Severus' Deception

AN: The views expressed herein regarding homosexuality are NOT my own, nor are they intended to offend or upset anyone.

My thanks to SnapesBeatrice for doing the beta.

Severus' Deception

Early one morning, Lucius Malfoy was sipping his coffee over the Daily Prophet as rich men with no pressing matters of business do when the tranquillity of the Breakfast Room at Malfoy Manor was shattered by what were unmistakably the wailing cries of an infant.

What the devil is Cissy playing at? Merlin! Don’t tell me this is her way of hinting that she wants another child!

Much to his surprise, no sooner had he thought this than his old friend Severus swept through the doors of the room with said screaming infant held tightly in his arms.

This, however, was not what caught Lucius’ attention.

‘Good Lord, Severus! What are you wearing?’ drawled Lucius in his most arrogant, aristocratic manner. This actually cost him some effort. On seeing the Potions master thus attired, Lucius really wanted to spit out his coffee all over the personal advertisements he eyed briefly every morning. It was always good to know how former acquaintances were doing.

‘It should please you to note that the terms of our bet have finally been fulfilled,’ spat Severus. ‘Meet my daughter Lucilla,’ he added as an afterthought.

Lucius was still too appalled by what Severus was wearing to give this much thought.

‘You look like that bloody poof Dumbledore when he was photographed on the streets of Muggle London with all those other freaks. Your little girlfriend’s wandwork, I presume?’

The power of Severus’ glare would have melted iron.

‘Actually, she’s my fiancée, and do you think I don’t bloody well know what I look like? Anyway, they never proved it was him. Now are you going to ogle me all day, or can you find it that blackened rock you call a heart to lend me some robes?’

So offended was Lucius by the sight of Severus in what Muggles would recognise as full drag-queen regalia, he wasted no more time gloating, but immediately summoned a house-elf to look for something, anything black.

A few minutes later, Severus had changed and removed all the glitter, courtesy of a few very effective scouring charms from Narcissa. He now sat with Lucius in his study with all the appearance of calm, a sleeping baby cradled in his arms.

‘You know,’ Lucius mused, looking through the window to the grounds beyond, ‘I never expected you to have children, old friend.’

‘Well, now I have, so what’s your point?’ replied Severus bitterly, evidently still not recovered from the indignity he had suffered at the hands of his fiancée that morning.

‘As flattered as I am that you chose to name little Lucilla there after me, I must disabuse you of the notion that led to this little misunderstanding.’

Though another man might have been annoyed to find out that he was in his wife’s bad books because his friend had lied to him for years, Severus’ lips twitched in amusement.

‘Do you mean to say that Narcissa didn’t let you into her bed until your wedding night? So much for the Malfoy Charm,’ he scoffed.

Lucius gave Severus a scornful glance at these words.

‘For all those brains of yours, Severus, did it never occur to you to consider why I convinced her to name you as Draco’s Godfather over her cousin Rosier?’

‘You like me,’ retorted Severus, smirking broadly. ‘Not a word on this to anyone, Lucius. Lucy here likes her name better than Rose. Hermione can never know.’

‘Will you name me Godfather if I shake on that?’ inquired Lucius hopefully.

Severus did not dignify that with a response.