Disclaimer: BtVS belongs to Joss Whedon, Fox Television, etc. Highlander belongs to Panzer/Davis and a bunch of others, Hogwarts and its denizens belong to J.K.Rowling and co.
TtH-100 Prompt: #033, Pumpkin.
Note: Occurs immediately after the chapter It's Alive
Amanda hadn't appeared fazed in the least by the invitation to join the Headmaster for lunch with the entire school. She'd simply agreed with a quirky smile directed at the old man. Dawn just nodded and followed them into the castle. A little lunch would be very welcome.
Once she'd gotten over the unnerving strangeness of the ceiling that wasn't there and being stared at by several hundred curious eyes, Dawn looked around the large room as casually as she could. One of the first things Amanda had drilled into her was how to appear calm, cool, and collected no matter what she was actually feeling. Amanda wasn't the strictest teacher she'd ever had, Giles beating her by miles, but Dawn assumed Amanda was using this as yet another opportunity to test what she'd learned and behaved accordingly.
She carefully listened with one ear to the conversation between Dumbledore and Amanda, just in case some question was directed at her, while cataloging the different people she saw in the large room. It wasn't too hard to guess that the students were all sitting in specific groups. She counted four distinct combinations of colors and decorations. Glancing sideways at the nearest teachers, she noticed that several of them wore the same colors as the students, but not all of them. She wasn't sure if she liked the colors, not that anyone had asked.
She'd always been partial to green. She still wore the small emerald cross that had been a present from Buffy on a silver chain. Until now, the color had always seemed welcoming. But there was something almost sinister about the brooding professor sitting next to her, wearing black robes with just a touch of green at the cuffs. An almost malevolent green that matched a banner high on one wall. It also seemed to be the favorite color of the students at one of the further tables.
Scanning the other tables, Dawn was surprised when she noticed a slim redhead, an almost too innocent look on her face, watching her intently. If anyone had asked her to describe the expression on the girl's face, she would have said it was the puzzled look of someone trying to remember where they'd seen something before. Her neighbor, on the other hand, seemed to be trying to hear what Amanda and Dumbledore were saying, an almost impossible feat from that distance for anyone without enhanced slayer or vampire hearing, she would have thought.
Raising an eyebrow at the redhead to let her know she'd been discovered, Dawn reached for the condensation covered glass in front of her and nonchalantly saluting her with the glass, took a sip of the dark orange, almost red liquid it contained. The flavor was totally unexpected but vaguely familiar. She hoped her surprise wasn't noticeable. It had a slight bite to it like cider but it wasn't sour. And it wasn't wine, like she'd expected.
Putting her glass down, Dawn tapped Amanda's nearest foot with her own, hoping to attract her attention. When Amanda paused for a moment and looked at her she subtly indicated her glass and its contents.
Delicately taking a sip from her own glass, Amanda shook her head. "It's not bad. I usually prefer something a little stronger than pumpkin juice..." She gave Dawn a wink.
"Pumpkin juice?" Dawn said, in a whisper only Amanda could hear. After Amanda's confirmation, she said louder, "It isn't the same as pie, but it reminds me of home." She only shrugged in response to Amanda's questioning look. She didn't feel like sharing one of her mother's pet names for her.
"Definitely a muggle. Or muggle born." Ginny commented under her breath to Hermione.
"Why do you say that?" she asked, turning her attention from the conversation between Professor Dumbledore and the other woman.
"The pumpkin juice."
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked quietly. "It's freshly squeezed like always. And Hogwarts always has the best."
"She made a face when she took a sip." Ginny murmured. "I don't think she's ever had any before."
"Have you remembered yet where you saw her before?"
"No." Ginny admitted. "But I'm even more sure now."
"Are you sure it isn't because she dresses like someone else?" Hermione asked with a small grin. "A certain muggle demon hunter?"
"No..." Ginny said, unable to prevent herself from blushing. "That isn't it."
"If you say so." Hermione giggled before returning to her contemplation of their other unnamed guest.