Chapter 29
The Village
Harry woke up early on Saturday morning, feeling a flutter of excitement in the pits of his stomach.
Today was his first day in Hogsmeade since he'd been suspended from going to the village the year before by Umbridge. It was also his first outing since he had been placed in house arrest. Professor Dumbledore was so fearful that Harry was going to do something radical that he had revoked his privileges.
Hearing voices around him, Harry lifted sleepy eyes to see Seamus and Dean pulling on their robes, talking excitedly about Dean's plans with Ginny that day. Apparently Dean was planning on having a serious talk with the youngest Weasley girl at the same cafe that he and Cho had visited the past Valentine's Day. Flushing a bit on the fact he'd just eavesdropped on their private conversation, Harry cleared his throat. Both Dean and Seamus looked at him as Harry stood up, wrapping himself in a fluffy robe.
"Good morning, you two," Harry said in a low voice.
"Good morning, Harry!" Seamus said enthusiastically. "Do you have any idea what you're going to do at Hogsmeade?"
"I was hoping I could spend some time with my sister," Harry replied. "I haven't seen her that much in the past few weeks except for Quidditch practice. We've both been so busy."
"That's a good idea, mate," Ron said, walking back into the room, fully dressed. "And don't forget that your two best friends that you've been labeling as 'expendable' lately."
"I won't," Harry promised.
"Besides, she's probably meeting you-know-who in Hogsmeade," Ron said with a maddening grin.
Harry put down the robes he'd been lifting from his trunk, turning to regard Ron with a curious expression.
"She hasn't seen him in over a month," Ron explained, as though this settled it.
"You've been spending way too much time around Hermione," Harry replied.
Hermione met them downstairs. She was grinning as Ron and Harry joined her and the trio went off downstairs to breakfast.
Buffy was already there, which surprised Harry. She was usually the last seventh year to emerge from the dormitory on weekends, and yet there she was. Her hair had been pulled up today, making her seem more distinguished somehow. "Good morning, you guys!" she greeted, waving at them.
Harry waved back at her and sat as close as he could to where she was sitting. It was hard, since she was flanked by both Emma and Tess, both who were eagerly telling Buffy about Zonko's Joke Shop and the Shrieking Shack.
"Don't forget we have Quidditch practice at six," Katie reminded Buffy, who nodded and finished her muffin.
As the rest of the seventh years left, Buffy called out, "I'll catch up with you guys in the village!" Once they'd disappeared, she stood up and walked down to where Harry and his friends were sitting, managing to catch a seat next to Ron, who sat across from her brother. "What are you guys doing today?" she asked cheerfully.
"Same thing you are," Ron said, grinning at her. "Not that you need anything from a joke shop with all those packages Fred and George have been sending you."
Buffy laughed and shook her head, tears springing into her eyes. "Your brothers are definitely two of a kind," she said, touching Ron's shoulder affectionately.
"And yet you somehow seem to like Percy more," Harry said, wrinkling his nose. Buffy turned to him, looking wounded, until she started giggling.
"He's my friend, Harry. Get used to it. I'm pretty sure you didn't want to share all of your friends with me."
"Well," Harry said slowly, "it's probably better than you spending time with someone who doesn't really like me."
Buffy sighed slightly and folded her hands, her chin gently touching down on her enclosed fists. "I definitely don't want to condone any of his actions," she finally said in a quiet voice. "But I will tell you he's more than just responsible and determined."
"Right," Ron said gloomily. "You haven't known him as long as I have."
"Or maybe," Buffy said softly, "you don't know him at all."
"Does your boyfriend know you're defending another man?" Harry asked irritably. It seemed lately as though every conversation with his sister ended in an argument. The one after Quidditch practice earlier in the week had been particularly nasty. Ron consoled him saying that it was normal for siblings to act this way. Hermione just recommended him a book on how siblings normally got along. Harry knew he should just chalk it up to teenage hormones, but he just couldn't. He wanted things to be right between him and Buffy, and he knew that he was going to have to swallow his pride and tell her everything before it came from someone else. He had to be brave for her. He just had to be.
Because he was unable to leave the castle, Buffy had gone with Lupin to Grimmauld Place. She returned a few hours later, looking like she had just strayed through a dream. Apparently they had talked the entire afternoon about Lupin's days at Hogwarts, and for this Buffy seemed grateful.
However, it led to animosity between the siblings. She never answered his questions anymore and instead just snapped or retorted back another answer or changed the subject completely. Their conversations were ending in arguments a lot lately. Harry had seen Buffy in Percy's company twice that week since the Weasley man had been invited to Hogwarts as part of a Ministry task force sent to protect the students, namely the Potters.
To Harry's surprise, Buffy just smiled benignly at him. "Percy did a very noble thing already for me," she said calmly. "I owe him a great deal."
"If he does anything out of line..." Harry said in a threatening tone.
Buffy's benign look quickly changed to a look of sheer annoyance. "You really are my brother," she said in a low voice. "Did you want to do something today?" she asked, changing the subject.
"With you?" Harry asked, his eyebrows lifting as he regarded his sister coolly. "I suppose I can always show you the Shrieking Shack and tell you the real story behind it, and not the one Emma and Katie have been telling."
"Their version is probably funnier," Buffy said with a small sigh.
"Are you seeing Oliver today?" Hermione asked her with interest.
"I'm meeting him around lunchtime," Buffy replied.
"That gives you and Buffy a few hours to spend some time alone together," Hermione said, automatically slipping into the organized role she was suited in. "Ron and I have to do something on our own, don't we?"
Ron stared at her pointed expression for a moment before turning back to Harry, realization dawning in his eyes. "That's right! Hermione and I have... that project! Yeah!"
Harry just shook his head at his two best friends, trying to cover something up by failing miserably. They were so closely knit, he could tell immediately when one of his friends wasn't being truthful.
But the thing was, Hermione was doing her best to keep her face frozen in a mask. She had to talk to Buffy before the older girl could tell her brother anything. Hermione had never hidden something this large from either one of her best friends before. And her friendship with Ginny had certainly improved in the past few weeks since Ginny had come to her that night in the library.
Hermione took Ron by the arm and practically dragged him outside, where Argus Filch was collecting permission slips from the third year students who were gathered excitedly near the entrance, ready for their first trip into the Wizarding village. Harry and Buffy followed a short time later.
Harry was disgusted to see Percy Weasley standing with the Caretaker at the entrance, looking slightly apprehensive. He hadn't wanted to see the older Weasley at all. But Percy had seen Buffy and was moving to greet her. "Good morning, Potters," he said in a kind voice, bowing his head at each one of them.
Harry was slightly taken aback, but Buffy leaned forward and hugged Percy, grinning. "Good morning, Perce," she said. "You here with the Ministry?"
Percy nodded and gestured to the other Ministry representatives. "We're just here to protect the students," he said, as the three of them started walking off after the third years skipped ahead of them. "I'll see you later," he said, clearly seeing Harry's moody scowl, which Buffy seemed indifferent to.
"Bye!" she said, waving after him. Turning, she took Harry's hand playfully. "So, what do you want to show me first?"
"Everything," he said, feeling better now that Percy had left them. "I think it's time to show you everything."
An hour later, Buffy felt as though she were back at Diagon Alley or walking through the doors of the castle for the first time. "This is awesome," she said in an awed voice, staring at the beautiful little shops and the witches and wizards scurrying about, all looking thrilled.
Harry had taken her to the Shrieking Shack first, telling her the real story about Lupin and how the shack had been created for him. Once he told her that the shack wasn't really haunted, he noticed that she sighed audibly and mumbled something about not being able to see poltergeists out of rotton, dumb luck.
After that, he took her on a long tour through the town, walking back and forth between the little shops and cafes. Of course, he couldn't resist talking about Honeydukes. She looked especially keen on that.
"Do they have chocolate?" she asked, her voice tinged with interest.
"They have everything," he assured her, grinning.
"That might have to be checked out later," she said, looking longingly at the shop. "What's that over there?"
"The Beetle at Bay," Harry replied, blushing slightly. "It's more of a spot for couples."
"Really?" Buffy asked him with keen interest. To Harry's shock, she pulled on his hand and dragged him over to one of the diagonal side windows to peer inside. It was a quaint little coffee shop, she realized. She hadn't been expecting anything like The Bronze, but she missed her old hangout at home.
Harry blushed furiously when he saw Dean Thomas and Ginny Weasley inside, holding hands and talking over their small wrought-iron table. Ginny was turning steadily redder while Dean kept averting his eyes and looking over her head.
"Must be a serious talk," Harry muttered as he finally managed to wrench his sister away from the window.
"Sorry," she apologized, a faint bit of pink in her cheeks as well. "I really just wanted to see if the hormones around here are the same as the place I left behind."
"I can assure you they are," Harry said quickly, spotting The Three Broomsticks. "Want to have a butterbeer with me?"
"Oh?" she asked, turning to look at him. She'd been looking to see if she could find Oliver. They still had about a half hour before she was going to meet him, but she was hoping to spot him nevertheless. "I suppose we could... wait... butterbeer? As in beer?"
To Harry's horror, Percy was inside with the Ministry representatives. He groaned when Percy waved them over so that he could introduce his friend Buffy to his coworkers. Buffy acted like the charming Potter sister Harry knew she was. He was also uncomfortably aware of the arm wrapped casually over his sister's tiny shoulders as he spoke.
He was going to have to ask her about that.
"What are you doing here?" Percy asked as he excused himself from his coworkers and led the Potter siblings away. "I thought you were meeting--"
"I wanted to show her the place," Harry said quickly, scowling. Percy wasn't even looking at him and seemed to pay no attention to him.
"Harry wanted to show me what a butterbeer was," Buffy said quickly, reaching for Harry's hand and stepping from Percy's embrace. "As for meeting you-know-who, I'll meet him in about a half hour."
"I hope you enjoy it," Percy said with a mock-scowl. After saluting her, Percy disappeared back to his table and Harry steered Buffy over to a table that seated Ron and Hermione.
"Hey, you two!" Hermione called out in greeting as Harry left her at the table and went to the bar to get two butterbeers. "Have a seat, Buffy! Did you and Harry have a good tour of Hogsmeade? What do you think of the Shrieking Shack? What do--"
"Hermione," Ron said, turning to his friend in disbelief, "let her breathe. Honestly!"
Hermione just laughed as Buffy sat down, happily talking about all the things she'd seen and all the things she'd love to see more of. "I think this is the cutest little village!" she enthused. "And when Harry started talking to me about the night you all rescued Sirius Black and found out the truth about that little shack, it was... wow! Amazing!"
She kept talking like this until Harry returned, setting a bottle down in front of her.
"This isn't real beer is it?" she asked him slowly. "I really wasn't expecting to find out my brother was a little alcoholic."
"A what?" Ron asked with interest.
"It doesn't matter, Ron," Hermione said in a huffy voice, turning back to Buffy. "Where else did Harry take you?"
"He took me around the village," Buffy said, eyeing the bottle warily before reaching and grasping the bottle. It felt cold under her fingers and she tipped the neck, a drop of the beverage slipping into her mouth. Swallowing, she suddenly smiled. "This tastes good," she finally said, grinning. She easily took another drink. "It's so fizzy and cool... it just slides on down."
"That's the point," Ron said.
"Speaking of which," Harry said slowly, "I saw Dean and your sister talking about something rather serious at the Beetle At Bay."
"What?" Ron asked, his face draining of color, his freckles standing out more than ever. "What were they saying?"
"It looked serious," Buffy said, sending Harry a glance that said he should have kept out of their business. "I wonder if they were having 'the talk'."
"The talk?" Harry asked blankly.
Hermione glared at him, a look of maddening superiority in her eyes. "You don't know what 'the talk' is?" she asked in an infuriating voice, one that Buffy used frequently on little Draco Malfoy.
"What the bloody hell is this talk?" Ron asked, his voice sounding irritated.
"It's the talk all couples talk about," Buffy replied, leaning over the tables towards him. "You know, the talk people have when they're getting more serious?"
His eyes widened and his face turned bright red. "Oh, she couldn't... they wouldn't... I... I..."
"Not that talk," Buffy said, giggling. "I meant the talk like... oh, God. It's so hard to explain." She turned to Hermione to continue. Surely the brainy girl would have read something about this in one book or another.
"They're just talking about taking their relationship to a new level," Hermione explained. "You know, like going steady."
Ron nearly choked out his butterbeer. "Is she freaking mad?" he thundered, turning to look at Harry. "This is all your fault!"
"My fault?" Harry choked. "How is this possibly my fault?"
Buffy was laughing so hard she could barely contain herself. Hermione was even giggling. The tables around them quieted as their inhabitants turned to look at the four people sitting at the table, two nearly rolling with laughter and the other two yelling at each other, both red in the face.
"Harry, please sit down," Buffy finally managed to choke out, tugging him down forcefully. Hermione managed to make Ron sit down and she finally got her laughter under control. She turned to Ron with a voice of practiced calm. "Leave Ginny alone. She's fifteen and perfectly capable of making her own decisions. I was only her age when I fell in the love for the first time. As were you." She sent a sharp glance at her brother. "And if you two do anything to harm Dean, I'll have to personally fix the both of you."
Before Harry or Ron could ask what she meant, Hermione started laughing.
"Must be a Muggle term," Ron said with a sigh as Hermione's laughter eased into a few giggles.
"Excuse me," a voice said from behind them.
Buffy recognized it immediately and felt her face turn warm. She saw the awed look on Harry's face and the questioning look on Ron's. Hermione just smirked and sat back in her chair.
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything."
"Of course not, mate," Ron said, recovering first. He stood up and offered his hand. "How are you doing, Wood?"
"Pretty good," Oliver replied, putting his hand on Buffy's shoulder. "I hope you don't mind if I steal her away for awhile."
"Not at all," Hermione said.
"Do you mind?" Oliver asked Buffy gently over her shoulder.
"What do you think?" she asked, turning around to give him a look of mock indignation. With a force she didn't know existed, he grasped her by the hand and pulled her out of her seat. "I... I'll see you later, okay?" she asked, her face turning pink.
"Don't forget we have practice at six!" Ron called after her as Oliver led her through the crowds and back outside, where the cool October air felt good on her pink face.
Before she knew what she was doing, she was giggling. He just smiled at her and stared into her face. "I wasn't quite expecting a greeting like that," he said, bemused.
"I'm sorry," she replied, her face calming. "Good afternoon, Oliver."
"Too polite," he said, surprising her by engulfing her in a warm hug. She rested her cheek against his shoulder, feeling warm and comfortable. "God, I have been waiting to do that for awhile."
"Really?" she asked from somewhere beneath his chin.
"Really," he said, pulling back. She looked up at him. Her hazel eyes were shining. "So, what do you want to do?"
"Walk around or something," she said, beaming at him. "I hope you don't mind if we stop at Honeydukes either. Harry told me they had chocolates."
"Every kind imaginable," he said, reaching for her hand uncertainly. She took his grip and held onto his hand firmly. "All right, let's go. Are you hungry? We could always go over there." He was pointing at the Beetle At Bay. Buffy flushed a deep shade of primrose before nodding.
"We could do that," she finally managed to utter out. He grinned at her and she managed a weak smile back. His hand tightened over hers as he led her down the middle of the street.
"I don't know what Harry's been showing you, but it's time you saw my version of the village."
Two hours later, Buffy realized that they still hadn't run out of things to talk about. She had just finished telling him about her Quidditch tryouts and the fact she'd made the team all because of a plot by Draco Malfoy. Inside, she was almost dying to find out what he thought of her, besides some blonde airhead, but she knew she had to be made of stronger stuff. She was a Slayer, in disguise, after all.
"What do you think of my brother and sister?" he asked her curiously as they waited in line at a small deli to get lunch and then eat outside in the cool sunlight.
"Your sister is awesome," Buffy replied honestly as she scanned the menu posted on a board in front of them. "And your brother is definitely something else. He talks about you often; calls you a right pain in the ass."
"That's Spencer for you," Oliver said, his arm circling her shoulder in a familiar way as he drew her to him. "I heard he was made Beater of the House team."
"Yeah," Buffy said, her smile faltering a bit. "You know, Oli... you don't mind if I call you that, do you?" He shook his head in response. "Oh, good. I'm beginning to think the only reason he likes Quidditch so much is because you do. I'm not sure how much he really likes the sport compared to him proving something to your family. That's just my opinion of course," she concluded hastily as they stepped to the front of the queue.
After ordering and taking their sandwiches outside, they sat down in the cool sunshine. She pulled her cloak tighter around her and sighed contentedly as she unwrapped a delicious cucumber sandwich.
"I think you're right about Spencer," Oliver finally said in his accented tone. He was looking seriously at her now. "You're very perceptive, Buffy. I have to give you that much."
"I was hoping I would hear something like that," she said, her eyes never leaving his face. "The question is, can I perceive you, Oliver Wood?"
He laughed slightly and reached across, covering her cold hand with his warm one. "It's best not to overanalyze things, Buffy."
They ate the rest of their lunch over a discussion of his younger brother. Buffy soon found out that Spencer's hostility was over his being the middle child born between a Quidditch star and a very brilliant and clever Witch. "It must be hard for him and for you all," she said sympathetically as she swallowed the last bit of her sandwich.
"I'm glad we got to talk about this," he said, reaching for her hand as they left the small cafe behind.
"Me, too," she said, as he wrapped his arm around her again, wandering off towards the main street again.
"What we haven't talked about," Oliver said suddenly, leading her over to a bench and sitting down, "is what's going to happen to us."
This had been the topic she'd been most worried to even think about.
"Us," she said quietly, staring at their entwined hands. "One tiny word holds so much. But then again, I didn't even know we were a 'we' or an 'us'..."
"Do you want to be a 'we'?" he asked her, a cheeky grin appearing on his face.
"I thought we already were," she said, her brow furrowing in confusion.
"I think we just confused each other," Oliver said with a laugh, running a hand through his short hair. "Look, Buffy... I care about you a lot. I really do. Whether you like it or not, you've managed to find a way into here." He put his gloved hand over his heart. "Sappy as it sounds."
Her lips curved into a gentle smile. "I thought I made my feelings quite clear that day on the train platform."
"Really?" he asked, his voice hopeful.
"Do I really need to remind you?" she asked wryly. He just stared at her. Feeling daring, she moved closer to him and tipped his face towards hers. "I think you need a little refresher." Her lips touched his and immediately she pulled him a bit closer. His hand reached the back of her neck and pulled her in closer as their kiss deepened. She finally pulled back, not looking away. "It was something like that, yeah."
He was smiling strangely at her as she pulled back. "You really are one of a kind."
She giggled, reaching for his hand again. "Do you think you can handle it all, Oliver Wood?" she asked in a teasing voice.
This time, he took her by surprise. He leaned over and kissed her so fast she nearly fell backwards. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders to hold herself up.
They heard laughter and whooping around them. Buffy pulled back slightly, her own giggles seeping out.
"Buffy?" she heard an incredulous tone behind them. They both turned meekly to see Katie Bell and Emma Vance standing behind them, both of them laughing. "Do you really think it's appropriate to be making out in the most public spot in Hogsmeade?"
Buffy turned a deep shade of pink as she noticed all of the people looking at them. "Oh, my God," she whispered, hiding her face in his robes. He just laughed and wrapped his arms around her.
"Leave my girl alone you two," he said, his eyes teasing.
"Your girl?" Katie asked, struggling to control her giggles. "I didn't realize you two were that serious yet."
"Err," Oliver said, managing to keep a straight face. "something like that, yeah..." Buffy still refused to unbury her face, so he had to do all of the talking. He reached down and took Buffy's other hand and managed to get them both standing. "Excuse us."
When they were finally out of view, Buffy suddenly burst out into more laughter. "Oh, my God," she said, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I think that's got to be my most embarrassing moment."
He gently leaned against the wall, pulling her beside him, keeping his arms around her.
In his arms, she felt safe. She felt warm. And that kiss had been a revelation to her. She wanted this. More than anything else right now, including the prospect of huge bars of chocolate, she wanted this. Oliver kissed the top of her head as her laughter died away.
"Are you all right?" she asked him, glancing up into his face. Even in the darkness, she could see he was still grinning.
"Oh, yes," he replied, kissing her again. It was a slow kiss that built up as she reached up with both arms, pulling him down to her, deepening the embrace. They only relented once they'd both run out of oxygen. "But I don't want to be making this a habit. They'll give you a heart attack, they will."
She grinned and stood up on tiptoes to kiss his cheek. "Now that I know I'm your girl," she teased, her eyes shining.
"You want to be my girl, right?" he asked, not able to see her eyes in the darkness.
She hugged him tightly, feeling as though this would be the best way to tell him what words alone couldn't. He found her answer in her embrace.
"Hey, look everybody! It's Wood! And Wood's wannabe!"
Buffy pulled back from him, biting her lip. She put a finger on Oliver's lips before he could say anything. "I'll handle him."
She turned around and swept gracefully from the shadows. "Draco Malfoy, how unpleasant to see you again!"
"You?" Malfoy said, gaping unflatteringly at the blonde-haired Potter girl. "Potter?"
"Yes, I am a Potter," Buffy said, blinking sweetly. "Any more stupid questions?"
"You're dating... him?"
"I sure am."
Oliver felt a surge of pride for this girl. He hadn't really thought about it before, but after that kiss on the train platform, he'd wanted a bit more from her. She certainly had given him a lot. He could feel her in every touch.
"But... you can't be!"
"And do you care to enlighten me why I cannot?" Buffy asked, crossing her arms, an amused smirk lighting up her face.
"Because... you're... a Potter!" he said incredulously. "You're just seeking fame. And he's just using you for it. Wood and Wood's wannabe!"
"Maybe," she said, her lips curving into a sly smile. "But maybe it's just fun."
All Malfoy could do was sputter as he stalked off, his silver eyes full of confusion.
"Take that, Spike," she said with a quiet grin. She heard footsteps behind her and a moment later a pair of arms encircled her from behind.
"That was brilliant," he breathed into her ear.
"He had it coming," she said, staring off after the Slytherin. Turning in his arms, she saw him gazing down at her. "So... do you want to find a nice quiet place and... talk?"
He grinned down at her. "Why do I have the feeling you're putting yet another move on me?"
"I'm your secret stalker," she said, her eyes shining. "I have my rights."
He lifted her off the ground in a huge hug and brought her down next to him. Taking her hand, they started running through the jammed streets for the outskirts of town.
Once they found a secluded enough area, they both sat down.
Buffy felt kind of nervous for a moment. They were on a hill behind the Shrieking Shack. And they were sitting side-by-side. She could feel his body tense slightly next to her. She turned to him, mock hurt flashing in her eyes. "Are you avoiding talking to me?"
He shrugged and stared out over Hogsmeade. "I'm just relishing the one day of peace and quiet. And what happens? We're scooped."
She laughed and leaned her head against his shoulder. "It'll probably freak Harry out to hell, you know. When he first found out about us... well, we weren't exactly an 'us' back then..."
He wrapped an arm over her shoulders and pulled her even closer. "Can you imagine what Katie will tell him?"
"Who knows," Buffy replied, letting out a long breath. "The point is... it's all good."
"That's a good way to put it," he replied cheerfully. "It is all good."
They sat in silence for a few moments, watching the figures in the town below hustle and bustle about.
"Oliver?" she asked, after a half hour of just enjoying one another's company in the bright sunlight. "How do you think this is going to work? There's only four Hogsmeade weekends a year..."
"You're not exactly a school-age girl," he replied with a wink. "We'll figure it out."
She smiled at him. "There's that word again... we. It's a good word. Just like us."
He stared at her expression for a moment. If he didn't know any better, he would have detected a hint of sadness in her eyes. "Buffy," he said softly. "What is it?"
She opened her mouth, but closed it again. She seemed to be going through something in her head. With a slight frown, she turned back to him. "Have you ever been in a serious relationship?"
He looked astonished at her question. He finally shook his head once he'd recovered from the shock. "Quidditch has kept me real busy for the past few years. And I was always the studious academic type... why are you asking me this?"
"Because I was," she said, turning to him. "I just wanted to be honest with you, since you've been so amazingly and incredibly honest with me."
"Can I ask what happened?" he asked in a low voice.
"He died," Buffy said bluntly. "It was over a year ago. It doesn't really matter, but I just had to say this now before it could come back and destroy us..." She looked into his eyes. "Are you mad?"
"I'm relieved," he finally admitted after a long pause. "I figured something was bothering you. I wasn't quite sure what it was. It was like you had a dark past and all..." His voice trailed off and he turned to look back at the village. The sun was starting to dip behind the buildings. "I'm glad you told me now. I just hope you'll be able to tell me everything someday."
"Me too," Buffy said, getting to her knees.
"What is this?" he asked as she leaned into him, her eyes twinkling. With the sun hidden behind her, her eyes had a strange sparkle to them. She was glowing.
Her lips met his softly. He pulled her onto his lap and she giggled against his mouth. He pulled back slightly, gently kissing her jawline and her chin.
"I didn't know I could feel this incredible," she finally said, pulling back. He kept her in his embrace and she put her head against his chest. Her trembling fingers reached up to his chest, where she felt and heard the reassuring sound of a heartbeat.
"It'll keep getting better," he said into her hair, his hand gently stroking her hair. "But we should get you back to Hogwarts now before your brother seriously hurts me."
She stood up reluctantly, reaching down for his hands. His eyebrows arched slightly, yet he took her hands. She pulled up and he practically flew to his feet. "Whoa," he said, looking at her in a new light. "You're strong."
"It's all part of the Slayer package," she said with a wink. Taking his hand, they made their way back into town.
He suddenly stopped.
"What is it?" she asked him curiously.
"Honeydukes," he said, pointing at the shop to their left. "Don't you want any chocolate?"
She leaned up and kissed his cheek. "This is far better than any chocolate." She paused. "Besides, I really don't want to be late for Quidditch practice."
"You have practice tonight?" he asked her with interest. She nodded. "Do you mind if I come watch?"
"You want to see me play an abysmal Chaser?" she asked innocently.
"I have my rights, too," he teased. "Besides, I play Quidditch. You play Quidditch. It's only natural to want to see each other play."
"Because you want to see me make an idiot of myself?" she asked lightly.
He just shrugged. "I just want to see what you've got."
"What I've got?" she asked, noticing the gleam in his eye. "Is that a challenge? No one can challenge me and get away from it... not even you, Oliver."
"I'll take it on," he said, suddenly letting go of her hand and running as fast as he could through all the people. She grinned and ran after him, managing to use her Slayer speed to easily catch up with him. Before he could dive behind a large group of Ravenclaw, Buffy ran up behind him and jumped onto his back. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she felt exhilarated, as though she'd just spent three hours on a broomstick again.
He finally stopped and gently set her down. Her blonde hair had come out of its wrap and was surrounding her face, which was pink from exertion. "You look amazing," he said, brushing bits of her hair behind her ear.
"I know," she said with an amused smirk. "You look quite adorable yourself."
Their eyes had locked again. It took a bit of her control to look away. His hand reached for hers and he held it, his thumb running along her slim hand. "Let's get you back," he said finally, walking off again. She hurried to fall into step beside them. The streak of silence last exactly a minute before they started talking and laughing, all over again.
Buffy knew she was late when they finally reached the Quidditch pitch after a quick trip up into her dormitory to collect her robes and her broomstick. The other six members of the team were flying overhead. Buffy and Oliver walked hand-in-hand down to the pitch. He kissed her cheek before walking towards the stands and she mounted her broom and flew into the air.
When her hair caught the wind, she felt the familiar rush of excitement. Her stomach jumped as she soared even higher, her hair catching the wind with its cooling, exhilarating presence.
Katie suddenly noticed her and waved her over. Ginny hovered near Ron, who had a quaffle in his hand. Harry circled back and greeted his sister loudly across the pitch. It was then they all noticed that a few Gryffindors were walking up from Hogsmeade and were in the stands, watching their favorite team practice.
"Looks like you have a fan club all your own, Potter," Katie breathed at her, pointing to Oliver, sitting in one of the highest rows, looking excited.
"Maybe," Buffy said, smirking as Ron called them all towards the goals to discuss practice.
Two hours later, seven figures in Gryffindor robes touched down, all excited about their upcoming match on the first Saturday of November against Ravenclaw. Ron was ecstatic, saying how great their team was. He had managed to block over half of the shots made by the outstanding Chasers. Even Harry was happy when he saw his sister dismount. His happiness turned into a mask even he couldn't quite identify as a figure from the shadows came forward and lifted his sister into a crushing hug.
"You're brilliant!" Oliver said, finally setting her down. Her gloved hands found his face as she kissed him softly. "You can fly with me anytime."
Her eyes sparkled as she smiled up at him.
Harry fought the overwhelming desire to run away. Romance, to him, was a petty thing. With this war going on, he knew it was a bad thing to think about. Worthless, really. A waste of time.
And then he saw Hermione and found himself swallowing his words.
Hermione walked up to him and Ron, looking as though she was winded but had had a fantastic time as it was. "You all were awesome!" she said happily, throwing her arms around Harry.
Harry hugged her back as she pulled away and hugged Ron.
Then she stopped dead when she saw the shade of color on Ginny's face. Dean had just walked down from his own spot in the stands and was walking towards her.
"What did you two talk about today?" Harry asked her.
She turned to him, her gaze reproachful. "You were spying on me?"
"Rumors fly fast in a school this size," Buffy said from her other side.
"You should talk," Katie said, giggling. "You and your boy were snogging all over Hogsmeade all afternoon."
Harry dropped his broomstick and watched as Buffy and Oliver both stopped dead, turning back to look at Katie, who stood there, still giggling. "What?" Harry asked in a thundering tone.
Buffy looked like she wanted to disappear. "It was only..." she tried a feeble protest, only her shoulders sagged. "Oh, what the hell." Turning on her heel, she marched back towards the castle. Oliver just glared at Katie for a moment before following her.
Dean reached the team and swept Ginny away.
Katie walked towards the castle with both of the Beaters.
Harry was left standing alone with Ron and Hermione.
"What just happened here?" Harry asked in a low voice.
"Too much," Ron said, turning to Hermione, who was grinning. "What is that look for?"
"You two are honestly too much," she finally said, shaking her head and laughing as she walked back towards Hogwarts. As she walked away, Harry and Ron heard something that sounded distinctively like, "Boys!"
Both Ron and Harry just stared after her, far too perplexed to continue.
At the castle entrance, Buffy finally said goodbye to Oliver. "I had a fantastic day," she said as they finally pulled away from each other. She felt tingles everywhere as she stared up at him. "I don't suppose I'll get to see you until Christmas, either?" she asked, sounding slightly sad.
"I don't think so," Oliver said, shaking his head. "Mum has been after me to start helping out the school I spent seven years at. I don't think I'll gone for that long."
"You're coming back here?" she asked in a soft whisper. Her eyes suddenly lit up.
"I'll let you know," he said, grinning. "You'd better get inside before your brother shows up again."
"He looked stunned, didn't he?" she asked, her face falling slightly.
"You'll clear things up with him," Oliver assured her, touching her leather glove-clad hands. "I'll see you again, I promise, Miss Potter."
"Will you really?" she asked him, eyeing him carefully. He laughed and bent down, his forehead resting on hers. His lips gently touched the tip of her nose affectionately.
"I will," he said firmly, hugging her one last time before pulling away. She watched and smiled as he disappeared into the darkness. Bending over, she picked up her broomstick and walked up to the portrait.
But before she could reach it, she saw someone standing there.
It was Hermione.
"We have to talk," she said quietly.
Buffy nodded. "I know. Can it wait until tomorrow?"
Hermione nodded. "It can." She turned to look at the Fat Lady, who was staring at them very curiously.
"Password?"
"Pesternomi," Hermione said clearly. The portrait opened and both girls walked inside.
Hermione saw Harry standing near the stairs, looking as though he had something to say. "I'm going to bed. Good night, you two," she said quickly before hurrying away.
Buffy only had time to manage a very quick, "Night!" before Hermione disappeared. She then turned back to her brother warily. "What is it, Harry?"
"Is it true about you and Oliver?"
Buffy had nothing to hide. She nodded. "It is."
"Are you two together?"
"We are," Buffy said quietly. She felt a slight flush creep up her neck, but kept the cool smile on her face.
Harry opened his mouth to say something else, but no sound would come out.
"Good night, Harry," she finally said, walking over to hug him. As she walked towards the stairs, she turned back. "I know it seems weird that your sister is dating someone you've known for a long time," she said softly. "I only hope in time you'll be able to accept he's a part of my life now."
As she climbed the stairs, Harry felt a heaviness fall onto his heart. "I already do," he said softly. "I'm just worried I'll lose you, too."
Chapter 30... Harry finds out everything... a spy is revealed.
Chapter 31... The aftermath...
To the Readers / Reviewers:
Nikki -- I'm honestly not that much farther ahead anymore. But I will admit the longer chapters are more fun because there's just more. And Oliverness returns in a few chapters again!
Kel -- Your reviews cheer me up... they seriously do! And I had two of them! I'm glad you enjoyed the Malfoy bashing... there's only more where that came from. As for tutoring, it'll get interesting. I hope you enjoyed this Oliverness! He'll return in a few chapters, promise. :)
aznMi -- Actually, Sirius's mother is going to remain there until I make my next plot point. And then she'll be cheerfully ripped aside. I just need her for a few more chapters. And then you'll get your wish.
(I'm overusing 'And' again... I sound like my mother!)
Lightdemondarkangel -- Eh, it's actually more like three or four chapters... I think you'll understand when it gets there. It has to be done though to get the plot across. And Draco will get what's coming to him. You just have to wait a little while until all his strikes are out.
electric pancake -- Oh, right! And, done. I'm not going to delete your review, because no matter how much someone has hated anything I've written, I've never deleted anything. Just get your homework done or else the evil teachers will come springing after you. I remember classes like that. Blargh.
StarBella -- Do you want to create a clone? I could live with a clone... oh, wait, nevermind. Dark chocolate? That's a serious addiction to me, you know. Gred and Forgie will return around Chapter 40 or maybe slightly sooner. I only have Chapter 31 written and haven't had time to start on the rest (once again, more dreaded planning, planning and more planning).
CapriceAnn -- Just wait for Chapter 32, dear. It isn't that much farther away. Although it really hasn't been written yet, I'm just dying to write the one little sentence. And then you'll know. :)
kped -- The next chapter should have something about Fred and George's response. It does contain a fair bit of teasing, but I needed to lighten up the chapter. This bit was perfect. I'm thinking along the lines of Faith being so anti-magic that she's technically a squib, or else as inept as Neville was in the beginning. Once she finds out who she is, she's going to have identity issues and that's a big downfall for her whole wanting to learn about magic. As for Buffy's reaction to all of this, I'd say you're right, that she did suspect something was weird when strange occurrences have happened. I will probably write a bit about it in the chapter of Faith's history. As for the eavesdroppers, they're one in the same. It's pretty easy to figure out who it was because of their intent... just a thought. It'll play into the next chapter. Professor Pryce starts training her in Chapter 33. Professor Snape will find out, but it'll be done with bad intentions that'll just flop... in other words, it won't be Buffy who tells him!
Okay, so the prophetic mess is returning later in the 30s. Faith's lineage will be partially divulged again in Chapter 32. I left the portrait of Sirius' mother in there for a reason (and I'm really hoping some of you are brilliant and pick up on the reason why, although I will admit one of you was dead on-ish). Oliver will return in Chapter 32 as well, just because I adore him and he's actually a plot point now. And as much as I want to make Faith a student, I probably won't. Her uses are going to be restricted to Number Twelve, I suppose.
Oh, and for those of you wanting a showdown of the Watcher's Council, that'll be around Chapter 37 or 38. This is another one of those chapters I have been DYING to write.
I might have to shorten to two updates a week. With the wedding and with work and all, I'm not as far ahead as I was (I think the Hogsmeade chapter has been written for three weeks now!) I'll post Chapter 30 on Monday.
Updated August 20 - Okay, I lied. I forced myself to sit down and write for a few hours overnight when I was working. I managed to write a few chapters I wanted to. The other stuff is mostly filler, but as Ch. 27 and 28 went, I rather liked them.