Perhaps they do not sleep well, but they do sleep. And it is a good rest for Dorian: one of those evenings when you forget, when you wake with not even the memory of the emotion that haunted you. When you are at peace. His face turned to the light of the window, he smiles at the sun.
Then he remembers.
Dorian sees to it that they have breakfast ready for when they are properly put together: food, tea, everything. He waits until Hermione has eaten a little, wanting to see that she is at least a little looked after, before he starts.
"Hermione? There's something else we need to talk about. It's about Gilgamesh."
Hermione doesn't sleep well. She doesn't wake up, comforted by the bracket of Dorian's body, but it feels like she barely slept at all, a few stolen hours even as the morning light draws her out of a doze. When she blinks the sleep from her eyes it's to panic - at least until she reaches out and remembers he's there, that he hasn't left, that nothing has happened to him and that Dorian is safe.
She eats breakfast like she's picking at it, cross-legged on one of the armchairs she had brought in from her tent, tearing off little pieces of toast before she looks over at him. Slowly, something seems to dawn on her and she swallows, putting her food down and pushing her tea to one side before she breathes out.
Dorian has a magical contract with Gilgamesh - he had been there, had been concerned for her... Did he know?
"I didn't say yes!" She says, quickly, before her cheeks go pink. "If - if that's what this is about. I didn't say yes at all."
She stares, her face paling a little before she swallows, scooting back on her chair.
"... This isn't about the proposal, is it?"
She grabs at her tea quickly, leaning over and taking a long drink, as if to distract herself. If she wasn't in trouble before then she is, most certainly, in trouble now.
"I - yes?" Hermione watches, warily, before she stands up and grabs her wand from the table. A quick Accio ring and the box is flying into her hand, her fingers brushing over it gently. "At Christmas. I - I said no, of course, I don't love him in the least, but he said I could keep the ring. I was going to tell you! I just never had the right time and we were having fun yesterday until..."
He stares at the ring, horrified. "Do you know what he is? Do you know what he has done? If he wants to wed you, it is for power! I don't believe he has known love since prior to 2000 before Christ!"
"I'm not an idiot, Dorian!" Hermione stares at him, eyes wide. "Do you think I'd be silly enough to think that he - that anyone - could love me after only a few months? I might be distracted now and then, I might be better at books, but I know better than to think that he really wants me because of myself. I know he cherishes my magic, he cherishes my - my power, whatever it means to him, and I know he doesn't love me." She drops back to her chair, ring in her hand, the nausea in her stomach rising again. "I didn't say yes."
"Dorian!" Hermione stands, walking around and grabbing his hand, reaching up to rest her own on his shoulders. "Nothing has happened. He hasn't done anything to me, so just - please, relax and tell me what's going on."
He steps back, but only so that he can be sure Hermione is looking at him, so she can see how serious he is.
"Hermione, he has caused a great deal of pain. In his life before, he was a tyrant king who would break his own soldiers in fighting with them for amusement and . . ." Ever the Victorian, he flushes. "And who insisted on the right of kings to a bride's first night. Regardless of desires.
"And since—I don't know the details, but Lord El-Melloi told me that in the war he was resurrected to fight, he betrayed someone and caused a murder. Conspired for it, all for his own ends. He is not evil, but he is not good, either—or rather, he is both, capable of the greatest kindness and the worst cruelties. He can't be ruled or tamed or controlled.
"If he gave you a ring, he wants you. And I'm very scared for what he'll do to you once he gets what he wants."
"Dorian. The first time I met him he was - flippant about you. That turned him against me straight away. Why would I trust someone that was so rude and careless about one of my best friends? Why would I want to be around someone that was so, ugh infuriating? Really, he was a pain in the backside from the first moment we met and it reminded me of someone from home that was really very unfortunate to be around."
Draco Malfoy was a prat but, at the same time, a very sad and broken man. She knew that now and she thinks she can see something familiar in Gilgamesh, something that reminds her of him. Shaking her head, she lifts her eyes back to Dorian, gaze stern.
"I've done terrible things too. Nothing like what he's done, of course, if what you're saying is right - which is must be, considering you are the one contracted to him, not me." And she would have a few things to say about that too, but that can come later, when the buzzing panic and fear isn't in her head any more. Slowly, her arms draw him closer, her forehead against his chin for a moment.
"I'm not going to say yes. I don't want to get married, not to someone who I don't love and not to someone who might use me."
"Just—" He takes her hand again, squeezes it. "You must be careful. He pursues what he wants relentlessly. To him, 'no' is merely the word people say before 'yes.' Be careful." He doesn't even realize he has said it twice.
Hermione's eyes slip closed and she wraps herself around him, careful and unsure. Everything is coiling inside of her and she needs time - time to think about this, about Gilgamesh, about yesterday, about the feeling of sickness that still weighs her down, all of it making her lip tremble as she fights back her tears.
She nods her head, weak and almost shy against him, even as that reminder comes.
"You should. I wish I could just forget but that's the easy way out. A child's way out."
What she had done to Death Eaters, to the people chasing her, to her parents. She had to survive this; obliviating herself wouldn't do anyone any good, not with all the things she's learned about Gilgamesh, the things she has to keep in mind.
If she knew she would offer to help; Dreamless Sleep, Obliviation... She had always been best at spells. She had always been the one to do it, to protect them, to keep them safe, and now? Now she didn't know what she was.
She smiles for him, though, stepping back and nodding her had.
She is his friend. What else is there to be? With a childlike simplicity, Dorian understands the world as far as he reaches for those he loves. And though in time he might seek to push them away, in his heart he cannot forget what he was taught here.
The world that matters is the world of those you love. Hold onto them.
Without letting go of Hermone's hand, he takes her through the castle. There is still a reckoning to be had, but for now, he will help her forget a while.
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Perhaps they do not sleep well, but they do sleep. And it is a good rest for Dorian: one of those evenings when you forget, when you wake with not even the memory of the emotion that haunted you. When you are at peace. His face turned to the light of the window, he smiles at the sun.
Then he remembers.
Dorian sees to it that they have breakfast ready for when they are properly put together: food, tea, everything. He waits until Hermione has eaten a little, wanting to see that she is at least a little looked after, before he starts.
"Hermione? There's something else we need to talk about. It's about Gilgamesh."
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She eats breakfast like she's picking at it, cross-legged on one of the armchairs she had brought in from her tent, tearing off little pieces of toast before she looks over at him. Slowly, something seems to dawn on her and she swallows, putting her food down and pushing her tea to one side before she breathes out.
Dorian has a magical contract with Gilgamesh - he had been there, had been concerned for her... Did he know?
"I didn't say yes!" She says, quickly, before her cheeks go pink. "If - if that's what this is about. I didn't say yes at all."
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He asks, "You did not say 'yes' to what?"
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"... This isn't about the proposal, is it?"
She grabs at her tea quickly, leaning over and taking a long drink, as if to distract herself. If she wasn't in trouble before then she is, most certainly, in trouble now.
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"You don't—you don't know him as I do, Hermione. You must be careful with him. That he has taken an interest in you is dangerous enough."
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She steps closer, thumbs stroking over his collarbones.
"I don't understand. He was always... Nice."
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He steps back, but only so that he can be sure Hermione is looking at him, so she can see how serious he is.
"Hermione, he has caused a great deal of pain. In his life before, he was a tyrant king who would break his own soldiers in fighting with them for amusement and . . ." Ever the Victorian, he flushes. "And who insisted on the right of kings to a bride's first night. Regardless of desires.
"And since—I don't know the details, but Lord El-Melloi told me that in the war he was resurrected to fight, he betrayed someone and caused a murder. Conspired for it, all for his own ends. He is not evil, but he is not good, either—or rather, he is both, capable of the greatest kindness and the worst cruelties. He can't be ruled or tamed or controlled.
"If he gave you a ring, he wants you. And I'm very scared for what he'll do to you once he gets what he wants."
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"Dorian. The first time I met him he was - flippant about you. That turned him against me straight away. Why would I trust someone that was so rude and careless about one of my best friends? Why would I want to be around someone that was so, ugh infuriating? Really, he was a pain in the backside from the first moment we met and it reminded me of someone from home that was really very unfortunate to be around."
Draco Malfoy was a prat but, at the same time, a very sad and broken man. She knew that now and she thinks she can see something familiar in Gilgamesh, something that reminds her of him. Shaking her head, she lifts her eyes back to Dorian, gaze stern.
"I've done terrible things too. Nothing like what he's done, of course, if what you're saying is right - which is must be, considering you are the one contracted to him, not me." And she would have a few things to say about that too, but that can come later, when the buzzing panic and fear isn't in her head any more. Slowly, her arms draw him closer, her forehead against his chin for a moment.
"I'm not going to say yes. I don't want to get married, not to someone who I don't love and not to someone who might use me."
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"Dorian. You're his Master. I don't think you have much room to warn me about being careful here."
But she smiles, trying to hide the discomfort she's feeling by shaking her head, watching him.
"I promise I'll take care of myself, but you have to promise me the same thing."
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Even so, he leans into her touch, closes his eyes. "I promise."
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"I love you, you know that?"
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And he holds her close. They won't lose each other. They won't lose this.
Quietly, he reminds her, "I don't think any less of you."
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"You should. I wish I could just forget but that's the easy way out. A child's way out."
What she had done to Death Eaters, to the people chasing her, to her parents. She had to survive this; obliviating herself wouldn't do anyone any good, not with all the things she's learned about Gilgamesh, the things she has to keep in mind.
"I just wish I could stop thinking about it."
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"Would you care to find that piano? We can play together a little while." Push the thoughts away for a time.
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She smiles for him, though, stepping back and nodding her had.
"Piano it is."
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The world that matters is the world of those you love. Hold onto them.
Without letting go of Hermone's hand, he takes her through the castle. There is still a reckoning to be had, but for now, he will help her forget a while.