CHAPTER EIGHT
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.
Page count: 6
"Enter," Hermione called, hearing a knock on the door as she prepared herself a spot of tea. She already knew who was on the other side.
That morning she'd woken up in her bed, which was something she'd found odd as she didn't remember walking home. Upon that realisation, she knew that she'd fallen asleep and Arthur must've carried her home and put her to bed. She'd blushed red at the thought. How many people could say they'd been carried by a Prince as they slept? Well, she could.
Shaking her head, she looked up when the door opened and as she expected, Merlin stepped in, his eyes watching her carefully, waiting to see if she'd ask him to leave.
"Merlin," she greeted softly, moving to sit at the small kitchen table and nodding to the seat opposite her.
Slowly, he crossed over to it, perching on the stool and accepting the tea she held out to him. Silently, she sipped at the hot liquid, allowing the warmth to ease the tension in her muscles and she relaxed, a little sigh leaving her.
"What is on your mind, Merlin?" She asked, after opening her eyes and seeing him staring at her.
He cleared his throat and shifted in his seat, holding the wooden cup in two hands. "You have magic." It wasn't a question but a statement.
"Yes, I do."
He took a moment to form his next response. "How did you know about me?"
"I saw you and you should really be more careful," she chided and his cheeks tinted pink, amusing her. Here she was, Hermione Granger, a witch from the future chastising the great and powerful sorcerer, Merlin. "I was rather impressed, weather magic is quite difficult to cast, that was, until you lost control." His blush darkened and she realised she was taking for too much amusement out of his embarrassment. "I did try to reverse it but you are far more powerful than I, so I had to be in physical contact with you. When our magic met, it melded together as one which would increase the power, but when you allowed me control, I was able to override your magic and end the spell. I doubt I would be able to cast such a weather spell, but undoing it is quite easy."
"How do you know I'm powerful?"
"I can feel it. You were born with your magic?" She asked and he nodded. "So was I," she stated and he looked surprised. "Those that are born with magic tend to be more powerful than those that aren't. However, you, Merlin, are far more powerful than any other I have ever met. I knew the moment we met you possessed magic and I'm quite surprised you weren't aware that I had magic, too. Most are able to sense when other magic users are nearby, so I can only assume you haven't been around many and are not yet able to sense such an aura."
"An aura?" He asked confused.
"Yes, every magic user has one. I'll show you." She put down her tea and held her hands out towards him, palms facing up and her elbows resting on the table. "Place your hands in mine," she instructed.
He gave her a curious look as his head tilted slightly and he reached out, his larger hands clasping around her much smaller ones. She immediately felt his power and her breath caught slightly as it sent shivers down her spine, her nerves seeming to fry with electricity and goosebumps breaking out on her arms. Taking a breath, she closed her eyes and focused, searching deep down inside herself until she found the beautifully crafted box that contained her magical core and she opened it, feeling her own magic rushing through her veins, bringing with it warmth and comfort. Hermione's mouth tugged into a smile and she let her eyes flutter open, seeing Merlin staring at her with his dark blue eyes being wide, his mouth slightly parted and his cheeks rosier than she remembered them being.
"It...Tingles, I can feel it running through my body..."
She nodded. "That is the feeling I get when around other magical practitioners, but I'm used to it by this point so I barely notice it, it's the opposite for me. When I don't feel it I know I'm surrounded by non-magical practitioners. As for you, it doesn't tingle, it feels as though I've been struck by a bolt of lightning. It seems to be stronger when we're touching."
She pulled her hands back from his though he seemed reluctant to release them, once more blushing when he realised what he'd done.
"How do you know so much about magic? How do you have so much control?"
"I had wonderful teachers," she replied.
"Teachers?"
"I attended a school that is specifically for children that are born with magic," she explained. His eyes widened, a look of wonder crossing his face and he leaned closer to her, almost knocking his tea onto the floor. He gave her a sheepish look and she chuckled at him. "The Kingdom of Hogwarts is home to a school for those with magic. Magic is celebrated and not outlawed. I attended this school when I was a child and they taught me most of what I know, everything else was either self-taught, gained through experience or trial and error. You, Merlin, although incredibly powerful, are still young and have much to learn in the way of controlling your magic."
"Would I be able to go to this school? Would they teach me?"
She frowned thoughtfully, looking to him. It was always rumoured that Merlin had once attended Hogwarts, it was the school that had helped him to grow as a sorcerer, but looking at Merlin now, he was too old to attend school and he had no control at all. That meant that Merlin most likely hadn't attended Hogwarts and that it was just, in fact, a rumour. And a good one, Hermione realised. If you wanted your school to be the most popular choice, a rumour such as that would only draw in students who'd want to learn from the teachers that had taught Merlin.
"I'm sorry to say, you may be too old," she said, a sad smile appearing at the way his face suddenly dropped. "Children attend between the ages of eleven and eighteen, at which they are considered well educated enough to go out into the world and practice magic on their own."
"If you don't mind my asking, how old are you?"
She nibbled at her lip in thought before a wince left her when she caught her injured lip. "Nineteen, I shall be turning twenty in a little over four months. Yourself?"
"I've recently turned nineteen, and Arthur turned twenty-one a few weeks ago."
Hermione raised an eyebrow, wondering why he'd mentioned the Prince but she didn't say anything.
"In any case, you must be careful but you must also practice. You will never learn to control your power and you'll never know what you're capable of unless you do."
"Why don't you come to Camelot with us?"
Hermione blinked in surprise and he looked just as surprised that those words had left his mouth, too.
She sighed and sipped from her tea. "I'm not sure I can, Merlin."
"Of course, you can," he argued. "You're here of your own free will and you can leave any time you wish to. If you come to Camelot, you can teach me everything you know about magic, you can be the one to show me how to control my magic. And I know Gaius will be thrilled to learn of the healing knowledge you possess."
Well, when he put it like that it certainly made sense, but still... She couldn't, shouldn't mess with the timeline in any way.
"I am needed here, Merlin. I cannot leave the people without my services," she replied. His hopeful expression dropped from his face until he was all but pouting. "But I promise that I will someday visit. At this moment in time, I need to process recent happenings. But if you should ever need me, I promise I will be there for you."
She stood from her stool and crossed over to her bed, pulling out a box from beneath it and rummaging inside until she found what she was looking for. After retaking her seat, she held her hand expectantly and once Merlin lifted his own, Hermione deposited a copper coin in his hand.
He eyed her curiously before bringing the coin to his eye level, scrutinizing it carefully.
"Should there be an emergency and you require my help, all you need do is hold that coin in your hand and clearly say, 'Nuntius,' at which I will be alerted on a coin of my own," she explained, holding the identical coin up in her hand for him to see. "Can you remember that?"
"Nuntius," he repeated carefully to get the pronunciation right and she nodded. "What will it do?"
Hermione smiled at him before muttering, "Nuntius" beneath her breath, watching as Merlin's eyes darted down to the coin in his hand as it heated up and they widened when, Hello, Merlin, appeared engraved on the coin before disappearing.
He looked to her and she chuckled at his surprised expression. "That's brilliant."
She smiled. "My friends and I used to communicate with one another using these coins when we were being tutored in school. Believe it or not, not all areas of magic are wonderful and interesting, some are actually quite boring and you struggle to stay awake for the duration of the lesson."
"Friends? Are these the friends you mentioned before?"
"Yes, Lord and Lady Weasley both possess magic, as do their seven children. Harry also has magic, as did his parents, Lord and Lady Potter. More often than not, magic is passed on to the children."
He looked surprised by the news. "So if I have children?..."
"Given how powerful you are, it will be highly likely they will be born with magic," she answered, but now that he mentioned it, there was never any record of Merlin having children. Why was that? Surely it would be documented given how powerful he was.
"And you?"
"Yes, it is likely any children I may have will be born with magic."
"And if you were to have children with another magic user?" He asked.
She eyed him carefully. "Then the children will most definitely possess magic," she responded. Giving how far back in time she'd travelled, the inbreeding hadn't yet started so Squibs wouldn't yet be an issue.
"Merlin!"
Hermione startled and Merlin rolled his eyes.
"I believe the Prince is searching for you," Hermione spoke, nodding to the door.
"I best go see what he needs. Thank you," he replied, standing from the stool and giving her a smile before leaving for the door, only he paused and turned around. "He loved you."
"I'm sorry?" She frowned.
"Will, he loved you."
Hermione's heart seemed to stop and then restart as she took a breath and blinked back the tears.
"Yes, I know. I once loved him in the same manner, but I grew tired of waiting. I have been in a similar situation before, and when I realised he was never going to admit his feelings, my own changed and I grew to love him as a friend. Life is too short, Merlin, if there is something you want, you should strive for it and never give up."
"Are you going to be alright here?"
"I shall be fine in a little while, I have plenty to keep me busy with my healing duties and helping to repair the damages done."
"Merlin! I don't have all day! Where are you!"
Merlin rolled his eyes and Hermione laughed as he gave her a smile and then left the hut.
~000~000~000~
"Arthur?" Hermione questioned with a smile as she approached her hut to see the handsome Prince leaning against the wall, looking as though he'd been waiting for her to return. She'd already said her goodbyes to Merlin earlier in the day, so she'd been expecting Arthur to show at some point. "Should you not be preparing to leave?"
"That is why I am here, I wished to say goodbye before we take our leave."
"It has been an eventful few days," Hermione responded. "In case the others haven't done so already, thank you, Arthur. Your help was much appreciated and thanks to your kindness, bravery and willingness to help, the village is safe again and we no longer have to worry about the children or bandits coming to steal what little resources we have."
He smiled. "There is no thanks necessary, Hermione. I wish to ask you something before leaving."
"Of course," she nodded, encouraging him to do so.
A nervous look flittered across his face for a brief moment before it was gone, almost unnoticeable but she'd caught it.
"Would you like to return to Camelot with us?"
Hermione's mouth parted in surprise. What in the name of Godric was going on with the men in this timeline? First Merlin and now Prince Arthur!
"I believe you will enjoy the city and I know you wish to help people; there are plenty of those that could use your kindness and talents."
"I thank you for the offer, Arthur, but I cannot leave Ealdor."
His face fell but he quickly covered it.
"I am still needed here; I am needed to help with the repairs of the village and the caring of the children. I need a little time to come to terms with the loss of William, and I know he would not wish for me to be sad, he would wish for me to celebrate his life, and I will do so once I'm used to the fact he is gone. I've heard tales of the beauty of Camelot and I do wish to visit someday. So, I promise that when I am ready and I'm no longer needed, I will come to Camelot for a visit."
He seemed to perk up at her words, a smile pulling at his mouth.
"Until then, Hermione," he said, reaching for her hand, lifting it and placing a kiss to the back of it. She didn't blush. She didn't! He gave her a bow and she smiled at him.
"Until then, Prince Arthur," she replied, curtsying and he chuckled at her. "And please, think on our discussions from last night. If they are your beliefs, then that is perfectly fine, but if they are your father's, then are you willing to make changes for the betterment of your people?"
"I will," he promised.
Hermione looked over her shoulder, seeing that the horses had been prepared and the Prince's companions were waiting for him.
"It seems they are waiting for you. Have a safe journey, Arthur. We can't be having you getting injured when I am not there to patch you up."
He laughed before giving her another bow and then he stepped around her, walking away, only he turned and walked backwards, his eyes locked on hers.
"I hope it is not too long a wait until our next meeting," he said, flashing a smile that had Hermione's head swimming.
Focus, she chided.
"As do I, My Prince," she replied.
She wasn't quite sure where those words had come from but she found she'd meant them, and she had a feeling she'd be seeing both Merlin and the Prince again, very soon.
