Castle Guard by greenflowerpot

Chapter 7

- NOT MY STORY!! ALL CREDITS TO @greenflowerpot ON A03!!
-

The next morning, as Hermione got ready for a long day of being courted by the prince, she could not help but think that she'd rather spend the day with a certain handsome blond guard instead.

Probably it was just that she and Malfoy had been spending so much time together. And although Arlo seemed perfectly nice, the fact was that in spite of the dozens of colorful flowers the prince had chosen to decorate Hermione's room, she didn't like any of the bouquets half as much as the little pot of blue Devil's Snare.

She needed to get ahold of herself.

Yes, Malfoy was charming and funny and made Hermione's stomach swoop. But Arlo was serious about her. The prince had the approval of her parents and had already asked for her hand. He was, in other words, an actual suitor, and Hermione would be very silly indeed to let a handsome cad—Malfoy was a cad, she reminded herself—distract her from a prince who wanted to make her his wife.

With this thought firmly in mind, Hermione took extra care getting ready before going to meet Arlo for morning tea.

He was as intently attentive as he had been the night before—jumping to his feet when Hermione entered the room, taking her hand in both of his to bring it to his lips.

"Good morning," he said, still holding her hand. "You look lovely. Did you rest enough?"

"I did," Hermione said, smiling as widely as she could. "The room is beautiful—thank you for the flowers."

He pulled her chair out for her and Hermione made herself take note of how gentlemanly he was.

"It took me a long time to fall asleep last night," he admitted. "I'm just so excited you're here with me at last."

"You are too kind," Hermione said. "I must admit I was not expecting your interest to be so..."

She trailed off, wondering how to phrase her thought, and Arlo looked embarrassed.

"My advisors warned me that such an overt demonstration of affection this early could be considered unattractive—"

"Oh, please do not apologize. I was only curious what about me seems to have captured your interest so thoroughly?"

The only information he'd really had about her was her portrait. She hoped that was not the only reason he was so interested, though she knew that it was the typical way of things.

"As soon as I saw your portrait I knew you were the one for me," Arlo said reverently, and Hermione winced. "You are a jewel. The other princesses who I reviewed simply pale in comparison. None have the curly hair I so adore, none have a smile half as lovely..."

"You are far too kind," Hermione said after a moment, not sure how else to respond.

Arlo did not seem to notice her discomfiture. He gazed raptly at her, his gaze tracing her features as though examining the details of a statue. Hermione looked away, trying to feel flattered instead of put off.

"Surely there are other qualities in a wife you desire other than curly hair and a lovely smile?" she asked hopefully.

"I will be flexible whatever your temperament and character," Arlo said at once, seeming to think that this was a reassuring thing to say. "I was not sure I would ever find someone who suited my tastes so precisely—now that I have, you can be certain I will be indulgent to the extreme."

His words made her heart sink. But, Hermione reminded herself valiantly, Arlo was doting, and handsome, and sweet. She should not be so quick to judge him just because he had a strong preference in physical features. There were many worse things a husband could be than overly admiring, she told herself.