Holy Mother of Merlin, this is really happening, I'm not dreaming all of this up, of course why would I be dreaming about him, he's relatively annoying, though not as annoying as he could be, I mean he took me to great big bloody Rome for Godric's sake, if I knew him that well I might just kiss him if it wouldn't be too weird, actually no I wouldn't kiss him, he'd be terribly smug about it –
"Hermione," the Doctor interrupted her inner monologue with a grin, "Just say thank you."
She looked up at him, a grin spreading slowly across her face before she hugged his arm quickly – she was actually a very hug-y person, he'd have to learn that eventually, "Thank you so very much."
He chuckled, "You're welcome. I really do like Rome, though. Lots of history. Well, there will be more, of course, but still."
"It's so – Roman and it's beautiful and – " Hermione stopped in her walk, making the Doctor look at her curiously, "That sign's in English."
"That's the TARDIS translation circuit – it makes it look like English," he explained, "Right now you're speaking Latin."
"Ahh," she said as they continued to maneuver their way through the people, "So if I said something in actual Latin, what would happen?"
He shrugged, "I don't really know, but you ask an awful lot of questions."
She huffed up at him, frowning as he grinned but looked at a nearby cart. She'd heard it a lot, of course, when she was younger, often being teased about it, but she hadn't been reminded of it since she'd gotten out of the War. But he didn't seem too mean about it, like the kids had been; he actually seemed more amused by it.
"Go try it," he said, motioning to the nearest vender.
She blinked at him before shrugging and stepping rather shyly up to the vender.
"What can I do for you, Love?" he asked.
"Ahh - magna est vis consuetudinis," Hermione smiled as the Doctor stepped up beside her.
The vender looked at a loss, "I'm sorry?"
Hermione blinked back at him, "Magna est vis consuetudinis?"
He only blinked at her before saying slowly, "I don't speak Celtic."
"Celtic?" she scoffed to the Doctor, "That was Latin!"
"What was it?" he questioned.
"'Great is the power of habit.' My grandmother would tell me that all the time," she snorted again, "Celtic."
"Well you sounded rather Welsh," the Doctor shrugged before leading her away down the street, the two unaware that a woman in red robes was looking after them as they left before finally following behind them.
She followed them closely, but not close enough to be spotted or hear all of what they were saying. She heard something about him not starting a fire before the two turned a corner and stopped, staring straight ahead of them before the woman turned to the man.
"Aren't there supposed to be seven hills in Rome?" she asked in amusement as the man pursed his lips and stared resolutely at the horizon. "How come there's only one, Doctor?"
He opened his mouth to say something to her, but was stopped when the ground began shaking underneath them, the woman holding onto the man's arm as he gripped her into him. Neither were sturdy bases, so they both fell, the man wincing when he cut his hand on a fragment of a chipped pot.
He quickly picked it out of his skin and offered his hand to the woman, who pulled out a stick and whispered something before slipping it back into her jacket. When the man stood up and offered his hand to the woman, the skin was completely healed.
"One mountain with smoke," the Doctor said as Hermione watched as the people laughed over the ordeal, picking up whatever was broken and going on about their day. "That means it's – "
"Pompeii," Hermione blinked up at him as his eyebrows shot up, staring back down at her, "We're in Pompeii."
"And it's Volcano Day."
"You're barmy, absolutely barmy! I don't know why I ever agreed to come with you!" Hermione shouted at the Doctor as they ran through the streets of Pompeii, trying to get back to the TARDIS so they could escape.
"You have to admit – adventure this quick!" he shouted back, glancing over his shoulder before reaching out and grabbing her wrist, instantly making her run faster.
Hermione probably should've felt offended, but knew that he had a very good point. He had longer legs, and she was short. Case closed, end of story, now keep focused, Granger, you nearly tripped over that pot.
"Where's the TARDIS?" the Doctor gaped as he flung back the curtain that had originally concealed his beloved blue box, only to find that it wasn't there.
"You're kidding me," Hermione breathed, feeling her pulse quicken in fear. "Oh, please tell me this is somebody else's idea of a very cruel joke."
The Doctor was already turning towards a nearby merchant, looking and sounding very frantic, which made Hermione's nerves stand on edge, "'Scuse me, 'scuse me! There was a box, big blue box, big blue wooden box, just over there!" He paused, looking at the man with wide eyes, "Where's it gone?"
The man grinned and looked very proud of himself, "Sold it."
The Doctor looked horrified as Hermione stepped in front of him and gaped at the merchant, "But it wasn't yours to sell!"
"Who'd you sell it to?" the Doctor demanded incredulously, wondering why anybody would want to buy his TARDIS if they didn't know it was the TARDIS.
The merchant looked aggravated and bored with them, "Look, if you want to argue with somebody, take it up with him. He's on Fourth Street, big house, can't miss it."
"Thanks!" the Doctor said before grabbing Hermione's hand again and springing them into motion. Hermione gasped as she collided into the Doctor's back before he ran back to the merchant once more, "What did he want a big blue wooden box for?"
The merchant shrugged, "He called it art."
"Art?" the Doctor scoffed, jogging back to Hermione as he shook his head, "That goes right up there with 'Celtic.'"
"Pretty offending, isn't it?" Hermione quipped with a smirk, to which he glared at. "So what are we going to do?"
"Hopefully just barge in there and get it back," the Doctor replied, once again grabbing her hand and pulling her along.
"What?" she blinked, "No, I mean with the people."
"What do you mean with the people?" he looked at her curiously.
"How are we going to evacuate them?"
He kept the curious expression, but stopped in their walk and released her hand to face her, feeling a bit of a fight coming on, "We aren't."
"What? But – you said you saved people."
"Not Pompeii – Pompeii is a fixed point in history. I can't go messing around with it."
"Says who?" she practically yelled.
"Says me!"
"What, you're in charge?"
"TARDIS, Time Lord, yeah!"
"Hermione, human, no!" she quipped back. A brief thought of 'what the bloody hell is a Time Lord?' flashed through her noggin, but she ignored it. She got a few strange looks from nearby citizens, but ignored them as well as she put her hands on her hips, "I don't see why we can't save them. Besides, I don't need your permission, I can help them myself."
She turned away from him, ready to go save Pompeii, when he called out and stopped her, "You pull that wand out and you're dead. Despite all of that 'Seer' stuff that's still in your time, they won't agree with a witch bossing them around. Now come on – we're getting out of here." He reached forward – when did he get so close? – and grabbed her arm this time to drag her along beside him. They ran on, not giving any notice to a woman in red robes, who watched them leave.
"Positions!" was what greeted the Doctor and Hermione as they ran into the house, the Doctor darting forward to save a bust from falling, turning to grin at the man who presumably owned the bust.
The Doctor patted the bust's face once the tremors stopped, "There we go!"
The man smiled back, "Thank you, kind sir, but I'm afraid business is closed for today. I'm expecting a visitor."
"Oh, well that's me!" the Doctor said quickly, making Hermione turn and blink up at him from examining the bust. "I'm the visitor – hello!" He reached forward and patted the man's hand, who looked at him in confusion.
"Who are you?" the man asked, following the Doctor as he went around to hunt for his TARDIS, Hermione stepping gingerly down the steps to survey the room, attracting curious looks from what had to be the man's wife and daughter. The son, who was lounging on the edge of a reflecting pool, seemed minimally interested in her or the Doctor. Hermione flashed them all a sheepish grin before slowly making her way back to the Doctor.
"I am…Spartacus," the Doctor lied as Hermione appeared at his side – such a good girl, not getting lost, he noted – still smiling at the man who had bought his TARDIS. He turned to Hermione, who seemed at a loss for words.
"And so am I," she concluded, making the Doctor tilt his head at her and wonder how anybody could've thought she was the smartest witch of her generation.
"Mister and Missus Spartacus, I – " the man began, Hermione's eyes growing.
"Oh, no, no, we're not – " Hermione began before she felt the Doctor's hand in hers, squeezing just a little too tightly to get her to shut up.
"Oh yes, we are, Sweetheart, remember we got married this morning?" he questioned, a teasing glint in his eyes as she got a murderous glint in hers.
"Oh yes – how silly of me to forget, Darling," she all but growled, making him grin down at her. Oh, I hate you, she tried to tell him silently, but his attention was back on the man.
"Oh, well congratulations!" the man smiled broadly before deflating a little, "I'm sorry, but I'm not open for trade."
"And that trade would be…?" the Doctor prompted, craning his head to look for his TARDIS. Hermione wondered why he'd have to do that, as he was already bloody tall enough. Merlin, I hate being short. I only come up to his shoulder.
"Marble," he said before straightening himself proudly, "I am Caecilius. I work with the mining, polishing and design – if you want marble, I'm your man."
"That's good, that's good," the Doctor said distractedly before showing him a blank piece of paper, "Because I'm a marble inspector." The Doctor maneuvered himself around Caecilius and Hermione smiled bashfully at him before following her "husband." She'd have to figure out a way to pay him back for that one.
"By the gods, an inspection," Caecilius's wife said, looking rather worried. She turned to her son, who was taking a drink of something and promptly took it away, pouring the wine into the reflecting pool, "I'm sorry, sir, I do apologize for my son."
Her son started to protest when Caecilius interrupted, "This is my wife, Metella, and I must confess that we're not prepared for – "
"No need to worry," the Doctor shook his head before blinking when he caught sight of the TARDIS, "I'm sure you've got nothing to hide, although that –" he pointed, making Hermione light up a little, " – that is something that will need to be looked over, don't you think so, dear?"
"Absolutely," Hermione agreed, following him towards the TARDIS.
"I told you to get rid of it," Metella hissed to her husband as he walked up to the Doctor.
"I only bought it today," Caecilius explained rather nervously.
"Ahh, caveat emptor," the Doctor shrugged and grimaced.
Caecilius blinked, "You're Celtic? That's lovely."
The Doctor ignored this as Hermione pursed her lips, "I'm sure it's nothing to worry about, but I might have to take it off your hands for a proper inspection."
"Although while we're here," Hermione began with a warm smile at the couple, which immediately made the Doctor wary, "Perhaps you could take a holiday while you wait for our results? I hear Rome is very lovely."
The Doctor frowned, "We're not to intervene, Spartacus."
"But it's such a lovely family," she turned her big doe eyes on him, which she only ever used as a very last resort, "They deserve a holiday. Mother and father and son – don't you think they should get out of town?"
"And why should we do that?" Caecilius asked skeptically.
"Well the volcano, for starters," she said before the Doctor could stop her.
"What?" he questioned.
"The volcano," she repeated earnestly.
"What-ano?"
"That great big one on your doorstep," she replied, eyebrows arched.
The Doctor was itching to slap his hands over her mouth and pull her in the TARDIS, witnesses be damned.
"Oh, Spartacus, for shame – we haven't even paid our respects to the household gods," the Doctor interrupted, pulling her away by her shoulders and grinning at Caecilius and Metella, "It's been a very hectic morning – lots of wine, you understand." The Doctor lead her to what appeared to be a mantle although no fireplace was underneath it, and dipped his hand in a bowl of water, instructing her to do the same as he frowned at her, splashing the water on the mantle. "What did I tell you?"
"Oh please, what about them?" she whispered, biting her lip, "What did they do to die in a pile of molten rock?"
"Hermione, shut up," he glared at her, making her glare back.
"That boy – what is he? – sixteen? He's sixteen, he'll never grow up, get a job, get a wife, have kids, have grandkids – are you telling me you don't care about that? You don't care that tomorrow, he'll burn to death?" she asked, incredulously.
The Doctor only frowned at her before turning away, back towards Caecilius and Metella.
"Announcing Lucius Petrus Dextrus, Chief Order of the city government!" a voice called, making Hermione whirl around and look for the pale blonde hair and permanent scowl, only to remind herself that – in this time – Lucius was probably a common name. Although now the name had been tainted completely for her, it was still a name that could be given to very nice people. Although she highly doubted it.
In walked a man with graying hair, a scowl on his face to rival the one of Lucius Malfoy's, a cloak covering his entire upper torso except for an arm. Well, lookie there, Hermione thought with an inward smile, I was right after all.
"Lucius!" Caecilius said eagerly, "A pleasure as always!"
The Doctor was motioning with his head for Hermione to follow him to the TARDIS, slowly making his way there as she nonchalantly followed. Metella was ordering her son, Quintus, to stand, him doing so reluctantly.
"Thank you so much for coming to my house," Caecilius said as the Doctor once again grabbed Hermione's hand and began to tiptoe with her to the TARDIS, still hoping to go unnoticed.
"The birds are flying north," Lucius replied, "And the wind is in the west."
Caecilius looked confused by this before nodding his head, "Right, absolutely. That's good, is it?"
Hermione and the Doctor exchanged curious glances, their lips twitching in amusement.
"Only the grain of wheat knows where it will grow."
He's a fortune cookie, Hermione grinned, looking up at the Doctor as he tilted his head at Lucius.
"Metella, have you ever heard such wisdom?" Caecilius asked his wife, drawing her closer.
"Never," Metella admitted, smiling at Lucius as she curtseyed, "It's an honor."
Caecilius looked up and blinked at the Doctor and Hermione, "Oh, pardon me, sir, I have guests. This is Mister and Missus Spartacus."
Hermione and the Doctor waved as they stepped forward, although the Doctor kept a grip on her elbow, obviously ready to leave.
"Your name is but a cloud upon a summer wind," Lucius said.
"But the wind is felt most keenly in the dark," the Doctor countered. Hermione suddenly felt very lost in this conversation.
"Ahh!" Lucius stepped forward, still frowning at them. Hermione found herself reaching for the Doctor's hand, more out of comfort as she did not like the look in his eyes, "But what is the dark, other than an ovum of the sun?"
The Doctor twined their fingers together without taking his eyes off Lucius, "I can see that every sun must set – "
Lucius released a triumphant laugh, "Ha!"
" – and yet the son of the father must also rise."
Lucius was still frowning, "Very clever, sir. Evidently a man of learning."
"Oh yes, but don't mind me, don't want to disturb the status quo," the Doctor grinned as Caecilius whispered 'Celtic' to Lucius, "We were just about to leave." He then began to lead Hermione away as she shot a very sad look to Quintus, who got it and looked at her curiously.
"But – " Hermione began.
"We've got to go," the Doctor urged. Hermione sighed, frowning as they got closer to the TARDIS.
Caecilius was talking behind them, "The moment of revelation."
This caught the Doctor's interest, as he glanced behind him to watch as he took a red cloth off of something. The sight of it made him stop, Hermione bumping into his back once more. She frowned at him and turned back to see what appeared to be a circuit board made out of marble.
"Does this please you, sir?" Caecilius asked worriedly.
"As the rain pleases the soil," Lucius replied.
"Oh, now that's…different," the Doctor said, abandoning Hermione by the TARDIS as he stepped forward, frowning at the marble, "And who designed that then?"
"My lord Lucius was very specific," Caecilius replied.
"Where'd you get that pattern?" the Doctor asked.
"On the rain and mist of wind," Lucius frowned at him.
"Well that looks like a circuit," Hermione murmured, mostly to the Doctor, although she was vaguely aware that everybody else heard it too. "Do you mean you just…" she faltered as she looked up at Lucius before continuing, "Dreamt that up?"
"That is my job," he said quickly, "As city oracle."
"What's that, then, like a mayor?" Hermione asked.
The Doctor opened his mouth before releasing a rather nervous laugh, "Oh, heh, little sleep, lotta wine, huh? You must excuse my wife, she's had a busy day today."
She shot a quick glare up at him, reminding him that she did not appreciate being known as his 'wife,' to which he shot a quick smirk down at her before he turned them away and began to explain to her.
"Remember, Darling, this is an age of superstition, of official superstition, an oracle is paid by the city to tell the future," he smiled, "I thought you were the brightest of your generation?"
She huffed up at him, making him grin wider.
"They're laughing at us," a young woman said as she stepped into the room. Hermione then remembered that she'd seen her when she first walked in.
Everybody turned to her and the Doctor, which made her grip his hand once more as he sought hers out. Merlin, what's with me? I brought down Death Eaters and here I am looking for the man's hand for ease of mind. Then again, he did say they don't like witches too much….
"Those two," the girl stepped closer. She was very pale with bags under her eyes. Hermione's "Internal Molly Weasley" wanted to make her go take a nap until she looked like she wasn't about to pass out. "They use words like tricksters, they're mocking us."
The Doctor looked back at his TARDIS, once more wondering if he could get away with dragging Hermione in there and leaving.
"No, not us, no offense," the Doctor reassured everybody else in the room.
"I'm sorry," Metella rushed to her daughter, grinning a little sheepishly, "My daughter's been consuming the vapors."
"The gods, Mother, what have you been doing to her?" Quintus asked, looking every bit as the protective older brother. It made her think of Harry just a bit.
"Not now!" Caecilius barked at his son.
"She's sick, just look at her!" Quintus turned back to glare at his father. Yup, Harry.
"I gather I have a rival in this household," Lucius stepped towards Metella and the girl. "Another with the Gift."
"Oh, she's been promised to the Sibylline Sisterhood," Metella smiled, wrapping an arm around her daughter's shoulders, "They say she has remarkable visions."
"The prophecies of women are limited and null," Lucius countered, making Hermione frown at him and have the Doctor pull her back behind him. I just had to pick a stubborn companion, he thought to himself as she frowned up at him. Ah well, she's entertaining.
"Only men folk have the capacity for true conception," Lucius continued, making Hermione roll her eyes and attempt to speak up, which in turn made the Doctor release her hand and cradle the back of her head as his other hand slapped over her mouth. She glared at him as he grinned at her. Yes, she's very entertaining.
Tremors shook the ground, which had Lucius frowning at Hermione again.
"The mountain gods mark your unspoken words," he said, making Hermione roll her eyes again. "I'd be careful if I were you."
"What's this about the vapors?" the Doctor asked, turning to the girl as she practically leaned against her mother.
"They give me strength," she said.
"Doesn't seem like it to me."
"Well that's your opinion," she said before getting off of her mother, "As a doctor."
Hermione felt the Doctor's hand behind her head freeze and the one over mouth relax and slip off as he stared at the girl.
"I beg your pardon?" he asked as Hermione reached up and took his hand again, gripping it once more.
"'Doctor,' that's your name," she said, looking between him and Hermione.
"How did you know that?" he questioned as Hermione's other hand gripped his arm, holding him close to her.
"And you," she turned to Hermione and ignored the Doctor now, "Others have said you have dirty blood. The word has even marred you." Hermione gripped the Doctor's arm tighter, digging her nails into his jacket as she conveyed how freaked out she was. But of course he wouldn't know. She would never let him know.
"Evelina, don't be rude," Metella insisted rather softly, looking up at the Doctor and Hermione as the ground shook again.
"No, no, no, no, let her talk," the Doctor said softly, his free hand gripping Hermione's, his eyebrows furrowing a little as he wondered what Evelina meant about his new companion. Whatever it was wasn't in her file, he knew that much.
"You both come from so far away," Evelina continued, swaying with her mother.
"The female soothsayer is trying to invent all sorts of fables," Lucius frowned.
"Oh, not this time, Lucius," Hermione spoke up, stepping away from the Doctor so that she wasn't within arm's reach, wrapping her arms around herself as she looked at Evelina. "I believe you've been out-soothsayed." She tilted her head, making the girl tilt hers as well, "Where is it?"
"Your left inner arm," Evelina answered.
Her thumb smoothed down the word Mudblood through her jacket, the scar still raised on her skin no matter how many years it'd been there. Even then, it was still far too many.
Hermione nodded, giving her a sad little smile as she stepped back, even then away from the Doctor.
"Man from Gallifrey," Lucius spoke up, making the Doctor and Hermione turn to him, "Should you choose one of dirty blood to accompany you?"
Godric's ghost, you must be the ancestor for Lucius Malfoy, Hermione thought, Well, if you weren't going to die tomorrow, that is.
The Doctor stared at Lucius, frowning back at him, "I've already chosen."
"Strangest of images," Lucius acted as though he hadn't heard what the Doctor had said, "Your home is lost in fire, is it not?"
Well, looks like Hermione isn't the only one of the duo keeping secrets, the Doctor admitted to himself, glancing back at her to see that she was confused.
"Doctor?" she asked rather quietly, "What're they doing?"
"You," Lucius turned to Hermione, "Daughter of London – "
"Doctor, how does he know that?" she sounded frantic.
"This is the Gift of Pompeii," Lucius told her, "Every single Oracle tells the truth."
Hermione only opened her mouth before shutting it, gripping her arms tighter as she attempted to melt into the background.
"Doctor," Lucius turned to him with a smirk – oh my Merlin, you must be Lucius Malfoy's role model or something – "She is returning."
"Who's 'she'?" the Doctor asked, an eyebrow arched.
"And you, daughter of London, there is something on your back."
"What?" she asked, sounding very frightened.
"Even the word 'doctor' is false," Evelina said, stepping away from her mother, "Your real name is hidden. It burns in the stars in the cascade of Medusa herself. You are a lord, sir. A lord of time."
Evelina, stepping back, halfway to her mother and next to Hermione, then promptly fainted.
We'll just end that there because oh my god it was so long and that was even when I deleted the Sibylline's scenes and oh my god so many pages I think it's somewhere around thirty-two so many pages so many words I can't I can't I can't –
Anyway - ! If you're wondering why Hermione and the Doctor keep holding hands – Hermione is in some weird place with some weird volcano and all of these people scrutinizing her. She needs to have a sense of security. The Doctor, sometimes, provides that. Other times the Doctor just needs a little bit of comfort too. Even he gets a little freaked out when they start going all "Man of Gallifrey" on him. And Hermione is also a head shorter than him – he can't go losing his new companion, now can he?
I also love this episode. I love Donna Noble to pieces. "TARDIS, Time Lord, yeah!" "Donna, human, no!"
Just think of the end of this chapter as a really really really long commercial. :)
Love,
Ava