There was a romantic atmosphere within the castle. Nearly every corridor and classroom had been adorned with flower arrangements. The Great Hall's ceiling was covered in soft, pink clouds. Throughout the day, students had been gifting cards, candies and flowers to that special someone that had caught their eye. If the date wasn't a dead giveaway, then the abundance of love in the air certainly was. It was officially Valentine's Day.

Classes had concluded early to give students time to celebrate. Raven knew she was in for a treat when she reached her dorm. There was a large, thin box on her bed with a letter on top of it. She picked up the letter to read what it said.

My dearest Raven,

I have planned an evening full of surprises just for you. Meet me at the Three Broomsticks at 6:00 pm. And please, wear the dress I bought for you.

Love,
Ominis

Imelda and the other girls in the room were smiling and giggling upon seeing Raven's joyous expression. Setting aside the short letter, she opened up the box to find a beautiful red gown waiting for her. It was long and made of silk. It fortunately had long sleeves to account for the chilly weather, although the square neckline still showed a tiny bit of cleavage. It was beautiful.

"Well are you going to gawk at it all day or are you going to put it on?"

Raven looked up at Imelda who wore a smirk. "I was admiring it, is all. But you're right. Mind helping me?"

Raven got changed, with the other girls helping tie her corset and her dress in the back. "Honestly, I wish I had someone like Ominis taking me out tonight," one of the girl's said.

"Me too," another replied. "He and Raven are the sweetest couple in the school."

Raven blushed, pulling her hair into a bun and straightening her necklace. "I-I wasn't aware anyone noticed us."

"Are you kidding?" Imelda snorted. "For the past month, you two have practically been attached at the hip. I rarely see one of you without the other."

It was true. Ever since the events of a month ago, Ominis and Raven had begun to spend more time together. It seemed having so many burdens lifted from them had brought them closer together. Not to mention after the heart attack she nearly gave Ominis, it was no surprise that he'd been hovering around her as much as possible. It was as if he was trying to cherish as much time with her as he possibly could to make up for the years they'd been apart, and to be sure she didn't wind up in some kind of trouble again.

"Well, I hope you girls manage to enjoy your evenings," Raven concluded rather quickly. "I'd better go before I end up late."

She was out of the door rather quickly, still hearing the amused giggles of her roommates behind her. It wasn't a bad thing for their relationship to be known, of course. But it was the light teasing that flustered her a bit. It was different to have her serious facade shattered in the eyes of so many classmates. In the past, she might've hated it, but now, she'd grown and matured since the school year began. She honestly didn't care how others saw her anymore.

Taking the Floo Network to arrive at the Hogsmeade square, Raven already noticed all the happy couples out and about along with quite a few families spending the holiday together. There were couples enjoying tea and snacks, others walking and shopping, and children running and playing. It made the girl daydream a little, wondering just what Ominis had planned. She also had a surprise for him, but she would have to save it for the end of their evening.

"Raven, you look beautiful!" a girl's voice gushed.

Peeled from her thoughts, she found a familiar pair walking arm in arm toward her. "Anne, Sebastian," she greeted with a smile. "I didn't expect you two to be out today."

"Well, we figured we'd go to Zonko's for some sibling fun," Sebastian told her. "Beats staying at Hogwarts while everyone else is out having a pleasant evening."

Anne looked Raven over. "And that dress is gorgeous on you! Ominis will be so happy that you're wearing it. I helped him pick it out."

"Thank you. I should've known you'd both be aware of Ominis's plans." Raven laughed lightly.

"Not just aware, we had a small part in making it happen." Anne elbowed her brother in the side. "Ow! I'm not spoiling anything!"

"Well you still shouldn't have said that!" his sister chided. "Imagine Ominis's disappointment if you went and blurted out everything!"

Raven cleared her throat to get their attention. "Maybe you should be on your way, then. I don't want the surprise ruined either."

Sebastian nodded. "Right. Of course. Have a nice Valentine's Day. I'm certain you'll enjoy it."

"Not another word out of you," Anne scolded, dragging her brother away.

Raven could only wave to them before continuing on her way. Her curiosity was growing now that she knew whatever her sweetheart had planned, he needed help from his best friends to achieve. She had to wonder if her gift to him would be even half as great. But it was the thought that counted most, and she had worked really hard to have it perfect for that day.

Upon entering the Three Broomsticks, Raven found the place to be packed. Every table was full. There were, of course, Valentine's decorations everywhere. Sirona had even hired musicians to play some soft, romantic music to create even more of an atmosphere for all the loving couples. There was one problem though - she didn't see Ominis anywhere. The nearest grandfather clock told her she was only about five minutes early. He should be there.

"Oh, come on in, Raven," Sirona greeted with a smile when she finally noticed the girl by the doors. "Ominis is upstairs. I'll have your dinner up in a moment."

Raven smiled. "Thank you, Sirona." She climbed the stairs to find a secluded table where the blind boy was seated. Seemed he'd reserved that area, for there was no one else present. She approached the table, taking in how handsome her sweetheart was every time he wore a suit. "Good evening, Ominis."

The boy perked up and immediately rose from his seat. "Raven. A good evening to you as well." He moved closer to pull her into a hug, his fingers running up her back to her arms, as if feeling the silk of her dress. "You wore it. Perfect. I'd hoped you would."

"Of course I would. It's beautiful, Ominis." She moved away only for him to pull her chair out for her. She sat and watched him return to his seat across from her. "I was expecting dinner, but I wasn't expecting you to reserve the entire upstairs for us."

Ominis chuckled. "What can I say? I prefer the privacy. And it helped that Sirona was able to make it happen." He reached out to find her hand so that he could kiss the top of it. "This is the first time we're celebrating Valentine's Day. I wanted it to be special." His smile widened when he heard footsteps. "And so, here's the first of your surprises this evening."

Sirona brought a cute vase holding a bouquet to their table, making herself scarce as soon as the gift was delivered. Among the green leaves were red roses and vibrant pink lilies. They smelled so sweet and were lovely to look at. Raven was staring at them in amazement.

"Oh, Ominis… These are for me?"

"Indeed they are. Red roses, as I'm sure you know, symbolize love and passion. I added the pink lilies to show my admiration, and because-"

"They're one of my favorite flowers," Raven interrupted, finishing his sentence. She took the vase and gently spun it so she could properly view the flowers. She was almost tearing up at how thoughtful he was. "You're too sweet to me. Thank you. I adore them."

"You're welcome, dove. And the best part is that they're enchanted to never wilt. So these flowers will endure for as long as our love - forever."

Raven swore her heart was melting more and more every time he spoke. Scooting the bouquet to the side, she got up enough to lean over the table and kiss his cheek. Almost as soon as she was back in her seat, Sirona brought their food. It was a delicious steak dinner with rose water. Ominis truly went all out. If he didn't come from a wealthy, pure-blood family, she would've wondered how a student could afford all that. After dining, the pair left arm in arm with Raven carrying her bouquet.

"These are definitely going right next to my bed so I can see them every day." She looked up at her sweetheart, his moonstone eyes shimmering in the moonlight. "And dinner was wonderful. This was one of the best evenings I've ever had."

"It isn't over just yet, darling."

"There's more?"

A soft chuckle left the boy. "There is. I have something else in store for you. We have to go back to the castle, though. Let's drop off the bouquet while we're at it. I'd loathe for you to carry it everywhere we go."

The couple used the Floo Network to return to Hogwarts. Raven took her bouquet to her room to place it on the table by her bed. She gave the flowers one more sniff before turning to leave, thankful that her roommates were out and unable to tease her about the gift. When she met with Ominis again, she was thoroughly surprised when he led her to the Faculty Tower, and even more so when they snuck to the Prefect's Bathroom. Raven's face lit up at the possibilities that came to mind, and took a subtle deep breath to calm her wandering thoughts. She knew Ominis. He would never do anything they weren't ready for.

"There's an enchantment here." The boy's voice broke her from her thoughts. "Sebastian and Anne helped me set it up. It's to keep everyone but us out, and to make this door go unnoticed by passersby."

There was, in fact, what looked like a type of Protego barrier protecting the door. They could pass right through it, though. When they stepped inside, Raven gasped. Rose petals were scattered everywhere across the floor and atop the water's surface. They gave the entire room a sweet scent. With a wave of Ominis's wand, a couple of the faucets turned on, spilling soapy bubbles into the water to create a luxurious bubble bath.

"Merlin, what is all this?"

Ominis turned his head in her direction, his smile faltering. "I-I hope this isn't too strange. I wanted to thoroughly pamper you this evening and-"

The girl silenced him with a brief kiss. "Thank you. This is quite a surprise, but a welcome one. I'll admit, I wasn't expecting anything like this. And at first I thought…well…"

Her sweetheart's cheeks lit up in an instant. "Oh, no, no, no. That's not what I intended at all, dove. I guess it would seem that way, but I promise that I merely wanted to spoil you for Valentine's Day."

Raven giggled. "You already spoil me, Ominis. But I'm not opposed to this little gift of yours." She turned her back to him. "Could you untie my dress please?"

"But of course, darling." His fingers found the laces and began to swiftly untie them for her. As the back loosened, he leaned down to plant his lips on the nape of her neck, finding her necklace in the process. "Probably best to take off your pendant as well." He unfastened it, allowing her to catch it in her palm.

"Could you untie my corset while you're at it?"

Ominis exhaled with a smile. "I shall, but I hope you won't mind a few extra kisses in the process."

"Not at all."

The boy carefully untied her corset, and with each part of the laces that came undone, he'd plant another kiss somewhere on the nape or side of her neck. Each tender peck of his lips gave Raven shivers. Much to her delight, he didn't back off once he finished, and instead, slowly slid the sleeves of her dress off her arms, his warm hands gliding over her smooth skin as he went. His breath hit her ear and his lips grazed the shell.

"You're beautiful," he whispered. "I love you. I love you so very much."

"I love you, too," she softly replied with a pleased hum. She had to force herself to move away from him in order to undress. "No peeking now," she lightly joked.

Ominis chuckled. "Very funny."

Out of instinct, Raven often glanced his way while she shed her clothes. He was considerate and turned his head away, but she could see his Adam's apple visibly bob as he swallowed with each article of clothing that hit the floor. It was flattering to see the slight pink of his face, as if he were imagining her. Once her clothes were in a pile on the floor, the girl stepped into the water and sat on the steps in the shallows.

"This is bliss," she mumbled.

Ominis approached to sit at the edge of the water so he could still be near her. "Glad to hear it. And the water's not too hot or cold?"

"No, it's perfect." She shifted and moved out of the water enough to kiss him. "You're the absolute best. Thank you for this."

She went back into the water before he could properly savor her kiss. "You're more than welcome, dove."

Raven's gaze fell on him, her eyes full of admiration. "Ominis, you could… Would you care to join me? It's just that I feel selfish enjoying this all alone."

"No, certainly not." He was quick to shake his head. "It would be improper. To create this bath for you is one thing, but to indulge myself would mean…" His face reddened and his breathing subtly picked up. "We may do something we regret. I may not be able to hold back my desires."

Raven completely understood, but it didn't stop her from feeling lonesome in the bath. "Please? I trust you. We can control ourselves. And I promise I won't look or anything. It's just… I want to enjoy Valentine's Day in your arms as much as possible."

Ominis abruptly stood, and he began to shed his suit. Raven swiftly turned away and walked into the water to keep her back turned, blushing at how quickly he changed his tune. She could hear his clothes fall to the floor, one piece at a time, until she heard and felt the subtle waves of the water. Before she had a chance to turn toward him, his hands found her upper arms and his lips fell upon her shoulder.

"How could I possibly refuse such a request from you?" he mumbled against her skin. "I swear, you have me wrapped around your finger. Not that I'm really complaining, mind you."

A giggle left the girl. "I'll have to keep that in mind. Never know when I may want something in particular."

"You sly little Kneazle."

Raven brought her hand up to caress the side of his face, to which he responded by kissing her hand. Despite whatever urges and desires dwelt in them, they kept their boundaries. They only touched each other's arms, shoulders and face, and they kept a bit of space between their bodies. Raven even kept her back to him just so she wouldn't risk seeing anything she shouldn't. But she certainly enjoyed the warmth of the water, the sweet aroma of the rose petals and the gentle touch of his hands and lips. Ominis's fingers trailed up and down her arms. His lips peppered her shoulder and neck with kisses. Raven turned her head to catch his lips, and the kiss they shared was full of passion. It was when they parted that a raspy hiss of words tumbled from the boy's lips.

Raven froze in shock. "Ominis, did you…just speak in Parseltongue?"

A gasp left the blond and his eyes widened at the realization. "I…I didn't mean to. It just came out."

"You don't have to apologize." Raven looked at him from over her shoulder, smiling curiously. "It may not be a trait you're proud of, but I think it's fascinating. But what exactly did you say?"

Ominis's face lit up. "I-I'd rather not speak it. It was involuntary to begin with, neither is it appropriate."

"I still want to know."

She watched his face shift from embarrassment to surprise to infatuation. Slowly, he leaned closer to her ear and held her by the shoulders. "What I said was…" He breathed deeply, as if gathering his courage to repeat it, all while taking the chance to peck the side of her head. "I yearn for the day we're ready - when I can make love to you."

Raven was stunned into silence. She was blushing deeply, and the very idea sent her thoughts spiraling out of control. After several agonizingly long moments of silence, she breathed a shaky sigh and gently pulled herself from her sweetheart's arms.

"One day, Ominis…when the time comes… Um, perhaps it's time we finish our bath. I-I still haven't given you your present." The girl was quick to change the subject, much to Ominis's relief.

"You have something for me? Silly girl, I was supposed to spoil you today, not the other way around."

"It's not much, not compared to all you treated me to. But I would've felt awful had I not done anything for you."

"All right. Go ahead and dry off and get dressed. I'll wait till you're finished. I need to do a quick clean up before anyone else finds the bathroom like this."

Raven left his touch and climbed out of the bath, using a towel to dry off and getting dressed. She did ask her sweetheart to tie her corset and her dress again, but as soon as that was done, she left the bathroom to wait outside. There was still no one around, fortunately. The girl waited patiently until she watched the barrier dissipate, followed by Ominis exiting the now pristine bathroom. He made it appear as if they'd never been there in the first place.

"Now, where to, darling?" he asked, smiling and finding her hand.

"To the Room. Not only is it a private place, but what I need is there." Ominis followed her without question to the Room of Requirement. It was there that Raven took her seat at the piano. "So, um, my gift to you is a song. I wrote it just for this day."

Ominis's smile only seemed to widen, and he sat at the sofa. "I'm all ears."

Raven moved her fingers along the keys, taking a quiet, deep breath.

"Little of your time
Little of your heart
You're the only one I'm hoping to find

"Would you let me lead
If I said I needed to
Could you close your eyes this time

"You're so lovely, lovely, lovely
You're so lovely, lovely, lovely
Isn't it lovely the way that you love me
The way that you, way that you do
You're so lovely, lovely, lovely

"Give me one more kiss
I won't leave you bleeding
Every little chance I'll say

"You're so lovely, lovely, lovely
You're so lovely, lovely, lovely
Isn't it lovely the way that you love me
The way that you, way that you do
You're so lovely, lovely, lovely"

She played a few more notes before the song came to an end. When she turned, she saw Ominis still seated, but his brows were raised and his lips parted in surprise. Shaking off his shock, he stood abruptly and approached her.

"That was absolutely beautiful!" Raven rose when she realized his arms were outstretched, letting him pull her into an embrace. "You truly wrote that yourself?"

Raven hummed softly and enjoyed the close contact. "I did. I worked on it for several long nights just getting the notes right. I wanted it to be perfect before I performed it for you. It's really not much considering what you've done for me today."

"Nonsense! I loved every note and every word. It reflected everything we've been through. That song will have a special place in my heart simply because you created it."

Out of sheer joy and love, Raven tilted her head up to capture his lips. He didn't hesitate to return the gesture, but he did add to it with extra fervor. His lips moved with tenderness and affection against hers, leaving her head swimming. When he parted from her, the girl could hardly catch her breath before he was leaving sweet kisses all over her face.

"There is one more thing I have for you this evening," he suddenly said, bringing his sweetheart back to reality. Taking her hand, he led her over to the sofa. "Have a seat."

Raven did as instructed, although baffled. "There's more? Ominis, you're really going too far for me."

"I'm inclined to think otherwise. I believe you deserve twice as much. But this is the last gift, I promise." He suddenly knelt down in front of her and reached into his pocket.

"You've given me flowers, and treated me to dinner and a bath. What more could you give me in one evening?" Her breath caught in her throat when he pulled out a little box.

"A promise," he told her, opening the box to reveal a silver band with a lovely emerald on it. "This promise ring is a symbol of my everlasting love and loyalty to you. And one day, once we graduate, I promise to marry you. I can't imagine sharing my life with anyone else."

Raven was tearing up, blinking rapidly to try and keep from crying but failing when a few tears started rolling down her cheeks. "Ominis…" Her voice was trembling.

The blind boy was also holding back evident tears of joy. "Will you…also promise me the same, Raven?"

"Yes," she answered eagerly. "I promise. I promise to give you all my love and loyalty till my last breath."

Ominis took the ring from the box. Raven offered him her left hand, to which he took and slid the ring onto her finger. They were all smiles. As soon as the blond moved to join her on the sofa, she engulfed him in a hug that knocked him back onto the cushions with her on top of him. It made them laugh at first, but the close proximity led to a passionate kiss. Ominis had one hand on her waist while the other caressed the side of her neck. It elicited a happy little hum from the girl, which prompted Ominis to move. It was sudden when he sat up, breaking the kiss in the process, only to gently lay her on the opposite end of the sofa with him hovering over her. He was careful not to rest his weight on her, but he immediately dove in for a rather eager kiss. His lips, his touch, their position. Raven didn't even notice the soft moan that escaped her until it met her ears, making her blush.

Her sweetheart paused, a sly smirk tugging at his lips. "Oh? Enjoying this, darling?"

Even though he couldn't see her, Raven had the urge to turn her head away as if to hide her embarrassment. "W-well, yes. But I didn't mean… It just slipped out."

Ominis leaned down to peck her cheek. "You need not fret. It was melodious. Makes me want to please you more just so I can hear it again."

He didn't hesitate to trail kisses down her jaw and to her neck, and further down to the top of her chest. Raven bit her lip, enjoying the affection yet trying her hardest not to make another sound. But Ominis was having none of that. He moved his lips down to the very edge of her dress and proceeded to lick a stripe up one of her breasts. Raven gasped at the sensation, a quiet moan leaving her at the same time as she squirmed.

"Stop teasing, Ominis," she begged, taking hold of his shoulders to lightly push him away. "We agreed to restrain ourselves."

"Forgive me, darling. You're right." He lifted his head and gave her lips a chaste kiss. "I got carried away."

The girl giggled. "It's all right, love."

They shared several more kisses, unable to stand parting from each other just yet. They wanted to savor every moment of the most romantic day of the year. But the door to the Room suddenly opened, and a pair of siblings entered. Ominis was quick to part from Raven and sit up, leaving the girl lying there for a moment before she, too, sat herself up. She was a bit out of breath, but frowned at the first person she saw.

"Come on!" Sebastian cried, averting his gaze. "Why do I always run into you two snogging?!"

"Why do you always have such atrocious timing?" Ominis snapped.

"And why don't you ever knock?!" Raven shouted. "When I said you could come here whenever you liked, I didn't mean to just barge in like you own the place!"

"We are so sorry!" Anne apologized. "We thought for sure you'd still be in the Prefect's Bathroom!"

"We were hoping to escape all the loving couples," Sebastian defended, "but it turns out it isn't safe here either."

"No, it isn't," Ominis replied with an exasperated sigh. "Perhaps you should try our common room. I'd imagine there'd be less couples there than anywhere else in the castle."

"Right. We'll just go." Anne started tugging her brother back to the door. "Carry on. Don't let us disturb you."

"Just don't stay here too late or people might get suspicious!" Sebastian called before the door closed behind them.

It was Raven's turn to sigh. "I suppose he's right about that. As much as I'd love to stay here wrapped in your arms all night, we'll have to part ways soon."

Ominis turned toward her, pulling her into a warm embrace. "'Soon' being the keyword. For now, let us relish in the moment."

With a smile, he captured her lips. Being with him was absolute bliss, and he'd given her the best Valentine's Day ever. It was best they enjoy it while they could, for soon they'd have to prepare for their O.W.L.s, which would determine their futures. However, Raven and Ominis already had a future planned.

The song here is called "Lovely" and is by Tommee Profitt feat. Fleurie. I thought of these two when I heard it so I had to use it.