Chapter 7: Surprise

July 20, 2007

"You sure you'll be alright?" Neville smirked at Bella with a hint of skepticism.

"Yes, I just need some more regular clothes. I swear I'll only stick to the main roads."

"No dark alleys?" A hint of a grin played on the edge of his lips.

"I'll be back by lunch. Promise."

Before she could leave the pub, he reached out and grabbed her hand. "Seriously, Bella. Be safe." The depth of his gaze seemed to see right through to her soul, and she could feel her breath waver as she nodded goodbye.

Stepping out onto the streets of muggle London, Bella glanced back at the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron with a satisfied grin. Yet another place that couldn't be hidden from her.

Neville didn't know it, but the real reason for her trip was to get him something for his birthday. She knew he liked plants and things related to Gryffindor, but that limited what she could buy in Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley. So she decided it had to be from the muggle world – something he wouldn't be able to get in a wizarding shop – but still something he would appreciate.

Stopping at a nearby ATM stall, Bella withdrew money and slipped it into a safe spot under her shirt. Then sticking only to the larger roads as promised, she made her way to a flower shop where she could purchase some seeds.

She ordered some that she thought he might like and headed back the way she came. Along the way Bella spied the crystalline figure of a lion in the window of a trinket shop. Something about the way its mane seemed to catch fire in the light struck her, so she decided to purchase it too, in case the seeds weren't shipped in time. Then she bought some jeans and t-shirts at a department store for the sake of credibility...and also because she probably needed them.

It was a longer walk than she'd anticipated to get back to the Leaky Cauldron, and Neville was already waiting by the time she arrived.

"Am I late?" Bella approached him tentatively.

"That depends. Do Americans typically eat lunch at two in the afternoon?" He shook his head in melodramatic disapproval.

"Wha...there's no way I took that long!" But when she peered over at the nearest clock, there was no debating that point, so she immediately shifted to a different approach. "...Yes, Americans eat lunch at two."

"Oh, really," he joked. "So I suppose there's nothing to argue about?"

"Nope," she could barely hold back the grin aching to escape at the corners of her lips.

"Merlin, you're a terrible liar, Bella."

"That's what you think."

He raised a brow musingly. "Alright, alright. I bet you're starved, regardless of how punctual you say you are."

As if on cue, Bella's stomach rumbled, and the wizard burst out laughing.

"Come on. Let's eat." He grabbed her hand, leading her out of the pub, and Bella couldn't help but notice the tingle of her fingers as she held on.

After lunch Neville had to gather a few supplies for the upcoming term, so they stopped by an apothecary. Bella tried hard not to gape, but everything she came across was so fascinating that disguising her amazement proved easier said than done.

She felt more at ease in the bookstore, where magic was less overt. During their browsing they bumped into a witch with wild, honey-colored hair.

"Hermione?"

"Neville!" The petite woman embraced Neville, and Bella stood back so as not to draw attention to herself. "How are you? I haven't seen you since before last term?"

"I got some new exotic plants for the advanced classes next year, so I'm making sure they're looked after."

"Well, you really ought to stop by for dinner sometime. Harry and Ron will want to see you. And...Miss Swan is more than welcome to come if you want to bring a date."

Three concurrent thoughts crashed in Bella's brain at the same time. One: This must be Hermione Granger, muggleborn hero of the wizarding world. Two: Hermione Granger knew her name. Three: A date? With Neville?

"Bella's barely been here a week. Don't go scaring her off," he laughed.

Well, that made his feelings clear. Bella decided to steer the conversation far from further awkwardness and potential embarrassment. "Well...I'm actually more surprised that you know who I am. Aren't you Hermione Granger?"

The witch held out her hand, shaking Bella's politely. "It's Hermione Weasley now. Ron and I got together after the end of the war."

"Oh, right." Bella felt relieved for some odd reason. "So, how many people actually know I'm here?"

The famed witch scrunched her nose as she deliberated. "Well, after Professor Burke was sent to St. Mungo's the Ministry of Magic took immediate interest in your case, so at least thirty people there, unless it's been delegated to sub-levels, then hundreds quite possibly. It's actually going back and forth between departments, since we're not certain whether to classify you as a muggle, hag, or witch yet."

"Hag?" Bella's mouth fell open. "People think I might be a hag?"

"No one really thinks that," she spouted on. "We're just not positive what jurisdiction you fall under given your unique situation. It's made matters rather complicated as I'm sure you can imagine."

Neville placed a reassuring hand on Bella's shoulder. "Hermione's Deputy Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."

Law enforcement? Bella's eyes widened in surprise. "For the record...I don't know if my word counts for anything, but I really didn't mean to do that thing to Professor Burke."

"We know that, Bella," Hermione smiled. "That's all being taken care of. We just don't know what to do with you."

"Nobody does," Bella grumbled.

"Neville, come to the house this weekend, and bring a friend if you like," the witch grinned. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Bella. I hope we can chat again soon."

Neville furrowed his eyebrows after his famous friend had left. "That was strange."

"Yeah, I can't believe she knew who I was."

"Not that. I've just never seen Hermione leave a bookshop without getting anything."

She rolled her eyes. "Right." If that was what Neville considered the strangest occurrence today, then Bella had nothing to worry about. Well, except maybe having feelings for Neville...and being monitored by the Ministry of Magic...and possibly being a hag!

"I'm not finding what I'm looking for. Do you want to check a few more shops before heading back?"

"Sure," she said without a second thought.

"Great," he smiled at her in a way that made her thoughts go hazy, and Bella knew there were no maybes about it.

She'd fallen for yet another supernatural being, and she'd fallen hard.