Stay With Me (sequel to Forever Yours)

9. Threat

The rest of the day went pretty smoothly.  Brandon taught his classes and kept to himself in between them, along with Kara, and Severus and Lucy did the same.  Jo and Chad shot them some evil glances during dinner, but nothing was said or done about it.

"I can't even believe Brandon is here," Jo said as she shoved a spoonful of vegetables into her mouth.  "Some nerve he has to show his face here."

"He's changed," Lucy said in a mocking tone.  She rolled her eyes.  "He hasn't changed anything.  He's still the same overprotective jerk he's always been."

"Seriously, Lucy," Chad said.  "Anytime you want me to kick his butt you just let me know."

She chuckled.  "I will, Chad.  I promise."

"Unless Severus wants to do it himself."

Severus looked up at the sound of his name.  He wasn't used to this.  There were people around him who were his own age and interested in what he thought about things, trying to engage him in conversation.  It was going to take a lot of getting used to.  He smiled slyly at Chad.  "Don't never doubt I wouldn't if the situation presents itself.  I won't lose Lucy again."

Jo smiled.  "Aw.  That is so sweet!"

He chuckled a little.  He was surprised that sound was coming from him.  He could get used to having friends again, to having people care for him.  But little did he know that the bliss was going to be short-lived.

Lucy leaned in so she could whisper and wouldn't be heard by anyone else but the three of them.  "So does anybody know the story on Kara?"

Much to her surprise, Chad was the first one to respond.  "Madam Pomfrey told me that she hadn't heard anything bad about the woman.  She likes to talk that supervisor of mine.  She said Kara did seem really clingy to Brandon though.  She boasted about how she never seen one without the other."

"Why do want to know, Lucy?" Jo asked curiously.

She shrugged.  "I don't know.  I just don't like her."

"She's dating the man you used to love.  That's why you don't like her."

"That doesn't make any sense."

"Of course it does," Severus said.  "It makes perfect sense.  You loved him once and it's hard to see anyone in that spot beside of him besides yourself.  I have felt like that before."

Lucy smiled at him.  She knew that he was talking about Lily and probably James, whom he had viewed as the only one standing in his way.  "Well, I guess so.  But I don't love him anymore."

"You don't have to," Chad told her, "but he'll always be a part of you no matter how hard you try to push him away."

She shook her head.  She knew he was right.  She raised her glass.  "Well I say more power to her if he's anything like he was when I was with him.  She'll be lucky if she lasts one week with the man."

Jo, Chad, and Severus all laughed at that remark and then continued to eat their dinner.  They split up afterwards, Severus and Lucy to the Dungeons and Jo and Chad to the seventh floor, promising to meet at breakfast the next morning if they got up in time.

"That was...interesting," Severus commented as he and Lucy walked into his office.  "Jo and Chad seem genuinely happy, don't they?"

Lucy nodded.  "Yeah and they seem to like you too."

He frowned.  "They don't know me at all."

"But they know me and they trust me.  They know that you didn't give up on finding me and how much I love you.  Therefore, they will treat you as they would me."