It was September 1st, and for the fifth time Hermione made her way through King's Cross Station, for the fourth time, kissed off her parents at the pillar dividing platforms nine and ten, said her goodbyes, and pushed her luggage trolley through the false wall onto platform nine and three quarters.

While she was happy to see the hidden station, and the frankly beautiful train waiting at it, more than that she was happy to be among magical peoples again. Going home for the holiday meant spending the months with a quality of life much lower than her time spent at school. At Hogwarts, she was a witch, entitled by default to everything she might ever need- at her parents, she was a muggle, and entitled to nothing, a citizen of a nation that would happily see her starve.

Going home also meant not seeing her friends, one of whom had clearly been waiting for her. Lavender Brown had grown over the summer. As a rule, puberty hit witches like a dragon, and clearly it had had its way with Lavender, and as she made her way over Hermione couldn't keep away a pang of jealousy.

After they hugged they looked each other over- They had very similar har colours and styles, both long wavy auburn hair, although Hermiones was thicker and harder to live with. Hermione was taller now, and thinner too, with a sharper jawline, and maybe prettier. Lavender was going to be more popular with the boys, though, in the kind of way that stood proud from her chest in a way Hermione's simply did not.

They were joined as they made their greetings by the remainder of their little clique- Lara Haywood, and her ladyship Susan Bones. Hermione immediately felt silly for her earlier jealousy. Lara had not developed as well as Hermione and Lavender had, her perfect jet black waves easily her best feature, while Susan had clearly eclipsed all three- she was far prettier, and much bustier. Being jealous of Lavender suddenly seemed petty, in comparison. Lady Bones was stunning.

Hermione and Lavender were in their Hogwarts uniforms- Black robes, over a grey sweater and skirt, shirt and tie, the tie and sweater each carrying a badge of their Hogwarts house. Lady Bones, however, wore the uniform fitting of her station- The same Black robe, of a finer material because of course, over a black suit dress. Her tie still showed her house colours, hufflepuff's yellow and black diagonal stripes, but her suit instead showed her own house colours, in this case the borrowed colours of the Anglian Abbotts, a square badge of white with a red saltire, a diagonal cross.

As Susan came to a stop and greeted them "Miss Brown, Miss Granger". In return, they curtsied and gave a brief bow. Granger was a serfs name, Hermione was a first generation witch to two muggle parents, and while Brown was a full blood name, they held no title. Haywood was much the same. Bones, however, had land, had titles and wielded power across much of south-east england. A proper greeting to their better was necessary. "My lady" they chorused.

Etiquette done with, the four collapsed into a girlish huddle, eager to exchange news, rumours and gossip as they each made their way onto the train, dragging their trunks with them.

Starting from near the rear of the train, they moved forward until they found a suitably empty compartment- in this case, a single occupant, already comfortable and reading. Lady Bones made the request "do you mind if we sit here?"

He looked at them for a brief moment, a single green eye visible through a mop of black hair before politely acquiescing. He even stood, and helped them with their luggage. Hermione and Lara shared a glance and Lara rolled her eyes- Any excuse for a man to do manly things. The girls continued their conversation, while he promptly sat again in his seat closest the window and returned to his book.

Eight weeks was a long time, as it turned out, and much in the wizarding world had occurred that Hermione hadn't been able to hear of. The Duchess Bone, Susan's aunt, had returned to single life after doing away with yet another suitor. The Lestranges had a new matriarch, and it was common knowledge she was completely insane. The young Macmillan Lord had taken himself a wife.

"But you've heard the real news, right?" as Lavender leaned in conspiratorially. Hermione shook her head. "Apparently Lord Wessex is joining Hogwarts this year"

"Potter? He's younger than I'd have thought." she remarked. He-who-should-not-be-named had been dead since before Hermione could remember and even the muggles knew the story. The Archtraitor had built himself an army of fremen and serfs and tried to take England for himself. Half the reason muggles were so mistreated now was as punishment for their behaviour only ten years earlier. Tens of thousands had died.

"Well, that's the thing. Apparently, he'll be joining as a fifth year."

"No one is quite sure why he's joining so late. rumour is it was an injury, but what injury does it take ten years to recover from?" Lara opined.

Well that was quite a question, and for a moment all eyes turned to Susan, the only one with access to the courts, but as usual, her lips were sealed- Her station required that she not indulge in gossip about her betters. The Bones were well respected and had much to lose, while the other three were almost beneath punishment for such petty behaviour, a rare privilege to being of a lower class.

Lavender bit her finger for a moment, before continuing, "actually, I've heard it was something to do with his education. Some additional requirements he's had." and ofcourse lavender had the dirt. She was a fiend for a good rumour.

"So what? Is he retarded or something?" Lara questioned.

There was a loud thump, and the boy in the corner closed his rather large tome of a book with a huff of a sigh.

"For the love of Merlin, Lara." Susan complained. "My apologies, are we bothering you?"

"Distracting, yes. I'd never say such pretty ladies were bothering." he replied, with a smile.

It was at that moment Hermione realised their collective lack of politeness, she had entirely failed to ask his name and introduce herself. As her hand came up to offer it to shake, she noticed something.

He was in his uniform, but it was the black uniform of a house, not Hogwart's grey, and his tie was blank, showing no house colours. Instead, emblazoned on his chest in a small shield shaped badge was the red and gold trim of wessex. She looked at his face- a boy she didn't recognise, seemingly about her age…and he was staring back with all the confidence in the world, with humour in his eyes…

Oh. oh no. fuck fuck fuck fuckfuckfuckfuck

He smiled at her as she went to stand, the need for courtesy before her betters hammered into her since she first joined Hogwarts. He raised his hand to stop her, "it's ok, you didn't know. A bit late for niceties now, don't you think?"

She nodded as her face turned bright red. She could feel it. Even as her face was heating up it felt like her blood was running cold. She screwed her eyes shut and tried to wish the moment away. She had just been gossiping about… while he was in the room! She couldn't help the pained groan she let out. That level of insult of a Noble could see the end of all three of their houses, and could see Susan banished from her family.

"Hermione? What's wrong?" Lara asked. Poor Lara. poor ignorant, doomed Lara. If anyone was about to swallow a curse it was her. As Hermione turned to answer, she saw Susan's face turn white, and she realised too. Both of them just a minute late.

"Ladies," she did her best to keep her voice even, but it wavered pathetically. "May i introduce to you Harry Potter, Lord of Wessex"

The moment dragged and dragged, the only noise the rattling thump de thump of the rails.

Susan recovered her composure first, settling, from her seated position, for a deep bow. "Greetings, my Lord. I am Susan bones, of the Duchy of Bones"

He let he stew in her embarrassment for just a moment, before replying "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lady Bones" That his voice gave no sign of obvious displeasure had her Sagging under her own weight.

He turned to Lavender next, who made an admirable effort of speaking while going through what Hermione thought must be the beginnings of an anxiety attack "Im lavender Brown, My Lord, of London"

"A pleasure, Miss Brown, and…?" he turned to Lara, who looked like she might be sick. Hermione could understand. While Lord Wessex actual lord wessex seemed to be happy enough with the rest of them, Lara had thoughtlessly called him retarded to his face.

As far as Hermione was concerned, she was about to witness the very next thing to a murder. If Susan Bones, her own friend, wouldn't allow Lara to insult her like that, then Lord Potter would surely not tolerate it. It would take only a casual word to the right person to see her and her family disappear. She had just insulted what was basically a king- there was no higher Power that Lord Wessex answered to.

"i…I am Lara Haywood, My Lord, and…" she cracked, and the tears already running down her face became a sob, becoming a wail. She folded in on herself, gripping her stomach and she cried openly. It was a miserable sight.

None of the girls tried to comfort her. You did not put yourself between a wolf and an injured lamb, and you did not make any attempt to align yourself with someone about to receive the wrath of unlimited political authority.

Hermione was a gryffindor, chosen specifically for her bravery, and even she wanted nothing to do with what came next.

Lara managed to squeak out an apology between wracking sobs. Wessex raised his hand, wordlessly telling her to stop. "I think you've learnt your lesson, don't you?" He said, calmly.

Lara gave a last sob, a wonderfully undignified sniff, and nodded profusely and she took a breath "yes, My Lord, i'll never… not ever again, Im sorry"

"then all's forgiven." He turned to Hermione. "And you are…?"

Hermione was, quite frankly, stunned. What she had just witnessed boggled the mind. Even the most magnanimous would never allow such an insult to pass unpunished. And as she looked from Lara to Wessex, saw his crooked smile and bright eyes, she realised something about him. This whole thing had not only not upset the man, but made him happy.

"Hermione Granger, serf, of Anglia"

He nodded, and his smile gave way to a thoughtful expression. "You know, I'm both disappointed and impressed." Hermione had no idea what to make of that. "For one, you make no attempt to introduce yourself when entering. Even not knowing who I am, that's a common courtesy." She felt her skin go cold as that creeping fear settled in her chest again "on the other hand, you were the only one of the four of you who hadn't heard of me and yet you realised who i am first. And you say you're a serf? Muggleborn?"

"I am, yes."

He turned his eyes to the others in the cabin "and yet with every advantage over her none of you realised." Lara and Lavender exchanged a look, while Susan sat, prim and proper, hands in her lap, her distant stare seemingly boring a hole somewhere through Hermione's shoulder.

He waited a moment for a reply, but when none were forthcoming he gave a final hmph, having said his piece it seemed, before he crossed his legs and returned to his book.

The majority of the rest of the journey passed in near silence.

It wasn't until the sun had set, and the train was within an hour of arrival did he look up again at the room. The women there were sharing obviously worried looks, their growing discomfort enough to draw his attention.

"Is something the matter?" he asked no one in particular.

Susan answered. "We're almost at Hogwarts, and…" she cleared her throat "Lara…"

"Lara isn't wearing her uniform" Lavender helpfully finished, Gryffindor bravery beating hufflepuff shyness.

"Ahhh, of course. Are there changing rooms on the train?" he asked, sitting up. He seemed genuinely concerned, which struck Hermione as odd given what had happened a few hours earlier.

The girls exchanged meaningful looks with each other, before Susan finally answered "normally we would change in these rooms"

"Ah. I follow." Then he looked Lara in the eye. "You wish for me to vacate the room?"

"Oh no no no, i couldn't possibly…" she began.

"Well, then, by all means, go ahead." he sat back, got comfortable and closed his book with a whump. Lara looked at him for a moment, nonplussed. Hermione saw the moment the truth clicked in her head, and Lara immediately turned bright red, her blush stretching all the way to her ears. He wants you to undress in front of him. Lara pinned her hands in place with her thighs as she clammed up, embarrassment written all over her.

Hermione looked him over, again. Had he known she wasn't wearing her uniform? Is that why he so easily forgave, knowing he had an opportunity to punish her? Would he have done this regardless? Just what kind of man was he? He gave nothing away, just a slight smile, his brilliant green eyes locked on Lara's, as she studiously avoided looking at anything but the floor.

It took a while before she worked up the courage to stand, looking to Lavender across from her for moral support. She stood, took a deep breath, and closed the door curtains, granting the room some privacy from outside. Again, she stopped to take a steadying breath, before reaching up to her trunk. She retrieved her uniform, placed it on her seat, and stood staring at it.

Lavender gave her the push she needed, reaching forward and giving her hand a brief squeeze to reassure her. Lara didn't look, but nodded, and set to work.

Hermione took in the room. As Lara lifted her jumper, Susan and Lavender averted their eyes, dropping them to the floor, but Wessex's vision was fixed on the young woman before him.

Lifting the red jumper revealed a baggy white shirt underneath, with a large logo Hermione didn't recognise, and after another moment, Lara removed that too. She wasn't trying to be sexy, that was clear, but it was already having an effect on Wessex- he moved in his seat slightly, and opened his legs a touch wider. Adjusting himself in the presence of four young ladies would not be the done thing to do.

Having one of them undress for his voyeuristic pleasure, though? That was perfectly fine. It was a strange world.

Removing the shirt revealed a flat tummy, an acre of perfectly creamy skin, and above that a plain white bra that, while it did everything to keep them covered, did nothing to disguise their size. Clearly, Hermione had underestimated Lara. It was unflattering clothes that had been her problem, not a lack of figure.

Once the shirt had come off she quickly replaced it with the Hogwarts equivalent- a plain white blouse. Then came what was clearly the difficult part. She kicked off her shoes, and set about undoing the button on her perfect-blue jeans. For a moment it looked to Hermione that she would undress facing Lord Potter, but her confidence failed her and she turned her back.

Hermione stifled a groan. That was not the right thing to do.

As Lara bent over to push her tight jeans down her legs she gave Wessex a clear view of the seat of her panties, and it was an opportunity he was not wasting. Simple white panties, sure, but a gap between pillowy thighs showed everything he might want to see- her panties were tight, and clearly showed the shape of her womanhood.

As she bent further, and wrestled the first leg out of what were now frustratingly tight jeans, she wiggled back and forth accidentally, the sudden movements causing her derriere to wobble in just the right way. Most men would be drooling by now Hermione thought.

Lara got her legs free, and stood up straight to button her skirt on, and with that, the show was over.

Lord Potter had clearly seen enough, though. He smiled at Hermione, then looked out the window. A clear message. Nothing in this room interests me further.

Ten minutes later, the train pulled into the station, and their journey was over.

Thank Morgana for that.