FIC: Hands Clean

[culuyetille]

Be proud of me!!! I've updated my site (especially the links page) and...

I'm finally finishing unfinished fics =)

.. don't try to say that fast. =p

The list is still long enough for me to get crushed under its weight, but oh well, I got started, at least.

Title: Hands Clean

Pairing: Severus Snape/Draco Malfoy

Category: Romance

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Songfic. Lots of musing as Draco and Severus think over a few aspects of their relationship.

Disclaimer: Not mine, neither the characters nor the song.

AN: Can Severus and Draco sing? Hell, yes. At least that’s what they’ve been doing on my mind all day long... well, it’s more like Draco humming and Sev hissing to himself, but still...
Lorielen

Hands Clean

Serenity wasn’t, against all odds, unknown to Slytherins. It was simply rare. Yet a few moments would crystallise and allow silvery hearts to stray from their aims so as to enjoy the current instant, should occasion present itself.

Draco was feeling too lazy right now to even do as much as thinking of stretching. His eyes remained closed, causing him to languidly hover on the borderline of dreamland. Soft and regular inhaling brought to him the scent of sex and that of the skin his cheek rested against, he whose nipples Draco’s eyelashes caressed. An arm of the Malfoy’s encircled the older man’s waist, and it was both possessive and begging for protection in spite of its apparent carelessness. He wasn’t, however, in the least bit worried about what his body language might be revealing to his lover; instead he chose to bask in the gentle strokes to his hair. He’d purr, but that would break the silence and perhaps shatter the moment, and that Draco did not want.

His seeming sleepiness had lessened the guard of the older Slytherin, but he knew Profe- Severus - must still be looking as inexpressive as ever.

Almost enough to make a Malfoy chuckle. The man needed to liven up a little.

Ah, but the challenge to his charisma and the obvious attraction he found it so easy to attain from everyone else was one of the aspects of the Potions Master that had sparkled Draco’s interest, in the first place. He had been equally amused and frustrated to find the man able to overlook, ignore or walk around his advances. More irritating, even, was the impassive face the Professor would put on while at it.

Draco had become all too keen on winning... he breathed his achievement in the shape of a satisfied little sigh.

//If it weren’t for your maturity, none of this would have happened
If you weren’t so wise beyond your years, I would’ve been able to control myself//

Severus Snape’s long fingers were dug in shimmering platinum, enveloped in its silky texture, then tugged ever so softly at the Malfoy’s hair strands before being slid out; a minute pause until the move was repeated.

Absent-minded, casual, but so very there just the same. Right now, there wasn’t any other place Severus would rather be. His favourite pupil’s company could tone down considerably the permanent restlessness of Severus’ soul.

For one, the youth did not look down on Potions – which most people did and the Potions Master, although resigned, never ceased to feel unnerved. But Draco had a natural inclination and found pleasure in the brand of magic Snape had chosen as his own, had devoted his life to. Secondly, the younger male did not underestimate him. Did not treat him as the greasy bastard condemned to suffer damnation.

Severus didn’t make students’ lives hell on purpose; he did it in return. Just like he went out of his way to aid the young and sparkling Malfoy who now laid against him, also sleepy at the post-coitus.

//If it weren’t for my attention you wouldn’t have been successful//

Differently from Snape, though, the Potions Apprentice had no qualms in obtaining what he wanted.

He had not given in to Draco, he had not been won. Other students had tried their luck with him, to no avail. Others had raised their eyebrows as they were harshly told off for their arrogance, many had shrunk back into place. No other had made him vaguely regret destroying the shine in their eyes.

There wasn’t any other half as pretty, with ways and words so enticing. Draco got away with much, he knew how to, and that only added to his boldness. Severus knew that perfectly well. Although this particular flair could be rather inconvenient, his pupil’s brilliance and sense made arrogance tolerable.

Severus would never admit to finding it appealing, at times.

He was not a man of many words, but with his young pupil it was a choice rather than necessity. Draco was a Slytherin like himself, a predator like himself. He was as conscious of that as his Potions Master.

//If it weren’t for me you would never have amounted to very much//

Had he pursued Severus? Draco’s tongue went out to lick his lips, quick and discreet, as he contemplated that thought. He didn’t think he had. A Malfoy would hardly lower himself to pursuing – it was more like pulling a few strings here and there until what he wanted fell on his lap. Or, in this particular case, the opposite, really. An inward smug smile, and his fingertips began to brush softly against the older man’s skin. So yes, he had made an effort to gain what he wanted. He had a sneaking suspicion that the correspondent move would never have been made on the Teacher’s part; Snape might favour him, but that was more owed to Slytherin than any sort of affection or attraction.

It had been Draco the one to stand out, capture the man’s interest and attention. He was also the responsible for realising that he was reciprocated – couldn’t count on Severus to give indication of any sort whatsoever – and reaching out to act on that.

Indeed. He could be blamed for the majority of it, and he didn’t feel but proud.

//Oooh, this could be messy

But you don’t seem to mind

Oooh, don’t go telling everybody

And overlook this supposed crime//

The subtlest of smiles curled Severus’ lips as he detected movement of Draco’s fingertips. He was awake, then. Idly, the dark-haired male wondered for how long it had been so. If Draco cared at all to pretend to him. It was most likely.

He didn’t stop the gentle attention to the student’s scalp; whether or not the blond had been faking did not make much of a difference and Snape often liked to act as if he bought the show. The natural arrogance of his newfound lover made that all the more entertaining. All the same, he couldn’t be too sure Draco didn’t know about Snape’s own act, either.

Control was so frail with them; the Malfoy just looked prettier while at it. Snape never failed to feel equal amounts of exasperation and thrill at the sneer Draco would put on while being discreetly hissed at for pinching Severus’ arse in public, or some other display of smugness of the like.

Such exposure could and undoubtedly would bring trouble to the both of them. Nevertheless, to say that it sent the Potions Master on an ego trip would be putting it mildly. The more careful and sensible Severus could be, he did know Draco was shiny enough to be shown off. For now, the Teacher-Student situation made that impossible, although there were times he was seriously tempted to shrug it all off and ask everyone where their precious ethics had been at the time Sirius goddamn Black had-

He so did not want to think of that. Draco felt good enough against his chest for him to overlook anything right now. Thinking on it, the Mentor-Pupil aspect of their relationship had added spice to it.

//We’ll fast forward to a few years later

And no one knows except the both of us

And I’ll have honoured your request for silence

And you’ll have washed your hands clean of this//

Unknown to Severus, Draco’s thoughts were going more or less along the same line. As his fingers felt up the man’s side, partly wanting to evoke a reaction and partly for the feel of him, the younger male busied his mind with disdain for those who referred to the man as no more than an ex-Death Eater. Draco knew better. He was given the chance to practically taste Snape’s strength. If nothing else, the man had a fierce stubbornness to neither ask nor give anything to the big fat Gryffindor world.

His pupil prided himself on being able to work his way round Severus’ defences. He had never doubted he could do it, but that didn’t lessen his achievement any.

That he couldn’t really boast about it bothered Draco somewhat, but the tantalising nature of the secret paid off. He had known since the very beginning that it would never be any other way. He had a deep admiration for Severus’ subtlety. In many ways, it was more Slytherin than his own attitude. The man knew how to be discreet.

Draco knew that there was more at stake for the Professor than himself, even though he had too great an attachment to his own honour, as well as that of his family name.

//You’re essentially an employee and I like you having to depend on me//

Draco had learned long ago to pay the Potions Master the respect he deserved. Only not as much so as to keep him from tugging devilishly at the man’s hair at age five. As eager as Draco had been to go to Hogwarts, distance from his parents and everything he knew had frightened him. Snape had represented the promise of familiarity, a link to his own Malfoyish world. The man was a shadowy icon for both comfort and respect. Limits.

Throughout the past five years, the threat “I’ll have to contact your Father about this” had seldom been uttered. Draco’s respect for Snape built more and more on the man himself, detaching from the companionship that the former Slytherin and his Father shared. A bond of his own, Draco forged between Snape and himself. Mentoring was only part of it now.

Draco liked having Severus as a teacher. The man earned his living from his one true passion; on the other hand, damnation came to him by means of him being forced to watch his Love being trashed about daily by ungrateful brats. With no ounce of false modesty, Draco believed himself to be a welcome breath of relief when he entered the dungeons. He was well aware that he had made himself a key piece to the older man’s sanity. He was rather fond of that reasoning, actually. He meant change from Severus’ loathed routine.

//You’re kind of my protégé and one day you’ll say you learned all you know from me//

It shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone that Severus would favour the son of his long-time friend. But it had surprised the dark-haired man himself how heartfelt that protectiveness had grown to be. Hence his satisfaction at the discovery of Draco’s inclination for Potions: it would explain, at least to himself, the fondness he had for that child.

Beneath his permanently pursed lips, his voice would acquire a twist of patience when addressing the youth who soon turned to be his pupil. And it brought Severus no small amount of warmth when it became evident that Draco would go to him for things other than the subject he taught. It was a secret delight to see his own slitting sarcasm and Gryffindor grudge reflected in so glittery a mirror.

//I know you depend on me like a young thing would to a guardian//

That grudge made it so that, however skilled Draco was at not being caught during his misdoing, he’d need some covering up. It was, after all, a Gryffindor school and Wizarding World. Severus had always been one to extend his authority as far as he could in order to shelter those trusted to him. He had absolutely no problem with displaying his bias; he was sure it’d fade against the reddish bigger picture. Everyone else was too busy condemning them.

Plus, biting back had always been a pleasure for Severus Snape. His blatant favouritism was a personal whim as much as an attempt to help youngsters who tried their best to make it seem like they didn’t need any sort of assistance.

Draco was singular on that particular aspect. The Malfoy Heir evidently enjoyed flaunting the security that his family name brought him; however, that very name made him believe that he shouldn’t need any protection.

It hadn’t been easy for Snape to keep from pushing away the initial, timid approaches from Draco. The older man had fought a battle against both their egos, for the sole and selfish reason that he couldn’t have a distant pupil when he himself was hopelessly attached to that youth.

//I know you sexualise me like a young thing would and I think that I like it//

As a result, soon enough Severus had found himself taking deep breaths in order to keep his sanity for just the few minutes he needed to shun Draco’s advances. He had foreseen that situation.

Perhaps “hoped on it” would be more accurate an expression. There was no denying – not even to Severus, who made it a matter of pride to remain unaffected by Malfoy charm – that Lucius’ offspring was a very desirable mate. Everyone knew that; Draco first and foremost. It was natural for him to attain whatever he wanted from virtually anyone, with minimal effort.

Enter Severus with the personal crusade of instilling some reality into that spoilt boy’s world.

...enter Severus’ ego, finding it lovely to be wanted by such a special creature, when everyone else held their nose up at him.

He didn’t like or need them, didn’t want their approval. But Draco was a different kettle of fish altogether.

Draco’s voice spoke of Severus’ own deadened wants and needs. It was the youth’s place to want it, and Snape’s to repel it.

He had found he couldn’t win against both Draco and himself. Also, that not having the younger man wasn’t a victory.

//What part of our history is reinvented and under rug swept?

What part of your memory is selective and tends to forget?

What with this distance it seems so obvious?//

Draco turned his head to the side a bit, and planted a small kiss on the teacher’s naked chest. The “now” was very good. He liked it now. He had worked hard to achieve it, and whilst he had taken pleasure in the game of winning, he preferred things as they were now. Smooth and thrilling.

How had it all come to pass? With his own monumental initiative, Draco knew. With much angst and, as much as he hated to admit it, self-doubt on his part. Nothing of that had been shown or would be remembered, ever. He had played his cards right, and could now smirk mysteriously, should anyone ever ask how had he done it.

No pains, just a game. High stakes that had required, bold moves, liquid and gracious, Malfoy in their brilliance.

He was perfectly aware that Severus would say he had eventually given into Draco’s skilful tormenting. And he preferred it that way.

Nowadays, it seemed like their union was unavoidable – nothing as mushy as meant to be, but quite close to it. Now, that the approaching was over and done with. Before everything begun, it had also been that way. Both at distance and upclose, their relationship was pretty obvious. During its building, however, things hadn’t been that easy and, all in all, Draco was glad he had been successful.

Thinking of that, he inhaled, basking in the scent of the one he could now safely refer to as his lover.

//Just make sure you don’t tell on me especially to members of your family

We best keep this to ourselves and not tell any members of our inner posse

I wish I could tell the world because you’re such a pretty thing when you’re done up properly//

Severus knew, without any doubt, that he and Draco would be the only ones to ever be glad about their relationship.

The boy’s parents would obviously be displeased, if nothing else because Draco was supposed to produce a Heir and Severus wasn’t fit for the part that would be of a Malfoy’s mate.

Not to mention that homosexuality, age difference and Slytherin would have the rest of the world reproving them.

For that, among other things, Severus had always insisted Draco kept secret.

Draco was his own secret. A hidden fetish and the receiving end of an affection Severus didn’t much like to admit he had.

Nevertheless, Draco was, more than stunningly beautiful, the most wanted bachelor in the whole school – prerogative of each and every Malfoy Heir. Second not even to Potter, who he beat by far in appearance, personality, charm and intelligence, if one was to ask Severus.

Severus whose bias were not the only reason to have taken it to Draco.

//I might want to marry you one day if you watch that weight and keep your firm body//

Draco treasured what he had now. The past was behind, and the future...

He didn’t know whether or not he wanted to build a future with Severus Snape. Both of them were aware of the duties he had. Not much of Draco’s life belonged to Draco; but it wasn’t something he’d want to rebel against, any time soon. He understood that everything had its price and had been taught at an early age that being Malfoy wasn’t all about looks, money and privileges. There was also discipline, and expectations.

He didn’t have any expectations of his relationship with his Mentor, and maybe that was one of the things that made it so very enjoyable.

Which didn’t mean he couldn’t eventually come to nurture hope on something lasting. For now, Severus was who he wanted. Knowing himself, however, Draco knew he was likely to remain fond of protectiveness, strength, darkness and a worthy bickering mate.

-*-