The Littlest Star

Knowing all can become a bore, the littlest star thought.

It had been in the heavens for so long that it couldn't even remember its life on earth. For stars were really the happiest spirits. It had heard many stories of earth from its comrades, but it could not remember life, or influence the lives of others, no matter how hard it tried. And the littlest star had tried - it had tried very hard.

And, so, saddened by those thoughts, the littlest star began to think about what was supposed to happen that night...and it gasped. It could help this time! -- And it would be doing a great service to the world. Harry Potter needed to show his love, but was too afraid to do it. And the littlest star knew just how to help him.

It gathered the other stars and told them its plan, and soon the preparations were underway.

~*~

Harry and Hermione decided to take a walk that night, even though it was quite cold, and there were small flakes of snow fluttering to the ground. They didn't really know why they decided to go for a walk. Perhaps it was the fact that Ron was off snogging Lavender, or maybe it was that they both had nowhere else to be this Valentine's night. Whatever the reason, they were laughing and talking almost the whole time.

During a quiet moment, Harry glanced at her, and could not help but think how beautiful she looked in the moonlight. He wondered why she wasn't with anyone else on Valentine's Night. She was smart, pretty, and kind. There was no reason she had to spend it with him, her best friend. Even if he did love her. And he told her so -- everything except loving her, of course.

When she answered him, her eyes shown with something he could not place, and said that there was nowhere else she would rather be. He thought this strange, but didn't say so.

They walked along until they came to the lake; around it were large snow banks, and many evergreen trees encased in glittering white. He saw her eyes light up, and knew what was coming. He would be a fool if he didn't.

She grinned, and threw the snowball she had made right at him, and missed. Harry smirked, and said she had never been too great with her aim. This caused her to make more snowballs and throw them at him...and each one was dogged by him, until she could take it no longer. She ran up to him and smashed a snowball on to his head. He pretended to fall, saying she had hit him and he was dying, all with horrible acting. She laughed and sat down in the snow with him.

Both thought it was getting cooler, and huddled against each other for warmth. They did not want to leave yet, both were hoping for something they did not quite understand.

Hermione said that she loved winter -- that it was her favorite season -- that she loved the cold, and the snow, and Harry could understand her feelings. It was a beautiful season, just like her.

Hermione said that her favorite part was the winter constellations and looked up to the sky. As soon as she did, she gasped, and Harry wondered what was wrong. He almost asked her -- he would have -- if only Hermione hadn't flung her arms around him and buried her head in his chest saying that she did too, that she had loved him for so long.

Harry did not understand this, but he liked it, and told Hermione that he loved her more than anything.

~*~

The littlest star smiled happily, at a job well done. It had finally helped someone.

~*~

Up in the sky the stars spelled out 'I love you, Hermione. Happy Valentine's Night. Harry.'

~*~