Never Any Good News
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 ( Read more... )
"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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