AN: I'm back again! I want to thank everyone for the lovely reviews, your questions will be answered soon enough! As always, sorry for the mistakes and enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 3

Upon arriving at the Cullen's house, I was quite shocked to find it very open and bright. The house was very modern with walls of glass, a sharp contrast to anything I was used to. I remembered reading that Vampires avoided sunlight due to their skin reflecting the brilliant rays of the sun like a million diamonds. I was severely tempted to out my knowledge of them at that moment, but I refrained, knowing that later when the coven leader, Carlisle Cullen, arrived would be better to explain myself. Edward soon parked the car and we all climbed out, stepping onto the paved driveway.

"Welcome to our home!" Alice chirped beside me. I turned shocked, my wand moments from my hand. She giggled at my deer in headlights expression, not knowing the lethal spell at the tip of my tongue.

I exhaled a deep breath and shook my head, a small smile forming on my face. "It's lovely, I really like the open and modern feel to it, your mother and father have quite an exquisite taste."

"Esme will be happy to hear that" Edward replied this time, a few steps ahead of me. "Shall we head inside and start studying?"

I nodded and followed him into the house, as I stepped into the Coven's home, I noticed the distinct aroma of a roast cooking. I snorted internally, imagining the coven of vampires choking down food to keep up the facade of being human to their visitor. "That smells amazing," I commented, "what's cooking?"

A beautiful vampire stepped around a corner before anyone could respond. She had a heart-shaped face and a kind smile decorated her already perfect face. She excluded warmth, even as a vampire. "Hello, I'm Esme," a musical voice flowed from her mouth, "I am Jasper, Emmet, Edward, Alice, and Rosalie's mother. You must be Hermione. Welcome to our home" Her formality was quickly noted by me, she was uncomfortable having a human present, no matter what her practiced stance told me.

"I am, thank you for having me. Is that a roast I smell?" I almost finished the sentence off with an offhanded joke about vampires but decided against it. George would be disappointed in me.

"It is, are you staying for dinner?" She looked hopeful and I bit my lip in deliberation.

Edward interjected, "Her cousin and uncle are expecting her home for dinner, unless you would like to stay, Hermione?" At his words, Esme appeared dejected for a split second, if only by the slightest movement of her facial features, a normal human would not have picked it up but I did, years of war has heightened my senses and ability to read a person to the most minute detail.

I deliberated for a moment more, watching vampires eat human food if only a few bites, would be hilarious. George and Teddy would love to hear about it. I eventually nodded. "I'll ring Isabella and let her know I'm staying longer."

Esme blinded us with a joyful smile, "Great! Dinner is at 7 when Carlisle gets home from work. Until then, Edward why don't you give Hermione a tour and get to studying. Alice, will you fetch Rosalie from the garage and have her help me in the kitchen?" Alice nodded and left the room, Jasper following her closely behind. Edward looked to me and grinned as Esme disappeared into the kitchen.

"How about that tour then?" He shifted from foot to foot, a hand raised to the back of his neck.

I nodded, "lead the way".

Several minutes later, Edward and I were tucked in the living room with our books out on the coffee table in front of us.

"I can't believe that burning food can tell us the number of calories it has in it. It's bloody insane." I shook my head in slight despair. Muggle science used to be one of my favorite subjects. While I understood the theory of atoms and that mixing certain compounds can make different results, much like potions, I was dreadfully doomed.

Edward smiled a crooked smile, he looked so much like Cedric at that moment and I felt my heart tug. He was a good friend, in the end. I quickly composed myself before I could tear up. "It's the only time we are going over it this year, I wouldn't stress too much about it, just know burning food leaves calories behind. That's all there really is to it."

I nodded dutifully, scribbling a quick note into my notebook. I missed pens while I was in school, the convenience made life easier, no more ink blotches or messy quills. "And what about the next class? Ms. Schoniger mentioned something about the Gas Laws. Are there really Laws for Gas?" The muggle world had gotten confusing during my absence. I really needed to put more time into learning about the changes I missed.

Edward chuckled at my confusion. I raised an eyebrow, showing him I was being legitimate. "Oh, you're serious...uh well"

"I'm not Sirius, he's dead." I blurted out before I could stop myself. I had taken to making Sirius jokes after his death to keep Harry happy and fondly remember his deceased Godfather. It had worked then, but I had gotten into the habit of doing it too often. At Edward's alarmed look I quickly responded. "Sirius was my best friend's godfather, he was like the cool uncle who played pranks on everyone. He was murdered three years ago and I started repeating his jokes for Harry when he died, to in a sense, keep him alive. Sorry, that was dark. Back to Gas Laws."

He was pensive for a moment before nodding, I was grateful that he didn't ask any questions. "So the Gas Laws. There are four main laws that we are going over in this class, the Ideal Gas Law, Charle's Law, Boyle's Law, and Gay-Lussac's Law. They're all math equations that explain the relationships between pressure, moles, volume, temperature, and a constant value."

I nodded, writing them all down. Edward pointed to a page in his textbook that showed a chart with each 'Law' described. I copied the information into my notes.

We spent the next few hours comfortably studying, me asking questions and him answering them in depth. By the end of the third hour, I felt confident in my knowledge of Chemistry and was caught up with the rest of the class. I now understood how the periodic table worked, and the conversion factors that related to stoichiometry and chemical reactions. Tomorrow's class would be much easier for me to keep up.

Edward and I packed up our school work just as the sound of a car pulling up the driveway noticed us of the Cullen Coven's Patriarch and Leader, Carlisle Cullen.

Esme came out of the kitchen followed by Rosalie, the tall blonde vampire gave me an uneasy smile. I could tell there was something about her that was uncertain about my presence, fear or prejudice or both. I would keep an eye on her from now on, I decided in an instant. Esme spoke, "Edward will you and Rosalie set the table?"

I instantly stood and offered my aide, "I can help" Edward smiled at me and Rosalie's wary eyes swept over me. She was clearly uncomfortable. Esme nodded and thanked me before heading to the door to meet her husband.

Edward, Rosalie, and I migrated through the kitchen into a dining room with walls of glass and a grand table in the center. The polished mahogany wood gleamed in the light of the dying sun through the clouds and reflected the light from the chandelier above it. Rosalie strode to a cabinet to the side of the room and pulled out placemats while I followed Edward into the kitchen to grab silverware while he gathered plates. We carried everything into the dining room and began to plate everything in order on the placemats. While we did so, Rosalie disappeared into the kitchen for moments to return with eight cups in her hands. Edward left us to set them down and returned with the steaming plates of food followed by Esme and a tall blonde man with striking gold eyes and blonde hair. I vaguely recognized him, possibly from a textbook image but I was unsure.

"You must be Hermione, I am Carlisle Cullen, the father of this family. It's wonderful to meet you." He stuck out a pale hand to me. Edward drifted behind him dn he and Esme finished setting the table.

"The pleasure is all mine, your home and family are lovely. Thank you for extending the invitation to join you all for dinner" I responded cordially, taking his hand and shaking it with a strong grip. I noted the ice-cold temperature of his skin, I expected it to be as such.

As soon as we released the handshake, Alice, Jasper, and Emmet appeared in the doorway. Alice smiled knowingly at me and I arched a brow at her, confused. "Shall we all sit and have dinner? It smells... delicious Esme" Alice chirped as she floated to a seat at the table, Jasper following her closely. Emmet walked over to Rosalie and they moved as one to the seats across from Alice and Jasper. Carlisle and Esme nodded in unison and they each took the opposite heads of the table, leaving Edward and me to sit across from each other at Carlisle's end of the table.

Emmet spoke for the first time that evening, "Shall we say grace?" He snickered and Rosalie smacked the back of his head, smiling slightly. I smiled, I knew I would like being around this coven, no, family. The food began being passed around, mashed potatoes floated around, the roast was being cut by Esme, who was closest to it and she gave everyone a serving. I smiled to myself, I would let the vampires choke down some food before stating I knew what they were. The joke was too much to pass up. I had definitely become more of a prankster after Fred's death. A tinge of sadness hit me before it was gone within an instant, replaced by a foreign emotion of calm. I looked up and found Jasper looking at me curiously.

Once the food was dished, I took my first bite, the delicious juices of the roast invaded my mouth and I savored it. Edward and Emmet were the first of the vampires to place the food into their mouths. Emmet hid his grimace better than the copper-haired vampire from across the table to me. I giggled at the vampires, each of them looking at me. Damn, I wanted to see more of them.

"You know you don't have to eat for my sake." I stated, spooning mashed potatoes into my mouth. Seven pairs of bright gold eyes glinted with worry.

"What do you mean Hermione?" Esme spoke, eying her plate with wariness.

"I know what you are. You don't have to pretend." I smiled, Alice was gleaming at me, her teeth shining through her smile.

Rosalie burst up from her seat. "Edward how could you tell her we are vampires!"

"I swear I didn't" Edward looked at me worried, "Right?"

My smile got wider. "No Edward, Rosalie, you just confirmed it for me, but I knew you were magical as soon as I laid eyes on you all in the cafeteria the first day."

"Magical..." Carlisle spoke quietly, I almost didn't hear him. "You're a magical then?"

I pouted slightly, wanting to save that information for later. "Got it in one. So you know of magicals then Carlisle. I am a witch, muggleborn."

Everyone but Alice and Carlisle looked confused at me. Rosalie slowly sat down and Emmet spoke up. "But you don't have green skin and warts on your nose, where are the brooms and black cat? What about cauldrons-".

I cut him off, "And you don't burn in the sun, die from wooden stakes, fear crosses, or sleep in coffins and dungeons." He frowned while I continued. "The stereotype of witches and wizards are way off. We look like everyone else, we do fly on brooms for sport and brew potions in cauldrons but there is a lot more to wizardkind."

"How did you know about us then?" Edward spoke up, followed by nods from his family around me.

"Your kind is taught to children in their third year of schooling for my kind, and I've fought and killed vampires in the Battle of Hogwarts. Your gold eyes threw me off and I had to get a book from my friends back in the UK to be sure you were what you are." I shrugged, hoping they wouldn't think I was threatening them.

Jasper spoke up. "You fought in a battle? Against Vampires. And lived?!"

I nodded solemnly. "They were newborns, about fifty of them. I and my friend Ron had to blast our way through them." I never spoke this much about the war, not even with others who lived through it.

Emmet whistled lowly. "Respect."

Jasper frowned at me, "How did you survive?"

I shook my head, flashbacks threatening to take over my mind. He noticed my distress and I felt calm waves wash over me. I peeked at him, not realizing my eyes were clenched shut. "I blew up the corridor and burned them to ash." I spoke in a dull tone.

Rosalie looked alarmed at me. "How did you do that!?"

To that, I smiled. "Magic." I slowly pulled out my wand and waved it, making colorful sparks of light flow in the air before they slowly disappeared. "Magic can be destructive, I know better than anyone." I thought of my many scars, specifically the ones from Dolohov and Bellatrix "But it is also good and bright and brings life and happiness to the world." I smiled fondly, thinking of the times in the DA. I suddenly got the idea to show them my favorite spell. "Expecto Patronum!" My otter spun into existence and began floating around the room, settling on Edward's shoulders before disappearing. I frowned mentally, It never took a specific liking to anyone other than myself.

Alice spoke, "What was that?"

I smiled, "the purest form of magic, the Patronus Charm. It is conjured by a person's happiest memory and can protect souls from Dementors, evil demonlike cloaked figures that can remove happiness and souls from a person. Nasty things, they are." I took another bite of my dinner, savoring the flavor. "The food is amazing Esme and Rosalie, I forgot to mention."

Rosalie nodded while Esme spoke, "You're always welcome dear."

The conversation continued and questions from the Cullens and myself were answered until it was almost nine.

"I better get home, I don't want Isabella and Charlie worrying about me." I finally announced. I could tell they wanted to learn more, just as I wanted to see what they could really do. I could tell the family liked me well enough, Rosalie and Jasper seemed apprehensive but welcoming, Alice, Emmet, Esme, and Edward welcomed me with open arms and were excited about the new information. Carlisle was hard to read, and I wanted to talk to him, there was something he wasn't saying that I wanted to figure out.

"You'll come back tomorrow right?" Alice asked me.

"If that is alright with the rest of you, I don't want to intrude" I responded.

Esme was quick to reply, "You are always welcome in our home, we hope to learn more about the magical world soon!"

I nodded and Edward stood as I did. "I'll drive you home" he stated, I nodded gratefully, not in the mood to apparate.

"Thank you for the dinner and the conversation, sorry for springing that on you, it was rather funny seeing a vampire eat human food though." Emmet laughed and everyone bade me goodbye as I followed Edward to the door, summoning my bag silently and wandlessly.

We strode to his car and we drove to my house, he was more familiar with the town and didn't need instructions. There was a comfortable silence for a while until I remembered something.

"You should know something. My magic feels connected to you for a reason, it's drawn to your soul or something. As soon as I met you, I knew there was something there."

He glanced at me wearily. "I don't have a soul, but I did feel a connection to you as soon as our eyes met. It's like, warm and just right. I can't explain it."

I looked at him confused and relieved. "If you feel it too, then you have a soul. Merlin, my Patronus liked your soul" I remembered the strange encounter then frowned, realizations truck me moments later, just as he pulled up the driveway of Charlie's house. "I think we might be soulmates, I'm not sure, I need to research it, but I studied bonds last year and it makes sense..." I trailed off at the look Edward was giving me.

"I think you're right. Us vampires, we mate for life, similar to that soulbond..." He stared into my eyes and I his. It seemed like forever but it was probably only moments. We were startled by the porch light turning on and jumped apart. I hadn't realized how close we had gotten.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" I asked him. He nodded, a crooked smile donning his face.

I climbed out of the car, a true smile on my face. Maybe there wasn't so much darkness in this world.