Buffy and Angel were in front of the mansion's unlit fireplace. Her head was on his shoulder, their fingers entwined idly. It had been an almost wasted patrol. They had not come across a single vampire.
She was now telling him Hermione's story. He listened intently, not interrupting once. She finished with, "...and I think we should help."
"Buffy," he began.
"Don't 'Buffy' me," she gently chided. She raised her head, looking him straight in the face.
"But we can't exactly leave the Hellmouth unguarded to go gallivanting off to Europe!"
"It won't be totally unguarded," Buffy reasoned, "Faith and Wesley will be here. Besides, there aren't as many vampires as there are supposed to be. Haven't you noticed? We didn't come across one on patrol tonight. Hermione thinks this situation with this Voldy person has something to do with it."
"But do you really think this is a good idea?"
"Half of the situations I get myself into stem from not-so-good ideas, but I always come out alive at the end, don't I?"
Angel's lack of protest told her all she needed to know.
"Besides," she continued, placatingly, "we'll just be a call away. Hermione says there are also alternate magical forms of communication we can use. Angel," she said, widening her hazel eyes, "we are going to get to see magic! Real magic!"
Angel couldn't help but smile at the sight of Buffy's wide-eyed eagerness.
Seeing him smile, Buffy resettled into her place on his shoulder.
"Besides," she continued, softly, "I'm about ninety-five-point-nine-nine-nine-nine-infinity percent sure that Hermione has a thing for Harry. So I have to help her get the hook up."
"'Ninety-five-point-nine-nine-nine-nine-infinity percent', huh?" he asked, amusedly, "How could you possibly know that? You've talked to the girl all of an hour!"
"Girls just know these things," Buffy replied wisely, "Besides, I was ninety-give-point-nine-nine-nine-nine-infinity-percent sure I had a thing for you. And I was right."
"Oh, really?" he asked, teasingly, lowering his head slightly.
"Really," she answered, softly, bring her head up to kiss him gently.
~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~
Quite a while later, the Scoobies plus Angel, Hermione, and Giles were settling into their meeting in the library. While Hermione was telling her story, Giles was already nosedeep into a book of creatures Hermione believed would probably be involved in the battle.
Willow was excitedly examining a book of simple spells Hermione had given her, with the promise that, with the help of the Order, they would soon procure her a wand.
Oz was listening intently to Hermione in that silent way of his, but was also watching Willow intently and smiling solemnly at the delight on her face.
Buffy and Angel were concentrating on the simultaneous moves of their Tai Chi.
Xander hadn't taken his eyes off Hermione ever since she had walked in the door.
Cordelia was pouting sullenly, sequentially shooting glares at first Xander, then Hermione. She sighed every once in a while, just to let everyone around her know how bored she was.
Once Hermione finished, she looked around at everyone, with shyness bordering on hope.
"So...do you think you'd be willing to help?" she asked, expectantly.
"Well, I've made all of the necessary arrangements. It just depends on if everyone is willing, and allowed," he reemphasized, "to go."
"We're in," Buffy answered for both her and Angel.
"Uh, oh, Giles," Angel began, hesitatingly, "those arrangements were made during the dark hours right?"
"Oh, yes, of course, Angel," Giles reassured him.
"I'm in," Willow piped, pulling her head out of the spellbook for the first time in the last hour.
"Me too," Oz supplied.
"I guess," Cordelia, replied reluctantly.
Everyone looked at Xander expectantly.
Cordelia, glaring once again, snapped her fingers sharply in front of Xander's face.
Xander seemed to break out of some trance he had been in, his eyes finally leaving Hermione.
"Um...what were we talking about?"
Hermione stifled a very Malfoy-like smirk.
"He's in," Cordelia answered for him, rolling her eyes.
"Great! Thank you so much," Hermione gushed, "I'll write to Harry-and the Order," she added quickly, "as soon as possible."
"Yeah, Hermione," Buffy began, winking slyly at Angel, "how about I help you with that letter?"
"O-okay," Hermione answered uncharacteristically confused.
Buffy was the only one who noticed Angel's slight grin; but they all noticed Cordelia's slap to the back of Xander's head.
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