Disclaimer: See part one for details.
Notes: I'm sorry this took so long, but my muse seems to have died a horrible horrible death. I honestly don't know when I'll get the next part up. My thanks to all those who have had so much patience in waiting for this next part and my deepest apologies for the delays. The rating has gone up in this next part to a hard R/ NC-17. Just so you're warned. I've also put a warning in before things get really hem, gory. As always, send me a review if you have any comments you feel really need addressing. Now without further ado, heeeeere's Angel!
*******************
Buffy asked Hermione about places she could teach fighting in. The prefect didn't even have to think about it as she replied, "The Room of Requirement."
"The what?" asked Buffy.
Ron had come up behind them and said, "It's this room that becomes whatever you need it to be when you go in." He grinned, enjoying being one of the people in the know for a change, and added, "My older brothers Fred and George needed a hiding spot once, and when they went in it was just a broom closet. But when we needed a DADA classroom for Harry to teach defense in it became the perfect dark arts classroom."
Pursing her lips a little, Buffy had to admit that was impressive. "So we can check that out this evening." It was agreed, but Harry, Ron and Hermione all insisted that they use Harry's invisibility cloak. "I have just one thing to say," Buffy muttered as they made their way down the hall, "If I feel anyone's hands in any bad places, that person loses a hand."
"Absolutely," Ginny said and smacked a hand travelling too low for her comfort. There was a muffled exclamation from Harry.
They were trotting down the hall when a light appeared under the door of the great hall and caught the students' attention. "What's going on in there?" Buffy asked.
"I don't know," replied Harry, "Hermione?"
"I don't know either," she replied.
Ron sounded resigned to his fate as he asked, "Are we going in?"
Harry's grin was completely audible. "Of course."
"Of course," murmured his three henchmen. Then they turned around and made their way to the door. "Is there some way we could go in without using highly visible portal sized doors?" Buffy inquired. The others shushed her and pulled her to the statue on the right side of the door and tapped lightly on its shield muttering something. It promptly swung open revealing a passage. They crept inside and followed it until they reached a door that opened behind one of the hall's tapestries.
Hagrid's voice was the first thing they heard. "I found 'im in th' forest," he was saying. "'E attacked me an' then tried ta run."
"But what is he?" asked McGonagall.
Snape sounded strained as he said, "More to the point, what did this to him?"
Dumbledore looked very serious as they managed to get into a position to see the action. "You think this was caused by Voldemort?" he asked the potions professor, ignoring the gasps of the others. Under the cloak Buffy and Harry shared rolled eyes at the response then refocused on the discussion.
"You know I do," replied Snape. "Unfortunately I don't think there is anything we can do for him."
Madam Pomfrey spoke up then. "I have to say I agree with Severus. There does not appear to be a single thing I could do to assist him even if I could get close enough." She demonstrated her point by stepping in the direction of a cage on the floor. The students were in a very bad position behind the table and couldn't see inside. But when Pomfrey stepped up to the bars, they heard a loud snarl and the whole cage shook as though something inside had thrown itself violently against the walls of its prison. Buffy looked at Harry and inclined her head to the left. He frowned, then followed that direction down the darkened length of the hall to the shifting shadows at the far end of the hall.
She gestured again with her head and Harry understood. She was going to make her way along without the cloak separately from the others to get a better look. He nodded back again and Buffy pulled up the cloak and vanished into the dark instantly. "Hey!" hissed Ron softly.
"Don't worry," whispered Harry.
Hermione's glare could be felt even though Harry's back was turned. "Why not? Where's she gone?"
"She getting a better look," Harry whispered back.
"She'll get caught," objected Ginny.
"Can you see her?" he asked and pointed the direction Buffy went. The others had to admit that the moment she'd left the protection of the cloak she had disappeared into the shadows as though she were one of them. They turned their attention back to the conversation between the teachers.
"-Hate to do this," Dumbledore said, "But it seems the only thing we can do." They saw the professors raising their wands to cast a fatal spell on whatever was trapped in the cage.
Buffy had quietly circled her way around the room until she was in a position to see what was in the cage. As she reached a place in the shadows, half hidden by the tables she looked at the pale, shivering thing in the cage. It looked from that angle as though it might have been human and Buffy felt sympathy for it. Of course it might be a vampire but there was something familiar about him. As the professors raised their wands, about to kill him, he shifted and Buffy saw a tattoo on his right shoulder of a Gryphon straddling a letter 'A'. "NO!"
She ran forward, covering the distance between them in a blur and threw herself in front of the cage. She reached a trembling arm through the bars toward her boyfriend. He snarled and was about to throw himself at her when he paused. His head tilted and he sniffed the air. Their eyes locked and he crept over to her to sniff her hand. Recognition dawned on his face and Buffy gently caressed his face. Angel leaned into her hand looking blissful. The moment was over when Snape demanded, "What in Merlin's name is going on here?"
Immediately Angel jerked away from Buffy and growled at the man. Buffy ignored him and moved to open the cage door. "What are you doing?" Professor McGonagall demanded as she grabbed Buffy and pulled her away. Angel's reaction was immediate. He began to hurl himself against the sides of the cage in a desperate effort to reach his mate.
"I was letting my boyfriend out of that cage," Buffy replied, annoyed. "What the hell happened to him?" she demanded as she returned to Angel's side. He calmed down when she cuddled him through the bars.
Hagrid spoke up, "'E was like this when I found 'im." He shrugged and continued. "Tried to attack some o' the creatures as lives in the woods."
"Well he isn't going to attack anyone unless you upset him," Buffy said with a sidelong look at the silent teachers, several of whom still looked ready to hex Angel at a moment's notice. Then she reached over and tapped the lock with her wand. "Alohamora," she said briskly. The door swung open and Angel cautiously stepped out a moment later and immediately glued himself to her side, nuzzling her hair. There was a lengthy pause during which everyone seemed to be waiting for someone to make a move and even Dumbledore appeared uncertain.
After five minutes of standoff Buffy sighed and simply led Angel off in the direction of the Room of Requirement figuring it would give her whatever she needed to take care of Angel until he was back to normal. "Miss Summers!" called Snape.
"Yes?"
"Where are you taking the . . . your . . . er him?" he asked her.
Buffy shrugged. "I thought the Room of Requirement would probably be best. I really don't think you have the facilities needed for him elsewhere."
Snape nodded approvingly as she competently herded Angel out of the hall and McGonagall stuttered at her impudence. She turned to the Slytherin House leader demanding, "How can you possibly approve?"
He rolled his eyes. "She's competent which is really more than can be said for Potter or that Weasley boy and Granger simply hasn't that sort of self- possession." He smiled. "I appreciate competence."
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Angel followed the small blonde out of the hall and away from the people in robes with the wood sticks that he knew could cause pain. One of the robed people in particular had smelled like the ones who had hurt him before and he was glad to escape. He stepped in close to the blonde female and happily sniffed her again. She smelled like safety and home and other things that made his whole body tingle in anticipation. Suddenly he frowned as another scent reached his nose. Woven in among the myriad aromas that made up the essence that was unique to her were traces of four other people. Two of those people were male and Angel did not like that at all.
"Angel!" she hissed as he pulled her to a stop and began to examine her in earnest. There had been two males in close contact with his mate and Angel became even more irritated when the people the four scents came from suddenly appeared in the hallway with them. He growled and prepared to kill these interlopers. A stinging pain brought him to a halt as Buffy smacked him and said, "Angel, they're my friends. Stay." The words meant nothing but the tone of voice and the fact that a few words from her sent them trotting off reassured Angel that he did not need to battle for his mate. A couple minutes later he was being pulled into a spacious room with large windows covered in iron bars and heavy red velvet curtains. The floors and walls were covered in golden sienna padding, the carpets and tapestries in warm reds and browns. A large mattress covered with sheets, cushions, pillows and blankets of crimson satin and silk glowed in the corner, a chest-of-drawers and wardrobe made of black oak and shelves of heavy leather-bound books finished the room. A door on the opposite side of the room opened onto a lovely tiled washroom complete with a separate shower stall, bathtub with heated massaging water jets and a full array of male toiletries, towels, washcloths and anything else that could possibly be needed.
Buffy watched as Angel explored the room, examining the closets full of silk, satin, velvet and leather clothing as well as the less flashy cotton jeans and t-shirts, staring in bafflement at the washroom facilities and finally coming to rest on the mattress with an expectant air. She slowly approached him, intending to get him to take a shower or a bath. He abruptly lunged forward and pulled her down beside him onto the bed and began eagerly nuzzling at her and growling irritably when he couldn't find out how to get her clothes out of his way. Then he realised that the rags he still wore after all the torment he'd undergone were also constricting his movements and he tore at them until they gave way. Angel discovered that his little blonde had vanished into the other room and he followed her in, anxious.
Buffy waited in the washroom as the tub filled with water. Angel's eagerness wasn't lost on her and she took several breaths to calm herself as she rapidly peeled off her clothes, knowing that any bath with Angel at the moment was going to get her soaked. He appeared in the doorway and his eyes lit up when he saw she wasn't wearing anything. Buffy dodged his hands and stepped into the tub. Angel gamely followed her in and hissed when the warm water made the scratches on his legs sting. Buffy was sitting so Angel sat as well and reached for her. He growled again in irritation when she evaded him, then began to purr when her hands began to massage soap onto his shoulders. It felt so good Angel let his eyes slide closed at the pleasant sensations her hands evoked.
After a thorough soaping, rinsing, shampoo and another rinse, Angel was tense again after his repeated attempts to touch and taste his mate were frustrated by how slippery the soapy water made her. Finally however, as she reached to put the shampoo away, he managed to wrap his arms around her and pull her against him. He rubbed his erection against her and smelled the sweet scent of her skin and the traces of lavender perfume she wore. He sighed happily and nipped at her neck, hearing her breath speed up with his caresses. It was heaven after the horror of the days of torment from before. Although he was aware there was something missing between them, it paled to insignificance before the perfection of the moment.
ENTERING ADULT MATERIAL NOW look for the ~~~~~ to indicate the end of the um . . . stuff.
Suitably startled when her mouth pressed against his, Angel sat still before another memory surfaced. Then he returned her kiss with fervour and slipped his tongue past her lips to tease and taste her. Sometime during the proceedings she had shifted her position on his lap to straddle his legs and Angel discovered his erection was now pressed against her hot, slippery centre. They rocked together for a moment before Buffy broke away, gasping. "Angel," she sighed, pressing her forehead to his. She looked into his eyes and saw all the love and worship she had come to associate with her vampire boyfriend and she felt her apprehension melt away. He was still there, just buried deep beneath whatever tortures he had suffered.
With that reassurance she grasped his manhood and squeezed, enjoying the way his eyes rolled back in pleasure. Then he grabbed her hips and twisted, sliding easily into her. Buffy tensed as pain raced along her nerve endings and her hands moved to clamp onto the sides of the tub. After a few thrusts Angel seemed to realise something was wrong and stopped, whining and nuzzling her to try and determine what had made her upset. His head moving frantically, Angel tried to comfort her even though he had no idea what had happened.
Finally the pain subsided and Buffy became aware of the more pleasurable feelings emanating from where their bodies were joined. Experimentally she shifted her hips and felt a very enjoyable sensation ripple through her. Underneath her Angel hissed and grabbed her hips to stop her, but Buffy gently ground against him again and smiled at her lover encouragingly. He got the message that she was better now and resumed thrusting into her. They bucked together sloshing water all over the floor until suddenly Buffy felt a cool rush inside her and Angel relaxed his chest heaving with unnecessary breath. Buffy whimpered feeling distinctly let down by the ending, and more so as he softened inside her.
She bit her lip and slid a hand down to finish the job. Angel looked on curiously, his eyes widening as she began to moan and rock against her hand. Buffy was startled when his hand joined hers, but she was too far gone to care at that point. "Please," she whispered. Then his fingers, longer and thicker than hers, found their way into her vagina and Buffy threw her head back panting and saying his name. Between the two of them they worked her to orgasm.
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She collapsed onto his chest and rested for a couple minutes before urging him out of the tub. Unwilling to comply since he was quite comfortable where he was, Angel resisted and tugged Buffy back in several times before she finally just eluded his hands and dried off hoping that he would follow her out of the bathroom. She was waiting on the bed with several towels when Angel grouchily emerged and made a beeline for her. Buffy stopped him from climbing onto the bed and firmly dried him off before tugging him into bed and turned the lights off with a word. They fell asleep curled together under the covers.
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Hermione carefully poked her head into the Room of Requirement. She was momentarily taken aback by the chains hanging from the padded walls of an otherwise lovely room, but she took it in stride based on Angel's reaction to everyone but Buffy the night before. A moment later she squeaked in surprise as she realised that the entwined figures on the bed were clearly wearing nothing under the covers, and that Angel was staring at her with interest as he began to climb out of the bed. Hermione suddenly realised she was about to get an eyeful she wasn't entirely certain she wanted when Buffy reached out and tugged Angel back under the covers. Angel had begun to growl as Buffy sleepily said, "Morning."
Blinking in utter bemusement and some fear Hermione replied, "Good morning Buffy. I had to ask, are you coming to classes today?" She flushed as she thought of how that might sound to the blonde.
"I don't think I can leave him," replied Buffy. She sighed and pushed Angel back down again. He did not look pleased at being squelched and Hermione edged slightly toward the door. Buffy frowned at her, currently, bestial boyfriend and added, "Could you bring me my assignments and notes from class until I can leave him?"
That drew a small smile from the witch. Harry and Ron would never have asked such a thing. "Of course. I'll take in your homework as well." Angel had apparently decided that Hermione was no threat because he had started to nuzzle Buffy's neck. Hermione flushed bright red and added in a rush, "We'll drop by with your things this afternoon." At that she scurried out the door and faced the three waiting outside for her.
"Well?" Harry asked impatiently. Then he noticed her blush. "Are you all right Herm?"
She just shook herself and said, "I have never been so embarrassed in my life." Then she hurried off refusing to answer any of their questions.
Hermione handed Buffy's work in and collected the homework assignments and notes Buffy would need. When she reached potions however, Hermione felt some trepidation as she walked up to Snape. Before she could say anything he turned around and asked, "Is that Miss Summer's homework?"
"Yes." Proud that her voice hadn't trembled, Hermoine handed the parchment over to the teacher who simply placed it on the desk before turning back to her. "Is there any-"
Snape didn't let her finish. "You may tell Miss Summers that she may make up her class work as soon as she is able." Suddenly his professional facade dropped away and Hermione was faced with the unusual sight of Professor Snape looked deeply concerned about the welfare of one of his Gryffindor students. "How is Miss Summers coping with her . . . old friend?" he asked.
"Er . . . She seems to be alright professor," replied the dumbfounded student.
Not seeming to notice her shock Snape continued. "Good. If she needs anything at all she may come to me." Then he turned to the class at large and sneered at Harry. "Good day to you Mr. Potter. Shall we see how well you all manage without Miss Summers to assist?" He then proceeded to teach a lesson the way he always did, by finding any way possible to take points away from Gryffindor and, most importantly apparently, to harass Harry in any way possible.
After dinner Hermione made her way to the Room of Requirement to see how Buffy was doing and give her the homework, assignments and notes for the day. When she walked in Buffy was reading to Angel as he lay with his head in her lap. He was purring and Hermione was reminded of a large cat of some kind, like a panther or a tiger. He glanced up at her for a moment, then recognised her and settled back down. As she handed over the homework assignments to Buffy, the Slayer stopped reading and smiled. "Thanks," she said. "How did everyone take my being missing?"
"Easily enough I suppose," Hermione replied and sat down across from the pair on the mattress. She glanced around noticing the room was a complete wreck as compared to that morning with the cushions and books scattered everywhere. "Although I still have to wonder what hold you have over Snape that he seems completely alright with your absence."
Shrugging, Buffy lifted her hands up in the universal sign of 'I dunno'. "I have no idea really," she told the other witch. "I mean, maybe it's 'cause I challenge him instead of giving in and worrying about my grades all the time." She snorted. "After all, if you don't really care too much about your marks beyond not doing really badly, like I do . . . don't . . . uh . . . you know what I mean." Buffy trailed off in mild confusion.
"Ron and Harry don't seem to particularly care either," responded Hermione with a slight frown.
A sigh escaped Buffy. "Well yeah, but Harry's factor is that Snape hates him for some reason that has nothing to do with schoolwork, school or anything Harry's done, and Ron is Harry's friend."
"Which is enough to prejudice Snape without Ron and Harry's ever doing anything at all in class good or bad," Hermione finished the thought and sighed herself. She glanced at Angel who was starting to appear a little bit restless and asked, "Any particular reason you were reading to him just now?"
"Hunh? Oh!" The blonde smiled sappily down at the handsome man next to her. "I noticed that my voice calms him down and stuff, but I'm also hoping that reading to him will help his memory come back." She slid a hand into Angel's hair and began to stroke gently. He surprised both girls by speaking.
"Read . . ." There was a pause as he searched his memory for the next word, none when he spoke her name. "More? Buffy?" His voice seemed to be hoarse from overuse followed by prolonged disuse
Her eyes misted over slightly as Buffy replied, "Sure Angel. But I'd like to introduce you to my friend." She gestured Hermione closer. "This is Hermione Angel." The vast improvement over the previous day was clear and Hermione was more than happy to provide this next step.
"Pleased to meet you," said the witch and she smiled at him. Angel looked her up and down for a moment, frowning. Then he smiled back. Although he didn't say anything Hermione got the distinct impression that he had both acknowledged and understood the introduction. A moment later he sent a pleading look to Buffy who grinned again and acquiesced, continuing in the book she had been reading. Hermione stayed for a couple minutes, keeping the pair company, then left to update Ron, Harry and Ginny on the situation and get her homework and studying done. As she left Hermione heard Buffy begin another poem.
//Unlike are we, unlike, O princely Heart!
Unlike our uses and our destinies.
Our ministering two angels look surprise
On one another, as they strike athwart
Their wings in passing.// (Elizabeth Barrett Browning – Sonnets From the Portuguese III)
She hurried away to Gryffindor tower where the other three were waiting for news.
TBC ...
Notes: I'm sorry this took so long, but my muse seems to have died a horrible horrible death. I honestly don't know when I'll get the next part up. My thanks to all those who have had so much patience in waiting for this next part and my deepest apologies for the delays. The rating has gone up in this next part to a hard R/ NC-17. Just so you're warned. I've also put a warning in before things get really hem, gory. As always, send me a review if you have any comments you feel really need addressing. Now without further ado, heeeeere's Angel!
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Buffy asked Hermione about places she could teach fighting in. The prefect didn't even have to think about it as she replied, "The Room of Requirement."
"The what?" asked Buffy.
Ron had come up behind them and said, "It's this room that becomes whatever you need it to be when you go in." He grinned, enjoying being one of the people in the know for a change, and added, "My older brothers Fred and George needed a hiding spot once, and when they went in it was just a broom closet. But when we needed a DADA classroom for Harry to teach defense in it became the perfect dark arts classroom."
Pursing her lips a little, Buffy had to admit that was impressive. "So we can check that out this evening." It was agreed, but Harry, Ron and Hermione all insisted that they use Harry's invisibility cloak. "I have just one thing to say," Buffy muttered as they made their way down the hall, "If I feel anyone's hands in any bad places, that person loses a hand."
"Absolutely," Ginny said and smacked a hand travelling too low for her comfort. There was a muffled exclamation from Harry.
They were trotting down the hall when a light appeared under the door of the great hall and caught the students' attention. "What's going on in there?" Buffy asked.
"I don't know," replied Harry, "Hermione?"
"I don't know either," she replied.
Ron sounded resigned to his fate as he asked, "Are we going in?"
Harry's grin was completely audible. "Of course."
"Of course," murmured his three henchmen. Then they turned around and made their way to the door. "Is there some way we could go in without using highly visible portal sized doors?" Buffy inquired. The others shushed her and pulled her to the statue on the right side of the door and tapped lightly on its shield muttering something. It promptly swung open revealing a passage. They crept inside and followed it until they reached a door that opened behind one of the hall's tapestries.
Hagrid's voice was the first thing they heard. "I found 'im in th' forest," he was saying. "'E attacked me an' then tried ta run."
"But what is he?" asked McGonagall.
Snape sounded strained as he said, "More to the point, what did this to him?"
Dumbledore looked very serious as they managed to get into a position to see the action. "You think this was caused by Voldemort?" he asked the potions professor, ignoring the gasps of the others. Under the cloak Buffy and Harry shared rolled eyes at the response then refocused on the discussion.
"You know I do," replied Snape. "Unfortunately I don't think there is anything we can do for him."
Madam Pomfrey spoke up then. "I have to say I agree with Severus. There does not appear to be a single thing I could do to assist him even if I could get close enough." She demonstrated her point by stepping in the direction of a cage on the floor. The students were in a very bad position behind the table and couldn't see inside. But when Pomfrey stepped up to the bars, they heard a loud snarl and the whole cage shook as though something inside had thrown itself violently against the walls of its prison. Buffy looked at Harry and inclined her head to the left. He frowned, then followed that direction down the darkened length of the hall to the shifting shadows at the far end of the hall.
She gestured again with her head and Harry understood. She was going to make her way along without the cloak separately from the others to get a better look. He nodded back again and Buffy pulled up the cloak and vanished into the dark instantly. "Hey!" hissed Ron softly.
"Don't worry," whispered Harry.
Hermione's glare could be felt even though Harry's back was turned. "Why not? Where's she gone?"
"She getting a better look," Harry whispered back.
"She'll get caught," objected Ginny.
"Can you see her?" he asked and pointed the direction Buffy went. The others had to admit that the moment she'd left the protection of the cloak she had disappeared into the shadows as though she were one of them. They turned their attention back to the conversation between the teachers.
"-Hate to do this," Dumbledore said, "But it seems the only thing we can do." They saw the professors raising their wands to cast a fatal spell on whatever was trapped in the cage.
Buffy had quietly circled her way around the room until she was in a position to see what was in the cage. As she reached a place in the shadows, half hidden by the tables she looked at the pale, shivering thing in the cage. It looked from that angle as though it might have been human and Buffy felt sympathy for it. Of course it might be a vampire but there was something familiar about him. As the professors raised their wands, about to kill him, he shifted and Buffy saw a tattoo on his right shoulder of a Gryphon straddling a letter 'A'. "NO!"
She ran forward, covering the distance between them in a blur and threw herself in front of the cage. She reached a trembling arm through the bars toward her boyfriend. He snarled and was about to throw himself at her when he paused. His head tilted and he sniffed the air. Their eyes locked and he crept over to her to sniff her hand. Recognition dawned on his face and Buffy gently caressed his face. Angel leaned into her hand looking blissful. The moment was over when Snape demanded, "What in Merlin's name is going on here?"
Immediately Angel jerked away from Buffy and growled at the man. Buffy ignored him and moved to open the cage door. "What are you doing?" Professor McGonagall demanded as she grabbed Buffy and pulled her away. Angel's reaction was immediate. He began to hurl himself against the sides of the cage in a desperate effort to reach his mate.
"I was letting my boyfriend out of that cage," Buffy replied, annoyed. "What the hell happened to him?" she demanded as she returned to Angel's side. He calmed down when she cuddled him through the bars.
Hagrid spoke up, "'E was like this when I found 'im." He shrugged and continued. "Tried to attack some o' the creatures as lives in the woods."
"Well he isn't going to attack anyone unless you upset him," Buffy said with a sidelong look at the silent teachers, several of whom still looked ready to hex Angel at a moment's notice. Then she reached over and tapped the lock with her wand. "Alohamora," she said briskly. The door swung open and Angel cautiously stepped out a moment later and immediately glued himself to her side, nuzzling her hair. There was a lengthy pause during which everyone seemed to be waiting for someone to make a move and even Dumbledore appeared uncertain.
After five minutes of standoff Buffy sighed and simply led Angel off in the direction of the Room of Requirement figuring it would give her whatever she needed to take care of Angel until he was back to normal. "Miss Summers!" called Snape.
"Yes?"
"Where are you taking the . . . your . . . er him?" he asked her.
Buffy shrugged. "I thought the Room of Requirement would probably be best. I really don't think you have the facilities needed for him elsewhere."
Snape nodded approvingly as she competently herded Angel out of the hall and McGonagall stuttered at her impudence. She turned to the Slytherin House leader demanding, "How can you possibly approve?"
He rolled his eyes. "She's competent which is really more than can be said for Potter or that Weasley boy and Granger simply hasn't that sort of self- possession." He smiled. "I appreciate competence."
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Angel followed the small blonde out of the hall and away from the people in robes with the wood sticks that he knew could cause pain. One of the robed people in particular had smelled like the ones who had hurt him before and he was glad to escape. He stepped in close to the blonde female and happily sniffed her again. She smelled like safety and home and other things that made his whole body tingle in anticipation. Suddenly he frowned as another scent reached his nose. Woven in among the myriad aromas that made up the essence that was unique to her were traces of four other people. Two of those people were male and Angel did not like that at all.
"Angel!" she hissed as he pulled her to a stop and began to examine her in earnest. There had been two males in close contact with his mate and Angel became even more irritated when the people the four scents came from suddenly appeared in the hallway with them. He growled and prepared to kill these interlopers. A stinging pain brought him to a halt as Buffy smacked him and said, "Angel, they're my friends. Stay." The words meant nothing but the tone of voice and the fact that a few words from her sent them trotting off reassured Angel that he did not need to battle for his mate. A couple minutes later he was being pulled into a spacious room with large windows covered in iron bars and heavy red velvet curtains. The floors and walls were covered in golden sienna padding, the carpets and tapestries in warm reds and browns. A large mattress covered with sheets, cushions, pillows and blankets of crimson satin and silk glowed in the corner, a chest-of-drawers and wardrobe made of black oak and shelves of heavy leather-bound books finished the room. A door on the opposite side of the room opened onto a lovely tiled washroom complete with a separate shower stall, bathtub with heated massaging water jets and a full array of male toiletries, towels, washcloths and anything else that could possibly be needed.
Buffy watched as Angel explored the room, examining the closets full of silk, satin, velvet and leather clothing as well as the less flashy cotton jeans and t-shirts, staring in bafflement at the washroom facilities and finally coming to rest on the mattress with an expectant air. She slowly approached him, intending to get him to take a shower or a bath. He abruptly lunged forward and pulled her down beside him onto the bed and began eagerly nuzzling at her and growling irritably when he couldn't find out how to get her clothes out of his way. Then he realised that the rags he still wore after all the torment he'd undergone were also constricting his movements and he tore at them until they gave way. Angel discovered that his little blonde had vanished into the other room and he followed her in, anxious.
Buffy waited in the washroom as the tub filled with water. Angel's eagerness wasn't lost on her and she took several breaths to calm herself as she rapidly peeled off her clothes, knowing that any bath with Angel at the moment was going to get her soaked. He appeared in the doorway and his eyes lit up when he saw she wasn't wearing anything. Buffy dodged his hands and stepped into the tub. Angel gamely followed her in and hissed when the warm water made the scratches on his legs sting. Buffy was sitting so Angel sat as well and reached for her. He growled again in irritation when she evaded him, then began to purr when her hands began to massage soap onto his shoulders. It felt so good Angel let his eyes slide closed at the pleasant sensations her hands evoked.
After a thorough soaping, rinsing, shampoo and another rinse, Angel was tense again after his repeated attempts to touch and taste his mate were frustrated by how slippery the soapy water made her. Finally however, as she reached to put the shampoo away, he managed to wrap his arms around her and pull her against him. He rubbed his erection against her and smelled the sweet scent of her skin and the traces of lavender perfume she wore. He sighed happily and nipped at her neck, hearing her breath speed up with his caresses. It was heaven after the horror of the days of torment from before. Although he was aware there was something missing between them, it paled to insignificance before the perfection of the moment.
ENTERING ADULT MATERIAL NOW look for the ~~~~~ to indicate the end of the um . . . stuff.
Suitably startled when her mouth pressed against his, Angel sat still before another memory surfaced. Then he returned her kiss with fervour and slipped his tongue past her lips to tease and taste her. Sometime during the proceedings she had shifted her position on his lap to straddle his legs and Angel discovered his erection was now pressed against her hot, slippery centre. They rocked together for a moment before Buffy broke away, gasping. "Angel," she sighed, pressing her forehead to his. She looked into his eyes and saw all the love and worship she had come to associate with her vampire boyfriend and she felt her apprehension melt away. He was still there, just buried deep beneath whatever tortures he had suffered.
With that reassurance she grasped his manhood and squeezed, enjoying the way his eyes rolled back in pleasure. Then he grabbed her hips and twisted, sliding easily into her. Buffy tensed as pain raced along her nerve endings and her hands moved to clamp onto the sides of the tub. After a few thrusts Angel seemed to realise something was wrong and stopped, whining and nuzzling her to try and determine what had made her upset. His head moving frantically, Angel tried to comfort her even though he had no idea what had happened.
Finally the pain subsided and Buffy became aware of the more pleasurable feelings emanating from where their bodies were joined. Experimentally she shifted her hips and felt a very enjoyable sensation ripple through her. Underneath her Angel hissed and grabbed her hips to stop her, but Buffy gently ground against him again and smiled at her lover encouragingly. He got the message that she was better now and resumed thrusting into her. They bucked together sloshing water all over the floor until suddenly Buffy felt a cool rush inside her and Angel relaxed his chest heaving with unnecessary breath. Buffy whimpered feeling distinctly let down by the ending, and more so as he softened inside her.
She bit her lip and slid a hand down to finish the job. Angel looked on curiously, his eyes widening as she began to moan and rock against her hand. Buffy was startled when his hand joined hers, but she was too far gone to care at that point. "Please," she whispered. Then his fingers, longer and thicker than hers, found their way into her vagina and Buffy threw her head back panting and saying his name. Between the two of them they worked her to orgasm.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She collapsed onto his chest and rested for a couple minutes before urging him out of the tub. Unwilling to comply since he was quite comfortable where he was, Angel resisted and tugged Buffy back in several times before she finally just eluded his hands and dried off hoping that he would follow her out of the bathroom. She was waiting on the bed with several towels when Angel grouchily emerged and made a beeline for her. Buffy stopped him from climbing onto the bed and firmly dried him off before tugging him into bed and turned the lights off with a word. They fell asleep curled together under the covers.
********************
Hermione carefully poked her head into the Room of Requirement. She was momentarily taken aback by the chains hanging from the padded walls of an otherwise lovely room, but she took it in stride based on Angel's reaction to everyone but Buffy the night before. A moment later she squeaked in surprise as she realised that the entwined figures on the bed were clearly wearing nothing under the covers, and that Angel was staring at her with interest as he began to climb out of the bed. Hermione suddenly realised she was about to get an eyeful she wasn't entirely certain she wanted when Buffy reached out and tugged Angel back under the covers. Angel had begun to growl as Buffy sleepily said, "Morning."
Blinking in utter bemusement and some fear Hermione replied, "Good morning Buffy. I had to ask, are you coming to classes today?" She flushed as she thought of how that might sound to the blonde.
"I don't think I can leave him," replied Buffy. She sighed and pushed Angel back down again. He did not look pleased at being squelched and Hermione edged slightly toward the door. Buffy frowned at her, currently, bestial boyfriend and added, "Could you bring me my assignments and notes from class until I can leave him?"
That drew a small smile from the witch. Harry and Ron would never have asked such a thing. "Of course. I'll take in your homework as well." Angel had apparently decided that Hermione was no threat because he had started to nuzzle Buffy's neck. Hermione flushed bright red and added in a rush, "We'll drop by with your things this afternoon." At that she scurried out the door and faced the three waiting outside for her.
"Well?" Harry asked impatiently. Then he noticed her blush. "Are you all right Herm?"
She just shook herself and said, "I have never been so embarrassed in my life." Then she hurried off refusing to answer any of their questions.
Hermione handed Buffy's work in and collected the homework assignments and notes Buffy would need. When she reached potions however, Hermione felt some trepidation as she walked up to Snape. Before she could say anything he turned around and asked, "Is that Miss Summer's homework?"
"Yes." Proud that her voice hadn't trembled, Hermoine handed the parchment over to the teacher who simply placed it on the desk before turning back to her. "Is there any-"
Snape didn't let her finish. "You may tell Miss Summers that she may make up her class work as soon as she is able." Suddenly his professional facade dropped away and Hermione was faced with the unusual sight of Professor Snape looked deeply concerned about the welfare of one of his Gryffindor students. "How is Miss Summers coping with her . . . old friend?" he asked.
"Er . . . She seems to be alright professor," replied the dumbfounded student.
Not seeming to notice her shock Snape continued. "Good. If she needs anything at all she may come to me." Then he turned to the class at large and sneered at Harry. "Good day to you Mr. Potter. Shall we see how well you all manage without Miss Summers to assist?" He then proceeded to teach a lesson the way he always did, by finding any way possible to take points away from Gryffindor and, most importantly apparently, to harass Harry in any way possible.
After dinner Hermione made her way to the Room of Requirement to see how Buffy was doing and give her the homework, assignments and notes for the day. When she walked in Buffy was reading to Angel as he lay with his head in her lap. He was purring and Hermione was reminded of a large cat of some kind, like a panther or a tiger. He glanced up at her for a moment, then recognised her and settled back down. As she handed over the homework assignments to Buffy, the Slayer stopped reading and smiled. "Thanks," she said. "How did everyone take my being missing?"
"Easily enough I suppose," Hermione replied and sat down across from the pair on the mattress. She glanced around noticing the room was a complete wreck as compared to that morning with the cushions and books scattered everywhere. "Although I still have to wonder what hold you have over Snape that he seems completely alright with your absence."
Shrugging, Buffy lifted her hands up in the universal sign of 'I dunno'. "I have no idea really," she told the other witch. "I mean, maybe it's 'cause I challenge him instead of giving in and worrying about my grades all the time." She snorted. "After all, if you don't really care too much about your marks beyond not doing really badly, like I do . . . don't . . . uh . . . you know what I mean." Buffy trailed off in mild confusion.
"Ron and Harry don't seem to particularly care either," responded Hermione with a slight frown.
A sigh escaped Buffy. "Well yeah, but Harry's factor is that Snape hates him for some reason that has nothing to do with schoolwork, school or anything Harry's done, and Ron is Harry's friend."
"Which is enough to prejudice Snape without Ron and Harry's ever doing anything at all in class good or bad," Hermione finished the thought and sighed herself. She glanced at Angel who was starting to appear a little bit restless and asked, "Any particular reason you were reading to him just now?"
"Hunh? Oh!" The blonde smiled sappily down at the handsome man next to her. "I noticed that my voice calms him down and stuff, but I'm also hoping that reading to him will help his memory come back." She slid a hand into Angel's hair and began to stroke gently. He surprised both girls by speaking.
"Read . . ." There was a pause as he searched his memory for the next word, none when he spoke her name. "More? Buffy?" His voice seemed to be hoarse from overuse followed by prolonged disuse
Her eyes misted over slightly as Buffy replied, "Sure Angel. But I'd like to introduce you to my friend." She gestured Hermione closer. "This is Hermione Angel." The vast improvement over the previous day was clear and Hermione was more than happy to provide this next step.
"Pleased to meet you," said the witch and she smiled at him. Angel looked her up and down for a moment, frowning. Then he smiled back. Although he didn't say anything Hermione got the distinct impression that he had both acknowledged and understood the introduction. A moment later he sent a pleading look to Buffy who grinned again and acquiesced, continuing in the book she had been reading. Hermione stayed for a couple minutes, keeping the pair company, then left to update Ron, Harry and Ginny on the situation and get her homework and studying done. As she left Hermione heard Buffy begin another poem.
//Unlike are we, unlike, O princely Heart!
Unlike our uses and our destinies.
Our ministering two angels look surprise
On one another, as they strike athwart
Their wings in passing.// (Elizabeth Barrett Browning – Sonnets From the Portuguese III)
She hurried away to Gryffindor tower where the other three were waiting for news.
TBC ...