In Which Hermione Remembers.
Hogsmeade was going great. Harry and Ron had taken the girls on a double date to Madam Puddifoots cafe, and even though they hated it in there, with all the frills and flowers, they were glad that Ginny and Hermione loved it, thinking how romantic it was.
The two couples were walking up the main street in Hogsmeade, looking in the different shops windows as they passed, and just enjoying the last bit of sunshine they were likely to get until spring. Ron thought that the only was this day could get better was that later, when he told Hermione he loved her, if she said it back to him.
As the passed the Quill and Parchment supplies store, Hermione stopped so suddenly that Ginny, who was walking behind her and Ron with Harry, ran into the back of her.
"Sorry Gin," Hermione said. "I've just remembered something important. Do you and Harry want to wait out her for a minute while Ron and I quickly run in here?"
"How about we all meet up at the Three Broomsticks later," jumped in Harry, giving Ron a knowing look.
"Yeah," said Ron, looking grateful to Harry. "How about 2pm?" 'It's 12:30 now,' he thought, 'that should give me plenty of time to talk to Hermione.'
The girls looked at each other, but neither had any problems with this, so, agreeing that that's what they'd do, Harry and Ginny headed on, and Ron and Hermione went into Quality Quill and Parchment Supplies.
As they walked down the rows of fancy quills and parchment towards the back of the well lit shop, Ron kept glancing back towards the door.
'He's acting quite strange,' thought Hermione. Out loud she said "I've had this great idea about how we can still kind of talk to each other in class, but with yours and Harry's fight last night, I completely forgot until I saw this shop!"
Ron looked a bit uncomfortable with the mention of last night, but said "That's great! What's your idea?"
"Well, I already had the idea to charm two pieces of parchment so that whatever I write on one, will show up on the other, that way we could each have one piece and could write each other messages in class, such as if you need help with anything."
Ron smiled at this last comment. Of course Hermione would make it sound as if she was doing this for education purposes only.
Hermione began reading over the names of parchment on the exotic parchment shelf. "So I went to the library and looked up spells in a book of simple charms," she continued. "I found the spell I was looking for, but it requires parchment from China that has bee enriched with dragons blood."
"That shouldn't be too much of a problem," said Ron.
"It's not that that was the problem," replied Hermione as she found what she was looking for, took two rolls, and headed for the counter, Ron following. "The problem was that the spell had a note next to it saying that parchment under this charm was strictly banned, and any student caught using it in class would receive one month of detention, and be deducted however many house points the teacher at the time thinks appropriate."
Ron's face fell. "Oh, well I guess that finishes it then."
"No, I said that was the problem." Hermione paid for the parchment and they walked out of the shop.
Ron looked interested, but a little distracted as he started leading the way so they were heading towards the trees that surrounded the shrieking shack.
Hermione wasn't paying attention to where they were walking, and continued with her story. "When I got your letter and was putting it away, I saw an order form the twins had given out for their joke shop before they left. I remembered that last time I was talking to them, they told me they'd just invented Sweetheart Quills, which are a pair of quills only you and your sweetheart can see the ink they write in. The best part is that you don't have to buy special ink! The charm is on the quill to do that to any ink it's dipped in, and we can use them on the charmed parchment, and no one will know what the pieces are, as they will both look blank to everyone else."
"Wow, that's great," Ron said as they sat down on a log amongst the thick trees. Ron was in awe of how much thought she had put into this.
"So when we get back to Hogwarts, I've got to borrow Pig to ask Fred and George to send us a pair of the Quills, then as soon as they arrive, and I've charmed the parchment, it'll be like we weren't separated at all." She smiled and looked up into Ron's eyes as she said this, and felt the familiar surge of love within.
Ron looked at her beautiful smiling face and told himself it was now or never.