winoniel (winoniel) wrote in severus_sighs, @ 2009-10-17 20:22:00 |
|
|||
Current mood: | embarrassed |
Entry tags: | ficlet, member: winoniel, pairing: severus/lucius, rating: pg-13 |
Ficlet: Blessings of Friendship--Happy Belated Birthday, WhiteCotton!
Title: Blessings of Friendship
Author: Winoniel
Pairing: Severus/Lucius
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: ~2000
Warnings: None
Summary: After the war, two men re-establish their friendship (and perhaps more).
A/N: Thanks to Questor for the quick once-over, all errors are in spite of him. WhiteCotton, I tried for smut, but it wasn’t happening, they were just not going there! All characters belong to JK Rowling, but the situations are my own.
It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them. Ralph Waldo Emerson
~*~*~
“Good morning, Professor Snape.”
Severus glanced to the side then closed his eyes for a moment against the pale-gold glinting in the gray, Scottish-morning sunlight. Gathering himself, he opened them and replied mildly, “Good morning, Mr. Malfoy.”
“Would it be possible for me to talk with you after the game?” His long hair lifting slightly in the cool, March breeze, Lucius looked every inch the regal wizarding patriarch.
Severus sighed. With the defeat of the Dark Lord at the hands of Potter, his obligations had lightened considerably, but certain ‘favors’ he’d performed had still continued to be expected of him. Well, there was nothing for it, so he might as well not work himself up over it. He replied, “Most certainly,” then inclined his head briefly as he moved to sit beside the headmistress.
Passing McGonagall, he took in her narrowed eyes and pursed lips, and murmured, “Careful, Headmistress, you look like you found a burr in your coat and sliced your tongue on it rather badly.”
Face screwing up even more, she spat, “How dare he show his face here after what he and his son have done to Potter and this school? I have half a mind to have him thrown out!”
“To what purpose? He’s been exonerated, but in the eyes of the wizarding world, he’d been at the side of the Dark Lord too many times for it to be coercion. He may be free, Minerva, but he does not walk around with impunity. I would hazard this to be the first time he’s been seen in public since appearing before the Wizengamot.” Gazing at his new employer thoughtfully, he added, “Need I remind you that I am essentially in the same position? It was only Potter’s intervention on both of our parts that kept us away from Azkaban, or worse.”
Shuddering, Minerva’s eyes softened, and shame flashed across her face for a moment before she responded, “Point taken, Severus. You’ll excuse me, however, if I do not invite our former Governor to lunch?”
“Understood,” Severus replied, settling back for a short game. Draco had been the only Seeker that had given Potter any sort of challenge. When the humiliated Malfoy scion had decided to finish his schooling at home rather risk life and limb returning to the school he’d betrayed, Gryffindor had rampaged unchecked over the other house Quidditch teams. Gazing at Malfoy’s blond head among the several other Slytherin alumni gathered for the game, Severus was thankful that Potter’s unerring eye would make his time out in the elements brief. He knew he was in for a long night.
~*~*~*~
“That’s it?” Severus looked at the list in his hand again before staring at Lucius, who had flung himself gracefully in one of the wing chairs before the snapping fire. “I may have most of these in stock, though if you’d prefer fresh, it will only take a couple of hours to brew them. What—”
Lucius interrupted, quickly, “I’ll take the potions you have already made, that would be fine.” He paused then continued, “Severus, perhaps we could have a drink, since you won’t need to brew?”
“Lucius, it’s 10 in the morning!” Severus said, appalled.
The tall blond leaped from his chair to pace in front of the hearth, his hands clenching and unclenching, tension in every inch of his patrician frame. Severus’s eyes followed him silently for a few moments before asking, “What’s wrong?”
“Narcissa is leaving me, Severus.”
“Narcissa cannot leave you, you were bonded using the old rite,” Severus said, confused.
Lucius gritted his teeth, and then bit out, “The rite can be broken in the event that one bondmate puts their children in danger. Narcissa invoked that by claiming that my actions forced Draco into taking the Dark Mark and bringing Death Eaters into Hogwarts. She’s moving away to live with some cousins over in
Severus’s eyes widened as Lucius slumped back into his chair. Hair tossed from his precipitous seating, he blew a lock from his face, not bothering to adjust it or to realign the folds in his robes. It was apparent that the aristocratic wizard was genuinely disturbed by the turn of events, and never having been in the position to comfort anyone, least of all Lucius Malfoy, Severus was at a loss.
For lack of anything better to do, he strode to his cabinet, took out two crystal tumblers, and poured a healthy portion of his best—though definitely not up to Malfoy standards—brandy into each. He handed one to his guest and sat down with the other. “Lucius,” he began, his mind turning madly for something profound, supportive—or at least, not inane—to say.
“No need to try to say anything consoling or reassuring, Severus, I know that is not your style. It’s not what I came here for anyway.” Lucius tossed back the drink, stared at the glass in his hand, grimaced, and then put the glass down while Severus barely refrained from rolling his eyes. “I really just wanted to tell someone who would not respond with platitudes, someone who understood.”
“And you think that I am that person, that I understand you?” Severus asked quietly.
“Yes.” Restlessly, Lucius stood and moved again to the hearth, standing with his back to Severus. “I know now that we were on different sides of this conflict, but you understand why I swore allegiance to the Dark Lord, why I had to support him once he returned, why I allowed him to live in my house, with me as his personal minion, why I allowed all of the emasculating humiliations of this last year.”
Severus responded gently, “Draco.”
Lucius nodded. “Yes, and you, more than anyone, understand that while it seemed everything that happened was inevitable, I still hoped that we could get our of this with our name, fortune, reputation—all of which was Draco’s birthright—intact. And you understand that my inability to leave something for my heir, something that isn’t diminished, tarnished, tawdry is worse than any punishment meted out by the Ministry.”
Severus sipped his drink as he thought. He didn’t want to reveal too much of his feelings for Malfoy, but he knew how much it took for the haughty wizard to admit what he had, and knew he could only respond sincerely in kind. Putting his drink down, he sat forward in his chair, directing his words towards the still back of his friend.
“I really hate to say it, but I do understand, Lucius. Even as I cursed your compliance with the Dark Lord’s more insane plots and stratagems, even as it became apparent to everyone that even if he had prevailed, he was too mad to rule, that he would have self-destructed and destroyed all of his followers with him, I understood. And I understand what a crushing blow Narcissa’s actions have dealt.”
He moved to stand behind his friend-cum-nemesis. “And you are correct, I am not the type of person that can utter the right words to make you feel better. But for what it is worth, if there is something that I can do—” His words died in his mouth when Lucius turned around, much closer than Severus had realized.
“You have already done much, old friend. Just listening without laughter or reminding me that I got what was coming to me, was plenty.” Lucius paused again, noticing their proximity, but not moving away. His voice dropped as a light appeared in his eyes. “Do you remember the summer you stayed at Malfoy Manor during the holidays? You didn’t know that I had just been betrothed to Narcissa.”
Severus’s face flushed. He would have moved away, but his body was held immobile by that light. “Yes, and I apologized for misreading your interest. I realize now that you were just showing me due recognition for my abilities. However, if you’re going to bring up—”
Lucius moved closer, saying, “Severus, I told you then that I was flattered, and that if circumstances were different, I would have happily taken you up on your offer. I meant it”
Severus huffed, angry at finding himself still motionless, “Well—”
Lucius moved until Severus could feel minty breath against his own lips. Silken robes rustled against woolen, and the air grew warmer in front of the hearth. “And I recognize that much has changed since then, but my circumstances are different now. I have no reason to play a part that no longer suits me.”
Severus, growing hard with the tantalizing flashes of contact, for once found himself unable to talk. His eyes closed in spite of himself, when a hand lightly moved down his side, softly caressing his hips and buttocks. He groaned faintly, his groin becoming heavy and full. That sound breaking the spell, his eyes flew open and he moved abruptly, quickly putting distance and his wing chair between himself and the enchanting figure of his fantasies.
This was something he’d longed for for years. The distinguished wizard had long stood for everything that Severus was not, and he knew that was part of the reason he’d desired Lucius. Another part, however, had lusted after the passionate, laughing nobleman, and yet another had simply enjoyed spending time with the witty, brilliant compatriot. It was only later, when Severus had to spend every moment with his fellow Death Eater on his guard that he’d no longer relished their times together.
How much of this was Lucius aware? Did the aristocratic blond have even a hint of how much Severus’s blood was singing in his veins? Conscious of Severus’s crush, was this yet another scheme of the Malfoy patriarch to extricate himself from the mire in which his association with the Dark Lord had left him? Panting, Severus stared at Lucius for a moment before turning away.
He knew that was not the real question here. Perhaps Lucius was maneuvering to align himself with someone who could help him. That didn’t alter the fact that Severus was being offered something that he’d coveted a long time. Even if it didn’t last, could he have even a little taste of his long-held dream to brighten his solitary days and nights? Did he dare to allow himself to feel after all of these years?
“No, Lucius,” he said stiffly, clutching the top of his chair for dear life, “Not this way. If I come to you, it will not be because you have seduced me, but because I want it.” He couldn’t fail to see a satisfied look before Lucius schooled his features.
“I understand, Severus. I merely wished to ascertain if the possibility still existed after all this time. My apologies if it appeared I was not taking your desires into consideration. Not to worry, I will give you all of the time that you need. I can be patient.” Lucius smiled gently before reseating himself in the chair.
“And what if I never wish to revisit my teen crush?” Severus watched the other man’s eyes carefully. Much hung on the other man’s next words. Severus wanted to make sure he was being told the truth.
“Even if nothing more comes of it, I will have found my old friend. I can be satisfied with that.”
Satisfied, Severus returned to his chair, and smiling at Lucius’s scowl, poured another set of drinks. “So will you stay at the Manor?”
“Of course! I have spent the past few months ridding myself of reminders of the past year. The Manor is a chaos of werewolf fur, curse marks, and the rifflings of Aurors. It will take years to get it back to its former glory….”
And the two, former Death Eaters, former lackeys of great, mad, powerful wizards, with much behind them and much before, sat and talked of many things. They revisited old stories and caught up on changes in each other’s lives, effecting a long overdue reconciliation between two friends.