Here we go with Hermione's take on Helm's Deep. Any Elvish spoken between Legolas and Hermione will be in quotations, but italicized, like the following.

"I have missed you."

Since I've been experiencing problems finding a proper translator for Sindarin, I've been using Quenya, mostly. Unfortunately, Legolas speaks Sindarin. So, from now on, any lines shared between the two that require Elvish will have it completely translated. She picks up on grammar easily enough.

Enough of a rant! Read! Review! Love me!

- xHx

Hermione hated to admit it, but Helm's Deep was more impressive for the fact that it was built into a cliff-side and extended into the caves inside of the cliff. She busied herself with sorting provisions for the caves, including some of the things she'd stuffed into her beaded bag. Apples, oranges, pears, strawberries, grapes, limes, and even a watermelon she'd put into her bag before leaving Hogwarts.

The watermelon reminded her of the group she'd tried desperately to start in her fourth year after seeing Barty Crouch, Sr.'s treatment of Winky, the Society for the Protection of Elvish Welfare. S.P.E.W. How absolutely ironic it was that she was, by blood, an Elf of another realm. No one would believe her, of course, unless they saw her pointed ears and her glowing diamond pendant. She wouldn't keep them, but at least she could imagine Draco Malfoy's reaction when she told him that her blood was far purer than his.

Pureblood prejudices never made sense to me, anyway, she thought as she instructed Éowyn on how to cut the watermelon properly. I guess this'll show them that you can't trust your first impressions, or your beliefs about a certain person.

Éothain and Freda had enjoyed a reunion with their mother upon arrival in the fortress.

"Make way for the king!"

They both stood up upon hearing Gamling's voice.

"Make way for Théoden! Make way for the king!"

The two ran for the nearest place they could easily meet up with the party of riders. She could see Legolas from where they were. Hermione knew Eowyn would be unhappy, but would have no words of comfort for her. Legolas would remain stoic and strong, as he always had, even when they lost Gandalf (though at least that time he showed his feelings a little). She had seen his face when the Orc spoke of Aragorn's fall.

She ran to Legolas. He seemed to understand that she knew. Neither spoke. They stood there, still as stone, for a moment, lost in each other's eyes. Legolas's gleaming blue eyes spoke volumes.

Finally, Hermione had to break the silence of their moment. She decided to show him that she'd finally finished the book Galadriel had given her.

"Are you unhurt?" she said, brushing off his shoulder faintly.

He smiled, a sad imitation of the smile she had seen only twice since meeting him. "You have practiced. I am unhurt."

Hermione nodded. "I am glad, but I spoke of more than the physical."

Legolas's expression turned vaguely sorrowful. "It is manageable."

"Are you sure of that? I saw your face when you learned of what happened."

"I thought I felt you." A little smile turned up the corners of his lips. "It seems there is no hope left for us."

"That is untrue, Legolas. There is always hope. There is always a light in the darkness of despair."

"Aragorn is lost. Who do we hold hope for now?"

"Trust in me, Legolas," she said with her hands on his shoulders and her eyes locked on his. She was still only five feet, four inches tall. Legolas was over six feet tall. "I have seen things that do contradict what the Orc said. We cannot tell anyone of these. They will not believe us." She closed her eyes. "I have seen other things as well."

"What have you seen?"

"Five others from the other world are in this world, five who would seek my death. They are one woman and four men. The woman is vicious and…insane. One of the men is little more than a boy. The other three are nearly as cruel as the woman, but she is the worst. She will torture and kill every last man, woman, and child she finds." Hermione opened her eyes, finally, meeting his worried gaze. "Éowyn believes me, but she does not think Théoden will allow me to fight. It is our only recourse that I fight."

"Then you must fight," he said simply. "Don't worry, Hísiven. I will keep you safe."

One of the Men glanced at them, but then dismissed it, pretending he hadn't heard Legolas's statement and did not see his gentle fingers sweeping Hermione's dark hair from her eyes.

"Maybe I should cut my hair," she muttered. "It's too much to manage sometimes."

"I like your hair," he whispered. "Keep it as it is."

"It will be long again soon." She fidgeted with the hem of her tunic. She hadn't felt like this since Viktor Krum had asked her to the Yule Ball, but she hadn't acted like such a fool then. Legolas made her nervous. That was the only way she could explain it, and no wonder! He was sure of himself but not cocky, attractive but not vain, and, most of all, honorable and strong. He was everything she could possibly want and more.

After the sun had set, the two found themselves just behind the wall, near the drain grate, quietly talking and discussing strategic specifications.

"Perhaps I could strengthen the walls with magic, make it harder to break them. We know they will try that," she said, placing a hand on the solid rock.

"I don't know how much better you can get than stone," he replied, placing his hand over hers.

Hermione barely blinked before she turned to him and said, "That's it!" She turned, her hand still under his. "We know they'll use a battering ram, right?"

"It is likely."

"Turn the wooden door into stone! Make it harder to get through!"

Legolas's eyes widened. "You can do that?"

"It's a simple one-word spell. All I need to do is…convince Théoden that having a door of solid stone is an advantage over them."

"That is not likely." His fingertips caressed her cheek gently. "It is no wonder you are the Wild Star of our people. You are both beautiful and headstrong."

Hermione laughed. "I cannot disagree with you." She touched her fingertips to his chin. "I have more I need to tell you."

"Speak freely."

"In my fourth year of schooling, there was a ball. I told you about it. It was called the Yule Ball, and everyone in my year and above was allowed to attend. Younger students could as well, if they were asked by someone older.

"Rosmir and I both attended. She was on the arm of our friend Neville, while I attended with a man named Viktor Krum. He mangled my name horrifically. I told you my name in that other world, right?"

Legolas nodded, "Hermione Jean Granger."

The brunette shivered at his pronunciation of her name. He made it seem like music or poetry.

"Right, well…he said 'Herm-own-ninny.' But that's beside the point." She took a deep, shaky breath. "He was the first boy I ever kissed. It wasn't like…that."

"The incident on our way here, you mean?" Even he seemed nervous to talk about their kiss.

"Yes, exactly," she said. "Then in my sixth year, this last year, I made the mistake of asking a young man named Cormac McLaggen to a party. It was a precursor to the winter holidays, held by a teacher who, unfortunately, used mistletoe as one of his decorations." She shivered harder than before at the memory. "Let's just finish this tale off by saying that Cormac spent the rest of the night completely alone after trying to attach to my face like one of the Giant Squid's tentacles."

Legolas's nose wrinkled at the thought. She'd explained that the Giant Squid was not exactly one of the best parts of Hogwarts life.

Gently pulling her right hand from under his on the wall, she reached up and cupped his cheek with her left, the right resting flat against his chest. Somehow, she found courage in the fact that she could bare her soul to him without being judged.

"How about this; next time you want to kiss me, at least give me some sort of warning, because I was completely unprepared for that," she whispered, her fingertips lightly caressing his earlobe.

"Agreed." His voice trembled, just a bit. He was as nervous as she was. There was nothing that could hide that.

Moving incredibly slowly, she slid her hand around his neck, gently pulling his head to her level. His hands found her waist, lifting her up just a little. She rested her currently-bare toes on top of his boots, arching her feet up to reach his lips.

Her eyes slid closed as she kissed him with a fervor that Harry and Ron would never believe she could apply to anything other than books. Legolas was gentle with her, but he wasn't afraid he would break her. That had been Viktor's whole problem.

They both knew where this would lead. Neither of them cared. All that mattered was that they made the most of any time they had, all to themselves, before she was ripped away from him.

Thank the Valar and Merlin both that neither of them really needed to sleep. Hermione only ever slept now if she was overly wearied, which was once a week. Without the extra time in the night, she'd never get back to being presentable before someone stumbled upon them.

"Hermione," Legolas began. He wore only his leggings and boots; he still had not replaced his tunic. She placed a fingertip to his lips.

"Don't say anything," she muttered, kissing his cheek. "It's all right."

"Are you sure this is what you wanted?"

"It was perfect. How could I have asked for more?" She pulled her tunic over her head, pulling it tight before she picked up her quiver.

"I confess to feeling the same," he whispered, his lips brushing her ear.

Hermione laughed. "I would hope so." She strapped the quiver to her back and picked up his tunic. It had landed in the drainage water. She laughed and dried it with her wand before throwing it at him.

I had intended to include more, but since my stupid Word chopped it off, I'm going to write a completely filler chapter. I hate Microsoft Word sometimes...

Before any of you can comment, yes, they...enjoyed each other.

- xHx