Hi everyone! Thanks for all your reviews…I'm glad everyone liked the Ron and Hermione bits!
Just to clarify, there are spoilers up to Season Four and including Season Four in Buffy, but there are also spoilers for things which are not Dawn related which happens in Series 5 and 6. So Dawn is not in the story! (Yet)
Miz: Yes, Spike will be coming into this, and I've got fun-ness for him! And he will be good, not evil!
Dreamer Child: This has a lot more Buffy in it; I only did the Hogwarts gang in that chapter because it was the first day, so it was kind of important. But in the next chapter, Buffy and Faith will be going to Hogwarts, so everyone will be together.
Lolly6: Hehe, loved your ramble! Yes, Harry will be mean to Buffy till about Halloween, and then he'll be ok. And Snape…his relationship with Lily and the whole Marauder thing will be developed and explored more.
Sam-453: Get on with your new one! I'm calling it 'that one' from now on, and I will bug you forever and ever!
Now, onto the chapter! Oh! Btw, I may not be updating for a bit, depends how long my parents ban me from the computer…I'm supposed to be working, well, that's what my parents think anyways…
Chapter 17. Dancing and talking.
It was very quiet without the children at Sirius' house. It was still used for meetings, but since Harry and his friends had left for Hogwarts, and everyone had started work, things were much quieter. Buffy liked it though; it was more private for her and Sirius to talk. They were friends, nothing more and Buffy thought it was for the best.
"What's on your mind, B?" Faith asked, sitting at the kitchen table opposite Buffy.
"Huh?" Buffy asked, snapping out of her dream.
"You've been kinda out of it, girl." Faith explained. "Missing LA?"
"Kinda, y'know, miss my friends and all."
"And Angel, huh?" Faith said, her eyebrows rising mischievously.
"Who's Angel?" Charlie asked as he entered the kitchen with Sirius.
"B's boy."
The smile on Sirius' face faded and he sat down next to Buffy. "Boyfriend?"
"Ex-boyfriend." Buffy corrected, but Faith rolled her eyes.
"Come on B! You and Angel have been on and off for more then ten years now! Every time you pop into LA, you guys do some lip smacking. And there was definite kissage going on when you told us you were leaving, am I right?" Faith asked, and Buffy nodded.
"Yeah, kissage was made, and then Dumble-d interrupted us. 'Sides, you know me and Angel could never get it together." Buffy protested.
"Why?" Asked Charlie, and Buffy sighed.
"It's complicated." She answered.
"Forbidden love, Charlie-boy. Buffy and Angel have loved each for like forever, but they always have an excuse not to do anything about it." Faith said, and Buffy crossed her arms against her chest.
"It's not excuses." She pouted, and her friends laughed. "Angel and I are not getting back together, and that's final. You should tell Tara that as well, she seems to have her heart set on getting me back with Angel."
Faith acquired a playful grin on her face, and Buffy felt slightly apprehensive.
"Faith?" Faith stood up and walked to the door.
"I'm juiced. You wanna dance slayer?" Faith asked, and Buffy grinned.
"Been waiting for it." Buffy said, jumping up and following Faith into the room where Buffy had brought back Sirius. The room was now cluttered with training equipment, swords and daggers hung from the wall; a beam was placed at the side of the room, axes and a troll's hammer that Buffy had taken from Olaf, a punching bag and a chest containing crossbows, arrows and holy water.
"What are you two doing?" Charlie asked, a concerned look on his face as Faith took out a sword.
"You'll see. Stand back and watch the show." Buffy said, and Sirius and Charlie exchanged glances, and then stood against the wall. Buffy took out a sword and swung it in her fingers, then faced Faith. "Ready?"
"Ready B." Faith said, before she attacked.
Buffy dodged the attack and grinned at Faith. Faith lunged, and Buffy parried right and left, and then sent a mid-air kick to Faith's head that sent her flying across the room. She regrouped, and attacked again. Charlie and Sirius were amazed, Buffy and Faith moved so fast that it seemed humanly impossible. They attacked, dodged, kicked and punched so swift that the two men watching were sure that one of them would get hurt. Both women had large smiles on their faces, it appeared that they loved doing this.
"All we need is mud, eh?" Charlie whispered and Sirius chuckled.
"You tired B?" Faith taunted, and Buffy shook her head.
"Never. I'm going to win." Buffy grinned, and Faith shook her head.
"Never."
Faith delivered a roundhouse kick to Buffy and then punched her gut that sent Buffy smacking into a wall. Faith sidled up to her, sword still in hand and grinned.
"Give up?" Faith asked, and Buffy nodded. Faith took Buffy hand to help her up and then moved to put away the swords, but Buffy kicked Faith in the legs which sent her tumbling to the floor. Panting, Buffy crouched down next to her.
"Never let your guard down Faith." Buffy said, before putting away their swords. Faith jumped up, and dusted herself off.
"I meant for that to happen." She argued, and Buffy grinned. Faith took Charlie's hand and led him to the door. "Don't go into your room B!" She yelled, before disappearing with Charlie in tow.
Suddenly, Buffy was aware that it was only Sirius and her in the room. She glanced over to him and found that he was staring at her, his blue eyes watching the way she moved as she tidied things away.
"What?" Buffy asked, putting her hands on her hips and facing Sirius. Sirius stood up and walked over to her.
"I just can not get over how…short you are." He grinned, and Buffy poked him in the ribs.
"Good things come in small packages." She said, and Sirius nodded.
"Don't I know it." He said, looking her over appreciatively.
***
Hermione sat in a secluded part of the library; many books spread out in front of her, parchment in full supply and quill the ready. Her hair was tied up in a messy bun, several chestnut curly strands were loose from the band and it gently framed her face. Hermione was the only one in the library, it was twenty minutes till the library closed and nobody really wanted to cut it short. But Hermione was working on an extremely hard D.A.D.A essay that she had been set earlier today, and she wanted to get it out of the way. It was the third day of school, and she had already been set three essays and an Arithmancy project. Sighing, Hermione ran a hand through her hair, not caring that she had made it messier.
"Are you stuck on that too?" A voice asked her, and Hermione did not look up, but nodded. "Need any help?" Hermione glanced up and the person and gasped. Sitting on the table next to her, fiddling with a Golden Snitch was Draco Malfoy.
"What do you want Malfoy?" She hissed, and Malfoy smirked.
"Always on guard Granger. I thought you could use some help."
Hermione eyed him carefully, and then glared at him. "Not from you, that's for sure."
Malfoy grinned and looked at her book. "I've been set the same thing you know."
"That's because you're in my class, you dolt." Hermione argued.
"Taking lessons from the Weasel in swearing? Tut tut, Granger, I thought you would be better than that."
Hermione stood up abruptly and shut the book Malfoy was looking at. "What do you want?"
"A lot of things, but I only want one thing from you." Malfoy answered, and Hermione narrowed her eyes.
"Which is?"
"Not telling just yet, but trust me, you'll find out." He said, jumping off the table, Snitch still in hand.
"How's your father Malfoy?" Hermione asked spitefully, and Malfoy glared at her.
"In Azkaban, thanks to your friend, Potty." He spat. Hermione met his gaze defiantly, staring into his cold grey eyes with her warm brown ones.
"Oi!" Ron and Harry ran up to Hermione, brooms in hand. "What's he done to you Hermione?" Ron asked, casting an angry glare at Malfoy. Malfoy grinned, and turned away.
"Catch you later, Hermione." He said, before disappearing behind the bookshelves.
"Are you alright?" Harry asked concernedly, and Hermione nodded. The boys helped her pack up her things and lead her out of the library. "Are you sure?"
"I'm fine Harry. He just wanted to talk." Hermione explained, and Ron snorted.
"The day Malfoy just wants to talk is the day Snape is nice to Neville."
Malfoy grinned to himself as he watched the trio leave the library. He threw the Golden Snitch up in the air and caught it, a satisfied smile on his face. First stage achieved. Communication.
Short chapter, but things are gonna get good soon!
Next chapter: Buffy and Faith go to Hogwarts!
Please review!
