Forever his ~ Harry Potter's daughter

20. Payment

Angrily mumbling on my way I started walking to the library, maybe reading in a quiet corner somewhere would calm me down. 'I shouldn't have done that. Hermione will be important to me. I shouldn't lose my cool over things that happen here.'

"Fucking shit." I mumbled as I stopped my walking and fidgeted with my hands again. I would have to apologize later. I lifted my gaze and saw a familiar face a few feet away from me. "Hi, Prince." I smiled.

He was standing there with his hands in his pockets looking at me with a small smile on his face. "Well, I had a schedule for today..." He suddenly said. "But I guess I can skip that for you if you plead like that."

"I didn't ask for anything." I said quizzically.

"Yes, you did." He chuckled and pulled me along by my arm.

He took me back to that little couch we had sat on before and lit the fireplace near us with a swoosh of his wand.

"You looked... Fiery. Did something happen?" He asked sitting on the couch, leaning against his hand which he had propped up against the backrest.

"I had a fight with someone in my dormitory. This girl is... Probing into my business. And I don't like it." I mumbled. "It's just that... She thinks she knows everything and it's so infuriating that... She's mostly right." I sighed deeply.

"Let me guess. Granger." He growled. After my nod, he mumbled: "I know how you feel. I've had... Run-ins with her. Annoying know-it-all if you ask me."

"Well yeah, but I know she means good. I kinda lashed out at her. I wish I hadn't."

"It's good that you did. She's been in need of a match of her own to put her in her place for a long time. I'm hoping you were strong enough to get her to at least shut up for a few days." He gravelly said. I missed him mumble a few offenses when I grabbed a book from a nearby shelf.

"Anyway, I noticed this when we were here two days ago. Have you read it?" I asked as I gave Prince the book.

"The mysteries of the hollow sound?" He read the title and gave me a confused look.

"Just read it. He's talking about a whole new type of magic. You will thank me later."

"Umm, okay." Prince put the book on a nearby table and turned back towards me. "I looked for you yesterday. Where were you?"

"I was out." I said, trying to change the subject but Prince quickly intervened.

"Out? What do you mean."

"Look, it's a long story that I'm not in the mood to defend. I just had to speak up for myself against Granger I don't want to do it against you." I said.

He scrunched his eyes. "You were doing something forbidden weren't you?"

"Yes, now change the subject."

"Fine. You will tell me later anyway." He shrugged and I rolled my eyes at his cocky attitude.

'Probably.' "No, I won't."

He gave me a doubtful look and I just looked away.

"You know I heard there would be an exchange student this year but I wasn't expecting someone like you to be coming out of Beauxbatons." He said.

'An exchange student? Whoever had those plans must have canceled. But it works with my story so I'll use it. "Really then what did you think I would be like?"

"Beauxbatons raises trophy wives. Wasted talent. So it's safe to say people were waiting for someone with no skills in anything but etiquette." He says.

"Sounds horrible." I mumbled.

"I agree. I would rather marry someone who can think for herself and defend both the estate and themselves when it comes to it. Not to mention progeny." He explained.

"But they do fairly well in studies." I mumbled.

"Well yes, but they are quite self-absorbed. They have the skills, they just don't bother to use them."

"Oh... So that's why they are called beautiful sticks. Beauxbatons." I nodded in realization.

"You are not from there. Are you?" He asked, a sly look on his face.

I lifted my chin up and was just about to argue and state my case of being a student since age eleven but I decided not to when I saw the look he was giving me. Locked jaw, eyes unblinking and full of certainty. I wouldn't be able to change his mind. He'd cheated me out of the truth without me even stating it. "You did this on purpose didn't you?"

"Yes."

"You manipulated me."

"Yes."

"Why?" I asked.

"Because I had my suspicions from the start but I couldn't just up and ask you. You would have had the time to think of a clever response or distraction. This was more reliable in ways of getting the real answer out of you." He said and gave me an almost mocking smile.

"How do you know so much about Beauxbatons?" I asked.

"The women in my family have often come through marriage and often from Beauxbatons. Like I said. Trophy wives."

"Will you sell me out?" I asked, looking down at my hands.

"No. I promise to keep the secret of your little lie. You could work on it by the way. The students at Beauxbatons are proud, they know their school's history better than their own families." He smiled.

"Will you help me?"

"Yes."

And so the next hour we spent at the library. Prince showed me books with maps of the school and told me about the headmaster Olympe Maxime. Then explained some of the history of the school and of its founder. After the lesson on etiquette and the school's values, I had a pretty well-rounded idea of what the school and it's ways.

"Thanks, Prince." I said as we started walking out of the library. "For all, I know Granger would have done what you just did to me tomorrow and uncovered my lie. It's safe to say she wouldn't have protected it. Merlin knows she is familiar with the ways of that school." I said, rolling my eyes.

"So what reward will you give me for saving you?" Prince asked after a firm nod.

"I didn't realize had to give you anything for helping me." I said and chuckled.

"Nothing is free when it comes to me." Prince said. "My time is valuable and I have spent a lot of it in you, but since I actually enjoyed myself I can agree to only a small payment."

"And what might that be?"

"A kiss." He joked.

"Wow what a cliche." I laughed. "Here." I grabbed his collar and pulled him forward placing a sweet kiss to the corner of his mouth. "Goodbye, my Prince." I said and walked away, leaving him at awe of me actually going through with it.