Draco wasn't sure who these people were or why they were here, and he hated being uninformed. Just then Snape came down the stairs. "Malfoy! They're still standing about with their luggage?" He sighed. "Well, come in, if you're coming." (1.) He reluctantly waved them forward.

"Fine." Draco muttered under his breath. "Treat me like a guest, why don't you?" The sarcasm was obvious.

Snape heard him and gave him a look that silenced his protests.

Yup, I was right. One bratty kid comin' up, thought Danielle.

"So, Uncle Sev... Happy Birthday!" Lauren tried her best to ignore the specimen of rude, but extreme hotness that was standing beside her as she held out a messily wrapped chartreuse package covered in magically sparkling purple ribbon.

"It's your birthday?" Draco sounded a bit confused. A birthday with no obvious celebration?

Snape chose not to answer that. He raised an eyebrow and took the package that Lauren was thrusting at his chest. He pressed his ear against and shook it. It didn't make a sound.

Lauren grinned expectantly, saying, "I hope you like it! It just seemed to scream your name at me when I saw it. It really suits you."

Snape raised his other eyebrow. Intrigued, he opened it slowly, noting Lauren's shoddy wrapping job. He was somewhat wary of what she had given him. It was rare that anyone gave him a gift. The last time he had gotten any presents was at Hogwarts and they always ended up in embarrassment or disaster. Either Lauren would be mean and give him some cursed present or, for once, he'd get something he liked. He hoped it was the latter.

It was… a book. A leather bound book with gold edging. A small frown mixed with an intrigued smirk appeared on his face. He fought against laughing but couldn't help the chuckle that escaped. Snape would have asked if this was a joke, but he knew Lauren too well. She was plainly just an idiot.

Lauren's expectant look turned confused. "What is it?"

Snape looked up at her, still smirking. "You realize you gave me a book?

"Yes…"

"And you realize it's called 101 Defenses for the Defenseless?"

"Yes… What's your point?"

Snape paused, milking her confusion for as long as possible. "Did you happen to note who the author is?"

Danielle wondered what he was getting at. She hadn't been with Lauren when she picked out the gift. What had she done wrong?

"Well, no…" Lauren hoped it wasn't actually a joke book or written by someone he absolutely hated.

Snape held out the book. "Would you care to read the name to me?"

"Sure! It's… Severus Snape… Oh." Lauren hung her head to hide the fact that she was laughing at herself.

Danielle smiled. Gosh Lauren was an idiot sometimes.

Draco smirked. Twit.

Snape shook his head. "Well, if I didn't know this book upside down and inside out… I'd say it's the perfect gift for me." He walked over to the bookshelf and filed the present away next to another copy of his book.

Lauren blushed. "Sorry. I'll buy you something different later."

Snape turned around. "Don't worry, I wasn't expecting anything anyway." He didn't feel like being in Lauren's debt, despite the fact this was supposed to be a birthday present. (Gah! I'm another year older! I'm 38! I'm OLD!)

Desperate to change the topic, Lauren asked, "So who's the guy, Uncle Sev?" She thought about asking if it was a new boyfriend, but he looked too young for her uncle... besides the fact that she was fairly sure Uncle Sev was straight.

"Draco Malfoy. And Malfoy, this is Lauren, and...wait, who are you?" He stared at Danielle confused.

Loudmouthed as always, Lauren couldn't let her introduce herself. "This is Danielle, my bestest friend in the whoooooole world, Uncle Sev. She's spending the summer with us, remember?" Danielle sighed.

"Hi," Danielle mumbled. She was never good with strangers.

Snape gave a small nod.

"Danielle's a little shy." Lauren told her uncle this rather apologetically. She was trying to cover the fact that her friend was apparently scared to death of him, for some reason.

"Oh is she?"

Danielle flinched. He was so cold. Snape didn't seem to care much about her.

Draco had gathered from the conversation that the loud girl must be the twit Snape had been talking about earlier. Draco sighed. He always felt very superfluous in situations like this.

"Now, which room do you want us to sleep in? Which one do you have, Draco? Do I know you from somewhere?"

("No. No one should know me. No one at all. I wish to remain anonymous for my entire life. Do you have a problem with that?"
Lauren broke out in giggles. cut)

Draco rolled his eyes as Lauren continued to smile at him. She had decided that he was very pretty, and if he would just lose his oh-so-obvious bad attitude, he would make a really nice boyfriend.

Lauren turned to Danielle and glanced at Draco, who had completely started ignoring her, before mouthing the word, "Cute!"

Danielle rolled her eyes. Lauren always was into boys. It was a wonder they got on so well.

"I see you haven't calmed down since last time I saw you," Snape commented after Draco had disappeared.

"Of course I haven't calmed down, Uncle Sev. That would be boring. Now, answer my question. Where are we sleeping? I want to get ready."

Snape couldn't believe Lauren had the guts to order him around.

"And where, pray tell, will you be getting ready to go, young lady?"

"We're going to celebrate!"

"And why is that?" he asked. A birthday wasn't a good enough reason. Not for him anyway.

"It's your birthday! You need to get out more, Uncle Sev." Lauren sounded almost reproachful.

"I hardly think coming to MY house gets me 'out'." He mumbled. Though he really didn't mind staying at home. It suited him best.

Danielle smiled to herself. He was so right.

"That's why we're going out to lunch, Uncle Sev!"

Snape groaned outwardly. "Lunch, out? But I just ate. Sorry to disappoint you. I really couldn't eat another bite."

"Then we'll go shopping!" Lauren loved to shop, and she sounded very excited at the prospect.

"Shopping?" When do I ever get to decide what happens with my life? Never...

Danielle could hear the absolute panic in his voice. This was something 'Uncle Sev' was not used to.

Lauren decided to give in to Uncle Sev on this one. She knew that he abhorred shopping. "Or, you know, maybe we could just go for a cup of tea or something. After all, you look as if you could use some caffeine."

"That sounds... fine," he uttered. Severus was almost grateful to her. Anything but girly shopping. Severus Snape brewed potions, chased Death Eaters, but NEVER EVER went... shopping.

Draco made to slip out of the room. If he stayed, he might get roped into going somewhere with that... twit.

Danielle sat there watching this interesting exchange. It certainly was better than sitting at home doing nothing.

"Coolies! Now, how are we getting there? We didn't exactly bring a car."

"Oh well in that case, we'll be fine here." Snape was almost pleading them to leave him alone. If he won, he'd win everything. Safe in his house, hidden away from them all in his study.

Danielle had nothing to say, as she had no choice of what to do or where to go.

"Well, I have some summer homework I should work on. Tell me if you're leaving." Draco had almost slipped away when he heard Lauren's voice.

"Hey, Uncle Sev, don't you have a car round here somewhere? Wouldn't that hold four people?"

Damn. She's got me. Or not... "Doesn't work." Was his simple answer.

"Right." Like I'm going to take that for an answer. "Well, luckily, Beauxbatons has a very good outlook on enchanting muggle objects. I've just finished a course in muggle autos."

Damn. Again he cursed his sister for having a smart kid. Too smart.

Lauren smiled. She had him now.

"Well, actually... it might go." He mumbled under his breath.

"What was that, Uncle Sev?" The persistent girl pushed for a more satisfying answer.

He sighed. "I said 'it might work.'" Why did she torture him? She was worse than two Death Eaters...

"Oh good. Let's get going then!"

Danielle couldn't help feeling sorry for him. All he wanted was some peace and quiet and silly Lor wouldn't leave him alone.

"Lauren..." Danielle warned.

Lauren was smiling gleefully. Ah, at last a chance to get the old man out and about. If I'm lucky, I will be able to find him a girlfriend.
"What?"

Danielle didn't say anything and shrunk back into her seat. "Nothing...just...nothing."

"I'm just being a good niece. At least I didn't make him go shopping." She whispered this behind her hand as she watched the mysterious Draco, who had stayed to hear what was going on, try once again to disappear around the corner.

"Okay… whatever."

"Where do you think you're off to, Malfoy? Did you think you would be allowed to stay here alone?"

Draco quickly looked at Snape and replied, "No sir, just going to get ready." Sod it.

"Very good." Snape knew Malfoy was lying, but he'd let it slide this time

Lauren looked at her uncle. "Again… which room do we have?" She was getting rather tired of that question.

Snape waved a hand in the direction of a hallway off to the left. Danielle started walking down it and opening doors to satisfy her curiosity, and Lauren followed, supposing that they would just choose a room. Which wasn't hard, as the door Danielle was opening led to the only other bedroom on the main level besides Draco's.

"Ooo… Lauren, look at this room!" She opened the door to the room at the end of the hallway wider and walked in looking around. The room had a double bed in the middle with a carpeted step up to it. There were shelves on the walls with castles and dragons and candlesticks. The walls were painted black and red sponged. She liked it. Liked it a lot.

"Ooo! Pretty! We're staying in here, Uncle Sev!" Lauren walked in and dropped her bags on the bed.

Draco walked to his room. He was going to at least look decent if they were going out. He was still in his traveling clothes from that morning, and wasn't about to have anyone important see him as he was, in a wrinkly black robe that sagged round his shoulders. He changed slowly into non-wrinkly black slacks and an emerald green shirt, hoping they would forget about him and go ahead.

Snape stood up. "How did I get sucked into this?" He wandered slowly out the back door and down the steps, trying his best to take as looonggg as he could. Snape walked around the side of the house cursing his heritage. He waved his wand and the wooden shed door squeaked open. A sparkling, spotless, and obviously well loved two-door black SS Camaro sat quietly ready for action, like a waiting panther.

……..

(1.) Quote from the movie Blow Dry… Alan Rickman (Snape) is in it, you should see it.

Hope you liked, please please please review. Until next time!