Authors Note: Okay, everybody, WARNINGS. Lucius and Severus get it on in
this chapter! Okay, there's no *sex*, but heavy petting, and moderate
references (strictly tasteful, I might add) to certain *parts*. So, if
you're offended by that, please don't read and therefore flame me, but I
have put up warnings in the summary so I suppose writing this is a bit
pointless. Ah well, only making sure.
Reviews, as always, are welcome. Thanks to all those who have already done so. I appreciate them more than you know. Constructive criticism is welcome. Feel free to ask questions or point out any apparent 'loopholes' or 'flaws' in my writing. If you give an email address or leave a signed review then I will happily inform you of my excuses. Most things will be straightened out in the next few chapters or so.
Disclaimer: I own nothing from Harry Potter, which belongs to JK Rowling and Warner Bros. And anyone else that isn't me.
Chapter Seven
"Did you hear the shocking news about Black and Lupin?" a very drunk Lucius said in an overloud voice.
"Yes!" Sev shouted. "It's disgusting!"
Lucius made to reply, but couldn't stop giggling. "Isn't it! I was quite appalled when I heard about it."
"Didn't Black announce it to the entire hall?"
Lucius shrugged, and struggled forward to grab the whiskey. Pouring himself another measure, he turned back to his friend. They were both lying on the bed, extremely drunk and past caring. "Lupin was none too pleased, my sources inform me."
"God, would you be, if you Black as a partner?" Severus snorted. "Here, pass that over." He took a swig, and thought for a minute.
"Lucius," he began.
"Yes, Severus?" Lucius replied, trying hard to focus. He hadn't meant to get quite this drunk. Oh, never mind.
"Do you fancy either of them? I mean, they're both gay."
"So? Do you fancy Sybil Trelawney, simply because she's a girl?"
Severus shook his head vehemently, causing Lucius to laugh. Seeing as Sev had brought up the subject, Lucius decided to press it that bit further. "Seeing as you're so interested, no, I don't fancy either of them. The very thought of them makes my skin crawl. Why, do you?"
Severus thought for a minute. He had never told Lucius about Lupin's lycanthropy, fearing the hiding he'd get from Dumbledore, knowing his best friend would never keep his mouth shut if he got the chance. He'd told Lucius that they were Animagi, but never the full details of Remus. Lucius thought that the four Marauders had cornered him and tried to savage him. Which was near enough the truth. And even that information was dangerous enough; he'd had to almost beg his friend to promise to not tell the rest of the house.
Severus thought about Remus Lupin. Sirius Black was out of the question of course - there were some bastards in this life who should never have been allowed to come to Hogwarts, but there was always injustice in the world. Rosier was another example of that. But Remus Lupin was different. He was quiet and shy, and so unlike his friends. Severus mentally shook himself. Lupin became a filthy, scavenging beast every month and had nearly killed him. He was even more dangerous than Potter and Black put together. Another case of injustice. Lupin should never have been allowed to come to school either - he should have been locked away or put down when the doctors had the chance.
Lucius looked at his friend, deep in thought. Although he had asked the question in jest, doubts began to run through his mind. "Sev? Do you fancy either of them?"
Severus turned back to him. "Of course not," he said belligerently. "They're Gryffindors."
"So who exactly is in your thoughts these days, Sev?" Lucius purred, moving closer. Severus didn't notice, and settled back against the pillow.
"Wouldn't you like to know, Lucius?"
Lucius grinned, and settled a hand on his friend's stomach, testing Severus's reaction. He didn't appear to notice. "Actually, I would, which was why I asked."
Severus turned his head to look at his friend and was somewhat surprised to find his friends face only inches from his own. He could feel Lucius's warm breath slowly blowing on his cheeks, and it suddenly struck him how enticing Lucius looked. He'd never noticed before how blue his eyes were, and how long were his lashes. Lucius blinked, and it seemed to be in slow motion. Sev couldn't stop staring. Those eyes mesmerised him.
Lucius look down at his friend, wondering whether Sev was drunk enough yet to be kissed. He was surprised when the darker boy's hand was suddenly running down his cheek.
"Lucius..." Severus breathed.
Lucius looked at his friend. The potion suddenly seemed to have fully kicked in. All of their senses were heightened, the merest stroke bringing aching pleasure to the touch. Severus slowly ran his tongue along his bottom lip, and Lucius groaned. He couldn't hold himself back anymore, and moved to close the few remaining inches between them.
The kiss was slow, and tentative. Severus couldn't think properly, couldn't ponder the reasons for wanting to do this, or why they should or shouldn't be doing it. He was lost in the sensation of Lucius' mouth upon his, and revelling in the explosions of feelings that began as tingles in his lips and slowly swept through the rest of his body, stroking through to his toes. When he opened his mouth to allow Lucius' tongue, he moaned deep in his throat and pulled his friend closer.
Lucius too, was lost. Had he been sober, he would have relished Severus' reactions to him. But all he could think about was getting closer, getting as close as he could. He swiftly penetrated Sev's mouth with his tongue, thrusting it in a mimicry of what he so badly wanted to do with his hips. Severus' hands came up about his neck, fingers lightly stroking, and tracing small circles. Lucius shifted fully onto his friend, blonde hair falling haphazardly around them.
Lucius' patience began to wear thin. Groaning, he sped up the kiss, forcing passion from his friend that Sev was more than willing to give. Lucius pressed his hips against his friend, and was rewarded with an answering hardness. Gasping, he broke the kiss.
"God, Sev," he choked out.
Severus stared at him through a passion-fuelled gaze, pupils dilated so that his eyes just looked black. This was heaven. It wasn't reason, or thought; it was just want, pure want, and right now, all he wanted was Lucius...
"Please," he begged, and raised his hips, desperate for the contact. Lucius shuddered. Any semblance of reason was gone. But even he realised that if they didn't stop soon, he wouldn't be able to continue for much longer...
Unwilling and unable to continue without the feel of Lucius' mouth on his, Severus showed a slightly more dominant side and flipped the blonde over onto his back, and quickly climbed atop him before Lucius had time to react. Smirking over his victory, Severus once again kissed him fully, tongue probing and deftly exploring, and then briefly pulled back.
"Tease," he whispered, before running his tongue down Lucius' neck. Severus moaned, and began to suck, the taste of Lucius on his mouth sweeter than any girl he'd ever kissed before. Lucius resigned himself to not being able to hold off his orgasm for much longer, and let himself sink into the delicious sensations Severus' mouth evoked on his skin. Severus sucked harder, determined to leave his mark, and once satisfied, started to work on the buttons of Lucius' shirt. For some reason, the blasted things stubbornly refused to open in his intoxicated haze, and his patience gave way and he ripped the offending item off.
Severus stared at the pale chest stretched out before him. Exquisitely carved, finely chiselled, Lucius was indeed the most beautiful being Severus had ever seen. He ran his hand down the pale skin, noting the soft downy hairs sprinkled over the top. When he reached the bottom of Lucius' abdomen, the hard muscles quivered beneath his touch. Severus raised his eyes to Lucius', who was waiting for him to do something, anything, with soft pleading eyes and an open mouth.
As soon as Severus' hand made contact with Lucius' groin, he came.
~~~~~
"So what are you going to do about it?"
James had finally gotten over Remus' bombshell and was displaying his usual straightforwardness when it came to a problem, whether it be a Potion's essay, Quidditch tactics, or his friend's love lives. Remus however, was still lost in the problem itself, not how to tackle it. He was extremely relieved when James had accepted what he had told him. Anyone else would have judged him, would have been horrified or disgusted by Remus' feelings.
"Remus? You can't leave things this way. Something needs to be done about the situation. What are you going to do?"
"I don't know. I can't think of anything I could do to sort out this mess without upsetting everything. It's all so... tangled."
"Well, obviously you can't carry on this 'relationship' with Sirius," James said, matter of factly.
Remus' head came up sharply. James was incredulous. "Remus, you're not being fair on either of you. He thinks you care for him, maybe even love him. At least feel something, which you quite clearly don't. You have to finish it with him, so he can move on. You're stringing him along."
Remus looked and felt ashamed. He knew James was right, but the thought of ending it with Sirius wasn't a nice one. He didn't even want to think of how hurt and angry Sirius would be, especially if he found out who Remus was really in love with.
James guessed the line Remus' thoughts were taking, and reassured him. "I promise I won't tell Sirius about Snape. Promise."
"Thanks," Remus said weakly. "But what do I do about Snape anyway?"
James snorted. "There's not a lot you can do. He knows you're a werewolf, Moony. He knows. With information like that you're best steering clear of him, whether or not he has told anyone else. If he took your feelings the wrong way even the threat of expulsion might not be enough to put him off telling the entire school. And we have far more to lose than he does."
Remus gave a groan of frustration and flopped backwards. "He's told Malfoy, clearly. That's another thing I have to sort out. I have to make sure Malfoy doesn't tell everyone."
"Do you know for certain that Malfoy knows you're a werewolf?"
"He told Sirius he knew what we four get up to when the moon is full. Clearly, he doesn't think we're picking roses."
James looked livid. Sirius had already told him but still the thought of Malfoy and Snape having that kind of power over them angered him beyond belief. "Remus," he said in a sharper tone than any he'd used before. "How on earth can you feel anything for Snape when he's done more than betray you, he's betrayed us and Dumbledore as well? The lad is a bastard, a complete and utter bastard. He should have been expelled the day he walked into that hall."
"James..." Remus said weakly. "I know what he is. But I can't help the way I feel. I can't stop thinking about him - he's an obsession. He's in my thoughts when I wake up in the morning and he's still in them when I go to bed at night. And he has been for a while - I've been dreaming about him for months. Months, James! I can't risk Sirius finding out. If I break up with him then he's bound to ask me why I went out with him in the first place."
"Just out of interest, why on earth did you go out with him?"
Remus sighed heavily, and turned to look at his friend. "Two reasons, I suppose. Firstly, he asked me whether I felt anything for Snape, just before he told me how he felt. It really threw me; I knew I couldn't risk him finding out. And then he was Sirius, and he was there, and he wanted me, and I thought that maybe if I had someone else then I'd stop thinking about Severus, and even if I couldn't, at least I'd have someone."
James stared at him, his silence rebuking Remus more harshly than anything he could have chosen to say. Eventually, Remus continued.
"But it hasn't worked. All he's done is make me unhappy and miserable, and not only because he's not the right person for me. I feel so guilty for the way I've behaved and even more guilty because I'm not brave enough to tell him how I really feel. And I still can't stop thinking about Snape."
James was firm. "You're not backing out of this one, Moony. You're going to tell Sirius that you don't want to be with him. I'm not going to sit back and watch you string along my best friend. I'm simply not going to sit back and watch it happen. Okay?"
Remus nodded miserably. James drew himself up, and put an end to the discussion. "And as for this infatuation with Snape, you'll just have to let it pass. He wouldn't go out with you anyway, Remus. There's too much in the way to make it work even if he didn't know that you're a lycanthrope - your relationship wouldn't survive you being in different houses and neither of your friends would accept you two as a couple. How do you think Lucius Malfoy would take it, let alone Sirius or anyone else? There's simply no point in considering it. To put it bluntly, get over it. Move on to something else. You're torturing yourself needlessly pining for someone like him. And you're forgetting something else, too."
Remus felt small and ashamed as he looked into James Potter's eyes. "I would never let you get yourself hurt by someone as worthless as him," the head boy said firmly. "He's not worth you. You are far too good for him. He and Lucius Malfoy deserve each other. After they leave school they're going to sink into the Dark Arts and do goodness knows what, things I don't even want to think about. I, as your friend, wouldn't let you get caught up in that. And that's a fact."
Remus, on the verge of crying, gave a watery smile. "Thank you, James."
James smiled, leaned forward and gave his friend a hug. "No problem," he said lightly. "Anytime."
~~~~~
Reviews, as always, are welcome. Thanks to all those who have already done so. I appreciate them more than you know. Constructive criticism is welcome. Feel free to ask questions or point out any apparent 'loopholes' or 'flaws' in my writing. If you give an email address or leave a signed review then I will happily inform you of my excuses. Most things will be straightened out in the next few chapters or so.
Disclaimer: I own nothing from Harry Potter, which belongs to JK Rowling and Warner Bros. And anyone else that isn't me.
Chapter Seven
"Did you hear the shocking news about Black and Lupin?" a very drunk Lucius said in an overloud voice.
"Yes!" Sev shouted. "It's disgusting!"
Lucius made to reply, but couldn't stop giggling. "Isn't it! I was quite appalled when I heard about it."
"Didn't Black announce it to the entire hall?"
Lucius shrugged, and struggled forward to grab the whiskey. Pouring himself another measure, he turned back to his friend. They were both lying on the bed, extremely drunk and past caring. "Lupin was none too pleased, my sources inform me."
"God, would you be, if you Black as a partner?" Severus snorted. "Here, pass that over." He took a swig, and thought for a minute.
"Lucius," he began.
"Yes, Severus?" Lucius replied, trying hard to focus. He hadn't meant to get quite this drunk. Oh, never mind.
"Do you fancy either of them? I mean, they're both gay."
"So? Do you fancy Sybil Trelawney, simply because she's a girl?"
Severus shook his head vehemently, causing Lucius to laugh. Seeing as Sev had brought up the subject, Lucius decided to press it that bit further. "Seeing as you're so interested, no, I don't fancy either of them. The very thought of them makes my skin crawl. Why, do you?"
Severus thought for a minute. He had never told Lucius about Lupin's lycanthropy, fearing the hiding he'd get from Dumbledore, knowing his best friend would never keep his mouth shut if he got the chance. He'd told Lucius that they were Animagi, but never the full details of Remus. Lucius thought that the four Marauders had cornered him and tried to savage him. Which was near enough the truth. And even that information was dangerous enough; he'd had to almost beg his friend to promise to not tell the rest of the house.
Severus thought about Remus Lupin. Sirius Black was out of the question of course - there were some bastards in this life who should never have been allowed to come to Hogwarts, but there was always injustice in the world. Rosier was another example of that. But Remus Lupin was different. He was quiet and shy, and so unlike his friends. Severus mentally shook himself. Lupin became a filthy, scavenging beast every month and had nearly killed him. He was even more dangerous than Potter and Black put together. Another case of injustice. Lupin should never have been allowed to come to school either - he should have been locked away or put down when the doctors had the chance.
Lucius looked at his friend, deep in thought. Although he had asked the question in jest, doubts began to run through his mind. "Sev? Do you fancy either of them?"
Severus turned back to him. "Of course not," he said belligerently. "They're Gryffindors."
"So who exactly is in your thoughts these days, Sev?" Lucius purred, moving closer. Severus didn't notice, and settled back against the pillow.
"Wouldn't you like to know, Lucius?"
Lucius grinned, and settled a hand on his friend's stomach, testing Severus's reaction. He didn't appear to notice. "Actually, I would, which was why I asked."
Severus turned his head to look at his friend and was somewhat surprised to find his friends face only inches from his own. He could feel Lucius's warm breath slowly blowing on his cheeks, and it suddenly struck him how enticing Lucius looked. He'd never noticed before how blue his eyes were, and how long were his lashes. Lucius blinked, and it seemed to be in slow motion. Sev couldn't stop staring. Those eyes mesmerised him.
Lucius look down at his friend, wondering whether Sev was drunk enough yet to be kissed. He was surprised when the darker boy's hand was suddenly running down his cheek.
"Lucius..." Severus breathed.
Lucius looked at his friend. The potion suddenly seemed to have fully kicked in. All of their senses were heightened, the merest stroke bringing aching pleasure to the touch. Severus slowly ran his tongue along his bottom lip, and Lucius groaned. He couldn't hold himself back anymore, and moved to close the few remaining inches between them.
The kiss was slow, and tentative. Severus couldn't think properly, couldn't ponder the reasons for wanting to do this, or why they should or shouldn't be doing it. He was lost in the sensation of Lucius' mouth upon his, and revelling in the explosions of feelings that began as tingles in his lips and slowly swept through the rest of his body, stroking through to his toes. When he opened his mouth to allow Lucius' tongue, he moaned deep in his throat and pulled his friend closer.
Lucius too, was lost. Had he been sober, he would have relished Severus' reactions to him. But all he could think about was getting closer, getting as close as he could. He swiftly penetrated Sev's mouth with his tongue, thrusting it in a mimicry of what he so badly wanted to do with his hips. Severus' hands came up about his neck, fingers lightly stroking, and tracing small circles. Lucius shifted fully onto his friend, blonde hair falling haphazardly around them.
Lucius' patience began to wear thin. Groaning, he sped up the kiss, forcing passion from his friend that Sev was more than willing to give. Lucius pressed his hips against his friend, and was rewarded with an answering hardness. Gasping, he broke the kiss.
"God, Sev," he choked out.
Severus stared at him through a passion-fuelled gaze, pupils dilated so that his eyes just looked black. This was heaven. It wasn't reason, or thought; it was just want, pure want, and right now, all he wanted was Lucius...
"Please," he begged, and raised his hips, desperate for the contact. Lucius shuddered. Any semblance of reason was gone. But even he realised that if they didn't stop soon, he wouldn't be able to continue for much longer...
Unwilling and unable to continue without the feel of Lucius' mouth on his, Severus showed a slightly more dominant side and flipped the blonde over onto his back, and quickly climbed atop him before Lucius had time to react. Smirking over his victory, Severus once again kissed him fully, tongue probing and deftly exploring, and then briefly pulled back.
"Tease," he whispered, before running his tongue down Lucius' neck. Severus moaned, and began to suck, the taste of Lucius on his mouth sweeter than any girl he'd ever kissed before. Lucius resigned himself to not being able to hold off his orgasm for much longer, and let himself sink into the delicious sensations Severus' mouth evoked on his skin. Severus sucked harder, determined to leave his mark, and once satisfied, started to work on the buttons of Lucius' shirt. For some reason, the blasted things stubbornly refused to open in his intoxicated haze, and his patience gave way and he ripped the offending item off.
Severus stared at the pale chest stretched out before him. Exquisitely carved, finely chiselled, Lucius was indeed the most beautiful being Severus had ever seen. He ran his hand down the pale skin, noting the soft downy hairs sprinkled over the top. When he reached the bottom of Lucius' abdomen, the hard muscles quivered beneath his touch. Severus raised his eyes to Lucius', who was waiting for him to do something, anything, with soft pleading eyes and an open mouth.
As soon as Severus' hand made contact with Lucius' groin, he came.
~~~~~
"So what are you going to do about it?"
James had finally gotten over Remus' bombshell and was displaying his usual straightforwardness when it came to a problem, whether it be a Potion's essay, Quidditch tactics, or his friend's love lives. Remus however, was still lost in the problem itself, not how to tackle it. He was extremely relieved when James had accepted what he had told him. Anyone else would have judged him, would have been horrified or disgusted by Remus' feelings.
"Remus? You can't leave things this way. Something needs to be done about the situation. What are you going to do?"
"I don't know. I can't think of anything I could do to sort out this mess without upsetting everything. It's all so... tangled."
"Well, obviously you can't carry on this 'relationship' with Sirius," James said, matter of factly.
Remus' head came up sharply. James was incredulous. "Remus, you're not being fair on either of you. He thinks you care for him, maybe even love him. At least feel something, which you quite clearly don't. You have to finish it with him, so he can move on. You're stringing him along."
Remus looked and felt ashamed. He knew James was right, but the thought of ending it with Sirius wasn't a nice one. He didn't even want to think of how hurt and angry Sirius would be, especially if he found out who Remus was really in love with.
James guessed the line Remus' thoughts were taking, and reassured him. "I promise I won't tell Sirius about Snape. Promise."
"Thanks," Remus said weakly. "But what do I do about Snape anyway?"
James snorted. "There's not a lot you can do. He knows you're a werewolf, Moony. He knows. With information like that you're best steering clear of him, whether or not he has told anyone else. If he took your feelings the wrong way even the threat of expulsion might not be enough to put him off telling the entire school. And we have far more to lose than he does."
Remus gave a groan of frustration and flopped backwards. "He's told Malfoy, clearly. That's another thing I have to sort out. I have to make sure Malfoy doesn't tell everyone."
"Do you know for certain that Malfoy knows you're a werewolf?"
"He told Sirius he knew what we four get up to when the moon is full. Clearly, he doesn't think we're picking roses."
James looked livid. Sirius had already told him but still the thought of Malfoy and Snape having that kind of power over them angered him beyond belief. "Remus," he said in a sharper tone than any he'd used before. "How on earth can you feel anything for Snape when he's done more than betray you, he's betrayed us and Dumbledore as well? The lad is a bastard, a complete and utter bastard. He should have been expelled the day he walked into that hall."
"James..." Remus said weakly. "I know what he is. But I can't help the way I feel. I can't stop thinking about him - he's an obsession. He's in my thoughts when I wake up in the morning and he's still in them when I go to bed at night. And he has been for a while - I've been dreaming about him for months. Months, James! I can't risk Sirius finding out. If I break up with him then he's bound to ask me why I went out with him in the first place."
"Just out of interest, why on earth did you go out with him?"
Remus sighed heavily, and turned to look at his friend. "Two reasons, I suppose. Firstly, he asked me whether I felt anything for Snape, just before he told me how he felt. It really threw me; I knew I couldn't risk him finding out. And then he was Sirius, and he was there, and he wanted me, and I thought that maybe if I had someone else then I'd stop thinking about Severus, and even if I couldn't, at least I'd have someone."
James stared at him, his silence rebuking Remus more harshly than anything he could have chosen to say. Eventually, Remus continued.
"But it hasn't worked. All he's done is make me unhappy and miserable, and not only because he's not the right person for me. I feel so guilty for the way I've behaved and even more guilty because I'm not brave enough to tell him how I really feel. And I still can't stop thinking about Snape."
James was firm. "You're not backing out of this one, Moony. You're going to tell Sirius that you don't want to be with him. I'm not going to sit back and watch you string along my best friend. I'm simply not going to sit back and watch it happen. Okay?"
Remus nodded miserably. James drew himself up, and put an end to the discussion. "And as for this infatuation with Snape, you'll just have to let it pass. He wouldn't go out with you anyway, Remus. There's too much in the way to make it work even if he didn't know that you're a lycanthrope - your relationship wouldn't survive you being in different houses and neither of your friends would accept you two as a couple. How do you think Lucius Malfoy would take it, let alone Sirius or anyone else? There's simply no point in considering it. To put it bluntly, get over it. Move on to something else. You're torturing yourself needlessly pining for someone like him. And you're forgetting something else, too."
Remus felt small and ashamed as he looked into James Potter's eyes. "I would never let you get yourself hurt by someone as worthless as him," the head boy said firmly. "He's not worth you. You are far too good for him. He and Lucius Malfoy deserve each other. After they leave school they're going to sink into the Dark Arts and do goodness knows what, things I don't even want to think about. I, as your friend, wouldn't let you get caught up in that. And that's a fact."
Remus, on the verge of crying, gave a watery smile. "Thank you, James."
James smiled, leaned forward and gave his friend a hug. "No problem," he said lightly. "Anytime."
~~~~~