Hello everyone, I'm back here with the second chapter! I hope you enjoy this story!

P.S: the entries in italics are thoughts.

Leave a review, they are important to know how the story goes and if you like it! Ok, enough weight, here is the chapter!

Chapter 2: Training

The next morning, Hermione woke up early, she had always been a morning person and she stayed a few moments with her eyes closed before getting up. She expected to hear the breath of her dorm mates or the screeching of the owls, but no noise came to her ears. Now that she thought the blankets were also different and certainly the bed wasn't as comfortable as the one in the Gryffindor Tower.

Suddenly she opened her eyes and, when she saw the tent, all the memories of the day before returned to her: The goblins, Lockhart, the spell, the vortex, the forest, the governor and finally Etain.

Etain!

Hermione sat up and noticed that the tent was empty.

Who knows where is s...?

The girl didn't have the time to finish the thought that the curtain opened, revealing the soldier of the day before, the one that was gone to call Etain for the governor.

"Girl!"

"What?" she asked, yawning.

"Get up, the governor wants to speak to you"

"Ok, just a moment. I have to dress up"

"Hurry up, I have to take you to him," he said, then he went out and began waiting for her outside the tent.

Hermione found the clothes that Etain had given her the night before and wore them while her mind continued to think at the woman.

What the hell is happening to me?!

While wandering in search of her clothes, Hermione came across in her uniform of Hogwarts. Immediately a tear ran down her face. How long it would take to Dumbledore to find them? At this time he will have noticed that five students and a teacher were missing, right? They will have already figured out what kind of spell has been used in the classroom?

Her fingers tightened around her wand and again she tried to formulate a spell. She directed the wand to her clothes and said: "ACCIO"

Just like the day before nothing happened.

Hermione snorted, she got dressed quickly and threw another look at the wand lying on the bed.

Well, might as well take it with me. You never know ...

So she took it and hid it in an inner pocket of her new dress.

Outside the tent she nodded to the soldier and together they headed toward the governor Agricola.

"Hermione!"

The girl turned and saw a soldier with an helmet approaching her. When he was close enough he took it off.

"Ron!" she hugged him even if the cold of the armor made her shiver "O Merlin, are you okay? And the others? "she asked in one breath.

"Hey, calm down, everything's fine" Ron said as he stroked her back gently "I'm fine, everyone is fine. Today we will start our training, we were put in a tent together luckily. So it will be easier to think of a way to get home " he added softly so only Hermione could hear "But you?"

"I'm in a tent with Etain, you know, the woman from yesterday ..."

Ron nodded.

"Well, I do not envy you. Ok, I admit that she's a looker and maybe I envy you a little... but I think that she is a bit strange. Did you see her yesterday, didn't you? She never talked ... And that spear? It is terrifying ... "

Hermione smiled slightly. After all, Ron is always Ron.

"She has nothing wrong ... I think we'll get along. Now excuse me but Agricola wanted to talk to me, say hello to others "

Ron nodded and walked away.

When they arrived the soldier opened the curtain for her and then he was gone.

Hermione walked in and saw the governor sitting in his usual place at the table and, standing on his left side, there was Etain.

Hermione smiled at her and she smiled back a bit timidly.

Etain wasn't used to smile, everyone knew it. In the legion all respected her, even though she knew what some of them thought. A whore. Etain could hear them perfectly when they talked about her thinking that she couldn't hear them and she knew that there were soldiers who did not trust her.

A Pict, and a woman! Two good reasons not to trust her!

Several times she had heard these words while she was sitting alone, in the evening, in the front of her tent. The tent which now she shared with Hermione. Etain had developed a certain sympathy for the girl, the way she was always smiling at her even if she probably was a bit afraid of her presence. And it was for this reason that Etain had agreed to take her under her wing. She wanted to teach her how to fight, defend herself, so that she could avoid a fate like hers.

"Oh Hermione, good morning," greeted Agricola rising from the table.

"Good morning, sir"

Hermione forced herself to lift her eyes from Etain.

"Did you call me?"

"Yes I did, do you remember yesterday when I said that I had something special in mind for you?"

The girl nodded.

"Well, I want you to start a training"

Hermione wasn't surprised, it was obvious that she had to do something during her stay with the Romans. After all, they had said that they were looking for revenge ...

"But of course you can't train with the men of the Legion" continued Agricola "In fact, this morning I asked Etain to come to me, as you can see" he gestured toward Etain with his head "I've already talked to her and she agreed to train you personally. I suppose this goes well for you, right? "

The girl nodded quickly.

"Yes, of course sir. I'm honored "

"Good. This is a great opportunity. You will begin to train today, Etain" Etain looked up "Give her some suitable clothes and a weapon. I trust that you already know what she could handle "

The woman nodded.

"You can go"

Together they went out of the tent. Hermione was surprised that Etain didn't lead her to their tent, but instead they were directed at the opposite end of the camp.

As they walked they ran into the general Virilus, he was going to call the men for the everyday training. The soldier saw them and raised a hand in greeting:

"Etain, Hermione"

"Good morning, General," said Hermione as Etain nodded her head.

They walked for a while until they reached the end of the camp. There was a tent with a guard to check the entry.

Etain stood in front of him and motioned for him to move. The guard didn't hesitate to do what he was told.

Hermione entered the tent after Etain and she held her breath when she saw what was inside.

Weapons. Many and of all types. Swords, axes, bows, spears and daggers. Plus other things that the girl couldn't give a name.

Etain smiled and gestured toward the weapons. Hermione knew that she could choose whatever she wanted.

She walked to the closer weapon. It was a sword, she lifted it slowly.

Wow, if only Ron saw this room!

She tried to move the sword but soon she realized that it was not for her, she was too uncoordinated in her movements.

She put the sword where she had found it and then she tried with a spear. A fatigue she managed to lift it.

No, this is too heavy ... how the hell can she handle one?!

From the corner of her eye Hermione saw Etain smiling in amusement. The girl turned and gave her a shy smile as she replaced the spear in its place.

Etain realized that Hermione had trouble finding the right weapon so she approached her and put a hand on her shoulder.

Hermione jumped slightly at the contact, it was as if Etain's hand had left flames where it had touched her.

Etain also felt the same thing and immediately withdrew her hand. She smiled and turned away from her to go and take a bow. She chose one not too big and handed it to Hermione.

Hermione, a bit hesitant, took it. She had never used a bow in her life but at least it was not as heavy as the spear and she could handle it better than the sword.

"Ok ... But Etain, I have never used a bow" said Hermione, looking down. Suddenly her shoes were very interesting.

Etain lifted her chin with a finger and smiled. Hermione realized that she shouldn't worry, she would teach her.

She followed Etain outside the camp. After about ten minutes of walking they came to a clearing and Hermione noticed that on the other side had been placed some wooden targets.

They stopped twenty meters away from a target and Etain took the bow and an arrow from Hermione. The woman took her position, closed one eye and shot the arrow.

Center. Hermione wasn't even surprised too much.

The woman gave back the bow and motioned for her to start.

Hermione tried to imitate all the movements that Etain did, but when she shot the arrow, it went to stick in a tree next to the target.

After two more arrows went empty Hermione was preparing for a third shot when Etain stopped her.

She placed her right hand over Hermione's, which was holding the bow, with her left arm she encircled the girl's shoulders and then put her other hand on that with which Hermione was holding the rope taut.

Suddenly Hermione could feel again the warmth pervade her body, she could feel Etain's hair pinch her neck. Their faces were so close! For the first time since they had arrived there, Hermione felt safe, she wanted Etain to hug her this way forever and never let her go.

Too soon, however, they shot the arrow, which went stick in the middle of the target.

Etain turned away from her and immediately she felt the cold of the forest take the place of the heat she was feeling as she hugged Hermione.

They continued to train in this way all day, pausing only to eat. At the end of the day Hermione could already see some progress. It was almost like casting a spell, you had to focus and aim.

It was evening when they returned to the camp, they were going back to their tent when Hermione recognized Malfoy and Neville among the soldiers, sitting around a fire.

"Etain" she paused "There are my friends ..."

Etain nodded and motioned for her to go.

"Thank you, this will not take long"

Hermione walked over to the soldiers under the watchful eyes of Etain.

The woman didn't trust at all to leave her alone with the soldiers, especially because she could see that some of them were already drunk.

"Neville, Draco!"

The two boys looked up and Hermione noticed that they were tired and had some cuts on their faces.

"Hello Hermione" Neville greeted.

"Are you all right? What happened to you? "

"It's the training. It's hard to be a soldier! And to think that this will happen every day "

"This place sucks! Make a Molfoy fight, without his wand and in the middle of Muggles! As soon as my father will know that the pseudo-professor brought us here ... "

"Draco, it is useless to get angry with him, I've already said it to you. Where are the others anyway? "

"At the river. They are washing "said Malfoy.

" How was your day Hermione?"

"It was good Neville. I'm training too, Etain is teaching me how to fight "

"This explains the bow. Etain is the woman from yesterday? "

Hermione nodded.

"And you spend with her all the day?" Malfoy asked in disbelief, "But it's not intimidating you? well, not that I'm afraid, but ... "

Hermione laughed.

"What are you laughing at, Mudblood?"

The girl ignored the insult and replied:

"Nothing. It's just that Ron has had more or less the same reaction as you when I told him. Do not worry, she's not so bad, "said Hermione always with a smile on her lips" Now I must go. I'll see you later "

The boys greeted her, then, along with Etain, she headed for the tent.

Like the previous night they lit a fire and for a while no one said anything.

Hermione was looking around when she saw a soldier on a horse doing his watch.

She looked at him carefully, the way he rode fascinated her.

What beautiful creatures horses ...

she had never had the opportunity to learn how to ride.

Hermione looked at Etain who was staring intently at the fire.

I wonder if ...

An idea had flashed through her mind:

"Etain?"

The woman looked at her.

"Will you teach me how to ride?"

She looked at her straight in the eyes for a few seconds, then Etain broke into a smile and nodded.

She's beautiful when she smiles, I want to kiss her in this very moment.

Hermione blushed at the thought, and immediately she was immensely grateful to the darkness and the fact that Etain was at that time glaring at the soldiers.

I don't know what made her so cold, but I intend to find out and to make that angry expression go away from her face. Ahh yes, I swear to Merlin that I will succeed!

Author note:

Here we are at the end of the second chapter! Hermione begins to feel the beginnings of her feelings toward Etain but ... how will the story continue? The magic will return?

Well, you have to keep reading to find out! And if you want to leave a review, please know that they are well accepted!

See you soon!