Wolfram and Hart's New Guest

By jessebelle

Chapter 18

Author's Note: Hey y'all. I'm so sorry it took so long, but I've been trying to catch up on my other story, MMB. That, plus life has gone downhill for my family so it's taken a while to update. But, have no fear, I'm now on vacation visiting my dad in Virginia, pretty much in the middle of nowhere, but I do have the internet, so, updates all around. But, I still feel really bad about not updating this story, especially since I think it's really good. You wanna know something funny, the other day I was looking for a story to read, and I read it and I was laughing so hard and I thought the author captured the personalities perfect, I couldn't believe how good it was, then I checked who the author was and saw it was me. I was soooo embarrassed, especially since I'd basically cursed myself for not updating. Opps? But, because of that, I plan to spend the rest of the day writing more chapters for WHNG and updating. So, happy reading! Oh, and a cookie for the people who gets the one pop culture reference/quote from the chapter. Hint: I've been listening to showtunes/broadway music all morning. Think movie, though.

Toodles,

jessebelle

Hermione cracked a grin and turned to the rest of the room's occupants, her protectors. They stared at her, curious expressions on their faces. She began to get worried. Xander cracked first. "So, you think I'm cute?"

"I didn't say that, Tonks did."

Xander grinned. "But you agreed. I know, behold my beauty."

"Xander!"

"Shutting up, now. So, interesting professors, so glad he didn't teach at my school. I mean, flashback to Snyder, anyone?" At the mention of Sunnydale High's former troll and principal, everyone in the room who had met the man flinched.

"So that was really one of you're professors?"

Hermione looked out the window of Angel's office and watched the elevator door close to her brief connection with her life at Hogwarts. Her back to them, she nodded. "Yeah, Professor Severus Snape."

Though she couldn't see it, two ears perked up, both Wesley and Spike took note of the name. "What did he teach?"

Absentmindedly, Hermione answered, "Potions."

As everyone in the office was aware of the supernatural, the word 'potions' coming from the seemingly normal girl they were taking in sparked some interest.

"Potions huh, like newts eyes and bat wings?" Spike watched Hermione closely for a reaction. Sure enough, she stiffened, but as she was facing the door, no one saw the panic look on her face. Slowly she turned around, her brilliant brain catching her dilemma and already preparing a cover story.

"No actually, it's a science class, Chemistry?" She looked and saw them all, sans Spike, accept her answer.

"Then why call it potions?" Spike fixed her with a look.

"Oh, well that's what all the kids at my school call it. You see, I go to a boarding school in Scotland and well; it's actually a restored castle. Chemistry is taught by Professor Snape in what used to be the dungeons, so it was nicknamed Potions." Spike, not really having a real reason to doubt her, finally accepted the cover story. Inside her head, Hermione was patting herself on the back for the quick recovery, and since she told the truth, it wasn't really a lie.

"So, Xander, you mentioned something last night about doughnuts?"

The brunette grinned and did the Vanna White gesture to the table in Angel's office, which, sure enough, held a white box of the pastries, something she didn't get very often. She gave him a bright smile and walked over, claiming a jelly one, then took the seat offered to her by Wesley, in between him and Charles.

Spike was standing, leaning on the wall, Xander was opposite of him, doing the same. Angel sat at his desk. He was the first to speak up. "Miss Granger, Hermione, I think I owe you an apology, and not just for last night, but this morning too. It's just, Spike-"

Hermione finished swallowing her bite of donut and stopped him. "It's fine, I'm just not a morning person.

Angel gave her a quick smile, though she could still see the nervousness written all over his face. "Nevertheless, no one should be tossed up into the air like that, before they've woken up. I'm just glad that, uh, Tonks was it, was there to catch you."

"Oh, Tonks, I liked her. Who was she?" Xander happily munched on his donut and interrupted Angel.

Hermione smiled. "Most people do. She's ah, well, a friend of my headmaster's. As you might've heard, there's a bit of a war going on back home, and uh, she sorta works for the local government."

"Really, I haven't heard anything about a war. What does Miss Tonks, uh, do. Not to be rude, but she seemed a bit, uh-"

Hermione smiled at Wesley. "Clumsy? Yeah, that's because she is. But when she sets her mind to it she's brilliant at, uh, spying. And did I say war? Well, what I meant was there's a huge conflict going on with some of the more, uh, racists. Purebloods and all that rubbish. It just feels like a war. And, um, unfortunately, my best friend is in the middle of everything, and well, I guess that means I'm in danger, so they sent me here."

It was surprisingly Xander who picked up on the fact that she wasn't giving them the whole truth. But Hermione seemed like a really nice girl, uh, woman, and so he'd give her the benefit of the doubt. It wasn't like they weren't keeping something from her too.

"So, uh, back to my apology, I just-I assumed, and it was wrong, and you see, Spike and I really don't get along, and so-"

"It's all right, you don't have to convince me to stay, headmaster's orders you know."

Angel looked up at her and gave her a half grimace, half smile, "I know, but uh, I was kinda hoping you'd choose to stay and maybe you could enjoy you're time here. From what it sounds like, back home you're going through a lot and uh, maybe you could use the vacation."

At last the tension between Hermione and Angel dissipated. She gave him a bright smile. "Thank you. Why don't we just start over?" She got up and walked over to his desk, and he immediately stood up. She stuck out her hand. "Hermione Granger, cousin to Cordelia and Harmony. Pleasure to meet you and thanks for letting me stay."

Angel smiled back at her and took her hand. "Angel, or uh, Liam O'Connell. It's no problem, I'm- we're glad to have you with us."

Hermione looked around the room and took in the rest of the occupants' smiles. She nodded to them. "I think I'm gonna like it here."