Hey guys sorry that I haven't been updating regularly, but here's a chapter I hope you'll enjoy. I can't say when the next one will be up but I promise I haven't given up on this story. As always reviews are welcomed and appreciated.

I don't own the Harry Potter world, I just play with the characters.

It had been a busy week having had the extra load of meetings to schedule for professor McGonagall. But Hermione, as always, managed to get it done without a hiccup. Ron on the other hand was having some issues as the boys were only too keen to tease him about his duties. Luckily the boys knew better than to tease Hermione unless they wanted to hexed into next week. They had managed to get some students to sign up for meetings but the others were just procrastinating. But for now Hermione wasn't going to worry about any of that. This evening she was going on a date and she'd be damned if she let work get in the way. But what did seem to be getting in the way were Ron and Harry. She'd been trying to hide her excitement about this evening all week, but it seemed they weren't as oblivious to her emotions as they once were. She had managed to sneak away on the preconception that she would be in the library studying.

At the moment she was in a lavatory on the seventh floor getting ready. The transfiguration spells were easy enough to replicate but she wasn't the hair stylist or make-up artist that Pavarti and Ginny were, but she made due. Hermione's hair was back to the deep black shade and her temporary hazel eyes looked at her in her reflection. It was only a few changes but she had to admit it really made her look different. She was wearing her uniform but made sure to leave behind her Gryffindor tie and robe. With her mask in place she took a deep breath and walked down the hall where she knew a door would open for her.

I need a place to meet Luckless. I need a place to meet Luckless. I need a place to meet Luckless.

After pacing back three times a door materialized in front of her. Smiling she walked in but it looked as though she had walked outside. The room has transformed itself into a park complete with a jungle gym and a swing set. It was also evening in the room but there was plenty of light from the bright moon. There were tall trees and soft grass that Hermione could smell was freshly mown. A light breeze rustling the bushes nearby. Hermione didn't know what to make of the room's decor but decided it was a good a room as any. She took a seat on the swings and pushed herself back and forth remembering the last time she had been on one.

(Flashback)
It was at the burrow last summer. It had been the day before she was to leave to find her parents. She had needed some time to think of what she was going to say to her parents once they had their memories back. She knew they would be furious but she had to explain that she did what she did to protect them. But at many times as she tried to convince herself what she did was for their own good, part of her knew that she didn't deserve their forgiveness. She'd been so caught up in her own thoughts that when someone gave her a gentle push she nearly fell off the swing. Behind her stood a smiling Ron. Looking at him made Hermione think about all that they had overcome during the war and less of what they had lost. They no longer had to check if they were being followed, or dodge spells intent to kill them. They could have dinner without worry that a patronus would come through the door telling them to flee. Everything was calm.
(End Flashback)

A creak pulled Hermione out of her memory, by the door stood a befuddled Luckless who scanned the room for her. Once he found her he smiled and closed the door quickly, eager to see her.

"Hello there beautiful."

"Hi." Hermione glance at her watch and saw it was six o'clock on the dot. "Would it be rude of me to say I'm surprised at your punctuality?"

Luckless only laughed and shook his head.

"I'd say I'm a bit surprised myself. But I wouldn't want to miss a moment I could spend with you."

Hermione pursed her lips in a smirk trying to hide the fact that she was blushing.

"So I take it the park is your handy work. Can't say I've been on a date at the park before."

"Neither have I but the room decided the location not me." Hermione walked over and stood next to him as they both surveyed the room.

"Is that so?" He asked skeptically. "Regardless I quite like it. I've felt like I've been cooped up inside all day. Fresh air is good for the soul, even if it's magical air."
They smiled at each other and after a while Hermione nodded in an expecting way.

"So what do you suppose we should do?"

"Well there's a game I used to play when I was a kid. You have to swing as high as you can on the swing set and then jump off. The farther you get the better."

"Ummm I'm not sure that's a good idea?"

Luckless scrunched his brows in confusion. "Why are you scared?"

"No I just have this rational fear of height."

"So you are scared?" Hermione didn't say anything to that. "What if I go first?"

"And watch you break an arm? No thank you."

Luckless shook his head and then had an idea. He pulled his wand out and cut up some bushes and moved them towards the swings. After spreading them out on the sand pit where the swings were he flicked his wrist and transfigured the shrubs into a large mattress.

"There now when you jump off you'll land on a soft mattress instead of the hard ground." He grinned over at the masked girl he knew as Bell.

Hermione thought it over and decided that she might as well try. Claiming a swing for herself she gained momentum and was at the peaking height when she heard Luckless shout for her to jump. She closed her eyes and let go of the chains and let herself fly off the swing. She let out a yelp but it was soon muffled when she landed on the mattress. She couldn't help but smile. As terrifying as it was to be in the air it was also exhilarating.

"Hey clear the landing space, Bell." Luckless was already ready to jump off his swing when Bell looked up. Quickly she rolled off not wanting to get crushed by this flying boy. Luckless bounced a bit as he landed and laughed looking up at Bell whose hair was a bit askew, but he wasn't going to tell her that. In fact, he quite liked her hair being a little ruffled.

"I do believe I won that round." He said in such a confident tone as he puffed out his chest.

"I would beg to differ."

"Well you could beg all you want it doesn't change the fact that I beat you." Luckless rolled off the mattress and stood next to a flushed Bell. She backed away wanted to create some distance between them, afraid he would feel the rumble of the butterflies that were flying around in her stomach.

"Let's do it again then."

"Fine by me."

The two went back to the swings each leaping off hoping to outdo the other. But it didn't seem to matter what the actual results were, since they were both keen on arguing about them at the end anyway.

After getting a tired of jumping off swings they moved towards the jungle gym to see what else they could play. Of course play was probably the wrong word to describe their antics. It had become evident that they were both quite competitive so the date turned into a friendly competition of who was best at playing children's games. They played tag, did a short obstacle course using the monkey bars and even raced each other to see who could climb slide the fastest. Each event ended with a heated but teasing argument about who won. By the end of the evening they both agreed that it was a tie.

"Care to take a seat on the bench?" Luckless asked as they finished off the last event which was a hopscotch race.

"What bench?" Bell asked.

Not long after she said that did a wooden bench appeared a few feet away from them. It was facing the jungle gym and was inviting after all the time they had spent on their feet.

"Umm… that bench," Luckless smiled jokingly at her as he gestured for her to take a seat first.

With a half-hearted glare Bell sat down and leaned back into the bench, appreciating the pause from the competitions. Luckless took a seat next to her taking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly.

"I'd have to say this is probably the most fun I've ever had on a date," said Luckless.

"Have all your previous dates been so horrible?" Bell asked.

"You say it like I've been on many." Bell shrugged her shoulders showing that she was not judging him if he had been. "I haven't been on many but I do like this one the best."

"Me too," said Bell with a smile.

Bell could see a small smile playing on his lips as he stared back at her.

"I suppose this is where the evening ends." He sounded quite disappointed at the news.

"It is getting rather late. We wouldn't want to get caught by Filtch."

They stood to walk towards the door that had led them to this beautiful park. Bell could tell that Luckless was nervous about something, if not by the soft muttering than him wildly swinging his arm back and forth was a dead giveaway. Reaching the door Luckless uncharacteristically put his hands behind his back and stood tall.

He let out a deep breath and said, "That was fun." He must have been able to tell that his voice was shaky because he tried clearing his throat.

"Yes it was. I can now say that I've been on a date at a park, definitely a more physical date." Bell caught the slightly shocked look that Luckless gave her. At first she was confused but soon caught on to what her words could have meant. "No I just meant that we were both playing around. I mean the games."

Luckless chuckled at how the tables had turned. "Yes it was a particularly physical date. I wouldn't mind having another."

Bell could tell it was more of a question then a statement.

"I'd like that too," Bell frowned at what she had to say next. "But I'll be quite busy for the few weeks. I don't think I'll be able to meet with you for a while."

"Oh. Well we could always use the coins." Luckless pulled out his and rolled it in fingers. "Speaking of coins can I have yours for a sec?"

Bell pulled her out and handed it to Luckless. She didn't know what he was doing but she felt she could trust him not to try anything bad. With a bit of fancy wand work over both coins they started to glow a bit. He smiled down at them as the glow started to fade.

"There."

"What did you do to them?" Bell took hers back and there didn't seem to be any difference.

"I enchanted it so that only messages can go from mine to yours and I can actually send you messages." He waved his wand one more time and muttered, "Nuntius." The coin in her hand warmed. Looking at it she saw that etched on the flat of the coin was the word "Hi". Bell smiled and asked him to show her how to do the spell. After a few tries she had mastered it.

"I suppose I have no excuse to keep you here any longer do I?" Luckless asked gloomily.

"I'm afraid not."

"Well," he reached for her hand again and gave it a gentle kissed it gently just as he did the night of the ball. "I won't keep you. I'd hate for you to be caught out of bed after hours because of me."

Although Hermione knew she could use her Head Girl Badge to keep from getting detention she thought it was sweet of Luckless to worry for her.

"Good night, Luckless. I'll be sure to let you know when I can see you next."

"Please do. It gets harder every day seeing you only in my dreams and waking only to realize it wasn't real." He seemed to realize that he had said all that out loud and tried his hardest not to get bashful.

"Good night." Hermione stood on her tiptoes and landed a quick peck on his cheek. She opened the door to leave but chanced one last look back. The spectacle in front of her made it hard not to laugh. Luckless was doing what looked to be a victory dance. He was waving his arms in the air and spinning in a circle when he noticed that she was watching him.

"Night," he waved back looking like a deer caught in headlights.

Hermione only smiled and left. Once outside the room of requirement she let out a sigh. Very seldom did Hermione let her helpless romantic side take over but at the moment she couldn't help it. The only other person to ever make her feel this dizzy with happiness was Ron. With that thought Hermione felt just a bit guilty. Sure they had never been together but she'd always hoped they would. But that ship had sailed long ago, he could only see her as a friend. Pushing off the door she headed back to the tower taking off her mask and the charms on the way. She was better off pining for a boy she could actually have.