Uncle Charlie, bless his heart, though oblivious to the current tensions brewing in the air, hurriedly took her luggage from her hands and put in on his car's trunk.
Bella who refused to let go and only clings even more to her current beau gave her another pointed look before finally disappearing from her sight and went inside the Silver Volvo together with her boyfriend. Edward the said beau, on the other hand, gave her another quick once over before leaving, his feelings a little bit complicated at the moment.
Endless lush color of green is probably Fork's number one trademark for everybody. The tall tress and endless greenery somehow reminded Hermione of the Forbidden Forest– sans for the different kinds of magical creatures residing on it that is. Thinking of it, it made Hermione feel a little bit nostalgic.
The aftermath of the war... Everything.
Including her unexpected – or probably not – separation from Ron. After their fleeting kiss in the Room of Requirement the two tried dating but after a month of doing so they realize that they weren't really best compatible to each other. They're just both too prideful and stubborn for their own good.
After their break up though, she heard from Ginny that Ron's kinda started seeing Pansy Parkinson– which literally made her choke from shock by the way.
The whole Wizarding World, too, doubled or maybe tripled on its current tantamount uproar especially when Ginny and Harry announced to the media their break up after four months of dating and proceeded to publicly date with their own fair shares of snakes; Harry with a pureblooded but kind witch called Daphne Greengrass and Ginny with the handsome but famously known as the incomparable rake Italian wizard in their year named Blaise Zabini.
The public wonders if there's a newly established Slytherin-Gryffindor Spouse Unity budding trend ahead. Seeing that this couple of pairs is to put it bluntly, literally oddest of odds. Hermione is also curious so she asked her two best friends and only girl friend why'd they chose those snakes as lovers. They only responded her with either vague or completely absurd answers.
"Parkinson now seems not so bad at all. I guess."
"You guess?! What the hell, Ronald?!"
"Erm, maybe because she... has a shiny blonde hair?"
"Harry! If you only like shiny blonde hairs you should've dated Malfoy then!"
"You know how much I love challenges Mione and the idea of conquering the wild prince is soooo definitely thrilling!"
"Gin, I'm speechless, really. Just... Oh, to hell with y'all! Why am I even friends with you lot!"
They just chuckled at her and Hermione had the urge to beat someone after hearing those stupid answers from her so called friends. Well, really, some friends they are.
A lot of ridiculous speculations had also been written down on the Daily Prophet and Witch Weekly speculating if or when will the last member of the Golden Trio follow the trend. They even thought that maybe she's already in one– albeit secretly. Merlin, and with the notorious Slytherin Prince of all people!
Draco Malfoy is strikingly handsome with his aristocratic features, sure, but for Hermione his looks weren't just her cup of tea.
Now thinking about her type in boys... a certain someone's face suddenly emerges in her mind.
Tall patrician nose, thin seductive lips, thick sword-like brows, and those pair of topaz, molten gold eyes...
Edward.
Her subconscious mind murmured. Hermione smirked. Her sudden weird attraction to the guy – to whom she only met once take note – seems not as much as a bother to her than she originally thought. The young man intrigued Hermione and she wonders what's so different from him that makes her act like some kind of a bloody hormonal teenager.
Or perhaps like a horny rabbit in heat. She heard her heart mocked. She ignored it.
Her musings were suddenly cut off when the car stopped in front of a simple two-story brick house. Uncle Charlie took the initiative to carry her luggage inside and she followed suit. Shivering slightly at the crisp cold air.
"So, Mya dear, you will be staying at the room opposite Bells from now on." Uncle Charlie told her after walking inside the warm and cozy house. At Hermione's nod, he continued, "You have your own bathroom upstairs but if something inconvenient happens there's another one here downstairs. My simple abode is just relatively small you see so I think I don't need to walk you around anymore to point out where the kitchen and living room is, eh?"
Seeing the little discomfort on his face, Hermione let out an amused snicker. "No need, Uncle Charlie. I can help myself. Really," Then suddenly thinking about something she paused. "Um, actually I have a little favor to ask if I may?"
"Sure, sure. What is it?"
"I'm not particularly boasting or so but I might knew a little thing or two about cooking you see. So, my dear Uncle Charlie, can I please borrow the kitchen from time to time to cook the meal? Please?"
At his niece's adorable pleading eyes, Uncle Charlie let out an amused chuckle before relenting wholeheartedly. He hates to admit it but this child Hermione is really much easier to talk to than his own daughter who easily gets flustered and he always ending up in an awkward situation.
"Thank you, Uncle Charlie! Did I ever tell you that you're the best uncle in the world? As in the best best!" Yep, even though she's now a grown-up she still sometimes likes acting like a spoiled baby, though he didn't dislike it either. So unable to resist her little niece's cuteness he ruffles her hair.
"Silly, because I'm your only uncle! Of course I'm the best!" He boasted proudly but then suddenly noticed the slowly fading smile of her lips and followed the direction she's currently staring.
There, at the door, stands his daughter Bella accompanied by the Cullen boy in all his glory. He didn't even notice that his little niece is currently having a heated staring contest with the said Cullen boy for his sole attention is to the upset and accusing look of his daughter. He felt a pang of regret but for it's sole reason he didn't know.
Though before he could open his mouth to talk Bella had already ran upstairs and slammed her door shut.
"So, um, Uncle Charlie I'll just go to the kitchen to you know trinket things a bit." With that said and without waiting for his reply, Hermione immediately strode away towards the kitchen.
He sighed. His daughter's clearly upset and he didn't even know the reason why. So how could he possibly comfort her? He bet that between them things could get even more awkward than it already is. So how?
Suddenly thinking of an idea he shifted his gaze to the still present Cullen who's currently intently staring at... Hermione?
He blinked his eyes and noticed that the boy seems to be looking at him instead. Must be the trick of the light, he concluded. Why would he stare at his little niece with those kind of probing eyes anyways? He wouldn't be, say, interested in... her, right? No, no, no. That's impossible and not to mention downright silly and absurd.
They don't even know each other and not to mention that the boy has already a girlfriend – which unfortunately just happened to be his daughter Bella – who he might add claims to love very very much.
He shook his head to erase the thought away.
"Edward, would you please um see if something happened to Bella? She's, er, not looking good when she went upstairs."
"Oh, yes, Chief Swan. Right this instant." Edward immediately leaped to his feet and practically dashed upstairs with a worried look on his face.
"And no any funny business, boy!" He threatened.
Edward turned back to him and did a small salute with a reassuring smile on his face. "Yes, sir!"
Sigh. I think I may have been sleep deprived this past few days to think those kinds of silly things. I hate to admit to myself, but that boy really loves my daughter so much. That, even I, can obviously tell.
Chief Swan chuckles to himself as he strode outside the house not even knowing how very right he is regarding his silly and absurd hypothetic assumptions.