Hi, I'm so sorry that I've been away from this fic so long! I have to admit I had a bad bout of writers block...sigh...But I think it's over now. Atleast, I have had a little inspiration for this new chapter so I hope you all are still reading. The last chapter ended with the girls having a realisation, how is that panning out for them?
*Just a Note of Caution, this chapter gets a little scary near the end...
Well you're about to find out so, without further rambling...
Let's get on with it!
Chapter 10
The Trouble with 'Erbs and Spices
"Ugh, she really is the slag of the century," Alice hissed, viciously stabbing a sausage with her fork.
She was glaring down the Gryffindor table to where Maria Villanueva stood leaning over Jasper. Bella and Rosalie exchanged glances before looking back at their enraged friend.
"I mean, does she really think Jasper would like a tart* like her?" Alice asked rhetorically as she murdered another poor sausage, "look at her leaning over him like that! He's just itching to get away from her!"
"He's itching alright," Rosalie whispered to Bella when Alice wasn't looking, "but I don't think it's to get away."
As much as Bella hated to admit it, for Alice's sake, Rosalie was right. Jasper looked pretty happy right where he was, with his face practically in Maria's sizeable bosom. However Bella said nothing of this, she understood all too well how Alice felt, the only enviable difference was that Maria was easy to hate, Tanya most certainly was not. A fact which was made frustratingly clear later that day when the Gryffindor fifth years had Herbology with the Hufflepuffs.
oOo
Despite the fact that Herbology was not her best subject, Professor Longbottom who taught it, was one of Bella's favourite teachers so she had always enjoyed his lessons. That is, until Tanya joined the class and she was forced to work with her. Bella and Edward had always partnered up in Herbology. She had relished the moments over the years when his hands would brush against hers as they repotted Mandrakes or trimmed back the leaves of Aconite.
With Tanya around those moments faded into the dust. Her joining the class meant that for the first time there was an uneven number of students. Edward immediately suggested to Professor Longbottom that Tanya join his and Bella's table and the kindly Professor gladly agreed much to Bella's displeasure.
"Hi Bella!" Tanya said beaming brightly as she took her seat between Bella and Edward.
Bella nodded noncommitally before relenting and murmuring a quick 'hello'.
"I guess this is the only class we have together huh?" Tanya continued cheerily, "I've barely seen you around school."
"Um, yeah, I suppose," Bella answered haltingly as she began to work on extracting the essence of Belladonna from the plant infront of her.
"It's totally great that we get to work together in Herbology though right?" Tanya said setting up her row of vials, "Edward has been telling me all about you, I was hoping we could be friends."
Bella noted with a pang of amusement that she pronounced Herbology 'erbology' and glanced over at Edward to see his reaction. She was, however, disappointed as he was looking at Tanya admiringly.
"You two would definately get along," Edward agreed focusing his attention on Bella with an open smile, "I'm sure of it."
Bella's heart sank, was he really so oblivious to her feelings? Still, she managed to smile back.
"Of course Tanya," she said a genuinely as she could, "that would be great."
Tanya's face lit up.
That was the problem with her. It was impossible to hate her and even more impossible to be unkind to her. Not that Bella wanted to be, it was just that she couldn't help but be jealous of the sort of attention Edward paid the American girl. She still felt guilty though, Tanya was just so nice, too nice. She had a wide open smile and sparkling clear eyes and when she spoke you could tell she was being genuine. So despite the fact that she wanted to hate her, Bella found that she couldn't. Tanya was, simply put, one of the sweetest girls Bella had ever met.
oOo
"And on top of that she's beautiful," Bella groaned into her pillow that night, "why does she have to be beautiful too!"
Rosalie sighed from her position at the edge of Bella's bed.
"You say Edward didn't laugh when she said 'Erbology'?" Rosalie raised an eyebrow skeptically.
"Not even a chuckle," Bella moaned.
"Wow, he must really like her."
"Oh, that's helpful Rose," Alice snapped as she stroked Bella's hair, "I never did like her from the start."
"That's partly the problem though," Bella said rolling over to face her friends, "How can you not like her? She's so nice! She complimented me on my complexion! Me! And I'm so pale I practically glow in the dark!"
"I've never been fond of people that chipper," Alice sniffed, "I mean, does she take a euphoria potion every morning?"
Rosalie stared at Alice.
She asked, "Have you met yourself?"
Alice threw a pillow at her.
"Admit it Alice, the only reason you don't like Tanya is because she unknowingly ruined your Caribbean summer plans," Rosalie smirked.
"That's not the point!" Alice objected, "She's now clinging all over my cousin when I know for a fact that he's meant to be with Bella!"
"Meant to be?" Bella asked sitting up.
"Alice, did you see that?" Rosalie asked with raised eyebrows.
"Well, no, not exactly," Alice admittedly sheepishly, "but I have a very good feeling about it, and I trust my feelings, sometimes even more than my visions."
"Speaking of feelings," Rosalie said after a moment of thoughtful silence, "Have you two decided what your going to do about yours' regarding two particular young men?"
"I need Jasper to see me as more than just a friend," Alice said glumly, "but I don't know how to do that, and now Maria's hanging over him like a disease...I just don't know what I'll do!"
"Same here," Bella said, "I just don't see how I can compete with Tanya..."
"You two, the answer is simple," Rosalie said rolling her eyes, "think of your competition and match it. Don't become them, but untilise some of their strengths. Wear your hair down Bella, I know we're in uniform but you don't have to always look like a school girl and Alice, I know longer skirts are in style this season but both Tanya and Maria wear their uniforms shorter and tighter than you two do. Both of them also wear a little makeup. Well, Maria wears alot but we don't want to be like her really...Anyway, the point is it's time to start making yourselves shine, if you look confident and sexy there's no way Edward and Jasper won't notice you!"
Alice nodded eyes aglow, but Bella grimaced.
"Confident?" She asked in disbelief, "Sexy? Me?"
"Shut up Bella, I'm feeling inspired!" Alice said excitedly, "That's it! Tomorrow morning we're putting this plan in action!"
"Wha-!"
"Do you want Edward or not?" Alice and Rosalie asked in unison.
Bella sighed.
"Fine...but I've got a bad feeling about this."
oOo
"I look ridiculous," Bella said blandly the next morning as she stared at herself in the mirror. Alice had gotten up early for once in order to beautify herself and a reluctant Bella. Now it was time to go down to breakfast and Bella felt like she was about to throw up.
"I can't go down like this!" She cried gesturing wildly to her face with one hand and her body with the other.
"Why not?" Alice asked excitedly as she applied another coat of mascara, "you look hot."
"It might be a bit much," Rosalie conceded sleepily, "I don't think she'll get past McGonagall with that lipstick on."
"Exactly!" Bella exclaimed frantically rubbing at her mouth, "I'm going to get in trouble, and I'm a prefect!"
Alice scoffed. "Stop worrying," she said, "It'll be fine, just keep out of our dear headmistress' direct line of sight and she won't even look at your face."
"And what about this skirt?" Bella asked in a panic, "it's way above regulation length, you can see my thighs Alice!"
"I always wear my skirts that length," Rosalie shrugged, "that rule isn't ever really enforced."
"But-"
"Bella relax!" Alice snapped, "we're going to do this, it's the only chance we've got!"
"Come on Bella, all we've done is spice you up," Rosalie said resting a comforting arm around her, "the makeup is pretty natural and your skirt really isn't that short, you look great!"
Bella turned once again to look at herself in the mirror. The girl she saw looking back at her looked like a sister, an older, prettier sister, who was really nervous about something. Releasing her often tortured bottom lip, Bella took a deep breath.
"Okay," she said firmly, "let's do this."
oOo
"Hey Bella," Michael Newton said with a wide grin as he slid into the seat next to her for the first time ever, "I couldn't help but notice, you look really pretty today."
Bella blushed brightly. Ever since she'd walked into the Great Hall that morning she had been on the receiving end of wide eyed stares. She felt like she was a statue on display with everyone gawking at her and began to curse Alice and Rose in her head.
"Er, thanks Mike," She mumbled timidly before looking resolutely down at the breakfast she couldn't quite stomach any more of.
Of course Alice was soaking it all up. Tyler Crowley was practically begging her to go with him to Hogsmeade next weekend, and so was a whole group of other boys Bella didn't even know. Every few minutes Alice's eyes would dart over to where Jasper stood chatting with Maria and her flirting would increase in a flurry of batting eyelashes, pouting lips and hair flicking.
Bella, however, couldn't do that. She didn't have the confidence to flirt, to tease guys until they begged her for a chance. She didn't even have the confidence to believe that they'd want a chance with her. However, with her head tilted down and her hair blocking her face, Bella hadn't noticed Edward watching her since she'd entered the Hall.
She sighed pushing her plate of mostly untouched toast away, and stood sliding the strap of her bag over her shoulder.
"Hey let me get that for you!" Eric Yorkie, a Ravenclaw who Bella knew from Astronomy said quickly.
"No, I've got class with Bella, I'll help her with her bag!" Mike countered, glaring at Eric.
Bella glanced between the two boys in complete astonishment.
"I'm fine, really," She said slowly backing away, "It's not that heavy."
"Yeah run along Newton, Yorkie," Bella heard Emmett chuckle as someone else pulled her bag off her shoulder, "Bella's in capable hands."
Bella looked back to see a beaming Emmett and a rather serious Edward who now had her bag slung over his shoulder, but before she could say anything Mike spoke up again, Yorkie had apparently scarpered when Emmett turned up.
"I guess I'll see you around Bella," Mike said determinedly focusing on her, "maybe we could go out sometime, like to Hogmeade?"
Bella flushed. "Oh...um, well," she stammered completely caught off guard.
"You'd better get to class Newton," Edward said in a low voice, saving her the trouble of answering, "if you turn up late again it'll be detention."
Mike faltered, the tips of his ears turning red. After a moment of tense silence he nodded and skulked off, muttering a quick, "s'later", to Bella.
"Come on," Edward said quietly tugging her sleeve slightly as Bella continued to stare after Mike in amazement.
"Oooo, Bella," Emmett teased as they walked together towards the Charms corridor, " gonna take Newton up on that offer?"
"What?" Bella squeaked, "No, I'm just surprised he asked me out at all, I mean, we've barely ever spoken to one another since we've been here."
"Oh he doesn't want to talk to you Bella, I can guarantee that," Emmett said with a sly wink, causing Bella to blush furiously and Edward's hand to tighten inconspicuously on the bag strap.
"How about Yorkie? Fancy him?" Emmett questioned next.
"Um, no, I'm sure he's nice...I don't really know him either, we've never spoken at all really..." Bella rambled, a completely bewildered expression crossing her face.
"Oh good," Emmett said casually, "he's a right tosser that one."
"Emmett!" Bella hissed, smacking him lightly.
"What? It's true," Emmett chuckled, "Got to look after you Baby Bells, what with all your new admirers. Not to mention this new look you've got going, I can tell Hale has got something to do with this-"
"Emmett," Edward interrupted suddenly, "I want to speak to Bella for moment, do you mind going on ahead without us?"
"No problem Mr. Prefect, " Emmett said with a cheeky grin, "See you two later."
After he disappeared down the corridor Edward turned to Bella.
"What's up with you today?" he asked, a strange expression on his face.
Nervous, Bella fiddled with her skirt. "What do you mean?" she asked.
"I mean the way you're dressed, your face..." Edward frowned, "you don't look like you."
"Maybe looking the way I usually do isn't helping me," Bella said quietly, looking away as tears pricked in her eyes.
"Isn't helping you how?" Edward said frustratedly and Bella looked up in surprise, "Do you want guys looking at you like they were earlier, do you want them thinking about you..." he paused and sighed. "This doesn't make sense to me Bella, I know you don't want that kind of attention, you don't get how guys think, you don't understand that you coming in looking like this is just inviting trouble!"
"What's wrong with how I'm dressed?" Bella said getting angry at his insinuation that she was that ridiculously innocent, "Rosalie dresses like this all the time, and Alice came down looking the same, why aren't you telling her off too? And what about Tanya?" She couldn't help the last part coming out as a slight sneer.
"So Emmett was right, this is something to do with Rosalie?" Edward asked with narrowed eyes, "And Alice too no doubt."
"You're ignoring my question!" Bella said angrily.
"You know what Bella, they're not you!" Edward said firmly, "you can try and deny it all you want but I know you're not comfortable in those clothes and I know you didn't like how Newton and the rest of those pigs out there were looking at you."
Bella looked down. She was still upset but it was mostly due to disapointment that the plan her friends had cooked up hadn't worked. Edward was right, it was like he could see right through her sometimes. Why was it that he could tell how she felt about everything except for how she felt about him?
"Shh Bella, I didn't mean to upset you," Edward said gently wiping her cheeks with his thumbs. Bella hadn't even realised she had allowed her bitter tears to escape. Edward pulled her into his warm embrace. Greedily she breathed in his honey sweet scent, how she loved him...Why couldn't he tell?
"I'm sorry Bella" Edward cooed stroking a hand over her hair, "It's just, you're my best friend and I care about you." He took a deep breath, "You do look very pretty today, Newton was right about that. I like your hair like this."
"Really?" Bella breathed completely and totally flattered, his opinion meaning more to her that anyone else's.
"Really," Edward grinned pulling away,then his face became serious, "I really am sorry Bella-"
"No, you're right," She said quickly, "I just wanted to look beautiful, like Rose and Tanya, then maybe-"
"You are beautiful Bella," Edward said firmly, "but you don't need any of that," he gestured to her clothes vaguely, "like I said before, Tanya and Rose, they aren't you, you're perfect just as you are."
Bella felt her face grow warm. Sure she was glowing tomato red, she bowed her head shielding her face with her hair. Edward chuckled, murmering something Bella couldn't hear as he tucked her hair back behind her ear.
"Come on," he said grinning, "we'd better get going before Charms starts."
oOo
It was later that day that Bella left lunch alone to go wash her face. After her talk with Edward she was feeling more confident in herself than makeup or short skirts could ever make her. A soft smile was tugging at her lips as she remembered how he'd called her beautiful. She was so caught up in her thoughts that it came as a shock when she bumped into a firm body.
"Sorry," she said as she stumbled back dropping her school bag. She knelt to the floor trying to quickly gather all of the things that had dropped out of it together. The person she'd bumped into just stood there silently, watching her.
Bella stood as gracefully as she could, still avoiding looking them in the eye. "Um, once again sorry, I guess I wasn't paying atten-"
Suddenly she found herself pressed against the wall and she finally looked into the eyes the guy who was now pressed against her. She recognised him immediately by his cold blue-gray eyes. It was James Hunt, he played chaser for the Slytherin Quidditch team and he was one of the most unkind people Bella had ever known often preying on first years and muggle born students.
"Well if it isn't the little mudblood prefect," James drawled, his eyes gleaming. He would've been handsome really, if his face wasn't so full of malice.
"I must say you look rather tempting today," He said in a husky voice as his hand slithered up her sides, "you're asking for it, definately. Who'd have thought a little mouse like you'd have all of this hidden underneath..."
Bella's breath caught in her throat with fear. James had her hands pinned to the wall behind her, she couldn't move to reach her wand.
"This is what you wanted, isn't it mudblood?" James hissed eagerly as one of his hands moved upwards towards her chest. Bella whimpered, struggling against him but he was too strong.
"Yes, you want it don't you?" He crooned in her ear, "You little slag-"
A girl's laugh sounded in the distance, along with the sound of foot steps getting closer. James laughed quietly.
"Lucky girl," he whispered, backing away, "let's see what happens next time."
...
Bella stood still, frozen with shock and fear as Jessica and Angela rounded the corner.
"Bella?" Jessica asked.
"Bella are you alright?" Angela questioned concernedly.
Bella could only stare at them blankly as her heart raced.
"Yes, I'm fine," She whispered finally.
Oooo...So what do you think of this?
It's long, that makes up for the wait doesn't it? Kinda? Leave me a review please!
*Tart and Slag- A slag in American terms is what you would refer to as a slut. A tart is a softer word with a similar meaning, I guess it might be similar to,,,I dunno...'floozy?'...Anyway Alice refers to Maria as both so you can guess how she feels about her.
Til the next!