The Gathering: The New Order of Merlin Book 1

Valentine's Day

"Happy Valentine's Day, Ginny!"

"You too, Colin."

They settled down while Professor Flitwick used a spell to write something on the blackboard.

"I heard that Lockhart wanted to hire singing dwarfs dressed as Cupids!" Colin said in a hushed whisper.

Ginny recoiled at the idea of receiving a Singing Valentine in public, but who was she kidding, no one would send her one.

"Then, it's a good thing he isn't well enough to organize that."

"I don't know. It would've been funny. Do you think dwarfs can sing well? I don't want to discriminate or anything, but I imagine these old-looking guys dressed up in ridiculous clothes and singing in a raspy voice. Do you know what happened to Lockhart?"

"No. They're keeping it all hushed up."

"I have a feeling that Merlin knows but maybe Dumbledore asked him to keep it a secret. I guess our teacher's medical problems are not our business. I hope he's okay."

"My roommates created hand-drawn cards for him," she whispered, hoping none of the Chatties overheard her.

"He'll probably get loads."

"Did you send any?"

"Nah," Colin grinned. "I don't have a crush. I am thankful to Luna though for helping with the mandrakes. Should I send her one?"

Ginny shrugged. She had no idea if Luna wanted to get a Valentine from a "friend" and not an admirer.

"I already thanked her in person, she's so nice, she doesn't even ask for credit. What about you, Ginny?"

Ginny begged her cheeks to not burn up.

"I didn't send any," she answered quickly and tried to focus on Professor Flitwick.

She almost did so yesterday afternoon. She drew an anonymous Valentine for Harry, but she must have dropped it on her way to the Owlery because by the time she got there, it wasn't in her pocket anymore.

Maybe it was better this way. The poem was pretty lame anyway but it was the first she had ever written.

While she was there, she pet Hedwig, Harry's Snowy Owl, and noticed that the bird already had a stack of cards, waiting to deliver them in the morning. He would get so many cards, he wouldn't care about the one Ginny wrote.

And so Harry did not get her Valentine today. Even though she tried to convince herself it was for the best, she still felt a little bummed about it. She just wished there was a way she could let him know how she felt without the risk of being rejected.

Ginny was staring at her feet when coming out of the Charms classroom, and so she didn't notice a boy who was running past and they collided.

She scrambled on the floor and found Harry next to her, his glasses skewed, his bookbag contents thrown around them. That did not just happen again!

"I'm so sorry," she mumbled.

"That was my fault. Isn't it funny how we keep running into each other?" Harry joked.

Ginny sighed, thinking how it was more like destiny tried to smash them together. If only it were that easy.

She helped him gather his things: many Valentine cards - he stuffed them in quickly, before she got a chance to count - quills and ink bottle, but among it all was one thing which froze her in place: Tom's diary!

He quickly picked it up, smiled and said in a rush, "I need to go. Bye, Ginny," and resumed running while she kneeled on the ground, her heart hammering in her chest.