DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything except bits of the plot!
So this is my latest chapter, hope you like it!
Chapter 4: Journeying
Hermione had just finished packing for the quest tomorrow and she looked upon her small bag with satisfaction. She put it on and headed out to meet everyone else. It was a cold grey day and clouds were overhead, dark and low. Gimli approached Hermione, taking special care not to startle her, "Where are the rest of your bags Lady Hermione? Surely you aren't bringing just that one bag." Hermione smirked, "Well, I was under the impression that we were travelling light, unless I'm mistaken." "Ah, so we are, so we are." Gimli said uncomfortably. There was little breeze in the valley, yet Hermione's hair was blowing about as if reflecting her excitement. She winced as she heard Boromir blow his horn and it echoed through Rivendell. Hermione watched Elrond reprimand him slightly and felt uneasy, a gust of wind cutting into her even though she wasn't cold.
The Fellowship of the Ring said their farewells and set out. They crossed a bridge and wound slowly up the long steep paths that led out of the cloven vale of Rivendell; and they came at length to the high moor where the wind hissed through the heather. Then with one glance at the Last Homely House twinkling below them they strode away far into the night.
They headed south and walked on narrow paths. Gandalf walked in front, and with him Aragorn, who knew this land well even in the dark. The others were in file behind; Legolas and Hermione at the back since their eyes were keenest. The first part of the Company's journey was hard and dreary; and Hermione remembered little of it, save the half-darkness in which they walked. Everyday icy blasts of wind came from the Mountain in the east, and everyone shivered except the elves in the group. They rested warily during the middle of the day and journeyed far into the night.
The Company had been travelling for a fortnight when the weather suddenly changed. The wind turned it's attention to the south and the sun came out, pale and bright. Hermione could see the shadow of three peaks; cold and foreboding. Gandalf assessed their position and said "We have done well, we have reached the borders of the country that Men call Hollin. In happier days Elves dwelt here. We have travelled forty five leagues as the crow flies and the weather will be milder now, but possibly more dangerous." Gimli told the group about the Mountains; about the places underneath and Hermione listened intently. "We shall rest here not only today but tonight as well; for great evil must come upon a country before it forgets the race of Elves." Gandalf said.
They lit a fire in a deep hollow surrounded by holly bushes and their breakfast was merrier than it had been since they had left Rivendell. They sat around the fire and told tales of great splendour; laughing cheerfully. Only Aragorn was silent and restless, though Hermione did not join in the story telling. After a while he walked to the ridge and listening. Then he returned to the rest of the Company. "What is the matter Strider? Do you miss the East wind?" Merry said. Aragorn sighed and said "No, but I miss something," "It is too quiet." Hermione said softly, finishing Aragorn's sentence. "I feel a sense of watchfulness here that I have never felt before." He continued. "Then we must be more careful," said Gandalf, "For if you bring a Ranger with you, you had better listen to him, especially if that Ranger is Aragorn."
Aragorn was taking first watch, and it was so quiet that he could almost feel it. Every sound was enhanced and it made him extra vigilant. After a while Hermione approached him, "Aragorn what is that?" She said and pointed to a dark patch that had appeared from the south. He said nothing but continued to watch the sky. With her elven eyes, Hermione first, clearly saw that it was a flock of birds. "Birds," she breathed out and Aragorn pulled her down into the shad of a nearby bush. Staying flat and deathly still, they waited until the air was devoid of any movement once more. Hermione let out a breath she hadn't realised she had been holding and Aragorn sprung up and woke Gandalf informing him of what he had seen.
Pippin was complaining about the lack of warm food and Hermione walked up to him and said "You should be happy that our fire had burned out before the crows had come, or we would have been spotted." "But they're crows." He retorted. "Crows that aren't native." She said before walking to the back of the group. They stayed hidden for the rest of the day and at dusk they steered their course towards Cahadras.
Hermione could sense the discomfort in the group as they made their way to the formidable peak of Cahadras. On the last day of travel in the woods, Boromir suggested that they bring a faggot of wood each, to light a fire if need be; Gandalf agreed, albeit reluctantly. They started up the slope, but soon their path had become sheer and rocky. They struggled up a particularly steep slope and rested for a while at the top. Hermione felt something soft touch her cheek and realised that it had started snowing. When she was younger, Hermione had loved the snow; she would make snow angels and have snowball fights. She sighed; it seemed like just a distant dream now. "Would you like me to put Warming charms on everyone?" She asked a short while later. The rest of the Company complied eagerly and sighed at the warmth the spell brought.
There was a strange noise upon the wind. "I can hear something." Hermione whispered to Legolas nervously. "I hear it too," he replied. He murmured to Aragorn and Gandalf urgently before falling back into step with Hermione. The storm whirled around them relentlessly and eventually they had been force to seek shelter next to a protecting cliff face. Hermione pressed into the hard rock and suddenly drowsiness seemed to overtake Hermione, plaguing her with memories of people screaming for help; until strong arms pulled her out of the snow that had settled around her. She thanked Legolas and saw that the hobbits had suffered the same lapse of consciousness as she did.
"This will be the death of the halflings, Gandalf," said Boromir, "We must do something so as to prevent the snow from covering our heads." "Give them this," said Gandalf, searching in his pack and drawing out a flask. "Just a mouthful each; for all of us. It is very precious. It is miruvor, the cordial of Imladris. Elrond gave it to me at our parting. Pass it round!" As soon as Hermione had swallowed a little of the warm and fragrant liquid, she felt heat spread through her and a new hope was born. The others also revived and found new vigour. "What do you say to fire?" Boromir said suddenly, "The choice now seems to be for fire or death." "You may make a fire now if you can." Gandalf agreed. It was easier said than done, for it passed the skill of Legolas and Gimli to strike a flame that would last the swirling torrents of snow. "Here," Hermione spoke up and took the nearest faggot, "Validus incendio" (A/N: validus means strong in Latin)A spurt of flame shot out of her wand and the wood caught fire instantly. Everybody crouched around the fire and took shelter in the warmth that it brought.
Slowly they added food to fuel the fire until the fire burnt low. "Wait!" Hermione said as Boromir added the last faggot to the fire. He looked at her curiously, "Why?" "Oh I thought I could duplicate it to make the fire last longer." She trailed off into silence and eventually fell into an elvish sleep. Her head rested on Legolas' shoulder and he too drifted off. The rest of them tried to stop their shivers and rest.
Suddenly Hermione jerked awake and looked at the sky, "The weather is improving," and slowly but surely the snow lessened and the clouds abated. The snow and wind stopped and the sun shone upon the travellers, who basked in her warmth. Gimli looked up, "Cahadras has not forgiven us, he has more snow to fling at us if we continue. The sooner we go back the better." The others agreed readily, but this proved almost impossible. Only a short distance away from the remanets of their fire, the snow lay many feet deep. Taller than the heads of Hermione, Gimli and the hobbits; in places the wind had made deep drifts. "If Hermione were to go before us with a bright flame, she might melt a path for you," said Legolas. The storm had troubled the elves of the Company little, and they alone remained still light of heart. Gimli grumbled but said nothing.
"Let the men of this group force a path through the snow for our companions." Boromir said to Aragorn and together they started pushing their way through the snow. Legolas watched this with a smile upon his lips, and then he turned to the others. "The strongest must seek a way, say you? But I say: let a ploughman plough, but choose an otter for swimming and for running light over grass and leaf, or over snow – an Elf." Hermione looked down at their feet and noticed for the first time, that they made barely an imprint on the snow. The two elves both had no boots, but light shoes. "Come Hermione, we go to find the sun!" and with that the two elves ran forward and swiftly overtook the toiling men, disappearing around the rocky turn.
Hermione and Legolas saw that after the large drift the snow quickly lessened until it was no more than a light layer of snow on the rock. They quickly turned back and saw a depressed Aragorn and Boromir; Hermione called out, "Aragorn, Boromir, you only have a few feet to go." The two men were heartened and dug with a new vigour. The two elves returned to the rest of the Company and told them what they had seen. Aragorn and Boromir returned shortly and he said "We have thrust a lane through the drift for all those that cannot run as light as elves." "But how are we going to get down there, even if you have cut through the drift?" said Pippin, voicing the thought of all the hobbits. "Have hope!" said Boromir. "I am weary, but I still have some strength left, and Aragorn too. We will bear the little folk. The others no doubt will make shift to tread the path behind us. Come Master Peregrin! I will begin with you."
Pippin clung to Boromir's back and Merry did the same with Aragorn; they strode forward and when they came to the great drift. Through the middle they had beaten a track like a bridge. On the other side, Merry and Pippin waited with Legolas and Hermione, for the rest of the Fellowship to join them. They quickly made their way down the mountain; when they reached the bottom they looked at the innocently glinting, white peak in the distance. Cahadras had defeated them.
Okay! Thank you for all the amazing reviews! Jovie Black, the answer to your question is really complicated so I'll try to explain it. Elves age differently to people, if they are 10 then they would probably look 5; if an elf is 20 then they would look 10; if an elf is 2000 then they would about 25. That's why Hermione looks 9! Zimerman1407 thanks for pointing out my 1st person mistake, I reposted my third chapter. Thanks! And if you want to (though I really hope you do) could you please please please review and add a really hard quiz question with it, I'll mention you with my next chapter, and if I don't know your answer, that chapter will be dedicated to you!
Okay enough of my rambling
Hermione who likes clovers and hard questions **hint hint**