4. The Lady's Gifts

That night, Hermione slept peacefully. She didn't have to worry about school, or any attacks on Hogwarts. Early in the morning, she felt herself being shaken.

"Hermione. Hermione, we have to leave now," Harry said quietly. Hermione rolled over, and sat up.

"What time is it?" she asked, stretching.

"Early. Aragorn said that we had to leave early. Uruks are following us, or something like that," explained Harry. Hermione nodded, and began to roll up her blankets.

"Did you sleep well?" Harry asked, trying to break the silence.

"Yeah, the best I've slept in a while. I felt safe, like nothing could happen to me here."

"Nothing can happen to you here, or at Hogwarts."

"What about the Sorcerer's Stone, or the Chamber of Secrets? I didn't want to go back after that. I never told you guys that, but I was scared to death of what would happen to me the following year."

"But nothing happened. Everything almost worked out that year. Lupin and I found Sirius, and found out that he was innocent."

"But Peter escaped, and that led to Cedric's death the following year," Hermione added hotly.

"We'll talk about this another time. We really have to leave," Harry said quickly. He then got up to help Aragorn. Hermione rolled her eyes; Harry was avoiding the fact that she was right. Hogwarts might be the safest place in the wizarding world, but Lothlorien was by far the safest place in Middle-Earth. Next to Rivendell.

Everyone was ready pretty quickly. Something was off about Frodo. He couldn't seem to look anyone in the eye. The Fellowship, Harry, Ron, and Hermione all gathered by the shores of a river. One by one, almost everyone was presented a gift. Galadriel took Aragorn to the side, and spoke to him in elvish. Nobody but Legolas knew what they were saying; Galadriel was telling Aragorn about her granddaughter, Arwen. Arwen was dying, her immortality was gone, but Aragorn was protected by her love. Legolas was given a beautiful new bow; Hermione had never seen such a beautiful weapon. To Merry and Pippin, the Lady of the Wood gave them each a dagger. Frodo received a phial.

"May it be a light for you in dark places, when all other lights go out," she said to him. The phial looked like a light bulb, almost. Carved into the glass was a beautiful meaningless design. Sam received a small wooden box, and elven rope. Nobody knew what Gimli was given, for what could an elf give to a dwarf? To Harry, Ron, and Hermione, Galadriel gave them each a sword. To Hermione, she also provided a map of Middle-Earth.

"For I know that you are unprepared for your journey. May these swords prove good use for you," she explained. They accepted the swords, and bowed in thanks. It was uncomfortable for Harry and Ron to bow so much, but Hermione had explained that it showed respect.

Waiting by the shores were four canoes. Aragorn, Frodo, and Sam got into one canoe; Boromir, Merry, and Pippin in another; Legolas and Gimli in the third; and Harry, Ron, and Hermione in the last one. Galadriel also provided lambas bread for everyone. Legolas explained that lambas bread was sweet bread.

"One small bite," he said. "Is enough to fill the stomach of a large man." Ron laughed when the elf left. Merry and Pippin had had their fair share of the bread.

"Who's going to steer our canoe?" Harry asked as he placed his bag in the bottom of the boat, next to Ron's.

"I will," offered Hermione, coming up behind the boys.

"What do you know about boating?" Ron demanded.

"I used to go canoeing with my cousins. I had to learn how the steer, because they were too little. So unless you want to slow everyone else down, I should be in the back," she retorted.

"Fine, whatever," Ron muttered.

"Are you sure that you can handle the canoe, Lady Hermione?" Boromir asked. Hermione noticed the Scottish-burr in his accent. Aragorn talked the same way, only Boromir spoke with a thicker accent.

"I'll be fine. And please, no formalities. I prefer just Hermione," she replied.

"You'll be okay, Hermione?"

"Yes, I've canoed before. I also don't trust Harry and Ron." Boromir smiled.

"They are your friends. Why would you not trust them?"

"They don't know how to steer a boat, I'm afraid that they'd tip it or something."

"Hermione, I was wondering if you would tell me where you're from. I don't recognize your accent."

Hermione explained, "If you would believe me, we, Harry, Ron, and I are from another world. We were sent here for a reason by a friend of Gandalf's." At first, Boromir looked like he didn't know what to make of Hermione's story.

"A friend of Gandalf's? What, may I ask, is your task?" asked Boromir.

"To help you."

"Me?"

"Not just you, but the Fellowship, and anyone else you may encounter on the quest to destroy the Ring."

"We should go," Aragorn said from behind them. "Lady Galadriel said that Saruman has created an army, we need to leave." Boromir helped Hermione into the back of the canoe. Ron shot them a dirty glance, but Hermione ignored him. Harry and Ron got into the canoe, and they were off.

Hermione proved to be fairly good at handling the canoe. Much better then Ron or Harry. The Fellowship rode silently down the river. At one point, Aragorn pointed out two large statues on either side of the river.

"The Argonath. Long have I desired to look upon the kings of old…my kin," he said to himself, but Hermione, who was next to him, heard. Aragorn was starting to accept to fact that he was King. She didn't know if time had proved its worth, or if it was because of the Ring. Aragorn knew that if he had the Ring, he would fall to the same fate that Isildur had faced. Death. The statues were beautiful. They were hundreds, maybe a thousand feet tall. Each with a crown on their head, and an arm extended. As if to say, "Stop, danger lies ahead." It was true. Hermione knew the fate of the Fellowship. Boromir will die in battle, like a true man of Gondor would like to fall. Merry and Pippin would become captives of Saruman, and Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli would rush off to rescue them. Frodo and Sam will leave, continuing on the quest alone. Only to be joined by Gollum. The Fellowship's fate would be tragic, but only for a few months. They will be reunited in the end. Hopefully. Hermione didn't know if the books and reality would be the same, she could only prepare herself, and pray that things would stay the same.

Late that afternoon, they stopped for the day.

"We will hide the boats, and continue by night," Aragorn explained. Legolas began to talk to him in a low voice. Hermione pulled her bag out of the boat. In the process, her wand fell out of her pocket.

Sam picked it up, and asked, "What is this?" Hermione stole a glance at Harry and Ron, who both shrugged.

"My wand," she replied.

"Wand?"

"Yeah, it's what I do magic with."

"Magic? Are you a wizard?" Everyone was looking at her now.

"No, I'm a witch. Wizards are guys."

"So Harry and Ron are-." Started Gimli.

"Wizards. Yeah," Harry cut in. Gimli looked at him.

"Like Gandalf," Aragorn said quietly

"Yes and no," Hermione explained. "We use wands instead of staffs. Also, we have to go to school to learn how to use magic. We are the same though. There are some evil witches and wizards."

"Evil? How so?" Aragorn asked. He was trying to start a fire using the wood Merry had brought.

"Aragorn, I can get a fire going," Ron said, crouching down next to the man. Ron pointed his wand at the pile of wood, and said, "Incendio." Flames shot out of the end of his wand, lighting the wood on fire. Aragorn was shocked. This wasn't the same type of magic Gandalf had used.

"We will have to get used to magic, now. Gandalf's magic was different. As Hermione explained," he said.

"Gandalf didn't use his magic like Ron just did. He only used it when he needed it," Legolas pointed out.

"It's not that we use our magic all the time, we just know how to do a larger variety of spells and charms," explained Harry.

"Like what?" Merry asked. Harry now had his full attention.

"Your best bet would be to ask Hermione," Ron replied.

"Where is she?" Pippin asked.

"Frodo's gone too," Aragorn said. He looked around. "Boromir's not here either." Sam was now sitting up, looking around.

"I'll go find him," Aragorn offered, and he was gone.