CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN: BREAKFAST
Monday, 15th March 1999
Buffy and Willow sat down to breakfast, Buffy still getting curious glances from every student in the entire school. Many of the braver students had walked past to see her as close up as they could. Buffy just offered them smiles and continued eating breakfast, trying to act as normally as possible. It was interesting not having to hide the fact that she was the Slayer from anyone. It was refreshing, but slightly annoying at the same time.
"Don't look now, but I think Weasley's just completely fallen in love with you," Draco sneered, glaring at the redheaded Gryffindor boy.
Buffy turned to look at Ron, who went a bright shade of red and tried to look interested in his conversation with Hermione. Hermione just offered Buffy a smile and a wave, rolling her eyes at Ron's behaviour.
After a high does of caffeine though, Buffy began bouncing with excitement. "When do you think the others are gonna get here?" she asked, looking at Willow who was enthusiastic about the visit, but no where near as bouncy.
"Professor Dumbledore said sometime this morning," Willow said.
Buffy sighed and continued eating her breakfast.
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Outside in the cool morning air, there was a loud pop as six people suddenly appeared as though out of nowhere. They adjusted to their surroundings quite quickly, and four curious faces turned to look at Hogwarts castle.
"Great googalie moogalie."
"Now why couldn't California have schools like this?"
"It's uh…large."
"Cool."
Giles chuckled at Xander, Cordelia, Joyce and Oz's reactions. He could still remember his own first impressions regarding Hogwarts, and they had been quite similar.
"Come," Professor Dumbledore said, beginning to lead the group of Sunnydale people towards the school. "Knowing Miss Summers, she's probably bouncing on the edge of her seat wanting to see you all."
The group all smiled at the description of the Slayer, all of them able to visualise the often-hyperactive girl.
They made their (wide-eyed) way into the Entrance Hall.
"Perhaps it would be best for me to bring Miss Summers to you," Dumbledore suggested. "I very much doubt she'll be able to contain any loud squeals when she sees you all."
Before anyone could protest, Dumbledore had slipped into the Great Hall, leaving the Scoobies (and Joyce) alone in the Entrance Hall.
Even though the group was in the Entrance Hall, they still heard and recognised the excited squeal that came from the Slayer inside. They exchanged grins and prepared themselves for the Slayer to run out the doors of the Great Hall. They didn't have to wait long.
The doors flew open, and the group barely had time to register what had happened before there were attacked by something with blonde hair. Joyce was the first to be tackled into a bone-crushing hug. She recovered quickly, hugging her daughter back with as much strength as she could muster.
Tears came to Joyce's eyes, and she could feel the tears from Buffy's eyes beginning to seep through her shirt. She just held her daughter tightly and stroked Buffy's hair. It hit her just how much her daughter had missed her in that moment. Almost a full minute later, Buffy finally let go and offered her mother a sheepish smile.
"Miss me?" Joyce teased lightly, her own tears streaming down her face.
Buffy just laughed and squeezed her mother's hand. "Understatement."
The Slayer turned to look at the rest of her friends, all of who were grinning widely. She flung herself at Xander next and found herself being picked up and twirled slightly.
"God it's good to see you again Xand," Buffy whispered.
"The feelings extremely mutual Buff," Xander replied.
She took a step back, leaving her hands on his waist, getting a good look at him.
"You look like you've been working out."
He smiled and nodded. The patrolling he'd done to help cover for Buffy had done wonders for him.
Buffy turned next to Cordelia. The two girls hugged, trying to achieve an air of feigned casualness, but failing miserably.
"You look good Cor," Buffy complimented her.
Cordelia grinned and looked the Slayer up and down.
"And you look like a Catholic school girl, but…hey, we can't all be as perfect as me," Cordelia teased.
Buffy grinned and gave Cordelia another quick hug. "It's good to see that you haven't changed a bit."
Cordelia just rolled her eyes and let go of the Slayer. Buffy then turned to the ever calm and laconic Oz.
"Do we hug?" she asked him.
He flashed her a tooth-bearing grin and stepped towards her, the two shortest members of the Scoobies embracing tightly but quickly.
"I'm excited on the inside," he assured her.
She grinned widely and nodded, wiping away her tears.
Willow exited the Great Hall and grinned widely as she saw the Scoobies assembled in the Entrance Hall. Draco followed behind her, his usual smirk replaced by a neutral expression which, if Buffy had been paying attention, she would have recognised as nervous fear.
"Hey guys!" Willow greeted cheerily. "Isn't this place neat?"
The Scoobies all nodded enthusiastically, and Oz stepped forward to hug his girlfriend. Xander was the first to notice Draco.
"Gah! It's Spike! And…he's shrunk."
Buffy turned and saw Draco looking at Xander in confusion. She smiled and reached her hand out to him. Draco took it and came to stand next to her.
"Everyone, this is Draco Malfoy. Drake, meet the Scoobies. Xander Harris, Cordelia Chase, Oz…uh…just Oz I suppose, and…my mom," Buffy introduced.
Draco's eyes went wide as his girlfriend introduced her mother. He hadn't been expecting her mother to come to Hogwarts. He wasn't sure why he'd thought that, but he hadn't worried about having to meet her mother. He forced himself to calm down and greeted them with his most charming smile.
"Pleasure to meet you all," he said politely.
Buffy smiled, thankful that he hadn't showed the sneering arrogance that he sometimes greeted unfamiliar situations with. It was a nice change.
"There is no way that that's your natural hair colour," Cordelia said. Buffy and Xander looked at her in horror, but Draco just smirked.
"I could say the same to you princess," he replied.
Cordelia's jaw dropped and Xander couldn't help but grin. He definitely liked a guy who wouldn't take any crap from Cordelia Chase. Most men fell all over themselves just to be noticed by the great Queen C, but it was obvious to Xander where Draco's affections lay.
Joyce stepped forward and Draco dropped the smirk. He looked at Buffy's mother and nodded politely to her. Joyce just looked to Buffy for an explanation.
"The two of you are dating?" she asked.
Buffy nodded. "For a little over a month," she replied.
Joyce nodded and quickly mulled over the new information. She sized Draco up quickly. She could tell by the way he held himself that he was the definitive bad-boy. She didn't know what it was about her daughter that made her fall for men with streaks of badness within them, but Joyce also knew that her daughter would never date someone who was completely evil. So, whoever this boy was, he obviously had some good within him to make Buffy want to be with him.
"Does he have a pulse?" Joyce asked.
Buffy flushed and Draco couldn't help but laugh a little. He held out his wrist for Joyce to check. Joyce laughed slightly and made a show of checking for his pulse. When she was satisfied, she nodded happily.
"Well, as long as you treat my little girl right I'll be happy for the two of you," Joyce announced.
Buffy smiled happily, thankful that her mother hadn't just judged Draco based on his appearance. She looked over the group and lost the smile as she noticed the missing member.
"Where's Angel?" she questioned.
"It's kinda sunny outside," Oz answered.
"Dumbledore said he'd go back for Angel and bring him tonight," Cordelia added.
Buffy nodded, grateful that the dark vampire hadn't completely rejected the idea of coming to Hogwarts to see her. She really needed to talk with him and settle everything before she could be completely happy with Draco. Closure only really worked when both people were about to say goodbye to each other.
"So…what do you guys wanna do first?" Buffy asked the group.
She was met by shrugs and general murmurs of the group being unsure. Xander's stomach grumbled audibly, and Buffy just grinned.
"Right on time Xand. We're just in the middle of breakfast anyway," Buffy explained. "Come on."
The Scoobies followed Buffy into the Great Hall, most of the students stopping to stare at the new-comers as they entered. Joyce followed Giles up to the Professors table, while the Scoobies settled themselves at the Slytherin table, much to the excitement of most of the Seventh Year girls.
After a quick round of introductions, and the general confusion over food that appeared magically in front of the Californian group, the Scoobies, though it was mostly just Xander, were eating heartily, talking through mouthfuls of food.
Buffy was content to sit back and watch her much-missed friends. As cliché as it was, Buffy knew that her heart would burst with happiness soon. She'd forgotten just how badly she'd been missing them all. The Scoobies managed to not be too intimidated by the students of Hogwarts looking at them without subtlety.
Xander as always was being loud and obnoxious between bites of food. Oz was quietly speaking with Willow, who was grinning widely as she looked around the room. Cordelia was chatting happily with Blaise, the two girls scaring Buffy by how well they got on.
Buffy smiled happily and leant her head on Draco's shoulder. Draco looked towards her and smiled softly at the look on her face. He pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head and reached for another bread roll, laughing at Xander's comical re-enactment of a Scooby patrol from the previous week using two sausages as a vampire and himself.
He had to admit that Buffy had been right. Muggles weren't as bad as he thought they were. In fact, the Scoobies seemed to be incredibly decent people who would make wonderful friends.
And Draco Malfoy found himself wondering for the first time in his entire life, just what would living in the muggle world be like.
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Sorry for the delay in posting…been nuts around here lately.
I've finally worked out how to end this damn thing (many thanks John for your suggestions…ur brilliant!)
Uh…Lisette, will you start posting Equinox if I update ITB and BoS and AWF…and count this as the WYD update? Cos I'll do it, honest…but you gotta promise.
DKG.