Disclaimer: I own neither Merlin nor Harry Potter.

A/N: This is the sequel to 'Past Meets Future'. Hope you like it! :DD

Snippet Seven

Title: A Hope, a Riddle & Destiny in the Making

Their arrival at the palace caused quite the stir among the citizens of Camelot. Try as they attempted to be discreet, the sight of the heir to the throne carrying an unconscious damsel in his arms became the topic for the day and weeks to come. It certainly didn't hurt that the dame was far too lovely in the eyes, dressed in clothes extravagant and unseen even in the prestigious kingdom.

Onlookers ogled and gossiped without shame that it was no wonder the news spread faster than wildfire, reaching the throne room even before Arthur, Merlin and his knights could take a step to the palace.

Uther Pendragon for one did not know what to think upon hearing the news.

He'd sent his son and his men on a mission to check what troubles the citizens of a neighbouring kingdom. As such, he expected Arthur to bring the usual boring reports and perhaps some news on the knights' injuries. Yet it seemed his son had accomplished way beyond his expectations if the gossips were anything to go by.

'A princess?' Uther thought with unbridled excitement in full view of a room of his chattering court officials.

The king cannot remember the last time Arthur consented to being near one, much less agreed to be close enough to touch one.

For all Arthur's many talents and gifts, Uther and the court had come to the saddening conclusion that the luck of finding a suitable bride just eluded the young prince. They had thought that it was the one thing shying him away from perfection.

Of course, this didn't stop them from trying to change their perceived fate of Arthur being an old queenless king. Uther had done his part, sending invitations to monarchs of nearby and far off lands in hopes that one of their daughters would be the one to break the curse of Arthur's bachelorhood. Yet all his effort was led in vain, and Arthur just became more adept at making the most ridiculous of excuses to avoid courtship.

Uther's favorite thus far was the one about a princess being part troll and planning to kill Arthur in his sleep so she can take over Camelot. To this day, he still does not know how Arthur came up with the perfect proof to the improbable accusation, bringing a witchhunter of all things. Uther had a head ache at trying to ignore how the witchhunter reminded him so much of his son's clumsy manservant.

Regardless to say, Uther was nearing close to wit's end thinking of ways to change the prince's mind about marriage. He couldn't very well permit to his son being single forever. What of his great hopes of seeing grandchildren running around the palace and calling him grandfather? Surely, the good God above would not let him abandon them. Uther was adamant to believe so.

He also would deny it if asked, but he would give up an arm and a leg or two if this would be the day that would break the long and tedious cycle of his failed matchmakings for Arthur.

Pendragons deserve only the best after all. And Arthur, his heir, deserves nothing less than a girl of equal stature. It's no one's fault that the only candidate to fit this requirement just happens to be a princess.

"Your grace," alerted one of his court members, interrupting Uther's musings. The hope in his tone reflects Uther's own.

"It appears Prince Arthur had returned to us with a royal guest."

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(Fast Forward)

For all his high hopes of Arthur meeting his future bride, Uther had to admit that this was the one that did not even cross his mind.

When Arthur finished reciting their rehearsed speech, his father's brows had already reached far high above his hairline.

"You're telling me that a girl-," his king father paused dramatically from his throne, scrunching his nose like he was about to sneeze. Arthur would have found it funny watching his father's face contort in confusion then settle into bewilderment before the words finally came out in a grunt. "…of all things, saved you, my heir?"

The judgement echoed in the whole throne room and Arthur, bless his soul, could only bow his head in an act of shame. He couldn't very well reveal that the girl just happened to have magic.

They still have no clue on where her loyalties lie or where she's even from for that matter. But her rescuing him should count for something, and if he needs to lie to his father to get her shelter under their roof, then he'll just have to bear his ego being knocked down by a few times.

He could just hope that by the time his king father lets him go, she's already woken and received the debriefing from Merlin. Sorceress or not, it would be for everyone's benefit if she goes with their made up back story for her to avoid his king father's suspicions of magic being at play.

Hurtful, his father's disappointment may be, but his demeaning words feel weightless compared to the embarrassment he felt when the knights laughed to his face their whole ride home. Just thinking of what he endured made Arthur want to cringe. It was his worst nightmare come to life, and his only consolation was that Merlin was too puzzled by the girl's apparent magic to join their teasing. Though even if he did join, Arthur was only more than ready with a rebuttal, the memories of the warlock getting his arse saved by Gwen and Morgana from Kanen's raiders still fresh from his box of memories.

A frown formed on Arthur's chiselled face at his line of thought.

'Huh,' he reacted internally. Since when did the knights' and Merlin's opinion of him start meaning more to him than his own father's?

Arthur blinked to keep his focus as Uther continued his lengthy tirade. His father was saying a lot of words, but Arthur had long perfected faking the appearance of an enthusiastic audience.

"…be that as it may, the girl is obviously a princess and should be treated as such," Uther finished at long last, and Arthur hardened his jaw to keep up the appearance of a properly chastised son.

Uther took one look at him and decided to end their conversation. "Have Gaius see her, and ensure that she's given with the best Camelot has to offer."

"Of course father," Arthur obliged respectfully, itching to see if Merlin's learned anything from the great dragon. "If that is all, then I would be taking my leave to see that your orders are properly executed."

At his eagerness to leave, Uther's eyes softened by the slightest bit he was capable of.

Arthur was only a step out of the courtroom when his king father's words made him pause if only for the fact that he had never heard him speak so mystically.

"Who knows son," Uther wondered aloud, "Perhaps being saved by a damsel is the sign that you've finally found your perfect match?"

Hermione was dreaming.

Ron was asleep, snoring inside the tent. But she couldn't fall asleep and opted to join Harry outside for a moment of peace.

These days, it feels like they have been deprived of it.

"What do you think is waiting for us after the war?" Hermione asks Harry who was poking their made up fire with a stick.

She caught the change in his breathing. She didn't like how his eyes turned grim.

A part of her knows what he must be thinking. He must not believe that he has a shot to see things beyond the war.

"I'm not losing you Harry," she tells him determinedly, taking them both by surprise when she turned and threw her arms to wrap around his shoulder, pulling his face to her neck. "I'm not. We're in this together. You'll never be alone, I promise you."

A sound half-chuckle and half-sob came out of Harry.

"You can't promise that…and if it comes to down to it, I'd rather you guys live and grow old."

"You're my family now," Hermione tells him, pulling away to hold his face in her hands, "Haven't you realized this? I need you Harry. I can't do this without you."

Harry's smile was painful. "That's why I need you to live for me. You're the only one I trust to be strong enough to take care of them. Ron and Ginny. They need you Hermione."

His hands found hers and gave both a squeeze before he pulled himself away. And when he stood to go inside, she didn't stop him but kept her eyes on his broad back and watched him wordlessly walk away from her.

'What about me Harry?' she whispered when he was nowhere in sight. 'Who would be strong enough for me?'

But just like every time she asked that same question, the only answer she received was silence.

Shivering in the coolness of the night as he stands in the vast expanse of the forest, Merlin really should have known better than to believe that the great dragon wouldn't be vague in imparting wisdom.

If anything, he should have expected it, given all their previous dealings.

"Who is she?" Merlin had asked, a simple question to which Kilgarrah had answered with a proud look in his eyes.

"The answer will come in time, young warlock. Then you will see, just what kind of role the young warrior is meant to play in the makings of a land and time too near yet too far from your own."

"Great," Merlin grumbled, throwing his arms up in exasperation. "More waiting and more riddles."

Kilgarrah laughed heartily at the dragon lord's impatience.

"Then I will tell you this, if only to appease your unease," the dragon began, sounding way too amused, it would drive Merlin mad if he wasn't already agitated.

He needed to know if she's a threat to Arthur. Somehow, Merlin doesn't think that she is, but he wanted to be sure if only so he could prepare and keep her from portentially hurting his friends.

"Do not be surprised if the young warrior burns so brightly in front of you and all of Albion. And when the time comes, I hope you would remember this one thing," Kilgarrah offered, pausing in what Merlin now knew was the dragon's way of letting him know he needs to remember the words for later pondering.

"All great stories begin with an encounter of souls, souls that united, will do things far bigger than themselves. For what is a legend if not the adventures of the craziest of minds? And what is a myth without magic and mystery? Yet these, young warlock, are nothing more than a tiny dot in the grand scheme of destiny, a little story in the cycle of life."

There was a soft knock on the door before it opens.

Sitted on the chair by the bed where the sleeping guest lay, Gwen turned to greet a frowning Merlin.

"How did it go?" she asks kindly.

Merlin responded by shaking his head. "I got crazy riddles, as always."

Gwen laughed but caught herself in time and stopped herself before she awakens the poor girl.

"Is she alright?" Merlin asks this time, taking his time to reach the foot of the bed.

Worry creases Gwen's forehead then. "I don't know. She was dreaming a while ago. She kept murmuring words, kept calling for Harry," Gwen divulges, looking up to meet Merlin's eyes. "Do you know who that is?"

"No."

"Well, whoever he is, he sounds very important to her."

"Maybe her family?"

"Maybe."

Silence covers them, broken only by a whimper from the sleeping girl.

"Harry, don't go," she groaned, eyes still closed as she called out the unfamiliar name. Merlin and Gwen exchanged glances, unknowing what to do even as the unconscious girl brought up a hand to grasp at air.

It was in her fifth utter of the name that Merlin won against his own suspicions, and made the choice to sit at the edge of her bed and take her hand.

"You're going to be alright," he tells her then, hoping that his words would soothe her even if she couldn't see him. "You're safe here. I got you."

A/N: So...how was it? :D