Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me. As if you didn't know that.

Authors note: these next two chapters will be the same scene from different perspectives but they will be the last ones. After this it will be one chapter per scene. Also in the Slayerverse this is after Angel returns from the hell dimension but I've changed the storyline a bit and Faith hasn't shown up yet and she may not and the story is AU will not follow canon.

Warning: Slash DM/HP

Chapter 4

The tense standoff was brought to an end with the entrance of an older male with graying salt and pepper hair wearing tweed. He came in speaking Harry assumed to the blond and her friends until he abruptly started at the sight of the three new teenagers.

"May I help you?" The stranger asked in a polite English accent

They all just stared at him for a moment and his unassuming manner seemed to put the teenagers at ease and all relaxed their defensive postures. Harry and Draco simultaneously looked at Hermione and wordlessly elected her as the spokesperson. Maybe it was the tweed or the fact that they were in a library but both felt as though that whoever this new guy was that Hermione would be the one to make sense of the situation. In the months since the war each had formed their own niche within the new trio. Harry was the warrior, Draco the diplomat and Hermione the brains, but tweed guy looked like a brain so best to let Hermione do the talking in this situation.

Hermione sighed and replied to tweed, "Hello, I'm Hermione Granger and these are my friends Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy and we seem to be a bit lost."

The other four in the library just stared at the trio for a moment thrown by the English accents before the petite blond stepped forward and took control of the situation.

"Well, I'm Buffy the red head is Willow the tall guy is Xander and the guy in tweed is Giles nice to meet you" said the blond now known as Buffy, "so how did you get here?"

At this Harry stepped forward, "I'm afraid that's my fault."

"Harry James Potter" exclaimed both Hermione and Draco, "this is not your fault this is the fault of those prejudicial wizards that have the nerve to call themselves the light side. They blame you for not taking care of a problem that they caused in the first place and then when you do they persecute you for continuing to do what is right. I would feel guilty in I had turned my back on you," finished Hermione in one breath.

"But you two wouldn't be here if it weren't for me," replied Harry.

"I chose to follow you Harry just as I have always done and you have yet to lead me wrong so don't you start in with the guilt thing," said Hermione.

"Yeah, and if it weren't for you I would probably be in Azkaban or dead so don't say that I made the wrong decision to follow you either because I might just deck you or better yet have Granger here do it she packs a mean right hook," replied Draco sardonically meaning every word.

Hermione couldn't help but flush at the backhand compliment and shot a pleased grin at Draco.

Harry just sighed realizing that he wouldn't get anywhere with his argument they had both made up their minds and he knew from that they were both as stubborn as mules.

Seeing that they had paused in their argument of whoever was to blame Buffy quickly reasserted herself back into the conversation. "so how did you end up here again?"

Harry sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck and said, "We were pushed through the veil of death which obviously isn't well named since none of us are dead but Hermione could probably explain how better she's brilliant."

Hermione then began to explain her theory on a different world and how the veil was a portal to the other group and was surprised when none of them showed the slightest indication of being weirded out, instead they took on an expression of acceptance that just screamed to Harry that this group was also very well versed in the unusual.

After Hermione's explanation the other group quickly went over to a corner to discuss the situation and the trio took the time to examine the three in this new world. The blond even though being the smallest in the group, was obviously in charge and carried an air of confidence that the rest in the group seemed to take strength from, and had this look in her eye that Harry was very familiar with, as though she had the weight of the world on her shoulders and he couldn't help but feel some sort of kinship with her. The redhead, Willow was her name was cute in a school girl kind of way, she actually reminded Harry of Hermione before the war. Back when she was just a frizzy haired eleven year old back before tragedy and heartache stripped the innocence from her. The young male was probably the tallest in the room after Draco and had brunet hair and seemed to be a bit of a jokester.

Finally, the group turned to Harry and his friends and Buffy stepped forward and said, "ok, so how do you feel about going to high school?"

The trio looked at each other anxiously they had been at a boarding school for magic for the last seven years and now the prospect of muggle high school was completely daunting for all three and especially Draco who had never been around muggles at least Hermione and Harry were raised by them. In the end they would let Harry make the decision after all he always looked out for them. As much as Hermione was the brains behind the group Harry was the one that always looked out for all of them, making sure that they were safe and content, while they made sure that he didn't forget himself.

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