Chapter 17: Time to learn how big sisters care

After their little meet and greet the night before Carlisle took Bella aside to talk to her about Charlie and send her home. Knowing exactly well, that Edward wouldn't spend the night at home as a consequence. So this left no time to get Hermione's room done before it was time to sleep, which left the witch to spend another night in the gorgeous bedroom of Alice.

Several hours later Hermione woke up to some unfamiliar noise but her eyes refused to open. As if she could just go back to sleep, if reality never hit her eyes. Her brain was still clouded by sleep.

This condition rapidly changed when the noise actually reached her brain as well. Someone was in her room! Well at least in the room she occupied. She shot up sitting straight and panicked in her bed. She grasped her wand from the night stand in a fluid motion and was about to cast Lumos. To hell with the law of not doing magic out of school.

But she got interrupted as suddenly the light got switched on. After a few seconds of burning pain in her eyes her vision became clear again.

What she got to see was Jasper, who stood there with both hands up in the air as if someone pointed a gun at him. Well somehow that was the case, Hermione had to admit as she looked from him to her wand and let it drop on the bed finally. „Woah! All good girl. I didn't want to wake you, let alone scare you." He apologized, a little startled himself. He didn't expect her to point that stick at him immediately. „I just needed to get a few clothes out of our closet." He explained.

Confused, tired and at the same time horribly awake Hermione tried to follow his words. Slowly the words that reached her brain turned into sentences and finally into some sense. „Oh….I am sorry you just scared…wait." She looked at him and then to the open closet door. „What do you mean. I thought that was Alice room?" she asked puzzled.

Jasper was worried to scare her even more so he didn't leave the spot he was standing on. „Yeah and mine. I used to have my own bedroom but turned it into a study. I mean we only need one bedroom and we don't sleep so."

In her current state of a not fully awakened mind this was an adequate enough answer in her eyes. She wanted to lay back down as Rosalie stood in the door abruptly and out of nowhere. Her hands on her hips she glared angry at the blond man. „What do you think you are doing in here?!" it was more a threat than a question. „You woke the human!"

Jasper was wondering what he did to make Rose that angry. Unless most family members he had a very uncomplicated relationship to his pretend-to-be-twin. But what he felt from her was without any doubt anger towards him.

Hermione on the other hand wondered if it was safe to complain about being addressed as ‚the human'. She came to the conclusion, that it was less trouble to let it slip.

„Are you going to say something or do you just keep standing there like a Creep?" she barked at him. After another few perplex seconds she rushed over to him grabbed him by the ear and pulled him out of his own room. As she reached the door with a complaining and confused Jasper in iron-grip she turned to Hermione. „No worries. He will not bother you again. Go back to sleep, okay?" she closed the door behind them.

Still trying to sort out what just happened she laid back down and let her thoughts wander. So her new vampire sister just pulled her new vampire brother away in a way that could be called bullying. What her parents would say about her calling some vampires sisters and brothers. Probably only nice things they always got a little too enthusiastic about everything that wasn't muggle-ish. Often she was the one being concerned about safety things instead of them. They were just proud when they got a letter about her getting punished for fighting a Troll in first year. They had no second thoughts of the dangers, because their girl knew how to watch out for herself. A few tears escaped her eyes as she thought back to it. She had to focus on something else. She couldn't just cry now. She tried to move her thoughts to something else. So this wasn't only Alice room but also Jaspers, huh? That explained a few things about the interior. But if they didn't sleep why did they need bedrooms with actual beds anyway. Why not just make a hobby room out of it. What would they….oh! Hermione had a sudden moment of realization, that made her rather uncomfortable in the current location. No way she would fall asleep here again now. She checked the clock. 5:17am. Might as well just get up now. It was a little early but not too early to count as night anymore.

When Hermione walked down the stairs she caught Emmett and Edward sitting on the couch. Watching TV. Well Emmett was all interested in the show while Edward just sat there with a grumpy expression on his face. He looked up as Hermione thought that and looked at her, then he left without a word. "Hey the witch is awake again." Emmett jelled. Hermione liked this reaction more. What was wrong with this Edward?

Emmett knew how to read Hermione's puzzled expression. "Don't worry about him." He said calming as he walked over to her. "he just is mad because Bella had to spend the night at her own home and Carlisle made him stay here." He gossiped with an evil smirk when he came to stand in front of her.

The boy was just a giant! Hermione just now noticed how tiny she was compared to him. She tried to get a yawn under control when she suddenly got lifted up in the air, thrown over his massive shoulder and carried away. "He…Hey!" she protested. Those guys seriously had no fear of contact. Hermione was still contemplating how to act modest enough to not seem to natural too fast in their home, when he already handled her as if she always was a part of them. She wanted to protest some more but this made her smile. First a smile, then a laugher and suddenly it turned into uncontrolled sobbing.

Shocked Emmett put her down on one of the kitchen stools. "hat? Why do you cry?" He panicked. Fear that he had hurt her overwrote clear thinking. He didn't think he would hurt her, he never hurt Bella with such actions. He just wanted to make some fun. He always wanted a baby sister to joke around with. Last thing he wanted was to make her cry. Oh god Rosalie would have his head for this. "Talk to me…..pretty please?" he tried puppy eyes, even though he was sure this wasn't something he was good at.

Hermione wiped her eyes between some sobs. She didn't know what overtook her. She was truly happy for a moment when he just was so open to accept her as part of his family. As happy as she wasn't for months. And suddenly it was just too much happiness. She never believed that people really could cry because of good feelings. But here she was proving herself wrong. As she looked into Emmett's face that was pricelessly helpless she managed to stop the weird crying session and slapped his arm playful, which she instantly regretted, it hurt her knuckles. "You didn't hurt me!" she tried to reassure him. "I just….." How could she explain that? "…..was a little too happy" she noticed herself that this just sounded ridicules.

Emmett blinked blankly. "You are so weird!" he exclaimed and ruffled through her hair. He was just about to pull another joke to make her laugh again when he stopped dead in tracks. Rosalie entered the kitchen and he knew it seconds before she appeared in the room.

"Good Morning" Hermione mumbled a little abashed. And much to Emmett's positive surprise Rosalie answered in an unusual soft and nice tone, she didn't used ever since Bella stepped into their life. It worked it's magic, because the little witch smiled happily.

But then her tone changed abruptly as she addressed him. "What did you do you big dummy? You made her cry didn't you!?" She was mad at him just as expected. She shushed him away "Go!" was all she said and he was smart enough not to anger his wife any more.

"I am sorry about his behavior. He is too high-spirited at times." Rosalie apologized for him and opened the Fridge. Hermione wanted to explain what happened but didn't get a chance to do so, as Rosalie pulled a plate with a finished Sandwich, a few slices of apples and a glass of orange juice out of the Fridge and placed it in front of her. "I am also sorry that Jasper woke you earlier. You should have slept a little longer. But I prepared breakfast for you earlier that night, so you can eat in peace now." She didn't even wait for her to say anything and left, following Emmett. Hermione had a feeling he would be in more trouble now.

"Thank you" she mumbled before she started eating, well knowing that no one was near the kitchen anymore. This day was getting more and more surreal. She ate her breakfast alone and in silence. After a while it felt just too stupid and she turned on the kitchen-TV and watched a cartoon while she was eating. When she was done eating and only sipped her orange juice Carlisle rushed into the kitchen. He was about to do something in there when he stopped and looked a little confused at Hermione. He checked his watch and then pulled a questioning eyebrow up. "isn't it a little early for you to be up?" he asked concerned. And walked over to the fridge as well. Grabbing a brown paper bag out of it. It looked like a bag of lunch. Hermione's face took a similar questioning expression as his.

"Yeah but first Jasper was…Rosalie…..uhm it's a long story." She didn't feel like he had time to hear her explanation. He seemed rather hurried. "What do you want with the lunch bag?" she asked amused.

He smiled softly. "It just seems less suspicious if I bring lunch now and then at work as well." He explained a little caught. "I will talk to the kids, so they wont wake you again but later I am running late for work."

It warmed Hermione's heart that even in this strange family there were morning rituals like that. "No no it's fine really. It wasn't as if they didn't try to let me sleep." Hermione really didn't want to cause any more trouble

"Okay." He gave in. He tapped a phone that stood on the kitchen counter. "My work number is saved on it. So you can call if there is any problem." He gave her a brief kiss on her hair "See you later and have a nice day with the others" and then he left.

When Hermione imagined her future life in a new family she always imagined feeling guilty and out of place in such situations. Because this wasn't her family it was someone else family that had to serve as her home until she was old enough to care for herself. But much to her confusion this wasn't the case. It felt warm and right and like family.

When she was done putting her plate away, she knew it would be wise to start studying but she was too tired and t was too early. So she went to the living room. Where Rosalie and Edward were gathered now. As she entered Edward looked at her and was about to say something, but before he could Rosalie barked "Edward no! Leave her alone!" at him and he left with an annoyed sigh. What was that about?

"Ahm Rosalie? Why….?" She didn't know what to ask exactly but hoped the beautiful woman would get it anyway.

"It is unfair if he is around you." She sounded annoyed and clearly didn't want to say anything else about it.

Hermione didn't feel like she had a chance to keep going from here so she switched on the TV, pulled a blanket from on of the armrests of the couch, snuggled herself into it and tried to relax. Maybe she should have slept more she felt very tired.

"Shouldn't you be studying?" She asked a little careful. Hermione nodded heavily.

"I should but did you check the time. It is way too early for me." Within split-seconds Hermione regretted her answer as Rosalie answered with a few curses about Jasper waking her up. "No no no. I didn't sleep well anyway" Hermione tried to defuse the vampires anger. If she learned anything by now then it was that Rosalie was easy to anger. Though this was like living with a ticking time-bomb. No way she was always like this.

It seemed to work "Maybe you should sleep a little more" she said calmer. "I will make sure the others let you nap." She got up and walked away.

Hermione had a lot of questions but she decided that all of them could wait until she had a little more sleep.

When she awoke again it was already 8 am and no one was around. Her first impulse was to use the time of being alone to study but then she had a better idea. She was halfway sure that they all were somewhere in or around the house. She went upstairs and just hoped she wouldn't meet Rosalie on the way. When she was on top of the stairs she walked awkwardly up the hallway. She wasn't exactly sure whose room was where. Now she just could try and hope no one unwanted answered her call. "Edward?" She asked in a normal speaking voice. She knew vampires had good hearing. For a while nothing happened, then finally a door opened and the bronze haired head peaked out from behind it.

"How can I help you, …..Hermione?" There was a weird pause as if he had to remember her name or didn't know if it was okay to address her with it. While weird it felt nicer than anything he showed so far.

Hermione walked a few steps up to him. "can we talk for a minute?" she asked and observed how surprise formed on his face. He stepped aside to let her in like a gentleman.

The room surprised her. It was so much different from Alice' room and much smaller, but it had an even bigger window. And there on the couch sat Bella and gave her a welcoming and awkward wave. "Oh hello. I didn't know you were here." Hermione greeted a little embarrassed.

"Yeah….You uhm…were asleep when I arrived and I tried not to wake you." She explained, obviously very uncomfortable with the intruder. Not like Hermione intended to be one, but that's how she felt right now and she would make things worse. She was just about to say something as Edward took over for her.

"I think Hermione wants a private talk. Could you wait for me downstairs, Bella? When we are done here we can leave for our trip anyway." He requested in a calm and cool voice. And Hermione felt the need to tell that she was sorry one million times to Bella, as an unhappy expression controlled the young woman's face.

As soon as she was gone Hermione turned to face her new somehow-brother. "I am sorry I didn't want to interrupt…." She started but once again got cut off.

"I know you didn't. I also know why you want to talk." A lopsided smile. He was amused about the situation and this frustrated the little witch in some way.

"How?" she snapped unintendedly, which earned an amused chuckle.

"The others are so used to having me around, that no one even thought of explaining to you what my talent is." He laughed and a list of possible reasons for everyone's behavior formed in Hermione's brain. "Well except Rose. She simply didn't want to tell you because she was scared it will push you away from us." An arrogant snort left him "As if you would never notice."

Hermione got annoyed "Could you please just tell me what I am missing." She complained. She felt as if she had to talk to him the same way she used to talk to Ron or he would never get to the point.

"You know that Alice can see glimpses of the future." Hermione nodded. "That is her gift. But she is not the only one in our family with such a talent." He explained slowly. Too slow for Hermione's taste. She was among the top in Snape's classes. If she could follow him on bad days, she didn't need a teenage vampire to explain things in dummy-mode for her. As she thought about this comparison the vampire laughed and instantly sped up his speech. "Jasper for example can feel and manipulate the emotions of everyone around him."

Hermione's eyes turned big "No way! That's wicked." She let out in true amazement.

"And I am a mind reader. I can hear everyone's thoughts. Sometimes I can ignore them. If needed I can focus on certain ones, but I always hear them."

First Hermione was similar amazed as she was about Jaspers talent, but then she remembered all the things she thoughts when being around him and put her hand over her mouth in shocked regret. "You…..Damn…..I am sorry." She felt embarrassed and she deserved it, she didn't have the nicest of thoughts about him.

He laughed out once more. "Don't worry I heard worse before." He tried to calm her.

"but why are you well…like that with me." She didn't know how to word it in her head she thought about the phrases 'ignoring me', 'acting like an arrogant insane', 'leaving the room when I am there' and most importantly 'let Rosalie shush you away when I enter the room'.

By words alone he wouldn't have known what she meant, but her thoughts were helping. "I just don't want to be on Rose' bad side." He defended his behavior. "ever since the moment she realized you are a mortal, growing, living, young human she went a little overprotective." The whole night already was hell. Rosalie briefed them all to not do anything that would be potentially unhealthy for 'the human', When they put the furniture for her room together last night, she was observing everything like a hawk, no flaws allowed and he did hear how she already busted Jasper and Emmett this morning. "She always wanted kids and you as little sister is the closest she will get to that dream. So she threatened us all to not do anything that could make you unhappy, uncomfortable or put you in potential danger." He complained, knowing that this would be the end of him because Rosalie surely could hear them talk, wherever she was. Now he understood how everyone must feel with him around. "And apparently.." he continued "….me reading your thoughts is something that would make you feel uncomfortable." He ended his explanation and glad to receive satisfied thoughts from her.

"Oh" was all Hermione had to say at the time. But her thoughts were running miles per second. 'Of course this makes me uncomfortable. Who wouldn't be?', 'This went out of control rather fast, why is no one stopping her?', 'kind of sweet that she cares for me that much, I could be a spoiled brat like Malfoy after all.', 'God I am glad he told me'. Were some of the thoughts Edward could pick up.

Soon Hermione got the hint that he was still standing there listening in on her thoughts and got embarrassed once more. "Thank you for sharing this with me, I think I have to speak to her" Hermione admitted and took her leave. How far away did she have to get, to be safe from spying?

"Further than you would like to" was his response to the unspoken question and she shot him an angry glare over her shoulder.

Well this would get annoying for sure, she thought. While she walked down the stairs again she came to the conclusion, that the assault on Jasper and Emmett this morning were consequences of Rosalie trying to make sure Hermione was fine staying here. Well she wanted to get to know everyone and this would not happen if the blond woman kept everyone away from her. She had to do something about that.