A/N: So it's been a while since I last updated. You should know that this will be a very common occurrence. Not only has college started back up, but I'm writing a novel with original characters. So I'm very busy. I will try to update when I can, but I can't promise much. I have another username on this site and I went 2 years (from Sept 2007 until August) before I updated.

She lowered her eyes and murmured, "I suppose that's the first thing we should talk about. My name isn't actually Elizabeth."

Edward's eyes widened almost imperceptibly in surprise. "What is your real name, then?" he asked curiously.

"Can we talk about this somewhere more private, please?" Hermione asked, indicating the throng of students passing back and forth past the door of the classroom.

"Sure. Will you come to my family's house? I think they will all want to meet you," he said.

"Of course."

"Follow me," said Edward, leading her to the parking lot. Hermione saw what were clearly four other vampires standing by a red BMW; they watched intently as she and Edward climbed into his Volvo.

"Is that your coven?" Hermione asked him, once they'd pulled out of the parking lot.

"We prefer family to coven, but yes."

"There are quite a few of you. How do five vampires go unnoticed in such a small town?"

Edward gave a sort of half smile. "There are actually seven of us. But before we talk about my family, I want to know more about you. If your name isn't Elizabeth, what is it?"

She looked out the window and fidgeted with the sleeve of her sweater. "My name is Hermione Granger. I decided years ago, even before I mingled in human society, that I would not go by that name anymore."

"Why not?"

"A few reasons," Hermione admitted. "First of all, I felt like a different person than I was before my transformation. Hermione Granger was someone good and important. A hero. That's not true anymore. And secondly, I ran away from home and didn't want to be found."

"A hero?" Edward asked as they turned off a main road onto a smaller back road. They passed by trees and fields, blurred by their speed.

"A war hero," Hermione explained. "There was a huge battle going on in my country while I was still human. I feel I should save the explanations for later, though. I suspect your cov- family will want to hear the story, too."

Edward nodded, reluctantly agreeing. It was so frustrating not to be able to read her thoughts at this very moment. There was an important and interesting story she wasn't telling him. "Hermione, do you drink human blood?" he asked, getting to one of the more important issues at hand.

She shook her head. "No. Only animal blood. Before yesterday, I was living in Brazil, in the Amazon. I hunted jaguars and anacondas."

Edward was immensely relieved. There was no danger from her, if she was telling the truth. And he suspected she was. She had no reason not to. "We only hunt animals, too. That's why my family is able to stay in one place for so long," he told her.

Hermione only nodded.

"Is that why your eyes are green?" he asked her as they turned into the driveway leading to his home.

"No. Is that why yours are golden?" she countered.

"Yes." Edward killed the engine and hopped out of the car. In a heartbeat, he was standing at her door, opening it for her. Hermione gracefully slid out of her seat and looked at the house in front of her. It was enormous, but tasteful. It was white with a black roof and large bay windows all around. She followed Edward up to the front door and walked inside. The interior was just as tasteful as the exterior. It was light and airy with hardwood floors and white walls. The furniture was mostly black and white, though there were a few wooden pieces as well. A large, grand piano stood by one of the windows in the parlor, just off the foyer.

"Your home is lovely," she told Edward admiringly.

"Thank you!" said a woman's voice from the kitchen. In under a second, a petite, pale, attractive woman with light brown hair was standing before them. "Edward, dear, is this Elizabeth?"

"Actually, I'm Hermione." She offered the new woman her hand to shake.

"My name is Esme. Oh my, you're very cold," she told Hermione while giving Edward and inquiring look. He only shrugged his shoulders.

"Is Carlisle here?" Edward asked.

"Not yet. He will be shortly. He's on his way from the hospital. Alice called us both," Esme told him.

Sure enough, only a minute later front door burst open and in walked five vampires. Each one looked at Hermione curiously and a little apprehensively.

"Everyone, this is Hermione," Esme said, pointing to their guest. "Hermione, these are Carlisle, Emmett, Rosalie, Alice, and Jasper." All the Cullens shook Hermione's hand as Esme named them.

Esme ushered everyone into the parlor where each took a seat on a couch or chair.

At first no one said anything. It was Rosalie who broke the silence. "So you're a vampire, right?"

"Yes," Hermione said.

"And your diet consists of...?" Carlisle asked kindly.

"I only drink from animals."

"How many humans did you go through before you kicked the habit?" Rosalie asked with a slight mocking tone.

Hermione looked down at her pale hands. "Only one. My boyfriend, Ron."

Edward glared at Rose for being so insensitive.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Hermione," Esme said kindly.

"Why are your eyes that color?" Emmett asked her.

"Magic," said Hermione simply. When everyone seemed not to understand, she elaborated. "I'm a witch." Hermione pulled her wand from the pocket of her jeans.

"Wow," Carlisle breathed. "My father burned a lot of 'witches' in his day, but he never found any real ones. I thought they didn't exist. So you're still able to use magic even though you've transformed?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes. It doesn't appear to have changed my ability at all."

"And how did you come to be a vampire, Hermione?" asked Esme.

"It all started with an evil wizard named Lord Voldemort, my best friend Harry Potter, and a war," said Hermione, delving into the story of her life at Hogwarts and the dangerous, exciting adventures she'd met there.

The story was long and emotional, but Hermione felt so relieved to finally get it all off her chest. Her audience seemed completely captivated, especially Jasper and Emmett. When the tale ended with her apparating from Brazil to Elkins, there was silence for a few moments. Then...

"Wow," breathed Esme.

"You are so hardcore!" Emmett exclaimed, punching Hermione in the arm.

"Very impressive," Jasper agreed.

Hermione would have blushed if she could. At the same time, it felt wrong to see so much approval from these strangers when thinking of her old life only made her want to cry.

Carlisle was the first to pick up on her discomfort, with the exception of Jasper. "Hermione, sounds like you haven't quite had a chance to settle in yet. Do you have anywhere to stay?"

"Not yet. It was my intention to take care of that today after school," she admitted.

"Well, why don't you stay with us?" he offered. He saw she seemed hesitant and amended, "Even if it's only until you find a place of your own."

Hermione wasn't sure. She liked these people, and clearly they liked her, but she was so used to being alone. And they barely knew her. But it wasn't necessarily permanent and she could use the company. "Uh, sure," she reluctantly agreed.

A/N: This is the first chapter I've uploaded where I don't like what I'm submitting, but I can't think of anything else to put.