*~ I've started a new story, and hope to actually finish this one. Hope you enjoy it! Please Review!!!!!*~
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters. I also don't own the book, The Princess by Lori Wick, but I did get my inspiration from her.
The Love of a Princess
By PuRpLeDiRt
There's no giving up now
Do you really want to give this all away
Can't you ever see things in a different way
Somedays
No giving up now
Such a beautiful thing to throw away
You should think things through
Over and over again
All over again
"No Giving Up"- by Crossfade
Chapter 1: An Odd Request
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Remus Lupin entered the palace, knowing he would have no problem requesting an audience with the King and Queen. Looking fondly down the hall, he remember his younger years when he, the king, and their friends, used to play all sorts of games, and were always looking for a way to get into trouble.
"Ah, Mr.Lupin, should I ring their majesties to announce your arrival?" The woman at the desk questioned.
"No, that won't be necessary, Glenda. I'd like to surprise them if you don't mind?" Remus questioned with a sparkle in his eye.
"You boys and your tricks! Fine, go right ahead, but if they are angry with you, I had no part in this." Glenda said in a teasing tone.
"Thank you very much, and believe me, you will find yourself in no trouble." Remus said with a wink as he walked through the doors. He knew this palace like the back of his hand, and he knew he'd have no trouble finding the king and queen. Heading towards the parlor, he crept up to the door to find it cracked. Peeking in, he saw the King's back turned to him. Creeping in, careful not to make any noise, Remus signaled the queen to keep quiet. She had been facing towards Remus while engaged in a deep conversation with the King. Remus tip-toed up right behind the king and jumped on him, scaring the king half to death. The Queen fell off her chair she had laughed so hard.
"Remus, what the hell were you doing?" The King harshly asked with a flush face.
"James, my good boy, you need a good scare every once in awhile." Remus responded between laughs.
"Hello Remus, what brings you here?" The queen asked after regaining her composure.
"Lily my dear, I come bearing great news!" He responded in an excited voice. "It regards our conversation from a couple of weeks ago."
"Remus, you mean, you've found several candidates?" James questioned, now in a serious tone.
"No, I've not found several. I've found one. She's perfect. Everything you could have wanted and more. She's the one." Remus looked at James and Lily, their eyes wide in shock.
"Bloody hell, I didn't think you could find someone in such a short time. Brilliant, I must say. So, who is she?" James asked in awe.
"Hermione Granger of Lanae. I met her at a banquet honoring her parents for their years of work and improvements in the dentistry field. She gave a speech to honor her parents. Her words were so moving, that you could not help but love her from the moment you meet her. She's graceful, kind, well mannered, and genuinely loves people." Remus said.
"How old is she? Is she already in a relationship?" Lily questioned excitedly.
"I didn't ask, but I would say early twenties, and no, I know for a fact that there is no other man in her life besides her father."
"Wait, is she magical?" Lily asked, with concern in her eyes.
"Yes Lily, she is one of us. She's a witch, and an extremely talented one I've heard."
"She's perfect, absolutely perfect. But would she be willing?" James questioned, knowing that would be the answer they needed to know.
"They've invited me to dinner this Friday, and I will be able to get to know Hermione more personally. But don't worry, I will not mention anything of a potential union with the Prince." Remus gloated through his wide smile.
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Harry Potter, Prince of Gryffindonia, stood at the window of his room, staring out at the rain drenched fields. In his hands was a picture of his late wife, Cho. She had died about two years ago of pneumonia. Harry had been deeply in love with his wife, and missed her more every day. But, because he was a prince, he knew the duties he was to fulfill. His 24 birthday was only months away, and Gryffindonia law stipulates that those of royal lineage that are in line for the throne must take a wife by their 24 birthday. Knowing he was too depressed to find a wife on his own, and knew he could not fall in love while he still loved his late wife, he had gone to his parents for help. He knew he could trust their judgment. He just hoped that he could play the role of a good husband for whoever they picked, and hoped that the woman could understand why he believed he could not love her.
Harry sighed, and hugged the picture to his chest. 'Oh Cho, why did you have to leave me?' he thought as he turned from the window, a silent tear trickled down his face.
With a long sigh, Harry placed the picture back on the dresser where it stood as a shrine to the beautiful Cho. Her perfume bottle sat next to the picture. Harry picked the delicate bottle up and depressed the button to dispense a small amount of fragrance into the air. Inhaling deeply, the familiar smell of the fragrance triggered memories of happier times in the life of Harry and Cho.
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"Mr. Lupin, you've really met the Royal family?" Hermione asked with a sparkle in her eye.
"Please, call me Remus my dear. And yes, I have. I grew up with the King. But they are not so different from you and me. Quite ordinary if you ask me. Mrs. Granger, this is delicious, I must say, I believe it could rival the cook's at the palace!" Remus exclaimed, placing another juicy piece of meat into his mouth to savor.
"Oh, there's no need for such embellished flattery, you're already in our good graces Mr. Lupin." Mrs. Granger claim with a faint blush staining her cheeks.
Remus flashed her a devilish smile. "Mr. Granger, I've heard of your research to develop a less painful procedure for a root canal. Could you explain it to me, in simple terms for such a simple man as myself?"
"Call me Robert, my good man, and I happen to believe you are all but simple, but never less, I will explain it to you…"
As the men engrossed themselves in their conversation, the two women excused themselves to the kitchen, clearing the plates from the table and taking the dishes into the kitchen with them. Once in the privacy of their own kitchen, Mrs. Granger turned to her daughter.
"Hermione, how are those children at the hospital?" She asked in a kind voice.
"Oh mother, their spirits are improving by the day, but you cannot help but feel sad for them. It's almost heartbreaking to see them everyday, knowing the inevitable. But, knowing I can make a difference, no matter how small, in their lives is what gives me the strength to go back every day. And how can you not love their adorable smiles!" Hermione said with a giggle. "They love the stories I bring with me. The fairytales transport them to another world, one without pain."
"You read to children?" Remus questioned as he walked into the kitchen, coffee mug in hand.
"Yes, I work in the Children's wing at the Hospital, with the terminally ill children. It's become such a passion for me. I love those children with all my heart." Hermione replied with a smile.
"You are a woman of many talents, quite surprising, but I should have expected it." Remus replied with a look of wonder on his face. "You are such a caring person. You could bring a smile to the most depressed of people. Yes indeed…"
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"Your Majesties, she's perfect, near flawless! Such a heart in such a small woman! She never ceased to amaze me!" Remus reported excitedly. "She's so willing to help anyone she can."
"You think there's a chance that she would accept this awkward proposition?" James asked out of curiosity.
"She loves this country, and all the people. I have no doubt she would do whatever she could to help, including entering into marriage with the prince.
"I think it's time we paid the Grangers a visit." James stated with hope in his voice.
"I have a good feeling about this woman, Hermione Granger. I will go pen a letter to send on with the next owl." Lily's voice soared with happiness. Hermione was the answer to Harry's despair. Only she could bring him out of darkness and loneliness he had trapped himself in.
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Dear Mr. and Mrs. Granger,
I know it must come as quite a shock to be receiving a personal letter from the Queen, but I hope that we may call each other friends soon. I do not wish to jump directly into the nature of which I write to you, but I feel I must. I've heard great things about your family and your wonderful daughter, Hermione. As you know, Remus Lupin is a close family friend, and brings nothing but praise back from his recent visit to your home. He thinks quite highly of Hermione, and we must agree with him. Now, what I'm about to ask does seem very impersonal and quite sudden, and I do not mean to shock you. As you know, 2 years ago, my son, the Prince, lost his wife to illness. As the laws of Gryffindonia state, the crown prince must be wed upon his 24th birthday. As he had been unable to find himself a suitable partner, he has entrusted us with the task. I do not mean to sound so heartless and unfeeling, but there is no other way to describe this awkward situation. I'm asking if your daughter, Hermione, would consider wedding the Prince. We have no doubt that she is absolutely perfect for the Prince, but also, she cares so much for the people that she will uphold the royal family name. I ask you to consider this carefully, and if it is convenient, on Thursday my husband and I would like to drop by to discuss things in person. Please do not feel like you have to do this. We want this to be acceptable by both parties.
Very Sincerely,
Lily Potter, Queen of Gryffindonia
A very shocked Jane Granger set the letter down on the table and turned to her equally shocked husband.
"Jane, we always knew our Hermione was meant for great things, but I could never have imagined this." Robert Granger whispered out hoarsely.
"Oh my Hermione! This is beyond our wildest dreams for her." Jane responded. "Now, how do we tell her?"
"Tell me what?" Hermione asked with a smile as she walked through the door, setting her bag on the chair in the corner of the room.
"I, I mean, we… oh dear, I'm making quite a mess of this. Hermione, here, this will explain it better than either of us could." Mrs. Granger picked up the letter and handed it over into the waiting hands of Hermione.
"What is this?" Hermione asked, flipping over the parchment of paper to find the Royal seal on it. "Oh my…" she said in wonderment.
"Hermione, you know we are proud of you, in everything you do. We are going to ask that you think carefully about what is asked of you, and we will support any decision you make. Just remember that we love you." Mrs. Granger said with a smile and a tear on her face. She received a reassuring squeeze from her husband.
Hermione's eyes flicked over the page, her face expressing her emotions as she read through the letter. When she finished, she uttered one word that summed up her thoughts. "Wow…"
"You know honey, you don't have to give a response now, the king and queen are arriving in three days, so you have time to think this over very carefully. Just follow your heart, it will never lead you astray." Robert said as he gave his daughter a hug.
Hermione's parents left her to debate her own thoughts. She was still in such a state of shock that it hadn't actually sunk in yet that this was really happening. Retreating to her room, the letter in hand, Hermione sat on her bed and tried to work out her thoughts.
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"Mr. and Mrs. Granger, it is such a pleasure to finally meet you." Lily Potter said as she extended her hand to shake those hands of the couple in front of her.
"Please, call us Robert and Jane." Jane Granger responded with a warm smile.
"And you must call us James and Lily." James replied while shaking Mr. Granger's hand.
"Please, do come in. We were about to enjoy a spot of tea. Do join us, as it will be just a couple of minutes before Hermione arrives home from the Hospital." Robert asked, stepping aside to let the couple enter the house.
The two couples sat down and discussed many things such as the weather, Quidditch, and of course, Hermione.
Before too long, Hermione entered the house, and we surprised to see the royal couple sitting in her living room.
"Hermione, dear, please come join us. Hermione, this is James and Lily Potter. Your majesties, may I present my daughter, Hermione Granger." Jane beamed at her daughter.
"It's a pleasure to meet you." Hermione smiled warmly at the couple.
"My, my, Remus was not exaggerating at all. She's just as pretty as he said." James grinned as he saw the blush rise onto Hermione's cheeks.
"Hermione, you must excuse my husband, he doesn't understand the art of subtlety. I know we've put you in an awkward position, and we understand that you might have some questions for us. We'll do our best to answer them." Lily said in a gentle tone.
"I do not mean to be impolite or anything, but why isn't the prince himself here to inquire about me, or to search for a wife?" Hermione asked meekly.
"That's a perfectly good question, nothing to be embarrassed by. You see, my son wants to do his duty to the throne, and is not at all against marrying again. You do remember his wife, Cho, who died two years ago? He was very much in love with her and still is. So he cannot bring it upon himself to try to find someone to fill her place. I cannot promise you that he'll love you right away, but hopefully over time, you may be able to soften his hardened outlook on life, and it could be a wonderful marriage." Jane spoke in soft tones.
Hermione continued to express several of her concerns, pertaining to if she would make a good princess or not, and if they could fire her. After all her concerns had been answered, it was time to make up her mind. Marry and there was no guarantee of love in the marriage, or not, and feel like she was failing the people of her beloved Gryffindonia. In her heart, she knew she had made a decision. And it was the right one.
"When will the wedding take place?" Hermione breathed.
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I hope you like the plot of the story. I wasn't sure how other people would react, but I'm excited. Please review!!!!! Give me some motivation!
~PuRpLeDiRt