Two Old Friends

Chapter 9

We remain in our seats, looking beyond the other. Adriana is still focused on the candle and I a glimmer of dust behind her shoulder.

"So, let's move on to a more interesting subject. And slightly less gory one while we're at it," Adriana suggests.

"What have you to say?"

"How about getting over an emotional crisis?"

"Are we going to continue that?" I'm suddenly struck with exhaustion. Adriana looks at me with pursed lips and a slight glare.

"Fine, if we don't want to talk about that, what do you want to talk about?"

"Sex, perhaps? There's nothing involving emotional crises or anything that led to anything regrettable..." Adriana rolls her eyes.

"Just like a man," she mumbles.

"What? You cannot possibly say that the bed wasn't one of the highlights or our time together."

"There was more to our time together aside from being in bed," she says dismissively, crossing her arms.

"Well, we did do it in other places..."

"You are repulsive!"

"I thought it was the Scorpio's place to be a horny sod!" I reveal the little I know about astrology. She rolls her eyes again.

"Fine. We had sex. We had good sex."

"I still have scars--"

"It's not like you didn't make your marks," she retorts. I snort.

"I'm not complaining." She coughs and I busy myself with stirring my tea.

"Is it the only good thing? The sex?"

"No," I immediately remedy. "Not the only good thing. I couldn't stand to have some wide eyed innocent bird that reminded me of the world outside of the Hell I lived. And I doubt that you could either. I liked what we had, yes, we had our drama... We had a lot of drama, but that's just what it was." Adriana smirks.

"Well, that's something to discuss later. What time is it?"

"Nineteen seventy-eight. You move in, small blonde one is born."

"How you remember the year, I'll never know."

"I carefully catalogue every day of the year into a perfect timeline of my life," I tell her sarcastically.

"You're anal enough, I wouldn't be surprised."

~*~

Being flabbergasted at my new feelings concerning the destruction of Muggles and Muggle-kind, I was very distracted after. I constantly made mistakes with people's drinks at the Purple Haze and I had to force myself to concentrate harder than I ever had while I made Mr. Gergo's supply. I hadn't heard from Adriana for about a week. Perhaps she was figuring things out or still wallowing in denial, I didn't know. However, I did know when she came knocking on my door.

"GODDAMMIT!" I yelled in frustration when the sudden pounding interrupted my counting of something. I got up to my feet and stomped to door, thinking very cruel things to whoever was on the other side. I swung it open.

"What?!" I demanded, narrowing my eyes down at her. She recoiled, looking at me like a confused rabbit.

"I wanted to stop by..." she said, her voice revealing that she was afraid that I was going to go off the deep end on her. I pursed my lips and narrowed my eyes even more so at her. I stepped aside and she came in my house, closing the door behind her.

"So this is your place, eh?" she said conversationally.

"Yes, this is my 'place.'" I turned back to my potion that I had on a desk near the staircase and lavatory. I waved my wand and a number popped up, telling me where I had left off on counting an ingredient. I took three away and put in the lot to the cauldron and it gave a loud hissing sound and turned a faded lavender. I looked over the rim and churned it a good few times and then set it aside. It now had to simmer for nine hours.

"It's nice. I'm still over at the Leaky Cauldron," she commented, examining the handsome sofa Lucius got me.

"That's wonderful," I said, my temper deflating. "When do you reckon you'll have your own place?"

"Oh, I don't know. I still need to figure out a few things... I just wanted to stop by and give you a house-warming gift." She pulled out something from her purse and handed it to me. I unwrapped it, eyeing her suspiciously. It was:

"Floo-Powder?" I asked quizzically. "I'm perfectly capable of Apparating."

"I know. But I'll be visiting and it's not good to Apparate or Disapparate when one is expecting," she informed me.

"Ah. How considerate of you," I said dryly. "Somehow I think that spinning about surrounded by fire is much better." She sneered at me and smiled.

"So! Tour!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands together.

"Kitchen," I pointed towards the archway. "Loo," I pointed at the loo. "Sitting room," I waved my arms around to signify that was where we were. "Stairs," I pointed at the staircase. "And two bedrooms up there complete with more loos. And there are a couple of closets here and there. That one there," I pointed at the cupboard under the stairs, "is where I keep my potions stuff."

"Very nice. You got anything to eat?"

"Kitchen," I pointed at the archway. She smirked at me and went in the kitchen. I followed her. She rifled through the cupboards and whatnot until she found a box of crackers.

"Lovely kitchen," she commented.

"It rivals the size of a large shoebox. But alas, I live alone, so I don't particularly care."

"Uh huh. You have people over often?"

"No. I don't know many people who would care enough to make a period out of their schedule to come by. Except for you, of course."

"I'm flattered. But no... girls?" she said with a teasing grin. I sneered at her. She laughed and ate a cracker.

"Har-dee-har. I don't believe my sex life concerns you. Unless you'd like to offer yourself, but I'll let you know that I don't fancy the fat type." She kicked me in the shin very hard.

"Merlin's balls--I didn't mean anything by it! Damn!" I said, wincing.

"Then don't be a prat. Besides, I might need a place to stay for a short period of time until I got a steady flow of income." I blinked.

"Uhm. That's nice. Mind explaining why I care?"

"Because, my dear Severus, you are a good friend and you happen to care very much for me and you wish to offer me this temporary residence."

"No," I said flatly.

"And why not? I can pay for everything!"

"Then why would you need a place to stay until you've got a 'steady flow of income'?"

"Because I want to buy my own home with my own money, not my parents'." I hated her and her pride.

"Give me one good reason why I should house you."

"I am rich and can pay for everything that you want and need. I'll even throw in some money for the prostitutes you have over."

"As tempting as that sounds, I am afraid not. And I don't have the patience or the room for the human being that is expected to erupt from your vagina in seven months."

"I should have a home by then. I have my house elf, she'll do all your cleaning and cooking -"

"No one cooks in this house but myself," I said haughtily. She eyed me before continuing.

"Anyway. She can help you out with everything around the house while I'm at work and everything will be quite lovely. You know you want to. There's nothing that could possibly go wrong if you let me stay. You said you have an extra room up there." I sighed. It was quite like her to take away my chance of being independent.

"Fine. Fine. Get your crap and vandalize my home," I said reluctantly. She grinned and summoned her trunk from outside the door. I rolled my eyes.

"Thank you, Severus," she said. I snorted.

"How did you even know where my house was?" I asked.

"I know these things, Severus. You should know that."

"Of course, how could have I been so foolish?" I responded dryly.

"Don't beat yourself up about it." I sniffed and checked the cauldron.

So we lived together. It wasn't particularly exciting considering she still had another semester of school left before her next holiday and she often used me to practice her argument skills, which aggravated me to no end.

Slowly, but surely, the shell she had developed that made one believe that Lucius kicking her out of his home and bed didn't hurt her in the least started fading. She started bringing him up in casual conversation, asking me how he was doing (he still stopped by the bar to say hello) and made small comments concerning Narcissa. Every now and then I even caught her sniffling or looking at old pictures. I was very tempted to say, "I told you so," but I valued my testicles.

"Severus," she said quietly as I searched for food.

"Yes?" I asked, grabbing an apple.

"Could I ask you something?" she inquired.

"Aside from asking if you could ask me something?"

"Yea. I wanted to know if you could tell if there was anything Narcissa Black has that I don't." I sighed and wandered to the sitting room.

"Adriana, don't make me nitpick your differences," I said resignedly.

"Please, Severus," she begged. I looked at her. She looked pitiful.

"Do you want me to point out differences personality wise or physically?" I knew I was going to regret doing it.

"Whichever. I don't care. I mean, you know Lucius better than anyone else I know and I just ... What does Narcissa have or lack or what do I have or lack that makes him prefer Narcissa over me?"

"I don't know what Narcissa has that makes him prefer her over you. You are both very different people, and that's probably why he went for her. He probably wanted a little change. Having an illegal affair with you for two years and then a legal one for another six months is a big commitment on his part; I'm surprised that he stuck with you that long. But once you got legal, I'm sure he got bored - not to say you're boring. Narcissa is practically your opposite, that's probably why he left you," I said matter-of-factly. Adriana sniffed. "Please, Adriana, don't make me give you the 'you're better off with out him' speech."

"It was two and a half years! I gave him everything and more. I thought we would live happily ever after and... I love him," she sobbed. I rolled my eyes.

"Adriana, sit down," I told her. She dramatically sat next to me and sobbed into my shoulder. I meant for her to sit in the chair across from me. I awkwardly patted her head. She eventually removed herself from my side and sat and sniffled. Her eyes and nose were swollen and red.

"Lucius Malfoy is anything but potential husband. He's probably going to be out breaking people's hearts until he's well into his old age and eventually die old and alone," I said in a would-be comforting manner. "Some day he'll break Narcissa's heart like he did yours and he'll move on to another unsuspecting woman. You'll simply have to accept it and move on with yourself." Adriana gave a great sniffle and spent a few seconds in silence.

"Can you at least tell me how I'm better than Narcissa?" she asked. I gave a low chuckle.

"Where do I start?"

"Start where I have better boobs than she does."

"Well, you have better boobs than she does. Maybe its because you're pregnant or just have better genetics than she."

"Now tell me about my lovely accent."

"You have a lovely accent whereas Narcissa's voice sounds like a cat in heat."

"Heh. Cat in heat..." she repeated under her breath with amusement.

"Anything else?"

"Say that I'm prettier than she is."

"You're prettier than she is. Is this helping any?"

"Yes, marvellously. Thank you."

"Good, because I'm going to finish reading my magazine now."

"Okay. Can I have your apple?" I gave her my apple and picked up my Toxins, Venoms, and Poisons Weekly magazine and read about the uses of daddy-long leg fangs.

Within a month, Lucius came sniffing around my house. He rang the doorbell and I answered the door. I blinked at the brightness the sun came with opening the door. I then realized there was someone standing at my door.

"Lucius, what are you doing here?" I asked, putting a hand up to block the sun.

"Am I not allowed to visit a friend?" he asked innocently.

"Not without an ulterior motive," I said, squinting at him suspiciously. He waved his hand dismissively.

"Pshaw. I have no such thing. Are you going to allow me, the man who housed you when you were kicked out of your own home after your graduation, in, or not?" I stepped aside.

"Yes, yes. Come in, come in." He stepped in and looked around in the sitting room. I then remembered that he had never actually come into my home.

"Would you like me to take your cloak?" I asked.

"Yes, thank you. Do you have anything to drink, also?" I took the cloak and went into the kitchen, throwing his robe on the table.

"Fire whiskey?" I called to him, pulling out the bottle from the cupboard.

"Please," he said. I waved my wand and the drink poured itself into two glasses and they filled themselves with ice. I took the drinks to the sitting room where Lucius stood and handed him his glass.

"Please, sit down," I offered, waving my hand at the furniture. He sat, as did I.

"So..." he started. "How's Adriana?" I blinked, a little surprised.

"She's doing all right. Better than she was before. Why do you ask?"

"Just curiosity," he said dismissively. I nodded and sipped.

"Erm... Where is Adriana? Isn't she staying with you?" I eyed him suspiciously.

"She's taking a shower," I said slowly. Lucius nodded with more interest and sipped his own drink silently. A few seconds of silent passed by.

"You've never given me the grand tour," Lucius said suddenly.

"You've never come to see the grand tour," I countered. Lucius bowed his head in defeat and the two of us stood up and I showed him through the kitchen.

"Here is the kitchen," I said bluntly. I then showed him back through the sitting room and the extra room that was added for my potions lab. Then we went up the stairs.

"My room over there. Adriana's room over there. Both complete with their own lavatories. And a very empty storage closet at the end of the hall."

"Your home is very... cosy," Lucius said, trying to sound approving.

"Indeed, it is quite quaint. And that ends the tour of my elaborate mansion," I said, heading to the stairs. However, that was when Adriana felt the need to end her hour-long shower and step out of the bathroom with only a bathrobe around her. She was doomed.

They stood at either end of the hallway, staring at each other like deer in headlights. I dreaded the drama that would soon enter my once somewhat peaceful life. So I stood, doing nothing, waiting for someone to do something.

"Severus..." Adriana started slowly. "Severus - why didn't you tell me we were having company?"

"I didn't know myself," I said.

"Adriana... er... How lovely it is to see you again," Lucius said, trying to sound smooth.

"And you," Adriana said, her uneasiness less concealed.

She then ushered herself back into her room.

"Hm," was all Lucius said about that.

When Lucius finally left, trying to weasel his way into making me coax Adriana into coming out of her room without success, Adriana slinkered out fully dressed.

"Is he gone?" she asked me, still on the last step of the staircase.

"Yes, he's gone. I reckon he's still got a boner for you," I said conversationally. Adriana didn't say anything.

A few days after that, Adriana came storming home with tears streaming down her face. She didn't say anything and stomped upstairs and slammed the door to her bedroom. I blinked and continued with my potion making.

As I was stirring the cauldron, an owl came fluttering through an open window and dropped an envelope on my work table and fluttered back out. Curious, I opened the envelope and read it while leaving my potions lab to get a glass of water. The letter informed me that my mother had joined my father in the grave and that the property and finalities were my responsibility. I also got their fortune, which I had to use to pay off all the family debts. I sighed and threw the letter on the coffee table.

Adriana finally came out of her room later that night and mumbled an apology for storming in without warning. I told her it was nothing, and all seemed fine.

"Lucius attempted to take me back and I suggested that we'd make a lovely family or something stupid like that - as if he could be a decent father. Anyway, it seemed like he forgot that I was pregnant, he yelled at me some more, and left. Bastard." She sulked on the couch with a cup of coffee. I sighed and sat on the couch next to her.

"I do hope that this is the end of it," I said, settling down. "This is getting quite old." Adriana sighed.

"It is, fear not, my pet." I snorted at her. She set her coffee cup on the coffee table and noticed the letter I threw down earlier. She picked it up and read it.

"Oh... Why didn't you tell me?"

"Hm?" I looked at the letter. "Oh, that. Yes. My mother's dead, by the way."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

"Well, are you going to go to the funeral?"

"No." Adriana blinked at me.

"Are you at least going to go to the house and check everything out?"

"What's there to check out?"

"Severus. You should go."

"I have no reason to go, Adriana."

"She's your mother!"

"Do you go to Azkaban to check on your father?" She fell silent. Ha. I won. Or so I thought.