Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING BUT THE PLOT!
Hi there again! This chapter begins the intended plot ... and to all of those who are die-hard H/Hr fans (me included!), bear with me here, just for a little ... trust me it gets better!
Summary:
"An arranged marriage?"
"We didn't even meet until the day of our wedding! I was in love with another woman, and she said I had a bad sense of humor and a low I.Q."
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Chapter One: What! Why! No!
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It was a cool summer's evening, and the sun had just begun to set along the horizon. The air was cool and a salty ocean breeze swept the air, proving to be a nice contrast to the heat of the early day. Floral fragrances filled the air with whimsy and romance as the soft and sensual aroma joyfully mingled with that of the cool breeze.
Tonight was a perfect night for romance!
"Goodnight, fair maiden. I shall but dream of your beauty until the chance I am blessed to look upon you once more!" spoke the dark-haired, green-eyed prince. He spoke gently, his voice deep and silky, his eyes soft and sincere. He brushed a stray strand of her long, sleek black hair away from her face as he stared intently into dark captivating eyes. A soft blush swept across her pale features, making his heart flutter and a smile to appear on his lips.
"Sleep well my prince." She replied. He gently took her hand in his as he bent to kiss it goodnight. Giggling softly, she ever so tenderly bade him goodnight as she gently kissed his lips. It was a quick kiss, nothing elaborate, but a simple peck goodnight. Yet to the Prince Harry it was everything! His first kiss! He had never felt anything like it before! No girl he had ever seen had done this to him, making his heart flutter and his stomach flip! Yet, she had! She, Lady Cho Chang of Ravenclaw had stolen his heart!
He mounted his horse and waited patiently as Lady Cho made it to her bedroom. When she did, she ran onto the balcony to watch him depart. Harry quickly charmed a rose to make its way up to her balcony. She giggled again before blowing him a kiss. A smile tugged at his lips.
"I shall meet you in the gardens tomorrow, my love." He called up to her, and with that he rode off toward the Gryffindor Castle.
"Now, where do you s'pose our darling Harry has wandered off to, George?" Fred asked his twin brother, as each of them juggled a few overly large Dungbombs in there hands.
"I don't know Fred! And to think of all that trouble we went through to smuggle these beauties up to him, what a shame." George replied, shaking his head, there matching evil grins priceless!
Ron, who was currently engaged in a not-so-exciting chess match with Seamus, ignored his brothers' antics as hi ordered his knight to smash into Seamus's Queen.
"Checkmate!" called Ron triumphantly for the 8th time that night! Seamus just stared at the board, dumbstruck. "So, how much is that you owe me now? 60 galleons?"
"How'd you do that?" he asked amazed. "How about another go, eh? Double or nothing, what do you say!" but before Ron had a chance to reply, the large double doors to the Prince's common room swung open.
"Harry!" yelled the twins. But Harry ignored them, his dazed expression confusing Ron and Seamus. The twins, though, seemed highly interested!
"Oi, mate! You ok?" asked Ron.
"Yeah, you look… odd." Added Seamus. But Harry didn't hear them, and if he did, he didn't care. He just walked over to his favorite armchair by the fine, dropped into it, and sighed happily. He grins on the twins' faces grew increasingly mischievous.
"Hey Harry! Earth to Harry!" Ron called, waving a hand in front of his face, though failed in receiving any response. Harry just remained staring in to space, his smile never fading! "What's wrong with him!"
"Can't you tell, little bro? His Royal Pain-In-The-Arse has fallen in love!" laughed George. Ron and Seamus made funny faces. Finally, Fred trotted over and, as casually as ever, bent over and blew a large whistle into Harry's ear. Slightly startled, Harry looked around and muttered a little "Huh!" as his eyes focused and his dazed expression disappeared.
"Bloody hell, Harry!" Ron chuckled. "What's gotten into you!"
"What do you mean?" he asked. "Nothing had gotten into me!"
"Oh, come off it, Harry!" exclaimed Seamus. "You were drooling all over yourself!" Everybody laughed. Harry blushed red.
"So, who is she?" asked Fred casually, while leaning against the large hearth.
"Wha- "
"Ahh, don't act dumb Harry. You're acting like a lovesick puppy!" retorted Ron.
"I am not love- " Harry started indignantly.
"What's her name, Harry?" George demanded, a little more forcefully. Harry just sighed.
"Her name is Lady Cho Chang, of - "
" - Ravenclaw!" exclaimed the four boys, astonished. She was known to be the most beautiful courtier in all of Ravenclaw. She was also one heck of a good Quidditch seeker according to Ron!
"So she got to you too, eh!" laughed Fred. "When did this happen?"
"Today at the Quidditch pitch. This is her first visit to Gryffindor, so I took her out around the towns in her area. Then I took her for dinner."
"Wait! You two went out on a date!" cried George.
"Yeah, sorta…" Harry blushed, he wasn't about to tell them what happened afterwards.
"How the hell did that happen! I've been trying to get her to go out on a date with me for months!" cried Fred!
"It's because he's a bloody Prince, that's why!" added Ron. "She only hangs with the 'Highest of Nobility', in other words the crowned royals!"
"But you guys are of nobility, Seamus is a Count, and your father is my father's top most advisor next to Dumbledore! And he's a top knight!" Harry said.
"Yeah, sure, but we aren't about to be King, now are we?" Ron told him as he fell into one of the armchairs across from Harry.
"Well, way to go, mate!" cried George as he slapped Harry on the back, causing Harry to blush again. "Aww, don't he look just adorable when he blushes!" he drawled.
"Shut up." Harry mumbled.
"He sure does!" Fred added playfully, rustling his already messy hair. "Sweet ain't it, our little Harry-Bear's growin' up!"
"Bugger off you guys!" cried Harry and throwing a pillow at the twins.
"Aww, but your Highness, news such as this should be celebrated!" exclaimed Seamus. He drew his wand and began summoning little heart-shaped figures to float down upon the prince and then burst into millions of pieces of confetti.
"Seamus is right, Harry," said Fred as he and George threw pillows back at Harry at the same time.
Soon, the conversation developed into a full-fledged pillow war! Feathers flew as pillows were launched at the boys' heads. Suddenly, as Harry tossed a rather large feather pillow at an unsuspecting Ron, the sound of trumpets filtered into his ears amidst all the laughter.
"Whoa, guys! Stop!" Harry yelled over the noise. Without warning, four pillows slammed rather roughly into his face. A roar of laughter filled the room as the four pillows fell from his face. Spitting out the feathers from his mouth, he gave them all a dirty look before turning his attention out the window. By now the others had heard the trumpets as well and had all congregated around the tall coved window to see what all the commotion was for.
"Harry, look!" yelled Ron. "It's your parents' carriage. They're back!" Ron was right, his parents had arrived.
"But, they're early… they weren't due back from Ravenclaw Kingdom for another day or so!" Harry said. "Well, best go and welcome them, eh!" he made his way to the doors, as the others followed, all the while pulling feathers out of his tunic and hair.
The grand entrance hall was crammed with Advisors and servants ready to greet the King and Queen. Harry moved swiftly down the marble staircase, happy and carefree. He made his way up to the doors and stood at the top of the steps outside, watching as the carriage pulled inform of the cascading castle stairs.
As the carriage stopped, a young doorman quickly made his way over to the carriage door. After opening the door, he let down three golden steps from underneath the carriage and watched as the King emerged. Harry smiled. His father always had a striking presence and any who stood within the same room as he felt the optimistic glow that radiated from his smile. Harry had always been told he was the spitting image of his father, from his ever-messy ebony locks to his light, speedy, yet muscular build of his body, but the one characteristic Harry had not received from his father, but rather from his mother, were his eyes. The same striking emerald green that were the windows to his soul.
The King smiled broadly as he looked up into the face of his son at the top of the stairs before turning to the carriage. He stood on the side of the small golden steps and held out his closed fist. Then a small, petite hand emerged from behind the curtained carriage and placed it atop the King's. Harry watched as his mother, the Queen, stepped gracefully out of the carriage. Her long garnet-auburn hair pulled beautifully into an array of braids and pulls supporting a stunning, yet slightly modest, crown. Her face was soft and fair and her smile was bright and genuine!
As the King and Queen ascended the large staircase, Harry went to meet them halfway, on the landing.
"Ahh, just the boy I was hoping to see!" exclaimed King James as he placed a fatherly hand upon Harry's shoulder, a sign of greeting. Harry did the same.
"Father." he said quietly. "I pray your trip went well, but you seem to have arrived much earlier than planned, why?"
"Oh, yes! Our trip went splendid, dear." said the Queen, interrupting the king before he had a chance to answer. Harry smiled before leaning over and placing a soft kiss on his mother's cheek.
"I'm glad to hear it!" he told his mother as they climbed the stairs into the palace.
"Yes, son. And I have come with proposition for you as well."
"A proposition? Concerning what?" asked Harry.
"Well, concerning -" King James began.
"James!" Queen Lily interrupted for the second time that night. "It is late and you are quite fatigued, perhaps this should wait until sunlight." she said warningly. James looked at her questionably before sighing deeply.
"Yes, I suppose you are right." he replied. Harry looked between the two before shrugging it off.
The next morning was proving to be a beautiful one. As Harry woke from a dream of his foreign beauty, he felt his spirits soar at the site of the morning light. He made his way down to the great dining hall for breakfast to see his parents already seated in their usual seats at the head of the table. They were speaking firmly but quietly, apparently deep in conversation over an important topic.
"Good morning." Harry said as he kissed his mother's cheek before taking his seat. King James smiled.
"Yes it is, Harry." said the King, while looking at his wife. She gave him an odd look before turning to her breakfast. He just sighed deeply. "Listen, Harry. There are important issues I need to inform you of. While speaking to the Ravenclaw King, we had decided it would be in our best interests, for both kingdoms, if -"
"One second dear," said Queen Lily as she put a soft hand on her husbands. "Harry, what is this I hear of you and a certain courtier?" she asked with a soft smile forming over her red lips. James looked back to his son, surprised. Harry just cleared his throat and blushed - again. (He seems to be doing a lot of that, lol).
"Oh, yea, umm..." he trailed off for a bit, fidgeting.
"Well, who is she, son?" questioned the King. He had a look about him that Harry couldn't quite read.
"Her ... her name is Lady Cho Chang of Ravenclaw, sir." started Harry. Suddenly he got a wisp of the well-known Gryffindor courage and went on. "She is really beautiful mother -(at this the Queen smiled)-. Really smart she is, and funny. I've only spent a day with her yet, but I really like her. And we seem to have a lot in common." Queen Lily looked over at her husband sadly. King James seemed to fidget a little as well. Harry looked between the two, suspicious. They are up to something! "Ok, what is it? What is going on?"
"Well, dear, you see -" started the Queen.
"Son, I don't think I want you seeing Lady Cho again." Harry spluttered at this.
"What? Why? No!" Harry yelled defiantly. Why couldn't he see her? What was wrong with her! Nothing! They had no right telling him whom he could see or not! He was 19 years old and could take care of himself!
"Harry please. You just need to calm down and listen." said the Queen rationally. Harry didn't want to listen. He shot a look at his father, hoping he would explain such reasons as to why he couldn't see Cho.
"Harry, when visiting with King Richard, the two of us came up with a contract proposal." said the King.
"A contract what?" asked Harry unbelievably. He couldn't believe his ears!
"A contract proposal, wherein you and the Ravenclaw princess, Hermione are to wed. With the recent economic fall of Ravenclaw due to the last Dark War, we both figured that the best remedy would be to merge-"
"Wait," Harry started, shocked. "You mean... an arranged marriage!" he yelled outraged. He suddenly burst out of his seat. "No! I won't hear of it!"
"Harry please, just calm down." said his mother.
"No mother. Your King here plans on arranging me in a false marriage, and I wont have it! I refuse!" and with that Harry burst out of the hall, fuming. King James too got to his feet.
"How dare he speak to me in that matter! I am his father, and his King!" he bellowed. Lily just sighed.
"Sit down James, before you hurt yourself!"
"I will not be spoken to like that!" he yelled. "He will show me the proper respect I deserve!" and with that he stormed out of the hall and followed his son. Quickly, the Queen too strode off after her husband.
The two went down corridors, up staircases, through twists and turns before finally reaching the corridor leading up to the tower in which Harry's room was situated.
"James, James, will you please stop this nonsense!" Lily begged.
"I signed the contract with Ravenclaw, and by Merlin, that boy will listen or bad things will happen!" he yelled.
"But he does not love her!"
"This isn't about love, Lily."
"Then perhaps it should be!" She sighed and grabbed his shoulder, turning him to her. "A sapling cannot grow in the shadow of a mighty oak, James. The boy needs sunlight." she said softly. James looked at her for a moment before roughly continuing his way up to Harry's room.
"What the boy needs is a good whipping." he muttered under his breath.
He burst through Harry's doors and looked about the room. When the Queen entered, she sighed and sat on his vacant bed. His broom cupboard had been left wide open and bare. the large coved window in the room had too been left open, as the curtains billowed softly in the early morning breeze.
"Not again." said the Queen.
"Guards! Find him! I want him back here, now!"
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Ok, sorry it is a cliffy! lol, couldn't help myself. well, please R&R and tell me what you think! One more thing, I wasn't sure if Hermione should have attended Hogwarts or Beaubatons! What do you guys think? I have ideas for both but thought it would be cool if you decided... just a thought, but if reviews are slow I'll just choose the better! So tell me what you think so I know to continue!
Oh and yes, the last few lines were from Ever After, and no I do not own those lines, but they fit in sooo well with this... I was compelled.....
Anyhoo, I just want to clear up that this story is NOT based on the movie! It is not based upon any movie that I know, and any other similarities is purely coincidence! :D
P.S: the next chapter may take a while for me to upload, exams and school are sorta catching up with me so... just FYI.