Alexis was buttoning up her coat, preparing for the brisk October evening, when Demetri walked in through the door.
"Well, you made quite the impression on Harry," he said.
"Did I?" Alexis asked absentmindedly.
"He can't seem to decide whether you're suspicious or you'd make a great Auror."
Alexis shrugged.
"What did you say to him?" Demetri frowned at her.
"Nothing," Alexis answered. "I stuck to the script."
"Bullshit." Demetri's eyes fell to her coat, suddenly noticing it. "Going somewhere?"
"I'm meeting someone." Alexis tried to get around Demetri but he grabbed her arm, pulling her back.
"Who?" he asked skeptically.
"It doesn't concern you." She tried to get around him again.
He threw out his arm, blocking her path. "Lex." His voice rang with warning.
Alexis sighed. "If my calculations are correct, I'm going to meet Draco Malfoy."
Demetri's annoyance turned into surprise. "Draco Malfoy? How?"
"You're not the only one with connections, Becker."
Demetri studied her face. "You're not going alone, Lex."
"Like hell I'm not." Alexis scoffed. "Move."
"It could be dangerous."
"I think I can handle a 20 year old kid, Demetri."
"It could be a trap," Demetri offered.
"You don't think I've thought of that?"
"I know you're smart, Lex, but-"
"But nothing." Alexis squeezed passed Demetri, her hand resting on the doorknob. "I'll be fine."
"Just let me cover you, please."
"I can't stop you," Alexis said. "Just stay out of my way."
"I always do."
Alexis shot a dirty look to Demetri before walking out the door.
Alexis walked into a dirty and crowded bar on the outskirts of London. She saw Demetri, who had come in earlier, seated in the corner, facing straight toward the bar with his arms crossed. She looked in the direction of his stare and saw a blonde man sitting on a stool, cradling a drink.
Alexis sat beside him. The man looked down at his drink, seemingly oblivious to Alexis.
"Gin and tonic," she said to the bartender.
She got her drink soon after and took a few sips before turning to the man.
"Cold night," she said.
The man grunted in response.
From the corner of her eye, she looked at his face. He looked like he hadn't shaved in a few days, his skin was rough and dark circles formed under his eyes. He took a long sip of his drink and she noticed his hands shaking. He wore a baseball cap that shadowed his face but the lights of the bar did not help to conceal his appearance.
Alexis took the last sip of her drink, slamming in down on the bar harder than she meant to. The man jumped. She eyed him warily.
The man motioned toward the bartender and ordered another drink. As he reached into his pocket, Alexis was quicker. She threw money onto the bar.
"I've got it," she said with a smile.
The man didn't even look at her as he muttered thanks.
The bartender refilled both their drinks.
"So what brings you out here on a Tuesday night?" she asked.
The man finally looked at Alexis, as if just realizing she was there. "Sorry, I'm not in the mood to talk. I'm waiting for someone."
Alexis chewed her bottom lip before trying again. "Draco?"
Draco's head shot up quickly, his back straightened and his eyes went wide. His mouth moved but nothing came out.
"Harry isn't coming," Alexis told him. "He sent me."
"Is this a trap?" Draco asked, his head turning to look toward the exit.
"Relax." Alexis took a casual sip of her drink. "I'm not here to arrest you. Besides, I don't think I could after your father bribed the Ministry. Your records are almost wiped clean."
Draco eyed Alexis, taking her in.
"So that makes me wonder, why hide?" Alexis asked.
"You work with Potter?" Draco asked.
Alexis noted how he avoided her question. "You could say that."
"So you work with the Ministry," Draco stated.
Alexis let out a laugh. "No. I don't."
"What do you want from me?" Fear struck his hardened features.
"I just want to chat."
"Bull," Draco said. "How did you find me?"
"You weren't hard to find," Alexis said, taking another sip of her drink. The bar was filled with laughter and chatter. "Your father, on the other hand, is another story."
"You're looking for my father?" Draco asked, his head turning toward the exit again.
"Draco, if you try to run, I will kill you." Alexis took another sip of her drink as she allowed Draco to process her words. "I'm assuming you've figured out who I am by now."
"Do we know each other?"
"You know of me." Alexis watched the bartender wipe the counter as he spoke to an older lady. "I believe you're the one that warned Karkaroff of me."
Draco's eyes grew wide with recognition.
Alexis looked him up and down. "Not the sharpest tool in the shed, are you? Anyway, like I said, run and you die. Painfully."
"You'll kill me anyway," Draco said. "You kill all Death Eaters."
"You're right, I do. But I won't kill you if you cooperate."
Draco shook his head. "Why should I believe you?"
Alexis eyed the boy, his face tired and aged beyond his years. A pang of pity crept up. "I don't blame you for what you did."
Draco gripped his drink harder, as if flashes of memory haunted his mind. "You don't?"
"No," Alexis said, barely above a whisper. "You were just a boy, barely 17." Alexis looked down at her glass, watched the tiny ripples of gin forming in her drink. "We've all done stupid things for the ones we love. It's not your fault your father fucked up and got you into a mess you had no right being in."
"How do you know this?"
Alexis glanced at him. "You can find any information if you know where to look."
Draco chugged the rest of his drink, slamming the empty glass back down on the bar.
"Where's your father, Draco?" Alexis asked, watching him.
"Why? So you can kill him?"
"Just answer the question."
"You seem resourceful, you can't figure it out?"
"I have leads. I want to know which to pursue first." Alexis flagged down the bartender.
"What do you know?" Draco asked.
Alexis paid for the bottle of gin, and the bartender left. She poured them each a glass. "You really think I'm stupid enough to answer that? I will tell you that I know you aren't hiding with your parents. I know that you're tired of hiding, Draco. You want to go back to a normal life, get married, maybe have a kid or two. Which is why you agreed to meet with Harry."
"Sounds like you know a lot about me but not much about my father."
"Which is why I'm here," Alexis said. "You're going to tell me what you know about your father."
Draco scoffed. "Why on earth would I sell out my own father?"
"Well, for starters, he almost got you killed during the second war, he constantly put you in harm's way and got you involved with the most dangerous wizard to ever live." Alexis took a sip of her drink. "But if all that doesn't convince you, I will also make sure that you get integrated back into the wizarding community in London. I have a Ministry job lined up for you and everything. That's if you agree to help me."
Draco looked at Alexis, his mind working hard. He gulped down the rest of his drink before answering. "What do you want to know?"