CHAPTER SEVENTEEN


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.

Q&A

We'll see the outcome of the riders being sent to Hogwarts soon enough and as usual, I've got it all planned out and I can't tell you anything without giving it away. And we'll start seeing Arthur trying to woo Hermione in future chapters, but will he be successful and will she fall for it?


Page count: 8


"Merlin, what are you smirking at?" Arthur asked, peering up at his manservant as he filled his goblet with ale.

"Sire?" He questioned innocently.

Arthur narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Merlin," he said, his voice lowering in a tone of warning.

Merlin's face suddenly split into a grin. "It is nothing, Sire, though I should warn you to prepare yourself."

"For what?"

Merlin didn't respond, he just grinned annoyingly and then stepped back into place behind his chair and into the shadows.

Arthur turned his focus towards his father when he suddenly stood from his throne, the banquet hall instantly falling quiet as all the servants, Knights and guests turned to him in their seats at the large tables.

"Thank you all for attending this evening and I apologise for the short notice period given. Tonight, you have all been asked to attend so you may help in welcoming a guest to Camelot. I have met with her briefly and I can say I have truly never before met a woman such as herself," King Uther spoke.

Arthur, who was sitting on his father's right, caught a quick glance of Morgana and Gwen sharing a confused look, before Morgana looked to him with a questioningly raised eyebrow. Arthur did his best to keep his expression blank though he must have failed as Morgana's face suddenly split into an amused smile. As far as Arthur knew, Morgana was not yet aware of Hermione's presence or her status as a Princess, the knowledge having been kept quiet so it may be revealed at the feast.

He wasn't looking forward to the teasing and comments he knew he would soon be receiving. Morgana never missed an opportunity to bring up the pretty physician they'd met in Ealdor and once she discovered Hermione's true identity, he knew it was only going to get worse. He'd have to do his best to avoid her.

"It is not yet known how long she is to stay in Camelot, but whilst she is here and for however long that may be, she will be treated as any royal and guest should."

Again, Morgana shot him a glance, a slightly suspicious look in her narrowed eyes as though she knew exactly who would be staying as their guest.

"Please, join me in welcoming from the faraway Kingdom of Hogwarts, the Granddaughter of King Godric of Gryffindor, Princess Hermione Gryffindor."

The large doors were pulled open by the guards, whispers picking up amongst the guests as they all waited for their first glance of the Princess.

Arthur had honestly never been more surprised and he'd never seen such beauty, as Hermione stepped out of the shadows and into the lit banquet hall. He was unable to find a word to describe her beauty and he felt his head swim with fog, his hands clenching around the armrests of his throne tightly and his breathing seemed to stop. He couldn't tear his eyes away from her even if he'd tried. If she'd been beautiful with messy hair and wearing a dirty shirt and breeches, then were no words to describe how she looked when she stepped into view.

The ruby-red dress she wore clung to her body in a way he'd never before seen. Though it wouldn't be considered inappropriate as only her shoulders and neck were displayed, the way it formed around her body as if it were a second skin, showed her feminine figure. Her hair, despite being the same tangled curls he remembered, no longer looked wild and bushy, rather it looked soft and smooth as it hung down her back with one or two strands framing her face. The tiara atop her head not only drew attention due to the rubies reflecting in the firelight, but it looked as though it were meant to be worn by her. Her face was relaxed, her features kind and soft and her hands were delicately clasped in front of her body and her large wolf stood proudly and protective by her side, his eyes taking in his surroundings cautiously but otherwise he remained calm.

She looked like a true Princess. And someday, she would be Queen. He was going to do everything he could to make it so.

He blinked in surprise when he found himself being stared at by the occupants of the hall, including his father who looked more amused than he remembered ever seeing him. Giving his head a light shake, Arthur soon understood why there were staring; it seems that in his daze he'd stood from his chair, all without him realising he'd done so.

Clearing his throat, he stepped away from the table and made his way down the aisle, his gaze locking with Hermione's as he approached. He came to a stop before her, bowing with his eyes holding hers and once he rose to full height, she curtsied. Once she was standing, his hand raised and he held it out towards her expectantly and seeing this, she brought her own hand to gently rest in his.

"Princess Hermione," he said softly, refusing to lose her gaze. "You are a sight to behold, the Gods themselves have never seen such beauty."

Her cheeks tinted pink and his mouth pulled into a smile at the sight.

"Thank you, Prince Arthur," she replied with a smile of her own.

He could feel the stares and hear the whispers and Hermione shifted uncomfortably, so he decided it best to get her seated. He stepped beside her and placed her hand in the crook of his elbow, his other hand coming up to gently rest over it as he slowly led her towards the royal table.

His father observed with a knowing twitch to the mouth and Morgana's eyes were wider than usual, her mouth parted in surprise as her gaze darted between him and Hermione, whether it was due to her true identity or the dress she wore, he couldn't be certain.

"I must thank you, Arthur," Hermione said quietly as he led her down the aisle and with her wolf at her side, eyes were darting between her and the large animal, as if just noticing it was there, and that was quite possible giving how stunning Hermione looked that evening.

His eyes flickered up to the tiara sitting atop her head and he smiled. "Every Princess is in need of a crown and I was unsure if you would have one."

"I appreciate the thought and it was incredibly kind of you, but I hope you know I cannot keep such a gift."

His brow furrowed. "Why?"

"It is too much, Arthur. I'm not one for material possessions and regardless of whether I'm a Princess or not, I'm not one for wearing such items of jewellery and I never have been. I shall wear it this evening as it is expected of me, but I cannot keep it."

They reached the table and Arthur paused, bowing to his father and Hermione curtsied beside him.

"You look lovely, Princess," his father spoke. "I confess, I have never before seen such a dress."

"Thank you, Your Grace. This is a style from my Kingdom, luckily, I had it hidden amongst my valuable possessions and it was undamaged."

"Have you met my ward, Lady Morgana?"

Arthur's eyes darted to Morgana, seeing that she'd composed herself but looked to be struggling to contain her amusement with the situation.

"I have," she nodded, turning her eyes to her and offering a smile. "It is a pleasure to see you again, My Lady."

"I assure you, Princess, the pleasure is mine," Morgana responded and Arthur hadn't been able to suppress his glare. "What is a Princess doing in a village such as Ealdor?"

"That is a long story,"

"And one for another time," his father interrupted, tilting his head towards the chairs beside him.

Nodding, Arthur led Hermione forward and to the chair that sat beside his. He released her hand and pulled out her chair, waiting for her to sit before he retook his own throne. When they were both sat, his father gave the signal and large platters of food were brought forward by the servants, first being placed on the royal table and once done, the other banquet tables were filled. Silence reigned until the King selected the food of his choice and then conversation soon filled the hall as his father turned to converse with Morgana and the guests began eating.

He looked at his options, seeing the platters of pies, bread, cheese and fruits, and the meats; chicken, pork and beef, some already having been cut and others being a whole chicken or pig's head.

He watched as Hermione reached for a second plate, one smaller than what was already before her and he raised an eyebrow in amusement when he saw her select some of the meats and some cheese, before bending to place the plate on the ground. Leaning back slightly, a laugh left him when he saw her large wolf laid on the ground as though it were nothing but a friendly dog, and quietly but quickly eating the offerings, him noting in amusement he chose the cheese over the meats first.

Hermione, hearing his laughter, turned to look at him with a smile and her eyes sparkling as the candles on the table cast shadows across her face.

"I promised Akela that if he would allow me to bathe him, I would sneak him a platter of cheese."

He chuckled. "I had thought you were jesting regarding his love of cheese," he commented.

"I wish," she laughed softly. "Cheese always works as a bribe; I have yet to see him refuse to do anything I wish if there is an offer of cheese as a reward."

"Are you certain he is a wild animal?"

"No, I have my own suspicions," she replied with a smile. "I believe he may be a spy in disguise, who wishes to gain my trust before he takes my life."

"I shall ensure the guards' rounds of the castle are doubled and that there are two guards positioned by your door."

"That would be appreciated, thank you," she nodded, playing along and he laughed, briefly noting that as she chose her own food items, she kept her portions small.

That was something they'd have to work on, he thought. He wanted her to be healthy and that meant ensuring she ate enough food so her eyes were no longer sunken and her cheekbones no longer stood out. They had plenty of food in Camelot and no matter how much she ate, it wouldn't affect their food stores even minutely, she wasn't in Ealdor where food had to be rationed and he'd have to remind her of that.

She reached for her goblet, her brow furrowing and her lips pursing slightly before she looked over her shoulder. In a flurry of movement, a young girl was stood behind Hermione's chair, looking nervous as her fingers fiddled with her dress –of which he knew instantly, was of a quality unbefitting a servant- and her head lowered. Arthur had never personally seen her in the castle, but he was certain he'd never seen someone so timid.

"Ginevra," Hermione sighed softly, looking as though she were doing her very best to keep herself calm and her voice quiet as to not frighten the young servant. "You assured me you are capable of handling your duties."

"I am, Your Highness," she replied meekly.

"Then look at me."

She hadn't snapped at the girl but it was clear annoyance was beginning to edge into her tone. Once the young girl lifted her head, her cheeks flushed pink and she bit at her lip nervously.

"I don't require your presence this evening."

"Your..."

"Ginevra, please. It is clear to me you are beyond uncomfortable, more so than I am and I didn't think that was possible. I'm very capable of putting myself to bed, I've been doing so for years now. You are excused for the evening and I shall see you for breakfast in the morning."

"Yes, Your Highness," the girl muttered, before stepping back and all but running out of the room, using the doors behind them that the servants used.

Hermione let out a sigh, pushed her goblet away from her and her head dropped into her hands.

"Merlin," Arthur called and his manservant was behind him, seemingly before he'd even finished summoning him. As much as Arthur teased and insulted him, he had to admit he could occasionally be quite efficient.

"Yes, Sire?" He questioned.

In response, Arthur gestured to Hermione's goblet with a nod of his head and Merlin was quick to raise the pitcher and fill it.

"Thank you, Merlin," Hermione spoke, her voice muffled as she still sat with her head buried in her hands.

"You're welcome, Princess," he replied, a grin pulling at his face when Hermione's head lifted from her hands and she scowled at him over her shoulder, her hand twitching as though she wished to hit him.

Merlin laughed quietly and returned to his position hiding in the shadows, all the while, Arthur had watched the interaction carefully. He realised they were familiar with one another. What was the nature of their relationship? Arthur remembered that Merlin seemed to know things about her, things that only she would be able to tell him, in which case, why did she tell him such things and when?

Hermione looked over her shoulder, sending Merlin a playful glare and he heard his manservant sniggering. Seeing the way Hermione's mouth pulled into a smile before she turned around, he felt his stomach twisting and it was in that moment that he realised, he was jealous.

He, Prince Arthur of Camelot, was jealous of Merlin, his manservant!

That most certainly wouldn't do, he thought with a scowl. He had to know the nature of their relationship. He wished to marry Hermione, he wished to make her his wife and Queen because he knew she would be what Camelot needed and he knew she would love and care for the people as much as he did. She'd caught his attention the moment they'd met and it hadn't been intentional on either side. The more he learned, the deeper he fell. He couldn't marry Hermione if she were in love with another man.

"You seem to be close with Merlin," he said, trying to keep his tone casual as to not alert her to his current dilemma.

He wished to keep his plans of him wanting to marry her a secret. He wanted to spend time with her, to show her he was worthy of her love and affection. He wanted her to feel for him before he made his intentions known. He didn't want her to think he wished to marry her to form an alliance between their Kingdoms, to get something in return. He wanted to marry her because she was kind and intelligent and brave.

"I quite like him," she smiled at him, reaching for her goblet and taking a delicate sip, a slight grimace pulling at her face at the taste of the ale and he couldn't help chuckle at her, despite her words unsettling him.

"You like him?"

"Yes, he reminds me of the people I grew up with. And he was William's best friend, which we have in common. It's bittersweet because when I look at him, he reminds me of people I love and people I've lost. My friendship with Merlin doesn't feel forced. With him, what you see is what you get, and that's what I like about him. He's not malicious, he's not sneaky, he doesn't want something from me. In the short time we've known one another and the few interactions we've had, I know I've found a friend for life and I can't help but trust him. I hold no care for the differences in our circumstances and I won't allow that to stop me from being his friend."

Arthur had honestly never felt more relieved. Listening to her words and the way she'd spoken them, it had been with a tone of fondness, as one might speak of a friend or family member, certainly not a lover.

He had no reason to be jealous of Merlin, and if she trusted him and thought of him as a friend and Merlin seemed to return the sentiment given the teasing he'd witnessed, he knew he could trust Merlin to keep Hermione safe should it ever be needed.

"Speaking of servants..." He said and understanding the change in conversation, Hermione let out a sigh, took a sip from her goblet, grimaced and then put it down on the table.

"Please, don't," she muttered. "Ginevra is not going to be my handmaiden for very long. It was generous of your father to give her to me, but you see, despite my blood, I wasn't raised in a castle with servants and guards. I was sent away for my protection and I was raised as a commoner, in a place no one would think to look for me. Despite that, I never wanted for anything and I received an excellent education. I was raised to be independent and to be able to do things for myself, so I am uncomfortable with having someone to aid with dressing and doing my hair and the like. As such, I have reduced the number of expectancies of Ginevra as anything I am able to do myself, I will. There is a slight problem in there being that she is quiet, she is unable to look me in the eye and she cannot pass me anything without shaking like a leaf. She almost burst into tears when I asked her to sit down whilst the seamstress was visiting, and the sound she made upon meeting Akela gave me a headache," she sighed, her hands coming up to rub at her temples and he found himself frowning in concern.

"She is too timid to be my handmaiden. I have a temper, you may not think it as you have yet to witness it, but I do, and I have been told it is quite terrifying. I work long hours as a physician and I see some things that are truly horrendous. That coupled with my exhaustion makes me irritable and when I am irritable, I can lose my patience quite easily. Ginevra will not be able to cope with me when I am in such a state. I am doing my best to remain calm, to remind myself that she is but a young girl, but that is only going to last for so long and I am worried that I will snap at her and she will burst into tears."

"Hermione, I will ensure you have another and more suitable handmaiden by tomorrow morning," he promised.

"That is kind of you, Arthur, but I truly don't need one. My duties for Ginevra are to simply bring me breakfast and accompany me into the city if I plan to purchase anything that I may not be able to carry on my own. I shall give Ginevra a little more time to grow accustomed to her new position in the castle and if nothing changes, I will release her of her duties and if I feel I would like another handmaiden, I will let you know."

"You are a Princess, Hermione, it is expected of you to have a handmaiden to aid with your day to day life," he replied, his brow furrowing slightly.

"That's what you don't understand, Arthur. I'm not one to do what is expected of me. I like to be unpredictable, I like to be different."

"You are certainly different from other nobles and Princesses," he commented, feeling proud that she didn't simper or bat her eyelashes to get what she wanted. That she truly cared for others and she put their well-being before her own.

She smiled at him. "Who wants to be normal? Normal's boring," she responded and he found himself chuckling at her.

As he watched her select a handful of sausages and reach down to feed them to her wolf, Arthur now understood that Hermione would never do what was expected of her. She said she was unpredictable and though that should worry him as he planned on making her his Queen and it was certainly not a trait you would want in a ruler, he found he liked it.

She'd certainly keep him busy and he'd never have the chance to be bored with her by his side. He just had to convince her to give him a chance to show her he could be the man she already thought him to be.