I know, another Venom and HP crossover. I can't help it, these two are just made to be.

This one will likely have 5 chapters, maybe more.

Enjoy - and as always reviews are appreciated!

Just Business

Chapter 1

Eddie Brock flicked his pen against his notepad. He lent an elbow on the diner counter, his coffee cooling in the mug to his left and his second plate of tater tots covered in mustard and ketchup next to it.

Annie had gotten engaged to that quack doctor boyfriend of hers (Dan - Venom supplied) and as such Eddie was trying to get out of the party later that night.

Eddie had the bright idea that if he could play off writing a news article and a scoop, he'd be able to get out of attending.

Mind you, he was happy for Annie. He was.

After the breakup and then the whole Venom fiasco and saving the world, Eddie was glad Annie was safe and could live a fairly normal life (as normal as being a high-end lawyer representing the big bucks of San Fran could be).

His phone buzzed.

Phone. Venom growled out as Eddie rolled his eyes, fishing around till he pulled out the buzzing iPhone.

Annie's name flashed up on the screen as Eddie sighed, letting it ring through to voicemail.

Eddie stuffed his pen and notepad into his jacket pocket, throwing some bills on the counter as he ambled out the diner.

He wasn't surprised by the sleek black Audi that had pulled up out the front. Nor when the window wound down and revealed a familiar blonde woman.

"Get in."

"No way. I'm busy." Eddie grumbled and Venom snickered in his mind.

"Eddie." Annie threatened.

"How'd you find me?" Eddie sighed, moving to get in the passenger side, hunching up into the smaller vehicle.

"Find my Friends."

Eddie groused. "Even my phone betrays me."

Tell her to drive real fast. Make us fly.

Eddie rolled his eyes, shuffling against the leather as he stared out the window.

"I can't believe you were trying to get out of coming! I thought you were happy for me!" Annie said as she began to drive a familiar route to Eddie's apartment.

"I am happy for you."

So happy that she's getting dick and it isn't yours.

Eddie growled back to Venom in his mind.

"Well, you should act like you're happy then! Not this broody, hormonal teen act you've been keeping up lately!" Annie continued. "And that means you're showering, dressing in that nice suit I know you still have in your closet, and you have some drinks and for once, enjoying yourself and having fun for a night."

"I do have fun." Eddie replied, his tone petulant.

"You hanging out with Venom and eating snacks on the couch, watching movies, is not counted as 'fun' Ed. Come on. What's the worst thing that could happen?" Annie pulled up out the front of the apartment complex, parking.

"I have to speak with Dan and his doctor colleagues about wine and cheese," Eddie stated easily.

Annie leant over and smacked his arm with the back of her hand.

"And you're going to happily talk about wine and cheese tonight. For me. Please Eddie. I want you there. Plus I have my work colleagues coming, even Cindy." Annie waggled her brows and Eddie snorted.

Yes, he knew all about Cindy. Annie had taken it upon herself to try and set him up with every single woman she knew.

Eddie had tried again and again to explain that vanilla, pretty girls weren't going to be able to cope with the unexpected and probably unwanted surprise of Venom and his more...obvious tastes (human flesh being one of them). Bit hard to hide that after date two or three.

It didn't help that most women thought him buttfuck crazy when he muttered to himself.

Venom thought it all hilarious and found himself being called the alien cockblock for the last year or so.

"The things I do for you…" Eddie said with a sigh as they climbed the stairs to his floor. Annie grinned and slipped her arm through his.

"You know I'm only doing what's best for you."

Eddie was ushered through to the shower, told to at least trim his stubble so it didn't look like he was homeless and to be out in no more than 20 minutes.

As Eddie finally emerged, his stubble shorn to an acceptable length and his hair still damp, towel wrapped around his waist.

Annie promptly pushed him down on the couch, a jar of hair gel (where did she get that from?) in hand as she styled his hair so it sat back from his face. She seemed happy with the results and then pushed him to his room, where she had laid out his suit.

Eddie was thankful to see no tie among his clothes, noting it was at least all ironed and pressed.

She's dressing you up like a little dolly. Venom cackled away, pulling out for a moment. All pretty, aren't you Eddie?

Eddie just gave him the finger as he quickly did up the buttons on the dark grey shirt, leaving the top two undone as he slipped his black suit jacket over the top.

When he emerged, Annie grinned and placed a purple pocket square in the jacket pocket, quickly ushering them out.

"You're going to be accompanying me now, while I get ready."

Eddie groaned as he realised it was going to be a long next hour or two.

By the time it was 8pm, Eddie had enough and Venom was itching to get out. They spent too long around proper people and they were missing his usual beer and snack food. Glasses of champagne and small finger food didn't satiate either the human nor Symbiote and they were soon fed up with the inane chatter and the dull music.

The place was in the upper part of San Fran, a fancy bar which was decorated in strings of hanging tea light candles and soft white table clothes and draping sheer curtains. Inside was a long bar table filled with food and of course, cheese.

As he pushed his way through the crowd, Eddie finally made it to some safety in the small courtyard that faced the city skyline, the only light illuminating the outside being the moonlight and the light streaming out from the glass doors.

He wasn't surprised to see someone else out here, another man who was dressed in black leaning up against the railing. His back was to Eddie but he noted the dark hair which was as pitch as the suit he wore.

Shrugging to himself, Venom mumbling at the back of his mind about being hungry and bored and wanting to go to the diner, Eddie walked over.

"Escaping the small talk as well?" Eddie said, trying to be friendly as he stood a few feet away from the stranger and looked out over the skyline.

The stranger laughed. "You could say that."

Venom perked up and Eddie raised a brow at the accent.

"So, who do you know, Annie or Dan?" Eddie said as he took a swig of his beer.

"Oh, Annie. Her and Cindy pestered me until I gave in and promised to come tonight." The stranger continued as he kept his eyes on the dark sky.

Eddie laughed, shaking his head. "Seems we're in the same boat then."

The stranger laughed, turning to finally face Eddie as they shared in their mirth.

Then it all stopped.

Eddie and Venom stilled.

The stranger with those green eyes was looking back.

Even in the dark, they seemed to glow brightly. A handsome face with a square jaw, clean shaven and his hair a mess of waves.

Eddie took it all in. But his eyes. They drew him, a magnetic pull that he didn't think he'd be able to pull free from.

Ours.

Venom burst forth and lunged.

It all happened within a few seconds but the next thing Eddie knew he was on the other side of the courtyard with a sore head, and when he looked up, the stranger was gone.

"What the fuck, V?" Eddie grumbled as he rubbed the back of his head, his fingers coming away wet. "You can't just come out like that."

Eddie. He's ours. We need him. Venom purred.

"How can we need him? We don't even know his damn name..." Eddie stood slowly.

Find him. Ours.

Eddie ambled back in, going to the bathroom to find some towels to clean himself up.

Venom kept up with his writhing.

Find our mate Eddie!

"Mate?" Eddie said as he ran a fancy hand towel under the tap which he then used to dabbed away at the blood.

I have to have him Eddie.

"V. You can't just have him. That's not how it works."

Yes it is. It is simple. Find him. Pin him to the wall and make him ours.

"V. That's rape. No." Eddie mumbled to himself.

A man emerged from the cubicle behind him, giving him a wide berth.

"Dammit, V. Now he thinks I'm a rapist." Eddie hissed as the man washed his hands and quickly exited the bathroom.

Serves you right you perv. You're thinking the same thing too. Those green eyes. They'd be so mad. And he'd fight back just like he did!

"You're a fucking masochist, V."

So are you.

Eddie was silent for a moment before shrugging. "True."

I want more food. Then we find our green eyed man.

Eddie left the bathroom looking a bit more presentable. The wound to his head already healing.

A scan of the crowd showed their missing green eyed man wasn't to be found and so Eddie made a swift exit after a hasty goodbye to Annie.

What Eddie didn't know was that he wouldn't be seeing his mysterious man until a week later.