OMG. That's all I can say. I know this took forever to update, and I am very sorry about that. I can't tell you how many times I had to erase pages and pages of writing because it got out of control. I promised I was going to try and not go all stupid, silly on you guys, and I hope this lives up to the promise. I wanted that first introduction between Legolas and Hermione be realistic. Not, oh my there's an Elf and oh look a Dwarf too. Please let me know what you think.
There was no other way around it, she was totally, and utterly buggered. They didn't call her the brightest witch of their age for nothing, and even a complete imbecile could see the seriousness of the situation. Not even the sight of a Dwarf being attacked by her wretched school book could diminish the gravity of her plight.
The slight relief she had earlier, when she'd awoke in the field, realizing she hadn't actually died, no longer was the silver lining she first thought it to be, not when the nightmare she was currently awoken too was much more worse than anything she could ever imagine. All she knew was that stupid, stupid Time-Turner was to blame.
What was that saying her Mother always said? The one that irked her to no end? Oh yes, "Out of the frying pan and into the fire." It wasn't the saying that irritated her, but the timing her mother used when she said it. It was always used out of context, and ill-timed to boot. But never in Hermione's life had the meaning been any clearer. She had gone from bad to truly buggered.
Staring at her unwanted guests, knowing they were waiting for her to respond, and probably assuming she was waiting as well, Hermione knew it really didn't matter who the strangers were. In all her years pouring through the books in the Hogwarts Library, she had never, ever run across any mention of there ever being, or had been Elf or Dwarfs upon the earth. The only thing close, was the books on House Elves, and it was clear as day that the man standing before her was nothing like any House Elf she'd ever seen.
Her options were limited, and once again faced with the choice of fight or flight, she wondered which one had the highest probability of success. To be quiet honest, fighting two strangers didn't sit well with her. For all she knew they were only trying to do the right thing and help. Of course, they also helped themselves to search through her belongings. Flight was easier said than done. Her body wasn't up to the challenge of a jarring run, not to mention she had no clue where she could run to. Worse, she'd be forced to leave the tent and her belongings behind. She supposed she could improvise, be the witch she always claimed she was.
Without a second's hesitation, Hermione's wand hand came flying out from under the covers and pointed at the startled Dwarf. "Stupefy." Relieved to see the red jet of light smack the man in the center of the chest, she quickly flicked the wand in the Elf's direction, only to find the space empty.
"Wha-?" A flash of movement in the corner of her eye pulled her attention, only to have her arm knocked to the side, the force making her let go of her wand, as it flew several feet away, leaving her defenseless.
"What did you do to Gimli?" The Elf was suddenly upon her, grasping at her wrist and nearly pulling her off the cot as he shoved his face close to hers.
"I-." Dear lord, how did she think this was a good idea? "I only stunned him, it will wear off."
"Why?" Hermione flinched at the anger laced into that one word.
"So I could escape."
Her words gave him pause, but his hold on her didn't lessen. "Why would you have need for escape? We were trying to assist you."
"How was I supposed to know that?" Tears pricked at Hermione's eyes, as she tried to jerk her hand free. The pain in her body had lessened from when she'd first awoken, but it was far from healed. "I woke up to find to strangers in my tent, was I supposed to just assume you weren't intending to do my any harm?"
Her struggles were in vein, as the Elf grit his teeth and pulled her closer. "I don't care what you assumed, restore my friend."
"I can't -."
"You mean you won't."
Knowing if the Elf pulled any further on her arm she would be forced to compensate by standing on her tip toes, Hermione placed her free hand on the Elf's chest and gave a shove. "I can't without my wand."
This time her words seemed to cause the blonde to pause, as he regarded her with suspicious eyes. "Do you take me for a fool? What guarantee do I have that you won't attempt to do the same to me . . . again?"
Several biting comments died on her lips, until she was left with the only thing she could say. "About the same guarantee I have that no harm will come to me."
"You said that this spell will wear off." Bullocks, that was true, and Hermione closed her eyes against the realization that she wasn't earning any points with the angry Elf. "How long?"
"It really depends." Hermione admitted, knowing he wasn't going to like the answer. "For some a half an hour, others it could take quite a while."
With a shake of his head, the Elf half shoved her back onto the cot and quickly retrieved her wand. "Do you know the penalty of harming one of the Kings men?" His icy gaze was back on her, and Hermione could only gape at him in return.
"King?"
Sending her a look that clearly spoke of his thoughts on her mental capacity, he sighed when all she did was gulp. "Yes, King Elessar of Gondor."
The name didn't ring any bells, as Hermione frantically scrambled through any bit of history she'd studied. Never in all her years had she come across any mention of a King by that name.
"I have never heard of him." It nearly killed her to admit she wasn't privy to something.
"So now you are a liar." Taking a step back, the Elf shook his head in disgust as he shoved her wand into his tunic.
"How dare you call me a liar." Anger washed over Hermione's features, and she tried to stand only to have the Elf's icy glare force her to reconsider. "You know nothing about me."
A slow smile tugged at the blonde's lips, sending chills down Hermione's spine. "Something we will soon rectify." Moving to the empty table he pulled out one of the chairs and took a seat. "But first we will wait for my friend to regain his senses, and for your sake he better."
The threat hung in the air like a thick cloud, and the Elf went silent as his eyes moved from her to where the Dwarf stood frozen in place. Hermione's eyes followed, and she silently prayed that the spell did no damage. Typically a single stunner would last less than thirty minutes, but then again she'd never stunned a Dwarf before, so how would she know what the effects truly would be? More importantly, how in the bloody hell was she supposed to know the Dwarf was one of the King's men? It's not like they had a nametag proclaiming them under the King's protection. Weren't they supposed to be wearing something to signify their importance?
What seemed to be an eternity, was in all actuality only fifteen minutes, when the smaller man's fingers started to twitch. Heaving a relived sigh, Hermione ignored the frosty glare sent her way.
"What the blazing . . ." Jumping slightly as the spell completely wore off, Hermione watched in horror as the man brought his axe up and took a threating step toward her. "What did you do?"
"I . . ." Looking to the Elf who'd stood, Hermione knew it was absolutely mental to think he would step in and help. "I meant no harm, I was only trying to escape."
"Escape?" This seemed to make the Dwarf's beard twitch. "You have a lot of nerve, we were only trying to help."
"How was I supposed to know that?" She was only repeating herself, and knew the answer was received just as well as it had been before. "I awoke to strangers in my tent, going through my things."
"Insolent little lassie." The Dwarf growled, looking up at the tall blonde. "We should just leave her here. See how she likes it when a rogue group of Orcs or Goblins come sniff her out."
Orcs and Goblins? Dear lord what had she awoke to? And to be honest, she thought the suggestion sounded brilliant. They would leave, she wouldn't be in a position of finding out what the punishment was for harming one of the King's men, and she could have a moment of peace so she could figure out a way to get herself out this mess. With a vigorous nod of her head, Hermione decided not to look at the scowling Elf, but at the enraged Dwarf instead. "That sounds like a sound plan. I just need my wand back and you two can be on your way."
Her words seemed to suck the outrage from the smaller man, as he looked at her in mild disgust. "What type of men do you take us for? Leaving a wee lass out in the wilds without an escort?"
"But you just said . . ." Feeling a little stunned herself, Hermione forced herself to blink at the direct of the conversation.
"I know what I just said." The Dwarf spat onto the ground. "So where is your escort so we can see the last of ye."
Taking a deep breath, Hermione swallowed down a sob. There was no use lying, seeing that if she did they would most likely wait. "I don't have one."
"What?" Two bushy brows flew up, as the Dwarf swung around to look at his friend.
"Don't look to me, the lady has proven herself a lair." The Elf responded blandly. "She claims to have no knowledge of Aragorn."
"Wait." Still not liking the way the Elf kept calling her a liar, Hermione glared in his direction. "I said I never heard of a King Elessar of Gondor, who is Aragorn?"
The Dwarf gasped, as the Elf shrugged his shoulders. "He's one in the same."
"How could you not know?" Finally able to speak, the Dwarf took a step closer. "Everyone knows of him. He saved the people. The next thing you'll probably say is that you've never heard of a Hobbit named Froddo."
There wasn't an army of Death Eaters large enough to make her admit she had no idea what he was talking about. But her stubborn silence confirmed that she was at an utter loss. "Perhaps she took a hit to the head." The Dwarf grumbled, taking a slight step back, as though his prescribed brain trauma was infectious.
"I think it's more along the lines that she's-."
Hermione pinned the Elf with a glare that would've scared Harry and Ron silent for a week. "If you say liar one more bloody time I will hex your bits off."
"Then perhaps you should start telling us the truth." Not effected in the least at her glower, the Elf narrowed his eyes and gave as good as he got. "Let's try something simple, how were you injured."
Simple her right foot, Hermione fumed. Well if they wanted the truth, she'd give it to them in spades. "Lucius Malfoy attacked me."
"Malfoy?" The Dwarf murmured. "Never heard of him."
"No?" Exasperated, she turned to the smaller man. "Death Eater, just a little shorter than him." Jerking her chin the Elf's direction, Hermione couldn't stop the flood of words pouring off her tongue. "Has a son about my age, Draco? Ring any bells? No? Has a sadistic Sister-in-Law by the name of Bellatrix Lestrange, who likes to carve stuff into people's bodies." Shoving out her arm and pulling up the sleeve of her jumper, Hermione showed them the scar she would have forever. "He's an arrogant, rich, bottom feeding bigot who fights for the Dark Lord."
Looking back and forth at the two men, Hermione shook her head. "So there's the truth. Anymore questions?"
The Elf and the Dwarf eyed each other for a moment, before the Elf spoke again, this time with a little less aggression. "What is your name?"
His softer words sucked some of the air out of her sail, but Hermione refused to let down her guard. "What is yours?"
"Legolas Greenleaf." He answered easily, before nodding to his companion. "This is Gimli."
Not seeing any reason not to reply, Hermione shrugged. "Hermione Granger."
"Are your parents farmers?" The Dwarf asked.
A smile threatened to tug at her lips, but she knew it would only make them think she was lying, again. "No, they are dentists." She stared at their puzzled expressions, daring them to call her a liar.
Surprisingly, the Elf let it go. "And how is it that your parents allowed you to be on your own, without an escort?"
The inquiry was like a bludger to the stomach. "Pass."
"Pass?" The Dwarf grumbled in confusion.
"It means I am not answering that question, so ask another." Hermione snapped. There was only so much she was willing to share, and when it came to her parents, and what she had done to them, she had a hard enough time telling her friends.
"Fine." Legolas nearly growled. "You mentioned that this Malfoy served a Dark Lord, have you not heard that Sauron has fallen?"
"Never heard of the bloke." Feeling a little braver than she should, Hermione shrugged. "I was implying to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, or to some Tom Riddle. His true name is taboo and there's not enough Galleons in all of Gringotts to make me say his name. He's a twisted, psychopath who believes in blood purity."
She could see her words were only creating confusion, and in Legolas's case, agitation. "Listen, you can ask me questions all day, and my answers are only going to cause more questions. So let me help you out. I messed up, I used a form of magic that I shouldn't have. I was trying to help my friends by warning them of a miscalculation in our plan, and to be frank I didn't want to be snuffed out by the likes of the Malfoys."
"Magic?" The Dwarf smirked over at the Elf. "And you said that the Istari were old men."
"I don't know what those are either." Sighing, Hermione lifted her hands when both males stared at her. "I know I don't sound like it, but I do appreciate that you were only trying to help me. But right now, all I need is my wand back and for the two of you to leave. Once I figure out what went wrong, I can fix my mistake and return to my friends."
Legolas stared at the petite, battered girl, and wondered what kind of people she must have associated with, to actually believe they would leave her alone in the middle of nowhere. If half of what she was saying was true, then she was in danger. The bruises on her body proved at least that much.
There was something wrong with the entire situation. From the invisible tent, to her strange stick and words. Even her clothing was peculiar, and the more he thought on it without anger clouding his judgment, he knew the girl needed protection.
"You'll return to the White City with us. Aragorn can decide what action needs to take place." Seeing she was about to argue, Legolas cut off her reply. "Until we reach the gates, I will be your escort."
"Excuse me?"
"He said we were to be your escorts." Gimli repeated, and Legolas wished his friend hadn't done so in a way which made him sound as if he were talking to a child.
Watching the befuddled expression slip from the girl's face, as she turned to Gimli, Legolas sighed at the inevitable glare she sent the Dwarf's way. "I caught that, thank you so much, I was more curious on what it meant exactly."
The girl had fire, he had to give her that. "It means, I will be in charge of your protection until you are under the King's care. You will do as I say, when I say. If I, for any reason, have to separate from the party, Gimli is then in charge of you."
The look of horror pinked Hermione's face, clashing with the bruises. "Not likely." Her reply was forced out between clenched teeth, as she leveled a look of war in his direction.
"If you want your magic stick back, and I am sure you do, then you will behave." With that, Legolas sent a smirk in her direction before exiting the tent.