A/N: I'd like to send out a special thanks to my reviewers, and those f you who have read along without reviewing. "Lurk reading" as May calls it. I'm not sure If I should continue this. The end of this chapter has a sort of finality to it. It just sounds finished. But, I might be convinced…
Seven:
Severus Snape stood in shock. He didn't believe what he was seeing. Lucius had whispered something in Miss Weasley's ear, and now he was snogging her like there was no tomorrow! This would not do. His slippery friend had some explaining to do.
Severus grabbed Lucius' robes and pulled him away from Ginny, pushing him forcefully against the wall. The blonde's eyes were widened with surprise, a fact that made Severus smirk inwardly. He came closer to Lucius' face and snarled.
"Are you out of your bloody mind?" Severus hissed.
"…No?" Lucius muttered.
"Yes! You are out of your fucking mind, Lucius! She's a child!"
"I am NOT!" Ginny snapped from her spot behind them, finally regaining the ability to speak.
"Miss Weasley, stay out of--"
"No! I am a grown woman and I am perfectly capable of choosing my own snogging partners, thank you very much!" Ginny hissed.
"Severus, I can't breath." Lucius rasped.
Ginny ran forward and pried Severus' hands from Lucius' throat. She led him to a chair and pushed him down, then she very politely asked Lucius to scram. Lucius stared at her in disbelief, but she glared at him until he grudgingly complied.
"Severus Aurellan Snape! Who the hell do you think you are?" She hissed.
Visions of Molly Weasley flew through Severus' head. He didn't know which was worse; facing a scorned Ginny or an overprotective Molly when she found out he'd let Lucius near her baby girl. He sighed heavily and gestured for Ginny to sit. She did, albeit grudgingly.
"Miss Weasley, I care about you--"
Severus noted the mortified expression that crossed the red head's face and hurried to correct himself before causing further humiliation for either of them.
"No, not as Lucius does. If he does." Severus said. "I care about you like ….err…an uncle, perhaps?" Severus ventured. Ginny nodded slowly.
"Lucius does care about me, Professor. He wouldn't hurt me. I know it." Ginny said softly. "He was the one who helped me sleep when you locked your stores last night."
"So you were in there!" Severus said darkly.
"Yes, I was sleeping, Professor. Nothing more. What you witnessed was our first act of intimacy." Ginny felt much like she had when she'd explained to her mother she didn't need 'the talk'.
"I see." Severus said thoughtfully. "I admit, Miss Weasley, you are a grown woman capable of making decisions for yourself, but tread carefully."
With those final words, he got up and left her sitting there to think about what he had said. Lucius entered moments later. He sat down in an armchair across from her and studied her. She said nothing.
"I suppose he's told you to cut all ties with me and go home, correct?" Lucius said heatedly.
"No. He told me to tread carefully." Ginny said quietly.
"I see…presuming you still want to 'tread' of course.," he said blankly.
"I do."
Ginny finally looked up at the man in front of her. His cream colored skin was smooth, leading to long, perfectly groomed blonde hair. He wore fine black robes, but Ginny knew that a magnificent body was hidden under the voluminous layers of fabric. In the great Shakespearean play Julius Caesar, Lucius was Brutus' most loyal servant, and his most loyal friend. Amazing how such a character can contrast the man in front of her, yet be so like him in many other ways. Lucius was far from humble, but he was caring. He was cunning and conniving, yet he protected those he cared for. Ginny knew he'd keep her safe, and happy.
She crossed the space between them and seated herself in Lucius' lap. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. Ginny giggled as his breath tickled her ear.
"Severus is going to watch me like a hawk." he whispered.
"Then you'll just have to be a good boy." Ginny whispered back before he captured her mouth with his.
Their kiss held passion, emotion, and promises. The passion shared between lovers, the emotions shared between loved ones, and the promise of the future. A future full of passion, emotions, promises, and life.