Prince’s Cosmetics
Snape x OC fic (Snape Lives AU)
Chapter 7/9 - The Sword of Gryffindor
Chapters: One - Two - Three - Four - Five - Six - Eight
On AO3 here
(Edit - noticed a couple of typos and fixed them on the AO3 version!)
Summary: Snape and Tammy give in to a little fantasy, and Lucius battles with his past - and his future. Snape and Lucius solve the small problem of the mystery item that has the potential to bring Voldemort back.
Notes: As usual, it's been a while. I've been taking much more of a break than I usually allow myself, and I'm feeling better for it. I hope that's reflected in my writing, although as usual I've agonised over this chapter so if I don't post it now I fear I never will. We're so close to the end, and I'm so excited to get there. Also, this fic won third place in the Favourite Snape x OC Fic category of the @snapedomawards 2022. It was an honour to be part of the awards, but to be nominated and voted for - and for this fic, which I adore, was truly wonderful. Thank you, readers, my beloveds.
Warnings: mentions of snucius (Snape x Lucius), NSFW - teacher/student role play (Snape x Tammy - who was never really Snape's student), thigh riding, dom!Snape (during role play), spanking, mentions of: food, eating, hospital pregnancy
‘Tammy! Barbie’s here!’
A chipper voice rang through from the shop to where Tammy was hurrying down the stairs to get started. Morgan, her slightly older, and, so Morgan claimed, wiser sister, had always been somewhat of an early riser and was well ahead, already busy preparing the afternoon treats.
Lucius had cocked an eyebrow at Morgan's comment with a typical Malfoy sneer and continued perusing the fresh morning bakes in the display cabinet, pretending he hadn’t heard her.
‘Morgan! Must you call him Barbie?’ Tammy quietly scolded, pulling on her apron.
‘When he stops turning his nose up at my cakes and insulting my pie crusts, I’ll stop calling him names,’ Morgan whispered with a supercilious smirk and a sly glance back at Lucius. ‘Besides,’ she added, ‘there is worse I could call him.’
One corner of Tammy’s mouth twitched. ‘You know what I think?’ She scooped her hair up into a loose bun while Morgan shot her a withering look. ‘I think you fancy him.’
Morgan rounded on Tammy, wiper-shouting through gritted teeth, ‘I do not-’ but Tammy leapt away, chuckling.
The sudden change in tone alerted Lucius to the sisters' little confab. Morgan felt his gaze on her and turned away with burning cheeks, busying herself with a lump of unrolled pastry.
Lucius’s eyes lingered briefly and thoughtfully over Morgan’s blonde locks before he shifted his gaze to Tammy where it softened considerably.
Tammy made her way immediately over to him as she smoothed down her apron and pushed up her sleeves, wrapping her arms around his slight waist in a tight embrace.
‘How is he?’ Lucius asked as they pulled apart from one another.
‘He’s well,’ Tammy sighed relievedly. ‘I’ve told him he should rest today, but he insists he’s got to visit an old friend. I’m cooking him a welcome home dinner tonight.’
There was a silence between them then, as they each considered the other. Lucius was wishing he had someone as caring as Tammy in his life. Someone who might care for him the way she cared for Snape. Someone he could care for, too. Tammy was wondering whether this particular version of Lucius would always be around. She hoped he would.
‘Thank you, Luci.’ Tammy rubbed comfortingly at his arm.
‘You’ve nothing to thank me for,’ he replied, his hand eclipsing hers to squeeze it lovingly.
‘I do, actually. You’ve been a true friend to both of us.’
Lucius replied with a singular nod. He didn’t need to say anything for Tammy to understand that in that moment, he was thankful for her words – and for her presence in his life.
‘Now,’ Tammy continued, ‘I’ll be baking the pies again tomorrow and I’ll save one just for you. But, in the meantime, how about you join Sev and I for dinner tonight?’
‘Tammy, I couldn’t possibly-’
‘Of course you could – after all you've done for us, a meal is the least I can offer. Dinner will be here at seven. And I think I can speak for Sev when I say that we would both love you to join us.’
Lucius’s gaze flicked over to Morgan, and Tammy could have sworn she saw a glimmer of hope flash across his eyes.
‘Will Morgan be joining us this evening?’
‘Afraid not.’ Tammy leaned close to Lucius, who stooped to hear her whispered words. ‘She’s going on a date.’
‘Ah.’ Lucius snapped his eyes away from Morgan’s golden hair, not failing to notice the glints of light dancing in it as she moved. ‘I’ll be off then. I’m very much looking forward to this evening.’
They hugged again, lingering a little longer this time before pulling away.
‘Good day, Morgan,’ Lucius called without turning around, ‘don't help Tammy with the pies tomorrow, I would rather like to buy one.’
Morgan turned, ready to fire back at Lucius with a snarky comment, but he was already gone, the bell above the door dinging gently in his wake, so she simply stuck her tongue out in his general direction instead. She stared after him though, all of her thoughts frozen for a moment until she caught Tammy smirking in the corner of her vision. As if she could read Tammy’s thoughts, Morgan scalded, ‘Don't even think about-’
But it was too late. Tammy began singing exactly the song Morgan had predicted.
‘Morgan and Luci, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes-’
‘Yes, thank you Tammy,’ Morgan shouted over the din of the old playground song.
‘Morgan Malfoy has a certain ring to it, don't you think?’ Tammy teased.
‘What I think is that you're being very disrespectful to my date this evening,’ Morgan sneered, and Tammy chuckled. ‘And stop being so smug!’
‘Sorry, Morgan.’ Tammy sobered. ‘I do really think he likes you, though.’
‘No he doesn't,’ Morgan protested, ‘we're mortal enemies! And it will stay that way as long as he displays contempt for my pie crusts.’
‘Ever heard of enemies to lovers? It's a perfect setup; he hates your baking, you think he's obnoxiously handsome…’
‘Ever heard of minding your own business?’ Morgan fired back playfully, throwing a lump of pastry over to Tammy, who caught it with ease and began kneading it instinctively. ‘Anyway, who said anything about me finding him handsome?’
‘Oh, no one,’ Tammy shrugged, ‘no one at all.’ She joined her sister at the counter, where they worked together, bickering and laughing well into the afternoon.
*****
‘What do you think to this one?’ Tammy pulled a second outfit option from her wardrobe and held it up in front of the first.
‘So, you’re asking me to choose between jeans and a blouse, and jeans and a blouse,’ Snape drawled playfully, his fingers smoothing over the outfit he planned to wear for their little dinner party.
Tammy smiled, waiting for the inevitable Snape style punch line.
‘You look stunning in both of them. And,’ – his voice dropped lower as his attention switched entirely to Tammy he stepped toward her – ‘whichever you choose, I promise to fuck you equally as hard in it.’
‘It’s funny you should mention that,’ Tammy said casually, her eyes turning darker as she went on, ‘because I was thinking… I could just wear this...’ She threw both of the blouses aside, revealing a silky green lingerie set that clung to her curves beautifully.
Snape’s lips parted to let out a shaky breath before gathering himself enough to speak. ‘I wouldn't recommend it in civilised company, however, if you’re planning to have Lucius and I both drooling at your feet all evening, then yes, you should wear exactly that.'
‘Or… you could fuck me now and save poor Lucius the bother if drooling at all.’ A sly smile spread over Tammy's painted lips.
Snape pushed Tammy back against the wardrobe, his breath hot against her cheek as he mumbled, ‘How about I fuck you now and later?’ he growled. ‘And you keep this slutty little ensemble on, stained with my cum, under your clothes all evening?’
‘I think I can agree to that,’ Tammy breathed, panting already at Snape's hungry words.
Their lips were inches apart but Snape didn’t close the gap. Not yet.
‘Out of curiosity,’ he said, tracing a finger over the soft silk of Tammy's bralette, ‘what made you opt for this particular shade of green?' His knuckle grazed Tammy's nipple through the fabric, causing her to shudder.
She didn’t answer. Instead, she turned away to rifle through the wardrobe, leaving Snape to admire her silk ass, which he squeezed roughly. Tammy hummed in delight and Snape filed her response away for later.
‘Here!’ she exclaimed, muffled from within the wardrobe. She emerged holding up another coat hanger, this time displaying a set of immaculate Slytherin school robes.
‘You were in Slytherin?’ Snape exclaimed.
‘I was. As were you,’ Tammy smirked. ‘But you went on to become Head of Slytherin House.’
‘I did,’ Snape agreed in a low tone that Tammy strongly suspected was his teacher voice.
‘And if memory serves me correctly, not just any head of house. The youngest head of house Hogwarts has ever seen,’ Tammy gushed.
‘Indeed.’
Tammy bit her lip. ‘Professor Snape,’ she breathed, dragging a hand down his chest. ‘Headmaster Snape. Strong, powerful… brilliant.’
Snape swallowed hard. It felt strangely good to hear his titles being used by Tammy, particularly when she was being so completely seductive and complimentary. It made a refreshing change from wishing he could forget those days entirely, and despite the vague reminder, he certainly didn't want her to stop.
‘Does Professor Snape still have his teacher’s robes?’ Tammy cooed, reaching down further to feel the erection already tenting Snape’s trousers.
‘Yes,’ he said, breath catching in his throat.
‘Then how about you put them on? And when you return, I’ll be waiting for you… your naughtiest student awaiting detention with her favourite professor…’
Snape’s lips pressed to Tammy’s firmly, biting at her bottom lip as he pulled away.
His last view of her before he disapparated was simply gorgeous; her hair was messy from rummaging through her clothes and she was leaning back against the wardrobe with a heaving chest as she licked her smirking lips.
His feet hit the wooden floor of his bedroom less than a second later, and he hastily threw open his own wardrobe doors, searching through every item of clothing he owned until he found his old teachers’ robes buried behind shirts and undershirts, and outfits that had been gifts from Lucius in years gone by.
He pulled the robes out to inspect them; they were as pristine as ever, if not a little faded from over-wear, and he could only see the stains from the spilled and exploding disastrous concoctions of his dunderheaded students if he looked extremely closely. They'd do. Especially if Tammy wanted the authentic Professor Snape in her bedroom, at least.
Reminding himself that Tammy was not looking for perfection, and rather, wanted him to fuck her, he frantically grabbed his wand to magic the old robes on, indulging in a little groan as the fabric grazed over his hardening length.
He had never been so eager to don them, used to buttoning up the frock coat manually, simply as a way to torture himself with the length of time it took to dress every morning. And undress every evening. Some nights, he slept in them, too exhausted to so much as pick up his wand and magic them off, but this felt very different.
As soon as the old robes were on, cape and all, he checked his reflection in the long mirror he rarely looked at. He felt strangely powerful to be back in these old clothes. He hurriedly preened his hair and disapparated back to Tammy’s bedroom where he spun around to see her perched on the dressing table chair, legs spread just enough so he could glimpse the silk knickers beneath her old school skirt.
Her shirt and jumper were much too tight over her chest, the jumper pulled low and the shirt unbuttoned enough so that the green bralette beneath was partly visible, with a green and silver tie hanging loosely around her shirt collar.
‘Professor,’ she groaned, and the sound sent a jolt of excitement straight to Snape’s cock, but he kept his stern glare. ‘I know I’ve been bad, daydreaming in class but… is there any way you could forgive me? Anything I can do to make up for it?’
Tammy dragged a finger slowly from her knee to the hem of her skirt, which she hitched up further over her thigh.
‘Miss Tiffey,’ Snape drawled, finding it surprisingly easy to slip back into teacher mode, ‘there are a few punishments that may be fitting for your transgression, but clearly, we need to work on your focus, so I suggest we start there.’
Tammy was already trembling at the sound of his lusciously deep yet silky voice. Snape had never taught her, but she knew that if she had been any younger and he had been her professor, she would have been daydreaming through his lessons without a doubt.
‘Yes, Professor,’ she agreed breathily, ‘what would you like me to do? I know you must be so lonely down here in the dungeons all the time… I'll do anything.’
‘Stand,’ he commanded, and she rose without question. ‘Ah. So you are able to follow simple instructions after all.’
Snape took a seat in the chair Tammy had vacated and beckoned her over to him with a slow finger. ‘Over my knee.’
Tammy made herself comfortable laid across Snape’s spread thighs while he dragged the palm of his hand up the back of her legs, flipping her skirt up to expose her silk covered ass.
‘Hm. Do you always wear such luxurious underwear for detention with your professors, Miss Tiffey?’ he drawled, administering massaging squeezes to her plump behind.
‘No, sir, I wore these just for you… I hoped you'd notice.’
‘I see. And the wet patch between your legs?’ He pressed a finger to her core, rubbing over the wet spot for a brief moment before resuming the kneading of her buttocks. ‘Is that just for me, too?’
‘Yes, Professor,’ Tammy whined, writhing for more of his touch.
‘In that case, you must have continued your interminable daydreaming since our class this morning?’
‘Sir?’
‘That’s right, Miss Tiffey, I know what you were thinking about.’ His voice had become colder, harsher, and it was making Tammy squirm.
‘Professor, please-’
‘Don’t lie to me. I am a legilimens, Tiffey. I know,’ he sneered.
‘Then I suppose, sir, you must also know what I would have been doing tonight? Before you summoned me to detention and spoiled my fun, of course.’ Tammy said smugly.
‘Oh yes,’ Snape drawled, picking up one of Tammy’s hands in his. ‘You intended to fuck yourself on these pretty fingers, imagining – no, wishing – they were mine. Yes, I am very well aware, you naughty girl.’
He dropped Tammy’s hand to rest his own lightly against her ass once more, feeling her whole body shaking with anticipation.
‘Let’s start working on that focus shall we?’ Snape raised his hand and brought it down hard against her cheeks, the sharp slap piercing the air until Tammy’s desperate moan broke the ringing. Snape relished the sound.
‘Professor, please, how can I focus when you’re only making me wetter,’ she begged. ‘I need-’
‘It’s simple,’ Snape cut her off. ‘There’ll be ten strikes. Count them - out loud. If you lose count, you start from the beginning. Understand?’
‘Yes, sir,’ she whined, pushing her behind up eagerly in preparation.
‘Good. Then we shall begin.’
With each number that Tammy counted, Snape rewarded her with another sharp slap – at least, it would be a reward if it wasn’t so hard to concentrate while her mind was clouded with such wanton lust that only grew with every sweet, painful smack of his palm against her tender skin.
Increasingly desperate moans laced the numbers she called. Each was weaker and much more needy than the last.
At seven, Tammy began to waver. Her core was throbbing. She tried to squeeze her thighs together to ease some of the pressure, but the position she was in made it almost impossible, and any time Snape picked up on her trying to rut against him or reach between her legs, he shifted his own to make it harder.
‘Sir, p-please, if I c-could only-’ she stuttered, so desperate for his touch that she didn’t care how much she would have to beg for it.
But Professor Snape was not nearly so yielding.
‘Losing count, Tiffey?’ Snape spat mockingly. ‘Unsurprising. You still can’t get my thick cock off your mind, can you?’
‘No, but- I think- I… I think I’m up to seven?’
‘Lucky guess,’ Snape drawled, his palm stinging her buttocks once again.
‘Mmh! Eight.’
When she finally made it to ten, Snape leant back in the chair massaging the red mark he’d left on her flesh, peeking out from under the green silk.
‘I think that ought to do it, Tiffey. Have you learnt your lesson?’ Snape said casually as though he hadn't a care in the world, least of all Miss Tiffey's desires.
‘Yes, Professor, I promise I’ll be more focussed next lesson,’ she whimpered.
‘No more daydreaming?’ he asked with a raised eyebrow, his hand now smoothing over the curve of her back, exploring the contours of her body.
‘Sir, I can't promise that. But I can keep it to my own time… I’ll still daydream about you when I'm alone,’ she said suggestively. ‘Only it’s not so much a daydream as it is a burning fantasy, Professor. Do you ever have nights like those? When you can’t get someone off your mind and your body is crying out for them?’
‘I believe I am familiar with the sensation you’re describing. Get up,’ Snape instructed coolly, trying with all his might to ignore the copious amount of precum currently leaking into his underwear, his cock twitching at the suggestion of her pleasuring herself to the thought of him.
Tammy stood on shaky legs to see Snape patting his thigh, which she dropped down upon immediately. The feeling of something, anything, between her legs was such a relief that she couldn’t help but groan.
Snape’s fingers dug roughly into Tammy’s thighs. ‘Tell me, Miss Tiffey, do you always think of me when you touch yourself?’ he asked, a sly smile twisting his lips.
‘Always,’ she whispered against the gentle waves of his long black hair. ‘Every night.’
She rolled her hips, biting her lip at the delicious friction against her clit as Snape’s hands travelled up to grip tight at her hips beneath her skirt.
‘I think of you, too,’ he growled in her ear, leaning in to trail his tongue over the pulse point of her neck.
His hands began to control the speed of Tammy’s movements and she collapsed forward against his chest, sighing and moaning into his shoulder as the soft silk slid deliciously against her folds.
‘Do you need to cum, Tiffey?’ Snape teased. ‘Perhaps we need to get this little fantasy of me out of your system next? Or give you something real to fantasise about, at least.’
‘Oh fuck, Professor, yes-’
‘Ride my thigh until you cum. And five points from Slytherin for using foul language.’
Shivers licked up Tammy’s spine every time Snape spoke to her like that. She had never had a crush on a teacher, but the thought of her Sev with this power over her made her shudder.
Snape’s hands slipped up to cup her breasts over her uniform as Tammy pulled at her skirt and slipped the green silk of her underwear aside, allowing her slick to coat his black trousers.
He watched her eyes screw shut and her mouth fall open as her legs tensed and her back arched against the palm he’d slipped around to support her. He quickly slid his other hand between her legs and pushed a finger inside, feeling her walls clench around it.
‘Fuck- Professor!’ Tammy cried as she collapsed against him once more.
‘Now that we’ve worked on focus and resolved your little… problem,’ (he slipped his finger out and through her folds to her clit, causing Tammy to shudder) ‘perhaps you could help me with a little problem of my own?’
‘Anything, Professor,’ she panted, grabbing onto the shoulders of his robes as he rubbed firm, slow circles over her swollen nub.
Despite the shocks of over-sensitivity after her orgasm, Tammy groaned at the lack of stimulation when Snape abruptly withdrew his fingers. ‘On the bed,’ he growled.
Tammy rose slowly and staggered to the bed, flopping down onto it with her arms raised above her head in a signal that her body was entirely his.
Snape stood over her, staring down with a cold glare as his eyes dragged over her curves. ‘You’ve done an atrocious job of adhering to the school dress code, Tiffey. I’m not usually a stickler for such irrelevant nonsense as the precise length of a skirt, but I really think we must address the fact that your chest is practically bursting from that jumper. Remove it.’
Tammy pulled it off eagerly, her hands shaking with the anticipation that had begun to build within her core again already.
‘Spread your legs. Let me see you,’ Snape commanded.
Tammy reached down to slide her underwear aside again, revealing her glistening cunt.
‘Needy little thing, aren’t you?’ Snape cocked an eyebrow, absentmindedly licking his lips at the sight of her dripping, all for him. ‘How many times can you cum?’
‘I’ve lost count when you’ve been on my mind, Sir. Please, I need to feel you…’
Snape’s eyes remained trained on Tammy’s core as he unfastened his trousers with haste and palmed his cock with a long, smooth stroke, biting back the guttural grunt that tried to escape his throat when he finally felt fiction against his aching cock.
‘Lift your hips,’ he finally instructed, his voice thick with lust. He knelt between Tammy’s legs, slipping his hand around to hold her in place.
Tammy hissed, her bum still delightfully sore after her earlier punishment. She hoped it would mark her skin for days as a reminder of this evening.
Snape wasted no time lining his leaking cock up at her entrance and sliding into her. The sound that left Tammy’s throat as her walls stretched around his cock made him gasp. He didn’t want to cum yet. He wanted to continue with their little game for as long as it took to ensure Tammy was thoroughly satisfied, but he was so close already that each of her cries of pleasure were more dangerous to his ears than the last.
He rolled his hips with measured speed until he was buried, building up to a rougher, harder fuck, lowering them down until the bed moved with each thrust.
‘I knew you liked me, sir,’ Tammy mewled, ‘I saw the- mmh- the heat in your eyes when you asked me to meet you for detention.’
‘And I knew you were trying to seduce me with your- ugh!- filthy thoughts, Tiffey. Tell me, did you know I could see what you were thinking?’
‘Yes, Professor,’ her fingers tangled in his hair and his eyes fell closed at the tenderness of her touch, ‘I knew and - oh - I wanted you to see them.’
Tammy felt Snape’s cool fingers at her clit again, flicking mercilessly over her nub, and the burn of his cock stretching her and dragging over her sweet spot with rapid succession had her next release so close she could practically taste it.
Tammy wrapped her legs around Snape’s waist. ‘Professor – I’m gonna-’
The snapping of Snape’s hips had become desperate and uneven, and just as Tammy attempted to announce her orgasm to her favourite professor, his own hit.
Unintelligible swears fell from both their lips as their simultaneous release flooded their bodies and they collapsed together in a messy, sweaty, writhing heap on Tammy’s bed.
Chest heaving, Snape slowly withdrew his softening cock and slid Tammy's knickers back into place.
‘You're to keep those on all evening, remember, Tiffey?’ he drawled with a smirk, pressing the fabric flush her core and holding it there to ensure every last drop of his seed would be kept safe.
‘How could I forget,’ Tammy sighed, squeezing her thighs together over his hand. ‘Mmh.’
‘You truly are insatiable, Tiffey. Tell me, did the real Professor Snape experience live up to your little fantasy?’ Snape drawled.
‘Oh yes. Real Professor Snape is far better than Fantasy Professor Snape,’ Tammy sighed, ‘you’re so much bigger than my fingers.’
‘Hmm… remind me to teach you a little charm for that,’ Snape growled into her ear, ‘so you can feel my cock inside you any time you desire. So long as it’s not during my lessons, of course.’
Tammy moaned, slipping out of the fantasy. ‘I hope that’s not just part of our little game, Sev, because I’d really like to learn that charm.’
Snape blushed. ‘I’m sure I can come up with something.’
‘Fuck. I should surprise you with sexy underwear more often if this is the treatment I get,’ she teased, looking like the cat that had got the cream. ‘Have you really ever-’
Panic flashed across Snape's eyes. ‘Fancied a student? Merlin, no! I-’
‘No, Sev!’ Tammy slapped at his arm playfully, ‘I’m glad to hear it, but I was going to ask if you'd really, you know, thought about me when you've been… alone.’ She bit her lip whilst awaiting his response, hoping he would admit that he fancied her enough to include her in his fantasies.
‘Believe it or not, I’ve had barely a moment to so much as think of pleasuring myself since the moment I met you, Tammy. But if you must know, then…’ Snape averted his gaze, cheeks burning. ‘Yes. Once. The night we met.’
He hoped she wouldn't ask to see the memory of him desperately rutting into his hand and moaning her name only shortly after they had parted ways that night. But thinking back to it now, he could still feel the rush of excitement he had felt when he allowed himself that pleasure, when he allowed his mind to wander wherever it wanted to for a change, and it was entirely stuck on her.
‘Oh shit, really?’ Her eyes widened excitedly as she pushed herself up on her elbows. ‘You really fancy me!’
‘Tammy…’ Snape breathed a disbelieving sigh. ‘Look at you. Look at me. Of course I fancy you. You're beautiful.’
Tammy's warm smile turned into a mischievous grin. ‘More than you fancy Lucius?’
‘I’d say a little bit more, yes,’ Snape muttered sardonically.
‘Do you not realise how much I fancy you, Sev? And before you ask, yes, it is more than I fancy Lucius.’
He stared back at her blankly and she knew she would need to spell it out for him.
‘I thought you'd have had witches queuing up to get a piece of you for years. Well, perhaps you did without knowing it, but you really don't see it do you?’
‘See what? I'm well aware of my physical flaws, there's no point trying to-’
‘Flaws!’ Tammy exclaimed. ‘Merlin, Sev! You're so handsome that I almost orgasmed on the spot the moment I saw you!’
Snape’s eyebrows raised a little in disbelief that Tammy could find him so immediately desirable.
‘Well, perhaps not quite,’ she added, sobering slightly, ‘but I did think about you that night. If only I’d known you were doing the exact same. I’d have been back at yours like a shot.’
‘Who else would I ever dream of,’ Snape said softly, stroking Tammy’s cheek with the back of his elegant fingers. ‘You’re it, Tammy.’
‘As are you, Sev,’ Tammy smiled, although an unpleasant reminder of the girl in the photograph unsettled something deep inside Tammy. She pushed the feeling and any associated thoughts away in favour of changing the subject, wanting tonight to just be about celebrating. ‘We’d better get ready.’
‘Must we? I’d much sooner stay in bed with you all night and hear about how much you fancy me.’
‘We must, I'm afraid, unless you want to invite Lucius up here to join us, because he’s due to be here in…’ – Tammy paused to check the clock on the bedside table – ‘five minutes.’
Snape narrowed his eyes. ‘You’ve been thinking about me and him, haven’t you?’ The twitch pulling at his lips belied his serious tone.
Tammy thought for a moment. ‘If I told you I’d made out with my hot best friend, who you happen to have a soft spot for, are you telling me the thought of it wouldn’t cross your mind at all?’
‘Touché. So long as you only dream of me, I suppose I can live with that,’ Snape said, amused.
‘I promise that my filthiest thoughts and most carnal desires are all reserved exclusively for you, Severus Snape.’
‘Now, now, Tammy. We’ve not even discussed the idea of marriage yet and here you are revealing your wedding vows to me so brazenly,’ Snape said dryly.
‘Oh that barely scratches the surface of what I’d say to you in my wedding vows. And besides, you still think Lucius is hot too, Sev, I’ve seen the way you look at him!’
Snape took a breath, about to protest, but gave up in favour of flopping down against the pillow he was hugging, settling for a subtle eye roll instead.
Tammy giggled. ‘If it makes up for it, maybe one day I’ll tell you about the girlfriend I had for a short while in seventh year.’
A small noise of protest left Snape’s throat as Tammy suddenly rose from the bed to remove the remaining items of her Hogwarts uniform, pull on a pair of jeans and one of the blouses she’d been considering, brush through her hair, and head for the bedroom door. She paused in the doorway to look back at Snape, who was still sprawled over her bed in his teacher's robes, watching her longingly.
Tammy rested a hand at her stomach, which was not quite yet showing the signs of her pregnancy. ‘I’m glad we’re asking him, Sev. I trust you, so I trust him.’
****
The chatter over dinner had died down and the plates were clean save for a few crumbs. Lucius sighed happily, looking around at the comfort he had found himself in. He was lucky, he thought, to have two friends who liked him for whoever he was, even if he wasn’t entirely sure.
‘Tammy, you know I swear by your baking,’ he praised, one hand rubbing lazily at his full stomach, ‘but that really was one of the best meals I’ve tasted.’
Tammy beamed at the compliment. ‘Has Morgan’s baking really not lived up to your standards, Luci?’
Lucius blinked in reluctance at his own thoughts. ‘They were perfectly fine, actually.’
Tammy pressed her lips together, trying to suppress a satisfied smile that said I know you like her.
‘She seemed to take an instant dislike to me and it rubbed me up the wrong way. I could hardly insult anything else about her she’s- well- anyway, she keeps calling me “Barbie”… who is this Barbie, anyway?’
Tammy chuckled and Snape’s mouth gave way into an amused smile.
‘She’s a very pretty doll,’ Tammy said playfully, watching Lucius’s furrowed brow turn nonplussed. ‘I’ll get cleared away. I think we might need a break before dessert.’
‘Here, here,’ Lucius agreed, patting his stomach again. ‘Let me help, Tammy?’
‘Absolutely not,’ Tammy protested. Snape rose and began to collect the dirty plates. ‘Neither of you,’ Tammy scolded, tapping Snape’s hand away. ‘You two go and have a drink together. I’ll be through soon.’
Snape and Lucius looked at one another, shrugged and headed for the living room.
‘How have you been feeling since you came home, Sev?’ Lucius asked as he made his way to sit in front of the blazing fire.
Snape poured two glasses of red wine from an open bottle he’d started with Tammy earlier. Handing one to Lucius, he hesitantly replied, ‘Happy,’ as if suspicious of his own emotions. He was very much still learning to navigate the overwhelmingly pleasant peace that had suddenly entered his life. Despite the nonstop events that had occurred since he met Tammy and was reunited with Lucius, being around them felt incredibly comforting. ‘I don’t know where I’d be without the two of you,’ he said earnestly.
‘I rather feel the same about you and Tammy,’ Lucius agreed, ‘and I have a feeling that she would say the same about you and I. We make a good little family, the three of us, don’t we?’
‘Yes. Yes we do.’ Snape felt almost sick with a strange sense of joy. He had friends and he had family – a growing family.
He was overcome with an urge to reminisce, but knowing that this wasn’t exactly possible, he pulled the photograph out of his pocket and handed it to Lucius, high on feeling like he once had, back when Lucius was the only one who understood him. But now, everyone around Snape understood him perfectly, and for a split second that thought stopped him thinking clearly.
‘Look at us, Malf. We’ve always made a good team, you and I. I wish you could remember those days.’
Lucius took the crumpled photograph and instantly froze. He suddenly felt as though all the air had been sucked from the room and the walls were slowly closing in.
‘Malf?’ Snape called out, barely piercing the thick cloud of confusion that had formed in Lucius’s mind.
Lucius could hear Snape’s voice faintly, as though he was underwater and Snape was shouting down at him from above the surface.
‘Malf, are you alright?’ Came another seemingly garbled call.
And then, as quickly as it had begun, Lucius felt as though he had been dragged up from beneath the surface of the lake he was drowning in. His senses became sharp again; the sound of pots clinking in the kitchen was clear, he could breathe deeply, he could feel the warmth of the flames in the fireplace against his cheeks.
‘Y-yes- sorry, I- I’m alright,’ he stuttered, flicking his gaze up from the photograph to lock onto Snape’s eyes, ‘I felt… something. Something strange. Just for a moment… but it’s passed. Sorry, old friend, I didn't mean to startle you.’
Snape’s eyes widened as he watched Lucius staring blankly back at the photograph. Shit, Snape thought, shit, shit, shit, he’s remembering something! What have I done?
‘Let’s get some fresh air, Malf. It’ll do us good,’ Snape suggested, standing abruptly. He hoped that a change of pace would distract Lucius before he accidentally unravelled something more than whatever had just happened.
‘Tammy, we’re going outside for a moment, we’ll be back for dessert,’ he called through to the kitchen.
‘Alright, be careful you two!’ Tammy called back from the sink, where she was now magicing the plates and cutlery dry.
Snape led Lucius to step out into the fresh evening air, and although the sting of the cold breeze sobered Lucius slightly, there was something stirring in his mind, something he couldn’t calm.
‘So what are you thinking for names?’ he asked, attempting to keep himself firmly in the present.
‘Harry asked me that, too… if you’re going to suggest Lucius-’
‘Who’s Harry?’ Lucius interjected.
‘Harry Potter,’ Snape said with some hesitation, watching Lucius closely to gauge his reaction.
‘You know Harry Potter?’ Lucius questioned, his grey eyes sparkling in awe.
Relief flooded Snape. If Lucius couldn't remember Snape's link to Harry, the photo couldn’t have brought much of his memory back, if any.
‘Yes, I know Harry Potter,’ Snape muttered impatiently, as the relief wore off. The mild irritation he had always felt when people were fascinated by the Boy Who Lived was still very much apparent, but at least now Snape knew that Harry wasn't so fond of that fascination either. It turned out they had more in common than he had ever previously realised.
‘You’re very well-connected aren't you, Sev. Anyway, do go on.’
‘Yes, thank you, Malf.’ Snape sounded very much like a teacher tackling a room full of dunderheaded students, but, he supposed, Lucius wouldn’t remember the days he would observe Snape’s classes as a school governor. ‘No we haven't discussed it yet.’
‘I've always been rather fond of Latin names,’ Lucius drawled, carefree, ‘not that I have a child to name, of course. But if I did, I always fancied Silas, Cassian, Draco… something like that.’
A shot of guilt stung through Snape's gut. Lucius had his Draco, and he had loved him dearly – more perhaps than Lucius ever had the guts to tell his son. Did Draco know Lucius had been obliviated, or did he simply believe his father had abandoned all hope at reconciliation and given up on him?
‘Would you like to have children of your own?’ Snape asked tentatively, sucking in a slow, deep breath as he awaited Lucius’s reply.
‘Merlin, yes, I've always wanted children. Lots of them. My home filled with their games and laughter… imagine the joy,’ Lucius sighed dreamily. ‘Still, perhaps it's not to be.’
‘You never know, Malf,’ Snape said, swallowing hard and deciding it might be best to change the direction of this conversation for now. ‘How about we check out that old box in my shop? I'm sure I saw some baby things in there, they might have some use after all.’
‘Excellent idea, old friend! Lead the way.’
Upon recalling the box of baby things, a few connections had begun to form in Snape’s mind.
‘What’s bothering you, Sev?’
Snape hesitated, holding his keys tight in his fist. ‘Harry told me that his remaining belongings were boxed up and given to a second hand shop after he survived the killing curse. This used to be-’
‘Mr Pocket’s Second Hand Artefacts!’ exclaimed Lucius, looking up at the front of the shop. ‘Of course!’
‘Exactly!’ Snape said excitedly.
‘I remember that perfectly. It’s strange how some things have stuck with me,’ Lucius mused, ‘but if his things were here-’
‘And something was left behind-’
‘The box of baby things,’ Lucius nodded.
‘Yes, the baby things – maybe that’s what they’re after.’
Snape unlocked the door hurriedly and they both pushed inside, rushing to the back room where the box sat under an occasional table in the corner.
‘What if they believe Harry’s belongings have the power to raise the Dark Lord again…’ Snape whispered darkly.
‘Surely they wouldn’t?’ Lucius scoffed.
‘I would hope not,’ Snape said with horror lacing his words, ‘but if the events of the war taught us anything, nothing is impossible. The Dark Lord took measures even we could not fully comprehend at the time.’
Lucius swallowed hard. He didn’t remember what the war had taught him, or why Snape had said “even we” as though Lucius would be privy to something that allowed him to comprehend Voldemort’s movements, but he wasn’t sure he wanted to remember.
‘Let’s see what we’ve got, then.’ Snape slid the box out from under the table, lifted the lid and peered inside. Lucius leaned over his shoulder for a clear view.
Inside the box was a small assortment of items that didn’t all appear to quite match up. There was a silver salver engraved with snakes, and at the bottom with S. Slytherin, a pale pink blanket that, although dusty, looked as though it had been extremely well made in its day, a small but very well-looked after teddy bear, and a shiny baby rattle. Like the salver, it was silver and engraved; this time with a simple HJP.
Snape and Lucius turned to look at one other then back to the rattle.
‘Do you think-’ Snape whispered.
‘I most certainly do think,’ Lucius agreed. ‘What should we do?’
Snape shot up and paced the room. ‘It would seem to me that old Mr Pocket kept a collection of things he didn’t wish to sell for one reason or another. I have no idea about the blanket and the teddy bear, they seem innocent enough; perhaps sentimental or intended to be given as gifts one day. The tray is obvious – Mr Pocket was a Slytherin in his day and must have come across this item of Salazar’s at some point in his career, but the rattle-’
‘What’s Harry’s middle name?’ Lucius asked plainly.
Snape hesitated. The name, although ready on the tip of his tongue, was difficult to spit out nonetheless. ‘James,’ he uttered, quiet disgust pulling at the corners of his mouth.
‘So that would make his initials H-J-P,’ Lucius gasped.
‘H-J-P,’ Snape agreed with a fresh spark of excitement igniting his black eyes.
In the corner of their vision, a garish green glow filled the inside of the box and illuminated the corner of the room it inhabited.
‘Merlin, how could I not have realised!’ Lucius exclaimed. ‘I've seen that box glowing once before! I thought I was imagining it at the time, but it must have meant something-’
‘Malf, do you know about the Horcruxes?’ Snape bit his lip after speaking, worried that spilling too much and overwhelming Lucius with information would only muddy the waters further.
Lucius shook his head, so Snape provided a brief and watered down explanation of Voldemort's soul having been split into seven pieces, Harry himself having been one of them.
‘So if he was holding this rattle at the time he survived the killing curse…’ Lucius said slowly, coming to the same crushing conclusion as Snape.
As Lucius's words trailed off, Snape’s eyes dragged to the mantelpiece where a glint of silver reflected the green glow back onto his face. Lucius's eyes followed and they approached it together.
‘Is that…’ Lucius breathed, awestricken.
‘Minerva gave it to me. When I was recovering from Nagini's bite-’ he stopped when he realised that Lucius probably wouldn't have a clue who Nagini was, or that Snape had almost died the night of the battle after Lucius had been the one to summon him on the Dark Lord’s orders. ‘When I was recovering after the war,’ he corrected himself, ‘Minerva visited me in the hospital. She said I was the bravest man she’d ever known, and she placed it down beside me.’
A single tear slipped down Snape's cheek as he spoke these words out loud, never before realising how overtly that moment had affected him. Being called a coward played on his mind more often than he would care to admit, and it was usually always in McGonagall's voice that he heard it. That was the one that had stung the most.
Lucius hesitantly brought a hand up to rub at Snape’s back. He wasn't sure what the tear was for, and for all he knew, it could be because of him. But Snape smiled at the touch, and flicked his eyes back to the mantle. They were staring down at the Sword of Gryffindor, lying unceremoniously above Snape’s fireplace.
They knew without the need for words that they both were having the exact same thought. Together, they reached for the sword, swung around with it firmly in their joint grasp and brought it down upon the box. The force of the strike crushed the box, slicing open part of the teddy bear in the process, as well as breaking clean through the rattle, which smoked and hissed, and gradually disintegrated into floating ashes that disappeared before their eyes. The green glow ceased and the sword clattered to the ground.
Snape, shocked and relieved and feeling all manner of emotions coursing through him, was about to turn to Lucius and hug him, but he was suddenly thrust back against the wall. Lucius's plump, wet lips pressed firmly to Snape’s and his hands dragged down from Snape's shoulders to slide around his waist.
Snape gasped, and Lucius took the parted lips as an invitation to slip his tongue inside, sliding against Snape’s with fervent passion.
Snape moaned weakly, which in turn made Lucius growl and deepen the kiss, pushing a hand up into Snape’s hair and causing a further whimper, but despite the encouraging noises he was eliciting from him friend, Lucius suddenly felt the force of being pushed back.
‘Malf, what the fuck-’ Snape started, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and catching his breath, but as he had prized himself out of the fierce embrace, he saw that Lucius’s eyes didn't look the same somehow. They appeared sharper, much more like the old Lucius.
‘Sev, I'm sorry, I-’ Lucius dropped onto the sofa and his head immediately fell into his hands as his shoulders trembled. ‘Fuck,’ he repeated, muffled this time by his palms.
‘Malf… did you…’ Snape started awkwardly, slowly moving closer to take a seat beside Lucius. ‘We don’t… do that anymore. You- you got married and we-’
‘I know,’ Lucius said plainly, lifting his head to look directly at Snape. His eyes were blank as he tried to process the thousands of memories that had suddenly flooded his consciousness. ‘I know. But for a moment it was 1978 again. Just for a moment, and I saw you beside me, and it all made sense. It was one of the few things that made sense and we- we were-’
‘It’s alright,’ Snape soothed, snaking an arm around his friend’s shoulders and pulling him to rest against the comfort of his chest. Lucius’s arms wrapped around Snape again, but this time it was a relieved grasp rather than a hungry, lustful one.
‘I'm so sorry,’ Lucius cried, almost shrieking through his sobs as he gripped at Snape’s robes. ‘I remember. I remember it all! Fuck!’
Snape closed his eyes and inhaled slowly, trying with all his might to remain composed and not think about how Lucius still smelt the same as he remembered. He brought a hand up to stroke through Lucius’s soft, platinum hair, the action calming him just as much as it calmed Lucius.
‘It's alright,’ Snape said quietly, fumbling awkwardly within Lucius's grip to find a small flask in his pocket with his free hand. ‘Here, drink this.’
Lucius took the flask without question, downing the contents in one swift swig. Gradually, he stopped shaking, his tears dried up, and he no longer howled like an animal in pain when he spoke. He let go of Snape and flopped back against the sofa cushions, taking a series of deliberately slow, deep breaths.
‘Malf,’ Snape said quietly, ‘you're safe with me. Tell me what you can remember.’
‘I can remember it all, Sev. Every last detail. I’m a fucking war criminal, I’m a monster, I’m- fucking hell, Sev, I should be locked up in Azkaban. I need to turn myself in-’
‘Lucius,’ Snape said firmly, ‘you were pardoned. Do you remember that? You defected before the Dark Lord was defeated. And if you want my honest opinion, you would have done it sooner if you weren't terrified for the lives of your family.’
‘It doesn't matter, I did enough!’ he despaired. A blinding realisation hit him then. ‘I have a family- I- I have a family, Sev! A son!’
‘Do you remember what happened to them?’
‘Draco… oh, he left us. And rightly so. Narcissa, she- she obliviated me. I asked her to. A war criminal and a coward.’
Snape shuddered at the last word, and took a steadying breath. ‘You can still repair your relationship with Draco,’ he said softly.
‘No. No, I can’t, he hates my very guts and I don’t blame him one bit. Why couldn't I see it back then? Merlin, I put myself in Azkaban and destroyed his life. I should let him rebuild it, let him live in peace. Without me.’
‘You’ve grown since then, Malf. Let him see that, at least?’ Snape offered.
‘Grown?’ Lucius spat.
‘How do you feel about half-bloods? Muggleborns? Muggles?’
Lucius’s brow furrowed. ‘I used to hate them all, didn’t I? I thought they were scum…ha! I was the scum.’
Hope bloomed in the pit of Snape’s stomach as considered Lucius’s fresh perspective.
‘I think that your new life – the life you’ve made for yourself since you were obliviated – has allowed you to discover who you truly are, to form your own opinions instead of spewing the opinions of your overbearing father. Think about it, Malf, when did you ever get the chance to discover yourself before?’
Lucius’s eyes locked on Snape’s. ‘Only when I was with you,’ he said quietly, looking away, ashamed. ‘I have no idea who I truly am, even now that I remember it all.’
‘I do,’ Snape said simply, bringing Lucius back to him. ‘And you’re still with me. We will always be friends, Malf. Always.’
A pause swelled between them then, their eyes each burning into the others as they sat in the dark silence of Snape’s living room, both of them silently reminiscing on the nights they spent in the Slytherin common room like this, just being together in the dark, entirely one another's support and solace.
‘I’m sorry… about before,’ Lucius whispered solemnly.
‘Don’t be,’ Snape said lightly, pushing Lucius up from where he was resting against him, ‘you were always a good kisser. I'm glad to see that hasn't changed.’
A look of pure satisfaction spread over Lucius’s face. It was an expression Snape hadn’t seen for years and he revelled in the sight, as he always had when it had been aimed at him.
‘I’m not sure how Tammy will feel about it, though,’ Snape smirked.
‘Shit. Tammy. You’re- you’re having a baby with Tammy and here I am sucking your face. Merlin.’
They laughed together then, it was brief and laced with a heavy, almost sorrowful weight, but it was a laugh nonetheless and it helped to clear Lucius's head a little.
‘I'm here, Malf, I’ll help you. Me and Tammy. Actually, we wanted to ask you something tonight.’
A glimmer of hope that Tammy would still want to know him shone through the tears lining Lucius's eyes.
‘Let’s go back first. I think she would want us to ask together. Come on.’ Snape stood, holding a hand out to Lucius, who hesitated for a second before taking it.
They made their way back to Tammy’s living room just as she emerged from the kitchen to announce that dessert was ready whenever they were.
‘Whatever is up with you two?’ Tammy said, as full of life as ever. ‘You look like you’ve both seen an inferius.’
Snape and Lucius took a simultaneous deep breath.
‘Tammy,’ Snape piped up silkily, ‘I need to introduce you to someone.’
Tammy had frozen, unsure what exactly to expect. ‘Sev, what are you-’
‘I would like you to meet Lucius Malfoy. The original version.’
‘Oh-’ Tammy’s eyes flicked between the two, finally settling on Lucius. ‘Luci?’
‘Tammy, I’m so sorry. I remember everything. I’m disgusted with myself. And, while we're being honest, in all the confusion of remembering my… disappointing life choices, I kissed the father of your child tonight, and for that, I apologise.’
Snape's cheeks turned crimson when he saw a flush appear over Tammy's face, knowing that hers was borne out of desire rather than embarrassment.
‘Hold on – you remember everything and you… you’re still… my Lucius?’ Tammy said, beaming gleefully as she looked him over.
‘He’s very much still your Lucius,’ Snape confirmed, warmth spreading through his chest.
Tammy rushed forward, wrapping Lucius in her arms and squeezing him tight. He felt different with an edge of familiarity. ‘Luci, we’re here for you, whatever you’re going through. You’ll always have us, I promise. I met the real you the night you showed up at Sev’s.’
Snape, standing beside the embracing pair, felt a hand tugging at his sleeve, soon followed by another; he was being dragged into the hug by Lucius and Tammy together. The three of them stood, holding onto one another for a comforting eternity.
‘Dessert was ready ten minutes ago,’ Tammy eventually mumbled into Lucius’s chest, ‘who’s joining me?’
The three of them loosened their grip on one another to straighten up and make their way back to the kitchen table, Tammy resting her head against Snape’s arm as they went.
‘So, I said we had something to ask you, Malf,’ Snape said as they took their seats.
Tammy turned to smile at Snape, and he nodded, grabbed her hand and squeezed.
‘Luci,’ Tammy said with a voice full of joy, ‘we would be honoured if you would be our child’s godfather.’
As pale as the man was, Lucius had been more than ghostly white since his memories returned, but upon hearing this question, colour flooded back into his cheeks. ‘You want me to be your child’s godfather? Me?!’
‘Of course we do,’ Snape said softly, ‘it was always you, Malf.’
A moment passed between Snape and Lucius then. They felt a connection stronger than ever, each of them knowing that this was their lot; they were both so content with the prospect of it that they each could both have cried with joy. Lucius was wanted and Snape was healing, they were both loved, and they still had one another.
‘I would love to,’ Lucius said shakily, a tear threatening his eye.
Tammy moved over to squeeze Lucius’s shoulder as Snape patted the other.
‘So,’ Tammy began, smiling playfully as she went on, ‘you kissed my boyfriend, Luci, and for that, I think I deserve a favour.’
Tammy passed a steaming bowl of apple crumble to each of them as she waited for Lucius’s response, rather enjoying the blush appearing on his cheeks. He was somehow even more handsome with this new (old?) edge to him, and she wouldn’t have blamed Snape if he’d enjoyed the kiss they’d shared tonight. She certainly didn’t blame Lucius for wanting to kiss her handsome lover either.
Lucius cleared his throat. ‘What did you have in mind?’ His cheeks were positively burning by now and he didn’t know quite where to look.
‘I think you should ask Morgan out.’ Tammy said simply.
‘She would never,’ Lucius snorted.
‘Oh, I think she likes you. A lot actually.’
‘Isn’t she on a date tonight?’
‘She was set up by a friend of hers but… listen, I know my sister, and I know when she’s head over heels,’ Tammy said, a little more seriously now.
‘Oh? Does that happen a lot?’ Lucius’s brow trembled. He suspected Morgan would chew him up and spit him out, if she didn’t swallow him whole first.
‘No, actually. I think she’s had one real crush our whole lives. She’s extremely picky. If I’m right, you’re very honoured actually, Malf.’
‘Who was her last crush?’ Lucius frowned at the twist of unwelcome jealousy stirring in his gut.
‘My late husband,’ Tammy said with a casual shrug. ‘Before we were married, of course. As soon as he asked me out she went off him. Didn’t have an eye for anyone before, or since.’
‘He looked very much like you, Malf,’ Snape said with a suggestive eyebrow raise. ‘Maybe Morgan has a type.’
Lucius smirked. Looking rather pleased with himself. ‘All three of you have a type, as far as I see…’
‘Vain as always, Lucius. Glad to see you’ve not abandoned all of your old traits,’ Snape snarked. ‘Anyway, I say you give it a go.’
‘Have you met her, Sev?’ Lucius asked, a little horrified.
‘Not yet.’
‘Then perhaps you should reserve judgement. No offence, Tammy, but that woman… she’s- she’s-’
Tammy glared at Lucius with a look that very plainly said stop playing around and let’s have the truth.
Lucius’s resolve weakened at Tammy's stare and he mumbled, ‘She’s beautiful and scintillating and bright and...’ he frowned then, voice becoming stronger, ‘and I’ve never had to work so hard for someone’s attention… I think I kind of like it.’
‘Now we’re getting somewhere,’ Tammy beamed.
‘I rather like the honesty of this updated Lucius,’ Snape said with a twinge of sarcasm.
‘Well, now we’ve established your crush on Morgan, and agreed you'll ask her on a date, let’s tuck in shall we?’ Tammy grinned.
‘Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, no one said anything about a crush,’ Lucius protested, puffing out his chest a little.
‘No, of course not. I gush about Madam Rosmerta like that all the time,’ Snape said, lips twitching into a wry smile.
‘I forgot to tell you she came in today,’ Tammy said with a decrescendo, as though she realised half way through the short sentence that she regretted starting it.
‘And what delights did she regale you with this time?’ Snape asked cynically.
‘What’s Rosmerta got to do with it?’ Lucius interjected before Tammy had a chance to answer Snape, and in truth she was relieved. Now wasn’t the time or place to bring up what Rosmerta had said to her.
Luckily, Snape didn’t pick up on Tammy’s sharp exhale and continued, ‘I’ll fill you in, Malf. But first, shall we tell Tammy about the rest of our little adventure this evening? As much as I’m sure she loved hearing about you kissing me, there was also that small detail of how we found and destroyed what those death eaters were after-’
‘You what?!’ Tammy cried, dropping her spoon, ‘How could you both sit here bickering about crushes and being smug about your long overdue reunion snog when you’ve just saved the world again?’
Snape turned bashfully modest, but with Tammy’s inquiring glare and Lucius’s obvious giddy excitement to tell Tammy how they used the sword together, he reluctantly began a recount of the events of the last half hour.
‘It was nothing,’ Snape muttered at the end of the story, pushing a sugar and cinnamon covered lump of apple around his bowl.
‘Nothing? It was brilliant,’ Tammy breathed, ‘you were brilliant. Both of you.’
‘There was something else in the box I thought you might like, Tammy.’ Lucius reached into a pocket of his robes and pulled out the little teddy bear. ‘He sustained an injury, but I think we can fix that.’
Lucius whipped out his wand next and pointed the tip at the stuffing spilling from the bear’s neck. Mild disgust pulled at his features as he considered the simple, inornate wand between his fingers. ‘Remind me to take a trip to Ollivander’s first thing tomorrow, this thing doesn’t suit me at all. It’s… stubby. At least I remembered how to take care of my nails,’ he mused, holding his hand up to admire them.
Snape’s eyes fell closed as he shook his head, and Tammy snorted.
With a crackling spark, the bear's neck was quickly stitched up. A silvery thread was just visible, sparkling in its dark fur.
‘There. Now he's just like Sev,’ Lucius smirked, handing the bear to Tammy who gleefully accepted the little gift.
‘Our baby's first teddy!’ she exclaimed. ‘He’s so handsome.’
‘Ah, perfect. Even more like Sev.’ Lucius gave a wicked grin, revelling in Snape’s eye roll, belied by his burning cheeks.
‘Thank you, Luci. Or should I say, Uncle Luci.’ Tammy sighed. ‘We’ll be alright, the three of us.’
‘Don’t you mean four?’ Snape said, reaching down to caress Tammy’s stomach.
‘Hmm, how about five? I almost forgot we’re going to be planning Luci and Morgan’s wedding come this time next week!’
Snape and Tammy saw Lucius out an hour later with another tight embrace and promises of looking after one another.
Lucius nervously promised to speak to Morgan when he stopped by for his pies tomorrow, bidding them good night with a genuine smile. Despite his memories weighing heavy on his shoulders tonight, he at least felt as though he had something to look forward to.
The second Lucius departed, Tammy leant up and pressed her lips against Snape’s hair, breathing him in as she whispered into his ear. ‘Now, Sev, I believe there’s a charm you wanted to teach me…’