Here's the next one. Thanks for all the reviews. One more and I reach a hundred so read and review and you might be it! But thanks everyone for reading. I hope you enjoy this chapter. I did.-Ace

october tuscany: Trainers are what they call tennis shoes in England. I just like to throw a few British terms any chance I get.

sirriusndharryluvrr: Well most of the quotes I've either found in books or on the net. A few I do take credit for. Chapters 11 and 15. And a few in the chapters to come. I'll post the ones I can take credit for on the last chapter.

mysticofthepen, dancerrdw, Fantasy-yunit, Emma-Lynn, SailorLeia, hpgenius3, and PhoenixWings13: Thank you all for reading. I appericate all the reviews. It's exciting to almost reach a hundred. Holy cow! or rather in the words of Ron. Bloody Hell! Thank you so much. Keep it up and I will keep posting. :D

Chapter 15: His valentine

"You have to have confidence in your ability,
and then be tough enough to follow through."
-Rosalynn Carter

Ron walked alone back up to Gryffindor tower. He knew Hermione was in front of him somewhere but he figured she might not want to see him. So instead he just walked along in silence. Or at least silence on the outside.

On the inside, the argument had started up again. That and the butterflies were making a huge ruckus. He was definitely beginning to feel sick. The time was nearing at an alarming rate. Just a few more hours and it would come down to, could he do it or would he chicken out? He was still unsure at this point.

He reached the fat lady and muttered the password. She swung open and he entered. A few fourth years and a two second years littered the common room. Hermione was no where in sight.

"She must have gone up to her dorm." He thought. He sighed. He was kind of hoping they could have gotten a start on Snape's stupid essay. Anything to be around her. That's what made the butterflies stop.

It was strange how just thinking about her gave him the flutters but when he was with her they all went away. He hoped and prayed that would be the case later that night when it finally came down to what this whole day had been about.

After deciding that he didn't want to work on the essay and that there was more important matters to attend to, he headed for the boy's staircase. He climbed the stairs two at a time and stopped in front of the door that lead to the room he shared with Seamus, Dean, Neville and Harry. He crossed the room to his bed and threw his bag in front of his trunk. He opened his trunk and inside, sitting right on the top of everything, was a dozen red roses. Pig had brought them in this morning and Ron had cast a spell to keep the alive and beautiful. He lifted them out and laid them on his bed. Then he pulled out a handful of folded pieces of parchment from his robe pocket. With a wave of his wand he had twelve pieces of twine. He sat down on his bed and began to tie the parchment to the roses with the twine.

Ron finished the last rose and managed to place them back into his trunk before Harry or any of the other boys returned. Before he headed down to dinner, he took of his school robe and uniform and changed into a pair of old khaki pants, a white t-shirt, and one of his Weasley sweaters. As he closed the lid to his trunk, he heard a knock at the door. He looked up curiously knowing it had to be someone other then his fellow roommates. They never knocked.

"Come in," he said and watched the door open from his seat on his bed as he pulled on his worn trainers again.

Hermione entered wearing a pair of jeans, black shoes, and a short red blouse open with a black tank top underneath. Ron noticed her was holding a folded piece of parchment. "Hi," she muttered sounding kind of shy. Ron stared at her neither one of them making a move. Finally she continued. "Here. This is for you." She held out the paper in her hands. Ron jumped up and walked over to her. She handed it to him and he took it. It was a card, he realized.

There on the front was a picture of a cupid who was causing himself to vomit. Ron chuckled. It looked exactly like the decoration they had messed with. He looked up at her and noticed her face was beginning to flush. He opened up the card and smiled as he saw her neat, thin lettering.

Ron,

So it is sure has been an interesting Valentine's day and definitely not like those of the past. This year has been better then I thought it would be. Thanks for being my valentine by default even if we are only friends. I hope we share many more Valentine's together so we can make all the cupids vomit. Remind me to tell Fred and George thanks next time I see them. Anyways Happy Valentine's day and may you never hate Valentine's day as much as Snape.

Hermione Granger

Ron looked up. "Thanks Hermione." He said with a smile. Then for a moment he wanted to hug her. But he didn't move. He just stood there holding the card in his hand. She nodded and gave a small smile. It was almost as if she had been expecting a slightly different reaction.

"Well I want to pop over to the library before dinner to grab a few books to do Snape's essay. I'll see you at dinner." She said fidgeting with her foot against the wood floor.

"Yeah right. I've got a few things to do too." He lied. "I guess I'll see you at dinner then." Hermione nodded and headed for the door. Before she slipped out, Ron spoke once more.

"Thanks again Hermione. It hasn't been as bad a day as I expected." He said catching her eyes. He noticed them light up.

"Your welcome Ron. And it really wasn't too bad. Even if this secret admirer thing was rather strange. I wonder if I'll hear from him again." She asked.

" I'm sure you will."

"Yeah I think you're right." She said and then disappeared. Ron stood there for a moment and reread the card. Finally when it was practically cemented into his brain, he walked over to his night stand. He opened the top drawer and place it inside as he pulled out another piece of folded parchment. He slipped this into the pocket of his pants and headed for the great hall.

Ron entered the half empty great hall and wandered over this normal spot. He found Harry sitting next to Ginny both of them talking, their faces close to each other. Ron pulled the paper out of his pocket and sat down. Then he took the parchment and propped it up against the goblet of the setting next to his that would be Hermione's.

Harry noticed this out of the corner of his eye. Suddenly something clicked. He grinned wide.

"So how's it going Mr. Secret Admirer?" Harry asked with a smile. Ron looks up at him and blushed. He looks over toward Ginny who had now occupied herself by talking to her best friend Victoria.

"Yeah it's me. And I feel like I'm going to hurl." He replied slapping a spoon of mash potatoes on to his plate.

"Are you going to tell her?" Harry asked taking a bite of a steamed carrot. He watch his best friend carefully.

"Yeah. Tonight." Ron muttered staring down at his plate.

Harry nodded. He knew Ron was kind of shy and not always good with words. "Well good luck mate." Harry encouraged.

"Thanks. I'll need it." Ron said looking up at his friend. Harry gave him an encouraging smile. Ron nodded and began to move his potatoes around his plate, not sure if he wanted to eat or not, the butterflies interfering with his appetite.