Chapter 6

Walking away from Draco had been the hardest thing Hermione had done. Countless times, she wished she was back in the forest. Despite the comfort life at court provided her, there was a satisfaction of taking control of one's life. Living moment-to-moment, surviving the hurdles one encountered. It was freedom, complete and utter freedom. Closing her eyes, she could almost hear the delicate whisper of the wind, the rustle of the leaves, feel the sunlight's kiss on her skin. It was paradise, one she had given up.

"Good mornin' your Highness," one of the farmers said, bowing as she walked past him.

"And good morning to you, Edward. I trust that the summer has been kind to you," Hermione said, slowing down. She could hear her servant bristle behind her. Her father was holding court and would begin at any moment.

Edward smiled, his front teeth missing. "Yes ma'am. The harvest's good."

She returned his smile before continuing on. It was difficult talking to the people when she knew the hardships they would soon encounter. Hermione had made a stand on the impending taxes and war when she ran away and hoped that her father would listen. Instead, he used her disappearance to gain the nobles' support and blamed the King of Ardel for kidnapping her. When Hermione returned to court, the blacksmith's fire was roaring at all hours, foreign nobles visited to lend their support, and the harvest was being moved into the castle storage in case of a siege. Even when she swore that she had not been kidnapped, the King refused to listen to reason.

The guards swung the wooden doors open at her arrival and granted her admittance into the throne room. The King and Queen were perched on their thrones overlooking the crowd that was trickling in. There was a seat for her, but she decided to stand at the back of the room close to the doors. Hermione wanted to observe without attention being drawn to her. The King frowned at her but did not object.

"I am surprised to find you here," a voice to her left said.

Hermione turned and politely smiled. "Neville. I would hear the King's judgment on the affairs of the kingdom. Would you rather that I work on my embroidery?"

"I did not mean to imply -"

His words were cut off by the King calling up the first case. Neville Longbottom was the Crown Prince of Elran. He was taller than her with bright blue eyes and short brown hair. Hermione hated him on principle. If he had not been her intended, she was certain she would have enjoyed his company. Neville was kind but shy in an endearing way. Maybe he would have had a chance before Hermione left, but blond hair and grey eyes filled her dreams. Neville seemed to believe that he was to be a part of this impending war, but Hermione knew that he was only a tool for her father to use as he pleased.

Thoughts of Draco consumed her mind since she had left him and she prayed every night that he was unharmed. The wídefeorlic promised that he would recover. There was an honesty in the healer's bright green eyes that made her trust him and she hoped she had not been wrong in doing so. Hermione pictured Draco with a beautiful woman, little children running around. Draco would have a son that he would teach to hunt, a little blond boy with grey eyes like his father. Her chest constricted at these thoughts, but it was better this way.

Her father waved the first case away and gestured for the next person to come forward. The hearings went on all day. Lords squabbling over lands and workers, farmers complaining of poached animals, familial disputes were the most common problems brought to the King. Hermione wanted to warn the people of the harsh changes coming - that these petty concerns would no longer matter and that they needed to rally together - but they would not believe her. The war would be on their doorstep before they realized the danger they were in. Hermione watched the King and wondered how he held such sway over his subjects. She had been told he had been a fair King once upon a time, but time had made him bitter and paranoid.

The Queen caught her eye and smiled at her, softening Hermione's expression. Her mother had been quick to forgive her disappearance. Her father had simply warned her not to do it again, otherwise, there would be dire consequences. He had been in the middle of a council meeting when she returned and he waved her away. Hermione had built up the extreme punishments she would be forced to endure on her way home from the cave and had coached herself on what she would say when asked about her journey. But, no one inquired to where she had run off to nor what made her return. Hermione felt changed by her adventure, but it went unnoticed. She felt like a ghost that had been cursed to roam the corridors of her father's castle. Silent and unseen.

"You cannot go in there!"

The doors flew open and the guards leaped into action, quickly subduing the newcomer. The crowd went wild with fear and Hermione kept her back to the wall. Her mother gestured for her to come to the dais, but her newly developed instincts warned her to stay against the wall. She was close to the door and would be able to slip out if need be.

"Silence!" The King stood up and bellowed. The effect was immediate, the crowd calmed and the guards were able to pull the intruder closer to the King. "What is the meaning of this?"

"I am the Crown Prince of Ardel and I am here to petition for peace between our two kingdoms," the newcomer said, his voice ringing with authority. A shiver ran down Hermione's spine. "The guards would not let me pass and I had strict instructions to speak with you."

Her heart pounded in her chest, but she did not move. It was impossible. Hermione would have known, noticed that there was something not right. But the more she thought about it, the more it began to make sense. He knew she was a princess, he felt a duty to accompany her. He had asked her questions about her home, about her family. The betrayal tasted like ash in her mouth. The wídefeorlic's surprise that she would risk so much to save him made sense. Hermione prayed that she was wrong, but it was a fool's hope.

The King stepped off the dais and walked up to the intruder before laughing. "You look exactly like your father, boy. What is your name?"

"Draco Malfoy," he said. He was still surrounded by guards and she tried to inch forward to see him. "If you release me, we could discuss the conditions my father has enclosed. Our kingdoms would greatly benefit from this treaty."

The silence that followed was filled with possibilities. Hermione was torn. Part of her loathed to believe him after his deception, but another part of her was desperate for peace between the two kingdoms. Her father appeared to be in deep thought, but the way the right corner of his mouth twitched, she knew it was for show.

"Thank you for your offer, but I will decline. Guards, bring him to the dungeons!" He announced before resuming his seat on the throne.

Hermione had slowly moved over; she was right beside the doors. Draco caught sight of her and the feeling of betrayal was harsher while near him. His grey eyes reminded her of an angry sea in the midst of a storm. This look frightened her, but she did not give him the satisfaction of showing it. Instead, she stood proud and tall, channeling the strength of her father. Draco looked like he wanted to say something to her, but kept his silence as the knights took him to the dungeons.

"Next!" Her father said and the hearings proceeded as if Draco had never appeared at all.

Neville had returned to her side and she feigned illness to escape the constricting confines of the throne room. She could not get away fast enough. Since her return, the surrounding forest had been her haven but Draco's appearance had ruined it. It would only remind her of his deceit. Hermione hid in the library, among the stacks of books and cried. She could not believe she had been so blind. Now that she knew Draco's identity, she wondered why she had not questioned him on his occupation. He had let her believe he was the son of a wealthy merchant.

The more she thought back to her time in the woods, her sadness turned into anger. Draco had betrayed her trust, had used her innocence as a way of gathering information. His father's armies could be marching towards them at this moment. Hermione needed to tell her father so he could prepare for the attack. The fear of disappointing the King yet again made her hesitate. Perhaps she should find out more information before bringing this to her father's attention.

Hermione felt better now that she had a plan. She would need to sneak into the dungeons - a place forbidden to everyone except the King and his guards - and question Draco. She retired to her bedchambers to resume the guise of feeling ill. Hermione would need to wait until the feast this evening before implementing her plan. The day passed by slower than she would have liked. Her mother had been too busy entertaining the ladies of the court to check on her, a servant sent in her stead. Hermione reassured the servant that she simply needed rest and would feel better in the morning. The Court Physician came as was customary and gave her a tonic that would induce a deep sleep. He was a strong believer that sleep cured most ails. Plan in mind, Hermione waited until the feast was well underway before leaving. Candles lit the corridor making it easier to find her way.

"Hermione? What are you doing out of bed?"

She stopped and turned around. "Neville, I thought you would have been at the feast. My servant is assisting with the meal. I finished my book, so I am fetching another one."

"I will accompany you," he said offering his arm. "Are you still feeling ill?"

Hermione wanted to groan. Of course, she would run into Neville out of everyone in this castle. He would feel honor bound to stay by her side. Hermione tried to think of a way to escape him, but none came to mind. Nothing she could do without severe repercussions. She followed him to the library and picked the first book that she saw.

"Thank you for your company. I think I can manage on my own now," Hermione said from the doorway. "I would hate for you to be late to the feast."

Neville smiled and she was surprised that it was genuine. How had he managed to hold onto his innocence? "I prefer your company. It has been difficult to spend time with you since your return to court. How long were you gone?"

"I am not sure. It was difficult to mark the passing of the days," she said. Hermione wanted to go down to the dungeons now, but guilt filled her at her obvious avoidance of her betrothed. He was kind and unlike any of the nobles or princes she had met. He did not deserve her mistreatment. When Neville offered his arm, Hermione took it and allowed him to escort her back to her chambers.

"I realize that you do not want this marriage. I have to admit that I was angry when I first found out, but I made myself promise to give you a chance," Neville said once they reached her door. "All I am asking for is a chance, Hermione. I think that we could find happiness together. Good evening."

Hermione watched Neville disappear down the corridor stunned. But, she could not give his words proper consideration until she dealt with Draco. Hermione grabbed a cloak from her room and pulled the hood up. Fully on her guard, she began her journey again. Hermione made it to the dungeons without incident. She knew that the dungeons were large, shaped like a square. Hermione had researched the castle floor plans when she first planned her escape. She crouched behind a crate and assessed the situation. The two guards on duty were on alert, but not paranoid. She knew them fairly well. They had a jug of ale and were playing cards. When Hermione was certain that no one else was on guard, she grabbed a rock and threw it down the corridor. The guards immediately rose at the noise and they split up to do a parameter check. She was quite pleased with her diversion. Hermione grabbed the tonic from her pocket and dumped it in the men's mugs before returning to her hiding space.

"Find anything?" John asked when they returned to their table.

Charlie shrugged. "Nothing. Must've been a rat."

It was entertaining watching the tonic take effect. Their movements became lazy, they began to squint until they finally fell asleep. Hermione grabbed the keys from John, a torch, and began her search. Her hood obscured her face and hid her horror. She never expected there to be so many prisoners. They were all dirty, shielding their eyes from the light. She looked in each cell until she found him.

He was sitting in the corner, head in his hands. Hermione did not trust her voice. She stood there, the torch burning as she cursed herself for being weak. Hermione had envisioned that she would storm into the dungeons, demand answers, and leave without looking back. But now that she was faced with him, her anger had simmered. Maybe she was not equipped to deal with this and should have let her father deal with it. Hermione was about to leave when he noticed her.

"Hermione -"

"No. It was a mistake coming down here," she said, taking a step back.

Draco jumped up and walked towards the iron bars. "Wait, I can explain -"

"What? That you conveniently decided to withhold the fact that you are a prince? I was a stupid girl to travel with a complete stranger," Hermione said. "When will your armies arrive?"

His eyes widened in surprise. "Is that what you - There are no armies. Only me. I have messed this whole thing up," Draco said, exasperated. "Our meeting in the woods was an accident. There was an increase in crimes in the area you were in and I felt honor bound to accompany you to safety."

"And you did not think to share who you were?" she asked.

"For the first time in my life, I was treated like an ordinary man. You out of everyone must understand how nice that was," he explained. "I was going to tell you after the attack, but then you left."

There was something in his tone that nagged at her. "Are you angry with me for leaving?"

"Yes. I still cannot understand why you would up and leave without a goodbye. I thought - well, never mind," Draco said, walking further into his cell. "Our experiences must have been vastly different if you thought my father's armies were coming."

The torch was heavy in her hand and the conversation had sapped the anger out of her. Hermione no longer knew what to believe. It had seemed simple when Draco had burst into the throne room, but now she felt doubt and a sliver of hope. She wanted to believe him, trust that he was telling her the truth. "I left because I have a duty to my people. I left because I thought you were an ordinary man and that I would put you in danger. I left because you are promised to someone and I had no right to interfere with your life."

"I am not promised. What gave you that impression?" Draco asked.

Hermione felt like she had been punched in the stomach. This entire time she believed that he either had an intended or a wife at home. The wídefeorlic had lied to her. Why? Swallowing the lump in her throat, she continued her interrogation knowing that time was running out. "What are you doing here, Draco?"

"Your dear father arrested me and now I am here," he said with a grin before his tone became serious. "Our kingdoms are on the verge of war. It took some time, but I convinced my father that our kingdoms would benefit from becoming allies. My father did not agree, but he told me that if I could convince your father to sign a treaty, then we could have peace."

"You should never have come. You do not know the kind of man my father has become," Hermione said. Her mind was made up and she was pulling out the keys and unlocking the cell. "We need to get you out of here now."

Draco followed her. "I appreciate your help, but I do not understand the urgency."

"There is a reason that I ran away from home, Draco. Look around you, no one other than my father and the guards know that these people are imprisoned here," Hermione said. The guards were still asleep, but they would wake up at any moment. Handing the torch to Draco, Hermione carefully removed the cloak from John and gave it to Draco, taking back the torch. "Put that on. Security has tightened since my disappearance, but no one knows how I did it and the feast will be over soon."

Leaving the torch behind, Hermione led him through the side corridors. She could scarcely believe that she was breaking him out. But Hermione believed Draco and she knew what her father would do to him. There was bad blood between their fathers - a history she had never been privy to - and the King would take it out on Draco. The courtyard was in sight.

"We need to move quickly. There are guards that will pass in exactly three minutes. If they catch us, we are doomed," Hermione said. When Draco nodded, they ran to the servant's gate without incident. If he left now, there was a chance that he could make it out without recapture. She was not ready to say goodbye and there was a question that had been nagging at her. "Why did you try for peace?"

"Because I could not stop thinking about you. The woods were too silent without your stomping around," he said, reaching out to take her hand. "There is something between us. But with the war coming, we will be on opposite sides."

Hermione bit her lip in an effort not to tear up. She had missed him more than words could say and now she was losing him all over again. "I do not want you to leave. It was hard enough the first time, but now -"

Draco kissed her, but by the time this had registered, he was already pulling away. "I know. This war complicates things, but we will figure it out."

"Please be safe," she said, reaching up to touch his face. She tried to memorize every inch of it but knew that time would make the memory fade. Hermione wanted to say more, but there was too much to say and too little time. Would she ever see him again?

"One day, I will be King and I promise I will be by your side," Draco said. They heard the guards make their pass and knew that he had to go. "I will see you soon."

Hermione watched him leave and stayed rooted in place until he disappeared into the thick of trees. She wanted him to come back to her but knew that was impossible. Picking up her skirt, Hermione carefully returned to her bedchambers in a daze. She was surprised she made it back without discovery. As soon as she closed the door to her room, the bells had been sounded. The hunt was on. She walked to her window and prayed that Draco would be safe.

The war had begun.

Author's Note: The Return of Magic, the sequel, is currently in the works :). Thank you everyone for your support and your lovely reviews!