A/N: Sorry I couldn't update again when I was on break but I did manage to find some time my first week back at school! Thanks so much to everyone who is still sticking to the story even though my pain in the ass schedule prevents me from updating whenever I want. There's going to be 2-3 chapters left I think, depending on how the next chapter goes. I'll try to update as soon as I can and that's all I can promise. I love you all!
Disclaimer: Harry Potter `tis not mine-eth.
Enjoy!
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Magique
Chapter 19: All My Trials
"Oh, um, of course." Cedric said, though the looks Hermione was shooting him almost convinced him not to speak at all. "Harry, this is my friend Mia Morgan."
Fighting to keep a passive face, Hermione turned to face Harry and her breath was nearly taken from her. Seeing him this close to her made her feel things she hadn't in months. Their eyes met and she found herself quickly becoming lost in them.
"It's an honor, your highness." She said with as even of a tone as she could muster.
"The pleasure is all mine." He said as he grabbed her hand in his and lifted it to his lips. Her heart fluttered. She could feel the desire to grab him and hold him tight well up inside herself but she held it back as he pulled away.
"And please, call me Harry."
She smiled.
Hold yourself together, Hermione. She thought to herself. You're going to ruin the entire plan if you keep this up. It's just Harry.
Yeah, a Harry that you haven't seen for months! Harry whom you miss and love and-
Stop it! Her internal reason shouted at her dangerous thought train. Keep calm as act normal. If you're lucky, he'll leave and you can make a quick escape.
But I don't want him to leave…
Of course you don't, but you have to!
As Hermione's internal battle raged on, Harry was having one of his own. She looked even more familiar up close. Was she part of the hierarchy of Hufflepuff? She could have easily been present at one of the many balls he had attended throughout his life. But no, that couldn't be it. He knew everyone of royal blood in Hogwarts by name, especially those close to his own age. Could she be a servant in the Hufflepuff castle that Cedric had brought to accompany him? He had visited the castle many times and Cedric didn't strike him as the type to court someone based on anything but perhaps their beauty. And this woman was absolutely dazzling.
Finally, the curiosity got to him.
"Have we met before?" He asked.
Mia looked surprised - floored, even. He immediately regretted asking in the first place.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you." He quickly amended. "You just… you look very familiar."
"N-no. No it's fine." Her expression turned to one of thought as she thought on his inquiry. "I don't believe we have. Not formally at least."
Well that certainly narrows it down, Harry thought cynically. He decided to take a different approach. "Have you seen me before?"
"Of course I have." She said, waving her hand about as if it was the most obvious answer. When Harry looked at her in question, her face colored slightly. "You're the crowned prince - I mean, king - of Gryffindor. Anyone with access to the archives could see your portrait."
Harry spirits dwindled slightly. "Ah, I see."
"I'm sorry, your highness." She said. "Just one of those faces, I suppose."
"Yes I suppose so." He agreed. Perhaps he was just mistaken.
It didn't make sense. There were hundreds of familiar faces in the crowd yet he was drawn specifically to hers. He had seen royalty, Court representatives, ladies and lords alike that he had run into at some point in the past hidden in the crowd. But she, this Mia Morgan, was proving to be the most difficult to place. He could let it go and not think anything of it. He had many new responsibilities and other duties he could busy himself with, after all. Mia was not the only unknown person to be present at his coronation. He could easily forget about her and carry on with the evening. In fact, that's exactly what he was going to do.
Until he saw her bite her lip.
"Hermione."
Cedric choked on the drink he had picked up during their conversation. Mia looked absolutely floored.
"I - I beg your pardon?" She asked with a shaky voice.
"You look exactly like my friend Hermione. Save for the blonde hair and eye color obviously. But still, the resemblance is uncanny." He said, relieved that he had finally figured it out. He had been drawn to this woman because she looked like Hermione. It all made sense!
Then, as he thought about it for a moment, he realized how discourteous he was being. If Mia looked like anyone else he wouldn't have bothered asking Cedric to introduce them until it was necessary. He wouldn't have taken a special interest in her at all. She would be just another guest that he wouldn't think twice about.
"I'm sorry." He said. "I-Ë®
"It's alright." She said. "Cedric told me about what happened. She was banished from Gryffindor a few months ago, wasn't she? That's why she couldn't be here."
Harry nodded. "Yeah."
"You must miss her."
He looked her in the eyes. She appeared to be genuinely curious and concerned. He nodded with a frown. "I miss her terribly."
She reached out and touched him on the shoulder. "I'm sure the feeling is mutual and that her thoughts are with you."
He looked at her hand and then back at her. He smiled and grabbed her hand holding it out in front of them and squeezing it. "I certainly hope so."
She smiled and released his hand. It had been warm and comforting in his grasp.
As soon as Mia's hand fell to her side, it snapped up to her stomach. Her face became pale within a matter of seconds and she looked at both men as she spoke. "Excuse me for a moment."
Before Harry could ask what was the matter she was halfway to the exit. He looked at Cedric with a raised brow. The Hufflepuff shrugged. "She'll be alright. I'm sure it's nothing."
Harry nodded. Cedric knew this woman more than he did so he chose not to think much about it. Instead, he brought up the topic that had been in the back of his mind all day. "How's Hermione?"
Cedric tore his gaze from the doorway and nodded at Harry. "She's good. It tore her up that she couldn't accompany me, of course. Nearly threw a fit before I calmed her down."
Harry nodded. "We both know that it wouldn't be a good idea regardless. No matter how much I wanted to see her face in the crowd I knew that even if I did it wouldn't have made for a pretty scene."
Cedric smirked. "She sends her congratulations and her gift is among the sea of others in the drawing room."
Harry nodded solemnly. He knew what her real coronation present had been and it was already right here in the castle - the hidden tower just above the library. He had been up there countless times since the verdict had been passed when he wasn't in his room. It made for a quiet place to sit and think - recall the better times and strengthen his will to bring her home.
Today had marked another step in the fight to recall the sentence on Hermione. The election for the new head of the Court was to take place a week from tonight and Harry was now one of the top contenders with his new status as king. Their campaign was running strong and everything was heading in just the right direction save for one ominous fact. They still didn't have any leads on who had caused this upset in the first place.
"Send her my thanks and love in return. I'm sure it's a marvelous present."
"It is, your highness." Cedric said.
He had been with her when she picked it out. It had been her side project aside from her work and the fight to return to Gryffindor. She had originally wanted to get him something that he could use as king but one day when they had been walking through the shops in Hufflepuff, she spotted what she thought to be the perfect gift that was now wrapped up and hidden among the others.
Mia rejoined them soon after, her cheeks now as pink as carnations.
"Are you alright?" Harry asked.
"Much better now, thank you." She said.
Harry held back his curiosity because it looked as though she was going to say nothing more on the subject. In his silence he did notice that she still had her hand clutched to her stomach, though it was obvious that she was no longer in pain of any sort. If she hadn't have turned to Cedric and moved her hand at just the right angle he wouldn't have noticed the bump concealed quite efficiently beneath the layers of her dress. She was with child.
"I'm going to get another drink. You want anything?" He asked, looking at Harry and Mia respectively.
Harry shook his head as Mia quickly spoke. "I can get the drinks, Cedric."
"No, it's alright. You just stay here and keep Harry company." He kissed her briefly on the top of her head and left, leaving her glaring at him in his wake.
A long silence followed his departure. Harry could have said a million things to ease the tension but instead he spoke without thinking and said the first thing on his mind.
"So is Cedric the father?"
Mia's head snapped toward him, her eyes wide. "Excuse me?"
Harry's face turned read. "Sorry I - I know it's none of my business but your hand has been on your stomach since you returned and it's ruined the façade of your dress."
Mia remained speechless, her eyes flickering down at where he had mentioned.
"Sorry." He repeated. "Was it supposed to be a secret?"
She didn't answer for a moment. In the few seconds it took for her to speak Harry felt the embarrassment and guilt wash over him like a cold bucket of water. How could he have been so insensitive? It was obvious he had made her very uncomfortable. Why couldn't he have picked something more neutral to say rather than address something that he had no right to point out? What if he had been wrong in his conclusion?
"N-no." She said warily.
He looked at her. "No it wasn't supposed to be a secret?"
"Well, yes - I mean no, it wasn't necessarily supposed to be a secret. Though I suppose I gained enough attention when I glued my hand to stomach. The little bugger hasn't stopped kicking all night." Harry smiled at that. "But what I mean was no, Cedric isn't the father. He's just a good friend."
"Ah," Harry responded. "May I ask where the father is?"
"You may." She answered with a small smile. It waned, though, when she began to speak. "He's away on business."
Harry nodded in affirmation. "It must be hard being without him. He must be torn that he can't be with you when you're like this. And at a ball no less."
Mia avoided his eyes.
"What is it?" He asked lowly.
"Truth is…" She paused for a moment but then looked back up at him and continued. "Truth is he doesn't know I'm pregnant. At this rate I don't know if he'll ever know."
"Why ever not?" Harry asked. "How long has he been away on business?"
"Only a few months."
He narrowed his brow. "He isn't a jerk or anything is he?"
She chuckled. "No, he's far from that. He's wonderful."
He looked at her oddly. "Then why doesn't he know?"
"I have my reasons." She said quietly, looking at him with a strange expression.
"Do you love him?"
"Very much."
"And are you feeling reciprocated?"
"Wholeheartedly." She replied with a small smile.
"I won't ask anymore. I've pestered you enough." He said. "But would you like to know my opinion?"
She looked up at him curiously. "Sure."
"A father should never be kept away from his child. Especially if it's being carried by a woman he loves."
She looked at him, her eyes shining. "Harry, I-Ë®
"Harry, there you are!" A high-pitched voice said loudly from beside them.
The pair turned and saw Clara's bright face smiling at Harry. He returned her smile and greeted her warmly. "Hello, Clara."
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything." She said, looking briefly at Mia.
"Oh, umm…" Harry started, looking back at the blonde.
"No, it's quite alright. I'm sure I've used up quite enough of your time as it is." Mia said with a soft smile.
Harry looked at her with an apologetic expression. "I'm sure we'll see each other again."
Mia nodded. "That we shall."
As she watched Harry being dragged off by Clara she felt a weight drift off of her shoulders. She had been so close to revealing the truth to Harry and they hadn't even been speaking for more than a few minutes. Not only had he nearly recognized her, playing it off as a striking resemblance, but he had noticed that she was with child. She was treading on dangerous waters.
"Where did Harry go?" Cedric asked, coming to stand next to her.
"Clara dragged him off somewhere." She said noncommittally. "And good thing she did, too. I almost blew my cover."
"How?" He asked, surprised.
"You left me alone with him, that's how!" She said scathingly.
"Sorry." He said. "I was thirsty."
She glared at him and turned to the party. She saw Harry and Clara dancing in the crowd and sighed. They were talking and swaying along with the music. How she longed to be that way with him right now. But it was too dangerous. Another moment alone with him would be detrimental to her plan.
"We have to leave." She said suddenly.
"What, now? But the party just started."
"I know but I can't risk being found out."
"Hermione, he has hundreds of more people to see. I doubt that you'll see him again tonight." Cedric said, taking a sip of his drink.
"There's still a chance." She said. "I risked enough when he came to talk to us. There's too much of a chance that he might find me out. I'm sorry but we have to leave."
Cedric sighed. "You're right of course. I still can't believe that he recognized you. Well, not entirely, but enough for him to compare you to yourself." He chuckled. "Looks like blonde hair can only go so far."
"Duly noted." She said, her eyes drifting back to the crowd of dancing royalty.
Cedric looked at her and followed her gaze to Harry and Clara on the ballroom floor. He sighed and looped his arm around hers. "Come on, princess. Let's get you to bed."
She tore her eyes away from the dancing couple and smiled up at Cedric. Together they left the ballroom in silence, Hermione turning back only once.
Later in the night Harry would look for the woman he knew as Mia, wanting to find out what she was about to say before Clara had taken him to the dance floor, only to come up empty handed. She had disappeared into the night, never to be seen or heard by him again.
~*~
One week later…
Harry had been pacing his study for hours. The first week of his kinghood had gone smoothly. Mostly he had to fill out paperwork and move his things into Sirius's old chambers. He now had access to parts of the castle he didn't even know existed, which he planned to take full advantage of at a later date. For the past few days his mind had been set on the election and the one thing that was getting him through it.
Harry had spotted Hermione's coronation gift right away. Firstly, it was wrapped in periwinkle trimmings, her favorite color. And secondly, hers was the only one with a tag that read To: Harry in her familiar intricate hand. She had obviously made no real effort to hide her gift from him and for that he was thankful. He had yet to open it, wanting to save it for today - something to override the pressure of the election.
"Harry, the meeting starts in ten minutes." Sirius said from his place in one of the plush chairs by the fire.
"I know." He said irately.
"You have nothing to be nervous about." Sirius said. "The odds are in your favor and everyone knows it. The debate and overall election will be a breeze."
The negative thoughts that had been welling up inside of his head for the past few weeks paired with his growing impatience suddenly burst forth. "Yeah but what if it's all for nothing?" Harry said, his voice rising. "What if this new position does nothing? We haven't had any leads. Whoever did this is laughing in our faces right now!"
"Harry we've talked about this." Sirius said calmly. "The position will open up enough doors so that we may not even have to find the person who did this to revoke the sentence. Shouldn't that be enough for the moment?"
Harry looked at him sternly.
"For the moment." Sirius repeated.
Harry sighed and stopped in his tracks, irritation waning. "It is, I suppose."
"Then stop your worrying. You can dwell on all of this after tonight."
Harry looked at his godfather. "I always worry, you should know that."
"Of course I do." He said softly. "Thus is the burden of being Harry Potter."
Harry smirked. "Shut up."
"There he is!" Sirius said with a laugh. "Now are you going to tell me what's in the box or am I just going to sit here and think about it for another hour?"
He turned to the parcel sitting upon his desk. "It's Hermione coronation present."
"She sent you a present? But I thought she didn't send anything with Cedric." Sirius said in puzzlement.
"She did, I just haven't opened it yet." He said. "I wanted to wait for the proper moment… have something without any possible negative outcomes to look forward to."
"There's no need to be so pessimistic, Harry." Sirius said. "A positive outlook should be what you are striving towards, trumping anything negative that might block your way."
"It has been harder and harder to think that way since the trial." Harry said solemnly. "Even if this is the big step we need I can't help but think that because so many horrible things have happened in the past… this day shouldn't be any different."
"What are you talking about? Of course this is different!" Sirius said, standing up and walking closer to Harry. "Today is the day where you will win the power to bring Hermione back to us, end of story. Now stop moping and open the goddamned gift before I throw it at your thick skull!"
Harry was taken aback at Sirius's tone but knew that he had a point. Sulking around wasn't going to get him anywhere. He was going to get through the election today and he was going to bring Hermione home.
Snatching up the gift, he ripped open the coverings and uncovered a wooden box. He opened the flap and his breath caught. He pulled out an oval-shaped metal box painted gold. It had green and black worked into trimmings and had a string of pearls drooping along the perimeter. Flowers of green and red were painted on the side amongst swirls of golden adornments ornately carved into the metal.
It was so beautiful that a part of him didn't want to open it. But, of course, curiosity got the best of him and he moved his hand to open it only to discover it was locked. He tugged harder but it remained shut. Sighing, he grabbed his wand and whispered "Accio."
It wouldn't budge. He tried a few more powerful unlocking charms on it, sometimes causing it to wiggle but never to the point of opening. Irritated, he slammed the contraption on the table. Sirius came to stand beside him and looked at it curiously.
"Perhaps it's just for decoration?" He suggested.
"Perhaps." Harry said.
Sirius sighed and began cleaning up the wrappings. He was about to banish the lot to the waste bin when he saw something at the bottom of the first wooden box that the present had been concealed in. Reaching inside, he pulled out a piece of parchment with Harry's name written atop it.
"Harry? There's a note."
Harry turned to face his godfather and upon seeing the note proceeded to snatch it out of his grip within a second. It was in Hermione's handwriting and only had a single sentence:
I will only open with the key that is close to my giver's heart.
Hermione had the key. Harry smiled at her cleverness and turned to Sirius, who had been watching him with anticipation as he read the letter. He handed the note to him and the elder wizard read with a smirk. Their eyes met as Sirius finished the letter and Harry grinned.
"Let's go win an election."
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