Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I do not own the wonderful world of Harry Potter or LOTR.
-Chapter 1-
A bright light shined through Hermione's lids, causing her to groan in irritation.
'I thought I had closed the curtains before I went to bed…?' She thought as she rolled over and opened her eyes.
But what she saw had her snap up on her feet in shock and fear. It was not the sight of her loft that greeted her. No cream walls with artwork. No soft, lush carpet under her feet. Instead, she was in a forest with tall, golden trees that seemed to reach to the heavens.
"Looks like we're not in Kansas anymore…" she whispered in trepidation.
Thinking of the first solution to this problem, she closed her eyes and imagined her loft and prepared to apparated. But after a few minutes, she opened her eyes only to find the same damned forest surrounding her. Where was that pull in her navel? That vacuum sensation? And to further the anxiety, she realized she did not have her wand on her what with only her being in her night clothes – a tank top and flannel sweats.
"Just great…" she muttered.
Hermione bit her lip and tried to assess the situation. If she cannot apparated home, she must find shelter and water. Taking a deep breath, she took one step forward in a random direction. She didn't know how long she walked for. But it was long enough where she finally took in her surroundings in a calm demeanor. And honestly, the forest was breathtaking. The trees were tall with golden leaves that twinkled as the sun hit them. The ground was lush with grass as her feet glided across. The air was crisp and clean, filling her lungs with sweet air as she took deep breathes.
It was not for another long while that she finally started hearing the sound of rushing water. Getting excited, she rushed towards that sound to quench the thirst that developed as she walked. And lo and behold, there was a steady stream rushing through the forest. She kneeled at the bank and cupped handfuls of clear water to her mouth and drank. After getting a drink, she looked up and down the river, wondering where to go now. She then spotted a nice clearing across the river and decided to cross. Walking around, she found a shallow enough part of the river with enough rocks and crossed. But the minute she stepped foot on the other side she regretted it.
She jumped in surprise as all of a sudden shadows dropped the trees above and what looked like the sharp point of an arrow pointed at her from all around. She froze in fear, not wanting to cause her situation to worsen. She opened her hands and raised them in a sign of peace, showing that she was unarmed.
"Ya naa lle? Mankoi naa lle sinome e' Lothlorien?" a voice called out. (Who are you? Why are you here in Lothlorien?)
Hermione's head snapped to what appeared to be the leader standing behind the line of what she presumed to be soldiers of some sort. He had straight platinum blonde hair and had an air about him that said he was not the joking kind. Her lips pursed as she tried to make herself seem as harmless as possible.
"I'm sorry, I do not understand what you are saying…" Hermione said.
The blond-haired man narrowed his eyes. "You do not speak elvish?"
"No…" Hermione's own eyes narrowed. 'Elvish? They look nothing like house-elves. Granted we may no longer be in Britain…'
"Where is your family? Which kingdom do you hail from? Surely your parents taught you our language." The man said.
"I come from Britain. England. The only language I learned was English and French." Hermione replied.
The blond-hared man exchanged glances with another next to him, who had similar features before returning his attention to Hermione. "You will come with us. Narda he` de. Tuupa he`elee." (Tie her up. Cover her eyes.)
Immediately, the arrows were put away as two other men quickly came up to her and bound her hands and blindfolded her. She exclaimed in surprise, but knew she should not resist else they treat her even more roughly.
"Is this really necessary? I mean you no harm." Hermione gritted out.
There was no reply, only a nudge from behind and a tug on the rope binding her hands. Rage bubbled within her as heat rushed to her cheeks in anger. Reigning it in, she raised her head and took a step forward and followed wherever hey tugged her.
'Honestly, I am not a dog!' Hermione seethed in her mind.
They walked on and on. She had no inclination the direction they were going. Only that there were inclines and declines. Every now and then she would trip only to be caught by someone.
Before she new it, they stopped and her blindfold was taken off, but not the bindings around her wrists. She slowly fluttered her eyes open and gasped in awe. In front of her was a forest with trees that seemed even taller than those she woke up in. There were soft, blue lights casting the whole clearing in an ethereal glow. It seems they have walked until nightfall. Tents and canopies were scattered across the clearing. You could see stairs winding up the thick trunks of the trees. She followed them with her eyes and far above the ground, she could barely make out what looked like flat platforms.
Another tug told her they were moving again. The passed the tents and men and women stopped and looked at the procession. Hermione blushed at the attention they were receiving.
'Oh for goodness sakes…they probably think I'm a criminal now!' Hermione mentally screamed.
They arrived at what seemed to be the center of the settlement and the leader of the group started walking up. Hermione groaned. She was mentally tired from this stressful day and physically strained from all the walking. Now she had to walk up these confounded stairs for who knows how long! In the end, one of the men had to carry her up as her knees buckled in exhaustion. When they reached the platform, she was put down and made to kneel. Hermione gritted her teeth and looked ahead at what she presumed the leader of this civilization sat. And what a sight she was met with.
To the left sat a man adorned in long silver robes. His blonde hair was braided back on the sides while the rest lay straight down. He had chiseled features and a strong jaw. And his eyes were sharp and the lightest blue she had ever seen. And to the right sat the most beautiful woman she had ever laid eyes on. Her golden blond hair hung down in soft waves. She wore loose white robes. And crystal blue eyes stared straight into her own chocolate brown ones. It was a stare that went straight into her soul. As if this woman could tell her deepest thoughts.
"Amin Heru. Amin arwen." The leader of the mean placed his right fist over his heart and bowed. (My Lord. My Lady.)
The rest of the guards followed and did the same gesture.
"Ya uma lle brien a' lye, Haldir?" The man on the throne said in that lilting language. (Who do you bring to us, Haldir?)
"Lye utue he` trespassien. Amin dura re naa y' ethir." The man now identified to Hermione as Haldir replied. (We found her trespassing. I believe she is a spy.)
The man on the throne leaned forward, eyes narrowed. "Ar' lle sinta sina?" (And you know this?)
The anger and rage Hermione felt earlier came back ten fold as they continued to converse in a language she could not understand. Unable to contain it any longer, Hermione let it be known.
"Where I come from, it is quite rude to talk about someone. Especially in front of them in a language they obviously do not understand." Hermione scoffed.
Silence echoed across the platform as everyone's eyes turned to her. It was soon broken by a tinkling sound that closely resembled bells. Hermione's eyes turned to the women on the throne and saw her smiling softly back at Hermione.
"I do not believe she is a spy of any sort, Haldir." The women said softly.
"Nan', amin arwen…!" Haldir muttered before the women held up a hand to silence him. (But, my lady…!)
"What is your name, penneth?" the women asked. (young one)
"Hermione. Hermione Granger."
"And what brings you to Lothlorien?" The man on the throne asked.
"Nothing. I just woke up here. One minute I was home asleep and the next I am in a forest. Your forest, as it seems." Hermione explained with a guarded expression. 'Where in the world is Lothlorien…?'
"And where is home for you?" The man asked.
"London, England."
The man and woman exchanged looks, confirming for Hermione that she was indeed, far from home.
"Which elven kingdom do you belong to? You do not resemble our Sindarin kin. Are you of the Noldor?" The man asked.
Hermione looked at him in confusion. "Elven kingdom? I am no elf…I am human."
Everyone on that platform looked at her again as if she grew two heads. The woman on the throne slowly got up and walked down the steps onto the platform. She slowly glided towards Hermione and reached down to lift her up from her kneeling position. Hermione looked at her in suspicion, but the woman only smiled and lead her to the side of the platform where a small pond of water sat in the nook of the tree trunk. The woman gestured for Hermione to look into the pool and she did just that.
At first, Hermione did not understand what she was looking for. All that she saw was her own reflection. Nothing diff - !
"Bloody hell…" Hermione whispered.
Her golden brown hair had somehow grown longer and now reached her lower back. Her skin was flawless and gave off a soft glow. Her features were slightly different. Her eyes a little more slanted and her mouth more pink and puckered. Hermione slowly reached her hand up to tuck some hair behind her ear… Her ear! It was not the regular, rounded human ear. It was now slightly elongated and pointy at the tip. Hermione spun around and stared at the woman.
"You're…elves?" Hermione whispered.
The woman smiled and slowly moved her hair to reveal the same pointy-tipped ears. "I am Galadriel. And that is my husband, Celeborn. And you have met Haldir and his brother Rumil."
Hermione couldn't take it anymore and her eyes rolled back into her head as all the physical exertion and mental exhaustion caught up to her frazzled mind. She felt herself falling and someone catching her before she heard Galadriel's voice in her head.
'Glassen, ai naur…' (Welcome, little fire…)
A/N: And that was chapter 1! Hope you guys enjoyed it! After writing the prologue I was on a roll and was able to finish the first chapter as well. Please leave a review and let me know what you think!
~lalune30
