A perky slayer woke them up earlier than they would have liked.

"It's almost eight, yo! You don't get down to the Hall, they're going to think I jigged my parole and offed you!"

Hermione lifted her head from Wesley's shoulder long enough to yell at the door. "You're a Slayer, you should be nocturnal, you crazy bitch."

"I ain't slept yet. And it's always party time somewhere! Come on, travelers, let's get rolling!"

As the slayer moved on, Hermione thumped her head back down on the watcher. "Is she on that muggle drug? The one they talk about on the tele?"

"Do you mean meth, or caffeine?"

"Yes."

Her muffled reply made him smile. "I suspect being out of a confined cell has yet to wear off. I'll take the responsibility for that."

Hermione turned her head to rest closer to his neck. "I think she'd be like that regardless, so don't start guilt tripping this early in the morning. It's going to be a long day, and I'd rather have a bit of a lie in first, if it's all the same."

They stayed cuddled together for almost a half hour, before the previously ignored fireplace danced with green fire. The witch rolled to a reluctant sitting position on seeing it.

"Oh, great Godric, what now? We haven't even gotten up yet, how's the day starting with a floo call?"

A dozen white roses in a vase shot out of the fire, coming to rest on the table in front of her. A sealed letter followed, settling next to the crystal vase. The fire then returned to its normal color.

"Huh," she murmured. She felt Wesley sit up behind her, chin resting on her shoulder.

"Who's sending flowers first thing in the morning? And should I be worried?"

"I have a suspicion, let me read the letter first. But I don't think it's a concern, I don't swing that way. Not unless she's really eloquent, then you can find a way to woo me back."

He slid off the couch, heading towards the washroom. "It wouldn't happen to be from Spain, would it?"

"I think it just might be. Now, go do your thing, and let me read my mail."

By the time he returned, she'd snickered to herself, tried to pull the snarls out of her hair, and performed a teeth cleaning charm. He insinuated himself back onto the couch behind her, chin back on her shoulder.

"So, how much wooing do I need to do?"

She leaned back into him. "Not much, unfortunately. Apparently, Harry took me at my word, and did exactly what I told him to last night. Ginny was so happy to have him do something honest and caring, she knew I had to be behind it." She handed him the letter.

Hermione-

When you left so suddenly, I thought you were the most thoughtless girl on the planet. Sorry, you know I've always been blunt.

I get it now, though. You needed time away, time away from all of it. I do too, and I didn't even know it. You could have told me!

Whatever you said to Harry, thank you. He's been so nice, and cautious, and concerned since the end of the war… and it's driving me bloody MAD! So when he showed up this morning and asked me out properly, with flowers and everything… I knew it had to be because someone gave him a shove.

Thank you, for giving him a shove. I do love him, and I want to marry him, but this passive crap is getting old. Please feel free to shove him again, on my behalf, even if it means you bruise his chest. Again. Seriously, what did he do to make you that mad? I just have to know!

Love-

Ginny

Wesley huffed into her neck on finishing the letter. "So, what sort of shove am I going to need? And who's going to deliver it?" He followed the question with tracing the column of her neck with his nose.

"Oh, I imagine I'll be pretty straight forward and combative, if you make me mad. Like always. We've always fought like rabid ferrets when we're really angry with each other. I can't see that changing." She leaned back into him, her head on his shoulder, throat exposed.

"Usually, yes. You left, last time."

"I didn't. Last time we fought was in my experimental potions lab yesterday. And we worked it out. If you're referring to when I left the Hyperion, I didn't leave, as much as go for back up. You were ensorcelled, you can't blame me for that."

He started to move away, and she caught his ankles with her feet, and dug her hands into his legs. "No, Wes, we don't need to go through that again. I love you."

She felt the tremor in his legs where her hands were fixed, and in his chest against her back. "I'm not leaving, Wesley. I'm here. We're here. I'm fairly certain, from knowing the castle as I do, that we could stay here, on this couch, for the rest of time if we liked.

A knock came from the door. She rolled her eyes, slumping against him. "Right. Way to ruin my moment."

He snickered, kissing behind her ear as she sat up. "Fuck off, Faith!"

"Erm… Hermione? Pomona said you'd be here."

Hermione stood up, shaking out her robes, and looked around at the room for the first time. There was a bathroom off one side of the sitting room, a kitchen further on, and what looked to be a hallway leading to at least one bedroom.

"Wesley? I think Hogwarts just gave us quarters."

"That would explain why your shampoo was in the shower."

"My- you couldn't have mentioned that earlier?"

"It was your shampoo. I then was sidetracked by your hair, and then your ear. Did you really mind?" He followed the statement with a demonstration, and she found that she really didn't. Until the timid knock at the door came again.

She turned and looked at Wesley. There was no way to mask the mussed hair, wrinkled pants, or brilliant gaze. She found she didn't want to. She nodded briskly, and moved to the door.

"So, the day begins."

She was stopped just before she reached the frame, and whirled around. She expected the lips that came down on hers, but she didn't know they'd be so soft. It was a brief, almost hesitant kiss, but it was enough to make her go from happy to gleaming. She beamed up at him, reaching a hand to ghost along his cheek.

"No matter what happens today, we can handle it."

"Together," he nodded firmly.

"Damned right," she said as she turned to open the door.

Wesley was glad he wasn't the type of man to get jealous. Otherwise, he might have had a problem with the way his witch immediately threw herself at the wizard on the other side of the door. The tall, shy looking man caught her in a hug, seeming both elated and uncomfortable at the same time. He gave her a careful squeeze, and set her gently on the ground.

"It's good to see you, Hermione."

"Neville, what are you DOING here? Not that it isn't great to see you, it is. Oh! I'm being rude. Neville, this is Wesley Wyndam-Pryce. Wesley, this is Neville Longbottom, we were in the same year here at school, and we've been friends almost since day one."

The two men shook hands, and the name clicked for Wesley. This man was the son of the tortured Aurors he'd learned about in the Academy. He looked at the younger man with a new respect.

"Mister Longbottom, I've heard many good things about you. Professor Sprout has spoken at length of your proficiency at Herbology."

Neville blushed. "Pomona goes on a bit, sometimes. That's why I'm here, though. She's planning on retiring year after next, and she wants to train me up to be the next Herbology Professor. She's a bit protective of her Greenhouses, and wasn't willing to think about it until I'd gotten some practice in the field."

"Oh, Neville, that's lovely! Minerva's talked me into staying on as the school's Potions Mistress, and Wesley and Faith are staying with me too. Give us another year, and we can find places for half our graduating class!"

"Who's Faith?"

"She's…," Hermione started, trailing off when she realized she didn't really have a description for the Slayer.

"Right here, yo. Kitty Cat sent me to see what the holdup was. Who're you?" She looked Neville up and down like he was a piece of candy.

"Neville Longbottom, I'm-"

"Dude that plant lady's been talking about. Got it. I'm Faith, how's about we mosey on back to the Hall, and let those two change into something they weren't wearing yesterday. And you guys say *I* ain't subtle."

She turned and sauntered away. Neville stared after her, a perplexed and fascinated look on his face.

"Come ON, Nev, or that Flitwick dude is going to eat all the pancakes." He looked at Hermione and Wesley, shrugged, and took off after the brunette.

"Faith?" Hermione called after them. "Retail rules!"

She received a dismissive hand wave from the woman before the pair turned a corner and disappeared from sight. A moment later, arms wrapped around her waist, and a voice murmured in her ear.

"Retail rules?"

"Yes, she and I had a long talk our first day here. She breaks him, she's bought him. I can't let her go around crushing men's hearts all over the castle."

"That could prove to be problematic. She is probably right about our need to change before we face the rest of the staff."

"I did notice that the teachers are even bigger gossips than the students. Although, I doubt any of them would be very surprised."

They returned to the suite, and Hermione wandered down the hallway to explore. There was a small office, which she had expected. There were also two bedrooms, though the castle had obviously meant the smaller to be a guest room. Turning into the master bedroom, her eyes went wide.

The room was fairly dark, as the part of the dungeon they were in didn't have windows. She examined the wardrobe, which the house elves had already unpacked her clothing into. Wesley had only managed to acquire a few pieces since arriving, and they were also in residence. She'd thought that having him rebuild part of his wardrobe would be too much like inviting him to stay. Now, she knew it was.

She glanced briefly into the master bath, noting with delight the enormous bathtub. She was half tempted to throw the idea of breakfast out the window and climb into the tub for the rest of the morning. Beginning to seriously contemplate it, she felt Wesley come to stand next to her.

"Bloody hell, is that a swimming pool?"

"No, it's a wonderfully large bath the castle made available for a witch it knew would spend hours in the tub, given the chance. If we didn't have so much to do today, I'd be running it right now."

"I'd forgotten how much women adored lingering baths."

"Not all women, but this one certainly does. And you never know, when we have the time, I might be able to convince you to see their charm."

"That does make the idea seem more interesting."

His eyes darkened, and he backed her into the door frame. "Are we really that busy?" He punctuated his question by running his nose along her throat, and following it with a small bite behind her ear.

The little it took to make her breathless was a bit of a bother. "I wish we weren't. I-oh!"

It was several minutes later that she finally was able to push him away enough to finish her sentence. "We have to make a stop in Diagon Alley, at least. Possibly Muggle London as well."

"Do we?" he panted, obviously disinclined to agree.

"We really, really do. You need a wand. And more clothes, if you're staying."

He moved towards her when she started speaking, and hesitated at the end.

"You… so, you want me to stay. I-," he was cut off.

"How can you ask me that after last night? I want you to stay. The Castle wants you to stay. Faith wants you to stay. A good deal of today's agenda was made to make you and Faith feel at home here. I can't help it if the idea of showing you how to take a proper bubble bath makes me randy. I'm a grown witch, and we've been dancing around each other for half a year now.

"What time is it?"

He checked his watch, and found it didn't keep time anymore. "I have no idea. My watch was digital."

"We'll get you a proper watch while we're out. But, I expect Faith at the least will be showing up soon for our trip. Best go freshen up."

She turned to leave the bedroom, and her hand was caught. "Hermione, I don't have a spending account in your world. I can pawn off a few books to buy a wand, but I'm afraid I cannot accept your assistance on personal items. It's not fair, after we've taken advantage of your kindness in LA."

"Don't think on it. The wizarding world has a special account for Slayers and Watchers that find themselves in need in our businesses. Believe me; you will need no additional funding."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you don't have to worry about it. From here, we'll go to Gringott's to your vaults, and your only worry is helping me keep Faith from slaying the Goblins. Now go, get cleaned up, and let's see if we can't at least get tea before we leave."

"I don't-"

"Wesley. Trust me. Please."

"I do."

"Then go get cleaned up, before Faith comes hurtling down again."