Gregory Goyle was walking casually down the halls of Hogwarts when he smelled the smell.

And, Merlin, it wasn't just any old scent.

This one only came once a year for most, and sometimes not at all.

The scent of burning candles atop a house-elf-made cake set his mouth watering and craving what what soon be his.

Or so he hoped.

He dramatically and stealthily straightened up against the wall next to the door from which the scent was wafting to his face.

Gregory peeked his head around the door for a half moment, just to register what he would have to do to get some of that cake.

Except, when he looked, he saw a most beautiful-looking girl, and he wondered where he had seen her before.

And as he wondered, Luna Lovegood- he finally recalled her name- looked up and met his startled gaze.

Calm and breezy as ever, she gave him a quick smile and nod.

That was when Ron Weasley, one of her horrid Gryffindor friends, turned his head and saw Gregory watching them.

Weasley immediately shouted, "Oi, you! Get out of here!" and an angry mob of lions began to pounce upon him.

So he hid behind the door again.

Gregory knew that hiding in the simplest spot was sometimes best, and most certainly the easiest, for he was a simple kind of boy.

Sure enough, the Gryffindors, closely followed by wary Ravenclaws, ran in the opposite direction in order to chase him off.

"What utter morons," he muttered to himself. "Can't even tell when a fellow is hiding behind a door."

Of course, Luna was neither a moron or unobservant, which was why she was able to surprise him.

"It's not very nice to insult people, Gregory. They're my friends."

A voice from behind him made him jump and slowly turn around.

Ignoring her statement, he gave Luna a wolfy Slytherin smile.

"You caught the drop on my, Lovegood! You're, well, good!" he complimented her.

"I know," she said brightly, then paused before adding, "Do you have anything to say to me?"

"Hmm..." Gregory thought for a moment. "May I have a slice of that deliciously-scented cake?"

"Not before you say it," said Luna with a mischievous smile.

"Say what? It?"

"You know..."

"I don't."

"Well," she said slowly, "I have a birthday cake, was until now attending a birthday party, and am asking you to say something, so you say..."

"Are you going to eat that cake or not?" Gregory asked her impatiently.

"Manners, Gregory," she replied softly, standing in the doorway, her platinum blond hair swishing over her shoulders.

"Just give me cake!" he found himself shouting, then shoving her to the side like she was nothing more than a doll.

Just as he had reached the coveted birthday cake, he found himself freezing up and falling to the ground, his limbs paralyzed.

"I'm sorry, Gregory," he heard her say, though all he could see was the streamer-covered ceiling.

"Happy birthday, Lovegood," he groaned, but the ceiling was already darkening.

"Too late," he heard her say, and then he realized that the lights weren't going out.

He was falling asleep...

Or something like that.