A/N: Hullo y'all! Hope you enjoy! Finally a bit of Bella in this chap and thus some bashing! Oh and someone brought up a good point in one of their reviews: Just so you know almost everyone who dies in the books died in this story, EXCEPT from Fred because as meldz observed Ron and Ginny would not have left their family if that were the case and because I love him! Please tell me what you think! R&R
"Bella, why don't you stop by and say hello to the new neighbours?" Charlie proposed.
"Do I have to dad?" Bella whined.
"I told them you would when I welcomed them into the neighbour hood. Now go." He ordered, pointing at the door.
"But Edward's coming over!" She argued, in the hopes of not having to mingle with normal people.
"Seriously Bells, I'm sure you can cross the street and say 'Hello' without having that boy with you, or can you really do nothing without him?" Charlie challenged, annoyed.
Bella huffed. "Okay, I'll go. Whatever." She threw on her jacket and stomped over to the door.
"If Edward pops by while you're there, I'll tell him to meet you." He said, trying to appease his daughter.
She crossed the street sulkily and didn't even jump in surprise when Edward took her hand. She was used to him appearing out of no where. "I heard you're going to see the neighbours." He stated, swinging their hands between them.
"Yeah, my dad was really insistent." She complained. "But we can do something else instead, he'll never know."
"Actually Bella, I'd quite like to meet them."
"What? Why?" She asked, curious.
He shrugged. "No reason really, just that Carlisle met them and something about the meeting disturbed him."
They rung the doorbell and waited patiently for the door to open. They talked in low voices and Edward was just about to kiss Bella when the door flew open. He grinned at the redhead holding open the door.
"Hi, my name is Edward." He said, happily.
"And I'm Bella."
"We've come to welcome you to the neighbour hood." Edward explained.
"I'm Ginny." The girl nodded and invited them in. "Hermione, Ron, Harry! Come down, we've got company!" She hollered up the stairs. "Please take a seat. Would you like some tea?" She asked, politely.
"No, thank you, we just ate lunch."
Finally, the other three occupants of the house walked into the living room. The redhead boy, who Bella guessed was in some way related to Ginny, glanced at her and frowned at Edward. He murmured something to the curly haired brunette, causing her to whack him over the head.
"Don't be daft Ronald, why would you even suggest such a thing?" She whispered back, sounding outraged.
Once they were all seated, Bella struck up a conversation with the group knowing Edward was going to pry through their minds.
"Will you be living here long?" She inquired.
"I should think we'll stay for at least a year."
"Harry and I, though, might decide to move here permenantly." Ginny added, taking the tall, black haired boy's hand in hers.
"How long have you lived here for?" Hermione questioned.
"About three years, I'm not sure, time passes so quickly when I'm with Edward." Bella replied, noticing the crease in Hermione's forehead.
Hermione slowly started to frown when she felt a presence nudging around the outside of her mental defenses. It was disturbing her. She knew it was the vampire called Edward who was trying to read her mind and knew that he wouldn't manage to get through unless she let him but it was still very distracting. She glared at him briefly, hoping to make him stop with out actually revealing that she knew what he was doing. However, he just seemed to try harder to breach her protections.
Hermione gently and discreetly pushed him out. She saw him frown and then just like that he was back in her mind. My, that was rude of him. She thought the word loudly enough for him to hear her. He jumped in his seat looking around in confusion. Hermione immediately rejoined the conversation and laughed at the joke Ron had just told as if she hadn't done anything.
"Edward, are you okay?" Bella demanded, worried since he never jumped in surprise like that.
He nodded. "Yeah I'm fine." He nodded, running a frustrated hand through his hair.
"I'm sure the rest of the Cullens would love to meet you." Bella continued from where she left off, knowing this was not the place to ask what he had found in their heads.
"Cullens?" Hermione repeated, in mild surprise. "Are you by any chance related to Carlisle Cullen?"
"Yes I am, he's my father." She hummed thoughtfully, now knowing for certain that the vampires in the area were a local convent and not vagabonds.
"Please thank him again for me! He did a terrific job on my arm." She said.
At this Bella saw for the first time the huge band-aid she had on her left arm. "What did you do to your arm?"
"Oh, just my clumsy self." Hermione replied, with a careless wave of her hand. "Ever since I went to see Carlisle, my arm has been healing far quicker than before, in fact it's almost healed."
"He is the best doctor in town." Bella agreed.
"We should probably get going, Bella. Alice prepared a nice meal for us tonight so that we can talk over the wedding details with the rest of the family."
"Wedding?" Harry asked.
Bella nodded excitedly. "Edward and I are engaged! We'll be getting married in a few weeks." She turned to Edward lovingly. "I've never been more excited." Suddenly she turned back to the other four. "You're welcome to come, if you want. As soon as Alice hears about you she'll insist we invite you, to make you feel welcome."
"We wouldn't want to intrude." Ginny said, shaking her hands.
"Nonsense, she's already invited the whole town anyway. Four more people won't change anything. I'll tell her to send you an invitation." Bella stated and the ex-Hogwarts students knew better than to argue.
"Well it was lovely meeting you." Hermione said.
"Yes, see you around." Edward stood, grabbing Bella's hand and pulling her to the door.
"Goodbye." Harry and Ginny called, Hermione gave a short wave and Ron exclaimed: "Cheerio, mate!"
All three of them turned to look at Ron with a raised eyebrow. "'Cheerio, mate!?'" Ginny repeated, disbelieving. "I can not believe you said that."
"What I just really wanted to say it." He shrugged.
"But Ron-"
"Am I the only one more concerned by the fact that a vampire plans on marrying a mortal than by what I said?" He interrupted.
"It's really bizarre." Hermione agreed.
"Not so much, they seem to have a very strong connection." Ginny shrugged.
"But he's a vampire."
"I think the fact that you were healed by a very controlled vampire is proof enough that the vampires of Forks are not your ordinary group of vampires."
"Besides, I could tell he really loved her." Harry added. "Is it really inconceivable that a vampire can fall for a human?" He questioned.
"Yes, it is."
"It's not any weirder than a wizard falling for a human." Ginny stated.
"It is actually, because wizards don't drink human blood!" Hermione whisper shouted. "You know I'm all for equality of the races, but something unusual is happening here. First the shape shifters, whose, might I add, soul purpose for being is to kill vampires, seem completely fine with the fact that a vampire works in the hospital we went to. Then a vampire announces his marriage to a human."
"It is a bit odd." Harry agreed.
"A bit odd?! No Harry! This town is completely disfunctional!" Hermione exclaimed, in slight panic. "I'm going out right now! I'm going to find a book that will clear up this whole mess!" She yelled, picking up her purse and slipping into her black leather jacket.
"Where are you going to find a book about that?" Ron wanted to know. "It's not like there's a wizard book store around here."
"No there isn't but there is a small tourist store in La Push. I can probably find a book about the tribe legends."
"Don't come home too late." Ginny said.
"I'll warn you if I get caught up." Hermione said, driving away.
Jacob smelt her as soon as she entered La Push territory. He had been hanging out with Quil and Embry trying to find a way to talk to Hermione without freaking her out and making a fool of himself. He stood up and rushed to the front porch in an attempt to figure out where she was going. He followed her sent which lead him to the small tourist trap store of La Push. He went in a few minutes after her, just as she was finishing her conversation with Emily who was replacing Sue for the day.
"You'll find a book about that in the back, down there." Emily told her.
"Thank you." Hermione said, turning away from the counter she bumped right into Jacob.
He steadied her, chuckling lightly. "Seems you like running into me." He joked.
"As I recall you bumped into me last time." She shot back.
"Touché." He agreed, going to lean against the counter while she went to the back. "How are you, Em?"
"I'm great thanks, though not half as great as you are." She teased with a knowing smile.
"Sam was looking for you." He informed her, trying to surpress his uncontrollable grin.
"Well, he knows where I am if it's important, if not he'll just have to wait for me to go home."
They continued to chat and eventually Hermione came back up to the counter holding a thick tome in her hands. "Oh, good choice, I particularly enjoyed reading this one." Emily said, taking the book. "That'll be 10 dollars."
Hermione noticed that Jacob was once again topless despite the fact that it had just started raining. "Don't you ever wear a top?" She muttered.
Jacob threw his head back and laughed whole heartedly. "It happens on occasion. My friend's boyfriend once said the exact same thing."
She raised her eyebrows. "Oh really, was he afraid you were trying to impress her and take her away from him?"
He snorted. "Edward knew very well that Bella wasn't going to pay attention to my body, he just didn't- doesn't like me."
"Bella?" Hermione said.
"You know her?"
"Yeah- I- She came to welcome my friends and I to the neighbour hood today with Edward." She mumbled.
"What did you think of him?" He asked, wondering if she was going to fawn over his vampire good looks like all human girls.
"Of Edward?" She shrugged. "He was okay, I guess, if a bit arrogant and rude, in my opinion that is. And far too pale for my liking." She added.
Jacob laughed in joy again. "He is freakishly pale." He agreed, grinning broadly. His smile shone in his eyes and the adorable twinkle made Hermione smile back easily.
"I don't think I'll be good friends with either of them. They're not really my type of people, Bella was- Oh sorry, I know she's your friend."
"Don't worry, you can tell me." He assured her.
"Well, Bella appeared kind of... Weak. She was hanging off of Edward the whole time and just had a brainless type of attitude. She acted like the type that can't and wouldn't do anything without her boyfriend." Her eyes widened when she realized what she had said. "Oh Merlin! That was mean of me, I didn't plan on saying that aloud." She excused herself.
"It's alright, I understand, I used to have a crush on her not that long ago but now when I remember everything that happened since she met Edward, I have to agree with everything you said."
"It was still mean. And that's not to say they aren't nice people, I'm sure they are." She said.
"Bella's kind enough but Edward... I don't like him, or any of his people." He said bitterly. Hermione studied him wondering if perhaps he was a shape shifter, his distaste for the Cullens sounded like more than just a 'You-stole-the-girl-I-liked' kind of dislike. "Man, it's really pouring out there." Jake observed.
He held the door open for her and Hermione thanked him and went to her car. "I'll see you around Jacob."
"See ya, Hermione." He waved and slowly walked away.
Hermione turned the key in the ignition, making the car fart and die. She frowned, she knew the car was old but she didn't think it would break down. She groaned, she couldn't walk all the way home in this weather and if she apparated home, the people of La Push would wonder how she got home without her car. She caught sight of Jacob chatting with two boys in her rearview mirror and jumped out of her car.
Jacob saw Quil and Jared walking down the road and called out to them. They turned and waited for him.
"Hey Jake, what you doing here?" They questioned, glancing at the store behind him in confusion.
"I was at the store talking with Hermione." He explained.
"We know that. What we don't get is why you're not helping Hermione." Jared said.
"Nothing was wrong with her, why would she need help?"
"You mean it didn't work?" Quil demanded. "Dude, I knew we should have messed with it more!" He muttered, shoving Jared.
Jared raised his hands in surrender. "Hey, I tried the best I could." He defended.
"Well that was a waste of time." Quil complained.
"What did you guys do?" Jacob glared, crossing his arms.
Suddenly there was a loud rattling and spluttering noise from behind them, a noise that could only come from a car. Jared and Quil grinned.
"YES! It worked! I told you it would!" Jared exclaimed. He and Quil exchanged a victorious bro-hug.
"You broke her car?" Jacob asked, incredulous.
"We did it for you mate! That way you get to spend more time with her!" Quil said.
"Now you can fix up her car!" Jared cheered.
Jacob tried to act angry for Hermione but he couldn't hold back the huge smile spreading across his face. He could hear Hermione's feet slapping in the mud and puddles as she ran up to them.
"Jacob!" He turned to her. "I know we just met and all that but my car broke down and I have no idea how to fix it." She claimed, her hair sticking to her face, her brow furrowed in worry.
"No worries, British chick! You came to the right guy! He's the towns garage man!" Jared proclaimed, wrapping an arm around Jake's shoulders.
Jake shoved him off and rubbed the back of his neck. "I just fix vehicles as a hobby."
"Would you mind terribly to fix mine?" She pleaded.
"Of course not but first we should get you inside." He reached out to take her hand and beamed when she slipped her small hand in his large one. "I'll send a few guys to bring your car to my house. I'll fix it there."
"You're a life saver Jake." Hermione said.
Hermione could not, for the life of her, understand why she felt so comfortable with Jacob. She just was, the conversation came easily, when he reached out to take her hand she took it without hesitating, when he smiled at her she had to smile back, it was out of her control. She didn't even feel out of place when she walked into his house.
"I'll lend you a sweatshirt, you're soaked." He said, looking her up and down.
She looked down at herself and saw that her white shirt was sticking to her upper body, and had become see through. Turning bright red she covered her chest with her arms. Balancing on the balls of her feet she waited for Jacob to come back. He handed her a large black sweatshirt and she accepted it with a shy smile, rapidly pulling it over her head.
"Car's here!" A male voice called from outside.
Jacob brought Hermione out back and thanked his friends. "We'll be at Sam's if you need us." Quil said. "See ya British Chick!" Jared yelled, waving good bye with Quil and another shirtless boy that Hermione did not know yet.
Hermione waved back timidly. "Come on, lets go check out your car." Jake said, going into the garage barn.
He quickly went to work, Hermione watching him. She enjoyed watching his muscles ripple under his tan skin when he moved things around and forced parts of her motor out. Clearing her throat, disgusted with herself and the way she was acting, she got her new purchase out of the car and went to sit on his work table since there were no chairs and the floor was very dirty. An hour passed quickly while she read and soon she found herself watching Jacob again when she arrived at the end of the legend.
"Do you guys actually believe this tale?" She wondered.
He stood up straight and took a look at the book she was reading. "Nah, it's just a myth. Vampires and shapeshifters? That stuff only exists in stories." He replied.
"I find it captivating." She said. "And it's a very well written."
She went back to reading, leafing through the pages after the myth, searching for anything to help her recognize wolf shifters, or anything about the Cullens. Finally in very small writting she found a list of shapeshifter characteristics. They could heal very quickly, had incredibly warm skin and were very musular in their human form. She knew most of them apart from those, they intrigued her. Quick healing was coherent since they fought against vampires, the muscles were obvious, if they fought vampires, they had to be strong. The body heat however perplexed her, why did they have that?
She looked at Jacob when he spoke. "Can you pass me that crowbar, please?" He gestured to the metal object at her side.
She handed it to him, their hands touching, Hermione shivered enjoying his abnormal heat. Her eyes widened and she felt the urge to slap herself. She could be insanely dense sometimes. Remarkably muscular? Jacob was the most muscular man she had ever met! Feverish bodyheat? Jacob was as warm as a fire and never wore a shirt, no matter the weather! She had been in the presence of many shapeshifters a number of times and yet she hadn't even noticed!
How daft was she? She reprimanded herself internaly.