Tiny hearts floated through the Gryffindor Common room, a charm Dumbledore had placed to follow around the students for Valentine's Day. One to represent their own heart and any others as the hearts of those who wished to be that person's valentine. Hermione looked over at her own single heart bobbing and spinning beside her, it wasn't that she was desperate for a valentine but she had hoped for at least one person to consider it. Was she that unwanted? Harry had fifteen of the bloody things twirling around him, Ginny had six and even Ron had two.

She kept her head down finishing off her charms essay, trying to pretend the one little heart she had wasn't bothering her. Why had she decided to do this in the common room where giggling students were excitedly telling their friends who they wanted their extra heart to belong to? Her jaw clenched as she continued to focus on her work, but the noise and chatter was driving her mad. She needed to get out of here. She finished off her sentence and packed away her things. She wanted to be alone, alone just like the heart circling her head.

Her eyes were trained on the ground in front of her, she didn't care where she was going, she just wanted a place she could hide away from everyone and their stupid happy hearts. Her steps slowed when she realised she was in a deserted corridor. She spotted a statue alcove not far from where she was and heads of towards it to hide.

She felt a bit better now not surrounded by people that were having a good time, but her heart still felt heavy in her chest. It shouldn't be bothering her as much as it was. Her little heart seemed to sense her sadness and began twisting and flipping in front of her in order to entertain her. It made little noises that to her sounded like "weeeee!" and "woohoo!" It made her lips quirk up into a sad smile, but soon that smile had slipped from her face as tears leaked from her eyes. Her teeth chattered and lips wobbled trying to suppress the sobs escaping her. She pushed her face into her arms to muffle the noise and closed her eyes shut, blocking out the world.

Not even one person in the entire castle had thought of her for a valentine. She had been thinking of Ron, how stupid of her. He had been so proud of his hearts, showing them off to her in the morning, asking her during class who she thought it could be, listing names of the girls he hoped it was. She'd been holding on to the small hope that at some point during the day he'd think of her and another cute heart would pop into existence to join hers, but now that hope was dead. A part of her hoped that one of his hearts disappeared now that she had given up on being his valentine.

She heard voices echo down from the end of the corridor. The distinct distain of Draco Malfoy's drawling voice made her stiffen. She didn't want him to find her here, crying her eyes out about having no valentine, he didn't need anymore things to pick on her for.
"This things really pissing me off." Crabbe said swatting at the red heart twirling and bumping into his nose.
"Oh shut up, you only have one, I have four of the damn things, one keeps messing up my hair." Malfoy glared over his shoulder as his hearts flew around aimlessly through the air. "I can't wait till this stupid holiday is over."
"Who do you think yours are from Malfoy?" Goyle asked, he too only had one tiny heart, his had taken to rubbing itself against his cheek.
"I don't care, it's probably Pansy."
"That's only one" he replied.
"I don't know... Maybe Grangers got herself a secret crush on me and is hoping I'll fall for her ahahaha. As if!" Malfoy's laughter rang though the hallway. "I saw she only had one heart, guess Weasel doesn't like swotty Mudbloods, no one does!"
She felt her breath catch in her throat. She tried to reason with herself that it was just Malfoy being a prat but her already hurt feelings were making it difficult. What if he was right? Maybe no one does like her. Maybe no one ever would, these over exaggerated fears wouldn't stop, she knew it couldn't be true but even her logic couldn't stop them from piercing her heart. More tears poured from her eyes, she glanced up as the trio walked right passed her hiding spot, she was shocked to see Goyle was turned towards her, eyes staring right back into hers. This was it, surely he'd tell Malfoy and they'd all have a good laugh at her expense. Another tear rolled down her cheek and she closed her eyes waiting...waiting...nothing. Their footsteps carried on down the hall.

She waited a little longer hiding behind the statue. For whatever reason Goyle had not ratted her out to his friend she'd rather not hang around long enough to find out why. Her little heart if possible seemed more excited than it had been before almost flying straight into her eye with a tiny "weeeee!" It bumped her cheek twice before spiralling upwards over her head. She wiped her eyes dry and crawled on her hands and knees to peak out from her hiding spot. Her vision was obscured by a pair of legs, she felt her stomach drop. She dared to look up hoping not to see the blond prat looking down at her. She found herself having to crane her neck higher that she had expected to, and she was now looking up at the incredibly large Gregory Goyle.

"You were crying." He said softly, softer than she had ever thought possible for him. "I don't like when girls cry." She was still looking up at him but had not responded yet, it was making him nervous. He wasn't very good at talking to people, Draco was, he'd be able to think of something to say. Then again Draco was probably the worst person she could talk to right now to make her feel better, he'd probably make her feel worse. He decided talking wasn't working for him and stuck out his hand offering it to her. Her eyes lowered to the big hand and then back up to his face. Just as he was about to lower it he felt a tiny pressure on his fingers. Her hand was cold but he didn't mind so much, his thumb came to rest over the back of her hand and she was effortlessly pulled onto her feet.
"Thanks." Hermione said finally, he grunted in reply. A silence fell over them, Hermione not knowing what to say and Greg keeping his mouth shut so as to not frighten her away. Her charmed heart decided then would be a good time to lodge itself in her hair where it became stuck and couldn't escape, she tugged at the hair surrounding it as it squirmed making it even more difficult to reach. Her hands were suddenly pulled away from her hair and replaced with much larger ones. She prepared herself for the pain of hair being ripped from her skull but it never came, instead she felt the gentle tap of her heart on her forehead as it was set free to wander where it pleased again. The Slytherin in front of her was surprising her and she didn't know what to say. He had been surprisingly gentle with her so far.
"You only have one heart." He bluntly stated realising too late that was not something she wanted to hear. "I only have one too." He gave her his best attempt at a comforting smile, but it came out lopsided and slightly strained. His magical heart twirled through the air above them. She exhaled a shaky breath and sniffed quickly. Another long pause of silence fell over them.
"I really wanted to pretend I didn't care." She said, "It shouldn't be a big deal really... But it hurts to know no one wants to be my Valentine and these hearts make it so obvious I have no one and... I'm sorry you don't want to hear me complain. I'm going to get back to my common room before its time to go down for dinner." She felt a bit dull, empty almost, not sad anymore but not happy, not really feeling anything she began to walk back to the moving staircase.
"You want a Valentine?" His asked, his question caused her to stop.
"No... I don't want a Valentine."
"I'm confused." Greg tried his best to figure out what she meant. "Didn't you just say you did?"
"Kinda." Now he was really lost on what she was talking about. "I don't want a Valentine just for the sake of the holiday, I just want someone to care." She had turned back around to leave again. He stood in place thinking about what she said.
"I... I could be your valentine..." He sounded unsure, he'd never been anyone's valentine before, maybe there were things he had to do he didn't know about. She'd tell him, she knew everything.
"What...?"
"I could be... your valentine."
"Didn't you hear what I said?"
"You want someone to care." She was about to respond when a light popping sound caught her attention. She turned to see her little heart wizz passed her face, and then again in the same direction... or wait... how did it do that so quickly? She saw a smile spread across Goyle's face and followed his gaze over her head, to see two hearts twirled aimlessly in the air. Her words caught in her throat, no way that was Goyle, right? He must be faking it surely... Except she had tried to test the charm earlier that morning. Hearts weren't able to be duplicated or faked, she had guiltily had an attempt at both, and no amount of pretending could cause someone else to gain an extra heart either. So then... Her heart swelled feeling warm and fuzzy. She heard her heart beat in her ears and she was sure she was as red as a tomato. She was being silly, this was GOYLE for Merlin's sake, but maybe he wasn't so bad. He hadn't been at all like what she had thought he was like.
"Thank you, this... you dont know how much it means to me, really."
He nodded back at her with another lopsided smile.
"Draco's gonna realise I'm gone, so uh... bye." He spun on his heel feeling embarrassed and trudged down the corridor. She watched him go, with her heart still pounding in her chest, a thought crossed her mind.

She saw him stop abruptly and stand in place for a while. She didn't need to see his face to know that he was shocked. Though slightly difficult to see she spotted them, two little hearts spinning in a circle in front of him. They floated up and around his head together just as her own two were. They seemed to be mirroring each other now.
"Happy Valentine's Day, Greg." she called, loud enough for him to hear and then made her way back to the staircase. With dinner not too far away she chose to go to the Library before showing off her hearts to everyone.

************************************
Taking a deep breath she pushed open the double doors and entered the Grand Hall. She was positively glowing with pride as she walked down the centre of the hall towards her friends at the Gryffindor table for dinner. Over her shoulder two small hearts spun around one another, twirling their way in front of her and then over her other shoulder. She couldn't keep the smile off her face. Harry was the first to mention it saying she looked especially cheerful and asked what the reason was.
"Don't be daft Harry, can't you see it?" Ginny said bumping her elbow into his ribs.
"Ow Ginny, see what?"
"Hermione's valentine hearts, they are dancing together, that means she and her valentine both feel the same about each other. Look at yours, only two are together, that's me and you." Harry's face burned and looked back at his flock of floaty red hearts, while most were rolling through the air in any which way direction two were orbiting one another, the little dance brought a smile to his face.

"So who is it Hermione?" She asked, she had felt bad for her friend earlier seeing as she had only one lone heart and her idiot brother had been talking her ear off about his own, serves him right that he had lost one.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you, Gin." Hermione grinned letting her mind wander back to her Slytherin Valentine.
"Slytherin."
"How'd you know he's Slytherin!" Hermione's eyes widened
"Ahah just a guess Hermione. So now you have to tell me who it is. You can whisper it." The red head leaned as close to Hermione as she could, halfway across Harry, who was listening intently to the conversation but keeping quiet. "It's not Malfoy is it?" Harry's drink came shooting out of his mouth and nose.
"Please no, Hermione." He said wiping his face.
"It's not Malfoy."
"Thank Merlin."
"It's Goyle." She whispered as softly as she could, hoping no one else would eavesdrop on them.
"WHAT!? Hermi-" Harry's mouth was quickly covered by his girlfriend, her face frozen in shock.
"Really?" A nod from Hermione confirmed it. "Him? How...? What
Hermione only smiled, not giving anything away. "I'll tell you later"
"Wow... Well, I'm happy for you. We're happy for you, aren't we Harry?"
"...As long as you're happy. You are, aren't you?"
Her head turned, looking over to the Slytherin table. Greg sat next to Crabbe, dinner untouched, he was too in awe at the hearts flying above his plate. He looked like he still didn't believe they were actually there. She turned back to Harry beaming at him.
"Yes, I am very happy."