Chapter one - the unexpected valentine poem

"February 14th, the same Valentine day every year," said Hermione Granger, stretching and getting out of bed. "Any poems yet, Ginny?"

Ginny showed not much sign of concentration. "Hmm? Oh, I don't think so." Ginny gave a weak smile. "Same every year. Luckily the house elves are delivering poems much better and more private. Unlike what happened in my first year."

Hermione smiled. "Of course I know you don't want it to happen again. But now you're in sixth year, you shouldn't be too shy about it."

"And I don't like Harry as much anymore I suppose," said Ginny.

"I'm glad he's passed on from Cho," said Hermione. "But I don't know who he'd concentrate on at the moment."

Rap - a - tap - tap.

"Who is it?" said Hermione.

"It's Dobby, here to send.a message."

"Oooh, Hermione, some 'secret' admirer?" said Ginny.

"If it's Viktor, I will refuse to get with him again, ever," snapped Hermione. "Dobby, come in, none of the girls are getting changed. They're all putting make up on."

Dobby creaked the door open, as if it could have been the wind pushing it. Noticing how small he was, if they didn't know Dobby or his kind, then they would have been rather shocked by hearing a voice.

"This one is probably the best so far," said Dobby proudly.

"Honestly?" said Hermione.

"Do I lie?" whispered Dobby.

I'm Sorry...

For all the mean things I might have said.

I'm Sorry...

For all the things I did or didn't do.

I'm Sorry...

If I ever ignored you.

I'm Sorry...

If I ever made you feel bad or put you down.

I'm Sorry...

If I ever thought I was bigger or better than you.

I Love You...

Don't ever forget that! Through bad times and good,

I'll always be here for you.

"Who is it from?" asked Ginny.

"I don't know, but it isn't Viktor's handwriting," muttered Hermione. "I don't even recognise it, it's way too neat to be a boy's handwriting."

"My brother is neat enough, and same with Harry," said Ginny.

"But it's good handwriting. Too good." Hermione tried to find fingerprints. "Well, whoever this was, I hope it wasn't Malfoy."

Ginny snorted. "Doubt it would be."

Hermione was tired and sick of those grey eyes and that slick blonde hair. His attitude in his voice. His detest for Harry. His father was a death eater, and killed many families. Maybe Draco would follow the footsteps as his own father. His father deserved to die.

"That is a good poem, Dobby," said Ginny, breaking the silence between them and the girls who were half way through make up, coming over to see the parchment.

"Have a vague idea at least, Hermione?" asked Parvati.

Hermione shook her head. The last person she'd expect was Draco, and definitely not Harry. And Ron and her bicker a lot, and Viktor should have got the message by now.

But it seems a sort of apology Draco would need to make. It started to scare her slightly.

"Well, I'm gonna finish off, if you don't mind," said Lavender.

"Same," said Parvati."

Hermione frowned. Who would want to apologise to her most in the world like this? Definitely not Draco, not Draco.

She hoped it wasn't Draco. He hated Muggles, so it couldn't be.

~*ยง*~

Harry sighed at breakfast. Yet again, this Valentine's Day would either be embarrassing (seeing his second year, thanks to Ginny) or very empty at heart. He had given up on impressing Cho. He drank his coffee in some silence, spotting a red head, with a prefect badge.

Now in his seventh year, he followed his father's footsteps. Indeed his father was too much in detention to become a prefect, but he became much more mature and became Head Boy. Ron had kept his post as Prefect. Harry knew that Remus was a prefect instead of his own father and Sirius.

Sirius.

It has been two years since his horrible death. The death Harry blamed himself for. Dumbledore blamed himself at the time, in Harry's rage. Harry sobered in the end, but now his feelings were balanced out, controlling his revision for NEWTs, and as Professor McGonagall advised him if he wanted to be an Auror, he would have to take Potions.

Snape was much nicer these days. Well, nicer than usual anyways. He has been in at least a couple of incidents with Harry, and Snape came to know that Harry disliked the bigheaded idiot his own father was at fifteen, but felt very lucky as he matured and became more serious -

There's that word again. Serious. Just have to add an I and take out the E and the O, and what do you get -

"Ah, pancakes this morning," said Ron cheerfully. "What's wrong, Harry? Disappointed no girls love you?" He added a grin. "I'm sure you're get one, it's your last here." Harry turned his pale face. "Unless." Ron swallowed his pancake. "Oh."

"Nothing to fret about," said Harry, a bit more cheerfully. "I've had a good breakfast, nobody singing a poem this year."

Ron cracked a grin. "Of course, I will remember that very well. 'His eyes are as green as - '"

"Shuddap," said Harry, shooting a glance.

Hermione walked through the doors, pausing for a moment to talk to a Ginny, reassuring her that her hair looked okay. Harry was first to notice, and waved to her.

Was it Harry who sent the poem?

Hermione smiled and waved back, seeing if Ron noticed. He was too busy swallowing his bit of pancake.

"Well, I'm off," said Ron. "Got a bit of business. Fred and George wanted me to look at their new magazine and send a reply on what I think today, so I'll chuck it out of the way first."

Ron walked to the doors raised his eyebrows.

"Well, who's trying to look impressive today?" said Ron. He gave a small nod. "I've never seen my sister very.um.nice.and Hermione, you look a lot different.sorta what you did at the Yule Ball, remember?"

Hermione nodded and smiled. "I'm hoping whoever wrote me the poem is in the hall somewhere. I really want to know who it is."

"Oh, someone wrote a poem did they?" teased Ron. "Someone's got a crush."

"It was such an adorable one as well," said Hermione. "I loved it. But it sounds like Draco turning the other way, as if he was apologising for the stuff he's put me through. But he wouldn't apologised, so whoever sent this must be really sorry of when they were mean and wants to set things straight."

"To be honest, it reminds me of Harry's parents," said Ron. "Now, business for me to do."

He whistled up the stairs.

"Oh yeah, good luck with the boys today, hope you both have dates for the ball, cause I certainly do," said Ron.

"I've got one," said Ginny.

"This poet might do you good, Hermione," said Ron.

"Who's your date?" asked Ginny.

"You'll laugh," said Ron.

"No we won't," said Ginny.

"Well, I can tell my sister, she won't laugh," said Ron. "Cause she wouldn't know what we're on about." Ron tugged the collar of her sister's shirt. "Want to know?"

"Oh come on Ron," said Hermione.

"You'll laugh at me tonight," said Ron. "Anyway, I'm surprised you haven't got one yet."

Ron quickly whispered into Ginny's ear. Ginny giggled.

"Tell a soul and you die," said Ron.

"Like I will," said Ginny. "I will laugh though."

"Sorry Hermione, but it's a siblings thing, she understands," said Ron. "I see you as.well.not exactly another sister I never had - "

"Watch it," said Ginny.

"Well.look, I have to go, okay?"

Ron ran upstairs and waved good luck.

"Oh well, I'll laugh a lot in his face tonight," said Hermione. She felt a pang of jealously in her stomach. She frowned, confused at this pang. "Who is it then?"

Ginny showed her lips were sealed. Hermione rolled her eyes and entered the hall, where Harry sat, confused.

"Hermione, an owl for you," said Harry. "Somebody inviting you to be his partner."

"It's the guy I got a poem from!" said Hermione.