Hi, I couldn't help but notice that only one person reviewed the last chapter, 'Thanks Sol Swan Cullen'. That left me a little unsure of if to return to this fic. Eventually though, I couldn't stop my brain from going and I just had to write another chapter. If you come across this fic, please give it a chance. It's going to be good, promise!

Anyways...let's get on with it, shall we?

Chapter 8

Tanya

"So, how was your summer?" Bella finally was able to ask after she and Edward had left the prefect's compartment. It had been a drama free meeting. The head boy and girl had paired prefects according to house for patrols so there were no tantrums from the Slytherins about being paired with Gryffindors or vice versa. Bella was especially pleased about the fact that she was paired with Edward and so would be able to spend a lot of time with him without interruption from their friends.

"It was alright," Edward said smiling down at her, "some family friends came in from America, we spent some time with them."

"Oh, right," Bella said unable to quell her curiousity, "Alice mentioned that, she said they had a daughter who's coming to Hogwarts?"

Edward nodded.

"Tanya," he chuckled, "that's her name, Alice didn't seem to like her very much but I can't see why, she's a lovely girl, I think the two of you'd get along."

"Really?" Bella said, a bitter taste seemed to be invading her mouth.

"Definately," Edward said, "I'll have to introduce you, well, once I find her. She's probably with her cousins."

"She has family here?" Bella asked playing dumb.

"Yeah, you know Kate Denali right?" Edward asked and Bella nodded, "She's her cousin and so, of course, is Kate's older sister Irina, she's a Slytherin seventh year."

"Well, I suppose it's good she knows people already," Bella said, "I imagine it must be nerve wracking starting a new school in fifth year when everyone else has been here all along."

Edward shook his head with a light laugh.

"Not Tanya," he said almost admiringly, "she's more excited than anything. Not much frightens her."

Bella noticed his tone and frowned. Suddenly she understood Alice's dislike of Tanya. She didn't like her either. She tried to stop herself from feeling that way, she knew it was unfair and unkind, especially since she had never even met the girl, however ugly jealously had reared it's head and could not be tamed.

It had been unrealistic to imagine that she could have Edward all to herself forever. Bella knew that she should have anticipated him liking some other girl eventually. She had no claim on him.

'And I never will," She thought bitterly, 'Not with me being such a coward.'

Edward slid open the door of the compartment their friends had selected and both of them were immediately tugged inside.

"So, how was it?" Rose asked from where she was lounging across a seat, she moved up a little to make room for Bella.

"It was fine," Bella answered, rolling her eyes as the others exchanged dubious glances.

"Really, they just wanted to set up patrols and have us meet the new Head Girl and Boy," Edward elaborated as they continued to make faces.

"So, will I have to worry about you giving me a detention Ed?" Emmett teased. Beside him, Jasper snorted as though the very idea of that was too hilarious to contemplate.

"I just might," Edward answered dryly, "so you two'd better watch it."

"I'm shaking in my boots." Jasper said, lazily leaning his head against the window.

"Atleast we know Bella'll take care of us," Emmett said sending her a wink, "won't you Bells."

"Just try not to get up to anything where I can see you," Bella said, cringing at the thought of giving her friends detention. Emmett laughed.

"There goes the start of term feast prank, eh mate?" he said elbowing Jasper who grunted his assent.

"It would've been one for the books," Jasper smirked.

"Shame you've told us about it then," Alice quipped, "I could use a good laugh."

"Why, what's up?" Rose asked frowning slightly.

"Nothing, just that my whole summer was ruined the Denali's coming here."

"Alice, you can be such a brat," Edward said shaking his head.

"Oh come on Edward!" Alice exclaimed, "You'd be annoyed too if you'd been promised a trip to the Caribbean but instead it had to be postponed because your parents had friends over!"

"I'm not saying you can't be disappointed," Edward said calmly, "but you don't have to take it out on Tanya, it's not like she 'ruined' your summer on purpose."

"I am not taking it out on her!" Alice argued, "I genuinely find her annoying!"

"Er, who are we talking about?" Emmett asked, looking between the two cousins confusedly.

Just then the compartment door slid open and standing there, smiling brightly, was the only girl Bella had ever seen whose beauty rivaled that of Rosalie's. She had thick, shiny strawberry blonde hair which fell in loose curls to her waist. Her complexion was fair and even but she had a faint smattering of freckles across her nose which only added an element of cuteness to her her face. Her eyes were a deep blue and she had lashes that seemed impossibly long. Her nose was straight and her mouth full and pouty. It seemed almost unfair that on top of that her figure was slim and curvy.

"Hi!" the girl said cheerily, her American accent was unmistakeable.

"Tanya," Edward said standing to give her a brief hug, "how are you."

"I'm great," she answered, tilting her head down slightly and batting her eyelashes at him, "how about you?"

Bella felt herself blanche. This was Tanya? She had no hope with someone like that around.

"I'm fine, here, let me introduce you to my friends," Edward said pulling her further into the compartment. "Right so, this is Emmett...Jasper...Rosalie...You know Alice of course...and last but not least, Bella. Everyone, this is Tanya."

"Oh Edward told me so much about you guys this summer," Tanya gushed as she smiled prettily at them all, "I know we'll be great friends!"

Bella heard Rosalie stifle a disbelieving laugh. Tanya did seem impossibly cheery, even compared to Alice. Albeit, Alice was at that moment, looking quite pissed off.

"Bella," Tanya said as she sat in the space Edward offered her, "you are even prettier than Edward said you were, he told me all about you, I hope we can hang out sometime."

"Uh, sure?" Bella said blushing brightly. Edward had called her pretty? It was all she could focus on. .

"So Tanya," Rosalie said in the most congenial tone Rosalie would ever use with a stranger, "Where are you from?"

"Well, I lived in Alaska with my parents, "Tanya said, "but my school was in Salem. Salem Witch's Academy of Magic. It was an girls' school, this is the first time I've ever gone to a school with boys!"

"I'm sure this is all very exciting for you," Alice said with a wry smile.

"Totally!" Tanya said not at all catching Alice's tone. Edward shot his cousin a hard look which she ignored.

"Well Tanya babe," Emmett said leaning towards her with a wide grin, "welcome to Hogwarts, and to jolly old England, I'd be happy to show you the ropes here, if you know what I mean?"

He waggled his eyebrows and Tanya giggled.

"You perv!" Rose said chucking Alice's WitchWeekly magazine at him. This would have sparked the first Rosalie vs Emmett argument of the term had it not been for the arrival of the trolley lady which was able to distract them, at least momentarily.

oOoOoOo

"I think she's an alright bird," Jasper said as the group took their seats at Gryffindor table. Tanya had been led away by Professor Longbottom upon arrival. She had to be sorted with the first years.

"She's a bit of alright* that's for sure," Emmett said with a salacious grin, "phoar, that girl's got some legs on her."

"Oi," Edward said narrowing his eyes at Emmett, "there'll be none of that."

"What?" Emmett said confused, then his eyes widened, "you fancy her, don't you?"

Bella watched Edward's reaction closely. His cheeks flushed slightly and his eyes darted away as he ran a hand through his hair. He did fancy her.

"No," Edward said but his cheeks were still pink, "she's a friend that's all."

Bella sighed softly, tuning out of the conversation as Emmett began to tease Edward. She felt a hand grip her's under the table and looked up to see Alice and Rosalie smiling at her sympathetically. They knew that she had always liked Edward. Their sympathy only made her feel tearful so she was happy for the distraction of the First years being led in by Professor Longbottom. Atleast until she saw Tanya at the back. Immediately it seemed as though she caught the eyes of every male student in the room. A low hum of masculine voices seemed to fill the room as she walked.

"Who is that fox?" Bella heard Mike Newton whisper to Tyler Crowly and over on the Ravenclaw table Eric Yorkie whistled. Unfortunately Professor McGonogall seemed to hear him and shot him her death glare from the the head table. Eric looked quite pale after that.

The whispers quietened when the Sorting Hat began it's song:

Oh Hat of Hats,

I am,

The most clever at that,

I am,

Just put me on,

after my song,

to find out in which house,

you belong.

It might be daring Gryffindor,

if bravery is your claim.

Or maybe if you're good and true then

Hufflepuff is the name!

Or else if might be Ravenclaw,

where intelligence is prized most,

but then again cunning Slytherin

might be your suited host!

Just put me on,

the time is ripe,

to find out just like that,

the answer lies inside your head,

who would know better than a hat?

The school applauded loudly as the hat finished it's song. The sorting began with a small girl called 'Adley, Eleanor' who's trembling rocked the stool when the hat was placed on her head. When she was placed in Ravenclaw a smile lit up her face and she dashed to the table of her new cheering housemates.

Soon enough it was Tanya's turn and Bella couldn't help but wish, selfishly, that she was sorted into any other house but Gryffindor.

The hat sat on Tanya's head for little more than five seconds before the brim split open and it proclaimed loudly, "Hufflepuff!"

Tanya smiled over at them as she joined the cheering Hufflepuff table, which, it had to be said, now hosted a number of rather smug looking boys.

"Well that's that," Alice said smiling, "I suppose we won't see too much of her then."

"You needn't sound so happy about it," Edward frowned, "she's really nice Alice, no wonder she's in Hufflepuff..."

"That's the problem with her though," Alice whispered to Bella when Edward moved onto to talking to Jasper, "She's much too nice!"

Bella could not have known how much she'd be agreeing with that statement in the months to come.

Okay, so review? please?

*A bit of alright is an English expression which is the equivalent of saying someone is hot.