One Different Choice [Lucius & OC]

An Unwanted Encounter

Disclaimer: All belongs to J.K. Rowling (except for my Elizabeth Rennold).

oOo

The first anniversary of the Second Wizarding War was hard on everyone. Death, loss, grief... they were still very fresh to each person present that night. Lucius stood in his usual dark corner and carried his glass of wine. He never stopped remembering his wife and son. The war did not only take away his family but also his will to carry on. However, he owed his life to people who saved his ass at the last moment, despite how he disliked most of them. So in his perfect appearance, Lucius Malfoy would attend this event, be a good wizard, and play his role faultlessly. Sometimes, he wondered what life would be like if he had not followed his father's track or blindly listened to Voldemort. Probably, he would have a very different life.

While Lucius was once again letting his mind go through many possible things that could happen, Elizabeth was sitting in their office and going through all the paperwork. It seemed like something that would never change in this life. The Ministry people still enjoyed dumping shitty papers down to their office. Potion's registration? What is it doing here? She sighed boringly as she regrouped some of the paperwork. She seriously had to make a complaint regarding these stupid sorting systems.

Sitting there, she regretted not going to the party with Lucius. He asked her again last night before they left the office, but she did not have the confidence to be in that place so soon. So she declined his invitation one more time. However, to her surprise, Lucius seemed to like her answer very much. It was a rare sign to see his happy expression. In her memory, he used to be like Severus, only a little bit lighter because she worked with him. However, he was not much of someone who would show his feelings that easily. She was not sure what had changed that, but she really liked to see him like that. Much more human, much more happier.

"You should change your protection charm," Lucius pointed out her rather weak charm while he was waiting for their dinner.

"Well, it can keep out the Muggles and some of the unwanted visitors," she explained as she tasted her soup.

"It's still a dangerous time, Liz," Lucius shook his head and took a walk around her little space.

For a short moment, she wanted to turn around and tell no, but when her eyes caught his worried expression, just a sigh escaped her lips. She could not understand or even explain his care for her even since in a different lifetime. She had thought that he took her into his wings as a daughter, but those eyes back then in that small room, were not from a father to a daughter. It was something else entirely. However, she did not want to head in that direction, fearing something might go wrong again. She would rather have him like a friend, a very close friend, or a father-figure... anything, because being alone... was very scary.

"That is... very interesting," he suddenly commented.

"What is interesting?" she curiously asked.

"Try to feel your magic then," he requested.

Elizabeth's eyebrows knitted in confusion but still followed his request. When she closed her eyes and let the magic sing, an unfamiliar but warm wave entwined with her magic. It couldn't be... She murmured to herself as she immediately turned around and looked at Lucius. Their magic completed each other... beautifully. But it cannot be!

Elizabeth was staring blankly again, but this time it was not about a long lost memory but something much more recent. She remembered his joyful face as she recognized the strange sensation between the two of them. Somehow, she had a feeling this was something they were both waiting for a long time. Neither of them fully understood the event, so Lucius promised her he would take a look in his library to see if there was an explanation of what happened to their magic.

"Looks like Lucius was right."

Her dreamy smile suddenly froze when the voice spoke out. She was very confident in herself as she stood there a few days ago watching Miss Granger and him together. However, now, in this very small office, all of her confidence disappeared as if it was never there in the beginning. That voice, that haunted sound was always lurking in the back of her head. For a split second, she found herself in the small bedroom back in Cokeworth. It was dark with a small flick of light from the candle and he was there, standing angrily at the door. What did she do wrong this time? Did she leave her things outside? Did she breathe too loudly? What did she do...

Severus looked at the girl's expression and changed from nervous to completely horrified in just a minute. He could not explain why she seemed to be terrified of him. He was sure that she was not one of his students. And from what Lucius had been telling him, the girl did not fear Death Eaters either, due to the relationship she had with Lucius and the old man was rather nice to her. This expression was completely different from the one he saw a few days ago. Back then, it was like she finally let a burden down when their eyes met. Now, she looked at him like a monster escaped from her nightmare.

"Did I scare you?" he asked, wanting to lighten the atmosphere.

He waited and waited but only silence remained in that room. She had not made a sound since he entered the room. He did not know why he chose to leave the party and lately found himself heading to her office. He promised Lucius he would not bother the girl, but something in her made him feel familiar. Now, standing there and looking at her, his suspect suddenly returned. No, it couldn't be... She was not seeing Severus Snape standing in that office. She was seeing an abuser approach his prey...

"What did I... do?"

His voice was so soft and sounded unfamiliar. She never heard him speak in such volume to her. His usual tone was cold, displeased, or simply angry. She thought her ears were playing to her again so she finally looked up.

The room was dark and quiet as usual. With the flickering light from the nearby candles, their movement was not clearly visible, but Severus Snape and his usual sharp sense noticed her little reaction. When their eyes met in the middle of the room, he could fully see the fear and the uncomfortable feeling that was lingering in her eyes. She was afraid of him. Truly afraid... Almost like the look his mother gave his father...

However, that small flick quickly disappeared as Elizabeth moved her eye contact away from Severus.

"If... if you are looking for Mister Malfoy, he's... he's not here," Elizabeth tried her best to speak, but the shaking was visible.

Severus could not describe what just happened and it was making him very annoyed. He wanted to ask her more about her strange reaction but seeing how afraid she was, the idea had to be put on hold.

"I see," he said softly. "I will look for him some other time."

Severus turned around and headed out of Lucius's office, leaving behind a shaking young woman who had to hold on to the chair to keep herself from collapsing. His footsteps were slowly fading in the background but she did not dare to look where he was gone, fearing to see those eyes again. She sat like that, unmoved for a long period of time and unaware of her surroundings.

oOo

A/N: Yes, I am back after 4 years. Let's continue with Lucius and Elizabeth <3