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Maybe she's better than you?

"Oi! You don't know that...she could be cheating for all I know."

[Arthur doesn't really think so, but be damned if he'll admit it!]

"Is it so difficult for you to imagine a girl beating you?"

[Oh yes, she has met boys like you, Arthur.]

"Of course not!" [Arthur's offended, offended by such a suggestion!] "It's Morgana in particular." [He actually pouts.] "She can't be good at everything."

"..." [See this expression? This is her "I'm not buying it" look.] "...Morgana?" [Whoa, whoa whoa! Back up!] "Do you mean the Morgana?"

[OK, Arthur might have a slight problem with girls beating him at things...but it's mostly Morgana.]

"The one that's in the newspapers all the time? Yeah, that's her."

[...see?]

"But she's -" [From ancient times. Very dead. Kind of dusty.] "May I ask your name?"

"You're having me on, aren't you?" [Arthur was quite impressed with this strange girl not making a big deal over him.] "Everyone knows who I am." [He makes a face at himself...that was rather self-aggrandising wasn't it.]

"Arthur, Crown Prince of Britain." [He's got manners.]

"I can't say you look familiar." [Different worlds and different eras...] "Do you honestly expect everyone to know who you are?" [Even Harry isn't that self-centered. Actually, he's not self-centered at all.]

"...do you mean like...King Arthur?" [The pieces are coming together and creating a weird picture.]

"Well, the tabloids have tried hard enough." [Arthur grimaces.] "I'm glad to know they haven't succeeded."

[Because, recently, the stories have been even worse than usual.]

"King Arthur?" [He's totally puzzled, different worlds indeed...and stories lost to history...]

"I don't read tabloids." [What with being on the run and all.] "My circumstances are special."

[She watches him for a long moment before shaking her head.]

"Surely you know about the legend of King Arthur, Merlin and Morgana?"

"Oh? Are you undercover or something?" [Because really, that's the first thing that comes to mind, especially since she hasn't mentioned her name yet.]

"Can't say I have...Merlin happens to be my friend though," [that's rather amusing...] "What legend is that?"

"You could say that." [She has a feeling it won't matter if she tells him her name, but it's better to be safe than sorry.] "...I see." [This is almost too much.] "I probably shouldn't tell you - just in case it refers to you."

"Really? Like MI5?" [Arthur is truly intrigued now. Hermione better watch out, he can be quite nosy.]

"I can't imagine being a legend really...seeing as I'm alive...and not king yet. But this other Morgana? Was she a know it all too?"

"I've no idea what that is." [Nosy boy meet nosier girl.]

[Hermione can't help but laugh.] "I have no idea! She lived about a thousand years before I was born."

"You know, MI5, the security agency." [Athur's a little confused here, because Hermione sounds British, who doesn't know what MI5 is in this country?] "Or is this part of your cover." [He raises an eyebrow.]

"Oh...she probably was I bet. It's a know-it-all sounding name don't you think?"

"I don't, actually." [She is British. She's just...from the Magical side of Britain.] "No." [She sounds genuine enough. Hermione has a hard time lying.]

"I've been told my name sounds like that too."

[Ooops...this is why you always get names first...]

"I'm sure it doesn't...and I mean, not that it's a bad thing. When you're not annoying about it, like Morgana."

"I think my best friends would have some know-it-all stories about me." [Not that it bugs her as much anymore.] "I tried to be the best at everything when I first met them."

"I'd call that competitiveness more than know-it-allism." [Arthur should know!] "I suppose you can't be the best at everything. I bet Morgana's atrocious at football. Probably why she won't play it."

[That thought obviously cheers him.]

"Is there a difference?" [She is genuinely curious.] "I'm atrocious at sports too. Academics can only carry you so far."

"So I've always said...my father doesn't really agree." [Arthur makes a face, the less said about that the better.] "But sure there's a difference, you want to be the best at everything to feel good about yourself where as a know-it-all wants to be right to make everyone else feel stupid."

[Deeeep.]