Back! ^^ Sorry for the long wait... *grimace*
~*~
When you feel cold and warm at the same time,
when you read over the same line for the tenth time,
when your heart and thoughts somehow appear to rhyme,
and when a simple name conquers your whole mind,
then you are in deep trouble my friend... you are in what they call, "love".
- Philippos Aristotelous
~*~
Hermione walked back out to the garage and returned Jacob's umbrella to him. She sighed and sat down to watch him work some more.
"Is Charlie okay with you staying for a while?"
"Oh, yes," Hermione said. "He's fine with it. I'm just a little upset because I promised to cook him supper tonight."
"I'm sorry about that," Jacob said. "There might still be time by the time you get back."
"He was going to order a pizza, actually," Hermione replied. "It's alright. Where'd Quill and Embry go?"
"Ah, they've probably left. They have a really short attention span."
Hermione smiled and nodded. The seemed the type.
Hermione watched Jacob's hands as they worked. They were so rough and calloused, to show for the years and years of hard wear and tear on them. They were so large and toned. They were attached to large, muscled arms. But his hands...despite being rough, calloused, and oil stained, they were so beautiful, somehow. She could tell he was a great friend. She could tell he was very dedicated as well. And he liked what he did. Also, he picked his fingernails when he was nervous. That was obvious.
"So..." Jacob said as he continued working.
Hermione uncomfortably tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ears, biting her lips as she did so. Had she been...admiring him?
Jacob cleared his throat. "So, you're a private detective?"
Hermione nodded.
"And a war hero?"
She laughed. I guess.
"And how old are you?"
She smiled. "Seventeen."
"What war lets seventeen year olds fight?"
"It was more like rebel work," Hermione replied. "It's kind of a long story..."
Jacob shrugged. "We've got kind of a lot of time.
And, for the second time in two days, she explained her life story, starting from the day of her best friend's birthday, all the way up through the death of he-who-must-not-be-named.
"That's-heh-" he shook his head. "That's quite the résumé."
Hermione smiled. "I guess. But anyone would have done it if they were in my position, right?"
"I'm not so sure I would have been brave enough to do all of that...it seems to me you're the only reason that Harry Potter was able to get as far as he did. He shouldn't get so much credit. It was you who had the brains of the machine."
Hermione laughed once. "Thanks for that, but without Harry, there wouldn't have even been a prophecy."
"And without you, there wouldn't have been any resolution to that prophecy. Without you, Harry wouldn't have had any idea of how to figure that prophecy out."
Hermione shrugged. "Whatever you say."
They were quiet for a few moments, the only sound the tinny sound of rain spattering on the roof, Jacob's clanking under the hood of her car, and their quiet breathing.
Jacob sighed and rubbed a wrist over his forehead. "It's getting kind of late, Hermione. Want me to drive you home?"
"Sure, thanks," she replied, standing. She reached inside her car to pull a few things out and then followed Jacob out into the rain, towards his car. They were nearly there when they heard a call from the house. Billy had arrived, and he was ready to talk to Hermione.
By the time Hermione and Jacob finally got to Charlie's house, the rain had stopped and the moon was high in the sky.
"So, would you mind bringing me to the Cullen's home tomorrow morning?"
Jacob nodded. "Sure thing."
"How does around eight sound?"
Jacob nodded. He wouldn't get much sleep, but did it matter if he got to spend more time with Hermione? No, he didn't think so.
It was a little creepy, he decided, that he was so obsessed with him while she was so incredibly awkward around him. He decided he should probably tell her what he'd done soon, before he screwed something up.
Hermione was opening the door, preparing to step out.
"Listen-Hermione-"
She blinked at him. "Yes?"
"I...-I...-"
"Yes...?"
He cleared his throat. "Good night. See you at eight."
She smiled. "Good night. Sleep well."

Sleep well...yeah, right. Like he was going to get any sleep at all. At least he didn't have patrols tonight. He wouldn't have gotten any rest.
He pulled into the driveway, shut off the car, and trudged up into the house. He was tired, he was in love, and he was confused. He had no idea what he should be doing right now. How long was long enough to wait before telling the imprintee that you've imprinted? Not knowing was killing him. It was awful. He needed someone to talk to, but he didn't really have anybody. He needed sleep.
He trudged towards his bedroom and flopped down on his too-small bed, and, despite what he'd previously thought, was out like a light.
His dreams were filled with frizzy hair, a British accent and a brilliant mind.

Hermione sighed and glanced down at her watch once again. Quarter to nine. She shook her head and turned around to enter the house.
"Charlie?"
"Yeah?" he replied from the living room.
"Do you happen to have the phone number to the Black residence?"
Under normal circumstances, she would have simply apparated straight to the Cullen abode, but with such unstable magical boundaries and the closest wizarding hospital miles away, she worried what might happen if she splinched or wound up in some unknown location. So, she decided to call.
"Sure," he said. "It's the second number on the list on the fridge."
Hermione ran a finger across the old, crinkled page and found "Billy:" and then the number. She quickly dialed and put the phone to her ear, playing with the cord as it rang.
A groggy voice answered her. "'Lo?"
"Hello, this is Hermione Granger; may I ask who I'm speaking with?"
"Hermione?" It was obviously Jacob, now wide awake. He swore. "I'm sorry, I overslept! I'll be over in ten minutes, okay?"
Hermione couldn't help but smile. "Sure, Jake. I'll see you in ten minutes, then. Goodbye."
Jacob sighed as he listened to the dial tone. "Bye."

…

There are no excuses for how long this update took. I give you full permission to yell at me and do whatever else you please. I mean, I went on my doc manager and noticed that chapter 6 was about to expire! In two days! They last 60 days, correct? Ugh, something is seriously wrong with me.

Well, review to encourage me to write more, if you've got the time! ^^