AN: First chapter in a long while, but I hope its up to all of your standards! I've missed this so much, and I'm so happy to be getting back into the swing of things. Enjoy this short chapter and review if you please! Take care everyone:)

Lucius Malfoy swirled his brandy around in its glass before bringing a sharp swig of the amber colored liquid to his mouth, stinging his throat. It was late, nearly eleven o'clock, but he couldn't sleep. Although his eyes begged for him to sleep, his mind wouldn't stop turning long enough to allow sleep to overcome him. He exhaled heavily as he rolled his neck to one side, stretching it there for a moment before an audible 'pop'. At this, Lucius removed his heavy coat that had been weighing on his shoulders all day. It was quite a relief to have it off, even if the air was getting colder the damn coat made his shoulders ache some days. Lucius slipped his hand under his shirt and up to his shoulder, rubbing the sore blade. Perhaps it was time for a new one. Perhaps it wasn't even the coat at all that was making his shoulders ache.

"Lucius," called Severus Snape lazily, "didn't hesitate the open the brandy I see."

Lucius removed his hand from his shoulder immediately and curled his upper lip, "Didn't hesitate to barge in I see." answered Lucius in an equally lazy fashion.

Snape crossed the room faster than Lucius had time to register. Perhaps he had need to put down that third glass of brandy. Severus took a seat across from Lucius and took the top off the bottle,"You look dreadful." said Snape as he began to pour himself a glass.

"Is that any way to greet a friend? No wonder you don't have many." The corner of Snape's mouth cut into a brief smirk of amusement, but it disappeared as soon as Lucius had blinked.

"Don't think I don't know what you're doing." Snape drawled as he took a small sip. Lucius's eyes seemed to narrow in scrutiny at Snape, who seemed to notice right away his colleague's suspicion. The corner of Lucius's mouth began to creep back up to his cheek in a half smile, "Why, I haven't the slightest idea what you could be suspecting me of but I will say-"

"Your clever tongue may fool others, but I am not so easily manipulated." replied Snape curtly. Lucius set down his glass, pushing it away from himself. He could feel his own face glowing from the strong alcohol now flowing through him. It was time to stop before he said something he regretted.

"Don't take me for a fool." said Snape as his fingertips rapt against one another. Lucius chuckled as he met Snape's unmoving stare.

"My dear friend, I hate to disappoint you, but there is nothing to tell you." Lucius leaned forward and softened his tone,"Believe me, if there is anyone who loves a good story it is me."

"So what is the story between you and Vanessa Cunningham?" Snape asked as he leaned forward as well. And at this angle, Snape could see the almost invisible twitch in one of Lucius's eyebrows.

"Ms. Cunningham? Why I don't know what you're talking about." Perhaps it was the amount of alcohol in his system, but he could surely feel his body warming.

Snape drew his face back and hissed, "You know exactly what I'm talking about."

Lucius eased himself to the left arm of his chair rubbing his finger over his mouth, subconsciously keeping himself quiet. Snape took his silence as an invitation to continue, "Do you not think I have seen with my own eyes the way you look at her? Not to mention how many times I've overheard Vanessa and her loudmouth friends speaking about you."

"I figured you to be more intelligent than to believe the stories shared between teenagers. Besides, Ms. Cunningham simply fancies me. I cannot help that-"

"Don't lie to me."

Lucius knew he could not continue to lie. It was useless and insulting to Severus's intelligence. Snape saw through all of his explanations. "What would you like me to say, Severus?" asked Lucius, his hands falling atop one another in his lap.

"The truth, if you can manage. What is it that you're doing with her." asked Snape, as if the idea of Vanessa could make him sick.

"I've done nothing with her yet." answered Lucius coyly.

"She is a teenager, Lucius. A child!" Severus was now standing, "I know your divorce has left you lonely-"

"I'm not lonely."replied Lucius at once.

"You try to mask it, but you forget I know you better than most." Lucius stood up and began to slowly pace behind his chair as Snape continued. "As I said, I know your divorce has left you lonesome, but a teenager will not fill that void-"

"That's not what I'm doing-"

"Let me finish! You can surely find someone closer to your age than Ms. Cunningham. More to the matter she is underage, and if you were to be caught by someone you would be locked up in Azkaban faster than the Dark Lord. Be rational here, Lucius." Snape's dark eyes followed Lucius as he continued to pace, not giving Snape the slightest glance. "I am saying this as your friend; break it off with her."

"Why? I'm having fun." Lucius smirked at the thought of his next evening with Vanessa.

"Fun?" Snape grimaced as he said the word, "Lucius, I need you to answer me honestly when I ask this."

"What?" groaned Lucius over his shoulder, his eyes on the silver framed picture on his desk.

"Have you slept with her."

"A gentleman never tells-"

"Lucius!"

"No, no. Dear me Severus, calm down." chuckled Lucius at Snape's frustration.

"Then it is best you end it now. You've done nothing illegal yet, best to keep it that way."

"I don't want to end it." Lucius answered honestly, his hands resting on the neck rest of the chair. "Wherever we're going I like it." Snape stepped in front of Lucius, forcing Lucius to look at him.

"You're not honestly trying to have a relationship with her-"

"I didn't say that, did I?" answered Lucius coolly, "I simply said I like where I'm going, as far as Vanessa is concerned. Read into it whatever you'd like. I can admit my shortcomings, but this is not one of them." He was already saying too much, and Snape was using this moment to his full advantage.

"I don't want to see you locked in prison because of some silly infatuation with a fifteen year old girl." said Snape as he reached down for his own glass, taking a much needed sip. " I suggest trying to get some sleep in. You're starting to look your age."

Lucius chuckled, "Vanessa likes the way I look." Snape did not chuckle at this.

"Go to sleep, Lucius." Snape made his way out the door quickly, and truthfully Lucius was glad he was gone. He hadn't meant to say so much. Although he knew Snape wouldn't say anything, he still didn't like the idea of him knowing. Lucius knew Snape would be watching him and Vanessa like a hawk on mice.

Lucius tightened the bottle of half empty brandy shut, and crossed the room to his desk. The picture he had been staring at all night now in his hands. Draco had sent it to him last year, around the same time. He, the two Greengrass girls, and Vanessa stood in front of the Black Lake. It had been the first time he had ever seen Vanessa. Of course when he had received the photo he hadn't paid her much attention, but the longer it had sat in his study, the more he had grown fascinated by who she was. He had known the Greengrass family for nearly ten years, and of course knew their daughters. But Vanessa he hadn't known. Her wide set dark eyes would call for his attention on the late nights he had spent in his study working. After months of wondering who she was, he had to ask Draco who she was. And it was only a few short weeks later that he had seen her in Madame Malkins. She was lovely, and he couldn't deny it.

He knew it was inappropriate, whatever it was that he and Vanessa were doing. He knew it to be morally wrong, but then again he had questionable morals anyway. Was seeing Vanessa that bad anyway? Like he had told Severus; he hadn't slept with her. He hadn't broken any kind of law. Not that he didn't want to.

Lucius slumped back into his seat, more relaxed now that he was alone. His fingers ran over his eyebrows where he could feel a headache beginning to form. He set down the picture, still keeping his eyes on Vanessa, who was now climbing Astoria Greengrass as if she were a tree. He chuckled softly as Vanessa pulled Astoria to the ground by her neck and collapsed in laughter.

This simple action, laughter, seemed so far away in the last year and a half. The divorce between he and Narcissa had been quiet, thankfully, but it had drained him of a sense of humor. And as much as he hated to admit it, Snape had been right; he was lonely. Lucius had not intended by any means to grow as fond of Vanessa as he had in these last weeks. She wasn't just proving to be a nice distraction, but a nice addition as well.

Lucius rose from his seat and yawned loudly as he took a glance at the clock on his desk which was ticking closer and closer towards midnight. He decided it best to take Severus's advice on catching some sleep. He had only slept three and a half hours the previous night, and he could not go through another day in that shape.

He eased himself into the most comfortable position in his bed, raising his wand to turn out the candlelight across the room. Darkness flooded the room, and Lucius finally allowed his eyes to rest. It didn't take long for his breathing to slow as he fell into a much needed sleep.

AN: I'm sorry its short, but I didn't want to mush this chapter and the next together. I think they stand better on their own. But I'm already at work on the next one. Hope you all enjoyed! Review please:)