Snape Revealed Shorts, Story TWO:

Pure Romance

Part 2: Lucius

AN: JK Rowling created most of these characters and the universe from which they hail…

I can't leave the house these days without some stay-at-home Mom trying to sell me some Pure Romance. I assume this type of stuff is sold worldwide, but I live in the town that started Pure Romance. Yes, a family in Cincinnati, Ohio came up with the idea years ago and it's grown into a monster. If you are unaware, it's a company that sells sex toys. Yes. So I'm going to write a story about it for no good reason. No, I don't work for Pure Romance, no, I've never been to any of their parties, but I'm invited all the darn time!

It goes without saying this installment is rated M for mature language and some graphic…um…depictions. Okay, it's just plain raunchy.

(This story begins during the first week of October, 1985. Rhys is long gone, as is Lily, and after four years of mourning, Severus is still deeply affected, however, he's slowly beginning to emerge from his self-imposed mental-exile.)

This story is not yet beta'd…(Also I had to make a minor correction to part I of this story. I was mistaken in my math. Slytherin won the Quidditch Cup the year before, not Gryffindor, as I stated in the first paragraph. I went back and re-wrote that part)

A week later, Severus was in his office grading 25 feet of parchment he'd assigned the first years when there was a knock at the door.

"Enter," he said sternly, assuming it was a tattling Prefect.

"Consider me entered," Kathleen said, coming into his office after closing his door.
"May I sit?"

"You may," Severus said, looking back down and his parchments and wondering why she was in his office.

"I was wondering, have you heard about that potion that's supposed to help you stop smoking?"

"Well it's meant for pipes, since most wizards don't smoke Muggle cigarettes…"

"Well we do in America, I mean; it was an American wizard who invented the cigarette in the first place."

"I'm not finished," Severus nearly snapped and then took a deep breath. She smiled, sat upright and folded her hands on her knee. "But there is a potion out of America that's meant to help stop the cravings for cigarettes. I take it you wish to quit?"

"It's a nasty habit. I've been trying to quit for about a year now with no luck."

"I hear it's very difficult."

"You never tried?"

"I kind of quit once, for about a month, but I wasn't really trying…I mean, I was really busy and I wasn't thinking about them much, but I wasn't really addicted to them at that time."

"And now?"

"Complete and total addict. In fact, I'm about to light up right now so you may want to leave."

"Oh no, feel free to smoke in front of me…actually, I'll join you," she said removing a cigarette from the pockets of her teaching robes. She had a working lighter that time. She lit up quickly and inhaled slowly as Severus just watched. She closed her eyes, her face told Severus she enjoyed smoking. She very slowly exhaled and then sat back in her seat again. "Yeah, quitting will be tough."

"Why quit then?"

"Well I mean, lung cancer doesn't really appeal to me much, so…" she said, taking another puff. "So this potion?"

"Oh yeah, it's not really patented yet, or available for sale in this country."

"So…can you…"

"Brew it for you?" he asked, taking a puff off his own cigarette. He stared into her eyes for a moment. She was difficult to get a read on. He suspected she was at least a novice Occlumens. He began to methodically tap his fingers on his desk and then took a deep breath. "Perhaps."

"What…do I…do I beg or…how does this work?" she asked in a sarcastic tone, with her cigarette perched in-between her very long and slender fingers. It was then he noticed her nails were painted violet. "What?"

"Interesting color for your nails, does it represent the House you were in back in America?"

"Actually it does. I went to a very small school in west Texas, in the middle of nowhere. Only fifty-eight students, all female. The only all female school in the nation."

"Yes, Big Bend Ranch School of Witchcraft…it's a very good school from what I hear."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," she said rolling her eyes.

"It concentrates mostly on Defense, correct?"

"Yup. But small, like I said. We didn't even have a Quidditch team. Only two Houses."

"I don't know much about their Houses."

"Well there's the pink House, The Bisons, and those cows were all really prissy and proper and came from money mostly. Lots of Salem and New York bitches, I mean witches," she smiled. "Then there was my House, the purple House, The Condors."

"And you were…what? Non-prissy poor-folk?" Severus mocked.

"Nah, I mean, we were really…studious. I guess kind of like your Ravenclaw."

"And the pink House was more like my Slytherin?"

"Exactly!" she said while pointing her cigarette right at him before taking another puff.

"I see. And your colors are violet?"

"Violet and black."

"Because when I think of the California Condor, violet is the first thing that comes to mind."

"I know, right? Makes no sense. Pink Bisons? Eh, whatever. I have some House pride but mostly, I just fancy-violet," she said in the worst-fake, British accent ever.

"You really must stop trying to talk British. You're not British."

"I know…close enough though, Irish, my parents are both from Ireland."

"Oh? When did they move to America?"

"After they were married. They decided they hated the cold, wet, gray ambiance of Ireland…so they moved to the armpit of America instead."

"West Texas?"

"No, Albuquerque."

"Why's that the armpit of America?" Severus asked, truly intrigued.

"Because it's hotter than hell and smells like an armpit. There are so few wizards in New Mexico. New Mexico sucks! Ever been?"

"No, and after talking to you, I'm certain I never will."

"You're not missing anything but chili peppers and desert."

"Sounds…like hell. What did your parents do for a living there?"

"They owned an authentic wizarding Irish pub and grub called, I'm not kidding, The Lucky Charms Saloon."

"No wonder you fled America!"

"Yeah, I mean there were thirty wizards in all of Albuquerque, all Mexican, none wanted to eat corned beef and cabbage either. So we relied on tourists. And who the hell visits Albuquerque? Shit even Muggles don't!"

"Wow. I see now why you smoke."

"Yeah," she smiled while putting her cigarette out on the bottom of her boot. She then looked to Severus as to where to place her remnant. He motioned towards the fire burning stove next to her. She tossed it in, rubbed her hands together, and then sat back in her chair. "So, um, the potion?"

"I can brew it. It's not too difficult. There's no guarantee it will work though."

"What do you charge?" she asked as Severus chuckled.

"I don't. You couldn't afford me," Severus teased. "I don't need compensation."

"Oh, well, I mean, for materials and…"

"I have them already. Madam Pomfrey grows nearly everything I need."

"And your time?"

"Again, you couldn't afford me," Severus joked. She smiled and looked speechless.

"I probably could," she whispered as she leaned forward in her chair. She then smiled and leaned back again.

"Oh yes, all those wagers you win," Severus assumed loudly. "Well, honestly, it's no charge."

"Well thanks, Severus. That's kind. Guess they are all wrong about you."

"Oh Merlin what are they saying now?" he asked in an irritated tone.

"Oh, nothing, just that you're….not really friendly…and I should try to get on your good side, of course Filius said you have no good side…really…but I should avoid your bad side."

"You most definitely want to avoid my bad side," he said in all seriousness. She looked almost frightened and speechless for a moment when the pair were suddenly interrupted by a flying parchment that shot into this office from under the secret door that led to his quarters. Severus rolled his eyes, as he knew who it was from.

"Um…what is that?" she asked.

"It's a flying parchment, what does it look like?" Severus asked with his best sarcasm.

"It looks like an annoyance."

"You are correct on that one," Severus said as the parchment hovered near his face and then began to speak, in a very familiar tone.

"Open me!"

"Go away," Severus said to the parchment that continued to repeat itself every three seconds. "Anyway, about your potion…"

"Open me!"

"That's super annoying…shall I leave so you can open it?"

"No," Severus shrugged. "Open!" he nearly shouted at the parchment. The parchment opened and then Lucius's voice began to speak.

"Sev,

I have an extra ticket for us to attend the Wimborne Wasps opening match. I say us because, as you know, I go every year on opening day, but I have an extra seat this year so you can attend…"

"God Lucius, I so don't give a shit!" Severus spat at the parchment. Instantly a new blank parchment fell from the letter gabbing to Severus and began to immediately write down everything Severus was saying.

"Now I know Quidditch isn't your cup of tea but they will have a wonderful team this season and it will do you some good to get out of that Merlin-for-saken ruin and do something fun on Sunday."

"He does have a point Severus," Kathleen spoke as Severus just seethed at the parchment.

"My beloved wishes not to attend, so that's why I have an extra seat. Draco has a bit of a sniffle so he won't be in attendance…"

"Good!" Severus shrugged as his quill wrote on the parchment. "No, don't write that!"

"So I'll see you at the Manor on Sunday at eleven…"

"No you won't!"

"And don't say no. I'll see you then, and by the way, you're welcome."

"Fuck!" Severus spat as the parchment wrote his words down, folded up and flew back from where it came.

"Have fun on Sunday!" Kathleen smiled. Severus rolled his eyes and took a deep breath.

"I'll have your potion for you next week…I hope."

"Severus! I thought you may not show, given your eloquent response," Lucius smiled. He stood tall, wearing all gray, with a muffler of yellow and black. Of course he still had a bejeweled emerald and diamond snake broach on his lapel. "Please, take a seat," Lucius said leading Severus to his atrium.

"Yeah, well, what the fuck…I'm here."

"How very charming. Dressed all in black I see. No team pride?"

"I have no team…oh, uh, other than Slytherin of course," Severus corrected.

"Now you simply must don something yellow and black."

"I painted one nut yellow and the other black, shall I wave them in the cool breeze for you?"

"Why not?" Lucius asked, calling Severus's bluff. Severus took a deep breath and sat near the indoor pond. "Oh fine, be that way, at least black is one of their colors."

"I know you…own shares of this team but I really could give a crap."

"I told you, you can't stay locked up, yellow and black nuts and all, in that horrid castle all the time. Get out. Have some fun. It's a nice, cloudy day, get some fresh air…"

"Fine, fine, let's get this over with."

A few moments later they were at the Quidditch pitch, heading to the fine seats Lucius always had. Severus took his seat next to Lucius and counted the seconds until he was back at Hogwarts.

"So, how's life?" Lucius asked, staring straight ahead at the match as it began.

"Same crap."

"How wonderful. How's my team?"

"My team is doing well in practice. Some people are even betting on them."

"They should! They will do wonderfully, trust me on that. They will win again this year, mark my words."

"So Lucius, why did Narcissa not want to attend?" Severus asked. Lucius's demeanor changed. He looked down at the crossed hands on his lap. "I thought she loved this team."

"She does."

"I mean, you used to hate this team, until you married her and now you love this team."

"Yeah, yeah, I know, I know," Lucius nearly whispered. "She uh…had other plans."

"Other plans on opening day?"

"I don't want to discuss it."

"Well I don't want to be here, but I am!" Severus said sharply as Lucius began to shake his leg some.

"She's…"

"On the rag?"

"Good Merlin Sev! Why so crass where she's concerned and who uses that term anymore?"

"I was being gross and antiquated on purpose."

"No, she has no uterus, remember?" Lucius asked with wide eyes and disgust on his face.

"Oh yeah, I do seem to recall that now," Severus spoke as Lucius glared at him. "What? Keeping track of missing Malfoy body parts isn't exactly the top thing on my mind."

"She just…just….just…"

"Spit it out man!"

"She is angry and doesn't want to be seen with me."

"So what else is new?"

"No, it's worse these days," Lucius sighed. He continued to stare down at his feet, ignoring the match, even when a player got a tad too close for most people's comfort. "Lately her moods…I mean, she's…"

"The hormone replacement potions will do that, I told you that."

"I know, it's not all that, they do more than just make her…"

"Bitchy?"

"Moody," Lucius corrected, finally looking up. "They…well…let's just say that problem of mine is becoming a serious issue again."

"So, correct the problem."

"I can't!" Lucius snapped, looking over at Severus. "I'm not discussing this here!"

Lucius hardly spoke to Severus after that. During the intermission he even asked Severus if he wanted to leave, which Severus instantly said yes to. Once back at the Manor Severus joined Lucius in the great room per his invitation. They hadn't even sat down yet when Narcissa entered the room.

"Oh, Severus, hello. I wasn't expecting you back this soon, Lucius," she said with a hint of disdain in her voice.

"How's Draco?" Lucius asked his wife, who wore all white and looked as lovely as ever.

"Better. On the mend. Since he's doing so well, I'll leave for my trip tomorrow instead."

"Trip?" Severus asked. Lucius again looked down at his feet.

"Oh didn't Lucius tell you? I'm going to the south of France for a few days. I was supposed to leave yesterday but I couldn't leave Draco since he had a small fever, so I'll depart tomorrow instead."

"How long will you be gone my love?" Lucius asked his wife cautiously.

"I'll be back on Wednesday. I don't think I can stand to be apart from my precious son for much longer than that."

"Have a good time," Severus said with a smile and a slight bow of the head. She smiled back at Severus, glared at her husband, and then left the room. "France?" Severus asked Lucius.

"Yes…France…France…France!" Lucius grunted and then kicked a decorative statue that was on the floor. A moment later the jade Merlin came clinking into the room. The Merlin pointed at Lucius and laughed to itself while grabbing its own crotch.

"I thought we had him bound and chained in your lower level?" Severus asked.

"We did, Narcissa released him…again…she finds humor in his mocking of me."

"I find nothing but…hatred…for him. I mean it was old years ago, now it's just pathetic."

"It's beyond that," Lucius said as Merlin grabbed a long stemmed tulip from a vase and placed the flower so the stem was at his nether regions and the bulb pointed downward away from him. He then smiled and when the flower went limp, he pointed to Lucius and continued to laugh.

"Please tell me he's accompanying her to France."

"I wish. No, she's going alone."

"Alone? Why?"

"I don't know," Lucius sighed. "Ignore him."

"I'll…try…" Severus said, staring at the jade sculpture as it continued to mock Lucius. "Is she going to a spa or something?"

"I hope so," Lucius groaned as he sat on the couch and crossed one leg over the other. Severus took a deep breath and then sat on the sofa opposite Lucius.

"Talk to me."

"She's…my little problem…"

"Your impotence?"

"I'm not bloody impotent! How many times must I tell you?"

"Well you can't get it up, from where I sit, that's called impotence. Rare in one so young."

"I can get it up!"

"Yeah, with everyone but your wife, which angers her to the point of going all the way to France to probably have an affair!"

"Jesus Christ what are you some kind of mind reader?" Lucius snapped, and the rolled his eyes. "Oh wait, you are."

"One does not have to be a mind reader to figure that one out Lucius."

"There's nothing I can do!"

"Yeah…go get a boner and fuck your wife!"

"If it were that simple, don't you think I'd done that…oh…six years ago?"

"How could you go six years without sex? Oh wait, you haven't."

"I did not have sex with that woman!"

"No, she just whacked you off."

"I had to see if I was capable at all, since I'm not with Narcissa. It meant nothing, it was a scientific experiment!"

"And then you told Narcissa, which I begged you not too."

"I keep no secrets from her."

"Well she keeps them from you!" Severus quipped as Lucius stared at him with a frightened look. Severus didn't want to tell Lucius about the abortion so many years ago, so he had to think of something else and fast. "I meant this France trip. Merlin knows what she's really going to do."

"I think we both know. She's a woman, with needs and I can't fulfill them."

"Lucius, if I may be so…personal…and I say this with all compassion as a way to maybe try to remedy this situation…can't you…you know…pleasure her in other ways?"

"Merlin don't you think I've done that? Time and time again? I mean…well…I've tried…I kind of got real close a few years back to…well…"

"You're so fucked up," Severus sighed. "You can't get it up, just for her, and you can't do anything else either? She's a beautiful woman! What's the problem? Shit, I've not been laid in a year; I'd fuck a Banshee right now."

"I thought you did."

"No," Severus rolled his eyes.

"You said she was hideous."

"She was, but she was human…and a witch…and I wasn't really looking at her face."

"I hope not."

"This isn't about me, I can get it up, you're the sick one here."

"There's nothing I can do!"

"Go upstairs, tear off her clothes, fuck her sideways, move on with your lives."

"I can't! She's my wife! You don't just fuck your wife."

"Go make-love then."

"I can't," Lucius said, almost in tears. "I just…can't."

"Why?"

" I don't see her like that, I've told you. She's a mum now. She's a wonderful mum. She gives all she has to give to our son, our only son, our only child."

"She's a mum, she's not your mum, I've told you this…Oedipus."

Lucius rolled his eyes and sighed again. He rose from his seat and walked to the French doors. He stared out at his garden, silent. Severus sat for a moment and then joined his friend at the door.

"You can't just go on like this forever."

"I know, Severus, I know."

"It's been five years…"

"Six, six and a half actually, since she got pregnant. A pregnancy that nearly killed her."

"But it didn't, she's fine, Draco's fine, they're both fine."

"No thanks to me. I gave her that potion! I made her deliver him early, out of fear!" Lucius snapped. He walked away from Severus and then turned and tore his fingers through his hair. "Fear of him! Fear of that fucking prophecy!"

"You did what you thought was right for your family."

"At what cost? It nearly killed her! It took away her ability to ever have more children! She's barren now, because of me!" he admitted, with a tear beginning to fall from his ice blue-gray eye. "Every time I see her…naked…all I see is her scar, that massive scar on her belly, a scar I caused! A scar that took away her ability to have children!"

"Lucius…"

"She's not even a real woman now and it's all my fault!"

"She's a real woman! She has a vagina for fuck sakes!"

"What's the point…if she can't have children?"

"It was meant for having sex too…"

"Yes, for children!"

"You've had sex with plenty of other women with no intention of having children with them, and with Narcissa as well. This has little to do with her ability to bear you more children and almost everything do with your feeling guilty over it."

"That may be so, but it still does not change the fact I can't…just…can't…with her."

"Well it's a good thing divorce doesn't occur in our world or she'd left you by now."

"She can still leave, of course…." Lucius said, lowering his head. He wiped his eyes and sniffled. He then ran his fingers through his hair and took a deep breath.

"You can't control what happened anymore. It's done and it's in the past. She is a woman with needs, and you need to fulfill them, plain and simple."

"I want to, but I just…I just can't…I nearly killed her…how could she ever love me and want to be with me after that?" he sobbed.

"She forgave you for that years ago, and for your involvement with the Dark Lord. Need I remind you how devastated she was at your arrest and the trial?"

"Embarrassed is more like, I'm sure."

"No, she loves you, or she did. She's mad that you went and got whacked-off by some whore in Knockturn and mad that you don't see her as the woman she is."

"It's useless. She's tried everything, nothing has worked. Nothing. I'm dead to her, in bed at least."

"Everything? What about that nasty box of tricks you have hidden in your closet and where the hell is Draco when all this trying is going on?"

"We go to another room and of course we don't use that nasty box of tricks. I got rid of it when she got pregnant. Mummies don't use leather and whips and all that disgusting stuff. That's for…perverts."

"You are a pervert."

"I was a pervert, now I'm a husband and father and I work for the Ministry…"

"Once a perv, always a perv and I guarantee more than half of the sick-fucks who work at the Ministry could out-perv you any day."

"It's not what proper witches do, okay? The box of stuff is gone, okay?"

"Okay, okay," Severus sighed. He placed his hand on Lucius's shoulder and then turned to leave. "I have to get back to Hogwarts."

"You do that. Thanks for coming with me today; I know you loathe professional Quidditch."

"I'm glad I was able to keep you company."

"Me too," Lucius said in a soft tone. He wiped his tears again and put on a fake smile. Severus gave him a grin, and then left the Manor.

Severus had Mini get him some Muggle clothes that week. On Saturday he put on the deep blue jeans and long sleeved, turtle necked black shirt and black, full length over coat and used his empty classroom's floo to get to Dumbledore's office so no other staff or students would see him dressed so terribly.

"Ah Severus, venturing off to Muggle London then?" Dumbledore asked from behind his desk.

"Well if wizarding libraries had more information on psychiatry I'd not have to do this."

"Writing a new paper?" Dumbledore inquired. Severus didn't want to tell Dumbledore that he wanted to research Lucius's mental problem further, as it was none of his business.

"No, it's for the wolfbane, I need to study the psychological effects a bit…"

"I see. Well be careful," Dumbledore said as the door to his office opened. A moment later Kathleen walked in, wearing jeans as well, along with a burnt orange long sleeved sweater and a leather looking jacket over top. "And you're venturing off to Muggle London this morning as well Kathleen?"

"I am. Thanks for letting me use your floo. I'd have no idea where to Apparate to."

"Just floo to the abandoned phone booth, and you'll be in the heart of Muggle London."

"Thanks Albus. Oh, hey, Severus…" Kathleen paused and then stared him up and down. "You're dressed like a Muggle today too."

"Oh yes, Severus is also going to Muggle London this morning also."

"Oh? Why?" she asked.

"I have to visit the Library there. Where are you going?" Severus asked.

"Sight-seeing."

"Alone?"

"Yup…unless you want to join me?"

"Why would I want to sight-see in Muggle London?" Severus asked as Dumbledore rolled his eyes.

"Why not at least accompany her and get her to Buckingham Palace and maybe the Tower…"

"And the museum," Kathleen interrupted.

"That's a lot to see in one day," Severus said.

"Yes Severus, I know, I may not make it to the Museum but I really want to see the Tower," Kathleen spoke.

"Kathleen, Severus would be honored to take you to the Tower and from there, you can part ways. Perhaps meet up after his research and he can get you back here," Dumbledore stated plainly.

"Fine…let's go," Severus huffed.

"Really Albus, I can get around London just fine, I'm sure…"

"No, it'll will do him some good to get to know you better…I insist."

"O-okay," Kathleen said. She smiled at Severus who just motioned her to the floo. She grabbed the powder, entered and then spoke. "Abandoned phone booth."

Once she was gone, Severus glared at Dumbledore for a moment. Dumbledore smiled and turned back to continue writing on his parchment. Severus threw the floo powder into the floo and joined Kathleen on the streets of Muggle London.

"I'm sorry that Dumbledore forced your hand on this, I can find my own way," Kathleen said as Severus stepped out of the phone booth.

"No, no…I said I'd escort you to the Tower and that's what I'm going to do," Severus insisted. "Why are you so keen on seeing the Tower anyway?"

"Uh, hello, Anne Boleyn, most famous witch to ever sit upon the British throne!"

"Even if her daughter was a Squib."

"There's no solid proof of that you know," Kathleen mocked. "So…library?"

"Yes, I have some research to do that I can't do in a wizarding library."

"For my potion?"

"No, no, no…for…something else."

"Ah," she said, placing her hands in her pockets. The streets were crowded and it seemed every tourist in the world was heading to the Tower that Saturday morning. "Wow, London is really crowded!"

"Yes. Much more than your Albuquerque I imagine."

"Oh I moved from that dump years ago. I live in DC now."

"DC…DC….DC….oh, Washington?"

"Yeah, the nation's capitol." She instructed. "That's where our Ministry is."

"Yes. So, you're used to crowds?"

"Sort of. This is so neat though. Wow, London!" she smiled. "So much history here."

"Yes, I suppose. Muggle history."

"Not only Muggle! William the Conqueror was a wizard, and…Queen Maude was a witch, and Charles Darwin was a wizard and hello, Merlin!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know…I guess because I live here I take it for granted."

"All we have is Jim Bowie, Meriwether Lewis, Geronimo, and, ugh, Richard Nixon."

"Don't forget the Mothman of West Virginia and Sasquatch, and Woodrow Wilson and Joseph McCarthy."

"Those are Dark Wizards Severus, we'd prefer not to mention those," she said with a smirk and a wink.

"Nixon isn't a…"

"No, if he were a Dark Wizard he'd not resigned, God, everyone gets that one wrong," she corrected with a smile. "But, Britain has such a rich history…the Rack…the Iron Maiden!" she laughed. "And Def Leppard!"

Severus smiled. At least she had good taste in music, somewhat.

"Funny, most people site The Beatles."

"I'm more of a Rolling Stones fan."

"For shame!" Severus mocked. "Well, there's your Tower," he pointed. Kathleen stood in amazement with her mouth open.

"Wow…I'm really here!"

"Yes…and now I must take my leave of you."

"Thanks for the escort. Umm…I can find my way back I think."

"Are you certain?"

"Yes."

"Do you have Muggle money?"

"Yes Dad!" she mocked with rolled eyes followed by a genuine smile. "I'm fine. Really. I'm a big girl."

"Very well then. I'll see you back at the Castle later this evening."

"Will do. Thanks again," she smiled. She turned to head to the Tower. Severus waited until she was out of sight before heading to the Library.