It's official. Valentine's day sucks. It wasn't what love was about, not really, well not how I imagined it. Today was about how many cards people had gotten, who had asked them on a date, how many cheap and tacky presents you'd bought for someone you were more than likely going to dump by the next Valentine's day. If you really love your boyfriend or girlfriend then shouldn't you love them every day of the year...okay maybe I'm being slightly bitter because no-one has actually sent me a Valentine's Card...ever. But what did you expect? I'm surrounded by the most sought after people in the whole of Hogwarts...and then there's me. I'm not blind, I'm not exactly ugly but I'm not the most beautiful girl in the castle. I'm no Dominique, who is probably the most beautiful girl in the country, never mind the bloody castle. Then there's Al, James and Louis who receive more advances individually than the the rest of the student body combined. James and Al were easily the most eligible young bachelors of the Wizarding world – every girl and I mean every girl wanted to date one of the Potter boys. Louis on the other hand warranted every bit of attention he'd gotten, I know he's my cousin and everything but even I can admit that the boy is bloody gorgeous. Unlike Al and James he had enough self-respect not to take advantage of any half-decent girl who flung themselves at him, though he was only a second year so I doubted his resolve would last much longer. James had cracked within the first week according to Dom. Al was more reserved than his brother but I knew he had his fair share of girls.

"Look what Nathan got me, isn't it sweet?" Ella gushed to Katie, Hannah, Alice and I about the teddy bear that her boyfriend Nathan Parker had given her. Since September I'd decided to make more of an effort with my roommates, it wasn't healthy for me to rely on Al as my only friend, especially when it became clear that he wanted other people to talk to. I'd noticed Al spend more and more time with the boys in his dorm and took the hint - jump before you're pushed and all that. Plus, there's some things you just can't talk about with your thirteen year old male cousin.

"He's such a good boyfriend" Hannah commented, Alice and Katie nodding in agreement. Personally, I thought a teddy bear was a bit cliché but who was I to judge. I'm the one without a boyfriend.

"He is, isn't he? What did you all get?" Ella asked, looking around at the circle of girls perched on her bed.

"I got a card, some sweets and an invitation to meet in the Great Hall later" Alice flushed pink as she looked down at the card signed anonymous. I suppose Valentine's day wasn't all bad, that was pretty sweet, in a really corny and kind of makes me want to vomit way. "I don't know who it's from though"

"Maybe it's Tom?" I asked, knowing full well that it was because I saw him writing the card in the common room late last night.

"I hope so. Thomas George is so hot." Alice was going to be in a good mood later then.

"What about you Rose?" Hannah asked after showing off her mini-mountain of cards. Hannah was almost as beautiful as Dom, I imagine if she'd had the same Veela genes she wouldn't be able to attend a mixed sex school.

"Nothing...as usual." What did I care anyway? No-one in this stupid school was worth going out with anyway.

"Yes you did Rose" Ella walked across the dorm to my bed, reaching to the floor picking up a small pink envelope. Either my eyes are deceiving me or I actually got a Valentine's card. "It must have fallen to the floor, I saw it this morning"

"Oh" was all I could say as she tossed it to me, smiling wide.

"Well open it then!" they all cried at once, eagerly awaiting to see who had sent Rose Weasley an actual Valentine's card.

Rose,

Happy Valentine Day

Love ….

x

"It doesn't say." I don't know what I had expected really? Wasn't the secrecy the whole point of Valentine's day cards?

"We'll find out" Hannah jumped off the bed, grabbing my card and running out of the girl's dorms straight into the common room. "Oi! You lot! Which one of you sent Rose a Valentine's?"

I want to die. I actually want to die. This is the single most embarrassing moment of my life. Hannah has outdone James Potter on ruining my life – I always thought it would be James that would lead to my untimely demise but I was mistaken. I would have to kill James before I kill Hannah and then myself for not finishing me off before this. Maybe I would kill Al too for running of with his stupid new friends leaving me to make other friends which ultimately led to this one horrible moment in my life.

"Hannah Thomas I am going to kill you" I whispered in her ear, my cheeks flushing a shade of red I don't think has even been invented.

"Rose" an unfamailiar voice appeared along with a tapping on my shoulder, as the face of Antony McLaggen came into view. Merlin, he was a lot better looking up close. "Can I talk to you?"

"Sure" Antony grabbed my hand leading me to the far corner of the common room, past James who looked like he would have ripped Antony's head off if he hadn't been entertaining two blonde Sixth years. I didn't know much about Antony apart from he was considered James' biggest rival in their year and due to that James hated him more than he hated losing. Which, by the way is quite a lot.

"I was wondering if you wanted to go with me to Hogsmeade later, I know it's last minute but I wanted to surprised you, y'know on Valentine day" Was Antony McLaggen, arguably the best looking boy in Gryffindor who I wasn't related to asking me...on a date?

"Sure" Had I lost all functions of speech? Was a boy really having this effect on me? I'm spending too much time around girls. Stupid Al.

"I'll meet you in about an hour? Great hall." He grinned at me and walked off. I could have sworn I saw him wink at James on his way past, maybe not the best way to win over my family but I couldn't be picky. Antony was really the first boy to ever show me any interest, like I said it wasn't that I was particularly ugly, I was just always overshadowed by my stunning older female cousins or flanked by my male cousins, which I guess would put most blokes off. Nor had I ever shown any particular interest in anybody either, I wasn't one of those girls growing up who always craved a boyfriend. Dom was one of those girls who always had a boy on the go, as would Victoire and Roxy. I was the family anomolie. Maybe it was wrong to go out with Antony. It wasn't like I fancied him, sure he was good looking and as far as I know a nice enough boy but it wasn't like I'd spent months lusting after him like most girls probably had. But if I was going to give anyone a chance it may as well be on Valentine's day and I did make a promise to a certain hat on my first ever day – to be a bit more reckless.

"You look lovely" Antony was leaning against a wall of the busy Great Hall. I usually avoided the Valentine's Hogsmeade trip – it made me more bitter than usual.

"I look the same as this morning" It was true – I hadn't bothered to change out of my jeans and hooded top.

"You looked lovely then too" He wrapped his arm around my waist, leading me to the exit. Was I comfortable with this? I wasn't too sure. This was only our second ever conversation...I'm being a prude, aren't I? Maybe this is what happens when you go on a date, I wouldn't know this is my first. Antony is a year older than me and definitely more experienced, he knows a lot more than me so I let him keep his arm around my waist his hand resting on my hip.

"Thanks for the card by the way" The conversation left a lot to be desired as we made our way around Hogsmeade, he was polite and sweet but we just didn't have much in common.

"The what?" Antony stuttered "Ah right, yeah the card, no worries"

"It was very nice of you" I answered smiling up at him, his chocolate brown eyes smiling back.

"Only the best for you Rose" Antony stopped walking, pulling my hands into his and pulling me forward, his upper body moving slowly downwards as he tilted my chin up. Oh Merlin, he was going to kiss me, wasn't he? He was. So, I did the only sensible thing I could think of. I ran away.