OK guys, i'm back. I just recovered from having my wisdom teeth removed and I'm up and running. I have the next couple of days off so hopefully I will be posting very quickly. Any lag in time is due to brainstorming for ideas. Anyways, I must say i am disappointed in the responses i've been getting. (other than Brittany who loveess my updates ) I've received mannnyy hits, but hardly any reviews. boooo. But anyways..on we go--->

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Over the next couple of days life for the Trio had been drastically changed, save Harry, who was already used to the stares and whispers. Everywhere they traveled it was either girls whispering and pointing at Ron from a corner, or boy after boy, ranging from the incredibly geeky to the incredibly hunky trying to talk to Hermione while she was alone. It was rather annoying to Hermione, who was actually rather angry with the attention, much to the surprise of Harry and Ron.

"I say!" she declared, slamming her books down onto the dinner table and sitting herself down, piling meatloaf onto her plate. "You would think there would be less shallow men at Hogwarts."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, looking up from his conversation with Dean, who had momentarily found himself staring at Hermione when she walked in and quickly looked away, returning to the conversation he and Harry had been having about Quidditch.

"I mean," she started, " that none of these boy's had the slightest bit of interest in me last year and the only reason they care now is because I look better. They could care less about me! Can you believe that earlier today I had one today openly confess his love for me, and then after his rant about how we were meant to me, asked me my name? Honestly. Men! When are you guys going to get things straight? Girls are NOT merely you're 'playtoys'!" She looked from Harry to Ron to Dean, and finally to Neville, as if expecting that one of them might at any moment openly express their apologies for the inferiority of men. On the contrary, it looked as if the four were trying to hold back laughing in her face.

"Sorry Hermione," Harry laughed, "it's our nature I suppose."

"Quite." She replied angrily, now scooping mashed potatoes onto her plate, still fuming from her ears as Ron stared gaping at her outburst.

The next couple of minutes went on in silence, no one wanting to break the silence and unleash the anger of Hermione again. She was angry, this was true, but not just because of the other boys. Truth be told, she had yet to receive any reaction from Ron to her new look. She had at least expected some sort of sarcastic reply whenever she returned from being asked aside from some new boy, but no. It actually seemed like he cared even less or, she didn't dare think of it, was somewhat downtrodden at her receiving some of the attention that he seemed to be quite enjoying from other girls. He wouldn't let go unnoticed a big smile crack across his face whenever girls he didn't even know would wave to him, giggle, and then hurry off in the opposite direction. Girls as young has first years were treating him like God. They were, quite frankly, treating him like Harry. Harry seemed to be the only one unaffected by the attention, and even appreciative that he wasn't the only one receiving it anymore, as if they now knew the agony and embarrassment he went through everyday.

Twenty minutes later seemed to drag by due to the silence that had fallen amongst the group, broken, ironically, by Hermione.

"Well, I'll see you guys later," Hermione said, standing from the table and grabbing her bag,. "I have class in twenty minutes."

Leaving them at the dinner table with the promise of meeting them later in the common room she headed up to her last class-Astronomy. Just until recently Hermione would have told you that she believed Astronomy to be in the same line of magic as Divination- a complete and utter waste of time and brainspace. However, as she had visited France over the summer, she had always visited her aunt and uncle, two people with whom she didn't quite get along with, were very well off, had an emormous love of stars included with their own astronomy tower, and had also (to Hermione's pleasure) one daughter, only a couple years older than she. It was due to her relatives extremely boring nature that she had grown quite attached to her older cousin, who also shared her parents love of the stars, and they had therefore spent much of the summer just sitting outside under their invisible ceiling (very similiar to that of Hogwarts), and talked about anything any everything they could think of. It was here that Hermione had indulged to her cousin all feelings she had never before shared with anyone else. And, it was through this immense release, that she had helped Hermione discover her love for her best friend, that certain redhead that was often the center of their conversations.

-Flashback-

"And he just makes me so mad sometimes!" Hermione ranted, taking in deep breaths as she had just finished a partically nasty one about how Ron had done something trivial to upset her.

"So," Brittany said, pausing only to allow her cousin to take her breath. "you really love him, don't you?" she smiled.

Hermione, however had a look no less of utter shock on her face. "I-I what??!! I don't LOVE him, I can hardly TOLERATE him sometimes!!" she now directed her anger at her cousin, unable to believe she would accuse her of such things. Had she not been listening to her at all for the past half hour at how Ron constantly made her mad, or picked on her?

"Hermione, you're my cousin, so i'm going to be honest with you. You love him. Why else would he get to you so badly? I'm sure he isn't the only one do such "scandals" to you. And, quite frankly, i'm willing to bet he feels the same. No one picks nitpicks without particular reason. Take the Yule Ball for example." She held her hands open, as if weighing the ideas of what she just had said.

Hermione remained silent for a good five minutes, before breaking out into a whisper. "Oh my God. I love him. I LOVE Ron Weasley"

-End Flashback-

After returning home the week before term started, Hermione had decided to take up Astronomy as one of her electives. It wasn't that the actual information appealed to her, but just the idea of being outside with the stars, learning all that her cousin had shared with such passion to her, that made Hermione swell with something- love, perhaps? Or was it pride? Whatever it was, Astronomy had become one of her favorite classes and she looked forward to attending each and every class. She had, of course, tried to persuade Harry and Ron to take it up, but after hearing their various excuses and complaints (that gives us six classes Hermione! We don't love studying all the time like you!) she had decided perhaps it was better that she was taking it alone. It left her time to reflect, and seeing as how classes took place at night, gave her some freedom away from the common room.

Winding her way up the staircase that led to the Astronomy Tower, Hermione met up with the only person in her class that she knew, Luna Lovegood. It was no surprise to Hermione that Luna would have taken up the class. She always had the air of someone who loved anything at all that was abstract and had no exact science to it. Hermione liked the company, however, because after six years of having her two best friends to share class with, it was a bit lonesome to sit by herself, which was partly the reason why she was beginning to enjoy this class more than she did her Ancient Runes class.

"Hey Luna," Hermione smiled, approaching the girl, fully dressed in long dark robes with little stars and moons on them. It was Luna's favorite class, and she therefore had said she felt the need to "celebrate" the occasions they had class by pleasing the " little men" who lived on and ran each star in order to gain favor in their eyes. A bit strange nonetheless, Hermione welcomed someone who shared her passionate love in the course.

"Why, hello there Hermione." And with that the had come to the door to the tower, which Luna held open for Hermione, who muttered her thanks and walked in, taking a seat in the front row with Luna.

A few more minutes passed until their teacher, Professor Delany, walked in."Good evening class," she smiled, looking around at the class, which was composed of only a handful of students. Their classes were held outside on a little balcony just large enough for the class, and their telescopes, to fit in, yet not small enough to cramp anyone.

"Now, I hope you all did you reading on the different types and forms of Shooting Stars." She stated, now stepping up on her pedestal so that her voice would be easily carried. " I am sure most of you are already aware of the muggle theory of shooting stars. When One sees one, it is a custom to make a wish, which will then theoretically come true to the one who wishes it. Whether or not this is mere fact or fiction is up to much controversy, as how there are a score of wizards and witches who would swear that some sort of luck or fortune that had bequeathed them was because of the star. However, no scientific evidence has supported it."
This was another reason why Hermione loved Professor Delany much more than Trelawney. Professor Delany took a more scientific approach to the course, although the idea of "scientific" was up to debate with a course so fragile as Astronomy.

" There are three different forms these stars can take," she continued, "and each star is a sort of 'omen', for a lack of a better word. There is first the Star of Despair, which falls the slowest of the other two, with a dull flickering shimmer to it. It is believed that whoever witnesses this type of star is to have something terrible happen to them in their future.Terrible things, that can permanently scar the intended. It is hard to recover from these types of stars." She paused, and looked around to see a general shiver course through the class although there seemed to be an absent of wind.

"The second is the Star of the Phoenix, which earns it's name from the same mystical creature. Most commonly referred to as the "stork" to muggles, it 's falling form seems to be that of a bird in flight, and any young woman seeing this can expect to become a mother soon." A couple of swoons were heard from the females in the class.

"Finally, the last star is The Star of Desire, the only true star that is believed to having the capability of making wishes come true. This star is the most brightly colored and shining of the other three. Shimmering in brilliant silver, it seems to glide through the sky. And, as I mentioned previous, it is said to grant wishes."

The class continued for another hour, the conversation switching from Shooting Stars to the individual constellations and the different backgrounds behind them. It was a good 9 o'clock by the time class came to an end, and the class began to file down the tower.

"Are you coming Hermione?" Luna asked, turning to her friend who hadn't moved from her seat.

Hermione looked up. " Oh, you go on ahead Luna. I have a lot on my mind and I just want to stay here for a little longer." She smiled up at her.

"OK, I suppose I'll see you later," and with that she left last, closely followed by Professor Delany, having given Hermione the permission to remain up her alone for a few minutes.

After making sure everyone was Hermione was gone, she lay on her back, her hands behind her head, staring up and the stars and just thinking about everything that had occurred during the week. Perhaps she needed to be more blunt with Ron. Ron was, after all, not the brightest crayon in the box. She furrowed her brow, staring at a particular constellation. Yes, perhaps that what was the best option.

But what if Ron didn't feel the same way? She couldn't risk ruining everything they had built up over the past 6 years in just one sentence. Being the logical girl she was, she was sure that Ron would consider her mental if she just up and confessed her love for him. Yes, that would certainly be an interesting conversation:

" Just finished my History essay! Oh, by the way Ron. I'm madly in love with you and have been ever since first year. You're all i can think about. I can't sleep without your face to fall asleep to, I can't smile without your sweet face smiling back at me. Oh, Ron, please say you feel the same! It's all I've ever wanted!"

She shook her head. No, no, that simply wouldn't do. He would send her straight to St.Mungo's. She had to make sure, so she had no choice.

She had to go to Harry.

Making up her mind, she gathered her stuff , straightened her robes, and turned to leave.

However, if she had at that moment turned around, she would have seen a star falling to the Earth. Slow moving and dull, it's flickering was no brighter than that of any other star in the sky, and it was clearly directed towards Hermione.

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Well, thats it!! I hope you guys like it.