CHAPTER TWELVE:
Hermione's POV:
I probably should have expected Harry's visit, I think, ruefully, as I help Bella set up the dinner table. Charlie is shooting Harry suspicious looks and Harry is smiling at him, not at all affected. After facing off the most evil wizard of all time, I guess fathers don't faze Harry, like they do most teenage boys.
The introduction between Charlie and Harry went well… I think. I just told him that Harry was my best friend, and I was wondering if he could stay with us for a few weeks. I then reminded Charlie that I was gay, and told him Harry is engaged. Charlie told Harry he could sleep on the couch, the 'not in Hermione's room' fully implied. Harry took it in his stride, all 'yes sirs' and 'of course sirs'.
And now he was setting out the magnificent delicacy he'd cooked us up- a triple cheese lasagna, with chocolate fondants for dessert. "It looks divine!" Bella enthused, having long-since recovered from the shock of seeing two people vanish into thin air.
Me? I was still reeling a bit from Katie's presence. Why had she come? The looks she was giving, the winks, small squeezes, whispered words, all said that she wasn't visiting (or checking up on me, as their visit could better be described as) as a 'friend'. I think the something more was not so subtly implied.
Did I want to get back with Katie? Was she still gorgeous, yes, but… I wasn't ready to date, yet. And even if I was, I'm not sure that she'd be the one I wanted to date. Katie's fun. She's not serious- and I think I'm at the point were I want to start looking for serious.
The War aged us all, and it's a well-known fact in the Magical World that witches and wizards tend to marry young- some purebloods are promised to each other before they can even crawl!
I'm eighteen, and most of my classmates are either in a serious relationship, engaged, or married. Lavender and Dean, Cho Chang and Cormac McLaggen, Parvati and Anthony Goldstein are all married, for instance, and all my friends except George are either in a serious relationship or engaged.
I sit down next to Harry at the table, while Bella sits across from him, next to Charlie. "So, Harry," Charlie begins, in a deceptively friendly voice, "how long have you known this fiancé of yours?"
"Eight years, sir. We were close friends for the first six years, before we started dating two years ago and we've never looked back." That was close to the truth, Hermione smiled, ducking her head down so Charlie couldn't see.
"What does your fiancé think of you being down here, anyway?" Charlie asks Harry.
"She's actually overseas at the moment, in Scotland." Harry explains, "she goes to the same school as Hermione and I did, and she's got a few months left before graduation. We catch up with each other every weekend, but she boards there during the week."
"And what's this lass's name?" Charlie continued his interrogation.
"Ginevra Weasley, though the only one who can get away with calling her that is her mum, Molly." Harry grins, "everyone else calls her Ginny."
"Weasley, huh? Isn't that the name of your other friend?" Charlie asks me, and I look back up at him and smile.
"Yes, Ginny is Ron's younger sister. She was in the year below us." Charlie's jaw twitches as a thought strikes him.
"And exactly how old is this Ginny?" he asks, pinning Harry with a fierce look.
"Eighteen, sir, she's only ten months younger then Ron." Harry says, quickly. Now that is a lie- Ginny's eighteenth is coming up, but in the Wizarding World, she came of age at seventeen. Ron is thirteen months older then her. Charlie looks a touched appeased, knowing Ginny isn't 'underage'.
"You two been living together, when she's not in school?" he asks.
"Yes sir." Harry nods. "We've got a small house together in Devon." He elaborates. Charlie whistles through his teeth.
"House, huh?"
"Er, yeah, my parents passed away when I was very young," Harry mumbles, embarrassed about his wealth, like he always is, "they left me some money." Charlie looks a touch more sympathetic towards Harry now, which usually drives Harry mad, but I think he's slightly relieved the interrogation has stopped. Instead, he turns to face Bella and fixes her with a stern look.
"Don't be getting any ideas about marrying young, missy," he warns her. Bella instantly blushes red as a tomato.
"Ch-dad!" she hisses, mortified. Charlie gives her another stern look.
I decide now's as good a time as any to bring up the weekend plans, and I shoot Charlie a winning smile. "I'm thinking about flying over to England Friday night, and bringing Bella with me so she can meet all my close friends," I tell him, "it's a seven hour flight, which gives us plenty of time to see everyone, before returning Sunday evening. I thought that now would be a better time to do it, when we're not frantically studying for finals."
Charlie narrows his eyes, slightly. "Will Cullen be going with you?" he demands, turning his body so he's facing Bella. Bella sighs.
"No dad, Edward will not be coming with us." She says. Charlie looks pleased.
"Then that's fine. Do you need money for the tickets?"
"It's my treat." I tell him, and he purses his lips.
"Are you sure?"
"I've worked my arse off all last year," I explain, "I've got enough money saved for a trip there and back for Bella and I." The Ministry gave Harry, Ron and I each a rather large sum of money, along with Order of Merlin First Class's, in thanks for the 'great service we provided Magical Britain'. But at the same time, the money's unnecessary, as a simple apparation, Floo or Portkey will get us there in less then a minute, for no cost at all.
The rest of the dinner passes with light conversation.
Later that night, Harry casts a glamour on the sofa, so that to Charlie, Bella and even the vampire boyfriend's eyes it looks (and smells and sounds) like Harry's sleeping there, while he gets in the bed, beside me. I snuggle into his warmth, and let out a small sigh, feeling his arms around me. There's nothing sexual in the way he's cradling me, it's purely protective, loving.
"How have you been sleeping?" He asks, after casting a few non-verbal silencing charms. With a vampire in the house, you can never be too careful.
"Not great." I admit. Harry's fingers gently run along my left forearm.
"Nightmares about Her?" he asks, and I nod, blinking away tears. There's no need to specify who 'Her' is.
"'Course." I sigh.
"Feel like a fly?" he asks, and I twist around to face him, smiling.
"And here's me thinking you'd never ask." I tease, softly.
We get out of my bed, and I ease open my window, before clambering as elegantly as possible out onto the ledge and launching myself in the air, shifting into my eagle form. I spread my wings and flap once, twice, before gliding over to the roof, above my window, and perching, waiting for Harry. Harry copies my movements, jumping out of the window and shifting mid-air.
My Animagus form is beautiful, but it has nothing on Harry's. Where my best friend was, there was now a phoenix, with crimson feathers on his body and a golden tail as long as a peacock's. Harry's claws and beak are gleaming gold and his eyes are as green as the Killing Curse, and look out of place on the beautiful bird. I launch back into the air, and Harry glides beside me, his scarlet body feathers glowing faintly in darkness.
A phoenix form makes sense for the Boy-Who-Lived. Harry has 'died' twice, and almost died several more times, but he always came back, he always lived. Like a phoenix, who bursts into flames and is reborn from the ashes. Harry first transformed a month after the Battle of Hogwarts. He found a much-needed peace in the meditation required to become an Animagus, and unlike most witches and wizards who required years of practice, transforming just came naturally to him.
Together we soar above Forks, above the ocean, the forest, the town and the reservation. Harry opened his beak and sang. Like all phoenix singing, it was soul-touching, having similar effects to Madam Pomphrey's Warming Potions, instilling courage and calm in all those who heard it.
If eagles could cry, I would probably be bawling from the raw beauty of the song.
That night, for the first time in a long time, I slept without dreaming.
Arriving for my second day of school, I cursed as I stepped out of the Chevy, realizing that I'd forgotten to cast a notice-me not charm on myself. All eyes once again snapped in my direction, and because there was no Alice there yet to scare them off, I was instantly waylaid by three people in particular, who immediately introduced themselves as Mike Newton, Lauren Malloy and Jessica Stanley.
Mike Newton was a baby-faced blonde guy of average attractiveness, Jessica 'Jess' was a short, curly haired brunette with a spattering of cute freckles and a curvy figure, while Lauren was indeed the bleached blonde who'd questioned me in class yesterday.
"So, Hermione, enjoying Forks?" Mike asked, stepping way too close then I was comfortable with. I could almost feel my hackles raising, and my fingers twitched towards the pocket that held my wand. Seeming to sense my agitation, Bella's hand shot out and closed around my wand-hand, and she started dragging me away from the three.
"Sorry, I need to show Hermione where the library is before class starts, you'll have to talk to her later." Bella says, and I follow her, partially grateful for her intervention, and kind of annoyed that I couldn't curse the spit out of the irritating boy.
And then Mike basically jogs to catch up to us, and bumps shoulders with me in what I think is supposed to be friendly? Or maybe flirty? I tense up, my fingers tightening around Bella's hand. I see her wince out of the corner of my eye, but I'm mainly focused on the boy beside me. "How about I accompany you ladies?" He says, in a voice that drips with grease. I want to shudder.
Maybe it's because I'm gay that I find his advances so repellant and downright repulsive, but all I know is that I'm definitely running out of patience, and that my gag reflex isn't going to be able to hold up for much longer.
I open my mouth to tell Mike exactly what I think of him accompanying us ladies when suddenly Alice is there, in between Mike and I, her arm curled around my waist, her eyes narrowed on the unfortunate human who has incurred her wrath. "Why don't you go flirt with someone who's actually interested, Newton." Alice just about growls, her eyes dark as coal.
Mike gulps and takes a step back, looking like he's about to wet his pants. Alice smiles, a predatory smile that shows all her glistening white teeth. "Stay away from Hermione." She tells him, and he nods.
"Yeah, I… I will!" He promises, face white as a sheet, his instincts screaming at him what his brain can't- that Alice is dangerous. He quickly retreats, and I turn a grateful smile to Alice. I don't even notice that Bella has let go of me and is wrapped around her vampire.
"My pixie in shining armor." I say to her, playfully, even as I wonder if she's going to remove her arm from where it's currently resting around me, its delicious coolness seeping through the thin material of my peach-colored sweater, her hand almost caressing my hip, as it rests there casually. I feel perverted, really, when I find myself hoping that she doesn't.
Alice looks breathtaking, her hair straightened and framing her face like a curtain of silk, make-up carefully applied to her marble skin. She's wearing a tiny skirt that hugs her butt and calves, delectably, a pair of black tinted stockings, black Mary Janes and a light colored blouse is stretched tightly over her breasts and hips.
I find myself having to fight back the urge to gulp and a tingling heat flares in my groin. Alice looks up at me from under her thick lashes, smiling sweetly. "Will you allow this knight to accompany her Ladyship to class?" she asks, perfectly mimicking a British accent, that's just as good as, if not better, then mine.
"I would be delighted to, my good sir." I tell her, and she laughs.
"How was your night?" She asks, as we walk towards first our lockers, then to our first class- Art with Miss Galbraith, an enthusiastic, flighty, extremely cheerful young woman with red curls and soft moss-colored eyes. She's wearing a long hippy skirt, and a tie-dyed shirt.
Art wouldn't usually be my thing, but I wanted to try something different, and apparently art therapy is also quite good for treating depression… because I'm not kidding myself- before I moved here, to Forks, I would have diagnosed myself with it in a second. Since I've moved, things have started to look up. It still feels very touch and go, and the almost-episode with Mike before shows just how much I'm struggling keeping both my emotions and my anxiety in check, but for the first time since the War finished, I've started feeling… lighter.
Alice and I find seats near the back of the class, and Alice pulls out her last sketch to continue working on, a portrait of her family that looks like it was drawn by a professional. "Why don't you just draw me something so I know where you're at?" Ms. Galbraith suggested and I nodded.
"You can use my art supplies." Alice smiles, and I nod at her, gratefully.
I stare at the blank canvas and let my mind run free. I pick up a piece of charcoal and let my hand sweep over the page. I end up sketching Harry's Animagus form, still so fresh in my mind.
By the end of the class, two hours later, a phoenix is soaring out of the flames, its wings spread, beak open, head tossed back. The only color in the whole portrait is the phoenix's vivid green eyes, the rest is black charcoal against crisp white paper.
"That's gorgeous." Alice comments, softly. I smile at her, ruefully, and motion towards her perfect portrait. So far she's captured the essence of her 'father', 'mother', Rosalie and Emmett on the canvas, their golden eyes so piercing, staring back at me, Carlisle in his doctor's coat, Esme in an apron, Rosalie dressed in only the highest fashion and Emmett with his arm slung around his mate's shoulders. "Decades of practice." She dismisses her work, eyes glued to mine.
It's flattering, actually, her fascination. Miss Galbraith seems pleased with it, too, and I head out of the classroom feeling both accomplished and reminiscent.
Our next class is English with Mr. Mason, one of the only classes I share with Bella (and boy-toy).
Bella sits on my one side, and Alice on the other. "Have you told Alice about Harry yet?" She asks and Alice stiffens.
"Harry?" she asks, through clenched teeth.
"Yeah, Hermione's BFF from boarding school." Bella says, a cheeky grin on her face, "he's really cute!"
"Yes, but he lacks a few things." I tell her, pointedly.
"Such as?"
"His 'pair' are a little too low, for one." I say, dryly, "and I prefer cats to snakes." Alice starts smiling, obviously getting my message, but Bella plays dumb.
"Huh?" She asks. I sigh, not sure why she's so persistent.
"Boobs, Bella. Boobs and a…" I jerk my chin in a downward motion, and she grins.
"Oh!" she says.
"So why is Harry visiting?" Alice asked, seeming much calmer. A thought struck me, as my mind quickly assessed her behavior. Wait… did Alice have a thing for me?
Don't be ridiculous, Hermione! I scolded myself, with an inner eye-roll. Jeez! Are you that starved for romance that you're looking for non-existent hints from a vampire?!
"Harry's here to help me deal with… losing my mum and dad." I say, quietly, looking at my lap. "He lost his parents when he was younger. They were murdered in front of him."
"Poor thing." Alice says, and Edward nods softly in agreement, his face lightly pained.
"Is he coming to England with us?" Bella asked.
"You're going to England?" This is Edward, his full attention suddenly on Bella.
"Yeah, over the weekend with Hermione." She nods, a familiar stubborn look settling onto her face.
"What time are we leaving?" He asked.
"We aren't leaving." Bella says, sternly, "Edward- this is me and Hermione's weekend."
"Bella, that's ridiculous!" Edward exclaims, "Do you know how dangerous it could be? And I'll be nowhere near you if you need me!"
"I survived seventeen years without you, Edward, I think I'll survive a weekend with my sister!"
"No Bella! I forbid it!" Edward snapped. Bella literally reared back in her seat.
"You forbid it? You FORBID IT!" Bella's voice rose above a hushed whisper, causing the teacher's attention, as well as the class, to snap over to her.
"Something you want to say, Miss Swan?" Mr. Mason asks, acidly. Bella stands up, looking furious.
"Yeah, actually- I need to go." She snaps, before spinning around and literally storming out of the classroom. Everyone stared at her, wide-eyed, and I waited until the class had settled back down before I turned my narrowed gaze towards Edward.
"Apologize to her, promise her you'll never pull any crap like that again, and tell her that a weekend away is fine." I tell him, in the cold voice I adopted for talking to Death Eaters. I let my aura flare out, channeling the same emotions I did when using an Unforgiveable Curse.
It could be my imagination, but I could swear I saw green flashing lights before my eyelids, and Edward's eyes widened somewhat. A flicker of fear showed in his eyes, fear he wouldn't be able to explain. I held his gaze, letting my power surge around my body, until he had to look away. "I will." He said, quietly. "I promise."
"Good," I tell him, smiling coldly. "Because I have friends that don't like vampires. Friends that won't have any problem dealing with one should I give the word." The bell rings, and I rise to my feet, and I give the quiet Alice to my right a small smile. Her expression looks serious and out of place on her face. "I'll see you later, Alice." I tell her, "I'm off to find Bella." She nods, and gives me a small smile.
"See you later?" She says, except it's phrased more like a question. I almost say no, I'm so pissed off at her brother, but the look in her eyes makes me smile and nod, without me giving any permission.
"Sure. Bye Alice."
A/N: Sorry to the people who love Edward out there, but I think he's kinda overprotective and it would be OC of him not to kick up a fuss about Bella leaving the country without his protection.