UnExpected

Chapter 27

She was drugging them. Yep, that had to be it. That's why Fred and George were a whole lot nicer to Buffy the next day. Saying hello and waving. Even sitting with her for a few minutes during lunch. Talking and laughing the occasional laugh. And they realized that surreal was becoming too common an emotion these days.

It was brief but very weird. She was not unaware of that fact. There Buffy was, having a nice normal lunch with Neville and Susie when the Twins suddenly plopped down beside her. Bantering their usual confusing banter, one in which Buffy was able to untangle thanks to the many people in her life who tended to have language patterns of their own. They joked, traded teasing insults, did the normal diddy and then they were gone. It took her a few minutes to realize what had just occurred. Neville had thrown her a questioning look and Buffy could only answer it with a shrug that said she had absolutely no idea. Which was in fact true. Guess some things really do change overnight. If it involved getting caught in a compromising situation, sharing secret information by force, and being blackmailed that is. If that doesn't bring people together then what will?

The end of lunch was signaled. Causing most of the students to rush out and head toward their next class. Except for a small few who were a little hesitant, and not to mention worried, for their next lesson. Apprehension seemed to fill the air as the group walked down toward the Forbidden Forest for Care of Magical Creatures. Hagrid was back now and in charge. In charge of what was the problem.

Both Harry and Buffy looked around for Umbridge. Expecting to find the hateful woman off to the side with her irritating clipboard in hand, and her cringe inducing 'hem, hem's. But she was nowhere in sight, which should've been a load off, except that she tended to pop up when one would least expect it. Unwelcomed and unwanted. Sort of like Freddy Krueger.

"We're workin' in here today!" Hagrid boomed out to the class, indicating to the dense woods behind him. His face still suspiciously bruised and bloodied. Which had the Trio wondering why they hadn't healed yet, or if maybe they were new ones, causing even more uneasiness. "Bit more sheltered! Anyway, they prefer the dark."

"What prefers the dark?" Malfoy said to Crabbe and Goyle, and Buffy couldn't help the amused smile lifting her lips when she picked up his nervous tone. A smile she forced herself not to fully spread because he was her friend, no matter how much of a chicken he was. "What did he say prefers the dark? Did you hear?"

Standing next to Neville, Buffy could see Harry standing feet away with a pleased and tiny smirk on his lips. Which meant he had also picked up on Draco's discomfort. Those two. If they were the last two people on Earth they'd still hate each other. Would probably even compete over who would die first. If they hadn't already killed each other that is.

"Ready?" Hagrid asked cheerily. Adjusting what looked like to be half a dead cow on his shoulder. Oh yeah, no worries there. "Right, well, I've bin savin' a trip inter the Forest fer yer fifth year. Thought we'd go an' see these creatures in their natural habitat. Now, what we're studyin' today is pretty rare, I reckon I'm probably the on'y person in Britain who's managed ter train 'em."

"And you're sure they're trained, are you?" Malfoy said, panic in his voice. "Only it wouldn't be the first time you'd brought wildlife to class, would it?"

"Course they're trained," Hagrid scowled.

"So, what happened to your face then?" he demanded.

Buffy rolled her eyes and crossed her arms impatiently. Something Draco caught out of the corner of his sight. He could almost hear her voice as though she were standing beside him, scolding and irritated – stop being such a baby. And he nearly pouted before he caught himself.