Dear, Bella
I've asked my best friend, Harry Potter, to go with me as my plus one for your wedding.
Remember when I explained his story and gave those books to you that are about him? Harry is the famous 'The Boy Who Lived', but I don't think a nineteen-year-old qualifies as a boy anymore. I'm bringing Harry with me because Ron and I broke up months ago so I'm sorry to say you won't be meeting him. Hopefully, there will be another time.
My parents let me spend the week with you in Forks for two weeks. I'd like to spend more time with you before you go on your honeymoon with Edward. I figured I could spend a week with you and another week with Uncle Charlie while you're away with Edward. It'll be nice to show Harry around Forks and Port Angeles, too.
Harry and I will have to go dress shopping in London and I'll buy you a wedding gift from Diagon Alley; it's a wizarding shopping area. There's a bookstore and I know how much you love reading books so I may buy you one.
Remember when we read Nancy Drew during our sleepovers and pretended to be detectives like her? We thought we could help Uncle Charlie solve his police cases.
Hermione fondly remembered the memories that she shared with Bella at Forks.
She continued writing her letter, and once she was finished, she gave it to her owl, Athena, for the delivery. Athena rested well and was back in good health for another long flight. Normally, Hermione wouldn't have Athena deliver letters to Muggles and would do it the traditional Muggle way. But it amused Bella and her cousin knew pretty much everything about the wizarding world. So, Hermione figured there was no problem.
Athena took off in flight and Hermione knew she'd see her again in a few weeks.
She and Harry were going to go shopping together for the wedding in London. They bought their outfits; Harry got a handsome gray suit with an emerald satin tie that made his eyes stand out and Hermione got herself a floral lavender maxi dress with lavender heels to match.
They went to Diagon Alley together and while Harry went off on his own, Hermione had gone to Flourish and Blotts. That would be the place to buy Bella books that she never read before in her Muggle world. Hermione searched through the variety of books and saw one that caught her eye. It was called Tales of Beedle the Bard. She knew she never gave Bella that book before, and if Bella and Edward wanted to have children someday, that'd be great for them.
After Hermione and Harry did their shopping and had lunch together, she wanted to go pack for her vacation. Of course, she'd bring her beloved cat, Crookshanks, and would never leave him behind. Hermione brought along her mother's wedding gift for Bella that was a cheesy His and Hers basket. She was able to fit everything into her two suitcases by using the Undetectable Extension Charm and advised Harry to do the same so they wouldn't bring a lot of unnecessary baggage. Her carry-on was Crookshanks who was in his cat carrier. There was one suitcase of hers that was filled with clothes (including her dress) and the other was of gifts. Harry just took one suitcase and a carry-on with him.
When it was closed for the wedding day, Hermione's owl returned with Bella's letter that was about being excited to see her again. Then a few days later, Hermione and Harry got on their flight for Forks, Washington. They sat together on the plane at First Class and both of them were impressed at the treatment and luxury. Especially, Harry.
Harry sat close to the window because Hermione still hated any kind of flying. The plane was soaring through the morning sky. Her half-Kneazle was in its carrier and Hermione put a Bewitched Sleep charm on him so he could have a comfortable rest during the flight.
Hermione glanced at him in amusement. "Have you ever been on a plane before?"
"No. The Dursleys wouldn't let me go on any of their vacations. They wouldn't want a freak to ruin their great time."
"You're not a freak, Harry." Hermione comforted him. She and Ron always hated how Harry got horribly mistreated by his aunt, uncle, and cousin.
"I know, but that was why I never went anywhere with them. Arabella Figg, our neighbor, would babysit me while they're gone."
"She was the one who later turned out to be a spy and protected you, wasn't she?" That name sounded familiar to Hermione.
"In her own way, yes," Harry answered. "So, this is my first time on a plane. A lot smoother than riding on a broomstick despite the turbulence."
"Definitely, but any flights still make me feel awfully ill. I had to concoct a potion at home and drank it before the flight took off so I wouldn't feel that way. But the Muggle transportation is a lot better."
"This will be the first time I'm going to meet your cousin. Are you two close?"
"We're like sisters," Hermione smiled at the memories. "We always had a lot of fun with each other."
"Does she know that you're a witch?"
"Yes, and Bella's very trustworthy so she wouldn't tell anyone about us or our world. She also knows a lot about you. I gave her books about you because she loves to read."
"Ah, I can understand how you two are related." Harry joked and Hermione playfully judged his side with her elbow.
The direct flight took almost eight hours and Hermione and Harry got out of the plane along with the others. They got their luggage off of the baggage carousel, passed through the TSA, and Hermione caught Bella Swan (soon to be Bella Cullen) through the sea of people at their gate pickup.
The two cousins joyfully reunited in a loving embrace as if they reunited after years of not seeing each other. The last time Hermione saw Bella was during the summer of her sixth year. Her seventh year made her too busy dealing with the war and that got Hermione afraid she'd never see her family again. So, the reunion between her and Bella made Hermione feel a whirlwind of emotions that was indescribable and yet also grateful.
Harry and Edward endearingly smiled at the scene.
Unbeknownst to Harry and Hermione, Edward was reading their minds. He couldn't help it because it was his vampiric gift. Edward saw the great love that the two cousins had for each other and that Harry appreciated the scene before him.
When the two cousins let go, they started gushing at each other. It was something Edward never saw Bella do to any of her other friends. It's like seeing another side of her that Hermione was able to bring out.
"Let me see your ring!" Hermione excitedly said and Bella had bashfully shown it to her. She handed out her hand and her wedding band was on her ring finger. The bright airport lights really made the diamonds shine.
The face of the ring was a long oval-shaped, set with a circular of glittering round stones. The narrow band was gold and the gold made a fragile web around the diamonds.
"Are those real diamonds?" Hermione was awed as she gazed in admiration.
"Yes," Bella answered.
"It's gorgeous, Bella, and looks very vintage." She complimented.
"It belonged to my biological mother," Edward informed. Hermione knew that Edward and his siblings got adopted by Dr. Carlisle Cullen and his wife, Esme. Bella showed her pictures of them a couple of times in letters.
"Oh, that's sweet. You must be Edward?" Hermione looked at the forever frozen seventeen-year-old with bronzed hair, alabaster skin, and his crooked smile.
Everything about Edward Cullen was handsome, she had to admit.
"Yes, I am. And you're Bella's cousin. Hermione. Did I say that correctly? The name sounds a little familiar. There's a character named, Hermione, who was the Queen of Sicily from Shakespeare's A Winter Tale. She was the wife of King Leontes and had two children, Mamillius and Perdita. Is that where your name is from?"
Hermione liked that Edward knew the information about her name. He must've had read Shakespeare's work before. And he was an American who actually knew how to pronounce her name correctly.
"Yes, you said it right," Hermione friendly answered. "And my mother adores Shakespeare and she thought the name Hermione was eye-catching and unique."
"It's definitely a unique name I haven't heard." Edward mused.
"But it suits you well, Hermy," Bella said sweetly to her and stood closer at the witch's side.
"Hermy?" Harry asked in amusement. That was new to him.
"Hermy has been my nickname for her since we were kids," Bella replied and put a hand out for him to shake. Harry politely shook hands with her and he did the same to Edward. Her chocolate brown surveyed him. "You must be the famous Harry Potter. I've heard so much about you."
"Famous? What makes you so famous?" Edward curiously asked. "I don't think I've heard or read about your fame before."
"He's just really famous over in Scotland." Hermione used the excuse. Technically, it wasn't a lie.
"You can trust Edward to explain the truth, guys. He won't tell anyone about your world, not even to his own family." Bella assured with confidence.
"Well, I'm telling you in advance that it is a long a story." Harry braced him.
"We'll have a lot of time during the car ride for a long story," Edward said as he led them outside of the airport and to his silver Volvo at the parking lot.
In the car, Hermione got her half-Kneazle out of its carrier and used her wand to undo the charm to awake Crookshanks. He was content being on Hermione's lap while being petted by her.
"That's an...unusual cat you have there, Hermione." Edward craned his neck to see the creature from the driver's seat. He thought the flat-faced cat was unfortunately unappealing.
"Thank you. His name is Crookshanks and he's adorable, isn't he?" Hermione lovingly petted her cat.
"Adorably scary." Harry quipped under his breath that Edward easily heard and so did Bella who chuckled. Hermione gave him a look.
"Crookshanks bit me once when you brought him on one of your visits," Bella remembered.
"That's because he wasn't used to being in new environments back then," Hermione defended. "He's much better at it now. Aren't you, Crookshanks?" She cooed at the cat as if it was a baby.
While Edward drove to their hotel, Harry gave a brief explanation of his life background to the engaged couple. Hermione filled in and gave some details, too. They also told them of their participation in the war.
Bella and Edward absorbed the information.
"I've read every book you've given me, Hermione, but I never knew what all of you guys really went through," Bella said softly. She felt pity for them.
"The real life experience is a lot different than what's written in black and white," Harry replied and looked at the witch who sat next to him in the backseat. "You did give her accurate books about me, did you?"
Hermione gave him a look as if she couldn't believe he asked her that. "Of course I would, Harry. There's no way I would give her any rubbish books about you like from Rita Skeeter."
"Bella did tell me you went to a boarding school in Scotland, so I assume that must be Hogwarts you've spoken of, isn't it?" Edward asked.
"Yeah, we went there for six years even though to have a full education requires seven years, but Harry, Ron, and I were too involved with the war during our seventh year. I went back to school to complete my education and graduate."
"Did you restart your seventh year, Harry?"
"No, I went on to become an Auror with our friend, Ron," Then Harry decided to explain. "Aurors are like the police."
"Now, that we know more about the both of you, Edward can tell you the truth about himself and his family," Bella said.
"Bella..." Edward chided.
"What? They've seen many things we haven't already and I know who you are isn't going to change their beliefs. They have magical creatures in their world so I'm sure your reveal won't be a huge difference." His fiancé explained.
"What are you?" Hermione couldn't help to ask when she heard what Bella said. She always knew there was something up with Edward, but could never really tell.
"You're not human?" Harry was confused as he stared at the driver.
"I am a vampire," Edward confessed. "My family and I are and have been for centuries."
"You look so...human compared to the vampires in our world." Harry thought the differences were odd.
"How so?" Edward curiously pried.
"The vampires we know have a humanoid appearance looking pale, gaunt, and have fangs to drink their victims' blood. They also have a strong aversion to garlic," Hermione answered like how she always gave correct answers right on the spot during her school days. "You just blend in so well with the human society that it's hard to tell what your true nature is."
"Are you allergic to garlic?" Harry asked.
"No," That always made Edward chuckle at how humans perceive them. "My kind doesn't relate to any Hollywood version of a vampire. We do have a taste for human blood, but my family can keep it under control because of what we call a 'vegetarian diet'. My brother, Jasper, does have difficulty managing his control for human blood."
"But he's trying," Bella added to encourage her soon-to-be brother-in-law.
"What's a vegetarian diet?" Hermione was interested, always seeking knowledge.
"We hunt animals rather than humans."
"Your kind of vampires drink animal's blood to sustain yourselves? That's impressive."
Edward explained more about the vampire race to the witch and wizard while they were close to their hotel. He even told them about his and his family's powers. Hermione and Harry promised to keep the truth about Edward and his family a secret.
"Does Uncle Charlie know about this, Bella?" Hermione asked after receiving a lot of information about Edward and vampires. She could understand why he didn't because Edward was almost convincing enough to look like a human.
"No, and I plan to keep it that way to protect him from all of this," Bella answered and Hermione remembered when they discussed the Volturi. It sounded like Bella had a few dangerous encounters with them.
"Is that why you've never told me?"
"Yeah, and I knew you were going through a lot over the years and I just didn't want you to worry about me."
"I'll always worry about you, Bella," Hermione said lovingly and put a comforting hand onto her cousin's left shoulder.
Bella appreciatively smiled.
In life threatening situations, Hermione was always afraid if she'd never seen her family again. Bella was on her mind during those moments. She considered her cousin like a sister more.
"Are there any werewolves?" Harry wondered.
"Yes, but they refer to themselves as shapeshifters. There's a pack of them at La Push."
"La Push?" Hermione remembered, beaming at the person she knew from there. "Isn't that where Jacob lives?"
"Yeah, and he's a wolf, too. It was up to him to take the Alpha role, but he didn't want it so it was to another guy until he was ready." Bella answered.
"Jacob's a wolf? Is it like from those Quileute legends he told us about to frighten us? They're real?"
"They are," Bella confirmed with a small, amused smile at the childhood memory.
While the girls chattered about Jacob Black and the werewolves, Edward noticed what was in Harry's mind.
It appeared to be a memory of when Harry and Hermione were younger because of how the girl looked in his head. The scene was of a clearing of the woods and it was nighttime. There was a full moon and Edward recognized a young version of Hermione but didn't know the other four people. Only one of them, an adult man, was transforming into a wolf.
That was the brief flashback Harry had that Edward read in his mind.
"Who was the man that transformed into a wolf, Harry?" Edward curiously asked then added an apology. "I, uh, read your mind and saw him. Sorry, I can't help it. It's my vampire gift."
"Remus Lupin. A friend of mine and my parents. I miss him. He died from the war and so did his wife, but they had a son together." Harry wistfully answered, but his memories were filled with him and Remus Lupin. The nostalgia did lift Harry's spirits.
Edward also saw a little two-year-old boy from Harry's memory and didn't believe it was his. The child most likely belonged to Remus Lupin and his wife. There was a quick flash of a memory that went by that's about a conversation Harry had with Remus who named him godfather for his son. Edward sensed that must've been an honor for Harry.
Later, they finally arrived at the hotel despite all of the traffic. Hermione and Harry signed in and went to their rooms They shared one room but had two separate beds. Edward and Bella were still with them.
"I'm sure you guys are feeling jet-lagged and want to relax for a while." Bella figured.
"Oh, and my Mum and I bought a wedding gift for you, Bella. Would you like them now?"
"Now would be fine." She answered.
Hermione used her wand to get the gifts out of her suitcase. Bella and Edward were captivated as they watched her use magic so effortlessly.
"Fascinating." Edward breathed.
Hermione gave her the His and Her basket from her and mother and she gave Bella her own present.
"This is a children's book used for bedtime stories. I thought you and Edward could read it to your own children someday, but since he's a vampire, I don't know how either of you can reproduce so-"
"It's okay, Hermione," Bella kindly interrupted with no offense. "This is still a very thoughtful gift. I'll have to get on reading it when I have the free time."
"If no one is too busy, I'd like to see Uncle Charlie and we can show Harry around Forks and Port Angeles sometime?" Hermione hoped.
"Charlie would love to see you, Hermione. He really wants to see you and anticipated this day. And we can show Harry some sightseeing." Bella answered.
Hermione and Harry would unpack later because they went back to Edward's car so he could drive them to Charlie's house.
Author's Note: Next chapter, Hermione and Harry will meet Charlie and the Cullen family. It'll be too long to fit their meeting in this chapter. Please review! :)