AN: plz note the rating of this story has been bumped up to M!
Just FYI this isn't the M rated chapter...
Chapter 24:
It was a normal Tuesday morning for Hermione as she readied herself and Teddy to apparate to the Cullen's house. Well, as normal as it can get with the mighty Malfoys gracing her house every now and again Hermione thought snidely as she saw the door to Andromeda's room left ajar, meaning Narcissa was inside with her sister already.
Over the past month the Malfoys had turned out to be a great help to Hermione, and in so many more ways than one! Narcissa doted on her sister, setting her own life aside as she put her sister's well-being and comfort before herself. And Hermione hated to admit it, but Draco was really getting on so well with Teddy. He looked after the Malfoy business empire during the day, but made it a point to visit Teddy for at least five nights every week, uncaring of how tired he felt or how pressing his next day was going to be. Not just that too, after the initial awkwardness was brushed aside, with a lot of help Alice who had almost babysat the duo in the beginning so they wouldn't come to blows again, Draco had turned to be a great support for Hermione, helping her prepare for her NEWTs.
With all the help she was getting from Narcissa and Rosalie, both of whom were thoroughly enjoying their own charges, Hermione was better placed to look out for herself, for once. She went to Forks High during the day, met Rosalie post school at the Cullen home where she did some light revision and sat with the other school goers as they all quickly finished their homework, the study tasks not particularly difficult for anyone in the group being a complete novelty for Hermione.
Then she brought Teddy back home with her, played with him for a couple of hours, introducing minor educational vocabulary for his thirsty mind. Later, usually Draco would get home and he would take over Teddy while she cooked. It had taken some effort on her part, but seeing just how much Draco wanted to be a part of his late cousin's son's life, Hermione had started sharing Teddy with him too. They'd started small, like she let Draco have some play time with the little boy, but slowly, the persistent ex-Slytherin had slyly slithered into their lives and the next thing Hermione knew was that Draco had taken up Teddy's evening bathing duties and was getting him ready for bed every night that he was there, while both, Draco and her entertained the baby as they fed him dinner together.
Really, a little child can break through the toughest of walls and get together the worst of enemies with just one smile.
After Teddy slept, Draco would hang back for an hour or so helping her revise for her NEWTs and then he'd pop out. And since he was doing so much for them, Hermione had started asking him to stay back for dinner. She wasn't too fond of eating alone anyway and since he too was usually too tired to go back and cook, she reasoned, she just cooked for them both. The fact that he probably had his food all prepared and laid out for him by his house-elves not once crossing her mind.
Most evenings, when Andromeda was in the hospital with Narcissa as her most unwavering attendant, just as Draco and Hermione would wrap up after dinner, they'd be joined by some Cullen or another, if not them all and they'd all simply sit and catch up, talking non-sense most of the time. An hour or so later, the guests would all leave and Hermione would make her way to her bed.
When Andromeda was around, the Cullens cut down on their visits, not wishing to disturb the ailing witch. But those evening where Hermione found herself with only the Malfoy matriarch and the now family head for company, she realized weren't as bad as she'd thought they'd be.
I'm getting used to having them around. They've become family, Hermione smiled to herself, shaking her head as she further pushed open the door to Andromeda's room.
"Good Morning, Cissa, may I get you a cup of tea?" Hermione smiled in welcome at the guest that had no qualms about letting herself into her house at all odd hours. Thank Merlin, Draco at least stuck to that bit of chivalry, he always apparated outside her home and rang the bell to be let in.
"No, dear, thank you. I shall breakfast with Andy once she wakes. Though," Narcissa Malfoy said, getting up from her place near the sickbed, "I would love to kiss the little baby a very good morning," she smiled and cooed at the baby in Hermione's arms, playing with Teddy while Hermione fixed herself some breakfast.
Bidding her goodbyes, Hermione then apparated Teddy and herself out.
Rose again was at the ready to take the wailing baby from the 'wicked witch's' arms! "Did the wicked witch make my baby cry again?" Rose whispered tenderly, kissing Teddy on his forehead, the brightness of her smile rivalling the sun's early rays.
"He's started hating side-long," Hermione grimaced when Rosalie yet again scowled at her angrily for making Teddy cry.
"Can't blame him," Jasper clucked. "We all hate it."
Hermione stuck her tongue out at him in response.
"Ready to leave?" Edward chuckled from behind Jasper.
"Mione's gonna take a minute.. or more.." Alice winked at her family.
"What do you mean? I'm all ready," Hermione eyed the pixie vamp curiously.
But before Alice could answer her question, a tell-tale crack sounded from right beside Hermione and she jumped back in alarm, Edward moving swiftly beside her to break her fall within the tiniest fraction of a second.
"Ron!" Hermione stared at her best friend's ashen face. "What happened?"
Alice bit her lip in to keep from laughing and when Edward saw in her head what the drama was about, he shook his head and slipped his car keys back in his jean pocket. They were not gonna leave for school for quite some time now.
"I did something careless, selfish and stupid," Ron confessed in a single breath, his eyes searching Hermione's for any kind of support, something his other best friend hadn't provided at all!
"What?" Hermione asked worriedly, stepping closer to him to offer him support, just as another crack sounded from behind Ron.
"He did Pansy Parkinson!" the messy haired, green eyed wizard said from behind the ginger haired one, trying his level best to stop from rolling on the mud with laughter.
Of their own accord Hermione's hands flew to her mouth, covering the big 'o' it had fallen into. Oh dear!
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"You can't be serious," Hermione stared at one of her best friends. His shoulders hunched, elbows on his knees and head in his hand, covering his face. Harry was sat beside Ron on the couch while Hermione took the spot on the center-table in front of Ron. The vampires were all around, enjoying the new drama unfolding between the wizarding trio.
Unable to hold back her hospitality, Esme asked her unexpected guests if they'd like a bite, and surprisingly Ron was the first one to deny the offer. Hermione stared at him and then at Harry with wide eyes, both surprised and finally understanding their best friend's emotional state. When does Ron ever refuse food? Never, that's when!
"Really Ron, Pansy? How did this even happen?" Hermione asked, finding it difficult to hide her shock, not that was trying too hard.
Ron groaned, as if in pain, finally coming out of hiding. "It was a masquerade party. I didn't know who she was, only that she looked beautiful in her black robes, her eyes all green and hair in that new messy hair style that makes girls look really sexy..." he trailed off to the knowing nods from all the men around. He winced. "Is there no place we can do this without the audience?"
"Hey, you live with the vamps, you bid goodbye to privacy," Hermione smirked, enjoying his discomfort, the way she would've had it been Harry in his place. It was a miracle what a little distance could do to bleeding hearts.
"Gah!" Ron pulled at his shaggy ginger mane that looked thoroughly mussed with the 'just fucked' bed look.
Edward chuckled loudly, getting the trio out of their reverie. "What?" Hermione raised her eyebrow at him. What was he laughing about? He doesn't know Pansy, does he?
"Rosalie has an.. interesting.. comment to make," Edward cleared his throat, looking expectantly at Rosalie with a wicked smirk.
"Oh come on, throw me under bus, why don't you?" she snarled in return. "Like none of you made that observation."
"What observation would that be?" Hermione asked curiously.
"He is describing the female version of Harry! Black robes, messy hair, green eyes! Come on, can no one else see this?"
All eyes turned to Harry who indeed was wearing a dashing black robe, his green eyes glassy with embarrassment and inebriation, his hair as usual mussed and messy. Then their eyes turned to the non-existent distance between the two wizards before the said wizards jumped away from each other with a loud scream.
"I most certainly am not!"
"And I have my own ginger waiting for me back home!"
"Of course you do," Rose smirked knowingly.
"A girl, Rose... my own ginger-haired GIRL!" Harry exclaimed loudly to put his point across.
Everyone else, bar the two wizards laughed at their obvious discomfort.
Finally schooling her mirth, Hermione turned to Ron again. "Pansy? Really, Ron? You do remember..."
"That she wanted to hand Harry over to Voldemort not six months back? That she's hated my family and my guts even before we met her in the potions class back in the first year? That she's the pug- faced slut of Slytherin? I remember it all, Mione!"
Hermione scowled at the last bit. "Big words coming from the guy who lost his virginity to the Gryffindor slag!"
"You were a slag back in your school?" Emmett asked with a funny expression, not being able to put Hermione and sultriness in one sentence somehow.
Most present growled at him. One louder than the rest. "No, you idiot! He slept with the in-house whore. While we," she pointed between herself and Ron, "never dated long enough to reach that stage in the relationship."
"And whose fault was that?" Ron asked scowling.
"Don't start now, Ron. One problem at a time is enough," Hermione narrowed her eyes in warning at him.
That slouched his posture and doused his anger. "What am I gonna do?" "I think you've already done enough," Harry smirked.
"You didn't answer my question. How did it happen?" Hermione scowled at Harry while directing her question at Ron.
"I told you, it was a masquerade party. She looked pretty behind her mask and even came on to me. We danced and there was a lot of firewhisky. Next thing I knew, I was in a room, and we... well.. yeah, that. We kept the masks on, it was adding a certain thrill to the whole thing, you know, not knowing who I was doing and all. And then she slept and I was curious so I removed her mask and then all hell broke loose."
"What did she say when she found out?" Jasper asked, intrigued with the story so far.
"She didn't. Well, I mean.. I apparated out before she woke up and then dragged Harry away from Gin and here we are..."
"You just shagged Pansy? Like... like just now?" Ron nodded. "And you're half a world away from her! You stupid, selfish, arrogant, prejudiced, rat-bastard!" Hermione yelled, losing her lid.
"Told you coming here was a bad idea!" Harry murmured.
"You were useless! I thought she might have something useful to share!" Ron stood up in his agitation. "Why did I even bother?" he grumbled taking a step to leave.
"If I may offer some advice?" Edward asked softly, eyes set on the trio. Hermione looked alright with the new development in Ron's life and Ron was her best friend, he wanted them to accept him as her mate because he knew they meant a lot to Hermione, so he'd take the first few steps to forge a friendship, he decided.
"Literally, anything's better than the crap my two best friends have come up with.." Ron encouraged him to go on while throwing nasty glares at his supposed friends. He really was confused and desperate, he'd grab at any straws.
Edward nodded with a sly smirk. "But before I answer that, tell me, do you want to take it ahead or not?"
Ron considered his answer, and with colour badly staining his entire face he stuttered looking solely at Edward, pointedly avoiding all the female eyes in the room, "She was quite a good... lay.." he blurted stammering.
Hermione groaned loudly and stomped her foot in agitation. "That's not a respectful way to speak of a lady, Ron."
"Well, the other things I know about her aren't worthy of boasting, now, are they?" he asked her angrily.
Edward cut in between them. "Meaning, you wouldn't mind seeing her again?" Ron sheepishly nodded. Edward's grin widened.
"Then pray to all your Gods that she's still asleep. Go back to her, put both your masks on and go off to sleep beside her. When she wakes up, curiosity will get her too and she'll see for herself who's under the mask and then it'll be her choice."
"That's just..."
"You're a genius!" Ron's face lit up. "At least it won't be awkward or come to blows that way."
"One can only hope..." Harry sassed.
"...sly! You're just like a Slytherin!" Hermione completed in shock, her finger pointing accusingly at Edward.
"Seeing as Pansy was one, it might actually work," Harry shrugged. "She might still hex you!" Hermione warned.
"Now, all you have to decide is if she's worthy of the risk? Was she really that good?" Emmett asked, smirking.
"Well... yes, I guess she is..." Ron's entire face went red at that admission.
"You're seriously trying to tell me that Parkinson is that good a lay that you'd take hexing for her?" Harry asked astounded.
"Yeah.. well.." "How?"... "Why?"
"Because... I had sex with her and she let me!" Ron finally mumbled and Hermione groaned loudly, shutting her ears off and pulling at her hair simultaneously.
"What is the world coming to?" she grumbled while Rose tried sliding out with Teddy. There are some things young ears really shouldn't hear!
"On that note, all my pleasant buzz is successfully gone, along with my sex-drive. So I'll take your leave," Harry nodded at everyone, hugged Hermione and gestured for Rose to stop before she could glide off with Teddy.
Kissing him on his cheek, he smiled, "You keep yourself and your god-mommy ready over the weekend, I'll swing by early in the morning and then take you two out for a trip. Be ready and stay safe till then, okay little one?" he said to small gurgling bundle and handed him back to Rose with one more kiss.
"I'm leaving. Merlin knows, I don't need Ginny thinking I'm off gallivanting somewhere behind her back. She hexes real mean," he shook his head while rubbing at his nose. "Mione, stay packed. I'm not taking no for answer. I'll floo over and take you two out for the week. Carlisle's agreed to hand in a doctor's letter for you to the school. So, be ready and keep a cup of tea brewing for me, will you," he said as a parting shot and apparated away just outside the door.
"I best leave too. Let's just hope I catch her asleep," Ron took his leave too. "Let us know how it goes," Edward called behind Ron.
"Either ways," Emmett added.
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"You sly bastard! That was your advice?" Hermione whispered angrily to Edward in their Latin class.
Over the past month, the dynamics of Hermione's relationship with the copper-haired vampire had changed too. She tended to rely on him most, actively seeking his company, something he was more than willing to share with her.
The day Edward realized Hermione hated eating alone, he made it a point to stop by early on the nights Draco didn't pop in. He had even happily taken up Draco's evening duties of Teddy and then he would sit beside her talking after they put Teddy to bed.
Edward would also linger after everyone left, most of the time just to get a few minutes alone with her. They hadn't really done anything more than catch a movie on the telly over a free weekend or touch each other platonically, but his touches had started meaning more to Hermione who had rapidly increased the frequency with which she sought his hands and knees out.
She wasn't sure what exactly was happening but this slow burning relationship (if you could call it that) of theirs was really pushing her forward, towards him, making her almost lose her grasp on her senses as she found herself falling for him just that much more every day.
I mean, how could I not! Hermione wondered sometimes. He still made sure to get her a bar of chocolate every day. He had an almost eidetic memory and could quote verses of most books he'd read, verbatim. He played the piano well enough to have her melting into a puddle by his feet, sometimes composing original pieces and dedicating them to her. He always put her first, even delaying his own hunts just so he could be with her for those precious few minutes extra. That one time Draco had found out about her not knowing driving despite being a muggle-born, and teased her mercilessly about it, Edward had had Carlisle draw up her papers, taught her how to drive in his Silver Volvo and made sure she was good enough to appear for her driving tests within one short week. Besides all of that, to top it all up, he was the epitome of a gentleman with her, had eyes only for her, flirted with her relentlessly - arousing curious responses every single time and could the guy cook!!!
But despite it all, she still found herself holding back. She knew he was only waiting for one small move from her but she couldn't bring herself to make that move just yet.
"You're one to talk! When were you going to tell me about going away for a week?" he replied equally angry.
That shut her up, reeling in her wayward thoughts immediately.
"Do you not understand that I need to be near you? That I need to touch you, need to make sure you're fine.. I can't.. I just can't stay away.."
"I needed some time to think. Everything's happening too fast. You've just come out of an extremely serious relationship, not two months back. Hell! I've only recently moved ahead of my own break- up. I can't do it all, not this way."
"Why so ever not? Can you not see my love, my devotion for you?"
"Don't rub me the wrong way now, Edward. Stop before I say things we'll both repent."
"No!" Edward shook his head. "I've had enough of your avoiding the bigger issues. What is it? Why the un-surety? What is bothering you?"
"What if you leave me like you did her?" Hermione finally snapped. "You promised her your love, you promised to stay with her forever... literally for-ever! And look where that's gotten the both of you! I don't want to be in that place! What if you leave me too, when someone else comes along?"
Hermione quickly averted her gaze, shielding her eyes with her lids, refusing to shed the stupid tears that had found their way to her eyes.
Edward stared at the witch beside him. You've got to be kidding me! "Here I am, going crazy over you, ditching my only friend, the only human who's ever accepted me for what I truly am, trying everything I possibly can to spend as much time with you as you'd let me, and you don't even trust me enough to know that what I'm saying is true. There's no way I can prove this to you, short of taking you to Lord Marcus, to let him check for our bond."
"Edward... I didn't mean..."
"You know what, Hermione... Save it. I'm done convincing you. Now, you come to me when you think you're ready to accept this bond between us."
With the first buzz of the bell, he was gone, putting as much distance between them as he could.