Had a slightly cute dream about Gwaine/Eoin Macken. Don't tell Arthur.
"There's something out there," Lancelot said gravely when the others came running back. Harry had tested his magick to no results as well.
"You saw it?" Arthur asked, dark blonde brows furrowing as he tried to understand what they were dealing with to no avail.
"When it saw the light, it fled," Lancelot informed him helpfully.
"It scared the horses," Gwaine put in.
"It's not something you can chase or something you can kill," Merlin told them. Hermione shivered involuntarily as more shrieks echoed around the empty village.
"We need to get out of here," Arthur told everyone, concern etched into his features. The group hurried back to the horses and to Camelot they went.
Hermione, Merlin, and Harry went to Gaius as soon as they returned to the citadel, all three on edge without their magic. After telling Gaius about the trouble with doing magick around the wisps, Harry turned to Hermione.
"Hermione, what did you mean about a veil?" Harry questioned. His green eyes were narrowed slightly, aware he hadn't been told something.
"The veil has been torn by Morgana," Hermione admitted. "The veil between the spirit world and ours."
"So, that's where those... things came from, I'm assuming?" Harry guessed.
"Obviously," Merlin said, clearly even more irritable due to the unfortunate circumstances. Harry said nothing, he simply kept looking at Hermione as if he didn't have the time to be bothered by Merlin's attitude.
"This potion will be done by tomorrow morning, and we're going to leave, right?" Harry inquired. Hermione toyed with a vial she'd grabbed off of Gaius's table.
"We're going to leave... right?" Harry repeated, exaggerating the last word.
"I mean, what about Morgana?" Hermione asked, finally, and somewhat guiltily allowing her gaze to shift upward. Gaius and Merlin exchanged looks. Was she actually considering staying?
"What about her?" Harry said, not quite catching on.
"Well, we can't just... let her continue to hurt people," Hermione told him with a light frown. "The more magic on Art- Camelot's side, the better chance of defeating Morgana, right?"
Gaius opened his mouth hesitantly. "She's right."
"But I thought you wanted to leave," Harry said, confused. "And you told Arthur we'd be leaving tomorrow. You said you never wanted to come here. Morgana can't be the only reason you want to stay."
Hermione went red in the face and Merlin looked as if he wanted to punch Harry. He wanted Hermione to stay, and he knew Harry only wanted an answer, but he was making her uncomfortable and he figured Harry should've known Hermione didn't want to go any further into it.
"I just... I think these innocent people deserve any help they can get," Hermione shrugged, putting on a good facade though her cheeks were a light pink. "They're so loyal to their king, and they trust he will always protect them."
"From what happened, I didn't think you believed that," Harry told her, anger flashing in his eyes, though not at her, but at Arthur. He'd broken her and here she was trying to help him despite it. "You don't need to help someone who's hurt you the way he did."
"I'm not helping him, I'm helping the people," Hermione shot back. "I know I wanted to leave, I know he moved on and it's broken me... I know there's something different about me now. But whether or not I was hurt by Arthur, this was my home for a time, and at one point, I thought it would be for the rest of my life. Hogwarts is my home too, but here I feel... I feel like I've been here since before I can remember and that I was always meant to be here. I feel content. And I want these people to feel that way too. They deserve that much, anyway."
Harry closed his mouth tight. Hermione waited for his answer.
"I'm not leaving then."
Hermione was surprised, but kept a poker face.
"You've always been there for me, so I'm going to be there for you," Harry told her loyally, sighing before offering the tiniest consolation of a smile.
Merlin and Gaius semmed to ease up a little, the tension already waning. Merlin was thankful that even if Harry had brought Hermione trouble, he was a loyal friend. Plus, he was happy she was staying. Even in the blight of losing his magic, Merlin could appreciate this revelation more than he appreciated much else.
"I've explained the Dorocha to Arthur," Gaius told the trio several hours later as they sat in his work chambers. "They're getting worse, though. Knights are patrolling every street, the people are being attacked, and our only defenses are flames."
Hermione rubbed her eyes tiredly, then nearly jumped into Harry's lap when screams of the Dorocha flew past the window. He patted her back soothingly and Merlin's head whipped around.
"We have to act now before the Dorocha get to us," Hermione shivered. "How do we get rid of them exactly? As in, permanently?"
"The only way to temporarily get rid of them is by torch," Gaius said. "To completely abolish them... the only way I should think would work is to seal the veil once more."
Hermione's eyebrows furrowed. "But... that would take enormous power. And to travel to the Isle of the Blessed..."
Gaius's eyebrow twitched. "I'm afraid that's the only solution I can find."
Hermione turned to Harry, who looked deep in thought. "Harry..."
"I suppose if it's the only way, I'm in," Harry told her firmly. Hermione had never once given up on him, and thus, she deserved the same assurance from Harry.
She hugged him tightly. "Good. We can fix it, I know it." She yawned and scratched her head.
"It's late, you and I should be going to bed," she said quietly. Harry nodded in agreement and got up. Hermione followed suit and faced Merlin. She sent him an message with her eyes, subtle, and he nodded quickly.
"Harry, I'm coming, I just need a sleeping draught from Gaius, I've been having bad dreams again," she said as nonchalantly as she could muster. Harry left the room after replying, without suspicion, and as soon as he had completely left the outside staircase, she shut the door tight.
"Gaius, there's something else about repairing the veil," Hermione told him solemnly. "I know, I understand magick enough to know this. The only way to seal the veil again is to repeat the act that tore it. That means another blood sacrifice. Someone has to die."
Merlin jumped up and Gaius sighed deeply. "Gaius, another blood sacrifice? There must be another way!"
Gaius shook his head at the young witch and warlock. "There is no other option. The high priestesses have done this before and every time the same act was performed in order to successfully tear the veil between the worlds. No other way has been used and no other way can reverse it, unfortunately. Indeed, someone must... die."
Hermione's heart was hammering in her chest as she contemplated the enormity of the situation. Someone had to be sacrificed. The thought of it squeezed her insides, for nothing she had ever encountered back in her time had required any sort of sacrifice like this, save for Voldemort's methods. It seemed so evil and cruel. She was glad that she wasn't a high priestess, and she had no desire to reach that rank. There was no way she could ever accustom herself to learn such horrible things simply to become more powerful or to know more about the Old Religion. But another thing gnawed at her. Who would be chosen for sacrifice?
She didn't even have to ask herself, the decision, the answer, had already been chosen. She knew she would be pulling a "Harry," and that it was something wholly cliche. But it was decided that she herself would be the sacrifice. Hermione didn't really have the desire to die, but she didn't see any reason for herself to live opposed to Merlin or Harry or... anyone else. After all, she'd already helped Harry in the war. She still hadn't fixed her parent's memories. There was no chance- assuming she even cared to consider it, of course- of getting back with Arthur. She really had no more ties to anything but her education, which wouldn't matter once she was dead. Merlin was going to be someone great, he couldn't die yet. Harry had an important job, was engaged, and was still, after all, the Chosen One. Arthur would be King. The only logical choice was her.
Perhaps this was her destiny. Callieach had said something about Clara, which Gaius believed could possibly be tied to Druid prophecies. Maybe the prophecy about 'Clara' was that she would sacrifice herself to save Emrys and Arthur. It was plausible. Plausible or not, though, Hermione was going to repair the veil.
"I'm sure we'll find something, anything, to keep everyone alive," Hermione said optimistically, hiding her decision within her mind. If she said anything to Merlin or Gaius, they'd try to stop her and she couldn't have that. Even worse, Merlin would take her place in order to stop her. He'd say it was his "destiny" and Hermione would lose someone else. Better to keep it to herself and just do it when the time came.
"Perhaps, Hermione," Gaius agreed. "Oh, your potion will be done tomorrow morning. Would you like me to give it to you once it's finished?"
"Yes, I'll keep it hidden until we leave," Hermione nodded. She then hugged Merlin and Gaius gently.
"Good night, you two," she smiled warmly and left. Once the door was shut she went up the stairs and headed to her chambers. She passed Arthur's chambers and his door was ajar. She wondered if she should inform him about needing to repair the veil. But she decided against it. Gaius could tell Arthur. Besides, despite the logic of her decision to be the sacrifice, a little guilt fell on her shoulders knowing just how much it might hurt him, even if he had moved on. They had still been in love once. She was halfway to her door when Arthur decided to leave his chambers, hearing light footsteps and of course being drawn to her.
"Hermione."
She froze in place. He loved doing this to her- it was certainly a pattern.
One she wasn't too keen on repeating. It would only break her down further.
Hermione spun around and stared at him, those feelings she hated bubbling in her. His tall shadow flickered in the light of the torches in the hall.
"I just wanted to- to say good-night," Arthur stuttered softly. "And thank you... for coming to the village with me- us. You didn't have to, but you came anyway."
He smiled politely, then, and proceeded returned to his room, a tad awkward. It was rather endearing, Hermione couldn't help but note mentally.
Of course, then the sharp, highly logical voice stirred inside of her.
It was not endearing, absolutely NOT.
Those were the thoughts that drove her insane for even popping into her head. She wanted so badly to convince herself she was over the king. Hermione stepped into her chambers, changed, and clambered into bed while she battled feebly with that little voice.
For so many months she'd felt so betrayed by Arthur, when all he'd done was do what she'd asked. He'd moved on and become King of Camelot. So where did the feeling of betrayal come from if they'd both accepted they'd had to move on?
It's because he's in love with another woman. You feel betrayed because you never moved on while he did. And it hurts you. You were so broken those months because you wanted to be with him again when you should have just accepted reality- that you'd made the choice to leave him behind.
Hermione sucked in a shallow breath at her own subconscious. Was it true? Was that why she was so hurt? So changed? If so, why couldn't she accept the decision she'd made? She couldn't answer that question. So instead she closed her drooping eyelids and forced herself to fall asleep. One last thing flickered behind her eyes before she completely nodded off.
Arthur had said her name.