Title: The Perfect Excuse

Author: tarotgal

Fandom: Harry Potter (set around 1979 or 1980)

Rating: PG

Pairing: Lucius/Severus

Spoilers: for book 5

Disclaimer: These lads would be doing this all the time if I owned them. As it is, I do not. This is just an innocent little ficlet

Summary: Having spent a few days working for Dumbledore, Snape needs an excuse to explain his absence to the death eaters.

Notes: I requested boykissing requests. BVB requested Lucius/Severus

The Perfect Excuse

     Snape eyed the potion nervously. It bubbled green and blue in the goblet in an entirely unappetizing way. He knew very well any discomfort felt as a result of drinking the potion would be far better than the alternative, even if it killed him.

     "Well, that's it. Go on, then."

     Snape looked up at Madam Pomfrey. It was easy for her to stand there smiling. She didn't have to drink the foul-smelling thing. "Typically I don't take potions I have not brewed myself." He looked back down at the goblet in hand. It was cold to the touch and seemed to get colder as he stood there and let the bubbles pop on its surface. For a moment, he considered his alternatives. "Especially ones I know are going to cause me harm."

     "The headmaster--" she began.

     "I know what Dumbledore said. I'm the one that suggested this excuse in the first place. I know I have to drink it. I only..." His voice died away and he shook his head in defeat. There wasn't anything to say about it. Of course he wished it didn't have to be this way. But he only had himself to blame for the position he was in now. "Never mind." Snape sighed deeply and raised the goblet. "Guess it's bottoms up then." He tossed it back all at once before he could stop himself.

     The potion tasted far worse than he had imagined. And when he finally finished it, he was glad he had decided to drink quickly rather than slowly. Snape set down the empty goblet and waited a few moments for the effects of the potion to start showing.

     It was a strange feeling within him, as though time were speeding up inside while he remained standing still. His body started to hurt and his head clouded. When he swallowed his throat felt painfully sore, and when he breathed in his nose was stuffed. He gave a brief smile as he felt the need to sneeze and gave in to it. "ihhhh... ehhh-hehhhArshhhh! URshhhhh!" When he opened his eyes, he saw Madam Pomfrey holding a handkerchief out to him. "Thags," he snuffled and rubbed the hanky at his nose. "I suppose I... I-hehhArshhhhhhh! Sniff! I should have been prepared for that."

     She nodded back. "So how are you feeling now?"

     He coughed a few times and winced. "Absolutely horrible." Not only that, but he sounded horrible and was sure he looked it. With a sigh, he smiled. "Perfect." Now he was ready to go back.

*

     Snape clamped the handkerchief to his face as he sneezed and coughed again. Though the dungeon room in the lowest level of the Malfoy manor was dark, several pairs of eyes still looked over at him critically. He sniffled and ducked his head down so as to apologize for interrupting. Even if the cold had been willingly received it didn't mean he liked to be stared at so when he sneezed. That was the way it had been back at Hogwarts when he got sick. He excused himself and everyone looked away except for Lucius who raised an eyebrow and fought back a smile. Snape smiled back briefly.

     Lucius concluded the meeting, turning to several particular death eaters on the other side of the room. "Report. Is it done?"

     McNair nodded. "Regulus Black's wavering conscious won't be a problem for us any more," he said with a wide grin.

     "Well that should teach anyone contemplating working against us, shouldn't it?" There was a rash of laughter in the room. Snape swallowed hard but joined in as well, glad his powers in Occlumency allowed his thoughts to stay private. "All right then. Your orders have been set, so that is all this time." Meetings with Lord Voldemort himself were often enough, but small groups of death eaters met more frequently to discuss the specifics of his orders and plans to carry them out. Lucius Malfoy, with both the empty house and Voldemort's favor, headed these meetings and there were very few excuses for missing one.

     Everyone began filing out of the room rather silently as they went single-file up the stairs. The look Snape received from Lucius told him to stay behind. Snape had been expecting as much. Being absent from meetings for four days, especially after one death eater was suspected of turning traitor, was a matter Lucius Malfoy would need to address. Snape only hoped Malfoy accepted his excuse rather than accused him of working for the other side.

     Snape had selected this particular excuse with care, however, and Lucius' reaction was most expected now. "How's that cold of yours, Severus?" he asked over the heads of the death eaters still around. "We've missed you over these last few days."

     "I've felt better, as you can imagine. I thought staying in bed would help but I still feel pretty awful. My head's killing me. And I can't stop sneezing."

     Lucius' eyes twinkled at the word. Now alone together in the room, Lucius walked smoothly over to him. He brushed his lips against Snape's warm forehead. "I'm sorry you're feeling sick." His hands ran down Snape's body, resting on his hips.

     "No you're not," Snape chuckled knowingly.

     "No," Lucius repeated, grinning back. "I'm not really." He sighed at the face Snape was making. Snape's face went slack, with his jaw dropping and his nose twitching. He sniffed, clearly trying to hold back a sneeze. "Oh, you little tease. Don't you go holding out on me just because I'm betrothed now. Because Merlin knows Narcissa doesn't sneeze even half as wonderfully as you do."

     Snape gave a brief smile and gave in. "ihhh... hehhErshhhh!" He cleared his throat and sniffled. "Was that a little more to your liking, Lucius?"

     Lucius licked his lips and nodded. His fingers began roaming around Snape's chest. "All sick and sneezy, aren't you, Sev? I was watching you all through the meeting you know."

     Snape nodded. "I noticed. Not the sort of thing a man with a fiancé should be doing..." he teased again. Lucius liked games and Snape wasn't about to disappoint now.

     "Forget her," Lucius said, his eyes alone were terribly convincing. I'm just marrying her for a son. You know it's you I fancy."

     Well, Snape and any other death eater that happened to be around when he was in the mood. Snape sniffled wetly and Lucius sighed, going weak. He grabbed Snape's cheek with his hand and Snape's crotch with his other as he placed a firm kiss on Snape's lips. They slipped about as Lucius added tongue and progressed quickly to licking and sucking and groping.

     Snape sighed deeply, kissing back instinctively, giving in because he knew he had no other choice. He kissed back, sniffling through his nose to breathe. He leaned forward, urging Lucius to kiss harder, go further if he liked. Lucius complied at once, breaking off when he felt Snape stiffen with the need to sneeze. Snape's face fell again, but the sneeze took its time, making his nostrils flair helplessly. He kissed Snape's nose lightly, helping the tickle.

     "ehhhh..." Snape resisted the urge to turn away, wanting Lucius to be able to see properly. "hihhhh-Ahshuhhhh! Urshhhhhhh!" Snape sniffled afterwards. "Sorry. Sniff! And thanks." Feeling both pleased and self conscious, he turned a little this time in order to blow his nose.

     Lucius rested his hands on Snape's hips again. "So what are your plans for tonight, Severus?"

     Snape shook his head. "All I want, sniff, sniff, is to go back home and crawl back into bed with a couple of hankies and a hot water bottle."

     Lucius kissed him softly on the lips once, twice, then a few more times more quickly. "You shouldn't be traveling out there when you're sick." He referred to the fact that it had been raining all afternoon and into the evening. Though it was late spring and rather warm out at times, the rain was still thick and cold. Another strong kiss on the lips brought the request, "I'd like you to sleep over tonight. I have plenty of handkerchiefs and I'd be happy to play the part of a hot water bottle." Lucius ran a hand through Snape's hair and kissed him again to make the offer sweeter. He wrapped his arms around Snape, who leaned into Lucius' chest.

     Snape smiled, feeling protected and comforted by the man six years his senior. It was this feeling of comfort which had in part made him decide to fall in with the death eaters in the first place. There were reasons other than the sense of belonging, though. And reasons for working against them as well.

     Realizing how quiet Snape was being, Lucius eyed him carefully. "That is, of course, unless you have somewhere you need to rush off to."

     Something fluttered in Snape's chest, but he didn't let it show to Lucius that he had been just thinking along those lines. "Where would I have to go that's better than here? I'd love to stay, thank you." Even if he knew it was just so Lucius could sleep with him while he was sick... even if he knew it was just so Lucius could keep an eye on him... it was still a tempting offer he couldn't refuse. One he didn't want to refuse. As Lucius kissed him again, Snape relaxed fully into the familiarity of the situation. Of course he was being used and manipulated. Of course his true loyalty did not lie with Lucius or the Dark Lord any more. But, as he let Lucius take his hand and lead him upstairs to bed, Snape had to admit it was much more enjoyable here than working on Dumbledore's side.