none had brought on the sudden heat that rose to his pale cheeks. Abruptly, Lucius dropped Snape's hand. "Forgive me. I've had a rough morning."
There was no need to respond. There never was. So Severus merely took his customary seat next to Lucius and waited for the train ride to begin. But he couldn't help but notice that there had been something different in the way Lucius had looked at him.
* * *
The Sorting Ceremony was a bore, as usual. Severus drank deeply from his pumpkin juice, glaring across the room at the Gryffindor table. Why did they always seem so bloody happy? It simply wasn't natural. You'd think they'd been taught their lesson by last year's disgraceful Quiddich loss to Slytherin.
A grin broke out over his face, something quite uncharacteristic for Severus Snape. Lucius noticed. "What the hell is wrong with you, Snape? Someone slip something in your pumpkin juice while you weren't looking?"
The corner of his mouth quirked up. "Not exactly." He pulled his wand from his cloak and laid it on the table, carefully curling his fingers around it. He whispered a few words that Lucius couldn't catch, and a few seconds later, the goblets of pumpkin juice on the Gryffindor table began to overflow with a thick green liquid. The entire table leapt to their feet, the boys yelling and the girls squealing as the green stuff got on their clothing, staining it deep emerald.
"Where'd you learn that?" Lucius raised his eyebrow amusedly, but Severus only shook his head. He noticed that the teachers had risen to see what was going on and tugged at Snape's sleeve. "That's our cue to leave."
Amidst the confusion, the two Slytherins slunk towards the door. They'd almost made it out when McGonagall spotted them and squawked, "Mr. Snape! Mr. Malfoy! Get-"
Lucius burst into laughter and his hand found Severus' as he dragged him from the Great Hall and down the corridors towards Slytherin Hall. His laughter was infectious, and Snape joined in as they fled the scene like convicts on the lam.
Lucius' fingers instinctively entwined with Snape's and suddenly, their touch seemed electric. He slowed to a stop, leaning against the wall and staring hard at the younger boy. Snape met his gaze, searching those pale eyes for something, anything.
Licking his dry lips, Lucius grabbed Snape by the shoulders and pushed him roughly into a wall, holding tightly to him.
The section of the wall unexpectedly, for Snape anyway, gave way. He would have fallen backwards, had it not been for Lucius' arms around him. The passage allowed the two back into a hidden corridor. Once they were out of sight and the wall had moved back into place, Lucius pressed Snape up against the wall and stared at him, their faces almost touching. Without warning, Malfoy leaned forward and pressed his moistened lips to Severus'.
Snape jerked slightly backwards at the touch and his head connected solidly with the wall behind him, causing him to groan lightly. But Lucius hardly noticed. His touch was hot and burning as he kissed his friend, pressing the smaller, weaker body harder against the wall. His hands reached to cling to Severus', desperately needing the soft feel of his skin.
Slowly, Severus closed his eyes, giving in at last to the pleasurable feeling of Lucius' caresses. He opened his mouth to gasp as Malfoy bit lightly at his lower lip.
"Lucius," he breathed, opening obsidian eyes to stare at his friend, searching his face. "What... I mean..." he shook his head, fighting to clear his muddled, confused thoughts. "Why?"
Malfoy smiled slowly, his lips curving up at the corners in a way that suddenly made Severus feel unnaturally weak. He shrugged carelessly. "Something in the air, I suppose, Severus." He turned, towards the exit. "Come on, we've got to unpack."
Wordlessly, the second year Slytherin followed dutifully. Strange, how he was noticing for the first time how nicely the elder boy's robes swished around him as he walked.
END CHAPTER THREE
Author's Note: Well, Storm, here ya go- what you were waiting for, you twisted, corrupted thing! And Kate, dear, I WILL corrupt you! Muahahaha.... er... I mean, what? *sigh* What happened to my innocence? ;-)
* * *
The months passed as they were accustomed to doing, bringing about Severus' first experience with the House Cup Tournament. Slytherin won, thanks to Lucius' and his team members' less than cordial playing tactics, sending all of the Slytherin population into an explosion of house spirit. One and all, from first years to seventh years, dressed all in green for days straight, and it was not uncommon to see green smoke shoot from a random wand in the distinct shape of a serpent. Professor Mercio even allowed Severus to brew her a potion that would turn her hair green for a week.
Few others were so... pleased. Several Gryffindors had ended up in the hospital wing directly following the deciding game, including James Potter- though he sadly had no fatal injuries- and almost weren't allowed to attend the last feast of the year by order of Madam Pomfrey. Shame. No remonstration from the professors was enough to put the Slytherins out of sorts. They merely sneered triumphantly at any Gryffindor who thought gave them a dirty look. An obscene gesture was sometimes thrown in when professors weren't around.
And now they were going home. For some reason, it had seemed to Lucius like their days at Hogwarts should have lasted much longer. He had suddenly grown accustomed to the school, to endless classes and overly lavish decorations and even to seeing Muggles every damn day. But most of all, he had grown used to Severus, used to sneaking into his dorm room every day to dump him from his bed before they both went on an early-morning excursion around the school.
That was over now, for an entire summer.
He was practically silent all during the train ride back to Platform 9 3/4. Severus gave up trying to talk to him and instead fell asleep on his shoulder, exhausted from the excitement of the day. Malfoy let his own head rest on top of Severus', his white-blonde hair mingling with black. But he couldn't sleep, so he contented himself with listening to his young friend's steady heartbeat and even breaths.
Crabbe and Goyle sat, as usual, across from them, finally asleep after stuffing themselves full of sweets. It was only then that Lucius allowed his hand to reach for the boy, trailing a long finger along the pale skin of his pointed chin. "I'll miss you, Severus," he said softly.
He stirred briefly. "Miss you too," he mumbled in his sleep, turning slightly to tuck his head under Lucius' chin.
Lucius eyes rolled up to the ceiling of the compartment at the movement. His stomach was twisting into tight knots and his mouth went suddenly dry. Great Merlin. A whole summer with no Severus? No more staying up all night silently poring over books in the library, pressed close together for warmth... no more elaborate schemes to hex Potter and his group without McGonagall noticing... What the hell was he going to do all summer to keep himself from purely going mad?
* * *
The next year, Lucius was waiting outside the Hogwarts Express for the young Snape to arrive, his blonde hair now even longer than it had been the year prior. He tapped his wand expectantly against his leg as his sharp eyes scanned the crowd until he found a familiar slim figure. Perhaps it was not as bone-thin as the year before, but it was a close call. "Severus!" he snapped. The boy's black eyes instantly found Lucius' and he began to make his way towards him.
"'Lo, Lucius," he said, hefting his owl cage up on top of his other baggage. The grey bird inside fluttered indignantly at being jerked around so. "Hush, Javert," he told the thing, poking a finger into the cage to stroke his pet's feathers. The bird only snapped at him. "He's crabby," said Severus, sighing and taking on an ill-mannered look strangely similar to his bird's.
"You're late," was the elder's only greeting. He snapped his fingers to grab Crabbe and Goyle's attention and gestured to Snape's things. Then he turned on his heel and stepped onto the train. With a soft grin, Severus followed, giving a slight nod in greeting to the two oafs carrying his things. He'd missed having Lucius order the boys around for him while he had been at home. It was good to be back.
He noticed with some envy how the crowd inside the train seemed to simply part once they saw Lucius approaching. Snape had to squeeze his way through the mass of humanity to keep up with his friend. Thankfully, his too-thin form allowed him to slip past most everyone.
Suddenly, he lost sight of his friend and paused, standing on tiptoe to look around for the familiar blonde hair. "In here," he heard Lucius growl, and a hand shot out from a doorway and grasped Snape's hand to drag him inside.
Lucius gripped Severus' hand possessively. "Why were you late?" he snarled. He hadn't seen the younger Slytherin all summer, and had missed him desperately. "You kept me waiting." There was a strained quality to the young Malfoy's voice.
Snape stared up at Lucius, squeezing his hand lightly in an attempt at calming him. "I'm sorry... my parents were nearly ready to not let me come and send me to Durmstrang."
That answer was not what Lucius wanted to hear. The grip on Snape's hand tightened almost painfully. "No," he hissed. Severus regarded him calmly, waiting for the hot-tempered boy to return to normal, to realize that Snape had not going to Durmstrang but was returning to Hogwarts, with him.
Snape had witnessed many such episodes last year, although... he glanced down at where their hands were locked in a sweaty grip, none had bee quite like this. And none had brought on the sudden heat that rose to his pale cheeks. Abruptly, Lucius dropped Snape's hand. "Forgive me. I've had a rough morning."
There was no need to respond. There never was. So Severus merely took his customary seat next to Lucius and waited for the train ride to begin. But he couldn't help but notice that there had been something different in the way Lucius had looked at him.
* * *
The Sorting Ceremony was a bore, as usual. Severus drank deeply from his pumpkin juice, glaring across the room at the Gryffindor table. Why did they always seem so bloody happy? It simply wasn't natural. You'd think they'd been taught their lesson by last year's disgraceful Quiddich loss to Slytherin.
A grin broke out over his face, something quite uncharacteristic for Severus Snape. Lucius noticed. "What the hell is wrong with you, Snape? Someone slip something in your pumpkin juice while you weren't looking?"
The corner of his mouth quirked up. "Not exactly." He pulled his wand from his cloak and laid it on the table, carefully curling his fingers around it. He whispered a few words that Lucius couldn't catch, and a few seconds later, the goblets of pumpkin juice on the Gryffindor table began to overflow with a thick green liquid. The entire table leapt to their feet, the boys yelling and the girls squealing as the green stuff got on their clothing, staining it deep emerald.
"Where'd you learn that?" Lucius raised his eyebrow amusedly, but Severus only shook his head. He noticed that the teachers had risen to see what was going on and tugged at Snape's sleeve. "That's our cue to leave."
Amidst the confusion, the two Slytherins slunk towards the door. They'd almost made it out when McGonagall spotted them and squawked, "Mr. Snape! Mr. Malfoy! Get-"
Lucius burst into laughter and his hand found Severus' as he dragged him from the Great Hall and down the corridors towards Slytherin Hall. His laughter was infectious, and Snape joined in as they fled the scene like convicts on the lam.
Lucius' fingers instinctively entwined with Snape's and suddenly, their touch seemed electric. He slowed to a stop, leaning against the wall and staring hard at the younger boy. Snape met his gaze, searching those pale eyes for something, anything.
Licking his dry lips, Lucius grabbed Snape by the shoulders and pushed him roughly into a wall, holding tightly to him.
The section of the wall unexpectedly, for Snape anyway, gave way. He would have fallen backwards, had it not been for Lucius' arms around him. The passage allowed the two back into a hidden corridor. Once they were out of sight and the wall had moved back into place, Lucius pressed Snape up against the wall and stared at him, their faces almost touching. Without warning, Malfoy leaned forward and pressed his moistened lips to Severus'.
Snape jerked slightly backwards at the touch and his head connected solidly with the wall behind him, causing him to groan lightly. But Lucius hardly noticed. His touch was hot and burning as he kissed his friend, pressing the smaller, weaker body harder against the wall. His hands reached to cling to Severus', desperately needing the soft feel of his skin.
Slowly, Severus closed his eyes, giving in at last to the pleasurable feeling of Lucius' caresses. He opened his mouth to gasp as Malfoy bit lightly at his lower lip.
"Lucius," he breathed, opening obsidian eyes to stare at his friend, searching his face. "What... I mean..." he shook his head, fighting to clear his muddled, confused thoughts. "Why?"
Malfoy smiled slowly, his lips curving up at the corners in a way that suddenly made Severus feel unnaturally weak. He shrugged carelessly. "Something in the air, I suppose, Severus." He turned, towards the exit. "Come on, we've got to unpack."
Wordlessly, the second year Slytherin followed dutifully. Strange, how he was noticing for the first time how nicely the elder boy's robes swished around him as he walked.
END CHAPTER THREE