Her trunk, loaded of course with extra books, that her dad had easily lifted onto the trolley was proving impossible for Hermione to physically place on the train. As she struggled with the trunk, sniggering laughter almost had her in tears.
A kind voice cut through her frustration and mounting despair. "Can I help you Miss?"
Hermione raised her head and had trouble believing the person standing there could possibly exist, far less be speaking to her. If Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet ever had a son, he was standing right in front of Hermione Granger and offering his assistance. The boy was even dressed as if he'd just stepped out of the pages of Pride and Prejudice, Hermione's favourite book.
His black frock coat had silk lapels, it also had to be wide at the shoulders to accommodate the body it clothed. Being fitted to accentuate a slim waist was also an effect that the young witch appreciated. The grey waistcoat just visible under the coat matched his trousers, with button up black boots being a nice touch. The ascot knotted cravat, with a diamond cravat pin being a fitting finish to this very nice ensemble. His jet- black wavy hair hung down to his shoulders and framed what Hermione would consider a kind face, but those wonderfully expressive almond shaped green eyes melted her heart. If it wouldn't be considered blasphemy, Hermione reckoned this boy was too gorgeous even for Jane Austen to do justice.
She must have muttered some kind of answer to his question because he smiled and lifted her trunk clean into the compartment. With that smile, Hermione knew she was gone. Her mother had sat Hermione down for a talk about boys before she headed off to Hogwarts, the young witch had foolishly thought most of it would never apply to her. Hermione had never understood her classmates' devotion to the latest boy bands, who cared what 'new kids on the block' were doing offstage, or on stage for that matter! She had though her first crush would be on some handsome author or, heaven forbid, a teacher. In the space of a few seconds the boy in front of her had just shattered that illusion into a gazillion pieces.
She had to say something, he couldn't leave here thinking she was some drivelling drooling moronic fan girl, she didn't even know his name. "Thank you, that was very kind. You're welcome to share this compartment, if you want?"
The words were out before Hermione realised what she'd said, she was berating herself for once more providing an opportunity to be hurt when his wide smile surprised the hell out of her.
"I'd like that, very much." Not believing her luck, she offered her hand for shaking. "I'm Hermione Granger..."
The boy didn't shake her hand. He took it by her fingertips and very gently turned her hand around before bending down and lightly brushing his lips over the back of her knuckles. There was no longer room for any doubt, Hermione Granger was well and truly smitten.
"Very pleased to meet your acquaintance Miss Granger, my name is Harry Crow."
Hermione just started to babble as the words poured from her mouth. "Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard I've learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough..."
The laughter coming from Harry certainly couldn't be classed as sarcastic, it seemed almost friendly in nature. "Relax Hermione, and breathe occasionally. We've a long train journey ahead of us, plenty of time to get to know each other and become friends."
Hermione couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Friends?"
"Oh, sorry if I'm being a bit presumptuous here, my main reason for attending Hogwarts is to hopefully make friends."
"Me too, and I would love to be your friend." Both then sat and began their journey, not only to Hogwarts but the much more important destination of friendship.
-oOoOo-
Albus paced up and down his office, as jumpy as the proverbial cat on a hot tin roof. Harry Potter had been missing from the wizarding world for almost a decade, today would see his return. The goblins had kept a very close eye on the boy but this evening he would come back into Albus Dumbledore's domain, it only remained to see how much damage he would have to undo from the boy's unorthodox upbringing.
Albus intended to permanently wrench the boy away from the goblins, and had a scheme in place to achieve this at the first available opportunity. Tonight the boy would learn who the real power in magical Britain was, and it wasn't any goblin.
-oOoOo-
As the express sped them away from London, Harry was trying to make sure his new friend wasn't pulling his leg. "So your parents are a type of healer, but they only heal inside their patient's mouth?"
Hermione could hardly contain her laughter at Harry's disbelieving look. "Yes, that's what dentists do. I'll make a deal with you, you can ask me anything about muggles if I can do the same with you regarding purebloods?"
"I'm sorry but I can't do that, I'm not a pureblood Hermione." "Oh, I just took it from the way you're dressed that's what purebloods wore."
Harry was looking wary at his new friend, he still wasn't sure whether this was some kind of wind-up. "I'm supposed to be dressed as a muggle, are you telling me this isn't right?"
This time Hermione couldn't hold her laughter, that was until she saw Harry's crestfallen appearance. "I'm sorry Harry, I thought you were making a joke there. Muggles used to wear clothes like that, but not for the best part of a century." She was desperate for more information but didn't want to push anything, Harry seemed really upset at her revelation.
"This is great, instead of blending in with one group of students I'm going to stand out like a sore thumb. The tailors made exact copies of the styles in the muggle studies books, how could they be wrong?"
Hermione had an idea what had gone wrong but needed to make sure. "Did they get those books from Diagon Alley?" Harry's nod was all the conformation she needed. "My mother thought that would at least be one subject she could understand so bought a few of the books, mum said they were some of the funniest things she'd ever read. All of the information in them is about a century out of date, and even then some of it was wrong. She reckoned that the authors had never actually met someone without magic."
"Well, that's just great. Director Ragnok named me Old Crow, he would probably have been better calling me Bertie Bott!" He saw the questioning look on Hermione's face before remembering she knew a lot less about the magical community than he did, it was time to tell her the story.