AN: Hi guys I am back with a new chapter! I apologize for it taking this long, but to make up for it I will try and post an additional 2 chapters this month if my schedule allows it. So here is chapter 3... Hope you like it and please review. Don't worry chapter 4 is when the real fun will start.


It was about half past six in the evening when Hermione pulled into Charlie's driveway, parking behind a police cruiser. The sun is beginning to set, it's good that she got here before dark. She rested her head in her arms on the steering wheel. For a moment she just stared at the house in front of her. Her mind was carving out different scenarios on how this first meeting after 16 years would go, and none appealed to her. She may as well let things happen naturally—no need to overthink this like she does everything else.

With a deep breath in and out she grabbed her bag on the passenger seat, got out of the car, locked it and made her way up to the house that hosted her only living blood relatives. In the stillness of the evening, the ground crunched loudly under her flats.

All too soon she reached the front door. Straightening her clothes she lifted her fist, gave three quick raps on the door and waited nervously, shifting from one foot to the other. She heard footsteps coming towards her from the other side.

The door opened and there stood her big brother. Nothing was said and nobody moved just staring at each other not even breathing for what felt like an eternity. Charlie's eyes started to pool with tears as he looked at her with so much emotion, eyes identical to her father's. She swallowed the lump in her throat as her eyes filled up. That's how her father looked at her every time she returned from school. As if she was the only thing that was missing in his life, and he could finally breathe again.

He reached out and pulled her into his warm embrace. Nothing was said, they just stood in that position for what felt like hours. It was 1 minute later, they finally released one another and tried to wipe their tears without the other noticing. They were British, they rarely showed emotion.

"Hermit, you finally made it!" She scoffed at the terrible nickname he gave her. "I was just about to log you as a missing person and have all my deputies search for you." He grunted out, his voice still gruff from the emotional onslaught.

"Well, that would be abusing your power as an authority figure Charles. Mum would have highly disapproved." Hermione tut-tut at her big brother "But father would have agreed, because males are reckless beings." She glanced behind her brother to see if her niece was nearby.

When she sees no one, she refocused on her brother. "It's good to see you, Charles. You look so much like father it's uncanny," she said, taking off her coat.

Charlie took it from her and hung it in the closet under the stairs. She was dressed in a loose silk red blouse, tucked into her black skinny jeans and a pair of red flats. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail with a few curls framing her face. She had a slight blush colouring her cheeks because of the coolness of the air.

"You are a sight for sore eyes Hermione. You have grown into a beautiful young woman. I can imagine several suitors enchanted by you at your coming out ball." He stated proudly.

"Thank you but I did not have a coming out ball Charles. I was at school when I came of age and by the time I returned home Mum and Dad had already passed away." Hermione stated.

Charlie closed the front door and gestured for Hermione to follow him to the kitchen." I am sorry for what happened to our parents. If I had spent more time with them and visited more often, maybe they wouldn't have needed to travel and get into an accident." He switched on the kettle and got two cups ready, missing Hermione's guilt-ridden face. He got milk from the fridge and Earl Grey tea from the cupboard. "Sugar?" he asked, holding it up for her to see.

"No, thank you. Charles, you couldn't have predicted that this would happen", even though there are people that could have, she thought bitterly of Professor Trelawney "so don't fault yourself for it."

He made the tea and sat down across from her. Hermione added a bit of milk to her tea, and he added a few teaspoons of sugar to his. Both took a sip and sighed simultaneously.

"So, tell me about your life, I missed almost all of it when I decided to come study in the US."

"There's not much to know. Most of it is boring with a majority of my days being filled with school. I have two best friends, Harry and Ron. We met in our first year at school when I was 12 and have been friends ever since. The other most memorable time was when Mum took me to a Victoria's Secret fashion show at age 14. That was the highlight of my life, it was by far the greatest show I have ever attended. I would go again in a heartbeat. I even got to meet some of the models.

I got my qualifications to be a teacher four years after and now I'm here. All the in-betweens are not that important." she was avoiding anything that had to do with magic. Her brother was left in the dark about that part of her life and she tended to keep it that way.

"You mean the show where the women parade around in underwear? You went to watch that live?! I can't imagine Mum ever going to something so scandalous." He looked a bit green at the idea of his mother and sister enjoying watching other women show off their bits in public.

"I highly considered becoming an underwear model, but Mum convinced me otherwise. So when can I meet my niece?" Ignoring her brother's scandalous stare.

Charlie stood from his seat "Now would be a perfect time. Bella, your aunt Hermione just arrived, come say hi!" He shouted from the kitchen door. They heard light footsteps come down the stairs and in came Bella dressed in a t-shirt and sweatpants. A pair of all-stars on her feet. She looked so nervous clutching at the sleeves of her shirt and biting her bottom lip. The same habit that Hermione struggled with over the years.

"Bells, this is your aunt Hermione." Bella stared at the goddess-like being that stood in front of her. Glowing skin, pink lips and the most beautiful caramel curls piled on top of her head. "You are beautiful, are you sure you are a human and not some goddess." She quickly put a hand over her mouth, turning a bright shade of red. 'Can't believe I just said that out loud.' "Hi, I'm Bella" she finished meekly.

Hermione laughed at the compliment not used to being compared to a goddess. "No love, I'm just a normal human that struggles with acne, scars and really bad bed hair. It's nice to finally meet you, Isabella, you are a beauty." She stroked Bella's hair and drew her into a hug. Bella awkwardly returned it, feeling like a child even though they were basically the same age. "I'm so happy to finally be with my actual family." Hermione sighed in Bella's hair sharing a content smile with her brother.

"I am happy to finally meet you too Aunt Hermione," Bella said as she was released from her aunt's hold. " Although I only found out today that I had an aunt." She mumbled the last part, throwing her father the stink eye. Charlie just lifted his hands as a sign of surrender.

Hermione eyed her brother but decided to save him. "That would be partly my fault. I could have come to visit, but I let my friends mostly dictate my life and hoard all my attention, but that's in the past now. Now I only focus on family and that means you and Charlie." she said the last part with an endearing smile at her brother and niece. "So, Isabella I am in great need of an updated wardrobe and was wondering if you would accompany me on a shopping trip?"

Bella grumbled internally; she hated shopping. She was about to decline, but her aunt saw her reluctance.

"I promise it will be fun. My mum dragged me all over when we used to go shopping and I used to hate it, but now it's my favourite thing to do. There is just something therapeutic about spoiling yourself for a day." Hermione gave her the cutest pleading look that she couldn't say no to. So, Bella agreed to go shopping the next day. Funny as it is, she was looking forward to their bonding time.

Charlie clapped his hands startling the two girls who were deep in thought about the next day." Okay, so it's settled. Bells go shopping with you tomorrow and I can go to work knowing you guys won't be stuck indoors all day. Bonus I'd say. So, Hermione have you eaten yet?"

Hermione normally only eats one meal a day but weirdly she stopped in Port Angeles to have a burger and fries. "Yes, Charles I am fine. I am just tired. It has been a long day, and I want to get to bed early."

"Could you please stop calling me Charles and just Charlie? My full name makes me feel old."

He gestured for her to follow him upstairs with Bella coming up at the rear end. "Because you are old, dad." Bella chuckled behind Hermione making her aunt giggle.

"I have you know, I am still considered young in other parts of the world," Charlie stated sticking his nose in the air. Making the two laugh harder.

"Well Lord Charles nobody can run away from their name and title" Hermione added bossily.

"Lord Charles?! Dad is there something else you're not telling me?" Bella asked, narrowing her eyes.

Charlie ignored the question and focused on showing Hermione to her and Bella's room. Bella had taken the bed next to the window leaving the one closest to the door for Hermione.
"Thank you for leaving the bed far from the window open. I don't like sleeping close to one and being near the door makes it easier to get up early to go on my morning runs without disturbing you." She was very grateful, now she could put a locking and silencing charm on the door and a disillusion and silencing charm on her bed to make it look like she was sleeping peacefully, but she knew that wouldn't be the case.

"Now that everything is shorted out, I will leave you girls to get settled for the night" And with that, he went to his room.

Bella went to her side of the room and sat down on the bed looking out the window.

"I know you have a lot of questions about your father's life before he had you. I am not fully informed about it, but what I do know I will make sure to tell you about tomorrow on our shopping trip." Hemione had glamoured and makeup her scars, so it was invisible mostly. Only people with sharp eyesight could see there was something off. She took off her clothes and put on a long-sleeved t-shirt that fell mid-thigh and got into bed with a "Goodnight Isabella. I look forward to our time together." then she submitted to Dreamland.

Bella with nothing else to do got under her covers too and fell asleep with a lot of unanswered questions floating in her head.

The next morning was a blur. Hermione got up at 4 am and made sure to remove the blood from her shirt and bed, tidying up and enlarging her trunk to take out her running tracksuit, sneakers and shower things for later. She shrunk the trunk again, put it in her bag and got dressed. With her hair in a ponytail, she went on her run. She ran for an hour and made her way back to the house, took a shower made herself a nice cup of tea with milk and took a seat at the kitchen table. That's how Charlie found her, coming into the kitchen dressed in his police gear at exactly 6 am.

"Good morning, Charles, would you like a cup of tea?"

"This early, I need a cup of coffee."

Hermione pulled a face; she didn't like the taste of coffee. Charlie laughed at her facial expression and went to make him a cup. "Guess I will make it myself. At what time are you and Bella leaving for your shopping trip?

"At 8 am. By that time most of the shops are open and it will give Bella some more time to sleep till 7." She drank the last of her tea and washed the dishes that had accumulated in the sink.

"Well, I'm off then. Please be careful and enjoy yourselves."

"We will. Have a great day at work, Charlie." He smiled at her using his nickname and then he was gone.

Nearly time to wake up Bella so she quickly put the dishes away and went upstairs to their shared room. Bella was lying on her stomach and snoring a little, making Hermione laugh and shake her awake. It took a minute and some, but Hermione had her in the shower and dressed in half an hour. Both of them were wearing blue jeans and t-shirts tucked in at the waist and white sneakers. Both left their hair down. It's better to try on clothes that way.

Bella now only noticed the Tesla in their driveway, eyes widening at the vehicle's beauty. "Wow, is this yours?

"Yip" Hermione said, popping the p. She took out her car key and threw it at Bella. "You drive."

"No, what if I bump into something and scratch it? I would never forgive myself. It would haunt me." Bella tried to give the key back to her aunt, but Hermione was having none of that and directed her to the driver's side.

"Anything that happens to the car would be an easy fix. We are young, beautiful and wealthy. So, we will enjoy every moment of life even if it means a few accidents along the way." She was never this bolt with her friends. They only had the honour of knowing bookworm Hermione, not the real one. The carefree, fun and love-to-shop Hermione. The only girlfriend she had was Ginny, but she could tell her presence in the only girl of the Weasley bunch's life was quite unwanted. She is somewhat glad that none of her friends knew she held a title in the Muggle world and was almost as rich as the Malfoy's. She was 39'th in line to be the Queen of her country. That would have given her the wrong sort of attention.

Bella finally relented and drove them to Port Angeles. They started sourcing different boutiques and clothing stores. Hermione, being more adept in that area, took charge. She went all out and got them 10 of each item. Dresses long and short, short skirts, long skirts, blouses with long sleeves and short sleeves. For Hermione, they added a few female suits, skirt versions and pants versions in different pastels and muted colours. They went to a shop that sells mostly jeans and T-shirts. And got 10 pairs of jeans each and 10 T-shirts in plain colours and 10 T-shirts with different graphics and captions on. It was about 2.30 pm when they decided to take a break and have lunch at a 4-star restaurant and had some pizza.

After that, they went coat and cardigan shopping, all types of panties and bras. Matching and not matching…skimpy and non-skimpy. Bathing suits every style you can get and that was their first day of shopping. Hermione called Charlie to let him know that Bella and herself are staying the night to get the rest of their shopping done. Bella looked dead on her feet and might pass out at any moment. Hemione was not even tired yet. Months on the run gave her a lot of endurance. She booked them in at a hotel, put Bella to bed and then went back down to the bar to order some food for later tonight when Bella woke up and felt hungry.

She made herself comfortable at the bar, ordered the food to be taken to their room and ordered a glass of red wine for herself. She would have killed for a glass of Elfie's wine, but a high-quality red would have to do. She sipped on her glass and glanced around the bar and restaurant to see quite a few people enjoying the food and their company. She felt the air shift around her and then felt a poke at the edge of her mental shield. The chair beside her made a soft squeak when someone sat in it.

Without turning her head Hermione scanned the person next to her. Constant vigilance that's what Moody drilled into them. Momentarily her heart stopped, and she let out a tiny gasp. Cedric, she whispered under her breath. The man next to her perked up slightly, it would have been unnoticed by the untrained eye. Hermione took another drink from her glass and turned slightly to get a better look at the stranger. He looked like Cedric Diggory just a bit older, but that's impossible because Cedric died as a 17-year-old. This person looked like he could be 19 or even 20.

"Hi, I'm Edward Cullen." Hermione blushed slightly, realising that she was staring. What was it about American men and their good looks? " I'm Hermione. Nice to meet you." She held out her hand for him to shake. He hesitated for a moment before shaking it. Hermione gasped, only one thought playing in her mind ' vampire'. Forgetting to strengthen her mental block. Edward's eyes widened when her thoughts entered his mind. Hermione noticed that and slammed her mental shield shut roughly, giving Edward his first-ever headache since he was turned.

" You're not a human drinker so what is it that you want from me?" Hermione asked calmly but was already in warrior-witch mode now.

"I didn't mean to startle you. I was just waiting for my sister to finish her shopping then we will be heading back to Forks," he said to reassure Hermione that he meant her no harm while rubbing his temples.

Hermione looked at him sceptically, "You live in forks?" She was starting to regret her decision to move here, but then she thought of her brother's happy face and today's bonding with her niece and regret flew out the window.

"Yes, my family and I have been living there for decades. By the way, how do you know about vampires?"

"That's none of your business. How many of you are there?" Hermione asked. She was in no mood to deal with magical beings, even the undead needed to make themself scarce.

Edward narrowed his eyes at her. "It's rude to ask personal questions when you aren't being forthcoming."

Hermione fingered her wand in her jeans pocket. "You don't want to challenge me, Eddy." Her eyes glinted at the idea of a fight.

Edward immediately lifted his hands in defence, feeling like he was the prey and she the predator. "We are seven. I have 2 sisters, 2 brothers and a mom and dad figure. We prefer the term family to coven."

"And pretty soon you will be a part of it." Said a girl who appeared almost pixie-like with her small stature and short hair.

Hermione narrowed her eyes at the girl and looked back to Edward "What the hell is she talking about?" Edward looked like he had a headache again, pinching at the bridge of his nose.

"Hermione, this is my sister, Alice. She is married to Jasper Hale standing behind her, who's drowning in shopping bags. She can see the future, but it all depends on a person's decisions. Alice this is Hermione uhm I didn't catch your surname..." he paused for her to fill in the gap.

"I never gave it." she turned back to her wine glass, chugged the rest of it and slipped off the bar stool "Well I would have said it was a pleasure to meet you, but I am not drunk enough for that. I hope we see as little of each other as possible, goodnight." Before they could utter a word further, she was already out of sight.

"What an intriguing person," Jasper whispered

"Oh, you have no idea" Alice quipped and smiled secretly.

"Alice, why do you keep thinking about the same pair of purple shoes you bought?"Edward asked, annoyed and half frustrated.

Alice laughed "I'm trying to keep a secret from you about your new friend Hermione"

"She's not my friend, just some random stranger." He grumbled and ignored his sister's comment. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yes, I am. Let's Go."

Thank you for reading. See you in the next one...