Disclaimer: I still do not own Harry Potter. I did not make a multi-multi-multi-million dollar purchase between yesterday and today. Sorry to disappoint.

Chapter 35

"I reckon we should go to Honeydukes, first."

"But what about the Three Broomsticks?"

"It'll be crowded when everyone first gets there. We can wait it out in other shops. I, personally, think we should go to Scrivenshaft's first."

"The quill shop? Please. Zonko's is definitely the place to go first."

"I wanted to go to Dogweed and Deathcap…"

"Neville, we love you to death, but we are not going to the Herbology shop first." Seamus playfully threw his now-blushing classmate an elbow. "Maybe after we go to the Three Broomsticks."

"Again with the butterbeer!" Dean groaned. "What's so wrong with going to the quill shop first? I wanted to get some smoother ones for the Gryffindor banner I'm making for the Quidditch match."

"Because not all eight of us are aspiring artists, Dean." Pavarti huffed, crossing her arms as she slumped into her armchair. "Honestly, we've been arguing this for almost an hour."

It was true. The always-entertaining Gryffindor Gang had organized several couches and chairs into a circle, albeit a crude one, in the middle of the common room. It was the morning of October 31st, the day of the first Hogsmeade weekend, and each of the eight third-year Gryffindors were animatedly debating how to best allocate their time. Well, not all eight.

"Harry, Hermione, you two haven't said anything in a while." Ron turned on the pair in question, who were sharing their usual couch and keeping out of the conversation. Hermione rolled her eyes as she nestled into Harry's side, her head resting on his shoulder.

"Yeah, where do you two think we should go first?" Seamus crossed his arms expectantly.

"We?" Harry whispered so only Hermione could hear him, and she just giggled.

"Something funny?" Ron raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, Ronald. It's very funny, actually, but you're too dense to get it." Lavender huffed. Ron cocked his head in confusion, prompting Lavender and Pavarti to burst into a fit of giggles.

"Pavarti too?" Harry groaned.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you." Hermione whispered. "Lavender cornered me in the dormitory the night of my birthday. In front of Pavarti."

"Oh boy."

"Yeah, it turns out I'm not very good at lying to my friends."

"Have they not told anyone either?" He asked in a hushed voice as Lavender and Ron got into an intense back-and-forth over whether or not the latter was as dense as a rock.

"They said they wanted to leave it to us." Hermione shrugged. "They said it was only right we be the ones to break the good news."

"And what did you say?"

"I told them I can't wait for Harry to tell everyone."

Harry groaned, opening his mouth to retort until Ron piped up again. "I say we vote on it."

"How democratic of you." Hermione smirked.

"I don't like that sarcasm, Hermione." He tried glowering, but couldn't help but crack a smile. "Does anyone have a better idea than voting on it?"

"How about we take a vote on whether or not we should take a vote." Harry snickered, sending his classmates – save for Ron – into fits of laughter.

"You guys are mean." The redhead huffed, but the amused twinkle in his blue eyes betrayed him.

"We should start heading down." Dean, who was perched on the armrest of Ron's chair, slid off and to his feet. "Maybe we can figure it out on the way there."

With that, the eight Gryffindors clambered to the portrait hole, joining the growing mass of students waiting patiently in the entrance hall to be dismissed to Hogsmeade Village. They filtered into the crowd, trying to stay as a unit while simultaneously moving towards the front. With each student he passed, Harry heard different smatterings of conversations about butterbeer, sweets, and the Shrieking Shack.

"How come none of you want to go to the Shrieking Shack?" He asked his fellow Gryffindors after overhearing a few Hufflepuffs discussing it. Nearly all of his housemates bristled, and Neville outright gasped.

"You're serious?" Seamus asked incredulously. "Are you actually asking that question?"

"Harry, it's the most severely haunted building in Britain." Hermione slipped her hand into his, giving him a confused look.

"Okay." Harry said, unable to hide his amusement. "You are all aware that we go to a school filled with ghosts, right?"

"Harry, let me put this in simple terms." Ron grinned, speaking very slowly. "Shrieking Shack bad, everything else good."

"Alright, alright." Harry rolled his eyes.

"Seriously, nobody goes near that thing. Not even the ghosts." Pavarti shivered at the thought of it.

"My parents told me that when they went to Hogwarts there were these horrible screams every so often. My dad says the sound of them still gives him nightmares." Lavender added, looking particularly unnerved.

"Alright!" Harry threw his hands up in mock surrender, inadvertently yanking Hermione's hand up too. Lavender dropped her frightened demeanor and squealed at the sight of their interlocked fingers. "Duly noted." He added.

A few moments later, Professor McGonagall made her way through the crowd, throwing a curt nod in Harry and Hermione's direction as she passed them. She managed to squeeze through the throng of people and stand just inside the open castle doors. She held her hand up and the crowd quieted instantly. Harry wasn't even speaking and he felt the need to shut up at the sight of McGonagall's stern expression.

"Good morning." She said plainly.

"Good morning, Professor McGonagall." The Weasley twins answered in a slow, sarcastic drawl. The Head of House sent them an icy glare but was otherwise unfazed.

"Third-years, form a line and present your permission forms at once, please." She instructed, and every third-year quickly did so. Harry happily presented his permission slip bearing the signature of one Mrs. Granger to McGonagall, chuckling to himself as he wondered what ungodly things the Dursleys would have forced him to do to in order to get a signature from them.

Half an hour later, Harry found himself exiting one of the horseless carriages that Hogwarts was famous for, staring in amazement at the little magical village that surrounded him. He turned and held out his hand, expecting Hermione to climb out after him, but blinked when it was Neville who scrambled out next.

"Thanks, Harry." He said sheepishly, taking a startled Harry's hand as he stepped onto the ground. "You know me, I probably would have wiped out on my way down." He grinned, and Harry cracked a smile at that.

"Anytime, Neville." He shook his head and amusement, turning to see Hermione poke her head out of the carriage. He held out his hand once again, and she took it with a blush, descending from the carriage in a manner that reminded Harry of a princess. He didn't let go of her hand once she reached the ground and stepped back. Ron leapt down eagerly, whipping his head up and down the High Street.

"Let's find the others." He rubbed his hands together in excitement before marching off with Neville, unaware that their other two friends hadn't budged. Harry and Hermione watched them stride away before turning to each other, smiling.

"It's not that I'm happy to be rid of my friends, but I'm a little happy to be rid of my friends right now." Harry grinned.

"I can't believe we sat in a carriage for that long and you didn't tell him." Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"He wouldn't stop rambling about the sweets at Honeydukes! Seriously, I don't think he took a single breath all ride." Harry shrugged, squeezing her hand. "Shall we?"

"I suppose we – "

"What are you two doing?" Seamus yelled from across the street. Harry looked over and barely resisted the urge to groan as the rest of the Gryffindors strolled over. "Let's go, mate. Butterbeer doesn't drink itself."

"Guys, listen – ack!" Harry cried out as Seamus grabbed him by the arm, dragging him towards the Three Broomsticks, completely oblivious to the fact that Harry was still holding Hermione's hand.

"If we mention Harry's name, we might not have to wait for a table." Dean joked as they reached the door of the pub. He happily pushed the door open and marched through, followed by the others. Harry moved to reluctantly step through, but stopped in surprise when Lavender whirled around, letting the other Gryffindors process in.

"Go." She whispered with a wink, shoving Harry back into the street and closing the door. He turned to Hermione, feeling baffled more than anything.

"So…Lavender is my wingman now?" He shrugged after a pause, and Hermione just smirked. "Shall we?" He asked.

"Let's just get away from here before they notice we're gone." She tugged him along, and Harry smiled to himself. They stood in the middle of the street for a moment, watching small crowds of Hogwarts students and adult witches and wizards bustle in between shops. "Where would you like to go?"

"Ladies first." Harry answered, and Hermione's cheeks tinged pink.

"Erm…Tomes and Scrolls?" She gestured towards the bookshop just up the road.

"Lead the way." He grinned, and Hermione happily bounced towards the Victorian house converted into a bookstore. Harry followed along, grinning at her excitement. They waltzed through the door, and Harry let her bask in the aura of her new sanctuary for a moment.

"Isn't the smell just amazing?" She whispered, closing her eyes and turning towards the ceiling.

"Yep. Definitely." Harry said distractedly, admiring the packed shelves of books on all kinds of subjects and genres. He inhaled, and he had to admit the scent of parchment and aging leather was a pleasant aroma, but it didn't hold a candle to the broom polish he'd gotten from the girl next to him three months earlier.

"I have an idea. It might sound stupid, but I want to try it." Hermione snapped her eyes open, turning to face Harry and grabbing his other hand in hers.

"Stupid and Hermione Granger don't really belong in the same sentence." Harry shot back.

"Anyway," she blushed again, "I was thinking you could go find a book that you want me to read. Not a book that you think I would like, necessarily, but one you want me to read."

"Okay." Harry nodded, intrigued.

"And I'll do the same for you. Remember, you can't be expecting a Quidditch almanac or anything like that, it's something that I want you to read, and vice versa. It can – and should – go outside of our comfort zones."

"I love it." Harry grinned, leaning down and giving Hermione a quick kiss on the cheek. "It's brilliant, which I should have expected coming from you, but brilliant nonetheless."

"Meet at the counter in twenty minutes?"

"I'll see you there." Harry nodded before they each darted off into different sections of the store. Harry dragged his finger along a shelf, scanning for anything that stuck out to him. If he was being honest, he didn't have the faintest idea of what he was looking for, but he had seen how excited Hermione looked and didn't hesitate to agree to her plan.

Currently, he was perusing shelf after shelf, looking for anything that seemed worthy enough for Hermione. What was out of the comfort zone of Hermione Granger? Flying? He grimaced at how she'd react if he showed up with a self-help book on how to use a broomstick.

He moved to the next shelf, smiling to himself as he heard Hermione dash around on the other side of the shop, muttering to herself excitedly. He was about to give up and move to the next row when he spotted a faded blue book pressed between two gigantic copies of A Vampire's Monologue. He gingerly pulled it out, enticed by the completely unfamiliar words on the spine.

He stared at the faint gold scrawl – Hélas, Je me suis Transfiguré Les Pieds – with fascination, thumbing through the aging pages. He quickly realized that he was holding a play. Even though the words he was reading were completely unfamiliar, the format was not unlike that of A Few Good Men and the multitude of other plays he'd had the pleasure of reading.

"Interesting choice." A voice chuckled from behind Harry. He whirled around, coming face to face with a perfectly normal looking man with graying hair, wearing deep blue robes. "Do you speak French?" He asked, raising his eyebrows in curiosity.

"Er…no." Harry admitted, darting his eyes to the book in his hands. "Do you – I mean, do you know what this play is about? It is a play, right?"

"Indeed it is." The man seemed impressed. "It's very old, I must say. Published in the early 1400's, if memory serves me correctly. Which, it usually does." He winked. "It's about a man who unsuccessfully Transfigures his own feet, rendering them useless. He happens to play Quidditch, which makes it all the more interesting."

French? Old? It was right up Hermione's alley. But, Quidditch? That was just the breach of comfort zone that he needed.

"Brilliant!" Harry grinned, examining the book in front of him. "I'll take it."

"Eager to learn French, are you?"

"Oh, well, it's actually for my friend – "

"Ah, the girl in the Gryffindor jumper running around like a lunatic over there?" The man smirked, pointing to the other end of the store.

"Sounds like her." Harry mumbled, blushing. "She gets awfully excited. We're supposed to be buying each other books and – "

"Say no more." The man held up a hand. "It'll be ten Sickles for the play."

Harry immediately fished a Galleon out of his pocket and pressed it into the man's hand. Giving a quick thank you to the startled shop-owner, he darted back to the front of the store, looking for the counter. He found Hermione pacing excitedly, clutching a book to her chest.

"Hi!" She beamed once she spotted him, beckoning him over. Harry happily walked towards her, feeling equally enthusiastic about showing her what he'd gotten her. "Can I go first?"

"Of course." Harry grinned, holding the French play behind his back.

"Well, I know how much you love A Few Good Men." She began, and Harry nodded eagerly. "Well, you're clearly drawn to the courtroom drama elements, are you not?" Harry nodded again. "Well, I thought maybe you could apply your interest in that into learning a bit of history. I know you abhor reading historical texts, but…" She slowly showed him the cover of what she'd picked out. Harry glanced at the cover and his eyebrows shot up: Extraordinary Trials in History.

"Wow, Hermione…" He whispered.

"It's some of the most unique cases that have gone to the Wizengamot in the history of the Wizarding World. I thought it incorporated something you liked – the courtroom and trials – while also incorporating a bit of something I like and sort of hope you pursue: learning history outside of the classroom." She continued, biting her bottom lip as she finished. "I'm sorry if you think it's rubbish – "

"It's perfect, Hermione." Harry cut her off. "Honestly, it's amazing."

"I've seen how bored you get while reading our History of Magic textbook, but I thought this might be a better way to get you interested in exploring the past." She explained, breaking into a smile. "Do you actually like it?"

"I love it." Harry grinned. Hermione's entire face brightened and she let out a squeal of excitement before looking at Harry expectantly.

"Your turn."

"Well, I don't know if this is exactly what you were looking for…" Harry confessed sheepishly. "It feels like rubbish compared to what you got me, but, well…" He paused, bringing the play from behind his back. "You love all things French, including the language, right?" Hermione nodded, her eyes sparkling with intrigue. "And you love old books. The way the parchment feels, the way they smell, the aura of rich history that they emit, that's all true, right?" Hermione nodded again. "Well, I got you this play. The owner told me it's a French play from the 1400's, so it seemed perfect for you."

"Oh, Harry!" Hermione gasped, turning her eyes to the aged book in his hands.

"But, it's also a tad out of your comfort zone. The play itself is about a man who unintentionally Transfigures his own feet, and he happens to play Quidditch. I know the sport itself isn't your thing, but I thought since it's an old French play you could find yourself interested by it – MMPH!" He was cut off by Hermione throwing herself at him, latching her lips onto his with an intensity that made his knees buckle. He had barely enough time to close his eyes before she pulled away, looking rather flustered.

"I take it you like it?" Harry said in a dazed voice, grinning from ear to ear. Hermione nodded, sporting a gigantic smile of her own. Harry felt his heart swell and was certain he was floating off the ground.

"It's perfect. It's exactly the type of book I was hoping for." She glanced around. "I still need to pay, though. Have you seen that shop-owner?"

"Erm…no." Harry looked around. He walked up right to the counter, leaning over to see if the man was hiding behind a shelf or something.

"Take it." A voice said from behind them. They spun around in surprise, and Harry recognized the man from earlier. "It's only five Sickles. This nice young man's payment covers it and then some." He winked at Harry before jerking his head towards the door. "Go enjoy your Hogsmeade trip."

"Thank you, sir!" The pair said in unison. The man gave them a warm smile, tossing them a reusable paper shopping bag.

"It's charmed. It'll feel like you're carrying a feather." He explained as Harry caught it and unfolded it. Although the books were by no means gargantuan, Harry had to admit he felt like he was carrying nothing at all as he carefully placed both books into the bag and marched out of the store, thanking the owner once again.

"Where to next?" Hermione asked, slipping her hand into Harry's. "You choose this time."

"How about Honeydukes? I figure since you're already hiding something from your parents, you don't have to tell them about going to a sweet shop."

"I'm going to write them a letter tonight. Telling them about how this goes." She blushed.

"Ah, so I won't have to keep lying anymore?"

"It's not – never mind. But yes. I assume my own parents would be interested in hearing about how my first date goes." Harry felt a blush of his own creep up. Neither of them had mentioned those two words yet, but this was their first date if he thought about it. "Speaking of, how do you think our first date is going?"

"I think it's off to a great start." Harry grinned, leading her down the cobblestone street towards Honeydukes. "I mean, I'm a little nervous. But I liked Tomes and Scrolls. And I really like you, which helps."

"Oh, stop it." Hermione playfully bumped him with her shoulder as they passed Zonko's Joke Shop. "You shouldn't be nervous. You're doing amazing so far."

"Oh no, now you've got standards."

"If I didn't have standards, I'd be waltzing around the village with someone despicable right now. Maybe Malfoy."

"Ugh, gross!" Harry groaned, much to Hermione's amusement. "I feel like I want to beat that prat up just for imagining you on a date with him."

"Well, I'd happily watch you turn Malfoy into a grease stain any day of the week." She giggled. "But how about we focus on us, and not that ghastly image."

"Deal." Harry's smile returned as he held the door for his date. She blushed slightly as she walked in, and Harry followed her, immediately taking her hand again in the bustling shop. "I guess people like sweets more than books these days…" He mused. Sure enough, compared to the near emptiness of Tomes and Scrolls, Honeydukes was much more crowded with eager students. Harry spotted a few familiar faces, including the Weasley twins, who bounded over.

"Hey there, lovebirds!" Fred grinned, clapping Harry on the shoulder as he spotted them holding hands.

"Only a matter of time, wasn't it?" George winked.

"We're off to Zonko's." Fred added.

"But hey, Harry, come find us in the common room sometime this week. We've got something we reckon you'll like." George placed a finger over his lips, wordlessly telling Harry to keep that last bit confidential. The bespectacled wizard nodded awkwardly before the two redheads grinned and marched out.

"Somehow, the two biggest pranksters in the school are the only ones bright enough to put it together that we're dating." Hermione sighed, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Except Lavender."

"Ah, yes. Fred and George Weasley and Lavender Brown. Three of the cleverest minds Hogwarts has to offer." Hermione smirked.

"Just because Lavender's better than you at Divination doesn't mean you should knock her intelligence." Harry reminded her as he led her towards a table filled with sweet treats.

"Oh, please, everyone is better than me at Divination. I'm only still taking that class because you're there."

A pause ensued, as Harry's brain slowly but surely processed what he'd just heard.

"Wait, really?" Harry froze, perplexed.

"Well, obviously." Hermione rolled her eyes. "Trelawney keeps telling me I'm rubbish and I can't read a crystal ball to save my life. It's just nice sitting in those chintz armchairs next to you. It sort of makes up for getting ridiculed like that." She shrugged. "Plus, whenever you're reading tea leaves or looking into a crystal ball your eyebrows sort of furrow together like you're trying to think really hard. It looks cute."

Harry was certain that no thermometer was capable of measuring just how hot his face was, and he distractedly pulled at his collar. "W-well, thanks. But you shouldn't put yourself through something you hate just for me."

"You're sweet." Hermione flashed him a warm smile. Harry pursed his lips in thought.

"I don't really like that class either, if I'm being honest."

"Oh, well I figured as much. But you're getting good grades." Hermione mused, picking up a case of sugar quills.

"Well, I've been making stuff up all term. Honestly, it's mind-numbing at points. I wouldn't mind a challenge." He turned to Hermione, who perked up.

"Are you saying…wait, what are you saying?"

"I'm saying maybe I should talk to McGonagall. About swapping Divination for something more…stimulating." Harry observed. "That way you can drop Divination and I can find another class for us to share."

"Oh, Harry!" She gasped excitedly. For a moment, she looked like she was going to kiss him again. "Which course are you thinking? I don't blame you for not wanting to take Muggle Studies, as fascinating as it is to hear it from the magical perspective. But Arithmancy is absolutely marvelous, but so is Ancient Runes, if you're looking for – "

"Hermione." Harry held up his hand, and she snapped her mouth closed instantly. "How about I talk to McGonagall tomorrow? And we can figure it out then?"

"That's perfect!" Hermione beamed, wrapping him up in a fierce hug, rendering his arms useless. "Oh, I'm so proud of you! Doing what's right instead of what's easy. Lieutenant Kaffee would be so proud of you."

"Lieutenant Kaffee would rather me play softball instead of Quidditch, but thank you." Harry blushed as Hermione pulled away. "So, erm, what sweets do you want to get?" He asked, and they happily began conversing about the best candies Honeydukes had to offer.

"Don't make me touch another Every Flavored Bean." Hermione warned Harry as his eyes lingered on a basket full of complimentary jelly beans. "I'm serious. They get stuck in my teeth and I always get the gross ones."

"Come on, you just hate him because you've never had a good one." Harry insisted. "Here, look, this one's toffee. I promise you'll like it." He plucked a gold one out and dropped it into Hermione's hand. Begrudgingly she popped it into her mouth, and her eyes widened in delight.

"Mmm!" She beamed. "That was actually really good!" She snatched a similar-looking but slightly darker gold bean, and before Harry could react she had tossed it into her mouth. Instantly, she was spitting it out, her face contorting in disgust.

"Yeah…" Harry grimaced as she gagged. "That one was earwax. Happens to the best of us." He said awkwardly. "Come on." He kicked the half-chewed bean under a table and hoped nobody would notice. "Let's go buy the sweets that we actually enjoy eating." He smirked, and Hermione brightened immediately.

Harry happily paid for a slew of candies, including a couple cases of Sugar Quills for Hermione, a box of Honeydukes Best Chocolate, some Pumpkin Pasties, a tin of Treacle Fudge and real Toffees, and a few Cauldron Cakes. He dropped them into the bag containing their books and was pleased to see he it was still as light as air.

"You don't have to pay for me, you know." Hermione mumbled sheepishly as they exited the store and returned to the High Street, hand in hand.

"What kind of a boyfriend would I be if I didn't?" Harry said automatically, then stopped in his tracks. "That's…that was the first time, that I…I mean, it's the first time that – "

"That you called yourself my boyfriend." Hermione blushed.

"Sorry…" Harry muttered, nervously running a hand through his hair. "I don't know if it's too soon, or if you don't like that, it just slipped out. I'm sorry, I don't really – "

"Don't apologize." Hermione said shyly. "I liked it."

"Oh!" Harry couldn't stop himself from smiling at that, even if his heart felt like a jackhammer against his chest. "Does that…I mean, does that make you – "

"I guess I'm your girlfriend." Hermione whispered, blushing even more. "I have a boyfriend." She said to herself.

"And I have a girlfriend." Harry grinned. They stood in an awkward – albeit adorable – silence for a few moments, staring at each other with gigantic smiles.

"Hey, Potter!" Harry whipped his head around to see Lee Jordan strolling towards them, his trademark grin plastered on his face. "You seen Gred and Forge around? Oh, hey, congratulations you two!" He noticed the pair holding hands and beaming like they'd just won the lottery.

"Uh…check Zonko's. And, erm, thanks." Harry managed, and the Quidditch announcer flashed him a thumbs-up before continuing on his way towards the joke shop. Harry turned back to Hermione, who was still smiling. "What's next?" He asked. "Girlfriend."

"Well…" Hermione looked as if she was going to faint from excitement. "Do you mind stopping in Scrivenshaft's? I know it's not exactly romantic, but – "

"I'd love to." Harry grinned, squeezing her hand and leading her across the street. Harry purchased himself and Hermione a few new rolls of Ministry-grade parchment and ink in all different colors, and Hermione got him a replica phoenix feather to go with his trusted sword of Gryffindor quill.

"I thought it made sense." She beamed at him, presenting the scarlet feather triumphantly. "Since, you know, Fawkes was the one who brought you the sword. Do you like it?" She asked sheepishly.

This time, it was Harry's turn to take her by surprise and lean in, crushing his lips against her in sheer joy. He heard Hermione squeak and felt her cup his face instinctively, sending the best kind of shiver down his spine. He pulled back staring at Hermione with a smile wider than an ocean.

"You're amazing." He whispered, fishing the quill he always carried with him out of his pocket. "It's perfect." He added, attaching his new feather.

Hermione beamed again, looking rather flushed following the unexpected kiss. The duo strolled out merrily, stashing their new stationary in the still weightless paper bag. They strolled down the street without a real destination in mind, waving hello to a few familiar faces, including Hannah Abbot and Ernie MacMillan of Hufflepuff, Oliver Wood – who was walking out of Spintwitches Sporting Needs, and Pavarti and Lavender, who seemed to have broken off from the rest of the Gryffindor Gang.

"You two having fun?" Lavender grinned impishly as the two pairs bumped into each other outside of Dervish and Banges.

"Loads." Harry returned the smile, squeezing Hermione's hand. Lavender and Pavarti jumped up and down in excitement before enveloping Hermione in a group hug. "That's cool, I'll just stand here." Harry muttered, absent-mindedly checking his watch. The girls paid him no mind, embracing each other a moment longer before Hermione promised to tell them all about it at the Halloween Feast later on.

"We'll see you two later." Pavarti waved good-bye before marching off with Lavender, who winked and mouthed 'You're welcome' to Harry.

"Nice to see we've got some supporters." Harry shrugged. Hermione chuckled.

"Please. Everyone who's caught on has given us nothing but congratulations."

"Yeah, all five of them." Harry grinned, earning himself a swat on the shoulder.

"Oh, I've just remembered!" Hermione gasped, fumbling around in her robes. "Oh, I didn't drop it did I? No! It's here!" She grinned, extracting the enchanted Polaroid Pavarti had given her for her birthday. "Care to take some pictures?" She grinned.

"As you wish." Harry winked, and she happily grabbed his hand once again and tugged him over to a bench on the sidewalk.

"Who can we get to take some?" Hermione asked, scanning the crowd. "Where's Colin Creevey when you need him?" She giggled.

"I'd settle for any Gryffindor at this point." Harry muttered as he didn't recognize a soul that was walking near them. Then, he caught sight of a familiar head of curly black hair and grinned.

"Hey! Angelina!" He called out. Angelina Johnson, the star Chaser, was walking down the street nonchalantly. She whipped her head towards his voice, her face lighting up as he waved her over. She strolled to the park bench with a cheerful smile.

"Hey, Harry. Hey, Hermione!" She beamed. "What do you – oh my god!" She gasped, clapping her hands over her face. "Is this…are you two?" She pointed at the two of them, and Harry nodded blushingly. "Congratulations!"

"Thank you!" Harry gave another smile. "We were actually wondering, would you mind?" He pointed to the camera Hermione was now holding out to her.

"Are you kidding?" She giggled. "I'd love to. Oh, Alicia and Katie are going to absolutely lose it. You know, I saw you peck him on the cheek one day, Hermione. Outside the locker rooms. I was going to say something, but it ended up being the day that you…you know." She trailed off, and Harry nodded in understanding.

"Oh…" Hermione mumbled. "Yeah. The day I got petrified."

"You both looked super cute, though." Angelina cheered up immediately. "I knew this was going to happen. Oh, I could scream. I probably will once I'm done here." She winked at Hermione, who blushed. "Alright, lovebirds, say cheese!"

Harry wrapped his arm around Hermione, and she happily rested her head on his shoulder. After a click, Angelina pulled out the printed picture and pointed the camera at them again. Hermione sat up straight and planted a very drawn-out kiss on his cheek, long enough for Angelina to click the camera and long enough to make Harry's face match his scarlet Quidditch jersey.

"Adorable." Angelina whispered to herself as Hermione pulled away, only to wrap her arms around Harry's neck and tug him closer, sending him dangerously close to tumbling out of his seat. They both laughed merrily as they hugged each other and gave the most authentic smiles they'd ever had to the camera. Harry's teammate happily snapped a few more photos, laughing along with them.

"Thank you so much, Angelina." Harry grinned as he took the camera and the small stack of photos back from her.

"Anytime, Seeker." She winked. "Don't let this one slip through your fingers." She added before marching off towards her destination, practically skipping.

"I don't think I've ever seen her that happy." Harry mused as she met up with Alicia Spinnet and Katie Bell. He heard her squeal incoherently even from thirty meters away, and soon the other two Chasers followed suit, their faces lighting up in excitement.

"I guess people like us." Hermione blushed. "Here, they're starting to develop."

Harry and Hermione sat on that park bench for a long time, staring in fascination at themselves in the pictures. They looked at the first one for a long time, with Hermione resting her head on his shoulder and sighing contentedly. Harry had a proud smile on his face, looking like he'd just caught the Snitch to win the Quidditch Cup.

Then came the picture of Hermione planting her lips on his cheek for an impossibly long time. Even though the photograph was in black-and-white, Harry could see his cheeks flushing the longer his girlfriend held the kiss. Eventually, she pulled away, and he turned to her and planted a kiss of his own on her forehead.

"Hmm…how come you didn't do that in real life?" Hermione asked. "That would have been nice. I wonder if I should ask picture-Harry if he has a girlfriend – oh!" She giggled as Harry cut her off by pressing his lips to her forehead for almost as long as she'd kissed him. They flipped through the rest of the photos for almost half an hour, scooting closer to each other and laughing at their picture counterparts.

Harry glanced up from the stack of pictures after a while and saw most of the students walking in the same direction, towards the horseless carriages.

"I suppose we have to head back to the castle now." Harry stood up, grabbing the bag of goodies with one hand and holding the other out for Hermione. She happily took it, letting him gently help her to her feet and walking hand-in-hand with him towards the throng of students. Pavarti and Lavender intercepted them on the way there, dragging them to the nearest available wagon and practically shoving them inside.

"Tell us everything!" Lavender rubbed her hands together in excitement. Harry let Hermione recount the events of their day for most of the carriage ride back, including their book exchange at Tomes and Scrolls – which the girls found rather adorable – and their photo session on the park bench. Hermione let them flip through the photos, and Lavender looked like she was about to cry.

"It's finally happening." She whispered. "Harry, I'm telling you, this girl has been fancying you for ages. I thought you would never take the hint." She perked up, almost glaring at Harry.

"Ages?" Harry raised his eyebrows, and Hermione slowly curled herself into a ball as the carriage rattled on.

"Oh, yeah. She walked into our dormitory, the first night of our first year: 'Have you guys met Harry Potter? He's just the sweetest boy. He's got these green eyes that are so – '"

"Lavender!" Hermione hissed, burying her face in her hands. The blonde stopped her crude but endearing impression of her classmate's voice and winked at Harry.

"I half-expected I'd need to shove you two into an empty classroom and throw away the key." She admitted. "Pavarti and I had a plan and everything."

"That's…alarming." Harry observed. "But, erm, thanks for being happy for us? I guess?"

"Oh, of course." Lavender winked before she and Pavarti resumed looking at the pictures.

A few minutes later, Harry and Hermione walked into the Great Hall holding hands. A few members of the Gryffindor table – including all three Chasers – gave excited smiles as they walked past. Harry tried hard not to blush as the pair found most of their Gryffindor Gang sitting clustered together.

"Where were you lot?" Seamus asked in between bites of roasted chicken. "We figured you two got lost or something."

"Well, actually…" Harry turned to Hermione, and she beamed at him. "Hermione and I just had our first date."

Several forks clattered onto plates.

"Are you for real?" Dean asked, breaking out into a grin.

"You two are together?" Neville asked excitedly.

Seamus had his goblet of pumpkin juice halfway to his mouth but was frozen in shock. After Dean nudged him he came back to reality and clapped his hands together. "Alright! Congratulations!"

"Hey, Ron!" Dean yelled down the table. Harry looked in that direction to see Ron giving a few of the sweets he'd picked up in Hogsmeade to Ginny. The redhead turned and walked towards them when Dean waved him over. "Guess what?"

"What?"

"Harry and Hermione are dating."

Ron stood perfectly still for a moment, and Harry could practically hear the gears turning in his head. After a beat, the youngest Weasley boy turned to Harry and marched towards him, his arms outstretched.

"Oh boy." Was all Harry could say before Ron tackled him to the ground in a fierce hug almost on par with Hermione's.

"Congratulations, mate." The redhead grinned, clearly not caring that he had just fallen onto a stone floor. Harry, meanwhile, groaned in pain, trying to rub the shoulder he'd landed on but struggling with Ron encasing his arms in his bear hug.

"Thanks, Ron, but do you mind?" He grumbled. Ron nodded, leaping to his feet and lending a hand to Harry. "Thanks. Thank you all, it means a lot."

"Are you kidding?" Dean grinned. "I thought me getting some new art quills from Scrivenshaft's was going to be the best news tonight."

"Here!" Seamus exclaimed, fishing through his bag. "You two earned these." He winked, handing Harry and Hermione a butterbeer each.

"Cheers." The pair clinked their bottles together before taking a swig. "Oh, that's good!" Harry nodded in enthusiasm, quickly taking another sip.

"Well, sit down! Enjoy the feast, you two." Pavarti grinned. Harry and Hermione happily took their seats at the table, digging into the famous Hogwarts spread.

Harry didn't stop smiling for the entire meal. It wasn't only because he was now openly dating Hermione Granger – the pretty and brilliant girl he fancied who just happened to fancy him back. It was that he had a Halloween worth celebrating. The holiday had always brought rather gruesome tidings for him, starting with the fateful day twelve years ago in Godric's Hollow that changed his and every magical person's life. Then, two years ago he'd almost been killed by a troll, and a year after that the rumors that he was the Heir of Slytherin began to swirl the corridors after Mrs. Norris had been found petrified.

Now, he was having a very Happy Halloween. He was certain nothing could spoil his mood as he ate next to an equally merry Hermione, exchanging stories with his friends and eating to his heart's content.

Then, Colin Creevey came sprinting through the Great Hall doors, and a hush fell over the crowd.

"It's the Fat Lady!" He gasped out before dropping to his knees from exhaustion. "Sirius Black attacked the Fat Lady!"

A/N: Look, this chapter is chock-full of fluff. I mean, seriously, from beginning to (almost) end it's totally feel-good material. But I can't just abandon the plot entirely, so I had to throw the last line in there. Don't let it take away from how fluffy this chapter is. Please. I worked really hard on the fluff.

I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! The Ron tackle-hugging Harry was my best impression of Michael Scott tackle-hugging Jim when he finds out that he and Pam are engaged. Let's see, what else is worth noting? Oh, yeah, Lavender coming up clutch once again to let Harry and Hermione enjoy their date despite their ever-dense friends. Someone recently told me that they've never really found a reason to like Lavender, in canon or in fanon, until they found this story. As amazing as it was to hear that, I felt bad that Lavender automatically gets almost scorned on by almost all HP fans because she cared about makeup and romance and Divination and because of the whole HBP fiasco. She could easily be an important and likeable character if JK didn't reduce her down to the bare minimum of a ditzy girl. So, I channeled my inner Thanos and said 'Fine. I'll do it myself.' And that's how this version of Lavender came to be.

To the undeniably kind and beautiful people out there who have reviewed, followed, or favorited this story, you guys mean the world to me. Truly. Like, I don't have the words. The English Language doesn't have the words. No language really has the words to describe it, but I try my best anyway. Thank you all so much for your acts of kindness in showing your appreciation for this story. I appreciate you all back! Thank you again, and stay safe!