Here we go! Chapter five. I am so wicked...

Hermione and Ginny did not leave Harry's side until he awoke, just five hours after his arrival. Ginny found herself smiling for the first time in a long while.

"Ginny," Harry said, his voice quiet and weak.

"Do not speak, Hitharn," Hermione said, indicating that they were not alone. Arwen stood in the corner. The girl poured him a glass of water, handing it to him carefully. "Finding you was quite a surprise; I had heard you were in Minas Tirith, in the kingdom of Gondor."

"I was," he said, taking a drink. "They...they killed him." He reached out his hand to Ginny. "I couldn't get him away from them in time."

Ginny gave a soft gasp, and Hermione placed a hand on her shoulder. It was for two purposes. The first was comfort; she had never done anything without knowing her older brother would help her. The second was restraint; Hermione knew that the redhead would be very angry. Angry enough to attempt a destruction of the city.

"Rothrandir would not want us to be so focused upon his death that we can find nothing to ease the pain. We have some things to do," Hermione said.

"Hisiven, Father would like to speak to you, now that he is awake," Arwen said. "Rosmir can watch over Hitharn."

Elrond stood in a courtyard near the bridge leading into the main part of the city. A group of four riders, all with gleaming, light-colored hair.

"Our visitors from Mirkwood are arriving," Elrond said.

"Lothrendis," Hermione whispered, smiling. Luna had come.

The first to dismount was a lithe, tall elf-man with a quiver strapped to his back. The others followed him, but he began speaking to Elrond in the same language Hermione heard around the city. One, after a few short moments, came around and embraced Hermione.

"Luna," she whispered, hugging the blonde tightly.

"Hermione." She pulled away and smiled. "I trust you have been all right these past days?"

Hermione laughed.

"Hisiven Rhovanel, this is Legolas," Luna said with a grin, placing a hand very lightly on the elf-man's arm.

"Lothrendis, is the introduction needed?" he said.

"It is, Legolas. I told you; she's been away for a very long while and would not remember you," Luna replied, lifting her hand.

Arwen leaned close to Hermione. "It is tradition that the Wild Star is closely associated with the Prince of Mirkwood. You knew each other once; we do not expect you to remember those days."

But Hermione did remember. It was a vague, dim memory, but she recognized the man's blue, blue eyes and the odd, mystic air about him. He belonged to the forest. And then, there were the dreams.

Ever since she could remember, she'd been plagued - or perhaps blessed - with dreams of a tall, blonde man, who now stood before her. He was always gentle and kind with her, and each morning when she woke, she found herself saddened. Disappointed.

"It is such a joy to see what a beauty you have grown to be, Hisiven, and to find you again," Legolas said, smiling brightly.

"Such flattery is unnecssary," she said softly, inclining her head just a little. It felt proper.

The two shared a moment more, before Hermione pulled Luna away from everyone else, saying she needed to catch up with her friend. And she did need that.

"What is it like, to learn that you were never who you believed yourself to be?" Luna said.

"It is a burden and a blessing," Hermione replied. "To find that there is a place I belonged to more than Hogwarts or anywhere else is a great gift, but to know that everyone lied to me for nearly eighteen years... That, Luna, is my burden."

The two were at the door to an unoccupied room between Hermione's and Ginny's. Hermione opened the door very slowly, looking around within. "I think this is to be your room...Lothrendis."

The brunette and the blonde shared a grin, and Luna entered the room. "Your hair's darker," the blonde said, "and your eyes are blue. I think you really do belong here."

Hermione's eyes narrowed, and she crossed Luna's room to the mirror. Her appearance had changed. A lot. Her skin was now a pearlescent white, her eyes shining softly and her hair almost as dark as Arwen's. Life in Rivendell was restoring her to her true beauty.