Over the storied, thousand-year history of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the Prefect's bathroom had achieved a status as either legendary or notorious, depending on whom you asked. For some, it was a haven of rare intellectual stimulation, wherein it was rumoured that many a great witch and wizard had chanced upon solutions to problems, the results of which would make them both rich and renowned. For others, it was one of the few safe places that two students could go to be completely alone at Hogwarts, lending it an air of romance for some, and promiscuity for others.
Abigail the Angelic was said to have invented the Scurgify charm in the Prefect's bathroom, finally ridding her of the stench that had plagued her since the age of 13, as well as the name Abigail the Abhorrent. Tomren the Tenor was said to have taken inspiration from the natural reverb of the room, allowing him to train his singing voice until he felt confident enough to perform in front of others.
And, perhaps most famous of all, Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived, was said to have broken into the bathroom by stealth in his fourth year whilst participating in the Triwizard Tournament. With a single glance at the centuries old painting of a mermaid on the wall, he had managed to solve the mystery of the screaming egg.
Hermione Granger knew for a fact that this last tale was only partially true. Harry Potter had indeed solved the mystery of the screaming egg in his fourth year, but he had not solved it quickly, nor had he broken in. One of his competitors, Cedric Diggory from Hufflepuff, had told Harry to use the bathroom, and the school ghost Moaning Myrtle had played a large part in guiding Harry to the correct answer. Even so, it had taken him almost an hour.
Hermione was not going to the Prefect's bathroom to ponder the meaning of some arcane set of runes that she was set on deciphering. She was going to meet Ronald Weasley, her boyfriend, for what she expected would be a night of passion that would tip the scales in favour of the bathroom's reputation as an erotic stimulant, rather than an intellectual one.
After the Battle of Hogwarts, both Harry and Ron had accepted jobs as Aurors with the Ministry of Magic, under the new leadership of Kingsley Shacklebolt. Hermione, on the other hand, had decided to return to Hogwarts in order to complete her seventh and final year. Though being apart from Ron had been difficult, the problem of their separation had soon been resolved. Ron, Harry and their former classmate Neville Longbottom and three other Aurors in training had been stationed in Hogsmeade, charged with keeping the town safe. They had soon found out that Hogsmeade was among the safest places in Britain, and spent their days patrolling in groups of two, playing Wizard's Chess, and visiting The Three Brooms and The Hog's Head.
Though bored with their training, all of the Aurors had access to Hogwarts, and Hermione and Ron had made no secret of their relationship. Their participation in the Battle of Hogwarts, as well as their well-known roles as travelling companions of Harry Potter, had made them celebrities, and though overwhelmed at first, Hermione had to admit that she had come to enjoy the attention.
Tonight, however, there was no whispering as she walked through the corridors and no rude stares as she descended staircases. The halls of Hogwarts were silent, save for the sighs of flickering flames. As Head Girl, no one would think her reasons for patrolling the corridors nefarious. In spite of this, Hermione could not help but cast nervous glances over her shoulder as she walked. She had walked this path countless times before, but the thought of the deeds she would do tonight made her advance faster than usual.