Chapter 1: Not waiting but reading (so HAH!)

You could call it ironic how we were reunited again. It was on that same bench he had dumped me on previously when I tried to stop his departure.

I had a rare day off from the hospital, and I was strangely restless that day. My feet led me all over Konoha until I was finally at that bench. I blame my intuition and instinct which put me through that horrible ordeal the first time around all those years ago. Those feet of mine brought me back to the bench where I had been dumped (ha-ha that's called a pun in English figurative language) nearly six years ago.

And the funny thing about the whole situation was that I wasn't looking, waiting, or pining for Sasuke. Nope, I was trying to read my book.

All day all I had ever wanted to do was finish reading my book. It was the last Harry Potter book, book number seven. The very last one. Seeing as how I, being a responsible medic-nin, couldn't possible stay up until two in the morning to finish reading the book I had barely started, the day off was a cause for singing and dancing Hallelujah. I started my reading in the hospital waiting room.

A golden snitch birthday cake. Wow, that nearly beats that huge bowl of ramen Naruto gave me on my birthday five months ago. The bowl was almost as tall as I was. I think Naruto pulled off a world record for biggest serving of ramen. And when I pled an over full stomach and let him eat it that probably set another world record. It was the thought that counted. Believe me, I was deeply touched.

What in the wizard world does Scrimageoner-person want?

People had been shifting around me. I didn't care. I was used to distractions and then the wail started and never stopped. That child, infant, BABY did what many on the staff considered impossible. That precious baby drove me insane and out of the hospital for the first time in a week. Okay, to the hospital roof. So I'm a bit of a workaholic. What's it to you?

Like I said, I tried the hospital roof next. Hey, the baby drove me out of the hospital, not off of the premises. Ignoring the memories and the cookie crumbs I settled in again.

Muggleville and a handbag with no space limits. I need one of those! Accio Shower! That would be great.

The roof not only attracted my bookworm self, but also birds. Attack of the birds in search of cookie crumbs made me run for my life and take cover in Ichiraku's. I didn't stay long. If I ran into Naruto there would be no reading time happening.

I love Naruto. He's a great friend. He's like a brother to me. Yes, he's grown more mature over the past six years since our gennin days on Team 7, but I do not need talk of ramen to distract me from Harry's life or death by the Dark Lord.

I next tried the ultimate haven of all bibliophiles, the library. Peace, quiet for all scholars and people who just wanted to read, one would think. It was movie day. What movie? The 1930s Dracula movie, black and white. Kakashi was also at the library reading that…"book". I lasted until the part of the movie where Dracula's minion/lawyer, stares up the ladder in the ship's berth staring straight at the camera and laughing his weird laugh.

Hee. Hee. Hee. Hee. Hee. Hee.

I made the mistake of looking at Kakashi reading his book at the time. The crinkled eye and the shaking of shoulders indicated laughter. I left the library creeped out, double taking over my shoulder the entire time senses on the edge looking for one undead count.

I tried the training grounds after that. I arrived, saw Lee-san and Gai-sensei, and immediately left. Harry Potter and youth do not go in the same sentence together. Frustrated to the point of going bald (from tearing my hair out) I quickly formulated a plan and stopped by my hotel room to pick up some much needed items before I decided to leave the book and go online for spoilers.

Yes, I said hotel room. I do have my own place, but it's being fumigated right now. I love Naruto, but that boy deserves a good neck wringing! And to clarify what I mean by "Love" to all you fanatics out there who want myself and Naruto together I mean friend/brotherly love. Nothing more, nothing less. No men or women (sickos!) hold my romantic interest right now.

Wandering Konoha with prada shades, earplugs, and the 'do not disturb' sign mounted on a post; my feet led me to the bench. At first I was hesitant. This bench had a rather painful and humiliating memory attached to it that had a thank you tagged onto it at the end. I did a quick surveillance of the area. The place was practically deserted accept for my solitary self. No one was around.

Personally, I didn't want to leave. All day I had been trying to read this book, and I was going to read this book. Who cares where I read as long as I read.

My feet agreed with me. The travel itch and restlessness that had been plaguing my reading all day was gone. My feet had brought me to my destination and didn't want to go anywhere else.

So, I propped up my sign, put on the shades and earplugs, and became engrossed in the world of Harry Potter.

I open at the close.

After reading that I shivered. This was it. Something in my gut told me this was part of the climax. I was so close I could taste it. My eyes absorbed the words, and my brain processed them faster and faster.

No. I gaped at the book refusing to acknowledge the last remaining pages and chapters. How could she? No, no…

"NO-O!" I let out my agonized wail unashamed. No one was there. Why should I care? My eyes fastened on the book, and I gave it my best death glare murder written on my face slammed it shut, and let out my annoyance in a huff.

Annoying authoresses writing want what they want to write, and torturing the reader needlessly. I so admire her.

I looked around refusing to look at the book in my lap with a grumpy look on my face. I was annoyed. For once I was on the other side of the word annoy. I wasn't annoying; I was annoyed.

Then my eyes met his. Time froze. I couldn't breath. Unnoticed by me Harry Potter slid out of my hands. I couldn't move even if it had been my deepest desire in the entire world. For a brief instant time stood still…

…and then the thud of the book jarred time back on track. I blinked. I breathed, and placed a hand on my heart. It was thumping at a traitorously fast pace. My gaze hadn't moved. Nothing was there.

No one was there.

For an instant in that frozen moment in time I thought Sasuke was standing over me smirking down at me, holding my sea green eyes with his onyx. But no one is there. No one was there. My fists clenched. Why wasn't anyone there?

Harry forgotten, though I did finish the book later, I stood up on shaky legs and started walking, jogging then sprinting.

"Naruto?"

I ran off in search for my friend. That's when I burst into the Hokage's office and received the shock of my life.