Storied

Severus looked down at the basket that had been delivered to him in his chambers like all his other mail. His wand waving over it cautiously but nothing set alarms off and so he reached to read the parchment attached.

Dear Mr. Wilde,

We are sending this basket of congratulations on the surprising and immediate selling out of your book. ‘Workplace mischief’. Enclosed is the starting amount as promised in the original contract as well as from your over prints. His then looked ot the deposit slip and coffee spewed from his nose as he coughed hard and rough. His eyes watering as he tried to calm him self and his brain going a bit fuzzy from the coughing fit. His eye looking at the number again. He had never written anything that had generated this much revenue…and only in three weeks since publishing. He however did understand that is was well received as he had heard his gossiping colleagues whispering about it as their latest juicy find. They had even pulled the young Miss Granger into a conversation at the table. The younger lady hard pressed to not be a tomato for the majority of the conversation.

“ I am sure Miss Granger had better things to do that read trashy harlot novels” he stated as he slowly sipped his tea looking to his paper as the older women clucked at him and told him it was not trash…he was just a prude. Prude indeed. He however had not ready anything on how popular it had become. Now however looking at the number on the page he shook his head and stood, frowning down at his now coffee stained pajamas. Good thing they were already black.

“Blitzy!” he called and a small female house elf appeared and placed her hands on her hips.
“ Master Snape be making messes” she said as she looked at his disheveled sitting room and he frowned.
“ Do not mind that I need you to tell Mister Lucius Malfoy I will be needing his ear this morning” he stated and she popped away with a bow. He went to change and when he was done a fire call came through his fire place and he unwarded it. A shiny well maintained boot stepping through first as Lucius Malfoy pretended to wipe dust off of his shoulder.

“ I do hope this is important Severus…I was waiting on the wine vendors to contact me” he stated as he was ever the business man. Severus however waved the paper in his face.
“ I…did a thing and now I have all this…I dont know what to do with all this?!” he stated as it was almost a million galleons in revenue. Far exceeding any number he could think of. Lucius sighed and snatched the paper from his hand as his eyes looked it over and he blinked a smirk coming to his lips.

“ Well…Severus congratulations are in order…or should I say Mr. Wilde….Never thought I would see the day you of all people would be writing bedroom smut for lonely witches and wizards…”he teased and Severus snatched the paper back.
“It is not…smut” he stated as he knew it was very much smut but he would not let his friend tease him like this when he needed help.

“ Are you going to stand there and gloat at me all day or will you help me figure out how to handle all this money…this is not even all of it..this is just the up front…apparently it has done well on several markets…” he stated as he looked back down to the paper.
Lucius of course made himself at home as he poured himself a bit of whiskey and took a place at the end of the couch, crossing one knee over the other.

“ Do not worry about that…I can find you good investments…” he said and Severus looked to him.
“ I want the club re lit to be dimmer…It is still too dark and people have been complaining through the owl service” the darker man stated and Lucius nodded.

“Actually I did have something to speak with you about. Apparently Draco has found a way to get more people into the club with some muggle technology called the internet…?”he waved it off a bit as he did not understand. Severus rose a brow at his friend and tilted his head.
“ Lucius…we both know how you feel about muggles…your working really hard to amend your ways” he said and the other man sat up straighter.

“ Yes well…when you can see the wizarding birthrates going down…and our world suffering after the wars…so close together…muggles are not as bad as I once had thought…I met a gentleman that was brought in by….oh I do not remember his name…he was a couple years before Potter come to Hogwarts…beautiful young man. His mother was a witch and his brother was a wizard but he is not” he said as he brought the drink to his lips.

“ Yes I am sure you did…and how long did you fuck him” Severus asked and Lucius face flushed. Severus chuckled.
“Ahh…I see…well cant be a top all the time” he said as he sat down in his chair after making a new cup of coffee.

“ So do I get a signed copy of this book from my dear friend the author or will you make me buy it like the commoners?” he asked and Snape reached over and picked up his own personal copy and flicked open the cover and picked up his instaquill and wrote.

To Lucius…fuck you and may it be hard and long.
Love,
Sebastian

“ there and keep your mouth closed about this…it was only to show those hags that anyone could write better trot than what they were reading.” He said in defense of himself. Lucius chuckling.
“ Your secret is safe with me my friend…besides…I am sure a few of my friends would be interested in this” Lucius responded.

“ Speaking of Miss Weasley how is she?” he asked and Lucius sat up a bit straighter in his chair.
“ She has been a good addition to the club…her assistance is invaluable with her hard work in keeping the place running smoothly.

“ Well…as much as I would like to say something about it…just in age difference…I fear I am far off the mark of propriety myself.” Severus saw his friend flipping through the pages of the book as those silvery blue eyes read some as his cheek grew hot and he closed the book with a slam.

“ Severus this is pure filth!” he stated and Severus laughed at his friends response.
“ Good day Lucius…send my information on investments when you can and tell Miss Weasley hello for me” he stated as he stood and led his friend back to the floor before shoving him in and sending him back to Malfoy manner.

He never would understand his friend and how he come to be entranced by the youngest Weasley child. Arthur and Molly would never allow it. He shook his head as he went back to sit down by the fire when a soft knock came at his door and he blinked and stood. He put the paperwork away and moved to open his door blinking down to Hermione who was looking rather tousled with red eyes.
“ I cant handle it…”she said as she lifted her shirt and the cursed wound was inflamed and he led her inside and told her to lay on the couch.

“ How long has it been like this?” he asked as he moved to his private potions stores and found several vials, one a pain potion for her and another a salve to numb the area. Her skin hit to the touch in that area and he frowned.
“ Do you trust me?” he suddenly asked to her as she was in pain and she nodded and he picked her up, carrying her to the floo as he tossed in the powder.
“ Malfoy Manor” and before she could resist they were stepping through into the main foyer of the massive house. Hermiones eyes resting on the man who kept her captive for days and whos family tortured her as her face grew pale. Severus tightened his grip on her.

“Sh…he can help…if anyone can help us it is someone who is far better at dark arts” he said as Hermione looked at him pain ripping through her as she nodded.

“Dolohov’s curse is acting up again…” he stated as Lucius led them to a sitting room, not hte same as that night and had her laid down on a very fancy couch. The older man moving around the room as his eyes scanned old books until he stopped and reached out for one and plucked it off the shelf.

“He was a master spell maker…but he had patterns” he said as he flipped through the pages.
“ You stated before it was purple…I remember looking into it but seeing this..” He motioned to her, his eyes looking at the would.
“ I have seen this…it is a blood curse but I have only ever seen it in yellow…not purple.” He said as Severus looked to his friend who took out his wand and handed him his book to hold while he moved patterns around the young witches torso. A silver light coming from his wind as h began to pull and a purplish ooze started coming from her skin…the scream she let out pierced the air and the doors flew open as Draco had been home and had was wondering why anyone was screaming murder. Flashes of that night in the manor with his aunt come back and he moved to attack his father at the sight of Granger writing in pain under his wand but was stopped by the force of Severus grabbing him from the side and holding him back .

“ Wh…what the fuck are you doing Father…Severus?!” he stated as he could no nothing but stare is shock as a purple ooze was dripping from his former rival. Lucius however did not stop as he struggled to hold his concentration on the spell until Hermione passed out and she skin was left red and raw but the purple scar was gone. All these years later …almost ten years of suffering and the man she feared still to this day had managed to do what mediwizards everywhere could not heal. Lucius staggered backwards into a chair as he saw spots before his eyes, his breath the only thing he could hear as everything seemed slowed down. He looked to see his son moving to the young woman as Severus came to him. He picked up the book and looked down at it and rose a brow before looking back to his friend and then to the ooze that was burning the carpet and he took out a vial from his robes and scooped some up into it where it bubbled on its own.

“ Lucius…Lucius…are you alright?” he asked as the older man gave a stunned nod. No words however could he make. Draco trying to wake Hermione but she was unconscious…breathing but unwaking. He turned to his father and former professor.

“ What….what did you do?” he asked and then looked to the ooze and frowned before looking where the scar had once been.

“ What….did you do?!” he asked again and Severus spoke up.

“ Calm down Draco..your father just used old magic and he might take a minute to recover…but he just might have just saved Miss Granger’s young life…” he stated and Draco looked to his dazed father and frowned but his eyes softened.

“ I will take Granger to a room…can you take care of father?” he asked and Severus gave a nod.

Severus had the easier of the jobs as Lucius was very commandable in this state. He led the older man up to his personal chambers. Hermione being laid in the chambers across the hall…in of all places his mothers old rooms. Severus did a scan and found Lucius core was weak and he frown and went out to find Draco.

“ Where is your mothers potions lab…your father has depleted his core” he stated and the young man’s eyes widened in fear and he led the other man through another set of doors to where his mother kept a small lab as she was always destined to be a healer…but things were just not to be. Severus looked through her ingredients and frowned as he would have to go back to Hogwarts to get what he needed and did just that before returning and setting about brewing the potions he would need for them both.

It would be hours before either patient woke. Severus having gone to get Poppy after he was sure they both were stable. The older matron had lots of questions but he only answered the medical related ones and showed her the bubbly ooze and she shook her head.
“ That needs to be analyzed by the department of mysteries” she said as she looked to him. Looking back at his friends he nodded.
“ Thank you Poppy for coming…Miss Granger was not the choice I had thought of when you said you had an apprentice…” he admitted and she shook her head.

“She hated the ministry…and after her falling out with Me. Weasley for the fifth time I dare say she was ready to do something she was passionate about, even if she didn't know she would be passionate about it.” She stated and Severus nodded.

“ I will send an elf if I need your help again” he said as the older woman gave him a pat on the shoulder and walked to the floo.

When Hermione woke she was confused where she was. It was dark but the room was not hers as it was far to large. The bed was so comfy that she could just curl into it for a long nap but she felt like she need to wake up. Her eyes slowly adjusting to the dark room as beside the bed a mop of white hair was leaned over it asleep on his arm. However as soon as she moved pain shot through her as memories of the day before did as well and she felt like she had been tortured but the look on Lucius face was that of determination as she saw a sick ooze…she remember it burning her fingers as she looked down to her hands that were bandaged up. Her hands lifted her shirt and while the skin was raw and red to the touch…the purple mass was gone….her eyes wide as it seemed to take a moment to sink in.

Draco startled as Hermione began to move around and he sat up with wide eyes as he looked relieved that she was awake.
“ I was about to call Weasley to wake you up…surely him being int he same room would rouse you from your sleep” he said and she looked at him as tears filled her eyes and his own eyes widened.

“ It was a joke Granger…don’t cry!” he pleaded as she suddenly hit him, rather lack of effort to hurt him but she did hit him.
“ I’m not…crying!..I’m…I’m happy!” she choked out in a sob as her arms went around herself as the pain that she felt was ebbing away the more she moved. It felt good, this pain did not reach her soul…she could heal from this.

Draco was at a loss as to what to do as he watched the young woman collapse into her self. He reached out gently if to soothe her, shocked as she launched herself into his arms sobbing and clinging to him for any comfort he could give her.

His eyes closed as once in his childhood she had been his deepest crust. She had broken his nose…and he had been way to young for the feeling that had come at the thought later that night. His body had responded in a way it never had before and from then on she always lingered in his mind as the forbidden…which made him angry as well. He was crushed by her constant defiance of him. His own father had been disappointed in him to being second to a mud blood in school. That word was sour on his mind as he closed his eyes and his arms finally wrapped around her as he felt her almost meld into him and he moved them so they could lay on the bed.

“Father used to want to be a curse breaker when he was younger…guess he finally came through on it” he said as she calmed and sniffled.

“ Is…he okay?” she asked, her voice almost gone. Nodding he moved to wipe a tear from her eye.

“ Severus will make sure he is…”
He said. Hermione then slowly began to look around the room.

“ This is not your rooms?” she asked and he laughed.

“ My mothers…” he said as she grew quiet. She knew how he felt about his mother. He had loved her but she had gone off the deep end with her sister. Hermione looked to her once rival and enemy as he had not released her yet.

“I was terrified when Severus brought me here…but now…there is nothing to be terrified of” she said and Draco rose a brow as he sat up and looked down to her.
“ How is Blaise?” she asked and he blinked as he looked confused and she giggled gently.

“ Do not look at me that way, everyone at the Ministry knew you were an item” she said as his face paled.

“ Wait you didnt realize that?” she asked and he shook his. She placed a hand on his.

“Being gay is not the end of the world Draco” she said and he narrowed his eyes and moved his hand from hers.

“ I know that Granger! And I am not gay…I like women thank you…I just also like men” he said and she smirked.
“Trust me Dracoi…with hanging around Harry…I understand” she said and he rose a brow.

“ Excuse me?” he asked and she shook her head.

“ Dont listen to me…I am still in pain” she said as she closed her eyes as she did ache.
Draco moved from the bed and went across the hall. Severus and his father talking quietly when he entered and both looking at him when he entered.

“She is awake” he said as Lucius moved to get out of the bed but Severus easily pushed him back down.

“ You dont move” Snape said as he stood instead. Draco chuckled at the look his father had on his face at being so easy to push around. Severus passed the younger Malfoy and paused to look at him, saying nothing as the boy flushed red at the scrutiny.

Severus entered the room where Hermione was only to find her sitting up in the bed looking far better than before.
“ Are you still in pain?”he asked and she nodded as she showed him her side and he rubbed some salve onto it and gave her a pain potion.

“Poppy came to look you over..she is astonished at the cure…Lucius is a bit better at dark curses than I am…luckily for him he knew a similar curse…he almost depleted his core” he explained and she looked remorseful and sad.

“ I owe him a life debt for this” she started to say but he stopped her.

“You owe him nothing…because of your past…all is equalized now” he said and could see her shoulders relax as this information relaxed her.

“ I feel better now but Draco would not let me get up” she said and he held out his hand to her.

“ You are in better shape than the Malfoy Patron” he said as she giggled gently at this. He took his hand and stood as her shirt slid down to hide her mid section again and she smiled.

“ Where is the loo?” she asked suddenly as her cheeks flushed and he chuckled as he motioned to a set of doors.

“ Through there” he said as he had been in these room many times before when Draco was an infant. He waited for her to return before helping her over to Lucius’s room.

Her face gre hot when they entered and Draco was helping his father put on his robe. QA flash of pale skin hidden by dark grey fabric, his chest however still peeking through. None of the men could ignore this as Lucius was helped back in the bed.

“ I hope you are feeling better Miss Granger…I understand it may be uncomfortable to be here after all that has happened.” He said but her head shook and her curls moved wildly.

“ Mr. Malfoy…you have saved my life…it was only a matter of time before that curse took it” she said as she always knew her time was limited…now she was hopeful for her future. The older man chuckled as he had a full days stubble that looked rather distinguished on him.