When Two Worlds Collide [Edmund Pevensie]

• Lady-in-Waiting •

A knock on the door roused Hermione from her sleep. She blearily opened her eyes and yawned, standing up from the bed as she stretched her arms above her head. "Coming!" she cried. She thought it was probably Babbity, but the Rabbit does not knock on the door anymore.

Slightly disoriented with sleep and confusion, Hermione opened the front door. She backpedaled in befuddlement, her jaw dropping and her eyes widening upon seeing Queen Lucy herself standing in front of the door. The queen waved her hand happily and behind her, Hermione could see a Minotaur standing guard.

"Queen Lucy!" Hermione exclaimed and hastily fixed her rat's nest, backing away and ushering Lucy inside.

The queen smiled at her fretting and walked inside, her eyes looking around the whole house. "A burrow," she had said, and Hermione nervously nodded. "I remember staying in a house somehow akin to this place." Lucy's eyes landed back on the brunette and added, "You must feel comfortable living here."

Hermione instinctively fixed the clutter on top of the rickety table and pulled a chair for the queen to sit on. Lucy gently thanked her and sat down. "Um... I adjusted well," the brunette said, snatching her cloak draped over another chair and wore it on her body. "Babbity makes everything as comfortable for me as possible."

Lucy smiled and looked at the odd clock hanging on the wall. "How have you been?" she then asked, her eyes once again landing back on Hermione.

The brunette frowned, not really knowing what to say. "Well... I'm good," she said, nodding her head for emphasis.

"How's your injury?" Lucy continued, staring at her bandaged leg.

Hermione hastily hid her leg underneath her simple dress. "The limp is becoming unnoticeable now," Hermione said. "Thank you for asking."

Finally, Lucy's warm, honey-colored eyes met Hermione's brown ones. Her face showed slight guilt and hope, and the brunette was forced to look away. "It's been three days now, Hermione," she said.

"I-I beg your pardon?" Hermione asked, although she perfectly knew what Lucy was talking about.

"It's been three days now ever since that insolent brother of mine insulted you," Lucy elaborated and in spite of herself, Hermione smiled. "I'm awfully sorry for what had happened in Cair Paravel. I've warned my brother to be on his best behavior, but he's just so... so..."

"Insufferable?" Hermione offered.

"Hmm, insufferable," Lucy said, smiling for her thanks. "I've given him a piece of my mind, don't worry. I've pulled the silent treatment on him for two days until he snapped and finally apologized to me. And so, here I am, meaning to offer a proposition to you."

Hermione blinked, a little confused and curious, and said, "A proposition, your majesty?"

Lucy nodded. "Yes, a proposition," she said. "And can you please stop calling me 'your majesty'? Calling me by my name will suffice." She added as an afterthought.

"I understand... Lucy," she said, almost stammered, but smiled when the queen gave her a bright smile.

Their conversation was momentarily cut short when they heard Babbity's frustrated voice.

"I live here, you impolite creature," the Rabbit cried, pointing a finger at the Minotaur. "How dare you for forbidding me from going inside my own house."

"Pomnov!" Lucy called. The Minotaur looked up at his mistress, and Lucy smiled. "It's all right. You can allow her to come inside."

Babbity huffed when the Minotaur stepped aside. "Hermione, there's a Minotaur outside my burrow!" she exclaimed, sounding exasperated. "And he did not want me to come inside. Can you belie - " The words died down from the Rabbit's mouth upon seeing the smiling face of Queen Lucy, who, on the other hand, waved her hand in greeting.