Harry Potter and the Vampire Slayer
Quidditch
Chapter Ten
by: Miss Witch
Rated PG
Summary: Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know what's going on by now.
Disclaimer: I know nothing, I own nothing. Blah, blah, blah. Don't sue!
Spoilers: This takes place before Season 4 of Buffy, and after -Goblet of Fire
Distribution: If you've had my permission before, knock yourself out. If you don't have my permission, you've just to ask.
Feedback: Want more? Then ya gotta feed the beast!!
Author's Note: I'd like to thank Kristin for her unfailing support, enthusiasm and constant nagging, um, I mean, pestering… no that's not it. Encouragement, yeah, that's the word. Her constant encouragement. Also, Luisa, you'll be thrilled to know this was why you were asked to describe fall in England. Thanks for your descriptive reply.
Autumn was a much colder season and came much sooner in England than in California. Actually, it was much closer to the Californian winter, such as it was. Giles had forgotten how much he enjoyed the cold slap of air on a windy afternoon. He lifted his face to the breeze and inhaled deeply. He could smell the clean, crisp scent of fallen leaves in the air. Underneath his feet, the grass was still covered with the morning frost, and he could see his frozen breath in the air.
The first few weeks of school had managed to pass without a single major crisis. After three years of one crisis after another, the calm was almost unnerving. However, Buffy and the others had managed to settle into the Hogwarts routine and were blossoming under the tutelage of the magic teachers. Willow, who spent an extra hour a day working with Professor McGonagall, was becoming "one bad ass Wicca" as Buffy had described her. It was a relief that he'd been able to bring Willow and help her channel her powers. She was incredibly powerful and talented, and Minerva was teaching her things Giles simply hadn't been able to.
Not surprising, Oz had fit in and was excelling at his magical studies. As in Sunnydale High, Oz was well liked across the grades. And if anyone had noticed that he disappeared for a weekend, no one was saying anything. Even Xander had made quite impression on the Hogwarts students. Giles wondered if he knew that there were several sixth year girls who had crushes on him.
Most of the school was in awe of Buffy. She still drew whispers when she walked into a room. She'd settled to the business of learning magic, but Giles had noticed a growing restlessness. A Slayer was not built to be sedentary, and the lack of physical activity was beginning to show. Giles found her in the training room most nights, and while Giles couldn't prove it, he was almost positive that Buffy had taken to patrolling the school at night. She had let slip some information about parts of the castle that she had no business knowing about. Giles just hoped that she didn't run into Filch on her patrols.
But today, any worries of Filch catching Buffy were far away. Buffy had told him that Gryffindor was having quidditch try outs, and that Harry had offered to let the gang try his broom before practice. Madame Hooch had taught them the basics, but the fact of the matter was that the school brooms left much to be desired. Harry's Firebolt was top of the line and the chance to give it a try was too good to pass up. Which was why Giles was tramping out to the quidditch field bright and early on a Saturday morning to make sure no one fell off the broom and killed themselves.
Buffy watched Harry zip around the quidditch field on his broom, then looked back down at the school broom lying on the ground. It was battered and looked the worse for wear. Buffy nudged it with her toe like it was an animal she wasn't quite sure was dead yet.
Sighing, she held out her right hand over the broom.
"Up." she commanded. The broom remained on the ground. [This just sucks.] Buffy thought. [I'm the Slayer, and I can't get a freakin' broom to work.] "Up." she repeated, more forcefully. Nothing. Frustrated, Buffy turned on her heel and stomped away.
"You're trying too hard." Giles said, moving past her to the broom. He held out his hand. "Up." The broom shot up from the ground and into his hand. "See." Buffy scowled at his grinning face.
"Show off." she grumbled. Giles grinned. Buffy was the only one still on the ground. The others had long since gotten their brooms into the air, and if Giles wasn't mistaken, his Slayer was about two minutes away from a temper tantrum of frustration. Giles tossed the broom back onto the ground by Buffy's feet.
"First, close your eyes and take a deep breath." he told her. Buffy did as she was told, feeling the frustration leave her body. She felt Giles put his hands on her shoulders. "Now, hold you hand out over the broom." he told her, his voice close to her ear. Buffy held out her arm. Giles adjusted it so that her hand was directly over the broom handle. There was something unbelievably sensual about the way he was touching her, and Buffy had to suppress a shiver of excitement. "When your mind is clear, open your eyes, look at the broom and command it."
[Like my mind is ever going to be clear when you're touching me.] Buffy thought sarcastically. Sighing, she figured she was going to be here all day, might as well get it over with. Opening her eyes, she looked at the broom and "Up." she commanded softly.
Much to her amazement, the broom shot off the ground and into her hand. Buffy twirled around to face Giles.
"It worked!" she said, her face glowing with excitement. Giles grinned. The wind was blowing her blonde hair into her face. Giles reached out and tucked a stray strand behind her ear.
"I'm glad to be of service." he told her. His hand paused momentarily on her cheek before he snatched it away.
"Giles…" Buffy began, but Giles turned away to squint into the sky.
"You just hop on the broom and kick off now." he said, his voice painfully casual. Buffy swung her leg over the broom, and must to her surprise, rose above the ground as she pushed up with her toes.
Giles watched as she slowly ascended into the air. After a few minutes, the jerky movements of the broom smoothed out as Buffy grew used to maneuvering it. Giles settled himself on the bench next to Ron and Hermione, who was reading a book.
Giles watched as the gang flew above his head. Buffy and Willow were passable flyers, and Oz quite good, but it was Xander who impressed Giles the most. Even on the school broom, he had a grace in the air that he lacked on the ground.
Soon, the air was filled with quidditch hopefuls. There was only one position open on the team, the Keeper. Oliver Wood, former Keeper and team captain had graduated two years before, and was now on the Puddlemere United Reserve team. One by one, the rest of the Gryffindor team straggled out to the field, Fred and George being the last to arrive.
"Shrrry, omhrslehpt." George mumbled around a piece of toast. Katie Bell rolled her eyes.
"There's something that never happens." she muttered. She tossed her long blonde hair over her shoulder. "Better call 'em in." she told Fred. Fred nodded and blew on a silver whistle.
"Oy!" he yelled, waving his arm toward the ground. "Everyone down here!" Within a few minutes, everyone who'd been in the air had landed and was gathered around the team.
Buffy, Willow and Oz moved away from the crowd. They weren't here to try out, only to lend moral support to Xander, who was. It had taken some fast-talking, but they had managed to convince him to try out for the team.
"We should've gotten him a better broom." Buffy muttered as she sat down next to Giles. "That school broom isn't going to do him much good."
"There wasn't time." Willow pointed out, snuggling against Oz. "How were we supposed to know he'd be so good at it?"
On the quidditch field, Xander danced nervously from foot to foot. He stole a glance at Katie, who happened to look at him at the same time. Blushing, Xander forced attention back to Fred, was giving directions to the hopefuls.
"Right. It's very simple. The team is going to fly up and Katie, Angelina and Alicia will be trying to get the quaffle past each of you. Your job is to stop it." he said. The rest of the team nodded. "Any questions?" Fred asked. The aspiring Keepers shook their heads. George gave some final instructions, giving the candidates their order.
Xander was near the beginning of the try-outs, and he moved away from the group as the team prepared to take off.
"Good luck." Harry whispered before mounting his broom and shooting into the air. Xander waved at him as he left, giving himself a mental pep talk.
[Ok, I can do this. I'm not going to fall off my broom. NO! Don't even think that! I can do this.]
From the stands, Buffy watched as Xander paced next to a bench, waiting his turn. Linking her arm with Giles', she turned to look up at her Watcher.
"What do you think of Katie Bell?" she asked him. Distracted, Giles frowned as he looked down at her.
"Hmm? What? Oh, Katie Bell? She seems a nice enough young lady. Why?" he asked. Buffy shrugged.
"Oh, I just think our Mr. Harris has a crush on her." Giles smiled.
"There are worse people he could have a crush on." he commented.
"Hmmm." was all Buffy said, watching as Katie circled in the air on her broom. Giles was very conscious of the feel of Buffy leaning against him, of the way her body was molded against his.
"Buffy," he murmured. Buffy leapt upright, and pointed.
"Oh, it's Xander's turn!" she exclaimed excitedly. Buffy scrambled to her feet and shaded her eyes, squinting to see better.
"Buffy." There was a tug on her jacket, and Buffy turned to see Ron holding something out to her. "Use these." he said. "The Omnioculars will help you see." Buffy thanked him as she took them and held them up to her eyes. Xander suddenly appeared to be only feet away.
"Wow these are cool." she murmured, following Xander as he moved through the air. The school broom was slow to respond, but Xander was managing to block the easy volleys the Chasers were sending his way. Buffy passed the Omnioculars down to Willow. "I don't know what he's going to do when they start chucking the quaffle for real." she muttered, sitting back down next to Giles. A sudden movement out of the corner of her eye caught Buffy's attention. "What the hell is that?" she asked, searching the skies.
Whatever it was, it was moving at a fast clip. It zigzagged through the air, with no apparent pattern. Willow gasped and pointed across the field in the other direction.
"There's another." She worked furiously to keep the object in view. "Oh, no. It's a bludger." Willow proclaimed, once she'd gotten a good look.
"What?" The entire group asked the question simultaneously. Willow nodded solemnly, handing the Omnioculars back to Buffy.
"There are two bludgers flying around up there." she said. Buffy searched the sky.
"Oh, bloody hell." she muttered as one of the bludgers came into sight.
"Where did they come from?" Hermione asked. No one could answer her question.
"How do we stop them?" Willow asked. Giles stood, watching the bludger intently. Never taking his eyes off of it, he pulled out his wand and touched it to his throat.
"Sonorus." he said, then, with his voice magically magnified "Xander, watch out!" Giles shouted. "There's a bludger heading straight for you." Giles looked down at Buffy who was tugging frantically on his robe.
"Call Harry." she asked him, her eyes a bit wild. The thought of Xander injured by one of the destructive balls panicked her. She leapt down off the bleachers, running toward the middle of the field. Behind her, she heard Giles call Harry's name as she scooped up a bat.
In the air, the members of the quidditch team were desperately trying to avoid the bludger. Fred and George were doing their best to beat them back, but the bludgers seemed to recover from being knocked off course quicker than usual. Harry heard his name being called and looking down, saw Buffy waving wildly at him. Dodging the bludger that whistled past his ear, Harry dove toward her.
The school broom that Xander was flying on simply was not able to handle the pressure and speed of serious flying. It bucked and fought as Xander swerved through the air in an attempt to avoid the wild bludgers. In horror, Xander watched as the one he'd just managed to dodge swung off to the side, straight toward Katie.
"Katie!" Xander shouted, aiming his broom toward her. With a lot of cursing and prodding, Xander managed to place his body between Katie and the bludger. "Ommph!" The bludger caught Xander in the stomach, knocking him off the school broom.
Buffy flung herself on Harry's broom as he approached her. Harry slowed only enough to make sure Buffy didn't miss. Pulling herself up, Buffy settled behind Harry, clinging tightly to the back of his robe. The Firebolt barely showed the strain of having to carry two people as it rose smoothly into the air.
Harry looked up just in time to see Xander get knocked off his broom.
"Hang on!" he yelled over his shoulder at Buffy as he rolled the broom toward Xander's falling form. "Try and grab him." Harry called as they sped closer.
It was easy enough for Buffy to catch Xander by the collar. However, the sudden stop knocked the bludger free from Xander's arms, and it swooped away before beginning to loop back around toward the group.
The Firebolt began to sink under the combined weight of three people. There was no way that Harry could maneuver out of the bludger's way. The broom was just too heavy and with Xander dangling from Buffy's hand, he couldn't make any sudden movements.
Buffy hauled Xander up until he could hang onto the broom. Once he was clinging on to the broomstick, Buffy was able to reposition herself so that she had a little more leverage with the bat she still had. Because Harry was in front of her, Buffy couldn't get a solid hit on the bludger without hitting him as well. However, with her Slayer strength behind the swing, Buffy managed to send the bludger reeling backwards across the field.
"Down!" she yelled at Harry. Harry had already begun lowering the broom back toward the ground. Buffy kept a wary eye out for the bludgers as they dropped lower and lower. Buffy caught sight of both missiles heading toward them from different directions. "Here they come again." she called out, as she and Xander jumped to the ground.
"Harry! Buffy! Make them come this way!" Buffy looked over and saw Willow and Hermione gesturing wildly at them. Harry pulled away from the ground, leading one of the bludgers toward Hermione and Willow.
"I sucked at baseball." Buffy muttered as she braced her feet apart, wiggling her hips in preparation to hit the ball. Xander crouched motionlessly on the ground, not wanting to draw the bludger toward himself.
A loud crack filled the air as Buffy's bat made contact with the bludger.
"Head's up!" she called out to Willow and Hermione. Buffy watched in amazement as the bludger soared straight toward the witches, causing Harry to weave out of the way as it passed him. Buffy cringed. "Sorry!"
Willow and Hermione steeled themselves as Harry and the dangerous balls flew at them. Giles and Ron stood off to the side, with Oz watching from the bleachers. Harry waited until the last second, and then pulled straight up on his broom, giving the group a clear shot.
"Impedimenta!" the group shouted as one, aiming their wands at the Bludgers. Ron and Willow hit the one following Harry, while Giles and Hermione managed to stop the one Buffy had hit. Both bludgers froze in mid-air.
"Grab them!" Giles ordered. By now, the entire quidditch team had landed, and they joined the gang in jumping on the rogue bludgers. Giles pointed his wand at the ground. "Riscus appareo." A solid metal box appeared on the field. Moving quickly, the bludgers were put inside and the box. "Riscus compingo." At Giles' command, a lock appeared on the trunk, trapping the bludgers inside.
"Ok, what the hell was that?" Buffy demanded, wiping her sweaty forehead with the back of her hand. Everyone looked at each other, unsure of what to say. No one knew where the bludgers had come from.
"Perhaps…" Giles started, but Buffy held up her hand to silence him. She cocked her head as her Slayer hearing picked up the faint sound of laughter. Buffy pointed across the field.
"Over there." Buffy started running toward the sound, but quickly stopped as it changed direction. From around the back of the stands flew several figures on brooms. Buffy stood motionlessly as they swirled around her. She recognized Malfoy as he corkscrewed around her, laughing.
"What's wrong, Slayer?" he jeered. "Afraid of a little ball?" Draco looped back around, and headed on a collision course for Buffy. Buffy rolled her eyes, holding her ground. Draco cut around her at the last minute, as she knew he would. Just as he flew past her, Buffy's arm shot out, and she grabbed him by the collar of robes, much as she had done with Xander.
Draco made a choking noise as his momentum was suddenly halted. He released the broom in surprise, and it went speeding away, careening wildly out of control. Despite his height, Buffy held him high enough above the ground that his toes dangled above the grass.
"Hi Draco." Buffy murmured with a wicked smile. "Lose something?" Buffy released his robe and Malfoy dropped into a crumpled heap. He scrambled to his feet and dusted his robe off.
"How dare you…" he sputtered angrily. Pissed, Buffy shoved him back down onto the ground.
"Me?" she demanded. "I'm not the one who decided it would be fun to set off crazed bludgers on unsuspecting people." Draco glared at her, but said nothing. Buffy could hear the wind whistling behind her as Draco's friends flew back toward them.
"Impedimenta!" Willow's voice was loud and reverberated with power as she spoke the spell. The look of horror on Draco's face told Buffy what she needed to know. Slowly, she turned to find what appeared to be the entire Slytherin quidditch team frozen mid-air.
"Nice, Will." Buffy laughed as she walked through the motionless figures. "Very nice."
Buffy sighed with happiness. The sun was on her face, the wind in her hair, Xander's stunt of stopping the bludger had gotten him the Keeper position on the team, and Draco Malfoy, along with the entire Slytherin quidditch team, were currently getting reamed out by Professor McGonagall. Not only had they been given several evenings of detention, but a boatload of points were being deducted.
Yes, life was good at Hogwarts.
Giles had sent Angelina up to the castle to retrieve Professor McGonagall. Buffy considered it a bonus that Professor Dumbledore had come with her.
"This is excellent!" Ron hissed to Harry. Several heads nodded in agreement. No one had been willing to miss the opportunity to watch the Slytherins get reprimanded, so everyone who had been at try-outs was now perched on the bleachers.
"It's about time, Buffy." George said over his shoulder. Buffy looked at him, puzzled.
"About time for what?" she asked. George pointed at Malfoy.
"It's about time we got to see you beat him up!" he explained.
"That was so awesome how you grabbed him off the broom." Fred added. Buffy grinned.
"Glad to oblige, boys. Oh, here comes Snape." Buffy hissed as the dark figure swooped toward the field. Everyone sat up just a little straighter, not wanting to miss a word. However, they were to be disappointed. Professor McGonagall merely informed him of the detentions given and points lost before turning the team over to his custody.
"Oh, that was no fun." Willow complained as they trudged away. "McGonagall would have yelled at us before going." Oz patted her hand, comfortingly.
"Maybe next time."
After a moment of conferring, Giles and the two professors walked toward the bleachers. Everyone waited silently as Professor McGonagall looked at each one of them. Her gaze rested on Xander.
"Mr. Harris, I'm informed that you are Gryffindor's new Keeper. Well done." A smiled warmed her face. "I also understand that Gryffindor performed admirably under extreme circumstances. Professor Dumbledore and I have decided to award Gryffindor with 150 points, plus 10 points each for Harry Potter, Buffy Summers and Xander Harris for their bravery in dealing with the bludgers."
The bleachers erupted in applause and cheers. Harry, Buffy and Xander received several congratulatory slaps on the back. Xander turned bright red as Katie Bell smacked a quick kiss on his cheek. Buffy and Willow exchanged looks, eyebrows raised.
"You may feel free to resume your activities." McGonagall told them after the cheering had died down a bit. She peered over her glasses at the school broom Xander was holding. "Mr. Harris, make sure you get a new broom before the first game. That one simply will not suffice." Xander nodded vigorously, unable to speak.
"Alright then, lets get back to practice." Fred hollered. The team trundled down the bleachers to the field. Xander turned to Giles in a panic.
"Giles, man, I can't do this on a school broom. You gotta help me out." Xander grabbed the front of Giles' robes, shaking him in desperation. To stop him, Giles put his hands on Xander's shoulders.
"It's alright, Xander." he assured the boy. "I will go into Hogsmeade today and order you a broom." Xander nodded franticly.
"Ok. But it'll get here fast right?" Giles pried Xander's hands from his robes.
"I'll take care it, Xander. I promise." Giles promised. Xander nodded over and over.
"Good. Ok. Good." He pointed at Giles with the index fingers of both hands. "You'll take care of that, and I'll," Xander pointed toward the quidditch field "go let people throw things at me." Xander moved off, still talking to himself. Giles watched him go with a small smile.
"Giles?" Giles turned and found Buffy standing behind him. "Can I come with you?" she asked. Giles' heart skipped a beat and he found himself torn between joy for the opportunity to spend time with her and dread for the exact same reason.
"Of course." he said. He looked up at Willow and Oz sitting on the bleachers. "Would Willow and Oz like to join us?" Giles asked, a note of hope in his voice. Buffy shook her head.
"They're going to stay and watch Xander practice. Among other things." she said. Giles looked at her questioningly.
"Among other things?" he repeated. Buffy closed her eyes momentarily, as if blocking out an image.
"Trust me when I tell you that you don't want to know." Understanding dawned on Giles' face.
"Ah." he said, desperately trying not to think about Oz and Willow's activities. Buffy nodded.
"Yeah, I think they're hurting for some alone time." Giles nodded.
"Well, then, we'd best be off. It's a bit of walk."
"Let me just tell them where I'm going." Buffy requested. Darting off, she ran up the bleachers to Willow.
"I'm going to go with Giles to get Xander's broom." she said breathlessly. Willow's eyes brightened and she sat up a little straighter.
"Make sure you talk to him." she encouraged. Her eyes darted to Oz and then back to Buffy. "And, um, how long do you think you'll be?" Willow asked blushing. Buffy smiled.
"Giles said it was a bit of a walk."
"Oh, ok. I'll keep that in mind." Grinning, Buffy ran back to where Giles stood waiting.
"I don't want to know." he said, looking at her face. Buffy's grin grew wider.
"I told you you didn't." she teased as they crossed the quidditch pitch. Within a few minutes, they'd entered into the forest that bordered the road to Hogsmeade. Underneath their feet, the dead leaves crunched with every step. They walked in a companionable silence for a few moments before Giles spoke again.
"How are the patrols going?" he asked softly.
"Pretty smoothly. It's not like I expect to actually find anything." Buffy replied without thinking. Realizing what she had just admitted, Buffy froze in her tracks. "I mean…"
"It's ok, Buffy." Giles assured her. "I should have realized that you would suffer from the lack of patrolling." Buffy shrugged, shoving her hands deep into her pockets.
"I just get so restless at night. Willow's asleep, and there's no one around. I can only train so much." she defended. She slid a sidelong glance at him. "How did you know?"
"How else would you know about the false doorway near the Hufflepuff dormitory?" Buffy blushed. She really had thought that she'd hidden her evening activities well.
Giles and Buffy walked down the wooded path silently. The leaves had begun to turn a riot of reds, yellows and oranges. Inhaling, Buffy filled her lungs with the scent of dry leaves. Deciding to take a chance, Buffy reached out and took Giles' hand in hers.
"I really like it here. Thank you for bringing me." she said softly. Despite his best intentions, Giles couldn't help but give her hand a squeeze.
"I'm glad you came with me." he replied. Buffy halted in the middle of the path. Giles walked a few steps further, but their clasped hands stopped him. He turned to look at her.
"Giles, I think you should know that I've thought a lot about what you said to me in the training room the first day of school." Giles looked at her quizzically. He couldn't imagine what she was talking about, other than their argument over the boggarts. Buffy saw his confusion and smiled. "The part about me needing someone my own age."
"Oh, you mean after the…" Giles trailed off, flustered at the memory of the kiss. Buffy nodded.
"Yes, the conversation we had after the kiss." she clarified. Buffy tightened her grip on his hand as he tried to disengage it, careful not to squeeze too hard. Giles looked everywhere but at her, trying to avoid her gaze. Releasing his hand, Buffy reached up and caught his face between her hands and forced him to look at her.
"Giles, I have warm fuzzy feelings for you." she confessed. Giles wrapped his hands around her wrists and brought her hand to his chest.
"Buffy, you can't…"
"I can and I do." Buffy insisted, interrupting him. "Please Giles, give me some credit." She stopped for a moment, gathering courage. "Just tell me if you could ever possibly feel the same." she begged.
Giles didn't know what to say. Never in his wildest dreams had he'd ever imagined this conversation occurring. No, Giles supposed that was a lie. He had imagined this conversation many times. However, the roles had been reversed and it had always been him asking Buffy if she could ever love him.
Giles considered lying. He considered telling Buffy that he'd never see her as anything more than a daughter or friend. Opening his mouth, Giles prepared to deny anything but friendship. But the lie wouldn't come, and much to his surprise, Giles found himself telling her the truth.
"I can and I do." he whispered softly, repeating her words back to her. "I tried so desperately not to." Buffy stared at him for a moment, her eyes searching his. Slowly, a grin spread across her face.
Buffy stood on her tiptoes, tilting her face up to his. Giles bent his head toward hers. Their lips met in a soft, tentative kiss. Slowly, Giles released her hands so that he could cup her face as he nibbled gently on her bottom lip. Buffy sighed and clutched at his shirt, pulling him closer as she kissed him back. She ran her tongue along his lips and was rewarded when Giles opened his mouth so she could slide it inside.
Giles groaned as Buffy's tongue slid along his. She tasted unbelievably sweet, a mixture of pumpkin juice and a flavor that was uniquely Buffy. Giles tangled his fingers in her hair as their tongues dueled. He couldn't believe that he was standing in the woods, kissing Buffy. Slowly, gently, the kiss turned into several until finally, Giles was able to pull himself away.
"You deserve so much more than an old man like me." Giles whispered, resting his forehead against Buffy's. Buffy had her eyes closed, trying to come to grips with the sensations running riot through her body. Want and need rivaled with the amazing sensation of absolutely safety within his arms. But mostly, the main thought in her head was [Wow!]
Buffy's eyes fluttered open slowly, and met Giles' green ones staring at her intently. Giles seemed to be searching her face for any telltale signs of regret or disgust.
"You're 200 years younger than my last boyfriend." she told him with a smile. "I don't think you qualify as old in my world." Giles grinned at her reassurance. Relief had flooded through him at her words.
"We'll take it slow, Buffy." he swore. "I don't want you to have any regrets." Buffy caressed his cheek with the back of her hand.
"I can't imagine having any this time around." Buffy could read the determination in his eyes and nodded her acquiescence. "But we'll take it slow if that's what you want."
"It's what I want." Giles affirmed. He leaned down for one last gentle kiss. "Now, we'd best be off and get that broom ordered for Xander." Giles released Buffy's face and turned back down the path. He looked down, startled, as he felt Buffy's hand slide into his, her fingers intertwining with his.
"I thought he was going to have a heart attack when he actually made the team." Buffy laughed. Giles smiled.
"He did seem a little panicked at the idea of actually making the team." he admitted as they walked hand in hand down the path towards town.