Okay, everyone, I needed to update, but it became impossible, because my usb has gone walk-about. Unfortunately, I still haven't found it, so I'm going to do the best I can with what I can remember of the chapter I already had written. Sorry if it's not exactly the best, but I had a really good chapter for you.
Oh well, enjoy it anyway.
Chapter ten
Hermione felt someone shaking her. They were on the boat, and had so far been travelling for quite a few hours. It looked to be about mid-morning.
She sat up groggily, coming face-to-face with Legolas. He smirked at her. "Sorry to wake you, but we need to get ready. We should be arriving soon."
"Right." She said. "Have you been awake the whole time?"
He grinned at her and looked as if he was about to say something, but thought better of it. "You've got dirt on your cheek." He stated before going to talk to Aragorn. She looked at his retreating back with a questioning look on her face.
"Aye, you do, lass." Gimli smirked, which looked odd on his round face. "Best wipe it off, wouldn't want to look unpresentable for the orcs... or the elf." He added.
She blushed, glaring at him. "I don't know what you're implying, Gimli." She said indignantly.
"What I'm implying, lass, is that you and the elf would like to get a little more, ah… acquainted."
She flushed, though she had no reason why. Sure, Legolas was very good looking, and smart, and mysterious and everything about him was damn right attractive, but…
Oh, who was she kidding? She fancied the pants off the guy – er, elf!
His brown eyes were so piercing and full of knowledge, and his body would probably look very good naked –
Oh, bloody hell! Not going there! La, la, la! She reprimanded herself. Besides, he would never go for someone like me, I'm too… well, I'm just not his type.
Whilst in her small day dream, she hadn't noticed a very amused Gimli muttering to himself proudly. Suddenly, the flame in his head (equivalent to the light bulb) lit up. He smirked to himself and made his way over to the elf.
"Pretty lass, isn't she?" He asked inconspicuously.
Legolas looked over at him from his bow. "Who?" He feigned innocence.
"Lady Hermione." Gimli raised one of his bushy red eyebrows. "Very beautiful."
"Yes, indeed she is. But I don't think she goes for dwarves." Legolas raised one of his own blonde eyebrows.
"Och, I wasn'a thinking of me, I was thinking of you, elf."
"What are you implying, Gimli?"
"Oh, nothing." He said innocently, before walking – more like hobbling away.
Legolas rolled his eyes. Although, when he thought about it, Hermione really was beautiful, and smart, and very funny. She could make him laugh and also match his intelligence. She was also brave and very, very sexy –
Whoa, stop right there. She's way too young for you. And she's mortal. The voice in his head chastised.
Ah, yes, but you could become mortal, too, and you don't look that much older than her. The other voice defended.
She wouldn't like me, anyway. She's in love with that – that Ron character. He thought miserably. This was very odd for the elf. He wasn't used to having such strong… emotions to someone.
He turned to look at her. She was twirling her wand about in her hand and juggling it with her sword, apparently enjoying herself.
"Are you ready to kill some orcs, Legolas?" Aragorn said, pulling Legolas out of his stupor, raising an eyebrow at the obviously infatuated elf.
Legolas composed himself and smirked. "Always."
"I thought as much." Aragorn said, more to himself than to Legolas.
"So, I never got the chance to ask you, what news of Arwen?"
He thought for a moment. "She is fading." He answered solemnly. "I just hope she can survive this."
Legolas put a hand on his shoulder and looked into his eyes. "Your love is strong. It will keep her alive, Aragorn. When this is over, you will be reunited."
"I hope so." Aragorn said, before noticing Legolas sneak a look at Hermione. He smirked. "I think Hermione should learn to use a bow. We've still got an hour." With that said, he walked off to find Gimli and give him his five gold pieces.
Legolas didn't quite catch the smirk, being too busy with, ah, distractions, and made his way over to Hermione, who was now staring at the water.
She sighed and jumped when Legolas put a hand on her shoulder. "Oh, Legolas, you scared me." She covered her heart with her hand.
"Sorry." He said. He noticed what she had been looking at. "Odd, is it not?" He gestured to the water, completely derived of life.
"It haunts me. There's no life in there. The fish are gone, the plants are dead. How can you stand it?" She shivered.
"It is the darkness taking over. Until the ring is destroyed, the life around us becomes dulled, until it will eventually be no more."
"How can so much beauty be defeated so easily?" She looked frightened.
"The life still dwindles, waiting for its chance to sprout again, but while there is darkness, the life will hide."
This statement caused Hermione to think of home and the times when Voldemort was rising and the darkness over took all. She was reminded of the dementors, and how their mere presence could chill anyone to the bone and kill all life.
This is like one giant dementor, only it's not cold, it's blindingly hot. And it doesn't suck your soul out, it just kills it. She mused grimly. But we managed to keep the life, no matter what. The light never left us. There were times, like when Harry lost Sirius…She trailed off, suddenly feeling sad.
"What are you thinking?" Legolas asked.
"Back home, when Harry lost Sirius, it was hard, because Sirius was always so… positive, he kept everyone going, he made us all feel like we could win. I guess his arrogance rubbed off on us." She laughed to herself. "I wish he was here now." She said wistfully.
Her words seemed to echo through her own mind and she felt helpless. She sighed. "I wish you could meet him, he's very –" Just as she was about to brag about him more, a strong thrum of magic rippled through her body and she froze.
Suddenly there was a loud crack where a blinding white light pooled in mid air, as if someone was apparating onto the boat. The boat rocked silently.
The light cleared and a man stood, dusting himself off. "Oh, 'ello Hermione." He said pleasantly. "Though I heard you calling." He grinned boyishly and Hermione gasped, before throwing herself on to him, tears falling.
"Oh my god! Sirius!"