The Phoenix Court: Chapter Eight
Over the next few days, Prince Draco would meet Hermione in secret, sometimes in private corners of the library or under the shadows of the tall hedges of the palace maze. They would lose themselves in each other, tender kisses giving way to passionate caresses, and yet a feeling of sadness hung over the two of them. Draco often found himself lost in thought, trying to think of ways to tell his parents about his feelings for the young lady Granger in a way that they might accept. He ran through situation after situation in his mind, but in his thoughts, he would always end up with his father disowning him and his mother in tears.
He could never forget that he had a responsibility to his family. Sometimes he found himself thinking that it would have been easier for him if he could have found a companion in one of the beautiful daughters of the green supporters. He hated himself during those times and he realized that Hermione was someone he wanted for himself, not because being with her would bring him a step closer to the throne or because it was what Malfoy men did—they certainly didn't marry lower nobles. He wanted her because of who she was, her beauty, her bravery, and her kindness.
But despite all that, the constant worrying caused his pessimism to begin to bleed into his everyday life. He knew his lack of formal commitment made Hermione sad, she never said anything to him, but he could see it in her eyes. The fallen look when he let go of her hand when they heard footsteps approach them. The way she frowned when he turned from her when he was around his friends and supporters. He knew he was a coward. He wanted to toe the line, without stepping into either side, but he was hurting her. This couldn't last. He knew the time had come to make a decision. In his mind, he rationalized that everything would work out in the end. When he was the heir, when he had the power, no one would be able to tell him what to do. If he could succeed with this project, they would be together. There was no room for failure anymore.
He worked harder than he ever had before. Training harder in his battle magic and war games; attending every meeting with the king and advisory council, and spending more time in the potions laboratory with Snape and Slughorn. Draco believed if they could narrow down a powerful ingredient then their potion would fall into place. The two scholars scoffed at his naiveté. For someone so young, they said, anything looks possible until it isn't. He shouldn't be so foolish as to place all his hopes on the potion's success. It had become a point of an almost daily argument between him and master Snape.
"Why can't you believe in this project's success, master?" Draco said, running his hands through his hair in frustration, "We have been working so hard, trying so many different batches and ingredients. We can't fail."
"Just because we try doesn't mean we will succeed. Look at that fool Potter, he tries and fails at almost everything he does."
Draco hated when Potter was brought up during these conversations. He didn't want to be compared to him again. "That's different. I'm not Potter, I know how to use my head. He hasn't done anything except curry favor with the king and leads his friends into danger."
"It's not about doing or not doing, or just succeeding or failing. Think hard about why you're doing this. The King will see the difference. I say this out of love for your grace, but you're just as selfish as Potter. The invulnerability draught is for your glory, not for the sake of the people"
"I fought and bled for the people. My glory is the people's glory."
Snape shook his head and sighed. Sometimes it was so hard to talk to the prince. "You need to think about why you are doing what you are doing. Look outwards instead of just at yourself, or you will bring yourself much suffering"
Draco felt like he'd been slapped in the face. He knew he was selfish, he saw how his actions hurt those around him. He decided the time had come to formally declare his relationship with Hermione, but he still needed to win the support of his family. So he couldn't let go, this one act of selfishness, foolishness, and he could finally have what he wanted.
Snape continued, "I think you need to be open to the idea that failure in this is not a loss."
"It is a loss for me. I will lose everything if I fail this," He grabbed the sleeves of Master Snape's robes, pulling the master closer in desperation, '' Promise me you won't give up on me."
Snape gave Draco a long look, before sighing, "I promise, your grace. I am and always will be your loyal servant."
On a crisp autumn morning, Hermione was summoned by Master Lupin to the training yard for her first practical dueling lesson. She had borrowed her father's leather jerkin which had been enchanted with basic protection spells to wear over her simple woolen dress. She had thought about the practicality of fighting in a dress, but her mother wouldn't allow her daughter to step out of the family's apartments wearing a borrowed pair of her father's trousers. ("Oh! The impropriety!")
Prince Harry had agreed to be her opponent for the day. Lupin explained that she could learn not just defensive and offensive spells, but the movement required when fighting in battle. The scholar made them stand face to face, he instructed them to bow as per the usual dueling etiquette. "Now, Lady Hermione, lesson one. Magic is only the first part of dueling. You can have the best spellwork, but if you trip and fall into a ditch or freeze in fear, you're done for. Look at your surroundings and use them to your advantage."
Hermione did her best to absorb as much information about the training yard as she could in the brief time she had, but the scholar's words drew her back to attention, "Of course in a real battle etiquette and preparation mean nothing. You must think fast when on your feet."
Lupin smiled jovially at his two students and clapped his hands together, "Now begin!"
Hermione wasted no time and fired off a reducto, confident in her power and eager to show her skill. For his part, Harry didn't even blink but as if by instinct blocked her reducto with a powerful shielding charm.
He answered her with a stupefy. Hermione darted to the side to quickly avoid the stunning spell aimed at her head. The spell struck a tree and with a loud crack, fracturing the trunk. The prince was powerful indeed, she thought, but she would keep that to herself. "Is that the best you can do, your grace? Your aim is terrible!"
Harry responded with a smile and aimed his want to attack. She drew up a protego shield to block Prince Harry's expelliarmus. The shield rippled as it absorbed the brunt of the spell and remained strong, which Hermione noted with satisfaction. Again Hermione darted away from Harry, dodging another spell. She lost her footing and rolled onto the ground, but she quickly moved behind a large boulder she noticed earlier, just barely avoiding another expelliarmus charm.
"Good use of terrain, Lady Hermione! There is no shame in using it as a natural shield!" Lupin called out to her.
She took a deep breath, thinking over her next move. Her concentration was again broken as she saw Harry moving around her hiding place from the corner of her eye. But he was not quick enough for her, she had a plan clearly formed in her mind. She darted out from behind the boulder, aimed at the prince, and cried, "Avis!"
While Harry was busy fending off a flock of attacking birds, she cast a disarming spell of her own. Just at the moment her spell would have struck true, Harry cast a burst of burning flame which scattered the birds. The collision of the raging fire as it met the disarming spell caused an explosion which knocked the prince off his feet.
He landed on the dirt with a grunt and Hermione darted forward. She stood above the prince with a smile of triumph, but then his eyes met her and he calmly said, "You celebrate too soon, Expelliarmus."
Her wand flew out of her hand and into his. Her triumph faded into disappointment and she extended her hand to help the prince to stand. "Well done you two! Nice work, Lady, using your avis spell to create a distraction. But never assume anything in a battle, just because your opponent is fallen does not mean they are bested. Always be prepared for the next step. But all in all, a great first fight wouldn't you agree, my prince?"
"Yes! You fight well, Lady Hermione. Your spells have power behind them. That explosion gave me quite a bump," Harry laughed as he rubbed a growing lump on his head, "but your greatest strength seems to be your cleverness."
"Thank you, your grace. I'm sorry about your head,"
"No, don't let it bother you. This isn't my first bump on the head, or honestly, the last."
They all laughed, but Hermione continued to fuss over Harry. Lupin concluded the lesson and bid the two farewell, stating he needed to return to his research. The pair of them lingered on the training yard for some time. As the morning went on, the yard steadily began to fill with warriors and knights practicing their fighting and spellwork, the buzz of magic began to fill the air. In the distance, the pair spotted Prince Draco who was wrestling with the stocky Lord Goyle. Hermione couldn't help as a blush bloomed on her cheeks when Draco removed his shirt. She momentarily lost herself in admiring the toned muscles of Prince Draco's arms and abdomen. Harry coughed loudly and Hermione stammered and blushed in embarrassment.
"F-forgive me, your grace," she said.
"Don't apologize, Lady. You're not the first to lose themself in Malfoy's—ah—charms." Harry said.
He turned to face her, giving her a serious look. His eyes unnerved her, they were so clear and bright, she felt like she knew he would be the harbinger of bad news. Harry cleared his through once more and cast his eyes downward, "I—My Lady, I've noticed over the past weeks that you seem very close with Malfoy. It might not be my place to say this, but you are a friend, and I feel I must warn you against it."
Hermione frowned at him. She didn't want to hear this, not now. She didn't need someone's unsolicited advice that only served to validate the fears she herself had.
"Whatever you have between you. I fear that it cannot end well. Malfoy is arrogant and selfish, whatever is happening will surely end in heartache for you. Besides, his father would never allow him to associate with a lady of lower rank. He even looks down on everyone, including me."
Hermione was furious. Furious at his words. Furious that other people could see her worries and express her fears so clearly. "Forgive me, but how dare you imply that I am being used by him. That I can't be a good match for him. You may think you know him, but you don't know me. You don't know us. Whatever the future holds, I can handle this without your opinions, your grace."
Harry was startled by her anger and looked uncomfortable. He fidgeted with his hands and turned away from her. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to warn you; I don't think this will work. He's not right."
"Regardless of him being right, he is what I want."
Harry looked up at her. Her hair was a mess of wild curls and her cheeks burned red. She was determined and felt that she burned bright with conviction. Harry stood up and gave one last glance at Draco. He sighed and nodded.
"If you are determined, I won't say anything more. I'm sorry I offended you, Lady Hermione. Forgive me." With those words, the prince walked away, leaving Hermione with her thoughts.
As the year drew closer to the time of the harvest celebration, everyone from the common folk to the nobles busied themselves with working the harvest and managing its distribution. The King, princes, and advisory council were always busy and Hermione rarely saw her father or Prince Draco. At the king's insistence, even the scholars and warriors were encouraged to support the common folk who were reaping and tending to the harvest in the fields. Many workers who left the fields to become soldiers for the kingdom died or were unable to assist in the harvest. Despite the work, the time of rest was drawing near and on the eve of the harvest celebration, families lit roaring fires in their hearths and let them burn to ash to signify the end of the harvest.
After all the laborious hours of work, nobles and common folk alike gathered at Castle Hogwarts or in the other castles of great lords of Alban to light enormous communal bonfires whose flames stretched up to the sky and warded off malicious spirits. Hermione loved this time of year; she could feel the thrum of magic growing stronger as the barrier between worlds grew thinner. To her it felt like awakening from a long sleep, to see the world around her filled with new sensations and vibrant colors.
The people of Alban believed that around this time of year the barrier between the physical and spirit worlds broke and the dead and monsters walked the earth. To protect themselves guardian statues were placed outside houses and each family contributed wood for the communal bonfires, signifying the unity of the people of Alban.
The King held a grand feast and ball for the nobles and courtiers. Ancient tradition held that people would don disguises to frighten evil spirits, so everyone dressed in their finest costumes and masks. Hermione wore a gown of powder blue silk, so light and airy that she felt like she was draped in morning mist. Around her waist, she wore a girdle belt of beaten gold and encrusted in pearls, which shimmered in the candlelight. As she entered the ballroom, the musicians and bard struck up a jaunty song. Dancers gathered together to link arms and danced around the ballroom. As she bowed to her dancing partner, Hermione was surprised to see the masked face of Prince Draco, his silver eyes and hair giving him away. He took her hand in his and they danced around the room, much to the delight of the onlookers. "How refined their movements are," the crowd whispered, "The prince looks dashing and how beautiful the Lady is, like the faerie queen herself."
Hermione laughed in delight as Draco spun her around, his hand resting at her hip as he brought them closer together. She looked up into his eyes and saw that they shone just as bright as the stars of the heavens. She was so aware of his every touch, his warm hands at her waist, his warm body close to hers. What a blissful moment. They danced on with applause.
As the music ended they remained together, her hand still in his. "What a lovely dance, my faerie queen," Draco said and brought her hand to his lips.
They bowed to each other and Hermione moved to find a new partner for the next dance, but Draco tightened his hold on her hand. He gave her a wicked smile, "You have enchanted me. Parting from you now is such sorrow, Lady. Dance with me again?"
Excited titters came from the crowd as Hermione nodded. It was not customary for the prince to dance more than once with any lady. They danced the night away together, never leaving each other's side. Excitement gave way to gossip as the crowd tried to figure out who the Lady was who monopolized the prince's attention. He didn't look at or dance with any other lady for the remainder of the night.
Hermione realized he was making a declaration, letting the court know that they were for each other. All those days of hiding away in the shadows were done. She shined so brightly that night, so great was her bliss. Whatever the future held, they had made their declaration together.
A/N: Thank you so much for reading! I hope everyone had a wonderful week. Stay safe!