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!

Thanks to these amazing reviewers!

Shire lass- Too nice! I do not deserve it! I'm on your favorites list?! Why?!

Little-lost-one- You have reviewed twice! Thanks so much for the really sweet reviews.

Fallohidepride- Good suggestion

Siri-dragon- Thanks and you should post your stories! I would review them! You have four brothers? That has got to suck.

Greg- Thanks you are so friggin weird though. See you at school!

Seremela Lossehelin- Thank you so much!

Unrequited Feelings

Chapter 4

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S.R. 1425 February 14th

Later that night…

Pippin's mouth dropped when he had seen what Diamond was wearing under her cloak after her older brother ripped it away from her shoulders.

Diamond flustered and avoided their eyes hastily before she kindly refused Nerry Boffins when he asked her to dance and left. Pippin narrowed his eyes at him and crossed his arms against his chest stubbornly.

He surprised himself when he did not find himself hurling an insult at her before she left. Maybe he was finally gaining control over his idiotic reflexes.

"Pip?" Someone shook him out of his thoughts.

"Hmm?" Pippin turned to whoever it was.

Belle Locke! Of course.

"Hello Peregrin!" Belle giggled. "Would you like a dance?"

Pippin shifted his weight around. He really didn't.

Nerry nudged Pippin in the ribs and wiggled his eyebrows at him. Pippin rolled his eyes and accepted with a sigh.

Belle smiled a large grin and shot a look of triumph towards the group of lasses sitting nearby, watching intently.

Pippin followed her to the dance floor and started to dance with her. He was not having fun because of course he would rather be dancing with Diamond. However, that could never happen, so he might as well enjoy himself.

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"Anyway, I have no idea what to do in this situation." Diamond complained to Bentley.

"There might be a solution." Bentley smiled towards a lad who was walking stiffly towards them.

Diamond turned around and recognized him as Derkin Bracegirdle, her favorite cousin from the old days.

"Hello Derkin." Diamond smiled. "Long time no see!"

He and his twin, Dregor were two of the very few lads she had come to make out as a perfectly admirable hobbit. They were very close friends before she left to live with her father ten years before.

"How are you this fine day?" He asked awkwardly.

"Very good, and you?" Diamond replied.

"Very well." He said.

They stood awkwardly before each other for a while before he grinned at her in the same sly way he used to.

"It's great to see you again, Derkin!" Diamond hugged him.

"As it is to see you, Diamond!" Derkin smiled and put his hands on her shoulders at arm's distance. "Now, let me have a look at you." He said, mocking one of their many aunts.

Diamond laughed and batted her eyelashes at him in a mock-Belle Locke way.

"How was it at your father's?" He asked.

"It was fine, but I missed you, Estella, Rosie, Pansy, and Nora so much. I had a few friends where my father lived but it wasn't the same." Diamond said. "Where is Dregor?"

"Dancing with some lass." Derkin dismissed it with a wave of his hand. "Come, let's dance!"

He led her to the dance floor and put an arm around her waist. It was just like old times, when he or Dregor would dance with Diamond, Pansy, Estella, or Nora at banquets in case neither had anyone to dance with.

They would make jokes and laugh out loud to show off in front of the lads (or in Dregor and Derkin's case) and lasses they secretly admired.

Diamond peered over his shoulder to see if Estella and Merry were dancing, but instead found a sight that made her heart plummet.

Pippin was dancing with Belle Locke. Belle Locke, the lass who everyone around the Shire called the 'Doorknob' because everyone got a turn. They were horrible rumors to spread around, but everyone knew they were true.

Edgar, Diamond's own brother even courted her for a short while, but she broke it off when he had found out that she was secretly going on one to many hayrides with another lad. He used to be the mature one of the group, but after that incident, he resorted to acting immature and childish with Morro and Bentley.

Diamond couldn't believe her eyes. Why was she dancing with Peregrin Took, of all people? Oh wait one second, Pippin was EXTREMELY wealthy. So that was why he had asked her if she were going to the banquet earlier in the day. He just wanted to show off his catch of fresh meat to her.

Well, she wouldn't be considered completely fresh.

She averted her eyes and stared at the floor for a long while before Derkin asked her what was wrong.

"Nothing." Diamond smiled to cover up the sadness in her eyes.

Derkin turned his head around towards Pippin and Belle and turned back with a somewhat satisfied smile.

Diamond raised her eyebrows at him. "Yes?"

"I have an inclination as to what seems to be bothering you." Derkin said as he twirled her towards the spot where Pippin and Belle were dancing.

"And what is that?" Diamond asked, not understanding.

"Do you still take a fancy towards the famous Mr. Took?" Derkin asked, scanning the crowd for any sign of him.

"Why do you ask?" Diamond said, getting butterflies in her stomach from the mention of his name.

"You answer my question and I answer yours." Derkin smiled.

"Derkin, you are one of my closest friends and I do not need pestering at the moment." Diamond sighed.

"All you have to do is answer my question." Derkin said. "I see your stubbornness has not worn off after ten years."

Diamond laughed and looked off to the side. "Derkin…"

"You do!" Derkin said loudly.

"For god sakes keep your voice down!" Diamond said nervously.

"Oh, excuse me princess." Derkin said sarcastically.

Diamond rolled her eyes.

"I know what I can do to help!" Derkin snapped his fingers.

"What is that?" Diamond asked eagerly.

"Leave it to me." Derkin smiled mischievously and spun away from her. "See you later!"

Diamond let her hands drop to her sides and walked over to the table she sat at before with her friends.

"Diamond!" Nora called and beckoned her over towards the table once she was in sight.

"Yes, what is it?" Diamond asked as she sat down next to Rosie.

"Bentley has asked Pansy to dance!" Estella said excitedly. "Four times!"

"Really?" Diamond asked.

"Yes and they make such a fine couple!" Rosie sighed in her romantic phase.

"I should hope so!" Nora said. "I am tired of hearing her complain about how no lads want to court her. Lord have mercy."

(A/N: I am not sure if hobbits believe in God but that is such a common phrase, I can't imagine them not saying it. Hehe.)

Diamond giggled at her friend's irony and shot a look towards Estella.

"I wouldn't speak if I were you, Nora." Estella snorted.

Nora huffed and rested her chin on her palm lethargically.

Meanwhile…

Pippin was bored out of his mind, listening to Belle talk about how wonderful she was. He saw Diamond dancing near by and focused on watching the way she moved with her partner.

Her partner.

Who was the hobbit she danced with? Was she courting him? Why? Was he too late to admit his feelings to her?

Then her partner spun out of view and left Diamond standing alone in the middle of the dance floor. Pippin moved towards her, trying to get Belle the leech off his arms.

"What's the matter, Peregrin?" Belle blinked up at him with huge blue eyes.

Pippin looked at her and then back at Diamond. She was gone. Pippin sighed. "Nowhere."

"Belle!"

Pippin looked off to the side, hoping it was someone trying to get her attention. It was the lad who danced with Diamond.

"Hello Derkin." Belle said, without looking at him.

Derkin peered at her from behind his sandy hair and then looked at Pippin. "Do you mind if I cut in?"

"Not at all." Pippin let go of Belle immediately.

"Hey—" Belle protested.

"On one condition." Pippin said.

"What is that?" Derkin asked.

"Tell me your relation to the lass you were dancing with." Pippin said with full confidence.

Derkin blinked a few times and then a smile creeped onto his face. "Ah yes, Diamond of Long Cleeve."

"Are you courting?" Pippin asked before he could stop himself. He realized his foolishness and quickly covered it up. "Excuse me. I'm sorry, that was very rude of me."

"Not at all." Derkin grinned. "She is my closest cousin, and a very admirable lass if I do say so myself."

Pippin heaved a relived sigh and smiled at Derkin. "Enjoy your dance."

"I will." Derkin grinned and dragged a protesting Belle away from Pippin.

Pippin looked around for any sign of Diamond and was about to walk away when someone stopped him.

"Master Took! So wonderful to see you again!"

Pippin turned to see the short old hobbit named Renegin Took standing below him. "Hello Sir, how are you this night?" Pippin tried his best not to seem eager to get away from him. He was one of the richest Tooks of his family and lived very very far away.

"Wonderful, simply wonderful!" Renegin smiled a toothy smile. "Never have I seen so many pretty lasses all at once! Have you asked any for a dance?"

Pippin gulped and laughed a little nervously. "Not—not yet."

"Well I—Miss Diamond!" Renegin greeted the one person Pippin wanted to see.

Diamond turned and smiled at Renegin. "Hello Master Renegin." She noticed Pippin standing next to him and scowled at the floor.

"Here's a lass you should have a dance with, Master Peregrin!" Renegin smiled even wider. "By far one of the prettiest yet."

Diamond widened her eyes at Renegin and Pippin gulped.

"Th-thank you for the compliment, sir, but I am not—"

"Nonsense!" Renegin let out a hearty laugh. "Every lass is inclined to dance, or else she wouldn't be here."

"That is unless she was forced here by a few family members…sir." Pippin said to Diamond's shock. Was he standing up for her or did he not want to dance with her?

"You mother wouldn't do that to you, would she Diamond?" Renegin pestered on.

"If I may ask, sir—why do you insist on having us share a dance?" Diamond asked.

"Why it seems perfectly logical to have the handsomest lad and prettiest lass dance at least on dance together." Renegin said innocently.

"I-if you don't mind…" Pippin said softly. "I would very much like for you to dance with me."

Renegin beamed.

Diamond looked up at him slowly. "Of course I would dance with you."

"Well then!" Renegin smiled. "Get on then!"

Pippin slowly extended his arm to Diamond and she took it carefully.

Little did they know that Derkin bounced over to the quartet and ordered them to play a slow sweet tune he knew called Think on Me. That was the song that played when Diamond and Estella had their first dances with Peregrin and Meriadoc. Derkin remembered their faces when the song ended, how they could not believe that the lads hadn't pulled a trick on them during the dance.

It was out of true affection for Diamond and Estella.

(A/N: It's a real song by Mary Queen of Scots when she was in the Tower of London. It is THE saddest song, like, EVER. I had to sing it this year in our madrigal ensemble and I just wanted to bawl.)

Pippin slowly put one hand around Diamond's waist as she slipped a hand on his shoulder. Their hands met and the music began.

When I no more behold thee, Think on me.

By all thine eyes have told me, Think on me.

When hearts are lightest, When eyes are brightest, When griefs are slightest, Think on me.

Diamond twirled with Pippin, really enjoying the music, the scenery and the way she felt in his arms.

It was just her luck to have been asked to dance by the only person she would dance with, with the perfect song.

She closed her eyes and remembered the lyrics that went along with the music.

Think, oh think on me. Think, Think, on me.

In all thine hours of gladness, Think on me.

If ever I soothed thy sadness, Think on me.

Pippin watched as Diamond closed her eyes and listened with her heart. He recognized the song from long ago.

When foes are by thee, When woes are nigh thee, when friends all fly thee, Think on me.

And then it dawned on both of them. It was the song that played when she shared their first real dance. Pippin was twenty-five and Diamond twenty. Pippin had been forced into it by Merry, who was still fawning over Estella.

When he had asked her to dance, she said yes, surprisingly. As they listened to the melancholy song, their minds focused on each other and at that moment, Pippin admitted to himself that he was in love with her.

When thou hast none to cheer thee, Think on me.

When no fond heart is near thee, Think on me.

Diamond thought back on the day she admitted to herself the love she kept secret for Pippin. She didn't know why she loved him, she just did.

Listening to the song made her remember how scared she was that Pippin would do something dreadful to her and when it never came, she was stunned.

The song's lyrics were so upsetting and somber. Letting the tears weld up in her eyes, she did her best to keep herself steady…and listened to the rest of the song.

When lonely sighing, O'er pleasure flying, when hope is dying, Think on me.

Think, oh think on me, Think, Think, on me.

Pippin felt Diamond become a bit more limp than she should be and watched her in concern.

Was she crying?

Ah, Think, Think, on me.

The song ended and Diamond let go of Pippin softly.

"Are you feeling alright, Diamond?" Pippin asked.

Diamond looked up at him with glazed eyes and nodded.

Pippin smiled down at her beautiful features.

"Do you recognize that song?" She asked quietly.

Pippin knew it was the perfect opportunity to be a jackass, but decided against it. He nodded.

Diamond smiled openly and excused herself to really go rub the sadness out of her eyes.

Pippin smiled after her and found himself in a daze for the rest of the banquet.

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A/N: Hey you guys! I hope you enjoyed that chapter and I trust it wasn't too confusing. Thanks for the reviews and I'm sorry this took forever.

-bertiebottsgeorge