Title: Twins
Author: Kiarene
Pairings: none yet
Rating: G/R
Summary: The Malfoy twins start Hogwarts. Totally AU. Protective!Lucius and sweet!Draco.
Published: 1st June 2006
Disclaimer: Not mine sighs

A/N and warnings: Will be slashy eventually. Twincest hints. Sap overload. Turn back now if any of that offends you. I can't even begin to say pre-HBP or pre-GoF; it deviates from canon right from the first.

Life's been really hectic since I last updated. Exam after exam, projects, etc. I initially wanted to write more to this chapter before I post it, but an email coughmahoganyhandlecough sporked me...

Anyway, a bit of a filler chapter.

Twins

Chapter 8

In which the twins return home for the holidays.

The last day of term was always more chaotic than the first day. Students thundered up and down the Hogwarts Express, uncaring of school rules or even the school clothes. Robes were discarded for thick sweaters, and ties were abandoned, dripping from school bags, tied around waists as belts, even doubling as bookstraps.

The Slytherin first-years were in their cabin, the same six friends who'd traveled together on the first day of term. Vincent and Gregory were sprawled out, mouths slack and snoring. Draco was absorbed in a book and Blaise simply stared blankly out of the window as the train rattled along, almost falling asleep, his shoulders slumped.

Pansy looked up as the carriage door slid open, her bored expression immediately brightening. "Marcus!" Her grin became wicked. "Hey Lucius! Marcus is here to see you!"

A dull flush chased across the tanned Beater's cheeks. So he was here to see Lucius, as usual. "It's team business!"

"It always is," Pansy agreed, eyes twinkling.

Seated beside the cheeky girl, Lucius was stroking Pansy's cat. He looked up at the older boy with a sweet smile, eyes curious. "Yes?"

Marcus cleared his throat, his ears flushed red. The door slide closed behind him. "The other Houses don't do it and it's somewhat of a Slytherin secret," he gave a wink, grinning. "We'll continue to hold our weekly training sessions during the holidays. Would you be able to make it?"

"Sure!" Lucius' face lit up in delight. He loved Quidditch and he really enjoyed being with the team. "Where are the practices?"

"Usually at my place or Sam's, since only the two of us have a big enough backyard to build a Quidditch pitch," Marcus told Lucius. Then remembering, he looked at Draco as well. "Ah, Draco. You don't have to attend practice but it would be great if you could come too."

"Of course," Draco said curtly. But the captain didn't notice as his attention was back on Lucius again.

"I didn't know you like cats." Marcus rubbed the back of his head as he laughed nervously. With the exception of Draco, all the other first-years looked on in great interest and amusement. "Sam's got a cat — want to come over to have a look at her?"

"Sure!" Lucius passed the cat on his lap back to Pansy and turned to his brother. "Draco?"

"Uh, maybe later. I'll like to finish this book first." Draco pretended to be reading his book, and a flash of hurt stole over his face as Lucius followed the older boy out happily.

"Don't like Marcus much, do you?" Blaise said blandly.

"I like him fine. He's a good captain." Draco's frown belied his words. He shifted, re-crossing his legs.

"You just don't like his attention on Lucius," Pansy said shrewdly.

"I'm not jealous," Draco denied.

"Never said you were." Pansy stroked her cat, a knowing smile on her lips. She fought the urge to cackle as the tips of Draco's ears turned red.

"Well…" Draco's frown became darker, his brows furrowing in confusion. "I…"

The other boys may be a little dense on such issues, but Pansy was an observant girl. She gave Draco a comforting pat. "Trust me, nothing will happen."

"What do you mean?" Draco looked even more confused.

Pansy gave a long-suffering sigh. It was so obvious to her. "Marcus won't do anything about his crush on Lucius — he's that noble sort — and Lucius only admires Marcus."

"Crush?" Draco looked thunderous. He slammed his book shut and stood up.

"Draco! Don't you go rushing into the seniors' cabin," Pansy warned as she tugged at Draco's sleeve. The blond only glared at her.

"Draco!"

"All right, I won't!" Draco yanked his sleeve back irritably and stomped out of their cabin. Maybe a walk would help dissipate his anger.

Draco stomped along the train corridors, feeling marginally better by the time he reached the end. He was about to turn back when a door slid open and Potter stepped out of the toilet, adjusting his glasses.

"Wait, Malfoy!"

"What?" Draco turned, snarling. They haven't spoken since Samhain; well, not of the verbal kind at least. Occasionally, Draco had glared at the bespectacled boy, who oscillated between glaring back and looking apologetic. This time, he looked apologetic again.

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry," Potter blurted out in a rush. "For what happened that night."

Draco was tempted to ask, what night? But he didn't feel like getting into another fight with Potter over such a triviality.

"Fine," Draco said in a clipped tone. "Now if you would excuse me…"

"Wait!"

Draco looked pointed down at the hand that clutched his sleeve — really, perhaps he should start wearing short sleeves — but Potter looked stubborn. "I really am sorry."

Draco sighed at the dreadfully earnest tone and waggled his wrist meaningfully, but the tight grip stayed.

"Really, really sorry."

"All right already." Draco took one look at Potter's hang-dog expression and he couldn't help himself — he burst out laughing.

Potter stared at him, eyes wide and mouth open. Draco looked at his affronted expression and gave another silvery peal of laughter. "Gods, Potter! Look at yourself!"

Potter's expression became hurt, and then it was now his turn to stomp off while Draco ran after him. "Oy Potter! Wait!"

But Potter was in a right snit and Draco was laughing too hard to chase properly. After a few seconds, Draco gave up, leaning against the wall and sniggering. Well, perhaps he would hunt down Potter when term starts and explain himself…

Or maybe not.

Draco pushed himself away from the wall, shoulders still heaving and good humor restored.


"Do you think Mama's looking thinner?" Draco asked worriedly. The twins had just finished a hard ride through the fields, and the horses' breath was steaming in the brisk winter air as they trotted back towards the stables. Charmed horseshoes ensured that their mounts had no problem walking through the snow.

Snow tended to fall thickly in that region, and Malfoy Manor seemed to be blanketed in a layer of purest white. The Malfoy lands were extensive, and since spells and discrete magical helpers helped with the upkeep of the manor and holdings, the lands appeared untouched. There was no need for gardeners; spells on the hedges and trees kept the greenery neatly pruned, watered and fertilized. Fruit that fell were immediately spelled to the manor kitchens even before they hit the ground; flowers that bloomed were snipped and whisked to the manor.

Numerous wards on the unplottable manor kept unwanted visitors out; old magic that was tied to the Malfoy blood, as sturdy as the massive stone the manor was built from. It wasn't as if the Malfoy lands were devoid of lives, however. A small army of house-elves, practically invisible, kept the manor in pristine condition and attended to the Malfoys' numerous needs. The twins loved feeding the stray cats, kneazles, crubs or horngles that wandered through and often stayed, and in the stables, the Malfoy purebred equines were the envy of wizarding society. And untouched by humans, the vast woods that ringed their lands teemed with wildlife.

Lucius ran a hand through his horse's pale mane. Like the twins, the horses were pure white, with pale blond manes and tails. "A little. But she doesn't seem to be sick."

"I asked Dobby," Draco went on. "He said Mama has been much busier lately. She's accepted more concerts appearances and even started teaching a couple of students."

Lucius' eyes narrowed. "What does a house-elf know? And why should Mother bother to teach? She doesn't need this kind of work; we have more than enough money."

"Dobby's pretty all right for a house-elf, he's not too dumb," Draco frowned. "And I think there's nothing wrong with Mama wanting to teach. She's probably lonely, now that we've started school."

The buckles on the harnesses jingled as the horses trotted on, a bright merry sound in the still countryside.

Lucius blew out his breath with a huff. "I guess you're right. We have been neglecting Mother, haven't we? Is she lonely, really? She has many friends after all."

The boys could see the stables as they crested the path, and Draco gently pulled his horse to a stop. "Well, we'll be sure to spend more time with her then." He turned to look at his brother. "Winter solstice is coming up; that's always a joyous occasion."

The past few weeks since they returned home from school had been utterly marvelous. They had never appreciated all the free time they had as children until they entered school, the utter lack of a rigid schedule.

During the holidays, they could choose to wake up late and enjoy a lazy afternoon in the solarium, or they could spend an invigorating morning skiing across their vast property. Sometimes they went over to one of their friends' houses, sometimes they went to play Quidditch at Marcus' house. Just the other day, Mother had taken them shopping for new clothes. It was, after all, quite easy to stay up-to-date with the latest fashions when Paris and Milan were just a portkey away.

It had all been gloriously, wonderfully lazy.

Lucius nodded, gazing around at the serene snowscape. "Do we want a large party this year, or just a private one?"

"I'd prefer a small party. It's cozier," Draco decided. Winter Solstice, like Samhain, was one of the most important occasions in the Wizarding calendar. His face lit up. "No, a couple of small parties. Let's invite Pansy and the others for lunch, and I'm sure Mama would love to have Uncle Sev over for dinner. What do you think?"

Lucius smiled indulgently. "Sure. Anything you want."

"Wouldn't it be great if Uncle Sev was our father?" Draco brought up a topic they had often discussed. "Mama certainly likes him…"

"Maybe she doesn't like like him in that way. Or maybe he doesn't like her in that way," Lucius murmured, urging his horse into a slow trot. The two horses moved off eagerly towards the warm stables. A good gallop was all well and fun, but warm hay and good feed was marvelous after that.

"Maybe he's gay?" Draco giggled. He leaned towards Lucius, whispering loudly. "How do we know if he is?"

Lucius glanced at his brother, a thought striking him. They'd never thought about such things before, but in Hogwarts, it was hard not to get caught up all the teenage drama of relationships. "What about you?"

Draco looked puzzled. As they entered the stables, two house-elves immediately came forward to take their horses, and Lucius shook his head. "Later."

Sometimes they would curry down their horses themselves, but often, they were lazy and happily left the task to the house-elves.

"Dobby," Lucius called. When the house-elf appeared, he said, "A glass of apple cider, Dobby."

"I'd like the same," Draco said.

After Dobby returned with their drinks, Lucius grabbed Draco's hand and tugged the boy towards the back of the stables. The two boys clambered up to the loft, clutching their drinks securely. The loft space was small, a wonderful place for small boys to hide out in but it was now a trifle cramped. The two boys wriggled around a bit before they settled into a comfortable position, Draco lying between Lucius' legs.

"Now, where were we?" Lucius took a long draught of his warm cider, and smirked. "Oh yes. Whether or not Uncle Sev is gay."

The two boys giggled.

It was a new concept they had recently learned. Before, they had only thought that a wizard could like another wizard or witch, the only difference is in the type of like. But now, they'd learned that a wizard could be chasing for his own team, the other team, or even both teams!

"How do we know if he is, or if he likes Mama that way?" Draco asked, looking highly amused. "How do we know if anyone is gay, or straight?"

The twins fell silent as they pondered. "I guess we could start from known samples," Lucius finally said. He gave his twin a naughty grin. "Are you straight or gay?"

Draco blinked uncertainly. "I've never thought about it."

Lucius looked surprised. "You've never found yourself admiring another student?"

Draco shook his head. He sipped his cider slowly. "Have you?"

"Er…" Lucius thought about Quidditch practice and locker rooms, and blushed.

"You have!" Draco twisted his head to stare accusingly at his brother. "And you never told me!"

"How exactly would I have brought it up?" Lucius' flush became darker. "Besides, I thought you looked too."

"Looked at what?" Draco sounded mystified. His tone became curious. "What?"

Lucius somehow felt as if he was corrupting his brother's innocence. Certainly because he wasn't a regular on the team, Draco hadn't need to attend as many practices as him, and the younger twin wasn't as close to the older students. Lucius, however, has already been exposed to a fair bit of locker-room talk and gawk. True, the older students never said anything too explicit in front of him, but he was adept at listening. Any Slytherin was.

"Lucius!" Draco slapped his brother lightly on the thigh. "Tell me!"

"Tell you what?"

"What you meant by looking?"

Lucius felt flushed, warm. Perhaps he should put down the cider and let it cool a little. "Well… Haven't you ever noticed if anyone was good-looking?"

"Well, certainly." Draco looked thoughtful. "Pansy and Blaise are good-looking. And, er, Greg and Vince aren't."

"That's all? You never want to take a second look, and another? You never felt excited, and want to see more? To touch"

"Touch…?" Draco's voice fell to a whisper.

Lucius fell silent. His cock was hard and there was no way Draco could not have known. His brother squirmed around until he was now kneeling and facing Lucius. Both boys were flushed pink, and not just from the cold.

"Touch what?" Draco wasn't totally innocent. He looked at Lucius, who remained silent and flushed.

"This?" Draco gave a saucy smirk, and palmed Lucius' erection. The older boy squirmed, torn between encouraging his brother to …touch further or to maintain his dignity. But not to stop, oh, never to stop. Unconsciously, he bucked his hips up a little.

Draco deftly undid Lucius' pants. Biting his leather glove, he pulled it off and Lucius had never knew that such an action could be so erotic.

"Yeah," Lucius panted, spreading his legs wider.

"Who do you look at?"

Lucius tried to keep his voice steady as Draco started to stroke slowly. "Well, the locker rooms are separate so I've only seen the boys."

"Do you like what you see?" Draco sounded curious and excited. His hand was warm and firm. "Tell me what you've seen."

"Yeah… yeah. I've seen the guys. They're all really built, almost like the professional Quidditch players. Marcus and Avery are really buff, especially Marcus. I guess it comes with being a beater," Lucius said breathlessly. Oh yeah. Marcus was really, really fit. The seventh year's broad shoulders and well-built frame was obvious, even through the school robes. Better yet, he remembered catching glimpses of the tall captain when they showered, trails of water running along the groves of his muscled back. Lucius never dared to look too long, or too low. He felt as if he was doing something unbearably naughty and his cheeks had always felt so hot, he was sure every one knew what he was doing!

Lucius' toes curled and he gave a groan.

"So you like guys?"

Lucius' eyes fluttered shut. At this age, it didn't take much for him to get hard, or to come. "Oh… ohhh!"

When he opened his eyes a few seconds later, he was smiling in satiation. He probably looked a little silly, he knew. Draco had already cleaned up with a quick spell. "You want it too?"

"I'm not as perverted as you," Draco laughed, tucking Lucius back into his pants, and snuggled against his twin.

"I'm a healthy, very virile young wizard," Lucius sniffed.

Draco raised a disbelieving brow. "You wank off at least four or five times a day!"

"Like I said, very virile," Lucius smirked. Both boys laughed.

"So you're gay," Draco nodded.

"I'm not sure…"

"You like guys, don't you?"

"Well yeah, but I don't know if I like girls as well," Lucius wrapped his arms around his twin, sighing happily. He loved the relaxed, fuzzy lassitude that comes after a good orgasm. Maybe he was addicted. "What about you?"

"I don't know," Draco shrugged, not sounding too concerned.

"Maybe, to be fair you know, we should check out the girls as well," Lucius suggested.

"You mean, peek at the girls locker room?" Draco gasped in a mock-horrified tone. "You pervert!"

"The, er, experimental conditions have to be exactly the same before we can draw conclusions." Lucius could barely keep his voice steady as his shoulders heaved with merriment. "And to be absolutely certain, we should, er, repeat the observation on the males—"

"You just want to look at naked girls!" Draco started to giggle. "And guys!"

"We can't see anything under the school robes—"

"Who's we?"

"Surely you'd want to…" Lucius grinned naughtily. "Don't you?"

"Of course!" Draco's grin was identical to his brother's.

And the two boys fell back laughing madly.

tbc...