CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE: REUNIONS
Tuesday, 16th March 1999
The second the two girls had regained their balance, the occupants of Dumbledore's office were all speaking hurriedly, raising their voices trying to be heard above the others. Draco had immediately swept Buffy into a tight embrace. He'd put his lips to hers and hadn't let up. Buffy wasn't complaining though.
Angel watched, his heart breaking slowly as he watched the woman that he loved with another man. He sighed, knowing that he had lost her for good. He had to concede that the boy she'd chosen was someone that he would trust with Buffy's life. He had proven to be useful to them. He'd found the spell that could be used to locate Slayers, and even though it had required a little bit of dark magic, it had proven to be useful for locating both Faith and Buffy.
When the two blonde Slytherins finally pulled apart, Buffy was passed from person to person, being hugged tightly. Faith was completely surprised to be pulled into a hug by Xander and one from Draco as well.
"Thank you," the Slytherin boy said simply.
Faith smiled and nodded. "S'okay," she replied easily.
"Well, it means a lot in any case," Draco told her. He quickly moved back to be beside his girlfriend, his arms easily slipping around Buffy's waist as he stood behind her, her back resting against his chest as he leant his chin gently on Buffy's shoulder.
"You did the right thing," Angel assured Faith quietly.
Faith nodded, taking in the sight of Buffy with Draco's arms wrapped around her.
"So did you," she replied, gesturing to the Slytherin couple. "She looks happy."
Angel smiled, a bittersweet smile that told Faith that Angel wasn't happy about giving the blonde Slayer up, but would do it for Buffy's happiness in any case.
"She does."
Angel moved towards Buffy and pulled her slightly aside. Draco hesitated, but he knew that the two former lovers needed closure. He squeezed Buffy's hand comfortingly, and Buffy pressed a kiss to Draco's cheek before he went to join the other Scoobies in conversation.
Buffy and Angel stared at each other, neither one really sure about what to say to the other. Angel half-smiled at the situation and decided to make the first move.
"How are you?" he asked. "Honestly."
Buffy sighed. "A little shaken up," she admitted. "Kinda really glad that Faith decided to own up to what happened."
Angel nodded, having suspected as much. "We weren't sure it would work, but…I got her to confess on tape in case she refused to go and confess in front of the Council."
Buffy smiled at him genuinely. "Thank you."
Angel just shrugged. They stared at each other, a slightly awkward silence hanging between them.
"Are you happy with him?" Angel finally asked.
A smile crept across Buffy's face at the mere thought of Draco Malfoy. He'd been a godsend to her. She glanced over in Draco's direction, her smile widening as she saw him speaking with both Willow and Joyce.
"I am," she replied, hoping that the truth wouldn't hurt him.
"Do you love him?" Angel asked. He wasn't sure why he was even asking, but he just had to know.
Buffy paused for a moment, thinking over the question. "I'm definitely starting to," she replied. "He's a great guy Angel. Under that whole bad-boy exterior, he's really sweet."
Angel nodded. He'd seen the type before, and he knew without a doubt that Draco Malfoy was a good person. The younger man had been resolute in their need to help Buffy prove her innocence, and had been the one to help locate both Buffy and Faith using a spell that could locate Slayers. It needed big magic that Dumbledore had been the one to actually produce, but it had been Draco's research that had pointed them in the right direction.
"I won't deny that I wish it was me that you're with," Angel said, "but, for what it's worth…"
"You approve?" Buffy finished.
Angel just nodded. Buffy smiled softly and hesitated for a moment before finally stepping forward and hugging her former lover. They lingered for a moment before stepping away from each other, both of them knowing that the chapter of their lives that had been lived together was officially and finally over. They could both move on, and Buffy finally had a sense of closure between herself and Angel.
Twenty minutes later, the hugs were done and the room had calmed down completely. The Scoobies were all still smiling widely, thankful to have Buffy back, and to not have the shadow of the Council hanging over their heads threatening to come in and swallow their happiness. They were completely worry free for the moment, and they were revelling in it.
Buffy looked around the room, smiling contentedly. "I don't know about everyone else, but…I am really hungry," she announced.
Her proclamation was met with gentle laughter as they moved to the door to go down to the Great Hall just in time for breakfast.
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As the Scoobies entered the Great Hall in the middle of breakfast, the entire student body went into uproars. Most, if not all of the Seventh Years were calling out greetings to Buffy, welcoming her back to Hogwarts.
Harry, Hermione and Ron all grinned and waved at their Slytherin friend, all of them thankful that the girl hadn't been harmed in any way. The Scoobies took their seats at the Slytherin table while Giles and Joyce sat up at the Professors table.
Angel found himself seated between Draco and Xander, a strange combination to be sure. Buffy had laughed at his predicament, but Angel had sportingly agreed to stay where he was without too much complaint.
Pansy Parkinson had taken a moment to register Buffy's presence within Hogwarts once more before she had left the table and walked out of the Great Hall. Buffy had sighed sadly, hoping that thing would have changed between them. It didn't look as though it had.
She cast all thoughts of the other Slytherin girl out of her mind and concentrated on eating breakfast with her Sunnydale and Hogwarts friends. She knew that it would only be a matter of time before they had to go back to Sunnydale. But she desperately wanted to stay.
Draco was keeping a tight hold of Buffy, the two teens knowing that they wouldn't have much longer to be together now that the Council had agreed that Buffy was innocent.
"I don't see why we have to go to classes today," Blaise complained good-naturedly. "I mean…we should be celebrating."
Buffy grinned at her best friend and shook her head in mock disappointment. "Honestly Blaise, you should be happy that you got yesterday off."
Blaise shrugged and grinned. "I've been meaning to thank you for that."
Buffy laughed. "Yeah, no problems. I'll try to get dragged off at gun-point more often."
"Kind of an extreme way to get outta class though B," Faith commented.
"Hmmm…no worse than going slaying in the middle of the day," Buffy said with a grin.
Faith just shrugged. "Was fun though wasn't it?"
"Yeah," Buffy replied honestly. "It was."
There was a slight silence within the group as the two Slayer slipped into nostalgic remembrance.
"So…what happens next?" Xander asked.
Draco looked at his watch. "Divinations," he replied.
Buffy laughed. She and Blaise exchanged grins.
"What do you think Trelawney will predict for you this week?" Blaise asked.
"Besides my horrible death at a young age?" Buffy asked. "Probably pain, torture and mayhem."
"Just the way you like it," Xander quipped.
"Personally, I'd be taking out the pain and torture," Oz commented.
Willow turned to look at her boyfriend, one eyebrow raised questioningly.
"Why not the mayhem?" she asked.
Oz just shrugged. "It wouldn't be Sunnydale without mayhem."
Silence once more descended upon the table, and Oz realised slightly too late the faux pas he'd made. He'd mentioned Sunnydale, and it seemed that the Scoobies had had an unwritten rule about not mentioning their home town just yet. Buffy wasn't ready to even begin contemplating the move back home. Draco and Blaise weren't prepared to lose their friend, and the Scoobies weren't sure what exactly would happen if Buffy were to decide to stay for longer.
Cordelia coughed uncomfortably and looked to Xander. He squeezed her hand beneath the table and smiled softly at her.
Blaise suddenly groaned, breaking the silence.
"What?" Buffy asked.
Blaise just pointed towards the double doors, and the group turned to see Pansy Parkinson walking back into the Great Hall, holding something wrapped in brown paper tied with string.
Pansy came to stand behind Buffy. Without saying a word she handed the package over to the Slayer. Buffy took it gingerly, her eyes meeting Pansy's. The other Slytherin girl met Buffy's eyes for a moment before looking away.
"Think of it as a thank you," Pansy finally said. With that, she turned and walked away.
Buffy swivelled back to face the others at the table, the package in her hand.
"What is it?" Blaise asked curiously.
"Brown paper packages, tied up with string," Xander said.
"Those are one of my favourite things," Willow finished.
The two best friends grinned at each other. Oz smiled indulgently as Cordelia rolled her eyes. Buffy chose to ignore the comments that went over all of the Slytherins heads, the muggle reference completely lost on them.
She untied the string and carefully unwrapped the paper. She gasped, a grin coming to her face as she took in the green material beneath her fingers.
"What is that?" Cordelia asked, her radar for clothing going off immediately.
Buffy grinned and held up the green and silver turtleneck jumper, and the emerald green cloak.
"It's a Quidditch uniform," Buffy explained to her Sunnydale friends.
"Quidditch?" Willow and Xander asked simultaneously.
"Wizarding sport," Buffy explained.
"Parkinson got kicked off the team," Blaise explained. "And everyone heard about how you managed to score a goal with a bloody bludger the other day, so…well, we figured that you'd make a brilliant Chaser to take over for Parkinson."
"The game's on Saturday," Draco said. "Gryffindor versus Slytherin."
Buffy looked at her boyfriend in awe. "You want me on the Quidditch team?"
Draco nodded enthusiastically. "I've seen you fly, Summers. You're amazing. And if you can score goals with bludgers, imagine what you can do with a quaffle."
Xander leaned towards Willow. "Why are they playing sports with waffles?"
Willow rolled her eyes and ignored Xander's silliness.
"So now the real question is, will you still be here on Saturday?" Blaise asked.
Buffy grinned. "As if I'd miss the Slytherin versus Gryffindor game for anything in the world!"
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Okay, so that's it from me until about the 29th of Dec. Merry Christmas to you all! Hope you guys don't stop reading/writing/updating and all that's sorta fun stuff. Enjoy your Christmas' and don't get sunburned! (Dreaming of a Green Christmas.)
DKG.