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Title: A Close Call

Contributors: dm_fugitive, lacy_pembrooke, seviesnape, lucius_malfoi

Edited by: Carla Lute

Posted: 2005-12-14 to 15

Game Date: August 22^nd

Disclaimer: No one at Levicorpus owns Harry Potter, the world or its characters. We just like to play in J.K. Rowling’s world.

* * * * * * *

Lacy had the day off, and she was rather bored. All of her friends had taken off to go see a movie in Greater Hangleton, but it was one of those sappy chick flicks, and Lacy had decided to decline the invitation, though politely. Now she was just stir crazy.

She walked over to the small aquarium she kept Mortimer in and touched the glass affectionately. "Think I'm gonna try and visit Drake..." she said off-handedly, and the albino snake moved closer to the glass touched its tongue to the spot where her finger rested and then slid off under a rock.

"Darn boy's never gonna invite me inside the house himself I guess." She grinned back at the snake, pretending as though he'd spoken to her. "Oh and what do you know about cats and curiosity?"

Lacy threw on a white pare of flip flops and made her way hastily down the steps to the front door. She was dressed for summer but decided to throw on one of her light sweaters just in case she got to meet Drake's uncle or grandfather. Older people tended to be pretty concerned with what younger people wore, and she didn't really want to look as though all she meant to do that day was snog.

Lacy made her way quickly down the neighborhood and couldn't help but pause at the large house once she reached it. It was so delightfully creepy. "Hope he's home." she said to herself as she began walking up the path towards the front door. She got the strangest feeling also that she should be more cautious, as though a strange sense of forboding were emanating from the house. She quickly brushed it off as mere superstition however and smiled to herself. This just made it more fun.

When she reached the door she took a deep breath, put on her sweetest most innocent smile and knocked three times.

Draco sat in the living room with some of the other remaining Death Eaters. Most of them had left yesterday or the night before on assignments. To Draco's great relief Fenrir had finally left to check on his pack, and he felt it was safe to come out again. He had spent most of time the day before, distracting himself with "Much Ado About Nothing".

He had one of his potions books in his hands at the moment but wasn't really looking at it. There were three knocks at the door. Some of the others looked up curiously, but Draco sprang to his feet. "I'll get it," he said and strode quickly to the door. He unbolted and cracked open the door.

Lacy was standing on the doorstep, smiling as though she had been expected.

Draco stopped the door so there was just enough room for his head. "What the hell are you doing here?" he demanded in a low voice.

"Came to visit you of course!" Lacy kept her smile despite his tone. "I had the day off and was wondering if you'd give me that tour you promised." He hadn't actually promised anything, but when she'd pressed him about a tour before he hadn't told her 'no' outright either.

She leaned to the right slightly, trying to peer over his head. "Something wrong?"

"Yes," Draco said. "We got company. This is a very bad time."

"Who is it boy?" Snape said silkily coming up from behind to peak through the crack in the door.

"No one," Draco said. "Go away!" he mouthed at Lacy, then attempted to slam the door.

Snape caught the side of the door and opened it so he could see who was causing the ruckus. He saw a young girl and quirked his eyebrows at Draco. "Excuse us," he told the girl. "Being a bit careless aren't we Draco?" he scowled when he was fairly sure she couldn't hear them.

Lacy's expression soured, but it was more disappointment than anything. Drake was being as nervous and moody as always though so it really didn't hurt her feelings too much.

When she heard and saw the taller, darker man however, Lacy's eyes widened. He was rather handsome in that dark mysterious and moody way she always found intriguing. She nodded slightly at his request and stepped back from the door a bit feeling for the first time a little awkward.

Draco gaped at Snape. "I didn't ask her here," he hissed. "She's just the grocery girl."

"Legillimens!" he hissed, searching Draco's mind for anything different. Then again... he had been teaching Draco Occlumency lately. Mistake? Probably.

"Make sure she doesn't come back here boy, or we will," he said darkly, motioning towards the living room.

Draco gave Snape a very annoyed look. "Stop that," he muttered. "I don't-"

Lucius had been seated with Draco and Snape when this strange Muggle had knocked on the door. He frowned. She was beautiful, in a primitive sort of way, but Lucius was immediately suspicious, as Draco did not only seem to know her, but also seemed to want to protect her. Coming up behind Draco and Snape, Lucius smiled at the girl. "My son doesn't mean to be rude, my dear, perhaps you would like to come in?"

And then suddenly the door had opened and yet another extremely handsome man was there, but was now inviting her inside.

"Y...Your son?...." Lacy stammered, looking from this new gentleman, to the tall dark man again and then to Drake curiously. "Then... are you a ghost?" she said to the blonde gentleman, realizing now that he did bare a strong resemblance to Drake.

She shot Drake a glance now and mouthed, "You said your parents were dead...."

Snape rubbed his temples and glowered at the scene before him. How foolish can the boy get.

Draco tried to fight down his dread as he wondered what his father was up to. He turned back to Lacy. "Don't be stupid. Apparently I was wrong, and now that they've turned up again, I'd really like some time to get reacquainted, so if you'd just skip off."

Lucius couldn't quite make out what it was that Draco was saying to the girl, but he knew that whatever Draco was up to it wasn't something that he would approve of. "Come now, Draco, don't you want to introduce us to your new . . . friend?"

Lacy smiled at Drake's father and bowed her head slightly, not exactly curtsying.

"Oh... I'm Lacy. Lacy Pembrooke. I live just down the lane. I'm no one really," she said cheerfully.

Draco rolled his eyes at the ceiling, wondering what he had to deserve this...well what specifically, before controlling his features and turning towards his father. "She works at grocery," Draco explained. "She said she wanted to see the house, but I told her no." With the last word he turned back to Lacy. "I thought it would disturb grandfather."

Lacy was about to correct Drake, but thought better against it. He hadn't actually told her 'no,' but she didn't want to get him into any trouble.

"Oh!" She looked around quickly. "I didn't know your grandfather didn't like company since he's had so many guests over lately..."

"Business guests," Draco snapped. "Business guests!" What on earth is wrong with this girl? he moaned behind his mental walls. Does she have a death wish?

Lucius smiled, although his eyes were sending Draco a far different message. He must know that they were both already on questionable terms with the Dark Lord and this Muggle's presence would not easily be explained away, were any of the other Death Eaters to discover her here. Except, of course, were she to somehow be lured down into the dungeons. "I don't believe she would disturb 'grandfather' at all. In fact, he would probably like to meet such a . . . charming young woman."

Lacy smiled at Drake's apparently alive father and blinked. "I'm sorry really..." she lied slightly. "It's just that I've got sort of an unhealthy fascination with ghosts... and I thought maybe Drake might show me the house. There's a lot of rumors about this place being haunted floating around in town but I'm sure you've heard of them already..."

She now smiled hopefully up at the tall dark man and then back to Drake, when it occurred to her that they were all dressed rather oddly with long black robes as if they had been conducting some sort of séance.

"Ghosts are indeed a captivating subject." Lucius agreed and motioned for her to enter.

Snape caught her smile and scowled. What an idiot girl!

Draco felt his chest turn to ice.

"There's no ghosts," he said flatly after Lacy's explanation, though his eyes never left his fathers. "And I don't think grandfather is in the mood for company. And I know I'm certainly not." Draco spun and swiftly but firmly pushed Lacy back out the door. "Why don't you head on home before your uncle misses you?" he said in an over enunciated sort of way.

Lacy wormed out of his grasp and gave him an odd look. "I guess I'll see you at the store. Bye," he said quickly and slammed the door as she opened her mouth to reply. Draco leaned back against the shut door and closed his eyes for a second before looking at Snape and Lucius.

Lacy stood on the doorstep, her eyes wide with confusion.

"Well... okay then." she huffed and padded quickly down the steps. She stopped for a moment and turned around looking back at the door and then shook her head. "Sort of wish my family was that interesting..." she mused. "But then again I guess I'd be moody and nervous too." She sighed and continued down the pathway back to the street.

"I'm getting a tour one way or another, Mr. Herring." she commanded as she walked. "You'll see."

* * * * * * *

Lucius glared at his son. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Draco opened his eyes. "Attempting to avoid drawing more attention to this house than necessary," he said. "Good chance she told her uncle where she went. He'd call the police if she didn't come back."

"I hardly think that the Muggle police are much of a concern when compared with the Dark Lord himself." Lucius sneered at his son's stupidity. "Perhaps you haven't noticed, but both of us are not in particular good standings at the moment. What did you think that befriending a Muggle could possibly accomplish?"

Draco made a face. "I didn't befriend her. I don't even like her. She's bloody annoying. And I don't see how the Dark Lord could complain about it. It's my assignment to liaise with damn Muggles so none of the rest of you has to dirty your hands. We'd put up repelling charms if they wouldn't attract the Ministry, but I've managed to keep them away so far. That particular one's just stubborn."

Lucius frowned. "You should know by now that any perceived weakness is something which the other Death Eaters will use against us and the Dark Lord-" Lucius hissed suddenly, one hand automatically going to his forearm. He looked between Draco and Severus, noticing that only Snape appeared to be being summoned with him. Lucius turned back to Draco. "We'll finish this later." Nodding once to Snape, Lucius help his wand against his dark mark and felt himself be pulled away.

Draco let all his weight fall against the door. This had come so close to being a quiet evening. He really, really hated that girl.

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