Disclaimer: I do not own anything that is in this story, except the plot, and any characters that you do not recognize. Everything else belongs to J.K. Rowling!!! The song, entitled October, is written by Evanescence.

Yankee Accents

Chapter Eleven: Flying over Atlantis

Written By: Auburn Lily

"So, you got any cute British friends?" Jessa called as she stepped through Hermione's closed apartment door. She slipped her shoes off, and shut the door behind her. "Wow," she observed. "It's actually clean in here for once."

"Thanks," Hermione said as she walked in from the back rooms. She held her wand in one hand, and Crookshanks was still sprawled unceremoniously across the couch, shedding his long ginger hairs on the faded upholstery. The tuna can that had sat on the counter earlier was gone.

"Hermione, you've never had a cat before, let alone an incredibly fat one."

"Ginny was watching him for me. She fed him a lot." Hermione answered. "Ron's sister," she added after catching sight of Jessa's skeptical face.

Jessa's mouth curled to form an "O" of realization, and she sat down in one of the swivel chairs at the breakfast bar. "So, what did you have to show me?"

Hermione's mouth twitched, and she thought a second before replying with, "Now, you can't get frightened or upset or anything like that, okay?"

"Sure," Jessa replied, nonchalantly picking at her nails.

Hermione tuck hair behind her ear. "Promise?"

"Yes," Jessa said slowly, looking suspicious.

"Okay." Hermione still looked doubtful. She raised the wand, and before Jessa could say anything, pointed it at Crookshanks. "Wingardium Leviosa," she muttered, and with the correct wand movement attached, Crookshanks rose up into the air. Hermione directed him over to Jessa's lap, and he plopped down with a heavy thud.

Jessa, however, didn't appear at all surprised. She stood up, Crookshanks still in her arms, and bent over to her purse. She dug through for a moment, and the next, she straightened up, holding a long wand in her hand as well. She smirked, and said, "Now, there's something I should probably show you."

Hermione didn't answer, just stared dumbstruck.

Jessa pointed her wand at one of the walls, and said quite clearly "Exubero Hedera." Green, lush ivy crept up the wall from roots that had embedded themselves in the hard wood flooring of Hermione's apartment. Jessa turned, and pointed her wand at the cabinets in the kitchen. "Patefacio" she said promptly, and the doors all swung on their hinges, to reveal empty shelves gathering dust. Lastly, she pointed her wand at Crookshanks, and muttered "Crinis Effundos." All of his thick auburn hair fell out, to pile on the ground.

Hermione, too shocked at the moment to say anything other than, "Crinis Exubero," which blanketed Crookshanks once again in thick fur, stared at Jessa in disbelief.

"Why did you never tell me before?"

"Why did you never tell me before?" Jessa questioned, allowing Crookshanks to leap out of her arms.

"Wow. If this isn't the biggest shocker that I've ever received…" Hermione trailed off.

"Well, I guess that secures my place on a plane to England."

Hermione just stared at her.

"Jessa, I don't even know if I'm going." Hermione replied, abandoning her surprise, as she dragged another trunk out of the hall closet. She opened it, and threw more books into it from the bookshelf next to the entertainment center.

Jessa ignored this statement, and asked when she needed to be packed.

"Uh… what's today?"

"Saturday."

"Okay, be ready to leave Monday morning. I'll buy some tickets tonight."

"Do you have an apartment or something in England?"

"Well, I was kinda staying with my parents."

Jessa arched an eyebrow, but didn't reply.

"But, we can get a flat or something when we get there," Hermione offered quickly.

"Ugh, Jimmy's been switching my hours around." Jessa abruptly changed the subject.

"Jimmy's not going to be too happy with me quitting," Hermione answered.

"I know," Jessa thought aloud.

"Whatever. I wish I had never gotten involved with him, romantically, of course. He really wasn't the best I've ever had. He was kinda overprotective." Hermione stood up to fold the blankets on the couches.

Jessa was currently rifling through the empty fridge. "What do you eat around here?" she asked, her voice muffled.

"I was planning on going out to dinner tonight. I need to buy the tickets, and then I need to run by the hospital to talk to Jimmy," Hermione called from inside the hall closet.

"Where do you wanna go?" Jessa asked as she munched on stale saltines she had somehow managed to conjure up out of the empty pantry.

"Um… how 'bout Finley's Fish House?"

"That's fine. I'll meet you there at seven."

"Kay," Hermione called from underneath the couch.

"Oh, by the way," Jessa said from the door. She raised her wand once more, and flicked it once. All of the loose objects in the room immediately shrank, and flew into Hermione's trunk.

Hermione sighed, and said, "I could've done that, couldn't I?"

"Yea, I think so." Jessa replied. "See ya later."

---

Hermione purchased the tickets quite easily, but quitting and breaking up with Jimmy proved to be much more difficult.

"Hey, Cassie," Hermione had said as she approached the middle-aged woman behind the desk. The fake, lacquered woman, who was slightly overweight, glanced up from the screen and smiled pink-glossed, thin lips at Hermione.

"Hey, hon," she replied, popping her gum and swiveling her chair to face Hermione. "Coming back to work?"

"Actually, no. Have you seen Jimmy?"

"Yea, he's back in the cabinet." She answered, pointing a meaty finger ending in a scarlet talon down the hall.

"Thanks."

"Anytime," Cassie drawled, flipping bleach-blonde hair over her shoulders and turning back to her work.

Jimmy was a handsome fellow, with blonde hair, and baby blue eyes. He was tall, and nicely built. Hermione assumed the only reason she was particularly interested in him was because he physically resembled Draco.

"Hi, darling," he said as soon as she entered the cabinet. He was seated at one of the out-dated computers, and was dressed in the electric blue of doctor's uniforms.

"Hey," Hermione replied.

He stood up and kissed her forehead. "How was England?" he asked. "I missed you."

"Oh, it was fine."

"Ready to come back to work?"

Hermione sighed. "Actually, no." she repeated.

Jimmy turned back to his computer, and commenced to look up a patient's record.

"Well, you have to."

"I'm going back to England," Hermione announced.

Jimmy chuckled. "But Hermione, dear," he protested. "You don't have any leave left."

"I don't need leave, Jimmy. I'm quitting."

Silence ensued for a short few minutes.

"WHAT?" Jimmy bellowed.

"I'm quitting," Hermione repeated simply. "And I guess you could say I'm breaking up with you."

Jimmy's anger evaporated quickly. "Hermione, no, please. Please don't leave me."

'Jimmy, I have to leave now. My surrogate mother is dying. Besides, I hate it here."

"But Hermione, I love you."

"WHAT?!" It was Hermione's turn to yell.

"I love you, Hermione."

"No, no, you don't. You're just saying that so I don't leave. Well, I'm leaving." Hermione turned to the door, but before she could reach it, Jimmy had grabbed her arm. He spun her around and Hermione noted that he was in fierce tears.

"No, Hermione, I really love you, please don't leave me."

Hermione tore herself from his grasp, and backed into the door, which, unfortunately for her, was locked. 'How did that happen?' she asked herself.

Jimmy got onto his knees, and crawled towards her. "Hermione," he sobbed. "There's something I need to give you." He reached into his coat pocket, and dragged out a white box shrouded in fake velvet.

Hermione gasped audibly, knowing what it was, and before anything else could be done, she had turned on her heel, unlocked the door, thrown it open, and raced down the hall. Jimmy's anguished cry could be heard throughout the corridors.

---

Monday morning met Hermione and Jessa at the airport, an hour before their plane was to leave. They had already gone through customs and luggage check and security. Now all they had left to do was lounge on the light blue, plastic chairs that were provided for their leisure.

"I still can't believe that he almost proposed," Hermione said.

"Hmph," Jessa replied sulkily. She crossed her arms underneath her bosom, and shifted quite uncomfortably in the bench.

"Why are you so grumpy?" Hermione demanded.

"At least he loved you."

"I highly doubt that he really loved me," Hermione countered, pulling her unruly hair back and sticking it in place with two pens. "He was a desperate slob, overprotective, and way too sensitive. He was blubbering all over me, for Merlin's sake."

"Hermione, you broke his heart."

Hermione ignored this. "I, for one, think that he's emotionally unstable. What did he do when you told him you were quitting?"

"Nearly had an aneurysm," Jessa answered, abandoning her sensitive mood. "He went off on a rampage. He told me that I only quit because you did, and he told me to tell you that he hated you, and that if you ever placed foot on his floor again, he would call the police.

Hermione flinched. "See, I told you he never really loved me."

"I think he was just bitter," Jessa replied, toying with the hem of her skirt, which was beginning to fray.

"Oh, well, I don't really want to talk about it right now. Tell me about your wizarding background."

Jessa sat quiet for a few minutes, and said, "My parents are very unhappy about me leaving. When I told them I was leaving the hospital, and going to England with you to live as a witch, they freaked out. They said that the job I carried now was respectable."

"Well, weren't they the reason you left home?"

"Yea, one of the reasons."

Hermione caught the vibe that Jessa didn't want to talk about her home life at the moment.

"What school did you attend?" Hermione asked, abruptly changing the subject.

"Guadahara's Witchcraft Institution for Women," Jessa replied. "It was probably the strictest school in the western hemisphere."

"What were the core subjects?"

"Probably the same as yours: Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration… etc. You know, just the basics."

At that moment, their plane was called, and they picked themselves up to make their way to the boarding group.

Jessa fell asleep after 20 minutes of the gentle humming and rocking of the plane. Hermione, on the other hand, just sat there, staring at the movie screen, which was playing an over-dramatic rendition of Titanic. It was quite boring, to say the least, and Hermione's attention was wavering.

Her eyes glazed over, until the people that surrounded her resembled mere blobs of color and flesh. The airplane seats meshed with the carpet and ceiling, and the lights grew dimmer and dimmer, until they emulated candle's hovering in the air above them, dripping hot wax down.

Pale, silvery ghosts weaved in and out of the crowds of students, who were dressed in their finest attire. They danced to a hauntingly beautiful voice, which was accompanied by an orchestra of viola's, cello's, and a piano. Amber torches hung from iron, rusty brackets on the Hall's walls, and huge, glowing, ominous pumpkins occupied the corners of the Hall in groups. Hagrid had clearly outdone himself that year.

The soft crunch of leaves breaking underfoot resonated through the masses of students as they trod on dried leaves, tawny and scarlet and gold, that littered the ground. The sky reflected in the Great Halls ceiling was inky-midnight, speckled with thousands of sparkling diamonds, and a giant, creamy orb of cheese hung lower, it seemed, than ever.

The scent of simmering cider and pumpkin juice wafted throughout the room, along with tons of different pies and candies that weighed down the top table. Many students were socializing as they ate, seated at the petite round tables, which were covered in black lace tablecloths.

Hermione observed her handy work from a table in the corner. She was currently alone, her date having gone to mingle with the Slytherins, and she was feeling rather proud of the way the Hall had turned out.

Hermione herself looked more splendid than the Hall itself, although she refused to acknowledge it. She wore a cerise-auburn gown, which reached her high-heeled feet, and extended far behind her in a train that clung to leaves. Her arms and neck were bare, save for the lacy black shawl that clung to her shoulders, and her pale, flawless skin shone brightly in the luminance of the moon. Her dark, curly masses of hair hung down her back, embedded with small, blood red rose buds. Her bark-colored eyes sparkled, and her full lips longed to meet one other particular person's.

She watched Harry and Ginny dance at the edge of the floor, encased in each other's arms. Hermione knew that it was only for show. Neither of them harbored feelings for the other that exceeded friendship any longer; still, Harry was a gentleman, and requested a dance with her. She also spotted Ron, who was currently dancing rather raucously with Luna Lovegood in the center. They were accompanied by a few other couples, and seemed to have failed to notice that fact that the song they were dancing to couldn't possibly be danced to in such a manner.

Hermione stirred her cider with a cinnamon stick, and stared at her uneaten pie. The song that was being played had changed, and before Hermione could register it, Harry was at her elbow, requesting a dance.

"Of course," she said

I can't run anymore

I fall before you,

Here I am,

I have nothing left

Harry led her to the edge of the floor and Hermione spotted Ginny taking her vacated seat. Ginny smiled mischievously at her before stirring the cider that Hermione had left behind.

Though I've tried to forget,

You're all that I am,

Take me home,

I'm through fighting it

She took one of his shaky hands on hers, silently noting that it was sweaty, and placed his other on her hip. She slide her other hand up onto his shoulder, and smiled at him.

Broken,

Lifeless,

I give up,

You're my only strength,

Without you,

I can't go on,

Anymore,

Ever again

Harry smiled back at her, slowly and nervously. He glanced into her eyes for a short moment, before averting them to look at other things.

I can't run anymore,

I give myself to you,

I'm sorry,

I'm sorry,

In all my bitterness I ignored

"Harry," Hermione whispered. He glanced back down at her, bark-brown meeting leaf green, and that was the moment in which Hermione thought that he was who she was supposed to be with for the rest of her life.

"Yes?" he asked, inquisitive radiance seeping from his eyes and mouth.

All that's real and true,

All I need is you,

When night falls on me,

I'll not close my eyes,

"What's the matter?" Hermione replied.

"What do you mean?"

And you're too strong,

I can't lie anymore,

I fall down before you,

I'm sorry,

I'm sorry

"You seem... I don't know… antsy, I guess is the word for it." Hermione replied.

"Oh," Harry said, reflectively. He looked down at his shoes, and wet his lips with the tip of his tongue.

Constantly ignoring,

The pain consuming me,

But this time it's cut too deep,

I'll never stray again.

When he looked back up into her eyes, he didn't seem to see what he had been hoping to see. But, instead of giving up, he leaned into her, and captured her lips in a ripe kiss, full of seventeen-year old type love, and he dropped her hand so he could wrap his arms around her waist. She responded fully and whole-heartedly, leaning into the kiss, and into his arms.

The song ended.

Hermione was jolted from her bittersweet memory by turbulence, and heard the pilot announce that they were soon to be landing. She shook Jessa awake, and when the plane landed, they followed the crowd into the airport, snatched their luggage from the conveyer belt, and went to sit out in the snow, awaiting a taxi.

A/N: Another bloody chapter up, because I had a half day in school today… it was very nice.

Lady Of Ankoku: ding ding ding ding… Jimmy, please show our winner her prize… yes, you were right about Jessa being a witch. I wasn't trying to make it too obvious… or maybe you just presumed that would happen… I don't know… thanks for reviewing though. They mean a lot to me. Next chapter should be up this weekend some time. Hope you liked it.

As for the rest of you, please pretty pretty please review. I'm not going to stop updating all together if you don't review, but it will be a lot slower than I could. I really do appreciate them.