~ There's a new guy in town ~

Author's Note: I do not own anything except the plot to this story. I got the inspiration from JK Rowling, and some other Fanfiction writers. Hope you enjoy and please rate my stories.

"The Pepper-up potion is finished sir." Hermione said as she bottled up the potion in a clear glass vial.

"Thank you Ms. Granger. Your work here is getting faster and faster each time we meet. I am most impressed." Professor Snape replied as he took the vial of Pepper-up potion and placed it in his store room.

Hermione stood by her cauldron wide-eyed in shock. He had never complimented anyone and so his compliment to her meant a lot at this very moment. Professor Snape came back after a few moments to Hermione beaming at him. "Are you quite alright Ms Granger?"

"Oh! Yes!! Oh… umm… yes, I feel fine just a little…" at this point in her rambling speech, Hermione's stomach growled from the lack of food.

"I suppose you're hungry? Quite alright, it's dinner time anyway. We can just end our session here." With that Snape turned around with his trademark billowing robes and headed towards the classroom door. He opened the door, realizing that Hermione hadn't followed him, he turned around. "Are you coming?"

Hermione could feel herself turn red, he meant for her to follow him. "Yes, Professor. I was just thinking about something…" with that, she ran towards the door to catch up with him. They made their way up to the great hall in silence. Hermione was still trying to wrap her head around Snape's compliment to her. Perhaps he didn't realize that he just gave her a compliment. Perhaps he too was hungry and probably wasn't thinking straight. Perhaps hell had really frozen over! If so, she liked compliment giving Snape better than the "greasy git from the dungeons"

Snape had never really taken notice of Hermione's appearance, until the day she came and beg that he take her in as his apprentice. He was sitting at his desk marking a stack of third year dunderheads when his classroom door flew open with a desperate Hermione flying through it. She stood in front of his desk, rambling about something about respect and her hopes to become something. He wasn't paying attention to her words but more to her looks. Her hair had since been tamed, and now fell past her shoulders in a beautiful wave of honey brown curls. Her teeth had been corrected and she was no longer bucktooth. Her deep brown eyes sparkled with a hint of innocence, but were mostly filled with wisdom and experience from her adventures with Potter and Weasley. All in all, she turned out to be a beautiful young woman and Snape found himself slightly smitten by her.

Approaching the great hall, they both went their separate ways, deep in thought. Hermione headed towards her friends at the Gryffindor table, she could see that they were all excited about something.

"Oh my god! Have you heard? This is going to be so exciting!" Ginny squealed as she pulled Hermione down to sit next to her.

"No Ginny, I haven't heard anything. What's going on? Ron? Harry?" Hermione asked as she reached over the table to get some food.

"Apparently we have guests coming to Hogwarts. Everyone's excited to find out who it is. Maybe it's the recruits for the Chudley Cannons team? Harry! Can you imagine? They might be here to scout recruits!" Ron exclaimed. He was so excited by the news that he started jumping in his seat.

"RONALD WEASLEY STOP ACTING LIKE A MONKEY! YOU LOOK RIDICULOUS!" Ginny yelled, her face turning red in embarrassment.

Hermione laughed while eating her food, Ginny was always the mother hen of the gang and she looked a lot like Molly when she was angry. She turned her head towards the head table and noted three extra chairs next to Dumbledore. Not long after that thought, Dumbledore rose from his seat to address the students.

"Attention! Attention EVERYONE!" Dumbledore roared. Everyone fell silent.

"Tonight we have a special guest joining us. As you all know, the wizarding community was not always ruled by the Ministry of Magic. It was once ruled by a Monarchy of witches and wizards. However, desperate times come with desperate measures, and it seems that even the royal families have become a target to the Dark Lord. As we all know, Hogwarts is the safest place to be, therefore the King and Queen has requested me to take in their only heir…"

Groups of "oooo"s and "ahhhh"s could be head around the hall. Everyone was excited to meet this prince. Lavender and Parvati were gossiping excitedly, most likely plotting ways to attract the prince. Looking back up at the head table, Hermione saw that even a few teachers were excited to meet this prince. Dumbledore even had a little twinkle in his eye from everyone's excitement.

"Attention! Attention!" Dumbledore roared again to get everyone's attention. The crowd fell silent again, anticipating his next words.

"I am glad to hear that you are all excited for the Prince's arrival. With that in mind, it is also my delight to announce that during the Prince's stay at Hogwarts, he will be searching for a bride. I must warn you all, that any potion or spell used to lure the prince is prohibited and anyone caught doing so will be expelled. Now, without further ado, I present to you, King Phillip and Queen Clarisse, and their son, Prince Aidan!"

Everyone stood up as they heard the doors of the great hall open, their eyes on the three figures that stood at the entrance. King Phillip and Queen Clarisse entered first. King Phillip has hard brown hair that matched his dark brown eyes. He looked gentle and kind. He had a muscular frame and smiled at the students as he walked pass them. Queen Clarisse was every girl's fantasy. She was graceful and beautiful. She had golden hair that fell down just past her waist, blue eyes that seemed as if it could capture anyone's soul and red lips that looked like the ripest apple. She was the epitome of beauty and many girls were in awe. They headed towards the head table with their hand maids and butlers close behind them.

As they took a seat in their places at the high table, everyone's attention went back to the lone figure at the door. It was Prince Aidan . He wore black riding pants with black riding boots and a red button down shirt. Over that he wore a black cloak. His shirt helped to show off his well sculpted body. He had an angular face, with eyes that were just a shade lighter than his father. His hair was brown and fell just on top of his shoulders in large curls. He was every girls dream. As he walked past the students, everyone bowed and curtsied at him.

Hermione was smitten by the prince. She was so entranced by him that she dropped the fork she forgot she was holding. The prince heard something fall, and his eyes caught that of one Hermione Granger.

He started to walk over to her, their eyes never leaving each other. Hermione could feel her cheeks turning red, how could this happen? This was so embarrassing. She saw the prince walk towards her, a wave of panic washed over her. Was he going to yell at her for ruining his entrance? What was she going to do? She looked into the eyes of the prince and found that she couldn't look away.

"You seem to have dropped your fork, my lady." The prince bowed down to pick up the fork and handed it to Hermione.

"uh… yes… I'm… so……I…"

"Quite alright my lady. Pray tell me what is your name?"

"Granger. Hermione Granger."

"A pleasure to meet such a fine maiden as you Hermione Granger. I hope to see you again during my stay."

And with that, the prince took Hermione's right hand and placed a gentle kiss on the back of it and then he walked away towards the head table. There was silence, and all eyes fell on Hermione and the Prince. It seemed as if the Prince had chosen who his bride was going to be.