The trip back to Slytherin was quicker than the one to Gryffindor as on the first stop Hermione told Draco they didn't have to make extra stops. While her lover had initially protested the idea she had reassured him that if she needed to stop she would let him know. Without the extra stops a good hour was knocked off the journey and they arrived back in Slytherin late in the afternoon.
When they arrived outside the castle the King and several of Slytherin's knights were waiting for them. Hermione could immediately tell that the presence of the five Gryffindor knights was puzzling to everyone in Slytherin. The Gryffindor knight's presence was actually puzzling to everyone and during one of the stops on the way back to Slytherin, Hermione had heard Sir Blaise asking Draco about the other knight's presences. Draco had brushed his friend off, telling him to ask the Queen if he wanted to know what was happening. When the knight didn't approach her, Hermione assumed he had either decided it was none of his business or he had asked one of the Gryffindor knights about why they were travelling with them.
"What's going on?" King Severus inquired as he stepped up to help Hermione out of the carriage.
"We need to talk." Hermione replied.
"Let's go inside." The King said, eyeing up the five knights from the rival kingdom.
Hermione turned round and spoke to the five knights. "Wait here." She said, before looking at Draco.
Draco nodded, reassuring Hermione he would be right behind her. The couple had snatched a few minutes during one of the stops and Hermione had asked Draco to be with her when she spoke to the King. Satisfied Draco was with her, Hermione turned and followed King Severus into the castle. The King led them to the deserted throne room and it wasn't until the door was shut behind them that he realised Draco had accompanied Hermione into the room.
"What's going on?" The King asked, repeating his first question to his wife.
"I want to go home to Gryffindor." Hermione announced. "I've got an annulment for us to sign and a peace agreement that will ensure no war will erupt between our two kingdoms."
"I don't understand, what's brought this on?" King Severus asked. "Why do you suddenly want to leave?"
"We both know our marriage is a total lie and I see no point in carrying on with the charade."
"There's more to it than that." King Severus insisted. "But before we discuss this any further, I think Sir Draco should leave. This is private and there's no need for him to be here."
"I want him to stay." Hermione said, subconsciously moving closer to her lover.
King Severus looked at the couple and both Hermione and Draco saw understanding dawn on him. Shooting the couple a disbelieving look he turned and walked the few metres to his throne. Slumping down on the chair he looked back towards his wife and most trusted knight.
"I take it he's the reason you're leaving." The King spat in a bitter tone.
"Sort of." Hermione sighed, dreading the reaction to what she was about to say next. "We're expecting a baby."
Hermione watched as King Severus's mouth dropped open and he gaped at the couple. After a few minutes of pure shock he composed himself and glared menacingly at them. The look really reminded her of Professor's Snape's most toxic look, something she had witnessed regularly in Potions lessons.
"How long?" He asked.
"How long what?" Hermione asked, playing dumb. She knew exactly what the King was asking but she didn't want to admit just how long she and Draco had been together.
"How long have you been bedding my most trusted knight?" The King snarled.
"How long have you been bedding my maid?" Hermione retorted.
Hermione's accusations stunned the King and he visibly blanched at her words. "You know." He whispered, turning pale.
"Yes, I know." Hermione replied, not revealing just how much she knew about the King and his kinks. "So I think it's safe to say neither of us have exactly been angels during this marriage."
"I agree, we're both in the wrong." King Severus conceded. "Maybe now we can talk honestly and work things out."
"What is there to work out?" Hermione questioned. "Surely you don't think we can stay together now?"
"Why not?" King Severus shrugged. "You leaving will cause a scandal. Maybe we can talk this through and everything can carry on the same, but at least we'll both be aware of what the other is doing."
Hermione looked at the King in bewilderment before turning to Draco. Draco looked just as bemused as Hermione by the King's idea. After sharing a disbelieving look, Hermione turned back to face her husband.
"And what about the baby? Do you just expect me to pass it off as yours?" Hermione questioned, not being able to control the slight sarcastic tint to her voice.
"I don't know, I just don't want a scandal." The King sighed. "Having your wife run off with a knight isn't what I want people to remember me for."
"That's why we're going to make the split look amicable." Hermione said, moving closer to the King. "When I leave you're going to tell everyone that we've been talking about this for some time and that's why I returned home briefly."
"All that would be fine, if you weren't having a child with my knight." The King retorted bitterly. "As soon as the baby's born gossip will start."
"We can't help that, but my father can limit the gossip that emerges from Gryffindor. No-one here knows of my pregnancy and it could be years before anyone needs to know I've had a child. By then no-one needs know exactly how long after leaving here I gave birth." Hermione explained. "As far as everyone will be concerned my relationship with Draco began after I left Slytherin."
"I take it this means you're leaving as well?" King Severus asked, addressing Draco for the first time.
"Yes, Sire." Draco nodded.
"Good, it saves me the job of sacking you." King Severus retorted. "But until then, I think it's time you left my sight. Go and arrange accommodation for the Gryffindor knights and make arrangements for the Queen to leave tomorrow morning. I don't wish to see you before then and right now I need to speak to my wife in private."
"I'm sorry, Sire, I never meant for this to happen." Draco said.
"It's too late for sorry." The King muttered. "Get out."
Draco quickly looked at Hermione and when she nodded at him he turned and left the room. Once Draco had left, Hermione made her way to the King and she perched on her throne that was situated next to his.
"I'm sorry as well." Hermione said softly. "I never meant to have an affair and I certainly never meant to fall in love with someone else."
"Maybe it's my fault." King Severus said. "It was foolish of me to believe a beautiful, young woman like yourself wouldn't seek out what I wasn't giving you."
"It's not your fault. I think maybe you and my father should have tried to find another way to untie the two kingdoms. In hindsight us getting married wasn't the best idea."
"I don't suppose it was." The King sighed. "But what's done is done and we have to make the best of the situation we have. Tell me what you propose we do about this."
Hermione smiled softly, pleased she hadn't had to resort to blackmail to get the annulment. Hopefully things could now progress civilly and they could convince everyone her departure was pre-planned and the King had been aboard with the plan from the beginning. Not quite as nervous as she had been earlier, Hermione began to explain to the King what she thought should happen to ensure no scandal was attached to either one of them.
::::::::::
After spending a few hours talking everything through with the King, and signing the annulment and peace agreement, Hermione retired to her chambers to begin her packing. She'd been slightly taken aback by the King's reasonable behaviour but at the end of the day she suspected he was just doing what he had to do to avoid scandal.
Hermione knew that if he had kicked up a fuss and the truth had come out that both of them would have looked bad. Obviously Hermione would look bad for having an affair with his knight and ending up pregnant but the King wouldn't have emerged unscathed. Despite it being Hermione in the wrong the rumours would have started up regarding her reasons for having the affair in the first place, and Hermione knew the King wouldn't want anyone thinking she had gone elsewhere because he couldn't satisfy her in the bedroom. With the rumours and gossip that could have resulted from their split, this result was best for everyone.
Hermione had been in her chambers for nearly an hour when someone knocked on the door. Not looking up from her sorting Hermione called for the person to enter. When the door opened and shut almost immediately Hermione looked up and found Ginny standing in the room.
"The King sent me to help you pack." Ginny said. "He said you're leaving in the morning."
"I am. I was going to tell you myself, but you weren't here." Hermione said, feeling bad that she hadn't been the one to break the news to her friend.
"Why are you going?" Ginny asked. "I thought you liked it here?"
"Things just aren't working out." Hermione admitted. She was surprised that the King hadn't told Ginny the real reason for her departure but she had a feeling that her friend would find out the truth soon enough.
Ginny nodded but didn't say anything as she moved to help Hermione pack up her wardrobe. For a while the two women worked in silence and Hermione couldn't help but miss the easy camaraderie that had once existed between them. However, since Ginny's affair with the King started things had just become uncomfortable with them.
"You're staying here, aren't you?" Hermione said, breaking the silence.
"Yes." Ginny nodded. "The King has reassured me I'll always be welcome here and a position in the palace is mine if I want it."
"You're staying for the King aren't you?" Hermione questioned, although it sounded more like a statement.
"I don't know what you mean." Ginny replied, keeping her head bent. "I'm staying because I consider Slytherin my home now."
"I know about your affair with the King." Hermione said, causing Ginny to gape at the Queen as she turned red with embarrassment.
"Is that why you're leaving?" Ginny asked, still looking uncomfortable.
"No." Hermione smiled at her maid and reassured her she bore her no ill will over her relationship with her husband.
"I'm sorry if we've hurt you, Hermione." Ginny said quietly. "We never intended to."
"I know." Hermione nodded. "Do you love him?" She asked. Talking to Ginny had led her to believe her maid's feelings for the King were more powerful than she had originally thought.
"Yes." Ginny admitted, after a long silence.
"Then I hope you're very happy together." Hermione said with a smile. "You do know he won't marry you though, don't you?"
Hermione hadn't asked the question to be cruel but she didn't want her friend harbouring any false hope when it came to her relationship with the King. While Ginny could easily be the King's lover or mistress, she would never be his Queen. Even if King Severus did genuinely love Ginny, Hermione knew he wouldn't risk the scandal that marrying a maid would cause.
"I know we can't be together properly, but I'm happy to take what I can get." Ginny replied honestly.
"As long as you're happy, that's the important thing." Hermione said, speaking from experience. Her own situation certainly wasn't conventional but she was happy and that was what was important.
"I am." Ginny smiled. "I'm really happy."
"Good. You know, I'm really going to miss you." Hermione sighed, turning from her packing and facing her oldest friend. "Things just won't be the same without you."
"I'm going to miss you, too." Ginny smiled, embracing the Queen. "It's been an honour to serve you, My Lady."
"It's been an honour to be served by you." Hermione replied as the two women parted. "My new maid will have a lot to live up to."
Ginny smiled widely as the two women returned to the job in hand, packing up the Queen's belongings for her trip home. As they carried on packing and chatting, Hermione noticed the atmosphere was much more like it had always been between them. Finally talking about Ginny's affair with the King had cleared the air and made things more comfortable between them. Pleased to have at least one more awkward free night with her friend, Hermione chatted with Ginny quite happily as the two friends packed up Hermione's life.
A/N - Just one more chapter to go in the immersion book, then Hermione is back to reality and has to face Draco and everyone else.