The Elders

Billy had extended an invitation to Hermione - via Jacob, who was waylaid into guard duty by Sam, who grudgingly went and told the witch to show up for the meeting - to go to La Push and meet the Elders of the Quileute tribe. Sam was - as always - cantankerous and petulant when delivering the message making the invite a demand rather than a request. Despite Sam's lack of social skills, Hermione was looking forward to her visit.

Since the Cullen family wasn't allowed to set foot on the reservation, Hermione had found it necessary to find an alternate mode of travel to the reservation. Having never been there, the witch couldn't simply apparate to La Push. Thankfully Bella had volunteered to drive her to her meeting.

Hermione knocked on the front door to the Swan home at exactly 9 AM. It was a modest two story building that looked like every other house on the block. The witch grinned at the sight. Apparently England wasn't the only place that had tract housing.

The door opened and instead of the small brunette the witch had been expecting, Hermione was granted a vision of masculinity that she found delightful. The police chief was wearing faded denims, a white t-shirt and an open flannel shirt over the ensemble. Charlie looked stunned to see the woman, "Miss Granger?"

"I thought we made it past the formalities, Charlie." Hermione mock pouted up at the man, which didn't hide the humor in her eyes as she teased him, "You were doing so well at lunch. I hope you haven't changed your mind about me?"

"Sorry, Hermione. You took me by surprise. I didn't expect to see you on my doorstep." Charlie grinned sheepishly, "Please, come in. Can I get you something to drink?"

Hermione had stepped into the living room and was about to answer when Bella bustled into the room while throwing on a light jacket. The woman hadn't made it very far into the house as Charlie closed the front door, causing them to stand rather close to each other. Bella came to an abrupt stop and stared at the pair. Hermione simply raised an eyebrow at the girl and chose to tease the teen by turning back to the man and laying her hand on his forearm while answering him. "You're such a gentleman."

Bella practically growled, "No time for chit chat, Charlie. We have to go."

"What?" Charlie frowned at the two females. "Did I miss something?"

"Not at all," Hermione laughed softly, her hand that had been resting on Charlie's arm slid upwards and she straightened his collar. She was thoroughly enjoying the little 'ew' faces the chief's daughter made. "Bella has graciously offered to show me around La Push. Billy has managed to set up a meeting for me with the Elders."

Charlie's eyebrows shot up at that tidbit of information, surprisingly not distancing himself from Hermione. His eyebrows soon drew together as he connected the dots to his conclusion, his gaze never leaving the witch's dancing eyes, "Billy had called off today's fishing trip so he could attend a meeting with the Elders. He said they're interviewing a healer that may take up a temporary post while Doc Melody is on maternity leave."

Hermione bit her lip. She hadn't been told that a cover story would be necessary. At least she didn't have to lie to the man… not entirely. Hermione went with it, "That healer would be me."

"You're not old enough to have a degree, let alone be a board certified doctor." Charlie's eyes searched her face and Hermione beamed up at him.

"That's kind of you to say," Hermione assured him, "In the UK we graduate at age seventeen. Three years as an undergraduate, four years at Cambridge with the last two years working rounds and weekend shifts towards my residency. I'm already certified as - what you in the US call - a physician assistant. I have two more years of residency before I can be board certified."

"But you're so young."

Hermione leaned closer to the man, "I'm twenty-six, Charlie. I'm plenty old enough."

Bella gaped at the two gesturing wildly at Hermione, but Charlie didn't seem to notice her because he was too busy staring at Hermione. "So you'll stay around for a while?"

"I haven't decided when I'm leaving yet," Hermione admitted with a small shrug. "I haven't had a look at the facility, nor have I spoken with the Quileute Elders. There's always the possibility that we're not a good fit, but I'm quite convinced we're compatible. I'm only on holiday, but I could easily extend it to a sabbatical giving their current doctor time to heal. I imagine the right incentive could make the decision to stay easier."

The witch shot a look at Bella who snapped her mouth closed and waved off her father, "We don't want to be late. Wouldn't look good for Hermione to be late to her interview."

Charlie cleared his throat at the interruption and did his best to hide his amusement from Bella. His daughter wasn't subtle in her attempt to separate the two. Apparently Charlie had seen his daughter's frantic waving after all. The Chief gave the witch a conspiratorial wink, "Right. Good luck." He opened the front door for the two females. Charlie took hold of Hermione's hand before she moved away and gave it a small squeeze. His voice dropped an octave when he said, "It was a pleasure seeing you again, Hermione."

"I hope this isn't the last time we meet." Hermione stepped outside followed by Bella.

Bella couldn't stop herself; she hissed under her breath at the witch, "That's my father."

They had made it a few steps before the witch glanced over her shoulder at the police chief. He had a huge grin and his shoulders were shaking from the laughter. Hermione beamed at him, "Don't forget, Charlie. You owe me a cup of tea."

Bella groaned and tugged the witch away from the house, "Gross."

"There's nothing wrong with innocent flirting."

"Is that what you call it? Innocent?" Bella scowled as they got into her truck. "I think Charlie must have gone three shades of red. You're shameless."

"He's a grown man with a grown man's needs." Hermione laughed when Bella groaned again, "You make teasing you much too easy."

"Taha Aki's descendants no longer turned to wolves when they reached manhood. It was only when a cold one was near would the pack return. The cold ones always came in low numbers, one or two, so the pack stayed small, for 3 wolves could easily beset them. This held true for many years until a larger coven came and settled in the area.

"The leader of the coven spoke with the Spirit Chief, Ephraim Black, as if he were a mere man and not a cold one. He promised not to harm the Quileutes, nor infringe on our lands. His strange yellow eyes gave proof of his words, and a treaty was offered to the tribe. Ephraim wisely accepted the terms and it has held thus far." Billy's deep timber trailed off and Hermione found herself taking a deep breath as if she had been holding it for the duration of the tale.

The witch's head was reeling from so much information and could feel the questions burning inside her begging to come out. Billy smiled at the young woman and gave a small nod before Hermione asked her first, "While Black isn't an uncommon surname, I'm guessing you're directly related to Ephraim Black. Which makes sense really, seeing how Jacob is a shapeshifter, but if he is directly descended to Ephraim, why isn't he the Alpha?"

Jacob grimaced visibly before turning away. Hermione nearly retracted the question - thinking it may be considered pack business - when Sam responded. His voice was an unusual monotone compared to his perpetually angry snapping when speaking to the witch, "I phased first."

Hermione simply nodded because truth be told, the response didn't make sense to her, but she wasn't part of the pack and its dynamics were none of her concern, even if she was overly curious. If the pack was pleased with its hierarchy, then it wasn't her place to reestablish the ranks. She turned her attention back to Billy and glanced at the wheel chair he sat in, "I'm also guessing that no… cold ones came during your generation."

"That's right," Billy gripped the arm of his wheelchair and frowned, "I lost one of my best friends to a boating accident. I lost my mobility due to diabetes. These things would have been avoided had we shifted and gained their benefits.

"Don't misunderstand me, I don't regret my life. I enjoyed the peace I was allowed, as did my father before me. I only wish my son could have peace to find love and grow old, but that is not to be. There are things in life that are simply out of our control: such as phasing into a wolf, imprinting or becoming a witch or wizard."

Hermione smiled at the mention of her learning about being a witch, but it faded to confusion as Billy's words sunk in, "I'm sorry… imprinting? What's that?"

Billy cleared his throat and glanced at the members of the pack that had joined them for the meeting. Sam was growling low in his chest. Leah stiffened and glared at Sam. Others had various reactions: awkwardness, nervousness, sadness or simple acceptance. Hermione bit her bottom lip and waved it off, "Sorry if I asked too personal a question. Obviously I don't need to hear all of the pack's secrets."

Jacob ran his fingers through his black hair and corrected her, "It isn't a complete secret. The leeches," the boy smirked in amusement when both the witch and Bella huffed at him, "know about imprinting.

"Every wolf has a mate. Werewolves, shape shifters, true wolves… they all have one. I don't know about werewolves and wolves or how they pick their mate: by scent or just some primal knowledge. But shape shifters - and wasn't that a kick in the teeth to find out we aren't really werewolves, like we thought - well, we imprint.

"It's more than a movie's version of love at first sight. It's more like… gravity shifts… suddenly. When your eyes meet, it's not the earth holding you here anymore, she does… Your sole purpose in life is her. You become whatever she needs you to be, whether that's a protector, or a lover, or a friend."

"Does the…"

"Imprintee…"

"Imprintee?" Hermione wrinkled her nose, "That's not a real word." She sighed when Jacob simply shrugged, "Fine… does the imprintee always return these feelings?"

The entire pack grew quiet on that question. Once again, Hermione realized a beat too late that she had tread in some very uncomfortable waters. Leah sighed heavily and responded - through gritted teeth - ignoring the growl from her Alpha, "Yes, eventually. It's happened before where the imprintee tried to reject the wolf, but eventually - either through stubborn stalker persistence or the draw of the 'need to be with the other half of your soul' - the couple ends up together."

"Intriguing," Hermione canted her head and stared off for a moment as she thought aloud, "There're rumors of such things in the wizarding world. Soul mates… bond mates… they are not an uncommon topic of legends and fictitious tales. Only they exist, they're… real…. how utterly fascinating."

Hermione turned her attention back to the only elder that had deemed to speak with her so far and asked, "So now that you've indulged me with stories, am I to be interrogated?"

While the other Elders shuffled in their seats, Billy grinned, "Interviewed, yes."

"Interviewed?" Hermione peered at Billy, "That's the same word Charlie used."

Billy's eyes narrowed, "What about Charlie?"

"Oh, nothing sinister," She waved off his concern, "When I stopped by at the Swan home this morning I spoke with the man. He mentioned you were unavailable to go fishing today because you had to interview a potential Healer replacement." Hermione shook her head, "I didn't correct his assumption on the true purpose of this meeting."

"And what do perceive the true purpose of this meeting is?" Billy asked the witch.

"As I said… I was lead to believe this would be an interrogation." Hermione's eyes flicked to the Alpha and back to Billy, "I was told my intentions were being questioned."

Someone in the pack growled deeply. Hermione glanced again at Sam, but it wasn't him since he looked somewhat surprised at the reaction. Billy spoke over the noise and asked, "Would you answer a few questions?"

"Perhaps," Hermione responded honestly, "If I believe them to be too personal, I may refuse."

Billy and a few other Elders nodded in understanding. Hermione sat back and looked around the circular room at the various people gathered. She bit back a sigh when the frowning, hostile Elder - Frank, if Hermione remembered correctly - spoke first, "What is your business here?"

Hermione kept her features neutral, but immediately glanced over to Paul. It almost amused the witch to note just where the shape shifter got his temper from. The woman was pleased to note the teen dropped his head into the palm of his hands. It was as if he was anticipating her response and knew things would get ugly before it got better. With the younger man in mind, Hermione toyed with his father, pushing at buttons simply to gain a reaction. "I was invited by the Quileute Council to speak with the Elders."

Frank's eyes narrowed and the witch fought not to grin when Paul groaned. The Elder barked out, "You know full well I meant in Forks. Why are you here?"

She sat up straighter at his rude clipped tone. Dealing with Sam was one thing, Paul another, but that was a new height of insolence and Frank bordered on Malfoy arrogance, which was saying something. Hermione refused to back down. Her back stiffened, her shoulders drew back and she looked at him with narrowed eyes. Her accent was clipped and her words precise, "Indeed. I did know what you meant when you uttered your first poorly phrased question.

"Need I remind you, that you are an Elder of the Quileute Council and as such, what goes on in Forks is beyond your jurisdiction? That said, my business there is none of your concern.

"But," Hermione continued in order to cut off the retort that Frank began to sputter, "I will deign to answer regardless of how rudely the question was asked. It is a valid concern for the council when any stranger is within the midst of your youth, especially these boys for they are your only defense against the 'cold ones'.

"That said. I came to Forks to aid my cousin in the upcoming battle with the Seattle newborn vampire army. I can't very well leave her and her family to their own fate without at least trying to minimize any casualties. I was raised better than that. She is family after all."

"So you're really related to Alice?" Bella blurted out the question and all heads turned in her direction. The girl blushed profusely when she realized she spoke aloud during the meeting and apparently was trying to will the chair she was sitting on to swallow her whole.

"Yes," Hermione was a bit thrown from the sudden diversion from the previous conversation. They had come so close to an all-out verbal war only to be waylaid by Bella. "Alice is… was… she's my great, great grandmother's great niece."

"Charlie Swan wasn't wrong," the only Elder woman spoke up, interrupting the talk of family history and getting the conversation back on track. "We do need a healer to replace our current physician. She's highly pregnant and we need someone to run the clinic. Our tribe had been going to Forks General until the Cullen coven arrived. Once their sire started working there, we boycotted the facility."

"You boycotted the hospital, because of Carlisle?" Hermione frowned and pursed her lips in disapproval, "That was rather short sighted of your tribe. You've allowed your prejudice to override your tribe's need and kept them away from one of the only facilities that can treat your people in an emergency."

Frank stiffened and opened his mouth as if to go off on another of his tirades, "That's not-"

"Please don't insult my intelligence," Hermione cut the man off again in an attempt to stave off his venomous words. "That's exactly what you've done and now you have need of me to cover for your pregnant healer who will most likely not come back once she has given birth."

"You don't know-"

"Don't be ridiculous." Hermione waved her hand with a rude dismissal, "You know nothing of me or my past. If your healer comes back at all, it will be a year or so from the time of birth. I work in a hospital, it happens all the time, even with witches who can heal fully within days.

"Yet there is something I'm missing. As I stated, you're in need of a healer. What I haven't pieced together yet, is why you've set your sights on me."

Apparently Frank had had enough and stood up in a snit, "We don't need you!"

"Excellent, so I'm free to go." Hermione glared at Frank, stood and flicked her wrist. Her wand was instantly in hand, "Come along, Bella. It's time to leave the narrowed minded Tribe Council to their destruction."

The girl was unsure what to do and looked with pleading eyes towards Jacob and Billy.

"Now see here," Frank simply refused to keep his tongue and lashed out about vampires, silly women who thought themselves above their station and pretty much anything that he could rant about. Sue huffed in indignation, apparently quite offended by Hermione's assumption that she was prejudiced. Some members of the pack were growing restless when the shouting started. Hermione simply watched quietly as the Elders argued.

"Enough," 'Old Quil' the eldest of the council stopped the conversations in the room with a single word that was spoken in a low gravelly growl. "Miss Granger, I'm sure you have your reasons for your stand on vampires, especially since you are related to one. After hearing our tribe's history, I'm sure you can understand why our people feel the way we do about the cold ones."

"I don't begrudge your tribe from being leery of vampires in general. The vampires I've encountered during battle were ruthless, cold blooded killers. Yet there are always exceptions. Sanguini visited a school filled with human children and remained civil throughout his time in the castle. No blood was spilled; no one was killed or bitten. And we all know my cousin and her family who do their best to respect human life and feed purely on animals." Hermione was curious to where Quil was going with his input to the conversation. "I do, on the other hand, have trouble with narrow minded prejudices. They turn on an entire race or species, ignoring any exceptions."

"Please," Old Quil gestured for her to take a seat. Hermione took a calming breath and sat gracefully in the chair. "The purpose of your visit is not to sway your feelings about your family member or her kind. You are an anomaly in our area. While we are aware of magic and those who wield it, they tend to stay to themselves."

"It's out of necessity." Hermione elaborated, "We have to live by our laws and one is the statue of secrecy. Those that do not know of magic are to remain unknowing to keep us safe from those who would wish us harm."

Old Quil frowned at the young woman, "The young ones say you're on vacation. They informed us that you intend to go home sometime after the battle."

"Yes." Hermione agreed.

"That's a shame." The Elder stated, but didn't elaborate immediately; he appeared to be lost in thought for a moment before asking, "Is there anything we could offer to change your mind?"

Old Quil's response took her by surprise. Hermione attempted to speak twice before she finally managed a small, "I'm confused. You want me to stay?"

The old man gave a wearied nod, but surprised her further when he clarified the request, "Not just to stay in Forks, we would like you to stay here in La Push. It would be good to have magic on our lands again."

"You have magic," Hermione pointed out by gesturing towards the pack members. "It's everywhere on the reservation. I felt it when I arrived on your lands. Even Forks has a faint aura due to the influences of both the pack and the coven."

"Yes, but to have a witch here would have a positive effect on the land and on its people… our people." Old Quil continued, "We had our shamans - healers - but the profession died out over the years. The gifted ones moved off the reservation to go to the magic schools and didn't come back."

"It's rare for witches and wizards to live and work among muggles - non-magical people - once they've lived in the wizarding world. I can understand the struggle. I was born to a muggle couple, so I was raised among them. I was told at age eleven that I am a witch. Once I was in the magical world, going back to my parents' home for holidays was awkward.

"To suddenly curb our true nature is challenging." Hermione saw a plethora of confused looks and elaborated, "On an average morning: you wake up to an electric alarm clock, make breakfast on a gas cooker, after you bathe you'd dry off with a towel, perhaps use a blower dryer on your hair.

"Now let's compare that to how I start my day: I wake to a magical alarm," Without a word, Hermione flicked her wrist to release her wand into her hand, catching the attention of the entire room. She then quietly set an alarm for three minutes and continued speaking, "I can have my breakfast made by a house elf if I had one or simply speed things up since I don't." The witch conjured a small table, then a tea kettle and set it on the table before filling it with water. Hermione warmed the water until the kettle whistled. "I don't have tea leaves with me, but I'm sure you understand my meaning.

"Do be careful, that is hot." Hermione warned Seth as he had tentatively reached out to touch the kettle. The witch smiled patiently when he hissed in pain, "I did warn you."

Hermione took the boy's hand in hers and set a cooling charm onto his fingertips. Seth's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Thanks!"

"You're welcome. Now after breakfast I'd bathe, but instead of a towel I'd use drying charms." The witch looked questioningly at Seth who grinned widely and nodded. With a mischievous grin, Hermione doused Seth with a quick aguamenti, causing the shape shifter to sputter and laugh at the chilling water, but when he tried to shake the water off she quickly immobilized him and dried him using only her magic. As Hermione released the teen, she reprimanded him. "You agreed to help my demonstration, the others did not."

Seth gave her a sheepish grin and it was at that point that her wand began vibrating while letting off a rhythmic burst of short whistles. "My alarm," Hermione ended the alarm and returned her focus to the others in order to finish her explanation, "I work in a wizarding hospital where I use magic daily for hours on end. Not just for diagnostic purposes, but - as you just witnessed - also to treat my patience.

"Your boys have to hide who and what they are from the majority of the town's people. By asking me to stay in La Push, you're asking me to do the same." Hermione sighed softly, "I cannot, I will not, deny who and what I am. I fought in a civil war at the age of seventeen with and against magical beings of all sorts. We fought for our right to exist."

She strolled down the hallway. Hermione was making her way down a corridor to meet with the tribe healer. The witch tried to ignore her feeling of unease, but the extremely tall, teenager towering over her kept shooting her curious glances. Hermione was feeling downright twitchy.

"Doc Melody is close." Embry stopped walking, closed his eyes and slowed his breathing as he listened. His hand rose slowly and he pointed down the hall they just came down, "She's in a room… writing… alone…" The shape shifter's eyes snapped open, "Her office, three doors down on the left."

"How…"

"I smelled her perfume when we passed."

"So what was with the closing your eyes and the pointing and…"

"Makes it look more dramatic and magicky." Embry grinned and wiggled his fingers at her when he said 'magicky'.

"Oh you!" Hermione laughed and smacked his arm. "Come on." She was still chuckling when she playfully bumped her shoulder into his arm, "Magicky isn't a word."

"Maybe not in English…"

"Definitely not in English," Hermione teased back, "perhaps in 'American'?"

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course you can. We're friends, Embry," Hermione stopped walking to face the teen when he frowned and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Embry leaned against the wall to face her, but still not looking at her as if his feet held his answers. "I was just thinking on something you said at the meeting with the Elders."

"I said many things in that meeting." Hermione leaned against the opposite wall facing the teen and sighed softly, wrapping her arms around her middle "More than I should have."

"Nah," The shape shifter finally looked at her and shook his head, "You said some things that have been bugging me and I never dared to ask why. More like I can't ask. Some things just… are. Like boycotting the hospital… I'm not a huge fan of the blood suckers-"

"Embry!"

"-but the Cullen clan has never done anything to us." Embry continued as if she had never attempted to reprimand him, "They've kept their promises… for now. Things are going to get ugly when Bella marries him and he turns her…"

"I've heard." Hermione prompted, "So what did you want to ask me?"

Embry's eyes swept the hallway and came back to her. He looked anxious, but determined. The shape shifter took deep breath before asking, "Are you… dating… anyone?"

Hermione looked at the boy in front of her. The pair stared each other down, brown eyes clashing with brown. He was at least thirty centimeters taller than her with darker brown eyes and short brown hair, nearly black. For someone so young, he was quite good looking and muscular. There was an air of maturity around him that drew her to him. It was an aura that Hermione was intimately familiar with seeing how she too was forced to grow up too soon.

Only Embry was still a teen ager, still in school and she was an adult, a healer. But he just asked…

No. He's just a boy.

The witch decided not to lie. Didn't believe she could lie to him even if she tried. She took a calming breath and broke eye contact. Hermione dropped her gaze to the tiles at her feet, "No."

Embry pushed away from the wall and took a step towards her. "Would-"

Hermione saw the movement and raised her hand to stop him, "I don't know what you're thinking, but… no. We… we can't…" She tried again when he moved closer which caused her hand to rest on his chest. His heart was racing under her palm, but she was determined to make him understand. "Embry, you're a fine young man and one day you'll meet a girl that will return your feelings… who can make you happy." Hermione sighed softly when she noted the hurt look on the teen's face, "You'll grow old together, have kids, get fat and live happily ever after."

"I'm not interested in some girl." Embry countered. He held her hand to his chest, wrapping his fingers over hers. "And I won't always be this young."

"I'm twenty-six," Hermione reasoned, "Any relationship between us - other than friendship - is against the law."

"Then I'll wait two years and ask again." Embry raised her hand to his cheek and closed his eyes leaning into her touch.

Hermione was fascinated. Why hadn't she taken her hand back? Hermione watched as he inhaled the scent of her at her wrist. She tried not to allow his actions affect her, but she was failing. Worse… he seemed to know it. His nostrils flared and he softly kissed the inside of her wrist. Hermione had to stop him. The moment his lips touched her skin she felt her knees go weak. The situation was growing dangerous. Hermione tried again, but her voice wasn't nearly as firm as she had hoped. "In two years' time you'll have forgotten all about me. Not to mention that I'll be back in London."

His grip on her wrist tightened, his eyes grew dark and he growled deeply in his chest. She shivered and involuntarily stepped closer to him, "Embry… please…"

The teen's eyes closed at her plea. He loosened his hold, but didn't release her wrist. "Friends… we can be friends…"

AN: First I feel compelled to apologize to SereniteRose and mionelestrange because those two pairings aren't happening here. Sorry!

Now for my original note: This pairing was not planned by me. As I've warned readers before, my silly characters tend to go off and do their own thing regardless of what I plan! I really was hoping to pair Hermione with Charlie (I like that man). As a matter of fact, the whole premise of the story that I started was to pair Hermione with Charlie, but they fought me. Stupid characters and their stupid demands…

That said.

Hermione and Embry are a thing. Although as long as he is underage it won't go 'there'. But things escalate from time to time and I am warning you now, because I won't be warning you ahead of time when it happens again. If that isn't your thing, then by all means stop reading and find something lovely to delve into and thank you for your time. Please don't blast me with hate and ugliness because I did warn you!