A/N: Is everybody pleased with me? I actually finished and posted another
chapter! Yay!
Erm... if anyone actually wants to give any suggestions or anything for this fic then please go ahead and say. I've recently become acutely aware that not one word of this has been laid in front of a beta reader.
Reviews please, they make my day, even the critical ones, as long as they're backed up... Would it be really cheeky to ask people if they could tell me why they like or don't like my fic?
Disclaimer: Nothing from Harry Potter is owned by me, it all belongs to the greater people out there who aren't me, whether they be authors, film directors or the milkmen down the road...
Finally, the chapter.
Chapter Eight
Severus Snape woke slowly and gently. He was aware of a soft warmth curled against his side, and of a comfortable pressure against his stomach. Breathing calmly in and out, he gradually became more aware of his surroundings. Everything felt good. Everything was warm and secure and... *right*. He became aware of a soft hitching near his ear, turned his head and lazily opened his eyes.
It was Lucius who lay pressed up against him, Lucius' breath he could feel against his neck and Lucius' arm that lay curled protectively around his waist. In his sleep, the blonde instinctively flexed his fingers, his unconscious seemingly aware of Severus' change in position even though he was still sleeping heavily. Severus moaned quietly, the contact leaving a delicious tingling that spread slowly on his side.
Bit by bit, memories of the previous night came back to him. He remembered drinking, and laughing, and then looking into Lucius' eyes and then finding his friend's mouth upon his. Severus turned to look at him again. In sleep the boy looked so much younger, no malice, or cunning, or sheer depravity was etched onto his face. He was relaxed. This was surely a Lucius Malfoy that others rarely saw. Severus felt an overwhelming sense of gladness that he was one of those few.
His long eyelashes curled softly, and his hair was not pulled back as customary, but soft and downy against the pillow. A prominent mark caught Severus' eye as he smoothed Lucius' hair away from his neck. A smile began to spread itself slowly across Severus' face. That was his mark.
He suddenly remembered that kissing was not all they had done last night. He suddenly felt the urge to wake Lucius up and pick up where they had left off - the sensations proving themselves too intense for the two teenagers from doing anything besides touching each other. Severus wanted to do all the things Lucius had done with his previous lovers. He wanted to know what all those things felt like.
Lucius' eyes fluttered, and opened slowly. His body ached from his contact with Sev, and he felt blood starting to gain speed as it ran through his body. He raised his gaze, found the dark eyes staring down at him, and waited for a reaction. The potion, if still potent in him, should definitely still be affecting Sev, if the instructions were anything to go by. It had said the effects would last for approximately 24 hours, then gradually subside. Lucius had to make sure Severus kept taking it - it wouldn't be difficult, if Sev seemed reluctant. He could just spike his pumpkin juice. All he had to do was to keep Severus away from reading about it. He didn't fancy Severus' reactions if he found out Lucius had used a mind-altering drug on him. But with regular doses Sev should be kept eager and pliable. If the worst came to the worst then he could cast a simple Obliviate.
When he saw the happiness and thinly veiled lust in his lover's face, all Lucius' doubts vanished. Severus was definitely still under the effects.
Severus traced the outline of the mark on the blonde's neck, making him shiver. Bending his head, their lips touched, and without hesitation their mouths opened simultaneously and tongues began duelling. Lucius suddenly pulled back, and he sat up. Guilt flooded him, a feeling he was unaccustomed to. Severus was his friend, his only true friend, and here he was, taking advantage like some common... He gathered his thoughts and tried to reassure himself.
"Sev, are you sure you want to do this?"
Severus' brows furrowed in confusion. "Want? Luc, I need this. Now shut up. I want to go further than we did last night. You came too soon. Both times."
A grin assaulted Lucius' features. "I apologise, my love. You are obviously too potent an aphrodisiac."
Severus pushed his friend down and straddled him. He couldn't keep a straight face either. "Obviously!" he laughed. "But really, you've let yourself down. All this reputation blown and gone! All those rumours finally dispelled..."
Lucius feigned outrage. "The cheek! I see I'll have to prove to you how long I can last." "Yes, I suppose you will," he said, in a smug voice.
Lucius suddenly took hold of him. Severus gasped and reached down to the mattress to steady himself, heady sensations sweeping through him. "But that doesn't mean that you're allowed to come so fast either," the blonde said huskily.
"Not fair," he managed to get out. "I... have nowhere near your experience. It is not within me to last as long as you can... God, please, don't stop."
The expression of need and torment on Sev's face only caused Lucius to pump harder. "I suppose we'll just have to practice lasting as long as we can, then."
"Yes... Oh... yes."
~~~~~
The two Slytherins walked into lunch late, which earned them a glare of disapproval from the headmaster, but they couldn't have cared less about what that Gryffindor-lover thought. Everyone looked at them as they strode arrogantly through the hall, grinning and laughing. They looked so *happy*. Lucius never looked purely happy like that. Severus barely cracked a smile in public, ever.
They sat down at the Slytherin table, unaware of all eyes fixed on them. Helping themselves to large quantities of food, they began eating ravenously as if they'd been starved for a month. Gradually normal activity resumed in the hall.
That afternoon was spent in voracious exploration in the privacy of Lucius' bed, and by the evening both were exhausted but thoroughly sated. Lucius considered their situation as Severus lay sleeping against him. His heart panged when he realised that Severus would never have lain with him without coercion. Yet he seemed so happy and so genuinely responsive to Lucius that he sometimes had to remind himself of the Potion and its effects.
Lucius wasn't stupid, and knew it couldn't last. Soon the potion would run out and frankly, loath as he was to admit it, those ingredients purchased from Knockturn Alley were not only rare and difficult to get hold of, but also quite expensive. But they had been worth it this time. Anyway, Severus wouldn't want to spend the rest of his life like they had today. Soon he might begin to wonder why all he wanted was to come inside his friend, or a comment from a fellow might set those cogs working. Either way, he had to be prepared to deal with Severus after their affair was over.
It was far too much to hope that the dark haired boy would remain willing to stay Lucius' lover. Once he found out about Lucius' scheme he would hate him forever on principle, and Lucius didn't want to be on the receiving end of one of Severus's grudges. No, Obliviate seemed the only option. He'd just have to make up a nice suitable memory for Severus to remember instead.
As Lucius sat thinking about his plan, he forgot about one thing. Rosier wasn't about to give up his claim, or forgo a chance to ruin Severus' happiness. And right now, Rosier was very interested, very curious, and Severus was very happy... But Lucius, distracted by the pleasurable comfort of his lover stretched out beside him, quickly succumbed to sleep, and gave Rosier no thought at all.
~~~~~~
Marcus Lestrange and Evan Rosier sat in the Quidditch stands, watching the Slytherin team practice. It wasn't really a proper practice, as the head of the team was languishing in bed, and the quaffle was being tossed around and everyone was indulging in gossip. Rosier should have been out there practicing himself but couldn't see the point when Lucius wasn't there. So he'd come over to talk to his friend, who'd been ready to watch the practice, but so far Marcus couldn't work out why Rosier had done so, as he wasn't saying anything. But he knew he'd find out soon enough.
Rosier had his eye on the quaffle as it was passed from chaser to chaser. Casually, he said, "wonder where Lucius is. No doubt he'd be furious if he was here, watching this. We've got a match next week."
Marcus shrugged. "He should be here then. It's his fault if practice doesn't run smoothly if he doesn't bother to turn up."
"Right you are, I suppose." Rosier abruptly dropped his head, and turned to look at his friend. Lestrange wondered what the purpose of all this was, and abruptly decided to go ahead and ask.
"Evan, why are you here?"
He seemed surprised. Lestrange generally didn't ask direct questions. "It's a nice day, it's good to be with my friend, cheer on our house together..... Do I need a reason to come over to you?"
"Don't pull that one. You've hardly said a word the entire time you've been sitting here. You probably just wanted to get away from everyone over there, didn't you?" Rosier hung his head, not denying Lestrange's words.
This is about Malfoy, isn't it." It was a statement. Lestrange had long since accepted that Rosier had an undeniable infatuation with the wealthy blonde, and just let him get on with it. It would eventually wear itself out, though it was taking a lot longer than he had hoped for.
Rosier flushed, and turned back to look at the pitch. "What about Malfoy."
"You're not bothered by him and Snape walking into lunch today like they owned the world and they owned it together?"
"So what if I am," Rosier muttered. "Don't you think it's a bit odd, how everyone knows that Severus isn't gay, and he always refused any sort of liaison with Lucius, and suddenly they're both displaying their relationship with no concession for how anyone else might take it?"
"You don't actually know they're together. And even if they are, why should they care what anyone else thinks?" Lestrange asked mildly. He now knew the full extent of Rosier's unhappiness.
"Of course they're together. Did you see the looks they were giving each other? And where do you suppose Lucius is now? He's probably up in his room getting his brains screwed out," Rosier spat jealously.
"You only think it's strange because you want Lucius for yourself," Lestrange said gently. "Loads of relationships stop and start as quickly or even more than this one. Look at Black and Lupin. After months of dallying around they got together and announced it in less than a day."
"There's something funny going on. Lucius said something to me the other day in the showers. I think there's something not right about Severus' sudden change of mood."
"You were in the showers with Lucius?" Lestrange asked, amused. "Since when do you and he bathe together?"
"I... cornered him after the Quidditch match. Asked him to go with me. He said no, before you ask. But he said something like events were about to change."
The other boy leaned forward, interested. "Did he? Did he say how?"
"No, once he realised he'd slipped he got nasty. He just said events were about to change unexpectedly."
"Well, that doesn't mean that he's done anything to Snape. It probably just meant that he was about to persuade him that night, I don't know, stun him with his victory or something and Severus just said yes. There doesn't have to be a corrupt meaning with everything, you know."
"But there usually is when it comes to Lucius. Snape isn't the type to just go and change his mind over something like that. You know Lucius and I spent the night together when the school year started."
"Yes, I know, Evan. You've fully regaled me with this story more than once before about how it was the best night of your life, and what a great lover Malfoy was," Lestrange said sarcastically. He really didn't want another rendition from his friend, having had this particular one more times than he cared to count, and most of them ending with his friend getting extremely bitter and angry.
"There's no need to act like that!" Rosier said sharply. "I was just going to say that it was due to Snape - they'd argued about them getting together, or rather Lucius wanting them to, and if they argued that fiercely that he came to me, then how come they've suddenly got together now?"
"I don't know," he said heavily. "Don't go poking around for something that isn't there, Evan, please. You'll only hurt yourself in the end. Just try and accept that Lucius and Snape are together, and there really isn't anything that you can do about it."
Rosier smiled bitterly. "Suppose you'd like that, wouldn't you. You're just jealous."
Lestrange started to lose patience. "Jealous? What have I to be jealous of? Of you pathetically mooning over something that you'll never have? Hardly."
Rosier abruptly stood up, eyes flashing. "Fine, if that's the way you feel. I guess I'll just have to find out what's going on myself, then."
"How are you going to do that?" Marcus challenged. "Go up to Malfoy and ask him? I doubt he'll exactly be forthcoming with information. What's he going to say, 'oh yes Evan, I've somehow forced Severus Snape into a relationship with me, and that's why he looks so happy about it'?"
"That's my point! Snape never looks happy unless there's something wrong with him!"
"Would you be happy if you were in a relationship with Lucius?"
"Of course I would, but it's different for me! I've wanted Lucius for months!"
"Evan, you're just looking for ways not to accept that they're together and that they want to be. You're in denial, my friend. Get over him! Please, Evan, if not for you, then for me."
Rosier stood silently, a stubborn resilience battling with the common sense of his friend's words. Finally, he said, "s'getting cold. Tea'll be ready soon."
Lestrange stood up, and gripped his friend by the shoulders, fighting the urge to shake him. "Listen to me. Once you move on you wont find any of this strange. You'll look back and wonder why you were making such a fuss. Move on and find someone else. All this concentration on Malfoy isn't healthy."
"Don't suppose you fancy a fuck, do you Marcus? Help me get over him?" Rosier asked wryly, a brief smile curving his lips.
Lestrange smiled, hoping that Rosier was indeed taking his words to heart. "Hmmm... you might have to run it past my girlfriend first."
"Ah, she wouldn't mind. She can even join in, if she wants."
"Let me think about it. Come on, you. Let's go back," Lestrange laughed, as the two of them slowly started heading back to the Great Hall.
~~~~~
"I want some more, Lucius," Severus stated firmly.
Lucius smiled. It seemed like the dark haired boy would be easier to manipulate than even he had realised. The potion wasn't just affecting Severus, though - the craving inside of Lucius was also steadily growing. All he wanted as well was to feel that heady influence again.
"You do?"
"Yes. Let's go and get some."
"Now?"
"Why wait?"
"Fine by me, Sev. Lead the way."
~~~~~
Erm... if anyone actually wants to give any suggestions or anything for this fic then please go ahead and say. I've recently become acutely aware that not one word of this has been laid in front of a beta reader.
Reviews please, they make my day, even the critical ones, as long as they're backed up... Would it be really cheeky to ask people if they could tell me why they like or don't like my fic?
Disclaimer: Nothing from Harry Potter is owned by me, it all belongs to the greater people out there who aren't me, whether they be authors, film directors or the milkmen down the road...
Finally, the chapter.
Chapter Eight
Severus Snape woke slowly and gently. He was aware of a soft warmth curled against his side, and of a comfortable pressure against his stomach. Breathing calmly in and out, he gradually became more aware of his surroundings. Everything felt good. Everything was warm and secure and... *right*. He became aware of a soft hitching near his ear, turned his head and lazily opened his eyes.
It was Lucius who lay pressed up against him, Lucius' breath he could feel against his neck and Lucius' arm that lay curled protectively around his waist. In his sleep, the blonde instinctively flexed his fingers, his unconscious seemingly aware of Severus' change in position even though he was still sleeping heavily. Severus moaned quietly, the contact leaving a delicious tingling that spread slowly on his side.
Bit by bit, memories of the previous night came back to him. He remembered drinking, and laughing, and then looking into Lucius' eyes and then finding his friend's mouth upon his. Severus turned to look at him again. In sleep the boy looked so much younger, no malice, or cunning, or sheer depravity was etched onto his face. He was relaxed. This was surely a Lucius Malfoy that others rarely saw. Severus felt an overwhelming sense of gladness that he was one of those few.
His long eyelashes curled softly, and his hair was not pulled back as customary, but soft and downy against the pillow. A prominent mark caught Severus' eye as he smoothed Lucius' hair away from his neck. A smile began to spread itself slowly across Severus' face. That was his mark.
He suddenly remembered that kissing was not all they had done last night. He suddenly felt the urge to wake Lucius up and pick up where they had left off - the sensations proving themselves too intense for the two teenagers from doing anything besides touching each other. Severus wanted to do all the things Lucius had done with his previous lovers. He wanted to know what all those things felt like.
Lucius' eyes fluttered, and opened slowly. His body ached from his contact with Sev, and he felt blood starting to gain speed as it ran through his body. He raised his gaze, found the dark eyes staring down at him, and waited for a reaction. The potion, if still potent in him, should definitely still be affecting Sev, if the instructions were anything to go by. It had said the effects would last for approximately 24 hours, then gradually subside. Lucius had to make sure Severus kept taking it - it wouldn't be difficult, if Sev seemed reluctant. He could just spike his pumpkin juice. All he had to do was to keep Severus away from reading about it. He didn't fancy Severus' reactions if he found out Lucius had used a mind-altering drug on him. But with regular doses Sev should be kept eager and pliable. If the worst came to the worst then he could cast a simple Obliviate.
When he saw the happiness and thinly veiled lust in his lover's face, all Lucius' doubts vanished. Severus was definitely still under the effects.
Severus traced the outline of the mark on the blonde's neck, making him shiver. Bending his head, their lips touched, and without hesitation their mouths opened simultaneously and tongues began duelling. Lucius suddenly pulled back, and he sat up. Guilt flooded him, a feeling he was unaccustomed to. Severus was his friend, his only true friend, and here he was, taking advantage like some common... He gathered his thoughts and tried to reassure himself.
"Sev, are you sure you want to do this?"
Severus' brows furrowed in confusion. "Want? Luc, I need this. Now shut up. I want to go further than we did last night. You came too soon. Both times."
A grin assaulted Lucius' features. "I apologise, my love. You are obviously too potent an aphrodisiac."
Severus pushed his friend down and straddled him. He couldn't keep a straight face either. "Obviously!" he laughed. "But really, you've let yourself down. All this reputation blown and gone! All those rumours finally dispelled..."
Lucius feigned outrage. "The cheek! I see I'll have to prove to you how long I can last." "Yes, I suppose you will," he said, in a smug voice.
Lucius suddenly took hold of him. Severus gasped and reached down to the mattress to steady himself, heady sensations sweeping through him. "But that doesn't mean that you're allowed to come so fast either," the blonde said huskily.
"Not fair," he managed to get out. "I... have nowhere near your experience. It is not within me to last as long as you can... God, please, don't stop."
The expression of need and torment on Sev's face only caused Lucius to pump harder. "I suppose we'll just have to practice lasting as long as we can, then."
"Yes... Oh... yes."
~~~~~
The two Slytherins walked into lunch late, which earned them a glare of disapproval from the headmaster, but they couldn't have cared less about what that Gryffindor-lover thought. Everyone looked at them as they strode arrogantly through the hall, grinning and laughing. They looked so *happy*. Lucius never looked purely happy like that. Severus barely cracked a smile in public, ever.
They sat down at the Slytherin table, unaware of all eyes fixed on them. Helping themselves to large quantities of food, they began eating ravenously as if they'd been starved for a month. Gradually normal activity resumed in the hall.
That afternoon was spent in voracious exploration in the privacy of Lucius' bed, and by the evening both were exhausted but thoroughly sated. Lucius considered their situation as Severus lay sleeping against him. His heart panged when he realised that Severus would never have lain with him without coercion. Yet he seemed so happy and so genuinely responsive to Lucius that he sometimes had to remind himself of the Potion and its effects.
Lucius wasn't stupid, and knew it couldn't last. Soon the potion would run out and frankly, loath as he was to admit it, those ingredients purchased from Knockturn Alley were not only rare and difficult to get hold of, but also quite expensive. But they had been worth it this time. Anyway, Severus wouldn't want to spend the rest of his life like they had today. Soon he might begin to wonder why all he wanted was to come inside his friend, or a comment from a fellow might set those cogs working. Either way, he had to be prepared to deal with Severus after their affair was over.
It was far too much to hope that the dark haired boy would remain willing to stay Lucius' lover. Once he found out about Lucius' scheme he would hate him forever on principle, and Lucius didn't want to be on the receiving end of one of Severus's grudges. No, Obliviate seemed the only option. He'd just have to make up a nice suitable memory for Severus to remember instead.
As Lucius sat thinking about his plan, he forgot about one thing. Rosier wasn't about to give up his claim, or forgo a chance to ruin Severus' happiness. And right now, Rosier was very interested, very curious, and Severus was very happy... But Lucius, distracted by the pleasurable comfort of his lover stretched out beside him, quickly succumbed to sleep, and gave Rosier no thought at all.
~~~~~~
Marcus Lestrange and Evan Rosier sat in the Quidditch stands, watching the Slytherin team practice. It wasn't really a proper practice, as the head of the team was languishing in bed, and the quaffle was being tossed around and everyone was indulging in gossip. Rosier should have been out there practicing himself but couldn't see the point when Lucius wasn't there. So he'd come over to talk to his friend, who'd been ready to watch the practice, but so far Marcus couldn't work out why Rosier had done so, as he wasn't saying anything. But he knew he'd find out soon enough.
Rosier had his eye on the quaffle as it was passed from chaser to chaser. Casually, he said, "wonder where Lucius is. No doubt he'd be furious if he was here, watching this. We've got a match next week."
Marcus shrugged. "He should be here then. It's his fault if practice doesn't run smoothly if he doesn't bother to turn up."
"Right you are, I suppose." Rosier abruptly dropped his head, and turned to look at his friend. Lestrange wondered what the purpose of all this was, and abruptly decided to go ahead and ask.
"Evan, why are you here?"
He seemed surprised. Lestrange generally didn't ask direct questions. "It's a nice day, it's good to be with my friend, cheer on our house together..... Do I need a reason to come over to you?"
"Don't pull that one. You've hardly said a word the entire time you've been sitting here. You probably just wanted to get away from everyone over there, didn't you?" Rosier hung his head, not denying Lestrange's words.
This is about Malfoy, isn't it." It was a statement. Lestrange had long since accepted that Rosier had an undeniable infatuation with the wealthy blonde, and just let him get on with it. It would eventually wear itself out, though it was taking a lot longer than he had hoped for.
Rosier flushed, and turned back to look at the pitch. "What about Malfoy."
"You're not bothered by him and Snape walking into lunch today like they owned the world and they owned it together?"
"So what if I am," Rosier muttered. "Don't you think it's a bit odd, how everyone knows that Severus isn't gay, and he always refused any sort of liaison with Lucius, and suddenly they're both displaying their relationship with no concession for how anyone else might take it?"
"You don't actually know they're together. And even if they are, why should they care what anyone else thinks?" Lestrange asked mildly. He now knew the full extent of Rosier's unhappiness.
"Of course they're together. Did you see the looks they were giving each other? And where do you suppose Lucius is now? He's probably up in his room getting his brains screwed out," Rosier spat jealously.
"You only think it's strange because you want Lucius for yourself," Lestrange said gently. "Loads of relationships stop and start as quickly or even more than this one. Look at Black and Lupin. After months of dallying around they got together and announced it in less than a day."
"There's something funny going on. Lucius said something to me the other day in the showers. I think there's something not right about Severus' sudden change of mood."
"You were in the showers with Lucius?" Lestrange asked, amused. "Since when do you and he bathe together?"
"I... cornered him after the Quidditch match. Asked him to go with me. He said no, before you ask. But he said something like events were about to change."
The other boy leaned forward, interested. "Did he? Did he say how?"
"No, once he realised he'd slipped he got nasty. He just said events were about to change unexpectedly."
"Well, that doesn't mean that he's done anything to Snape. It probably just meant that he was about to persuade him that night, I don't know, stun him with his victory or something and Severus just said yes. There doesn't have to be a corrupt meaning with everything, you know."
"But there usually is when it comes to Lucius. Snape isn't the type to just go and change his mind over something like that. You know Lucius and I spent the night together when the school year started."
"Yes, I know, Evan. You've fully regaled me with this story more than once before about how it was the best night of your life, and what a great lover Malfoy was," Lestrange said sarcastically. He really didn't want another rendition from his friend, having had this particular one more times than he cared to count, and most of them ending with his friend getting extremely bitter and angry.
"There's no need to act like that!" Rosier said sharply. "I was just going to say that it was due to Snape - they'd argued about them getting together, or rather Lucius wanting them to, and if they argued that fiercely that he came to me, then how come they've suddenly got together now?"
"I don't know," he said heavily. "Don't go poking around for something that isn't there, Evan, please. You'll only hurt yourself in the end. Just try and accept that Lucius and Snape are together, and there really isn't anything that you can do about it."
Rosier smiled bitterly. "Suppose you'd like that, wouldn't you. You're just jealous."
Lestrange started to lose patience. "Jealous? What have I to be jealous of? Of you pathetically mooning over something that you'll never have? Hardly."
Rosier abruptly stood up, eyes flashing. "Fine, if that's the way you feel. I guess I'll just have to find out what's going on myself, then."
"How are you going to do that?" Marcus challenged. "Go up to Malfoy and ask him? I doubt he'll exactly be forthcoming with information. What's he going to say, 'oh yes Evan, I've somehow forced Severus Snape into a relationship with me, and that's why he looks so happy about it'?"
"That's my point! Snape never looks happy unless there's something wrong with him!"
"Would you be happy if you were in a relationship with Lucius?"
"Of course I would, but it's different for me! I've wanted Lucius for months!"
"Evan, you're just looking for ways not to accept that they're together and that they want to be. You're in denial, my friend. Get over him! Please, Evan, if not for you, then for me."
Rosier stood silently, a stubborn resilience battling with the common sense of his friend's words. Finally, he said, "s'getting cold. Tea'll be ready soon."
Lestrange stood up, and gripped his friend by the shoulders, fighting the urge to shake him. "Listen to me. Once you move on you wont find any of this strange. You'll look back and wonder why you were making such a fuss. Move on and find someone else. All this concentration on Malfoy isn't healthy."
"Don't suppose you fancy a fuck, do you Marcus? Help me get over him?" Rosier asked wryly, a brief smile curving his lips.
Lestrange smiled, hoping that Rosier was indeed taking his words to heart. "Hmmm... you might have to run it past my girlfriend first."
"Ah, she wouldn't mind. She can even join in, if she wants."
"Let me think about it. Come on, you. Let's go back," Lestrange laughed, as the two of them slowly started heading back to the Great Hall.
~~~~~
"I want some more, Lucius," Severus stated firmly.
Lucius smiled. It seemed like the dark haired boy would be easier to manipulate than even he had realised. The potion wasn't just affecting Severus, though - the craving inside of Lucius was also steadily growing. All he wanted as well was to feel that heady influence again.
"You do?"
"Yes. Let's go and get some."
"Now?"
"Why wait?"
"Fine by me, Sev. Lead the way."
~~~~~