-AHHHHHH OMG OMG OMG I'm soooooo sooo sooo very sorry for not updating in eons. But here it finally is. I'm so amazingly sorry, i know what it feels like to wait for an update... This is actually a second version of chapter 7. My first version was almost complete until my computer failed me and i had to reset everything. So i ended up losing chapter 7, the chapter i struggled through my writer's block for. After that i didn't want to write anymore. It was too depressing. But i did get a few reviews during that time, and that got me to write this short chapter up. It's much too rushed and OOC in my opinion so i am so sorry 10 times over. This is mot my best work. I'm so sorry for making it so short, and i hope all of you aren't too disappointed. Thank you!!-
7.
Happiness, relief, pain, sadness, anger, and even frustration. Riza Hawkeye had felt many things when she stood by her Colonel. But there was one feeling she could never get used to. Jealousy.
She was jealous of the time the Colonel spent with other women. Jealous of how much money and effort and shameless flattery he spent on them, even when he knew he would leave them in tears the next day. She was jealous because he never seemed to understand that she was a woman who wanted love when he understood this so perfectly in others. His love. She did not only want to be his loyal subordinate. She wanted him to flatter her, caress her, and, dare she say it, kiss her, even if he would leave her. Riza had always wanted him, since the day she had met him on the battlefield so many years back. But Roy Mustang had no time for girls who did not fawn on him. He never had time for anything but one night stands.
Riza knew how to keep her emotions in check, only letting a little emotion slip from time to time. She had never bit the colonel's head off for taking all those young women out for dinners and movies. Never would she let her actions be founded on unprofessional motives. Ever.
But ever since the two had crossed the Gate, it had become increasingly difficult to mask her true feelings. It shattered a piece of her heart every time she saw Roy with his arm around a girl's shoulder. Every whisper of gossip about a girl's date with him was like a needle in her chest. Still she tried. He would never know.
Then this happened. Roy had kissed the Weasly girl. And seeing was definitely different from hearing. Yes, Riza had heard many rumours of the latest make-out fests with Roy. But seeing this, a simple accidental brushing of the lips, tore her heart in half. She felt the tears pushing to fall freely.
How could Roy be so nonchalant about this whole incident? She stood silently as Roy spoke of the kiss flippantly. She was silent when they walked away, she was silent as they both changed out of their military attire, and she was silent now as they walked back to the Great Hall.
"Riza? Are you okay? You seem a little… pale." Riza was startled by Roy's voice. Had she really shown her unsettled emotion?
"What do you mean? I'm fine!" She answered, a little too quickly. She walked slightly ahead, fidgeting with the hem of her skirt. Roy had noticed that Riza was not herself; the bright alertness in her eyes had dulled. She had barely noticed when a young third year boy bumped into her. Concerned, he reached out and grasped her wrist.
"Hawkeye," said Roy, in a firm tone, but quickly softened his gaze and voice, concerned, "Why have you been so bothered these past few days? You've never been like this Riza, I'm getting worried. What are you not telling me?"
Riza turned around and forced herself to look the Colonel in the eye.
"There is nothing wrong with me Colonel," she sighed, "Nothing."
"Don't lie to me Riza. What is it?"
"Nothing! I told you it's nothing!" Riza voice was beginning to rise. Roy was getting mad.
"How come you can't tell me anything?!" he hissed, "Look at me and tell me!"
"No! There's nothing to say!" Roy's grip tightened.
"LET GO OF ME!" yelled Riza.
SMACK
The sound of a hard slap rang in the suddenly silent hallway. All movement stopped as every student stared at the pair. A person coughed. Roy stood, shocked, holding his hand over his left cheek. He couldn't believe the woman who swore to stay by his side, had just slapped him. Riza drew her hand back to her chest and stared at her commanding officer; eyes wide. Her hand stung from the impact. No, worse. It was as if contact with the man's face had burned the very skin of her palm and fingers
"I… I…"
"Riza…" breathed Roy.
Riza ran off towards the Gryffindor tower; tears beginning to fall. 'Idiot!' she thought. She was confused her self as to why she would do such a thing. No matter where they were, Roy Mustang was still a colonel; he was still ranked higher. Threatening was one thing, bodily hurting him was another.
Hermione was already longing for her bed and so was making her way back to the dormitories. The weight of the books she had just borrowed was an annoying reminder of the amount of homework ahead. However, all that she wanted to do was to lie in her bed for another hour. Homework could wait.
As Hermione neared the room, she heard several sniffles. Pushing open the door slightly, she peered in to see Hawkeye, crying in her bed. Her blonde hair was let down and had several hairs out of place. Hermione leaned into the door. It let out a creak, alerting Riza of company. For a brief moment, her red, amber eyes met Hermione's, before she drew the curtains around her. Surprised, Hermione quietly made her way to her bed and lay there, contemplating what could have happened for the usually strong girl to fall to pieces.
It was already late night when Hermione woke up. Bleary eyed, she peered around the room. All the other girls seemed to be fast asleep. Hermione frowned- still thinking of the incident- at Ginny's mumbling, the only sound disturbing the silence. Except for a few rustles behind the curtain that blocked Riza's bed from view. It looked as if the blonde was changing; no doubt getting ready to meet Roy again. Hermione suddenly had an idea and a mischievous grin adorned her face.
She climbed the stairs to the boy's dormitories, running as quickly, but silently, as she could. Quietly, she entered Harry and Ron's room and snuck up to Harry's side first .
"Harry… Harry… Wake up…" whispered Hermione. Harry mumbled incoherently and swatted away an imaginary fly.
"Harry!" she hissed, shaking his shoulders, "Wake up!"
Harry slowly opened his eyes, squinting at the annoying source of hissing. Groping for his glasses, he attempted to smooth out his disheveled hair.
"Hermione?" he said, still squinting, "What are you doing here?"
"I'll explain on the way, there's no time, Hawkeye and Mustang are meeting again tonight. Quick, bring the invisibility cloak."
Finding his glasses, Harry put them on and followed after Hermione, cloak in hand.
"Where are we going?" Harry asked.
"We're following Mustang and Hawkeye," she replied, intent on not losing them.
"Why?"
"Aren't you curious about them?"
"And what about Ron?" he asked groggily.
"There's no time, we'll miss them," she said, grabbing the cloak and covering their bodies with it.
They had made it just in time. Hawkeye and Mustang had just rounded a corner. Hermione could see that they had their blue uniforms on once again. Motioning to Harry, they followed the two, matching their pace. The two students followed more closely as Mustang headed for an empty classroom. He opened the door and let the blonde enter first, and before he closed the door, Hermione and Harry rushed in, careful not to brush against anything. They crept to a corner and watched as the blue clothed pair began to talk.
Roy had realized Riza was still acting strange, maybe even more so because of that morning. When they had met at the bottom of the stairs as usual, she had simply walked ahead of him instead of greeting him with a smile. And when he ran to catch up to her, she did not acknowledge his presence. 'She did not even comment on the fact that I had just opened the door for her, like a true gentleman!' he thought, indignantly. He had felt something flutter past his ankles, but disregarded it for a simple draft in the hallway. Roy walked over to Riza and sat down next to her.
"Sir, why are you staring at me?"
"No particular reason. Oh wait, maybe it's because you've been acting strange, since this morning," he said, yawning. Riza stiffened.
"Now why would you say that?"
"There are a number of reasons. You calling me 'sir' again is only one of them."
"R-Roy, let's just drop it," she said, finally making eye contact with him.
"You're hurt," he said.
"You're mistaken."
"No, no I'm not. What have I done now Riza? I don't think I've done anything today that has upset you this much before."
"Maybe today was just my breaking point… All that I've been holding in…" Riza looked away.
"What do you mean?"
"It's nothing…"
"Damn it! Riza! Tell me!" Roy brought his hand down on the desk with a bang. He looked at her startled face and spoke softer.
"Please, what good is it for me to be here for you if you won't open up?" he asked, and pulled Riza into a comforting embrace.
"R-Roy… Why am I being like this? Like such a school girl," Riza smiled sadly, "Do you think that our bodies weren't the only things that became younger? That's it, isn't it? The only reason I'm acting like this…" Tears threatened to fall from her eyes.
"It's okay, you can cry you know…" whispered Roy.
"No, I'm fine now," said Riza. She smiled. She wouldn't cry in front of her colonel. She had done that too many times. This was nothing compared to those times in Ishbal.
"Now get to work Roy."
Roy grunted in rely and slumped back into his chair.
Harry watched the exchange of emotions between the two mysterious people. He was confused. In the day they had never acted so close to each other. The girl would always reprimand Mustang, but would always be careful to stay, it seemed to Harry, almost professional. He looked to Hermione to find her unsettled.
Hermione was mesmerized as she watched their embrace. Even though she knew it was wrong to witness this, she couldn't look away. So this was the extent of their relationship. For some reason, amidst her envy, she felt a small flicker of…relief? Hope? Relief that Roy's embrace had no other meaning than friendship. Hope, because maybe, just maybe, Hermione still had the chance to win Roy's heart, though she felt wicked admitting such a thing. She continued to watch the curious pair, not noticing Harry's steady gaze.
"Riza, come quick!" Roy called. Riza walked to his side and leaned over his shoulder, looking at his messy scrawl.
"I've figured something out," said Roy excitedly, "This world uses a mixture of our alchemy, the one used in Amestris that is, and Rentanjutsu."
"Rentanjutsu?" inquired Riza.
"Yes. Rentanjutsu. It's a form of alchemy they use in the East," Roy said, "In any case, I need to learn it before I do anything more. Do you think you can search for material on this?"
"Right away sir."
Roy smiled. Maybe this little trip wasn't so bad. He would be able to one up Full Metal once again with Rentanjutsu when he returned.
Rentanjutsu? Hermione and Harry exchanged looks. Never had they heard of such a thing. The only time they had heard of alchemy in the magical world was in first year, when they had learned of Nicolas Flamel. But, Roy seemed to be going so much deeper than what little they knew. Perhaps a visit to the library was in order.
Roy worked for another hour before closing his books. He stood up and stretched before collecting his notes and walking out of the classroom with Riza close behind. Harry and Hermione slipped out and walked briskly back to the Gryffindor tower.
Just then a shadow crept out of a darkened hallway, startling the duo. Both of their eyes widened in horror. Snape. The greasy potions professor peered around, shining his light up and down the hallway. The two friends, fearing that Snape would notice the shadow cast if light were to be shined on them, shied away from the light, constantly praying that he would quickly leave.
Soon enough, the professor left, and they quickly scurried to their rooms, not wanting to come across more teachers. Hermione said goodnight to Harry and crawled silently into her bed, noticing Hawkeye was already asleep. She grabbed her quill and quickly scribbled down a note on her hand before lying down to sleep.
'Rentanjutsu?'
-Thank you to everyone who has waited for this new chapter! It is finally done! Please review like you always wonderfully do! I will be working on chapter 8. Hopefully it will be done by the end of summer because i'm quite busy this year... Hopefully no one forgot this small story! Hearts to all! 3-