"You promise?" Harry stared into her eyes, knowing that he wouldn't be able to lie if he did.
"Hermione, I promise, that as soon as I can, I will come after you. I will come and find you." A sigh of relief escaped the young woman's mouth as she launched herself at her best friend.
Harry was the best tracker in the kingdom, or in any other she had heard of. He had never been set the task of finding someone and not succeeded. He held her just as firmly back, smiling into her curly, chestnut hair, appreciating the warmth of her hug. It would be the last one he felt for a while.
He pulled back. "Are you ready to go?" A glance around her bedroom confirmed that everything looked exactly as it should. It wouldn't do for it to look as if she'd run away; her father would never forgive such an act of disloyalty, should he ever find them. Harry didn't dare think about what would happen to Hermione should their plan fail. Of course, he would be put to the noose, but the punishment for treason was probably far worse in her case.
"According to Umbridge, Father wishes me to be moved back into the palace the night before my 18th birthday so that I can be wed the following day. My time has run out, Harry. Once I am married there will be no more opportunities. I will be kept under lock and key and shall die the same death as my Aunt Eleanor."
"I can't believe that. He married your aunt, and now she's dead he's marrying you." They shared a grimace.
"She couldn't bear him an heir... and he's not exactly young. Time was running out."
"It was quite lucky for him your Aunt died then."
"Harry, I doubt luck had anything to do with it." Hermione stared into the green eyes of her best friend, willing him to understand the severity of her situation. Realisation shone in them, and she was relieved to finally share the burden she had been carrying alone for the last few weeks. "He is not a good man, Harry; not even remotely. He has charmed the kingdom into loving him, worshipping him even, when really all he is.. is a great big snake, poisoning all that stands in his way."
"Surely the King..."
"My Father does not see beyond the end of his nose. Since Mother's passing, power is what makes him happy. And the union of our Kingdom to Phillip's will make our province the largest in this land. Unrivalled power. No other Kingdoms would willingly oppose us."
"You'd make an amazing Queen one day."
"Even if that's what I wanted, apart from on the chessboard, Queens count for nought. It wouldn't matter my view, only that of my husband's." The princess reached out and took Harry's hand. "We're going to live somewhere far from here. Where our pasts won't find us, and we'll be happy to live our lives as we chose to, not as they are planned for us."
"In that case..." Harry looked out of the window and up at the silver moon. "Time is running short. The stable hand will be back on guard soon, and he is sure to notice the Kings stallion is tacked up ready."
"His prized stallion?!"
"My lady asked for a speedy getaway. I have delivered." Hermione smiled at the thought of her father's face in the morning when he found that not only his daughter but his horse had been 'stolen' away in the night. Sadly, she knew he'd be more upset about the horse.
Leaning forward, Hermione pulled his head down and kissed him lightly on the forehead. "Stay safe." she whispered a single tear falling from thick, dark lashes.
"You two, Princess."
"How nice it will be, to never hear the name Princess Aurora again."
"Your middle name sounds so much more like you. Aurora sounds like someone else, someone different." He took a moment to admire her very authentic looking disguise. She wore peasant shirt and tunic, trousers tucked into her leather boots. It was even stained to look as if she had been labouring in the fields all week long. He was sure with her hood pulled on tightly, even he would not recognise her in a crowd.
"I was never the princess my Father hoped I'd be."
The look of shame in her eyes broke the young man's heart. "But you were the daughter your Mother always wanted. You're so clever, and strong, and…" He paused momentarily, not wanting to make her head swell. "You'd better get going."
"And what?"
"And brilliant. Now go, I have someone else to see before the morning."
"That wouldn't be the baker's daughter would it?" A mischievous grin covered her lovely features. "The red-haired maiden who has captured you so completely?" Harry blushed slightly but continued his fast pace to the door.
"I can feel it in my bones. She will be my wife one day."
"And I shall be best man." Hermione smiled playfully.
"Well, you are my best friend, and I'm sure you'll be hers too once you meet her, but now is not the time. You need to go." One last glance was what they got before the pair exited; one turning left towards the south wing, and the other right, to the north courtyard where her horse was ready waiting.