Well, I'm on break and I've got nothing to do and I've got my comfort foods (potato salad, bagels and ice tea, if you wanted to know), so I decided "What the heck?" And I opened a new document and here I am, about to give you the chapter you've all been probably waiting for I hope! ^^

Enjoy!

"When love is not madness, it is not love."

Pedro Calderon de la Barca

"You've had the whole date talk with your own, parents, right?"

Hermione laughed and patted Charlie on the shoulder. "Yes, don't worry, I have. You don't have to put yourself through that again. And I would hardly call it a date. It's just a favour, really."

"A favour," Charlie stated. He'd heard the explanation before. "Right, then. He pickin' you up?"

Hermione nodded, taking a sip of her tea. She looked at Charlie across the table and realised she had really grown fond of this man in the past few days. It was nice to have someone resembling a father-figure again.

Charlie, who was looking out the window, was the first to notice that Jacob had arrived.

"Well, you better get on out there," said Charlie, standing up using the hand that wasn't holding a beer. "And Hermione?"

Hermione, who was half-way out the door, turned to give Charlie a questioning look.

"Don't hurt him, alright?" Charlie said. "He's like a son to me. And I know him well enough to know that he'll never hurt you."

Hermione smiled. "Of course. Goodbye, Charlie! I'll see you later tonight."

"Bye, then."

As Hermione shut the door, Charlie turned towards the inside of his house and took a sip of his beer.

It must be hard, having his daughter not only leave him, but never be able to come back, Hermione thought. Then Jacob was there, smiling and holding the door to his car open wide for her.

"Hey, Hermione," Jacob said with a wide grin.

"Jacob," Hermione said with a nod, sliding into the car. Jacob closed the door behind her and came around to get into the driver's seat.

"How was your day?" Jacob asked politely as he started up the car and backed out of the drive.

Hermione shrugged. "Well. I spent almost the whole day looking over notes and pouring over some books I brought from back home. It's really very fascinating. This has happened before, it seems. It's why so many wizards and witches practically swarm to the areas around Europe."

"Wow," Jacob said. "What is it? And why is it in America?"

"It's a substance in the soil, probably in that area in the woods you were telling me about," Hermione said. "For some reason, magical creatures are just attracted to it. Anyways, we shouldn't talk about work the whole time. How was your day?"

Jacob decided not to tell her that he did nothing except freak over what he was going to wear and say and that all he did was think about her. Instead, he said, "It was pretty good."

Hermione decided not to pry. "So, where are we going?"

Jacob grinned. "Oh, just…out."

Hermione gave Jacob a curious look, but decided not to ask. She'd let him have his fun.

After a little while of awkward small talk, their conversation began to pick up. Having just met, they found thousands of things to talk about. Opinions, music taste (Jacob was scared to death of Hermione's "Weird Sisters" CD), political stands (which was quite difficult, Jacob having absolutely no idea how the Ministry of Magic ran things), sports (after Hermione's explanation of Quidditch, Jacob was so mad he couldn't fly he swore), friends, family, and school days.

They were on topics of the future when Jacob pulled into a parking lot and the car came to a stop.

"Where are we?" Hermione asked, straining her neck to find the name of the building.

"A restaurant," Jacob replied. "This is only stop one. I figured you were probably hungry."

Hermione nodded. "Sure."

They entered the restaurant together and were seated almost immediately. It was nice on the inside, and Hermione felt almost underdressed when she noticed that everyone was dressed casually, and it didn't really matter.

They sat at a table in the back. Hermione got tea and Jacob had a pop Hermione had never heard of.

They settled into a nice conversation while they waited for their meals to arrive.

"So, tell me more about the lives of shapeshifters," Hermione said, setting down her tea. "It all sounds so fascinating."

Jacob shrugged. "I guess. Where should I start?"

"Start with when you first found out you were able to shapeshift," Hermione asked, leaning forward.

"Hm…" said Jacob. "Well, at first I thought I was just sick. I felt awful. Really hot and like I had mono. I slept a lot and had this constant fever that just wouldn't seem to break. And I was really achy, but I just acquired that to the fact that I'd been growing so fast that in a matter of weeks I was almost six inches taller than before. And I got angry really easily, and I kept having these weird hallucinations. Finally, some of the elders heard what was going on and came in and explained everything. That was when I first changed. I didn't believe them, and they kept explaining these things to me like I were a stupid five-year-old, until finally, I got so mad that instead of being human, my clothes ripped off and I was a dog. I destroyed my bedroom just trying to get used to the body, and then I finally just jumped out of my window and ran off."

"Did you still feel sick?"

Jacob shook his head. "Not as a dog. Actually, being a wolf was a great relief. It was strange. Not as much to worry about, I guess. Anyways, I cooled off after a while, sort of, and managed to figure out how to turn back into a human. I was naked, of course, and I had to go back to my house with my head hung in shame just so I could get some clothes. I let them finish explaining things, and after that, we didn't really talk about much."

"Really," Hermione said.

Jacob nodded, and would have added more, but that was when the waitress came over with their meals, and Jacob didn't say anything more in front of her.

They didn't start talking about wolves again until a little while later, when they were walking off supper in a beautiful garden that Jacob had just somehow known Hermione would find gorgeous.

"Jacob, tell me one more thing about shapeshifters," Hermione said, tucking some hair behind her ear. She was already pretty sure on the subject, but felt like she had to ask, anyways.

"Anything," Jacob replied, and he reached for Hermione's hand. She was a little surprised, but didn't pull away.

"What is imprinting like?"

Jacob froze almost instantaneously, but shook his head and was able to compose himself enough to keep walking and form a half-sentence.

"Why d-do you ask?"

Hermione had been looking at his face to gauge his reaction, and was satisfied in knowing she had been correct. He had imprinted. She looked forward.

"Because I'm not stupid, Jacob," Hermione said, shaking her head. "I've known since it happened that you imprinted on me, and I couldn't stand seeing you trying to keep it a secret. I want you to face it."

Hermione stopped walking and dropped Jacob's hand, standing in front of him now. "Come on. Tell me now. Tell me what you've done."

Jacob wouldn't look at her. "You can't prove it."

"Oh, yeah?" They were standing on a bridge that was high over a stream. If Hermione were to fall over it, she would most certainly hit her head and be maimed in the least. She wouldn't let that happen, of course. She had her wand with her. But Jacob didn't know that. She moved to pull herself up onto the bridge and made like she was going to step off the side.

Jacob instantly pulled her back, holding her close and tight.

"That doesn't prove anything," Jacob said after a while, still hugging her close. "No one wants to watch someone kill themselves. Are you crazy?"

Hermione shook her head. "That may not prove anything, but the fact that you haven't let go of me yet almost does."

Jacob let go.

"Say it, Jacob. Tell me what you did."

He wouldn't look at her. "I imprinted." It was barely audible.

"Say it to my face!" Hermione exclaimed. "I don't want you to be ashamed of it. It's going to ruin your life if you don't tell me now and I end up back with Ron, ruining my own life! It'll be so painful when I move back home if you never tell me! Tell me!"

Jacob was almost glaring at her as he practically shouted, "Stop it, Hermione! If I get angry, I could hurt you!"

Hermione whipped out her wand. "Oh, yeah? Try me."

Jacob continued glaring, but finally, it died down. "Fine. I imprinted on you." His glare returned. "I imprinted!"

Hermione smiled. "There, was that so hard?" And she gave him a hug.

Jacob sighed, his rage dying down. Why couldn't he have just told her? What was holding him back? Probably his fear that if he finally admitted it, it would take Hermione's choice away. He didn't want that. But it was too late now. She'd forced it out of him.

"Gosh, I don't know how you're going to stand me," Hermione said, grinning as she pulled away. "Aren't I awful?"

Jacob couldn't help smiling. "The worst," he joked. Then he took her hand. "Let's go."

"Sure," Hermione replied.

Then she thought of something. What on Earth was she going to tell Ron and Harry?

Hey! ^^ I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It was fun writing Jacob all angry and Hermione all pushy. Leave a review if you want! ^^