Forever Silver

Forever Silver

The Silver Cycle part 3

By Elf Flame

*4*

The next morning Draco woke to an empty bed and took a long, hot shower before stumbling downstairs to have breakfast. He was startled to find Snape there, drinking coffee and reading the Prophet. Snape looked up when he entered and nodded, turning back to his paper without a word. Draco couldn't believe the gall of the man. "Sleep well?" he ground out.

"Passably," the man said calmly. "Yourself?"

Draco scowled, but turned away to the sideboard to serve himself. He wasn't going to be emotional about this. Whatever it was--had been, he reminded himself--it wasn't going to happen again. He sat at the far end of the table and scowled into his omelet. "The undertaker should be here this morning. Do you have something to occupy yourself while he's examining the body?"

He felt Snape's sharp intake of breath more than heard it, but he knew he'd hit the target. The man might be in mourning, but that did not give him the right to use him that way...

"I...should return to the Manor, I suppose, and retrieve him an outfit, then." Snape's voice was stiff, overly formal, but Draco was sure he heard a note of pain in the rebuff.

Draco's tone softened a bit at his pain. "Once the scan is complete, we should probably go to the Ministry and give our statements, Professor. I told Potter we'd come as soon as you were able."

Snape was silent for a long moment, and Draco looked up, wondering guiltily if perhaps he hadn't pushed too hard. Snape's eyes met his across the table. "Perhaps once the undertaker has finished..." the older man managed. "Or the next day, perhaps? There are a few things that I would like to prepare before Silver is laid to rest."

Draco nodded. "I'd like to wait until Daniel says that he's filed the papers for Silver's legal status, at any rate. Tomorrow should be soon enough."

Snape made a noise that Draco assumed was an agreement, and returned to reading the paper.

Draco ate slowly, furious and guilty by turns, unsure how to apologize for upsetting Snape, and unsure he even wanted to. This reverie was interrupted by the appearance of a house-elf announcing the arrival of Mister Threnody and a Miss Cerate from the Ministry. Snape did not react at all, even to glance away from his paper, so Draco sighed and left the room to greet them both.

Mister Threnody was tall, lanky and waxy-faced, with narrow pale-brown eyes that looked as though he were examining everything he looked at. His hair had gone grey many years before, and Draco had always wondered what colour it had been when he was young. Miss Cerate was only a few years older than Draco, on the other hand. Small and blonde, with her hair tied back in a tight bun at the nape of her neck, and spectacles over her blue eyes. She held out her hand.

"Mister Malfoy. Good to meet you." Draco took her hand, and responded with a weak smile.

"Thank you. Good to see you as well, Mister Threnody. If the two of you will come this way..."

He led them up the stairs and into the room where Silver lay. The room was silent and still, the windows slightly open to minimize the smell, and remaining effects of a stasis spell showing in a white light crackling faintly across Silver's skin.

"He died yesterday?" Mister Threnody asked.

Draco nodded, and the undertaker stepped forward and began to run his wand across the body. Miss Cerate moved to the other side of the bed, and she began to talk with Threnody as the man worked. Unwilling to watch any longer, Draco slipped from the room.

When Draco made it back to the dining room, Snape had disappeared. It was just as well, Draco thought to himself. I'd only end up sniping at him more.

He finished the remains of his breakfast, then went back to his father's study where he contacted Daniel, who assured him that all the paperwork was in order, and had been filed. Silver could now be legally recognized as his twin brother without problem. Draco thanked him, and sat looking over paperwork until the undertaker had finished his work on Silver. Miss Cerate had already returned to the ministry with her report, but Mister Threnody wanted to give him a detailed account of what he had found.

It turned out that Lucius had done a bit more tinkering than simply making a clone of Draco. He'd obviously wanted a toy that would be easily manipulated and malleable. Someone who would only answer to him, but be open to whomever he might--gift him to. He had woven several spells into the base materials of Draco's clone. Spells that allowed him horrifying amounts of control over Silver. Along with an unusual spell that he seemed to have created from the Imperious curse, which made Silver unable to refuse him in anything, Threnody had also found a spell that increased the boy's empathy. So that no matter who he was with, he would sense exactly what it was that person needed. And even worse, in Draco's mind, was a little spell rather like a homing beacon, so that Lucius could call Silver to him at any time.

Draco was stunned at this new twist, and was nearly unable to thank the man for his services before he left with the body. Mister Threnody assured Draco that he would take good care of the boy, and that he would look quite presentable in the clothing Master Snape had provided.

After Threnody left, Draco sat in his father's study, horrified at what his father had done. He had basically made himself the perfect sex slave. The mirror image of his own son, unable to complain at his treatment, or refuse anything Lucius requested--not that Lucius would have ever deigned to request anything. They would surely have been couched as demands if he even bothered to speak his wishes beforehand... And Silver would have had no understanding that there was even a possibility that he could refuse any request that the man had. Especially not with the spells Lucius had woven into his very soul.

And the homing spell was the worst, as far as Draco was concerned. This must have been how Silver had been drawn back to Lucius just the day before. He must have gone to Draco to cover his disappearance, knowing that Draco and Snape would keep each other occupied long enough for him to return to Lucius's side. He and Snape had obviously never had a chance to save Silver. He knew that now. As always, Lucius had been pulling all the strings. And Silver had been the victim.

Draco was so lost in his thoughts, he was shocked to realize that it was approaching dinner time. He stood up and returned to his bedroom to change. Perhaps a change of clothing would help him shed the images he couldn't seem to shake from his mind. He wasn't looking forward to another lonely dinner, but a change of clothes would help a little. He chose an old robe he hadn't used since he had moved into his flat, a deep grey colour with black velvet trim, and black slacks and white shirt to wear underneath. He even stopped for a shower, rinsing his skin of the dirty feeling that had been coating it for a month--it never lasted for long, but it helped temporarily. Clean and dressed, he descended to the main dining room, where he was startled to find Snape sitting at the long table waiting for him.

"Sev...Professor. I thought you had returned home."

Dark eyes met his. "I was under the assumption that you were willing to let me stay as long as I needed. Was this incorrect?"

Draco shook his head slowly. "Of course not, Snape. I was simply surprised." He moved to the head of the table. His spot now. Lucius would never return to reclaim it. Not if he had his say. He settled into his chair, and surreptitiously examined Snape's blank face. Dinner appeared in front of them, and for several moments, the two men did nothing more than eat. Finally, though, the silence became too much for Draco. "Will you be up to going to the Ministry in the morning still?" he asked quietly.

Snape, startled out of whatever he had been musing over, turned to look at him. "Of course. But what is it the Ministry needs from us?"

"Potter needs statements from both of us. So that he can send Lucius back to that hell-hole forever."

Snape looked horrified. "Potter?" he sneered.

Draco licked his lips nervously. He'd forgotten that Snape had been so unaware of everything the night before. "Yes, Severus. He's the one who came to collect father yesterday. He's in charge of the case. All he needs now is our statements, and then they'll be able to convict him for...what he's done." He'd had to bite his tongue to prevent himself from saying, 'For killing Silver.' Snape wouldn't take that well.

Snape's mouth pursed, and his eyebrows drew down. "Lovely. Could they possibly have chosen someone a bit more antagonistic towards us? Moody, perhaps?"

Draco smirked. Snape seemed to be getting some of his old humour back, at least. "He wasn't too bad last night. Even allowed me a few concessions. Came up to collect father alone rather than bringing along the other aurors that had arrived with him. I didn't want all those strangers tramping through my house. And he was the one who allowed Silver to stay here until Mister Threnody could come examine him as well. I doubt Moody would have done the same."

Snape snorted. "No. Most likely he would have detained us as well." He sighed. "I suppose I will be up to seeing Potter tomorrow. The sooner the better."

After that, they finished the rest of their meal in silence. But Draco was quite pleased that Snape seemed much more himself. Perhaps he had gotten everything out of his system in just a night? After all, the man had gone through worse things before this, hadn't he?

Draco excused himself, but invited Snape to use the bedroom that had been prepared for him. Snape thanked him, and the two said good night. By the time Draco settled in bed, he was less than sure that he hadn't wanted to invite the other man back to his room, and the only way he could convince himself not to get up and go to Snape's room was to remind himself forcibly of the quietly exhaled "My Silver" from the other man's lips the night before. He pulled the quilt around himself, and slowly sank into sleep.

<*^*>

He woke to the feeling of someone stroking his hair. "So lovely," he heard them whisper, and opened his eyes. Snape was looking down at him dreamily.

Draco struggled out of his sleep-dazed state. "Sna...Severus?"

"Shhh. I won't... I just need to touch you..."

This was too familiar, and Draco jerked fully awake at this. He pulled away from Snape. "Like last night, you mean?"

Snape blinked at him, confused.

"When you said you just needed to forget?" Draco moved quickly to the other side of the bed. "I'm not him, Snape. He's dead. And you're not doing either of us any favors this way. Just...go." He looked away before he could see the pain cross Snape's face.

So he was surprised when he felt the arm go around his waist. "No favors then," his slurred voice breathed into Draco's ear. Draco caught a whiff of Lucius's Ambermeade on Snape's breath. Dear lord, he was drunk. "I just need to feel again. Help me remember?"

Draco struggled in Snape's grasp, turning to face him, but before he could protest, Snape bent to cover Draco's mouth with his own. The sweet, slightly bitter-orange taste of Ambermeade filled his mouth along with Snape's tongue. It was so hard to struggle against something he wanted, but he would not allow this to happen again. He pushed at Snape's shoulders, and their mouths separated with a painful wrench. "No! Go back to your room. I won't be used this way." He pulled out of Snape's arms and slid off the bed, grabbing his dressing gown and pulling it on so as to provide a less vulnerable target.

Snape blinked at him, scowling. "Always alone at the end..." he muttered. "I knew I would be. Go back to him, then..." He stumbled from the bed, and pushed past Draco, stopping and grabbing his arm before he moved more than a few steps past him "You told me no one else had ever made you feel that way. How could you go back to him?"

Draco gritted his teeth and pulled his arm from the other man's grasp. "It wasn't his choice, Snape. It was father's fault. Go sleep it off. I'll make sure to have the house elves leave you a hangover potion by your bed tomorrow." He led the man to the door, and was about to open it when he found himself pushed against it, lips devouring his neck. "Snape," he tried to protest, but found himself unable to manage more as Severus's tongue circled his ear, causing his brain to loose all memory of why he had been leading Snape towards the door.

The tongue made its way down his neck, and Severus stopped infrequently, nipping at his skin, making it impossible to think. There was a reason they shouldn't do this, wasn't there? But Severus's mouth felt so good on his skin, and his clothing had been pushed aside, and his robe in a puddle on the floor. It was all Draco could do to simply remember how to breathe.

Severus's hands never left Draco's body as he was pushed to his knees. He was so lost in the sea of sensation that he wasn't about to question anything Severus did anymore. He lost all capacity to breathe as Severus took him. The hands that had been caressing him pulled him up so that he was spread across Severus's lap, pressed back-to-chest with him.

Draco had never felt this good before. Severus surrounding him, arms, legs and mouth, and he'd never be able to get enough. He wanted to devour the man. He wanted to feel this way for the rest of his life. And then the mouth was back by his ear, licking along the edge as Severus whispered in his ear, and Draco was unable his request, finishing with Severus's name on his lips.

"So beautiful," said that smoky voice in his ear. Then Severus joined him in release, and Draco tried to ride a second wave of sensation as the man shuddered around him. The two men fell to the carpet, but Draco quickly turned to see Severus, eyes shut, panting thickly where he lay, and blessed whoever had chosen the carpet for his room. It was thick and well-padded, so there would be no bruises from their little adventure, at least.

Once Draco had caught his breath, he nudged at Severus's now-softly-breathing form. "Severus. We should move back to the bed, at least..."

Severus grunted, and Draco scowled down at him. "Come on, you lush." When there was no response at all this time, he sighed. "You're going to hate yourself in the morning." He hauled the man to his feet, and they stumbled to the bed, where Draco let Severus collapse on his side of the bed, rather than dragging him around to the other.

Once they were both tucked under the covers, Severus pulled Draco towards him. "So sweet," he mumbled. "Don't know how you could possibly have any Malfoy genes at all. Not like them..."

Draco felt his heart clench. Silver again. He took a deep breath. It didn't matter. He'd forget eventually. More, he knew that Snape had wanted him once. And would again. It was only a matter of time. He settled into Snape's side, more content with this conclusion, and fell into a much more restful sleep than the one of the night before.

<*^*>

The next morning, Draco woke to Severus's groans. Stifling annoyance at both himself for forgetting, and Severus for getting drunk in the first place, he rang for a house elf, who quickly retrieved a hangover potion for him. Draco slid back into bed next to Severus and helped him to sit up. "Here. This will help."

Black eyes cracked open, and Severus glared up at him. "Is it one of mine?"

Draco snorted. "Unlikely. Unless you've been continuing to provide mother with them for some reason. Most likely its fresh from the apothecary. I'm sure it will be fine." Severus's lips pulled back in a sneer. "Or you could wait until I managed to brew one up... Of course, then it wouldn't have taken full effect by the time we went to see Potter at the Ministry..."

Severus scowled at him, then pulled the vial from his hand. "Commentary is unnecessary, Draco."

"But it is amusing." He watched as Severus downed the potion, and saw some of the lines of pain disappear almost immediately from his face. "Better?"

Severus nodded slowly, and those dark eyes slid over Draco's barely-dressed form. "Draco..." Severus winced at the scowl that settled on Draco's face at the questioning tone. Draco watched bemused as Snape struggled with the obvious question. "Why are you in my bed?" Snape finally ground out.

"I'm not," he said blandly.

Snape's brows furrowed. "You're not sitting on the bed I slept in last night?"

"Well, that I'm doing," a slight smile curved Draco's lips.

"But?" Snape growled questioningly.

"I'm not in your bed..." Snape opened his mouth to deny Draco's statement, but Draco continued. "I'm in mine."

Snape went perfectly still at that. "I...see. And why am I in your bed?"

Draco watched him carefully for a moment before responding. "Well, before I answer that, how much do you recall?"

Snape's eyes narrowed. "What is it I'm meant to be recalling, Draco?"

"Just answer the question, Severus."

Snape sighed, and closed his eyes. "I went back to that room, but I couldn't sleep. I recalled your father's store of Ambermeade, so I thought I'd get a glass to help me relax."

"I'd say you had a great deal more than a glass, Severus."

Black eyes focused on him. "I...might have. I have no further memories beyond relaxing with a glass in one of the chairs in your father's study."

Draco pursed his lips. "Well, you must have consumed at least half a bottle of father's stock last night. You came in here, quite drunk, I might add, and proceeded to fondle my head until I woke. When I told you to go back to your room, you got surly, so I led you to the door, where you proceeded to attack me."

Snape's eyes went wide. "I what?"

"Severus..."

But Snape had stumbled from the bed, and was backing away, horrified.

Draco moved to his side. "Severus, it's all right. You didn't hurt me. I could have fought you off...if I'd wanted to."

He watched Snape breathe heavily as he tried to adjust to this information. "Draco...you know I would never purposefully hurt you, right?"

Draco smiled wanly. "I know, Severus."

Snape watched him for another long moment. "I'm sorry, Draco."

Draco sighed. "I wish I could change things for you, Severus. I know you miss him. But I won't pretend to be him..."

"I wouldn't want you to," Snape responded sharply.

"But you have now. Two nights in a row. You wanted him, so you came to me. And I, being the fool that I am, allowed it." Draco scowled down at the carpet. It wasn't Snape's fault at all. He'd known it was far too soon, but he hadn't been willing to stop the man.

Silence stretched out between them, and was finally broken by Snape. "Perhaps we should get dressed, then have a bit of breakfast and make our way to the Ministry? We can...discuss this later."

Draco nodded, not meeting his eyes. "I'll see you downstairs then." He moved to his wardrobe, grabbed some clothing, and headed for his bathroom.