Disclaimer: I own neither Merlin nor Harry Potter.

Snippet Eight

Title: Friends, Frenemies & Unexpected Finds

Cold, tireless days of fruitless searching all ended with an exclamation from Sir Gwaine.

"I need to wash my socks! I totally forgot I left them stinking inside the bin!"

Arthur, Merlin and the knights all froze in their tracks before turning to gape at him, their looks varying from mild confusion to horror.

The first to catch his jaw drop was Percival. "Are you sick mate?"

"What's wrong with Gwaine? Is he enchanted?" teased Elyan, earning a chorus of laughter from their mates as they watched the knight in question hurry back to the direction of Camelot.

But the weirdness didn't stop. Sir Gwaine had taken twenty steps away before he stopped and scratched his head, loudly wondering what in the world he was doing.

"O-kay, I know it's Gwaine but that's a whole new level of odd even for him," commented Leon.

The situation only grew more suspicious from there as more and more of them began to remember a chore they've apparently forgotten.

"Oh, I just remembered I promised Gwen I'll help her patch up the hole in the ceiling. How can I forget?"

"I must return a book I borrowed from the library!"

"I forgot to water the plant!"

"I left the fire burning!"

"My chameleon needs to be fed!"

"You don't have a chameleon!"

It's when Arthur made a comment about cleaning his unpolished boots that Merlin pulled him back by the cape, realizing something was definitely wrong.

The warlock's eyes traced back to where his friends were standing before they started spouting nonsense. A thoughtful look fell on his face as he walked to the exact spot only to startle back at the blast of magic that hit him.

Arthur, who was standing a few steps away, was quick to move and steady him.

"What was that?" the prince asked with concern, already drawing his sword and ready to attack, his movements copied by the knights circling around them.

To their confusion, Merlin's face morphed into a huge grin that contradicted how exhausted and ragged he looks before laughing loudly like a mad man who had finally cracked.

"Oh Hermione, you brilliant witch you! It's magic!"

"What?"

"Don't you see? Every time one of you go near that spot, you suddenly remember chores you're not even supposed to do! The only explanation I can think of is brilliant magic!" Merlin explained excitedly, amusing the knights as he was practically bouncing up and down in his steps. "She must have placed some kind of ward to guard the place."

Athur's and the knights' faces brightened, followed by a chorus of relief.

"FINALLY!"

"Come on, then! Let's keep searching. She's got to be nearby!"

The last time she disappeared with no contact to anyone, she was trying to find her family.

They had finally won the war. Voldemort was defeated and the Boy-Who-Lived lived again to tell the tale.

The Wizarding World was finally at peace. Everyone around her was rejoicing.

Hermione escaped in the middle of the celebration in the Burrow to pack her things and leave on a flight to Australia.

But of all the things she expected to see when she got there, the sight that greeted her didn't even cross her mind.

"Helen, who is it? I don't remember expecting a visitor," Harrold Granger's voice echoed from inside the cosy picket fence house while Hermione remained standing frozen, speechless at seeing her mum balance the unfamiliar baby strapped to her hip while holding the door open for her.

"Hold on a second dear, and get the milk ready! I think the baby's getting hungry," Helen shouted to her husband before turning to her.

"Um, who are you miss? Did you have an appointment? I'm sorry but the dental clinic is closed temporarily until further notice," she apologized kindly. "We just got this precious thing, you see," she added for an explanation, cooing at the babbling infant who was now sucking at her thumb.

Hermione gulped and tried to still her own heart and keep it from threatening to burst out of her chest with so much emotion. "Yes, ahm, yes," she forced out the words. "She sure is precious. What's her name if I may ask?"

Helen turned to her with a full blown smile then, her happiness reflected in the chocolate brown eyes Hermione missed so much.

Hermione suddenly felt like she's looking at a different person. She couldn't remember a time when her mother had looked so happy, so content that her smile lit up her whole face.

"Her name's Cordelia from King Lear. My husband and I are both fans of Shakespeare, you see. And when we saw this precious thing at the orphanage, it just clicked like she's always meant to be part of our little family, like she's the one thing missing to complete us."

Hermione almost lost her lunch at her mum's confession. It was a good thing her reflexes had her leaning on the wall before her legs totally gave up on her. "I see," she choked out.

"Oh dear, are you alright?" Helen asked, eying her worriedly, both her arms wrapped around her new daughter.

Harrold's footsteps came fast approaching then, but Hermione was too numb to care, hurriedly murmuring an apology before running off without so much as looking back.

The Grangers have a new child now. Their family's complete even without her. Her mum and dad couldn't be happier.

Who was she to ruin things for them now?

Hermione Granger ran and ran until she couldn't anymore, only stumbling down when she reached the end of an abandoned alley.

The sobs she tried to hold back were released in gutteral screams.

A pop came out of nowhere, but she couldn't be bothered to turn. She didn't even realize when a pair of arms turned her and buried her face in the chest of someone familiar.

"It's alright. You're alright," whispered Harry's voice in her ear.

But her mind was too last in a world of her own.

It's hard to be the anomaly.

It's hard to be the one piece of the puzzle that doesn't fit.

It was a likely possibility that they would cross paths again, she knew.

But of all people to find her first when she decided to finally step out of her wards, the leader of the rogue sorcerers would be her last pick.

Crossing her fingers as she prayed to be left alone, Hermione felt herself tense as she waited for the intruder's next move. Maybe if she didn't acknowledge her, then the intruder would have the decency to pretend she didn't see her and walk away.

Unfortunately for her, Merienne doesn't seem to share the same sentiments and invited herself to join her new found favorite spot atop the pelted rock.

Hermione was annoyed and tried to keep her cool.

Being caught doesn't mean she has to make it easy for the intruder. Hermione can at least take solace in ignoring her and pretending she's still alone to enjoy the wonderful scene of the fishes jumping out of and into the forest lake in the aftermath of the rain.

It worked, but only for a few minutes before the sorceress broke the tense silence.

"You know, for someone who single-handedly defeated my army, you couldn't look farther away from victorious," Merienne observed in tone that's casual but still with an ounce of the arrogance she used back when they were fighting.

This time, the brightest witch of her age groaned and bitterly remarked, "Look, if you're looking for revenge, can't you just do it some other time? I'm not really in the mood for exchanging hexes."

Merienne was unfazed though, throwing a question without remorse. "Why are you alone here princess warrior?"

The mention of a new title startled Hermione. "What did you call me?"

Merienne shrugged. "Word on the street is that you're a princess and engaged to Prince Arthur. But I saw you fight, and I haven't seen a king who could battle as well as you do. The title seems fitting," she answered with pause for thought. "But for the record, let's make it clear that it's your skill and not your crown that earned my respect and makes you worthy of being graced by my presence."

Hermione caught her lips twitching to the beginning of a smile before she could stop it.

"Lucky me," she rolled her eyes instead, hiding the fact that she was secretly touched. "Well, I've never met anyone who hates royalty as much as you seem to do, so that must count for something," she said, followed by an afterthought. "Well, aside from Gwaine really, but he's Gwaine so I'd say he's in a category of his own."

The leader of the rogues hummed just to keep the conversation flowing. In all honesty, Merienne couldn't really be bothered about the knight she mentioned. She didn't even mean to stumble upon the princess, but having seen her sulking alone in familiar territory, she was intrigued and let her curiousity move her feet.

After all, it must be something serious if it's bothering the girl who defeated her army without leaving permanent damage and who took the fight even further, arguing about ideologies and making them rethink their ways.

"So," Merienne started again after a while. Her patience can only make her wait for so long. "Care to tell me what you're here wallowing about? You do realize there are search parties out to find you?"

Hermione frowned at the news. "Who? King Uther?"

"Oh please," Merienne scoffed, looking very much offended that the witch couldn't help but chuckle. "I couldn't care the less about that nincompoop! I meant that sorcerer friend of yours and the prince. I heard they're rummaging inns and taverns looking for you."

"Oh."

"Yes oh. It's very annoying actually. It's all the gossipers are chattering about. Apparently, Prince Arthur is so whipped that he couldn't bear the thought of his betrothed running away. It's like a poor plot of bloody romance novel!"

The extreme frustration and gagging in that one response caught both girls off-guard, and before they know it, they were laughing until their stomachs hurt and tears were running down their cheeks.

Catching her breath, Hermione realized she was already feeling lighter than when she came here. "Well, I'm sorry if my love life is ruining your life, but did you really have to come chasing me here just to rant?"

Merienne answered with a shrug and a smirk that once again reminded her of Draco Malfoy. Hermione secretly wondered if the two would get along should they ever meet.

"Can I tell you a secret?"

The question was in the table before she realized she'd asked.

Perhaps it's the unexpected niceness of her frenemy's company. Perhaps it's just her getting tired of keeping it all to herself. Perhaps she really just needed release. But whatever it was, Hermione couldn't stop talking now.

"I don't really belong here, not really," she finally allowed herself to say out loud. "I'm estranged, a stranger to foreign land with no family and no way back home. That's the reason I'm here. Everyone in Camelot is nice, but this isn't home." Her voice turned softer then, the sadness in her heart shining through her eyes as her fists clenched on her lap. "So, you see, I have all the reasons to be alone. I don't belong here. I'm alone."

Of all reactions to her moment of vulnerability, the one she got was most offending.

Merienne scoffed before tugging at the pretend royal's braid.

"Hey, that hurts!" Hermione shrieked, pulling away to free her braid and glare at the evil sorceress.

"That's a lie and we both know it!" Merienne easily argued. "We can't always choose where our paths take us. But we get to choose where we stay. We get to choose where we belong."

The unexpected statement shocked Hermione enough that Merienne had a moment to debate with herself before deciding to press on her point.

"You know I was an orphan before I met my family. I was a rebel, jumping from one druid camp to another, never really settling anywhere. Families try to adopt me but I always end up too much a pain for them. I don't behave like a normal girl. I'm an oddity. It went on for years before I found strangers as odd as I am," she confessed without glancing to check on the princess warrior's reaction. She didn't really come here to have a heart to heart, but it wasn't like she started it.

Who knows? Maybe this moment would lead to something bigger in the long run.

"All of us in my army were alone at some point before we met," Merienne continued to say. "So, what I'm saying is, sometimes, we end up with alone with no family in an unfamiliar place. It doesn't mean we can't make one. Sometimes, strangers can have our best interest at heart. What's family anyway? It's just a bunch of folks crazy enough to do anything for each other."

"I don't know the story behind your betrothal. And to be honest, I'd pay good money to see you leave Arthur at the altar. I'm not trying to hide my extreme dislike for the Pendragons. But speaking from the perspective of someone who saw how you were with him and his manservant, I'd say you guys have a pretty good start to becoming a family. I mean, come on!" she continued, aghast, the tirade turned taunting now. "Did you know how crazy it was how you interfered our fight? You didn't even hesitate and jumped in with no regards for your life! And the prince actually seems to be afraid of you. That got my vote to make you queen, by the way. That man needs to be kept in check, else he follows his father's footsteps."

A moment passed before the words fully sank in and awe found its way into the witch's face.

Those words were oddly familiar, Hermione thought.

Maybe Merienne, without her masks of trying to appear strong and fearless, really was more like Harry Potter than Draco Malfoy. Hermione couldn't help but grin, thinking that she just made herself a new friend. A frenemy, if she's being technical, but who cares?

"You know, for someone who tried to kill Arthur and take over the throne, you aren't so bad," Hermione admitted. "So is that why you came here then? To make me feel better?"

Merienne's face contorted to a grimace that just made her look constipated and made Hermione chortle.

"You do realize that I could use all these against you. I could be lying to you to get your trust," Merienne sneered, but the threat was already lost to her kind words.

Hermione only smirked, her voice turning sing-song. "Why don't I believe you? You just won't admit you have a heart of gold buried deep, deep, deep down inside."

A handful of grasses were thrown at her then and she exclaimed an outraged "HEY!" But the sorceress only did it again, until the witch retaliated and soon, both of them were standing, acting like children and pelting lake water at each other.

"Stop that sorceress!"

"No, you stop it! I order you!"

"Order me? How dare you order me you- you-"

Hexes were thrown next, but nothing harmful, just petty spells to make the other more soaked.

Neither rested until the other was drenched with lake water from head to toe.

Hermione found herself lying on the grass, panting hard, while Merienne was complaining about her soiled dress.

The sun was just about to set, and it couldn't look more glorious in the company of an unexpected friend.

"You were never really an enemy, were you? You're just like me, trying to fight for what you believed was right, for the people you cared about, even if you had to eliminate people along the way. Fighting for a place in the world that you know should be yours by birth. I can understand that."

"Do you really know Emrys?" Merienne asked, unable to help herself.

The answer she got was a casual shrug. "We've met."

"And you say he believes in the prince? You say he's protecting Arthur?"

Eye to eye, their gazes met. Hermione's voice left no room for uncertainty, knowing very well how important this moment could be. "I'm saying we both do."

Merienne sighed then, and Hermione watched, amazed as her frenemy finally tore down her walls to let her through. "You could have killed us all. With power like yours, it would have been too easy if you really wanted to hurt us. And yet you didn't. You even cushioned my fall. I guess what I'm saying is, if change couldn't come yet, it wouldn't be the worst thing to wait on it with you for an ally princess warrior."

There was that title again. It's true enough since she was supposed to be both, but it's still uncomfortable to hear.

"It's Hermione to you, sorceress," she threw back easily enough.

Merienne froze, stunned, and turned her face away so Hermione couldn't see her expression. But the brunette wasn't fooled and smiled softly.

Who would have thought that she would find a friend in the woman who only days ago was trying to end their lives?

"In that case, it's Merienne to you, princess warrior."

A smirk was answered by another, both slowly but surely, curved into smiles that turned into amused laughter.

They spent the next hour in companionable silence. The moon was out when Merienne rose, ready to leave, but halted when she caught sight of their onlookers.

"I guess your popularity has caught up with you," she commented.

Hermione copied her and stood too, waving her hand to cast a drying charm for the both of them. "What do you mean?"

Her friend gestured her chin to their right, and Hermione curiously turned to follow her gaze.

When she did, her breath caught at the familiar faces that greeted her.

"Arthur..."

A/N: Okay, that was fun to write. XD What do you guys think?

P.S. Let me know if I have typos. I'm too groggy to do another complete check.