Disclaimer: I own nothing

Authors note: This is the LAST chapter before the New Year! Enjoy it!

It was drawing near to Valentines Day. Remus and Hermione were feeling increasingly apprehensive. Neither one could admit nor deny their obviously growing attraction for one another.

Come on, you KNOW you like her and it is SOOO obvious that she likes you! One half of Remus' brain quarreled.

But what if she DOESN'T and all those so called 'moments' are all in your own imagination? The other half retorted.

You CANNOT rationalize that she doesn't like you. Those 'moments' are undeniably existent. I mean, the "exploding snake" incident, all the hugs she gives you, the secrets she's told you…and you have to admit those fantasies you have are pretty TASTY-

SHUT UP BRAIN!

After arguing with himself for quite some time, frightening some first years when he started yelling at himself aloud (the older students were quite used to it by now), he decided to get her an especially extravagant gift. But what? He pondered to himself. He remembered something he'd heard one time. 'Take her shopping and buy her the thing she spends the most time looking at' Said a voice in his head that sounded oddly like Sirius. It seemed like sound advice, and with this in mind, he organized a secret marauder trip with Hermione to Hogsmeade, as the normal February one was actually ON Valentines Day.

When they got there, Sirius immediately ran off to the Hogs Head, telling them to meet up with him later. James, Peter, Remus, and Hermione headed into a small jewelry shop on the edge of town. James wanted help looking for a gift for Lily.

While they were there, Remus watched Hermione drool for fifteen minutes over a necklace. To be fair, it was definitely drool-worthy. It was a medium-thick gold chain, with two White-Gold rose stems with miniature ruby roses placed on the stems, meeting in the middle around a perfectly oval ruby. It was exquisite to say the least.

After much antagonizing on the part of James, he picked up a pair of glass lily-flower earrings and they departed.

Remus doubled back, saying he'd left his wallet. He hurried in and pointed at the necklace. "How much is it?" he asked the shopkeeper. "30 galleons" was the reply he got. He did an inner grimace. Good lord, THIRTY GALLEONS! That is BLOODY EXPENSIVE! But it's worth it. He steeled himself and counted his money. He had it…barely. "I'll take it" he told the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper seemed slightly shocked that Remus could afford it (which is justified, because his robes were old and tattered), but took it out and wrapped it. "Must be a very special lady that you're buying this for." he said. Remus nodded. "Tell you what; I'll give this to you half price. I've been there before, and, no offence, but I can tell you can't really afford this." Remus stammered his thanks repeatedly, and left, concealing the magnificent gift under his robes.

Valentines Day was swiftly upon them. Remus was growing more and more nervous.

Hermione had gotten everyone gifts. As usual, Sirius and James received some alcohol. Peter got a box of chocolates.

For Remus, she had gotten a superb jeweled, moving model of the solar system. Each planet was a different semi-precious stone. The sun was a ball of fire contained by a large glass ball.

The stars were made of glass, and Hermione explained that if he wanted to view a particular constellation, all he had to do is say it aloud and the stars making up the constellation would brighten and glow a brilliant blue. She obviously put a lot of thought into the gift and Remus was positively speechless.

After he had thanked her about a million times, he pulled out his gift for her.

"Oh, you didn't have to get me anything," she said flushing.

"But I did anyway," he replied, handing her the beautifully wrapped necklace.

Hermione began to pull away the wrapping paper teasingly slowly. The necklace fell gently into her lap as she tore away the last piece of spellotape.

Her mouth fell open as she picked it up, carefully examining it in detail. She set it down wordlessly on the common room table and enveloped him in a large hug, whispering breathlessly in his ear "thank you".

YES! He thought triumphantly to himself.

After a few seconds of this hug, she pulled away.

"You," she said smiling, "are the best friend I could have hoped for."

DAMMIT! Remus thought dejectedly to himself.

"You too, 'Mione. Wanna meet the marauders for breakfast?"

She nodded, and they walked out, Hermione fastened the necklace over her robes. True, she did feel rather silly wearing such a stunning necklace with normal day robes, but she couldn't resist showing it off.

After several minutes of breakfast the post came.

Lily got a mix of hate mail (mainly from girls jealous of her position as James' girlfriend) and secret admirer cards. James got mainly letters from crazed girls, urging him to break up with Lily.

After several minutes of Laughter over the psychotic letters they were getting, mingled with statements of surprise that James and Lily were that popular (mainly from Hermione), Dumbledore came up to Sirius to inform him that he had so much Valentine mail that it had been delivered to the dormitory, as it would've caused disarray at the table. "That's a very pretty necklace, Ms. Granger." Dumbledore said as Sirius departed to go read his mail. Hermione blushed and said "Thanks. Remus got it for me." He looked at the both of them, is eyes twinkling more than usual, a small smile playing across his face. Hermione could've sworn she saw Dumbledore wink at Remus as he walked off.

Remus' mail started arriving soon after. Hermione got a strange feeling in her stomach as she watched him open his valentines, smiling and laughing. Was it…jealousy?

He immediately began laughing as he read a letter aloud to Hermione. "Dear Remus," he read, breaking into sniggers, "Break up with that Hermione slut and snog me senseless during lunch-xoxo" Hermione giggled. Ha. That's really funny…me and Remus…a couple…why doesn't that sound so bad? DAMMIT HERMIONE!

"I'm so shattered." she said dryly with a smile.

At about that time, Hermione's mail started coming.

It was incredibly obvious that the Slytherin's had planned this, as she got about 25 letters on green paper, with messages such as "LET ME HAVE MY WAY WITH YOU MUDBLOOD" and "NOBODY WANT'S YOU DIRTY SLUT!"

She instantaneously began to burn them, feeling slightly upset.

Not all of the letters were bad. Remus was absolutely green with envy when he saw his competition.

He perked up after he saw her throw away all the letters muttering under her breath something that sounded like "useless tossers"

It was a beautiful sunny Sunday. Even professor McGonagall had decided to let her hair down….literally. A lot of the girlier girls crowded around her, begging to play with it (surprisingly McGonagall let them). After they were thoroughly done (and a good job they did) Sirius started whistling, walked over, got down on bended knee in front of her, and was immediately greeted with minus 25 points from Gryffindor and another month's detention.

Authors note: Notice that I didn't leave a huge cliffie or anything! I'll see you all in 2006! Thank you to all of my reviewers!