Chapter seven
It was like a dream; here she was sat in the Three Broomsticks as if nothing had ever happened. She had so many memories of this quaint and homely little pub. Sirius, James, Remus and herself (closely followed by Peter) would always make straight for the far booth after they had spent too much money in Zonko's and Honeydukes. Sirius and James would always be fooling around and making Rosmerta giggle; she remembered with a half laugh the time James had accidentally dropped his bag of dungbombs and filled half the pub with an acrid stench. Rosmerta had laughed at them so hard as they struggled away from the centre of the smell. Those were the days, she shook her head to clear her thoughts, it did not help to dwell in the past. What mattered was the present; she was here with Severus and she meant to make the most of this lull in his defences. Then her past walked through the door. She gasped; not now of all times, of all people, why him!?
"Lucius." Severus smiled, "Come and join us."
Lucius Malfoy as always immaculately dressed, not a hair out of place swept across the pub towards their table like a bat; Amber took a deep breath and turned around. Her stomach flipped slightly as she noted how good-looking he still was; it was his arrogant air and commanding presence that had got her into trouble in the first place. She was unreasonably pleased when she saw him start slightly as he took in her features.
"Amber, it has been a long time." A slow smile crept across his pale features, "too long in fact."
Amber began to blush uncontrollably as Lucius took the seat across from her; it was only then that she realised that Severus still had his hand on hers under the table; somehow that strengthened her resolve.
"Perhaps." She replied.
"How is dear Remus these days." Lucius drawled obviously amused. "He was rather distracted last time I saw him. Then again as I remember so were we."
Amber blushed furiously now; she was so angry with him. In that moment she could have throttled him, she felt Severus remove his hand. That hurt; she was alone now with her shame. An image flashed in front of her eyes; Remus stood in the doorway of their bedroom; his face filled with betrayal. Why had she been so stupid; all for a cheap thrill. Oh but it had been good; no matter what Lucius Malfoy might be he was everything she had expected and more when she had taken him to her bed. The sex had been amazing. It had been so passionate that they had lost themselves completely in it; they were not aware of anything but the rhythm of their oscillating bodies. How long Remus had been stood there she didn't know; hot tears of embarrassment welled in her eyes;
"I don't know; I haven't seen him since that night." She said staring defiantly at him, god he was still gorgeous. It was that sneering smile that undid her every time. She was so confused; Severus sat looking shell- shocked; his face was a mixture of disgust and surprise. On one hand she was drawn physically to Lucius and on the other Severus held her fast by the heart; and that didn't mean that she didn't feel sexually towards him either. It was too much to bear:
"I have to go." She whispered hoarsely. "Lucius, go home to Narcissa. I'll see you back at the school Severus."
She swept out of the pub as quickly as her feet would carry her trying to maintain an air of dignity. Once outside the pub and safely on the way back to Hogwarts the tears began to fall freely. They were tears of anger and shame. She had hurt Remus so much; he hadn't done anything. He didn't try to curse Lucius; he didn't hit him, he didn't scream, he just said in a deathly quiet voice:
"Get out of my house now."
Lucius had left rather swiftly, probably more worried that his escapades would reach back to the ears of Narcissa than of Remus doing anything. Then again maybe he was worried Remus would bite him.
It was like a dream; here she was sat in the Three Broomsticks as if nothing had ever happened. She had so many memories of this quaint and homely little pub. Sirius, James, Remus and herself (closely followed by Peter) would always make straight for the far booth after they had spent too much money in Zonko's and Honeydukes. Sirius and James would always be fooling around and making Rosmerta giggle; she remembered with a half laugh the time James had accidentally dropped his bag of dungbombs and filled half the pub with an acrid stench. Rosmerta had laughed at them so hard as they struggled away from the centre of the smell. Those were the days, she shook her head to clear her thoughts, it did not help to dwell in the past. What mattered was the present; she was here with Severus and she meant to make the most of this lull in his defences. Then her past walked through the door. She gasped; not now of all times, of all people, why him!?
"Lucius." Severus smiled, "Come and join us."
Lucius Malfoy as always immaculately dressed, not a hair out of place swept across the pub towards their table like a bat; Amber took a deep breath and turned around. Her stomach flipped slightly as she noted how good-looking he still was; it was his arrogant air and commanding presence that had got her into trouble in the first place. She was unreasonably pleased when she saw him start slightly as he took in her features.
"Amber, it has been a long time." A slow smile crept across his pale features, "too long in fact."
Amber began to blush uncontrollably as Lucius took the seat across from her; it was only then that she realised that Severus still had his hand on hers under the table; somehow that strengthened her resolve.
"Perhaps." She replied.
"How is dear Remus these days." Lucius drawled obviously amused. "He was rather distracted last time I saw him. Then again as I remember so were we."
Amber blushed furiously now; she was so angry with him. In that moment she could have throttled him, she felt Severus remove his hand. That hurt; she was alone now with her shame. An image flashed in front of her eyes; Remus stood in the doorway of their bedroom; his face filled with betrayal. Why had she been so stupid; all for a cheap thrill. Oh but it had been good; no matter what Lucius Malfoy might be he was everything she had expected and more when she had taken him to her bed. The sex had been amazing. It had been so passionate that they had lost themselves completely in it; they were not aware of anything but the rhythm of their oscillating bodies. How long Remus had been stood there she didn't know; hot tears of embarrassment welled in her eyes;
"I don't know; I haven't seen him since that night." She said staring defiantly at him, god he was still gorgeous. It was that sneering smile that undid her every time. She was so confused; Severus sat looking shell- shocked; his face was a mixture of disgust and surprise. On one hand she was drawn physically to Lucius and on the other Severus held her fast by the heart; and that didn't mean that she didn't feel sexually towards him either. It was too much to bear:
"I have to go." She whispered hoarsely. "Lucius, go home to Narcissa. I'll see you back at the school Severus."
She swept out of the pub as quickly as her feet would carry her trying to maintain an air of dignity. Once outside the pub and safely on the way back to Hogwarts the tears began to fall freely. They were tears of anger and shame. She had hurt Remus so much; he hadn't done anything. He didn't try to curse Lucius; he didn't hit him, he didn't scream, he just said in a deathly quiet voice:
"Get out of my house now."
Lucius had left rather swiftly, probably more worried that his escapades would reach back to the ears of Narcissa than of Remus doing anything. Then again maybe he was worried Remus would bite him.