A/N – yea yea…I know…it's been a while. But I just got a laptop and it's a lot easier to write and update now xD. So, I should be able to finish my stories sooner than I would've before haha. But anyway, thanks for all the reviews! I loved 'em all! Keep dem coming please! Love y'all!

Footsteps sounded behind her, which was kind of odd considering all other students were still at breakfast. She was the only who wanted to get to class early enough to study before the bell rang. She turned around and saw Malfoy and Zabini walking in the same direction as her. Or more accurate, walking to her. They were smirking at her. She glared back then turned to keep walking.

"Hey, mud blood! What's your hurry?" Malfoy yelled.

"Yea girlie. We just want to talk!" Zabini laughed. Hermione didn't bother to respond to them. She just kept walking. Until Malfoy decided to rip her book bag from her shoulder and spill it all over the floor.

"Oh, really mature, Malfoy. Going to stick your tongue out at me too?" she asked as she picked her books back up.

"I just heard it was your birthday. I thought I'd give you a present in the dirt, where you belong." Zabini laughed and they walked away ahead of her.

Hermione rolled her eyes and decided to ignore their antics. They were just stupid Slytherin boys that didn't mean anything. Besides, it really was her birthday and she wanted to spend it happy. So she wouldn't let anyone get to her today.

When she got to the Potions classroom, Malfoy and Zabini were already there making a raucous. She groaned to herself and sat in the back where they weren't. She pulled out her Transfiguration book to work on an essay that wasn't due until the following week, but was already almost done. The boys' laughter drifted to her from the front of the room. She looked up just in time to have a wad of paper fall onto her forehead. She glared at them then looked back to her essay. They just laughed harder. Zabini 'whispered' to Malfoy that people like her shouldn't even be able to do potions. They caused her to lose her concentration so she put her work away and took out her reading book.

Stephanie sat at her desk staring at her paper. She once again couldn't put her thoughts down. Just thinking about him made her brain turn to mush. And being so terrified of losing him, she couldn't find the words. So she decided to let her pen do the writing. 'Nathan, never before have I…'

Another wad of paper to the top of her head. She brushed it off of her desk as it fell then went right back to reading.

'Nathan, never before have I felt this way about someone. The way you look at me. The way you hold me. Whenever I think about you, all I want is to be near you. You have to understand that it doesn't matter what you do, I'll always love you. Many people never have the chance to say these words to their loved ones, but I saw my…'

The door opened and more students shuffled into their dreaded Potions class. Malfoy and Zabini were still at the front laughing and cracking jokes at her. But she tried to get her concentration back. Again.

'Many people never have the chance to say these words to their loved ones, but I saw my chance and I took it, without a second thought. I need you in my life Nathan. Please don't disappear on me. Please forgive me for what I have done to you. I know I hurt you. It was a mistake, and you need to know that. You need to know that you are my everything. I love you, and I always will, no matter…'

This time, her book was snatched out of her hands and soon dropped onto Professor Snape's desk. "Class has begun. Pay attention Ms. Granger." Hermione sighed and stared at her book. "We'll be making a love potion today. Not by my choice, but because it is on the curriculum. Let it be known however, that if any of you choose to use this potion, you will be in my class room cleaning for the rest of the year. Is this understood?"

Heads nodded throughout the room. Hermione rolled her eyes as she couldn't see why anyone would want to force someone into loving them. She looked over to her right as she heard Ron whisper to Harry, "I call 'Mione as my partner." Then she sighed again quietly. Why did they always get to call her? Why couldn't she call who she wanted to work with? But it didn't matter. As long as the work got done correctly, she'd be ok. However, it'd be nice to for once, not be the person they used. She didn't mind it most of the time, but on her birthday, it should be her choice, not theirs.

Ron slid over next to her as Harry begrudgingly moved over to partner with someone else. "I'll get the ingredients, you get the fire lit." she said as she stood up. She went to the storage cupboards and crouched to the lower shelves. She took a jar of the Eye of Newt and a Dragon's Foot. Then she was knocked over by Zabini. She decided not to fight against it. It never worked anyway. All fighting ever got her was Harry and Ron involved, and she didn't want any trouble today.

So she waited. She waited for Zabini to finish, but when he did, he stood there talking to another one of his evil Slytherin friends. So she kept waiting. But she got tired of it quickly. She tapped his shoulder lightly and when he turned she asked, "Would you please move? You're in my way of the cupboards and I need to gather the ingredients." He didn't say anything, just moved to the side and kept talking. Well that was easy, she thought as she gathered the rest of what she needed and went back to her station. Ron had the fire lit and the water already boiling.

=^,.,^=

"Are you kidding me, Blaise!? What in Merlin's name would make you think she could be Miriam!?" Draco yelled as he paced his room. Blaise was sitting on his bed with his head in his hands.

"Did you think it was just a weird coincidence that she has the same birthday as me? What if she is though? After everything we've done to her, do you honestly think she'll ever forgive us? Or even want to come home for that matter?" Blaise asked. He was so afraid of losing his sister again over something like teenage torment. Especially since he didn't even know who his sister was.

"Of course she'll forgive us. She'll know it wasn't our fault. But it can't be her anyway. It's Granger. She can't be Miriam because that would just, throw off the whole balance of everything." Draco finally stopped pacing and sat next to his best friend, and brother.

Blaise sighed and grabbed his book to read, as he had a free period, "Fine. But I'm prepared to say 'I told you so' if it is her."

Draco shook his head and moved over to his own bed, "Fine. Though you won't need to. It's not her."