A Secret Worth Keeping

I edited this chapter. I wasn’t too happy with the ending before. I hope this makes more sense now.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters, only those that I created myself. Please do not harm me in any way. I only do this for fun.

Red


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A Secret worth Keeping


Chapter twenty-eight: A Dinner Invitation

"Professor?"

Snape’s tired eyes lifted from his perpetual markings to see Draco leaning against the doorjamb. The boy’s stance was that of an young man far older than his actual years. His face was pale and his normally immaculate hair was now astray and hanging in his eyes limply. Severus took in the exhausted look in the younger Malfoy’s eyes as the boy tiredly pushed himself away from the wooden doorway.

"Enter, Draco…I take it that your visit home went well?" Severus placed his quill into the now almost empty red inkpot to give the boy his undivided attention.

Draco managed to make it to the chair directly across from the Professor’s desk before he plopped himself down with an exaggerated moan. With one hand, he reached up to push the offending lock of hair away from his eyes before starting his report. Right now, all he wanted was a nice hot shower and a long night’s sleep, preferably alone for once.

"As well as I thought it would go, Sir. I just managed to, as the Muggles say, ‘spill the beans’ about The Potter’s baby and father nearly had a conniption fit. I thought he was going to hex everything and anything in his way before he suddenly left the room with a yell. It was scary." Draco rubbed his tired eyes before casting his wary look to the Professor. "I think he has something planned in his dark mind, Sir. When I left he gave me this to give you."

He removed from inside of his cloak a rolled parchment and placed it on the desk. Severus considered the parchment for a moment before picking it up and breaking the seal. With a flick of his wrist, the paper unrolled and his eyes scanned the inked words.

Severus,

It has come to my attention that you have a certain muggle born with a child at present in your residence. I am also aware that you have yet to report this to a certain person regarding the parents of said child. I am disappointed in your reluctance to do your job properly. I am giving you 48 hours before I report to that certain someone regarding your lack of duty.

Lucius

Severus sneered at the parchment and crumpled it up in his fist. Without looking at the boy before him, he wrote a reply.

Lucius,

As it is not any of your business who is in my residence, it would please me to no end to tell you to bugger off. Friend or no friend. However, I will tell you this one thing. I will do my duty and inform said person when I have learned more of this so called marriage and child. When I do, I will inform him in my own due time. I will not approach him without full information at my disposal. Your threats are not welcomed and I warn you NOT to interfere in my work.

Severus


He re-read the letter and, finding it satisfactory, he rolled it up, sealing it with his personal crest. A shrill whistle brought a great black raven with eyes as dark as her owner over to his side.

"Take this to the Malfoy Estate, Empra. Do not wait for an answer, for one is not be required." He handed the bird the parchment, which she took firmly in her beak. With a slight dipping of her dark head in acknowledgment, the bird hopped back to the ledge and flew off with the note.

"Wdid did you tell him?" Draco’s weary voice spoke up.

"Just to leave me to my own devices and not to interfere."

"Like that will stop him."

"True, but he wouldn’t expect anything less from me." Severus gave the boy a tight smile before standing up and stretching. "I suggest that you head to your room. It is getting close to curfew and you look like you could use a night's sleep."

Draco nodded and stood up as well. He took two steps towards the door before turning back to his mentor. "Sir? How are you going to keep Sebastian safe? Once my father learns who he really is…"

"When, and if, your father learns the truth Draco, it will be too late for him to do anything about it."

Draco seemed to think about that. "I hope you are right, Sir. I want this to be over as soon as possible. As soon as Voldemort and his followers are brought to justice, the sooner a normal, regular life can resume for all of us." Severus nodded his agreement silently as the junior spy made his way out of the dungeon.


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The next morning Severus reluctantly opened his eyes. The insistent pecking at his window finally reached his dream-muddled haze and he moaned in regret. He was having such a nice dream about Hermione and him lazing on a remote tropical island. The dream seemed so calming that he didn’t want to willingly return to the real world. The incessant knocking caused him to curse aloud and turn to his side. From this view, he could see the accursed window and the intruder that disturbed his dream. He growled inwardly at the haughty look of the large eagle owl perched on the outside ledge.

With a resigned sigh, Severus threw back the coverlet and quickly marched to the window and threw up the sash. The bird hooted indignantly at nearly being uprooted and ho up up to the sill stretching out his leg. Severus ripped the parchment from the bird, nearly toppling the great beast before it stretched its wings to regain its balance. It’s wide brown eyes seemingly glared at the rude man.

Severus ignored the bird and ripped into the parchment. His dark eyes coldly going over the words.

Severus,

My friend, I can totally understand your reluctance to come forward without full details of the Potter’s marriage and child. It is with that acknowledgment that I invite you to dinner this evening to discuss this matter in more detail. I have instructed the kitchen staff to prepare your favorite meal. That is if it is still Lasagna.

Lucius

Severus growled and quickly strode to his desk to root out a quill and inkpot, jotting down yet another note to his so-called ‘friend’. He had a feeling that this was going to be more than a casual dinner with old friends.

Lucius,

I accept your invitation. Lasagna sounds lovely, as I have not had it in quite some time. I will be there at seven.

Severus

He sealed the paper and inore ore gentle nature, so as not to get pecked, he tied the paper to the great bird and watched it fly away into the distance. He had better awaken Hermione and Potter. They had some things to discuss before his dinner engagement.


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Severus Snape apparated into a long empty room, a simple, bare room off the side of the entrance to allow private apparations. He swept a hand over his clothing to assure that all was properly and artfully arranged before stepping up to the door and knocking a brisk three times. Barely two seconds later, the door was opened by a house-elf that he knew as Sifty. The elf bowed and held out his hand for Severus’ cloak. Once disposed of the garment, Sifty led him to where the others were.

"Master Snape, Sir." Sifty announced softly before bowing out of the room.

Severus’s eyes glanced over the opulent room to find his ex-friend standing regally next to his beautiful wife. Narcissa sat primly in an overstuffed, purple crushed velvet monstrosity.

"Ah, Severus. It is indeed a pleasure to see you again. Please come in. Shall I pour you a drink?"

"A brandy, Lucius, thank you." Severus nodded his head to the blond and approached the Mistress of the manor. He reached out and brushed his lips against her hand. "You are even more beautiful thaer, er, if at all possible, Narcissa."

"Oh, still the devil tongue, Severus. Please, take a seat." She indicated the matching chair to her right and Severus gracefully took a seat. Narcissa’s bright blue eyes followed him as he moved, so graceful, like a cat in motion. He never failed to get her attention whenever the dark man was in the room.

Severus, quite in the know about the mistress of the manor’s interest in him turned a warming smile on her. "I am delighted to have been invited for dinner, Narcissa. It has been a long time since my last visit."

"Indeed Severus. It has been almost a year now, I believe. I have missed your company over the months." Her hand reached out to gently rest on his leg, which he allowed for the moment.

"I have been busy, my dear, with the brats and my job. I haven’t had much time for myself, let alone friends."

"Pity. I don’t envy your job. But you mustn’t neglect your friends. We are a finely close clique and I would hate to lose such divine company." Her eyebrows rose in a suggestive nature as her hand squeezed his leg.

Severus nodded politely as Lucius handed him a snifter. Lucius grinned inwardly at the sight of his wife’s almost more than friendly hand on Severus’ thigh. Intimacy between the three was never a downside to either person’s consciousness. In fact, he had been the one to originally suggest that his wife seduce his nemesis many times over. Jus get get information that Severus wouldn’t normally tell him in confidence. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t. He turned a blind eye to the open fondling and sat across from them.

"Narcissa and I have been talking about hosting a party, Severus. Just a little gathering among friends. I thought it was about time we introduced Draco into our society properly."

Severus took a sip of his drink casually ignoring the gentle caressing oh Narcissa’s hand. "Society, Lucius? I had assumed that was taken care of last year during his sixteenth birthday. Wasn’t he introduced then?"

Lucius’s lips turned upward. "Not the ‘right’ kind of society, Severus. I intend to introduce him properly to our master. It’s time he became a full member death eater."

"Don’t you think its still to early, Lucius? He’s just barely seventeen, still young and careless." He reached out to capture the woman’s hand before it managed to creep too far up his leg. He wasn’t in the mood for her fondling him. He had to still her hand before she cupped him fully.

"He will do well, he has no other choice. He will make me proud by taking the mark. Our lord will be happy to have another devoted servant at his command."

Severus allowed his hand to caress the back of Narcissa’s hand, but furrowed his brow as in thought. "Perhaps…when do you plan on having the gathering?"

Narcissa removed her hand from Severus’s leg, slightly annoyed with her inability to get him aroused. Giving Lucius a glance, this was returned with a shuttered look that made her more resolved to accomplish her task. Immediately her smile returned and she quickly summoned Sifty to bring a plate of appetizers.

"We were thinking about a week from next Saturday." She offered. "Plenty of time to get the invitations out and contact all those involved."

Severus nodded. Glad that her attempt to seduce him was thwarted for the moment. He had to think of Draco right now, the boy had a lot to do until the party to get ready. He noticed both looking at him and he smiled, revealing a wicked grin. "I will be more than honored to attend."

"Good, good…now. My friend, I do believe that we have some business to attend to."

Narcissa laughed lady-like and rose to her feet. "I know when I am not wanted. I shall call when dinner is ready." She kissed her husband and gave Severus a seductive look before exiting the room.

"She’s been dying to get you alone, you know." Lucius chuckled as his friend leaned back into the chair.

"As have I, but unfortunately I can not stay all night. I have a vast amount of work piled up on my desk. I have much to do in order to be ready for first class come Monday."

"Pity, Narcissa will be greatly disappointed."

"I dare say I will make it up to the both of you at another time."

Lucius took a sip of his drink and turned serious, his eyes darkening to a gray that resembled a stormy sky. "Now Severus, on to business. Tell me about this new Potter baby that Draco told me about. My son seems to be at a loss as to when and where the child was conceived. I wonder, are you SURE that the baby is Potters?"

Severus struggled to not grind his teeth at the intense gaze that Lucius gave him. He knew what Lucius was thinking. He must have calculated the months and suspected that Sebastian was indeed a Snape instead of a Potter. Somehow, he had to throw Lucius off that trail of thought. Convince Lucius that the baby was already conceived before he had forced Severus to rape her.

"I have been assured that the baby is indeed Potter’s. Who else could it be? It seems that Miss Granger was already pregnant when she ran away. From her own words, she claims that was the reason she left so abruptly." He swirled the snifter, not looking up at his friend, not wanting the man sitting before him to see the truth in his eyes. Once he got himself back in total control, he looked up and shrugged his shoulders. "Personally, I don’t remember and don’t care to remember why and how the little chit left. If she was stupid enough to spread her legs willingly to a boy, its only right that she bore that responsibility. Leave it to Potter though to try to correct the situation. Only Potter would have been stupid enough to seek her out and marry her.”

Lucius narrowed his eyes and seemed to study the man before him. "And that is the only reason she gave for running away? Unmarried and pregnant?”

Severus met his gaze without flinching. "I think perhaps there was another reason, something that she is hiding, but she is refusing to say what." There, that should give him the satisfaction he sought. "Perhaps she and Potter fought about the baby. I suppose we will never know."

"Indeed…" Lucius nodded, his eyes almost dancing in his enjoyment. "Does the child look like his father? Has there been a paternity spell cast?"

Severus allowed an eyebrow to raise before he answered. "I do not think a paternity spell would be beneficial to anyone. There isn’t a question as to who the baby’s father is. From what I could see, yes, the boy does indeed resemble his father." He leaned forward and placed his drink onto the table. "Not that I cared to look closely, mind you. I have had enough with the Elder Potter, then Potter Senior. Now it seems I have to deal with yet another Potter Junior in eleven years time. It’s enough to make my blood curdle."

Lucius laughed loudly at that and slapped Severus on his back.

"Perhaps not to much longer, my friend. If things work out, the school will be purified and those Mudbloods, Half-breeds and all of their children, will be done with. Dead and forgotten and the school can be run as it should have been from the start. With the teachings of the true ways of the wizarding world without the mingling of dirty blood."

"Indeed, Lucius…that would be ideal. I am growing tired of wheedling out passing marks to those that do not have the talent or the mental capacity to understand magic."

"If you had your own offsprings, Severus, they would be very well placed children. Very powerful." Lucius sat back, with one gulp swallowed the entire contents of his glass, and stood. He crossed back to the bar, his voice floating back with a slight edge to it. "We will have to do some shifting of house when the time comes. Of course, Hufflepuff will have to be eliminated. Other than loyalty, their only other house characteristics wouldn’t apply to the new regime. Helga Hufflepuff’s old and tedious ways wouldn’t be acceptable in the new society. Gryffindor’s bravery and Ravenclaw’s intellect would still be agreeable and would still be needed. Slytherin, of course, would be the main house. With all the heads being Slytherin of course."

"And I assume that you see yourself as one of those house heads?" Severus stood to his feet as well and went to refresh his drink.

"Why ever not? I have the power and the intellect to teach. I’m sure our Lord will agree with me." Lucius smirked as he poured more of the brandy into Severus’s glass. "He may even see fit to place me at the head of the whole establishment."

Severus stifled a laugh. "Forgive me, my friend, but I don’t exactly see you as headmaster. It would take up way to much of your precious time."

"I could make time if it’s important."

"I could just as easily be entitled to the job as well, you know Lucius. I do, after all, have the experience."

Lucius turned a pouting look to his friend before shrugging. "We will just have to see what the dark lord wishes then."

"Indeed."

Just then, Sifty slunk into the room to announce dinner.

"After you, my friend." Lucius made a sweeping gesture towards the door.

"Thank you." Severus swept ahead of the man and into the elegant dining room. Behind him the blonde’s eyes narrowed with suspicion and mistrust. After all these years, he still didn’t trust Severus as far as he could throw him. Something was up. And he was going to find out what it was, starting with the Potter baby, if it was indeed a Potter. His old friend obviously had no conscious memory of what transpired barely nine months ago. Somehow, he had been able to repress that memory so completely and so deeply that even a gentle poking at his psyche didn’t jar the memory forward, interesting, to be sure. To bad he wasn’t skilled in legilimens, if he was then he could have gotten the answer fairly easy that way However, he was not. That particular talent failed to hone itself no matter how much he tried to develop the skill. Lucius grinned and followed his friend into the dining room. Severus had no idea that the baby in question could quite possibly be his own child.


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A/N’s and acknowledgments:


Deblovesdragon: I’m glad you liked the kiss. I didn’t want it to deep but I also didn’t want her getting uncomfortable in his embrace. I’m glad it worked.

Deb: LOL. Thank you. I love writing poetry and just had fun writing that lullaby. I’m glad you liked it. Hermione and Severus’s first REAL time will be romantic. I promise. Look for the return of the white candle. It should make its appearance within the next few chapters.

Severessa: Im glad that this is still your fave story. Makes me feel like I’m doing it right then. Keep reading.

Spaz141: I don’t think that pleasurable experience is soon, maybe in the next few chapters there will be some nice juicy lemons. Just have to keep reading. Heheh. Aprilgrey had the right definition. Sibling alert indeed…LOLOL

Jordy: LOL. Interuptions sucks. I know…but it was with good timing. I would have hated to have her regret anything.

LadyJenny: Im glad you liked this chapter. I hope this next part will get you going just as good. Enjoy Lucius! Heheh

Davina Icarus: I want Hermione to be involved with the DaRats. It’s not in her nature to be left out. She will be there for most of it, but with her son she wont be able to take part of the physical side of the fights. But her intellect will be in most demand. Just get your muse off of that damned roller coaster and tie her down. My muse lives for those rides and I have a hard time keeping her away. But shes working at the moment. :D

Ancientgirl: Trust is the most important think in a relationship. If she didn’t trust him, then she couldn’t get intimate with him. Works both ways too you know. Things will come to a head soon.

Kate: Im glad you like my Draco. I like a semi-good semi-bad guy myself. Hope he continued to develop in the way he is in my head most of the time. LOL. Did you like the third movie? Good huh?

PotionsMistressM: Heheh. I Hope you didn’t have to wait TOO long for this chapter. It took me a while to get it to my liking and I’m still not sure that I’m happy with it. I look forward to reading more of yours I love your stuff. Oh…and I do take virtual hugs…:D

Midnight Tiger: I think Severus will be able to deal with a young lady’s temperament. He seems to be doing so well so far. I am glad you like the idea of Hermione being a therapist of sorts. I hope I do it right in the story.

Delayed Poet: Glad to have you back. I think that with Draco’s help and insistence, many of the Slytherin’s will come forth. It wont be easy for them that’s true. Its all right about my personal experience with rape. It was a long time ago and I have since gotten over it for the most part. I am aware that some people never can get over it and that people have various ways of handling intimacy. I think that my Hermione is taking it well in stride. I hope that I can keep it real for her and for us.

RickyRoo: Aw…Thanks honey!