Quaffles, Anyone?

Chapter Fifteen

Signs

Harry walked up the hallway carrying a bouquet of flowers. He walked into the hospital wing doors to find Hermione sleeping peacefully at the bed. Harry smiled and walked up to side and placed the bouquet of flowers inside an empty vase at the end table. Harry sat on a chair beside the bed and just looked at Hermione's sleeping state. Harry saw Hermione turned her head so the back of her head was to Harry. Her sleek and straight hair made Harry want to stroke it. Harry saw her hand and held it. It was nice being here with her. No one, just Hermione in the room and him, Harry looked at his watch, only four hours has passed since the Quidditch match. Harry hoped Hermione was okay, she took quite a beating from the Willow back there.

“She'll be fine, don't worry” said a voice in the corner of the wing that made Harry jump. It was Fiyuna sitting at a hospital bed reading a book

“Fiyuna” Harry said “What are you doing here?”

“I came to visit Hermione then planned to wait here for a while then you came in and I didn't want to disturb your little moment back there” Fiyuna closed the book and walked to Harry “She's pretty, isn't she?”

Harry looked at Hermione who was looking at his direction

“Yeah” Harry said stroking her hand “She is”

“Can you tell me how you two met?” Fiyuna said sitting beside Harry

“We didn't really hit it off” Harry said chuckling “Ron and I became friends the moment we knew each other, Hermione however was a different story”

“Why?” Fiyuna asked “What happened?”

“We didn't get along because she was acting all bossy around us, telling us off, getting irritated at us when we disturb her at her studies or bragging that she can do her school work better than anyone”

“She has bragging rights” Fiyuna said smiling “you know that”

“Anyway” Harry continued “the climax was when we insulted behind her back”

“You did that?” Fiyuna said aghast at this piece of information

“Yes, we would imitate her bossy lines and we would laugh at Ron's insults at her”

“I see” Fiyuna said “Continue”

“Then she heard us” Harry said still stroking Hermione's hand “Boy, instead of saying a bossy quote saying that she doesn't care she pushed me out of the way and I saw her face” Harry paused. Retelling this story made Harry feel bad that such a great person would be his best friend “she was crying”

“You toed the line, didn't you?” Fiyuna said nodding

“Yeah and during Halloween she wasn't there because she was crying at the girl's bathroom” Harry inhaled and exhaled “then when a troll showed up that night, we were all going back to our common room and we almost forgot her”

“Hermione must have gotten a fright when she saw the troll”

“Yeah” Harry said “Ron and I found her being cornered by a mountain troll at the girl's bathroom. She was so frightened yet relieved that of all people, we, the ones who insulted her came to save her” Harry could have sworn Hermione's hand made a brief grip on his hand “We were able to knock the troll out with a little magic then Professor McGonagall found us and she was furious but Hermione here” Harry gestured to Hermione “covered for us and we were grateful so we became best friends till now and she made my life easier, mind you”

“Because she helps you in your homework?” Fiyuna smirked

“No” Harry said “A bit, she helps us in our homework but she always stood by us and sometimes she would sacrifice anything just to make us safe. Like in my third year”

“What about your third year?”

“Me and Ron alienated Hermione because she did wrong -” Harry paused then said “let me repeat that. She did right things for the right reasons”

“Like what?”

“One time she stood up to me and said that if I go back to Hogsmeade without a permission slip, she'd tell Professor McGonagall. I realized back there how an amazing person she can be. Just to make me safe, she made me hate her but I don't, I know she meant well”

“I know that” Fiyuna held Harry's shoulder

“Then the worst thing about that year was when I was more attentive with the Firebolt than our friendship, she felt so bad that we were angry with her when she told McGonagall that the broomstick might be sent by Sirius”

“But it was sent to you buy Sirius”

“Yeah” Harry said “I felt really bad that she tried to save me and instead of saying a thank you, I got angry with her” Harry paused “I remembered the look on her hurt face when I got mad at her for what she did. She didn't shout back, she was just silent looking sad, I didn't know why but when I realized that she was hurt that I didn't say thank you for saving my life. I remembered that night” Harry looked out the window and started thinking that night in his third year…

That night he lost the Firebolt to McGonagall

“What did you go running to McGonagall for?”

Hermione threw her book aside. She was still pink in the face, but stood up and faced Ron defiantly.

Because I thought - and Professor McGonagall agrees with me - that that broom was probably sent to Harry by Sirius Black!”

There was slight pause

“You idiot!” Ron shouted to Hermione making her walk back and sat down to the chair she was sitting at “Why'd you tell that to a professor?”

“I'm sorry” Hermione said quietly “I was just trying to -”

“Now you are apologizing!” said Ron loudly “You know what? First there was that stupid cat and now the Firebolt? How many times do we have to make everything your way?”

“I did it just to save Harry's life” Hermione defended her eyes swelling up with tears “And if you -”

“But if you say that Black did send Harry the broom, how would you expect him to prance into a broom shop and buy it? Use your large brain, Hermione! I can't even explain to myself how you can walk properly with that large thing in your head!”

Harry saw Hermione look hurt when Ron said this

“Ron” Harry said “Stop it”

“Harry” said Ron “that traitor - who happens to be your best friend - over there just cost you the best broom ever”

“But I did it -” Hermione said fitting back tears

“Shut up” Ron said defiantly

Harry didn't know what to do, stop Ron from taunting at Hermione or get angry at her

“Hear me out, please!” Hermione cried tears falling down her cheeks “I'm sorry okay? I did it because I want Harry to be happy -”

“Happy?” Harry said irritably before he could stop himself “Hermione, I'm not happy right now, you just cost me the best broom in the world!” his voice rising as Hermione started covering her face with a pillow only her eyes were visible from the top

“I only did it because you're my best friend!” Hermione said under the pillow her eyes reddening “I don't want you to get hurt! I'm sorry okay?”

“I think it will be a lot better if you take a hike” Ron said finally making Harry look at him alarmingly “You've done enough damage to our lives already, firstly, that cat, secondly you're bossing around gig and now this!”

Hermione hiccupped and Harry saw her crying as she covered her face behind the pillow

“I said sorry already” she squeaked closing her eyes tightly “I care for both of you”

“This is new” Ron said angrily “I don't even see you stand up to yourself, you always have the words but why now? Gotten soft? Or are you just quiet since you know we are right” Ron turned his back to Hermione and started muttering

Hermione sniffed and looked at Harry with her chocolate brown eyes

“I'm sorry Harry, I really am” she said tears going down her face

“I think” Harry said his emotions mixing in him “Ron and I should've left you with that mountain troll back at Halloween”

As if this was the climax, Hermione stood up and dropped the pillow which was already damp with tears. Her lip trembled and she walked pass them, Harry noticed she was putting her hand over mouth and she started crying as she climbed up the staircase then later they heard a loud sob and a slam of the door

“She deserved it” Ron said but Harry felt like he said the most disgusting word to Hermione… Ron and I should've left you with that mountain troll…

“We don't need her” Ron said “She'll just make our lives miserable”

Harry didn't mean what he said… he was just so angry he blurted that out… Harry hoped he would make amends with her

“This sucks” Ron said “I'm taking a walk, want to come with me?”

Harry nodded and followed suit

“That was very mean” Fiyuna said looking at Harry

“I know” Harry said looking at Hermione who was just sleeping soundly “I didn't mean to, I was just so angry with Hermione I had to say something to make pay back”

“But saying `we should've left you with that troll' was so low” Fiyuna said “Did you said sorry?”

“No” Harry said “But we forgot about that night”

“Hermione loves you. That is why she would do anything to keep you safe even if that means sacrificing your friendship” Fiyuna said

“I feel bad that Ron and I made her suffer this much and here she is… safe and sound” said Harry looking at Hermione “I'd do anything to make her safe even if that means getting myself hurt”

Fiyuna hugged Harry

“You are so nice Harry” and for the first time in their friendship Fiyuna kissed Harry in the cheek. She released the hug and smiled at Harry then someone came in, it was Elvis holding three balloons. The first saying “It's a boy!” the second “Happy Birthday!” and lastly “Merry Christmas”

“I said `Get Well Soon' balloons!” Fiyuna said giggling at Elvis

“They ran out of `Get Well Soon' balloons. At least I didn't come here empty handed” Elvis said smiling “Here's the change” he gave Fiyuna three Sickles

Fiyuna tied the three balloons to Hermione's bed and said

“Nice flowers, did you get them Harry?” she asked

“Yeah” Harry said “Actually, Rapticon Sr. didn't need them so he gave them to me so I thought - you know”

“Awww” Elvis said grinning under his fedora

Harry blushed and stroked Hermione's hair which he was itching to do since he came here

“I think me and Elvis will go” Fiyuna said “See ya Harry!”

“But I just got here!” Elvis complained

“I said let's go” Fiyuna said

“Oh” Elvis said nodding “I get it”

Harry saw Fiyuna waved at him and without minutes to spare they left

- - -

Even though everyone saw Rapticon Sr.'s battle mode back at the match last Saturday, he was acting as if he didn't fend off dementors

“That's why this weekend I'll be digging out corpses for our hands-on activity of mummifying a body. Don't forget to bring your mummifying tools next week” Rapticon Sr. turned to the class and was surprise to see the class looking a bit timid

Rapticon Sr. gave out a sigh

“I know that you are still registering that memory of me fighting dementors and seeing me being a jolly chap is kind of weird right?”

The classes mumbled in agreement

“I'll give you all a treat” he went to his desk “I'll postpone today's lesson if you promise me that you will be more human, okay?”

“Yes, Professor” Hermione said

“Good!” said Rapticon Sr. as the class became noisy with all the talking

“Ever since Professor Raptor used that sword I feel very uncomfortable around that that sword” Ron said as they walked to the Charms classroom

Harry nodded in agreement and noticed Hermione was acting quiet

“Hermione, are you alright?” Harry asked

She looked up as if she was awaken from a dream and looked at Harry

“I'm fine” she said smiling to him

Ever since talking about his past with Fiyuna, Harry felt a bit uncomfortable around Hermione who seems to be a bit slow at walking ever since she was released from the hospital wing. Harry saw Hermione stopped as she held the corridor wall with her hand she closed her eyes for a long time

“Hermione are you sure you're okay?” Harry asked again

“It's just this potion Madam Pomfrey make me took” Hermione said still closing her eyes “she says it can make you a bit dizzy and a bit weak since it makes the inside bruises go away”

“Do you want me to carry your bag?” Ron asked

Hermione nodded and removed her burden and handed it to Ron

“Hey” Ron said “Help her”

Harry went to Hermione and held her arm trying to help her to the classroom

“Thanks” Hermione said Harry noticed she was blushing a bit

With Ron in the lead, Harry held Hermione's arm as they entered the classroom filled with students but something was weird because Harry noticed Lavender and Parvati looking at him with wide eyes then they started whispering to each other. Harry looked to Dean and Seamus, they were smirking at him

“You sit here” Ron said dropping Hermione's bag to three empty tables at the back

Hermione sat at the chair and started rubbing her tummy as she closed her eyes

“Anything you want?” Harry asked sitting beside her

“Just wake me up when Professor Flitwick is there” she grabbed her Charms book and used it as a pillow as she slept

Harry smiled as he stroked Hermione's hair then he just looked at her for a long time

Then he heard giggling. Harry realized he was stroking Hermione's hair in front of Ron and more than thirty students in the classroom. He looked up and saw Lavender and Parvati smirking at him from the front, Dean and Seamus were grinning at him and some Gryffindors were smirking at Harry and Ron was looking at him in amusement

“Since when do you do that?” Ron said

Harry stayed silent as he turned red as Ron's hair. He was saved when Professor Flitwick came to begin the lesson

“Hey Harry” Parvati said at the end of the lesson “How's Hermione? Or should I say Mrs. Harry Potter?” Parvati and Lavender left the room making Harry very red in the face. Hermione went to Harry who came from talking to Professor Flitwick

“Hey” Hermione said “Why are you red as an apple?” she added smiling

“It's just a little thing” Harry said wryly

“C'mon, Ron went to the bathroom. Let's get something to eat” she said hoisting her bag up to her shoulders and shook her head slightly and tied it to a ponytail with a band. Harry's jaw nearly dropped when he saw how pretty Hermione was when she was in a ponytail

“This could take a while” Hermione said giving her ponytail a stylish look “There, much better” Hermione then looked around the room. Harry also looked around the room and only Professor Flitwick and they were in the room except Professor Flitwick was too busy with the board

“So” Hermione said walking to Harry “Madam Pomfrey says that you kept on visiting me. Is that true?” she smirked at him

Harry pretended he was fixing his bag so he wouldn't be facing her

“Yeah” Harry said “But I would usually catch you sleeping so my visits were brief”

Hermione giggled

“Actually, there was one time though” Hermione said going closer to Harry “You were with Fiyuna correct?”

Harry looked at Hermione's face

“Y-yeah” Harry said nervously “Except that visit, I had nowhere to go so I stayed”

“I heard you and Fiyuna talking, to tell you the truth” she said “I heard everything… I didn't mean to eavesdrop because I felt someone holding my hand then I saw you and Fiyuna talking and I didn't want to interrupt the both of you”

“Hermione, its fine” Harry said “Er - did you hear everything?”

“Especially the part when you retold that night during our third year” Hermione somehow sounded sad at this part

There was a slight pause

“I'm sorry about that Hermione” Harry finally said “You know I really didn't mean that”

Hermione smiled

“I know, you were just angry… you will never say anything like that and mean it”

Harry was about to give Hermione a hug but she looked at Harry nervously

“Why?”

“Er - I don't feel like being hugged since I - er - have that rib thing going on and you might break it” Hermione said gingerly

“I see”

Harry and Hermione stared at each and both exchanged smiles

“You know, when you saved me from the Whomping Willow I felt safe when you and Ron came even though you would call me names back in first year”

“I'll always come for you no matter what” Harry said “Even if we came from a heated argument then something happens to you and Ron… I'll be coming for both of you”

Hermione looked down and smiled

“Fiyuna is right when she said you always have something nice to say for someone”

“I think we should go now” Harry said and Hermione agreed

Harry and Hermione went out of the classroom and Harry's stomach nearly did a somersault when he saw Parvati and Lavender looking at them with fits of giggling

“Just ignore them” Harry said before Hermione could ask

They went down to the Great Hall for lunch and met Ron there snacking on sandwiches

“What took you?” Ron asked

“I think they were having a little snog” Ginny said giggling

“Shut up Ginny” Ron snapped

“Professor Flitwick wanted to talk to me” Hermione said quickly “And Harry was fixing his bag”

They both sat down and Harry reached for the last sandwich on the plate but was later bumped by Hermione's hand. She too was reaching for the last sandwich

“You take it” Harry said

“No, you take it” Hermione said at once

“It's okay, I'll just wait for the next batch to come”

“Just take it Harry” Hermione said

“I know” Harry said taking the sandwich “Let's share it” he cut it and saw that they were uneven so he gave the biggest piece to Hermione

As Harry was eating his half he saw Ginny mouthing to him `You are sharing' and gave him a wink

Harry swallowed his sandwich and felt like taking out his calendar he made for himself before the start of term… today is the twelfth of February

“Ooooh!” Parvati said from the other side of the table “It's Valentine's Day and it's a Hogsmeade weekend! This gonna be fun, Lavender”

“Don't they ever shut up?” Ron said irritatingly as he took a chicken leg “As if they want the whole school to know that they like to gossip”

Harry laughed and saw Hermione looking a bit disgruntled

“Why are you looking ticked off?” Harry asked Hermione

“Valentine's Day” Hermione said irritably “Every year while everything seems to pass me by I just stay at the common room dateless… that's why I'll never find anyone”

“H-How about Viktor?” Harry asked

“Viktor? He won't be back till April” Hermione said looking at the ceiling

“But you make great Valentine's Day cards” Harry said

“Yes but they have nothing in them, all they just say is `Happy Valentine's Day, You make my life perfect! Love, Hermione' every year that's what I write in the cards and none of them even replied to me” she said disappointingly

Harry nearly coughed on his pumpkin juice… he was one of the people who received Hermione's Valentine's Day cards

“That's why” Hermione said “I'm not very fond of the day of love… it gets sad for me”

Harry frowned when Hermione continued on with the rest of her lunch and he looked at Ron who was just engaged in conversation with Ginny. After eating, Harry just listened to Hermione's lecture about what if she grew up and still didn't find anyone

“It will be like” Hermione said “You and Ron will be married to someone and I'm still the old lady who lives in a stinky old apartment with her forty seven cats! And they all look like Crookshanks!”

“Hermione, calm down” Ginny said “You will find someone” she winked at Harry “You just have to wait”

“That's what Fiyuna said to me” Hermione said looking at Ginny

“Fiyuna can be a character sometimes” Ginny shrugged her shoulders

Hermione groaned

“I just hope I can endure Valentine's Day… Well, since your next class is Divination I'll be off… See ya Ron, bye Harry” she stood up and left the Great Hall

- - -

Valentine's Day came and Harry felt sick of it since at this very same day last year, he and Cho had an abysmal date and the reason was Hermione which made smile at the fact that Cho was jealous of Hermione. Today was another Hogsmeade weekend and since Ron needed to get Honeyduke's sweets for his folks back home, this meant that Harry had to stay at the common room with Hermione who was just doing some schoolwork at her usual studying spot while Harry sat at the nearby armchair

“This is getting stupid” Hermione said breaking the silence between the two of them “Today is a nice day and I'm getting irritated by this stupid schoolwork!” she said loudly making some first years jump

“Take a low down” Mark said sitting nearby reading a small book his hood still up “You're getting too pressured”

“Sorry Mark but I need this due at Monday, you know what Professor Raptor is when it comes to homework” Hermione said looking at Mark irritably

Mark chuckled

“Brainiacs” he said “tend to twist the opinions of others”

“Wha - ?” Hermione said but went back to her homework because she didn't want her temper to get to her

Harry smiled and saw Crookshanks climbing up to his lap so Harry can scratch the back of its ear

“But today is Saturday” said Mark “Why don't you go to Hogsmeade? I can't since I'm a first year”

“I don't want to” Hermione said looking out the window

“Why?” Mark said “Why are you such in a bad mood?”

“Valentine's Day makes her puke” Harry said finally

“I see” said Mark “I don't know why a girl like you would be dateless since you look fantastic”

“Thanks Mark but I'm fine here, thank you” Hermione said writing on some piece of parchment

“I really mean it” Mark said “You look prettier ever since the Christmas Ball and I'm baffled that you don't have a date for this day” Mark snorted “And if a guy asks you out and turns you down `cause you're a muggle then that's just plain stupid”

“Why'd you say that?” Harry asked

“Alex usually gives me stares as if I'm a slug since I'm a Muggle-born” said Mark sadly

“You're a Muggle-born?” Hermione asked surprisingly

“Yeah, why?”

“I never knew that” Hermione said “How did Alex knew you were Muggle-born?”

“He heard me talking about basketball to my mates, a very muggle thing if you ask me” said Mark at once

“I see” Hermione said “He's such a jerk, right?”

“I know” said Mark

“Do you ever show your face like ever?” Hermione said “You're like Fiyuna's little brother”

Mark laughed

“First of all, Fiyuna's not my sister and I rather keep my identity enigmatic, it's my choice” he looked at his wristwatch

“Why only now you're talking with us?” Harry asked

“James over there” he said pointing to James Rosenberg “kept on saying that I'm always isolated from the team because I'm silent so to get him away from my back I had to talk to one of you somehow”

“I find you an interesting character” Hermione said smiling “Mysterious”

“Thanks but no thanks Hermione” Mark said “If you are trying to start something between the two of us then we can't because I'm turning twelve next month and you are sixteen. There's an age gap”

“I'm just being polite!” Hermione said her cheeks turning pink “I'm not asking you to be my boyfriend” she added smiling “But you have the material, I'm just saying”

“But compared to Harry” Mark said making Harry look at him “He's got the boyfriend material” he looked at Harry “Ron told me you went out with a girl named Cho and you two broke up, right?”

“Er - yeah” Harry said frowning

“Breaking up with you would be Cho's biggest mistake” said Mark “Any girl will go out with you but since you are the famous Harry Potter, teenage hormones get to them… speaking of hormones” Mark smiled “I saw you two in the ball… great job”

Harry saw Hermione smiled while she wrote her essay

“Well” Mark stood up “there are three essays with my name on it and I think I'll do a Granger” he smiled at Hermione and climbed up the staircase to the boy's dormitory

“He's nice” Hermione said

“Yeah” said Harry “Did you sent him a Valentine?”

“Yes” Hermione said still writing

Harry stood up from his seat and he saw Hermione looking at him

“Where you going?” she asked

“I think I'll take a walk”

“But” Hermione said then she shook her head “Never mind… you go”

“You don't want me to go?” Harry asked smirking at her

“I didn't say that” Hermione said smiling

Harry shrugged and walked out of the portrait hole. When Harry walked out he met someone

“Hey!” it was Fiyuna. She took out a heart-shaped box and gave it to Harry

“This for you” she took out two more heart-shaped boxes “this for Hermione and Ron” she smiled “Happy Valentine's Day!” then she left

“Thanks!” Harry called after her. Harry shrugged and thought that he should give Hermione's present back in the common room so he went back to the portrait hole and he saw Hermione looking up the moment he entered

“Harry?” she asked surprisingly. Harry noticed she closed a small blue book and put it in her bag in quick fashion “I thought you went for a walk?”

“I came here to give you this” Harry said at once giving her the heart-shaped box “It's from Fiyuna” Harry added

Hermione opened the box which was filled with chocolates

“Remind me to thank her” she said taking a bite on one of the chocolates

“Yeah” Harry said “Do you mind giving this to Ron?”

“Sure” Hermione took the box and placed it in her bag

Harry looked at the table Hermione was working at, it had a lot of books, parchment paper, ink blots in some corners and Harry noticed a Valentine's card on the desk

“Who's owns that card?” Harry pointed to the card

“Oh” Hermione said “That was supposed to be for Viktor but he told me not send any cards since Bulgaria is right now too cold for the little owls”

Harry sat beside her

“I see you chose the same line like the past five years for your cards” Harry said

“That's all I use every year for all my Valentine's Day cards” Hermione said “I can't think of anything to say”

Harry took the card that was supposed to be Viktor's and read it `Happy Valentine's Day! You make my life perfect! Love, Hermione'

“`You make my life perfect' is like a running bit in my life already” Harry said

“I just added `perfect' since `great' or `nice' or `sparkle' sounded too plain or weird” Hermione explained “That's why I don't like Valentine's Day, I don't know what to say in the cards, I stay in the common room while everyone goes on a date, I can't concentrate with my studies since I get irritated with all the snogging and kissing in the area… and I rarely receive a Valentine and Ginny keeps on mentioning these true Valentine's to me”

“True Valentine?” Harry asked

“True Valentine” Hermione said “Like someone sends a card to you then something really meaningful is in it… not the cards that says nice things to you for the sake of it… something that means something to me”

Harry smiled at Hermione

“Tell me one”

“I” Hermione said sadly “never received one”

“I'm sorry” Harry said

“It is fine” Hermione smiled shifting some books to the other side of the table to get some elbow room “Besides, I hate Valentine's Day so I'm fine with it”

Harry saw more red cards at the other side of the table when Hermione moved the books

“What are those for?” Harry asked

“Those are extra Valentine's cards, they are already decorated with the colors, glitters and stuff but nothing says anything in them” Hermione frowned at them “You want to see?”

Harry half-heartedly nodded and Hermione gave one to him. Harry looked at the card which was beautifully made

“You made this?” Harry asked “Why didn't my card have this?”

“I made it and I have my reasons for not giving out those cards”

“It's brilliant”

Hermione smiled

“I get `A' pluses in Art class back at my muggle school after all”

Harry smiled and opened the card… there were more hearts here and there, silver glitters but no writing was in it… then Harry thought up of something

“Hermione, can I have this?” Harry said receiving a nod from Hermione

Then Harry stood up all of a sudden making Hermione look at him surprisingly

“What?” Hermione asked

“I-I just realized something” Harry said and ran up the boy's dormitories leaving Hermione puzzled with his sudden departure

Harry stayed at the empty dormitory looking at the card… he wanted to write something to Hermione… at least she had a Valentine… but what would he say?

“What meaningful thing to say to Hermione?” Harry said to himself. Harry took out the quill Fiyuna gave him last Christmas and placed the card on his end table beside his four poster bed so he had somewhere to write “Dear Hermione…” Harry wrote on the inside of the card then Harry paused then frowned “Thank you for all the - nah” Harry said thinking on what to write “How about… You've always been a great friend and I wish - no, to plain” Harry looked around as if the words were there then he thought

“I know… Dear Hermione, Happy Valentine's Day! I know we've been best friends for five years. I've never been this happy to have a friend like you…” Harry paused. He wasn't going to write it yet in the card so he took out some scratch parchment and wrote what he wanted to write “Dear Hermione, Happy Valentine's Day!” he wrote as he spoke “I know we've been best friends for five years. I've never been this happy to have a friend like you. I wish…” Harry sighed “I wish I can tell you that at one point this year I felt something in me that made me realize that you have the quality to be more that a friend to me - this is stupid!” Harry said crumpling the paper and tossing it across the room to Ron's bed's direction

Harry frowned at the blank card and thought of something say… Hermione was right when she said you can't find anything to say for Valentine's Day. Harry started thinking he couldn't do this alone… he needed to ask advice on how to write these kind of letters… who would be the person to have the “oomph!” to make a letter… Harry thought and thought and thought till he realized -

“I'm sorry, Harry” Rapticon Sr. said minutes later when Harry asked him in the entrance hall “But I'm not the kind of person to write these things… Besides, I hate it when things gets too mushy - hey you!” he pointed to two Ravenclaws kissing at a nearby corridor “Get a room! Anyway” He turned to Harry as they walked to the grounds “if you want some advice” Rapticon Sr. looked around as they walked to the shorelines of the lake “ask Elvis here” he said pointing to Elvis who was just standing by the shorelines “he might have something”

“Yes, sir?” Elvis asked

“Harry here has a bit of a problem and I believe you can help him with it” Rapticon Sr. said

“I'll be glad to help” Elvis said happily “What is it?”

“Go” Rapticon Sr. said to Harry

“Er - I have to make this card for someone and I -” Harry paused trying to avoid the smirks from Elvis “can't seem to have anything to say”

“How about… your eyes sparkle like the wonderful moonlight over Paris”

“Er - nothing too mushy” Harry said

Elvis chuckled

“Nothing too mushy, eh?” he rubbed his chin thoughtfully “How about… You're a great person! I hope our friendship can be strong or if you want, we can go to the next level”

Harry looked at Elvis suspiciously

“Why do I get the feeling you know who I want to write to?”

Harry heard Rapticon Sr. snicker behind him

“What do you mean, Harry?” Elvis said “I'm just helping you”

Harry looked at the lake looking disappointed

“This is hopeless” Harry said sitting on a nearby rock

“I'm sorry, Harry” Elvis said holding his shoulder “I just don't know anything to say to you at the moment but I know one technique that can help you”

“What is it?” Harry asked looking at the lake

“It's a very effective way to make the receiver see beyond the obvious” Rapticon Sr. said

“What do you mean?” Harry asked looking at Elvis and Rapticon Sr.

“If you want your card to mean something then you have to think of a very ironic thing about that certain someone” Elvis explained “Teenagers like that romantic crap”

Harry looked across the lake… Think ironically?

“Think of something that that person really despises and you can use that to your advantage” Elvis said

“She hates Valentine's Day” Harry said

“She hates it” Elvis rubbed his chin thoughtfully “then think of a Valentine's Day thingy that she does for the sake of it no matter how she hates Valentine's Day. C'mon, she's gotta do something”

“Sh-She writes cards to her friends” Harry said

“Anything else?”

“She writes in them `Happy Valentine's Day! You make my life perfect!' and no one ever bothers replying to her”

Elvis was thinking then

“Looks like I found what you can write after all!” he said triumphantly

“What?” Harry asked

“Just try to rethink what you said to me then you'll be just fine” Elvis said “Looks like I'm off to meet Dumbledore… see ya Harry, Rapticon Sr.” he nodded at them and left

“Looks like I'll be off or else my office will be filled with paper since Fiyuna's been making cards recently” Rapticon Sr. nodded to Harry and left

Harry looked up the sky and thought to himself `Rethink what I said?'

Harry remembered Hermione's cards… she's an `A' plus student in art class… that's cute, Harry thought. Then something hit him. Of course, why didn't he think it before? Think about something ironic… Harry grinned and ran up the castle. He had a card to finish

- - -

“Thanks for the chocolates, Ron” Harry said that late afternoon when Ron returned from Hogsmeade with bags of sweets and they were enjoying their last minutes before dinner by playing a game of Wizard's Chess

“Why would I forget about the two of you?” Ron said snacking on the chocolates Fiyuna gave to him earlier commanding his pawn to E-5

“Hey Ron, where's my present?” Seamus said jokingly “I saw you holding three bags of Honeyduke's sweets when you came in”

“I didn't buy for you” Ron said “If I did then I'll probably give you the Cockroach Clusters, here you go” Ron tossed a bag of the said sweets

“Thanks” Seamus said and left smiling

“Harry your turn” Ron said

Harry was looking at Hermione the whole time. She was behind the pile of books she was working on

“Oh yeah” Harry then commanded his bishop to capture the knight but it would say things like `Why me? Why not him?'

“Shut up you” Ron said to Harry's bishop

Harry looked back at Hermione who was looking around her area as if she was searching something

“By the way, how did Hermione do? Ever since she said she hates Valentine's Day I'm worried she might explode” Ron said to Harry

“Don't worry” said Harry looking at Hermione “she still happy”

“Good” Then Ron looked at his wristwatch “Let's go down for dinner, Harry. Hey Hermione” Ron called at her “Let's get something to eat”

“No, you go” Hermione said still looking around for something “I'll just be here… Have you seen my Astronomy book?”

“It's over there by the coffee table” Harry said grinning as Hermione walked to the other side of the common room

“C'mon Ron” Harry said standing up “Let's go to the Great Hall”

Ron nodded and both clambered up the portrait hole. Harry took a last glance and saw Hermione opening the Astronomy book only to find a red card stuck between the pages like a bookmark. Harry smiled and finally left the common room before he could see Hermione opening the red card

“Wow, this looks great” Ron said as they entered the Great Hall looking at the food as they took a seat

“Hey Harry!” it was Colin. He rushed to Harry and beamed at him

“Hello Colin” Harry said taking a chicken leg

“I know that it's been a while since I've taken your picture and me and my brother wished if we can take a recent photo of you”

Harry looked at Ron who just shrugged

“Er - sure Colin” Harry said

“Great! I'll just get my camera from my brother” Colin then started skipping to the other end of the table

“This is rich” Ron said smirking “Since when do you allow Colin to take your picture?”

“I'm just trying to get him of my shoulder” Harry said

Harry ate till he saw someone enter the Great Hall, it was Hermione. She seemed to be smiling nonstop as she walked to them

“I thought you weren't hungry?” Ron asked as Hermione took a seat beside Harry

“I changed my mind” she said in a high voice that were saved for times when she's overjoyed

Harry looked at her in the corner of his eye. She was biting her lower lip and she seem to be giving him brief glances

“I got it Harry!” Colin said with a camera followed closely by Dennis, his brother

“Hey can I join?” Ron asked

“Sure!” Colin said with enthusiasm as Ron stood up and stood behind Hermione and Harry

“How about me?” Dean asked nearby

“Go ahead!” Colin smiled broadly

“I want some of this” Seamus said “C'mon Parvati, Lavender”

Soon many Gryffindors were behind Harry as if this was a class picture while the other Houses looked on

“Hey! Professor!” Seamus called McGonagall “Come and join us!”

McGonagall just smiled and tried to deny their offer

“C'mon!” Ron said as the class urged her

McGonagall nodded and stood from the High Table and walked to the picture group

“Ready?” Colin said putting his camera to his face getting ready for a take

“Wait!” Dean said “This is our sixth year and Professor Raptor might not be here next year”

“I'm right here Dean” Rapticon Sr. said walking to the group and posing beside Mark and some first years

“Are you all ready?” Colin said smiling broadly than ever “In the count of three”

Harry looked at Hermione but when she saw him looking at her she just smiled broadly at him and giggled. She then gave him a look as if she wanted to say something to him yet she was smiling at Harry

“One… Two…” Colin said

Harry looked at the camera and gave his best smile

“Three!”

Click!

- - -

The picture was developed a day later and the picture was great. Everyone was doing poses, Seamus and Dean were like flexing their arms, while Parvati and Lavender made pretty faces and Ron was raising his hands in the air, while Ginny was being normal with her innocent smile. Rapticon Sr. was giving Mark a one arm hug and McGonagall was just there smiling and some of the other Houses would make extras in the corners of the picture. Harry was doing his best smile below Ron since he was sitting but Hermione who was beside Harry wasn't smiling at all, she wasn't even posing like the others… in fact, when Colin took the shot that night, she turned to Harry and gave him a kiss on his cheek.

You know why? Because when Harry and Ron left the common room for the Great Hall, Hermione found a red card inside her Astronomy book and inside the card it read:

Dear Hermione,

Happy Valentine's Day!

You make my life perfect! Always… I mean it, everything…

Love,

Harry