Hope you enjoy the story.


A moment of recollection passed and the flames disappeared. "I'm sorry to have startled you, your grace."

"Please, it was no one's fault but my own." Hermione lifted the blankets from her lap, swinging her legs over the side. "I apologize for my jumpiness."

"Is there any way I can avoid causing you fear in the future, milady?"

"I'm afraid not."

"Milady, can I ask a question?"

"That's a little forward of you." Hermione said wanting to scream at herself. She had never been one to be rude to the help. "What would you like to know?"

"The blue flames-"

"Come here." Hermione said softly, letting a blue flame rise in her hand. "Touch it. Go on."

The muggle apprehensively ran her fingers over it, at first fearing the lick of pain only to be surprised when she felt none. She waved her hand over it again, then dipped her fingers in an scooped the flame up. It danced a little in her hands before disappearing entirely.

"It will only hurt those with bad intentions towards me. It was my first manifestation of magic and it has stuck."

"It's not like the other witches or wizards." Sarah was still awestruck by what she had seen when Ginerva entered the room.

"You are not dressed yet?"

"I just woke up." Hermione groaned. Ginerva was in a dark green draped dress that accentuated her height. Her red hair was pinned up in a sleek updo with a braid running across the crown. She had yet to attach her mask out of protest or annoyance, Hermione couldn't decide.

"He is asking for you."

"The Prince?"

"Who else?"

Hermione felt faint. This is not what she had been hoping for. Sarah lifted a green silk dress from the armoire.

"Why green?"

"It is customary to wear the color of our hosting nation on the first day." Ginerva said and turned to allow Hermione privacy. The dress was heavy and had to be lifted over her head to ease it on. She turned to the bed and braced herself as Sarah tugged with deft hands at the laces of the corset, tightening it til she could barely hold a breath.

Her fingers drifted across the embroidered bodice. The stitching was pure silver, shimmering in the light from the small windows that lined the room. The maid busied herself with Hermione's hair, pinning it up with several silver pins, but unruly as it was it fell into small ringlets that framed her face. It looked messy at first, but Hermione knew it was the best that she could possible to keep it in order.

Draco stared down from his horse at the people around him. He has a headache since this morning when he woke up next to a wretched Gryffindor blonde with a nagging voice that showed her lack of intelligence. Of course she would be stupid enough to think that jumping into bed with him would earn her the right to call him hers. He kicked her from his room the second she tried to snuggle to him, repulsing him.

He had been waiting forever it seemed, for the brunette beauty to grace him with her presence. He closed his eyes for a mere moment, suddenly feeling it, her signature ran over him like a wave. He could sense her there and opened his eyes to see her at the top of the stairs. He hopped down from his horse, making his way through the courtyard to her.

"I trust you slept well?"

"Good morning, your highness. It is always rather strange to sleep in a place your not accustomed to, and while Slytherin is just as cold as Gryffindor it oddly felt colder."

"Are you chilled now, my lady?"

"No, the spring air is rather nice this morning."

"I was hoping that I could invite you to lunch with me in the countryside."

"We've only just arrived and you hope to drag my dear friend away?" Ginerva said with a coy smile, attempting to pull his attentions away from Hermione momentarily. His eyes however stayed fixed on the woman in the black lace mask in front of him.

"We actually intended to invite the both of you." Lord Blaise Zabini stepped in front of Ginny with an equally flirtatious smile. He was quite handsome and his dark skin had an exotic quality about it. He wasn't a man from the desert lands, but instead an islander of sorts.

"Now that seems like a better suited offer in order to protect our integrity and virtue. It would be a shame if anyone were to question a private outing." Hermione smiled, feeling a lot safer knowing that Ginerva would be with her. Even if she knew she could protect herself.

Draco tugged on the stitching of his doublet, adjusting the black dragon hide to sit correctly. "Would you like to ride with me?" He reached for her to offer a hand up. She didn't react however, staring at the horse with trepidation.

"Could we walk and take in the scenery that way?"

"Calm down, Bell. The horse is not going to hurt you." Ginerva said resting a hand on her shoulder. "She has been rather skittish about riding since childhood. You'll have to forgive her."

Draco mounted his horse, reaching down without hesitation to pull the brunette unto the horse with him. She cried out, just enough to draw attention as he sat her in front of him and wrapped his arms around her to hold the reins. Beside them Blaise gently helped Ginerva up and settled himself behind her.

"You'll have to forgive me, I don't care to hear no." he whispered into her ear before snapping the reins. Hermione dropped herself forward, clutching to the thick neck of his pure white horse. She looked so cute the way she held to the horse as if to ground herself. He could see the fear in her eyes so he slowed down a notch, hoping to ease her worry.

"Bell, was it?" he asked when they simply came to a trot. She looked up at him for a moment before reaching up to his arm and pulling herself more upright.

"Red and I came up with nicknames to call each other. The enchantment is rather hard to get around."

"Well Red is obvious, but why Bell?"

"If I told you it would give away my secret." she smiled finally letting herself ease up. She looked around, gasping at the site. They had barely got out of the forest and in front of them loomed an emerald forest. Waterfalls poured from the mountains into the water below, reflecting into the tree canopies.

"It is gorgeous here." she reached an arm out, delighted to see the reflection shimmering across her skin. He held a finger to his lips and pointed to the water basin. Peeking out of the water with wide eyes was a mermaid. She had never seen the creatures before and although she initially thought they would be...prettier their bodies were interesting. They seemed to blend in with the underwater plants well with thick tube like hair and grey skin.

He jumped down from the horse, hoisting her up by her waist to the ground below. She tensed at his touch, but eased the second her feet touched the ground. Behind them Blaise and Ginerva were laughing about something or other. She had taken the reins for herself, showing him how it was really done. Hermione always wondered how Ginny could be such a lady and yet so proficient in men's endeavors.

Knights rode down the road to find them. They were used to the Prince trying to give them the slip. They had brought the necessary supplies that the Prince requested for the outing today, he intended to charm this woman.

"Do you enjoy the countryside?" he asked her, feeling her magic tickle at his skin again. It was like she was running her fingers over his bare skin. He had never felt it so strongly.

"Your country is very beautiful. It is quite different from where I was raised, but I assure you it has its own kind of beauty."

"I fear that it might be missing now that you left."

Hermione laughed, waving her hand in front of her face as the laughter poured out. "That comment was too much, my Lord."

He smiled, at least she wasn't the kind of airhead that would fall for that. He wasn't about to offer marriage to so dimwitted fool. His mind froze, he was thinking about marriage and he had barely spoken to her. That was crazy. She was making him crazy. It must be the unrefined magic pouring out of her.

"What do you like to do, Bell?"

"Me? Well, I love reading. I simply can't get enough learning on interesting subjects I find. Mother was worried I would become some sort of shrew the way I would pour into my books. When I found out I had magic I could barely contain my curiosity. There is just so much we can learn to better ourselves and I think all the pomp and circumstance oft ruins what could be intelligent scholars in all fields."

"So you believe that women should be equal to men in work?"

"What can you do that I can't? I may have never swung a sword, my Lord, but I could disarm any well bodied soldier without a flinch."

"Brave words for a Lady, but no woman should ever be on a battle field."

"When there is a cause, it matters not what your gender is."

He eyed her. She truly was a remarkable woman, yet there was a feeling that she was utterly untouchable. Something that he was not used to, considering he usually gets what he wants. She moved forward, eager to see the mermaids that peeked their heads out of the water.