Swatches of Time

Dear Hermione

A/N: Before you get mad at me for the racial slurs and stereotyping, I'm going out on the limb here and tell you that I'm Asian. I only placed it here for the story. I don't intend to offend anyone. This story is by the Creepy Pasta entitled, "Dear Abby".

*****

Hermione and Takeshi barely worked on anything together but after Hermione finished her master's degree and started working on her doctorate, Takeshi helped inspire her in writing about the Heian Period of Japan and the power of the Fujiwara clan, explaining that the transition of power was brought about by the necessity of the times. Takeshi took great joy in teaching his fiancée how to read and speak Japanese while she helped him learn how to read old Chinese better as it was the language at the courts of Heian era. She took to visiting him at his college more often.

People warned Hermione that couples who see each other more often tend to grow tired of each other. Instead of doing that, she felt a sense of belonging and completeness as they set about their first joint paper, in readiness for a history conference in Europe. Everything was perfect in their own little world that they did not see that there were those who envied them in their closeness.

John Sullivan, is a Japanophile who is addicted to Japanese culture. He is just 34 years old and is an associate professor who is just a bit older than Takeshi. He had always been jealous of the attention that the Japanese Studies "Star" Professor has. He had been in line for the promotion as full time faculty before the f #$ing chink got it! It's not John's fault that he wasn't born Japanese. Besides the guy isn't completely Japanese, he's a half Taiwanese! The girls of the department, both students and their fellow faculty went nuts for the guy, who barely pays any of them attention as he seemed to think too highly of himself. But he never hated the guy up until she came along.

Beautiful Hermione, head always up in her books and a cup of cold coffee, no matter what the temperature is, at her other hand. The reason why he knew her name is because baristas would shout her name out whenever her coffee is ready. John had seen her some time ago, she was often found in the coffee shop, day in and day out, drinking coffee and reading. He had been working up the courage to talk to her but always failed to do so. There were times when he took her pictures, being a habit person who goes in the coffee shop at a certain time and always tries to spot in the certain place; it was easy to catch her in the coffee shop. He'd sit some tables away and take pictures of her surreptitiously.

Then, he missed his favorite past time as it was necessary for him to take a trip and attend a conference in Yale. He came back after two weeks. It was just two weeks! When he got into the coffee shop and was about to set his things near a table where she'd occupy, he saw her and him! Takeshi Yamamoto held the hand of his dream girl who mischievously put a smudge of whip cream on his face. Instead of wiping it, Yamamoto rubbed his cheek on her, causing her to laugh. John realized he hadn't heard her laugh before but his fury overpowered this observation as he took a strategic retreat back and left the coffee shop without looking back.

*****

The moment John Sullivan got home to his apartment; he started tearing the pictures he had of Hermione on his wall. As he saw his face, his pale tear stricken face, he realized he has a problem. He called his therapist and arranged for a session. It would end with him taking a health break for the remainder of this term as well as the first semester of the next term. His psychiatrist decided that he ought to remove all the reminders of Hermione in his life and told him that he should not go to that coffee shop again.

He was really doing well, his vacation went happily as his mother took care of him and he watched all the anime he could while in her home. But as soon as he returned to Harvard, he would overhear a group of male professors from his department trying to talk Takeshi into having a bachelor party, which the man declined saying he'd rather have his fiancée. Someone ribbed him about that and they all laughed. John decided to visit Hermione, he got to know her apartment after he read an envelope that was lying on her table, only to find out from the doorman that she had moved out of the building, even volunteering that she had already moved in with her boyfriend, that Asian guy. The two would only come by for a visit with her former roommates.