One Bite ✔️ (#Wattys2017)

Chapter 14...

Hermione searched for her lover in the dark corridors of the Underworld. Outside, she could hear the clang of armor and swords being fashioned and the bright orange glow they gave was a hopeful hue. Hermione never liked war, never liked the blood and violence and the misunderstanding but this was necessary. She was tired of reading about lovers being forever parted and she was tired of her family abandoning the immortals who were different, the ones who were the blooming flowers among broken bones. She was part of this group and she knew many others would be too.

    Hermione finally found her lover in the armory beneath the throne room, hidden behind locks and magic. Lord Draco wasn't alone though. Beside him were several people that Hermione did and did not recognize. The immortals around Draco saw her and they bowed their heads causing Draco to look behind him. He smiled and Hermione joined his side.

    "Ah, my Queen," Draco said, "Glad you could join us. I want to introduce to you some dear friends of mine and some of yours whom have made the trip down to us," and Draco pointed to several of her own friends, "Pansy (Hestia), Lily (Athena), Blaise (Apollo), and Ron (Hephaestus)," Hermione grinned at her close friends and they smiled at her. Hermione noticed though that one of her close friends was gone.

"Where's Astoria (Artemis)?" she asked.

Blaise (Apollo) looked down at his feet, "She stayed. She thought she could protect you and King Draco if she stayed on Mt. Hogwarts," Hermione sighed. She knew there was nothing she could do and Draco placed a comforting hand on her back.

"I'm sorry," Draco said.

Hermione chuckled lightly between her sadness, "Astoria always was so brave," she trailed off.

Draco sighed and they all were quiet. Draco cut the silence, though, "These are some of my friends which I don't think you have met yet," and Draco brought her to stand before a tall man who had dark hair and black eyes. On his back were a pair of glorious black wings, "This is Thantos, my second in command so to speak."

    Thantos stepped forward and bowed low to Hermione, "I am honored to be graced with your present, my Queen," Hermione blushed at how formal he was. Draco did not notice though.

    "And I you, Thantos," Hermione nodded her head to the god.

    "Next we have Hecate who is the mother hen around here," Draco motioned to the thin boney blonde woman next to Thantos.

    Hermione watched as she let loose a horrifying shriek of laughter and noted that her teeth were sharp like a Molossus, "Only when you are behaving like a naughty baby," Hecate and bowed to Hermione, her long black clock fanning out around her, "Your majesty, an honor."

    "The pleasure is all mine," Hermione nodded. There was something about that woman that she found to be enchanting and powerful and there was also something about her that Hermione didn't like, like she was not all that she seemed. Maybe it is because she is a Titan and Hermione was raised to not like them?

    "Next we have Erebus and Nyx," a man and woman stepped forward dressed in dark silver armor, their skin so white it was almost blinding. Their eyes were raven and glistened like birds eyes. The man had two swords strapped to his back and the woman had a slick black bow and a sheath full of silver tipped arrows, "Erebus is the general of the left flank and his sister, Nyx, is in charge of our archery division."

    "We are honored to meet you, your majesty," they spoke together in hush voices that sent a cold shiver down her spine.

    "Likewise," she smiled at them and bobbed her head. She liked them already for some reason.

    "And...," Draco trailed off as two more gods stepped forward.

    "Hermione," the one with dark hair said. Hermione looked into the god's eyes which were a dark, dreamy, blue color and she found them to be beautiful. The god stared down at her with a smile on his face, his eyes rimmed with dark circles, "I know I have no right to ask you of this, but forgive me?" Hermione looked at the god in confusion and then she saw it. The gods jaw, and his stature, and the way his eyes looked at her and his hair... it was exactly what she saw in her reflection.

    "Father?" Hermione asked the god, her eyes beginning to tear up. The god nodded, a joyful smile on his face, and Hermione jumped into Morpheus' arms, "Father."

    "My daughter," Morpheus whispered in her hair, the same color as his.

    "Of course I'll forgive you," Hermione whispered in his ear, "I love you."

    Morpheus squeezed his daughter close to him, "I love you, too, my darling."

    Someone cleared their throat behind Morpheus and Hermione looked up from her father's shoulder. Behind them was a tall, blonde god. His eyes were grey like Draco's, but they were sharper and more hypnotizing. Morpheus let go of his daughter and turned toward the man, "Hermione, I would like you to meet a...," he paused trying to find the right word, "a dear friend of mine," and the god stepped forward, taking Hermione's hand. Hermione could hear Draco growl in annoyance behind them, but she ignored him, "This is Hypnos."

    "A pleasure, Lady Hermione or shall I say," he dipped his head, kissing her hand, "Queen Hermione?"

    "Queen, please," Hermione said and retreated from the god, he was bad news, she could tell, "And the pleasure is mine."