Regent

{1}

A/N Hello all, and thank you for joining me on this little adventure I have in store for you. It is temporary, I didn't want to take away their magic for too long, but Severus and Hermione have returned to you all for this short, little, non-magic, nineteenth century ficlet! Summary says it all, but a couple of changes I have to mention before we start:

I know it's atrocious and egregious, but to sound right for the times I changed the Weasley's names to Wesley, simply for however long this tiny little plot goes on. So the spelling is intentional, sorry for those who are offended, I mean no harm, simply to make it sound nice for late 1800's Britain. Think Great Expectations or The Phantom of the Opera.

Next: Hermione is a tad older than the end of the books and Severus is a tad younger. Literally, two years for Severus. It's not that big of a difference, but there's some sticklers out there so I just wanted you to be aware.

As Well: Severus had a sister. She's really not ridiculously important so... just ignore it if you'd like.

Lastly: Severus and Hermione are both wealthy. In the nicest way I can possibly put this one, just deal with it. It's for plot.

Love,

Your dutiful Authoress.

Enjoy!

~***~

Hermione looked into her mirror with all the motivation of a tired mule. She hadn't wanted to dawn one of her most elegant gowns, or tightened her corset farther than it had ever been tightened before... no.

What Hermione had wanted most, as opposed to tight hair styles and heavy jewelry, was to be out with her friends in the gardens. They had, just the week before, been frolicking happily through the roses and the ivy. The sun had been high in the clouds, and the smell of summer was pungent as the laughter from their mouths.

She had spent years in the gardens with one Harry Potter and another Ronald Wesley, with the occasional visit appropriately from Pansy Parkinson and Ronald's younger sister Ginevra who Hermione heard had recently accepted the proposal Mr. Potter had put up for her.

His family had died suddenly a year back from a fever he evaded, and she believed that this was his way of turning over a new leaf. Besides, they'd been in love for years anyways.

Hermione loved her friends dearly, even though she only got along with mostly males, which scared her parents beyond wit. It wasn't entirely proper for her to be around the men she occupied her time speaking with, yet they had not bothered to object, only give her caution.

Hermione understood that because her parents had only had a girl, and no boy to speak of, her knowledge and bright mind were frowned upon in their society. Because she had grown up in the good graces of a girl's manner's, she earned her intelligence and skills beyond reasonable doubt.

The cream-colored dress was tanning her skin, making it look like she'd spent even more time in the sun than she had that summer. Her eyes were dark brown, and they shone with a honey radiance that would have astounded her in the morning light if it weren't for her reasons for looking so neat and brushed.

Ronald would have swooned at the sight of her.

While her and Harry Potter were of a better social status than most, Mr. Wesley was not. For years she had harbored a sort of, affection, towards the boy whose family worked generously to keep the British officers ongoing. Four of five of his elder brothers worked for the police, as did their father. They lived in a large flat, while nothing spectacular like Hermione was used to, it was amenable to the Wesley's and their three children who still lived at home. His younger sister was going to be in shock when she finally was betrothed to Harry Potter.