Hello All! I've had this rolling around in my head for a while and since I've been slowly whittling down my active stories I thought that it would be okay to start a new one. I'm not sure if I'm going to follow all of the canon, but at least some of it will be followed. Do not be fooled this is a Merlin/Hermione story because there simply aren't enough of them. I hope that my work inspires you to write more of them, because I want more material to read! Anyway, I am finishing up my current year of grad school. My classes have ended, exams have started (which I should be studying for). But I am done with the work on Tuesday, and done with my office hours on Friday. Then I took a month off before working at an art college in Georgia for the summer. So, hopefully tons of updates. Here you go with this first chapter!

Hermione slammed out of the large hearth and gasped loudly upon impact with the rough straw floor. She vaguely heard another gasp and a mad scramble. Hands gripped her from under her shoulders and she was lifted to a seated position, the room swam before her eyes. Another pair, soft blue eyes filled with kindness and concern entered her vision. Her eyes trailed down the dirty face to soft lips and Hermione watched as they moved. Try as she might to hear what was being said a strong roar took up in her ears and she fell forward as her vision grew dark.

Hermione woke again, this time on what she perceived to be some sort of mattress, and groaned at the pain coursing through her body.

"There, there." A woman's soothing voice calmed her and an even more soothing wet cloth was placed across her aching skull. "Don't move too quickly or you'll be ill. You took quite a powerful blow to your head and are suffering the consequence."

"Concussion." Hermione murmured keeping her eyes shut.

There was a moment of silence, "You must truly be educated, Nobility, for you to know such medical terms."

Hermione opened her eyes finally at this sentence and turned to look at the woman. She was fair, an older woman with startling blue eyes and hair as dark as coal. "I had suspected your status, nobility, by the quality of your clothing. It is made of the finest quality."

Hermione tried to sit up, and only managed the feat with assistance from the woman. "I am not a nobility." She said once she was secured in her seating.

"But your appearance." The woman protested.

Hermione paused, "I was a royal tutor to his majesty." Hermione paused, "Prince Harry."

"I have no knowledge of this sovereign. Our Prince is Lot, and our King is Cedred. The next closest is King Uther and Prince Arthur."

Hermione listened and responded, "I am not from this land."

"Quite obviously."

Was an amused male voice and the two women turned to look at the youth who carried firewood through the door. "It is not every day that a woman comes out of a poor man's fire." Hermione reviewed the man's appearance, his clothes were poor and haggard, his hair was a brown, a shade darker than her own that was matted from the lack of hygiene, and finally his eyes. They were the eyes that she first saw upon arrival.

"You."

He grinned boyishly at her and placed the firewood down on the hearth of the large fireplace that took up a large portion of the room. Hermione glanced around, she was in a one room dilapidated cottage. Spaces were separated off by curtains and Hermione surmised that she was in a peasant dwelling, far before her time.

"I wondered if you'd remember me."

Hermione nodded, "I do, you," she paused, "you found me." Her chest tightened unwillingly when he flashed her another smile.

He pulled up a second tool. The man stared down at her. "Tell me how you can to come out of my fire. Were you birthed there? Are you a magical creature?"

Hermione opened her mouth to respond and he held up a hand. "Please do not lie to me. Whatever secrets you have to tell will be kept as such."

"Sub rosa." Hermione whispered despite herself.

"Under the rose." The woman responded. "Knowing Latin, you most certainly were a tutor."

Hermione smiled at the compliment. "I am no magical creature, and I was not born of fire. Not to my knowledge in any case. I am a sorceress," she chose sorceress over witch thinking it would be more acceptable. "I was brought here in an accident." She reached into her robes and felt bandages covering her upper chest. The place where her time turner usually rested. The chain was gone.

"If you are looking for your necklace, I am afraid that it was destroyed when you came out of the fire. Your body crushed the trinket." Hermione met the man's eyes and felt tears prickle behind hers.

"Oh, no." She whispered, unable to ebb the flow of tears any longer. "I'm trapped here."

The woman grabbed her hand and began to pet it soothingly. "Tell us everything so that we may help you." Hermione smiled a watery smile at the kind woman.

"I am a friend and tutor to Crown Prince Harry of the House of Potters." She glanced around, "I believe that I come from your future. We were attacked by an evil sorcerer named Lord Voledmort, his name means 'flight from death' because that is what he is capable of. He has made himself immortal due to his use of dark magic. Crown Prince Harry, Sir Ronald of Weasley, and I were tasked with destroying these artifacts so that Lord Voldemort could be defeated. He wishes to destroy all non-magical beings, and all those who associate with them. He despises them.

"We were captured by them and tortured." Hermione's face showed unease and she flexed and released her fingers in anxiety. "We were making our escape when a battle broke out. Our only chance was to floo out of the manor in which we were being held. The art of flooing is quite simple, if a fireplace is connected to the network, a series of other fireplaces, than one simple has to grab a powder and toss it into the flames. You call out your destination and it takes you to the closest fireplace. Ron brought Harry through first, as he was the most grievously injured. We were intending to meet at the location of our Order.

"I was the last to go through, a spell hit me as I was reciting the destination." She paused thoughtfully, "Only, it did not hit me, but my time turner. A time turner is a device that allows one to go backwards in time for a mere few hours. Time is difficult to manage and work with, however, I was trusted with one in order to protect Harry. The floo started to take me, the time turner spun. And now," she paused, "I'm here."

"What a terrible accident." The woman spoke, her voice haunted. "The pain it must cause you to be here."

Hermione shook her head. "It does cause me pain, yes, however I know that Harry and Ron were able to escape. There is still hope for Voldemort's defeat. Harry is prophesized to defeat him, and it shall happen. With or without my help."

"And until then you will stay here in Ealdor." The man's words were final sounding and Hermione smiled in relief.

"Thank you for your kindness."

The man waved it off. "It is the decent thing to do. There is an abandoned home near to this place, further into the village. We will place you there once you are healed. Have you any special skills that could help us? We're a poor village, any skilled labor would be appreciated."

"I can read and write, I could teach that to the children." She paused thinking, "I am also a medi-witch, a healer. Does your village have a healer?"

"A physician?" The woman gasped in wonder. "A woman physician." She finally said, sounding pleased with this fact.

"I believe all of your talents can be put to use here." The man stood and left for the door. "I must continue my work. I'll check on you later." He started to push the door open.

"Wait!" Hermione cried softly, and the man paused in his exit. "What is your name?"

The man turned back to her and flashed a smile that melted her insides. "My name is William, if it pleases you, milady."

Hermione smiled brilliantly at him, "I am Hermione."

"Get well, Hermione." Will left the home and closed the door behind him.

The woman smiled at Hermione. "You are here such a short time, and have already gained favor with our Will. It will be good for you to have a friend here."

Hermione smiled at her. "And, what is your name?"

"I am called Hunith."

"Then, Hunith, I have more than one friend here." Hunith smiled at her and helped ease Hermione back down into a resting position.

E Pluribus Unum

Once Hermione was healed she took over the abandoned house, which she learned from Will used to house a small family. They had died, the children and mother due to starvation, and the husband due to his grief. He had attacked bandits that were plaguing the town and taking the food.

They set up the slightly larger home to suit her purposes, a small bed and dressing area separated by a curtain; a small eating area, and finally the rest of the home was dedicated to beds for the sick and needy. Will, come time, built a small shed beside the infirmary, as it became to be known, for her to brew potions in. Another shed had to be built on the other side of the home for the children to learn in. The village banded together after the first year of her stay and helped to build permanent expansions onto her home so that she no longer needed to stand out in the rain in order to help others. Her home now housed her living space, a small school, and the infirmary.

Hunith had become her apprentice despite the age difference. The woman, who previously had no social stature, was slowly gaining. Where once she was treated with disdain, the mother of a bastard child, born out of wedlock to a man who vanished soon after getting Hunith with child, she was now an apprentice physician and midwife. It was important to Hermione that Hunith be happy. She had nursed Hermione back to health, and Hermione knew how lonely the woman was. She had a son who did not speak of often, though when she did her words were filled with delight. Her son, Hermione learned, had been sent to the Camelot, the capital city of the Kingdom of Camelot, which their kingdom resided next to. He went in order to be an apprentice to her brother, the Court Physician, Gaius.

Imagine Hermione's surprise upon finding out that the kingdom next to hers and time that she traveled to was that of Camelot. If only she could find Merlin, the powerful old sorcerer who her time treated as a god, maybe he could help her find the way home. She knew that Merlin was already famous, Hunith had named her son Merlin after all, and Hermione surmised it was name of tribute to the sorcerer. Funny, though, that magic was forbidden in Camelot.

It was William, though, that made her question going back to her time. Will was sweet and kind, funny. Though, he could truly be a downright prat sometimes. He taught her the insult, 'Clotpole' and she taught he how to read and write. Very slowly over the course of the first year William snuck into her heart. In her second year they began to officially court. And now, into her third year Will had asked her to become his betrothed. She accepted. That, however, was a dream and they both knew it. Her place in time non-withstanding there was the ever-present issue of the bandits.

Hermione wanted to fight them: she wanted to win. William would not risk letting her expose herself and risk retribution from others. Though they might not live in Camelot, they lived close enough to the borders to their laws for William to take the chance. Should Hermione ever have the need to travel to Camelot, and anyone there knew her secret, she would be killed. Instead, she went with a delegation of men to have an audience with the King of their kingdom, Essetir, to beg help. King Cedred would not help them.

Hermione and the others came back with broken hearts and Will held her, though not entirely appropriate as they were not yet married. Hermione sobbed into Will's tunic while he carded his fingers through her hair. "There, there, my love." He whispered gently. "We will get through this, we will be triumphant."

"But what if we aren't?" Hermione asked bitterly. "All I want is to marry you. But, we cannot do that until these bandits leave the village alone." There were screams outside and Hermione stirred and tried to force herself out the door.

"No, Hermione." William whispered and gripped her arms firmly. "I'll not let anything happen to you." They could hear the bandits yelling 'search the place!' and 'find him!'. "You must hide what little things we have in here to protect those who are starving and injured. I'll go check it out, and you work on your task."

Hermione stopped struggling. "You're right, go. Try not to make any more enemies, my love."

William grinned at her and despite the severity of the situation leaned in and kissed her. "Why do you worry? You know me."

"That's exactly why I worry. Now, go." Hermione released him shakily and watched him exit before using magic to hide all the extra food stores and medicinal equipment. Books were turned invisible and nice things were transformed to be hidden entirely, or turned to look old and worn. She continued until the screaming intensified to an unbearable amount as soon as she heard the horses gallop off she swung open the door.

Hermione left the hovel and saw Hunith on the ground clutching her face and being attended by others. "Hunith," she gasped and ran to the woman. Instantly her friend's face was in her hands and her magic itched to fix the bruise that was already forming.

"No, Hermione." Hunith's voice was strained. "See what you can do for Jakryn." Hunith pointed to the blonde man that was lying on the ground in a pool of blood.

Hermione's insides churned and boiled as she ran to the man and turned him over. His breathing was so shallow she barely felt it. He had been shot through with a crossbow. And even she, for all her powers and knowledge, could not save him. Hermione's frown intensified, but that didn't mean that she wouldn't try.

"Someone help me carry him to the infirmary." She cried standing and immediately men rushed to her aid. They grabbed Jakryn firmly but gently, and carried the dying man back to the building. Setting him on the table, Hermione began her work. It was hours later when she exited what had become the center of the village, to find that the town had taken refuge outside of her home.

"I cannot heal him." She said finally, feeling a failure. "I have eased his pain and given him more time, however, he will succumb to his wounds in no more than a fort-night. Please, I have prepared him so that he can have proper last rights and have you all speak to him before his passing."

The town murmured among themselves before breaking off to leave. Most put a hand on her shoulder or on her arm, despite the pretense that those of the opposing sex should not touch. She was the Lady Hermione of Hogwarts and Ealdor, sexless to all but William. Hermione accepted their kind offers and allowed Jakryn's friends and family to visit him, first though, out of all, was Hunith.

Hunith and Jakryn had grown close upon Hunith's social recovery. She was no longer a social pariah, and Jakryn was determined to make the woman happy. Hermione had been informed that when Hunith was attacked, Jakryn had run to her rescue only to be felled by the bolt of a crossbow.

Hermione stood in the shadows between homes and let William hold her. "Oh, William." She sighed mournfully, for Hunith to loose Jakryn. There was no worse feeling. "I wish there was something that I could do."

William held her closer to him and made a soothing noise. "You gave him more than could be asked for, the ability to have formal rights given, and a chance for them to say good bye. What more could be asked?"

"For him to live?" Hermione replied and sobs shook her frame. William turned the woman around and kissed first the top of her head, then her chin, both cheeks, her nose, and finally her mouth. They clung to each other as though it was their final meeting, seeing Hunith and Jakryn being torn apart made them value their relationship and envision their own mortality. William drew her to his home, seeing as hers was to be occupied by the town for the evening and fed the time-wearied woman.

E Pluribus Unum

She put down the spoon of her food. This would not do. She might lose William just as easily as Hunith lost Jakryn. William was seated by the fire, staring into it as was his past time. He jumped when a delicate hand rested on his shoulder. He smiled and leaned back into Hermione as another hand came to rest on his other shoulder. His hand reach up to her arm to find it bare. In surprise his fingers continued to trace over skin until he heard a gasp.

Nothing could have prepared him for turning around to see his Hermione aglow and bare in his home. "Hermione," he whispered desperately, his lips dry. "This is highly improper."

They had discussed sexual relations before, and he knew that those from her time era did not view sex before marriage, or any kind of sex, the way he and his people did. That did not mean that his feeling of arousal refused grow and it did not mean that his mouth refused to moisten no matter how often he swallowed.

"If either of us die tonight, tomorrow, or of any time before marriage. I want to leave this life with the taste of you on my lips." Hermione's voice was low and soothing and William found himself being pulled up from his seat on his upright log. They kissed desperately once more and William helped Hermione's nimble fingers in removing his vest and tunic.

While she removed his trousers William caught one of her pert nipples in his mouth and sucked harshly before biting down. Hermione gasped and her knees immediately weakened. William smiled and continued his workings, taking advantage of her moment of weakness; William picked up his love and carried her to his straw mattress bed. Lowering her down onto the threadbare bed they shared eye contact.

"Are you sure that you want this?" William asked. "If anything were to happen, if anyone were to find out, it would besmirch your honor. I could not live with that."

Hermione hooked her fingers into his belt and removed it, making sure to run her palm over and press it to his aching member. "Than, we shan't get caught." She removed his clothing and took his weeping head into her mouth. This was something that William had never heard of before. His musings stopped when she took a great draw.

E Pluribus Unum

Outside Hunith watched from the window. Her beloved Hermione and William. Hermione who cared enough to help her leave her adulterer status, and William who took care of her in her son's absence. Her love, Jakryn, might be passing, however their love was only beginning. She had to do something to protect them.

Leaving them to their lovemaking Hunith made a decision and went back to her home. Packing up a few of her meager belongings she left that night and made for the City of Camelot, in the Kingdom of Camelot. Hopefully someone there would be able to help her. If not for her sake, than for the life that William and Hermione deserved.

Tell me what you think! Love it? Hate it? Want more of it?

Catch you later!

Cheers

iBless!