Kate was lying on the couch. For some reason, that morning, she'd woken up after a nightmare about her childhood. This one had been about the many times her parents had locked her in their basement.

She shuddered at the flow of memories, and tried to think of something pleasant. Hogwarts. She hadn't been very popular at Hogwarts, and had escaped to the kitchens quite a lot. She'd gotten to know the house elves, and they'd even taught her how to cook, a little bit.

She never cooked anymore, it brought back painful realizations that she could never go back to Hogwarts, but maybe it would help a little this time? She couldn't think of what else might help.

She found her way to the Malfoy's kitchen, and turned on the lights. It wasn't bright enough, so Kate conjured a few more floating lamps. The kitchen was fully stocked, and Kate tied on an apron, turned on some loud music, and began rooting through the cupboards.

Lenzetta wasn't asleep. She hadn't been sleeping well for a couple of days. Sighing and running a hand through her hair, she got up from bed and made her way downstairs. She saw the light on in the kitchen.

"Id better turn that off."

She opened the kitchen door and noticed Kate was there, looking through the cabinets. "Kate? What are you doing awake?"

Kate jumped back and banged her head on the cabinet.

"OW damn it!"

"Oh.....hi Lenzy.....umm...nothing, really, just um.....well....you know....looking....through the cabinets? Uhhh", Kate looked embarrassed.

"Can't sleep either, huh?" Lenzetta asked, smirking slightly. She walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table. "It's okay, I haven't been sleeping well either," she added.

Kate nodded. "Yeah, pretty much.....I thought I'd come down and.....um......just uh....look around", Kate lied, forgetting she was wearing an apron.

"So did that apron just magically appear on you, oorr...?" she teased as she twirled her bangs between her fingers.

Kate looked down.

"Oh....um...I was just going to do some cooking", she admitted, turning red.

"Oh that's interesting, I dont think ive ever seen you cook...Well actually, ive never seen anyone in this house cook besides the house elves," she said.

Lenzetta got up from the table and went to sit on one of the large counter-tops. "So what are you making?"

(OOC: Kinda joining a lot of things xD)

Leah rubbed her tired eyes, fumbled for her glasses, and whispered, "Lumos."
Her wand flickered to life and she picked it up, making sure he notebook was still residing in her pocket. She decided to go to the kitchen for a late-night snack, not feeling like sleep would come.
She slowly opened the door, surprised when she met with the sight of Kate and Lenzetta talking.
"Oh! Sorry…" she murmured. "I'll leave."

Kate shrugged. "I don't know yet. Any requests?"

"And no....I haven't cooked since Hogwarts. I just couldn't sleep. I've been sleeping really badly lately......", she shook her head and made a face.
"I just keep dreaming about my life before now. And it's really painful", she admitted.

Lenzetta glanced over at Leah and smiled slightly. "No, you don't have to leave," she said politely.

Turning her attention towards Kate, she said "I get nightmares like that too...Want to talk about them?"

"Are you sure? I don't want to interrupt. I just came to grab a snack." Leah fiddled with her notebook.

"Well, great, because I was just feeling like doing some cooking", said Kate, trying to sound cheerful.

"Later", she mouthed to Lenzetta.

"So, what would you like, Leah?"

Dmitry fumbled around, falling out of the basement door way on his back as he tripped over a side table, "Ugh! What the heck..!?" he layed there and looked at the light and shadows from the kitchen. He pouted and got up, strolling to the door way and sneaking a peek, "Hmm... All the ah's.." he whispered, narrowing his yellow orange eyes some at Kate, Lenzetta and Leah.

((Merrr curiosity got the best of meh >.>'))

"Just some chips." Leah reached into the fridge and pulled out a small bag of French fries. "I had these and didn't want them to spoil… I'll leave now."

(OOC: Yeah, me too xD I didn't know how to do this without looking like I was barging in~)

Paul was suffering from writers block. He was working on some songs for a new album-it was 2 am, and he just couldn't think. He needed something to drink, so he headed down to the kitchen.

"That's odd, all the lights are on", he muttered to himself curiously. Upon opening the door, he found quite the crowd-Leah, Dmitry, Kate, and Lenzetta.

"Hey", he said, stepping in. "What are you guys up to?"

He headed over to the fridge and began rooting through it, looking for a soda. Kate had been wearing an apron, and it looked like she and Lenzetta hadn't slept for days. Both seemed kind of odd, but he didn't want to intrude if it was something personal going on.

"Kate," Lenzetta said. "Could you make something sweet? I think Im getting a sweet tooth."

She smiled slightly as Dmitry and Paul entered the room. "What are you two doing up?"

Kate nodded and resumed fishing around in the cupboards. She rubbed her eyes tiredly, having a hard time thinking of something to say.

"I just....um....felt like cooking something", she muttered to no one in particular, as she heaved a 20-pound bag of flour out of the cupboard.

OOC: Okay, you name it, what is Kate cooking? I have no idea, since I don't know what kind of desserts you prefer, XD

Ooc:Hmm... Chocolate chip cookies! XD im actuslly REALLY having a craving for those too...I dont think i have any though D: lol

Lenzetta smiled. "Cookies would be nice...I havent had chocolate chip cookies since I was a girl. My mum used to make the best cookies..."

Kate nodded, and stuck her head back in the cupboard, then began cursing the Malfoys for apparently buying bulk as she struggled to heave a 50-pound bag of chocolate chips out of the cupboard.

Leah whirled around. "Cookies…? I think I might stay awhile for those… that is, if it's no trouble."

As if in response, Kate accidentally dropped the bag on her foot, and began hopping around in pain, cursing.

"Okay. So it's trouble." Leah's face burned as she picked the chips back up.

Dmitry yawned and walked back to the basement, he'd grab grub later..

"No, no trouble", gasped Kate, putting her foot back on the floor.

"Damn Malfoys! Why can't they just buy normal bags of chocolate chips that DON'T weigh fifty pounds?! If you want, Leah, I can just bring you some cookies when they're ready? And maybe you could ask Dmitry or anyone else you might see if they're interested in some chocolate chip cookies?"

"Oh, okay. Yeah, just let me know. I'll ask the others." Leah backed out of the room, relieved to be out of there as it was getting awkward.

Xander apparated into the manor. His hair and jacket were wet, for it had just started raining. He started towards the stairs when he noticed the kitchen light was on, and Leah was just leaving the room.

"She could have at least turned off the light," he grumbled to himself. He walked over to the kitchen to turn off the light. When he opened the door, he was shocked to see so many peoplr in there. "whats going on?"

"Uh....Lenzetta wanted some Chocolate Chip Cookies", Kate muttered, heaving more baking supplies onto the counter and smoothing her apron.

Why was every single bloody person in the Mansion coming to the kitchen for a midnight snack NOW, of all times?
She forced a small smile to Xander. Wasn't his fault.

Xander raised an eyebrow but nodded. "Well...I don't mean to intrude. Let me just grab a towel to dry my hair and I'll be out of your way." He said softly.

"Well, if you want to come back in a half hour or so, you can have some cookies.....I doubt Lenzy could eat all of them", said Kate, turning on the oven.

At some point Dmitry snuck back up, sitting by the kitchen in the shadows the light cast around the doorframe, hood up and hair back in a small ponytail to keep it from showing. Maybe he was eavesdropping... Maybe.

"Yeah I Most likely wont eat them all.." Lenzetta muttered.

"I think I'll pass on them," Xander said as he dried off his hair with a clean dish towel. "...Don't tell Narcissa I was using this for my head...she'd murder me. But thanks for the offer of those cookies..."

Kate didn't noticed Dmitry.

"Fine", she muttered, standing precariously on the countertop to search for mixing bowls in the cupboard.
She peered through one cupboard. Nothing but plates and glasses. She leaned over to the next one. Jackpot! She reached to grab a bowl, not realizing it was part of a stack.
She teetered precariously, and as several bowls crashed to the floor, she began to fall.

Xander was just about to leave when he heard the dishes crash to the floor. He turned back and rushed over to Kate, just being able to grab her before she hit the ground.

"Are you alright?" he asked, trying to hide the annoyance in his voice.

Leah sighed from her room. She decided not to wake the others, but her bedroom shared a wall with the kitchen and she couldn't help but overhear what was happening.
And maybe she wanted to know what was happening.

Kate shrieked as she fell through the air, then stopped as Xander caught her. "Th-thanks", she gasped, eyes wide.

"I should've been more careful", she muttered.

Dmitry snickered in anticipation as he heard things fall. He pouted some when he heard no thud of body to ground. Darn does everyone care so much? He yawned some, biting his lip and tapping his foot without realizing his brains itch to get something. "Damnit foot! Stop " he hissed, tugging on strands of his bangs.

Kate quickly used her wand to magically clean up the shattered plates, and hurriedly set up her ingredients.

"Don't have to sounds so annoyed", she muttered grumpily in Xander's general direction. "It was an accident, okay?"

"If it were my choice, I would call it complete clumsyness...But that's just me." Xander mumbled. "You ladies have fun cooking the old style 'muggle way' I've got things to do anyways." and with that he stormed out of the room.

Lenzetta:
"He's an ass." Lenzetta stated matter-of-factly. "Don't listen to him, Kate. Soo...does cooking calm you down? Is that why you do it or do you just enjoy it?"

Kate shrugged.

"I've been having a lot of nightmares recently", she admitted, turning slighlty red.

"It's just, back when I was at Hogwarts, when things got rough, I used to go to the kitchens. For a time, the House Elves were like my only....friends there. They kind of taught me how to cook a little bit. They kind of saved me, in a way", Kate said, not looking at Lenzetta. She couldn't believe she was admitting it.

"Cooking always made me sad afterwards, since I ended up here, and that part of my life is gone. But I've been feeling really depressed lately, so I thought it might help to remember a little....."

Dmitry straightened his leg out, slightly hoping Xander would come out that door and trip. He leaned back, putting an ear to the wall with a curious frown. Should he make himself known so that the girls don't feel so intruded? Or should he stay incognito? Not like it mattered what they thought of him.

Xander opened the door, not noticing Dmitry's leg sticking out. He stumbled over his foot and lnaded on the floor on his knees.

"What the hell, man?" he said, turning to face Dmitry.

Incognito it is! Dmitry giggled and pulled Xander to the wall, "Hey buddy~!" he slurred some, hugging him and laughing lowly, "You are now eavesdropping on the giiirrrrlllss here, da?!" he smirked at the wall to the kitchen.

Kate whirled around frantically and accidentally dropped a cookie sheet, which crashed to the floor with a bang.

"What was that?!", she gasped, worried that someone might have overheard her talking to Lenzetta.

"Alright, fine," Xander whispered as he moved closer to the wall.

Lenzetta shrugged. "I didn't hear anything," she said honestly as she went over to help pick up the cookie sheet.

"Maybe I'm just paranoid", Kate glanced around suspiciously as she began mixing batter.

"So what's up with you, Lenzy? Have you been having nightmares too?"

"Mm.. I've had a few. It's the same one every time too....First time I had the noghtmare was when I was eighteen...They just started up again a few weeks ago. Strange, huh?" Lenzetta spoke thoughtfuly as she put the cookie sheet on the counter.

"What's yours about?", asked Kate, preferring to hear about other people's problems than focus on her own.

"They're....always about the house fire." She said. "It's funny how... when you hear someone you love scream like they're in pain..you never forget it....Yeah, you never forget that."

Kate nodded. "I'm sure it's difficult", she muttered, giving Lenzetta a hug with one arm, while stirring the cookie dough with the other.