Ancient Help (A Harry Potter and Merlin Crossover)

Chapter Forty-Five: Ragnelle

Sir Gwaine grinned widely as he looked at his other companions. The Knights of the Round Table were all gathered in the forest, mounted on their horses and energy humming in their veins. Today was what Arthur deemed as their time for an "exercise". The King was nowhere to be found, though, for he had other important matters to attend to. Nonetheless, his absence was not an excuse for them to not to stretch their limbs and crack their bones.

Moments like this was something that Sir Gwaine coveted. There had been far too many battles and fights that had happened to Camelot for the past few years, and he honestly thought it wouldn't hurt to have simple breaks in between. He loves battles, of course, but there was also a side of him that wanted to rest.

"Ready for a race?" Sir Leon cheekily asked, his eyes twinkling as he looked at the other knights.

"Last one to reach Camelot is a stinking egg!" Gwaine gleefully exclaimed as his horse suddenly shot forward and galloped away. He boisterously laughed upon hearing the complaints from the other knights for his unfair start, but he brushed them away.

The wind passed against him and his smile widened. Gwaine absolutely felt exhilarated and he leaned forward, urging for his horse to gallop faster. The forest turned into a hazy blur as he shot past the greenery, and his eyes were starting to watery a little from the speed. But Gwaine was enjoying too much to stop.

But then, he suddenly lurched forward and tumbled to the ground when his horse tripped on something he had not seen. Gwaine groaned in pain and rolled around, now clutching his pained right elbow. He scowled, hearing the fading hooves of the other knights and knew that he was the last to arrive in Camelot.

Gwaine then sat up and glared at the offending creature who had caused his defeat. His glare gradually turned into curiosity, though, upon seeing an unconscious body of a battered and injured girl. He immediately scrambled towards her and lifted her into his arms, cautiously placing her at the back of his horse. Her leg was bleeding, he observed, and he knew that the wisest thing to do was to bring her to Hermione to be inspected and cured.

The knight then mounted on his horse right in front of the unconscious girl and urged the horse to gallop faster to immediately bring her for help.

__________

Hermione couldn't help but smile when Merlin released a soft sigh of contentment.

They were in her bedchambers, with her gaining more knowledge by reading a medicine book, while Merlin was slumbering with his head on her lap. The young warlock had gone to her bedchambers a while ago, proclaiming to her that he was tired and bored and Hermione, with a smile, offered her lap for him to sleep on. He actually blushed while darting an embarrassed look at her legs, but she rolled her eyes, telling him that couples in her place usually did it.

Thus, he was now slumbering on top of her lap, with Hermione's fingers constantly lulling him to sleep. As she read the book, she absentmindedly ran her fingers through his rich, black hair, and Merlin would release constant sounds of contentment.

The peace was suddenly disturbed when Hermione's bedchamber door burst open. Merlin startled awake and fell off the bench, his face landing facedown on the floor. Hermione released a sound between a laugh and a surprised exclamation and bent down, immediately helping Merlin off the floor.

The young manservant groaned and sat up, glaring at the new intruder. His eyes met an amused Sir Gwaine, who was strangely carrying an unconscious, dirty girl in his arms. The knight then gently placed the girl on top of Hermione's worktable and turned to the new Court Physician.

"What happened?" the brunette asked, now curiously inspecting the girl's whole body.

"I found her in the forest a while ago," Gwaine said, shrugging his shoulders. "She was unconscious, so I thought it was best if I bring her to you so that you can heal her."