A/N: Pippin and Diamond story. Yay! Thanks for reading. I have been thinking of writing a hobbit romance for a while now. PG-13 for later chapters.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of JRR's work. Damn it.

Beta-Read by: LotR-FaNAtiC…read her story Diamond of Long Cleeve, it is on my favorite list!

Notes: I was surprised I got any reviews at all! Thank you guys so much for reviewing because I really did not expect to get any. Seriously.

Unrequited Feelings

Chapter 3

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S.R. 1425 February 14th

"Ah, St. Valentine's day!" Estella sighed as she, Rosie, and Diamond sat on the grassy hill next to the river.

"I can hardly wait until the banquet tonight!" Rosie said as she leant back, her large stomach rising before her.

Diamond plucked a small white flower from the ground and examined it. How she wished she was not allergic to such a gorgeous element of nature. She handed it to Estella and wiped her hand on her green skirt just in case any nectar dripped from the tiny flower. She was paranoid anytime it came to flowers because of the horrible rash and bumps its nectar gave her.

She tucked a lock of dark hair behind her ear and leaned back on her elbows comfortably. "St. Valentine must have been a happy being." She said as she surveyed the wilderness.

Rosie was about to reply but jumped at the touch of two hands around her waist.

Diamond looked back.

"Sam!" Rosie kissed her husband before he sat down to join them.

Diamond smiled at the way Rosie and Sam looked at each other. That was what true love was, in her opinion. Her smile vanished when she noticed to others in their presence.

"Hello Estella, hello Diamond." Merry greeted them. He seemed to be fingering something in his pocket as he looked at Estella hopefully.

"Why hello Merry and Pippin. Care to join us?" Diamond pat a spot of grass tenderly.

Pippin smiled at her. She was being the sweet Diamond he knew was in her somewhere. Surprisingly, Diamond smiled back. It must have been the cheery mood of the holiday.

"Actually," Merry started shakily, "I was wondering if Miss Estella would accompany me on a walk."

Estella looked up at him with wide eyes. "Of course." She smiled nervously.

Merry mirrored her smiled as she took his arm and set off.

Pippin sat down on the grass two feet away from Diamond and struck up a conversation. It was a bit odd at first, but they continued talking normally until they heard a shriek of delight from afar.

"What in the world was that?" Rosie asked.

Sam and Pippin only smiled.

Diamond shrugged and turned back to what was getting dangerously close to a civil conversation with Peregrin Took. Something most people had tried to succeed in, only to fail in their attempts.

"So, are you going to be at the banquet tonight?" Pippin asked casually.

Diamond looked at him hopefully. "Maybe." She answered, wishing he would ask her to accompany him.

He did not say anything. He merely leaned on his elbows and squinted out into the afternoon sunset. Diamond liked the way he presented himself without even trying. She guessed that was why she liked him so much. He could seem so laid back at times, not to mention his incredibly good looks.

Little did she know that when she turned around, Pippin was thinking the exact same thing about her. The way her dark curls shone in the sunlight and how she had a radiant smile.

However, why was he thinking about her when he knew he could never have her? He hated himself for the way he acted so long ago and even lately.

Diamond kicked herself for even saying she hated Peregrin Took. How could she hate him when she knew deep down in her heart, she loved him more than she loved anyone? Unfortunately, whenever she saw him, her heart pounded through her chest. Little did he know how she had tried and tried for years to think of him only as a friend. But how could she mistake those sincere green eyes of his as only a friend's?

"Will you be at the banquet?" She asked him after quite some time.

He looked at her with raised eyebrows and plucked some grass out of the ground with his fingers to hide his nervousness. "Yes I will."

Diamond fidgeted with her camisole sleeve. Of course, he would be there. With some bimbo of a lass, no doubt. "Well, I guess I will see you tonight, then. I bid you good day." She got up and brushed the grass off her skirts and started towards the main road.

Rosie noticed her abrupt leaving and whispered something in Sam's ear before she sought off after her.

"Pippin, Pippin, Pippin." Sam smiled and shook his head.

Pippin nervously plucked some more grass out of the ground with his fingers as Sam chuckled. "What?"

"Why couldn't you have just asked her to have gone with you to the banquet?" He asked.

"Why—why would I do that?" Pippin asked shakily.

"You did not wish to ask her, then?" Sam asked.

"No." Pippin said in an irritated tone. Only Merry knew of his little secret and it would stay that way.

"I must have been mistaken, then." Sam said sadly. He hoped that Pippin had feelings for this certain lass. He certainly thought the unmistakable red blush creeped to his cheeks whenever he talked to her or was in her presence.

"Yes, you must have." Pippin said.

"Let's get going then. We need to get ready for the banquet." Sam stood and brushed himself off.

"Right." Pippin stood with him and set off towards Sam's home, where he and Merry would be getting ready.

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"You must be joking." Diamond stared herself in the full length mirror.

"You look wonderful!" Estella put her hands on her hips hastily. "Don't be so modest."

"This is beyond being modest, Stella." Diamond put her hand to her cleavage. The bodice she wore was just a bit more low cut than she was used to wearing. Altogether, she did look fabulous, but she was not used to hearing someone tell her that.

She wore a silver top underneath a dark blue bodice and matching skirt. Her mahogany hair was tied up with a silver ribbon.

Estella knew Diamond came from a wealthy family on her father's side, but her mother and three older brothers lived in Hobbiton in a small hole. They were far away from where her father had to stay in order to keep the family business with her uncle Henry. That was why she lived with her father for ten years. She could not stand living with three older brothers in such a small hole, being pestered to find herself a husband by her mother.

Diamond grabbed the dark blue cloak from her bed and wrapped it around herself tightly.

Estella rolled her eyes and waited for Edgar, Bentley, and Morro with Diamond at the front of the hole. "I do not understand why we cannot just leave without your brothers."

"I don't either. God knows what they will do to announce their arrival tonight." Diamond shivered, holding her cloak tighter.

"Why Diamond, show us what you are looking like tonight!" Edgar rested his hand on her shoulder.

Diamond would not have shown them if her mother had not been standing behind them. She reluctantly opened her cloak and shut it quickly.

"Our little Diamond has grown up!" Morro hugged her so that she could not breathe, wiping a fake tear away from his cheek.

"Let me go!" Diamond squealed until Bentley pried Edgar off his sister.

"That's enough, Ed." Bentley sighed. He was the oldest and by far, too annoyed with his brothers' childish manner.

"Thank you Bentley." Diamond took his arm and walked ahead with Estella.

"I never thought I'd see the day when you would stop your teasing and taunting with Ed and Morro." Diamond said to him as they walked along the path.

Their hole was only a block away from the party field, so they took no use of a carriage.

"I finally figured out it would not get me anywhere in life." Bentley said.

"When will you find yourself a wife, Bentley?" Diamond asked.

"When a lass takes a liking to me." Bentley said sadly.

Diamond smiled at Estella and she did the same. They knew exactly who to pair him with.

The funny thing was that Diamond looked nothing like her brothers. All three of them had silky black hair and blue eyes, when Diamond was stuck with the droll colored eyes and ratty hair. Estella had told her many times how pretty she was but Diamond knew she just gave her pity because she had gorgeous light blue eyes and fair sandy brown hair.

When they reached the banquet, Diamond immediately spotted Pippin with a few of his mates. Sam Gamgee, Fatty Bolger, Merry or course, Morro who was the youngest of her brothers, and three others whose names she couldn't quite place.

Pippin seemed to be looking for someone and stared around the hobbits to see where he or she was. When he met her gaze he smiled and waved, she widened her eyes and turned around to find her friends.

Bentley found his mates and Diamond and Estella looked for theirs.

"Diamond! Estella!" They turned to see Rosie Gamgee waving hysterically at them from a small table.

They hurried over to her and sat down next to each other.

"Hello Nora, hi Pansy!" Estella smiled at their other friends.

Nora had dark brown hair, green eyes, and a small figure. Pansy had black hair and dark blue eyes just like Bentley, and they were the same age too.

Diamond smiled politely and stayed quiet during their conversation about the handsome lads at this party. She tuned back in when the name of the one hobbit she had been thinking about came up.

"Peregrin Took? Yes, yes, he is very handsome but he is out of the question…" Nora was saying.

"Why is that?" Diamond asked casually.

"Because we are your friends, Diamond!" Pansy giggled.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Diamond asked. She was very confused.

"Well, he does taunt you, doesn't he?" Nora asked.

"Yes…" Diamond said, unsure of where this was leading.

"It is all well known that when a lad teases a lass, especially one so much as Pippin does to you," Pansy said, "That he is in love with her."

"It is obvious you two are meant for each other." Nora smiled sincerely.

Diamond wasn't sure how to respond to this. It was the one thing she had always wanted to hear...if only it were true.

"I told you." Estella and Rosie said in unison.

Diamond shook her head with a smile. "Yes, well I am sure this is all news to him."

"You keep on thinking that, dearie." Nora smiled and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I will." Diamond replied lamely.

"Oh, I long for a dance." Pansy sighed. "It isn't fair."

"What isn't fair?" Rosie asked.

"That Diamond gets asked at least fifteen times each hour and politely refuses each one when I am lucky to be asked once all night." Pansy scowled.

"I don't see why." Diamond rested her chin on her hand.

"I do." Nora smiled. "It's your personality, Di."

"What?" Diamond frowned.

"Everyone sees you as a fun, down to earth lass who has never said a cross word to anyone in your life." Estella said.

"Except to Pippin." Diamond added.

"Yes, well besides him." Pansy said. "I am seen as the Shire's biggest gossip."

"But you are the Shire's biggest gossip." Rosie smiled.

Pansy sighed and looked longingly at the dancing couples.

Diamond winked at Rosie and she immediately go the hint.

"I need to use the restroom for a moment ladies." She excused herself with Diamond and they set off towards Merry, Pippin, Sam, Fatty, Morro, and the other three lads.

"Why, Diamond! How nice to see you again!" Fatty said cheerfully.

"Hello Fred." Diamond smiled politely. "Are you enjoying the banquet?"

Pippin seemed to be avoiding her gaze.

"Very much indeed!" Fatty smiled.

Morro stood and rested both hands on Diamond's shoulders. He ripped away the cloak and hid it behind his back.

Diamond quickly folded her arms across her chest to stop the icy wind from beating onto her skin. She flustered when unmistakable gasps came from the table.

"Would you like to dance, Diamond?" One of the lads she couldn't remember asked quickly.

Diamond exhaled slowly. "Thank you sir, but I am not inclined to dance." She said and moved from the table slowly to find Bentley. She could always confide in him.

As she moved about the hobbits, she felt a hand on her shoulder from behind.

"Diamond." Came a soft voice she immediately recognized as her brother's.

"Bentley!" She hugged him and they walked over to an empty table.

"What did Morro do now?" Bentley asked. "Or was it Ed?"

"No it was Morro alright." Diamond shivered without her cloak.

Bentley pressed her to go on.

"He took my cloak away in front of the other seven lads. Including Pippin." Diamond sighed.

"Peregrin Took? What does he have to do with anything?" Bentley asked.

"He is the lad who has teased me since I was five years old." Diamond said.

"Oh. That Peregrin Took." Bentley sighed.

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A/N: Hope you liked it. Stupid ending, I know. But the next chapter is the second half of the banquet.

Thanks for all the great reviews!