Miss Higgins' Lair

((Approved by Matt))

Marla apparated to outside her apartment and let go of Hershal's hands, smiling at him and slipping her hand in her pocket and withdrawing her key. She turned and unlocked the door, slipping inside and closing the door behind Hershal. Her apartment was pretty empty because she did not like clutter. Her main room was small and she usually spent more time in her bedroom.

It was considerably warmer so she slipped off her black trench and hung her jacket up on a coat rack and looked up at Hershal. "It's not much, but... well..." She shrugged and glanced around, spotting the doorway that led to the kitchen. "Well you have coffee but are you hungry or anything?" She was coming up with a way to get his trust back...

Hershel entered her apartment and looked around, it seemed perfectly normal. He knew now that she didn't have claustrophobia. He chuckled to himself at the dumb joke. It was much warmer in her apartment, he straightened his hat as he took off his jacket. His hat no longer matched, the sweater undeneath was black. He put his jacket up with hers and took the first sip of his coffee. He was still alert, and he needed to be right now. He still couldn't shake the feeling that she was using him.

He watched her go off into the kitchen and he followed. It certainly would be a shame if she turned out to be using him. She was incredibly good looking. He entered her kitchen, it was small but homely. Layton's was large and had practically everything. He lived in a simple two story house in a small town in London. He looked at her as she asked if he was hungry. "Uh, no thanks actually. I just ate," he lied. He didn't trust her enough...but ah well. Maybe he was, at least he hoped, he was wrong.

Marla heard him follow her and she grabbed a plate of cookies that she had set out earlier that day and set it at the counter that sat in the middle of the kitchen. "Oh, well feel free for some cookies. I bought them at the corner store. They're really good." She reached out and took one and nibbled on it before taking a bigger bite and grinning at him as she swallowed.

She reached up and brushed her lips free of any crumbs that might be there and then looked down at her hands and the plate of cookies. With a sigh she looked back at him, biting her lip and closing her eyes. "Okay, look. I lied about something and it's bothering me." She opened her eyes. "I'm not a waitress. I was fired. I was just too embarrassed to admit that I don't have a job right now."

Hershel looked at the cookies, he honestly wasn't that hungry. But she was eating them so he guessed he could have one if he was hungry enough. He wasn't a sweet's kind of person though, he was a salty guy. He lived off of french fries really. He took another drink of his coffee, it was still surprisingly warm. But then she began to eat a cookie and his eyes were drawn towards her lips. But he quickly glanced out the small window that was beside him.

Layton looked up as she began to confess. But he wasn't entirely sure it was the truth, it was very likely that she was never a waitress. And it was almost certain she wasn't embarrassed. But of course, he would play along. "Oh, well don't be embarrassed Marla." he told her. "I'm sure you were just too distracting to the costumers. They were complaining about the incredibly beautiful waitress keeping their husbands from eating or paying attention." he told her smiling.

Marla looked up at him somewhat shyly, though she registered a strange look on his face as he looked away. He had been watching her. He wanted her. But it was also obvious that he did not trust her, that it was not enough to admit she was no longer a waitress, which WAS true... She had just never been one. She really found herself a challenge.

She smiled at what he said, tucking her hair behind her ear and glancing down. "You're sweet." She glanced up at him like making a decision. "And I actually go to the nightclubs a lot. Usually with my friends, but I was flying solo tonight." She felt her cheeks turn a little pink. "Sorry, it's just... You've been really nice and I didn't want to have been lying to you."

Layton was still having troubles believing all of her words. But she certainly was a very good actor...someone like Layton. Oddly this was attractive, a genuine attractivness. He shook out of this and put his game face on. He was holding back, but you don't act on looks. Personality and motives are better to act on than looks. He would last as long as she did, no matter what. But he did enjoy her company a bit, and her challenges were also up to his standard. Althought he was probably smarter than her..she was good.

"Ah, well that's still a step up from me. My teenage niece had to shove me out the door as well to get me to a club." he told her. "I prefer to go on a nice walk, but the weather wasn't nice to me tonight." he told her. Probably one of the few truths he had told that night. He had wanted to go for a walk, but nooo! The weather had to be "freeze your ass off" below zero. "No, it's fine. It's basic instinct for me to be nice."

Marla watched Hershal, still biting her lip and realizing she was still not cutting it. She smiled and said, The weather has never been dependable. And must be nice, naturally being nice. You don't see that very often at all anymore." She watched him, her eyes on his face and then she carefully moved around the counter so she was standing next to him and looked up in his eyes.

"I'm not fooling you," she said, narrowing her eyes as they looked into his, giving him a wry grin. She let the other fake emotions melt off her face, leaving a genuine mischievous expression on her face. "I'm really not used to that, so you must be good." She chuckled, moving closer and shaking out her hair slightly. "So... since you don't believe anything I say... What do you want to know?"

Layton was unsure of her as she began to move to the spot behind him. He was about to say something when she cut him off, he couldn't help but grin. He was looking into her eyes as she was looking into his. He really couldn't help but laugh now, the gloves were off. "You were, but then I let my get some blood." he said grinning suggestively. "I must admit, you are rather good. I've never met anyone that could hold that personality that long before, I like it." he said. He blinked when she shook her hair, the moonlight hit it perfect. This expression was much better than her fake one, and he knew this personality was better. Maybe not for him, but he liked it.

He leaned over towards the light switch and turned it off. "Well, there really isn't much I need to know. I can almost guess everything about you just by watching the way you do things." he said grinning larger now. In his head he was victory dancing and singing. His asumptions had been correct, but there was one last thing he needed to know. And if he could stay the night he knew he was alright. "All I know right now though, is I've enjoyed your company and your challenge." he told her moving closer. They were inches apart now...

Marla smirked up at him, glad to see he was amused because, frankly, she was amused as well. This was supposed to be an easy job, get in, get him to trust her, maybe some physical stuff for fun, and get out and hand the information over to the Death Eaters. But she was going to have to do so in a way she had never tried to before; by being herself. Should be fun.

He moved closer, saying he had enjoyed her company and challenges and finding something even more amusing than before. She did too. She smirked and reached up, her lips meeting his and her hands slid up to her hair, tangling into it. She pulled herself closed to him, wondering if he trusted her now. She smirked. If he did not now, she would make him eventually.