Sands of Change
Lady Countryrose
Ch. 3
After they had eaten. Lisanna came and took the dishes away. The three girls at the table were bombarded by a pink-haired boy. Rushing towards Lucy and giving her a massive hug.
"Natsu," hissed Lucy. Pushing him away. "What's wrong with you?"
The boy grinned like nothing could ever be wrong. "Let's go do a job, I'm bored!"
Lucy blinked for a moment and turned to Wendy. "Can Hermione go?"
Wendy groaned, "Normally I would say no. But she's heading a lot faster than normal." She nodded her head. "But she can go, if she wants to."
Hermione looked at everyone in disbelief. "What?"
Natsu turned towards her with a crazy look in his eyes. "A job, going on an adventure! You're new here, but how can you learn anything, when you're stuck here?"
Hermione would have argued about reading. But knew from experience from Ron and Harry. That would be a struggle she was not ready to face.
Lucy gave him a look. "I don't think she has a mark, Natsu."
"Mark," asked Hermione.
Mira showed up with a stamp. "Yes, a mark," she waved the stamp. "It lets people know that you're part of a magic guild. Where you're contracted to help those who need help."
Mira smiled, "So, where would you want the mark and what color?"
Hermione sighed, placing her left hand down. "Lilac." Reminding her of the lilacs that her mother loved.
Once the mark was given. She grumbled, "I don't know how my magic works here."
Natsu grinned, "We could go out back and have a battle."
Hermione looked worried. Just as Lucy yelled, "Natsu, she just said she didn't know how her magic would work! You could hurt her!"
"Better here than away from the guild," stated Natsu.
Lucy turned to Wendy. "Can you stop this?"
Wendy shook her head. "I have to agree with Natsu on this. Better here than being severely hurt on the road."
Hermione sighed, "Logically speaking, Lucy. They speak the truth."
"Fine!" Lucy turned to Natsu. "But no Dragon Slayer enhancements!"
"No promises," he giggled as he ran off. "Everyone outside, we have a battle to test out!"
Lucy looked at Hermione for a moment. "Do you know about Runes?"
Hermione perked up. "Yes, why?"
Lucy dug into her purse and fished out a pen. "This is a light pen. You can draw in the air if you need to. But from experience, you may want to write some protection."
Hermione with rush, steady hands on test day. Wrote Runes on her body. Those that would protect her or add some power behind, repelling something from hitting her.
'Something tells me that they're not going to go easy on me.'
Then, for an odd reason, she wrote damage proof on her clothes. She learned the hard way. Being with Harry, clothes could get damaged. Then made her way outside by the dock, where everyone had gathered.
Natsu looked hyped for a fight. Slamming his hands together, showing off his fire.
'I wished I had time to study about this new age of magic. But Professor Snape had once said that not everything could be learned in books.'
Hermione, out of instinct, got into a dueling stance. Readying for the attack. She saw that Natsu was impatient. He launched himself into an attack.
Hermione moved her hands. One, to block him and the other, to slash a river of water at him. Sending him into the bay.
"WHAT THE HELL," she heard Natsu yell. Causing everyone to laugh.
Within a swish of fire. Natsu was back on the dock. Heating the water off of his body and clothes. Making him look menacing.
"I am all fired up!"
Before rushing at her again. She blocked, Disapparate, and Apparition behind him. Hitting him with repelling Rune. Which knocked him back a couple of yards.
Only for him to come back for more. Each time he called for his fire magic, Hermione Granger would react. She stopped thinking about the spells to use. But picturing the outcome she wanted.
Each spell she used, only empowered her. She became faster, graceful and precise as she fought. With great satisfaction, she had tired Natsu out within thirty minutes.
Only to have him being tagged teamed out by Gray. After, he ice-made a lance and launched it at her. She summoned a wall of fire. Melting all the lances. Before knocking him out with a spell.
Then Erza stepped in with her swords. Hermione picked up a rock and transformed it into a working sword. Blocking an attack.
Hermione picked up Martial Arts as a young child. Long before Hogwarts. It had been a long time since she was trained with weapons. But she quickly adapted to it. Managing to disarm Erza within quite, amount of time.
Erza looked like she was battling with herself. "Not a real battle. Not a real battle." Before picking up her sword and leaving the battle area.
Master Makarov looked stunned. "Wow, you managed to hold your own in a one-on-one battle. Are you up to a two-on-one?"
Hermione sighed, "I hate to say this. But I think I need to take a break."
He nodded, "Alright, lunchtime! We'll be back for more. But I will set up a lineup for the matches and no Natsu, you already had your turn!"
"Oh, but gramps!"
Everyone rushed into the guild. But Hermione was taking a deep breath, when Lucy walked over to her.
"Are you doing alright?"
Hermione Granger looked around. Only to see Lucy before her, but whispered, "I don't know if this is normal. But every time someone uses their magic on. I become recharged and able to fight back."
"Then why are you out winded?"
"Erza does not use magic. Just brute strength," breathed Hermione. "It took a lot of my energy, just to keep up with her."
"Sadly," Lucy mumbled. "That was only a fraction of what she can do. If this is a true power battle for her. You wouldn't be standing."
"That's why she kept saying, it's not a true battle."
Lucy nodded, "She really hates losing."
The two then headed inside for lunch.
