Figured You Out

Disclaimer: The bare are JK’s. I’m just borrowing them for some fun, no profit.

Figured You Out

Several weeks after the death of Sirius Black and a few short days from the full moon finds Remus Lupin in the uncommonly quiet 12 Grimmauld Place. Harry is with the Dursleys. The Weasleys had returned to the Burrow. And Sirius... The haggard man jerks from the wing chair with a snarl. He clenches and unclenches his fists as he minces back and forth in front of the fireplace. ~You’re next Pettigrew.~

“I see it’s time for the Wolfsbane,” Snape sneers from the doorway. A long ago memory of pointed teeth and slashing claws keeps him from moving any further into the room.

Lupin immediately smooths his features into their usual look of resignation. He attempts a smile. “I’m sorry Severus. Please, come in.”

Snape studies the man before him. In the weeks since the... incident... at the Ministry Lupin has become more tattered looking. The normally pale face has taken on an ashen hue and Lupin’s amber eyes are sunken in and shadowed beneath. As the fury leaves him, the former DADA professor seems to shrink as his shoulders hunch. The smile is tremulous, a weak shadow of its former gentle warmth. He seems far older than his 37 years. “Here,” Snape holds out the goblet containing the potion.

Lupin reaches out to take it and his hand shakes faintly. Snape bats the scarred hand away. “When was the last time you ate?” he asks harshly.

The werewolf draws his hand close to his body and shakes his head. “Yesterday, I think.”

“Fool,” Snape hisses. “You can’t take Wolfsbane on an empty stomach. Come with me.” He spins on his heel, robes flaring around him as he strides from the room.

Lupin shudders. He remembers all too clearly the last time he heard that word thrown at him by this same man...

***

“Severus, please forgive me.”

“Fool,” Severus hissed. “How gullible do you think I am?”

“I didn’t know what they intended,” the grief-ridden Remus begged of his former lover.

Severus tangled his fingers in Remus’s hair, jerking his face up. “Why should I believe that?” he asked in cold, clipped tones. “You’re all still rather cozy.”

“I am angry with them, but they’re all I have. You won’t have anything to do with me. Besides, it wasn’t ‘them.’ It was Sirius. James saved your life.”

Severus gave Remus’s hair a sharp tug as he scowled darkly, “You don’t have to remind me. I was there.”

“Let it go. Please.”

“I don’t think so werewolf,” Severus sneered. “I’ve got you figured out. You’re just a lackey for your friends. Get close to the Slytherin, then make a complete fool of him. No. We’re through.” Severus stalked away from the Forest’s edge, leaving Remus kneeling and reaching out.

***

“Sit down,” Snape instructs sharply as they enter the kitchen. He places the goblet on the table, faint white steam rising up and drifting down to spread and dissipate away from the base. Lupin sits and stares at the steam momentarily entranced by the quiet dance. A heavy clattering noise breaks his attention.

Snape cracks open two eggs and whisks them together in a bowl, then pours the mixture into the heavy, black frying pan on the stove. His movements as brisk and efficient as ever. He had removed his robes and waistcoat. His shirt sleeves are rolled away from his wrists, though not quite far enough to reveal the Dark Mark. ~It’s been a long time sincve sve seen him this casual.~ Lupin hesitates to think “relaxed” for none of them are. Despite Snape’s easy movements and comfort in creation, there is a taut set to his shoulders and in his spine.

“Here,” Snape places a plate of eggs, sausage, and toast in front of Lupin. “Eat it all or you’ll make yourself ill on the potion.”

“Thank you,” Lupin nods and smiles gently.

“I see you’ve finally learned some manners,” Snape smirks.

Lupin almost chokes on his mouthful of eggs as his throat tightens up at the memory Snape’s words evoke...

***

A young Remus kneeled in front of Severus. Remus’s robes and shirt hung open, revealing his thin, freckled chest and pale pink nipples. Remus’s cheeks were flushed and his tongue traced over swollen lips as his breath heaved from his mouth in warm puffs. His amber eyes were heavy-lidded with lust as he stared imploringly up at the smirking boy. A black brow arched smugly over an equally black eye as Severus twined his fingers into Remus’s shaggy brown hair. Severus kept a veneer of calm control over his own raging hormones. “I’ll teach you manners yet. What’s the magic word?” He gave Remus’s hair a rough tug.
“Please?” Remus gasped quietly as he winced.

“Please what?” Severus’s free hand reached out to stroke Remus’s flushed cheek. Remus tried to nuzzle the long-fingered hand, but another jerk of his hair prevented any further movement.

“Touch me Severus, please,” a whining note entered Remus’s voice as he, once again, tried to move closer to Severus.

“Here?” Severus trailed a finger along Remus’s cheek and around the shell of the boy’s ear.

Remus gritted his teeth and whined again as the finger began to rub lightly over the thin layer of flesh just behind his earlobe. “Severus... No! Severus, please!”

Severus lowered himself to his knees and dragged his hand down Remus’s pale neck. His fingers lightly traced Remus’s jutting collarbones, eliciting a throaty, hungry moan from Remus. Severus leaned close and whispered into Remus’s ear, “Here?”

Remus wrapped his arms around Severus’s neck and murmured against his lips, “Lower,” before crushing their mouths together. Remus’s tongue hungrily pressed between Severus’s lips...

***

Lupin chews thoughtfully on the last bite of sausage and wipes his lips with a napkin. “That was delicious Severus. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” there is a softening of Snape’s lips that, while not a smile is certainly friendlier than his usual sneer. He pushes the still steaming goblet at Lupin who drinks it as quickly as possible.

Lupin sets the goblet down on the table and glares at it. “The taste is vile. You must really hate me.”

“No,” Snape’s voice is quiet, missing its typical bitter edge.

“Oh.” The two men sit in silence for several long minutes, neither quite daring to look at the other. “Severus, would you join me for a game of chess in the living room?” Snape nods his head and they walk silently to the sitting room. The silence continues as they make themselves comfortable in the plush armchairs and arrange the chess board.

The game ends quickly with the distracted Lupin thoroughly trounced. He stares bemusedly at the board. “Stop brooding over that mongrel,” Snape snaps sharply.

Lupin’s fierce glare gives the man an almost feral edge as he practically growls, “Don’t talk about Sirius like that! He’s dead.”

“Yes, quite so,” Snape’s lofty look is edged with fear. The condescending arch of his eyebrow is betrayed by his white knuckled grip on the armchair. “You’re letting yourself waste away. For what?” he pushes on, ruthlessly trying to quash his fear.

Snape’s cold logic and seeming concern deflates Lupin’s anger. He slumps tiredly in his chair and speaks quietly, a trace of petulance in his voice. “He was the last of my friends. Can’t you let me mourn in peace?”

“Not when said mourning could result in your death.” As Lupin wilts, Snape’s fear subsides. Afterall, is it not he, Potions Master Severus Snape who brews the Wolfsbane potion. Really, all this fear of the wolf shows an utter lack of confidence in his abilities. And Severus Snape is anything but insecure. “If you can’t think of yourself, think of those around you.” Lupin only stares at the chess board. “What about Potter?” Snape asks and Lupin’s head snaps up. “He’s lost as much as you have. Would you burden the boy with the death of someone else he cares about?”

Snape rises to pace in front of the fireplace. “You may be a werewolf, but you are... precious. And needed.” He stops in front of Lupin’s chair as his speech dwindles off. He extends his hand slowly and tentatively brushes his fingers over Lupin’s cheek but befoe cae can withdraw his hand, Lupin captures and holds it in place.

Lupin’s amber eyes are wide with amazement, a faint sheen resting at the rims. “Severus,” he says quietly, “can you forgive me?”

“Yes,” Snape replies just as quietly, “Remus.”

Remus stands up and Severus’s other arm circles his waist. The two men stand eye-to-eye, Remus’s hands resting on Severus’s hips. They lean in and their lips come together in a gentle kiss, just a whisper of lip against lip. Severus rubs his thumb over Remus\'s cheek, stubble rasping against his skin.

When their lips part Remus sighs quietly and drops his head to Severus\'s shoulder and nuzzles the pale neck before him. \"I\'ve missed you,\" his breath is a warm whisper against Severus\'s neck.

Severus shivers as the first stirrings of an erection tickle his groin. He draws Remus more tightly against him as his hand slides behind Remus\'s head to grasp the base of his skull. Once again he searches out Remus\'s lips, but this kiss is anything but tender. It is fiercely possessive. When Remus\'s mouth opens, Severus plunders it with his tongue, tasting the oft missed but never forgotten heat.

Remus sucks on the invading tongue and runs his own along it. He grinds his hips against Severus\'s, pressing the bulge of their erections together through their clothing. \"Need you,\" he gasps breathlessly when their kiss ends.

They remove each other\'s clothing quickly, darting in for kisses as more skin is revealed. Severus combs his fingers through the graying, sandy hair on Remus\'s chest as Remus presses wet kisses to Severusneckneck. He trails the kisses lower, over Severus\'s prominent collar bone, tracing the dip with his tongue. And lower still, until he is kneeling before Severus. Severus\'s hand tangles in Remus\'s shaggy hair, urging Remus\'s mouth closer to his cock. Severus groans as he ias taken deep into Remus\'s mouth. As Remus sucks and bobs around his prick, Sus\'us\'s capacity for speech flees. His breath hitches as his orgasm draws nearer, overwhelming his body. Severus\'s release pumps into Remus\'s greedy, swallowing mouth. He loosens his grip on Remus\'s hair and his hand trails weakly over the back of Remus\'s head.

Severus sinks to his knees, bringing him back on eye level with Remus. He captures Remus\'s lips in another kiss. His tongue licks over Remus\'s lips and steals into his mouth, savoring the taste of his come in Remus\'s mouth. Remus groans deeply, still hard and needing. \"Severus, please,\" he moans and guides Severus\'s hand away from his nipples to his erection. Remus drops his head to Severus\'s neck when one of Severus\'s long fingered hands wraps around his weeping cock. As he works Remus\'s erection, Severus sucks on Remus\'s neck, leaving a faint mark. Severus runs his tongue up Remus\'s neck to his ear and draws the tender lobe into his mouth, laving the area behind it.

Remus groans and clings more tightly to Severus. Remus\'s hips buck up into Severus\'s pumping hand then stills as his orgasm washes through him. He pants heavily against Severus\'s neck. They cling to one another as their bodies cool and their breathing returns to normal. After disentangling themselves, they retrieve their clothing. Severus finds his wand and says a quick cleaning spell. There is an awkward moment of silence.

\"Oh, come here,\" Severus orders and leads the way up to his room with a smiling Remus at hise. e. In bed, Severus curls on his side with Remus snuggled against his back, one arm draped over Severus\'s waist. \"If you snore, I\'ll hex you into tomorrow morning.\"

\"Good night Severus,\" Remus replies in a sleepy, amused voice.

# # #

Notes: This was inspired by the Nickleback song “Figured You Out”. This was originally intended as a series of sexual encounters, rather on the angry side. Then the muse whacked me over the head with a plot and somewhere along the line it became rather sweet.