Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling, A Song of Ice and Fire to George R.R. Martin, I don't own anything and I'm just playing around with these wonderful characters of these great stories.
The Serpent and the Lion
~Chapter 9: Victory and Defeat~
Panic welled in her. Cersei's entire body was tense, her eyes darted around the hall, searching for someone, anyone to help her son. Her father, Lord Tywin Lannister was watching them silently and the other members of his council seemed unsure what to do. As if they were fearing the possible consequences of their intervention, seemingly afraid of the Dark Lord's anger. Her uncle stood beside her father, frozen in place. Lord Baelish and Grand Maester Pycelle narrowed their eyes as if they were ignoring what was happening in front of them. At least Lord Varys seemed genuinely concerned, standing there next to her and shaking his bald head sadly. Cersei knew she couldn't count on Varys to step in. The Spider was known to be a coward, always intent to keep out of harm's way.
The young woman could hear her son whimper, his green eyes were wide with fear. "No! You can't do this, you can't!"
"Oh, but I can." Voldemort whispered softly, his voice as dark as the voice of death itself as he pressed his wand roughly against his neck.
At the same time the Hound was almost within striking distance, clutching his sword high above his head, already in a swinging motion. Cersei was sure Lucius Malfoy would hinder Sandor Clegane to move any further but she was surprised to see his hesitation. The blond haired wizard exchanged glances with her father and Tywin nodded.
What is going on here? Has father convinced Lucius to change allegiance? Cersei wondered but had no time to think about this. Joffrey's life was at stake here and she wouldn't let him die. Not here. Not now and not at his hands.
"Voldemort!" she screamed, desperately trying to divert his attention. Green sparks were dancing around his yew wand as the serpentine man flashed his ruby red eyes at her. He had been ready to unleash the Killing Curse and seemed more than displeased by her meddling.
Cersei took a deep breath and moved towards him slowly, feeling each nerve on the edge. It was important to prevent an escalation of this situation. She knew well this was no empty threat. If Voldemort wanted to kill someone he did it without second thoughts. And he was even more dangerous when he wasn't enraged and furious. His calm composure seemed far more intimidating than his fury.
We shouldn't provoke him unnecessarily. Cersei thought and gave the Hound a hand-sign to step back.
She saw him comply and sheathe his sword. Lucius understood what she tried to do and let his wand hand sink too. Now it was only her. Only she remained trying to save Joffrey's life.
Drops of sweat ran down her temples as she was getting closer and closer to him. What would she do? Or more precisely what could she do? She didn't really know and she didn't have a plan either.
There's no time for doubts. I have to be strong. For my family and for Joff.
Voldemort released Joffrey's collar and turned to face her, his wand rolling between his pale fingers.
"What is it, Cersei?" he hissed, his annoyance clearly audible in his high-pitched, pitiless voice.
Cersei quickly positioned herself in front of her son, ready to protect him with her body. She stared straight into his red eyes, her green eyes undeviating. Voldemort despised weakness and she wanted to appear strong and determined.
Her voice sounded soft and reasonable as she spoke. "Please do him no harm, my lord. It is the carelessness of youth. My son doesn't think before he speaks. Please forgive him. He is just a child."
But Voldemort wasn't a forgiving lord and it didn't surprise her he didn't change his mind. "Your son's impudence shall not go unpunished, my dear. Move or you shall share his fate!" He snarled in a commanding tone, flicking his wand at her.
"No!" Cersei breathed, feeling an invisible force pushing her backwards. She almost stumbled but somehow managed to stand upright, gathering all her willpower not to fall.
I have to do something or he'll kill us both. She was nervously searching for a way out of this predicament but her mind was blank. Shock and the feeling of helplessness numbed her body and she could only stare into these scarlet eyes. These blazing eyes which haunted her in her nightmares.
His tall, ivory figure loomed over her, his dark magic crackled around him like lightning. Was this the end? Without thinking she took a step towards him and placed a hand on his cheek. He hadn't expected this and was caught off-guard by her actions as she leaned forward and kissed his thin lips.
Seven gods, what am I doing here? She hadn't planned this and also had her doubts it might work but yet she kissed him. This man who had forced her to torture her brother. This man who had marked her as his possession and the man who wanted to kill her only son. It was a panic reaction. Her fear to lose Joffrey had brought her to this point. This fear had driven her to go to such lengths.
However there was no response. It felt like kissing a stone gargoyle. There was no hint of emotion or warmth. Only coldness.
As she pulled back she tried to read his expression but his face was an impassive mask and she couldn't figure out what was going through his mind. Cersei began to regret her instinctive action. It was wrong and it didn't accomplish anything. How could she forget Voldemort was more snake than human? A woman's advances wouldn't affect him, not in the slightest.
Now she had probably made everything worse. Cersei sighed and awaited her punishment, anticipating the excruciating pain of the Cruciatus Curse. Yet nothing happened. She lifted her face, studying his snake-like face and looking into his eyes, two pools of crimson red. At first she had thought she saw nothing. His face was still a mask, yet there was something in his eyes. A slight flicker of emotion as if something had changed. The young woman couldn't say what it was and stiffened slightly, watching him move his hand to her face, his long fingers gently brushing along her warm cheeks.
The Dark Lord frowned as if something wasn't right, seemingly surprised by his own reaction.
"Cersei." he whispered slowly, his cold hand now resting on her shoulder.
This was her chance. She had his attention and maybe now she would be able to convince him to spare her Joff.
"Please, my lord. It is not necessary to punish my son. Allow me to deal with him myself." She begged him insistently, hoping he would listen to her plea.
Voldemort turned his head and eyed Joffrey. The young boy had tried to hide behind his mother but couldn't escape those red eyes, shivering under his intense gaze.
He paused for a moment, contemplating his decision and nodded finally. "I give you permission to discipline your son."
She almost felt relief hearing his words but she soon became wary again as his lips curled into a sinister smile. "However, I shall decide on an appropriate punishment. He must learn it is a great mistake to question Lord Voldemort's power."
A punishment? Does he intend to torture my son? Cersei didn't like this, not at all. However, there was nothing she could do.
The Lannister lady gave him a deep, respectful bow. "Of course, I shall see to it that my son realizes his inexcusable misbehaviour. Thank you, my lord."
She knew they had barely escaped death and from now on she would be careful to keep Joffrey away from Voldemort. And she would have a word with Sandor Clegane. The Hound was responsible for his protection. It was time to remind him of his duties. Yet, she also hoped her son had learned his lesson. Voldemort wasn't just an ordinary wizard you could mess with. The snake was far too dangerous.
She glanced at her father who still sat at his seat. Lord Tywin was quiet, his green-gold eyes regarded them thoughtfully. Hopefully that little display had opened Tywin's eyes. It had been her first failure to underestimate Lord Voldemort and her father should realize the lion couldn't play his games with the serpent. It wasn't wise to repeat the same mistakes all over again.
The Dark Lord placed his hand at her elbow, pulling her closer to him. "Come, my dear. I would like to inspect my new headquarters."
The woman nodded, smiling faintly. "Certainly."
Suddenly everyone turned their heads to the entrance as the heavy doors were pushed open with a loud bang. It was Ser Gregor Clegane who had entered the Hall of Heroes. His tall body armoured by heavy steel plate was shaking angrily as if something or someone had enraged him. The Mountain looked at Lord Tywin Lannister and roared in his deep, booming voice. "Lord Tywin, intruders have infiltrated Castery Rock! I've ordered Captain Vylarr to lead a search party to capture them."
"Who are these intruders?" Tywin asked him, his voice very calm although he was probably furious inside.
"We believe it is Harry Potter and he is not alone. The boy is accompanied by members of the Order of the Phoenix." Ser Gregor Clegane replied.
"Harry Potter is here?" Voldemort asked, more to himself, the words' meaning slowly sinking in that the boy was finally within his grasp.
He turned to Lucius. "Do you see, Lucius? I've told you before, one day the boy will come to me of his own free will and here he is." Lucius Malfoy only nodded in response, his face very pale.
A cruel smile twisted the Dark Lord's face as he gave his command. "All Death Eaters shall assist Captain Vylarr's search party. And I shall pursue him myself. This time Potter shall not escape. He is mine."
Voldemort turned to Cersei, hungry flames afire in his predatory eyes. "I have been waiting a long time for this moment. Come Cersei. You shall assist me during our hunt. It is time to prove your worth to me."
"As you wish, my lord."
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Harry and Ron sprinted through a dimly lit hallway. The walls were massive stone. There were no windows, no doors, nothing. Only torches lighted the way.
"Do you know the way?" Ron asked him breathlessly, already exhausted from running away from all the Death Eaters and Lannister guards chasing after them. Their clothes were dirty and sliced. Harry's left jacket sleeve was smeared with blood after their encounter with Walden Macnair and Rabastan Lestrange. These two Death Eaters had given them a hard time and it had been Harry who had stunned them in the end. His bleeding wounds were a clear sign just how fierce this last battle had been.
"I don't know! We can only go forward, there's no other way." Harry replied, breathing heavily. All his muscles were hurting, tired from exhaustion.
"Mate, I don't think it was a good idea to split up. Tyrion knows this castle. He would know how to get out of here." His friend muttered.
In that moment Harry felt this familiar stab at his forehead. The scar was throbbing in unimaginable pain, he thought his head might burst from the sheer agony. His fingers rubbed his scar unconsciously as if it could somehow help him relieve the pain. "Voldemort is here, Ron. And he's after me, not you. Hermione and the others would be in danger if they hadn't left us. Even if Voldemort finds us I hope we can distract him somehow. So at least the others can escape from here." He told him firmly.
"Well, I guess it's up to us then, huh." Ron grimaced, obviously not liking the idea of playing the role of the hero who has to save the day.
Harry felt his skin prickling, the searing pain was increasing, it was almost unbearable. And it could only mean one thing: Voldemort was drawing near, his presence was getting closer and closer.
There was a voice inside his head now. A silky voice, whispering to him, slithering across his mind into the depths of his soul. "I know you are here, Harry Potter. I can feel you."
He tried to shut it out but the cold voice only laughed at his useless attempts and went on. "You cannot escape. I will find you and no one will save you now. Resistance is futile, Harry. You know it is your fate, your destiny. Come to me."
Just hearing his voice was enough to petrify him, fear surging through his veins. The young wizard winced and grabbed Ron's arm. "Wait!", he said sharply, holding his breath and clutching his wand tight in his sweaty hands.
"What?" Ron asked fearfully, his own wand already shaking in his hand.
"You-Know-Who is close. I can feel him." Harry whispered while his green eyes looked back and forth, searching for any movement in the darkness.
"Merlin, I hate this. I feel like I'm on show. We should move on before he finds us. " Ron breathed.
"And run straight into Voldemort's arms? No thanks." Harry grumbled through gritted teeth and raised his wand immediately as he heard a faint sound. He couldn't quite say what it was but whatever it was, it meant trouble.
Harry had this strange feeling that the air around them was getting colder. He was freezing, every breath he took a cloud of white steam in the air.
He strained his ears and was sure he could now hear a distant flapping sound as if something was flying towards their direction.
"Did you hear that? I don't like that sound." Ron murmured nervously.
"He's coming. Keep your wand ready!" Harry whispered hoarsely, feeling his heart pounding wildly in his chest, all nerves on edge. Silently he moved into the shadows, carefully avoiding the torchlight. Ron mimicked his movements, his back pressed against the cold stone wall as he raised his wand, ready to strike.
His eyes stared into the darkness. He couldn't see anything, only the shadows moving in the flickering light. Right now he wished he had told Sirius about this plan to capture Gregor Clegane. It was reckless and foolish. His godfather would have never allowed this.
But still... Maybe it was better this way. Sirius might have tried to get to Clegane himself and after Melisandre's prophecy he wanted him to stay away from any battle. If he could he would lock him up at Grimmauld's Place, just to keep him save.
His thoughts were soon interrupted as a large, menacing shadow swept through the hallway. A ball of swirling black robes, hovering in the air.
The ball began to unfold and Harry pointed his wand at the shadow intuitively, yelling "Expelliarmus!" and Ron crying "Stupefy!"
Jets of brilliant red light hit a shining silver shield which deflected their spells. Harry and Ron ducked down instantly, their eyes now staring at a tall man, clad in black robes with an ivory snake-like face and red slit-pupilled eyes staring back at them.
Voldemort had been the shadow who had materialized in front of them. Next to him stood a beautiful young woman with long blond hair, wearing an elegant green gown. Her clear emerald eyes had the same colour as Tyrion's green eye.
She must be Tyrion's sister, Cersei Lannister. Harry thought.
"Not the way to treat your beloved Lord, Harry. I have expected an appropriate greeting. After all, it has been such a long time since we last saw each other at the graveyard." The Dark Lord said in a rebukingly tone, making Harry flinch and scramble backward.
Harry noticed Ron was equally afraid. There was an horrified expression on his face.
Lord Voldemort moved towards them purposefully, like a hunter encircling his prey. "Now Harry," the Dark Lord began with a soft, calm voice, "there are two ways to end this. You can either accept defeat and surrender," and his red eyes shone now as his thin lips curled into an evil smile, "or you can try to fight the inevitable. No matter, I shall win one way or another."
"You will never win!" Harry shouted defiantly, never wanting to give up and admit defeat. He would fight to the very end, even if it killed him.
Voldemort chuckled. "Oh yes, good. That's the spirit. Try to resist then, Harry. I shall enjoy this."
Harry and Ron moved simultaneously, taking aim and screaming "Stupefy!"
"Protego!" Cersei shouted, deflecting their spells effortlessly.
Harry flung himself sideways, ready to cast another spell but Cersei was faster as she yelled "Impedimenta!". He felt his body being thrown backwards, his back slamming into the ground beneath him, the waves of pain paralysing his entire body. Ron tried to help him getting to his feet but he fell to the floor too as Voldemort's Cruciatus Curse hit him.
His friend was screaming and screaming, louder and louder, unable to endure this blazing agony.
"Stop it!" Harry croaked, standing up and holding his wand high, yelling. "Expelliarmus!"
Voldemort lifted the curse and deflected the red bolt of light with a casual flick of his yew wand.
"As amusing as it was, I shall now put an end to this. Crucio!"
Harry choked, closing his eyes tightly, feeling nothing but utter pain. He had gathered all his strength to get up again but his body betrayed him as he collapsed to the floor lifelessly. Every inch, every fibre and every muscle was on fire, his loud cries filling the dark hallway. He knew he would soon faint, seeing the darkness slowly clouding his vision.
"Not so fast. I shall not release you yet." The young wizard heard Voldemort say, the pain only slowly subsiding as he lifted the curse. He turned his head to look for Ron and found him unconscious.
This is it. Harry thought, feeling all of his hope drain like his strength leaving his body.
The end.
Voldemort was standing directly above him, a look of triumph on his serpentine features.
Harry trembled uncontrollably and gasped as a gaunt finger pressed against the lightning scar on his forehead. His scar was exploding at the cold touch. It was pain beyond pain and he only wanted it to end quickly, knowing he couldn't stand this torture any longer.
"I will kill you, Harry Potter." The Dark Lord whispered, a dark finality in his voice which send cold chills down his spine.
Those red eyes were never leaving his. "Yes, look at me. All of your friends shall witness this moment when I kill you. I shall crush their precious hero in front of their eyes. No one will ever question me again. Never again will they doubt my power when I destroy you."
Voldemort smiled cruelly as he saw the fear and terror in his eyes. "Oh yes, Harry. This is the look I want to see on their faces."
"I promise you, your great day shall soon come." He whispered, waving his yew wand in front of his face. The young boy's eyes fluttered shut. Darkness finally engulfed him, cold shadows embracing him as he descended into unconsciousness.
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After hours of running and hiding they had finally fled to these empty chambers. They were very small, windowless and sparse. The furnishings were spartan. A small table, a few chairs, a wardrobe and a bed made of stone. It was not very comfortable here and Tyrion thanked the gods that there was at least a hearth providing light and warmth.
Home sweet home. Tyrion thought sourly.
Hermione was inspecting the rooms and raised her brown eyebrows in that familiar way, an expression he soon got accustomed to and which amused him greatly. "Are these your chambers?"
"I'm afraid no, my lady. But I wish these were mine, I really like the decor here." Tyrion smirked.
She rolled her eyes and asked him impatiently. "What are we doing here anyway?"
"We're waiting." The little Lannister Lord answered in a nonchalant tone.
"Waiting for what?" The Granger girl asked again and began to pace around the room. Her restlessness was understandable. She was worried about her friends. Unfortunately Tyrion couldn't lift her fears. He didn't know if Harry and Ron were safe or not. All he could do was to keep cool and hope she would calm down too.
"Patience, Hermione. We're waiting for a dear friend of mine." Tyrion replied.
"Well, I hope we don't have to wait too long. I'm hungry and you should know I can't fight with an empty stomach." Bronn grumbled.
The sellsword sat in the middle of the room, with his legs on the table, honing the edge of his sword. Those scraping sounds of steel on stone were unnerving and Tyrion was sure they would soon drive him crazy.
"Bronn, would you please sharpen your blade later? I'm getting headaches here." Tyrion said, rubbing his temples with his small fingers.
The older man laughed. "What's up, dwarf? Don't tell me you're nervous."
"I'm not but I soon will be if this continues. Can't you see? I need silence to think here."
"Oh yes, of course. You need to think how to get us out of here, I presume?" Bronn asked, smiling thinly.
He nodded. "Among other things, yes." And his gaze wandered to Hermione for a brief moment. Tyrion had to admit he liked this girl a lot. He enjoyed their discussions late at night, reviewing all her books related to magic. Her thirst for knowledge was as great as his. And unlike all the other women who didn't even bother giving him a second glance or treated him with feigned courtesy, she didn't act differently around him. On the contrary, the Granger girl was honest and friendly in his presence. He had the feeling she was able to understand him and was sympathetic to him. As a dwarf and a squib his life had never been an easy one. Hermione was a Muggle-born witch, she also had to fight against prejudices and hostility. They had a lot in common and Tyrion hoped he would get the chance to spend more time together. Although there was still this voice of doubt inside his head.
Don't delude yourself, dwarf. She doesn't care about you. Who would like a little, pitiful creature such as yourself?
But Tyrion didn't want to listen to that inner voice. She's my friend, he thought. That's all I need to know.
Hermione folded her arms and gave him a questioning look, raising an eyebrow. "You do have a plan, do you, my lord?"
Tyrion smirked crookedly. "You do realize we didn't have a plan to begin with. Why should I have a plan now?"
Hermione grimaced. "Well, it should have been easy and simple, right? You help us get inside Casterly Rock, we snatch the Mountain and leave again."
The small man sighed. "Yes, Hermione. Unfortunately, the unexpected presence of You-Know-Who and his lovely friends make things rather complicated. But have no fear. Me and Bronn here are used to these kind of, well, situations. Truth be told, we've already been through worse. Right, Bronn?"
Bronn shrugged. "Yeah, can't say it ever gets boring with our little lordling here. It's a miracle we're still alive. Not that I'm complaining or anything. As long as I get my payment, I'm fine."
Tyrion turned to Hermione, winking at her. "And a Lannister always pays his debts."
"Great. Just great." She commented dryly, standing there with her hands on her hips.
Ah, I love it when she gives me that look. Tyrion thought and went to the door now, leaning his head against the wooden surface and trying to hear if someone was approaching.
There were footsteps and the Lannister Lord quickly gestured to the other two to prepare themselves. The girl drew her vine wood wand and Bronn was already on his feet, lifting his sword.
A bald man entered the chambers, dressed in costly, orange and yellow-coloured robes and smelling of lavender perfume.
Tyrion swung the door shut behind him, trapping the Master of Whisperers in his own quarters.
"Lord Varys, how nice of you to join us."
"Lord Tyrion," Varys licked his lips nervously, his eyes gaping at Hermione's wand and Bronn's sword "it is so good to see you again, my lord. Though I have not expected you to visit me here in my humble chambers."
Tyrion frowned. "They are excessively humble indeed, my lord. Don't tell me you actually sleep in that stone bed there. I thought you'd prefer a warm and comfortable feather bed."
Varys smiled innocently. "I have this dreadful backache and I favour a hard surface, my lord."
"We all have our little aches and pains, do we not? But enough of this. I take it you know why we're here?" Tyrion asked, knowing full well the question was rather pointless. The Spider had his eyes and ears everywhere.
"Oh, but of course. My little birds tell me everything." The spymaster replied and regarded the other two with great interest. "Bronn, the sellsword. We already know each other."
And his eyes moved to Hermione. Unlike Tyrion and Bronn she wore casual clothing, a dark-blue jeans and a grey cardigan. And just like Bronn's leather armour and Tyrion's crimson doublet, her clothes were also dirty from all the fighting.
"And here we have Hermione Jean Granger, born on 19 September, 1979 and currently a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Your parents are Wendell and Monica Granger, both Muggles who work as dentists in London. According to Remus Lupin you are the cleverest witch of your age, highly skilled and very talented. You're top of your class and always receive the highest scores. And of course let's not forget you possess a ginger-haired half-Kneazle named Crookshanks. I could go on and report in full of your adventurous experiences at Hogwarts but I don't want to bore your companions here."
Hermione stood there with an open mouth. "How do you know so much about me?"
"Lord Varys knows everything, Hermione. He would gladly tell you your blood type or your shoe size if you would ask him." Tyrion remarked dryly and addressed Varys again. "Since you know so much you can surely aid us to get us out of here."
"I could, my lord. But why should I? Give me one good reason why I shouldn't deliver you to Lord Voldemort or your dear father."
"I thought we are friends, Varys." said Tyrion cheerfully.
Varys raised an eyebrow. "Are we, Lord Tyrion? During our last meeting I recall you telling me you'd be sad to kill me."
"And I seem to recall you took that as high praise."
"Indeed."
Tyrion cocked his head sideways. "You swore to serve my family if I'm not mistaken."
The Spider sighed. "And I swore to serve you. Very well, you've won my lord. You know I could never deny your wishes. I'd suggest we go to the prison cells first."
"Go to the prison cells?" Hermione repeated in a confused tone. "Is this a trap?"
The bald man shook his head, giving her a hurt look. "A trap? How could you ever suspect that? I only assumed you'd like to rescue your dear comrades, Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley first before you decide to leave us again."
Hermione seemed shocked, whispering. "They have Harry and Ron? That can''t be."
"Who captured them?" Tyrion wanted to know.
"The Dark Lord himself. He plans to kill them on the morrow." Varys reported.
"This is bad." Tyrion murmured and exchanged glances with the Granger girl and his sellsword. "I guess we have no other choice. We have to free them first."
"I don't like this, dwarf." Bronn mumbled.
"Are you afraid, Bronn? You can stay here and hide under the bed and we'll fetch you later." Tyrion proposed, grinning.
"And miss all the fun? Forget it."
The dwarf nodded. "It's settled then. Take us to Harry and Ron."
Varys seemed surprised. "Now, my lord?"
"The sooner the better. Or does this timing confuse your little schemes, Varys? Maybe you plan to betray us, after all."
"No matter how the Spider weaves his nets, he is never trusted." The other man murmured sadly.
Tyrion grimaced. He would never truly trust Varys. No one knew what game the Spider was really playing. This man was inscrutable. He could either be your best friend or your worst enemy.
But they had no other choice. For now they had to depend on him. Only he knew all the secret passages within Casterly Rock.
"Well, I'd preferably trust you than Littlefinger." Tyrion admitted reluctantly.
"Oh yes, Littlefinger..." Varys pondered, stroking his chin with a powdered finger. "A man with great ambition and no morals. I wouldn't trust him either."
"Littlefinger? Who's that?" Hermione asked.
"Lord Petyr Baelish, the Master of Coin." Bronn explained.
Varys smiled, seemingly amused. "Littlefinger is the second most devious man in the world, my lady."
She regarded him curiously. "And who's the first one?"
An enigmatic smile played on the spymaster's lips. "Ah, that would be me."
Hermione gave the little Lannister lord a sceptical look. "And you trust this man? I don't think that's a good idea."
Tyrion shrugged. "If he betrays us, be so kind to remind me to kill him."
The bald man tittered. "Kill me? My lord please, let us not talk about such gruesome things."
Varys went to the stone bed now, pushing a hidden button beneath it. The bed was floating up, revealing a secret door.
A loud groan could be heard as he opened it and beckoned them to follow him. "Do be careful, my friends. The steps are steep. It would be such a tragedy if you would slip and break your necks during your rescue mission." he warned and descended the stairway.
Tyrion and the others exchanged wary glances and went after him, everyone of them feeling queasy as they entered the pitch-black tunnel. It was so dark he could see nothing. Not even one single ray of light. A damp, bone-chilling coldness crept up his spine that set him to shiver instantly.
"Duck your heads, the tunnel is very narrow here." Varys said somewhere in front of them but the warning came too late. There were loud noises and curses as he heard Bronn and Hermione banging their heads against the stony ceiling.
"Ouch! Seven hells!" Bronn screamed and he heard Hermione complaining in an annoyed tone. "Merlin's beard, you should have warned us earlier! Why do we have to stumble through the darkness? I should cast Lumos."
"I would seriously advise against that, my lady." Varys quickly said. "This part of the castle is very old. The chambers here were used as torture cells. Trust me, you don't want to see this. It'll only give you nightmares for the rest of your life."
The girl gulped and walked further without protest. Rattling sounds of keys could be heard now. Varys probably fumbled around a door in front of them. It piqued Tyrion's curiosity and he waddled forward and bumped into someone, falling backward with a muffled thud.
He rubbed his neck and heard Hermione's concerned voice above him. "Tyrion, are you ok? Wait, let me help you."
Tyrion felt her warm hands sliding around his shoulders now, helping him up again. "I'm sorry." she said apologetically as she knelt before him. Hermione was so close to him, he could smell her breath, the scent of peppermint filling his nose.
The small blond man was taken aback by her helpfulness. He was used to get no help at all. Who would want to help a dwarf? And a Lannister on top of that? Most people would ignore him, not wanting to waste their time. Yet this girl had helped him and without thinking he kissed her cheek lightly. "Thank you, Hermione."
"No problem. Just be careful next time. I don't think it's safe walking around here without a lighting charm."
He grinned. "Yes, I shall try to keep our collisions to a minimum."
Hermione laughed at that and sighed. "I hope this will all work out. I'm worried about Harry and Ron."
"You worry too much, Hermione. Have you forgotten what I've told you before? As long as I'm around, everything will be fine. And trust me, a Lannister always keeps his word." He assured her.