Lucius got throught the rest of his classes quite quickly. The hufflepuffs and ravenclaws weren't much bother. Even if they didn't like him, those weak little hufflepuffs were probably too scared to say anything. And the ravenclaws were simply determined to learn, no matter who was teaching. As soon as his day was over, he walked back to his office and changed into something formal. He took a glance out the window. It was dark. It wasn't much brighter inside his office, the bleak goth-like room matching his personality quite well. He wasn't planning to stay there for much longer. He readied himself and looked into his reflection in the mirror, noting how handsome he looked. "You can do this, Lucius. You just hsve to speak to him. Come on." He spoke to his reflection. It was already lights out, he would have to be quiet.l ucius walked down the corridor, taking deep breaths, his nerves wracking as if he were about to give an important speech. He made his way to Snape's office and stopped, thiught for a seocond, and slowly knocked on the door. "Severus." He muttered. "It's me." Snape grunted. "Leave. Do not speak to me." Lucius looked stricken. "Why do you hate me, Severus?" He said, almost tenderly. "LEAVE!" Snape growled. A shattering sound was heard. Something had fallen from his desk. Snape quickly casted the appropriate spells to repair it. "Please. Let me speak to you. Just.. hear me out, Snape." All is silent for a few seconds. Lucius considers turning back. His heart soars with relief as the door slowly creaks open. "Come in." Snape snarls, letting him enter his office. "Thank you." Lucius says genuinely, giving a small bow. Both of them sit in chairs opposite of eachother. "I still detest you, Malfoy. Allowing you entry to my office means nothing." Lucius smiles sweetly. "Nothing.. exept that you decided to hear me out. You want to know what I have to say. Does that not mean something, Severus?" Snape looks into Lucius's eyes as if he's trying to read his soul, his intentions. "As I've said, it means nothing. I am simply curious as to what you have to say. After that, you will take your leave from my office, and never speak to me again." Lucius nods, clearly doubting Severus's statement. "Sure, Severus. I noticed you called me Malfoy earlier.. are we no longer on first name basis? I find that hard to believe." "Why is it so hard to believe, malfoy? Of course, you may not see any reason for someone to dislike you. In your mind, you've never done anything wrong. You've always just been a victim, haven't you, Lucius? You narcissistic little-" Snape stops himself from going in on Lucius any further. He closes his eyes takes in a deep breath, easing his temper. He reopens his eyes, now facing Lucius with a new sense of calm ease. "What was it that you had to tell me. Make it quick, please. I am a busy man. Of course, you know almost nothing of hardwork, do you? You incompetent, spoiled brat." Lucius sighs. He expected this, of course. He walked in here prepared to be insulted as such. He has killed men for less than Severus has so nonchalantly said... But he's not here to kill Snape, of course. He's here to apologize. He stares at the ground for a second, collecting his thoughts, deciding what to say. "You know why I took this job, Severus?" He says quietly, but just loud enough for Snape to hear. "To prove yourself to the lord? To be better than I? To upstage me?" Snape snaps. "No, Severus. It was I who suggested it. I acted of my own free will, not for the lord, or my son, or anyone else. Of course, I will be reporting back to him.. but that.. is not why I came." Lucius says, sounding quite honest. Severus stands and slams his hands to the desk. "Lies. LIES. why would voldemort need another spy inside hogwarts? I thought I was doing well enough. If the lord has no use for me anymore, why would he not simply kill me?" Lucius stands up, too. He is of equal height with Severus. "I told you, I am not here of the lords orders. You are still his sole spy. It can't hurt to have more, of course, but you are of great importance to him." This seems to calm Severus, and they both sit back down. "Why must you be here, then? To worsen my life yet again?" Lucius scoffs. "I never worsened your life. I remember you telling me that I was the best thing to happen to you, actually. Oh so many years ago.. you remember it too, don't you? Back when we were younger, inside these very castle walls.. in my dorm room, I believe. We used to sneak around, making out...or just talking to eachother.. what happened to that, Severus? That connection." Snape looks deeply hurt. He does not like to remember this. "I think we both know what happened. You decided to run off with black. You chose her over me. You got married to her, had a son. A son that is now in my class, a constant reminder of why I will never trust again. As soon as I began to forget. Of course.. it'll never escape me. The grief you put me through. You have no idea how I felt." Snape's words are almost daggers, piercing Lucius's heart. "I'm sorry. I honestly, really am." Lucius mutters. "I still remember exactly what you said to me, that day. "This isn't working out." More like, "I'm sick of you." What did I ever do to deserve that, Lucius? I gave you my undying love and respect, and I got thrown to the side. For a woman, no less. I have nothing against them, of course. But... well... For what you did to me, I shall never forgive. The highest form of disrespect. And now, you've simply wandered into my clutches, made yourself vulnerable. Should I not enact my revenge, here and now?" Severus snarls vindictively. Lucius sighs. "Leaving you.. was truthfully the worst mistake I have ever made. I agree with you. You should enact your revenge. Be it violence, ridicule, I don't care, I'll let you. Hurt me as I hurt you. I would deserve it. I'm not here to fight you. I'm here for peace. To apologize. The truth is.. my wife.." he jerks his head in a different direction, unable to look Snape in the eyes anymore. "She doesn't love me. She hasn't told me outright, but I can tell, the feeling is mutual. I've got myself caught in quite a web, haven't I? I can't divorce her, no, it is against the rules of pureblood marrige. And our son.. our poor son. Even if I could, I wouldn't be able to divorce her. I'd have to stay, for my son. But I don't love her, Severus. I know that now. I don't believe that I..ever have. I want you, Severus. I need you." Lucius says lovingly, although sounding as if he was about to break into a thousand pieces, like a glass mirror. Snape still looks at him angrily, despite his depressing state. "So, you have one argument with your wife and run back to me? You expect me to solve your problems for you, Lucius? I can't count how many times you told me that you loved me back than. Did you really mean it? Of course not. You left me, wounded and alone, as you got married and had a child with Narcissa. You don't really love me. You never have. Now go, run away like you always do. If I see you again... if I see your face one more time.." Snape threatens. "Go on, take your anger out on me, honey, I'd definitely deserve it. I know what I did. I'm not here so you can solve my problems. I'm here because I love you. It's not a lie, Severus, I always have. Please.." Lucius remarks quietly. Snape glares at him angrily. "Now you're trying to make me pity you. I see through your little game. You think i'll take you back, let you cry on my shoulder, console you? You attempt to make me love you again by acting like a wounded dog? I will not. I'm.. not giving in.. to you.." Lucius begins to sob. "I'M NOT TRYING TO MAKE YOU PITY ME, IM TRYING TO APOLOGIZE, YOU FOOL! I CAME ALL THIS WAY TO SAY IT, AND YOU CAN'T EVEN A-ACCEPT IT? HOW.. HOW DARE YOU?" They stare into eachothers eyes for a few seconds. Severus knows he should shout back, fight with him, give some snappy retort, but he can't. He's never been one to pity anyone, to feel much compassion.. but here he was, practically giving in to Lucius already. He searched Lucius's eyes, his expression, looking for any trace of deceit, of manipulation... but he finds none. All he sees is pure remorse and apology. An emotion he never thought possible of Lucius Malfoy. He realized, in that moment, that he had never heard Lucius say sorry until now. And yet, he had today. He had truly apologized. "If I let you back into my life.. you'll run away again, won't you?" Snape whispers. "I would never, ever do that to you." Lucius responds, full of passion. Snape doesn't move his gaze from Lucius's stormcloud-like grey eyes. "And yet, you did. You abandoned me.." Snape mutters. Lucius grabs the collar of Severus's shirt and pushes their bodies closer. "And I would never even think of doing it again. You can even search my mind. It never crossed it once. I came here to reconcile with you. Not to manipulate you. Please, believe me." And in that second, Snape believes him. He tries to fight it, he doesn't want to admit to himself that he could trust this man again, that he still loves him. "And if you do? If you leave me in the dirt again, cast me aside?" Lucius looks at him with a shocking determination in his eyes. "Then feel free to do whatever you see fit, Severus. Even if you must kill me. So be it." Severus nods. Lucius lets go of him and steps back. They both stand, staring at eachother. Lucius turns around. "I sense I should leave. I may have.. overstayed my welcome." Snape stops him immediately as he heads for the door. "No, you haven't." Lucius turns back around to face him. "I would emplore you to stay a bit longer, in fact." Severus mutters. Lucius smiles. "I'll stay as long as you like." They look at eachother for a minute. Lucius slowly slides his face towards Severus's, until their lips are almost touching. He stops moving. "Are you... going to kiss me?" Snape asks. "Not unless you allow me to." Lucius responds. And Snape kisses Lucius back, pressing their lips together. He tastes of spices, undefined, amazing spices. Of cigars and masculinity. Snape slides his hand into Lucius's hair, caressing it, pushing himself forward, longing for that familiar taste of his lips, the feeling of his amazing, warm love that he hadn't felt in so long. Lucius grabs the collar of snape's shirt, with each of his hands grasping a different side, and forces him to stand. He maneuvers Severus over to his desk and begins to bend him over it, leaning into him.