Ancient Help (A Harry Potter and Merlin Crossover)

Chapter Four: Hermione Saves the Day

"And what could possibly make you frown early in the morning?" Gaius asked as he looked up from his textbook upon Merlin's arrival. The said manservant was sporting a deep scowl on his face, who then frustratingly pulled out a stool and sat down opposite Gaius.

"Arthur," he merely said.

An amused look appeared on the Old Physician's face. "Ah, of course," he said, slowly nodding his head.

"Gaius, he wants to go hunting again!" Merlin whined, placing his head on top of the table. "Doesn't he understand that hunting is, for lack of a better word, barbaric? Oh, fine, it means Arthur is happy and healthy and perfectly capable of achieving his destiny, but this is becoming ridiculous now."

"Arthur is at the peak of his youth," Gaius patiently explained. "Let him enjoy it as much as he could because once he is king, he will not be able to do these frivolous things anymore."

"And what am I? Old and grey?" the manservant muttered. Upon seeing the dark glare that Gaius had sent his way, he immediately added, "No offense."

Mindlessly then, Merlin outstretched his hand and charmed a goblet filled with water to reach his side.

"Merlin!" Gaius exclaimed as soon as Merlin's golden eyes settled back to blue. "What did I told you about carelessly using your magic for your convenience?"

Merlin scowled once more. "Gaius, I'm frustrated," he said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the whole world. "Please, allow me to do magic just this once."

Gaius rolled his eyes and went back to his textbook. "Oh, before I forget," the old physician exclaimed, standing up from his seat and rummaging inside a drawer. He then pulled out a small vial of Calming Draught and gave it to Merlin.

"Gaius, I told you, Lady Morgana does not need these potions anymore," Merlin said, but Gaius shook his head.

"This isn't for Morgana," he said. "This is for Hermione. She had been having some fitful sleeps, according to Guinevere. Give this to either Gwen or Hermione herself if ever you saw either of them before you go on your hunting trip with Arthur."

Merlin stared at the potion incredulously, and then to Gaius. "Hermione's been taking these potions?" he asked. When the Court Physician nodded, he frowned. "That's... surprising." He stared quietly at the flask first before looking back at Gaius once again. "Don't you think she is a little... peculiar?"

Gaius smiled. "We've already established that," he pointed out.

The young warlock bristled on his seat, a little frustrated for being brushed off by Gaius lightly. "No, you don't understand," he claimed. "She's... different."

The Court Physician lifted an eyebrow, frowning at Merlin's description. "Different?" he asked. "How so?"

"Oh, I don't know," Merlin said, sighing in frustration. He thoughtfully looked at the bottle in his hands and bit his bottom lip. "I can't explain it, Gaius. There's just something about her that is..." He blew a breath and looked up at his mentor, scowling a little when he saw his amused look. "Sometimes, I just see her staring outside one of the castle windows as if gazing at something unseen. But that's not the problem, Gaius. It's the look on her face. Just sorrowful and... and... broken."

"Hmm..." Gaius thoughtfully muttered, grabbing one of the stools from the table and sitting down on it. "And what, may I ask, are you doing, staring at her?"

Horrifyingly, Merlin's face flushed. "Ah, well," he blubbered, rubbing the back of his neck. "I-I don't know." His last words were said with disgruntlement, prompting the old physician to laugh.