Harry was up bright and early on the day of the Hogsmeade trip, but he still wasn't downstairs any earlier as he took extra time to get ready for the day ahead. When he did go down to breakfast, he only managed a quick bite to eat before his nerves got too much for him and he couldn't eat any more.

"Calm down Harry, it's only a trip to Hogsmeade," Hermione said to her nephew as they wandered back up to Gryffindor Tower to grab their jackets.

"Yes, but it's also a first date," Harry pointed out. "Surely you're nervous about going out with Draco today."

"Why would I be nervous about going down to Hogsmeade with my boyfriend?" Hermione asked with a laugh.

"It's your first time out as a couple," Harry replied. "You may have been together for a while, but this is your first public date."

"We went to Diagon Alley over the summer," Hermione answered with an unconcerned shrug.

"Yes, with a group," Harry argued. "This will be your first time alone on a proper date."

"Even so, I'm still not nervous," Hermione replied. "As you say, we've been together for nearly two years. Given some of the other stuff we've done together, going down to Hogsmeade is tame."

"Okay, okay, I don't need any more details," Harry interrupted. He strongly suspected his aunt and best friend had slept together, but every time he feared his suspicions were going to be confirmed he changed the subject as he didn't want to know any details.

Hermione just laughed as the pair grabbed their jackets and headed back downstairs. In the front hallway, Draco was already waiting for Hermione. When the blond greeted Hermione with a searing kiss, Harry rolled his eyes and turned away from the affectionate couple. Given their public displays of affection since the truth had emerged, Harry was rather pleased he was skipping going down into the village with the couple.

"Are you sure you and Daphne don't want to join us?" Draco asked Harry. "We're meeting up with Blaise and Luna for lunch, and spending the afternoon with Theo, Vince and Greg."

"We'll see at lunchtime," Harry replied. "But for this morning, it's just going to be the two of us."

"Okay, have a nice time," Draco called as he and Hermione exited the hallway to go down to Hogsmeade.

As Harry stood in the hallway it seemed like everyone was heading down to Hogsmeade, although there was no sign of Daphne. Just as Harry was beginning to wonder if he'd been stood up, Daphne appeared from the stairs leading from the dungeons. Harry's face instantly broke into a wide grin as Daphne approached him.

"Sorry I'm slightly late, I couldn't decide what to wear," Daphne said with a sheepish smile.

"Well you look amazing," Harry said, his bright green eyes scanning over Daphne. She was wearing a long black and purple print skirt, a pale lilac top and had a black jacket thrown over her arm.

"Thanks, Harry," Daphne replied with a smile as she pulled on her jacket. "Are you ready to go?"

"I am," Harry replied with a nod, and exchanging smiles with Daphne the pair left the castle and started walking down to Hogsmeade with everyone else.

"Seems like it's going to be a busy day," Daphne remarked as they were half way down to Hogsmeade.

"Yeah, it looks like most of the school are going to be down in Hogsmeade," Harry replied thoughtfully.

"Is that a problem?" Daphne asked, sensing that Harry wasn't quite as eager to head down into the village as he'd been moments earlier.

"Not really," Harry answered. "I guess I'm just a bit wary of being around so many people who could possibly hate me."

"You think most people hate you?" Daphne questioned in surprise. "I thought everyone had taken the news surprisingly well. There doesn't seem to be a big outpouring of hate aimed towards you and Hermione."

"Maybe because most people are smarter than Ron Weasley," Harry snorted. "Ron may openly hate us and want us gone, but I think most other people are keeping their real opinions to themselves. They're being careful not to show their hand and find themselves classed as enemies. I honestly think there's more people that share Ron's views, they're just not as open in their hatred."

"Even if that is true, it doesn't mean they're going to show their hand in Hogsmeade," Daphne pointed out. "It's no safer down in the village then it is in school. If they try and cause trouble today they'll only get into trouble. Trust me, Harry, no-one will try anything. Just relax and try and have fun."

"I'm sure I can manage that," Harry said, shooting Daphne a grin.

Harry put aside his doubts regarding other students as he and Daphne arrived in the village. They'd no sooner entered the village then they realised most of the students were heading in the same direction.

"What's the big deal?" Daphne asked as a couple of squealing third years ran past them in excitement and ran head first into the crowds.

"No idea," Harry replied. "Do you want to find out?"

"Of course," Daphne replied.

Impulsively, Harry grabbed Daphne's hand and together they ploughed into the crowds. As they neared the front of the crowds, they found that everyone was gathering around a shop. The shop was purple and flashy and there were dozens of balloons tied to the doors. In front of the doors was a red ribbon, and standing next to the ribbon were the Weasley twins, announcing their new shop was ready for the students of Hogsmeade.

"Weasleys Wizard Wheezes is now open," Fred declared as he cut the ribbon and George released the balloons into the air.

"What do you think?" Daphne asked Harry. "Do we try it or avoid it?"

"I do want a look," Harry admitted. "But it's going to be really busy right away. How about we look around some of the other shops before coming back later."

"Suits me," Daphne said.

Turning away from the shop, Harry and Daphne pushed their way back through the crowds waiting to enter the twins new joke shop. Leaving the crowds behind them, the pair headed off to look in some of the other shops. Needless to say, Zonko's was practically deserted and the manager of the shop was complaining loudly about the competition when Harry and Daphne passed the shop.

Passing by Zonko's, the pair headed into Honeydukes. As they entered the shop, they were discussing their favourite sweets. However, the conversation quickly stopped when they turned a corner and almost ran head first into Beth, who was browsing the shelves of expensive chocolates.

"What are you doing here?" Harry hissed at his step-grandmother.

"Buying some chocolates for this evening, your grandfather and I are planning a romantic night alone," Beth answered.

"Don't need to know," Harry said with a grimace.

"Honestly Harry, you're so prudish at times," Beth laughed. "I wasn't as if I even mentioned sex."

"Please don't," Harry begged as Daphne giggled beside him.

"Okay, I'll leave you alone," Beth said with a smirk as she plucked a large box of chocolates from the shelf. "Have fun Harry, and don't do anything I wouldn't do."

Harry groaned as Beth gave him a wink as she sauntered off to pay for her purchases. Beside him, Daphne continued to giggle and as they wandered further into the shop, she announced that she liked Beth.

"She's fun," Daphne said.

"She is," Harry admitted.

Once they left Honeydukes, Harry had hoped they wouldn't bump into anyone else, but it wasn't to be. Down the side of the quidditch shop, they spotted Hermione and Draco engaged in a heated kissing session. Then they entered the book shop, only to head into the mystery section to find Lucius and Narcissa kissing and groping like a couple of teenagers.

"Harry, Daphne," Lucius greeted with a nod as Narcissa hastily adjusted her dress. "What are you doing here?"

"We were looking for books. It what most people do in a book shop," Harry answered with a cheeky grin.

"Yes, of course," Narcissa replied, giving the pair a shaky smile. "We'll just be going."

"Maybe we can visit the sweet shop next," Lucius whispered to Narcissa as they passed the two teenagers. "I can buy you a bag of your favourite sweets and you can thank me the same way you used to in school."

"Can you believe those two?" Harry laughed as a frisky Lucius and Narcissa swiftly exited the book shop. "It's a good job Draco didn't see them, he would have a fit."

"I think they were just reliving their youth," Daphne laughed "I'm guessing Lucius and Narcissa were randy teenagers."

"Like father, like son," Harry replied. "Draco's a randy teenager, so it stands to reason Lucius was the same."

"How do you know Draco's randy?" Daphne asked warily. "You don't talk about sex, do you?"

"Considering he's sleeping with my aunt, that would be a no," Harry answered. "Although even if he wasn't, the answer would still likely be no. I think some things should be kept private between couples."

"I couldn't agree more," Daphne replied with a small smile.

After grabbing a few books, not from the mystery section after what they'd witnessed, Harry and Daphne exited the book shop. Over the road they spotted Draco and Hermione strolling around the village, but rather than joining them they gave them a quick wave and headed off in the opposite direction. For the rest of the morning, they strolled around the village, calling in the odd shop, but mainly getting to know one another.

"Draco invited us to join them for lunch if you're interested," Harry said as they started to discuss getting some food.

"Sounds good. The Three Broomsticks?" Daphne asked.

"I assume so," Harry replied. "Should we go and see?"

"Let's," Daphne replied, taking hold of Harry's hand as they walked to the pub.

Entering the popular pub, Harry looked around for his best friend and aunt, but instead he spotted his father sitting at the bar. Severus was sitting at the end of the bar, chatting to Rosmerta when she wasn't serving. However, as he watched, Rosmerta leant across the bar and planted a kiss on Severus.

"Damn family," Harry muttered, averting his eyes.

"Your father seems pretty smitten with Rosmerta," Daphne remarked with a smile as she watched the interaction between the headmaster and his girlfriend.

"Yep, it's serious," Harry replied.

Making sure not to turn back to the bar, Harry continued to scour the room until he found Draco and Hermione settled in a corner booth with Blaise and Luna. Making their way over the room, the pair slipped into a couple of spare seats at the corner booth their friends were occupying.

"How's your date going?" Blaise asked.

"Good, how's yours?" Daphne replied.

"Excellent," Blaise answered, smiling at Luna as he placed her arm around her shoulders.

"Are you not going to go and order lunch, Harry?" Draco asked with a mischievous smirk.

"Is Dad still sitting up there snogging Rosmerta at every opportunity?" Harry asked.

Draco made a show of leaning out of the booth and looking towards the bar before he nodded his head. "Yep. They're like a couple of randy teenagers up there."

"Speaking of randy teenagers, we found your parents in the book store," Harry told Draco with an amused smirk of his own. "I think they were reliving old times."

"We caught them less than half an hour ago," Draco muttered with a shiver. "Mother was thanking Father for buying her a bag of her favourite mints. I'll never look at a mint imperial in the same way again."

Harry laughed at Draco's obvious horror about his parents, but he took pity on his friend and instead asked about the twins shop and if anyone had visited it.

"We're going after lunch," Hermione supplied. "Do you want to join us?"

"Daphne?" Harry turned to his date. He actually liked the idea of going to the joke shop as a group, but he didn't want Daphne to think he was cutting their date short.

"Sounds good to me," Daphne replied. "Now can we order, I'm getting hungry."

By the time the group had finished lunch, Theo and the other Slytherins had joined them. Draco's parents had also put in an appearance, and they'd disappeared into the back room with Severus and Rosmerta. Before the adults got a further chance to embarrass them, Harry suggested they make a break for it. After paying the bill, the group left the pub and headed towards the new joke shop in the village.

Weasleys Wizard Wheezes wasn't quite as packed as it had been that morning, but there was still a sizeable crowd as they group entered the shop. As they entered the shop, they all half expected to be stopped and thrown out but no-one gave them a second glance. Instead, they were left alone to fully explore the shop and the ingenious inventions of the Weasley twins.

"This place is so cool," Theo gushed as he piled stuff into a basket to buy.

"Yeah, if only the twins were on the right side," Draco said quietly.

"Shame," Harry agreed as he grabbed a few bits and pieces himself. "Now let's see if we'll be served."

Bracing himself for rejection, Harry took his purchases to the till, where Fred was serving. Upon seeing Harry, Fred's cheeky grin slid off his face. However, he didn't turn Harry away, instead he silently totted up his purchases and only spoke when asking for the money.

"The shop's great," Harry said as he paid. "I'm so pleased you and George got what you wanted."

"Really?" Fred asked, not too sure if he believed Harry after everything that had happened.

"Really," Harry confirmed. "I have no problem with you, Fred. In fact I have no real problem with your family. We're just on different sides of things."

"I guess we are," Fred said quietly as he packed Harry's purchases into a bag and handed it over to him. "I won't be banning you or your friends, Harry, but we're also not friends anymore. Neither George nor I want trouble, but we can't condone what you and Hermione have done. You lied to us for five years, and the pain you caused Ron is unforgivable. Let's just hope things don't get so bad that we have to fight, because we really will be on different sides."

Harry mutely nodded as he walked away from the checkout and let Theo and the other buy their purchases. Once they were finished the group left the shop, and Harry wasn't sure if he would be back. The shop was great, and he loved the twins inventions, but he knew that the atmosphere would always be frosty when he was in the shop.

"Harry, do you want to go for one last walk before we go back to school?" Daphne asked softly.

"I'd like that," Harry replied with a smile.

Saying goodbye to the others, the pair headed off to take one last walk around the village. Eventually they had to head back to school, but when they reached the castle the date ended with a small kiss and the promise to have another date. Although the couple weren't going to wait for the next Hogsmeade trip, instead Harry suggested they could meet up around school. In fact he already had a few ideas of how he and Daphne could date properly without ever having to leave the castle.