CHAPTER 07:
"Malfoy! Have you requested your elves to drop the food by 5:30 our time?" Hermione asked while cross-checking all the arrangements for the impending meeting between the wizarding folks, shape-shifters and vampires.
"For the twelfth time in the last ten minutes… YES! I have told them to get the food and refreshments here by 5:30 our time. They'll even wait to see if they're needed to serve. Also, as per your kind suggestions," or incessant harassing, more like, Draco rolled his eyes, "I've also asked mother to give them a leave of absence tomorrow, should they so wish. Now will you please just let me be? I need to go through all these notes before the guests get here."
Hermione gave him the cheeriest smile she could manage and turned back to the tent to have a look around. Considering it was the Malfoy family tent, it was big enough to accommodate forty or so people right there in the central hall area. She had conjured up chairs and expanded the table of four to seat thirty. Since her nerves were rattling, she had even put up center pieces at small distances on the long table. The elves would just need to set the food on it and they could begin eating. As a gesture of good faith, Hermione had even asked the Order to have someone deliver blood pops from Honeydukes for the evening for the vampires. She did not like the idea of everyone eating but them and remembered reading somewhere that the deadlier the animal, the more satisfying the bloodlust for the so-called vegetarian vampires, so she had given careful instructions to only buy blood pops of feral cats and of course dragons. Post dinner, they all would talk and if all went well, they would have more allies out of this trip than the Order ever thought possible. There was a lot riding on this meeting and Hermione just knew it in her bones something was gonna mess up, it always did! They planned, they executed and thereafter all hell broke loose. It was almost a given with her friends and given the myriad people attending this meeting something was bound to happen.
While Hermione's money was riding on Ron messing things up with his patented lack of tact, the first blow of the evening, ironically enough, came from herself.
All had been just peachy when the pack of shape-shifters had come in first. Harry and Ron had taken their wards down from around the tent so their guests could find them and with their stellar sense of smell, they had found them quite easily indeed. They pack had halted out of the tent, wondering how they'd all fit in while looking at the tiny tent in front of them. With one glance at the tent, Jacob, much to Draco's amusement had thrown a few feral snarls at the three wizards.
"Chill, mate. It's a lot bigger on the inside. Jeez, wonder what his problem is?" Ron muttered the last part under his breath though everyone heard him nonetheless.
Seth finally plucked up enough courage and walked in the tent and then swore in awe, making his pack finally follow him in it. They were all marveling at the interior of the tent while Jacob and Leah were giving the corridor leading towards the bedrooms a small smile, especially after Draco casually mentioned that it had six baths and bedrooms, kitchen and one spare room that they were using now as a potions lab.
Just as the pack settled, the vampires came in and again the marveling session began. It was then that Hermione's temper immediately hit the roof, her hair crackling in her fury, just as Harry, Ron and Draco took a few steps behind her to hold her still, though to no avail.
"Edward Cullen! You better not be planing on snacking on her in here," Hermione suddenly burst roaring in anger, making everyone flinch at her tone.
And that did it for Edward. "Watch what you're saying witch," he snarled in return.
"I think there's been a slight misunderstanding…" Carlisle started.
Hermione, in her fit of rage was having none of it. "While I completely believe in equal rights for all and am probably the most tolerant person around not begrudging you your natural diet, despite the means vampires need to use to attain their source of nourishment, even I draw a line at watching you play with your food before you eat it!"
"I am not planning on helping myself to her blood…" Edward roared angrily, making the shape-shifters hiss in rage, one more louder than the rest. Jacob was practically held back by Quil and Embry to avoid him from jumping on Edward.
"Why then have you brought your singer to our house?" By this time Hermione was standing toe-to-toe with Edward, craning her neck to glare him in the eyes as he bent his head to do the same.
"This is Isabella Swan.."
"Oh dear Lord," came a soft gasp from the tent's flap. "A vampire in love with his singer! I've really seen it all!" chuckled the red-head at the entrance. "A quick question though, Vampire, do you love her, love her or do you love her like Ron loves his steak?"
"Ginny!" Ron hissed indignantly, crossing over to pull his sister.
"What? That was a fair question.." Ginny shrugged and turned to look at Edward as if waiting for his answer.
"Witches!" Edward growled, taking an offensive stance, ready to pounce on the two any minute now.
Draco winced. As if the stupid git trying to take down Hermione, the wisest witch of their age, while in the presence of Harry, Ron and himself nonetheless, wasn't enough, the idiot was now challenging the Weaslette. Wasn't her hair color enough of a give-away to help prats like him understand to just keep the fuck away?
Bella put a restraining arm on Edward's shoulder just as his coat caught fire.
"Next time, Cullen, you take that tone with me and it will not be just your coat that's on fire," Hermione warned him menacingly and just as suddenly the fire went off. "And while we are at it, once more if I feel you trying to push your way in my head, I will fry that brain of yours so bad, you won't know a tree from a werewolf."
"I second it," Harry agreed from his place near the table.
"Me too, man. It gets irritating real quick," Ron seconded.
"You're free to try it with me, but know that I will return the favor," Draco smirked.
"Well, you haven't tried it with me but I'll just slide in and say stay out of my head too," Ginny grinned to rile Edward up further.
"I'll never know why you think you're such a big shot, but you aren't; at least not in my eyes. You are an arrogant, self-centered prat your family is kind enough to put with. We are not here to help your romance flourish, we are here for something much more sinister. So while we may offer your family our help, never for once believe we'll tolerate your shit. Have I made myself clear to you?"
Hermione kept up the eye contact until Edward gave a slight nod of assent.
"Good," Hermione returned the nod then turned and hugged Ginny. "Ginny here has brought in some treats for you all from a place close to our school, we do hope you all enjoy them." Hermione smiled and as if nothing had happened, turned and greeted the rest of the Cullen clan.
Just as she shook hands with Jasper, she held it for a second. "While I see you as an old friend, since you were the topic of my thesis in my fourth year, I do not appreciate having my emotions manipulated. Next time, I am angry, do not send in the calming waves. In my fit of rage, I just might attack you first."
Rosalie chuckled from her place just ahead of the two and announced unabashedly. "I like this one. She's got spirit."
Much to everyone's surprise, Hermione turned, looked at the blonde beauty and gave her a big, warm smile. "I like you and Emmitt too. I've always had a soft spot for the honest ones anyways."
Ushering them in, Hermione finally took her place at the table with Harry on her right and Draco on her left. Ron was on Harry's right and Ginny on Draco's left. Beside Ron, the vampires seated themselves as the shape-shifters seated themselves after Ginny. The circle ended with Edward on the vampire side, Bella beside him and Jacob after her, followed by Sam and then the rest of the pack.
Ginny put the boxes she was carrying from Honeydukes on the vampire side of the table and with a flourish of her wand had the boxes open. "These are wizarding candies," she explained to the vampires. "They are only made of blood and as per Hermione's instructions, I've picked you the most vicious of the creatures. This is from Nile river crocodiles, this one from Amazonian feral cats and this one, right here is from dragons. Hope you like them," she smiled and made her way beside Draco again, smiling at him as she sat down on the chair beside him.
"Weaselette," Draco greeted her.
"Ferret," she returned with a sickeningly sweet smile.
Sitting down, Ginny glanced up to look at the shape-shifting boys, or maybe they are men, she grinned in her mind and looked straight into the brownest, kindest eyes she had ever seen, only to find them staring right back at her. For a second she felt like the world had melted and no one but him and her existed and then she heard a soft "Shit!" in a girl's voice from beside the boy. With more effort than she would have thought required, she pulled her eyes away from the boy and looked at the girl beside him and then the rest of the pack; but her eyes kept seeking the boy and every time she looked at him, she found him looking back at her, a slow smile creeping up on his face. The warmth of that smile knocked her breath away and she could do nothing more than smile back, making him grin wider.
"If you're quite done there Ginny, may be you could let the elves set the food on the table," Hermione's amused voice brought Ginny out of her internal musings and seeing the look she was getting from Harry, Hermione and Draco, she flushed brightly and moved to side to let the elf set the big dish of potato salad on the table.
"What are these things?" Seth asked, finally able to see something past Ginny.
"You mean the little creatures that have been popping in and out for last five minutes?" Draco snickered. "They are my house elves," he shrugged and turned to check the placement of the spread around them. Seeing it all done perfectly, he nodded at the elf that was bowing just beyond his chair but thanked her for the services when Hermione cleared her throat from beside him.
With a short, "Pinky and her friendses is happy to serve the master," the elves all popped out.
"Please begin," Draco smiled at their guests and the dinner began.
The next episode came from Ginny. While she was happily chatting with the only girl sitting on the wolf's side of the table and throwing fugitive glances at the drop-dead gorgeous boy beside her, she was also fighting off that stupid vampire's ever-present badgering in her head. Though she was good enough at Occlumency, she was nowhere around Draco who was best at the mind magic amongst them, his mind shields impenetrable even by Snape and Voldemort, what with sharing residency with a psychopath, she figured he had to be. He was followed closely of course by Hermione and Harry and lastly Ron. But even then, there was a long league between her and them and Edward's constant bang on her shields had tired her out within the first few minutes. So she had resorted to playing bits and pieces of her life where she had been possessed by Tom Riddle first and then punished by the Carrows next, all the while talking to Leah Clearwater, the only girl to have ever phased as a wolf, she was informed, and stealing glances at the most fascinating set of eyes she had ever seen, on the boy beside her.
But twenty minutes later, Ginny knew she wasn't going to be able to play this game anymore so she flipped. Suddenly she turned a menacing glare at Edward and snapped, "Your upbringing leaves much to be desired, doesn't it? Is it not enough that I have to constantly think about all the trauma I've ever suffered in my life, that you keep coming back for more? You bloody sadist! Get the fuck out of my head right now or I will throw the memories of my first period at you, along with every memory of every pain and anguish I have ever. I'm done with tolerating your rude presence in my mind."
"Don't come back to my head ever again, or you will find out what it means to mess with a Weasley!" Ginny warned him with a fire in her eyes.
"Look mate, if you've got to look inside heads, why not try the pretty one beside you? I'm sure she won't object," Ron offered.
Draco snorted. "That's because he can't. He had thought she'd be the only one but then we turned up and he can't read ours too."
"How do you know all that?" Edward glared.
Draco gave him a slow smirk, "Not so much fun when it happens to you, is it? I had warned you, remember?" Leah absolutely felt like getting up and smooching the hell out of her imprint for that one! Albeit with much difficulty she refrained.
"Do you think…" Hermione shook her head and then chose her words again. "Do you really love her Edward?" she asked then softly.
"We are all here discussing things for her safety and yet you aren't able to hold back from satisfying your curiosity despite being warned against it right at the beginning." Hermione frowned, as if deep in thought then looked at Edward again. "Is it just that she's an enigma? Does that draw you to her?"
"Are you questioning my love for Bella?" growled Edward, raising hackles off the pack.
Jacob immediately bounced on his feet and growled his warning loudly at the copper haired vampire. "Don't you dare take that tone with her, you leech!"
Ignoring Edward and her shock at Jacob's actions, Hermione continued as if neither had really spoken. "Honestly, think about it. She's your singer, her blood literally calls to you. And then there's the whole mind shield which I'm guessing for someone as arrogant as you must be too much to deal with. It might be a good idea for you to really think this through before you change her, she won't have any blood left in her to call to you. What will you do then? For all of eternity, might I add."
And Edward had heard enough. He lunged at Hermione. Witch or not, help in the coming war or not, he would not stand for anyone questioning his love for Bella. Especially after the way Bella was constantly looking at Jacob because he had his eyes glued to the pretty brunette witch since the time they had gotten in. Jacob had barely spared Bella a look and Edward could see how much that affected Bella right on her face. And then the witch had gone on to question his feelings for Bella, he snapped and he lunged, without a forethought whatsoever.
Hermione just waved her hand as if shooing off an insistent fly and Edward was arrested mid-air, just as the wolves stood to phase to save Hermione, but seeing Edward frozen mid-air, they confusedly looked at the wizards.
Draco levitated the frozen vampire back to his seat and huffed. "Don't you ever learn?" he asked in annoyance.
"I am a war veteran. I've taken down twelve blood-thirsty vampires within thirty minutes. Not to mention my friends would rip you off even if I was ill-prepared. And what about the Voltari's laws of not changing magicals? Start thinking before acting Edward, it might help you in the upcoming war," Hermione chastised.
Seeing Edward's shocked form Bella screamed. "You bitch! What did you do to him?"
"Don't you dare," Ginny pointed her wand right in Bella's face.
"He's only frozen. Well, just a tad more than usual, that is," Ron 'helpfully' answered Bella. "Should be good to go in a few minutes."
"Oh Edward!" Bella tried in vain to rub vigorously at Edward's hard, cold body. "Don't leave me Edward, not again. What will I do without you? My life is such a waste without you in it…"
The wizarding folk gawked in amusement while Ginny incredulously looked at the scene and asked, "Is she serious?"
Before anyone could answer though, Bella barked out loud, "Of course I am! I love him. Edward is my life. I was severely depressed the last time he left me for my own good. I almost killed myself at the pain of it all, but I don't expect bitches like you to understand that."
Both Jacob and Seth growled at Bella, making her take an involuntary step back while Ginny laughed sinisterly. "No, you're right. I don't understand anything about depression due to rejection because when the love of my life left me for my good, I restored a rebel group in my school to fight against a psychotic wizard. And while I almost got killed it the process, it was due to a war and not my suicidal tendencies."
"And when Mione's love left her, she stood by her best friend's side and helped him to keep the mission going, without so much as a faltering of a step from her side. So spare us the crap about how your life revolves around your vampire."
"Who, by the way, are blessed with exceptional beauty only to lure their prey in," Hermione added after Ginny. "I really think you two need to go over your relationship before you both take any step towards making a future together."
Edward's freezing hex wore out just then and with a feral snarl he stood up again, with Hermione eyeing him warily.
"I think it's time for us to leave," Carlisle stood up, finally having had enough tension in the room. He wasn't keen to see the consequences of Edward's lunge at the witch in front of the wolves. What was that boy thinking really? Carlisle thought, knowing he'd have had a coronary right then if he wasn't an immortal.
Ginny quickly closed the blood pop boxes and had them packed in the bag she had carried in and levitated the bag towards the large vampire. She wasn't sure why, but he reminded her of her twin brothers and Charlie. "I hope you enjoy these," she smiled at him as he gave her a smile and thanked her. The blonde beauty beside him gave her a quick wink and recovering swiftly, Ginny smiled at her too.
"Our offer still stands though. We won't punish all for the fault of a few. Think and do let us know within the next three days," Draco said as he shook Carlisle's hand. The vampires, followed by Bella filed out of the tent.
Draco turned from his place at the tent's opening flap and sighed exasperatedly. "I never thought I'd see the day where scar-head and the weasel would be the better behaved ones. What's wrong with you girls?"
Ginny and Hermione immediately launched into a long rant making everyone chuckle behind them. Draco shook his head tiredly and mumbled something very close to, "Why do I even bother with these Gryffindorks," as he walked back to his seat.
"Now that we can talk without the mind reader's annoying presence," Ginny started and sat beside Draco again, "Can someone explain what the fuck is happening here?"
Sighing, Harry gave her watered down version of everything and Ginny shook her head at the end. "Damn it! We're gonna have to see the two tosspots again, don't we?"
"I'll be staying to fight," Hermione said and spooned some rice and chicken in her mouth, chewing the food slowly.
"Oh, I know that," Ginny rolled her eyes. "What are we doing with them?" Ginny asked waving at shape-shifters. "Are we training with their pack or just by ourselves? Cause if we are training with them, the Order will have to be notified, especially if you want to ask for more help."
"Do you think a meeting with the Volturi might help?" Hermione asked.
"No," Draco shook his head. "If it did, the Cullens would have been in Italy right now."
"Plus, do you really want to owe a favor to Caius?" Harry wiggled his eyebrows at Hermione making her groan. Fucking vampires! They were just plain irritating for a variety of reasons!
"I think we are missing a few pieces here. What's the Volturi?" Sam asked.
"Coven of old vampires that oversee all the vampires in the world," Ginny explained, looking at Sam.
"All the vampires?" Seth cut in, to bring her attention back to himself.
"Yes, all the vampires," Ginny agreed, both again lost in each other's eyes.
Ron groaned. "No. No. None of that will do. I forbid you to look at my sister like that," Ron grumbled his warning at Seth. Ginny turned her full attention at Ron and made a move for her wand, just as laughter broke out.
"And that's just the youngest one Seth," Hermione laughed. "Her eldest brother is lycanthropic, next works with dragons for a living, whose body may put Emmett's to shame, might I add. Percy is harmless enough if he wants to be, but the twins come next and trust me when I say this, they more than make up for Percy's lack. They run a wizarding joke shop and are known as the most notorious duo to ever have lived in Europe. So, you might want to tread the waters carefully. Though you have my support if it blossoms into something serious, but remember you hurt her and Harry and I and I'm pretty sure even Malfoy will join us to kick your ass."
"Is it before or after I'm done?" Ginny giggled at Seth and despite all the fear Hermione's words had set in his heart, Seth knew he would face it all, if Ginny would continue to smile that way at him all his life. She was after all his imprint and he would now only live to make her happy.
Drawn back to each other's eyes, they lost themselves again before Leah finally smacked her brother on his head and the meeting proceeded.
