Two:
Whenever Severus Snape was invited to Malfoy Manor he was subjected to one of two fates. Either the visit was one of pure business, or the visit was one of pure pleasure. Lucius never mixed the two, but Severus was nonetheless still unsure as to which was which.
The private chambers were as they had always been. Dark reds covering every surface; carpet, curtains, chaise long, deep armchairs. All in the richest of velvets and silks, and mahogany walls making the room both incredibly imposing and violently sensual. The familiar scent of ancient whisky and old cigar smoke hanging in the air made his lids heavy but it was the creeping undeniable undertone of something metallic that brought the memories flooding back to him. He let his lean dark frame sprawl across a chair in what he hoped was a suitably uninterested manner, his arms dangling at either side, and waited in controlled silence.
Lucius always liked to let his guests stew for a little while before he joined them; it gave them the chance to notice his unique décor. There were, of course, the usual horse heads and handcuffs hanging demurely from the walls, all elementary really. However the pièce de resistance in Malfoy's eyes was the various African and Native American sculptures he had procured from disreputable dealers across the world. Most were depicting rites of fertility, two women entwined over a boy, and some seemed torn between sex and death, but there was a piece of darkened wood on the mantelpiece which always served to unnerve his guests. Wide slit eyes, nude male bodies, and crude triangles of metal held in palm or embedded in flesh, tongues out in garish pleasure or mockery.
Severus knew the room too well to pay any sort of attention to Lucius' attempts to gain the upper hand. After just enough time for Snape to have taken in the ornate grossness of his surroundings, although not quite long enough for him to become complacent, Lucius graced the room with his presence.
Giving Snape a mere cursory nod, he made his way to the hidden drinks cabinet on the far side of the room and settled into the task of wiping the vintage dust off of a deep blue bottle and proceeding to tip the contents into an ornate crystal decanter. Snape recognised the tradition play for power between two prominent Slytherins. He felt a slight relief at the customary routine and leant against the arm of his chair, inwardly calming himself.
The thick syrupy scent of the warming liquor caused a drowsy coil of heat to unwind in Snape's subconscious and snake down his spine to rest in the pit of his stomach. The familiar surroundings combined with the smell of the brandy brought back too-vivid flashes of memory which reminded Severus of the events the last time he had been in this same situation...
***
Leather straps over his wrists cutting into the pale white flesh, preventing him from moving. The sharp metallic taste of blood as it ran in a slow trickle from the gash in his upper lip over the swollen lump of his lower.
***
Lucius smiled slightly at his companion's sudden start back to reality as he felt the warmed glass being placed in the palm of his hand. Severus ignored the fact that Malfoy knew exactly what he was thinking. Sometimes it was best not to consider all that his associate was aware of, or could become aware of within a matter of phone calls. Snape kept his expression a cool mask.
They clinked glasses.
***
Imposing air, heavy with the stench of stale sweat mixed with other, less pleasant, bodily fluids. The splintered wood underneath him catching on his bared back and tearing the first layer of skin away as he moved in a painfully sweet action.
***
Thankfully the burning sensation of the alcohol in his throat served as a summons back to reality. and Severus was just in time to stop himself from choking as he gulped the glassful down in one go. It steadied him, clearing his mind of thoughts he'd rather not consider at present.
Snape raised an eyebrow casually in the direction of the half-full decanter.
"Now, now, Professor, we don't want to go numbing our senses before the fun has started, do we?" Lucius' tone was mocking through its deep upper class accent and it sent reluctant shivers of anticipation through Snape's sinewy back.
With a flick of his wand, Lucius revealed an anteroom leading off from behind one of the panels on the wall. Closer inspection revealed that it too was carved with a depiction of Man's fall from the Garden. The blatant irony always made Snape cringe and smirk in equal measures. Stepping through he recognised the smell of disinfectant just covering that of human urine.
Whenever Severus Snape was invited to Malfoy Manor he was subjected to one of two fates. Either the visit was one of pure business, or the visit was one of pure pleasure. Lucius never mixed the two, but Severus was nonetheless still unsure as to which was which.
The private chambers were as they had always been. Dark reds covering every surface; carpet, curtains, chaise long, deep armchairs. All in the richest of velvets and silks, and mahogany walls making the room both incredibly imposing and violently sensual. The familiar scent of ancient whisky and old cigar smoke hanging in the air made his lids heavy but it was the creeping undeniable undertone of something metallic that brought the memories flooding back to him. He let his lean dark frame sprawl across a chair in what he hoped was a suitably uninterested manner, his arms dangling at either side, and waited in controlled silence.
Lucius always liked to let his guests stew for a little while before he joined them; it gave them the chance to notice his unique décor. There were, of course, the usual horse heads and handcuffs hanging demurely from the walls, all elementary really. However the pièce de resistance in Malfoy's eyes was the various African and Native American sculptures he had procured from disreputable dealers across the world. Most were depicting rites of fertility, two women entwined over a boy, and some seemed torn between sex and death, but there was a piece of darkened wood on the mantelpiece which always served to unnerve his guests. Wide slit eyes, nude male bodies, and crude triangles of metal held in palm or embedded in flesh, tongues out in garish pleasure or mockery.
Severus knew the room too well to pay any sort of attention to Lucius' attempts to gain the upper hand. After just enough time for Snape to have taken in the ornate grossness of his surroundings, although not quite long enough for him to become complacent, Lucius graced the room with his presence.
Giving Snape a mere cursory nod, he made his way to the hidden drinks cabinet on the far side of the room and settled into the task of wiping the vintage dust off of a deep blue bottle and proceeding to tip the contents into an ornate crystal decanter. Snape recognised the tradition play for power between two prominent Slytherins. He felt a slight relief at the customary routine and leant against the arm of his chair, inwardly calming himself.
The thick syrupy scent of the warming liquor caused a drowsy coil of heat to unwind in Snape's subconscious and snake down his spine to rest in the pit of his stomach. The familiar surroundings combined with the smell of the brandy brought back too-vivid flashes of memory which reminded Severus of the events the last time he had been in this same situation...
***
Leather straps over his wrists cutting into the pale white flesh, preventing him from moving. The sharp metallic taste of blood as it ran in a slow trickle from the gash in his upper lip over the swollen lump of his lower.
***
Lucius smiled slightly at his companion's sudden start back to reality as he felt the warmed glass being placed in the palm of his hand. Severus ignored the fact that Malfoy knew exactly what he was thinking. Sometimes it was best not to consider all that his associate was aware of, or could become aware of within a matter of phone calls. Snape kept his expression a cool mask.
They clinked glasses.
***
Imposing air, heavy with the stench of stale sweat mixed with other, less pleasant, bodily fluids. The splintered wood underneath him catching on his bared back and tearing the first layer of skin away as he moved in a painfully sweet action.
***
Thankfully the burning sensation of the alcohol in his throat served as a summons back to reality. and Severus was just in time to stop himself from choking as he gulped the glassful down in one go. It steadied him, clearing his mind of thoughts he'd rather not consider at present.
Snape raised an eyebrow casually in the direction of the half-full decanter.
"Now, now, Professor, we don't want to go numbing our senses before the fun has started, do we?" Lucius' tone was mocking through its deep upper class accent and it sent reluctant shivers of anticipation through Snape's sinewy back.
With a flick of his wand, Lucius revealed an anteroom leading off from behind one of the panels on the wall. Closer inspection revealed that it too was carved with a depiction of Man's fall from the Garden. The blatant irony always made Snape cringe and smirk in equal measures. Stepping through he recognised the smell of disinfectant just covering that of human urine.