Harry Potter and Ron Weasley were very worried about their best friend Hermione Granger, since returning to the castle for her Eighth year after the war, she'd been going missing for hours at a time. This wasn't unusual, often in years past she'd spend hours in the library lost in a studying frenzy, but they'd checked the library and she wasn't there even when she claimed she was. They'd checked the Marauders Map to see where she was going and the only thing, they knew for sure was that she kept leaving Hogwarts; always via the passageway that led to Honeydukes.
"She's going again," Ron said, his eyes fixed on the map where Hermione's small dot was moving at pace along the corridor that led to the One-Eyed Witches passageway. Where she was going was unknown, all they knew was she kept leaving the castle via that secret passageway and kept lying to them about it, lying wasn't something Hermione typically did, and Harry was sick of it.
"Let's follow her," Harry found himself replying, Ron nodded and soon both he and his redheaded best friend were running out of Gryffindor tower, hastily cast dissolution charms in place; they'd use the invisibility cloak however they were both so tall that it was very difficult for two people of their size to stand under it without their lower legs showing.
"How will we find her once we get through to Hogsmeade," Ron asked as they ran through the secret passageway together.
"She doesn't have much of a head start on us so hopefully she'll still be visible in the village when we make it out of Honeydukes," Harry replied, as the creaky ladder that led to the sweetshop's basement came into view, he and Ron ascended it and slipped out of the shop silently. As luck would have its Hermione was sat on the edge of a fountain opposite the shop; she looked pretty dressed in a floral summers dress, her hair tamed into smooth curls that were clipped away from her face with shiny clips, he noticed that Hermione had makeup on, something that was unusual for their friend, in fact he was pretty certain he could count the times she'd worn it on his fingers.
"What's she wearing," Ron asked.
"Shush," Harry hissed, they wouldn't be able to find out what she was up too, if Ron blew their cover. Silently he and Ron stood together, blending seamlessly into the shop storefront that they stood against, watching Hermione who sat on the edge of the fountain, her hand brushing the water idly as she waited.
"Hermione," a familiar voice called, Harry cast his eyes across the village to where he could see Fred jogging towards their friend.
"Fred, you made it," Hermione smiled, rising from her seat to hug Ron's older brother.
"Of course I did, I can always take a moment away from the shop for you my pretty lady," Fred said his voice smooth and silky, to Harry's upmost surprise, Hermione giggled, a light blush rising to her cheeks.
"I missed you," their friend said, nibbling her lip lightly as she rose to her tiptoes, Fred smiled fondly.
"I missed you too love," the older Weasley replied before leaning down to press his lips to their best friend who wrapped her arms around the prankster's neck, sighing happily as the kiss deepened, Fred holding her firmly against him in the centre of the pretty village square.
"So that's what she's been doing," Harry whispered, his eyes wide.
"I knew they'd gotten close; she helped him with his rehabilitation after the wall collapse, but I didn't expect this to happen," Ron whispered back, his eyes fixed on his older brother and best friend who were happily snogging one another beside the pretty stone fountain, Harry was quite surprised they were still at it and hadn't paused for a breath, wasn't oxygen fundamental to their continued survival.
"Come on, lets go," he said, he felt uneasy watching them, they'd invaded their privacy.
"Shouldn't we confront them, Ron asked.
"No, look at her, Hermione's suffered so much over the past couple of years, I haven't seen her so happy since before the war. If Fred makes her happy, lets leave them too it, they'll tell us when they are ready," Harry told his friend.
"Your right, they both look happy, lets go back to the school, she'll tell us when she's ready too. I'm just glad to know she's safe," Ron said.
"Fancy a butterbeer first, since we are already here," Harry asked.
"Sounds good," Ron agreed, leaving the happy couple kissing, the two friends went to The Three Broomsticks where they promptly cancelled their disillusions spells and ordered two cool frothy butterbeers to enjoy before they returned to Hogwarts.