Shade (A Severus Snape Fanfiction)

|chapter twenty-one|

"So how have you been?" Lupin asked, turning his attention back to me once the last of the food had been passed around the table.

"Quite well, thanks," I said, wishing he would turn around and chat up the pink haired woman instead.. Tonks was it? It wasn't that he was bad company. Lupin was actually quite funny, and it was after one of our many chats during his time as a professor at Hogwarts that we had slept together. Two days later, he had resigned from his post, and other than a vague goodbye note left for me, I hadn't seen him again.

Not gonna lie... I had actually liked him and that one stung a bit, but I held no bitter feelings toward him for it anymore. I was more than happy with the way my love life had turned out. The problem was my brooding lover sitting next to me who looked as if he was ready to stab Lupin to death with his fork. Despite his possessive tendencies in the bedroom, Severus hadn't acted jealous because another man was talking to me until then. It seemed he only had a problem with Lupin speaking to me, and I fully intended on getting to the bottom of that once we were alone.

"I hear you had to leave Hogwarts," Lupin said sympathetically and placed his hand over mine. It was a friendly gesture and his eyes held nothing but sincerity, but I eased my hand away nevertheless.

"Yes, it was a little hard at first, but I'm very satisfied with my new living arrangement, so all is well," I replied, smiling over at Severus who was still silently fuming, though his lips did twitch upward as Lupin looked from me to him, his brow furrowing.

"Perhaps I can pay you a visit now that you are living away from Hogwarts," Lupin smiled.

"Is it just me, or does it smell like dog in here?" Severus asked me suddenly, his dark eyes trained on Lupin. I was obviously missing something, because Lupin's smile quickly fell as he glared back at Severus.

"Watch it, Snivellus," Lupin growled. Severus' grip tightened around the handle of his fork. Well, damn. I was beginning to worry he might actually use that fork to murder Lupin after all. As if sensing the growing tension from our end of the table, the chatter around us began to die down, and Molly spoke up suddenly.

"Remus, could you be a dear and help me with something in the living room?" Lupin gave her a nod and got up to follow her into the other room. I was very aware that the others were now sneaking glances in our direction. I dropped my gaze to my plate, giving the eggs I was pushing around with a fork my undivided attention.

The others eventually returned to their previous conversations, and I took the opportunity to look over at Severus. He looked completely unaffected by the tense moment shared between him and Lupin. "What was that shit about?" I whispered, my eyes narrowed at him.

"Please tell me you aren't actually going to defend that mutt," Severus retorted, rolling his eyes.

"I am not defending Lupin. This was uncomfortable enough to begin with, and then you just had to instigate an argument with one of these people," I hissed.

"I apologize for making you uncomfortable, kitty kat."

"Seriously? You chose now to start exhibiting this macho, jealous  bullshit?"

"Perhaps if you hand not made it a habit to sleep with every man who looked at you in the past, I wouldn't have a reason to," he whispered back, his voice ice. My mouth dropped open in disbelief. Who was he to judge me when he had been sleeping with a married woman for years?

I pushed my chair back with more force than I intended and walked outside through the kitchen door without a word, my hands balled into fists and trembling. I stopped once I made it around the corner house and took a deep breath as I tried to reign in my temper. I squeezed my eyes shut as I resisted the urge to go back in and scream at him.