Update! I hope everyone had a terrific Whotastic Christmas or Hannukah. Also, I saw Les Miserables last night, what a beautiful, heart-wrenching movie. Seriously, it was Doomsday, Martha Jones, and Angels Take Manhattan feels all mashed up into a movie. I cried more than I've ever cried in a movie. Definitely something you should see if you haven't already. Shoot me a review if you've seen it and tell me what you thought and what part really hit you the hardest. But don't forget to review about the chapter as well! :)


"I'm gonna leave my body (Moving up to higher ground)
I'm gonna lose my mind (History keeps pulling me down)
Said I'm gonna leave my body (Moving up to higher ground)
I'm gonna lose my mind (History keeps pulling me, pulling me down)..."

- Leave My Body by Florence and the Machine


"Hermione! Hermione, are you okay?!"

My eyelids flickered open and the dim light temporarily blinded me. I shot up and fell off my bunk.

"Blimey, Hermione! Relax!" Harry helped me up back onto the cot and I rubbed my wrists. I'd landed on my palms, hard.

"Harry, I'm so scared," I trembled, my legs shaking badly. "The dream I had... it was so real. And I was so alone in this new place.."

"Hermione, its just a dream," Harry comforted me. He stood up. "We need to move again. I've already packed everything."

I nodded, momentarily getting my mind off the dream as I helped to get away. I took Harry's hand, tears filling to the brim as I remembered Ron was no longer with us. I took a deep breath to focus myself for Apparating. We couldn't afford to get splinched due to my inability to keep my emotions in check. With a spinning of air we left the spot. A wave of nausea overcame me as we fell. Dizzying. As if I was Alice falling through a rabbit hole. I imagined that was what was happening every time I Apparated ever since we'd gone on the run. I suppose at times like these its better to linger in fantasy than face reality.

We touched the ground and Harry let go of my hand. The tears drip-dropped immediately and I turned away so he wouldn't see. I had a feeling he knew anyway. I sniffled and tried to distract myself by pulling some books out of my purse. I couldn't keep my mind on the words on the pages though. All I could think about was Merlin and his interesting world. Of course, it was only a dream.


That night I managed to pull together a meager dinner for Harry and I. I didn't eat much. Harry downed it quickly, though I could tell it wasn't that good. At least he put on a brave face for me. I gave a feeble goodnight and went to snuggle into my bunk.

Please, let me dream of something else. I don't want to go back. Give me something better than this reality.


I glanced around and was unhappy to find myself back where I'd fallen asleep before I'd woken up from the sleep I'd slept in. Even that thought whirled my brain. I groaned and a knock sounded on my door. I jumped off the cot and ran over to throw open the door. Marvetta smiled at me and her smile fell almost immediately.

"Child! You aren't dressed! Go, go, get into some acceptable garments! We've got work to do!" she rushed me. I made an 'oops' face and hurried to change. I managed to throw on a simple periwinkle gown with a white corset with simple embroidery on it. I braided my hair (a thick braid I might add) and followed Marvetta to the empty rooms.

"Now, for this particular statue the king prefers you clean it like this-"

"Swift scrubbing now, child!"

"Don't forget to dust that-"

All I heard until about noon.

"Merlin is busy helping the court physician, Giaus, at the moment, so you'll be cleaning up after the King's son until dinner," Marvetta told me. "If you need me, I'll be in my chambers stitching and darning things. Be very thorough, the prince is very particular about cleaning."

I brushed a curl out of my face and nodded. "Yes, Ma'am."

I swept away to the upper floor where Arthur's chambers awaited for me. My knee caps felt as if they were crumbling. I wasn't really scared of Arthur Pendragon. He was sort of intimidating though.

Hermione Jean Granger you puck up your courage and you quit being such a coward! You have faced Dark wizards, Devil's Snare, and a troll! There's a lot more on that list as well! So you've got no reason to be scared of a pretentious, extremely handsome prince!-

"Handsome?" I paused in front of the door.

"I'm right here."

The door opened quick as lightning and Arthur was towering above me (at least in my mind), arms crossed and a smirk on his face. I felt the blush rising on my cheeks.

"Excuse me, Sire, I did not realize.."

"You'd said it out loud," he finished off for me, smirking even more.

"Yes. If you don't mind, Sire, I must get to work cleaning your chambers," I looked away from his eyes purposely. They were what intimidated me. They pierced me deeply and I felt as if it was so.. real.

"What has that idiot Merlin gotten himself into now?" Arthur groaned in annoyance.

"He hasn't gotten himself into anything, and you've no reason to insult him!" I snapped.

Arthur was unable to reply in his shock at my outburst. I couldn't care less, it was a stupid dream anyway. I didn't know why I'd felt the need to defend Merlin but Arthur's immediate conclusion was unfair. Merlin was doing his job, contrary to what Arthur thought. Again, pretentious Arthur.

"Sire," I added mockingly. I swished past him and began to pick up items lying on the bed and any on the floor. He was surprisingly neater than most boys. He turned to look at me. I saw in my peripheral vision. And then he left. I held a few shirts in my arms. I closed my eyes and smelled the forest. Trees and bushes. The soft earth and scattered flowers. Dewy grass and a splashing, cool stream. I opened my eyes and slowly set the shirts down on the table, breathing out.

I bit my lip and sighed. Ron never smelled like that. He smelled warm and sort of like boy sweat. Nothing like that. I shook my head and began to tidy up.

"Baby's got blue eyes," I sang so quietly, "like a deep blue sea on a blue blue day. Blue eyes."

As I hummed and sang to myself I fixed the bedspread and plumped the pillows. Cleaned Arthur's armor and put his used clothes in a basket to wash. I hated that'd I'd have to wash off the wonderful smell from them. Then I cleaned his boots and dusted off every surface that needed dusting. By the time I was done the room was pristine and it was late afternoon. The end of the sunset glimmered through the windows. I went over to the windows and stared out, peaceful and the world just completely seemed frozen. Nothing mattered anymore. There was no more dying, no Death Eaters, no cleaning, no Kings and Princes. Just the sky and the steady beat of my very damaged heart.

"Even if your approaches to royalty are unorthodox, you're terrific at cleaning and quite thorough," Arthur said from the doorway. i recognized his voice immediately. I smiled softly to myself.

"Do not expect me to acknowledge or feel grateful for the compliment, Sire," I said almost as if from a great distance as I stared at the blush pink coming from the background, the splatters of tangerine and the hint of fading blue and just a dash of purple. Arthur chuckled and it was a low chuckle.

His footsteps came closer until he was next to me. By habit I tore my gaze away from the wondrous scene. I was startled when I saw his eyes. I hadn't really noticed the deep blue colour.

"I figured you'd say something like that," he mocked.

"...got blue eyes," I finished a lyric aloud.

"What?" he furrowed his brows and gazed at me enigmatically.

"I was just... I mean, if you need anything else, Merlin is available," I stammered. "I must go now."

I whirled around and left, running down the stairs to the kitchens. Everyone was bustling about, ready to start cooking supper.

"You washed the Prince's clothes?" Marvetta asked as she washed silverware.

"They're almost done drying," I answered readily.

"That's a good girl," she smiled her ancient smile and patted my cheek. I felt proud when she noticed my work.

"Now you can definitely be a good girl if you get to work chopping up those vegetables," frizzy white haired Cook said in her rough voice. Cook was tough but she could make a great meal.

"I'm going, I'm going," I laughed as I threw an apron on and tied my hair back into a bun. I grabbed some green vegetables and washed them off in some cool water.

"Was cleaning the Prince's chambers a difficult task?" another servant girl named Lanette asked in a contemptuous manner.

"Not at all," I replied honestly.

"Did you see him up close?" a plump, not extremely bright girl named Fay asked me with a giggle.

"Watch your tongue, child," Marvetta scolded from the side.

"I did," I told them as I chopped.

Lanette and Fay exchanged glances.

"Well?" Fay encouraged. "Was he wonderfully fit and stunningly handsome?"

I rolled my eyes. "Sure, he's fit and handsome but he's a rude, arrogant person. What does his appearance matter if he's got the personality of a -"

"That's enough," Marvetta cut across. I sighed and kept doing my work.

"Did you hear that? She said he was fit and handsome!" Fay squealed girlishly. Lanette even looked pleased.

"Good grief," I muttered. Chopping the last veggie the knife slipped and slit the top of my hand. It wasn't very deep but long and little red pricks appeared in the slit skin as it rose slightly and turned red.

"Oh, hell," I set down the knife.

"Watch your language, child," Marvetta warned.

"Yes, Ma'am," I said hurriedly, wrapping a thin handkerchief around the cut hand and getting back to cutting. After that I did an assortment of jobs and soon the food was prepared.

"Hermione, its your turn to serve the food," the other girls chimed.

"Oh, really? Fine."

I picked up two serving platters and headed out towards the dining table, hoping I wouldn't trip and make a fool of myself.

"Was your hunting trip successful today, Arthur?" Uther asked his son. I put the serving utensils down.

"No, we didn't even spot one deer," Arthur replied in disappointment as they started to serve themselves. Morgana was sipping from her goblet, obviously relaxed and content within her thoughts. I quickly went to retrieve the last platters. I finished setting those down and Arthur signaled for more wine. I picked up the pitcher to pour more in his goblet.

"Your hand," he noticed quietly.

I set down the pitcher and hid my hands behind my back. "Enjoy, Sire."

Uther stared as I exited the room.

"I simply cannot stand another moment, I need rest," I pleaded to Marvetta.

"Its alright, child, go on and retire to your chambers, you've done a lot of work," she told me kindly. Fay and Lanette groaned about having extra to clean up but I couldn't care less. I shut the door and undressed quickly. Into the ed and under the covers I went, shutting my eyes and squeezing them tight.

Sleep consumed me and I hardly noticed.


"Harry?" I called as I woke up in the bigger-on-the-inside tent.

"I'm just outside," he replied. I yawned and got up into a sitting position. A stinging sensation flittered through my hand after I used it to prop myself up. I looked down and gasped. With a trembling right index finger I traced the slit along my right hand.

"Oh, God," I shook from head to toe. "It's not a dream. It's real."