Disclaimer: See Prologue

Thank you all for your reviews! You guys are so awesome, despite the laziness of me- I'm afraid I don't want to take the time at this point to list you all. I love you all, though!

So...this is the last chapter! Are you all sad? Don't worry...there will be one more post...you think I'd leave things this unfinished? Lol. Don't fret!

Kisses!

Allison

Chapter 9

Crystal stepped off of the plane in London and looked around at the familiar city. She had recieved a letter in the mail not even a week ago stating that she'd been chosen for a callback in the audition for the band, and now she and Cody were there in London waiting for Draco to pick them up from the Airport. Stretching with a groan, she eased the sleeping toddler in her arms and began to make her way towards the baggage claim in hopes of cutting the waiting time in half. Tired and cranky, she had just pulled the three suitcases that she and Cody had between them and was turning to look for Draco when she heard a voice behind her.

"One would think, Miss Rogers, that someone as smart as you would think to ask for help rather than trying to do everything for yourself." That sexy drawl was the one that she had always reacted to, despite herself, and when she turned, she knew who she would find behind her. A smile lit her face as she studied the familiar features of Hogwarts' Potions Professor, scowling down at her in very Dumbledore-looking hawaiian clothes that included flowered silk shirt and khaki shorts baring his oh-so-white legs and arms.

"Severus!" She said, pleased despite herself. "I thought Draco was picking us up."

"He was detained." Severus said disdainfully as she immediately handed him his son. He looked at her in surprise before carefully holding the toddler against him, kissing his son's forehead as the boy shifted restlessly and then slept on. Severus reached down and picked up one of the suitcases, as Crystal had already picked up the other two, and began leading the way out of the airport. Once out, he briskly moved down the block towards a black, unmarked car and opened the back seat, handing the bag inside and sliding in holding his son carefully. Crystal handed the bags inside to the waiting House Elf and slid in after him, smoothing her skirt beneath her as she sat down and stretching out.

"Crystal...about..." Severus began, just to be cut off by a cell phone ringing. Crys shot him an apologetic look as she flipped open her cell phone.

"Hello?"

"Crys?" Draco asked. "Where are you?" He looked around the airport, frowning. Crystal frowned and looked up at Severus as the car began to move.

"What do you mean? Severus was the one there to pick me up." She said.

"Impossible...Severus is at the Potions Convention in Maui...the one that you got the invitation to?" Draco said. Crystal felt her heart leap to her throat and she used all of her self control to keep it from showing.

"You must be mistaken, Mother." Her voice was calm...neutral. "I promise you that I remembered Cody's Blankie...it's in his diaper bag.

"Crys...I don't know who's with you, but it's not Severus." Draco said, panicking. "Oh, he'll kill me if I've lost you! Please tell me where you are."

"I told you, Mum...Draco was detained so Severus picked me up!" Crys said. "We're on the way to the hotel now."

"Which hotel was yours?" 'Severus' asked. Crystal felt her blood go cold. She was staying in her old flat...Severus would have known that.

Rattling off the name of a five star Hotel that she knew of, Crys turned her attention back to Draco, who was speaking again. "I'll track you, Crys...you have your necklace on?"

"Yes."

"I'll find you. I don't know who has you...but I'm going to apparate to Maui now and when Severus and I get back, we'll find you. I promise." Draco said, hanging up.

Crys flipped the cell phone closed and sat there staring into space for a long moment before opening Cody's diaper bag and reaching inside for his blankie, smirking. "I TOLD her it was in there!" She crowed.

"Drop the act, Rogers." 'Severus's voice had gone cold. Crys looked up at him, moving between him and her son. "You know I'm not Snape."

"Enlighten me then." Crystal let the warmth disappear from her voice as she continued digging through the diaper bag. She looked up to see the Polyjuice Potion- for what else could it have been?- was wearing off to reveal a sneering face, cold black eyes, and platinum blonde hair. "Oh. Hello, Lucius."

"My Dear Miss Granger." He sneered softly. "What a wonderful surprise, seeing you again." He was lying through his teeth. The last time he'd seen her, he'd been facing the end of her wand and had seen his death in her eyes for what he'd done to Draco. Lucius had abducted his son from Hogwarts and had tortured him in one last ditch attempt to force him to recieve the Dark Mark. Hermione had gone after her closest friend and, upon finding him, nearly killed Lucius Malfoy. Unfortunately, the arrival of Voldemort had cut her plan short and she'd been forced to Apparate away with Draco's unconsious form, leaving the elder Malfoy hanging to life by a thread and holding on to his grudge with all of his heart.

When Harry had finally faced down and destroyed Voldemort, Lucius had been nowhere to be found...Dumbledore had thought him dead of his injuries.

Apparently not.

"Lucius, old friend!" Crystal forced a smirk. "How's that old scar doing? The one that you lost your balls to get?" She saw him wince and felt a bitter swell of satisfaction.

SCENEBREAKSCENEBREAKSCENEBREAK

"And ass you can see, the properties of Birch in the Kainkalaiejao Shae Potion..." Severus tuned out the rest of the American Potion Master's speech as he heard the tell-tale pop of apparation. Turning, he stopped short, staring at Draco Malfoy who was staring at him in a panic.

"Draco? What is it?" Severus asked, warily.

"You know that Crystal was coming to London today, right?" Draco asked. Severus' interest sharpened immediately and he nodded curtly. "Someone kidnapped her from the airport under the guise of you!" Draco's voice grew high and panicked.

"Draco! Calm down!" Severus said, slowly. "What exactly happened?"

"I was supposed to meet Crystal at the Baggage Claim at exactly Four. I arrived and she was gone, so I called her cell phone. She said that YOU had arrived at the airport...claiming that I had been detained so I'd sent you." Draco said.

"Lucius...?" Severus asked, slowly.

"I think so. It makes sense...he's the only person who would try something like that..." Draco said, unhappily. "And he used to boast about his skills with the Polyjuice Potion when I was growing up."

"Where would he take her?" Severus asked, now very worried about the beautiful woman that had mothered his son.

"The manor." Draco said immediately. "Somewhere in the Manor...she has her necklace with her...we'll be able to track her easily."

"Good." Severus said. "Let's go." He walked off, leaving Draco to follow.

SCENEBREAKSCENEBREAKSCENEBREAK

Crystal grimly held her son close as she sat silently in the cell that Lucius had shoved them into. Cody had woke up scared and cold and was just now calming back down. As she rocked him, Crys couldn't help wishing for Severus. When Cody dropped his head to her shoulder, fast asleep, she smiled and laid him out on the filthy cot with his blankie over him. Standing, she began to pace in the cell, listening hard for Severus and Draco.

She wasn't sure where they were...only that the dungeons were cold and rather damp...and that her son was too young to be down here for an extended period of time. She found herself glad that, while Cody was potty trained, she still carried around the diaper bag with a change of clothes, a bottle, and a few other essentials for her son...for the blanket and toys had proved essential already.

After an hour, however, she began to despair, sinking down to the cot, careful not to disturb Cody, she put her head in her hands and closed her eyes, letting the tears flow. She must have fallen asleep at some point, for when she woke, it was to Cody shaking her arm gently and whimpering. Looking at him, she managed to smile and pulled him into her lap, whispering little comforts to him. As the two of them were very nearly calm once more...they heard something in the corridors. Crystal looked up, hardly daring to hope, as she heard the muffled thump of a body being thrown aside. She felt a moment of apprehension and turned aside quickly, shielding Cody's smaller body with her own as she heard a familiar sneering drawl outside of the cell.

"Bombardo!" His voice wasn't raised...it was actually very matter-of-fact...but when he stepped into the cell, his eyes widened and he whispered her name. Crystal hardly registered his presence when Cody flew from her arms into his, sobbing.

"Sevus! Sevus! I scawed!" He sobbed, clinging to his father.

"So am I, Cody...so am I..." Severus whispered, wanting more than anything to hold Crystal...but she was already racing past him into Draco's arms, sobbing on the younger Malfoy's shoulder.

"Shh...don't worry about it, Crys...don't worry..." Draco whispered, over and over again. "You're safe."