AN: Hi! So, this story basically just wrote itself and refused to be ignored. I can't quite promise even where it will go because it ran away with itself. I have a good bit written already. Some of the chapters will be quite short because of the natural break in the story, but I will update relatively frequently.

Just as a note, the story will be limited to the main character's view point so many things won't be as they first appear.

Also, the romance aspects will be slow burn so, please forgive it. This is a story driven by plot first and foremost.

I hope you like it.

Oh, and the Harry Potter universe belongs to JKR. Obviously.

She could never explain it, but there was always something comforting about King's Cross station. Maybe it was the hustle and bustle of people going by on their way to new places. Maybe it was some old-world notion about the romance of train travel. Maybe it was the way there seemed to be a buzz in the air that sent a wave of warmth through her system. Maybe it wasn't any particular reason at all. In many ways, it was just like any other train station, but time and time again she found herself lingering there for a cup of tea on her way in and out of London.

On that fall day, she sat at her usual table. She was so immersed in her reading that she didn't even notice the little girl until she felt the tug on her outer coat. Startled, she popped up in her seat before easing into a smile. "Hello," She paused looking around for any related adult nearby. "Where are your parents?"

The young girl looked to be about 6 or 7 years old with shoulder length red hair and mischievous brown eyes. "Are you Hermione Granger?" The girls said ignoring the previously posed question.

"Oh, um, well no. I'm sorry. I'm Jean Wilkinson." She paused, "Are you here alone?"

The young girl scrutinized her with an expression that accentuated the dusting of freckles that fanned across the bridge of her nose and her cheeks. "No." She said as though the answer didn't matter before continuing on. "You look like Hermione Granger."

Jean gave her a nervous smile. "Yes, well I supposed that happens sometimes… What is your name?"

"Lily." The girl said but didn't seem to be interested. She was studying Jean's hair with the light of intrigue in her eyes.

Jean patted the twist of hair and tucked the short curl that framed her face behind her ear. "Well, Lily, how about I help you find your parents?"

Lily opened her mouth to say more, but a boy stomped over and grabbed her by the elbow. "Liiilllly, come on. Mum has been looking for you." He was just a bit older than her with the same dusting of freckles but had brilliant green eyes that never even glanced towards Jean and black hair that appeared both too long and too short all at once.

Jean followed them with her eyes as they walked away. She could hear Lily say, "It's her! It's her! Let me go, Albus. We have to go back-" But then they disappeared into the crowd. She tried to find them again to no avail. After a few moments, she gave up and picked up her book again.

As some time passed, Jean continued to sit there sipping her second cuppa until she felt the pressure of eyes watching her. With a quick glance around, she couldn't place the source. In the corner of her eye, she could have sworn she saw something shimmer. But upon a second look, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Unable to relax again, she gathered her things and headed towards her platform.

It was nearly time for the 11:05 train. But as she neared the platform, suddenly a woman with a flash of red hair pushed past her with such a strong effort that Jean lost her balance. As she quickly stumbled backward, she reached out towards the wall to her right, expecting support to catch herself, but was shocked as the wall seemed to give way. She closed her eyes in preparation for the impact. Instead of the impending crash to the ground, she was hoisted up into the strong embrace of a stranger.

Jean opened her eyes. "Thank you," she said as she attempted to leave his embrace and straighten her skirt. But she realized he had yet to relinquish his hold on her. Confused, she looked up into his brilliant green eyes. His face had a stunned expression that appeared to be frozen in place. There was a noise just behind Jean, and she turned just in time to see the red headed woman appear to come through the wall.

It was then that Jean realized that must have been the wall she expected to catch her. She looked around and noticed that around her was no longer the multitude of people running about looking for the proper platform. There remained only the platform in front of her with an old-fashioned steam engine train surrounded by families pushing trunks, dressed in a mixture of odd clothing. Where was she? What happened?

Suddenly, the man spoke to the woman directly behind her. "Ginny, what have you done?"

The red-haired woman stood up defiantly against the vague accusation. "Something I should have done a long time ago."

The man took the red-haired woman's hand and led them all away down towards the platform away from the wall that was not a wall. Jean began to struggle against the arm he still had wrapped around her waist.

"Sir, I don't know who you think you are, but I don't appreciate being man handled! If you would please let go of me, I have a train to catch." He looked down at her again considering her face before loosening his grip enough for her to spin out of his hold.

Jean straightened herself out with an increased amount of apprehension. Oddly, it was not the man's actions that alarmed her as much as it was her own lack of fear.

"Sorry," he mumbled. He turned his attention to the red head and began speaking in harsh whispers. Jean was unable to make out what they were saying, but as she looked around she noticed that many of the parents left on the platform was staring at the three of them.

"-but you didn't see the teacup!" were the peculiar words that drew Jean's attention back to the couple next her. In response to whatever the woman had said the man huffed and scrubbed his face with his hands. Jean continued to peruse the area around her for a way out. She took a step back towards the wall that had seemed to be the "entrance." It could have been a curtain of some kind that only looked like a wall. An optical illusion? Some kind of technological projection? Must be. All she had to do was go back through it and she would be on her way. She took another step towards it before she felt another tug on her coat. Looking down just behind her. She found the same little girl from before.

"Hello," Lily said. "Where are you going?"

Jean looked around tensely. "I am trying to get back to the other train platforms. But," Jean looked around once more before crouching down to the little girl's height. "Are your parents here?" The little girl pointed to the odd couple that Jean had just walked away from. "Oh," Jean said relieved that this time the girl was not alone, but also somewhat concerned as the parents seemed rather entangled in their discussion. She also spotted the boy that had collected Lily earlier eyeing them from a couple meters away.

Jean had opened her mouth again to say goodbye when something behind Jean caught the attention of the girl. Jean spun around to see a man standing by the wall, scanning the platform before his eyes settled on her. As he began to walk towards her, he withdrew a stick from somewhere in his sleeve. While his body language was intimidating, this addition only puzzled Jean, but the girl moved closer to her. As he began to lift his hand with the stick, suddenly the girl cried out. "STOP!"

And he did.

It took Jean a moment to realize that it was not of his own volition. She looked back to Lily's face which filled with fear, resilience, and pride. Everything around them stopped: the movement of the other bystanders, the couple deep in discussion, the hum of whispers throughout the platform. The man's face began to become enraged at his predicament but was yet unable to retaliate. Until there was the roar of the train that signaled its departure.

That seemed to break the spell that had been cast around them. The man was able to move, the people began to talk and Ginny rushed forward in fear. But she was too far away. The man lifted the stick and a beam of light flickered through the air just above Jean and Lily's head. Jean instinctively ducked and pulled the small girl into her arms to shield her. Jean was unsure as to what was happening but enough to know that it was not good. The man with the green eyes also withdrew a stick and began to fire at the new stranger.

The train's horn blew again as the commotion escalated, Jean attempted to continue to shield the little girl from the chaos around them. But it would seem that Lily had a different plan. She grabbed Jean's hand and dragged her up and on to the train just as it began to pull away from the platform. Afraid to let the girl go on unattended, Jean reluctantly followed.

It was not until she was on the train and looked out the window of the doorway as the platform faded away that she began to wonder, "What just happened?" Jean glanced down to the hand held by the smiling little girl.

"Magic," was all Lily said as the smile spread across her face into a mischievous grin.