Thanks for the response to chapter two everyone, really appreciate it :-]

Thank you to LadyMalfoySnape for kindly pointing that out to me. Mistake now fixed :-]

CHAPTER THREE

As Henry and Hermione walked to the throne room in companionable silence, they passed several people along the way. One man, obviously a nobleman, stared in astonishment at the beautiful young woman at the king's side, almost forgetting to bow to the monarch at all. When Henry cast him a highly annoyed look, he quickly corrected his oversight.

Hermione grew more nervous as several others stared at her so openly. She did her level best not to fidget too much, for she did not wish to displease the king with her discomposure.

However, Henry could hardly miss it, since her nervousness practically radiated off of her. He leaned down, brushing his lips playfully across her ear as he whispered, "Relax, Hermione. You are my guest. No man here would be foolish enough to think twice about you if they value their lives."

He pulled her a little closer and placed his hand over hers where it rested on his arm. Her slim fingers gripped his sleeve as though it was her lifeline.

"If I may speak freely, Your Majesty?" she asked with a soft blush.

"I want you to feel free to say anything your heart desires, my dear," he told her, and she looked down momentarily as she took a deep breath, trying to regain her composure. He added, "I do not wish there to be any secrets between us."

"How can I relax, when I am not used to this kind of attention, and I am certain the reaction to my presence at your side will be less than satisfactory?"

Henry frowned, for he knew that in part her words were true. But only in part.

"Hermione, they can like it or not, for I am their king, and they are simply men and women with titles. Or married men with titles. You must not think they are in any way better than you, and they have no say whatsoever with whom I choose to keep company."

"But sire, your wife? What will she think of me?"

"Catherine has no say in this, either," he insisted. "I know you are new to court, my dear, but have no fear. I will guide you in the way of things, if you will allow."

He felt that bout of nerves again as he spoke, wondering if Hermione would accept him if he asked her to remain at court more than two short days. The spark he felt in her presence was something completely new to him, and he wanted to keep hold of it, fan the flames to life. That was what he felt as he stood beside her—life! Something he hadn't felt for a long time.

Henry paused when they were just one turn away from walking down the corridor to the throne room. "Hermione, listen to me. Catherine has no say in whom I keep company with. And as I have said I desire no secrets, I will now be honest with you." He glanced about to make certain they were truly alone, with no one lurking about trying to listen. "Catherine has failed as both wife and queen. She lied about her virtue on our wedding night, but I was too young and naïve to see it then. I took the advice of my counsel then, but I believe it was a mistake. For as king, I must not fail in my duty to produce an heir."

Hermione's brow furrowed as he spoke, and her eyes seemed far away. Henry tilted her chin so she looked at him again.

"We probably could have had a whole house full of heirs if that woman hadn't been with my brother first. If she had not lied to me."

"So you seek a wife, and a life of honesty?" she inquired with a smile.

Henry brushed his lips against her ear again. "You are indeed correct, Hermione," he said in low tones, making her blush from head to toe. "Now I have left my people waiting long enough for their dinner," he said as he backed her up against the wall and caged her there with his arms. "The sooner this is over, the sooner I can have you to myself again."

"Your Majesty, I cannot," Hermione said, her blush deepening even more as his words sank in. His lips grazed the sensitive spot beneath her ear, a place Henry knew made all ladies hot, and to his delight she shivered at the touch, just as he'd hoped.

Moving his lips to her ear again, he asked, "You can't, or you won't? No harm will come to you from loving me, Hermione. You will be my own queen—the queen of my heart."

Hermione gasped at his words, and he moved slightly closer so that their bodies touched, and his arms were more securely surrounding her. His whole body was on fire, and she had not even tried to provoke him. No woman had ever had this effect on him before.

"I-I'm honoured, Your Majesty, but—"

Henry's lips crushed hers before she could finish her refusal. He knew after he was done kissing her, her lips would show it, but he found he did not care.

Catherine knew he'd grown tired of her, as he'd not bedded her since she'd become with child over ten months ago. He'd sought his comforts elsewhere, though he'd been careful in the manner of his indulgences, for he did not want the same situation as he'd had with his and Bessy Blount's son again. He'd had too much of death.

But he wanted Hermione much more than he should. He wanted her in a way he'd never wanted any conquest he'd had before. He must try to curb his appetite at least a little, for both their sakes.

Hermione could hardly believe how forward the king was. She, the simple daughter of a book store owner stood in a main hall of the castle with his Royal Highness's tongue lapping at the entrance to her mouth as if it were the doorway to the greatest treasure in the land.

Her hands found their way around his neck as he pulled her even tighter against him, holding her securely in his embrace. Her shoulders rested against the wall, and he was leaning slightly forward so she could feel him—all of him. She blushed hotly as his manhood pressed against her lower region.

She ought to feel like the luckiest girl in the word, yet she held her heart in reserve until she might grow more comfortable and secure in this new position she found herself in. She'd be lying to herself if she said she didn't find the king handsome, and she'd felt a spark of something brewing within her since the moment she first saw him. But she also knew she could not be completely honest with him as he would like, for she must be certain if she was indeed safe from hanging if she should confess all.

Could she trust the king that much? She was a reserved person by nature, and had few friends, preferring the company of her father and their books. To be pinned to the wall by any man, let alone the King of England, was a completely new experience for her.

After an eternity of resisting, Hermione slowly relaxed and melted as his skilled tongue took possession of her mouth. Then, Henry rested his forehead against hers and whispered four little words that would change her life forever:

"You will be mine."

And then he kissed her again before she could form any sort of response.

"Come, the company must be famished by now," he said as he took her hand in his and led her down the hall and into the throne room to be presented at court.

Oooo. Henry... lol! Hmm... Lemon so soon? Or wait it out a bit longer?

Thoughts, please! I won't be writing chapter 4 till you guys tell me what you want to happen between Henry and Hermione...

A full blown out lemon or just kissing and cuddling with a little touching?

Should it happen this night or the next?

Tell me what you'd like to see :-] I have an idea but I'm unsure which is why I'm asking you all for your thoughts on this! :-]

Hope ya'll have a good weekend.