Date: April 15, 2000
Time: Morning, breakfast
Characters Involved: Residents of Spinner's End
Status: Complete
Rating: Aw hell, we're talking at least PG-13, possibly R
Draco should have seen it coming. Everything was going oddly that morning. For one thing, it was morning. Generally Draco was not up nearly so early. He wasn't much of a morning
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"...I am about to adopt the git as a son."
The words brought her up short in the doorway for a moment, wondering if she'd heard right, then she shook her head. "I'm going to assume," she declared to no one in particular as she made her way over to the table, "that the first part of that sentence made the second part make a lot more sense than it seemed to."
There was an odd air in the room which she couldn't quite figure out, and her curiosity was only intensified with Theo's entrance. She tilted her head in the direction of his voice. "What the bloody hell is what?"
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Oh, there was definitely going to be some passing out soon. Not that Draco could afford it. He might, he mused as he looked around the kitchen, have been able to put off telling Severus. After all, the man didn't know and what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him. But Draco knew it would come out eventually, the likelihood of Severus having the story confirmed was pretty high and Draco . . . well, he thought he'd be better off telling him now.
"It's a bloody Skeeter article," Draco said waspishly. "Detailing my sordid relationship with our resident Boy Hero. Severus, I need to talk to you. Er, please? Alone?"
He looked over at the man nervously and he didn't want to do this. He really didn't.
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"That, Theo, is what happens when the Malfoy Scion spends too much time with the Boy Hero. People with a vacuum where their brain ought to be, find nothing better to do than invent wild tales. 'Lovers'. Honestly!"
He shook his head in mock disgust, really still enjoying Draco's discomfort over the whole thing. Served him right!
Miss Connors entered shortly after, and he checked his amusement--and any other display of emotion. Somehow that girl had a way of bringing out the worst in him--not like Potter, for whom there was at least good reason for said 'worst'--but for no apparent reason at all. Since their last exceedingly ugly row, which had required Lupin's intervention to mostly-resolve, Severus had been exceedingly cautious around her, taking care to be polite, without being overly attentive or show any special 'concessions' to her blindness.
He was not rude to her, or at least not blatantly so, however, so when she asked her question, he answered her in a voice that had not quite suppressed all its amusement, though it was not quite so rich with it as it had sounded moments before.
"Our resident Most Eligible Bachelor has been pilloried by Skeeter this morning, Miss Connors. Do not display more sympathy for him than was provided The Next Dark Lord--he deserves his fifteen minutes of fame at least as much as I did in the last one. He's been seen with Our Saviour a few times too often, and rumour has finally reached Skeeter's ears. She has them setting up housekeeping as lovers."
He snorted as he poured a cup of tea and handed it to Theo, unasked.
"As if Draco would ever be so foolish as to live with POTTER."
The last word was said, as it always was, as though 'Potter' was the foulest profanity he could imagine speaking. Considering he was raised for the first ten years of his life by a Muggle mill-worker with a passion for drink, his repertoire of profanity was very great, indeed, so this was saying something.
His own tea-tray now comfortably prepared for a long morning's brewing, Severus collected it and glanced at Draco, amusement still lingering about his eyes and lips.
"Of course, Draco. Follow me down stairs, if you will. I've got quite a bit of work to do this morning, but we can plot your vengeance on Skeeter for a short while before I begin. Come."
So saying, he led the way to the cellar door at the rear of the kitchen and disappeared through it first, carrying the tea-things with him, utterly oblivious to the proverbial shoe hanging menacingly over his head, about to drop at any moment.
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"He doesn't...?" he asked Draco, puzzled, and then realized with absolute horror.
Snape made very strong tea.
He coughed slightly and reached for the milk before he realized the 'trouble' that he was in--or would be soon, if Draco put two and two together. The giggling girls when they were shopping? Theo's presence?
Hopefully he wouldn't. Draco could be rather dense, right? Theo smeared some butter and jam on toast and abandonded the so-called tea, heading for the door.
"I've got a cooking lesson with Padma Patil," he told everyone in general. "I'll be back later."
Much, much later.
Hopefully after Snape exploded and thus distracted Draco's fury.
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