UnExpected

Chapter 70

It still hurt, as being betrayed often does, even by the next afternoon, even after spending a sleepless night recounting and discussing everything Remus had told them; even after all that, Buffy, if given the choice, would not lay eyes on Kreacher, not knowing what she would do or say if she did. And as it happened, Kreacher, with all his guilt, was doing them both a favor by choosing not to face her either.

Their lunches popped on top of their laps, just as their dinner had done the day before, and their breakfasts that morning, and it didn't take a genius to figure out who was popping them in.

"He's still avoiding you," Sirius said, who hadn't been all that surprised at Kreacher's betrayal, angry yes, surprised no. He had expected it to happen sooner or later.

"At least physically," she said morosely. "But he's been trying to get on my good side. He left a fresh glass of water for me this morning."

"How do you know it was him?"

"He put it in a special glass." She lifted the glass from her nightstand and showed it to him. There was really nothing special about it, except for the crude 'B' that was etched into it. "He kinda christened it as mine since last summer. Every time he brings me something to drink, it's the same one."

"That sneaky bastard. Where's my water?! You betrayed me too you know!" he yelled at the ceiling with a shaking fist. He had so far held his fiery tongue on badmouthing the house-elf for Buffy's sake, knowing bashing Kreacher would not lift her spirits, but this was the last straw. Where was his water, damn it?

"He doesn't like you, remember?"

She'd been smiling; a little teasing sort of smile as she spoke, but then the smile disappeared, and she stared sullenly into the water glass that she had rested on her tray.

"You're going to forgive him," he said, knowing exactly where her mind had gone. "It's in your nature, Buffy. Despite everything you've been through, you still have that nasty little habit of trying to see the good in people...or things."

A nasty habit that didn't always let her down, and even now, despite the hurt and the anger, Buffy could understand Kreacher's position, his house-elf mentality, his alliance to Narcissa, to the Black Family, and that's why she knew she wouldn't stay angry. There was good inside of Kreacher, she had experienced it firsthand, but even if she did forgive him, her trust was severed; her confidence in him would never be the same. And it kind of hurt to know she could never fully trust him again.

Buffy and Sirius spent the remainder of their lunch in relative quiet; there was nothing much that needed to be said that hadn't already been discussed to draining measure, and once Sirius brought up the subject of putting paisley curtains in the room, Buffy put all conversation to a halt.

As the food that had been on their plates was now nearly all in their bellies, a knock came to the door just before it opened, and Molly came in quietly, almost as if she expected them to still be sleeping.

"Almost done with your lunches, I see," she said after peering at their trays. "How are you both feeling? Good?"

"Wouldn't run a marathon, but could walk around a mall," Buffy said, and Molly smiled.

"Dumbledore's here to see the both of you, if you're both feeling up to it, that is?"

"Course we are," Sirius replied, and he and Buffy moved their trays aside.

Molly walked out and when she returned, she brought Joyce, Remus, and Dumbledore with her, and at the sight of the grandfatherly Headmaster, Buffy and Sirius felt an instant sense of warmth fill the room.