Hybrid Theory

~*~*~*~*~*~

He was using all of his speed...from both borrowed sides and naturally. He had to get to his rooms, get his things, and then find the quickest way to Sunnydale. Or Sunnyhell as Faith was so fond of calling it. He knew the way that her friend had gone back. That witch was much stronger than he was. Wandless magic. As powerful as he was, not even he could transport himself across the world. Sure, he could zap demons and the like...even slayers, but not humans.

Once he reached his room, he grabbed a bag from his dresser and then started throwing clothing and accessories into it.

"Draco, what in Merlin's name are you doing?" A proud feminine voice rang through the still air.

Draco groaned and turned around.

"Mother, Faith just left with a person she hasn't seen in two years, a person that she tried to kill from Sunnydale and I'm following her. That's what I'm doing. Happy?"

He turned back around and started stuffing things back into his bag when it was suddenly banished to his closet. He whipped around in a literal blur, blonde hair falling into his eyes.

"Hey!" he roared furiously.

"Think about this, darling. It's Faith. She'll be fine. You, however, you need to calm down. Take a look in the mirror."

Draco growled as he spun around to look into the mirror. He wanted to yell out in frustration. She was right. His eyes weren't their regular stormy gray. He did need to calm down.

Taking in a few deep calming breaths, he ran a restless hand through his hair. Narcissa Malfoy had never seen her son so . . . passionate over a girl before. He was the love 'em, leave 'em kind of boy― man, much to her disapproval.

"I'm sorry, Mother," sighed Draco agitatedly, "I'm just. . . . worried, is all."

His wording caught her attention almost immediately. She had never known him to be actually worried for someone outside of her. Concerned, maybe, but worried? A sly smile adorned her porcelain face, eyes twinkling in mischief.

Narcissa grinned impishly at her only son. "I still don't see how Faith is so special to you. You never did tell me of how you two met."

Draco stared at her blankly and snorted. "There's nothing to tell."

"Nothing to tell, indeed. Hermione Granger said there was much to tell but that it would be much more interesting from your point of view." She arched a delicate brow, enticing him to tell her the story.

"Damn you, Granger," he muttered unkindly under his breath.

"Well, start the story. It might help cool you down a bit." She grinned impishly. "And watch your language, young man. There is a lady present."

Draco sighed while settling down on his bed. His mother followed suit, gazing at him expectantly. This would be difficult. He started to open his mouth, but decided he needed to think the beginning through first. Draco grinned at a memory. Beginnings were very important.

~*~*~*~*~

Faith was very annoyed. This stuffy, old watcher-y type guy kept poking her with this little stick, muttering phrases over and over. It gave her the tinglies.

Another thing that gave her the tinglies was the place that she was in. This building...the Ministry one person called it. The man who ran it was one of the men who had retrieved her. She couldn't help but snicker when she thought of the guy's name. Cornelius Fudge. The guy certainly looked like he ATE the fudge.

It couldn't have been more than forty-eight hours since she was last sitting in the confinements of her cell. She had been staring at the wall, lost in thought when it happened. No doubt her mind was reliving moments from her past. Much to her surprised, Lois, one of the guards, marched to her cell and informed her that she was being released.

Faith was reluctant at first. She could've freed herself at any given moment during her imprisonment, but redemption was what kept her there. She felt unsure whether or not she was ready to be free. What if she lapsed into the darkness again? Then the questions of WHY and WHO she was being released struck her. It couldn't have been Angel. He understood why she confessed to her crimes. It definitely wasn't Buffy. Last time she checked, B was still sore with her for a number of things.

They prodded her again with stupid stick and Faith finally lost it.

"Dude! I told you to stop sticking me with your...stick and what do you do? You POKE me with it! Now, I'm thankful to you people for busting me out of there and all, but dragging me all the way here to be jabbed at by a damn stick isn't my idea of fun. At least there I was left alone. This is making me mad. Very mad, and you won't like me mad. Need I remind you I was in jail for killing someone?"

That was certainly a ramble. Wow. Go her. She never rambled. It made her feel like Buffy in a way.

"No need for reminding, but I do think the reminder of your state of agitation was a need. Minister, I do believe I can take over from here. Miss Wilkins, if you will..."

Faith looked at the old man with the...pointy hat? Behind him, she also saw three people who stood patiently and proudly, two males and a female. On the left was the girl with bushy brown hair framing her face and her chin held high. In the middle was a man with the shaggiest raven hair and greenest eyes she had ever seen. It reminded her of a pair of emeralds. Lastly, on his right was a tall and broad shouldered red head.

She turned her attention back to the older man and his offered hand.

"Please don't call me that. As much as a father figure that man was to me, he pretty much killed me. I don't like being called his name. Just Faith will do."

When she got closer, she saw his eyes twinkle behind half-moon spectacles and in return Faith gave him a half smile.

"Faith, I would like to introduce you to Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, and Harry Potter. My name is Albus Dumbledore. Call me Albus, if you will. Or just Dumbledore, if you're so inclined to do so. Miss Granger was the one who managed to track you down although she did have a bit of...help."

Faith noticed the red head introduced to her as Ron tense up and clench his fists.

"She didn't need help from that ferret-y git. He was just saying a bunch of rubbish that was probably for getting us off track."

Ferret-y git. She'd never heard Giles or Wes use THAT one before though it was quite entertaining.

"Now, Mr. Weasley..." Dumbledore reprimanded lightly and turned back to Faith. "There is someone here that we believe needs to see you. We think that you could help." He explained gently. She didn't like the way he was talking to her. It was like she was a new found puppy that had gone astray and was about to run off again. She wasn't going to run off. Besides, where would she run to? His tone was really starting to gnaw at her nerves.

"Well, lead the way, then. Let's get to it, huh?" She made a swooping direction towards the door she saw them enter in and Dumbledore led her through it. They went through a series of doors, hallways, offices, and other closets to arrive in a small room with a door opposite of the one they just came in. There were two men guarding it.

"Has he died yet?" Ron asked nastily, bristling with resentment and aversion.

Faith snapped her head over to look at him and gave an incredulous look. How could someone hate someone so much? Did Buffy hate her like that? Did Wes?

"Ronald, I would ask that you refrain from making comments like that again or you will be removed from this mission immediately." Dumbledore spoke sternly, causing Ron to stare at the ground in mortification for being scolded at.

When they went through the door, Faith noted a man sitting in a chair at a wooden table in the center of a fairly large room. There were two chairs, the one that the man was sitting in and one that was empty.

Faith looked at Dumbledore curiously and he motioned her forward. Slowly, she advanced.

The guy was dressed in black. All black. Black turtleneck that had sleeves all the way down to his fingertips. Faith wanted to grin in pleasure at the black leather pants. Black leather boots. She half expected the hair to the black but it was bright blonde...and it was natural. He had not looked up. His arms were crossed and he was slumped in the chair with his chin touching his chest. Vaguely, she thought of the vampire Spike back in Sunnydale, and how she taunted him mercilessly with Buffy's body.

Taking a seat, Faith leant forward on her elbows.. There was something about him. Something different. Something...not entirely human.

Her spine stiffened, slayer senses going off like screeching alarms.

Vampire.

But, there was something human about him, too.

Something strongly human.

Slayer.

"What the fuck are you?"