I tried but I lied. For that, I am sorry. Therefore, I have made this the longest chapter I've ever written for this story.
"I'll fight you for it," Paul protested regardless of any agreement that had already been put in place and Jared scoffed at his friend. "What? I can beat you!"
"Hermione's going to be late," Jared sung, rubbing his hands together with satisfaction. "That means I get her food."
"Why do you get her food?" Paul questioned, leaning back on the settee and tilting his head backwards so that he was looking at his friend upside down. "She's my imprint, surely I get first grabs."
"She's compensating for stunning me. She can promise you sexual favours but for me, she promised food." Jared looked oddly satisfied with that option and none of the Pack could blame him. Food was food. It was always a tough choice between that and sex. Unless you could have both at the same time.
"It's a good thing you won't have to," Hermione interrupted, rushing into Emily's and Sam's house as if she lived there. "Sorry I'm late," she apologised as she greeted Emily, pecking her on the cheek and dumping a bag of groceries on the counter.
"Hey honey," Paul greeted, still keeping his head in the upside down position and admiring her ass. "How are you feeling today?" He could sense Hermione's eye roll instead of witnessing it.
"I keep telling you that I'm fine," she complained, wandering over to him and kissing him softly on the lips. "You're just a worry-bot." Her face scrunched up and he sighed as she rushed from the room to the bathroom, emptying her stomach again.
"That's been going on for at least three days now," Kim commented as she sat next to him on the settee. "Got something to share with the class?" He looked at her with a confused face.
"She's ill. Harry said that it was the strain on her magic taking it out on her body or something. Distance like that shouldn't be travelled the way she travelled it." Kim's exasperated expression were accompanied with a roll of the eyes but she didn't push the matter, and instead chose to help Emily with the food.
Hermione moaned, her back arching as Paul moved, thrusting slowly as he extended their love-making. Because that was what it was. Pure, heartfelt love-making.
He glanced down at her body, admiring each and every part of her flawless skin before grimacing as his stomach twisted. Her skin wasn't flawless in reality, she hid it from him on a daily basis because she was worried at how he'd react.
"Remove the glamours," he asked, his voice husky. Hermione opened her eyes, blinking blearily and trying to gain her bearings. She glanced up at him, taking note of the strain in his jaw and his neck as he fought off the urge to carry on moving. "Please, I need to see you." He bent down and sucked on her pulse point as he thrust deeply into her once, causing her eyelids to flutter and all her arguments to be washed away.
"Finite," she whispered and he watched as the scar on her stomach was revealed to him. It was hideous but on her, it was perfection. This was what Hermione looked like.
He twined their fingers together and held both of her arms above her head as he continued to thrust into her. Her back arched as a soft moan left her lips and his attention was drawn to her face, taking note of the flush that crept along her cheeks.
Something out of the corner of his eye caused him to falter in his movements and he felt himself come over with intense rage that would've caused an immediate change into his wolf if it wasn't for Hermione being right under him.
"What is that?" he asked, begging in his mind for it to be some sort of joke albeit a humourless one. "Hermione, what is that?"
She followed where his eyes were directed and cringed into the mattress beneath her, begging to Merlin, God and any other deity willing to help, for her to be whisked away and out of this conversation. "It's a scar," she answered.
"I can see that," he replied through gritted teeth. "But it is a word. Surely spells don't carve words into arms."
"No, they don't. People do." His breath caught and he gave up moving, releasing her hands and kneeling between her thighs. "Cruel, monstrous people who believe themselves to be better than anyone and everyone."
"Hermione, why did you never tell me about this?"
"Because I didn't want that look of sympathy on your face!" She shoved him away from her, grabbing for her clothes that were scattered on the floor surrounding the bed. He didn't stop her. The mood had long since evaporated into thin air and this conversation was taking his time and attention.
"Someone pinned you down and carved a horrid word into your arm, 'Mione!" Paul exclaimed, pulling shorts on. "When you told me about the past and the war, this was never mentioned. Why?"
"Do you recall how you reacted to the scar on my stomach? If you'd been told the story about this one, you would've changed for sure!" she answered with a raised voice.
"So this is purely about how I'd react? Because I think I've just seen the scar and reacted pretty damn well!" He was shouting too now and the couple were glaring furiously at each other.
"Oh yeah? It fucking sounds like it!"
Paul sighed and took a step back, running his hands through his hair and tugging on it to try and not lose his temper. He managed, but barely.
"I don't want to argue with you, Hermione," he said, speaking quietly. "I just wanted to know why you couldn't tell me. You're my imprint and if you feel like we can't communicate then we're going to have a problem."
Hermione huffed, buttoning up the front of her top as she tried to calm herself down.
"I love you and this whole conversation has clearly gotten out of control. Why don't we go back to bed and we'll forget this whole argument. And my overreaction."
"I'm going home," she said shortly and he felt his heart drop. It must have shown on his face as her stoic look softened. "It's not you, I'd stay if I could but…" She trailed off with a sigh. "The scar is constantly glamoured and the last time I had any kind of flashback regarding the monster that gave this to me, I freaked out on you and escaped to England. I'd rather be home, with my potions, so I don't react."
Paul didn't argue with her and she apparated out of his bedroom with a loud crack.
"Hello, Mr Swan," Paul greeted the next morning, a box of doughnuts in hand. Charlie let him in with a grunt that served as a greeting and the door clicked shut behind him. "How did she sleep?"
"Like a log," Charlie answered as he wandered into the kitchen to grab his cup of coffee. "She came home and took some of her dreamless sleep potion or whatever it's called. She stayed in the same position all night."
"That's good," Paul commented, sagging slightly with relief.
"She doesn't like taking it. Says that having it too often can cause her to become addicted. I can only assume that she had a good reason for taking it."
"I saw her scar," Paul answered tentatively, motioning to his arm. "The outcome wasn't the best and she left." They said nothing else regarding her or the scar since the witch in question was walking down the stairs.
"Morning 'Mione," Charlie called and grinned when Hermione answered with a muffled yawn.
"Good morning, babe," Paul greeted when she wandered into the kitchen and she smiled brightly at him, stumbling over and kissing him on the forehead. "You okay?"
"Yeah," she replied, sitting on the chair next to Paul.
"I cooked eggs for you," Charlie told her, scooping some scrambled eggs onto a plate and placing it in front of her. "We're lucky it's one of the few foods I can cook without burning." She chuckled and eagerly started digging in before faltering and placing the spoon back onto the table.
"I'll be back in a second," she mumbled before rushing out of the room. Paul heard her enter the bathroom and emptying her stomach only moments later.
"Now that's she gone, Lahote, we're going to have a chat." Paul frowned, looking up at the police chief with confusion. Why was the room suddenly filled with tense air? "I'm sure I will be seeing a lot more of you in the future-"
"Hopefully," Paul agreed happily.
"Don't interrupt me." Paul gulped. "I had hoped that a boy like you would be more careful. Especially with your history." Paul frowned, not understanding where this was going. Charlie sighed, exasperated. "If you've knocked my niece up, I will shoot you."
Oh, shit.
"It makes sense, doesn't it?" Paul asked as the two were having a picnic on the cliffs, looking over La Push. "You've been throwing up constantly, and I saw you eating raspberry jam tarts the other day. You hate raspberries."
"And because of those two things, you think I'm pregnant?" Hermione asked in disbelief. "We've used protection every time and I don't even know if I can have kids due to the curse used in the war."
"But you don't know for sure." He shook his head. "Anyway, we'll get to that when we get to it. But there was that one time, after a Pack meeting where we'd both drunk a bit much. I can't remember if we did or not. And even if we did, condoms aren't a hundred percent."
She was silent for a moment, thinking it over and sighed. "It's possible. My magic drains haven't ever caused me to throw up like this before. Or ever." She sighed and leaned back in Paul's embrace, relaxing when he started running his hands through her hair. "What if I am?"
"Well, you'll have to move in with me so I can be there for you all the time. Then we'd have to find a place suitable for a baby." She nodded in agreement and they both fell into thoughtful silence. "It's a big step."
"But it may seem like we're going to have to take it." She bit into her sandwich and sighed. "He'd look like you."
"She'd look like you," he declared, his tone leaving no argument.
"Paul!" Jared called, jogging to catch up with his friend on the street. The wolf turned around, smiling when he noticed Jared coming towards him and slowed down for him to catch up. "What are you doing? I thought you were spending the day with Hermione."
"She's going to the doctor's," he answered, running a hand through his hair as they started walking again. "She didn't want me to come."
"Why not?"
"She's gone to see the Cullen's."
"Is it serious? And why him of all the doctors?"
"Charlie insisted," Paul said, kicking a stone on the path. "And he can detect things that others can't. Tests aren't always correct as well. He'd be able to tell her the answer."
"What's going on, Paul?" Jared asked worriedly, pulling Paul to a stand still. "Is it serious?"
"Jared, we think she might be pregnant."
"Thank you so much," Hermione said before she'd even greeted everyone with a hello. "I appreciate you doing this for me. I'd do it myself but I don't know the spells and I'm not going to go searching through the shops round here because they make me homesick and I don't want to ask my family back home because they'll get way more into this than really necessary and then I thought about resorting to muggle tests but even they aren't correct all the time so I-"
"Hermione, you're rambling," Carlisle interrupted, smiling at her kindly. She nodded, allowing herself to be led from the entrance of the house - which was surprisingly empty - to Carlisle's office. "Now, what can I do for you?"
"I think I might be pregnant."
"So, what are you gonna do?" Jared asked, biting into his hot dog that he'd grabbed as they'd headed towards a bench to sit and talk. "Patrols aren't really children accommodating at the moment."
"That's why i'm applying for jobs," he said. "If I have a job, I can get my own income instead of leeching off of Dad and Hermione and then Sam would have to make exceptions for me. I don't know, man. Is a vampire fighting wolf really a good role model for a kid? It's a dangerous life style."
Jared couldn't argue with him there.
"I'm sorry, Hermione," Carlisle told her. "You aren't pregnant." Hermione nodded, relieved with the answer but feeling an odd sense of sadness. "I take it, the whole ordeal wasn't planned?"
She laughed sarcastically and shook her head. "No. Paul and I have been freaking out the past day or so, trying to get to terms with the fact that we may have to sort our lives out but… But it's good i'm not pregnant. We weren't ready for one anyway."
The sadness still didn't go away.
"You may not be ready for one but the thought had festered and the idea was nice, wasn't it?" he asked gently and she nodded, sniffling. "I've seen many couples experience what you're experiencing but they all come back from it. There isn't much else I can say."
"Don't worry about it, Carlisle," she reassured, standing up from her seat. "It will make Charlie happy at least."
The couple sat in silence, neither knowing what to say. They were both experiencing the same emotions and thoughts. Relief. Sadness. No baby meant they could get themselves to a better place - financially, mentally and physically - before beginning their family. They really wanted that kid.
Paul didn't say anything when Hermione cried herself to sleep that night, instead wrapping his arms around her and crying silently in her hair.
He really wanted that Mini-Hermione.
"Why are you not packing?" Hermione asked, hands on hips as she watched her boyfriend watch tele. "We're leaving in three days!"
"You just answered your question," he replied, not even looking at her. He grinned at her huff and wrapped an arm around her when she plopped onto the settee next to him. "Look, I'm a guy. We're known for packing last minute. We'll be fine."
"Are you sure you want to go?" she asked and he sighed, looking at her and tweaking her nose.
"Yes, I'm sure. This is my chance to see more of your world. Harry even said he'd take me to Quidditch match - whatever that is."
"But-"
"Don't you want me to go?"
"Of course I want you to go!" she replied, shocked that he'd think otherwise. "But a lot of it is going to be interviews for me so that people can understand my story and part in the war. Kingsley also wants me to sit down and talk to the historians or something." She rolled her eyes.
"Look, I understand that going back is more for political reasons but it doesn't mean that we can't have fun! We have the rest of our lives to explore your world, it doesn't matter if I'm spending most of my time there getting to know your family and friends now, does it?"
"No," she mumbled, smiling at the effort he was willingly going to make for her.
"Good, now sit down and watch the football with me."
"This isn't football," she protested and he muffled her complaints with a hand over her mouth, grinning at her indignant response.
"What do you mean she's ill?" Hermione asked, fighting off tears. "Can we see her?" Charlie shook his head, sitting on the nearest seat with shaking hands. Paul was stood in the hallways, his bag by his feet and his jaw clenched. So, that's how they were going to play it.
Paul and Hermione had been getting ready to leave for England, packing the final pieces and making sure everything was good when Charlie had received a call. Hermione had been by her Uncle's side the moment Bella's name had been mentioned and even when the phone was put down, the bad news declared, she hadn't moved.
Their distraught faces and the tears they were both fighting had him quelling the urge to shout to the rooftops about the truth. Hermione had already known about the vampires but even she wasn't aware of Bella's intent to change just yet. Or maybe she did, and she was upset because she wouldn't be able to see her cousin for a long time.
"I need to call Billy," Charlie muttered and Paul bit his tongue so he didn't tell him how much of a bad idea that was. Telling Billy would just get Jacob aware of the situation earlier than the leeches probably intended and would only mean problems for everyone. He wouldn't be afraid to confront them.
"You call Billy and I'll start unpacking," Hermione said, comforting her Uncle. "We'll stay, you can't be going through this alone. Neither of us can."
"No," Charlie protested. "You've been planning this for a while and it will take your mind off of things. It'll be good for you both to go." Hermione opened her mouth to protest and carry on the argument but a glare from her Uncle caused her to shut her mouth. "Go." She nodded and silently left the room, walking upstairs with Paul following like a lost puppy.
The moment they were both in her room, and the door was shut behind her, she cried. His arms were wrapped around her immediately and it made her cry harder. "Shhh," he whispered, swaying her side to side. "Shhh." He repeated it over and over until her sobs were merely sniffles.
"She's gone," she whispered. "They've changed her and though I knew it was coming, it's still so hard to deal with."
"I know, sweetie, I know."
"No, you don't," she protested. "My cousin is choosing immortality and for her to live this life that she wants, she has to make her family think that she's dead. I'll be able to keep seeing her but I'd have to lie to Charlie. I can't do that." Her face scrunched up as tears streaked down her cheeks again. "I can't."
"And you won't be lying. He won't be asking if you saw Bella. He'd believe her to be dead and the only times he'd mention her is when you're both thinking about the memories you have of her." She nodded and he wiped her cheeks with his thumbs as he cradled her face. "Now, you need to decide. Are we staying or going?"
"We're going," she commented determinedly. He was still unconvinced but before anything could be done, a loud howl erupted from the woods. He ignored it and went to help her pack some final pieces of clothes but a louder, more demanding one was made and he knew that he wouldn't be able to fight the call much longer. "Go," she said quietly, twisting the cuff of her jumper. "You're needed here."
"You need me and we're going to England. They know this, they can wait till I get back."
"Paul…"
"No, Hermione!" he snapped. "They know we've got this planned. If it hadn't been for the phone call then we'd have been gone by now." Another howl and he sighed.
"Paul, look, I've got a lot of political and war stuff to do over there. So has Harry and Ron and a lot of the people that you'd be spending time with. The only time we don't is when we'd be going to the Twins' party which is only for one night."
"What are you saying?"
"Stay. Stay here and when I'm done with my business over there, I'll come back and we can go back for even longer. I can get you to experience even more than you would normally." She walked over and put her hands on his cheeks so that he was forced to stare at her. "Paul, I love you so much but maybe, maybe these two weeks apart are what we need as well. We've spent every day together since the wedding and practically of them together before that. With the whole pregnancy fiasco, maybe this is what we need."
Paul sighed and fought the urge to act like a caveman by throwing her over his shoulder and locking her in his house so she couldn't go too far away from him. She'd be safer in England though. She'd be amongst her own kind where she's a celebrity and nobody would dare hurt the Golden Girl. Here, here there were vampires and wolves and going by the howling that was still going on outside, there was something big and dangerous going on.
"Fine. Okay." He sighed, kissing her forehead. "I love you. Stay safe and call me when you get the chance."
"I promise. I love you too." With one last passionate kiss, Paul gave her a long look as if to memorise her, and left out of her window, transforming the moment he was hidden by trees and leaving. She watched him leave and sighed as she felt empty and cold.
"'Mione, I've been called into work," Charlie shouted. She rushed down the stairs and embraced him.
"Should you be going? Especially after finding out about Bella just now."
"I've got to do something to get her off of my mind. The way Carlisle was speaking, he was making it seem bad." Her Uncle blinked rapidly, fighting the tears. "It'll help me to do something. I'll see you when you get back. Love you."
"Love you too, Uncle Charlie," she replied and sighed as she was left on her own. Only moments ago she had two of the most important men in her life surrounding her. Both of them were happy, laughing and teasing her but now she was alone. Both of her men sad, pissed off and worried. "Better to get moving," she muttered to herself, heading upstairs to pick up her final bag. She put her wand on her bed, bag beside it, as she moved to her desk so that she could pick up a picture of her and Paul.
She screamed when she turned around, her whole body jumping as she nearly collided with Emmett. "What the fuck are you doing here?" she hissed once she got her breathing under control. "Couldn't you have knocked?"
"No time," he told her, pulling her gently towards the window. "You're needed." He wrapped his arms around her, flinging her onto his back and jumped out of the window, heading towards his home before she could even comprehend what was going on.
"What's going on, Emmett?"
"We don't really know the full of it yet," he told her honestly. "But what we do know, isn't good."
End of Part 1.
