> Title:         Be My Valentine Part 1/?
> By:            Heather
> E-mail:        hjd3@lehigh.edu
> Disclaimers:   I don't own any of the characters found in this
> fanfiction.  I'm merely borrowing them from DEK for my own entertainment
> as I anxiously await Monday night!  NOTE: This is the first fanfic I've
> ever written for Harry and Lauren since I'm a newcomer to the show (I've
> only been watching about two weeks!).  So please let me know what you
> think of this!!  =)
> Type:          H/L V-Day Romance
> Rating:        PG, PG-13
>

    Harry placed the very last rose in place on Lauren's pillow and went out
to the living room to survey his work.  He had used the key Lauren had given
him to her apartment to sneak in during his lunch break and arrange a few
surprises for later that Valentine's Day night.  The only thing was that
Lauren didn't know anything about what Harry had in store for her.  As far
as she knew, she was meeting Harry at a well-known Italian restaurant for a
romantic dinner.  Lauren had to stay late at school to tutor a couple of her
students.  However, knowing that Lauren would definitely stop at home to
change before heading to the restaurant, Harry decided to pull out all the
stops and give Lauren a Valentine's Day she would never forget.

    While Harry was setting his plan for the evening in motion over at
Lauren's apartment, Lauren was walking the halls of Winslow Hall looking for
Harry.  She hadn't seen him since that morning and could not figure out his
mysterious disappearing act.  Finally she opened the door to the teacher's
lounge where she found Marilyn, Marla, and Harvey sitting around the table
eating lunch.
    "Hey, have any of you seen Harry lately?" she asked.
    Marilyn swallowed a bite of her sandwich before replying, "No, not since
this morning?  Why?"
    Lauren walked over to the couch thoughtfully and sat down.  "I don't
know.  I can't find him anywhere, it's like he just disappeared.  I can't
figure it out."  She sighed.  "But I guess I'll see him later."
    Marilyn and Marla exchanged a look over their lunches and smiled.  It
was becoming increasingly obvious how close and in love Harry and Lauren
were these days.  The two were rarely seen apart, and when they were, each
looked lost without the other.  Lauren had that very look on her face at
that moment but such feelings would vanish later that night.

    The day seemed to be moving at an interminably slow pace, leaving Lauren
restless and anxious to escape the walls of the high school for a fancy
restaurant with romantic lighting and Harry sitting across from her, holding
her hand.  Just when she thought she wouldn't be able to stand another
minute of explaining the effects of reconstruction to a student, the
tutoring session came to an end and she was free to go home and prepare for
her evening out with Harry.

    Lauren climbed the steps to her apartment quickly, reenergized at the
thought of spending the evening and then the rest of the weekend with
Harry.  As she reached her door she noticed something taped to it.  As she
grew closer she could see that it was a little valentine with Curious George
on it, just like the ones kids exchanged in elementary school.  Attached to
the valentine was a single white rose.  Lauren turned the card over and
read, "To Lauren, my only love.  Curious as to what this all means?  Only
one way to find out…. Always, Harry."  Lauren smiled to herself and sniffed
the rose, savoring its sweet scent.  Then she opened the door and stepped
inside.
    What she found was nothing like she could ever have imagined.  Harry had
outdone himself, transforming Lauren's small apartment into a Valentine's
Day paradise, completely with red and white roses scattered all over the
living room and a beautiful dinner was arranged on the table in the dining
room.  Lauren looked around in total amazement, touched by the thought and
effort Harry had obviously put into the preparation.  As she walked further
into the apartment, Lauren realized that she was walking on rose petals.
She continued to follow the trail of petals through the apartment until she
had finally reached her bedroom.  Lauren entered the room, which was
completely bathed in candlelight and where more rose petals were sprinkled
across her bedspread.  Lying on her pillow was another single rose.  And
sitting in the armchair in the corner of the room was Harry, dressed to the
nines in a tuxedo and holding yet another rose.  As Lauren approached him
slowly, he stood and met her halfway, extending the rose out to her.
    "For you," he said.  "Happy Valentine's Day, Lauren."
    Then Harry and Lauren kissed slowly and gently, a kiss that was full of
love, and one that was only a small hint of the rest of the things in store
for that night.