Author's Note: Okay, usually I don't separate scenes like I did but here's a bit more from the masquerade because who doesn't like a party?

"Ding ding. We found our vampire," Xander joked when the couple walked through the door. The Sunnydale gang had made a bet on several things like whether anyone would dress like a vampire and, if so, would it be a Gryffindor or a Slytherin? (No one thought the mild mannered Hufflepuffs or clever Ravenclaws would risk offending their new professors.)

"So who are our Dracula and Mina Harker?" Willow asked Spike who had been outing people most of the night. At first they'd tried guessing who was dressed as who but the costumes were so well done that they'd failed every time. (Just like they'd fail if there was a costume contest since Dawn had refused to dress like Scooby-Doo and complete their ensemble.)

Spike turned towards the couple and took a deep breath and then frowned as the couple walked to one of the tables set for two. "Bloody hell. That's a shocker," he said as 'Dracula' gallantly pulled a chair out for 'Mina.'

"What's shocking?" Buffy demanded.

"Our cheeky little mystery couple is none other than Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger," Spike announced.

Buffy, Xander, and Willow gaped at him. "But they hate each other!" Buffy protested.

Spike purposefully slid an arm around Buffy's waist, his scarred eyebrow raised. "Yes, because people who once hated each other can't change their minds and start a relationship."

"Not in front of the kids," Buffy admonished as she slipped out of his grip. "But I see your point."

Xander nodded. "I've seen them fight, it's pretty explosive. I bet the sex is hot." Then realizing that they'd just compared Draco and Hermione to Spike and Buffy he shuddered. "Eww. Gross. Forget I said that. Bad images. Bad images in the brain."

"Maybe if you asked someone to dance it would help clear your mind," Willow suggested.

"Sorry Will, I love you and all but I am not willing to embarrass myself by dancing in front of these kids unless there's a chance I might get lucky."

Willow rolled her eyes and sighed. "That wasn't my way of asking you to dance with me, I was suggesting you ask Aurora Sinistra. She keeps looking at you."

Xander looked over his shoulder. Willow was right, the tall Professor of Astronomy was looking at him in a way that could very well indicate that she'd say yes to a dance with him. But, at the same time, the look could also indicate countless other, less appealing options. "Maybe she's just staring because I look like a drugged out homeless guy."

Spike suddenly stalked away, walking right by Sinistra on his way to the refreshment table and right by her on his way back, two glasses of a golden drink in his hands. "She's definitely interested in something or someone," he explained when the rest of the Scoobies stared at him in surprise.

Xander's eyebrows shot up. "And you know that how?"

The vampire smirked. "Just like I know everything else. I smelled it."

Willow's nose wrinkled at that revelation. "That's so creepy."

"You weren't complaining when I was using that sense to identify costumed students."

Buffy reached out and pulled Xander close while the others continued to argue. "You should ask Aurora to dance. If she says yes then you have a pretty lady to dance with."

"And if she says no?"

"Then Spike and I have a god awful amount of alcohol in our room that could be donated to the cause," Buffy whispered.

"Okay, okay," Xander gave in, speaking loud enough to get Spike and Willow's attention. "I'll ask her but I want you to ask someone to dance too Will. Someone who has not been to California recently."

"That isn't fair," Willow protested. "You at least have an inclination that she wants to dance with you. But me? It's a little harder what with the whole lesbian thing going on."

Xander crossed his arms over his chest. "I said you had to ask someone to dance, not that you had to be interested in them."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Just because we're in a school it doesn't mean we have to act like teenagers. So go on and ask people to dance instead of just talking about it. I know I'd like to dance with my date."

Spike looked like he was about to protest until Buffy dragged him a few feet away and pulled him far closer than two professors should have been dancing when in front of their students.

"Okay, let's do this," Xander muttered. As he and Willow moved away they could just barely hear the Slayer and vampire murmuring behind them.

"Didn't you get trained in ballroom dancing when you were younger? You know, given the fact that you're ancient and all that."

"Mum may have taught me how to dance but that doesn't mean I had much of an opportunity to put said skills into action. I did hit up a couple balls with Dru but we weren't exactly focused on the dance floor if you know what I mean."

"Stop talking. I really don't need to hear any more details."

Willow chuckled and Xander made a noise of disgust. "They're just…ugh. I still don't like that she's with him," he said then stopped to look his red haired friend in the eye. "Well, good luck."

"You too," she said then casually strolled around just long enough to watch the astronomy professor accept Xander's hand and then she headed towards her own target. She was running with Xander's last suggestion, choosing someone she wasn't romantically interested in.

He was, of course, sitting alone and as far away from the dancing as was possible. She approached him cautiously, half expecting him to pull a wand on her the second he saw her.

"Hey Professor Snape. Would you like to dance with me?"

The long haired professor sneered up at her. "If this is your way of expressing interest Ms. Rosenberg ˗"

Willow couldn't help but laugh. "Um, that is definitely not where I was going with this. I mean, didn't you see inside my head already?"

Snape's sneer turned into a frown and his eyes narrowed. "What does that have to do with this conversation?"

Willow gaped at him. "Uh, I guess I just assumed…well I guess you missed it. I am definitely not interested in you, not like that, because I am only attracted to women. I am very much a lesbian."

That statement seemed to crack through the surliness of the Potions Master and Willow saw a facial expression she'd never seen on his face before. It suggested confusion and surprise, as did the words that accompanied it. "Oh. If that's the case…regardless of that fact, it still does not explain why you are over here."

Willow shrugged and sat down across from him even though she hadn't been invited to. "You're always in a bad mood and you're always alone so I thought hey, maybe he's lonely. And I'm curious about that Potion you assigned the Fourth Years."

The talk of the school the next day wasn't about the band or the costumes. Not it was the fact that more than one student claimed to have seen Professors Snape and Rosenberg chatting for hours.