Title: Surprises

Author: 2pennies

Rating: PG

Fandom: Twilight/Harry Potter

Pairing: Edward/Hermione

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with the creators of Twilight or Harry Potter.

Note: This is not meant to be a sequel to 'Worn and Tattered', but it could fit. I originally just wanted to write a fic on if Hermione would become a vampire, but it sort of took a mind of its own. Much more fluffy than I had meant it to be. You've been warned about the fluff.

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Nothing surprised Edward. He was a vampire after all. He's lived a lifetime, seen more of everything than most people, experienced what the world has offered – all while looking no older than a college freshman.

Nothing surprised Edward. Sort of.

Stepping inside the loft that he and Hermione lived in, he saw the floors had been shined. As he passed the kitchen, he noticed the sparkling plates were arranged by size and color. Upon entering the living room, he caught the subtle scent of vanilla air freshener laced with dry cleaned rugs.

Edward felt the back of his head slowly vibrating. Was he…surprised? He shook his head slightly, eyebrows knitted together.

No, this was more like…a deep concern.

"Hermione?" he called out. He turned his head as she came out of their bedroom. A small girl with autumn curls bounced out of the door.

"You're back," she replied, a smile on her face. She kissed him on the cheek. He saw hesitation in her eyes. The vibrations became stronger.

"I see you've been cleaning," he commented, attempting to ignore the growing concern.

"Hmm?" she murmured as she organized a perfect pile of Wizardly Weekly. Edward placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Is something wrong, Hermione?"

"What do you mean?"

"The last time you cleaned this much was before you applied for your job with the Ministry," he noted.

He felt her shoulders slump slightly. She turned to him and met his eyes, a swirl of golds and greens mixed with worry.

"We need to talk," she said suddenly. Edward felt the vibrations grow to minimal throbs. She grabbed his hand and led him to sit on the couch with her. Before he could stop himself, he realized he was trying to read her mind.

"Stop that," she said immediately.

"Sorry," he replied. Her occlumency was strong, and he hated invading her thoughts.

Hermione took a deep breath. He could tell that a well crafted and prepared speech was about to take place.

"I want to talk about us," she began. "We've been together for over two years now."

Edward nodded, relishing in how the past two years have been the best and most challenging of his life.

"And, I know we've talked about the future. Well, more like you've talked about it," she continued. He felt her occlumency falter and heard familiar words.

…stay with you forever. As long as you will have me. As long as you want me.

Those were his words, his confession, when she had come to him after her world's war had ended. He wanted her as much now as he did then.

"But I've been thinking about it a lot lately." Her hesitation made the dull throb in his mind quicken its beat – pounding against the base of his skull.

She took in a deep breath before looking him squarely in the eyes. Edward wasn't sure if her hand was trembling or if it was his own.

"Edward," she began.

She's going to leave me, he thought suddenly. She's found someone else. She doesn't love me…

"I don't want to become a vampire."

She…what?

"Excuse me?"

"I…I don't want to be a vampire, Edward," she said. She got up suddenly.

"I've been thinking about it recently. Quite a bit actually. I just don't think I can do it Edward," she said as she began pacing in front of him a bit. "I've done some research, and there's not a lot on what would happen if a person with magic was turned into a vampire. From what I could find though, it looks like it could be a bit dangerous. Which I mean, I guess you would assume, wouldn't you?"

Edward stared at her semi-frantic figure moving back and forth, the throbbing from earlier dulling to an amused tingle.

"Actually, the whole dangerous thing isn't the thing that really fazes me. It's just, I…I think I quite like being a human. A human who can do magic anyways. I quite enjoy eating food I realized. Pumpkin pasties and…and hot chocolate. And chocolate in general! And, I think I would also quite miss sleeping. Naps are so lovely on rough days. And dreams! I never even considered dreams! Dreams during sleep! I know I'd quite miss those," she rambled.

Edward tried to listen earnestly, but the tingling from his mind soon ran to his chest. A smile hid at the corner of his lips.

Hermione caught herself in mid-hand gestures and sat next to him with the most serious expression he's ever seen on her delicate face.

"Edward, I love you. And I want us to be together forever. It's just…" she said, cursing at herself silently for faltering. "It's just, I want to love you forever, as a human."

The smile escaped from Edward's lips as his finger lightly traced lines up and down the soft skin of her arms.

"Hermione, I would never want you to become a vampire," he said confidently. Before he could continue, she interjected.

"Why not? Don't you want to be with me forever?" she said, her voice laced with confusion.

"Of course I do. But, what we have right now, you and me, this is more than enough, more than I deserve," he continued.

Edward saw her shake her head slowly. He heard her voice from her mind, afraid to say these things out loud.

But she was willing to give it up for you, he heard from within her.

She was willing to give up chocolate and naps and dreams, for immortality with you.

He could see the real struggle she had been dealing with now.

But, I…I don't think I can Edward. I'm sorry.

Edward wrapped his arms around her, bringing her body as close to his as he could. It was moments like this that he wished his touch was warm and comforting.

"One day, one moment, one second with you, is worth more than an eternity with anyone else."

His voice was a strong whisper. Hermione felt it soothe her nerves.

"I don't want you to become a vampire. I want you to stay just as you are right now. Warm and soft skin, warm and soft eyes. Brilliant and genuine. Brave and loyal," he listed. He felt her heart rate slow down, her breathing becoming rhythmically even.

"A little neurotic with a mild case of obsessive compulsive disorder," he continued, his tone playful. She let out a small laugh.

"I'm in love with you, just as you are. I'll love you forever," he confirmed with a small kiss on her cheek.

She lifted her head up to meet his eyes. He saw her eyes rimmed with tears, but she held back any from falling.

"I resent being called neurotic. I am also not obsessive," she said softly but smiling.

"I do believe the insanely organized and sparkling room would beg to differ," he argued.

Hermione brought her hand to her head, rubbing it slightly. Edward had thought everything was finally settled, only to find a growing sense of nerves radiating from Hermione. She took another deep breath.

"Stay here," she said suddenly, rushing towards their room. She emerged a minute later, a shy smile on her face. She sat back down next to Edward.

"I…I wasn't planning on this. Honestly. It's just, well after that talk and…well, you see, I had actually purchased this first which is where all of the vampire thoughts came from. Then, I didn't know what to do with it, but I didn't think I should return it either because…" Hermione rambled but caught herself. She took Edwards hands gently.

"So, we're in this together right?" she asked.

"Of course, Hermione," Edward answered.

"Even if…the entire wizarding community shuns us. Even if the Volturi come after us with all sorts of hell," she confirmed. He nodded.

"We'll say bullocks to them and just be happy. You and me."

"That's all I could ever ask for."

Hermione gave him a smile. She slipped her hand into her pocket and pulled out a ring. Two emeralds in the middle of a silver band. She slid it on his ring finger.

"Then, marry me."

Nothing surprised Edward. Well, nothing had surprised Edward before this moment.

He felt the warm ring around his finger and brought his gaze back to the nervous witch waiting in front of him.

He pulled her into a hug, picking her up off the ground, and spinning her until her laughter filled his ears. When he finally let her down, he put on a serious face that caught Hermione.

"I should be the one asking you though. Call me old fashioned, but you've just taken away something I've been looking forward to doing ever since I met you," he whispered, looking into her eyes. She laughed.

"You can thank Alice for that," she replied with a smirk. He looked at her puzzled.

"She called me two months ago. Instructed me to buy a ring with emeralds and that the answer would be yes," she replied. Hermione leaned in closer. "I bought it that very afternoon," she said in a whisper.

Edward leaned forward, sharing the first kiss to their version of forever.

Nothing surprised Edward. Nothing except Hermione Granger.

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