The old grandfather clock in the Gryffindor common room chimed twice as Hermione and Ron realized just how late it was. After a wonderful time of talking and flirting alone in front of the firelight, they were beginning to get sleepy. So they briefly kissed and said good night to each other.

Hermione slipped into her nightgown quietly, as to not wake the other girls in her dormitory. She brushed through her hair a few times, then lay down in her bed and pulled up the covers. She stared up at the ceiling of her four-poster bed and thought about the day's events. She started to feel a lot like what Mrs. Weasley called a 'scarlet woman.' What did she think she was doing? Having sex in the locker room? This was so unlike her to act like this. She had to admit, it was a lot of fun, but totally irresponsible and against all she was ever taught. She then decided that from that moment on, she would treat her and Ron's love exactly like that: love. Not some meaningless fling between a rich Muggle and a prostitute.

But Hermione wasn't the only one still awake. Ron was also deep in thought. He was still shocked at Hermione's behavior. It was so unlike her, but he liked the fact that she could be spontaneous. This new side of Hermione was something that he loved to think about. Not because he got a nice shag out of her, but because he brought it out of her. She never acted like this before they admitted their feelings to each other. Feeling content, Ron closed his eyes and fell asleep with a slight grin upon his face.

In the morning, Ron and Hermione met in the common room and walked down to breakfast side by side. To their surprise, Harry was already sitting at the Gryffindor table next to Dean and Seamus. For a slight change in scenery, Ron and Hermione decided to sit alone a few seats down from them.

They were soon joined by the rest of the school. All around them, other students seemed to be hot with gossip. Hermione heard someone behind her say, "Guess what I heard in the loo the other night! Dumbledore found out who was in the prefects' bathroom and is going to give them a month of detention!" A voice a few seats down from Ron said, "I can't believe those two were together! And that they actually thought they wouldn't get caught! They're going to be in so much trouble!" It also seemed that whenever someone walked by Ron and Hermione on the other side of the table, they started snickering and talking to their friends next to them.

"Ron," Hermione whispered. "Y- you don't suppose that, Dumbledore r-really found out about us, d-do you?"

"I don't know, Hermione. I don't know," said Ron, picking at the cold sausage on his plate with a fork. The two left for their first lesson.

"Hey guys! Wait up!!" It was Ginny.

"What do you want Ginny?" Ron asked, annoyed.

"Well, I was just wondering if you two are planning on going to Hogsmeade this weekend?" Ron and Hermione were so caught up in their affair that they didn't even remember about the special trip. They looked at each other, with blank expressions, then back at Ginny.

"Um, sure, Ginny. We'll be there," Hermione said quickly. Ginny smiled and left with some of her friends.

"Hermione! I thought we could... spend some time alone this weekend," said Ron.

"Oh, we are! But we couldn't tell anyone we're staying back could we? As if they aren't suspicious enough!"

"Blimey, you really are the smart one of the couple!" Ron teased.

The next day, Ron and Hermione stayed in the common room, pretending to work on homework for the last few minutes before the trip to Hogsmeade. As the common room emptied, Ron said, "Hermione, wait here okay? I'll be right back." He went up the staircase and out of sight. Hermione wondered exactly what Ron was going to go do; if he had a surprise for her of some sort. She began to feel somewhat uneasy. Within a few minutes, Ron came back with a smile upon his face; one of utmost innocence. Hermione's heart lifted at this sight.

Ron took her hand, gestured to her to just not say anything, and led her back up the staircase. When they were about half way up the flight, Ron told Hermione to shut her eyes. Taking her other hand, he led her still further up the stairs. Finally, after turning a corner and going through a doorway, Ron said, "All right Hermione, you can open them now!"

Hermione couldn't help but smiling at the scene lying out in front of her. Candlelight was beaming across the room, rose pedals were scattered upon the floor, and in the center of it all was an old rustic bathtub filled to the top with bubbles, which had the slightest scent of vanilla. "Ron...." she muttered. "It's – I don't know what to say. It's just… amazing." She turned back to him, reached up to put her arms around him, and kissed him lightly upon the lips. "But I was kind of thinking that maybe we should tone it down a little bit. You know, we're only in our sixth year. We have our whole lives ahead of us." She was worried that Ron might think this statement was presumptuous, but to her relief, he grinned.

"My thoughts exactly," he said. "That's why I brought these." He pulled out their swimming suits from underneath his robes. "I'll go back up to my room and put this on, while you change in here. See you in a few!" And he left Hermione in a daze from how wonderful all this was. She changed into her swimsuit, and thought to herself, this pink one piece is kind of babyish; too simple for something like this. She took out her wand, and changed it into a deep crimson halter-top and modest bikini bottom. This is much better.

Ron came back into the room in a few minutes, after knocking first to make sure Hermione was fully dressed ("Hermione, are you decent?" is what he said, as she chuckled and assured him she was). The two stepped into the tub, Ron sitting behind Hermione. She felt so content with his comforting arms around her. It was like a fantasy. They just sat and enjoyed the moment for a while, taking in the whole dream-like room. Soon, lying back on Ron's chest, Hermione fell asleep. Ron took one of his arms and starting combing through her remarkably beautiful brown hair, humming softly into her ear.

But as the two were so contently lying in each other's arms, someone else knew about this wonderful dream. Outside the door, under his own invisibility cloak, Draco Malfoy was peering in through the small keyhole.