As Sarah approached the grove in the forest where she knew several fairies lived, she heard a familiar voice that caused her very bones to smile.
"Okay, one more time. The letter 'S' looks like this."
Sarah walked around a tree to see Barnaby standing in the middle of the grove, his arms held out like a child pretending to be an ancient Egyptian. He was bathed in yellow, blue, and pink lights from the surrounding fairies. They shimmered beautifully as they fluttered about and pruned themselves; Sarah realized they'd be the perfect addition to the ball.
"Barnaby?"
He spun around. "Sarah!" He held his arms out, as if to block her view from the dozens of bright beings floating in the air.
"What are you doing?"
"Nothing! I just...well...uh..." He glanced back at the fairies, then dropped his arms to his sides and his head to his chest. "I'm sorry I forgot about Valentine's Day."
Sarah stepped forward and tilted his head up to look at her. "That's okay, B. I forgot, too. There was just...so much else going on."
He grabbed her hands. "I know! That's why you deserve a really special Valentine's Day. But, I've botched things up again. I thought maybe for a present I could get the fairies to spell out 'Happy Valentine's Day, Sarah,' but I've had no luck."
Sarah had to giggle. "You were trying to teach fairies to spell?"
"Should've realized I couldn't do it. I can barely spell myself."
"I don't think it's possible," said Sarah. "But I really appreciate the gesture. And anyway, you've done far more for me this Valentine's Day than I have for you."
"That's not true!" he said at once. "You're fixing the whole party for us. I can't wait to see how gorgeous you look tomorrow, and to dance with you, and hold you close..."
He pulled her close now, smiling at the bashful expression she always donned when she glanced around to see if anyone could see them.
"Does that mean you'd like me to go to the ball with you?" she asked.
"Of course! Even if it wasn't Valentine's Day, I'd want to spend the whole day with you."
"The holiday really snuck up on us, didn't? Though I suppose time has been weird ever since...December."
Barnaby nodded solemnly. "I usually know when its Valentine's Day, because I get loads of chocolates and cards and stuff. But not this time."
"I guess everyone's finally realized that I'm the one you want," she said, though inwardly she lamented that she hadn't had the time to get Barnaby so much as a single chocolate frog.
He smiled. "I should have thought that was obvious. Has been since our first dance at the Celestial Ball."
He reached down and kissed her, several slow, sweet kisses, until the nearby fairies buzzed angrily at the lack of attention they were receiving.
"Yes, yes, you're all beautiful too," said Barnaby, causing them twirl in the air in delight.
"Could you do me a favor?" Sarah asked him.
"Anything. Well, unless it involves spelling. I think I've had enough of that for one day."
"Do you think you could convince a few dozen of these fairies to follow you up to the Great Hall tomorrow before the dance?"
He grinned. "Definitely! That's much easier than spelling."
He tried to kiss her again, but Sarah swatted at his chest playfully. "We should get back to the castle before Filch catches us out after dark. After all the work I've put into this ball, I better be allowed to go."
"Or..." he said, rubbing his fingertips up her arms so that goosebumps formed on the skin. "We could stay here just a little longer."
"Or..." she replied, adopting his innocent voice. "We could have a race to see who can make it to the courtyard first."
Barnaby took off without another word.
Laughing, Sarah hurried after him.
*********
The following morning, Sarah was one of the first students down to breakfast, as she had been ever since she found time alone in the girls' dormitory, staring at the empty bed next to hers, unbearable.
Everything apart from the tables--the walls, the floor, even the giant mural now hanging behind the head table--was covered in thick canvas, presumably to protect the artwork underneath and not to spoil the surprise for the attendees.
Sarah munched on her cereal absentmindedly as she people-watched. As the Great Hall slowly began to fill up, she noticed several happy couples exchanging cards and gifts.
"Happy Valentine's Day," said Charlie, plopping down next to her. "Blimey, am I glad Andre's making me an outfit. Got a package from mum last night. She sent me the most foul robes I've ever seen in my life. I'd have looked like a centenarian poodle if I'd shown up in those."
Sarah smiled as she watched Penny sneak up behind Talbott with a wrapped package behind her back. "Shame. I would've liked to have seen that."
Most of Sarah's friends came over at some point during breakfast to wish her a happy Valentine's Day and to congratulate her on planning the ball.
"Don't thank me yet," she said to them. "It could still be a disaster."
"Of course it won't, you were directly involved," said Andre. This did nothing to encourage her. Neither did his rather threatening gaze as he added, "It had better not be, because I've been up all week making all these outfits."
"Got one for me?"
"Of course. Meet me in my studio after breakfast so you can try them on."
Badeea also looked a bit tired after her night transforming the Great Hall, but she was in good spirits.
"It's going to look amazing," she said. "I added a few last minute touches that really tied the whole thing together. I wasn't sure if I wanted to go to the ball, but I've decided I have to see it lit up by the fairies, and everyone's faces as they take it all in."
"Good," said Sarah. "It wouldn't be a party without you. Do you need anymore help setting it up?"
Badeea shook her head. "No, Madam Pince and I are going to show up a little early to remove the tarps and things, but it should be easy."
Sarah asked Jae and Chiara if they'd like help setting up the music and the sweets tonight, but they both assured her that she'd done enough already and that they could handle it.
"Where's Barnaby?" Sarah finally asked, noticing that he was the only one of her friends who hadn't come down to breakfast. She often worried about him swimming alone in the Black Lake in the mornings, especially in the winter.
"I expect he's busy," said Charlie, his mouth full of bacon.
"With what?"
Charlie's eyes widened and he swallowed hard. "Oh...you know, getting ready for the ball. I bet it takes him hours to ensure his hair is spiked just right."
Sarah frowned at Charlie, noticing the way his ears had gone pink, but decided to get a move on and meet up with Andre instead of pressing him.
She found Andre in his studio (aka the Transfiguration classroom), practically hoping up and down in his excitement.
Before Sarah was the usual changing screen and two beautifully dressed mannequins. The one on the left sported a pair of dressy, black trousers, a black top, and a faded pink blazer. The right one bore a small, black dress covered in pink and red roses.
"This is some of my best work yet," said Andre, hoping over to stand in between the mannequins. "I call this one, 'Blaze of Passion,'" he gestured to the modern looking blazer, "and this one, 'Garden Rose.'" He gestured to the dress.
"They're lovely," said Sarah, reaching out to feel the sleeve of the blazer.
"Of course they are, now hurry up and try them both on!"
Sarah did, disappearing behind the screen to put on the blazer-outfit first.
"Very classy," Andre commented as Sarah stepped out to examine it in the mirror.
It certainly was. Sarah had never worn anything quite like this, and the sleek lines made her feel quite grown up. The color of the jacket also complimented the pink undertones in her skin.
"I'm not sure I want to take this one off," she commented, making different poses in the mirror.
"Understandable, but you need to at least try this one on," said Andre, pulling the dress off the mannequin and pushing her back behind the screen.
Sarah changed into it then stepped in front of the mirror, watching her own eyes widen in surprise.
"Andre...this one is..."
Andre was grinning from ear-to-ear. "The word you're looking for is 'sexy.'"
The dress went down to just below her mid-thigh (apart from a 2-inch slit on the left side), with a straight neckline and thin straps over her shoulders, showing about as much skin as could possibly be allowed by the teachers.
Sarah had finally grown some curves over the summer, and the dress hugged each of them, emphasizing the lines of her body without being uncomfortably tight. The matching shoes were perfect as well; black and with just enough heel to show off her leg muscles but not to be too difficult for her to walk in.
"So, which one do you like most?" asked Andre.
Sarah glanced between her image in the mirror and the other outfit, which Andre had replaced on the mannequin.
"I think I'll stick with...this one," she said.
Andre clapped his hands together in excitement. "I was secretly kind of hoping you'd pick that one. You look stunning! Everyone's going to be so jealous of Barnaby tonight. Heck, I'm a little jealous of him!"
Sarah chuckled. Andre was brutually honest, which while draining at times, meant his compliments were sincere and uplifting. "Have you seen Barnaby, by the way? He wasn't at breakfast."
Andre waved the question away. "He's fine. Probably handing out Valentine's Day cards to all the creatures in the forest."
Sarah smiled at that image.
"But if you do see him, remind him to come see before the ball to get his outfit," he added. "You two will be the most beautiful people there! Apart from me, of course."
"Of course," said Sarah, before changing back into her robes and leaving the studio.
Sarah didn't see Barnaby for the rest of the day, or much of the rest of her friends, for that matter.
She assumed Penny and Talbott were off enjoying their first Valentine's Day as a couple. Whenever she ran into any of her other friends, they seemed to shrug her off and hurry away, insisting they were busy.
Sarah wondered what could be keeping everyone so occupied on a Saturday. Was there an upcoming exam she'd forgotten about?
With little else to do, she decided to get out her textbooks and study until the dance. She found it difficult. The dormitory and the common room was too lonely, and the empty chair by the fire bore into her soul, a constant reminder of the person who should be sitting in it.
She doubted it would be much better, but she decided to try studying in the library, only to find the door locked when she arrived. A large sign had been posted on the door, announcing that the library would be closed all day as Madam Pince would be otherwise occupied with the ball.
As Sarah stood there for a moment wondering what to do next, the door opened, and a familiar, pink-haired figure stepped out of it.
"Wotcher, Sarah," said Tonks happily. "What're you doing on here? Can't you read the sign? Library's closed."
Sarah stared at her. "Then what were you doing in there?" she asked. "Please don't tell me you've set off a dungbomb or something. If we give Pince any reason to be upset, she'll spoil the whole ball for sure."
"No no, it's nothing like that," said Tonks quickly. "I'd just...forgotten my DADA textbook in there and came to get it, that's all."
Sarah narrowed her eyes. "So, where is it?"
"Where's what?"
"Your DADA textbook."
"Oh, yeah! Couldn't find it. No doubt Pince has already swiped it up and is complaining about me to Dumbledore for neglecting society's most precious resource." She rolled her eyes. "Anyway, up for a game of gobstones or something?"
"Uh...sure," said Sarah.
Tonks began to lead her away, when the library door was opened once more and Tulip stepped out.
"What's going on--oh, Sarah!"
"Okay, now I know something bad is going on in there," said Sarah, attempting to push past her friends and put a stop to whatever disaster they had planned.
They pushed her back. "It's nothing, I promise!" Tonks assured her.
"How could it be nothing? You two were involved," said Sarah. "Can't whatever it is wait until after the ball? I want us all to have a nice time tonight, which won't be the case if we remind Pince what a bunch of delinquents we all are."
She tried to push them aside again, but they were determined not to let her by.
"Trust me, Sarah Spellman, you do not want to go in there," said Tulip, which only made her fight harder.
"Look!" shouted Tonks, "if we promise we're not up to any nonsense, will you promise not to go into the library?"
Sarah paused so she could look both of them in the eyes. "But what's in there then?"
"Everything will makes sense later," said Tulip. "We're not doing anything bad, I promise."
"Me too," said Tonks.
Sarah hesitated. She found it extremely unlikely that the girls would be able to ignore an unmonitored area suited perfectly for rule-breaking, but she didn't want them to think she didn't trust them.
"Fine," she said begrudgingly.
"Excellent," said Tonks. She and Tulip hooked their arms around Sarah's and quickly led her away from the library door. "Now, let's have a friendly tournament of gobstones."
****
Tonks and Tulip kept her busy for the rest of the day, until they all parted ways to get ready for the ball.
Sarah joined the rest of the fifth year girls in the Gryffindor dormitory, keeping mostly quiet as the others gossiped about their dates and admired one another's outfits. Sarah remembered only a few months ago, though it felt like a lifetime, when she had braided Rowan's hair before the Romance Festival. It seemed like every few minutes she received heart-breaking flashbacks such as that one, and while she smiled at the memory, her whole body ached to snuggle up in Rowan's bed and cry. She wondered if she could ever truly be happy again, or in fact, if she even wanted to.
She slipped into Andre's dress and put on a bit of make up, then tied her hair in a half-up style with a red ribbon that matched the roses on the dress. She put on a pair of silver earrings that looked like roses and stepped into her black heels, before making the trip down to the Great Hall alone, just a few minutes after it was meant to start.
What she saw pushed all other thoughts from her mind, as she halted just beyond the great oak doors, her eyes widening as they took in the scene.
"Wow!"