A/N:

Written for the International Wizarding School Championship.

School and Year: Durmstrang, Year 3

Theme: Pan

Prompts: The Garden of Hesperides [Main], Sword of Justice

Word Count: 2700

Warriors in the Meadow

Hermione wiped the sweat off her forehead as she tried to stop the blood coming from Harry's chest. It was the day after Christmas and she had never dreamt she would be spending it like this.

Not with Harry lying prone, dark magic rolling off of him in waves.

Not with the cold air seeping through the tent, making her forget what the warmth of Hogwarts had felt like.

The damn horcrux had been stuck to his chest and Hermione had to cut it out. As a result of the dark magic imbued in the locket, the blood refused to stop.

She cursed the war and the locket and bloody Voldemort.

She had run out of dittany and had used a lot of other potions to stabilize Harry, who had been thrashing around a few minutes ago. Now, he had passed out.

Hermione stopped to consider the incantation that Harry had told her about once. The day he had cursed Malfoy.

"Vulnera Sanentur!" she whispered the spell and almost cried in relief when the blood stopped.

She collapsed to the floor and shuddered. Looking at her bloody hands, Hermione Granger wished for the war to just end already.

There was a snap of twig outside the tent and Hermione stood up in a flash, her wand in her hand.

Voldemort could not have followed them here. It was impossible! She knew her enchantments and wards worked. She strained her ears to hear more but all she could hear was the faint sound of the river running.

But with Harry incapacitated, she was not going to take chances.

She shot off a quick warding spell at the entrance of the tent that she knew would buy her a few moments. With a summoning spell, she got her beaded bag and started putting everything in magically. She frowned when she realized she could not pack up the tent until they were outside and going outside to face the potential danger was not something she could do.

Thinking of nothing except safety, she grabbed Harry and apparated.

Halfway through the apparition, she felt a yank in her navel and not wanting to risk getting splinched, she let the pull take her to the new destination.

When they landed, Hermione half expected to be surrounded by Death Eaters or snatchers.

She could not hold her gasp in as she observed the large green meadow they were in. It was beautiful, filled with bright flowers she had never seen before. She felt a tingling in her mind and a faint sense of forgetfulness.

She knew this place.

A pleasant breeze wafted through the open field and she remembered how cold it had been just a few minutes ago.

Instantly wary, she looked around and observed the empty field adding wards to make sure they were safe. The sunlight looked golden and she could swear she had never seen a place like this before. She could spot a lone tree in the distance but sensing no immediate danger she forgot about her surroundings to tend to Harry again.

Hermione tried to revive Harry but failed.

She summoned some potions from her bag again and started tending to Harry's wounds. She bent her head to hear Harry's heartbeat and sighed when she heard the normal sound. She collapsed next to him and closed her eyes, letting the cool breeze settle her nerves.

Hermione took Harry's hand in hers and dozed off.

When she woke up, she could still feel the light wind and she smiled.

"Haven't seen that smile in a while," remarked Harry.

Hermione rolled her eyes and made to shove him when she remembered –

She shot up and faced Harry, her eyes wide.

"You're alive!"

Harry Potter raised an eyebrow at her and half smiled.

"Yes, I am," he whispered. Then, he looked around the meadow and grinned. "You have done brilliantly this time, Hermione. I was getting sick of the cold. What is this place?"

"Actually, I have no idea what this place is. I thought of safety when I was apparating and we came here."

Harry gave her an incredulous look.

"Hermione Granger forgot the first D of apparition?"

"Shut up. I figured we were safe since nothing bad happened and I actually did the enchantments again."

Both of them sat back in silence and observed the greenery, staring at the tree in the distance.

Hermione observed Harry's face and saw that he looked a lot better than before. She frowned. Before Hermione could begin her litany of questions, Harry gave her a look.

"What happened?"

Hermione settled and told him about Voldemort showing up in Godric's Hollow and how the locket had gone berserk and attached itself to Harry.

Harry nodded slowly.

"My wand?"

Hermione looked at him and sighed.

"It's with me. I – uh – splintered mine when I set off the blasting curse so I had to use yours," Hermione informed him, taking his wand out of the holster and handing it to him.

"Shit, I am so sorry."

Hermione shrugged.

"It's no bother. We can try wandless magic, we have been practicing."

Harry nodded and gave her shoulders a squeeze.

"Maybe we should figure out where we are exactly? I don't think I have ever seen a place like this before – it seems almost magical. Too magical," Harry observed, looking around.

Hermione nodded.

"Alright, but let me check something first."

After Hermione dressed Harry's wound, they both wandered around the meadow, making sure they stuck together. After some time, they were naturally drawn towards the tree. As Harry made to go towards the tree, Hermione reached out to hold his hand.

"No, Harry. Let's not go near the tree," she whispered, biting her lip. Apprehension crawled up her spine. Somehow, it felt awfully wrong going near the tree.

Hermione could now see that it was not just a normal tree. It was an apple tree, about five-storey-tall, with golden apples hanging enticingly from its branches.

Harry nodded and held back.

"It feels wrong, doesn't it?"

Hermione shook her head vigorously.

"Nothing should be this appealing," she replied.

Even as she said it, she could still feel a pull and wanted to run towards the tree and pluck off one of the apples.

"Do you think there's some enchantment?" Harry asked, scowling darkly. He took out his wand and pointed it towards the tree.

Hermione nodded and turned to go back.

"Hermione, wait! What on Earth – is that a bloody dragon?!'"

Hermione whipped around, startled.

Coiled tight around the apple tree was a hundred-headed dragon that had just appeared out of nowhere. The jaws snapped in their direction, hundreds of eyes scrutinizing their every move.

"Ladon!" Hermione said with conviction, her brain finally connecting the dots.

"What?"

"Harry, I think we are in the Garden of the Hesperides."

Harry only stared at her blankly.

After Hermione had explained all she knew about the Garden to Harry, they sat down and observed the tree. They could no longer see the dragon now that they had moved away from the tree.

"Immortality?" Harry scoffed. "One bite of that golden apple and you live forever? Pass. It is difficult enough living the one very short life I have had, I am not going to add invincibility to it."

Hermione agreed.

"No one in the Wizarding World has been here in ages. At least, it has not been documented. Many still believe this place to be a legend," Hermione said.

Harry gave Hermione a troubled look.

"You really think Tom Riddle did not try to look for this place?"

Hermione understood where he was going with that statement.

"He might have tried. It's just like the Mirror of Erised and Philosopher's stone. You don't actually find it unless you are not particularly looking for it."

"Yeah, because that makes a lot of sense," Harry snorted.

Hermione straightened when she realized they had not eaten the food in a day and she did not feel hungry.

"Harry, how do you feel?"

"Loads better, actually. Why?"

Hermione looked at him carefully. Most of the color was back in Harry's cheeks, his dark circles were gone and he looked healthier. Healthier than Hermione had seen him in a long time.

At the same moment, Harry looked at her with narrowed eyes.

"You look better, Hermione. Like you did back in July."

"How long do you..." Hermione trailed off as she looked at the tree warily.

"How long do you suppose we have been here?" Harry asked, picking up her trail immediately.

"A day, longer maybe," she replied.

"And we are not hungry or thirsty," Harry rejoined, raising his eyebrow.

Hermione nodded and took ahold of Harry's hand. She thought of the trees and river she had left behind before and closed her eyes to apparate.

A few seconds later, she opened her eyes again.

"We can't apparate, Harry!"

"I figured. I knew it was too good to be true. We are trapped here? There is a war going on. We need to get back!"

Harry got up and started pacing, growing agitated with every step.

Hermione watched him, frowning thoughtfully. It was one thing for them not being able to get out of this place, but it was quite another thing for them to not feel any hunger at all, almost as if-

She inhaled sharply.

"Harry! We are not trapped here. I mean, we are but not necessarily in space. I think we are suspended in time."

Harry stopped pacing to look at her.

"Are you saying that time has stopped?"

Hermione shook her head.

"No. Not at all. I think the concept of time is different here. We are not hungry, your stomach isn't growling. I feel the most rested I have been in a long time. I think the Garden of the Hesperides is helping us heal, or just, I don't know, it's taking care of us somehow."

Harry groaned.

"Just what we need, a helpful garden nourishing our body and soul."

Hermione rolled her eyes.

By Hermione's count, they had spent at least a week in the garden.

They had tried everything to get out of there but nothing had worked so far. The garden had no end in sight and the only thing near them was the tree. There was no soul in sight and both of them stayed away from the apple tree.

Hermione had been right about the nourishment – they did not feel hungry but every day they were feeling better. Hermione swore that Harry had grown at least two inches during the time they had been here.

Harry flatly denied it and said he had always been that tall.

Hermione did another quick sweep of the garden and sat down next to Harry.

Sunsets were beautiful here. The golden light cast a lovely shadow over the grass and the flowers seemed to glow. If Harry and Hermione had not been worried about their people and the war, Hermione was sure the sight would have been lovelier to both of them.

Harry sighed and looked at her.

"I am not happy that we are stuck here. But if we are, I would rather be stuck with you than anyone else in this entire world. I would rather it be you anywhere and any time."

Hermione smiled. She knew both of them missed Ron dearly. His abandonment had hurt them – it still did. But she was not angry anymore.

They were teenagers, with the weight of the word resting on their shoulders. It was alright if one of three had faltered. She could not fault Ron for losing his courage.

No.

It just meant that she and Harry would have to keep going. Like they always did. It just meant that Harry would never lose his courage and Hermione would never lose hope in him.

Ron was allowed to worry for his family. He was allowed to go back to them if he wished to.

Because Harry was Hermione's family and she would not abandon him for the world. Nothing else mattered (not even her parents in Australia), because she knew she would always choose Harry. And somehow, Harry had just realized that he would always choose her as well.

"I know, Harry," Hermione whispered as she rested her head on his shoulders.

"Do you think we are stuck here so we can try to get one of those apples?" Harry asked, two weeks into their entrapment.

"I cannot fault your logic," Hermione answered as they made their way towards the tree. "But it makes no sense. We do not want to eat the bloody apples. When I wished for a safe harbor, I did not think it would hold us hostage."

"We have tried everything. Let's try this too. I have dealt with dragons before, what's the worst that could happen?"

Hermione wanted to punch Harry as soon as the words were out of his mouth. The dragon appeared and each one of its hundred heads roared loudly as it saw them approach.

Hermione created a bubble-head charm quickly but her ears were still ringing after the ferocious roaring stopped.

One of the dragon's head drew near them, ready to spit fire.

Hermione stepped in front of Harry before he could ruin this more.

"You do not belong here, young warriors."

Hermione was taken aback by the pleasant and cultured tone of the dragon.

"How can we leave?" Hermione asked him, seeing no reason to beat around the bush.

"The same way you came."

Hermione narrowed her eyes.

"When can we leave?"

One of the hundred heads of Ladon stared at her thoughtfully.

"After you have taken a bite of the apple."

Hermione looked at him in surprise. She could hear the shocked silence coming from Harry behind her.

"We do not want immortality," Harry spoke up, growling.

The heads of the dragon started to laugh as one.

Hermione shot Harry an impatient look as she conjured another bubble-head charm.

"Who said it grants only immortality?"

"What else?" she asked, ideas spinning in her head.

"Purity of the soul."

Hermione froze, thoughts of horcruxes and souls flashing in her mind. She had suspected for a long time now that something else was entwined with Harry's soul. She knew why – Parseltongue, the failed possession, Harry's connection to other horcruxes – and now, all of it made sense.

Hermione looked at the head with determination.

"Are you offering the apple free of cost?"

Harry spluttered in the background.

The dragon-head smiled.

"Nothing offered is free of cost, young warrior."

"What's the price?"

"The sword of Gryffindor? Our sword of Gryffindor?" Harry asked disbelievingly. "The sword of justice? Oh Merlin, my head."

"I cannot believe the goblins. There has been a huge fight over this. They claim that they made it and to think it was made by these mythical creatures all along!" Hermione spoke, enraged.

Harry shook his head in wonder and looked around.

"Where are we now?"

"Near Devonshire, I think," Hermione answered as she warded the area around them.

"I cannot believe the dragon just let us go like that, with the apple."

Hermione faced Harry and took out the golden apple from her bag.

"Are you ready?"

"To get the horcrux out of me? Hell yes."

Hermione gathered her courage and gave Harry the apple and watched as he took a bite and collapsed on the ground. As she used Harry's wand to heal him, the dragon-head's voice echoed in her ear.

"The price for one apple is the Sword of Gryffindor. You will get it for us, young warrior. You keep your promises."

Hours later, Hermione was on guard duty when she felt the presence of someone else.

She stood up and observed the silvery form of a doe. A very familiar doe.

Taking Harry's wand in her hand, she followed the doe that looked startlingly like her own patronus form.

fin