AN: Do you really want to wait another minute? Chapter first, apologies after.

A Bicycle in the Family Tree

Part 20

Click.

Click.

Click.

Clickclick.

"What do you think, Buffy?"

Clickclick.

"Buffy?"

Buffy jumped and dropped the pen.

"Sorry, what?" she said, picking it up.

Giles gave her an exasperated look.

"Do you think you're dawn or dusk?"

She blinked.

"The prophecy, Buffy… remember?"

She rolled her eyes.

"I remember. I don't know… dusk?" she guessed.

Her Watcher sighed.

"It's not an exam, Buffy."

"Then why the sudden demand for an answer? I don't know any more about it than the rest of you."

"I just thought…"

"I'll bet the Buffster is dawn," interrupted Xander. "What, with all the shiny yellow hair."

Cordelia glared at Xander. So did Buffy.

"My hair is so not 'yellow,'" she said.

The rest of the room looked at her.

"Well, it's not," she pouted. "It's blonde."

"Doesn't matter," said Faith. "D's hair is even more blond."

The group turned its attention to Draco.

"Actually, it's more white."

"Would that make it dusk?"

"Why is dusk white? That doesn't make sense."

"Like you're coming up with better ideas. Honestly, hair color?"

Click.

Click.

Clickcli—

"Give me that," said Draco, snatching the pen from Buffy's hands.

"Sorry," she said. "This is just…"

"Boring, I know," agreed Draco. "That's why I wanted the pen. It's my go."

Buffy rolled her eyes.

"Fine."

She looked back at the room.

"Okay guys, enough about my hair. Which is not dyed, by the way."

She ignored the disbelieving stares.

"We need to figure out this thing, and we need it done yesterday."

"Yesterday? Isn't that kind of impossible?"

Buffy glared at Ron.

"Oh, you're right, I must've meant tomorrow. Ass."

She looked back at the rest of the room.

"Okay, we can't seem to work together, so let's split up. Scoobies in here, wizards in the kitchen."

Draco frowned.

"I don't want to work with them."

"Neither do I," muttered Snape.

"I'm a witch, not a wizard," pointed out Hermione.

"And technically—"

Giles slammed a large book onto the coffee table.

"Who has an elsewhere to be?" he said, a Ripper-like look in his eyes.

"Band practice," said Oz, standing.

"Shopping," said Cordelia.

"Slaying," said Faith. "Eventually."

"Donuts," put in Xander. "Want to come, Ron?"

There was general shifting as people left. Giles looked at the reduced, and somewhat cowed group, and nodded in satisfaction.

"Right," he said. "First of all, what is the year of the war?"

He looked to Harry.

"It's sort of an on-going thing, I think. I've had a battle with Voldemort the past five years."

"A battle, really, or just a fight?" asked Buffy.

Harry frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, a battle would be bigger, and an all out thing. Like… a war has, you know, lots of people on both sides. Just a fight can be… one on one."

"I've fought. People died. It sucked," said Harry flatly.

There was an uncomfortable silence.

"Maybe," said Hermione finally, "it hasn't begun yet. If anything, we could consider that both sides are currently preparing for a war. Gathering troops, if you will. Maybe the war begins when we start it."

Giles nodded.

"That may well be true," he said.

As he and Hermione continued to talk, with occasional ideas thrown in by Willow, Buffy casually made her way towards Harry. He was sitting with his arms crossed and an angry look on his face.

"What's up?" she asked softly.

"Nothing."

"It's the most pout-inducing nothing I've ever seen."

"Well, it's really none of your business, is it?" he hissed.

Buffy sighed.

"I know this is hard, this… sharing of responsibilities and trusting strangers, but you really need to get over some of your issues."

"And you really need to mind your own fucking business," yelled Harry.

Once again a silence fell over the room as everyone turned to stare at Buffy and Harry. Buffy stood stiffly by the couch, hands clenched. She was torn between turning Harry into the Boy-who-lived-to-regret-it and simply breaking down and crying. She opted for a graceful exit, making her way to the front door instead.

Once outside, Buffy sat on the curb and waited. Someone was bound to come out and make sure she was okay, so she might as well be ready for yet another heart-to-heart.

Buffy sighed. There had been so many emotional revelations recently, she was itching for a good fight. Then she remembered that the Death Eater attack had occurred only hours ago. It felt more like months.

"It's been a long day," said Buffy out loud, hearing someone walk up behind her.

"I'll second that," said Harry.

Buffy looked up.

"You," she said unenthusiastically, turning back to face the street.

"Yeah. Listen, I'm sorry about snapping at you just now," he said.

"Uh huh."

"I really am."

"Okay."

"I know you were only trying to help, and I certainly didn't have the right."

"Uh huh."

Harry paused, staring at her unresponsive face.

"I know you probably don't even care," he continued, "but I really am sorry."

"Uh huh," said Buffy. Then she sighed and ran her hand through her hair.

"It's okay," she said, turning to face him. "I do care, and I'm glad you apologized."

Harry grinned in relief.

"Good. I mean, I'm really so—"

"I know. It's cool," said Buffy. "We're cool."

She gave him a genuine smile.

"I do know what it's like, you know," she said. "We don't have to bond right now, but if you ever need to talk…"

Harry nodded.

"Thanks."

Buffy stood and brushed off the seat of her pants.

"Coming back in?" she asked.

"Not just yet."

He waited for the inevitable argument about how he shouldn't be out and alone, putting himself and the entire wizarding world at risk, but Buffy simply nodded and walked back into the house.

Harry sat and watched the sun as it began to set. He heard footsteps behind him.

"Let's make this short and sweet, Potter," drawled Draco.

Harry immediately stood and reached for his wand.

"Oh, relax, Scarhead," said Draco. "I'm not after your virtue."

"What do you want, Ferret Boy?"

Draco frowned.

"Stay away from my sister."

Harry blinked.

"You think… Buffy? And me? We've only just met. And I'm not doing very well with first impressions, either."

He tried to walk passed Draco.

"You have nothing to worry about on that score, Malfoy," continued Harry with only the smallest amount of bitterness.

"Obviously, if you try to date my sister, I'll kill you. But I'd really rather you stay away from her altogether. After all, the people around you always seem to end up hurt, or worse."

The moment the words were out of his mouth, Draco regretted them.

"Look, Potter," he began, "I didn't—"

He was interrupted by a fist to the face.

"Bloody hell, Potter," said Draco, wiggling his jaw. "You hit like a girl. Worse, even."

Harry squared off in front of him and put up his fists.

"I mean, even Hermione hit me harder than that," continued Draco, ignoring Harry's attempt at a pugilist stance.

Harry stared at him, dropping his hands to his sides.

"What are you playing at, Malfoy?"

Draco looked at him and shrugged.

"All of a sudden you're no longer a Death Eater, you've got a sister, and you're helping to save the world while at the same time remaining a prat, warning me off your sister and saying… things like that to me."

Draco sighed.

"I didn't mean it."

Harry looked at him in disbelief.

"Well, I did, but I shouldn't have said it. Sorry."

Stunned, Harry checked to make sure his jaw hadn't dropped.

"What about the rest of it?" said Harry finally.

"That's really none of your fucking business, is it?" replied Draco in a cheerful voice, turning and walking back up the path. As he reached the door he paused and half turned.

"I was never a Death Eater," he said before opening the door and walking back inside.

Harry stood and stared at the door for a moment before turning to look up at the sky. The sun was beginning to set.

"A very, very long day," he murmured and went back into the house.

AN again: So, uh… come here often? I was really torn about a lot of things recently, like finishing this fic or pretending it never existed, taking an apologetic stance or being defensive, ordering beef or chicken…

… so I decided to try to finish the fic, apologize for the wait (sorry) and be defensive (I had a lot going on and I owe you nothing). Incidentally, I had pasta.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed, even those who simply whined or swore. Every single nag helped me come to my final decisions. So: dragonbrat, Robin R. Smith, Guardian of The Balance, Chosentwo4381, pencil gal, DRACOATW, Raclswt, ShotbyanEmu, charmedfanatic3000, TallieCat, penny, A Watcher, Draco's Slytherin Vampiress, welshcariad, Fianna, Watcher Tale Neith, becks89, ElizabethV, Whisper2AScream, Lanhar, Chelle86, Anne-Marie, Renna, wolfg07, Holli, lilbratz1, Village-Mystic, Lexinator, Ezmerelda, Light Spinner, Chocolate Kitten, Kandice, Annje, CelticHeiressFiona, Birdgirl, Dueling Destiny, caribear, NicolaAfyon, ScruffyWes, Rosie W, jezowen, and ShawThang. You guys are fan-freaking-tastic.

Eris