A Potter Secret

And so it Begins

Bella approaches the front door, overnight bag on her shoulder. She's nervous. Awkward. She arranges her hair. Straightens her sweater. Checks her breath. The door suddenly opens to reveal Edward, worried. "What are you doing here outside? What's wrong?" Edward asks.

"Nothing," Bella assures. He looks at her quizzically, but takes her bag, shows her in. She takes a deep breath and enters.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Bella follows Edward into the room to find a large, luxurious, wrought-iron bed. She stops at the sight of it. "There's a bed," Bella notices.

"I thought you might need one to sleep in."

She tentatively moves to it, sitting on it's edge. "I think an air mattress would've sufficed," Bella says. She doesn't like people to make a fuss over her.

"Is it too much?" Edward asks.

"No. No, it's perfect." Inhaling courage, she scoots to the bed's center. "I want to ask you something."

He sees something's on her mind and joins her on the bed. "Anything."

"Okay, marriage is the condition for you, to change me yourself, right?" Bella checks.

Edward sighs. This topic again. "Yes."

"Okay. I want to negotiate my own condition."

Edward looks at her, serious. "Anything you want, It's yours."

"Do you promise?"

"Yeah," Edward promises. Bella looks at him. Then leans over, kisses him. Awkwardly, she moves closer still, kisses him again, more deeply- He returns the kiss. Passion sweeps over them. But as she attempts to unbutton his shirt– he pulls back. "Bella- No."

"You've said that you wanted me to have every human experience," Bella reminds, using his words against her.

"Not the ones that support risk killing you."

"You won't. And everyone says, once I'm changed- All I'm gonna want is to slaughter the whole town."

"That part doesn't last forever."

"I want you. While I'm still me. While I still want you this way."

Edward sighs. "It's too dangerous."

"Try- Just try. I'll go to some ridiculously expensive college- And let you buy me a car. I'll marry you, just try," she pleads. He sees how important it is to her. Restless with his own conflicting desires. A difficult internal debate. "Please."

She sees he's on the fence. She tentatively moves closer. Kisses his forehead. His cheek. His lips- He allows himself to kiss her back. And he keeps going. Passion builds again- she successfully tugs his shirt off. Bare chested, he pulls her closer. They fall back on the bed- But when she tries to take off her own shirt– he finally pulls back, trying to retrieve his wits. "Stop trying to take your clothes off," Edward instructs.

"Do you want to do that part?"

"Not tonight," Edward says.

She shrinks back. Utterly humiliated. Rejected. "Okay. I mean, you don't- But, fine."

He quickly moves to her side. Grabs her up, pulling her close, intense desire in his eyes. "Believe me, I want to. I just want to be married to you first," Edward explains. He kisses her hand. Bella's trying to sort this out.

"You really make me feel like I'm some sort of like a villain trying- Steal your virtue or something."

"It's not my virtue I'm concerned about."