DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter and the concept of this story (Goong), they belong to J.K. Rowling and Park So Hee. I only own Devin here, my OC.

Chapter 5

Meeting Devin

It was almost six in the afternoon when we all headed back inside the palace. The cold October wind can be felt while we were walking on our way back and I felt my face was flushed. I was almost sad to leave the garden but thought that I could go back tomorrow and explore more before going back to Hogwarts.

"Miss Granger I hope you could join us for dinner before you retreat to sleep. I know you are exhausted from your trip but it wouldn't be wise to sleep with an empty stomach." Queen Katerina said while we were walking through the same hallway we passed through to get to the garden.

"I would be delighted." I replied.

"Lucy, please show Miss Granger her room so she can freshen up before dinner." Narcissa told one of her ladies maid. "You'll find your things brought up in your room. I hope it would accommodate you quite well." the crowned Queen turned to me.

"Thank you for your kindness." I said gratefully. Narcissa, I mean Queen Narcissa smiled. It still sound so foreign to call Narcissa Queen.

"Come now Miss Granger." and Lucy ushered me towards the stairs. I was in awe looking around while walking up the stairs. The Malfoy really were very wealthy and for some reason, I don't think I blame Malfoy to think highly of himself. He has the rights to brag seeing that he is the Prince of Wiltshire. Okay, that was weird, Malfoy is a Prince and not just the Slytherin Prince, a silly nickname that Parkinson gave him but a real Prince. I should really get used to that since he will be publicly declared as the Prince of Wiltshire soon.

We reached the third floor and turned on one corridor and stopped outside the door to my left. Lucy fished out a bronze key from her pocket and unlocked the door and let me in. I walked in and was in for another surprise, my room was huge. My bedroom back in London would just hide in shame, I went deeper inside the room and found the door to the bathroom. Lucy left me after I got in and I decided to check out the bathroom since I'm going to take a shower. I went inside and my jaw almost dropped, the bathroom was the size of my own bedroom. Why do rich people need a large bathroom when they can fit it in a room that is the size of a cupboard? With the exception of a bathtub, that is. Anyway, I started to peel of my clothes and slipped off my sneakers. The tub was ready to be plunged in, with lots of rose petals floating on the bubbles and rose fragrance can be sniffed in the room. Really? Why all this lavish things? Er, I shouldn't really complain, I mean it's flattering that they outdid things to accommodate me. I just can't stop myself from comparing everything in this place from my own lifestyle. With this thoughts, I dipped myself in the lukewarm water and sighed with contentment. The water was quite relaxing and eased me from the stress that I've consumed from the past days. I rest my head on the tub's edge and closed my eyes for a while.

After the refreshing and relaxing dip, I got myself out of the tub and dried myself with the towel provided. I took a glance at my reflection and I can't help to notice the flush on my cheeks. I smiled at my reflection and walked back to my bedroom to get dressed. I started digging inside my bag to find something appropriate to wear and found a charcoal gray tunic dress. I think this will do for the moment, I also checked for a matching pair of shoes and found my two-inch light pink stilleto. Wow, I never thought that I would see the day that I'm going to wear heels. With those, I dressed up and examined myself once more on the full-body mirror, with my wand on my right hand, I quickly muttered a quick-drying spell for my hair that turned my head immediately into a fluff ball. I sighed while touching my hopeless hair. I grabbed a brush from the vanity and started battling with my tangles and after about a hundred stroke, I think my hair somehow looked presentable. I sighed and wiped the sweat that appeared on my forehead with the back of my hand. I was applying some lip gloss when the door opened and in came Lucy.

"Her Highness, Narcissa asked me to assist you Miss." She said when she got to my place.

"Oh, er I think I got it." I said unsure with myself. Lucy let out a giggle. She then grabbed a handful of my hair and examined it.

"Oh I think you do need help Miss." I felt my face turn red while Lucy started brushing my hair and applying some goo on them. She did some head massage and some complicated twist and added some hair accessory to it. After doing my hair, she then proceeded to apply my face with some make up. When everything was finished, I looked at myself in the mirror and gasped.

"I'm not hopeless after all." I exclaimed and Lucy chuckled at my reaction.

"It's been fun prettying you up Miss and I must say that you look lovely." I blushed at the compliment Lucy gave me. I turned to her and gave her a fierce hug.

"Thank you." I said with a genuine grin. She laughed good-naturedly as we were just untangling ourselves from each other.

"It's the least I can do Miss. Just remember, there are no ugly girls, only lazy ones." (credits to Dream High for this line) She said. "Dinner would be ready in fifteen minutes. I'll leave you now Miss." And Lucy walked out the door. I looked at myself in the mirror once more and I was still in shock to see myself. The last time I've ever felt so beautiful was during the Yule Ball and that was three years ago. I looked away and went to the direction of my bed and sat for a while, examining the whole room while feeling the silk sheets. I let out a loud sigh and stood up to look for something interesting inside my big room. I found a stack of classic muggle books but I didn't feel like reading so I left it. I went towards the window and looked out to watch the night sky which was surprisingly clear. I can once again see the Orion and the other constellations. I looked at the time on my wrist watch and saw that it was three minutes before dinner so I made my way to the dining room following the way I went a while ago towards my room. I ended up in the hallway that leads to the garden once more and I had a chance to examine the moving paintings including the boy with the green eyes. He looked at me with a jolly smile while another boy who was the same age as his, was scowling at me. Strangely, I think that boy was Malfoy because of his gray eyes.

"Miss Granger, Queen Narcissa and Queen Katerina sent me to show you the way to the dining room." came a squeaky voice. I turned my head and saw a house elf in clean clothing. I don't know how to react, whether I'd be mad at the Malfoy's for keeping a house elf or relieved that they don't allow their elves to wear filthy clothes. The antithesis of my life.

"Oh, okay." I replied. The bubbly house elf walked in front of me while I followed her. I examined the elf and noticed that she was wearing a pair of shoes and no sign of beating was present in her body. I smiled in relief, at least the elves here are being treated right and not like some vermin.

"Here we are Miss." She said after we stopped outside a double oak door.

"Thank you, er-"

"Giddy." the elf supplied giddily.

"Yeah, thank you Giddy." I thanked her. She curtsied and disappeared with a pop. When Giddy was gone, I pushed open the door and went inside the dining hall and found Queen Katerina, Queen Narcissa and the King, Lucius already seated and were all waiting for me. I smiled sheepishly and sat on the chair that was intended for me.

"I'm sorry for keeping you waiting Your Royal Highness'." I apologized and bowed my head.

"It's quite okay Miss Granger. We figured that you might got lost in the halls. I remember the same thing that happened to Draco and Devin when they were four." Queen Katerina said. The look on her eyes says that she was reminiscing. I smiled even though I don't know who Devin is.

"So let's eat, I'm famished. Oh, and Miss Granger I hope you are enjoying your stay here." The King drawled acknowledging me.

"Of course, Your Highness." I replied to be polite. The King gave me a tight lipped smile and cocked his head.

Narcissa rang a small bell and two small doors opened and the elves came in in their clean, white and green clothing carrying tray after tray of mouth-watering dishes. I gulped when one elf placed a delicious smelling gourmet in front of me. When all of the house elves have left, we started eating dinner with little talks of this and that. The crowned Queen was eager to ask how his son was doing in school and surprisingly, I answered them truthfully like how his son was second best in class next to me and how he was a candidate for being head boy but was beaten to it by Ernie Macmillan. The King asked me some random questions too like what I was planning to do after Hogwarts. It was Queen Katerina who asked me about the things I liked and related some of her stories to mine for example, my love for books. She told me her insights on the books that we both have read and I found out that her favorite author was Frances Hudgens Burnett, a muggle author who was best known for her works of The Little Princess and The Secret Garden.

After dinner was finished, I bade them all a goodnight saying that I have an early day tomorrow. I was leaving for Hogwarts early and I wanted to have a lot of sleep before going on a trip again. When I got back in my designated room, I fought the urge to jump on the bed and snuggle beneath the sheets. Instead, I went to the bathroom to wash my face from my make up and brushed my teeth. I fished out my pajama which consist of a black tank top and a pair comfy sweatpants and put them on after discarding my dress and shoes inside my bag. I removed the hair accessories that Lucy used on my hair to brush them before tying it in a messy braid. I went out from the bathroom with my bag and placed it on the floor beside my bed. I jumped on the bed which I found was very soft, found myself a comfortable position and I closed my eyes.

My eyes were glistening with the flowers surrounding me, I could live in this place forever. I was strolling through the giant garden of the Malfoys to savor my remaining hours before going back to Hogwarts. I asked the Queen for permission during breakfast to explore their huge garden which both of the Queen allowed without any questions. They even allowed me to pick some to bring back in school which was too much but I thought it wouldn't hurt. I chose a red rose and carefully cut it using my wand so as to not get pricked by the thorns. The joys of being eighteen and allowed to use magic outside the castle. I sniffed the flower while going deeper and deeper into the garden where I saw different colors and sizes of marigolds, geraniums, daffodils, lilies, tulips, hibiscus and all the flowers that you can imagine. I even saw some colorful butterflies enjoying in the garden as well. I smiled but I felt also sad to leave this enchanted place cause I would never get a chance to see this place again, except if I really did end up with Malfoy which I should really not think about. I shuddered at that thought and decided to get back inside the palace to fetch my things. I tucked the rose in my hair and walked back on the thyme lined walkway and back inside the palace. I once again passed the paintings and I swore I heard one of the paintings called my name. I looked back but only saw the smiling face of the green-eyed boy watching me. I smiled back at him and continued my way back to my room to get my things and to check my appearance. When I got in my room, I applied another coat of lip gloss and noticed in the mirror that my cheeks where once again flushed. I ignored this and started to brush my hair which was surprisingly not frizzy but was still wavy, thanks to the goo that Lucy applied in my hair which smelled strangely of watermelon. I examined the clothes I was wearing, a pair of denim skinny jeans matched with a black and white striped t-shirt and a gray cardigan. I used my red sneaker again and put on my red beanie hat on my head. I smiled at my reflection and walked away from the mirror to grab my bag that was resting on top of the bed. I looked around to see if I got everything that I need and when I was sure that I've got all of my possession, I walked out from my room. I walked to the direction of the receiving area and found the Queens waiting for me.

"Your Highness', I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your warm welcome and for allowing me to stay in your lovely palace." I said with a grateful smile. The Queens smiled back.

"Please dear, it's our pleasure. I hope to see you again Hermione." Queen Katerina said. I smiled at the way she used endearments on me and calling me by my given name.

"I hope you have a safe trip back to Hogwarts, and please give my love to my son." Queen Narcissa said.

"Thank you but I can't promise that. If I'm allowed to say Your Highness, your son and I can't stay in the same room with getting at each others neck." I replied which the Queens let out a hearty chuckle at.

"Touche." the crowned Queen uttered still smiling. Its kind of sad to think that with the small amount of time I've stayed in the Palace, I felt very acquainted with them. I bade them goodbye and went out of the palace towards the car. Dana was waiting for me outside and ushered me inside the Royal cars once more. I looked out from the window and watched as we passed the Malfoy's huge flower garden.

As expected, we arrived in King Cross Station in a span of half an hour. Dana led me through the barriers and gave me my ticket.

"I wish you a safe trip, Miss Granger." She said.

"Thank you, for everything." I said. She grinned at this.

"It's my duty but you're very much welcome." She replied. She waved me a goodbye which I returned. When Dana passed the wall barrier that separated muggles from the magical world, I went inside the train and looked for an empty compartment which was not very hard to find. There were only few people riding the train which by the look of it, were residents of Hogsmeade. I chose the one that was close to the loo and went inside. I sat on the left bench and placed my bag beside me. It's going to be another long ride so, I looked for my book inside my bag and started reading from the page I've stopped . I just want myself be thrown into another realm and forget everything.

The trolley lady passed and I bought some sugar quills for myself, a box of Bertie Botts Every Flavored Beans for Ginny and bag full of chocolate frogs for Harry and Ron to make it up for them, for leaving the three of them in the dark and for ditching them. I long abandoned my book and decided to look outside and watch the places pass by. The rose that I've acquired from the garden was now between the sheets of my thick paperback book.

It was twilight when the train got to Hogmeade station and I, once again checked myself and found that I look okay. I put the sweets and my book back inside my bag and went out from the compartment and out of the train. As I stepped out from the train, I noticed a person that doesn't look like he belonged here who was looking towards the direction of the castle. He was wearing a gray beanie, white shirt and a black leather jacket, worn out denim jeans and black sneakers, his bag pack slung on his left shoulder. Without me noticing, I unconsciously walked towards him and caught my breath.

"M-Malfoy?" I asked. The guy turned his attention to me and that's when I found out that it wasn't Malfoy. I almost slapped my head for being stupid. The guy grinned at me and nodded. I noticed his green eyes that looked vaguely familiar.

"Yes?" He replied.

"I'm sorry, I thought you were someone else." I said apologizing. For a moment, I thought he was Draco Malfoy because they look a lot like each with the exception of their the eyes.

"No, its okay. I'm actually a Malfoy, Devin Malfoy that is." He introduced himself whilst giving me his right hand. I took it reluctantly and shook his hand warily.

"Oh, um I'm Hermione Granger." I said. I released my hand from his grasp and looked at him in the eyes with embarrassment.

"So I take it that you know my cousin?" He asked still grinning.

"If his name is Draco Malfoy, then yes. The famous bouncing ferret." I muttered the last part which I figured he heard because the moment I said it, he let out a deep chuckle.

"You could say that, I've heard that from one of his goons. Anyway, I just came back from Greece and I'm planning to stay for good which reminds me, do you go to Hogwarts?" He suddenly asked. I nodded my head in response. "Great, let's go to the castle together. I'm definitely hungry and exhausted." He said. He grabbed my wrist and tugged me until we reached the horseless carriages.

-End of Chapter 5-