All the rest of winter break, Emilia could not chase the thought of Amit from her head. Just his name would send her blushing and smiling sheepishly, a phenomenon her family soon started to exploit by finding new ways to bring him up and embarrass her.
It drove the girl crazy. She resolved to let her embarrassment get the better of her no longer; the next time she and Amit were together, she must tell him how she felt. She was sure their friendship (if the two remained only friends) was strong enough to withstand an unrequited love confession.
Of course, if you listened to Mallina, Amit needed only one moment alone with Emilia before he confessed his own affections.
After a lengthy goodbye nearly costing Emilia her train back to school, the girl returned the day before classes began. Opting for the earliest departure, Emilia managed to drop off her luggage and pop over to Hogsmeade before the day was out. She'd just run out of a very important serum, and had placed an order with J. Pippin's.
Emilia swept across Hogsmeade's bridge, looking around aimlessly. The door to Tomes and Scrolls creaked open, and a boy balancing a stack of books in one arm struggled out. Emilia stepped forward to offer to help before she recognized his face, heart leaping.
"Amit?"
Amit snapped to attention, eyes widening. "Mia!" he yelped, quickly retrieving his wand and getting rid of the books, hiding one in particular in his pocket. Regaining composure, he smiled and wrapped her in a hug.
Emilia, both surprised and elated at his uncharacteristic show of affection, squeezed him back. Stepping away, she asked, "I'm so happy to run into you! How was your break?"
"Oh, it was great! My, um, family asked about you."
The confession plan floated forward in Emilia's mind. "Next time, I'd like to visit your home, if you'd have me. Now, I have a small errand to run. Would you like to come with me?"
Amit straightened. "I'd love to! Shall we?" he asked, offering his arm.
Emilia uttered a small "oh" before lacing her hand through his arm.
Amit's full of surprises today.
"It's at J. Pippin's Potions."
Together, the two made their way across the village, chattering as though no time had passed at all.
Emilia and Amit walked into the Potions store. The bell notified the shopkeep, Parry Pippin, and he looked up from his station. "Ah, Miss Valent, correct? I have your order-"
Emilia tensed and shook her head tightly, desperately mouthing "no".
"...of a month's worth Clear Vision serum- is that not your order?"
Emilia deflated, her closely kept secret uncovered. "No... that is mine. Thank you."
Dejectedly trading the bottle for a few Galleons, Emilia pointedly avoided eye contact with Amit as they exited.
"I didn't know you needed glasses," Amit inquired.
"I'd rather not talk about it." Emilia mumbled, shoving the bottle in her pocket forcefully.
Amit chose to drop the subject and the two stood in silence.
Clearing his throat, Amit asked, "Have you eaten yet? Would you like to go to the Three Broomsticks? My treat."
Emilia nodded, sidling back to Amit's side. "Perhaps Lodgok will be there."
This immediately piqued Amit's interest. "Is that the friend you met in the Hog's Head a while ago? The goblin?"
"The very same," Emilia confirmed. Seeing Amit's entire demeanor light up, she continued, "Maybe you two can share a conversation in Gobbledegook."
A ginormous smile leapt onto Amit's face and he picked up his pace, practically bouncing. "Conversing with a native speaker! I cannot wait to confirm subtle bits of tone and pronunciation- being self-taught and all."
His enthusiasm charmed Emilia immensely as the two arrived at the Three Broomsticks' doors. Ducking inside, Emilia searched for the back table where Lodgok normally sat, luckily finding him. Noticing her come in, Lodgok waved the company over amicably.
Sliding into a seat, Emilia decided introducing Amit as quickly as possible would quell the possibility of his head exploding.
"Lodgok, this is my friend, Amit Thakkar. He's the one been teaching me Gobbledegook," she added, unspoken understanding passing between her and the goblin.
"Is that right?" Lodgok said, intrigued. Shifting to face Amit, he asked, "Well, how do you do?"
Amit set his shoulders back as a sparkle shone in his eyes. "Ooooooo Baaagaaaaahhhh Leoo-"
Lodgok inadvertedly drew back in disgust. "Oh, no, no- please do not tell me that was meant to be Gobbledegook!"
The excitement on Amit's face could not have crashed faster. Emilia had to clap a hand to her mouth to stifle a giggle.
Meekly, Amit began, "Well... perhaps my pronunciation could be refined... um, and I... I imagine certain dialects differ..."
Lodgok placed a hand to his heart, breathing deeply to regain his composure. "I regret to tell you that neither pronunciation nor dialect poses the issue here. I could not even recognize... that... as Gobbledegook."
An errant bark of laughter escaped Emilia's control. "Sorry," she managed to squeak before laying her head on the table and shaking with silent laughter.
Amit, crushed, apologized softly before beginning to rise from his seat. Emilia weakly grasped at his arm and dragged him back down, attempting to take a breath before dissolving into fresh giggles, leaning on Amit and patting him consolingly on the shoulder.
Eventually, Amit cracked a smile, patting Emilia's hand as she let him go, struggling to calm down.
"Now we both have an embarrassing secret we must never share with anyone else," Amit muttered. Emilia stuck out a pinky finger and linked hers with Amit's, miming locking her lips and throwing away the key.
"Now I'd like to order something already. May I buy something for you as well, Sir Lodgok? For having to endure my 'Gobbledegook?'"
Lodgok smiled heartily. "Just Lodgok, please. I will say, though, if you can move on from blunders like that, I've got faith in you."
Bidding farewell to Lodgok, Emilia suggested the two pick up dessert from Honeydukes.
Just as the shop came into view, Emilia stopped short. A great smile came across her face as she recognized music, and she dragged Amit left of Honeydukes to find a musician, conducting the instruments floating about him in a slow, intimate melody.
If she hadn't been so enraptured by the music, Emilia would have noticed Amit observing her with a soft look in his eyes.
The piece drew to a close, and the musician opened his eyes. A chipper smile warmed his face as he saw Emilia.
"Well, if it isn't my most generous fan! I hope you liked the clarinet; I was finally able to get myself one due to your contributions!"
Emilia squeezed Amit's arm as she excitedly asked "Wasn't he amazing? I come by to listen to Mr. Lark play every time I come to Hogsmeade; he's my new favorite composer!"
Ernie placed a hand over his heart. "A loyal fan is worth a thousand passing listeners. But if you would be so kind..." He discreetly gestured to an upturned top hat, and Emilia tossed a few Galleons in. Amit dug out a couple Sickles and added them as well.
"You and your beau are true patrons of the arts," Ernie mused, leading his instruments into another song.
Emilia rolled Ernie's comment in her head before she caught his insinuation. "Um- that's not... we're not..."
Looking down, she realized she had unconsciously tucked her hand under Amit's arm again while they were walking. She gently slipped her hand away and apologized to him.
Taking their dessert to an empty tea table, Emilia's mind pestered her with the urge to tell him how she felt. Picking at her strawberry cake with her fork, Emilia worried that she had given Amit the wrong idea by taking her hand away.
She wasn't ready to tell him just yet. But she knew she would tell him before they left.
Emilia set down her fork and rummaged through her coat, sliding a present box over to Amit. "It's a bit late, but... Merry Christmas."
Amit put down his hot chocolate and lifted the top, his mouth opening slightly as he lifted the present: a sleek handmade scarf, blue as the night sky and accessorized with a beaded north star.
He tugged off the scarf he was currently wearing and replaced it with her gift, apparently speechless.
Pride bloomed in Emilia. "So you like it?"
Amit nodded. "And of course, I got you something too!" he blurted, pulling a brand new artist's sketchbook, complete with attached utensils, from his pocket. Emilia recognized it as the book he had hid from her earlier. She hugged it to her chest.
"Oh, Amit, it's what I've always wanted."
Emilia looked Amit directly in the eye. Against the setting sun, the way the light traced Amit's face, how it caught the honey browns in his eyes as he focused his full attention on her; Emilia took a moment to simply admire him, her feelings growing in magnitude until they were like a wind at her back, compelling her to share her feelings with him.
Setting the notebook in her lap, Emilia took a deep breath.
"Amit. It would not do for me to delay this any longer. You are so utterly charming, funny, and... if I may, handsome, to me. I enjoy our moments like this, but I've been struggling to even come close to you without blushing. I've... never had someone like you in my life, someone who means so much to me. And, what I'm trying to say is... I love you, Amit Thakkar."
Amit was frozen in shock, eyes wide as moons. A long silence lapsed between the two.
"...HAH! Ha ha hah!"
Utter mortification tore across Emilia's face.
Amit, still forcing out a laugh, patted Emilia stiffly on the shoulder. "Oh, that is a new one! Alright, um, I'd... I... see you in class!"
He stood so quickly his chair toppled over with a clang. Frantically righting it, Amit abandoned his dessert as he practically ran towards Hogwarts.
Minutes passed before Emilia felt she could move again. Her hands shook so badly she nearly dropped her plate multiple times as she went to throw away her untouched cake.
What the hell just happened?