A Road Less Traveled

Chapter Five

"She's a witch of trouble in electric blue. In her own mad mind, she's in love with you, with you. Now what you gonna do? Strange brew, kill what's inside of you."--Cream "Strange Brew"

***

An enormous four poster bed adorned with an elaborate ivory lace canopy was the centerpiece of the room. Dozens of candles flickered softly and the window was slightly ajar to let in the moonlight. Delicate linen curtains fluttered in the breeze. Snape took off his cloak and laid it on a mahogany trunk in the corner. With shaking hands, he started to unbutton his robes and thought, is this really happening to me? He paused to look up at Lucius and Narcissa and was astonished at the transformation in the young woman as she slowly removed her blue robes and undergarments. Gone was the haughty look and the condescending smile that he knew from the teenage witch five years ago. In Lucius's presence, she was now demure and looked almost unbearably sad as if wondering how it had come to this.

Snape sat quietly on the trunk as Lucius lowered his wife onto the bed. Built like a well-muscled lion in his prime, Lucius clearly knew he was in his element and wasted little time on formalities. As Narcissa lie on her back with her eyes shut, Lucius turned towards the younger man, locked eyes with him, and sneered as he entered her. It was a look of pure dominance and possession. Narcissa groaned uncomfortably almost under her breath, but was quiet otherwise. Severus looked away felt very near sick to his stomach with the sight of Lucius hammering away in the candlelight, blonde hair masking his face save his bared teeth and narrowed eyes. Severus's disgust paired with the heightening pressure of his own upcoming performance battled against an odd fascination with watching their sexual union and the inevitable physical responses from his own body.

After a few minutes of this, one last grunt and a satisfied sigh signaled that Malfoy was indeed done. Pulling back quickly, he rolled over and wrapped an emerald green satin robe around him loosely and wiped the perspiration off his glistening chest and forehead. The satin fabric did little to conceal the proud, muscular torso (or very much else for that matter). Narcissa remained prone on her back though opened her eyes to study the guest. Severus could still not make eye contact with her yet as he began to remove the rest of his garments. As biological urges can override even very strong mental protests in almost any young man, he had to remove his trousers delicately around his growing hardness. A few steps from the bed on which the nude woman lay, he stood riveted to the spot and could not seem to move.

"Severus...your turn," Lucius said leisurely. Severus hesitated, finally looking Narcissa in the face. She nodded in resignation though he could plainly see the revulsion for him in her face as clearly as he could read the simplest of potion recipes.

"Go on," commanded Lucius with a cruel half smile. "I dare say you will never get such a chance again."

Legs like lead weights, he slowly strode over to the magnificent bed with its golden centerpiece spread out for him. Very conscious of his very pale skin-- several years ago, his mother once proudly proclaimed it was the color of a bone china mortar and pestle--and now aching erection, he crawled over to her and gingerly arranged himself on top of her. Narcissa's face was now aloof under Lucius's scrutiny as Severus tried to decide what exactly to do. Looking again at Malfoy, Severus knew that while the other man was completely in control of this situation, there was still a manic jealous fire in the icy pale eyes.

Turning back to the task at hand, he knew if he continued to analyze the situation further, he would lose his nerve. In that instant, he plunged into the woman. The angle was far from ideal and both audibly grimaced. Readjusting himself as carefully as he could manage, he continued. She's quite...well...wet from the encounter with her husband...admittedly though, despite the circumstances, this is quite an improved physical experience than one's own hand, he thought with a mix of repulsion and amusement. He leaned forward carefully as Narcissa brought up her arms to both steady him and buffer herself from his upper body from touching hers.

Though far from being the ideal way to lose one's virginity, it only took two or three minutes of slow thrusts before he felt the rush of orgasm sweep from his extremities to his core. As he held his breath, his felt his eyes roll back as he felt the waves of release right after the involuntary contractions. He slowly opened them again as the feeling subsided.

Below him, Narcissa was impassive as a marble statue. The only exception was the single, very small crystalline tear dripping down her cheek away from Lucius's sight. The tear was quickly banished as Narcissa feigned brushing a wisp of blond hair out of her eyes and rearranged her lips into a forced closemouthed smile. At that, Severus's heart dropped like a stone. As he withdrew from her and climbed off the bed with trembling limbs, he once more felt physically sick. Sick with pity for Narcissa, sick with anger for Lucius, and most of all, sick with revulsion for himself.

Accepting a proffered towel from Lucius, he took the opportunity to screw his eyes tightly together in frustration and resentment as he pretended to wipe the sweat from his face. After inhaling deeply, he flung the towel away and refused to look at either of them as he hastily dressed. His face now sullen but flushed, he quickly left their house without further comment as his part was clearly done.

That next summer, Snape was having a cup of steaming Earl Grey and reading The Daily Prophet before leaving for work. With his last few months of his apprenticeship at St. Mungo's nearly complete, he regularly scanned the classified section for employment. He nearly dropped his tea when he read a nearby birth announcement with an accompanying photograph:

June 5, 1980: son Draco born to Master Lucius Malfoy and wife Narcissa at their home. Head Midwife Ethereal Jones measured healthy Draco in at 3.5 kilos and 55 centimeters and assured us the couple and baby are doing fine.

Snape's eyes narrowed at the photo. Narcissa, though haggard, was still beautiful as she beamed down at her small bundle. The infant squalled in protest and his pale eyes and hair were apparent even days from birth. Lucius looked imperial as always, but had an almost imperceptible smile playing about his mouth as if to dare any to question the child's sire. However, the pride and love on their faces for their young heir was unmistakable...

"Severus...my son...my only son."

She had said it with those pleading eyes, tears once more sliding down her pale cheeks exactly the same way over fifteen years later. Despite her sister's vehement protests, he could not ignore her a year ago either. The possibility, no matter how remote, that the young dragon, as rude, pampered, and virtually indentical to Lucius as he was, could be Severus's child trapped him in a way that nothing else could.

Damn you, Narcissa. Damn the Vow. And damn you, Dumbledore, Snape thought viciously to himself as he once more reflected on his state in his living room in Spinner's End. Oh no...that will probably be me. But never again will a Malfoy trap me.