Third Life

The Twenty Third


In my first life, I had gone through the muggle schooling system until I was nearly twelve. Just under a year of which I spent dreaming of the magical world that I would be entering into so very soon. I have always been smart, and not just concerning my magical talent and education. During those first twelve years of my life, I had worked my way through primary and part of secondary school. Like I had stated, I was advanced. But I had never been to a muggle high school. I had happily gone off to Hogwarts before I finished secondary school, never mind sixth form. So yeah, Muggle High school, I'm certainly nervous.

It doesn't help that I happen to be a vampire as I head off to my first day of high school in a non magical environment. The funny part about that, is it barely registers as weird to me, even if I'm not looking forward to it. Can you believe it? Me, Hermione Jane Granger, am not looking forward to attending a place of learning.

I glared at the shinny red automobile in front of me as if this piece of machinery was the reason I didn't want to go to Forks High School.

Two cars are needed now. Before the Cullen teenagers could all fit into Edwards Volvo. Now, I was causing problems and dragging attention onto my family. First, I come into a town, which rarely gets new residents and now I have given Rosalie a reason to show off her BMW. The thing really is an attention magnet and an industrial magnet at that.

I knew that I would do everything that I could not to draw any unnecessary attention to myself. I also knew that I would most likely fail at that attempt. Regardless, I tried. I chose very plain clothes, a dark wash jean and a cream sweater. My hair was pulled back into a messy pony tail that I had fastened without looking into the mirror. With the knowledge that I would be looked at all day, I did eventually and reluctantly look into the mirror. I was still unhappy with my appearance. Each time I looked at my reflection I still hoped to find my precious mane. My mane had never returned. Furthermore, my attempts at looking plain fell through horribly. I could be on the cover of a magazine just as I am and the bloody thing would sell. Bugger.

I huffed, still unpleased an hour later when I gathered my plain black coat and made my way down to the garage to meet with the others. October 23rd, Hermione Jane Bishop's first day of public high school. I was not looking forward to this.

Edward, Alice and Jasper had left only moments before in the Volvo. This was Carlisle's plan, he had figured that arriving a little while apart would be less attention grabbing. I didn't think that it would make much of a difference. A parking lot full of students would just turn into a building full of students.

I slung my nearly empty school bag into the back of Rosalie's car. When the muggle bag may weigh nothing considering my superhuman strength I still craved my overstuffed aged bag which I had used for six years, only one of which I thorough to incorporate the weightless charm. These little things, these are the moments I remember my past life with any clarity and it makes me miss the people left behind even more.

"It wont be as bad as you think." Esme commented lightly. She was here to see us off and I think that she had been talking to Jasper. Then again she might had just been tapping into her motherly intuition. I walked over to where she stood by the back wall. Rosalie and Emmett were talking quietly and if I cared to I would have been able to make out every word. I didn't fancy that idea. Besides, they were giving Esme and I our privacy, I can certainly respect theirs.

"I don't want to cause this family any problems. I already know that I have caused a stir with the elders on the reserve. I don't want to cause the same problems at the high school." My tone was light only so the sound would not carry. Emmett would worry for me and worrying should not be part of his character.

"Carlisle has been saying that most of his co-workers and patients are most interested in meeting you. " That was the problem. I should have just lived silently in the house and became part of the family at our next location. The more I thought about it the more I liked the idea of playing ghost for a few years. Too bad that it was too late for that. "Carlisle wants you to meet with Dr. Gerandy early next week." I wanted to growl at the added socializing responsibility. Vampires are not meant to be social creatures.

"I don't want to meet anyone, this all feels like a mistake." I felt like I was three years old. Rosalie had started the car and put the roof up, after all we live amidst the rain. We would be leaving soon. I looked back at Esme. I looked at her hoping that she would hold all the answers I seek.

"No, I dare say none of us have ever wanted to meet new humans. Hermione," my name still sounded like an endearment when she spoke it. "you have nothing to be worried about. What comes may come."

I didn't respond. I didn't want to disappoint Esme anymore then I might have already. I walked the small distance to the car. Emmett put a rough hand on my shoulder and opened my door for me. I got in. Rosalie handed me a pair of light black gloves, I put them on and they fit my delicate looking hands perfectly. I felt like a puppet, nothing more and certainly not alive.

The first fifty three seconds were all silence and it was making my thoughts race. Rosalie was the first to get fed up with the lack of sound within the car. Unlike Edward she was much to forward then to simply turn on the radio. "This worrying is pointless, worse comes to worse we move and take a vacation for a few years." I smiled, Rosalie didn't want to move.

Just as much as Rosalie didn't want to move I did not want to be dragged bathing suit shopping. Actually, no bathing suit shopping was a pretty good incentive to not fail and drink someone. More then that, I could pep talk myself.

This was something I can do, I've faced worse. A bunch of teenagers with appetizing scents kind of pales in comparison to Voldemort and his merry band of Death Eaters. I reached forward from my seat in the center of the back and grabbed Emmett's hand. I've risked the very fabric of the timeline and my own sanity along with it. I can manage measured hours in a public high school five days a week. I'm strong enough for this. Hell, I was the bloody smartest witch of my age, being a vampire will not alter or erase my fundamental characterization.

I wished for more time to prepare, a part of me was crying out for the time. I had thought I was preparing but apparently it had done nothing for me. Wishes weren't granted and too soon we were pulling into the school parking lot. We were earlier then most, however, a good amount of students and faculty had already arrived.

Rosalie had turned off the car, but like Emmett and I she made no indication of moving. People were staring at the car and the pair of them turned around so it appeared like we were talking, not that they were giving me a few more needed minutes to collect myself. I was still clutching onto Emmett's hand and Rosalie was squeezing my knee in a reassuring gesture that I don't think she had ever preformed before. I clung to my cross as if it alone could save me. For I very much fear that my new family might not be enough for the task.

"Well, this is it then." Emmett grinned at me, because he knows that he can't look at me like that without me feeling like somehow this would all turn out okay.

"We were talking about this before we left. Rose is going to be the one to bring you into the office to get your stuff. The receptionist is afraid of her so you should be able to get in and out pretty quickly."

I nodded and we all got out of the car smoothly. Our audience was captivated and I did my best to ignore them as Rosalie linked her arm with my own. Emmett headed across the parking lot to meet with the rest of our family and Rosalie led me towards the main entrance.

The office was small and stuffy so I stayed close to Rosalie and focused on her scent. I'm lucky in general that my sense of smell isn't as powerful as the others. Still I could clearly hone in on her crisp sweet scent that could pass as a perfume. The smell wasn't something bottled, Emmett hated when Rosalie used smelly perfumes and bath products, so surprisingly, she doesn't.

The women behind the desk was staring at us like we were models from her favorite magazine and it was disturbing. I was very thankful for my gender at the moment because I would hate for the same look to be laced with lust.

Rosalie cleared her throat in a clearly fake way that displayed her disgust. "Hello girls." The red haired receptionist with her caked on makeup greeted us as she broke out of her trace. It was clear that she had grown uncomfortable the second that Rosalie had cleared her throat and I bit back a smile. Maybe today wouldn't be as terrible as I had thought it would be. "I've heard wonderful things about you dear. Doctor Carlisle," his voice was high and feminine when she spoke his name and it betrayed her attraction to him. This I found more then a bit disturbing. "came in the other day to set up everything with the principal and said only the most wonderful things about you. He, the principal that is, really wanted to be here to welcome you to the school himself, but was called into a meeting with the district director very last minute. He was terribly disappointed."

"That's all fine Ms. Cope, but we were really hoping to get Hermione's schedule so we can show her around a bit." If I didn't have a strong dislike of this Ms. Cope I might have felt sorry about the way Rosalie was making the women shake in fright. The papers she was handing me were clearly wavering as an example of her fear.

"Thank you." I spoke in a practiced human volume. She was going to say something, but Rosalie was gliding me out of the room. I am really starting to love Rosalie, not that I hadn't already.