Title: Shadows and Glimpses (8/?)
Author: QueenC
Feedback:
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!
******
It took Draco a good three seconds to overcome the shock of seeing a man that was quite obviously his father, yet looked nothing like the cruel, unfeeling creature that he remembered. He just stood there, his mouth hanging open, his brain trying to comprehend that this was who he'd been looking for. Finally, shaking his head, he snapped out of his stupor and yelled, "Father!"
Lucius didn't even look up at the sound, merely continuing a rather animated conversation with some blonde woman, no doubt the artist of the painting he held. Cursing the crowd that separated them, Draco was half- tempted to pull out his wand. However, Hermione placed her hand on his arm, stopping him.
"Malfoy, something isn't right here," she said quietly, her wide eyes taking in Lucius' smiling face. He looked so happy, at such peace. He was obviously not the same person he had once been.
The only question was, what had caused such a dramatic change?
Draco shrugged her arm off, hissing, "I'm well aware of that, Granger. It's quite obvious that my father is under some type of spell. And I intend to correct that problem as soon as..." He trailed off, his eyes narrowing as he watched a pretty brunette woman approach his father.
"Who the hell is she?" he growled. Then, his entire world seemed to crash down around his ears.
Horrified, Draco watched as Lucius wrapped his arms around the woman, kissing her gently on the lips. In his entire life, he had never seen his father act that way toward his mother, *especially* in public. In fact, Lucius had gone out of his way to teach his son at a very young age that to show tenderness toward someone was to show weakness.
Gagging, Draco tried to fight off the images of his mother, blood pouring from her mouth as her body slowly surrendered to death. His father had showed emotion then. He had screamed, held his wife's hand, and kissed her forehead once she was gone.
Then, he'd vowed vengeance on the one who had done it.
And now, not two weeks later, he was surrounded by Muggles, even dressing like them, and looking at some woman as though she were the answer to his prayers.
Draco couldn't take it anymore. Turning around, he ran through the park, ignoring the pleas of Hermione behind him. Darting behind some bushes, he fell to his knees, emptying the contents of his stomach in the grass. And still, even after he'd stopped heaving, he felt no better.
Kneeling in the dirt, his own vomit before him, Draco felt tears spring to his eyes. How *dare* Lucius do this to him, to them! They were Malfoy's! They didn't prance about like Muggles, entertaining whores and acting as though life was fine. And they certainly didn't do these things mere weeks after losing their spouse!
Wiping his mouth with his shirt sleeve, the young man fought to keep his tears from falling. Blindly, he searched within himself for the steely resolve he'd developed over the years. He would get through this. He would get up, return to the Ministry of Magic, and swear Lucius Malfoy to be dead. Of course, that meant he actually had to kill him first, but that wasn't too much of a problem. Right now, he had a feeling he would take great pleasure in hearing his father's screams of agony as he died slowly and oh so painfully.
With his little tramp right beside him.
Groaning, he shook his head. What was he thinking? He was better than that! He couldn't expect to kill his own father, the only family he had left, and not feel remorse. No, no matter how angry he was now, he had to remember that it would pass. Besides, for all he knew there could be a perfectly logical explanation behind this.
Finally feeling as though he had his emotions under enough control to face reality, he slowly stood back up. Turning, he stared at Hermione, wondering why he wasn't bothered that she had seen him in such a state.
Hermione tried her best to keep her face neutral and the sympathy she felt for Draco at bay. It had to be difficult, seeing his father acting so caring toward another woman when Narcissa had only been dead a few weeks.
Of course, it was that knowledge alone that caused the young woman to think that something was amiss. Idly, she wondered at the possibility of a memory spell. Could it be that Lucius hadn't actually ran away, as they had all assumed? Could he have instead forgotten who he was and somehow ended up here, halfway around the world? Although she knew the chances of that were slim, she wasn't completely opposed to the idea. After all, stranger things had happened.
Such as her hatred and loathing for Draco Malfoy all but disappearing.
Not allowing herself to even think about such things, she focused on the immediate problem they were facing. What were they going to do now that they'd found Lucius? And who was that woman that he was with?
Hermione frowned, wracking her brain to try and remember where she'd seen the woman before. She certainly looked familiar, even though they'd only gotten a glimpse of her. Actually, it was her smile that the girl recognized the most. Like a movie stars, yet without the phoniness.
Suddenly, she gasped, her eyes widening. "The picture!" she exclaimed.
Draco gave her a confused look, wondering what she was talking about now. Didn't she know they had to get back to his father? Find out why he was here, what he was doing? Still, he couldn't help but be curious what Hermione was thinking.
Hermione smiled at him. "That woman, with your father is from the picture in the flat we first apparated into!" she explained. "That was *her* place!"
He wasn't certain if he was supposed to be happy about this information. After all, she was basically saying that his father had been living with that woman. Which threw out the possibility that she was a casual fling he'd recently picked up. Add to that the thought of his father staying in such...squalor, and he decided he didn't like this turn of events one bit.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Don't you get it, Malfoy? If we apparate back to there and wait, they are certain to turn up. Then we can get to the bottom of this entire mystery," she stated.
Draco raised an eyebrow, a smirk slowly working its way across his tired features. "Aren't you forgetting something, Granger? No magic, remember? Snape will have our heads, if the Ministry doesn't first," he taunted. Personally, he could care less about the rules. At this point, if he had to put a full body bind on his father in order to keep him from disappearing again, he would. However, Hermione was practically legendary in her belief that rules were meant to be followed.
Biting her lip, she considered his words. He was right, of course. They ran a serious risk of getting in all sorts of trouble for just apparating about. Of course, they could always wait until this afternoon, meet up with the others, and tell them what they'd learn. But, then she knew exactly what would happen. Harry and Ron would go bursting in there and figure it all out themselves. And, once again, she'd be left behind to clean up their mess.
Finally, she gave Draco a look normally reserved for Harry and Ron when they had talked her into breaking the rules at Hogwarts. She'd be damned if she was going to miss out on solving this puzzle herself. Determination filled her voice as she said, "To hell with the rules. We're supposed to find Lucius and return him safely to the Ministry, and that's exactly what we're going to do. If we get in trouble..." She shrugged, grinning. "Well, it certainly wouldn't be the first time, for either of us." Then, concentrating, she disappeared.
Draco chuckled, feeling much better now that he knew Hermione was willing to do what it took to get to the bottom of this. "Leave it to Granger to want to solve the mystery before her two nitwit friends," he commented softly. Shaking his head, he followed.
******
Wesley sighed, watching as Angel continued to pace the lobby, every once and a while glancing at the telephone as if willing it to ring. Putting down the book he'd been reading, the former Watcher stood and made his way around the counter.
"Angel," he said softly, "Why don't you just go over there? After all, there is a sewer entrance directly in front of Cordelia's building. I'm certain, with the cloud coverage, that you could make it from there to inside without any adverse affects."
Angel spun to look at the man, realization dawning on him. Why hadn't he thought of that? Instantly, he knew the answer. Because he'd been so worried about Cordelia's safety that he hadn't been thinking at all. Nodding, he muttered, "Good idea. Thanks." Then he turned and headed toward the basement.
Snape rolled his eyes, sighing heavily. "There is a simpler way to arrive there, instead of trudging about in the sewage," he finally stated.
Harry gasped, giving the Potions Master a shocked look. "Professor!" he exclaimed. "We aren't supposed to..."
Snape cut him off with a mere glare. "Mr. Potter, I do not remember asking for your opinion, nor do I require it. And the fact remains that I said no magic unless it was an emergency. Now if you have no further objections, may I continue with my suggestion?" he hissed.
Harry nodded, looking away. "Yes, sir," he mumbled.
Ron patted his friend on the back while giving him a 'you should have shut up' look.
Angel frowned, staring at the trio. "You mean to tell me that you could have used magic all this time?" he growled. "And instead you stood there and did *nothing*?"
Snape met his gaze evenly. "We are not supposed to use magic in Muggle society unless it is an absolute emergency. Seeing as you are about to risk spontaneous combustion in order to assist your friend and the man we are seeking is still missing, I consider this to more than qualify as a time in which to bend the rules," he explained.
"Don't forget that Charles hasn't called and he's been gone almost an hour," Fred spoke up, cringing when everyone gave her a dark look. "Sorry," she mumbled, turning her attention back to the papers in front of her.
Angel sighed, taking in a few deep, although unneeded, breaths. "All right. So what do you need to do?" he questioned Snape.
Snape raised an eyebrow. "Merely concentrate and apparate directly to your friend's apartment. If you wish to come as well, you will need to hold onto my shoulder."
Cautiously, Angel moved toward the man. "And this will work even though I'm not human?" he asked suspiciously.
Snape nodded. "Yes. The fact that you are a vampire should have no effect," he assured him.
Ron gasped, his eyes widening even further. "Vampire?" he choked, looking around the room. Why wasn't anyone else shocked by this revelation? "Y- You're a vampire?"
Angel gave the boy a strange look. "You're just figuring that out?" he replied. "You're not exactly quick on the uptake, are you?"
Harry sighed heavily, looking at his friend. "Really, Ron. Why do you think he couldn't go out in the sunlight? Or that his eyes kept turning yellow when he was growling and pacing?" he questioned wearily.
Snape got an amused look on his face. "Yet again, Mr. Potter, I am amazed that you were able to survive seven years of...misadventures with Mr. Weasley by your side." Then, turning to the vampire, he said, "Very well. Place your hand on my shoulder and we'll begin."
Angel nodded. Turning toward Fred and Wesley, he said, "Keep looking for any possible spells that could be used to reverse whatever may have caused Lucius' amnesia...if he really has it. Oh! And tell Lorne not to feed Connor any of those bananas. I think he's allergic."
Then, he disappeared, along with Snape, Ron, and Harry.
Fred sighed, looking at Wesley. "Why do I get the feeling that we're about to miss all the excitement again?" she asked quietly.
Wesley shrugged, picking up yet another book. "Ah, the curse of the superior intelligence. You rarely get the opportunity to rush blindly into a life-threatening situation," he replied dryly.
******
Cordelia moaned softly as Lucius' lips once again began kissing a trail of fire across her throat and collarbone. Stumbling toward the elevator, she blindly pressed the button, then allowed him to push her against the wall, his taller frame covering hers.
Kissing him passionately, she arched into his touch, her body aching for more. When she heard the telltale ding that signaled the doors were opening, she wrapped her arms around him and made her way inside the elevator, her lips never leaving his.
Opening one eye, she pushed the button for her floor, frowning slightly when Lucius broke the kiss and began chuckling in her ear. Raising his head, the blonde man gave her an amused look. "I apologize," he grinned. "But the sight of you peeking through one eye while flailing your arm around wildly was quite humorous."
Cordelia raised an eyebrow, a small smile playing on her lips. "So you were laughing at me?" she replied, her tone light. "I'm going to have to do something about that."
Lucius also raised his eyebrow, adoring the look of mischievousness in her eye. "Really? And just what would that be?" he replied.
The woman chuckled softly. "Oh, you'll have to wait until we're inside for the answer to that," she stated. Then, she kissed him again.
As the doors opened and the second floor spanned before them, Cordelia grudgingly pulled herself away from him, although she still kept her hand locked tightly with his. "Now behave. I don't want any of my neighbors thinking I'm anything other than a sweet young woman," she scolded mildly.
Lucius laughed, allowing her to lead him down the hallway. "My dear, somehow I doubt that your reputation is still intact after the...vocalization you gave to our activities last night," he stated dryly.
Cordelia gasped, her eyes wide. "Hey!" she responded teasingly, "You weren't exactly silent, you know!"
Nodding, he pressed her back against the door, kissing her soundly. "Nor do I intend to be," he whispered in her ear. Then, reaching past her, he turned the knob.
Nothing happened.
Frowning, Cordelia turned around, trying to open the door as well. "That's funny. Dennis always unlocks it for me," she commented. Shrugging, she pulled her keys out of her purse and placed them in the lock. Unlocking the door, she tried again.
Nothing happened.
Sighing in irritation, Cordelia knocked on the door. "Dennis!" she called. "Open the door! It's me!"
When the door didn't immediately open, she frowned. Turning the doorknob, she put her entire weight into it. Slowly, the door began to open. However, before more than an inch or two could be seen into the apartment, it was slammed shut once more.
Stumbling backward, Cordelia would have fallen if not for Lucius. Wrapping his arms around her, he kept her steady. "Well this is interesting. Your resident spirit wouldn't happen to be angry with you for some reason, would he?" he asked.
Cordelia shrugged, taking a second to simply lean into his warm embrace. "I don't know. Usually when he's angry he finds other ways of showing it. Like turning off the shower when I'm in there, or throwing my clothes all over my room. He doesn't keep me out of the apartment unless..." Trailing off, she stepped away from him, staring at her door.
"Unless?" he prodded, not liking the worried look that crossed her face.
"Someone's in there," Cordelia said softly. "That has to be it. Someone is in there and Dennis thinks they're a threat, so he's keeping me out." Shaking her head, she quickly turned to her purse, digging around for her cellphone. "I need to call Angel. If someone *is* trapped the apartment, Angel can convince Dennis to open up."
Lucius nodded, not knowing what else to do. Suddenly, Cordelia cursed, stomping her foot. "Damn it!" she exclaimed. "I left my phone inside!" Narrowing her eyes, she stomped back up to the door, banging loudly. "Dennis, you open up right this minute! I am sick and tired of being treated like some helpless girl! Now open up or I swear I'll bring you back to life just to kill you again!"
Suddenly, the door flung open, hitting the wall so hard it left a crack. Eyes wide, Cordelia glanced over her shoulder at Lucius. "Wow. That never works," she commented. Shrugging, she turned back toward the apartment.
"Perhaps we should use caution," Lucius suddenly suggested. "Ask one of your neighbors to borrow their phone? Call Angel and merely guard the door until he arrives?"
Cordelia gave him a nasty look. "Don't you start too," she snapped. "Look this is my apartment and I'm *not* going to let somebody keep me from going inside. Now, if you want to stay out here, that's fine."
Lucius shook his head, smiling at her. "Not a chance. If you're going in there, so am I. We are in this together, my dear," he replied, kissing her gently on the forehead.
"How sweet. Nice to see you were able to move on so easily, father," a snide voice said.
Looking up, Lucius stared blankly at the blonde man that was standing in the doorway, holding what appeared to be a stick. "Excuse me?" he replied, confusion evident in his voice.
Cordelia turned around, raising an eyebrow at the intruder. "Did you just call him 'father'?" she asked. Shaking her head, she replied, "Okay, wait. We're not having this discussion in the hallway. Out of the way, I'm coming inside."
Draco raised an eyebrow, nodding. Stepping aside, he kept his wand pointed at them as they entered the apartment. They weren't exactly responded the way he had expected. Where was the guilt? The explanations? Slowly, he began to wonder if Hermione's theory was right, if his father had somehow lost his memory.
Cordelia brushed past him, stopping just inside the living room. Eyes wide, she looked at Gunn, who was lying unconscious on the ground, and the young woman standing over him, also holding a stick.
"Gunn!" she exclaimed, making her way toward him.
Suddenly, Hermione turned around, aiming her wand. "Not another move!" she warned, her mouth drawn into a thin line. Looking the woman up and down, she questioned, "I presume you are Cordelia?"
Cordelia nodded, staring at the younger woman. "Yeah, that would be me. Now, mind telling me who the hell you are and why you're in *my* apartment, holding Gunn hostage, and waving sticks around?" she replied.
Hermione gave her a dark look. "This man," she stated, "Attacked me. I came here searching for Mr. Malfoy, and instead was tossed against a wall, accused of being a demon, and threatened with an ax. I merely used this 'stick' to defend myself. He will be fine."
The Seer blinked. "Mr. Who?" she asked.
Hermione motioned toward Lucius. "Him. Lucius Malfoy."
Cordelia glanced over her shoulder at the man she'd begun to care deeply for in a matter of days. "Well," she said, her voice even. "At least we know your last name now."
Draco made some sort of choking sound, unable to believe what he was hearing. To think that his father had amnesia was one thing. To *learn* it was another all together. Tightening his grip on his wand, he stared at Cordelia. "Yes, his name is Lucius Malfoy, and he's my father."
Lucius frowned, looking at the blonde man standing beside him. He had a son? Granted he could see the resemblance. However, if he had a son, that easily meant he had a wife. Slowly, he looked back at Cordelia, realizing she was thinking the same thing. Silently, he tried to express his sorrow, but she quickly looked away. "Okay, fine. So I take it you've been looking for him. Well, now you've found him. Go ahead and reverse the spell or whatever," she said in a dead tone. She couldn't believe it. He had a son. And most likely a wife. And now...now he would probably be returning to his old life. Ignoring the pain that thought caused her, she reminded herself this was how it was supposed to be.
The PTB hadn't sent her that vision so she could fall in love.
Hermione shook her head. "It isn't that simple, I'm afraid. We won't know what actually caused the memory loss until we've run a few tests. He'll have to return with us," she explained.
Cordelia raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I don't think so," she snapped. "He isn't going anywhere until he can tell me himself who he is and that you all aren't evil."
Draco narrowed his eyes. "*I* am telling you, Muggle. He is my father and I most certainly would not cause him any harm," he growled.
Cordelia spun to face him. "Okay I don't know what the hell a Muggle is, but I do know I don't like being called names. Now, let's get one thing straight, you Billy Idol reject. The PTB told me to protect Lucius, so that's what I'm going to do. You want to take him? You're gonna have to get through me first," she stated.
Draco gave her a cold smirk. "That most certainly won't be a problem," he replied. Aiming his wand at her, he exclaimed, "Stupify!"
As the light shot from his wand, several things happened.
Snape, Angel, Harry, and Ron suddenly appeared in the living room. Moving faster than anyone could follow, the vampire dove across the room, tackling Lucius, who had immediately stepped in front of the spell in order to protect Cordelia.
The others watched with shock as the light slammed into Cordelia and she gasped, her eyes widening. However, instead of falling to the ground, something incredible occurred.
Tossing her head back, she let out a silent scream, pure white light surrounding her. Slowly, she began lifting off the ground, her feet dangling beneath her. Raising her head, she surveyed the scene, her eyes finally landing on Lucius and Angel.
"Let him go, Angel," she said softly. Without thinking about why he was doing it, Angel listened to her, getting to his feet.
Shocked, Lucius stood up, his eyes locked on the woman he'd suddenly realized he was in love with. "Cordelia?" he whispered, frowning slightly.
She gave him a loving smile. "It's all right. I'm fine. Now, this might sting a little," she replied. Then, a light shot from her body, slamming into him.
Gasping, the man flew across the room, crashing into the wall. For a moment, he seemed to stay there, before collapsing to the ground.
"Father!" Draco cried, running to his side. Kneeling beside him, he hesitantly touched the older man's shoulder. "Father?" he whispered.
Angel watched as the light disappeared and Cordelia fell to the ground, gasping for air. Quickly, he was beside her, checking her for injuries.
"I'm fine," she replied, giving him a small smile. "It just took a lot out of me."
"What did you do to him?" Snape finally found his voice, looking at her.
Cordelia raised her head, staring at Snape for a moment. Biting her lip, she glanced back at Lucius, who was finally sitting up, his son assisting him. "I reversed the curse placed on him," she whispered. Blinking back tears, she turned once more to Snape.
"He's Lucius Malfoy, now."
******
A/N: Don't you just hate those fics where it ends all suddenly and you never find out what happens? Well, this is not one of those fics. There *is* more to come, I promise.
But first...review, let me know what you think!
Author: QueenC
Feedback:
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!
******
It took Draco a good three seconds to overcome the shock of seeing a man that was quite obviously his father, yet looked nothing like the cruel, unfeeling creature that he remembered. He just stood there, his mouth hanging open, his brain trying to comprehend that this was who he'd been looking for. Finally, shaking his head, he snapped out of his stupor and yelled, "Father!"
Lucius didn't even look up at the sound, merely continuing a rather animated conversation with some blonde woman, no doubt the artist of the painting he held. Cursing the crowd that separated them, Draco was half- tempted to pull out his wand. However, Hermione placed her hand on his arm, stopping him.
"Malfoy, something isn't right here," she said quietly, her wide eyes taking in Lucius' smiling face. He looked so happy, at such peace. He was obviously not the same person he had once been.
The only question was, what had caused such a dramatic change?
Draco shrugged her arm off, hissing, "I'm well aware of that, Granger. It's quite obvious that my father is under some type of spell. And I intend to correct that problem as soon as..." He trailed off, his eyes narrowing as he watched a pretty brunette woman approach his father.
"Who the hell is she?" he growled. Then, his entire world seemed to crash down around his ears.
Horrified, Draco watched as Lucius wrapped his arms around the woman, kissing her gently on the lips. In his entire life, he had never seen his father act that way toward his mother, *especially* in public. In fact, Lucius had gone out of his way to teach his son at a very young age that to show tenderness toward someone was to show weakness.
Gagging, Draco tried to fight off the images of his mother, blood pouring from her mouth as her body slowly surrendered to death. His father had showed emotion then. He had screamed, held his wife's hand, and kissed her forehead once she was gone.
Then, he'd vowed vengeance on the one who had done it.
And now, not two weeks later, he was surrounded by Muggles, even dressing like them, and looking at some woman as though she were the answer to his prayers.
Draco couldn't take it anymore. Turning around, he ran through the park, ignoring the pleas of Hermione behind him. Darting behind some bushes, he fell to his knees, emptying the contents of his stomach in the grass. And still, even after he'd stopped heaving, he felt no better.
Kneeling in the dirt, his own vomit before him, Draco felt tears spring to his eyes. How *dare* Lucius do this to him, to them! They were Malfoy's! They didn't prance about like Muggles, entertaining whores and acting as though life was fine. And they certainly didn't do these things mere weeks after losing their spouse!
Wiping his mouth with his shirt sleeve, the young man fought to keep his tears from falling. Blindly, he searched within himself for the steely resolve he'd developed over the years. He would get through this. He would get up, return to the Ministry of Magic, and swear Lucius Malfoy to be dead. Of course, that meant he actually had to kill him first, but that wasn't too much of a problem. Right now, he had a feeling he would take great pleasure in hearing his father's screams of agony as he died slowly and oh so painfully.
With his little tramp right beside him.
Groaning, he shook his head. What was he thinking? He was better than that! He couldn't expect to kill his own father, the only family he had left, and not feel remorse. No, no matter how angry he was now, he had to remember that it would pass. Besides, for all he knew there could be a perfectly logical explanation behind this.
Finally feeling as though he had his emotions under enough control to face reality, he slowly stood back up. Turning, he stared at Hermione, wondering why he wasn't bothered that she had seen him in such a state.
Hermione tried her best to keep her face neutral and the sympathy she felt for Draco at bay. It had to be difficult, seeing his father acting so caring toward another woman when Narcissa had only been dead a few weeks.
Of course, it was that knowledge alone that caused the young woman to think that something was amiss. Idly, she wondered at the possibility of a memory spell. Could it be that Lucius hadn't actually ran away, as they had all assumed? Could he have instead forgotten who he was and somehow ended up here, halfway around the world? Although she knew the chances of that were slim, she wasn't completely opposed to the idea. After all, stranger things had happened.
Such as her hatred and loathing for Draco Malfoy all but disappearing.
Not allowing herself to even think about such things, she focused on the immediate problem they were facing. What were they going to do now that they'd found Lucius? And who was that woman that he was with?
Hermione frowned, wracking her brain to try and remember where she'd seen the woman before. She certainly looked familiar, even though they'd only gotten a glimpse of her. Actually, it was her smile that the girl recognized the most. Like a movie stars, yet without the phoniness.
Suddenly, she gasped, her eyes widening. "The picture!" she exclaimed.
Draco gave her a confused look, wondering what she was talking about now. Didn't she know they had to get back to his father? Find out why he was here, what he was doing? Still, he couldn't help but be curious what Hermione was thinking.
Hermione smiled at him. "That woman, with your father is from the picture in the flat we first apparated into!" she explained. "That was *her* place!"
He wasn't certain if he was supposed to be happy about this information. After all, she was basically saying that his father had been living with that woman. Which threw out the possibility that she was a casual fling he'd recently picked up. Add to that the thought of his father staying in such...squalor, and he decided he didn't like this turn of events one bit.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Don't you get it, Malfoy? If we apparate back to there and wait, they are certain to turn up. Then we can get to the bottom of this entire mystery," she stated.
Draco raised an eyebrow, a smirk slowly working its way across his tired features. "Aren't you forgetting something, Granger? No magic, remember? Snape will have our heads, if the Ministry doesn't first," he taunted. Personally, he could care less about the rules. At this point, if he had to put a full body bind on his father in order to keep him from disappearing again, he would. However, Hermione was practically legendary in her belief that rules were meant to be followed.
Biting her lip, she considered his words. He was right, of course. They ran a serious risk of getting in all sorts of trouble for just apparating about. Of course, they could always wait until this afternoon, meet up with the others, and tell them what they'd learn. But, then she knew exactly what would happen. Harry and Ron would go bursting in there and figure it all out themselves. And, once again, she'd be left behind to clean up their mess.
Finally, she gave Draco a look normally reserved for Harry and Ron when they had talked her into breaking the rules at Hogwarts. She'd be damned if she was going to miss out on solving this puzzle herself. Determination filled her voice as she said, "To hell with the rules. We're supposed to find Lucius and return him safely to the Ministry, and that's exactly what we're going to do. If we get in trouble..." She shrugged, grinning. "Well, it certainly wouldn't be the first time, for either of us." Then, concentrating, she disappeared.
Draco chuckled, feeling much better now that he knew Hermione was willing to do what it took to get to the bottom of this. "Leave it to Granger to want to solve the mystery before her two nitwit friends," he commented softly. Shaking his head, he followed.
******
Wesley sighed, watching as Angel continued to pace the lobby, every once and a while glancing at the telephone as if willing it to ring. Putting down the book he'd been reading, the former Watcher stood and made his way around the counter.
"Angel," he said softly, "Why don't you just go over there? After all, there is a sewer entrance directly in front of Cordelia's building. I'm certain, with the cloud coverage, that you could make it from there to inside without any adverse affects."
Angel spun to look at the man, realization dawning on him. Why hadn't he thought of that? Instantly, he knew the answer. Because he'd been so worried about Cordelia's safety that he hadn't been thinking at all. Nodding, he muttered, "Good idea. Thanks." Then he turned and headed toward the basement.
Snape rolled his eyes, sighing heavily. "There is a simpler way to arrive there, instead of trudging about in the sewage," he finally stated.
Harry gasped, giving the Potions Master a shocked look. "Professor!" he exclaimed. "We aren't supposed to..."
Snape cut him off with a mere glare. "Mr. Potter, I do not remember asking for your opinion, nor do I require it. And the fact remains that I said no magic unless it was an emergency. Now if you have no further objections, may I continue with my suggestion?" he hissed.
Harry nodded, looking away. "Yes, sir," he mumbled.
Ron patted his friend on the back while giving him a 'you should have shut up' look.
Angel frowned, staring at the trio. "You mean to tell me that you could have used magic all this time?" he growled. "And instead you stood there and did *nothing*?"
Snape met his gaze evenly. "We are not supposed to use magic in Muggle society unless it is an absolute emergency. Seeing as you are about to risk spontaneous combustion in order to assist your friend and the man we are seeking is still missing, I consider this to more than qualify as a time in which to bend the rules," he explained.
"Don't forget that Charles hasn't called and he's been gone almost an hour," Fred spoke up, cringing when everyone gave her a dark look. "Sorry," she mumbled, turning her attention back to the papers in front of her.
Angel sighed, taking in a few deep, although unneeded, breaths. "All right. So what do you need to do?" he questioned Snape.
Snape raised an eyebrow. "Merely concentrate and apparate directly to your friend's apartment. If you wish to come as well, you will need to hold onto my shoulder."
Cautiously, Angel moved toward the man. "And this will work even though I'm not human?" he asked suspiciously.
Snape nodded. "Yes. The fact that you are a vampire should have no effect," he assured him.
Ron gasped, his eyes widening even further. "Vampire?" he choked, looking around the room. Why wasn't anyone else shocked by this revelation? "Y- You're a vampire?"
Angel gave the boy a strange look. "You're just figuring that out?" he replied. "You're not exactly quick on the uptake, are you?"
Harry sighed heavily, looking at his friend. "Really, Ron. Why do you think he couldn't go out in the sunlight? Or that his eyes kept turning yellow when he was growling and pacing?" he questioned wearily.
Snape got an amused look on his face. "Yet again, Mr. Potter, I am amazed that you were able to survive seven years of...misadventures with Mr. Weasley by your side." Then, turning to the vampire, he said, "Very well. Place your hand on my shoulder and we'll begin."
Angel nodded. Turning toward Fred and Wesley, he said, "Keep looking for any possible spells that could be used to reverse whatever may have caused Lucius' amnesia...if he really has it. Oh! And tell Lorne not to feed Connor any of those bananas. I think he's allergic."
Then, he disappeared, along with Snape, Ron, and Harry.
Fred sighed, looking at Wesley. "Why do I get the feeling that we're about to miss all the excitement again?" she asked quietly.
Wesley shrugged, picking up yet another book. "Ah, the curse of the superior intelligence. You rarely get the opportunity to rush blindly into a life-threatening situation," he replied dryly.
******
Cordelia moaned softly as Lucius' lips once again began kissing a trail of fire across her throat and collarbone. Stumbling toward the elevator, she blindly pressed the button, then allowed him to push her against the wall, his taller frame covering hers.
Kissing him passionately, she arched into his touch, her body aching for more. When she heard the telltale ding that signaled the doors were opening, she wrapped her arms around him and made her way inside the elevator, her lips never leaving his.
Opening one eye, she pushed the button for her floor, frowning slightly when Lucius broke the kiss and began chuckling in her ear. Raising his head, the blonde man gave her an amused look. "I apologize," he grinned. "But the sight of you peeking through one eye while flailing your arm around wildly was quite humorous."
Cordelia raised an eyebrow, a small smile playing on her lips. "So you were laughing at me?" she replied, her tone light. "I'm going to have to do something about that."
Lucius also raised his eyebrow, adoring the look of mischievousness in her eye. "Really? And just what would that be?" he replied.
The woman chuckled softly. "Oh, you'll have to wait until we're inside for the answer to that," she stated. Then, she kissed him again.
As the doors opened and the second floor spanned before them, Cordelia grudgingly pulled herself away from him, although she still kept her hand locked tightly with his. "Now behave. I don't want any of my neighbors thinking I'm anything other than a sweet young woman," she scolded mildly.
Lucius laughed, allowing her to lead him down the hallway. "My dear, somehow I doubt that your reputation is still intact after the...vocalization you gave to our activities last night," he stated dryly.
Cordelia gasped, her eyes wide. "Hey!" she responded teasingly, "You weren't exactly silent, you know!"
Nodding, he pressed her back against the door, kissing her soundly. "Nor do I intend to be," he whispered in her ear. Then, reaching past her, he turned the knob.
Nothing happened.
Frowning, Cordelia turned around, trying to open the door as well. "That's funny. Dennis always unlocks it for me," she commented. Shrugging, she pulled her keys out of her purse and placed them in the lock. Unlocking the door, she tried again.
Nothing happened.
Sighing in irritation, Cordelia knocked on the door. "Dennis!" she called. "Open the door! It's me!"
When the door didn't immediately open, she frowned. Turning the doorknob, she put her entire weight into it. Slowly, the door began to open. However, before more than an inch or two could be seen into the apartment, it was slammed shut once more.
Stumbling backward, Cordelia would have fallen if not for Lucius. Wrapping his arms around her, he kept her steady. "Well this is interesting. Your resident spirit wouldn't happen to be angry with you for some reason, would he?" he asked.
Cordelia shrugged, taking a second to simply lean into his warm embrace. "I don't know. Usually when he's angry he finds other ways of showing it. Like turning off the shower when I'm in there, or throwing my clothes all over my room. He doesn't keep me out of the apartment unless..." Trailing off, she stepped away from him, staring at her door.
"Unless?" he prodded, not liking the worried look that crossed her face.
"Someone's in there," Cordelia said softly. "That has to be it. Someone is in there and Dennis thinks they're a threat, so he's keeping me out." Shaking her head, she quickly turned to her purse, digging around for her cellphone. "I need to call Angel. If someone *is* trapped the apartment, Angel can convince Dennis to open up."
Lucius nodded, not knowing what else to do. Suddenly, Cordelia cursed, stomping her foot. "Damn it!" she exclaimed. "I left my phone inside!" Narrowing her eyes, she stomped back up to the door, banging loudly. "Dennis, you open up right this minute! I am sick and tired of being treated like some helpless girl! Now open up or I swear I'll bring you back to life just to kill you again!"
Suddenly, the door flung open, hitting the wall so hard it left a crack. Eyes wide, Cordelia glanced over her shoulder at Lucius. "Wow. That never works," she commented. Shrugging, she turned back toward the apartment.
"Perhaps we should use caution," Lucius suddenly suggested. "Ask one of your neighbors to borrow their phone? Call Angel and merely guard the door until he arrives?"
Cordelia gave him a nasty look. "Don't you start too," she snapped. "Look this is my apartment and I'm *not* going to let somebody keep me from going inside. Now, if you want to stay out here, that's fine."
Lucius shook his head, smiling at her. "Not a chance. If you're going in there, so am I. We are in this together, my dear," he replied, kissing her gently on the forehead.
"How sweet. Nice to see you were able to move on so easily, father," a snide voice said.
Looking up, Lucius stared blankly at the blonde man that was standing in the doorway, holding what appeared to be a stick. "Excuse me?" he replied, confusion evident in his voice.
Cordelia turned around, raising an eyebrow at the intruder. "Did you just call him 'father'?" she asked. Shaking her head, she replied, "Okay, wait. We're not having this discussion in the hallway. Out of the way, I'm coming inside."
Draco raised an eyebrow, nodding. Stepping aside, he kept his wand pointed at them as they entered the apartment. They weren't exactly responded the way he had expected. Where was the guilt? The explanations? Slowly, he began to wonder if Hermione's theory was right, if his father had somehow lost his memory.
Cordelia brushed past him, stopping just inside the living room. Eyes wide, she looked at Gunn, who was lying unconscious on the ground, and the young woman standing over him, also holding a stick.
"Gunn!" she exclaimed, making her way toward him.
Suddenly, Hermione turned around, aiming her wand. "Not another move!" she warned, her mouth drawn into a thin line. Looking the woman up and down, she questioned, "I presume you are Cordelia?"
Cordelia nodded, staring at the younger woman. "Yeah, that would be me. Now, mind telling me who the hell you are and why you're in *my* apartment, holding Gunn hostage, and waving sticks around?" she replied.
Hermione gave her a dark look. "This man," she stated, "Attacked me. I came here searching for Mr. Malfoy, and instead was tossed against a wall, accused of being a demon, and threatened with an ax. I merely used this 'stick' to defend myself. He will be fine."
The Seer blinked. "Mr. Who?" she asked.
Hermione motioned toward Lucius. "Him. Lucius Malfoy."
Cordelia glanced over her shoulder at the man she'd begun to care deeply for in a matter of days. "Well," she said, her voice even. "At least we know your last name now."
Draco made some sort of choking sound, unable to believe what he was hearing. To think that his father had amnesia was one thing. To *learn* it was another all together. Tightening his grip on his wand, he stared at Cordelia. "Yes, his name is Lucius Malfoy, and he's my father."
Lucius frowned, looking at the blonde man standing beside him. He had a son? Granted he could see the resemblance. However, if he had a son, that easily meant he had a wife. Slowly, he looked back at Cordelia, realizing she was thinking the same thing. Silently, he tried to express his sorrow, but she quickly looked away. "Okay, fine. So I take it you've been looking for him. Well, now you've found him. Go ahead and reverse the spell or whatever," she said in a dead tone. She couldn't believe it. He had a son. And most likely a wife. And now...now he would probably be returning to his old life. Ignoring the pain that thought caused her, she reminded herself this was how it was supposed to be.
The PTB hadn't sent her that vision so she could fall in love.
Hermione shook her head. "It isn't that simple, I'm afraid. We won't know what actually caused the memory loss until we've run a few tests. He'll have to return with us," she explained.
Cordelia raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I don't think so," she snapped. "He isn't going anywhere until he can tell me himself who he is and that you all aren't evil."
Draco narrowed his eyes. "*I* am telling you, Muggle. He is my father and I most certainly would not cause him any harm," he growled.
Cordelia spun to face him. "Okay I don't know what the hell a Muggle is, but I do know I don't like being called names. Now, let's get one thing straight, you Billy Idol reject. The PTB told me to protect Lucius, so that's what I'm going to do. You want to take him? You're gonna have to get through me first," she stated.
Draco gave her a cold smirk. "That most certainly won't be a problem," he replied. Aiming his wand at her, he exclaimed, "Stupify!"
As the light shot from his wand, several things happened.
Snape, Angel, Harry, and Ron suddenly appeared in the living room. Moving faster than anyone could follow, the vampire dove across the room, tackling Lucius, who had immediately stepped in front of the spell in order to protect Cordelia.
The others watched with shock as the light slammed into Cordelia and she gasped, her eyes widening. However, instead of falling to the ground, something incredible occurred.
Tossing her head back, she let out a silent scream, pure white light surrounding her. Slowly, she began lifting off the ground, her feet dangling beneath her. Raising her head, she surveyed the scene, her eyes finally landing on Lucius and Angel.
"Let him go, Angel," she said softly. Without thinking about why he was doing it, Angel listened to her, getting to his feet.
Shocked, Lucius stood up, his eyes locked on the woman he'd suddenly realized he was in love with. "Cordelia?" he whispered, frowning slightly.
She gave him a loving smile. "It's all right. I'm fine. Now, this might sting a little," she replied. Then, a light shot from her body, slamming into him.
Gasping, the man flew across the room, crashing into the wall. For a moment, he seemed to stay there, before collapsing to the ground.
"Father!" Draco cried, running to his side. Kneeling beside him, he hesitantly touched the older man's shoulder. "Father?" he whispered.
Angel watched as the light disappeared and Cordelia fell to the ground, gasping for air. Quickly, he was beside her, checking her for injuries.
"I'm fine," she replied, giving him a small smile. "It just took a lot out of me."
"What did you do to him?" Snape finally found his voice, looking at her.
Cordelia raised her head, staring at Snape for a moment. Biting her lip, she glanced back at Lucius, who was finally sitting up, his son assisting him. "I reversed the curse placed on him," she whispered. Blinking back tears, she turned once more to Snape.
"He's Lucius Malfoy, now."
******
A/N: Don't you just hate those fics where it ends all suddenly and you never find out what happens? Well, this is not one of those fics. There *is* more to come, I promise.
But first...review, let me know what you think!