"I can speak for myself, Ma – my lord," Hermione cut in. Her heart pounded at how she had nearly slipped up in front of his parents; the princeling might take her disrespectful tone with a surprisingly degree of equanimity, but his parents certainly would not. Fortunately, her slipup seemed to have gone unnoticed. Neither the Duke nor the Duchess were paying her the slightest bit of attention: instead, their gazes were focused on their son, and Hermione was astounded to see the faintest of red tinges steal over his aristocratically pale cheeks.