CHAPTER THIRTEEN:

Hermione's POV:

After the somewhat disastrous English lesson, Edward and Bella made up quickly, though I suspected the topic of the weekend was carefully avoided, something made easier with the limited time they got to spend together due to the fact the next few days were sunny, causing Alice and Edward to have to stay home during school-time.

Thankfully for my plans with Alice, the weather became overcast and gloomy enough by Friday afternoon that Alice came to pick me up from school in her bright yellow Porsche, looking absolutely stunning, as well as excited about our shopping trip.

I couldn't help feeling shy as I slipped into place beside her, and had to remind myself several times that this wasn't a 'date', no matter how much it felt like it. "How was school today?" she asked, as we pulled out of the school parking lot.

"Oh, chemistry was amazing!" I enthuse, getting a touch lost in my recap of the lesson, realizing only after several minutes of detailed explanation of the work we had covered, and my subsequent theories and realizations, that Alice looked like she was fighting back a smile. My cheeks flamed red, and I gave her a sheepish look. "I mean... school was lousy without you, my pixie in shining armor."

"Well I'm glad you missed me." Alice teased, and I laugh, relaxing into the soft leather seat.

"I barely made it through each day, Alice, my heart ached for you so." I quipped, and she laughed too, the sound sweeter then vanilla. We made it to Port Angeles in record time, thanks to Alice's highly illegal driving, and parked outside the rather small, but busy mall.

Alice was just about bouncing in excitement, as she chattered on about all the amazing stores, gleefully dragging me into each and every one. I was glad I'd had the sense to convert all the pounds into American dollars that I had, as it turned out Alice had an eye for fashion better then Lavender Brown's. Her skill in picking out all the most gorgeous outfits for me, each one more flattering then the next and all of them suiting me perfectly, was unparalleled.

"You should be a personal shopper." I tell her, "or a fashion designer." I turn around slowly in front of the mirror, enjoying the way the dark green skirt flared up with my movements.

"I'd love to be," Alice says, and her face droops slightly, "unfortunately, I'm stuck looking like a teenager, or a young woman who's only just graduated high school, spent maybe a year or two at university at the most." My face softens, and I pull the small vampire into my arms without even thinking. Alice instantly melts into my embrace.

The sensation of Alice in my arms, cold stone that curled around my form, felt... right. I couldn't help breathing in her captivating scent as I held her deliciously cool body against my own slightly flushed one. The familiar heat began to pool in my lower abdomen, sending flares of sensitivity through my body, and I can't help the slight shuddering breath that escapes my parted lips.

What are you doing? My brain is screaming at me, but as Alice looks up, and her eyes, the previously jewel-gold irises now dark as night, meet mine, my heart starts pounding in my chest, and before I really register what I'm doing, I'm bending forwards slightly and pressing my lips on hers.

Alice doesn't even hesitate, her lips pressing firmly back against my own. One arm wraps around my waist, holding me to her, against her, while her other hand tangles in my hair, and the tip of a cool tongue sweeping across the curve of my mouth. I moan, feeling my knees buckle under the sheer magnitude of emotion this kiss is bringing forth, and Alice is suddenly supporting me, as I sag against her.

We break away after what feels like hours, and I can see in the changing room mirror how swollen my lips are, and how mussed up my hair is. Alice's eyes are still pitch-black, and she's looking up at me in wonderment.

"Well..." I say, when neither of us speaks for several minutes, "that just happened." Alice giggles, and then looks up at me shyly.

"Go on a date with me?" She asks, and my lips pull into a smile.

"I'd love to." I tell the petite vampire, and she looks like she's going to squeal in excitement. I smile at her, feeling thrills racing through my body. "Why don't we plan that date over dinner?" I suggest, when my stomach lets out a small rumble. Alice giggles at the sound, and I quickly change out of my new skirt, paying for it at the counter before following the pixie to the food court, my mind all-awhirl with thoughts and sensations.

That had been... unexpected. Purely instinctual. I wasn't exactly sure what had come over me, what had caused me to act in such a bold, impulsive manner. Alice was gorgeous, physically, which probably played a part, but looking into her eyes... it was like my brain had turned off, all thoughts vanishing except the one that was wondering just how it would feel kissing Alice.

And I got my answer- it felt magical.

Sweet, tiny Alice was more then just a pretty face. She was kind and energetic, and a breath of fresh air. Her enthusiasm was exhilarating, and eye opening, reminding me of before the War, the joy I used to find in life. The intense emotions I was already feeling for her were not normal, not rational, but sometimes it was okay to act irrationally.

Alice found us a table in the food court, while I purchased a bowl of curly-fries. Sitting across from each other, neither of us seem exactly sure what to say. Our friendship, not even a week old, has suddenly plunged into something entirely different, and my mind still hasn't fully wrapped around that fact.

"That was very unlike me. Kissing you, like that." I tell her, honestly. Anxiety creases Alice's sweet face.

"You don't regret it, do you?" she questions, a trace of real, genuine fear in her bell-like voice.

I shake my head instantly, because it's the truth. I don't regret kissing Alice, and I don't regret agreeing to go on a date with her, but...

My life is infinitely more complicated then what I can tell her. Even if we 'dated', there'd be so much of myself, and what makes up what I am, that I can't share with the beautiful pixie, and that idea hurt me.

Magic was a secret, and you had to get special permission to reveal the secret to someone unaware of its existence. Vampires were not looked upon kindly in the Wizarding world- they were considered parasites, who killed to sustain themselves, and were often killed on sight. Even with my status as a war hero, I doubted I'd get permission to reveal what I was to Alice and her family, not unless our relationship lead to marriage.

"I have secrets." I tell her, speaking up finally. "Secrets that I can't tell you, Alice." Alice's eyes have melted back to butterscotch, and she gives me a look I can't decipher.

"Everyone has secrets." She tells me, and I sigh, and look down at the fries.

"Me, more so then most." I admit, and she smiles.

"I can accept that, Hermione," Alice says, voice soft. "I'll not badger you every time you do or say something so mysterious, that I think I'm going to explode in curiosity." She adds, with a teasing grin. I laugh.

"I know the feeling. And I'm sorry Alice... but that's the way it has to be." She nods. There's silence for a few moments while I chew on my fries, and Alice is obviously thinking something over, before she starts speaking again.

"So are you visiting your friends in England, this weekend?" She asks, and I nod, but don't elaborate. She accepts that, and changes the subject. "Bella still hasn't completely forgiven Edward," she says, conversationally.

"She's still fuming." I agree, smiling slightly. Alice chuckles.

"He's got a bit to learn in the ways of romance."

"And in the way of the twenty first century." I add, dryly. Alice gives a quick smile, looking up at me from under her eyelashes.

"Don't you worry, Hermione," she just about purrs, "I am perfectly knowledgeable in the ways of today." I swallow slightly at the look she's giving me, and the husky tone she used. My cheeks are both stained pink, much to my utter chagrin, and her smile widens, but she doesn't comment on it.

Our arms laden with bags and our purses considerably lighter, Alice dropped me off back at Charlie's later that night, and as the car idled in the driveway, I couldn't resist leaning over and kissing her again, slow and sweet this time. She kissed me back, and I nibble gently on her lower lip, my teeth clicking against the stone in a way that is oddly erotic.

Eventually, the need for oxygen outweighed my need for Alice, and I pulled back, and took a few deep breaths. Alice's eyes are dark again, and the smile she gives me is almost predatory.

"I'll see you on Monday, Hermione." She says.

"Monday." I agree, my voice a touch on the breathless side.

Weighed down by about fifty bags (well, not quite, but it certainly felt like it) I kicked the door in lieu of knocking, and Bella eventually opened it up. She took one look at my mouth, more specifically at my swollen lips, and her face broke into a huge smile.

"Finally!" She crowed, and I scowled at her.

"Oh bugger off." I grumbled, making my way over to my bedroom. Bella followed, an annoying grin on her face.

"Come on, tell me about it!" she badgers me, from the doorway of my room, "How far did it go? Which one of you initiated it?" I can't help my blush at her second question, and she honest-to-god squealed.

"You did! Holy crap! I thought for sure it would have been Alice!" she sounds thrilled.

"Oh shut up!" I groaned, in a very un-Hermione-like manner, and Bella starts laughing enough that her eyes tear up. Harry joins her in the doorway and takes in my twin, who's on the verge of crying she's laughing so hard, and my flushed appearance.

"You snogged the tiny vampire." He says, knowingly, and I yank my wand out of my pocket and swished it, angrily, in their direction. The bedroom door immediately slammed shut, and locked.

"Immature pillocks." I mutter, before charming my new clothes to put themselves away, and flopping down on the bed. I've got a lot to think about, and that's not even including the busy weekend I'm going to have, introducing Bella to my world.

How is she going to react? Is she going to like it, or is it going to be too much for her? And how is everyone going to react to Bella? Barely any of them knew about her, until I left for Forks, meaning they'd had only about a week to get used to the idea that she actually existed. Would they accept her?

And then there was Alice. Did I really want a romantic relationship with a vampire? There was the rather serious problem of them being immortal, and while witches and wizards lived for longer then muggles, their life span was nowhere near that of a vampire, and then there was the small vampire's words- she'd been saving herself for the person she wanted to spend forever with.

I moaned softly and pulled the bed covers over my head, ignoring the fact I was still fully dressed.

Curse being a teenager, and so full of hormones, and curse high school, with it's crazy relationships! Why couldn't I have a normal year for once? Why did my sister have to mate with a bloody vampire (no pun intended) and drag me into the ensuing mess, and why did said bloody vampire's adopted sister have to be so damn gorgeous, inside and out?!?