Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the intellectual property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of Stephenie Meyer and JK Rowling. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Of Arrivals and Surprises

When he'd asked Edward to invite Hermione to the reception at the MOMA on his behalf, Carlisle was not afraid to say that he had an ulterior motive to that. Carlisle had always had as far as he remembered an unquestionable thirst for knowledge and from the moment he met the curly-haired witch, he knew that Hermione was a very knowledgeable witch. She was one of those people that would be able to give him an insider's look into a world that he would probably forever be refused access to. Carlisle was overly curious of the Wizarding World and he knew that Edward would feel the same.

He also wanted to distract the latter from his depressing thoughts. Edward had not been the same ever since he'd met Isabella Swan and after he left her there in Forks. He was the most pained by his son's plight. Edward had decided that he could not be with Bella because of what he was and the danger it presented. Edward had always been the one that resented their condition the most. Carlisle sometimes felt that he had been selfish or foolish to change him when Edward's mother had asked him to save him and Edward felt that he'd somehow been punished and forever cursed to exist and not live.

Bella Swan had forever changed Edward's perspectives however and Carlisle had been the first to be happy about that change in Edward. All had changed on that fateful birthday at his house and Jasper still felt responsible for Edward's sadness and despair.

When he invited Hermione to the reception, he had not believed that Edward would have been that interested in the young witch. Not that he thought of Hermione as ugly. In another lifetime, Carlisle might even have considered Hermione as a possible mate. He considered her as an intellectual equal and that was quite a feat when he considered that Hermione was only in her mid-twenties compared to his nearly four centuries of existence. Esme was his kindred spirit and that was written in stone for eternity. However, as Carlisle watched Edward be enraptured with Hermione, he could see the potential of the pairing. Hermione could, even more than Bella, be Edward's mate.

As he watched his son's attention be captured by the witch, Carlisle remarked that Hermione's blood did not even smell appetizing to vampires. It might have been that the novelty to Edward of being able to converse with a witch for the first time was what had managed to keep his attention. Edward had told him during the reception that he was unable to read Hermione's mind. That might have also been a reason behind Edward's curiosity about the witch.

Sometimes, Carlisle thought that had he been allowed to remain a human and become a proud father, he was certain that he would have had a son like Edward. An overly curious boy. Edward, whether he liked it or not, was an overly curious boy. When he was unable for the first time to read Bella's mind, his curiosity had been piqued. And, when he realised that he was unable to read Hermione's mind, his innate curiosity was awakened. Add in the fact that Hermione had a thirst for knowledge and was very curious about their style of 'living and eating habits', it was not difficult to understand why they hit it off so easily that night.

Carlisle was however surprised to realise that Edward would not be coming back to their spacious loft after he was supposed to drop off Hermione. Even if he knew it was a possibility, as Edward's actions were often unpredictable, Carlisle thought that Edward spending the night with Hermione might be too much coming from his well-mannered son. But he was mistaken. Edward did spend the night, as well as a good part of the following morning, with Hermione but he left her as soon as he received the call from Rosalie.

He only heard later from Edward and Hermione herself, that Edward had asked the witch to marry him and that Hermione would have formally become a member of his family, had Edward not made a new rash decision. Edward had been broken when he thought that Bella had killed herself over him. Carlisle understood completely that Edward thought Hermione would be strong enough without him. True, Hermione had been very strong. As strong-willed as he knew she was when Carlisle first saw her.

Carlisle had gone to check on Hermione the day following Edward's flight to Volterra. He did not exactly know what he had expected to see but to see Hermione busily preparing herself for work was surely not expected.

"I understand Carlisle. Sadly, I do understand what Edward felt. However, it won't change a thing if I let myself wallow in self-pity because of one guy. I have an important mission to accomplish now and I'll commit myself to it. Yes, I've been hurt to see that Edward did not have the courage to tell me that he won't stay because he loved his girlfriend more. But, it doesn't matter. I am a stubborn, independent, know-it-all, bookworm and I'm very proud of it. I'll be all right, may be not today nor tomorrow but I'll be all right."

When Hermione had tried to contact Edward one week after he left her on the eighteenth of March and that Edward had guiltily ignored the call, Carlisle suspected that there was something important. He told Edward as much but Edward felt somewhat ashamed of what had happened and of the way, he had left. He also did not want Bella to know that he had been 'unfaithful' to her. As Carlisle wanted to know what Hermione wanted to tell Edward, he called her. But, Hermione did not tell him what she wanted but said that she needed to talk to Edward who simply shook his head in reply having clearly heard the conversation with his super hearing.

Therefore, Carlisle again decided to go check on Hermione. He knew that Alice had seen his decision as it was his pixie-like daughter that booked the first flight from Seattle to New York that same day. Edward seemed like he wanted to discourage him from going but decided against it. Despite what Edward wanted, that his 'mistake' stay in the dark, Edward understood that Carlisle still desired Hermione's friendship. He understood that Carlisle valued Hermione's genuine friendship, not just as a means to satisfy his curiosity. It was rare for vampires to have acquaintances outside of their own community, rarer with the human community and even rarest with the Wizarding one.

When Carlisle had knocked on Hermione's door later in the evening that day, he heard a lot more noise behind the door than one extremely clumsy person could make and deduced therefore that Hermione was not alone in her apartment. He heard a gasp as someone stood behind the door and peaked through the peephole. Let it be known that Carlisle Cullen had never been more surprised in his existence as a vampire than the moment when he had a wand pointing at his nose after the door was thrown open. He even went cross-eyed as he eyed the menacing length of wood near his nose.

"Lower that thing please, Ginny. You do remember that we're in a Muggle building and the Statute of Secrecy still stands this side of the Atlantic." He heard Hermione tiredly say.

"But, Mione. He …" The fiery redhead began but was interrupted.

"Don't 'Mione' me now, Ginny!" Hermione retorted.

"How can you take the defence of that thing after all that he's done to you." A bespectacled man of the same age as Hermione said. He had chaotically messy, inky-black hair and a lightning-shaped scar on the forehead. He was sitting on the couch next to Hermione. "You're hurting because of him and now, after you call us for help, you come to his defence."

"I say we burn his sparkly arse right here. No one will know a thing." Another young man said. He was physically well built but Carlisle could sense that he had once been slightly overweight.

"Neville! Not you, also?" Hermione said.

"Well, I'm not sorry Hermione but he's a vampire and he knows where you live." Neville answered still staring at Carlisle.

"Yeah, Neville has a point. You said you had a one-night stand with a good-looking vampire," Ginny supplied. "Sure, there's no such thing as a bad-looking one either." Ginny added quickly when she saw Hermione roll her eyes and Carlisle could not help but chuckle. "And this one knows where to exactly find you. Ergo, he's the one that has put you in the situation you find yourself." He earned nasty looks from Ginny, Neville, the black-haired man, and the redhead that had yet to say a word.

Even though, Carlisle found the situation highly amusing, he needed to know what was causing all this drama.

There was also a dirty-blond haired girl sitting cross-legged on the thick rug who had only turned to look at him before going back to read a magazine laid upside-down apparently on the coffee table in front of her.

"How about we let Hermione or him simply explain before making rash decisions. Some of us should refrain from being as wand-happy as they seem considering their jobs." The blonde-haired woman said in a dreamy voice not lifting her eyes from the magazine.

"Exactly," Hermione said rubbing her temples. "Let's start with the introductions, shall we?" She said amiably.

It was only then that Ginny lowered her wand and moved aside to allow him entry into the suite. He cautiously moved nearer to Hermione before saying, "Good evening, everyone".

"Carlisle, I'd like you to meet my best friends. Harry Potter," the bespectacled man, "Ron Weasley," the lanky red-haired man whom was sill giving him nasty looks. "Neville Longbottom," the well-built one, "Ginny Potter, Harry's wife and Ron's sister," Ginny sniffed at the introduction. "And Luna Lovegood, soon-to-be a Scamander," the blond girl lifted her head in acknowledgement before carefully marking her page in the magazine and closing it now giving everyone her full attention.

"Everyone, I'd like you to meet Carlisle Cullen," Hermione said before adding quickly, "he's Edward's father."

"WHAT?" Harry, Neville, Ginny, and Ron chorused while Luna just smiled at him.

"It is because of you and your son that Hermione's got some spawn of hell tearing her up from the inside." Harry said a deadly cold voice.

"What does he mean? What spawn is tearing you up, Hermione?" Carlisle asked perplexed.

All interrogations were cleared when Hermione slowly lifted the plaid blanket that had been covering her lower body. The already prominent bump on her belly told him everything but he was still flummoxed. It was impossible, right.

"Sounds pretty clear to me," Ron answered. "The Brightest Witch of the Age," Ron began in a mocking tone, "just got herself knocked up by the only vampire this side of the Pond that doesn't shoot blanks with his ice-cold lolly! That is rather evident, don't you think?"

There was a collective snort at Ron's rather crass wording choice and caustic tone while Hermione sighed. Carlisle sat by Hermione as he regarded her bump. Even if Ron's words made sense, it still wasn't possible. Vampires could not have children, they weren't meant to give life when they were essentially themselves already dead. It was naturally impossible. But, there it was the evidence right in front of his eyes. He lifted his eyes to Hermione who whispered to him almost inaudibly but he heard her clearly with his superior hearing.

"I will keep him." She was determined and Carlisle knew that whatever happened he had a bigger problem on his hands. How much time would Hermione be able to carry Edward's child.

He learned that Harry had called for one of their most trusted doctors, someone that had tended to their injuries when they were at their boarding school. If he thought the witch healer, Madam Pomfrey, unfit for the situation, he had quickly changed his mind. The stern matron after having intimidatingly stared at Hermione checked her vitals and proclaimed that despite the rather unusual circumstances, the pregnancy was going well even if it would be shorter than normal.

"Wonders will never cease with the likes of you," Madam Pomfrey said before surprising him, "I must say this but your son must have very strong genes if despite the venom, he is able to conceive a child with a powerful witch like Miss Granger to boot. Magic being unpredictable, it is very rare for species to 'cross-breed' and when it involves two powerful magical partners like a vampire and a witch, it is nearly impossible for the pregnancy to go to terms." Carlisle chuckled at Hermione's mortification and her pale complexion had gone beetroot red by then. "I won't be able to check on Miss Granger's condition as often as I wish as I'll have to get back to work. However, as I've said, this pregnancy will be very short and from the development of the foetus, I can conclude that she should go into labour in no more than three weeks' time. Anything more would be dangerous for both mother and child if not fatal."

"There is still the option of terminating the pregnancy, Madam Pomfrey?" Harry asked.

"Yes, there is but you know as well as I, Harry Potter, that an abortion is unlawful and heavily frowned upon where it concerns magical conceptions!" Madam Pomfrey answered.

"Hermione can still report in one of those Muggle clinics to have the job done anyway," Harry retorted. "If this pregnancy poses a threat to her life, she should not be allowed to carry on with it."

"I do believe Harry that it will be my decision that matters and in this case I'll need your support because I want to give birth to my baby." Hermione answered evenly.

"You can't be serious? Have you looked at yourself? You look like you've been drained of your energy and you're staying alone with no one to help you. How do you even think you can carry on with this even if it is only for three more weeks?" Harry was shaking in anger.

"Because Hermione knows she can count on us. Just like we know, we can count on her in times of need, Harry!" Luna parried with a surprising glare to Harry for Carlisle who'd only seen her calm façade and thought of her as some ultimate Zen attitude adept.

Seven months and two weeks after his birth on the fifteenth of April, Tony still experienced rapid growth and even though he was seven and a half months old, he could look like any other normal boy of three years old. He was a lively, sweet, little ball of energy. Carlisle recognized in Tony many traits inherited from Edward. He had the high cheekbones, the straight nose, the strong jawline, as well as the full lips. Tony also had the striking green eyes of Edward when the latter was human. His hair was a perfect mix of his parents with cute curly reddish-brown locks that Hermione said that she would have loved to have when small instead of her frizz. However, what Carlisle recognized as a trait that had been passed from both parents was Tony's innate curiosity and intelligence. Overall, Carlisle was a very proud grandfather.

However, any good souvenir of his grandson could not stop Carlisle Cullen from being in a very bad mood. He could not help it and he knew that his family, aided by the gift of his empath son, had already noticed his bad mood. But, there wasn't a thing that could change that right now. Actually, indeed something could cheer him up. But, with his family getting suspicious, he would not be able to explain his rather frequent out-of-state work trips. Edward had been unable to pick up anything from his thoughts and that in itself was still a miracle.

Having been around Edward for nearly a century, Carlisle had managed to hide some of his thoughts from the telepath but he knew that there would come a time that Edward would know of what had happened. If it was not by Edward that the truth would be revealed then it certainly might be done by Alice's doing. That the seer vampire was unable to see the decisions that he had made in regards of them was baffling. He hadn't taken any risks when it regarded his choices. He'd deliberately gone near the wolf territory to blindfold Alice's gift. Moreover, luckily, their abilities were able to block Alice from seeing whatever decision he'd make regarding them.

But, they were his family as well and he missed them so much.

He had been making as many frequent trips to New York City as often as he could allow himself to but it did not change the fact that Carlisle Cullen believed that an essential part of his family was kept apart because of Bella Swan. He did not mean to do it but he knew that he'd been giving Bella the cold shoulder ever since Edward, Alice, and she had come back from Volterra. It was difficult for him not to resent the human girl's presence in his son's nonlife when Hermione and Tony lived at the other end of the country. He was thankful that Hermione had still decided to stay in the country even after Edward's latest stunt. However, Carlisle knew that his relief would be short-lived.

Ever since she had employed that annoying but still well-meaning house-elf, Winky, Hermione had been able to make quick progress in her temporary work. She would soon be wrapping up her assignment and then she would be going to England. That would mean that Carlisle would not be able to see Tony as much as he would like. If not, at all.

Witches and wizards were even more tight-lipped than the community of vampires was. Vampires very rarely met witches or wizards; the magical community was mostly the one that would approach them if they felt the need to. In his long four centuries of existence, he could count on the fingers of his two hands the number of witches and wizards that he'd met. Hermione had been one of only three members of that same magical community who did not try to burn him on the spot.

As far as he knew, witches and wizards did not interfere in vampire business and despite his old friend Aro's keen interest in the affairs of the Wizarding world; vampires were very much unwelcomed there. As Aro had once told him, "The wizards are authorised to kill on sight any vampires they cross paths with. When they decided to hide their community at the end of the seventeenth century, it was as if all magical creatures that we could once feast on had completely disappeared. We, the vampires, have always been unlucky with witches and wizards as none could be changed. It isn't lack of trying but whenever an attack was made and a wizard was bitten, their fellows would come destroy the vampire and properly kill the bitten amongst them."

Carlisle knew that Aro would go to great lengths to subdue a witch or wizard and with a witch as powerful as Hermione, he would have been ecstatic. Hermione would have made an exceptional vampire and even Carlisle knew that. In addition, what Aro would not do to get his hands on Tony? Securing Anthony Thomas Cullen or Tony as he was affectionately called, into the ranks of the Volturi would probably make Aro skip around the world and back again. The son of a powerful witch and of a talented vampire that he'd been insisting on recruiting for a long time would be more than what Aro could ever dream of. But, Carlisle would never let that happen. That was why Tony's existence was kept a secret that he had not even divulged to his son, Edward, the father.

Therefore, when unexpectedly, he heard the characteristic pop signalling someone Apparating in front of his house, he'd been given somewhat of a crash-course on some of the weird Wizarding terms, he was very much surprised. He was in his office and for once, Bella was staying at her place. He heard the unmistakable voice of Hermione asking, "Where are we, Harry?" He rushed out of his office into the living room where the rest of his family was congregated.

He noticed Edward's eyes widen when he too recognised the voice of Hermione but he did not care. If Harry had brought Hermione here, it could only mean trouble. He sent a quick prayer to all angels to keep his darling little Tony safe before he almost pulled the door completely off its hinges in his rush to check on Hermione and inquire on the reason that had brought the two of them to Forks.

"Hermione? You came?" Carlisle asked without preamble.

"Carlisle?" She sounded shocked to see him. "Yes, I came!" She answered with a large smile before the smile faded quickly. "What do you mean? Where did you take me to Harry Potter? I thought you said you'd be taking us to a safe house?" Hermione asked as she rounded on the black-haired young man.

"Well, this is your safe house, Hermione. As no one knows of your rather unusual circumstances, other than our most trusted friends and parents, they won't come looking for you here." Harry answered as he first noticed his family standing behind him.

"Fair enough, but where are we, then?" Hermione asked turning to look at Carlisle and now seeing the rest of his family over his shoulders.

"In Forks, Washington. At my house." Carlisle answered but he knew that Hermione had finally understood where she was as her eyes landed on Edward.

"Oh!" she exclaimed.

Author note:

This was initially written as a little single piece. I've decided however to turn this story also into a chaptered one although it might possibly be a small one.

When I imagined the story (see the first chapter), I had wanted to end as it is. But, all things considered, I saw that the story definitely had some potential and I was not going to it go like that.

So, after taking into consideration everything and debating long hours with myself, I've been able to find a suitable storyline to make this a multi-chaptered story. I know that I'm probably biting into more than I can chew but as long as the reader like the story, I'm good.

Thus, I'll end this by wishing to every one of you a great day and as always, take care of yourselves.

Love,

Ludo.