Title: Shadows and Glimpses (6/?)
Author: QueenC
Feedback: queenc@HotPOP.com
Rating: R
Pairing(s): Cordelia/Lucius
Disclaimer: Nope, not mine. AtS belongs to Joss Whedon and HP belongs to J. K. Rowling.
Distribution: Anywhere I send it. Anyone else wants it just let me know.
Spoilers: Through 'Birthday' on AtS. The first four books of HP.
Summary: What happens when you mix an amnesic Death Eater with a recently demonized Seer?
Author's Notes: Okay, so I'm changing a few things in the AtS world to make this fic work. First of all, Angel and Cordelia are not in love. They are just extremely good friends. Second, Holtz was never pulled from the past. Connor is still here. He's just a baby and staying that way. And finally, Cordelia's apartment is a two bedroom. I think that's it, for now. I'll let you know if anything changes. As always, Angel is Spike's sire. Words in *'s are emphasized, words in ::'s are thoughts, words in ~'s are dreams, and words in ^^'s are flashbacks. Enjoy!
Special Thanks: To everyone that reviewed this fic so far. It's good to know that I'm not just writing this for the sake of my muse. You all are great!
******
Dennis wasn't happy.
Floating beside the television, invisible and silent, he watched Cordelia and Lucius sleeping on the couch. Granted, they looked comfortable, even peaceful. And the spirit knew that it had been a long time since Cordelia had made *that* kind of a connection with someone.
Oh, she used to fall asleep against Angel quite a bit when the vampire was staying there. But, during those times she had merely snored softly and drooled on the vampire's shoulder. With Lucius, it was different.
She seemed to almost be smiling. Dennis knew he was being ridiculous. Cordelia deserved to be happy, and if this mysterious blonde stranger made her feel safe and secure, then who was he to complain? Still, he couldn't help the feeling that something was *off* about the new man in her life. He couldn't put his translucent finger on it, but something wasn't right, of that he was sure.
If he could, he would have sighed. Instead, he merely turned off the television, dimmed the lights, and gently covered them both with a blanket that was draped over a chair. Staring at them for a moment longer, he decided he would let things play out. And if he ever got the feeling that Lucius was hurting her, then he'd get involved.
And make the man pay dearly.
Floating away, he nestled himself into the wall that Cordelia had deemed 'his', and allowed himself to rest.
The moonlight drifted through the window, dancing shadows across the apartment and the only sound that could be heard was the even, rhythmic breathing of two people fast asleep.
Suddenly, the stillness was broken by a soft sob escaping from Lucius. Tensing, his forehead crinkled in pain and anguish and he moaned, his head tossing back and forth.
Eyes flying open, Cordelia raised her head and looked around, trying to determine where the danger was. Realizing that the trouble was in Lucius' mind, she slowly placed her hand against his cheek, whispering soothing words of comfort.
Her brain was still too hazy with sleep to realize where she was or what she was doing. She merely let her instincts take over and tried to console the dreaming man as much as she could.
Slowly, his features began to relax and the whimpers stopped. After a few more seconds, his eyes flitted open and he gave Cordelia a puzzled look. Afraid to question why she was lying beside him, one hand resting on his chest and the other stroking his face, he merely gazed at her, taking in her gentle smile and classic beauty.
Finally, she softly questioned, "Want to talk about it?"
Lucius frowned in confusion. Talk about what? Why they were laying together? The feelings he was having that he didn't understand and yet didn't want to lose?
Seeing his confusion, she grinned. "You were having a nightmare, Lucius. With me, it sometimes helps to talk about them. Get them out of your mind before going back to sleep," she explained. The blonde man made certain to keep his features neutral as he tried to understand the disappointment he felt. So she obviously didn't think of him like *that*, if the thought of waking up beside him didn't have her slightly uncomfortable and aching for more. Realizing she was waiting for an answer, he shook his head. "I really don't remember it. It was flashes, mostly."
Cordelia nodded, her fingers absently tracing small circles on his chest. Placing her chin on her other hand, which was resting on his flat stomach, she sighed softly. She knew she should move, that she was probably getting heavy. However, she really didn't want to. What she wanted to do was stay in his arms for the rest of the night, possibly longer if he'd let her.
She knew she was being ridiculous. She had just met the man, and knew virtually nothing about him. Of course, *he* knew nothing about himself, so it wasn't like she should be expecting him to open up or anything. She also knew that he was attracted to her, could feel the evidence pressed against her stomach.
So the only question was, why wasn't he doing anything?
Biting her lip, she studied his face, trying to figure out what was holding him back. Here they were, lying together, alone, and he was just staring at her as if he expected her to leap off him and run for cover.
Rolling her eyes, she scooted up his body, watching his pupils dilate with the contact she was making with his body. Raising her head, she peered down into his bright blue-grey eyes. Then, licking her lips, she lowered her head and kissed him.
Lucius froze the moment her lips touched his, his brain screaming at him to stop. He barely knew this woman, didn't know anything about himself, and this could only end in disaster. For all he knew, he could be married and have six children, all waiting for their daddy to be found.
However, when he felt her tongue dart out and stroke his bottom lip, all the doubts and fears he had disappeared. Moaning, he ran his fingers through her hair, pulling her head closer to his and deepening the kiss. At that moment, with her small hands massaging his chest and her delicious little body settled on top of his, everything felt right and he was struck with a knowledge that it would stay that way.
This was where he was meant to be.
Pulling her head away, Cordelia gasped for breath, resting her forehead against his. Her entire body hummed with need and arousal, and her brain had put up an 'out to lunch' sign and all but leaked out her ears. Eyes wide, she raised her head and stared down at him, her face a picture of pleasure and disbelief.
"Wow," she said softly, "That was..." She trailed off, unable to think of a good enough word to describe what had just happened.
"Intense," he supplied, giving her a smile. "And I agree."
Cordelia laughed. "Well, that's good." Looking around, she glanced back at him. "You know," she continued, "As nice as this is, I really think we should move it out of the living room. Not only is this couch restricting, but I really don't want someone walking in on us. My friends all have keys."
Lucius nodded. He watched as she stood up, a demure smile playing across her lips. Unknowingly, he returned the look as he also stood. For a moment, he just stared at her, captivated by her beauty.
Her hair was already unkempt looking, presumably from the nap they'd taken together on the couch. Her eyes were positively shining with need, and her lips were slightly swollen from just that one kiss.
Unable to hold back any longer, he grabbed her, kissing her passionately. Holding her against him, he tipped her head back to give him better access to her, his other hand sliding down her throat to the sides of her breasts.
Cordelia made a sound between a whimper and a groan in the back of her throat, wrapping her arms around his neck to steady herself. She felt her eyes drift shut as he broke the kiss and lowered his head to her throat, using teeth, tongue, and lips to worry the skin there.
Pure pleasure coursed through her veins and her eyes flew open and she moaned. Running her fingers through his silky hair, she tugged gently, gasping when his passion-filled eyes locked on hers. She'd never seen such a wild look before and it almost frightened her, until she realized, with pure female satisfaction, that he was that way because of her.
Trying to remember what she'd interrupted him for, she licked her lips. Finally, it came back to her. "Bedroom," she whispered hoarsely.
Nodding, Lucius quickly stood up straight. Looking down at her, he suddenly swept his arm behind her knees and lifted, pulling her legs off the floor. Holding her tightly, he headed to the bedroom. Once inside, he kicked the door closed, and gently dropped her on the bed.
Cordelia's eyes widened as she landed on her soft mattress. He remained at the foot of her bed, watching her closely. Quickly, she began unbuttoning her shirt, not wanting it ripped in the heat of passion.
After all, mind-blowing sex was great, but there was no need to destroy perfectly good clothes in the process.
Lucius watched as she removed her shirt, then laid back on her elbows, clad in only her bra and a short skirt. When she gave him a smile, her entire body offering itself to him, he nearly lost control yet again.
Quickly, he divested himself of his shirt, then joined her on the bed, kissing her once again. Laying on his side, he took his time, running his hand up and down her body. Cupping her breasts through the silky material of her bra, he heard her breath catch in the back of her throat.
Finally, Cordelia pulled back from the kiss, giving him a thoughtful look. "Okay, I know I'm probably going to ruin this whole thing and that I should just shut up. But, I can't help but think...what happens after tonight?" she questioned. She hated asking him this, and she *really* hated how uncertain she sounded, but her brain had apparently managed to regroup and was now demanding she get answers before allowing her body to continue on its sinful course.
Lucius blinked, trying to clear his mind enough to process what she was asking. After a few seconds, he replied, "I'm really not certain. I don't wish to hurt you, but I cannot guarantee that we will remain together, especially once my memory returns." Once again, thoughts of a wife and children entered his mind.
Cordelia nodded. "Okay. I can accept that. I just..." Biting her lip, she finally leveled her gaze at him. "I guess what I'm trying to say is, if I wake up tomorrow and you're gone, I'll hunt you down and make you wish I'd left you in that alley. Because I don't want to be hurt again. That memory returns and you'd better let me know right away. Together we can deal with it. Got it?"
Lucius chuckled softly, nodding. Running his fingers down the side of her face, he watched as the worry lines disappeared from her features. "Cordelia, I give you my word that I will not run, no matter what." Then, lowering his head, he gave her a chaste kiss on the lips.
The woman smiled. "Good. Okay, now that's out of the way," she murmured. Tangling her fingers in his hair, she licked her lips. "Where were we?"
******
Staying the night in a Muggle motel was definitely an experience that Draco did not want to relive any time soon. There were no house elves to bring him his breakfast, the shower didn't immediately turn on when you pulled back the curtain, and the room was one giant clash of color. The bed wasn't too bad, although it wasn't as soft as he was used to, and the pillow reeked of bleach. However, the worst part had to be the temperature.
Either it was far too hot for the first half of the night. Finally, he'd gotten out of bed and tried to find a way to cool down the room. Eventually, he'd ended up fiddling with the large metal box beside the window, and cold air had shot from it. Of course, the only problem with that was, by the time the sun was coming over the horizon, the room was so cold he was afraid his teeth were going to chatter out of his head.
Snape had knocked on his door at precisely eight o'clock, and together they had rounded up Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Then, the small group had made their way to the diner they'd eaten at the night before.
Over breakfast, Draco learned that he was to remained paired with Hermione during the search. To his surprise, he wasn't as upset about that as he had been the day before. After all, his brain pointed out, at least it wasn't Harry.
This time, though, instead of merely wandering aimlessly through the city, Snape insisted that they have a plan. Hermione immediately pulled out a map and together, they began deciding who would search where.
Draco watched this exchange with interest, realizing after a few moments that the Potions Master and former Head Girl must have spoken earlier about the best way to search the large city.
Frowning, he wondered why the thought of Hermione and Snape working alone together bothered him so much.
Finally, it was decided that Draco and Hermione would cover the west side of town, sticking primarily to hospitals and tourist attractions. Meanwhile, Snape, Harry, and Ron would go to the east and do the same. If neither group found Lucius by that evening, they would cover the north and south side tomorrow.
Remembering the damned hotel room with icicles growing from the ceiling, Draco really hoped they would find his father today.
Once their meal was finished, Snape peered at the four former students. "We will meet back here at precisely five o'clock this afternoon. And remember, you are not to use magic unless it is an absolute emergency," he growled. Glaring at Ron, who sunk further in the booth, he added, "That *includes* locked doors." Then, standing up, he breezed from the restaurant. Harry swallowed, looking at Hermione. "Good luck," he said softly.
Ron nodded, giving the girl an uncertain smile. "Yeah, 'Mione. Good luck." Then, he gave Draco a dark glare. "You better not hurt one hair on her head, Malfoy." Turning on his heel, he followed Harry out of the diner.
Draco rolled his eyes, watching as they left. "He must think me to be an idiot. Like I would really risk getting sanctioned for using magic on you," he snorted, turning to Hermione.
The young woman gave him a small smile. "Well, you are right. Ron does believe you to be an idiot. Of course, so does most everyone." Shrugging, she stood up and briskly walked away.
Scowling at her retreating back, he banged his fist on the table, cursing himself for walking right into that one. Sighing, he stood up and followed after her, forcing himself not to acknowledge the part of him that was impressed with her response.
******
Fred scurried down the street, her arms loaded with books that Wes had asked her to pick up when she'd gone to get lunch for everyone. The satchel over her shoulder currently held three books and a bag of tacos, which were causing the young woman's stomach to growl.
Biting her lip, she wondered if she could manage to get a taco to eat on her way back without dropping everything on the sidewalk. Concentrating on the weight of the books, she transferred them to her right arm, then eased her left arm into the satchel, she begin trying to open the paper bag that contained to food. When it wouldn't open, she frowned, turning her head to see what the problem was.
Suddenly, she crashed into something and fell to the ground, the books scattering everywhere. The tacos forgotten, she scrambled to pick up the books, pausing when a hand shot out and grabbed one she was reaching for.
She gasped as she noticed the partial tattoo that was peeking out of the sleeve of the strangers shirt. That was the same mark that Lucius had. Biting her lip, she slowly raised her head, hoping against hope that a man with long blonde hair would be standing there, Cordelia beside him.
No such luck.
A man with black hair and a frown on his face was peering down at her. Standing up, he picked up the book and glanced at it, his already pale skin seeming to get whiter. Looking back at her, he commented, "Interesting reading selection."
Hesitantly, Fred stood back up. She noticed that two young men were standing on either side of the stranger, both staring at her curiously. Swallowing, she forced a smile on her face. Then, she launched into one of her classic nervous babbles.
"Yeah. I'm kind of strange that way, I guess. All into the supernatural and stuff. Makes it pretty hard to have a conversation with somebody at a dinner party. Not that I go to many dinner parties, though. I'm really not the social type. In fact, my friends always tell me that I should get out more, but then I do and bad things happen and do you think I could have my book back now?"
Snape raised his eyebrow, giving the woman an amused look. Glancing back down at the book he was holding, he tried to decide what to do next. Surely this wasn't some coincidence. They were in a city, surrounded by Muggles, and just happened to come across someone who was carrying a copy of the new release 'The Rise and Fall of the Dark Lord'.
No, this was an opportunity he couldn't afford to pass up.
Looking back at her, he quietly asked, "Where did you get this?"
Fred mentally groaned, wondering why her babble didn't work. Normally when she started yammering, the other person left as quickly as possible. Taking a deep breath, she finally answered, "At a book store that specializes in...different books."
Snape nodded slowly, still deep in thought. Finally, he decided to take a chance. "It's curious, that we should run into you, as it were. My name is Severus Snape. This is Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter. And we are searching for someone, someone who is, in fact, mentioned in this very text. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, now would you?"
Fred gasped, looking from him to the two young men, and back. These people were looking for Lucius? Instantly, her guard went further up. This couldn't be good. Chances are, these were the people Cordelia was supposed to protect the amnesiac man from.
Slowly, a plan began to formulate in her mind. Lucius wasn't currently at the hotel. Which meant that she could take them to the hotel, and then let Angel figure out what do to.
Granted, it wasn't a very good plan, but at least it gave her *something* to do.
Finally, she nodded. "I might. Um, see, I work for this agency. Angel Investigations. And we specialize in the paranormal stuff. And...well, maybe you'd like to come back to our office and we could talk there?" she offered.
Snape studied her a moment, before nodding. "Very well." Giving her his version of a smile, he handed her back the book. Then, looking at Harry and Ron, who were being remarkably quiet, he said, "Come along. We'll see if they know anything. If not, we will continue our search as planned."
Fred gave them hesitant smiles, balancing the books once again. "Okay. Right this way," she said quietly. Her mind full of doubts about what she was doing, she headed down the street toward the Hyperion.
******
A/N: Okay, so I'm obviously taking a few leaps of faith here. Basically, I'm saying that there are books about You-Know-Who out there, and this one just happens to be written recently. I'm also assuming that Wesley would know how to find books of that nature. And, sorry if the Cordelia/Lucius scene was kinda tame. I'm not really sure how far I can go with 'R' fics, and I didn't want to cross any lines. If anyone knows the boundaries, let me know and I'll happily take it to the limit. *g*
Hey! See that little button? It says 'Review'. Press it. Go on. You know you want to... (and that, folks, is how peer pressure is born lol) Seriously, though. Love it? Hate it? Want to see something happen? Let me know!
Author: QueenC
Feedback: queenc@HotPOP.com
Rating: R
Pairing(s): Cordelia/Lucius
Disclaimer: Nope, not mine. AtS belongs to Joss Whedon and HP belongs to J. K. Rowling.
Distribution: Anywhere I send it. Anyone else wants it just let me know.
Spoilers: Through 'Birthday' on AtS. The first four books of HP.
Summary: What happens when you mix an amnesic Death Eater with a recently demonized Seer?
Author's Notes: Okay, so I'm changing a few things in the AtS world to make this fic work. First of all, Angel and Cordelia are not in love. They are just extremely good friends. Second, Holtz was never pulled from the past. Connor is still here. He's just a baby and staying that way. And finally, Cordelia's apartment is a two bedroom. I think that's it, for now. I'll let you know if anything changes. As always, Angel is Spike's sire. Words in *'s are emphasized, words in ::'s are thoughts, words in ~'s are dreams, and words in ^^'s are flashbacks. Enjoy!
Special Thanks: To everyone that reviewed this fic so far. It's good to know that I'm not just writing this for the sake of my muse. You all are great!
******
Dennis wasn't happy.
Floating beside the television, invisible and silent, he watched Cordelia and Lucius sleeping on the couch. Granted, they looked comfortable, even peaceful. And the spirit knew that it had been a long time since Cordelia had made *that* kind of a connection with someone.
Oh, she used to fall asleep against Angel quite a bit when the vampire was staying there. But, during those times she had merely snored softly and drooled on the vampire's shoulder. With Lucius, it was different.
She seemed to almost be smiling. Dennis knew he was being ridiculous. Cordelia deserved to be happy, and if this mysterious blonde stranger made her feel safe and secure, then who was he to complain? Still, he couldn't help the feeling that something was *off* about the new man in her life. He couldn't put his translucent finger on it, but something wasn't right, of that he was sure.
If he could, he would have sighed. Instead, he merely turned off the television, dimmed the lights, and gently covered them both with a blanket that was draped over a chair. Staring at them for a moment longer, he decided he would let things play out. And if he ever got the feeling that Lucius was hurting her, then he'd get involved.
And make the man pay dearly.
Floating away, he nestled himself into the wall that Cordelia had deemed 'his', and allowed himself to rest.
The moonlight drifted through the window, dancing shadows across the apartment and the only sound that could be heard was the even, rhythmic breathing of two people fast asleep.
Suddenly, the stillness was broken by a soft sob escaping from Lucius. Tensing, his forehead crinkled in pain and anguish and he moaned, his head tossing back and forth.
Eyes flying open, Cordelia raised her head and looked around, trying to determine where the danger was. Realizing that the trouble was in Lucius' mind, she slowly placed her hand against his cheek, whispering soothing words of comfort.
Her brain was still too hazy with sleep to realize where she was or what she was doing. She merely let her instincts take over and tried to console the dreaming man as much as she could.
Slowly, his features began to relax and the whimpers stopped. After a few more seconds, his eyes flitted open and he gave Cordelia a puzzled look. Afraid to question why she was lying beside him, one hand resting on his chest and the other stroking his face, he merely gazed at her, taking in her gentle smile and classic beauty.
Finally, she softly questioned, "Want to talk about it?"
Lucius frowned in confusion. Talk about what? Why they were laying together? The feelings he was having that he didn't understand and yet didn't want to lose?
Seeing his confusion, she grinned. "You were having a nightmare, Lucius. With me, it sometimes helps to talk about them. Get them out of your mind before going back to sleep," she explained. The blonde man made certain to keep his features neutral as he tried to understand the disappointment he felt. So she obviously didn't think of him like *that*, if the thought of waking up beside him didn't have her slightly uncomfortable and aching for more. Realizing she was waiting for an answer, he shook his head. "I really don't remember it. It was flashes, mostly."
Cordelia nodded, her fingers absently tracing small circles on his chest. Placing her chin on her other hand, which was resting on his flat stomach, she sighed softly. She knew she should move, that she was probably getting heavy. However, she really didn't want to. What she wanted to do was stay in his arms for the rest of the night, possibly longer if he'd let her.
She knew she was being ridiculous. She had just met the man, and knew virtually nothing about him. Of course, *he* knew nothing about himself, so it wasn't like she should be expecting him to open up or anything. She also knew that he was attracted to her, could feel the evidence pressed against her stomach.
So the only question was, why wasn't he doing anything?
Biting her lip, she studied his face, trying to figure out what was holding him back. Here they were, lying together, alone, and he was just staring at her as if he expected her to leap off him and run for cover.
Rolling her eyes, she scooted up his body, watching his pupils dilate with the contact she was making with his body. Raising her head, she peered down into his bright blue-grey eyes. Then, licking her lips, she lowered her head and kissed him.
Lucius froze the moment her lips touched his, his brain screaming at him to stop. He barely knew this woman, didn't know anything about himself, and this could only end in disaster. For all he knew, he could be married and have six children, all waiting for their daddy to be found.
However, when he felt her tongue dart out and stroke his bottom lip, all the doubts and fears he had disappeared. Moaning, he ran his fingers through her hair, pulling her head closer to his and deepening the kiss. At that moment, with her small hands massaging his chest and her delicious little body settled on top of his, everything felt right and he was struck with a knowledge that it would stay that way.
This was where he was meant to be.
Pulling her head away, Cordelia gasped for breath, resting her forehead against his. Her entire body hummed with need and arousal, and her brain had put up an 'out to lunch' sign and all but leaked out her ears. Eyes wide, she raised her head and stared down at him, her face a picture of pleasure and disbelief.
"Wow," she said softly, "That was..." She trailed off, unable to think of a good enough word to describe what had just happened.
"Intense," he supplied, giving her a smile. "And I agree."
Cordelia laughed. "Well, that's good." Looking around, she glanced back at him. "You know," she continued, "As nice as this is, I really think we should move it out of the living room. Not only is this couch restricting, but I really don't want someone walking in on us. My friends all have keys."
Lucius nodded. He watched as she stood up, a demure smile playing across her lips. Unknowingly, he returned the look as he also stood. For a moment, he just stared at her, captivated by her beauty.
Her hair was already unkempt looking, presumably from the nap they'd taken together on the couch. Her eyes were positively shining with need, and her lips were slightly swollen from just that one kiss.
Unable to hold back any longer, he grabbed her, kissing her passionately. Holding her against him, he tipped her head back to give him better access to her, his other hand sliding down her throat to the sides of her breasts.
Cordelia made a sound between a whimper and a groan in the back of her throat, wrapping her arms around his neck to steady herself. She felt her eyes drift shut as he broke the kiss and lowered his head to her throat, using teeth, tongue, and lips to worry the skin there.
Pure pleasure coursed through her veins and her eyes flew open and she moaned. Running her fingers through his silky hair, she tugged gently, gasping when his passion-filled eyes locked on hers. She'd never seen such a wild look before and it almost frightened her, until she realized, with pure female satisfaction, that he was that way because of her.
Trying to remember what she'd interrupted him for, she licked her lips. Finally, it came back to her. "Bedroom," she whispered hoarsely.
Nodding, Lucius quickly stood up straight. Looking down at her, he suddenly swept his arm behind her knees and lifted, pulling her legs off the floor. Holding her tightly, he headed to the bedroom. Once inside, he kicked the door closed, and gently dropped her on the bed.
Cordelia's eyes widened as she landed on her soft mattress. He remained at the foot of her bed, watching her closely. Quickly, she began unbuttoning her shirt, not wanting it ripped in the heat of passion.
After all, mind-blowing sex was great, but there was no need to destroy perfectly good clothes in the process.
Lucius watched as she removed her shirt, then laid back on her elbows, clad in only her bra and a short skirt. When she gave him a smile, her entire body offering itself to him, he nearly lost control yet again.
Quickly, he divested himself of his shirt, then joined her on the bed, kissing her once again. Laying on his side, he took his time, running his hand up and down her body. Cupping her breasts through the silky material of her bra, he heard her breath catch in the back of her throat.
Finally, Cordelia pulled back from the kiss, giving him a thoughtful look. "Okay, I know I'm probably going to ruin this whole thing and that I should just shut up. But, I can't help but think...what happens after tonight?" she questioned. She hated asking him this, and she *really* hated how uncertain she sounded, but her brain had apparently managed to regroup and was now demanding she get answers before allowing her body to continue on its sinful course.
Lucius blinked, trying to clear his mind enough to process what she was asking. After a few seconds, he replied, "I'm really not certain. I don't wish to hurt you, but I cannot guarantee that we will remain together, especially once my memory returns." Once again, thoughts of a wife and children entered his mind.
Cordelia nodded. "Okay. I can accept that. I just..." Biting her lip, she finally leveled her gaze at him. "I guess what I'm trying to say is, if I wake up tomorrow and you're gone, I'll hunt you down and make you wish I'd left you in that alley. Because I don't want to be hurt again. That memory returns and you'd better let me know right away. Together we can deal with it. Got it?"
Lucius chuckled softly, nodding. Running his fingers down the side of her face, he watched as the worry lines disappeared from her features. "Cordelia, I give you my word that I will not run, no matter what." Then, lowering his head, he gave her a chaste kiss on the lips.
The woman smiled. "Good. Okay, now that's out of the way," she murmured. Tangling her fingers in his hair, she licked her lips. "Where were we?"
******
Staying the night in a Muggle motel was definitely an experience that Draco did not want to relive any time soon. There were no house elves to bring him his breakfast, the shower didn't immediately turn on when you pulled back the curtain, and the room was one giant clash of color. The bed wasn't too bad, although it wasn't as soft as he was used to, and the pillow reeked of bleach. However, the worst part had to be the temperature.
Either it was far too hot for the first half of the night. Finally, he'd gotten out of bed and tried to find a way to cool down the room. Eventually, he'd ended up fiddling with the large metal box beside the window, and cold air had shot from it. Of course, the only problem with that was, by the time the sun was coming over the horizon, the room was so cold he was afraid his teeth were going to chatter out of his head.
Snape had knocked on his door at precisely eight o'clock, and together they had rounded up Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Then, the small group had made their way to the diner they'd eaten at the night before.
Over breakfast, Draco learned that he was to remained paired with Hermione during the search. To his surprise, he wasn't as upset about that as he had been the day before. After all, his brain pointed out, at least it wasn't Harry.
This time, though, instead of merely wandering aimlessly through the city, Snape insisted that they have a plan. Hermione immediately pulled out a map and together, they began deciding who would search where.
Draco watched this exchange with interest, realizing after a few moments that the Potions Master and former Head Girl must have spoken earlier about the best way to search the large city.
Frowning, he wondered why the thought of Hermione and Snape working alone together bothered him so much.
Finally, it was decided that Draco and Hermione would cover the west side of town, sticking primarily to hospitals and tourist attractions. Meanwhile, Snape, Harry, and Ron would go to the east and do the same. If neither group found Lucius by that evening, they would cover the north and south side tomorrow.
Remembering the damned hotel room with icicles growing from the ceiling, Draco really hoped they would find his father today.
Once their meal was finished, Snape peered at the four former students. "We will meet back here at precisely five o'clock this afternoon. And remember, you are not to use magic unless it is an absolute emergency," he growled. Glaring at Ron, who sunk further in the booth, he added, "That *includes* locked doors." Then, standing up, he breezed from the restaurant. Harry swallowed, looking at Hermione. "Good luck," he said softly.
Ron nodded, giving the girl an uncertain smile. "Yeah, 'Mione. Good luck." Then, he gave Draco a dark glare. "You better not hurt one hair on her head, Malfoy." Turning on his heel, he followed Harry out of the diner.
Draco rolled his eyes, watching as they left. "He must think me to be an idiot. Like I would really risk getting sanctioned for using magic on you," he snorted, turning to Hermione.
The young woman gave him a small smile. "Well, you are right. Ron does believe you to be an idiot. Of course, so does most everyone." Shrugging, she stood up and briskly walked away.
Scowling at her retreating back, he banged his fist on the table, cursing himself for walking right into that one. Sighing, he stood up and followed after her, forcing himself not to acknowledge the part of him that was impressed with her response.
******
Fred scurried down the street, her arms loaded with books that Wes had asked her to pick up when she'd gone to get lunch for everyone. The satchel over her shoulder currently held three books and a bag of tacos, which were causing the young woman's stomach to growl.
Biting her lip, she wondered if she could manage to get a taco to eat on her way back without dropping everything on the sidewalk. Concentrating on the weight of the books, she transferred them to her right arm, then eased her left arm into the satchel, she begin trying to open the paper bag that contained to food. When it wouldn't open, she frowned, turning her head to see what the problem was.
Suddenly, she crashed into something and fell to the ground, the books scattering everywhere. The tacos forgotten, she scrambled to pick up the books, pausing when a hand shot out and grabbed one she was reaching for.
She gasped as she noticed the partial tattoo that was peeking out of the sleeve of the strangers shirt. That was the same mark that Lucius had. Biting her lip, she slowly raised her head, hoping against hope that a man with long blonde hair would be standing there, Cordelia beside him.
No such luck.
A man with black hair and a frown on his face was peering down at her. Standing up, he picked up the book and glanced at it, his already pale skin seeming to get whiter. Looking back at her, he commented, "Interesting reading selection."
Hesitantly, Fred stood back up. She noticed that two young men were standing on either side of the stranger, both staring at her curiously. Swallowing, she forced a smile on her face. Then, she launched into one of her classic nervous babbles.
"Yeah. I'm kind of strange that way, I guess. All into the supernatural and stuff. Makes it pretty hard to have a conversation with somebody at a dinner party. Not that I go to many dinner parties, though. I'm really not the social type. In fact, my friends always tell me that I should get out more, but then I do and bad things happen and do you think I could have my book back now?"
Snape raised his eyebrow, giving the woman an amused look. Glancing back down at the book he was holding, he tried to decide what to do next. Surely this wasn't some coincidence. They were in a city, surrounded by Muggles, and just happened to come across someone who was carrying a copy of the new release 'The Rise and Fall of the Dark Lord'.
No, this was an opportunity he couldn't afford to pass up.
Looking back at her, he quietly asked, "Where did you get this?"
Fred mentally groaned, wondering why her babble didn't work. Normally when she started yammering, the other person left as quickly as possible. Taking a deep breath, she finally answered, "At a book store that specializes in...different books."
Snape nodded slowly, still deep in thought. Finally, he decided to take a chance. "It's curious, that we should run into you, as it were. My name is Severus Snape. This is Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter. And we are searching for someone, someone who is, in fact, mentioned in this very text. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, now would you?"
Fred gasped, looking from him to the two young men, and back. These people were looking for Lucius? Instantly, her guard went further up. This couldn't be good. Chances are, these were the people Cordelia was supposed to protect the amnesiac man from.
Slowly, a plan began to formulate in her mind. Lucius wasn't currently at the hotel. Which meant that she could take them to the hotel, and then let Angel figure out what do to.
Granted, it wasn't a very good plan, but at least it gave her *something* to do.
Finally, she nodded. "I might. Um, see, I work for this agency. Angel Investigations. And we specialize in the paranormal stuff. And...well, maybe you'd like to come back to our office and we could talk there?" she offered.
Snape studied her a moment, before nodding. "Very well." Giving her his version of a smile, he handed her back the book. Then, looking at Harry and Ron, who were being remarkably quiet, he said, "Come along. We'll see if they know anything. If not, we will continue our search as planned."
Fred gave them hesitant smiles, balancing the books once again. "Okay. Right this way," she said quietly. Her mind full of doubts about what she was doing, she headed down the street toward the Hyperion.
******
A/N: Okay, so I'm obviously taking a few leaps of faith here. Basically, I'm saying that there are books about You-Know-Who out there, and this one just happens to be written recently. I'm also assuming that Wesley would know how to find books of that nature. And, sorry if the Cordelia/Lucius scene was kinda tame. I'm not really sure how far I can go with 'R' fics, and I didn't want to cross any lines. If anyone knows the boundaries, let me know and I'll happily take it to the limit. *g*
Hey! See that little button? It says 'Review'. Press it. Go on. You know you want to... (and that, folks, is how peer pressure is born lol) Seriously, though. Love it? Hate it? Want to see something happen? Let me know!