Authors Note: Read/Review please!
So quick but we took it slow
Had to face it that we didn't know
Atlas Genius - All These Girls
Chapter 3:
James watched as his son and the young queen looked enthralled with each other. It appalled him at the behavior they were displaying for all to see. Had they no class? And his wife, encouraging it!
He remembered what the advisor of the king told him would happen. Albus Dumbledore, the advisor of the King, told James that the young queen would come in and entrap his son with love so that he would give her all the control of their lands.
He couldn't let that woman come into his kingdom and take his lands from his blood!
He needed to come up with a plan to dissuade his son from falling for her charms. He knew Albus was all ready coming up with plans to get rid of her by the coming winter. That was only 7 months away. Seven months is time enough to plan a wedding in their world.
He couldn't let that happen.
He walked towards the chambers of Dumbledore to convene the meeting they had this morning that was interrupted by the arrival of the queen. The guards snapped to attention and opened the door for him, he looked around the sparsely decorated room for his adviser. He spotted the mysterious man sitting at his desk writing on a piece of parchment diligently.
He makes sure that the chamber doors are locked before he approaches Albus. "Dumbledore, tell me the plans..." he intoned stonily.
Lily had left her in her chambers with her ladies in waiting. Once Lily had left the chambers, her ladies converged on her asking questions about everything from her stay at the convent to Harry's tardiness. She shushes them quickly, "I'm missed you all! How have you all been?" Hermione asks them imploringly.
Her ladies exchange various looks, then Luna speaks up, "Well, it's been a few strange years, Hermione! While we waited for you to come home, we had to keep your mother company back home..."
Hermione looks at her strangely, "Why were you with my mother when you should've been with your families? I'm going to have to write to mother about that!" She huffs.
"Oh Hermione, you've always worried too much! It was the least we could do! It's not like we wanted to stay in our families homes and look pretty all day! We wanted to feel useful!" Lavender adds with a forceful tone in her voice.
Hermione nods solemnly, "Okay, I concede. Have any of your fathers found betrothal contracts for any of you?" She inquires.
She sees Luna's face fall, "Yes, my father says this is the best match he could find for me. He accepted a contract from the Malfoys," she adds sadly. Hermione looks at her in shock, she's heard horrid things about the Malfoy's.
"Oh Luna," she says with sadness and gathers her friend in a hug. Luna remains stiffly in her arms, tears coursing down her cheeks. Hermione pats her back as the other girls gather around her, each trying to reassure her that everything would be okay.
"Father almost promised us to the Malfoy's, then out of nowhere he changed his mind. It was strange." Parvati adds solemnly.
"The both of you?" Lavender asks with a shriek.
Padma nods, shivering about the idea of sharing a husband with her sister. "I think mother changed his mind, she didn't want us married to the same man. So they accepted different betrothal contracts for us. Parvati with a Dean Thomas, and Seamus Finnegan with me." She adds with a shrug.
"Thomas and Finnegan, I've never heard those names before..." Hermione answers.
"You wouldn't of, they're new money, apparently the contracts intrigued father so much that he signed them without even meeting them. They're a mystery to us." Parvati and Padma answer at the same time. They look at each other and giggle.
Hermione sits with Luna tucked into her side, "How about you Lavender, any news?"
Lavender looks at her feet, "No, my father has been searching. He wants me to marry rich. I'm not like you guys. My parents don't have a lot of money, I need to marry the man my father thinks is richest." She sighs loudly, "The worst part is, all the men he's been in contact with, they're all older. Ancient!" She cries.
Hermione giggles, "Oh Lavender, don't be so dramatic, I'm sure your father will find somebody who will suit you. Or maybe, you'll meet somebody here," she adds with another giggle and pointed look.
Lavender mock glares at her, "I don't think so, I mean, I haven't walked the grounds yet but, from what I've seen...Just, no!" She adds shuddering as if the thought disgusts her.
They all giggle at her dramatics, "Lavender!" They shriek.
"What about you Hermione, did you like your prince?" Lavender asks with a suggestive wink.
Hermione rolls her eyes, "Don't be crude Lavender! But the answer is yes! He seems all right..." She says demurely.
The girls all giggle, "Well, let's hope that it's smooth sailing until the wedding!" Padma says enthusiastically.
Hermione nodded, she hoped for the same thing, then she remembered the angry, stony look upon the face of the King. She hoped he was still in accord with the contract, he country cannot afford to be let down!
Lavender and Luna each grab one of her hands breaking her out her reverie, "Come on, we need to help younger ready for tonight!" They say as they gather her and push her towards the bathing chamber.
Harry was on his way to the banquet hall, where they were holding the welcoming feast for Hermione. When he entered, he noticed the abundance of deep blue curtains with silver and bronze leaves and vine detailing the fabric. The room alight with thousands of candles, a band playing softly in a corner, trays of food abundant on the many tables loitering around the room.
Harry smiles at people he knows, he sees Ginerva Weasley, standing in her best dress scowling at him, he ducks head and moves on quickly. The girl he thought he would marry because she is his best friends sister and he naively thought she actually cared for him. She only glares at him as he ignores her.
He tears his attention from the clusters of people around the sides of the room when he sees his mother sitting on her thrown talking quietly with his father. Both of his parents dressed in a variation of deep blue with gold detailing. They make a handsome couple, he notices.
He goes stand by them, "Mother, Father," he says with an incline of his head. His guard, Ronald Weasley, following his every move.
"Harry dear! How was your afternoon? Was it pleasant outside in the stables?" His mother asked kindly.
His father stared at him curiously, he ignores the looks his father is pinging to him and answers his mother. "Yes, it was. Where is the guest of honor?" Harry asked quickly, inquiringly.
James cocks an eyebrow, "If I didn't know you, I'd think you'd actually like this girl? Weren't you looking for a new bride for months before this?" His father asks, his voice calculating and stony.
Harry's brows furrow, "I've changed my mind...Am I not allowed to change my mind?" He stares intensely at his father, he's never seen him this cold before.
He's about to answer when he hears the trumpet sound and the doors open to reveal a vision of perfection.
Hermione stands at the top of the stairs and waits until they announce her title before she descends the stairs gracefully. She's wearing a crimson dress, the skirt big and flowing, the bodice covered in red flowers that flow into the sleeves that stop at her elbow. Her hair half up and the other half in loose curls with a head band of gold laurel leafs decorating her head. She looks a vision of Gryffindor, he ushers quickly to stand at the bottom of the stairs.
He stares at her in reverence, she smiles softly down at him, he holds his arm for her to clutch. She timidly places her arm though his, "Do you think everybody is staring?" She asks from the corner of her mouth.
He quickly looks at everybody, they are indeed staring, but they are to be wed so it shouldn't be a surprise to some people. He looks at her with an impish grin, "Let them!"
She giggles softly, "Let's dance," she commands. She guides him to the middle of the dance floor. He gathers her in his arms, he looks to the band in the corner, he nods at them and they start playing a lively tune.
He maneuvers her around the floor professionally. He pulls her closer than what is appropriate, she looks at him with a question in her eyes. He grins and pulls her closer still, she tenses in his arms, "I will have you know, I am not that kind of woman. I do not appreciate being advantage of!" Hermione whispers indignantly in his ear.
Harry looks at her wide eyed, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean any offense, I was just trying to show you my affections..."
Hermione looks at him crossly, "That is not the way to my heart. I am more than just my looks. I think I've had enough of dancing, thank you," she says with a bow if her head and she stiffly walks away.
Harry deflates at the tone of which the night has turned. He didn't mean to convey that he thought she was that kind of woman! He only wanted to show her that he wants this union to work. That there was, no is, a connection between them!
He almost smacks himself in the face before realizing he's frozen in the middle of the dance floor and people are staring at him. His face reddens before he rushes off to find her and explain what he wanted it to mean. He had to fix this!
James looks at his son and shakes his head in disappointment. His son is meant to be king, he can't be acting like a foolish lovesick fool in front of his people!
He looks up and meets the eyes of his advisor who nods once in his direction before returning to talk to a woman with a harsh bun on her head.
The plans would be ready soon.
Authors Note: I hope you guys liked this chapter! The next chapter probably won't be uploaded until the end of the week because I'm going out of town for a concert! But it will be uploaded as soon as I finish writing it! Review please! I like to hear what you guys think!