Chapter fourteen: The March to War
Lord Voldemort's head appeared in the flames in front of Snape. He was alone in his quarters among the various bottles of potions, poisons and remedies.
"Do you understand what you must do?" he asked the greasy-haired man.
"Yes, Milord, I will lead your soldiers into the castle. Rowena will fall at your hand," Snape answered penitently.
"I want her brought to me alive," Voldemort said calmly. "I want to see her on her knees before me, begging me to save her pathetic little city. Her king cannot protect her now."
"What do you want me to do with the king?"
"Draco will willingly give up Rowena to me to save her precious little neck," Voldemort sneered. "The little traitor is befuddled with her. That is what makes him weak."
Snape hesitated a moment before speaking. "She was in Hufflepuff to negotiate a peace with the Rider."
Voldemort frowned. "And?"
"She returned unsuccessful…and I have reason to believe that he is holding Draco's heir hostage."
"The rider has more guts than I thought," Voldemort sounded slightly amused. "But this can work in our favor. With their son held hostage, we might make an ally out of Ravenclaw and Slytherin yet."
~*~
Draco watched from the balcony the approaching army of the False King in the distance. Deep down he knew that they might, might, be able to hold this castle. In truth, he didn't give a damn about Rowena and would rather see it burn to the ground but with the Gryffindor King breathing down his neck at Arneau Tak and the False King trapped in between, Rowena was all that was left between them and Slytherin.
A roar of cheers from the street caught his attention and he rolled his eyes. He had permitted the Rider and a few of his men entrance into the city, ONLY because he was bringing Jason with him. But, Draco still scowled at the reception the rider was receiving. Nobody ever cheered for him like that, lately, the people have forgotten who their king was. What the hell was he to these people, he had only been a knight in their service.
Yet here he came, riding on his white horse, shining armor and the red banners with the gold lions upon them and the people greeted him like he was Merlin himself come to pay a special visit.
"Your Majesty," a squire announced, "the Gryffindor King has arrived."
"I know that!" he hissed back. "I can see him with my own eyes." The squire made a hasty exit.
Draco made his way down to the throne room, summoning for one of his guards. "I want Jason taken to the dungeons immediately." The guard nodded.
Draco sat on the throne of Ravenclaw as the door opened and a servant announced the Gryffindor King. In he walked with a small entourage of knights, squires and pages. Jason was with him already bound.
"Thank you for opening your city gates to us," Harry spoke first.
Draco grimaced. "Did I really have a choice?"
"I brought Jason to you as a gesture of goodwill between us."
"You brought Jason with you as a ticket into the city."
"Does it really matter? We both gain from this," Harry sighed lazily. He hated the man that was sitting before him.
"And how is that?"
"I'm relieved of a rogue knight and you get your city saved."
"Saved? By you?" Draco scoffed.
"You have an army of the False King marching toward you as we speak. You know you are defeated, if we join forces-"
"What, an army of peasants and riders? I'll take my chances with my own properly trained soldiers."
Draco looked over Harry's shoulder.
"Ah, darling!" Draco announced with over-the-top caring, "come greet our guests. Some old friends of yours, I believe?"
Hermione walked into the hall and stopped at the sight of the Gryffindor banners and she was nearly floored when she saw Harry standing before her. But by now she had grown accustomed to masking her feelings from her husband. Harry wasn't fooled, he saw the look of surprise on her face.
"Milord," Hermione kneeled politely before Harry.
"Don't kneel to him," Draco barked.
"She's only displaying proper manners to be received before a King," Harry defended. "I am glad to see you have arrived back to your home safely," Harry said kindly to her.
"Thank-"
"Her home is in Slytherin at the castle Anguin," Draco cut in.
"He meant safely returned to you, Draco," Hermione put a placating hand on his arm as she walked to his side. Harry's eyes fell on the contact between the two of them, a look that was not lost on Draco.
He turned to Harry, "I'm afraid we'll have to cut our business together short. You see, my wife has been away from me for quite some time and I wish to spend as much…quality time with her as I can." He stood and slid a hand around Hermione's waist, guiding her out of the room with a smirk on his face. Hermione was about to protest but Harry spoke up.
"I wouldn't be too hasty," he called out after him and stepped aside so Ron could bring Jason forward. Hermione stopped in her tracks.
"What is the meaning of this?" she looked at her friend who was bound then at her husband accusingly.
She stepped away from her husband and turned on Harry. "Why is he here?" she demanded.
"Love, surely you know about the little bounty on his head," Draco said sweetly.
"Of course, I do," she said harshly. "What I want to know is why he is here?" This question was for Harry.
"It was the only way Draco would let us into the city," Harry answered honestly. Hermione looked very angry but it dissipated into confusion when she looked at Jason and he gave her the slightest nod of his head. Hermione looked back at Harry with questions in her eyes.
"Very well," she said calmly and turned to a squire. "Give them rooms in the castle," she ordered.
"Hermione, I don't think-" Draco began but Hermione whirled on him.
"They are guests in the castle and I would like to show the King the same hospitality that I received in his castle." Harry couldn't help but smirk at Hermione's words. She sighed and rolled her eyes at this. "I'm going to rest now, I'm through with all of this."
She marched to the doors with Draco following. "I'll join you shortly," he said just loud enough for Harry to hear.
Hermione turned. "Don't bother."
Draco turned red with anger. "You cannot keep denying me," he hissed.
"Oh yes?" Hermione asked, opening the doors a little wider to reveal the group of Gryffindor knights that had escorted Hermione home. "Try me," she challenged and the knights stepped forward. Harry made a mental note to reward these knights greatly.
Draco turned back to Harry and his group. "Take Jason down to the dungeons," he ordered. "And…find them some rooms," he waved lazily to Harry. "I am done here."
Ron reluctantly gave Jason over to the Slytherin guards, giving Harry a look that said `I sure hope you know what you're doing.'
~*~
The sun was setting when Hermione heard a knock on her door.
"Forgive me, Your Majesty," one of the Gryffindor knights spoke, "but I have a message for you from the Gryffindor King."
Hermione went to the door and opened it. Ron stood before her. "He asked me to give you this," he held out a small folded parchment.
"Why did he bring Jason here?" she asked as she took it from him.
"I don't know," Ron sighed heavily, indicated that he, too, was not pleased with this development.
Library. Sundown.
Hermione nodded then closed her door.
She pinned her hair up and pinched her cheeks before leaving her room for the library. She was escorted by the knights who led her to the library doors, also guarded with some more knights. They moved out of the way and opened the door for her.
"The Queen Hermione," one of them announced as she entered the room.
Harry had been standing with his back to her, looking out the window at the sunset but turned at this announcement. "Very well, thank you."
The doors closed behind her, leaving them alone. "It is safe. We are alone," Harry said softly.
Hermione flew into his arms. "What…are you…doing here?" she asked as she kissed him. Harry gently cradled her head in his hands and kissed her deeply, properly greeting her.
"How are you?" he asked when he broke the kiss, placing a hand on her lower belly where their baby was nestled safely within.
"I'm fine but…what are you doing here?" she asked. "Where's James?"
"James is safe back in Hufflepuff," Harry led Hermione to one of the cushioned benches. "Thank you for leaving him with me," he said sincerely.
Hermione smiled and tears filled her eyes. "I miss him so much, Harry. It feels like a part of me is missing."
Harry brought her into a comforting embrace. "Oh, Hermione. You'll be with him soon. But first," he lifted her head up and brushed the tears away from her face with the pad of his thumbs. "There's something important I must tell you."
"What? What is it?" she asked as Harry got up.
"I've had this nagging problem that I've been dealing with for quite some time and I really didn't know any way to solve it. The funny thing is, it's been underneath our noses all along." He pulled a book from the shelf, a big and dusty one and began to thumb through it. "You see, I'm madly in love with the Slytherin Queen," he said softly. "But she is married to an oaf of a husband." Hermione stifled a giggle. Harry smiled and handed her the book, page opened to a passage he wanted her to read.
"The old laws of Gryffindor?" Hermione asked as she took it.
Harry watched her as she read it, watched as the blood suddenly drained from her face. She dropped the book and looked up at him.
"The binding…." She said weakly and Harry nodded.
"It was an old marriage custom, I only just found out about it. I put it into law the day I left, all bindings that wish to result in marriage need only…my…approval."
The room began to spin around her and she began to sway. Harry was instantly by her side and took her hand, so cold.
"Hermione…Hermione, are you alright?" He knelt in front of her.
"Then we are married?" she asked softly.
"Only if you want it, I'll approve it," he whispered.
"You have no idea how much I've wished for something like this," she said quietly. "To be your wife, to be by your side." She placed her hands on either side of Harry's head. "Yes, of course I wish to be yours." Harry moved up and kissed her on the lips.
"Then it's done," he said smiling as he stroked her hair. "I'm yours, you're mine. My wife, my only love, my queen." Their smiles faded at this and Hermione stood up.
"What do we do, Harry?" she asked as she paced the floor.
Harry stood slowly. "We do nothing, we say nothing."
"Voldemort," Hermione whispered the name that stood between now and their future happiness.
"Hermione, I must ask something of you. Please leave the castle in the morning and ride back to Hufflepuff."
"What? You know I can't. We are on the brink of war, Harry and I cannot abandon my people," she protested.
"I knew you would say something like that," he smiled sadly. Hermione walked up to him and rubbed his arms.
"I'll be safe, I promise," she assured.
Harry wrapped his arms around her. "Everything will be okay, Hermione. I promise you."
He was planning on leaving in the morning, Draco had not surprisingly refused his offer of help but it was no matter. For now, tonight, as they feasted on dinner, he watched Draco dance with his beautiful wife. He would not interfere. Let him dance this dance with her. He smiled knowingly over his goblet of wine as he watched the couple.
Later that night, Harry snuck into Hermione's room, the room where they bound themselves to one another.
"Harry!" Hermione whispered as she tried to stifle a giggle. Harry heaved himself over her balcony and tumbled to the floor. "Couldn't you use Ginny's room?"
"Ron's got it," Harry said as he dusted himself off.
She walked up to him and stood on tip toe to kiss him. He slid his hands around her waist and up her to her back to press her closer to him. Her hands moved to undo his tunic as she gently tugged him toward her bed.
"No," Harry whispered. "Not there." He bent down and kissed her sensitive skin just below her ear. He moved her to the rug in front of the fire, the place where he had first taken her. "Here," he murmured as he pushed her robe off over her shoulders.
The lovers, more experienced with each other than their first time together, undressed each other slowly, kissing exposed skin, soft moans and sighs filled the air. And as Hermione lay below him, he entered her, taking her for the first time knowingly as his wife. She sighed, holding him closer as she took him in. He began his familiar rhythm, kissing her gently as he moved within her. She moaned softly, moving her hands over his back, meeting his thrusts with her hips as they danced their familiar dance. Her grip on his shoulders tightened as Harry brought her closer to her pleasure, her sighs filled his ears. The familiar tightening of her walls beckoned him to follow her into the abyss of paradise. She softly cried out his name and Harry kissed her deeply before he tumbled after her.
~*~
The puffs of breath from the horses appeared in the cool morning air as the castle gates opened. The Gryffindor King and his entourage stepped through, feeling the King's and Queen's eyes on him. He chanced a look back at Hermione, silently asking the question once again. Her eyes fell on the horizon where the armies of the False King were marching.
From the dungeon, Jason could hear the chains of the gates being drawn. The Gryffindor King was leaving. His hands no longer bound, he moved them over them over his simple tunic, feeling the fabric until he felt the hardness of metal. Carefully tearing it, he extracted a short metal file and thought back to two nights ago.
The king handed him the tunic. "Because you love her as I do, I can only trust you with her life."
"What if he kills me?" he asked.
The king nodded no. "He won't. Not with war upon him. As soon as you get the signal, leave the dungeon and find her. Hedwig will be waiting in the stables, Hermione will ride her. Take her back to Hufflepuff, I want her safe and out of harms way until I send for her again."
Jason looked at the file and began to work on his dungeon door.
Harry had just reached the hills when he heard the war drums of the False King and the horn of battle from Rowena. Neville greeted the men.
"Are we ready?" Harry asked him.
"Six thousand strong, Milord," he answered.
Harry looked over the other side of the hill to see his army spread out below him. He turned back to Rowena below him.
"My cousin will be safe?" Ron demanded.
Harry nodded.
Neville watched as the army marched closer and closer to the city. "It will be a massacre," he said, looking at the King.
Harry was unwavering. "We wait," he said.
Ron sighed. "Rowena will fall."
"Yes…it will."
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