Archive of Our Own ^beta

Hermione knew she was running late, which was completely unlike her, but between her strange dreams, research about soul bonds, and her work, she was feeling extremely stretched thin. Harry and Ron had pulled away long ago in what felt like another life. In a way, it was another life for her. They couldn’t understand the changes she had undergone, and she was so different she knew their friendship would never be quite the same. They were still friends in name, but both boys had moved on, gotten married and had families. She loved doting on her nieces and nephews, although it was a bit of a mystery how she didn’t seem to age even as Ron’s hair thinned and Harry’s got some grey mixed into his unruly black locks.

Sighing, Hermione grabbed her crossbody case, waved her wand to make sure the last of her belongings were packed into her trusty beaded bag and grabbed the portkey just as it started to glow blue.

Something was wrong. She was heading from Romania to the emergency summit in Germany to discuss the future of the dragons. The portkey was taking far, far too long and spinning too much and after easily the longest portkey of her life Hermione found herself looking at the ground again, but from quite a distance up. After a short shriek, she didn’t even think to grab her wand but instead cast her hands out and wordlessly shouted cushioning and slowing charms while also casting a sticking charm on her case to her back. Luckily the contents and all of those inside it wouldn’t be able to feel the roughness of her landing. She landed with a thud that knocked the breath from her lungs for a moment.

As she brought herself to an upright position and looked up she saw a man with dirty blonde hair on a horse staring at her in shock, and her last conscious thought before losing her lunch and luckily rolling away from the mess was ‘Bugger, I would have to land in front of a muggle who looks like he’s part of a renfair.’

Jaime was only two days into his journey North to Winterfell. His disappointment in Cersei was crushing along with his fear of what he was facing. An Army of the dead. He still had a hard time wrapping his mind around it even after seeing the proof. The White Walkers were supposed to be a story to tell children to scare them to get them to behave or scare people around a campfire. They weren’t supposed to be real, much less having come back and marching South in an army of untold numbers.

Just as Jamie was looking around for a good place to camp for the night a blue light lit up the twilight and a curly haired female fell out of thin air, let out a short scream, then seemed to slow before she landed much more softly than that height would have suggested. She had barely looked up, made eye contact at him, threw up and then passed out.

He quickly dismounted and ran to the girl. Her petite features were almost elfish in appearance, her ears even slightly pointed if he wasn’t imagining it. Gathering her up in his arms he found a copse of trees off the road and proceeded to set up a fire, covering the strange girl in his cloak since the setting sun was quickly sapping what little warmth the day had held. Just as the fire was warming up the area and he’d tied his horse off the girl started to stir. He sat back on a fallen tree as he watched with interest as she came to, looking around in confusion and an ornate stick flying to her hand. She jumped to her feet and pointed it at him and glancing around to take in her surroundings in just seconds. “Who are you, where are we, why do you look like you’re part of the renaissance faire and why the bloody hell is it so cold!?”

Jaime just gaped. That was definitely not what he was expecting from a lady. He didn’t know what he was expecting, but to be held at stick point and interrogated was definitely not on the list. He stood up and held his arms out in a peaceful gesture, unsure why he was being so cautious except that she looked very serious and meant business with that stick. Not what he would pick for a weapon, but who knows where she was from or what she thought it did. “Peace, my lady. I am Jaime Lannister, you’re in Westeros, two days north of King’s Landing, I don’t know what a renaissance faire is, and it’s cold because it’s officially winter. If we’re lucky it will only last a couple years.”

Hermione was trying to keep calm. Her magic was screaming at her that she was not home anymore because the magic of the world around her felt just slightly different yet more potent. Her mind raced with possibilities of time travel but when he mentioned winter lasting years that idea flew out the window. Her arms dropped to her sides and she struggled to control her breathing. A panic attack was the last thing she needed right now, but discovering her portkey had somehow caused her to jump to another realm was jarring, even for an accomplished witch who not only had a Mastery in Transfiguration and Beast Mastery but also did private research for the Department of Mysteries because of her - unique - situation.

“W-Westeros? You don’t happen to have a world map on you perchance? And what do you mean by winter taking years?”

“No,” Jaime responded slowly, wondering just where this strange woman had come from. “I don’t usually keep maps on me, as I’ve travelled most of the continent. As far as the rest of the known world you’d have to wait until we got to the nearest castle or keep with a Maester I’d imagine. And of course, winter takes years. All of the seasons do. Granted, Autumn wasn’t very long but this last summer was ten years long. Where are you from?”

Hermione sat down and made herself as comfortable as possible as she could on the cold ground. “Well, it would seem that I’m not from anywhere around here. Do you happen to know anything about magic?”

He noticed she gripped her stick a bit tighter as she asked that and was slightly wary. “I’ve seen some things that would fall into the realm of magic I would imagine, or at least I don’t have any other way to explain them.” As she relaxed he found himself sitting down and mirroring her more relaxed manner.

“Well, then I suppose there’s no harm in telling you, I’m not from this world, as you might have guessed. In my world, each season only lasts a few months at most and all four comprise one year.” At this Jamie was sure his eyes were going to pop out, trying to imagine only one year with all four seasons. “Also, and most importantly I’m a witch.”

At that, he made a gesture to grab for his sword at his side and he could see her eyes narrow as her body tensed as she jumped up and pointed her stick at him once again.

“Just what are you planning on doing with that stick?” he asked, half curious, half scoffing.

She arched an eyebrow at his tone. “Expelliarmus, incarcerous, silencio.” Jaime found himself suddenly knocked in his rear, his sword in the woman’s hands and himself tied up and unable to say a word. To apologize for his arrogance he bowed his head and spoke with his eyes hoping she would understand. Little did he know she could actually read his passing thoughts. ‘I’m impressed. I’m sorry, and I will try to think before putting my foot in my mouth again.’

“Good, foot in mouth disease can be quite fatal you know,” Hermione quipped as she released Jaime. “By the way, my name is Hermione and yes, I can read thoughts when you’re directing them at me that strongly and making eye contact. Otherwise I still need eye contact but actually, have to use a spell.”

The sun was long gone and cold was starting to seep in despite the fight that the fire put up, and Jamie was adding more wood to it and started to look through his bag of provisions wondering what he could make for two people. He heard a small cough to get his attention and turned around. Hermione had tied back her long, flowing curls and in the firelight, he was able to better admire her petite facial features. She was exotic in a way he hadn’t experienced before.

She gestured toward the bag she had set horizontally on the ground and explained. “If it’s ok with you, I’d prefer camping somewhere much more secure and warmer.”

“In that bag? It wouldn’t fit more than your head much less your body or both of us,” he commented, blushing slightly at the idea of sleeping next to the beautiful and exotic stranger.

Hermione just smiled mysteriously and asked him to sit for a moment. She walked in a circle around their current campsite and muttered what he assumed were spells. Waves of shimmering light surrounded the area and he couldn’t help but smile back at her small smug grin. She next cast a charm over the entire area that warmed it up and then turned to face his horse. He was already tied to a tree branch that she changed to a proper horse post, a water trough appeared from nowhere he could see, and then also a trough with food that steamed slightly in the still warm but cool air. The horse whinnied in happiness, forced his nose into her hands for some pats and proceeded to eat some sugar cubes she suddenly had and then happily went to fill up on the tasty food and water.

Impressed she had cared so well for his horse, but wondering what she had planned for them he was curious when she opened the top of the case and then stepped in and was soon gone! A hand popped back up and gestured him to follow. Curiosity overwhelming him and at a complete loss for words, he followed silently.

As he descended the ladder he was happy to find a bench because his knees gave out.

Somehow the inside of a case that was barely bigger than one of his saddlebags had an interior that looked to stretch for miles in every direction. There were mountains and valleys. He noticed four distinct quadrants surrounding him, winter, autumn, summer, and spring. A variety of animals he had no names for were wandering each area but what stunned him the most was looking up and seeing dragons. Dozens of dragons flying around the sky. He looked at the ladder he climbed and confirmed it was maybe a dozen feet tall, but the sky seemed to stretch up infinitely. If Daenerys had two dragons, only one of which he’d seen and had scared him to death and nearly killed him, what was he supposed to make of Hermione who apparently had dozens that he could see and who knew what else in this magical space that seemed to stretch for leagues and leagues in every direction. Would she help with the war? Would she want the throne? Would she support them? Why did he feel such a sense of connection and trust with this perfect stranger who had so much power and resources that he was stunned senseless.

Hermione walked over smiling, she offered Jaime a brief tour. She explained that the case was a complete ecosystem and housed at last count three dozen magical creatures, but admitted some were sneaky and very well could have sneaked in more from her office.

Then she took a deep breath and a huge grin spread on her face. “While I work in several departments, and I have several masteries, the one that means the most to me is my Beast Mastery. I’m sure you’ve noticed the dragons.” She nodded to the ones flying around in the air and dragons of all sizes wandering around the different season sections. “My main job is the preservation of dragons. I’ve brought many of the ones you see here back from the edge of extinction, and I’ve even discovered breeds previously unknown to wizardkind. I have an affinity with them.” A small dragon with jewelled green scales flew over to her shoulder and snuggled her cheek and gave her a quick lick before wrapping itself around her neck like a scarf. She scratched between its eyes and it gave a small coo and started snoring. “This is one of the Terrible Terror hatchlings. I was there when she hatched and so she imprinted not on just her mom but myself as well.”

“As you can see there’s a section for each of the seasons. Many dragons prefer one season over the others and will migrate great distances in my world to be comfortable, mate and raise their young, but my case provides a sanctuary where they are safe from the dangers of travelling and being seen by muggles, sorry, it’s a term for non magical people, and also being poached by unscrupulous magicals.

“Who are the people I see around?” Jaime tried to gesture to one of the figures but they had disappeared before he could be sure he’d even seen them.

“Ignore them,” she replied firmly. “They have their own roles and they will approach you if and when they feel you’re worthy.” He nodded with a slightly confused look on his face. “Are you tired of winter?”

“Yes, the cold is already getting to me and it hasn’t even been officially winter for more than a few months.”

“Come with me, let’s camp in the summer section and warm up.” Jaime couldn’t help but break into a grin at that idea and follow her to the section. She picked an area next to a stream and some fruit trees and pulled a small beaded bag out of her pocket, reached in up to her shoulder which should have shocked Jaime but at this point, he was expecting the unexpected. She pulled out something that looked like a roll of canvas and threw it on the ground while muttering something he didn’t catch. In seconds there was a tent that would fit two people and he blushed a bit again at the idea of sleeping near this absolute stranger he was feeling a growing connection to the longer they talked.

As she gestured for him to go in he ducked and then couldn’t help but gasp and ask, “How do you keep doing this? This is a two person tent but the inside is easily a small house! And the inside of your case! It goes for miles! And then that bag, your whole arm just disappeared! How!?”

Hermione laughed as she walked passed him and invited him to sit. She explained that one area of magic had to do with manipulating space. It’s part of the field of Transfiguration which she also has a mastery in which is why she can manage to make her case larger than anyone has ever even attempted before. She explained some of the things magic could do with small demonstrations, and while she explained she had Winky bring dinner for them. Jaime was curious about the house elf but he’d seen too many amazing things he could hardly think of what to inquire about first.

Being in the summer section they didn’t need to light the fireplace, so as he warmed up Jaime stripped off his coat and was down to just his shirt and pants and removed his gloves.

Hermione eyed his gold hand with curiosity, wondering why he had a prosthetic. Instead, she asked if he would like to get some sleep but Jaime insisted he had never been less tired in his life and felt like he was already walking in a dream.

Hermione smiled at him and offered him some tea and scones, asking “So you got to see me fall out of the sky, know that I’m from a different world, and I’ve stunned and amazed you with my magic, which by the way I’m thrilled you’re responding to so positively. However, I know next to nothing of you. Your name is Jaime Lannister, you seem to be accepting and open-minded, and you’re travelling north by horseback. Am I allowed to know anything more?”

Jaime smiled and nodded his head. She had shared some obviously sensitive parts of her life, although he knew he’d only seen the bare surface. It only seemed fair to better introduce himself and explain where he was going and the nightmare he was facing. He explained very briefly about his family, his twin sister Cersei was the reigning queen of the Seven Kingdoms. He explained he had had three children, and how each had died. As he relieved the memories Hermione was slightly shocked to find out that all of the children were from Jaime and Cersei, but at the same time, incest was so common in all of the old pureblood family trees she didn’t cringe or make any face but sympathy. After he finished explaining how each of his children had perished he broke down completely and Hermione just gathered him in his arms and rocked him back and form and whispered reassuring words, trying to calm this extraordinary man who had lost so much.

After he calmed he explained why he was heading north. There was an army of the dead with untold numbers marching south and his sister had promised to send the Lannister armies to help but then admitted to him it was a lie. He was determined to honour his promise regardless and he was heading north. Hermione asked him to look at her and concentrate on the dead man he had seen at the meeting. She paled, then summoned a pensieve and extracted a memory and had it play above the dish. Jamie saw Hermione and a group of other people fighting what was obviously a small group of dead people. It looked to be at least a hundred against ten. They succeeded though, and the trick seemed to be fire, but it was still terrifying thinking that he would soon face something like that but even worse.

Hermione cupped his face which has gone pale as milk. “Jaime. Look at me. I am going with you. You’re going to have my help and all of my dragons and we are going to win this.”

He looked deep into her whiskey eyes and she pushed her promise and sincerity into the intensity of her stare and he felt an overwhelming connection to this witch who had just fallen out of the sky and into his lap mere hours ago. He hugged her and kissed her forehead lingeringly and with his eyes closed tight he didn’t see the golden glow that surrounded them but Hermione did and she knew exactly what it was and what it meant, and why her portkey had malfunctioned as it had.

As they separated Hermione reached out and gently ran a finger over his prosthetic. “I’m not going to ask what happened or why, but I do want to know, does it still hurt?”

Jaime was a little taken aback at the question and that she didn’t want the history of his gold hand. “Yes, I manage to ignore it but there are times I have to take diluted milk of the poppy.”

Taking a very deep breath and looking up into his eyes she grabbed his other hand with hers and asked, “I don’t like to perform magic on people without their permission unless it’s in a fight. But there’s a very advanced spell I can use that will take away the pain and improve your quality of life drastically.”

Jaime gulped. He looked at his hand. He’d had it for so long and he was so used to it but at the same time so missed his hand. The pain was usually manageable but there were times it hurt like it had just been chopped off again and at times he felt like he could still feel his fingers and could move them. Looking back at Hermione and how serious she looks he considered everything he’d seen. She had built this entire world in a case all on her own, she was capable of such amazing things, if she could get rid of the pain it would be worth it. He nodded.

“Ok, I need you to first take off the prosthetic, we’ll roll up both of your sleeves, and then I’ll cast the spell.” Once everything was ready she had him close his eyes. Casting her spell she ignored where she’d originally learned the idea from and concentrated on what she wanted for a finished product. “Alright, open your eyes.”

When Jaime opened his eyes he looked down at his hand and tears started falling from his eyes. It was smooth, gold, and looked exactly like his original hand. It felt tingly and out of habit, he wiggled his fingers. He couldn’t believe what he saw, so he moved them again and then made a fist. He looked up at her in pure amazement. “I, I don’t know what to say. How? How do I have a hand again? Thank you, I don’t know why you did this for me but I cannot thank you enough. I am forever at your service Lady Hermione.” He bowed at her feet, then got up and felt the urge to sweep her into another hug and swung her around, this time unconsciously running his new hand through her curls and getting a small purr from Hermione as he set her down.

After a few days travelling north by horseback, she asked if they have soul marks in this world and he admitted they do but often people marry for arrangement and political gain rather than love, or affection and rarely meet their soulmate. He begrudgingly admits to his relationship with his twin, to which Hermione doesn’t seem too shocked, as she had seen it in his memories. She asked if he has a soulmark and he showed it to her, explaining he never understood what it meant. It’s on his right pectoral and is the Gryffindor Lion and a Chinese Fireball Dragon.  Gasping she explains they have them in her world too and shows him hers, which is House Lannister banner and a golden hand. She explains her house crest and the dragon which is also known as a Lion Dragon. She then backs up several paces and transforms into her animagus form, a Chinese Fireball dragon.

He is stunned and she transforms back goes to kiss him but he pulls away as if in pain and claims he loves Cersei and cannot love another. Hermione backs away clutching herself, transforms and flies off to go spend some time with her Tatsu.

A man approached Jamie. He had much more distinctly pointed ears, and what looked like horns coming out of his hair and scales lining his hairline and parts of his skin. He frowned at Jamie and the knight felt immediately cowered by this seemingly unassuming man dressed in simple robes. “You have upset our queen. She is your other half and you have rejected her. Frankly, I and the other elders are at odds on if you deserve her or not and this will certainly not sway us in your favour. It is lucky for you that fate does not care what a Tatsu of dragons thinks is best for its queen. If she should return to you do not lead her on with false promises. She has been through far more than you can possibly know in the short time before we reach your destination and your fight. Pray you both survive and can properly grovel and show her the love she deserves, human.” With that word growled out and smoke coming from his nostrils the man transformed into an absolutely huge dragon that looked to be the same kind as Hermione and flew off in the same direction.

Jaime spent the night in the tent and tries to stay up to see if Hermine would come back, but she never did. When she came back looking at him very warily the next day Jamie apologized for how he pushed her away. He’s unsure why he reacted so violently when he’s so quickly developing such strong feelings for Hermione and now he understands why. Yet he still can’t understand his aversion and desire for Cersei even though his heart and head are telling him it’s wrong. Hermione is suspicious and runs some scans over him and finds a heavily enchanted family heir ring that his sister had given him when they were teenagers. He recalled it was soon after that that they began their trysts.

Hermione took the ring off and analyzed it and was disgusted by what she found and then proceeded to destroy the enchantment on the ring without destroying the ring since it’s the heir ring.

With the enchantment broken Jaime broke down emotionally. He couldn’t believe how manipulative his own twin has been almost their entire lives and how he was used. He loved his children and mourned them but also laments that another is on the way. Suspicious, Hermione does a male version of a pregnancy test and conclusively informs him he is not currently an expecting father. He’s relieved but again taken aback by how far Cersei will go to manipulate people, particularly him. He asked to be left alone for the evening to sort his thoughts and Hermione understands.

Unable to sleep, Hermione cloaks herself in a perfect disillusionment charm, transforms, and takes to the skies. She knows they’re nearing their destination and she’s curious to scout ahead. Even in the dark of night, her dragon eyes are 100x better than any hawk. She soars and glides silently, the fire of her form keeping her warm against the bitter winter winds. After a short time, she makes out Winterfell and some of their preparations for war. She can sense Daenerys’ two dragons nearby and they look up to the sky with curious expressions. They can sense her but not see or smell her, which they’ve never experienced before. But soon Hermione is flying further north and east so they settle back down. The temperature drops as she flies further, and she feels a sense of chill and dread like when surrounded by hundreds of dementors. She knows the army of the dead is nearby and moves silently so she goes as high as she can and remain below the clouds. Then she sees them trudging towards Winterfell. By her estimation, they’re maybe two or two and a half days away from the gates. She hovers in midair and expands her senses, searching for the Night King that Jamie has told her about. Granted he doesn’t know fact from fiction because the army of the dead was supposed to be relegated to myth, a battle fought several thousands of years ago. Finally, she senses a powerful entity and an equally powerful dragon far in the distance. Not wanting to alert them to her presence she swiftly apparated in mid-air, as a dragon, and appeared above her and Jamie’s camp.

Going back inside she finds Jamie sleeping restlessly. She settles down next to him and pulls him to her and he settles into a peaceful sleep and she eventually falls asleep herself. In the morning she will insist they ride her personal dragon, Starfire the Light Fury to Winterfell. She wants to use her bonded dragon because she can camouflage herself and they’re going into an uncertain situation. Despite any misgivings that the people of Winterfell may have about her personally, time is running short and the upcoming battle is going to need all the help they can offer. And she happens to be able to offer the help of an armada of dragons that will obey her command, which should help stave off the army of the dead and give the living a fighting chance while other major players take care of the Night King. She knows that’s not her role in this battle. It’s to save lives and keep Jamie alive. As soon as she saw his soulmark and learned what he was facing she knew it was no accident her portkey dropped her in front of him. Her soulmate was going off to events that would somehow lead to his death, and Death knew he owed her for returning his Hallows. This was just another way of his showing favouritism amongst his few chosen helpers.