Hi there! After two weeks, I'm glad that I finally had the time to finish and check this chapter and start the new one. I'm sorry for the waiting. Now school started for real. :(

******B******

Paths – Chapter 7 - Gravity

The sun is low in the sky, making our shadows longer. But still, mine is taller than hers.

We are walking home and Hermione is talking quietly, yet excited, about the new books she bought. Apparently, she didn't have the time in the last few years to read books with 'trivial subjects, like relationships and drama', only some classic ones. After that, I recommend her the new best-sellers and I was surprised when she didn't knew none of them. She said that studying at her school required a lot of reading but just of books made especially for the students.

Since we left the bookstore (and afterwards, when we went to a coffee shop to grab a snack) she has been reading the back covers, while carrying two full bags, trying to balance the books in her hand. I already tried to help her three times but she refused. One of the times was… strange.

(Flashback)

"… So, he decides to move to Australia alone, wanting to find a future for himself, but he spends so much time alone, he starts to feel disturbed."

Hermione is holding six books and struggling to keep them together, while wondering around the bookshelves, trying to read the titles.

"It sounds good, but I need something cheery…"

"Well, it's not only about that, of course, there are some-"

"Oh look!" She says to herself. She's reading the title silently, only moving her lips and tilting her head.

I get behind her to be able to read the book title but soon I get distracted with her hair and the funny curls it has. Luckily, she starts to move to get a book that is above our heads. I see that she's having some trouble with that.

"Let me hold those books, Hermione. You'll be able to see new ones more easily."

"It isn't necessary. Just wait…"

She balances the books in one arm and reaches the back pocket of her jeans with her hand. Is she feeling… her bum?

"Ehh, Hermione?" I ask worried.

"Damn…" she whispers, withdrawing her hand. The she turns around to face me and must have noticed my curious look.

"Don't worry, I'll pick it up to you." I say quickly reaching for the book.

I can feel that my ears are red. Because she knows that I looked at her bum. I feel her body moving behind me.

"Thank you." She stutters.

In three seconds I decide that I can't avoid looking at her again. It was an incident. So I turn to her quickly, but I almost knock her books down. I'm glad that my reflexes are good enough for me to grab them before any damage.

"Well, these are enough. What do you think?"

Of course she doesn't care about my opinion. She just wants to know if I'm not feeling awkward. Which I am…

"Yeah, they are alright for now. Let's go to the cashier." I look her in the eye and smile.

She smiles at me too and starts to walk.

And her hand in her bum doesn't leave my mind.

(End of Flashback)

"…maybe they won't be enough…"

"What?" I ask, startled.

"I said that maybe this books won't be enough for this summer. Where were you Luke?" She asks, smiling.

Of course I won't say to her what I was thinking about. I bet she already forgot about that embarrassing moment. Otherwise, she wouldn't be smiling.

"If you want to, I can lend you mine. Better, I can give you some of mine. Since I'm living in September, they'll be in good care."

"You're leaving?"

"Yeah, for the university. I'll be living at the campus dormitories." I say excited.

"That's nice. Aren't you worried about being away from your family?"

"Not really. I'm eighteen. I just have to prove that I can handle myself alone…" …to my mother. Even Hermione's father trusts me.

"But still, being away…."

"Hermione, that's what you've been doing for the last years, isn't that right?" I ask. I won't pretend that I don't know that aspect in her life.

She looks at me with a quirked eyebrow but then she must have realised that somehow her father told me.

"It's true, but it's not the same…"

"You right, it is not. In your case, it's worst because you left home when you were much younger than I am and you are an only child. At least I have my siblings to entertain my mother. What about your parents?"

I hear her gasping and notice that she stopped.

"I'm sorry…" I apologize, facing her.

"I much do you know Luke?" she asks, placing the bags in a bench and sitting, looking ahead, to the other side of the street.

I sit beside her, counting how many things I should tell her. I don't want to give away what her father is planning…

"I know that you only spend the holidays with them… and that they miss you constantly."

"It's not my fault…"

"I know. They want the best for you and that's why they allowed that to happen. I'm sorry Hermione. It's not my business what happens between you and your parents…"

She pats my shoulder and smiles weakly.

"It's ok."

I'm glad that she wasn't angry with me because of that outburst. I almost accused her of being a bad daughter.

"Hermione?"

"Yes?"

"Right now, would you rather be with your friends or with your parents?" I ask calmly, trying not to offend her.

She takes away her hand and I feel cold.

"I need to be with my parents. I spent too much time away from them and…"

I hear Hermione sniffing but when I look at her, she doesn't have tears. She is looking at her hands, playing with her thumbs.

"…and…?"

"I need to show to them that I really care and really want to be with them. But I need to be with … my friends too. It's complicated…"

Our conversation just reached 'the point'. The thing her father refused to tell me about. If Hermione doesn't want to tell me, I have to accept that. I decide to take a safe escape.

"I think that, while you're here, you should just focus on your parents. If you're missing your friends so much, just call them and chat for a while."

She chuckles, as if I said something really absurd.

"What?" I ask.

Our conversation is interrupted by a bus arrival. Like every person, we start to look at the people who are getting out, when I spot her. And she spots me too.

"Mr. Luke Keynes!" She says loudly, while walking towards me.

"Hi Annie…" I smile at her. Her good mood never fails.

She stares at me, expectantly and then, rolling her eyes, clears her throat.

"Hello, I'm Annie. I don't know what happened to Luke, but it seems like he forgot that he should introduce people who don't know each other…"

I'm amazed with myself. I don't know how I forgot that etiquette rule. Annie approaches Hermione and shakes her hand.

"Hi, I'm Hermione, nice to meet you." And I almost feel jealous because Annie managed to get a bigger smile from Hermione than me.

"Nice to meet you too. So, you are…friends, family, boyfriend and girlfriend…?" She asks, switching her gaze between the two of us.

I decide to let Hermione answer. I don't think that friendship is something appropriate to call our 72 hours relationship.

"Hmm, we are friends, I suppose…" she looks at me for confirmation and I nod. Somehow, I think that our early conversation settled that. "We leave next to each other."

"Well, if you 'suppose' that you are friends…" Annie says jokingly. " Oh right! Luke, I was kind of looking for you. Apparently, Mark tried to speak to you all afternoon but weren't home. You should have at least twenty calls waiting for you because he started to ask other people to call you. He thought that maybe you were angry with him because of something I didn't really understand about but I think it's-"

"Well, what did he want?" I ask her quickly. This girl can ramble about anything.

"Right! So, Mark's gonna have his house for himself this Friday and he is planning a get together. He invited the usual people, you know: the same people who get invited every time Mark organizes something. Oh, and he said it's dinner too, so you should bring some money. He is thinking about ordering pizza. How original, don't you think?" she says sarcastically.

Hermione is looking at her, smiling politely, but maybe wondering how can a person talks so fast like Annie does. I'm used to it.

"Oh, yeah. Hermione, I'm sure that this invitation is for you too. Luke just has to tell Mark that he is bringing someone."

"I don't suppose I should go. I'll be the girl no one knows. It's strange." She looks at me but I can't tell if she is being polite or if she really doesn't want to go.

"Oh, honestly, there is always someone new. Plus, girls are always fewer than the boys. And don't worry, usually they behave themselves around us…"

"Good Annie, now she's scared." I say.

"…and you don't have to be all dressed up. Really, go with what makes you confortable. Some of us get too confortable and wear pajamas, isn't-"

"Hei! That was once, three years ago and I wasn't conscious! Does everyone need to know about that?" I retort.

Hermione is looking at me with her eyebrows raised.

"Well, better through me than through Mike or any of the boys. What do you think?" She asks, challenging me.

I say nothing and Hermione laughs, asking Annie more details.

"…the thing is, Luke never loses his control. That one time, was history. That's why we make a big deal about it." She says and the two of them start laughing as if I wasn't there.

If she knew… If any of them knew how many times I lost control in this last couple of days. Now that I think about it, I look like a character in love. In literature it's so cliché when a character loses the gravity on earth and starts gravitating around the person he loves, losing the touch with the things he once believed.

In the beginning I thought that it's just some a beautiful way of describing how things occurred. And the few months I had a girlfriend, I never felt myself changing because of her. Honestly, I didn't love her. Neither did she. We only had enough affection for each other for things to work. But with Hermione, I've surprised myself saying and thinking things that I didn't use to do. I'm losing control.

I can't lie. She is pretty. Not only that, she is smart and more mature than more of the 18-year-olds I see around me. If someone asked me if I have any kind of interest in her, I would be laying if I said 'no'. But at the moment, I don't know what kind of interest I'm supposed to have. Should I try to get a date with her or is it too soon?

I have to remember myself that her father told me that I would be a good friend for her. Friend. I can't promise him that things won't lead to another way.

"… Luke will get you there."

"I'll get her where?" I ask Annie, confused.

"I said to Hermione that she doesn't have to worry about Mark's address. She'll go with you."

I look at Hermione, surprised that she is wiling to go. She doesn't look like someone who enjoys parties and get-togethers. And I don't think that people in her school agree with such loss of time, doing nothing besides talking, drinking and eating, when they could use that time to educate themselves.

"Are you sure you want to go?" I ask her.

She looks at me and then, at Annie. Annie smiles to her, reassuring.

"Can I think about it? I'll give you an answer until Thursday, if that's alright…"

"Yeah, don't worry. Well, I've to go. It was nice meeting you, Hermione. Luke, take some pills…"

I chuckle, watching Annie crossing the road, almost getting run over by a motorcycle.

"She is the one who needs pills…" I whisper to Hermione.

She stares at me questioning.

"Don't worry. It's just a joke. We use to say that to each other a lot."

She chuckles to and starts to rise up from the bench. I notice that the lights on the street are turning on; it's almost 8 p.m.

"We should go. My parents must be already at home."

I groan, stretching my arms above my head. Sitting in benches is never confortable.

"Let me help you with this bags, please. It's annoying me a lot seeing you carry them by yourself."

"Excuse me, but I'm used to do things on my own." She says stubbornly, trying to pick everything up at once.

"Well, I'm glad that you're a fan of feminine emancipation, Hermione. But really, unless you have some kind of magical power who gives you the ability to carry this all alone, let me help you, or we'll be getting home really late because someone is struggling with books and bags."

She gets quiet and looks at the bags. Then, without a word, gives me one of them.

"Don't call me feminist. I believe in equality." And walks away leaving me alone, feeling amazed by her response.

I have to walk fast to reach her.

"It didn't look like it. It took you two ours to share the bags with me!"

****F******

This chapter might have more grammatical errors than the previous ones but I really wanted to update this.

Thank you for the reviews. Some of them showed me what I shouldn't forget to get in this story in the future ;).

Don't be shy and if you any question, critic or whatever, leave a review, and I'll be glad to answer.

Until next time :).