Chapter Twelve
The King passed away during the night and Dumbledore crowned Hermione shortly thereafter. It was a small ceremony held in the Great Hall. The King's crown was transfigured to fit her. It was silver and tastefully adorned with sapphires and diamonds. Harry stood waiting with his fellow Knights for his turn to proclaim his loyalties to her. One by one they knelt before her. Dumbledore stood next to Harry.
"She will be brave enough to face what is coming to her. It is always difficult to come into reign during a time of conflict," he sighed.
"Rowena will not fall," Harry said determinedly.
"I know, Harry," Dumbledore smiled kindly at him. "You will put her on the throne."
Harry's stomach dropped. He had heard those words spoken before in a dream. In this dream, Harry had been the one to crown Hermione and the crown had daggers in it that would impale the one who wore it.
He looked away from Dumbledore and back up to Hermione. A feeling of uneasiness washed over him.
The soldiers prepared to leave in the early morning mist. The streets were filled with horses and pages scurrying about trying to get everything in order. Harry said goodbye to his friends and the only family he had ever known. Madame Rosemerta was in tears, along with many young ladies of the village. He said goodbye to Remus, Neville and the other Riders and wished them all well and hoped he would see them again soon. He had to choke back a few tears when he said goodbye to his godfather Sirius.
Ron insisted on a carriage for Hermione and Luna insisted on riding in it with her. Dumbledore insisted on coming along as well but he wanted to ride with Harry. Harry was grateful for this, he needed a familiar face in Ravenclaw.
Viktor's regiment was ready to go and Hermione walked over to him. He stood by his horse as it was being readied.
"You will be careful, won't you?" Hermione asked him.
He turned to look at her. "I fear for your safety. I wish I was riding with you."
"I'll be fine. Ron and Dumbledore are riding with me," she smiled.
Viktor noticed that she didn't mention the Rider Harry. Although he was Knighted, he would always be a Rider to him. He smiled, inside he was triumphant that she had chosen him over the Rider. He wrapped an arm around her and drew her to him in a deep kiss that he had never given her before.
Harry had been watching them from a distance. He was with Hedwig preparing her saddle. Yanking on the straps, he fought the jealousy that flared within him. Although he was a Knight, he was still not of noble blood. He couldn't help but envy Viktor. Although he had her heart and love, Viktor would be the one to stand by her side, to share her bedchamber with, she would bear his children. He tore his eyes away from them, he would channel his feelings into the battle for Rowena.
~*~
King Draco looked up at the black castle in front of him, its fiery moat, its tall black spires that reached to the stormy sky above. He entered its gates into the large foyer. A dozen people robed in cloaks that hid their faces stood waiting for him. Draco had his own entourage with him, his Knights that he kept close around him.
"I was wondering when I would meet you," a cold voice spoke aloud.
The robed figures stepped apart, letting the False King into the room. He was tall and wore robes of the blackest of black. A jolt of fear shot through Draco but he quickly hid it. He was here, he was in the actual presence of the False King.
"I admit that I am curious of your proposition," the False King said. "But I was most curious to meet the one who brought about the end of my two best Death Eaters."
"I had no idea of my parents being Death Eaters until my mother informed me," Draco replied.
"Indeed?" the False King said. He looked at the Knights that accompanied the young king. "I take it, they are your best?" he asked, motioning to them.
"Of course, I only surround myself with the best," Draco sniffed.
The False King suddenly brought out his wand and a blast of green light spewed from it, breaking into two and hitting the two Knights next to him. Draco bit down on his tongue to strangle the cry that threatened to escape his lips as the two people next to him fell lifeless to the floor.
"An eye for an eye," the False King shrugged, his manner was casual as if he'd just squashed two insects. "Walk with me, Draco."
"King Draco," he corrected him.
The False King just looked at him. Draco paused a moment then stepped forward.
"I have to say that your disposal of your parents came at a most unlikely time for me. They were about to send me some important information."
"I have that important information that you seek," Draco said.
"Yes, yes I know. And I suppose this is where we barter?" the False King asked.
"I know you are setting attacks on Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw as we speak. I want your word that Rowena will not fall."
The False King raised an eyebrow at him. "Not a care for Hufflepuff or the rest of Ravenclaw?"
"I want leverage," Draco said plainly.
The False King peered closely at him, he didn't speak for a moment but a knowing smile grew on his face.
~*~
Word had traveled of the King's death so that by the time Hermione reached Ravenclaw black banners had been hung on the castle walls. The residents were grieving but were so happy that the Lady Hermione was safe and now she was their Queen. Her official presentation to the people would take place in a couple of days.
As they rode into Rowena, the villagers cheered. Some of them pointing to Harry, recognizing him as the Rider from Hufflepuff, Hero to Ravenclaw now turned Knight.
"Got a few fans already, Harry," Ron teased as some of the young women called out his name.
Harry blushed and kept on riding. The sounds of the village were muffled as the castle gates closed. Pages ran to assist their Knights and servants rushed to the carriage to assist the new queen and her guest.
Severus Snape stepped through the doors toward Hermione.
"Your Majesty," he said, bowing deeply to Hermione.
"Severus," Hermione greeted him. "Why are the people not inside the castle walls?"
"We've only just received word of the approaching army. Ten thousand strong my Queen," Severus replied.
She inhaled sharply. Ron, Viktor and Harry heard the number and shared a glance. They were seriously outnumbered.
She turned to Viktor. "How many do we have?"
Viktor paused. "Five thousand," he said quietly.
"It will have to do," Hermione sighed. "In the meantime, I want every Knight out there gathering as many women and children into the castle. Have them take only a few important possessions, we must fit as much as we can outside these castle walls. Find any able bodied man and fit him ready to fight."
"Yes, your Majesty," Ron said and set off right away. Harry and Viktor followed.
"Severus, I need you to ready this castle for the people. Make sure we have enough food and water to last us as long as possible."
"As you wish my Queen."
Panic hit the villagers as word of the oncoming attack was spread. The people were scared, the roads gridlocked with people trying to flee into the castle. Fights broke out amongst the people who were clamoring onto wagons. Runaway wagons ran other down who were too slow to step out of their paths. The Knights did their best to keep order in the evacuation.
"I've never seen anything like it," Ron said to Harry as he dove out of the way of a galloping horse.
"The people are scared," Harry said.
A loud crash was heard as two wagons crashed into each other, their passengers tumbled onto a road, most of them children. Harry swore angrily and stomped over to the melee. He made his way to the center of the crowd, pushing his way through angry arguing people.
"Stop this!" he shouted but his voice was lost amongst the riot. Harry drew his sword. "I said STOP THIS!!" He thrust the dagger angrily into the ground. There was a loud sound like thunder crashing on that spot that made everyone jump but Harry was so angry he didn't notice. The people were immediately silenced. Ron and the other knights uncovered their ears and looked uneasily at each other then at Harry.
"Look at you!" he shouted to the villagers. "The enemy is not even here and you are doing a fine job of finishing each other off! Running around like sheep who've heard the wolf call from far away in the forest. You are citizens of Rowena! The greatest city in all of Ravenclaw! Your fellow countrymen have fled their villages to be here because this is the beacon of your country. Your Queen opens her doors to protect those who cannot be protected because she cares for them. She asks those who can fight to fight because she believes in them. And this is how you repay her. Clawing and fighting amongst each other, making the enemies job easier so they can march across this land and seize what they want. The False King thrives on the peoples' fear of him, he wins by causing chaos and discord amongst the people. But we must show him that Rowena has no fear of him, that he will not take this city, that its citizens will not bow down to his hate and cruelty. We are not afraid of him, we will not strike out at our fellow citizens in his name. We will bind together and defend this city and its people with dignity and our heads held high!"
The people cheered and clapped as morale was lifted high within them. People helped turn the wagons back upright then began helping other people back into the wagons, helping others carry their heavy loads. It was a lot more orderly.
"Where was he before Arneau Tak fell?" muttered one of the Knights to Ron.
That evening, Hermione and Ginny walked among the women and children, handing out bread and warm milk to settle the young ones.
"Thank you Milady," one of the women said. "We are so proud to have you as our queen."
Hermione smiled and knelt next to her. "I am the one who is proud. Proud of my people and the sacrifices they are making."
"We'll be alright, won't we?" the woman asked.
Hermione smiled and looked at a group of children playing nearby. "As long as they are smiling and laughing, we will be fine."
Hermione stood up and caught Harry's eye across the room. His eyes asked if she was okay, she gave a small smile and a slight nod of her head. A group of young boys scrambled by, play fighting with wooden swords.
"My, my, what a brave group of soldiers you are," Hermione smiled at them.
"I'm not a soldier," one of them piped up, "I'm a Knight. Sir Harry, Hero of Ravenclaw!"
"Oh?" Hermione chanced a glance at Harry. He didn't look in her direction but Hermione could see the blush on his face. Ginny smiled wryly.
"I'm going to unite the people and protect the Queen!" Another child nudged the young boy in the side. "I mean you…protect you."
"Well, I am very flattered," Hermione smiled.
"The Queen should reward this brave Knight," Ginny stepped into the conversation.
"What sort of reward would you like?" Hermione asked.
"A kiss," the little boy whispered. Hermione looked over at Harry who looked directly at her.
"Very well," Hermione smiled. She bent down and gave the small boy a kiss on the top of his head. "Good luck, my brave Knight."
The little boy blushed bright red then scampered off with his friends. Hermione threw Ginny a sharp look before continuing her rounds. Ginny looked at Harry and gave a shrug of innocence. ~*~
Night descended upon the castle and Harry still watched over the people in the courtyard. A cloaked figure stepped out of the shadows and approached Harry. His hand rested casually on the hilt of the sword as the figure approached.
"Harry," the figure whispered, lifting the hood of her cloak just barely so he could see the face of Ginevra underneath.
"What are you doing out here?" Harry asked.
"Come with me," she whispered.
Together they snuck into the castle, sticking to the shadows and barely making a sound. Harry didn't know where she was taking him. They had taken so many twists and turns that he lost track of where he was. She stopped at the turn of a corridor lit with torches, turning to him and putting a finger to her mouth, telling him not to say a word. She held his hand and confidently walked out into the light. She headed down the corridor to a door that was guarded by two soldiers.
"Lady Ginevra," one of them said. "No one is allowed in your room while you are staying here."
"What I do in my room is none of your business," she said defiantly.
Harry stood in a bit of surprise. She was taking him to her room?!
"Now if you please?" she said authoritatively. The soldiers stepped aside, letting her and Harry pass.
She opened the door and ushered Harry inside, locking it behind her. Harry opened his mouth to say something but Ginny held up her hands and pulled Harry further into the room. She walked over to a tapestry on the wall, brushing it aside and pushed on the wall. It gave way and she slipped through pulling Harry along. The stairs went up in a small spiral ending at another stone wall. Ginny knocked on it three times and a door swung open.
Hermione stood up from the chair she had been sitting on in front of a warm fire.
"Harry," Hermione whispered.
"I think I'll leave you two alone," Ginny said, slipping back into the passageway.
"How…?" Harry was at a lost for words, staring at the wall.
"It's a secret passageway that connects my room to Ginny's. Nobody else knows about it," she smiled. "Don't tell Ron about it," she added as an afterthought.
"I won't," Harry said then crossed the room quickly to take Hermione in his arms. His mouth sought out hers, missing the taste of her. The kiss was deep and passionate full of longing and need.
When the need for oxygen broke the kiss, Hermione smiled and led him to a rug in front of the fire. A goblet lay in the middle, full of wine, a small dagger next to it that was wrapped in a delicate handkerchief. Harry looked at Hermione.
"I wanted one more night with you…" she said but he cut her off with a kiss. He led her to the front of the fire and sat her down on the rug. He took off his sword belt and sat in front of her.
"I'm not sure how to do this," she said shyly.
"I'll do it," Harry whispered.
He picked up the dagger and made a small cut on his left hand, holding it over the goblet, he let a few drops fall in. He took Hermione's right and held it palms up. He hesitated with the dagger, hating to mar the perfect skin with a cut. Hermione caressed his face with her left hand, letting him know that it was okay. He kissed her palm then made the cut, letting the drops fall into the goblet.
He put down the dagger and Hermione picked up the handkerchief, tying it around their wrists as they held hands.
"I bind myself to you, body and soul," Harry said softly. "I bind our love so that even when we are apart we are never truly separated. If death should stand in our way, this bind will lead us back to each other in the afterlife…where we can truly be together." He picked up the goblet of wine and drank from it. Hermione watched him with tears in her eyes.
"I bind myself to you, body and soul, so that the heavens will truly know who I belong to. Blood or our births and duty may take our paths away from each other but this binding will always connect us. You are my one true love and that is one thing destiny cannot change." She picked up the goblet and drank the wine from it.
Harry kissed her lips, tasting the sweetness of the wine on her tongue. Together they undid the bind so they could free their hands to hold each other closer. Their familiar kisses and caresses became more frenzied as Hermione took his tunic off. He lay her down on the soft rug, kissing the soft skin of her neck. His hands went to the knot of the heavy nightrobe she wore. He stopped himself before they went too far, before he could no longer deny his needs.
"I'm sorry," he said as he sat up. Hermione sat up with him and put her hands in his. She kissed him softly on the lips.
"I don't want Viktor to be the one to take me," she said softly as she undid the robe and pulled it down her shoulders, revealing the nightdress underneath. "I bound myself to you…body and soul."
"Hermione," Harry whispered as she kissed him. The thought of another man taking what he so longed for drove him mad with jealousy. It was a primal urge to mark what was his.
"Just one night," she whispered back.
Harry hungrily gave in to the kisses. Desire roared within Hermione as Harry lay her back down on the rug. He sought out her neck, ears and chest with his lips, grinding himself against her as she silently moaned in pleasure. Little by little, his clothing disappeared as Hermione's hands wandered over him, discovering him, eliciting groans of tortuous pleasure from him. She went for the stays of her nightdress but Harry stopped her.
"Let me," he whispered. His hands delicately pulling at the strings as if unwrapping a fragile gift. The dress loosened and he pulled if over her head. She lay beneath him, the sight of her naked body drove him mad with lust. It took all the self control he had not to take her right then and there. But he only had one night with her and he wanted to commit every inch of her to memory. And he did just that, remembering the sounds she made as he kissed and caressed her breasts. The way her breathing would hitch as he ran a hand up her thigh to rest on her hip. The softness of her bottom as he cupped it. He needed her, his body cried out for her.
She let out a whimper as he sheathed himself within her, claiming her as his. Thrusting himself into her, they lost themselves in the pleasure. He committed to memory the feel of being inside her, the feel of her surrounding him, the way the firelight danced off her skin. The passion burned within them, roaring and raging until she cried out his name. Her pleasure tightening around him brought him over the edge as he gasped out her name.
Using a blanket to cover themselves, they lay in front of the fire, satiated in each others arms. They made love one more time before falling asleep.
Harry stood in front of a crowd of red and gold. Hermione was kneeling before him, his friends and those whom he considered family stood mingled in the crowd.
"Make me your queen," she said to him.
He looked down and saw that he was holding a pillow. On it was a gold crown decorated with red rubies. The crowd cheered as he lifted the crown. There were no daggers on it.
He gently placed it on her head and she smiled up at him. Suddenly the crown disappeared and turned into a dangerous viper that struck out at Hermione, ripping her throat.
"I will find you," the snake hissed at him, her blood dripping from its mouth.
Harry sat up gasping for breath, sweat beading on his forehead.
Hermione sat up with him. "Harry, what is it? Are you okay?"
"Yeah," he gasped. "I'm fine."
It was still dark outside her window. He turned to look at her, cradling her head in his hands.
"You're okay," he whispered.
"Of course I am," she said soothingly.
"Hermione," he turned her to look at him. "I swear I'll never let anything happen to you," he said.
"I know I'll be safe around you, Harry," she smiled up at him. Harry kissed her gently as they lay back down. They gave in to their passion one more time before Harry left her in the middle of the night.
He should've stayed until dawn.
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