He was thankful that Harry's disappointment at Remus' early departure had dissipated almost as soon as his other friends had begun to arrive. He had blindly accepted Lupin's excuse about his 'time of the month', but Draco was a Malfoy, and therefore knew better than most when someone was lying. He knew Lupin's hasty exodus had something to do with his father's scathing glares and Severus' retraction into his shell.
He smiled as he saw Harry walking towards him through the crowd, his hips swaying slightly. He slipped his arm around the shy blonde's waist and kissed his cheek chastely. He started to move away when Draco caught his chin with two fingers and pulled him forwards into a somewhat less innocent kiss. Harry looked shocked at the sudden show of affection. He knew that Draco loved him, but he wasn't the most demonstrative of people.
"What's that in aid of?"
"Do I need an excuse to love you?" Harry tried not to smirk and failed.
"Come on. You should greet your guests."
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Draco managed to slip away from Harry's friends and sought after his father amongst the unfamiliar crowd. He found him listening jadedly to a balding wizard, nodding occasionally and checking the clock on the wall every few seconds.
"Dad, can I have a word please?" Lucius looked relieved to be excused from the company of the tireless man.
"Of course. Excuse me." The man smiled understandingly and wondered off to find someone else to bore.
"What have you done?" Lucius' face was a picture of polite puzzlement. "What have you said to Severus? I know you both well enough to know when you've had a disagreement, and since Remus went home early I assume that your jealous streak had something to do with it. Go talk to him." Draco slinked away before Lucius could reply, and Lucius started to search for Severus, thinking of all the nasty things he would do to him if alcohol had loosened his tongue.
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Harry didn't notice Severus until later that evening. By this time the rest of his company were comfortable and inebriated enough so they didn't need his constant attention. He glanced around the room, hoping to see Lucius or Draco, both of them being substantially more at ease talking to the often disagreeable and sullen retired blight of his teenage years. However, seeing neither, he made his way to the terrace, stopped a few times by drunken acquaintances he'd forgotten the names of and once by Fred Weasley.
Severus leaned elegantly on the metal railings lining the paved terrace, a drink in one hand and a cigarette in the other, staring intently at the setting sun. The cigarette burned closer and closer to his fingers, before the weight of the untended ash became too much and it dropped to the ground in a swirl of softly smouldering grey and orange pinpricks.
"Professor?" He started slightly at the sound of his voice but recovered quickly.
"Don't you think it's about time you started calling me by my first name? You left school nine years ago, and I left ten years ago. You're engaged to my godson, even. I think the title 'Professor' has been made quite redundant." Harry was surprised by the eloquence in his speech, despite the almost overbearing smell of alcohol on his breath.
"Are you okay, Pr-?" He stopped himself from saying professor, but couldn't quite bring himself to call the man he once feared and respected in equal measures 'Severus'.
"Define 'okay', Potter. When people say they are 'okay', they are generally completely and utterly miserable yet feel they should keep their disillusionment with life to themselves, for some reason I could never fathom. So what does okay mean to you, Potter? Contentment? Happiness? Or are you just as fucking depressed as the rest of us?" Harry fumbled clumsily for words, taken aback by this sudden attack from the usually reserved man before him. Severus laughed cruelly and lit another cigarette, taking a long drag before speaking again. "I'm just peachy, Harry. Just peachy. " Harry was spared having to reply by a silken voice from behind him. Lucius looked flawless, as usual, the very epitome of composure as a gentle smile rested on his lips.
"I think Draco's looking for you, Harry." He moved to go back into the house, but something about Lucius' calm expression and the way Severus hurriedly stumped out his cigarette and sunk his head into his hands made him hesitate. Lucius raised one shapely eyebrow and Harry blushed, before thanking him and rushing into the house, leaving the two older men alone on the terrace.
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Lucius leaned on the railings beside Severus, brushing the cool metal pretentiously with his sleeve before touching it. He frowned slightly when he saw a small collection of empty bottle and cigarette ash on the ground below the slightly raised platform of the terrace.
"What did you say to him, Severus?" His voice sounded calm enough, but Severus had also noticed the couple standing within earshot. He guessed he was safe for the moment and sneered ironically at Lucius.
"Private conversation." The couple glanced up at his sarcastic tone and decided to take a walk. Lucius watched them go before forcefully turning Severus to face him.
"If I find out that you've been telling him things he has no business knowing, your life won't be worth living."
"Yeah, because it's all fun and games at the moment, isn't it? I don't think I've ever mentioned it, but I do so love broken bones and cleaning blood from the floor." He tore away from Lucius and made his way upstairs.
Draco and Harry, dancing amongst other couples, heard the slamming of his bedroom door and flinched. Lucius recovered quickly and came back into the house, curtailing straight to the drinks table.
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I pace the room, knowing that I shouldn't have snapped like that. I'll pay for it later. The effects of the alcohol are wearing off, and with it departs the iota of courage I'd had half an hour ago. There is blood on the floor, and the bedpost where I hit my head. I wonder if it's worth it for the occasional display of affection, the feeling of belonging to someone. I think of where I would go, how I would live, and realise I don't care. I step onto the balcony and estimate the distance from here to the forest. It's quite a distance, much further that I could go on foot before Lucius noticed I was missing, but I think I can apparate the expanse. I don't want to try apparating too far, as I haven't used magic in so long. I consider searching for my wand, but knowing Lucius he probably keeps it with him. I glance at the room for the last time, and am gone.
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Lucius watches Severus' apparate to the edge of the forest, glance around furtively, and disappear into the vast concentration of trees. He checks the time, the distance, and decides he has time for another drink.
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He slows down and glances behind him, eventually turning around and walking backwards. The lights of Malfoy Manor are still visible. The sun dips beneath the horizon and pitches him into darkness. His breathing slows to a regular pace and he brushes his hair from his face. He can still see the silhouettes of guests, and tells himself that Lucius probably doesn't even know he's missing yet. He can't imagine Lucius, the perfect host, leaving a party early, even if there was too many people to notice if he wasn't there. He allows himself a smile of relief.
"Going somewhere?" He turns quickly and stumbles slightly, his obsidian eyes enlarging at the sight of Lucius leaning lethargically against a tree. Before he even sees Lucius move he's pinned up against the same tree, so close that he can smell alcohol on Lucius' breath. "Didn't think so." A tear of frustration rolls down Severus' cheek and he scolds himself for it. Lucius kisses him, tasting the salty tear on his lips, before trailing kisses down Severus' neck.
"Please don't, Lucius. You're drunk."
"You're hardly the model of sobriety yourself." His words are slurred, and Severus can feel his warm breath on his neck and shudders.
"Stop it." He cries out in surprise and pain as his arm is twisted behind his back.
"Don't tell me what to do. Just let me take what's rightfully mine." He continues to push Severus' arm upwards until his hand brushes his shoulder blade.
"Fine. Fine, just stop hurting me. Please don't hurt me anymore, not today." Lucius laughs and releases his arm.
"I knew you'd see it my way."