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Iron Dragons and Firelegs COMPLETE	By : FemmeBono Category: HP Canon Characters paired with Original Characters > Het - Male/Female Views: 2353 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 7
- 8
- 9
A/N: Once again I owe apologies for
the lack of updates. I am in the midst of a never ending job search
and have been battling both a stomach and computer virus. My poor lil
PC will have to be replaced soon, even though I have had to restore
every. damn. thing. already... At any rate, thanks to Nina Simone and
Buddy Guy, I am back on track with this one and it won't be long now
until it's finished. Then, on to the rest.

Cht. 8, Gone with the Wind

“Good lord, Severus,” Lacey
said, jamming her hat back on her head while trying to bite back an exasperated smile. “Remind me
never to make you mad.”

She hazarded a glance at the towering
form of the wizard who had stepped out of the building behind her
glaring so fiercely that several young soldiers quickened their steps
as they passed. His entire visage a glowering mask of tension, she
could see his jaw grinding as he stood with her in the blowing wind.
The inimitable wizard looked distinctly out of place now that he
found himself on her turf as opposed to his own. Truly, the sight of
him standing in the midst of nondescript tan buildings and canvas
topped military vehicles very nearly had her doubling over in
laughter. This was only compounded by the fact that he was clearly
insulted by what he considered her major's extreme lack of trust.

Truly, when Dodds had mentioned that
Major Mallory wanted to question Severus as well as Malfoy, the other
operative, Lacey was not the least bit surprised. In fact, it was
quite common to require a lie detector and some form of interrogation
to those who turned double agent or informant, simply to ensure that
they could be trusted. Severus, it seemed, was taking this as a
personal slight when it was not at all meant to be. To Lacey's mind,
it was standard practice. Malfoy at least seemed to be taking it in
stride and would be arriving the next day for his battery of tests.

“Why exactly did you find it
necessary to zap their polygraph machine?”

“I found their questions both
impertinent and inane. I could scarcely be blamed.”

“Do you have any idea how much
that thing cost?”

“I couldn't be arsed to care,
frankly.”

“You will when one of your owls
shows up with a bill from the Department of Defense. Those things
don't come cheap. Besides, as I mentioned, it's just typical
procedure. Nothing personal, just business. These guys don't know you
from Adam's house cat and they just care about getting the paperwork
done, stamped, copied to the right department and filed in the right
drawer. At the end of the day, as long as none of us die—causing
them to do more paperwork—they don't care what you've done, who
you are, or if you get canonized for saving us all from the
apocalypse. Unless of course they have to fill out paperwork on that
too. It's hardly a tribunal.”

He said nothing, merely staring off
angrily at the long low building that served as their chow hall.

“Tell you what. You're done for
the day, you passed the test and barely blew a needle out of place
during the questioning, so why don't we get out of here and find
somewhere for you to calm down and relax a bit before Malfoy has to
come in tomorrow. Sound like a plan?”

“Where?”

“Where should we go? Ah...”
Lacey trailed off. Her first thought was back to her own quarters in
the barracks, but that would lead to awkward questions later, since
she would have to sign him in with whoever was pulling CQ. Besides
which, the military surroundings were hardly conducive to his
relaxation. Many civilians were a bit unnerved by finding themselves
on a base, but Severus' case seemed more so given that he clearly
felt as though he were viewed as the enemy here.

Should they visit Harrogate for a bit?
The town may not have much that he would be used to being a wizard, but at least it was normal and might put him more at ease. Before she could suggest it, however, he
straightened and turned, holding out a hand.

“I know where I should like to
go, if you wish to come with me,” he said so lowly she had to
lean forward to hear him. She nodded mutely as she tentatively
clasped his fingers, only to be pulled into the now familiar vacuum
sensation of apparition.

“Severus, could you warn somebody
before you do that?”

She staggered a couple of steps away
and landed with a bump on a tree stump near the edge of a small
wooded clearing, at the back of which sat a simple white framed
cottage and beyond, what appeared to be a small lake or pond. Rioting
around the house were prolific blooms of colored flowers that would
have made her mother's gardening heart flutter. Delicate petaled
narcissus competed for space with the heady scented lavender and
verbena. A blushing rose climbed a trellis by the door, and
everywhere around the base was a carpet of creeping phlox.

“Where in the world are we? It
looks like a fairy cottage,” Lacey said a little breathlessly.

“This belonged to my
grandparents. They retired here when they decided they had had enough
of people in general, and lived out the rest of their days. When they
died, shortly after my mother, it came to me as the only living
heir.”

This was delivered rather dryly, almost
blandly. Lacey wondered at the apparent lack of emotion.

“Did you not get along? Ever come
here as a child, or--”

“I came, once or twice with my
mother. It was she who did not get on well with them. I was simply a
by-product of a very grave mistake she made... by marrying my father.
He was a Muggle.”

“Ah. And I can assume since you
mentioned growing up with a foot in each world that they were
wizards?”

“Yes.”

“I see. So, likely as not were
they here...”

“Likely as not, they would hex
you as soon as they saw you standing in the yard.”

“Hell of a welcome.”

“As they are no longer on this
earth, and the house belongs to me it is of no consequence.”

“Lucky me.”

“Where would you have preferred
to have gone?”

“I dunno, I had thought of maybe hitting Skipton Rd and running into Harrogate for a bit, maybe finding somewhere—God knows
where—that has Indian take-out. Your grandparents' feelings
notwithstanding though, this place is several times better. Is it
stocked?”

“No, actually. I had not
considered the fact, but it is nearly tea time. If you would like,
you may stay and acquaint yourself with the grounds and cottage. I
will go for some tandoori if you like, and something for breakfast,
perhaps?”

He shifted a bit, almost doubtfully, as
if asking for her approval.

“Sure,” she said, her heart
hitching into her throat as she realized the implication. “That
sounds nice.”

And for the first time the corners of
his mouth quirked into a tentative smile, as it reached all the way
to his dark, somber eyes and lit them.

“Very well, I shall return soon.”
With that, he popped out of sight leaving Lacey rubbing a hand over
her chest, suddenly nervous.

Looking around, she decided it best to
explore the grounds since he did not bother to leave a key for the
door. She doubted very much that it would be unlocked. She circled
around the side of the house, only to find a wide gravel path lined
with ferns that seemed to lead through the forest down to the pond.
Following the trail down a gentle slope, she came out at the water's
edge to another breathtaking view. She was reminded sharply of the
clearing he had taken her to near Hogwarts. This one, though much
larger, also had the smallest dip of a waterfall to the east end. The
difference here, aside from the vast size, was the wildlife. Two
swans glided smoothly over the water's surface, barely causing a
ripple, while off at the farthest edge nestled a family of geese
honking lowly as the water lapped at the fringe of reeds and grasses
around them. Lacey stepped up to a white wooden bench in front of
her, gazing at the beauty and simplicity of the scene.

The woods themselves seemed alive with
birdsong, and Lacey watched as sparrows winged their way through
branches and over the still water. Somewhere off in the distance she
heard a woodpecker drilling away at one of the ancient oaks. She sat,
as still and quiet as possible, absorbing the tranquility around her,
letting the tinkle of water over the edge of the rocks lull her until
her eyes were drooping. Moments later she was rewarded with the sight
of a doe and fawn, whose spots were already fading, drifting down to
the water's edge for a drink. The mother lifted her graceful head
once to gaze back at Lacey, swishing her tail in warning at her son,
before ambling off into the canopy of the forest again with him
following closely behind.

Likewise, Lacey stayed only a minute
longer before climbing the rise once again to the back of the cottage
where a covered porch ran the length of the house. She stepped up to
the door and peered inside, nearly jolting out of her skin when she
saw the face of an elf quite near the door. It took her a moment to
realize that the little creature was staring blankly into space, and
upon closer inspection, she realized that it was stuffed.

“God, that's grotesque,”
she said, trying to make out what the plaque read under its tiny
pedestal. Absently, she tried the doorknob, only to be amazed at the
fact that it turned in her hand. She spared a somewhat guilty glance
around, feeling vaguely like a trespasser even though Severus had
told her plainly she could explore.

She stepped through the doorway, into
what now appeared to be the size of a bungalow rather than a mere
cottage. It was much bigger, really, on the inside. She took a moment
to check the brass plate under the elf, reading quietly aloud,
“Beloved Dotsy. For 85 years of faithful and impeccable
service. Love, Master and Mistress Elias Doge Prince. You are
kidding me.”

Peering around at the draped furniture,
Lacey sneezed as she automatically removed her cap and stuffed it in
the pocket of her BDU pants. She took her time, wandering through the
dim house, raising windows as she went to clear some of the stale
musty air out. Pulling sheets and cloths off the beds and tables, she
was shocked to see that most of the furniture was ornately carved
walnut and oak. In one of the rooms, obviously the master bedroom, a
canopy was supported by four posts with the most intricate scroll
work she had ever seen. The headboard itself was covered in images of
nymphs and satyrs in a pastoral setting; stripping the heavy cloth
off the top of the mattress she gasped aloud at the thick royal blue
duvet embroidered with finely woven threads of gold. She wound her
way back down the hall through the sitting room and into the other
side of the house where she discovered the kitchen, before she
realized how difficult it was getting to see. Returning to the
sitting room, she found a candelabra and began digging for a book of
matches in her pants leg pocket just as an ominous clap of thunder
rolled through the air.

She looked through the windows out past
the porch to see that as she had been exploring the wind had kicked
up. The sturdy oak branches were now swaying as the approaching storm
swept in. Not wanting her candles to get blown out, Lacey slid the
windows shut again, leaving the blinds open so she could watch the
onslaught that she now sensed would be a wicked and wild shower.
Watching a will o' the wisp kick up, blowing the leaves around, she
hoped fervently that Severus made it back soon before he found
himself drenched. Slowly, she made her way around the room, lighting
wall sconces and hurricane lamps as she went. Then, taking her
candelabra on a return trip through the rooms, she closed the windows
again, before finally sitting down on a settee in an ominous silence,
only punctuated by periodic claps of thunder. As if in echo, her
stomach emitted a rolling grumble of its own and she wondered briefly
what was keeping her enigmatic wizard.

Is he really mine, she thought,
as she stopped mid-stride on her way back into the kitchen. Can I
say that at this point? They had
only shared a kiss thus far, but he had left her with the sense that
tonight there would be more. Did this mean they were an item? He
didn't seem the type to have a casual affair, and they still had to
be able to work together until this battle, or whatever it was, was
over. She mulled over the implications of what they had agreed on for
the evening. Does he want to sleep with me?,
she wondered as she opened closets and cupboards looking for food, or
did he just want to get away for a while and didn't want to
be rude? Maybe he just wants the company as opposed to being
completely alone...

“Ugh!”
she groaned aloud as her insecurities crept in and she began
second-guessing herself. “What if that gut instinct of mine is
just talking shit?”

Wrenching open
another door, she found herself faced with a wall of well-stocked
wine racks and was sorely tempted to pop open a bottle and drink it
down. Knowing that it would solve nothing, she pulled one off the
racks at random and wiped the dust off with her sleeve.

“Cote de
Rhône Villages, 1978,” she
read. “Whoa.”

So absorbed was she
in the amazement of her discovery that she did not hear the telltale
pop of apparition. Only when she recognized the strains of music
echoing from the sitting room did she straighten and turn toward the
kitchen door. A sultry, bluesy melody was lilting through the house
along with the distinctive smell of curry and spice. Taste buds
aroused and interest piqued, Lacey wove her way back through to find
Severus with his back to her, watching the first sprinkles of rain
falling from the porch's eaves.

Love me, love me

say you do.

Let me fly away with you.

For my love is like the wind;

wild is the wind...

With Nina Simone's
voice crooning over the electric current of air, punctuated by loud
claps of thunder, Lacey watched barely breathing as Severus turned
slowly at the sound of her approach, glancing down a the bottle still
clutched in her hand.

“That was quite a good year for a
Rhone wine,” he said as he approached, taking her elbow and
guiding her into the dining room. She was on the verge of asking what
had taken so long when she saw the bags on the end of the table.
Take-out boxes had already been placed at the opposite end, both of
which were already opened and still steaming. Severus wordlessly took
the bottle as he pulled out her chair for her, before stepping over
to an antique sideboard and banishing the dust from a couple of
glasses lined up on it.

“This should be a nice complement
for the chicken, as it happens. Excellent choice.”

“Actually, I just found that
while I was foraging for food. I had just about given up on you, or
my stomach had leastways. Where did you go?”

Severus, who had poured and placed the
glasses on the table, seated himself before he replied.

“Carlisle.”

“Carlisle?! Why in the world did
you go so far?”

“It's quite close as it happens.”

“Why? W-um... where are we
exactly?”

“Near Penrith.”

“We're in the Lake District?”

“Just on the fringes, really.”

“That's almost a good two hours
away from the base,” she said, spooning up a bite of jasmine
rice.

“By car, perhaps, but surely not
apparating,” he replied, taking a casual sip of the wine.

“Oh, of course not. That's only a
pop away from anywhere in the world. Why didn't we just pop
over to France?”

“Would you like to go?” he
said, eyes twinkling with apparent mischief.

“Ah...” she trailed off,
unable to tell if he was serious or not.

Severus very nearly chuckled at her
apparent discomfiture. She smiled as though she wanted only to say
yes, yet her raised eyebrows belied the fact that she thought surely
he was in jest.

“I think this is far enough
away,”she said at length, beore tucking back into her meal.

“Just as well. We do have a...
border patrol of sorts, and my movements are still somewhat limited
even though my name is technically cleared.”

Lacey barely raised a brow at this as she watched him spoon up the last of his curried chicken,
“even here I'm hoping no one needs me for anything any time
soon. As it is, I'll probably have to account for my whereabouts. I
could very well be considered AWOL. Technically. My movements are
limited too, since I'm on a mission.”

“Did you major not give you an
express order to keep me under a close eye?”

“Yes, how did you--”

“And that whereever I go, you go.
Do I have that correct?”

“Yes, he did.”

“Well,” he said rising and
banishing the empty boxes. “I'm off to bed. Are you coming?”

And with a corner of his mouth
twitching up into that crooked smile, he held out a hand. Unable to
do anything but gasp out a shocked laugh, Lacey drained her glass and
slid her palm into his as he led her down the hall.

Yes, and next there be lemons...

CQ btw = command of quarters; 24-hr
security detail for barracks
- 7
- 8
- 9
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Iron Dragons and Firelegs *COMPLETE*

Iron Dragons and Firelegs COMPLETE