CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO


Summary: Finding herself one thousand years back in the past and in the legendary Kingdom of Camelot was something Hermione had never seen coming. But with no possible way back to the future and being stuck in the past, Hermione had no option but to form a new life for herself, and hopefully without changing the timeline. Unfortunately, matters of the heart cannot be controlled and she finds herself entwined in the lives of Prince Arthur and the great and powerful sorcerer, Merlin. Hermione x Arthur pairing.

Disclaimer: I do not own canon events and characters, they belong to J.K Rowling and the creators of Merlin, and the BBC. I am not making a profit from writing and posting this fanfic. I'm also making some big changes to the Merlin plotline so don't be surprised that nothing matches with canon. If I'm being honest, it's been years since I last saw the series, so I'm mostly going off what I remember and episode reviews and notes. And I've decided Arthur won't be dying.

AN

What? Three updates in a single week? Oh, how I spoil you. But don't get used it, I can all but guarantee the muse will soon be playing war with me so best enjoy these timely updates whilst they last.

I'm so happy that you enjoyed the twist and that none of you saw it coming. I guess that means I'm not becoming as predictable as I thought I was and I still have that wow/shock factor. I've always had it planned that Hermione be the reincarnated daughter of Godric and that he be the one to have brought her back, hence the reasoning behind not going into too much detail in the beginning as I'd always intended to reveal it along with his appearance.

Also, I apologise in advance as I just know you're going to hate me after this.

Q&A

PrincessSerenity96 – All I will say is that we are very close to entering into Merlin canon events very soon, in which case, both everything and nothing changes.

Blondie95 – I can't imagine her taking that comparison well, I dread to think how she'd show her displeasure but perhaps we'll see.


Page count: 16


The days had passed quickly for Hermione as she spent all of her time with Godric, learning more about his life and character as he did the same for her. He showed curiosity about her life in the future and whilst she always answered his questions the best she was able, she was sure to never reveal anything that might be too crucial or exposing.

Since Hermione had given a tale of war to those around her, she'd all but been forced to tell Godric of the war she'd face, being exceptionally careful with names (God only knows what he'd do if he discovered Slytherin's progeny was responsible) but seeing as it was so far in the future, there wasn't possibly anything he could do to change it, well, nothing short of killing Slytherin that was. And by telling him of the war, now if asked questions their replies would match, giving credibility and an extra layer of protection.

They spent most of their time conversing in her chambers, nibbling at little cakes and tarts and sipping at tea and they also took their meals in there, Godric only leaving when it grew late only to return the next morning after breakfast.

In such a little she'd been surprised by how comfortable she'd felt around him but she was beginning to understand it wasn't him per se, more his magical signature, his family magics which were a part of her, too. And in such little time, Hermione found it odd that she'd accepted the circumstances so quickly when usually it would've taken a day or so. She mused that perhaps it was his magic that aided in it, helping to calm her and free her of stress.

After several days of being holed up in her chambers, Hermione thought it time they go into the city, wishing to show Godric the partially built orphanage, the marketplace and the medical practice and free health care she'd implemented, something that had both impressed and surprised him.

And as they walked through the marketplace being stared at by the other patrons wondering who the unknown man beside her was, and being followed by three Knights and five of Godric's 'guards', he said something that snapped her to attention.

"The Young Prince cares for you," he commented casually, not looking at her but perusing the stalls and patrons around them.

"He is quite overprotective, annoyingly so, but Arthur is a good man."

"Hmm, one you might one day marry?"

Hermione halted to a stop and almost tripped on a stone before she righted herself, staring up at him in surprise.

"No," she shook her head, continuing in her steps.

His eyebrow arched and his mouth tugged into a smirk. "No? I do believe it has been many a year since I last saw a man being so protective of a woman. And I do believe that the murderous glare you set on him can only be perfected by a woman in love and who was mad at her lover."

Hermione froze once more before she released a tired sigh and with a subtle wave of her fingers she cast a Muffliato, Godric arching a curious eyebrow as he felt the pulse of magic settle around them but he didn't comment.

"My feelings for Arthur are of no concern," she replied, her voice void of emotion.

"Oh, so you do love him?"

Her eyes snapped to him. "Regardless of how I may feel or of how he may feel, it does not matter. Arthur and I can never be together."

"And your reasoning?"

She paused in her steps before she turned to face him, clasping her hands together and pressing them against her stomach, squeezing her fingers tightly.

"I have told you of who Arthur is destined to be and by his side, he had his Knights, Merlin and his wife, Guinevere. Guinevere is Lady Morgana's handmaiden and is destined to marry Arthur."

"Says who?" He challenged.

"History!" She snapped. "History states that his love for Guinevere was a tale for the ages and they married, unfortunately, they had no children and Arthur died in battle, defeating a dark witch! He is destined for greatness, he is destined to marry Guinevere and he is destined to die! I cannot interfere! The thought of him dying, of never seeing him again is more painful than a dagger to the heart. The thought of losing him..." She trailed off, closing her eyes, taking a breath and calming herself. "He is not mine and he can never be. For reasons that I don't understand, Arthur and Guinevere rarely interact. She once admitted that she couldn't stand him but that he has become more tolerable since meeting me. I have done everything I can to bring them together but it never works and I've since decided to stop trying in hopes they would come together naturally, but if anything, it has gotten worse. Merlin often speaks of Arthur's feelings for me, as does Guinevere and I know both of them believe that we will marry, even support it, but I cannot. It's impossible. He has to be with Guinevere."

He looked down at her calmly. "Well, if he has no interest in this woman your history states he is supposed to marry, perhaps he is not."

"He is! Nothing has changed!"

"Nothing except for you," he argued. "He cares for you deeply, I saw it when you fainted, when you were interacting during the feast, when on the castle grounds. You say you have done everything you can to bring him and Guinevere together but nothing has worked, perhaps it was not meant to. Perhaps he was meant for you."

"I'm from the future,"

He tipped his head, a smile tugging at his mouth. "But your spirit was born here, in the time of your legendary King Arthur. Do you not think it strange you arrived in this time and found yourself in the presence of your King Arthur, when you could have landed anywhere, particularly Hogwarts? Do you not find it odd that your King Arthur died fighting a dark witch and yet here you stand, a witch? Here you stand, a witch, in a Kingdom that forbids the use of magic? Do you not find it odd that you, a witch, have fallen in love with your King Arthur and his feelings are returned? Perhaps, Hermione, it is Fate. Perhaps is it your Fate that you marry Arthur and use your magic to help him defeat this dark witch, to birth his children and ensure he does not die so he might fulfil his destiny."

"I don't believe that, I can't," she whispered, her head lowering as she forced back the tears.

"But perhaps you should, little cub. You are smart, impressively so and I don't doubt Rowena would very much love to work with you, but you are young and there are things you have yet to learn in life, to learn about magic. When the Prince is nearby, how do you feel? How does your magic feel?"

Hermione nibbled at her lip as she debated answering his questions.

"Safe, cared for, happy. And my magic, I feel more in control when he is nearby, my magic sings to me. I often have dreams, I have since I was a child, dreams I cannot make sense of but I always know to be important and then I get the strange sense of deja vu."

"Excuse me?"

"Deja vu, it is a term that means one has an overwhelming sense of familiarity with something they should not be familiar with. Perhaps an item being broken and you could've sworn it had already happened."

"Little cub, the birth mother of your spirit was gifted with premonitions," he reminded her softly. "Whilst yours don't seem to be as vivid as you said you were unable to understand them, what you have just described sounds remarkably like the gift of sight. As you mature they may develop into vivid dreams, they may stop altogether or nothing may change. But are you saying you dream of him?"

"Possibly," she admitted, still trying to process what she'd just learned.

Honestly, after all the time she'd spent bad-mouthing Trelawney (which was well deserved, the woman was a nutter) and divination, here she was with the potential gift of sight. Fabulous! Could her life get any stranger?

"Then perhaps they are trying to tell you something. Fate is a powerful entity, and will always find a way. Whilst you have the spirit and magic of my daughter, you are your own person and character. Maybe your King Arthur needs you both, Hermione Gryffindor and Hermione Granger. There is every bit the chance he is not supposed to die but that you are to save him."

"I can't change history, it's one of our most sacred laws. History can never and should never be changed. There are fixed points in time that must happen."

"Oh, then what are you doing here in Camelot?"

"You brought me here," she snapped.

He arched an eyebrow, amused. "Yes, but only because my daughter died and my wife had a premonition of her return, something that motivated me to ensure that premonition became a reality. Fate."

"If Arthur doesn't die, if he has children, the current monarchy which I grew up with is quite likely to never exist. Queen Elizabeth II may never be born, may never be crowned Queen. Or Queen Victoria, Queen Mary, Alfred the Great, Henry VII, Richard III, George V, all Kings and Queens which may never ascend to the throne if Arthur lives."

"That is possible but it is also possible that she will be crowned and made Queen, as will the others and Arthur's bloodline may die out further into history, after several generations. If he is destined for great things, it is understandable that he is meant to be on the throne longer than he was known for being. Is it possible that after his death and his bloodline dying out, that a tyrannical King takes the throne and thousands suffer? Perhaps that will be prevented if he lives. It is Fate. Everything happens for a reason, Hermione. I have not spent much time with the Prince or you, I have not seen you interact the way others have, but I believe and trust in faith and in magic, and you should, too. I truly believe that you and Arthur are destined, I believe that this is a change that is meant to happen."

Hermione took a breath and gripped the fabric of her dress in her fingers.

"Let's agree to disagree, shall we?" She said, refusing to back down or listen to reason, perhaps when she was alone and it was quiet she might be able to calm her mind and run the possibilities, but not now.

~000~000~000~

"Now, I know I have told you of Charles and his brothers," Hermione spoke, a smile tugging at her mouth when one of the orphaned children on the street came from nowhere, hugged her around the waist and then ran off without a second glance. "But there is a reason I wish for you to meet them."

"Yes, you when speaking of them you had that same proud tone only a mother could have, Helga uses it often enough when speaking of her son," he replied amusedly, whether it was aimed at her or Helga, she wasn't sure.

"I can't help it," she defended herself. "I have always been a mother hen, something that was needed given the men I grew up with." He arched an eyebrow. "They were either running headfirst into danger, trying to put off their school work for as long as possible or being annoying, sometimes all three."

He chuckled, giving his head a shake.

"Ah, this is it," she said, gesturing to the small hut before them.

"This is it?" He asked horrified.

"Yes, we are working on plans to have a bigger building constructed but for the time being it does what it's supposed to and with the boys no longer living here, there is more space and patients may stay overnight should it be needed. There is one, in particular, I want you to meet."

"Oh?"

"Yes, Harrow, he is twelve-years-old and when I arrived in Camelot I accidentally discovered that he is capable of magic. He had no training or knowledge of magic before I met him and his magic is instinctual, more so for his brothers than himself. He does not practise the magic of the Old Religion, but our form of magics."

"That's interesting," he mused. "Is he the only one to possess magic?"

"Yes, his parents were non-magicals, Harrow is a Muggleborn. Since my discovery, I have been working with him as much as possible and he is a remarkably fast learner and his control grows by the day."

"The reason you are telling me this and wishing for us to meet is that you wish for him to attend Hogwarts," he said knowingly.

"Was I that obvious?"

"Yes,"

"Well, I suppose it is good that I wasn't hinting at subtly. Giving his age, he can attend Hogwarts and I know that with proper instruction and tutors he can thrive. The only problem I see in this is Charles. Understandably, Charles is quite protective of his brothers and I know he will not give permission for Harrow to attend a school which is so far from Camelot. He is going to take a lot of convincing."

"Leave that to me," he waved his hand dismissively. "As for his attendance, I know how important these children are to you and I will personally ensure that he is well cared for and he is treated with respect by both students and tutors."

"Thank you, I appreciate that but you should know, should anything happen to him, I will make the rest of your life so miserable that being under threat of a dementor would hardly compare to it."

He snorted at her. "You truly are my daughter in spirit."

"No, that was me, Hermione Granger."

Hermione came to a stop and quickly cancelled the Muffliato before the Knights and guards grew close enough to become suspicious about the strange buzzing.

"We shall be visiting my charges for a little while, perhaps you may wish to take a break."

The five 'guards' made to leave as if to do just that but the three Knights remained still and folded their arms over their chests.

"We are quite comfortable here, thank you, Your Highness," Sir Leon replied innocently.

Hermione sent a glare to Godric when he sniggered.

"Oh, honestly, why are you being so stubborn?"

"Stubborn?" He arched an eyebrow. "Not stubborn, Your Highness, smart," he corrected.

"There is only one entrance and one exit, they are both the same. Where am I going to go?" She folded her arms over her chest and lifted her chin.

"Whilst there is only one door, there are several windows and you are small enough to fit through them. I would not be surprised if you broke the glass to escape."

Hermione scowled, silently admitting that it had once been her escape plan but she'd thought better of it.

"Not when there are children present," she argued. "It has been a long morning of walking through the city, take a break."

"No, we're fine, our replacements will be along soon, we will take a break after they arrive."

Hermione made a noise of frustration before she turned on her heel and stormed to the hut, pushing the door open and stepping inside.

"Do you believe she would resort to such measures?" Godric asked the Knight.

"Your Grace, I know she would."

~000~000~000~

A week had passed since the arrival of King Godric and with the return of Hermione's personal guards, Arthur had felt more at ease knowing that Hermione couldn't wear them down or escape them as they knew all of her potential tricks, but also that Hermione did tend to listen to them when they expressed their concerns for her safety.

Hermione's visits to the city were more frequent and it was almost as though things had gone back to normal, except for the fact she always had King Godric with her, she'd yet to return to joining them for dinner and he'd yet to spend an evening with her.

Given that the two almost seemed to be inseparable, Arthur was quite surprised when he saw King Godric wandering the castle grounds alone, and seeing this he made a split-second decision and forgot his father's warnings as he followed after him, only making his presence known when they neared the suspiciously quiet guest stables.

"Prince Arthur," the King greeted, "What might I do for you?"

Arthur halted to a stop with a reasonable distance between them before he tipped his head in acknowledgement and fisted his hands behind his back in an attempt to not fidget or seem nervous. Gathering his courage, steeling his nerves and taking a breath, he looked the King in his eyes, so similar to Hermione's that it gave him the final nudge he needed to go through with his plan.

"I wish to speak about Hermione."

"Is she well?" The King asked.

"Yes, the last I heard she was tending to some business regarding the orphanage."

His mouth tugged into a smile. "She truly is a remarkable woman; I only regret that I did not get to see her grow."

"Yes, she is," Arthur agreed and then paused, choosing his next words carefully.

"Is there something you wish to say?" The King arched an eyebrow, looking amused.

"Your Grace," Arthur took a breath and then subtly stood taller, refusing to look away from his gaze. "Hermione is one of the kindest, most caring women I have ever met, regardless of her parentage. She is truly a one of a kind and I know she has done many great things to help better the lives of those in Camelot and I know she will do many more, my biggest hope is that she will be by my side when she does."

"Prince Arthur, please, Gryffindors are not known for being subtle, if there is something you wish to say, then do so."

"King Godric, I wish to marry your daughter."

Arthur wasn't entirely sure how he felt when the King showed no reaction, his face remaining frighteningly blank of any and all emotions. Even his father was not capable of such a thing and he was a man who rarely liked to show his emotions.

"Why do you wish to marry Hermione?"

Arthur barely paused to consider his next words, as they spilt freely from his mouth, trying to appeal to the King's own thoughts.

"Should we marry, an alliance will be formed and two kingdoms will be united."

"Prince Arthur," the King started and Arthur felt his heart constrict when he saw the King's expression. He was not pleased or impressed. "In my Kingdom and most importantly, my family, we do not marry for something so trivial as an alliance. We do not and are not known for marrying for wealth, for soldiers, for appearance or for the uniting of two Kingdoms. We marry for the most important thing all of. Love. My daughter is the most precious thing in the world to me, I would give up everything for her health and happiness. Can you promise me the same? Should I agree to a union, can you promise to protect my daughter even if it should mean your own downfall? Can you promise to fight her stubbornness regarding potentially dangerous situations? Can you promise to treat her with respect and kindness, to hold her above all else? To love her as she deserves?"

Arthur blinked in surprise before he relaxed his stance and allowed his arms to fall down by sides.

"Hermione is kind and compassionate, I have seen the differences she has made to the lives of those in Camelot, differences I wish I could have made but the council restrict my actions and there is only so much I can do. She opened my eyes to the suffering of my people, suffering I wasn't aware of and I have since been campaigning harder for change. The orphanage would not exist if it weren't for her, I'm certain many of my people would have died had they not received the free treatment she offered. My people respect Hermione and I know that she will do everything in her power to protect them should it be required. I know that despite her own opinions, she will be a Queen that is loved."

"Have I not already proven that I care for her safety? I wouldn't insist on so many guards for just anyone, even a noblewoman or visiting royal. Have I not already proven that I will do what is best for her safety no matter her disapproval or annoyance? And to someday love her as she deserves? Your Grace, I have never before experienced being in love but I know I would die for her safety. I know that when she is not present, I am irritable. I know that when I see her, her smile brightens my day and her laugh fills me contentment. I know that when she is with me, I am a better man. I only wish to be the man she deserves and I know that is quite the challenge, but it is one I am willing to attempt."

"Hermione is able to calm me, to offer words of advice or calm when needed and that is something a King needs in a Queen. I know she loves and cares for my people. I know she would fight to protect them. I know that with her by my side, as my wife and Queen, Camelot would only prosper. The moment I met your daughter in a little bandit-infested village, I knew she was someone special, but I never knew just how important she would become to me, how much I would grow to need her. Your Grace, you won't ever have to worry about your daughter's safety in Camelot. She will always be protected whether it is by her wolf, her personal guards, my Knights or myself. You won't ever have to worry about her well-being as she will always be cared for and treated with love and respect. You won't ever have to worry about her being unloved for I swear on my sword, on my crown and on my honour as a Knight, I do love your daughter. And should you agree to a union, I will promise that I will love her until my last breath."

Arthur held his breath as King Godric narrowed his eyes slightly, straightened his stance and his hand came to rest on his sword as his head tipped to the right slightly, his gaze seemed to be analyzing him carefully. Arthur almost took a step back both under his unrelenting and when King Godric took a step closer to him, but he held his ground, not wanting to show fear or uncertainty. His hand fell from his sword and he raised it until it grasped his shoulder, not so much pressure that it hurt but certainly enough that he felt it. Arthur realising that although King Godric was shorter than him, his shoulders were broader and his hands were massive.

"That is the answer I needed."

Arthur released a slow breath and allowed himself to relax, almost slumping where he stood.

"I did not want the response of a Prince but the response of a man who will love and care for my daughter. Whilst I have not witnessed many interactions between you and my daughter, the few that I have seen soothe some of my concerns. You are lucky to have servants that are so loyal to you, Young Prince. I confess that during my time walking the grounds of the castle, I have deliberately sought out those closest to both you and my daughter, your manservant Merlin could not sing you enough praises." Arthur felt his eyes widen a little in surprise. "And I also confess that I was quite aware of your desire to marry my daughter, I was simply waiting for the subject to be brought into conversation and I did wonder if it would be you or your father that announced your wishes. I admit that I am pleased you were man enough to speak to me yourself. Gryffindors value courage above all else."

"Do I have your permission to make your daughter my wife and future Queen of Camelot?" Arthur asked, unable to hide the hopeful tone to his voice.

"You have my permission, however..." Arthur felt his hope plummet to the ground. "I am not like most men. As I said, my family marries for love and nothing else, it is for that reason I cannot choose a husband for my daughter. It would be immoral of me to deny Hermione the choice of accepting or rejecting your proposal. Should she wish to marry you, then you have my blessing. Should she wish to reject you, I will support her decision and I will not force her into marriage. The decision is solely hers."

"I understand, Your Grace," Arthur replied, feeling some relief but it was overpowered by his nerves.

"You must bring your wishes to her yourself and once you have her answer, if she accepts, I will speak to your father."

~000~000~000~

"Enter," Hermione called, not taking her attention away from her task of sweeping the stone floor of her chambers.

When the door opened and closed, Hermione peeked over her shoulder and a smile tugged at her mouth at the sight of Arthur watching her horrified.

"Good morning, Arthur," she greeted.

"Hermione, what are you doing?"

"I thought that was quite obvious," she replied, giving an exaggerated sweep of the bristles against the ground, a small cloud of dust gathering before it settled.

"But... Where is Ginevra? As your handmaiden, it is her duty to ensure the cleanliness of your chambers."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Arthur, not only am I a relatively clean person as I can pick up my own clothing from the ground or return items to their correct place of holding, but I am quite capable of sweeping the floor. As for Ginevra, she has not been my handmaiden for quite some time."

"Excuse me?" He questioned in surprise.

Hermione, after sweeping the little dirt in the room into a pile, placed the sweeping brush off to the side, leaning it against one of her cabinets before she dusted her hands on her dress.

"She is no longer my handmaiden," she replied.

"For how long have you been without a handmaiden and why did you not tell me so I might have arranged for a new one?"

"Well, I did not tell you for that very reason. I do not need a handmaiden. I am quite capable of changing my own bedsheets, of making my own bed and cleaning my own chambers. I don't need someone hovering around me, getting in my way and testing my patience. I gave Ginevra as few responsibilities as possible and it was too much for either of us to handle. As for breakfast, Gwen has been a big help in bringing it to my rooms before she tends to Morgana, as I wake quite a bit earlier than she does."

"Hermione, you need a handmaiden," he argued.

"No, I don't. I have not had one for approximately six weeks and you did not notice. I enjoy doing things for myself, it is how I was raised, to depend on no one but myself."

Arthur knew when to back down but he'd be sure to bring the subject up again in the future. "What did she do that you finally dismissed her?"

"Several things, she scared some of the children with her constant whimpering, she angered Akela when she stepped on his tail and it took quite the effort to calm him and prevent him from biting her. She also destroyed one of my dresses when washing it and she set fire to my bedsheets, all in a single day."

Being speechless, Arthur simply stared at her before laughter fell from his lips and Hermione's soon joined. Arthur had always thought Merlin was clumsy and useless, but he'd never been so bad to have made the mistakes Hermione's handmaiden had. It was no surprise she had been dismissed and if he were being honest, if the roles were reversed, he wouldn't have been as patient as Hermione.

"My life has been quite peaceful without her cries and Akela seems to be more relaxed, it is for the best," Hermione said after her laughter had calmed. "Anyway, what can I do for you this morning?"

"I was hoping you might join me on a walk around the grounds, we haven't spent much time together since the arrival of your father."

"Yes, it has been quite the experience, hasn't it?" She sighed, looking tired. "I believe a walk is exactly what I need," she nodded. "Akela," she called, looking to the wolf tangled in a pile of blankets. "Are you staying here or coming with us?"

Arthur chuckled when the wolf opened a single eye before closing it again, rolling over onto his back and scratching it against the ground before he turned onto his side, facing away from them.

"There is no need to be so rude," Hermione scolded before she headed for the door, opening it and stepped out, seeing her guards stood on either side of her door. "Michel, Emerick, I'm going to accompany Arthur on a walk through the grounds."

Her personal guards looked to one another and that back to her. "You won't leave the castle walls?" Asked Michel.

"No,"

"No?" Echoed Emerick.

"No, I'm not a child and I'd appreciate it if you did not treat me as such," she narrowed her eyes.

"Then perhaps you should not behave like one," he replied, his face blank.

Hermione gasped and she raised her pointer finger as though she were about to start an argument so Arthur intervened, stepping between them, placing his hand on Hermione's shoulder, turning her to face the opposite direction and gently nudging her forward. Thankfully, she didn't fight and as they walked down the corridor, Hermione speared them with a glare over her shoulder and Arthur followed it with an amused raise of his eyebrow.

"How are you finding things with your father?" Arthur asked, their conversation turning to something more personal now that they were away from the castle where most of the staff could be found.

"It has been difficult to come to terms with it, if I'm honest. I wasn't expecting to ever see him again, let alone discover that my father was not my father but my brother, and my Grandfather was not my Grandfather but my father," she replied, Arthur noting that she didn't stumble over the word as she once did. "I was told many stories of him growing up and now that I've met him, he is not what I was expecting."

"In what way?"

"I'm not sure I can accurately describe it," she frowned, her lips pursing in thought. "He's just not what I was expecting... But I've spent the majority of my time since his arrival with him and although I felt overwhelmed and confused and uncomfortable, now, I've grown quite used to his presence and I know I'm going to miss him when he takes his leave but he's sworn to always be there for me when and if I need him."

"He is your father, it is only natural he wishes to be in your life no matter the distance that will separate you," he commented, Hermione nodding absentmindedly.

"Where are we going?" She asked.

"There is something I wish to show you," he replied.

Hermione turned to look at him. "I thought I had seen the grounds of the castle. Are you keeping things from me, Arthur?"

"Maybe," he replied, giving her a smile and tilting his head slightly.

As they neared their destination, Arthur felt the nerves fill him and he had to fold his hands behind his back to stop him from fidgeting and from digging his nails into his palms, and he allowed Hermione to lead the conversation, speaking of her charges and the progress of the orphanage which was almost complete.

As they passed a selection of trees, Arthur's eyes darted about in search. Whilst his plan didn't require this particular step, he felt it necessary if only to calm his own nerves. When he saw her, ducked behind a wagon as the servants removed the grown vegetables from the vegetable patches and placed them in the wagon to be taken back to the castle for the use of the kitchens, he released a sigh of relief.

"Would give me a moment, please?" He asked Hermione as he halted to a stop. She stopped beside him and though she looked a little confused, she nodded, giving her consent.

He smiled at her before he turned and walked briskly towards the wagon, looking behind him to see that Hermione's attention appeared to be on the sky, he ducked behind the wagon.

"Everything is as planned," Guinevere told him.

"And you are certain it is ready?"

"Yes, I paid a visit this morning just to be sure," she nodded, a smile tugging at her mouth when she saw his frazzled state as he ran a hand through his hair. "Arthur, please, you must calm down. She will suspect something is wrong if you continue to act so strangely. I might not know the Princess as well as you but there are things she has confided in me that she has not you."

"What? Why?" He frowned.

She smiled amusedly. "I am a woman," she answered simply. "Now, you must return to her. Take a breath, calm yourself, put a smile on your face and give her these." She produced a bouquet of red and yellow flowers tied with a golden ribbon. "The vendor has promised to send the remainder of his stock to the castle once the marketplace closes, I will be sure to wait by the entrance yard so I might have them brought to the Princess' rooms. Everything is as planned, now, go."

She shooed him with her hands and though he felt quite annoyed at the action, he cleared his throat, gripped the bouquet a little tighter and then he stood and slipped away from the wagon, ignoring the surprised and curious glances of the workers around them. As he approached Hermione, he peered over his shoulder to see Guinevere watching and when she saw him do so, she give him a smile and an annoying shooing gesture of her hands. Grumbling to himself, he closed the distance between him and Hermione and she turned to face him after hearing his approach, a smile pulling at her face when she saw the bouquet in his grasp.

"For me?"

"Of course, Princess," he replied, halting to a stop and then bowing.

He felt some of the nerves leave him when she smiled and took the skirts of her dress in her hands, curtseying to him. Rising to full height, his smile widened when she accepted the bouquet, burying her nose against the petals and inhaling their scent, her cheeks blooming a lovely shade of pink. That was one of the things he loved most about her. No matter how many books he gifted her or flowers he gave her, she always blushed.

They continued on their walk for a little while longer and when he heard the rushing water of the stream, his heartbeat picked up and his insides twisted uncomfortably and he halted to a stop.

"Arthur?" She questioned, her head tipped to the side and the bouquet of flowers gripped between both of her hands.

He took a breath. "Do you trust me?"

"We have been over this before, Arthur. Yes, I trust you, implicitly so."

"Good," he nodded once, "Will you close your eyes, please?"

She gave him a suspicious glance but did as he asked, Arthur gently lifting her arm until she released her grip on the flower bouquet and then he tucked her hand into his elbow, guiding her forward. Minutes later after Hermione's curious questions and Arthur's unhelpful responses, they finally reached their destination.

"Open your eyes, Hermione," he instructed softly.

Her eyes fluttered open and a sudden gasp fell from her lips, her eyes widened and she dropped the flower bouquet to the ground in surprise.

She stood before a large area filled with nothing but flowers all kinds, sizes and colours, certainly more flowers than she ever remembered seeing in one place. It was all cordoned off by a wooden fence with a large ornate archway marking the entrance, vines wound around the structure. A stone pathway began at the archway and continued straight down the middle until it stopped right before a large wooden bench with a high arched backrest and curved armrests. Trees were dotted throughout the garden, birds could be heard calling and seen flying to and from their nests, insects could be seen flittering about and the flowers in their beds blew softly in the breeze, the soil looking a little damp meaning they'd been watered recently as it hadn't rained in the last few days.

Arthur's eyes darted nervously between Hermione's reaction and the garden before him, being quite impressed with the results. After witnessing Hermione's disappointment at discovering the lack of a garden on the castle grounds, ever since that day all those months ago, Arthur had planned for the installation of a garden created solely for her. After months of work and carefully importing flora species that weren't native to Camelot, it was complete. He was certain it would be considered simple compared to other gardens, but simple was something Hermione appreciated.

It was only the day before when he'd received word of its completion and with that, came the idea of revealing his secret to Hermione, thinking the garden would be the perfect place. And now, three days after his conversation with her father, he planned on doing just that.

"I don't understand," Hermione spoke, her voice quiet and soft. "You said you didn't have a garden."

"That was true," he nodded, guiding her forward, under the archway and into the garden, an insect flying past their faces and almost bumping into them. "So, I had one installed for you."

"For me?" She repeated in disbelief. She'd yet to look at him unable to take her eyes from her surroundings.

"Yes, for you," he confirmed. "Think of it as a gift."

"A gift for what purpose?" She finally turned her eyes to him, her tilting back to keep their gazes locked, sparkling brown to bright blue.

This was it.

"If you accept, a wedding gift."

"Excuse me?" Her voice squeaked, her eyes rounding like a plate and she removed her hand from being tucked in his elbow, taking a half-step back but turning to face him.

He reminded himself of King Godric's words. There is nothing more a Gryffindor valued more than courage, so he gathered his.

"I knew from the moment we met you were special and when I returned to Camelot, try as I might, I could not forget about you, you were always in the back of my mind. As since your arrival in Camelot, not only have my people benefited from your kindness but I can honestly say I have never been happier. You are strong and kind and fierce. You are intelligent and stubborn and maddening. But these qualities are what I love most about you. You're not afraid of being yourself around me, you're not afraid to tell me what you think or feel no matter if it may hurt my feelings or if it's what I need to hear. I know that with you by my side, I will be a King Camelot can be proud of and I know you will be a Queen than will protect and love my people. You once confessed that you were afraid you would be alone forever, that you would live a life without love, but should you agree to be my wife, I swear on my sword, my crown and my honour as a Knight to always ensure your safety, your health and your happiness. I swear to always love you, respect you and you treat with kindness. I once said there would be a man that despite him feeling unworthy of you would love you with everything he had but when I said that, I was speaking from my heart. Hermione, I love you."

He wasn't entirely certain what he'd been expecting as a reaction from her but it most certainly wasn't for tears to well in her eyes and with the agonised expression that filled every part of her face, he knew they weren't tears of happiness.

~000~000~000~

"I love you."

The words swam through her brain until she felt dizzy and she felt the sting of tears in her eyes but the more she tried to fight them, the harder it became and she lost the battle, hot, fat tears streaming down her cheeks as her heart clenched painfully and her stomach knotted.

He wanted her to be his wife! He was officially asking her for her hand in marriage! She knew Arthur, there would be zero chance of him asking her if he didn't have permission from his father and Godric, too. She was going to kill him! Why didn't he warn her this was coming? She asked him, told him not to get involved.

Ever since her discussion with Godric regarding Fate, Hermione had spent every night since mulling over their words, trying to remain biased in her thoughts but almost every night she became frustrated and cried herself to sleep, Akela allowing her to cling to him as she soaked his fur with her tears and snotted and sniffled all over him.

As the nights passed she was slowly allowing herself to hope, to think that maybe it was possible. Godric was right; there were an awful lot of coincidences that had occurred that had put her in the path of Arthur, that had brought her to Camelot. She was young and still learning the ways of magic, still trying to understand the way it worked despite knowing it was an impossible feat. Magic was magic, it could not be explained or understood. Why had she been deposited in Ealdor when it had been intended for her to arrive at Hogwarts? It was quite the coincidence that it happened to be the birthplace of Merlin of who would later bring Arthur along, and they would meet. Why didn't Arthur and Gwen have any form of a relationship? No matter what she did or how she planned and schemed to get them together, nothing seemed to work and if anything, it had backfired. They barely interacted.

Hermione was not the type of person to easily fall in love and despite that, she'd fallen head over heels for Arthur no matter how hard she had tried to stop it and no matter how hard she fought her feelings. She had long since come to terms with her feelings but she'd had no intentions of acting upon them, silently waiting until the inevitable happened and Arthur fell for Gwen, but the longer she was in Camelot, the less she believed it would happen.

And after analysing all of this whilst she sobbed into Akela's fur, she'd allowed the hope within her to grow that maybe, just maybe, Godric and Merlin had been right. Maybe it was Fate that she marry Arthur, save him from death and ensure his line continues for however long that may be. Maybe it was written in the stars. But even if that were so, there was still one big, glaring problem.

"Hermione?" Arthur question, his voice and expression concerned and when he reached for her, she took a step back, Hermione feeling as though she'd been stabbed in the heart when she saw the look of hurt that flashed through his eyes.

"I... I can't marry you, Arthur," she shook her head.

"Why? I understand that you might not love me yet but..."

"Arthur, it is not because I do not love you... It's because I can't. I can't be your wife, your father would never allow it."

"My father," he frowned in confusion. "Hermione, my father has known about my wish to marry you from the beginning. He was the one that sent a missive to your father, stating our wish for a union between our Kingdoms. He approves. I have known for a long while that I wished to marry you and when I admitted my feelings to my father, I already cared for you very deeply but it wasn't until after the abduction when we'd returned to the castle, that I finally understood that I loved you."

"Arthur," Hermione sniffled, reaching up to wipe away her tears only for more to fall. "You don't understand and I wish I could tell you but I can't... I'm terribly sorry but I can't marry you no matter our feelings. I hope that you can forgive me and I hope you find someone who is truly deserving of you and the man I know you to be."

She tore her gaze from his and turned, barely taking a few steps towards the archway when she heard him speak.

"Hermione..."

It wasn't his voice that had her halting to a complete standstill, that had her heart pounding in her chest and bile rising up her throat. No, it was his words.

"I know you have magic."