AN: I'm doing it again? I just couldn't let this one go! I've read Prince Harry / slaves story and just wanted to try it with Hermione? I'm still going to update my other stories but I needed a bit of distraction.

It was the evening before the princess' eighteenth birthday in the kingdom of Gryffindor. Servants were making sure the castle would be ready for her coronation and the banquet that followed. Every tavern in the kingdom was filled to the brim with noble men who wanted to catch a glimpse of the reclusive princess. Since the death of her parents five years ago, she hadn't shown herself to the public. She had visited the other kingdoms but she always shielded her face.

The rumour went that she had a terrible accident with her magical advisor which resulted in half of her face being maimed. Some even said she only had one good eye left. But the people of Gryffindor knew better. They had seen the princess out and about checking on certain people every so often. She was loved by her people because she was caring and generous. Gryffindor was thriving and the Princess was the reason for that prosperity.

That same princess was getting undressed aided by her ladies maids. The corset on her gown made it impossible for her to do it by herself. Just as her maids started to ready her hair for bed there was a knock at her door.

"Yes?"

"Princess Hermione, I just wanted to confirm these plans for tomorrow." A voice she had heard every day for years.

"Oh Minnie, come in. I'm decent."

Minerva walked into the room. She opened her ledger. "Princess."

Hermione sighed. "Please Minnie, call me Hermione. You've practically raised me and I know I'll be queen tomorrow but I think you have earned the right to call me by my name."

Minerva sighed. "Well alright, Hermione." Hermione smiled and nodded her head.

"The other Kings and Queens will be here at noon tomorrow. The noble men will arrive two hours later so you have the time to catch up."

Hermione nodded. "It'll be fun to see how they are faring being new rulers since I'm the youngest one. I can't wait for Daphne to tell me how her coronation ended." Hermione smiled at Luna, who was untangling the knots in her hair. "I'm sure she shot down those drunken Casanovas." Ginny said, while carefully putting the underclothes away.

Minerva interrupted before the girls could lose themselves in the conversation. "Anyhow, after the noble men are inside, Albus and the arch bishop will perform the coronation. And then the banquet is open. The noble men and other royalty will have a chance to give you gifts and well wishes."

Hermione sighed. "Can I eat something in between gifts?"

Minerva looked at her with her eyebrow raised. "Do you really need to ask that question?"

Hermione groaned. "Yes so after the gift receiving and the starving to death what's next?"

Minerva looked slightly uncomfortable.

"Minnie, what's next?"

"You need to publicly assess your slaves."

"Excuse me!" Hermione yelled. "I thought the four kingdoms had stopped the gifting of slaves and rules about how to treat slaves."

Minerva put her hand on Hermione's shoulder. "They are in place but the gifting of slaves will discontinue starting January and yes the laws about treating them better are there but that doesn't mean that the slaves you get are going to be scat free."

Hermione rubbed her hands over her face. "How much slaves are we talking about?"

"Well normally people will gift you one or two. But there aren't going to be a lot of noble men that can afford that so I don't think there are going to be too many of them."

Hermione numbly nodded her head. "Ok so after that fiasco is done?"

"You need to share a few dances and have a few laughs before you can retire back to your own rooms and just sleep the day away."

Hermione nodded her head again. "The day hasn't even started yet and I already wish that it was over. I didn't think about the slaves anymore. Why weren't there slaves at the other coronations?"

Minnie closed her ledger. "Because they already had enough. Gryffindor is known for the small population of slaves. But the other kingdoms depend more on the slavery. But it will be good for them. They will get a nice comfortable home and maybe can even secure a place as a counsellor of the next king or queen. In many ways this will save their lives so Hermione don't think about it too much." Minerva looked Hermione in the eyes before her lips formed into a small smile.

Hermione nodded. She thought about Minerva, who was her counsellor/overbearing mother in a way, while Dean and Seamus popped into her head. "Yeah maybe it isn't so bad after all. But I want specific rules around them. They need to pursue their interests and they need to learn the basics and …"

Minerva raised her hand. "I'll take care of it. Just focus on tomorrow. Maybe a glass of warm milk with cinnamon will help getting to sleep?"

Ginny took the hint and excited the room to get a jug of warm milk with a mild calming draught in it. Luna was almost done braiding Hermione's hair.

"I think Minerva's right Hermione, they will get a better life here than sitting in those slave dealer's mansions. Here they will be loved and cared for, that's all they hope for."

Hermione smiled and softly squeezed Luna's hand. "I know but it's still inhumane. But I suppose that they will be better off here."

As the princess got in bed, in another kingdom four slaves were taken out of their cages to be prepped for travel. The four young men were shivering and afraid but they couldn't lose hope. They just didn't know that they weren't the only ones.

Please Review. I have a list of slaves prepared and who gifts them. Hermione will receive 14 slaves in total and I will go into detail about Dean and Seamus and other characters in later chapters.