The Morning After - Severus

Disclaimer: None of the recognisable stuff is mine. I think someone else had the 'Uncle Sev' from Draco, but I'm not sure so I can't credit it... Let me know if it sounds familiar.

Author’s Note: Thanks to my betas for their work on this chapter, and to SW69 and notsosaintly for their tireless patience with my errors :)

The Morning After - Severus

“Well, don’t you just look magnificent first thing in the morning?”

Severus opened one eye cautiously, then gave up and roared with his eyes closed, “Get out of my house, Malfoy, before I decide to curse you. You never were quick at learning a lesson, but a few well aimed hexes and even you would take the hint.”

“Ahh, and your breath is beautiful as well. Late night drinking, hmm? Well, get up, and listen to me. There’s bad news, and you need to get your act together.”

What news could be worse than the presence of Malfoy in his house this early in the morning? And the fact that he knew there was no hangover potion left in the cupboard. These days he was using it more quickly than he could brew it.

Opening both eyes, he recognized the look on Draco’s face. He wasn’t going anywhere, but his patience looked pretty close to leaving.

“You’re not getting anything intelligible out of me before my first cup of coffee.”

“Which I anticipated, and if you’d care to look up from the ground and focus on the table, you’ll notice not only a mug of coffee, but also a hangover potion. I took it for granted that you would need it this morning, since you need it every morning.”

Being sassed by one so young was not a pleasant experience, with or without the hangover. But the little brat had a point; Severus couldn’t remember the last time he hadn’t gone to sleep drunk. Although passing out on a chair was a new low, even for him.

Stretching to get all the kinks out, he reached for the potion and the coffee and downed both in two gulps. Draco grimaced in disgust but remained silent, unwilling to push the older man any further in one morning.

“Well? You did say there was something important. Would you like to elaborate? Or am I in for a fun guessing game, the likes of which I love oh so very much?”

With one eyebrow elegantly raised, Draco looked towards the owl that was still hovering outside the window.

“Perhaps you should let the owl in, and then you won’t need me to tell you the news.”

Muttering the whole way to the window, Severus opened it and took his newspaper, leaving payment in the pouch. When he opened it out to the headline, he almost dropped the paper onto the floor.

“How could those idiots be so stupid as to think this is actually a GOOD solution? My God, they just have no idea! And now we’re all stuck with the consequences. I don’t suppose you came over here to tell me that you still have a say at the Ministry and can get me out of this?”

Severus’ thundering rant made Draco lose some of his composure. No matter how long he spent with the man, he still couldn’t get used to the increased volume when he was in a rage.

“No, I don’t have that much of a say. I was able to find out something for you, though. You’ve already been petitioned by none other than Dolores Jane Umbridge.”

“What on earth does she think she’s playing at? How could such a TOAD of a person expect anyone to marry them? Does she honestly expect me to accept?”

This time, Draco was prepared and had steeled himself against the onslaught. It was still slightly unnerving, nevertheless.

“Well, you actually have no choice. Unless someone else petitions for you or accepts your petition, you have to marry her.”

Severus snorted at the idea of receiving more than one petition and conjured another cup of coffee for himself. This was too much like the end of the world to face with only one cup in his system.

“No petition of mine would be welcomed in any wizarding household, nor am I likely to receive any others. That must be the reason behind her petition. Hers is equally unlikely to be accepted, if for very different reasons.”

Draco watched the older man speculatively, wondering just how his next statement would be received. With a deft change of subject, he uttered his next sentence. “As I hear it, you’re not totally alone these days, Uncle Sev. There is a certain drinking partner whom you seem to see quite often.”

“Stop using that infernal nickname. I’m not your uncle, thank heavens, and I’m certainly not a ‘Sev’ by any description of the nickname. And your wife talks far too damn much for her own good. I wish you wouldn’t repeat gossip from that gang of imbeciles she associates within my earshot. I do not have a drinking partner. There was only one seat left in the bar, on one night, and so I took it. It wouldn’t have mattered who was sitting in the opposite one.”

Severus started fiddling with his mug, an action that did not escape Draco’s attention.

“Well, I doubt she would have received very many petitions, if any. Any petition made by you would have to be accepted from her,” Draco hypothesized.

Looking off out the window, Draco’s expression was hard to determine. Severus’ own face was carefully blank, an ingrained habit from the war years. Otherwise known as his teaching years.

“This is all pointless to ponder. I am not sending her a petition, and I am not accepting the toad’s either. There must be an alternative somewhere that we haven’t thought of. Now leave me to my morning routine; I’ll Apparate over tomorrow to speak to you.”

Standing up to leave, Draco bade him farewell. Just before popping out of the house, he made one more statement, “That’s really too bad, Snape, because I’ve already sent a petition to her on your behalf.”

With that, he was gone. Severus was rooted to his chair and couldn’t, for the life of him, move.