Chapter Ten: Tension
Harry sat on his throne and listened to the irritated Slytherin knight. His sword was held out in front of him, point down and he was spinning it lazily.
"For the good of our kingdom, I am requesting fresh horses to escort the Queen back to Rowena," Cragen said.
Harry looked at the man. "Why?" he asked.
"Treason against our King," the knight answered.
Harry grabbed the sword by the hilt, stopping its momentum. "Treason?"
"While in the company of your court, she has taken a lover," Cragen explained. Harry raised his eyebrows in a gesture of further explanation. "It is no secret across this land that Jason is the Queen's lover and yet, here they are reunited under your crown."
"And how do you know that she has taken him again as a lover?" Harry asked.
"I have my ways," Cragen answered.
Harry began to spin the sword again. "Let me remind you that you are here only to protect the Queen but you are still in my realm."
Cragen looked as if Harry had fed him something unpleasant. "I have a maid checking her bedsheets every morning. They were not slept in a few nights ago."
Harry eyed the knight. He was checking Hermione's bedsheets every morning? "So…you wish for me to release the Queen from her duties here and have her return to Rowena where she will be tried for treason by your King?"
"Yes," Cragen answered.
"No," Harry replied. The knight looked angered. "I will not send the Queen back under false accusations. I can assure you that the Queen has not taken Jason to her bed. Jason has not been in the castle for some time, he is out scouting. And as for the Queen's absence, are you aware that she has family in Hogsmeade and that she and the babe sometimes stay the night there?"
Cragen shifted uncomfortably. "No."
"Well, we can just ask the Queen herself," Harry said. "Send for the Queen," Harry ordered one of the pages. He and Cragen were left with an uncomfortable silence until Harry broke it.
"Has she bled?" he asked.
"What?" Cragen asked puzzled.
"The Queen. If you are checking her bedsheets, I'm asking you if she has bled yet?"
Cragen looked completely thrown by this question. "N-No, she hasn't." Harry nodded.
Hermione entered the room wearing a blue gown with silver trim, the sleeves began just over her shoulders revealing her smooth skin. Her eyes briefly reflected the love she had for Harry before quickly evaporating when she saw Cragen with him. Cragen immediately lowered to one knee.
"This is most awkward," Harry said apologetically, "but Cragen here believes that you have taken a lover again in my knight, Jason." Hermione raised an eyebrow and looked at the knight.
"Jason has been out scouting these past few days," she said.
"I informed him of how you stay with your aunt and uncle some nights."
Hermione smirked. "Is that all?"
"He wishes to send you back to Rowena to be tried for treason against the king," Harry shrugged indifferently.
"Does he?" Hermione walked over to the knight and placed a hand on his shoulder as he still knelt.
"You are betraying your king!" Cragen said roughly to Hermione. Harry palmed the hilt of his sword.
"Go ahead and tell him, Cragen," Hermione said in a calm voice with an undertone of poisoned honey. "Tell him that I have taken a lover and I'll claim that it is you." Her hand ran through his hair gently.
"He wouldn't believe it," Cragen replied belligerently.
"Wouldn't he? I'll deny any accusation you make against me. Who will he believe, the garish knight or the woman who shares his bed?" Cragen looked red with anger. Hermione continued to pour salt on his wounded pride and leaned down close to him. "There are more powerful weapons than swords."
"Enough," Harry said curtly. Hermione smirked and shared an amused look with him. The lioness was only batting around her prey playfully.
"Your request is denied," he continued. "There is no evidence of a treason. You are dismissed." Harry waved his hand.
Cragen got to his feet and turned but Hermione spoke out and he paused. "Do not cross me," Hermione said calmly smiling. Something tickled at the back of Harry's mind, causing the hairs on his neck to rise. Cragen continued on his way and the heavy doors to the throne room shut, leaving him with the company of Hermione and his two guards. She sighed and turned to leave.
"He's checking your bedsheets every morning to make sure they are slept in," Harry said quietly.
Hermione looked over at him over her shoulder, exposing a creamy shoulder. "Then I suppose I should make sure that the bed is thoroughly slept in."
Harry smiled wryly. "Be careful, Milady. One would think that the Slytherin Queen is trying to seduce the Gryffindor King."
She slowly turned and walked toward him. He was still sitting on his throne, still spinning the sword point down on the ground. She made a bold move and reached out for the hilt of his sword, wrapping her fingers around it, stopping its motion.
"You would know it if I was," she said huskily.
Harry looked up at her and without taking his eyes off her spoke aloud to his guards, making his own bold move. "Leave us. I want a moment alone with the Queen."
There was the heavy click of the doors as they closed and Harry briefly left Hermione's eyes to look over at them before flying out of his chair. The sword fell to a clatter as he pressed Hermione against the closest wall they came to. Her mouth was lovely and hot as Harry plundered them. She worked on his breeches frantically, biting her lip in ecstasy as his lips wandered over her neck gently kissing and biting. She worked them over his hips and buttocks as he gently lifted her, the movement so in contrast to the way he plunged inside her.
She gasped out and dug her fingers into his shoulders. He took her with such ferocity that she was biting her lip to keep from crying out. He drove into her relentlessly, feeling her warm sleek heat surround him, pleasuring him. She was his and his alone, a point he wanted to get across to her every time he pumped into her. He was making her delirious with pleasure and she felt reckless and uninhibited.
"Inside me…" she gasped, "I need you…to finish…inside me." She grasped him closer to her, clinging to the precipice that Harry was quickly pushing her over. She threw her head back and arched her back as she gasped out her release. Yes, he would follow her over and he would gladly finish inside of her as he had before. She was his, he was hers, forever bound together and he would be damned if she would carry another man's child.
Her walls tightened as she gasped out and she was spiraling down, down, down, helpless to this passion. She felt his grip on her tighten before she felt his warm seed spill inside of her as he whispered her name in the anguish of passion. It was a crazy and reckless thing to do but she wanted him, wanted his seed inside her again, wanted it to quicken, she wanted to give him another child. Lady Chang, Gryffindor Queen or whatever hell she was going to be, be damned. There truly was a power that Hermione wanted to hold over Harry, a claim to him that no other woman could take away.
She felt his hot breath on her neck and her sex ached pleasurably as she ran her fingers through his hair, damp with sweat. He didn't want to pull out of her and leave her just yet. And as the lovers stood entwined with their dwindling passion, Harry whispered in her ear.
"I love you, Hermione."
Hermione ran her fingers through his hair. "And I love you," she replied. "Pathetic aren't we?"
*******************
"So, you will ride in the tournament tomorrow."
Cragen lifted his head from the whore's stomach as she spoke. "That I am." She avoided making eye contact with his scarred face.
"They say whoever wins shall be granted Knighthood," she said.
"And it will be me," he said fiercely.
"You will ride for the honor of your King and for the favor of a fair lady?"
"Knighthood is about power and those capable of wielding it," he said gruffly, rolling off of her and getting dressed.
"I hear Jason is the favorite."
Cragen looked up sharply at her. Jason had defeated him in the melee yesterday. But it wasn't his fault, if his bloody sword hadn't been stuck inside Sir Oswald, he would've been able to block Jason's blow. He still cringed at the bitter memory of the ring of roses placed around Jason's neck and the way the ladies threw their favors down at him. Nobody threw any favors at him.
"Jason is a nobody," he said gruffly.
The whore sighed and looked away, a dreamy look crossing her face, the same one that the ladies usually wore when his name was mentioned. Cragen scoffed.
"Do not get your hopes up. He has the ladies of the court ready and willing to give their maidenhoods to him. He has no need for a whore."
"Do you not think me pretty enough for him?" the whore asked.
Cragen grabbed his dagger and muffled the whore's screams as he pinned her back down on the bed. He sliced the dagger over the perfect skin of her face leaving behind a thin red line in its wake.
"Now you are scarred like me," he whispered in her ear. "Now you can only open your cunt to men like me."
He left her like that, crying and whimpering on the bed.
The smell of hay, dirt, blood and horses filled his nostrils as he listened to the roar of the crowd. The banners of green with the silver serpent lined the arena, the King and Queen in the center box with the Prince Draco looking bored sitting with them.
His grip tightened its hold on his lance as he looked at Jason across the way. They had come this far, Knighthood was only a few turns away. The crowd was chanting that blasted oaf's name. The black banner was dropped and Cragen's steed burst out of the gate. The crowd was drowned out, the pounding of hooves matched the thumping in his heart. He lowered his lance as Jason lowered his.
Then the sharp crack of wood as they met.
He couldn't breath and he was falling through the air. He slammed into the ground as the crowd roared. He was defeated and unseated.
He had to stand next to the wretched man as Jason knelt before the king taking his oath. The oath to serve Slytherin, to honor the king and queen and those who dwelled within the kingdom. He watched as Jason took the oath that was meant for him, the glory that was stolen from him, the green and silver cloak that should've been worn by him.
He walked out into the courtyard to see Jason dismounting from his horse, his green and silver garb traded in for red and gold. He stormed across to him.
"I know you're fucking the queen," he said gruffly in Jason's face.
Jason smirked and walked away from him.
"I will bring her down," Cragen threatened. "I will see that she is hanged for her crime."
"Harm her in any way and you'll never live to see the light of day again," Jason countered walking back toward him. A crowd of Slytherin knights grew behind Cragen while some of the Gryffindor knights stood behind Jason.
"I knew you would never be loyal to the king," Cragen sneered.
Jason's face darkened. "I serve loyally to the king, the True King."
"Malfoy is your king! You swore an oath!"
"I kept my oath. I swore to protect the queen."
"What the king wishes to do with the queen is none of our concern. But you had to interfere and take her to the marriage bed before the king could," Cragen accused and Jason smirked.
"If that is what you wish to make of it," he said calmly, although inside he was raging.
"The Gryffindor King is a fool if he thinks you are loyal to him," Cragen hissed.
"I am loyal!" Jason said angrily. "He is a king who is just and loyal to his people. The rightful king to this land."
"You're all traitors," one of the Slytherin knights stepped forward and spat on one of the Gryffindor knights, one who, like Jason, deflected from Slytherin to serve the True King. Cragen drew his sword as insults were thrown from the Slytherins, Jason drew his in response.
"STOP THIS RIGHT NOW!" Ron's voice roared above the din. The Gryffindors immediately backed off and Jason sheathed his sword. Neville was with him.
"Sheath your sword," Neville commanded to Cragen.
"I don't take orders from a peasant knight," he sneered back. The crowd had parted enough for him to see that the two uppity Gryffindor knights were escorted by two ladies, a blond and a red head. Cragen's eyes lingered on the latter one, hair as red as the knight in front of him and beautiful lips and creamy skin.
"Sheath. Your. Sword," Neville repeated firmly.
Cragen obeyed, his gaze once more lingered on Ginny. "I don't believe in violence in front of ladies," he said and Jason scoffed and rolled his eyes. He sheathed his sword and walked away, the Slytherin knights following him but not without spitting on the ground before the Gryffindor knights.
***************
Harry held court that afternoon but Ron and Neville took up most of his attentions, much to the chagrin of Lady Chang who sat by his side.
Where Hermione usually sat.
Harry was not happy with this arrangement but Hermione was nowhere to be found at the moment, having successfully evaded her Slytherin guard. No doubt she was with Jason who was regaling his account of the events that morning. Harry didn't like that, not the he was jealous, he just didn't want Hermione to do anything foolish.
Like leave Hufflepuff.
Jason would talk her into something like that. He didn't blame him, he would do the same thing if he wasn't so selfish with her. He sent some knights to find them.
"Something must be done!" Ron urged.
"They have no respect for us and our laws of the land," Neville said.
"This will only get worse with time."
"They have to go."
"Tell Hermione to send them back," Ron advised.
"She can't do that," Harry said grimly. "The only way they are going back is if they take Hermione with them."
Ron frowned, not happy with this news.
"Maybe…" Neville spoke tentatively. "Maybe…she should…leave."
Ron and Harry looked away. This was hard to digest even if he had a point.
In the library, Hermione was receiving the same news from Jason.
"What does he know?" she demanded.
"The message says that we are once again lovers," Jason replied as he handed her a rolled parchment. "It was shot down only an hour ago."
"I've warned him to mind his tongue," she said bitterly as she tucked the parchment into her dress. She paced the room slowly back in forth, one hand tugged gently on her lip while her other arm was tucked below her chest.
"What are you going to do?" Jason asked gently.
Hermione stopped pacing and looked up at him. "Does he suspect Harry?"
"No, he doesn't."
"I need you to promise me, Jason," she said evenly. "Swear to me that you will protect him. Keep him safe."
"You're leaving," he said quietly.
"Swear to me, Jason," she persisted.
He nodded. "Of course I swear. He is my king, you are my queen, you shouldn't have to ask. I'm loyal to you both," he said in a tone of disbelief. How could she question his loyalty to her? She was definitely on her nerves.
******************
The tension in the castle was palpable. Hermione pricked herself several times as she worked on the cloak with Luna and Ginevra. She was restless and anxious and it felt as if there was something in the air, something dangerous that would explode with the tiniest little spark.
"A flower for the lady," a gruff voice spoke, breaking Hermione from her thoughts.
Ginevra looked up at her and Hermione was speechless. Cragen held out a delicate white rose to the young maiden.
"T-thank you," Ginny replied politely, masking her thoughts of utter bewilderment. Hermione quickly composed herself from her disbelief and had the common sense to nudge Luna sharply in the side so she would close her mouth. The two ladies continued their sewing while listening very carefully to the conversation that took place in front of them.
"May we take a turn around the room?" Cragen asked.
"Well…I don't…er…," Ginny floundered.
"Please?" he asked again.
"It isn't custom for a lady to take a turn with a man she hasn't given a favor to," Ginny lowered her voice to save the knight his embarrassment.
"Your favor has already been taken for the tournament?" Cragen asked with slight disappointment.
Ginny lowered her gaze. "It has."
"Very well. It is my fault for not asking sooner," Cragen said in a pleasant voice. "Would it be impolite to inquire as to who this lucky suitor is?"
"Oh no, not at all," Ginny beamed, proud of the knight who held her favor. "Neville Longbottom."
Cragen cracked a smile. "Very lucky indeed. I am sorry to have bothered you."
"Please, it wasn't a bother," Ginny replied politely. Cragen smiled at her one more time before taking her leave to return to his post by the door. Hermione watched him with cool regard.
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