As always, no one belongs to me, apart from the young Ms. Sinistra. In case you were wondering, yes, she is the same Sinistra as the women who teaches Harry Potter and co. Astronomy. I felt she needed some back-story to her.
Lucius was the first to wake. He stretched, luxuriantly, before rolling rather un-ceremoniously of the long sofa, prompting a sort of amused snort from Severus.
"Uggh… stop it." Growled Lucius, running a hand through his platinum blonde hair, and sighing. He continued to lie on the cold stone floor for a few minutes, staring at Severus.
Severus himself would never admit that he had always been jealous of the debonair, handsome Slytherin, with those storm-grey eyes, and remarkably sleek golden hair. Despite his good looks and 'charms' however, Lucius Malfoy was not their ringleader. The tall, dark-haired boy who currently lay curled in front of the huge fireplace was undoubtedly the leader.
Rudolphus Lestrange.
He was a teacher's worse nightmare, and the last thing a Hufflepuff would ever want to run into on a dark night. At present, though, he looked as sweet as a small fluffy kitten; lanky frame curled up on the hearth, arms stretched round his head. It wasn't long till Rudolphus was roused, by the sound of Lucius rolling of the sofa in his post-drunken stupor.
"Can't take your booze, can you, Malfoy?" He drawled, lighting a cigarette with the tip of his wand, and taking a slow puff on it. Malfoy sneered, glaring at Rudolphus.
"I seem to remember –you- passing out first."
Rudolphus shrugged, staggering up, and stretching, with an open yawn. Severus sat there, silently, staring blankly from the parapet of the window. The room of requirement was a wonderful little discovery of theirs. Walk round it three times, and they had everything they needed to get drunk in relative secrecy, and with little effort.
Snape watched the first silvery snowflakes trickle from the sky, and seed themselves over the blue-green dew coated grass, in a thick gauze. Younger students would bustle around in their winter cloaks, sniffing into large handkerchiefs, and still insisting on participating on deliriously noisy snow-ball fights. Christmas meant more then that for the fifth-years though, this time round. Due to exceptional accomplishments in lesson, and over 3000 house points gained between them, they were being treated, this year, to what could be described as a 'gathering.'
As if reading Severus' thoughts, Lucius spoke.
"So, Snape, my slimy friend, which of our pretty young lady friends will -you- be taking to the ball?"
Severus shrugged, eyes still fixed on the delicate snowflakes as they toppled from the sky even more frequently then before. "I don't know yet. No-one, probably."
"Ooh, tragic. You best ask someone soon, y'know, before all the pureblood girls are gone." Lucius winked, fanning a little cigarette smoke out of his handsome face. "Hmm… how about Serpia. She's pretty." He winked, slipping off the sofa, and standing behind Severus, elbowing him in the ribs. A little colour rushed into Snape's cheeks. "She's probably… going with someone..."
Rudolphus began to laugh, taking his cigarette out of his mouth, when the door swinging open interrupted the three boys. They scrambled around urgently for a few seconds, in which they hid the fire whisky bottles that littered the floor behind the curtains, and Rudolphus extinguished his cigarette, reluctantly. "Uggh… it reeks in here… oh, don't bother with that, boys, it's only me."
A slim, rather tall, dark-haired girl slid into the room, gently snapping the door shut behind her. Rudolphus smiled lazily at the girl, before swiftly lighting –another- cigarette. "Sirius want's to know if that Sinistra girl is going with anyone to the ball… thingy."
"No I don't." Snapped Severus.
"Yes you do." Grinned Malfoy. "You circled Astronomy class on your timetable, in –pink- pen, and Narcissa tells me astronomy is Sinistra's favourite lesson." They all sneered now, looking at Snape for a retort.
He said nothing, just sat there, cotinuing to stare aimlessly out of the window.
The girl, Bellatrix Black, spoke now. "Avery asked her to go with him. You know, Avery. Short kid."
Severus felt a lump rise in his throat. Someone else had already asked her….
"She didn't say yes though. She laughed in his face actually." Bellatrix grinned, and Severus felt the lump in his throat dissipate. It felt like someone had just lifted a huge boulder of his chest.
Rudolphus stood up, nonchalantly, although still wavering slightly from the tremendous amount of alcohol he had absorbed last night, and strolled over to Bellatrix, placing an arm around her thin shoulders, with one of his patent boyish grins. "Y'know this is called the room of requirement, well right now, I think I recquire a date for the ball…"
Lucius groaned, rolling his eyes, as Bellatrix and Rudolphus began one of their long flirting sessions. "Ah well, Severus. Looks like you're the only one of us without a partner." He prodded him in the back again, before raising himself to his full height and heading towards the door. "I'm going with Narcissa."
"Oh, what beautiful children you'll have." Grinned Snape, sarcastically, although he knew quite well that Slytherins 'golden couple' would have amazingly good-looking children. Once again, he felt a little jealous pang as he watched dashingly handsome Rudolphus and Lucius leave the room, before following them.