Moonrise || Harry Potter Twilight Crossover || FanFiction

Chapter Seven: Bella's POV

"I'm happy about Alice finding her soul-mate in Hermione." I admit, which is half the reason for my being lost in my thoughts. I am happy, but the happiness I'm feeling is so tainted right now, stained by the fear, the anxiety I'm feeling. War has cut wounds in Hermione so deep that she's still bleeding, and even when she starts to heal, they're going to leave scars, and right now I don't know if she'll ever be fully okay again. I don't know if she'll ever be the Hermione who made me read poetry with her, or practice T'ai Chi in an effort to improve my balance (it hadn't worked), or nagged me about getting my holiday homework done so we'd have the whole remaining holidays free. 

Edward, taking the hint that the choice of topic I want to stick to right now is Alice and her realisation, smiles.

"Alice is in shock. Hermione's shield seems to be more potent then yours, as well as her mind been blank to me, Jasper can't feel her emotions and Alice can't see her in the future." He chuckles, "Alice isn't used to being taken by surprise. It's very rare for a vampire to automatically realise someone is their soul mate, but the second Alice saw Hermione, she knew. It's hard to explain, but instead of a pull there was just a click. One look and a whole new future has been shaped, one that Alice can't See."

"Is she happy about it?" I ask, and Edward gives a soft laugh, his golden eyes meeting mine, warmth filling them.

"A mate is what makes this existence go from tolerable, to wonderful." He says, softly, and I'm fully aware that he's not just referring to Alice's situation right now. I blush slightly and Edward kisses the tip of my nose.

"I don't think I'll tell Hermione what happened," I think out loud, "I figure it's Alice's place to decide what to do. And..." I pause for a second, looking at the nape of Edward's neck, avoiding his eyes. What I'm about to say could open up the avenue to a conversation I can't have with him, not yet. Not until Hermione is ready to open up to them. "Hermione's... fragile right now," I say, tone soft. "She's had a hard few years, and I think she needs to be eased into the idea that she has a vampire soul mate, that Alice should, you know, court her, so she doesn't feel cornered by expectations and just... disappear."

And this, perhaps, is the root of why I haven't tried pushing. Because I'm scared that if I do, and if she's not ready, she'll just pull away, that she'll leave; that she'll leave Forks, leave me."

Edward uses his finger to gently tilt my head up. "What happened to her, Bella?" He asks, eyes creased with concern. And I want to tell him, I really do. I want to talk to someone about this, anyone. But it's not my place, and I tell him this.

"And the truth is... the truth is I only know the basics. Hermione is very... strong. Stubborn. She doesn't like unleashing her personal demons onto other people, preferring to keep them bottled up inside." I sigh.

"I know someone else who fits that description." Edward said, his lips twitching into a smile. I scowl.

"I thought I wore my emotions on my sleeve!" I complain, playfully shoving him. It's like hitting a brick wall.

"Just because your emotions are easy to read, doesn't mean you don't bottle them up." Edward says, and I sigh, rolling my eyes.

"You're horrible." I tell, before yawning. "'Night Edward. I love you."

"I love you too."

I'm pulled abruptly from my sleep at the sound of a shrill ringing that even my sleep addled mind recognises as the ring tone of Edward's phone. "What is it?" I mumble sleepily, rubbing my eyes. I squint in my dark room, spotting Edward standing near the window, talking quietly into his phone. The screen of his phone screen bathes his face in light, the only source of light in the room, and the expression on his face has my stomach turn icy back flips. I sit up, abruptly, my remaining sleepiness disappearing in the wake of the fear that's flooded me. "Edward, what is it?" I demand, unable to hold back the traces of panic in my voice.