#hl fics | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

amberlide · 1 month

Text

Reflection

Pairing: Imelda Reyes/Nerida Roberts Tags: Fluffy romance, broken friendship, found love, love confessions, first kiss Word count: 5.5 k Tag: @libellule-ao3

AO3 link: here :)

A/N: this is my first F/F! I wanted to investigate why Imelda and Nerida weren't friends anymore and give a bit more insight into Nerida's secondary quest. I want to thank Shivvy for the amazing beta reading!! <3

@theladyofshalott1989 can you put put the AO3 link in the queer fic list, please? :) when you have time of course!

Faster.

Imelda leaned on her broom, tightly gripping the handle with her bare hands. Her chest rested on the hard wood, her chin almost touching the smooth, polished surface. A sly grin painted on her flushed face, tears glistening in the corners of her eyes from the unrelenting wind.

As the forest trees darted beneath her, she plunged even lower, the undergrowth becoming just a splash of green and brown in the corner of her watering vision.

Faster.

She hooked her legs around the tail of the broom, knees pressed firmly together.

The surge of adrenaline coursed through her body as she swayed to the right just in time to avoid a solitary tree in the middle of the path.

A perfect move for a perfect rider with the perfect mount.

Mr. Weekes wasn't joking about how amazing his new update was.

At this rate, nobody would beat her record in the flight trials.

The vicious smile on her face widened; she would be the only one at the top of the ranking.

Soon, the castle came into view. Its majestic reflection waved over the Black Lake, basking in the glow of a warm summer afternoon with its pinnacles and towers.

Imelda lowered herself, sprinting toward the lagoon, the surface rippled by tiny waves brought by the wind. As the familiar emptiness in her stomach greeted her, she closed her eyes for a split second, savoring the cold splashes of water on her face. Her heart beating thunderously in her ears as the tips of her feet brushed against the surface.

It was the best feeling ever, being so free and so empowered at the same time.

Competing against others made her feel strong and powerful, but competing against herself made her feel alive.

Her best time on that same course was from last week, and now she was ready to beat it again.

A distant shout reached her buzzing ears, and she grinned, recognizing the voices of her teammates. They would never catch up to her; she was the Icy Queen of the Pitch.

It was time to show those dung heads why she was their captain.

She snapped her eyes open, ready to take a turn around the castle, zigzagging around the towers. She perhaps even startled some first years as she headed for the Quidditch pitch.

At the thought, she chuckled under her breath, feeling the rush of the wind against her face, reddening her cheeks and making her skin tingle.

Victory tasted like sweat, salt, leather, and wood polish.

Exhilarated by the moment, catching a glimpse of some students sunbathing along the lake's shores, Imelda didn't waste a moment to showcase her abilities.

Even if the race wasn't over yet, why not celebrate in advance something she would win anyway?

After all, her grandfather hadn't spent all that time teaching her during summer and winter breaks just so she could fly like a boring Fwooper, no.

She was a Jobberknoll. A silent threat.

She inhaled deeply, the salty scent filling her nostrils and tickling her nose. Then, she leaned to her side, as if poised to fall, only to swiftly jerk her hips and execute an impressive, swift maneuver—a complete turn on herself, writhing like a snake again and again at least three times. For a split second, her long ponytail coiled around her, her cloak enveloping her slender body in a mixture of green and silver. She could hear the spectators holding their breath, their eyes wide in astonishment, releasing a "oh" of admiration followed by a flurry of applause.

It was the weaving serpent, a corkscrew acrobatic move that her grandfather had taught his son first and then her, the hallmark of the Reyes family. Her father had demonstrated it multiple times after successful victories on the Quidditch pitch. And she was certainly no different.

As Imelda got back on course, her head light and dizzy from the sudden movements, she turned slightly toward her left, an involuntary and almost imperceptible tilting of her head.

Her gaze darted for a second to the Boathouse, where a small figure was hung by the pier.

She snorted.

Dawdling.

Like every afternoon, she was still there, but this time she wasn't huddled over, checking her reflection on the water; instead, she was standing on the low stone curb surrounding the dock.

What was she doing?

As Imelda approached the cliff to which the castle was clinging, a wave higher than the others hit the shallow rocks below her, splashing water onto her face and entering her nose just as she was about to turn around, convincing herself that she didn't care about the figure.

She sneezed.

Immediately, her broom decelerated and the handle lowered, almost brushing against the water as someone zoomed next to her in a whirlwind of green and black.

"Hey Reyes! Keep your ass busy showing off! I'm going to win this!"

Imelda gritted her teeth and regained control of her mount. She jerked it upwards, desperately gripping the handle and digging her fingernails into her white, sweaty palms.

"Sure, Sallow," she cried, rising again. "In your dreams!"

As she swayed to the right to turn around the castle, the girl couldn't help but cast another curious glance towards the Boathouse.

The figure shed her cloak. Then raised her arms.

Imelda squinted her eyes. Was she going to dive? Did she finally learn how to swim?

Swinging her arms in the air, after a moment of clear hesitation, the small figure hunched and jumped, plunging into the dark waters below.

Imelda held her breath and widened her eyes as she kept turning her head behind her, checking if the figure was coming back, while hurtling toward the Quidditch pitch.

Five seconds. Ten seconds.

She was already so far away that she couldn't distinguish anything anymore. The surface of the lake was just a dark mass, a bottomless pool. Her pulse quickened.

Twenty seconds.

She swerved, turning abruptly. She hadn't resurfaced from the water yet. Why?

To her surprise, Imelda found herself anxious to know whether the figure was going to make it or not. Thirty seconds.

She had made her decision.

Without much hesitation, Imelda lurched forward towards the Boathouse.

"Cap! The Quidditch pitch is on the other…" But the rest of the words got lost in the howling wind.

Imelda didn't care about the race anymore.

"Damn Roberts!" she thought, her eyes darting around, flashing on the surface.

"If she's pulling my leg, I'm going to drown her with my own two hands!"

But Nerida wasn't coming back up.

The only movements on the Black Lake were the constant washing of the waves, sweeping over towards the Boathouse. What should have been the soothing, rhythmic sound of the undertow resonated inside her like an eerie call from an ancient cult, echoing her fears and heightening her senses.

Imelda hovered over the surface, lowering herself until her feet touched the water, the moisture seeping through her shoes making her shiver in discomfort.

"Roberts!"

But only the croaking of the wooden boats answered her call.

She took a deep breath, her hands clammy from the strain of holding the broom, her shoulders tense, and her face and hair damp from the constant splashes of water. On the side of the Boathouse were Nerida's bag, her shoes, and the bundle of her cloak.

Still, no sign of her.

"Nerida!" she cried again, her anguish increasing, her heart beating in her temples, making her stomach churn and her mouth dry.

Biting her tongue in frustration, Imelda approached the pier.

She hastily dismounted. Abandoning her broom against the wall, she kicked off her shoes and got rid of her cloak. Finally, taking a running start and a deep, desperate breath, she dove headfirst into the lake.

The chilly, murky water welcomed her in its cold embrace.

Imelda widened her gaze, ignoring the darkness pressing on her eyes. She started scanning her surroundings, adjusting to the dimly lit environment. The bright light from the sunny afternoon barely broke the surface; as she dived even deeper, it became too dark to even distinguish the rocks near the cliff.

The rocks!

At the thought, she gasped, losing a lungful of precious air that escaped from her mouth in a spiral of tiny bubbles and danced towards the surface. Her hair swayed around her as she desperately turned around, frantically searching for her friend. Twisting her body and slashing her legs, Imelda tried to avoid being pushed up to the surface and onto the shore with its razor-sharp teeth ready to maul her.

She felt her clothes heavy, dragging her down, while her head was light from the lack of oxygen. Bright small flashes pulsed in front of her. Imelda struggled to keep her focus; this was a race she couldn't afford to lose.

As the sounds around her dulled, only the erratic beating of her heart filled her ears. But it wasn't from an intoxicating experience like flying; it was from the fear of losing someone so dear to her.

She just wanted to see the delicious way her friend's freckles twitched when she smiled, just one more time.

Just once more.

Imelda plunged deeper, biting her tongue and cursing herself for not allowing wands during races. She could have done very well with just a bit of light; now, every shadow around her resembled Nerida's slender body.

Uncertain whether to continue her fruitless search or go back up for a quick breath of fresh air, Imelda caught a glimpse of something shining in the corner of her eyes. She turned so quickly that the water swirled into her pounding ears.

"Nerida!"

The silhouette of the girl's body was just a few metres from her, suspended in the dim strip of water just below the surface. Clearly, she had tried to resurface without succeeding.

With newfound hope, Imelda lurched forward, ignoring the pain in her muscles and the aching of her head.

Within seconds, she grabbed hold of Nerida.

She firmly wrapped her arm around the girl's waist and dragged her closer, but the other was limp and heavy from her drenched clothes. Her disheveled hair swayed gently in the current, hiding her face and impairing Imelda's vision.

Imelda gritted her teeth, slashing her legs. A groan escaped her lips, together with another cascade of bubbles; more precious air leaving her lungs. She didn't have much left by now. But she tensed her arm.

She wouldn't let Nerida go.

Not this time.

Imelda brought her left arm up, slicing through that murky wall, then pulled it back with all her strength, propelling forward. Her body screamed from the intense effort, but she could see the water becoming clearer by the second, the feeble rays of sunlight penetrating the surface. She was close; she couldn't give up!

She had endured worse when Quidditch training with her grandfather.

Suddenly, something caught her ankle, dragging her down. Imelda opened her mouth and a silent scream filled the last bubble. She tried to fight, fear and desperation mingling in her already foggy mind.

She could feel a presence next to her, a shadow rising up to her left side. A scaled, translucent arm wrapped around her waist. Imelda tried to fight as the creature pressed against her tired body, but her head was heavy and she didn't have much strength anymore. She soon surrendered to what felt like a sturdy, slimy monster.

The Giant Squid perhaps?

Without much effort, they were propelled upwards by the fast, swaying movement of what Imelda imagined was a tail of some sort.

But Squid didn't have tails.

They soon broke the surface; the brisk air filled Imelda's burning lungs, her nose was sore from the muddy water, and her eyes were stinging. Her ears were assaulted by the rushing sound of the wind meandering through the rocks and the slashing of the waves, and started buzzing. She blinked against the bright light of a dying sun.

Imelda closed her eyes and took in a deep, painful breath while she felt the body behind her gently carrying her and Nerida towards the Boathouse. Once close enough, the creature let go of her, and Imelda gathered enough strength to reach the low stone curb that gently descended into the water.

She groggily moved on all fours in her drenched clothes, dragging Nerida's listless body with her until she collapsed onto the ground inside the Boathouse, coughing and spitting water. The last image imprinted on her eyes was the whipping of a long, bluish tail with almost transparent fins, elegantly swaying in the air before disappearing with a splash into the murky depths.

Imelda shivered and raised her arm to shield her sore eyes from a pesky last ray of sunshine peeking through a fissure in the ceiling of what looked like a moldy and mossy building.

Her body was cold, her fingertips numb. Moving was an endeavor of its own. Imelda tried to swallow, but her throat ached so much she felt tears filling her eyes.

Exhausted and completely breathless, she sensed something next to her, radiating comforting warmth that drew her attention—a small fire in a jar.

A strained smile caressed her burning lips, recognizing the charm as one of Nerida's specialties.

She had witnessed her summoning it countless times during winter, as they always sat together under the arches in the courtyard or in the Slytherin dungeons. Nerida was the type of girl who always suffered from the cold, her nose red and chapped from the chill and the countless sneezes. Imelda's first and last Christmas gift to her had been a pair of warm, hand-knitted socks.

Did she still have them?

A sudden rustle next to her interrupted her thoughts.

As the memory of what just happened flooded her mind, she cracked her eyes open. The hard stone floor was covered in pebbles which dug into her hands, leaving marks as she struggled to raise herself up.

Imelda ignored the soaring pain in her limbs as she turned her stiff neck, scanning the shadowy building with locks of soaked hair plastered to her face.

"Nerida!"

Something slipped on top of her, and through her blurry vision, she soon realized it was her cloak.

"I'm here." A soft, gentle voice responded to her tentative croak.

Her voice.

Within moments, her vision adjusted to the light, and Imelda could discern the figure that knelt down in front of her. A pair of warm, brown eyes, glowing under the inviting flicker of the jar-fire, held a concerned expression. Long, chestnut hair — lighter than hers — was damp and gathered in neat tresses, adorning her slender neck and narrow shoulders. A tentative smile tugged at the corner of thin, chapped lips, and a splash of freckles dusted the bridge of her small nose.

Imelda took in a deep breath of relief, her nostrils filling with the moisture from the lake, the fishy scent from the Boathouse mingling with the acrid smell of tar.

She seemed to be fine.

Imelda then squinted her eyes, frustration soon building up within her.

"What in Merlin's name did you think you were doing?!" she exclaimed, trying to hide her worried tone with a decisive note, but her voice still came out shaky and coarse from all the water she had ingested.

Immediately, Nerida lowered her guilty gaze, her hands clinging to the jar where the small fire was still burning. Its flames cast dancing shadows on her face, its inviting warmth spreading all around them.

"I'm… sorry," the girl murmured, her voice strained and low.

"You better be!" Imelda huffed, "If you don't know how to swim you better stay on solid ground."

Nerida took a deep breath, "I thought I could manage. Adelaide said I improved so much from our last lesson…"

Imelda snorted so loud, she had to dry her nose with the hem of her cloak from the little splash of water that came out of it.

Oakes. Of course, she had to imagine that it was all her fault.

"Well, next time you see her, tell your friend that I almost died because of her!" Imelda shook her head, her drenched hair releasing cold droplets on her neck and down her shirt collar.

“If you wanted to learn how to swim properly, why didn't you…" she didn't finish the sentence and bit her tongue, averting her gaze.

Come to me? Was that what she wanted to say?

Would she have helped her, if she had done so?

Maybe…

Feeling uncomfortable with her own thoughts, Imelda started to busy herself by adjusting her hair. She pulled her disheveled ponytail to the front and reached for the hairband, tugging at it impatiently. "I lost my race, and I almost drowned in the lake," she let it slip with a groan of pain, her soggy hair falling in wet, sticky tresses all over her shirt.

"And all for what?" she continued, passing her hands through her long, dark locks. As she started to rake them, Imelda winced, feeling tight knots under her fingers.

Not hearing an answer, but rather a rustling, she raised her gaze, curiosity piqued: Nerida was hunched over her bag, searching for something. She could discern the shuffling of parchment papers and quills.

Imelda's eyes lingered on the damp shirt clinging to the girl's form. She could make out her corset under her clothes, and the feeble light filtering from the open door in the back made her stand out like a silhouette against the dark backdrop of the stone building.

Swallowing hard Imelda averted her stare just in time, hoping to pass off the flush on her face as the warmth coming from the fire.

Soon enough, after more rustling and bustling, Nerida presented her what looked like a piece of jewelry. It was a silver necklace with a pendant adorned with a greenish stone that gleamed under the flames.

"I went to look for this," she murmured and Imelda realized that the necklace must have been what had caught her attention when she was looking for her under water.

It was what had brought her to Nerida.

"What is that?" she asked, making a half-hearted attempt to hide her growing discomfort by pulling her fingers through her hair with force, working out the tangled knots with impatience.

"It's a Mermish artifact, a gift I went to retrieve form a cave…" Nerida's voice trailed off, "I'm so sorry, Imelda. I didn't want to ask for help. Who would dive into the lake for a lunatic obsessed with merpeople?"

Imelda shifted her gaze from the necklace to Nerida, who was tormenting her hands by twitching her fingers and casting pleading looks while mumbling more excuses and thanking her for saving her.

Soon, the girl found herself torn between the urge to lean towards Nerida to better grasp her words or to hug her in a comforting embrace.

"It wasn't me," Imelda cut her off, "I didn't save you. A mer… something got us both," she murmured, continuing to work on her hair, cursing under her breath every time she pulled a bit too hard.

"Oh!" Nerida exclaimed, sudden excitement lighting up her pale features, "It must have been Melusine. The gift is from them and…" She didn't finish the sentence. Instead, she left the jewel on Imelda's lap and raised her arm, gently swatting away the other's nervous hands from her hair.

"Let me take care of it, would you turn?"

Imelda nodded silently and complied, crossing her legs. She felt Nerida drape her cloak over her trembling shoulders before starting to comb her hair with her fingers, gently intertwining them in her locks, carefully avoiding tugging and disentangling them one by one.

Imelda shivered under her touch.

She had forgotten how nice it felt to have Nerida's small hands in her hair. During their first year, the girl had always taken care of it, braiding it in simple yet elegant styles that Imelda secretly loved but never admitted.

She had never complimented her friend for her abilities, and now she regretted it.

She felt her scalp pleasantly tingling under Nerida's soft caresses as she parted her tresses neatly and raked them with the help of a small comb, something she always carried in her shoulder bag in a purse decorated with green stones.

"You're letting it grow, and it suits you," Nerida remarked casually.

Imelda hummed in agreement, feeling suddenly embarrassed by the simple comment.

"Do you remember the last time I did your hair?"

A soft smile formed on Imelda's lips. Of course, she remembered!

"It was before potion class, one of the last days of school," she murmured, memories flooding her mind as if it were ages ago.

"Yes!" Nerida chuckled. "I accidentally put a honking daffodil among the other flowers, and it woke up during class."

"Sharp had a panic attack!" Imelda laughed, recalling the scene vividly. All her classmates had stared at her while the flower kept honking happily in her hair.

Imelda had exchanged a look of dismay with Nerida, but she couldn't be angry. She remembered her friend stifling a laugh, putting her hand over her mouth and closing her eyes, the freckles on her face forming that endearing grimace she was so familiar with.

Was she doing it right now?

She tried to fight the temptation to turn and check, but the soft, enticing chuckle kept filling her ears, and she didn't want it to end with what Nerida might think was one of her sour looks.

"We did have fun!" she exclaimed.

"Yes, we did!" agreed the other, resuming her work and starting to dry Imelda's hair with a piece of cloth.

Imelda closed her eyes, relishing the feeling of being taken care of, but soon, she opened them again. That memory had stirred something else inside her, something she longed to confront Nerida over.

She bit her lip. They weren't friends anymore for a reason, and she knew if she asked, she was going to ruin this peaceful moment between them. Nonetheless, she wanted to know.

Drawing in a deep breath, she asked, "Why didn't you come that day?"

The question hung in the air, stretching the tension between them heavily.

Imelda felt Nerida's hands quivering, brushing her neck as she gathered her locks, her fingertips twitching and lingering on her skin.

"I waited for you all afternoon near the pitch. I thought we were going to fly together during our second year too. You really didn’t have time anymore?"

The silence felt heavier now that she had spoken those words—words she had kept within herself for almost four years now. And a burning question she had never dared to ask.

It was the first of September, and she remembered being so eager to meet her friend again. They had talked about it during the summer holidays in sporadic letters, but soon, Nerida had stopped replying, and Imelda had just hoped she would come to the pitch as they always did during their first year.

Two hours.

She had waited two hours that afternoon until it was so dark she couldn't distinguish her feet anymore. Her hand was so stiff from gripping the handle of her broom that she thought it was grafted to it.

Imelda had kept staring at that piece of parchment for an eternity, struggling to keep tears from rolling down her cheeks, shivering in the autumn Scottish breeze coming from all around the hills.

"I don't have time anymore, I'm sorry."

When Madam Kogawa had found her, Imelda was so worked up that the professor mistook tears of pain for frustration. From that point on, she had always tried to maintain her cold demeanor and unrelenting composure, earning her the name of the Icy Queen.

"You know I'm not jealous of you, right?"

Imelda shivered at the question; Nerida's tense voice was low, almost a whisper.

"Yes, I know," Imelda breathed, fidgeting with the hem of her cloak. "I thought if I started telling the others that, it would be easier to convince myself of my own lie," she explained. Then she turned lightly, trying to catch a glimpse of Nerida's face.

When she did, the girl met her eyes with an apologetic, bittersweet smile that stretched her lips, a silent question in her eyes. "No, it didn't work," Imelda added, averting her gaze and fixing it on a couple of spiders scuttling about on the ground, trying to reach a hole in the mossy stone.

She heard Nerida take a deep breath; the hair around her neck tingled. Nerida asked, ”Do you remember the last day we flew together?"

Imelda nodded.

"It was one of the last days of school. Like now," she murmured, perfectly recalling that warm afternoon and the joyous chatting, excitement filling their minds as they already savored the summer holidays.

"Yes, we went near the lake for a last run," Nerida continued. "It was fun. I had fun," she corrected.

Imelda closed her eyes, waiting patiently; she had never been the patient type.

"But then we dismounted and stood near the shore for a bit, until Madam Kogawa came. She proposed that you join the Slytherin Quidditch team the next year. I remember being so proud of you! You had dreamt about it all year, but there wasn't a free spot."

Imelda nodded again, recalling the moment vividly. It was not every day a professor and a star like Madam Kogawa complimented your skills.

"I remember looking at our reflection in the lake while you were talking to her. I saw a beautiful young girl, so talented, so proud, so amazing in everything…" her voice broke, and Imelda struggled to resist the urge to turn and check on her.

"I… I knew I couldn't be enough for you." Nerida sobbed, passing a hand under her eyes.

"I was afraid you would grow tired of me, of our friendship. I knew once you were on the team, you would be the queen of the team and… I could never hope to reach your level, but I desperately wanted to show you that I was interesting, that I was worthy of your attention."

Her voice broke again, a soft sigh escaping her lips.

Imelda could imagine her tormenting her hands as she used to do when nervous.

"So I stopped coming to the pitch. I wanted to tell you, but I felt so guilty. I was afraid you would read in my face what… what I was trying to hide."

"Nerida…"

"And then I joined the Crossed Wand club!" The high pitch of Nerida's voice thrilled in her ears. The sudden change made Imelda jolt.

"I thought I could still show you that I could make it. I could compete as well! But then you became the best player on the team, then Quidditch captain, and then you won the Quidditch Cup last year. It was suddenly too much to bear… so I preferred to keep quiet and just watch you from the bleachers."

"Or from the pier," Imelda interjected, trying to keep a casual tone.

Nerida gasped. "You… you noticed?"

"Of course. Why do you think this is my favorite course for my races?"

Nerida blushed.

"Why do you think I dropped Divination?" Imelda grumbled, her heart starting to race.

"Because Professor Onai told you you have no inner sight?"

Imelda scoffed. Of course not!

"I… I couldn't stand you and Oakes together. It was painful enough to see you two chatting and giggling during Astronomy. Gossiping and making predictions while stargazing. It felt like a never-ending date between you two," she groaned, biting her lip, realizing she had said too much.

"Adelaide is just a friend…" Nerida murmured, her voice lighter all of a sudden.

Imelda felt her small hands on her back, gently massaging her shoulders. She looked at hers, full of calluses and completely ruined by the sweat from her Quidditch gloves. She would have renounced all of that to have her Rida back just for one day to fly together around the castle as they used to do.

She turned, finally facing the girl.

"I don't know… is she?" Imelda raised her gaze, a tentative question in her brown eyes.

Nerida nodded before taking her hands in hers, gently rubbing her stiff fingers. "Nobody will ever replace you, Imma," she whispered, her eyes filled with silent tears, some shimmering on her eyelashes.

Imelda felt her stomach turn. She hadn't heard that nickname in years, and it warmed her heart to hear it now, from the only person who was entitled to use it.

"I wanted to join you that day. I felt too guilty for leaving you there waiting, so I sent that message… but I didn't have the courage to tell you that…"

She swallowed, meeting Imelda's gaze.

"That…?"

Nerida didn't answer, biting her lip as a solitary tear streamed down her cheek.

"Rida, what did you want to tell me?"

She took a deep breath. "That you're beautiful and strong and amazing, and I admire you so much! You deserve the world, Imma! I don't care what the others say!"

Imelda felt her heart thump in her chest. She knew she was a lot of things.

She was a talented player for Madam Kogawa, bossy and overbearing for her Quidditch team, arrogant for most people in the Gobstone club, and the next star of the Reyes family in the eyes of her grandfather.

Imelda was used to the little compliments people gave her, usually about her abilities on a broom and as a Quidditch player. But never, never had she imagined she could be beautiful and strong and amazing… for someone she liked as much as Nerida.

The very person who patiently endured her swinging moods, her occasional bitchy attitude. The girl who never failed to amaze her with her ability at Wizarding Chess, and always took care of her with small endearing gestures like styling her hair or trying to make her laugh with innocent pranks.

How could she not be impressed by her resolve to be a liaison to Merpeople?

She even learned how to speak mermish!

She felt Nerida’s warm little hand gently stroke hers, squeezing her fingers together, catching her attention. Imelda's tanned, ruined skin was a stark contrast against her pale, delicate fingers.

"I miss you, Imma," she murmured, tilting her head, tears staining her pale cheeks.

Imelda leaned forward, the last rays of a dying sun penetrating through the open door behind her, making Nerida's soft hair gleam.

The sprinkle of freckles adorning the bridge of Nerida's nose made Imelda wish she could drown in those cute little spots. She was gorgeous.

By instinct, Imelda took her hand off hers and gently trailed them up, reaching her face. She caressed her cheek with the back of her hand, trying to dry some of the tears, the warm drops dampening her skin. Nerida took her hand when she held it to her face, gently tilting her head, savoring her careful touch.

Nerida closed her eyes, and a contented sigh escaped her lips. When she opened them again, a silent invitation lingered in her brown irises, a question that Imelda was eager to answer and didn't want to wait years for.

The girl moved forward, closing the gap between them. When their lips finally met, her pulse resonated with the calm undertone of the waves outside, echoing the turmoil in her chest.

The kiss was gentle, warm, and tender. Imelda could still taste a faint saltiness from the lake on Nerida's chapped lips. It was perfect.

When they parted, they gazed into each other's eyes for what felt like ages, finally reconnecting after all the years they had spent apart.

Suddenly, the light from the small jar-fire dimmed, leaving them in the cold shadow of the building.

Nerida immediately stood up. "Let's go!" she exclaimed with a playful smile, tears still trapped in her eyes, this time from joy. Imelda nodded, following her.

They took a minute to adjust their clothes, putting their drenched shoes back on as they playfully complained about how uncomfortable they felt. Finally, they left the Boathouse, and Imelda reached her broom, mounted it, then invited Nerida to sit behind her.

Soon, they hovered over the lake. "Tell Oakes I will be giving you swimming lessons!" exclaimed Imelda, casting a look down as she balanced the broom.

"Maybe during the summer?" Nerida hummed happily against her shoulder.

"Hey, Reyes!" Someone called for her, and Imelda raised her gaze, surprised to find someone around in the approaching darkness of the evening.

"I won the race!" Sallow’s smile flashed with a smugness she didn't like.

She felt Nerida gently hugging her from behind, her chin resting on her shoulder and her hair tickling her neck.

"I didn't lose anything, Sallow! I gained something better!" she screamed, and with a decisive tug, she commanded the broom to rise, finally darting toward the castle with its stained windows shimmering in the early moonlight.

Their faint reflection in the water perfectly accompanied Imelda and Nerida’s trembling figures, as they were finally together.

#hogwarts legacy #hogwarts legacy fic #imelda reyes #nerida roberts #hl fics #queer fiction #amberlide writes #HL girls #my fanfiction

30 notes · View notes

ominist · 10 months

Text

BITTER REWARD

--- Part 2: Reaping ✧

Pairings- Dark!Sebastian Sallow x F!Auror!Reader x Auror!Ominis Gaunt Summary- Sebastian escapes from Azkaban after 8 years. The Ministry were on high alert and searching for the escaped fugitive. Newspapers and flyers spread with the danger that could come within encounter. Sebastian Sallow’s face was plastered all over public and communal areas of the Ministry. After working for the Ministry for years, MC and Ominis Gaunt were cut off from the search. The Ministry’s numbers as of late were short due to ongoing violent events and kidnappings. Both aurors were denied any involvement due to conflict of interest. They were secretly put under a watchful eye in case the fugitive decided to reach out to one of his old friends. After 2 weeks, the search proved fruitless. It was almost as if the man had disappeared into thin air. Due to lack of resources, the search and security lessened when it came to Sallow. This was, quote, only a temporary decision until something new came up.This was exactly what Sebastian Sallow was hoping for. After a watchful eye and a calculated risk, he bids his time before cornering you. As painful as it was, waiting a little longer would prove to be rewarding. Warnings- 18+, language, trauma, depression, angst, aged up characters, explicit content later on. Word Count- 7,695 Words Author’s Notes- Warnings, finally some Seb, a lot of angst, and a cliff hanger. Also, thank you for reading my work! ❤

Writing Masterlist -- Part 1: Sowing -- Part 3: Mourning

With Sebastian’s disappearance, temporary demotion, and the emotional chaos from her social life..

MC’s ongoing frustrations and stress started to leak into her daily life. Exploding in the smallest and most obvious ways. It started with ripping the assignments waiting on her desk, slamming boxes of pending paperwork, spilling ink all over the floor..

But of course, these outbursts would not last long. Almost immediately, she would stop and feel embarrassed by the petty display of lack of control. She repaired and cleaned everything until it was back to its previous state.

The reality was this. It was either running rampant with her magic (which threatened to spill over) or these minor micro-aggressions in her lonely office. It was taking too much energy to keep her ancient magic under control. It only got more chaotic and spontaneous whenever she was in distress.

In addition, every other Auror in the department decided to leave her to her own devices. Correction, they decided to avoid her all together. Whenever she emerged from her office everyone either gave her a pitiful smile or turned their eyes away from her. She was deeply bothered by the change in the atmosphere. And irked by the revelation that the current situation provided. This was only a job. The what you-once-thought-were-close-colleagues stemmed from self-interest and forced respect. Your presence was replaceable. And it was very apparent at the present.

The new found solitude gave her the chance to do something she had been keeping in the back of her mind. No one seemed to pay attention as she emerged from the Archive part of the building holding a stack of folders.

Within a few hours, she had exhausted the amount of times she re-read Sebastian’s case in her office. She went over Sebastian’s old records as they rested on her lap. Confident that she would be left alone, her boots were kicked up on the desk as she lounged in her chair. If no one paid her attention while she sorted through these embarrassing tasks, no one would become alerted by an unauthorized review. MC was technically still an Auror. Besides, the current groups of officers searching for Sebastian already had copies of the old records and were too busy creating new records from their investigations. Her eyes moved over the contents repeatedly for hours, almost wanting to conjure the hidden truth and details not recorded.

After 3 days of picking up entry level work provided by different departments, MC reluctantly accepted the current state of things and decided to take a break. She had been acting stubborn at first. She hoped that they would see her determination and eventually let her return to her position. But after engaging in such dull and motivation killing work, she could not continue for the rest of the week. MC dropped off the last of the completed assignments and returned Sebastian’s records to their proper place without raising anyone’s attention.

Then she found herself at home, unable to finds ways to occupy her time productively. Time away from the Ministry only made her chaotic emotions worse. MC started to realize how much she depended on her hefty investigations and feeling overworked. She needed the fast and critical pace that came with being an Auror. It stopped her from overthinking, and most importantly it stopped her from being alone with herself.

Since she had started to work, she had not raided poacher camps or pursued dark wizards in the hamlets near Hogwarts. In a way, being an Auror provided a little bit of everything she used to cope in the past.

Now being in her apartment, she started to experience her first signs of paranoia. When she stepped out of her apartment, she swore she was being followed. It did not take her long to notice this. She had initially made it part of her routine to take a walk in the mornings. Whenever the rain paused and the heavy fog appeared, she found herself stopping by the local shops for groceries, picking up fresh flowers, or walking through the more populated areas of the city. The cold air and noisy streets had given her the distraction she desperately needed.

The first time she caught sight of a shadow passing behind her, it had heightened her instincts. MC had been walking by some store windows, passing some glass lamps. A dark silhouette passed closely behind her as she leaned towards the window. Almost immediately, her posture tensed and straightened. Her eyes roamed over the reflection on the window with her hand ready in her pocket. But the figure disappeared around the corner without being seen. This happened again the next day, but this time she caught sight of someone wearing a bowl hat peaking around the corner of the street.

After those 2 encounters, she returned to closing herself in her apartment. She realized that she had somehow obtained an easy pattern to track in the mornings. She removed these morning walks from her new schedule.

Being enclosed in her apartment made he wish for a change around her. After a couple of hours of deep cleaning, organizing, and sorting through rubbish- she almost did not recognize her home. With her new found time, she even found herself sitting by the window and catching up with the letters on her desk. She spent many afternoons reading one of the many books from her collection. Majority of the books had been recommended by Anne at some point. She could not remember the last time she sat down and had time to read something of choice. Every now and then she would peer through the window after feeling that creeping sensation on her skin. She was more than convinced that she was being watched. Whenever she felt exposed, she would draw the curtains and close her windows.

Even if it had only been a couple of days, she felt the most alone she ever felt. She had not gotten a moment of relief. And to add to the ongoing theatrics, she could not stop thinking about Sebastian and his whereabouts.

Sebastian’s news had put a stop to her ongoing progress with finding Anne’s cure. Now that she was more than convinced that she was being followed, she could not risk being caught in the middle of something suspicious. She was thankful that she had been smart enough not to keep her research and illegal books in her apartment in case her home was searched. She was also having a hard time focusing on one task for too long. MC had all the time of the world now with her inconsistent work. She tried to find ways to occupy herself productively.

She could not bring herself to get rid of the shadow that appeared the morning she received the news. MC had grown more tense, easily upset, and on edge. It was easy to admit that she never really let got of the guilt from being an accomplice during Sebastian’s imprisonment. And she believed it would never happen, especially now.

Sebastian had escaped early on a Sunday morning and it was now Friday. Almost a whole week had passed. Ominis continued to check in with MC, even if it was briefly. Even with his full work schedule, he persisted stopping by to check on MC even when it was after hours. If he noticed her growing restlessness, he did not mention it.

She knew his continuous visits were his way of showing that he still cared about her. But she could never be truly honest about her current turmoil. She was more than aware that Ominis was also going through his own troubling thoughts. The circles under his eyes had grown darker, and his skin started to look paler than usual. He was sleep deprived, exhausted, and even malnourished. But Ominis still watched out for her even when they had grown apart and detached in the recent months. He still checked on her every day, regardless of how platonic their friendship had become once again.

By Monday, she received a promising letter from both Natsai Onai and Poppy Sweeting. Poppy was always traveling and never stayed in one place for too long. She was engaged to their former classmate Garreth Weasley. Natty had moved and was now a professor at Uagadou. Between the two, Natty stopped by London more often to see MC. The former Hufflepuff and Gryffindor were so busy as it was, but she appreciated their concern and support shown in their letters. They had both agreed to come visit London the upcoming weekend to her relief. MC could finally take a break from feeling like a caged animal.

During one of Ominis’ visits, he revealed something important for the MC. It was a little bit after 6pm on Wednesday. Ominis sat in the usual chair with the usual cup of tea between his fingers. He stopped by her home for a bit, already having plans for the rest of the night he had told her.

“I have something to share with you. But before I tell you, you need to promise me that you will not be alarmed,” Ominis told her. The he quickly added,“And that you will not do something to get yourself in trouble.”

The way he added the last part made her smile in his direction. He was always so cautious when he knew something would upset her.

“You know, I appreciate you trying. But you and I know better,” MC told him honestly.

Ominis brushed his hand through his hair and nodded once. With his hands crossed over the other, he appeared apprehensive. He exhaled before continuing.

“The department had appointed some officers to watch us,” he stated, sounding frustrated. Then he added in slow syllables, “Without our knowledge or consent, for the matter.”

She breathed a loud sigh of relief at his words. And there it was, she could finally put her doubts about her own sanity to rest. If she was right, this explained the uneasy and cautious expressions that many of her peers wore last week. MC let out a small laugh and shook her head in disbelief.

“The Ministry never fails to amaze me with their strategic methods. Let alone, their denial about the current number of able bodied officers.”

Ominis gave her a small smile, agreeing with her words. “That was my initial response. But if they are watching us.. That could only mean that they truly believe that our old friend will be making an appearance.”

MC’s smile faded and she turned to look out the window. Ominis had chosen not to mention his name. And it further proved that he was still being careful. He was trying to cause the least amount of pain as possible. She was unsure if it was intended for her benefit or for his own.

His name is Sebastian.

Her eyes looked into the dark street. The lamplight flickered twice and a stray cat crossed the street. The longer she looked out the street, the more noticeable the feeling became. She got up from her seat and approached her window. She drew the curtains in the hopes of removing the feeling of exposure.

Her hands held the curtain for a moment longer than needed. Her eyes focused on the pattern between her fingers. The room became quiet.

“Do you..” MC said quietly, without turning to face Ominis. “Do you think he has gone away to start a new life?”

Ominis was unable to answer. He should have expected this topic to be brought up eventually. In reality, he dreaded talking about it with MC. The bitter feeling of the past was something he wished to get over as the years passed. He was not sure what Sebastian Sallow would be doing with his new found freedom. And as of the present, the Ministry didn’t either. Ominis preferred it this way. As long as Sebastian was not found, he could rest easy.

It had come to his surprise that Sebastian had not reached out to any of his close friends in the first week of his escape. Not even Anne.

But the again, Sebastian was smart. If he intended to survive, he could not give in to his reckless nature.

Ominis had somehow convinced himself that he no longer knew Sebastian.

He believed he was the only one to wear the guilt on his shoulders for what he had done. He deserved to lose sleep, his appetite, his sense of character, and peace.

And the most important of all.. He did not deserve to have MC.

Ominis knew that MC and Sebastian had been close during their 5th year. He often times believed that he and MC would never be as close as Sebastian she she were back then.

Ominis had almost proposed to move in with MC for the time being until things were safer. He hated to leave her during such dire times.

But he had not.

Ominis shifted in his seat, unable to give her an answer that reflected the truth about his feelings.

“I.. I do not know,” he confessed to her. His voice was suddenly fatigued. “I would like to believe that he somehow managed to escape the border and settled somewhere remotely liberating.”

MC stepped away from the window, her expression unreadable. She did not return to her seat across from Ominis. She continued to stand idly near the wall. Her hands were hidden in her cardigan.

Ominis turned his head towards MC’s direction before continuing. “MC believe me when I say, if Sebastian does not want to be caught, then he will not be.”

MC shifted in place, her thoughts pouring over her like a rapid current. It was hard to believe that Sebastian would just escape the country and find a lovely home of some sort by the ocean somewhere in the world. She could not image him willing to settle down and find peace.

He would not be able to do that as long as he sought closure. He would make his most important mission to find answers.

She did not understand why Ominis was so set on lying and giving such empty answers. He could not possibly believe what he was telling her. She was starting to feel impatient with him.

“Is someone possibly helping him hide?” MC asked out loud, somewhat ignoring Ominis’ previous response. She walked into the kitchen, her eyes settling on the dish rack as she thought hard.

“I do not think it matters. It isn’t either of us, so I doubt it.”

MC was now set on putting away the dishes. With her back turned, she occupied her hands with pushing the plates into the cupboards. The dishes were put away harshly, the sound of the dishes being pushed on top of each other echoed through the apartment.

“I hope his whereabouts are not keeping you from your sleep, MC-”

MC finally turned towards Ominis, unable to stop her irritation from raining down on him. With a glass in her hand, she let her bottled discontentment interrupt him.

“He has not forgiven us , Ominis,” her words were sharp. She inhaled and continued without sparing another moment of caution. “If you truly believe he ran off into the sunset with his new found freedom, then you are being delusional.”

She had almost broken the glass in her hand. She winced at the sound of her words as soon as she had said them. At that moment, she was unable to hide the pain and desolation she had felt for the past 8 years. MC watched Ominis with her unsettling gaze. Her jaw was tight and she felt as if she would cry out of frustration.

The air became unbreathable from the pressure in the room. The silence between them was daunting. Ominis’ expression finally broke from his shallow facade. His eyes stung from the truth in her words. Her tone dripped with culpability.

His only response was getting up from his chair, letting is scrape against the wooden floor. His expression resembled a drowned man. His lips moved, and to MC’s dismay he did not give her the answer she deserved.

“I should go check on Anne.”

Her eyes only followed Ominis as he stepped out of her apartment without another word.

… *… * …

It was getting closer to the 2 week mark since Sebastian’s escape. And instead of feeling more at ease that there was no news about his whereabouts, she felt more restless. Her nightmares had started to take her sleep again. After the last meeting she had with Ominis, she could not bear any more wasted nights. She started to take sips of sleeping draught before bed.

On the following Saturday morning, MC received an email correspondence from the head of the Auror Department. To her surprise, the letter contained a series of updates.

Sebastian’s man hunt had been put to a stop until further notice. The Department was facing a a shortage of numbers, leading to a strain in their security and resources for higher priority cases. This is a temporary decision until further reconsideration.

MC was scheduled to return to her previous position on Monday morning.

MC held the letter in her hands under the sunlight of her window, the tension in her shoulders lessening as the minutes passed. She re-read the letter until she was able to process the contents.

MC was beyond relieved to finally have her job back. She still was not used to being home so much. The letter did not mention whether she would continue to be observed and followed. But then again, she was not supposed to be aware in the first place.

With the hopes of celebrating her return, she was preparing to meet with her friends later on that evening. Natty and Poppy agreed to meet at one the pubs closer to the water’s edge. It was only a couple of minutes away from her home. She knew that Natty enjoyed the black friar bridge view. That was mainly the reason why this pub was one of her favorites.

With a couple of minutes to spare before she headed out, MC sat down to read through some of the letters waiting on her desk. The letters seemed to have increased now that she had time to respond.

She received a letter from her mother with news of her trip. Her parents were visiting America for a couple of weeks. Her father had decided to visit Boston in the hopes of reconciling with his mother. Her father had been raised in an orphanage before attending Hogwarts. At the age of 41, he recently found more information about his biological parents. It was a whole ordeal alone, one that she was sadly being updated from the sidelines. Her once extremely demanding position as an Auror had been the reason she denied the invitation to join them. She was aware of how important this visit was for her father. But she had no choice at the time the trip was planned. But now? She wished she had taken the opportunity to join them.

MC wrote a whole hearted response to her mother’s letter and pulled Anne’s letter from the small pile. She moved the candle light closer to the page to read Anne’s small script.

My dearest MC,

Thank you for that new cushion set! It made my new home feel more homely. I am adjusting to my home much better as of late. It is much better than the room I was staying in previously. The loneliness was hard to adjust to at first, but now I am able to look forward to every day.

I absolutely love working for Madam Ryder’s shop. I wish you could see how friendly and welcoming the people are here. It reminds me a little of Feldcroft. You need to come visit me soon.

I was asked to go fetch potion ingredients by the shore this week. I found it to be a dream. It reminded me a little of your outdoor excursions and adventures. I can see why you enjoyed them so much when you were younger.

Working at the shop part time is enough at the moment. The hours are quite flexible and I am able to fit in time for my studies. I am beyond grateful for Professor Sharp’s patience and willingness to continue to tutor me. I have you to thank for that.

Between working and focusing on my studies, I think that I want a change of pace.

Living in this small town by the ocean the past couple of years has me feeling like a senior. Think about it, I live in a small house by the ocean. I wake every morning to tea and books. I water my new found garden and feed my cats before heading out every morning. Maybe this life was more fitting for the person I was before.

I visited Solomon’s house yesterday. I think I am feeling a little nostalgic. When I stopped by, I made it my mission to fix and replace the dead plants in the garden. It made me sad to see how vacant and unattended the home was.

Staying in the house let me reflect on what I want out of life.

I want to open my own store in town. But I also find myself wanting to move to London. I miss you and Ominis so much, I want to spend more time with the both of you. I think it would give me the clarity I need.

Wishing you well and love always,

Anne S.

She finished reading Anne’s letter with a sense of emptiness. She missed Anne terribly.

But she could not overlook the implications that came with becoming close once more.

Could she put aside her conflicting emotions and invite Anne to stay with her for a while? She had done the same with Ominis last year, so what is stopping her from offering her the same? Would having her around more cause more tension or diffuse it? Would having her around cause a bigger rift between them?

MC left Anne’s letter open on her desk. She was unable to finish her response. She had only gotten to the formalities. Anne’s letter was left unfolded and on top of the other letters on her desk.She got up from her seat and grabbed her coat on her way to the door.

For the first time in the past 2 weeks, she felt a sense of reprieve. She was leaving her apartment for the first time in a while. She was on her way to meet with her two friends for some drinks. She was no longer demoted from her hard earned Ministry position. Her life was slowly returning back to normal.

MC walked into the gloomy street and hugged her coat tighter. She could not pass the opportunity to smell the crisp and smokey air once more. She walked for the first time without feeling paranoid. Her boots walked over the cobblestone, sometimes echoing louder in certain streets. She passed the familiar shops as they prepared to close early.

When she finally reached the planned destination, MC paused by the door and inhaled before entering. She walked into the pub, staying close to the wall and away from the crowd.

She made her way to her friends and was instantly embraced by two pair of arms.

Poppy shared about her ongoing wedding planning and constant traveling. She was the happiest she ever felt. Poppy had Natsai and MC promise to be her bridesmaids and that she would not accept any excuses. Natty admitted that she had a new love interest. She explained how she had gone on a couple of dates and how it felt promising so far. She did not share the individual’s name or too many details. She rather not share too much in case it ended up not working out. Which, this had happened before. MC had witnessed her friend’s repeated rise and fall out of love in the recent years. The two witches respected Natty’s decision to save her from the possible pain once more.

Poppy turned to MC, her eyes soft as she asked, “What about you, Y/N? Do you have any pending admirers you’re wanting to tell us about?”

MC gave her a small smile, but it did not quite reach her eyes. Her attention turned to the drink between her fingers as she shook her head in denial. She could see Natty’s expression from the side of her vision. Natty was one of the few people she had shared about her temporary relationship with Ominis.

“I wish I could go on about a new love interest,” MC finally told Poppy. She sounded a little regretful.

“That is okay, do not worry about that. If you ever find yourself interested in meeting new people, just let me know,” Poppy told her with a genuine smile. “Garreth has so many family members and friends. I could have you meet them sometime if you like.”

MC felt touched by Poppy’s thoughtfulness. The fact that Poppy thought she was agreeable enough to introduce her to new friends and her family to be, made her heart hurt. She thanked Poppy and took a long sip from her drink. She could taste the ice melting, dulling the affect. She looked down the counter and waved the bartended down for another drink.

Their conversation went on for the longest with no breaks or awkward silences. Poppy seemed to have kept in touch with a lot of their past classmates. With Garreth’s influence, she had a pretty good recount for almost every single Hogwarts alumni. The occupations she mentioned ranged from curse breakers, quidditch players, portraitists, apparition examiners, and astronomers. MC listened attentively and realized that many ended up working for the Ministry.

Poppy had gone on for so long without stopping that she had to take a breather. She lifted her drink to her lips right before excusing herself to the lavatory. MC grinned as she watched Poppy walk off with a tipsy edge to her step.

"She is still a lightweight,” she stated as she turned to look at Natty.

Her friend nodded in response with a blush on her cheeks. “You know Poppy. Some things just never change. I see that you’re a little giddy as well Y/N.”

MC raised her glass towards Natty as she grinned widely. She did not deny her friend’s statement. Natty raised her own glass and muttered cheers.

“How are you holding up?” Natty asked quietly. MC had been expecting her friend to finally ask her more about the current events now that they were both alone. Before answering, she finished the rest of her drink. The bartender spared her a glance and started to make another drink without being asked.

“I actually got my job back. I got a letter this morning,” she told her, trying to move the subject away from Sebastian all together.

“What a relief! Tell me they apologized as well,” Natty responded, her hand came to rest under her chin as she leaned against the counter. Natty had been kept in the loop with the recent turn of events as MC wallowed in her apartment.

MC shook her head once with a smile playing on her lips. Natty groaned and shook her head with annoyance. She continued to gaze at MC and finally moved on to what she originally intended to ask her.

“What about.. Sebastian?” Natty asked, she was not going to let MC change the subject.

MC sighed in defeat and turned to face the friend next to her. She licked her lips and reached for the drink that came floating her way. She brought the drink to her lips as she contemplated. Under the influence of alcohol, she felt more willing to open up to her best friend.

“I have no clue what is going on. All I know is that the Ministry have stopped searching for him. The letter gave little details about the progress.”

“He hasn’t tried to contact you, has he?” Natty’s voice dropped to whisper. She was watching MC’s expressions, ready to catch her if she lied.

MC shook her head in no. She felt her throat tighten, she did look forward to talking about him in the current state she was in. “I doubt he would. Why would he? I am the bloody reason why his life was ruined.”

Natty said MC’s name and stopped her from continuing. Her eyes were serious.

“You cannot possibly believe you are at fault Y/N. Are you forgetting that the decision was not yours to make? You were not alone during all of that. And I am sure Ominis would not agree with you.”

MC shook her head again at Natty’s response. Her grip on the glass tightened as she started to feel the shadow fall over her once more. The shadow was peeking its ugly head as she felt the remorse and guilt build up inside of her.

“It’s not that easy Natty..” She responded slowly. “I wish I could just turn it off. But I just..”

MC tapped her temple with her index finger in frustration. “I think I am just delirious. My mental state has not been the best lately.”

“Tell me what is not easy, please.”

“I am having a hard time sleeping. It usually wouldn’t be such a bad thing, but..” MC paused before continuing. She could see Natty’s unwavering care and loyalty. MC breathed out before admitting something she had not told anyone.

“I still see Professor Fig,” MC confessed to her friend. “I see him in my sleep. I wonder what he would tell me now with all of this going on.” A bitter laugh left her lips.

Everything seemed to be pouring out of her as she watched Natty’s expression. She swallowed hard and felt tears forming in her eyes. Natty was concerned now.

“You told me your nightmares had stopped MC.”

“I- I do not know how to undo my wrong doings Natty. I cannot move on,” she breathed.

Natty’s hand reached out and took MC’s drink from her. She stopped her friend from drinking any further. Her expression was full of understanding and concern. Natty moved the glass far from reach and brought her hand to touch her friend’s.

“I don’t want you burdening yourself with unnecessary guilt. Professor Fig was not your fault. And what happened with Sebastian, that is not your fault to take either Y/N. He faced the consequences to his actions. Believe me, my friend. You deserve to live your life without these burdens and learn to forgive yourself.”

“Forgive myself?” MC repeated in a small voice. She failed to notice the tears were falling down her cheeks.

Natty tapped her hand against hers in affirmation. Her gaze was intense as she answered.

“Forgive yourself for not learning how to look after yourself. I know you will learn to let go of these irrational thoughts and stop blaming every single misfortune on yourself. I just hope it is soon.”

Natty’s hand tightened over MC’s, her gaze not moving away from her.

“I will be alright Natty,” she told her as she wiped away her cheeks with the back of her hand. Poppy was approaching them once more with a big grin.”I promise.”

Their outing went on for a couple of hours. The mood lightened up as the three talked about other matters that were not trifling to MC’s sanity. MC felt more grateful for her friends as the night went on. Poppy was the closest to being drunk between the 3 of them. She watched as Poppy hugged her sides in laughter as she shook her head at Natty. Natty was smiling and continued to talk for Poopy’s amusement. MC’s smile was unwavering as she looked at her two friends with sad appreciation.

By the time the 3 witches were walking out of the bar, it had gotten late.

Poppy and Natty insisted on walking MC all the way to her apartment. MC denied their request and told them that her apartment was not far. With bright and loud exclamations, they compromised and walked her down the street.

With their final goodbyes and loud giggles, MC walked in the direction of her apartment. She passed a couple of bright windows, her mind distracted by the night’s events. She was busy thinking about Poppy was traveling all over the country and saving all kinds of creatures. She did not notice an unknown figure following behind her.

The person’s face was hidden under a heavy black cloak. The figure followed her at a distance, but he seemed to be closing the distance as MC reached the street she lived in.

MC eventually felt the crawling sensation of being followed. She involuntarily moved her shoulders into a shrug, wanting to brush it off. Was it real? Or was she merely living the side affected of being slightly intoxicated? She did not want to turn around to look out of fear.

Her throat suddenly felt dry as she saw her apartment building in the distance. There was not a single soul in sight. Most of the windows in her street were dark. She slowed her pace and thought hard on what she should do next. Normally, she would not feel so flustered and hesitant. But she did not have to think long when she purposely stalled in front of a shop. The windows had been recently cleaned and polished. She looked into the glass, waiting for the reflection to catch the light from the lamp post as she walked.

She caught sight of the figure in the reflection. It was a tall man. She could not make out his build, he had a long cloak and dark boots. She did not manage to stare long enough to gather more details for her advantage.

That was when she knew she could not go home. Instead, she kept walking down the street. Her shoulders stiffened and her back straightened with a new profound objective.

She gripped the wand in her pocket and let her features settle in displeasure.

She would make sure that she is no longer followed once and for all.

… *… * …

Sebastian waited for 2 weeks. The longer he waited, the more it felt like a game.

With the constant use of polyjuice potion, he moved around the city freely. He made it part of his day to disguise himself as a different person. Whether it was a middle aged wizard or a fish selling vendor, he occupied most of his time blending in with the city inhabitants. This was the first time he had visited London. It felt large and advanced compared to his hamlet.

Sebastian had stopped by Feldcroft the same night he escaped. He did not know what he had expected, but it had left him feeling hollow and empty. It was completely empty and unoccupied. He had found his uncle’s grave, and to his vexation he could not find Anne’s. He walked around the town, noticing how many new homes and shops had been built since he had been away. He had only roamed around the town for less than an hour before he was gone. His visit to Feldcroft had lead him to London immediately.

He was not aware of how heavily secured the country’s border would be. But by the lack of Aurors roaming around the city looking for him, he felt that he was over estimating the Ministry.

He was dangerous and armed. He almost felt insulted by the amount of officers making an effort to look for him. There were so many times where he knew he could have been easily caught. But there was yet to be an altercation between himself and the Ministry.

They could have fooled him by the amount of headlines he made on almost every morning paper since he escaped.

He was going through the potion supply much faster than he had wanted. But it was crucial to not be caught lacking. He had been more than fortunate to have picked an old potion master’s home to ransack. As much as he wanted to save some of the last phials of the potion, he knew it could not be helped. What other moment would prove more important? Maybe escaping the country all together.

That was, once he executed his plan.

Now, his eyes were unmoving as he noticed movement pass by the window below him. He was peering over the edge from the opposite building. Sebastian had a knee against the hard tiled roof. The rain stopped minutes ago. His clothes were wet but he did not feel the cold. He did not feel the cold anymore. Nothing could compare the nights that he almost freezed to death.

Once Sebastian learned that Ominis and MC were Aurors, he had hoped that they would be ones assigned to hunt him down. But to his trepidation, they had been completely removed from the equation. Instead, Sebastian had been the one to hunt them down.

Ominis never seemed to be anywhere else but at the Ministry. Sebastian somehow always lost sight of his old friend whenever he finished his shift. Ominis would apparate almost immediately, never idling around or letting his guard down. Whenever he caught sight of him to his surprise, he would be leaving MC’s apartment.

Sebastian had settled with watching MC. She never seemed to be at the Ministry for whatever reason. He observed her for a couple of hours a day until he managed to create a pattern from her routine. With the consistent amount of Aurors following her, it had been difficult to even get close. There was always some hidden officer under the disillusionment charm watching her home or trailing behind her when she left her apartment.

He had enjoyed revealing the officers that followed her through out the day. He had even sent trip jinxes in their direction. But every single time he exposed the Aurors, they merely apparated on the spot. Sebastian knew that MC had caught on. She stopped leaving her apartment all together.

The fact that they were carefully watching her confused him. The Ministry seemed to have appointed more officers to watch over MC than they have searching for him. The chance of his capture were growing more dim as the days continued to pass. It felt a little too easy.

He was not sure how far off his opportunity was. But he felt it coming closer.

And surely enough, he finally caught sight of MC leaving her apartment once again.

Her back was towards him as Sebastian looked over the ledge. She was walking alone with her hands in her pockets. The sun had already set and he tried to register the dark shade of colors she was wearing. She wore a long coat that stopped at her knees. Her heeled boots peaked under her slacks. She was wearing some fitted suit, he assumed. Her hair was out of its usual bun, it fell right below her shoulders.

She always had long hair during their time at Hogwarts. He remembered how she loved to wear hand knitted scarves during the colder seasons. They were always a new and interesting color. But as he watched her walk further down the street without hurry, he could not see any of the colorful familiarity in her apparel.

He had to tell himself once more. She is a complete stranger.

She was not the person you once remembered. The MC he knew from Hogwarts would never turn him to the Authorities.

Sebastian gripped the wand between his fingers tightly as he walked. The tiles were soundless under his shoes. He followed her at a distance, waiting for the signs of an officer to appear behind her.

MC walked for almost 20 minutes before reaching her destination. She stopped by a crowded pub near a bridge. The windows were uniquely arched and colorful. It was difficult to even catch a glimpse through the thickly mosaic material. She disappeared into the noisy building without looking over her shoulder. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, she was not followed.

With the new found revelation, Sebastian stepped down on to the street. He waited in the shadows, noticing the potion’s affects wearing off.

Sebastian’s eyes looked over the leaving patrons of the pub. The more people left the bar, the more confirmation he received that the building only had one exit. He watched every single individual until they were out of sight. There were no familiar faces to anchor his growing delirium. He was growing more and more agitated as the hours passed.

Then at last, MC was leaving the pub. He could see two others walk out with her. Their voices made his insides tense. He recognized the other 2 witches from school immediately as they insisted on walking her home. But they only walked her to the end of the street before leaving her on her own.

He could not afford to feel an ounce of nervousness or hesitation. He was shaking from the anticipation, his moment has finally come. Sebastian knew better than to believe this would be made easy for him.

When MC finally caught on that she was being followed, she had been walking towards the light of a closing store in the distance. Her body was angled towards that direction, her head unmoving from that direction. She passed her apartment’s door all together. With one abrupt step into the left alley between the apartments, she was fleeing.

With sharp turns and uneven footing, his ears focused on her movement as he kept up.

He moved after her, just barely enough to not to lose sight of her. He heard his own breathing growing louder as he chased after her.

He turned into an isolated alley, no it was still a street. There were countless barrels and boxes that smelled of fish. The buildings to the left stopped where the river started, leaving no outlet. The lamplights closer to the water flickered. When his eyes landed on the empty factory building down on the right, his focus was interrupted by a string of red lights.

MC was huddled behind the barrels and shot curses in his direction. Sebastian deflected every single one and shot his own curses back. His spells hit the wooden obstacles and the sound of wreckage filled the empty alleyway. MC was successful with predicting every single spark and spell headed her way. She never stopped moving, her poise and expertise was apparent in her stance regardless how intoxicated she was.

The spells they shot in each other’s direction never seemed to hit their target. Everything else seemed to catch the force of their anger, leaving chaos everywhere they headed.

Sebastian restrained himself ftom muttering the words he wanted to use for those long minutes. When finally, he felt an electric sensation course through the ground. He ducked quickly and dodged the boxes thrown in his direction. He felt the wave of ancient magic in the air and the static vibrated through his body.

He knew it had only been a matter of time before MC started to use her full abilities. He kept running, dodging, deflecting, until it started to feel endless. He was slowly cornering her down the street. He was tiring her out.

By the time he was painting and sweating, he finally steered her into the area he wanted her in. She was close to the water’s edge near the factory. The amount of energy he spent the past couple of minutes finally made his blood seethe. Enough.

Sebastian then destroyed the few lamp posts, letting the glass fall on to the ground. The only light in the street was reflected in the river. Sebastian removed the ability to see all together and he welcomed the darkness with familiarity.

He vaulted over the obstacles until he caught sight of her running figure. She hurried behind more boxes. The sound of MC’s boots running over the broken glass heightened Sebastian’s awareness.

Sebastian shot the disarming spell at her retreating figure. MC’s pace faltered once she realized she had been disarmed. She turned her head to look in his direction.

By that moment, Sebastian had reached her. She had been milliseconds away from apparating.

Sebastian gripped her wand in his hand and pushed her back with the other. He pressed her against the wall roughly, feeling her body grow panicked and tense under his hold. Her lithe figure struggled under him until she finally met his gaze. She immediately stopped as she looked at him.

Sebastian was finally able to truly see MC for the first time in the past 2 weeks.

Her eyes looked darker then he ever remembered. There were shadows in her eyes, ones she never had when she was younger. Her brow still had that stern angle whenever she was stressed or tense. Her skin was once flush and soft but now he could see areas where her skin looked sunken and sharp.

The ghost that hung over her reminded him of something he knew too well. He had caught sight of it the first time when he had looked in a mirror. A haunted and unsettling wraith that refused to leave you alone. It was almost as if she carried some invisible pain that disabled her from looking truly healthy.

Even after all of this time, he felt his insides turn with the familiarity of her presence.

The longer he looked at her, the more he noticed the ache and longing pile on top of the revenge, hatred, pain, betrayal he already felt.

“Sebastian..”

Her voice was soft and pained. Her eyes did not move away from his and it was getting harder to move.

He rejected the upcoming confusion from muddling his thoughts. His grip on her tightened once more, suddenly growing aware that his hold had loosened.

He once again felt the instinct to hurt her.

✧

#sebastian sallow x mc #sebastian sallow x reader #sebastian x reader #sebastian x mc #ominis gaunt x mc #ominis gaunt x reader #ominis x mc #ominis x reader #hogwarts legacy #hogwarts legacy fanfic #hogwarts legacy fanfiction #hl fanfiction #hl fic #hl fics #fanfiction #harry potter #harry potter fanfiction #bitterreward #ominist

64 notes · View notes

lwtisloved · 2 years

Photo

To Paint A Symphony, 40.5k, by MyEnglishRose

"A wedding under summer skies and a meeting on a heavenly island.”

Despite being a wedding painter, Louis has never had quite an optimistic outlook on marriage life. Love, sure, he’s a hopeless romantic and he longs for a sweet partner, to feel adored and cherished, but a part of him will forever doubt that love can last forever, a spark never lasts long, after all, so he paints because strokes of paint can remain forever and unchanged if looked after properly, cared and cherished the way he wished he could be, safe from an unsure future. Harry, on the other hand, as a performer and lyricist, indulges in pleasure. He loves love, never wastes a moment, never hesitates, always so sure of what he wants. Songs come and go on the radio, sometimes forgotten, sometimes transcending generations, the way people leave, and others stay. He never thinks of a future because he only ever lives in the present and he never was egocentric enough to think he could make a real impact and his art could outlive him.

At a wedding under summer skies and surrounded by endless sea, two seemingly polar opposite lovers meet, and perhaps one learns to let himself feel and fall, and the other lets himself hope and cling on.

Written for @bottomlouisficfest 🤍

#larry fanfiction #hl fics #my fics #blff 2022 #bottomlouisficfest #blouisparadise

192 notes · View notes

finexbright · 2 years

Note

Hey, do you have any favorite Larry fics with good zouis friendship on the side?

okay i must warn you i haven't read fics in ages so i might be a little rusty but off the top of my head

• so let's cross the lines we lost by thecoloursneverfade

• mine would be you by @crinkle-eyed-boo

• the section by @bananaheathen (and i haven't read it but i know they just finished another fic called of mates and men and i really love their writing so i can guarantee you it'll be good!)

• forever is in your eyes by we_are_the_same

• these inconvenient fireworks by mdasch and everydayslike

• jump before we fall by green_feelings

• Into the blue by zarah5

• stranger stars by shaylea

i'm sure there's so many more but as i said i haven't read much in ages so if anyone wants to add, feel free to!

#fic recs #hl fics #non non

74 notes · View notes

letthemusicmoveyou28 · 1 month

Text

Scared That My Worst is the Best That I’ve Got by LetTheMusicMoveYou / @letthemusicmoveyou28

Louis/Harry - Rating: M (5K)

So while Louis’ proposition is preposterous, it’s also the only compromise his brain seems willing to make at the moment.

Harry slowly raises his head to look at Louis. He’s standing on the other side of the kitchen, elbow resting casually on the edge of the counter next to the sink. His expression is soft and patient, and there’s delicate morning sunlight streaming through the kitchen windows behind him, setting his outlined silhouette aglow. He looks like an angel.

An angel in an old oversized adidas jumper with tattoos on his knuckles, but an angel all the same.

Harry’s voice comes out mumbled and much smaller than he’d like, but it is what it is. As Louis always says.

“Just shampoo?”

(Or five times Louis saves Harry from himself, and one time when Louis is the one that needs the saving).

Title from girl in a china shop by Caroline Romano

Read on Ao3!

#larry fanfiction #larry stylinson #larry fic #1d fanfiction #hl fics #hl fanfiction #hlficlibrary #hlcreators #read on ao3

63 notes · View notes

liminalkittyfics · 3 months

Text

big

yellow

taxi

Big Yellow Taxi

E • 114k and counting!

Welcome to Moorends, where Harry has cultivated a fresh start for himself as the director of a community garden, and Louis happens start to start a youth football club next to Harry’s quiet paradise.

Told week-by-week over the gardening season, with open mic nights, bats, meddling old ladies, and half-truths.

Read now on ao3

#larry fic #larry fic rec #hl fics #hlficlibrary #wips #mustacherry #footie louis #cliff and bruce

24 notes · View notes

slytherinsomniari · 10 days

Text

Random fandom rant that absolutely no one will see:

I know I haven't really been active here, but that's because this place is kind of mainly for fanfics and stuff like that and I haven't written in a long time. I've been trying to post the little art I do so I can properly use this site and I have been trying to introduce my Hogwarts Legacy MCs/OCs, though as I said, I feel like the community here is really just fics and art, not MC/OC content.

I'm active on twitter but honestly....I don't get much interaction. I don't post my own content that often which is my fault and I do tend to post my random thoughts, which people probably don't want to see. I know I'm a bad artist and a beginner, but it does hurt when I don't get any likes. Not even when I'm introducing my MCs/OCs (I expect that here lol). I comment on other people's posts but I rarely ever get comments on mine. It's so small but people with more interactions and a bigger following don't understand how much it can hurt someone. It makes me feel like there's no point in posting anything at all.

Perhaps I need to do the character sheets? I am working on one as I type this. Perhaps I need to do the MC/OC question prompts? But I feel like no one will comment for that. Do I need to post aesthetic screenshots? Make tiktoks? Use some form of magic to immediately become a better artist? What can I do to curate more of a fandom name for myself and get more people to interact with me? Should I focus on tumblr? But again, I want to post MC/OC content and I don't think that's what people do on tumblr.

I am so grateful to those that still like my shitty one shots/fics here 😭 I love you guys so much! Even though I haven't written anything new I still get notifications that someone has liked one of my fics. It honestly means so much to me that you guys like them even though I'm bad at writing. From the bottom of my heart, thank you!

#fandom #fandom life #fandom culture #harry potter fandom #hogwarts legacy #hogwarts legacy fandom #hl fandom #hl community #hogwarts legacy community #how can i get noticed #being invisible sucks #i'm already invisible irl #hogwarts legacy fanfic #hl fics #hl fanfiction #fandom invisibility #hogwarts legacy mc #hogwarts legacy content

3 notes · View notes

itsonedirection-28 · 2 years

Text

Hi! After reading tons of larry fics these past months, I decided to make a fic rec of my favourite larry fanfic so far. If you enjoy the fics, please leave kudos and comments for the writers! In no particular order, here's the first part of my 2022 fic rec:

🌿 Our Lives, Non-Fiction by Indiaalphawhiskey (E, 113k)

A lesson in romance that proves that sometimes the best love stories aren’t always by the book.

🌿 To the Ends of the Earth by Stylinsoncity (M, 68k)

During a yearlong hiatus, Louis visits Harry at his cabin in Idaho, where long-buried feelings ignite like the fire keeping them warm.

🌿 Chasing Empty spaces by Lis (domesticharry) (E, 79k)

The year is 1934 and Harry Styles was to inherent the largest tobacco firm in the south. His parents have picked out the “perfect” girl for him to marry and he has the privilege of receiving the highest education possible. The problem was, Harry hadn’t realized he didn’t actually want any part of that future until he met a mechanic named, Louis Tomlinson.

🌿 Gods & Monsters by Velvetoscar (M, 201k)

The instructions were simple: seduce and destroy Harry Styles. Not once did they discuss the option of Louis actually falling in love. So, naturally, that's exactly what he did.

🌿 Soft Hands, Fast Feet, Can't Loose by Dolce_Piccante (M, 112k)

American Uni AU. Harry Styles is a frat boy football star from the wealthy Styles Family athletic dynasty. Louis Tomlinson is a student and an athlete, but his similarities to Harry end there. A bet about the pair, who might be more similar than they originally thought, brings them together.

🌿 Mine Would Be You by Crinkle-Eyed-Boo (KimmieRocks) (E, 114k)

Louis returns to New York City five years after he left it – and the love of his life – behind. He didn't intend to see Harry again, but fate has a funny way of pulling them together, whether they like it or not. After making a begrudging truce, they both start to wonder: Would it be so bad if history repeated itself?

🌿 Relief Next to Me by Dolce_Piccante (M, 333k)

AU. What happens when a baker and a graphic designer meet via a very specific Craigslist post? Fate, friendship, food, and maybe more.

🌿 Wild Love by Purpledaisy (E, 130k)

AU: Two best friends try to date each other for forty days. It's supposed to be fun until emotions make it complicated.

🌿 Wear it Like a Crown by Zarah5 (E, 141k)

AU. As part of a team of fixers hired to handle a gay scandal in Buckingham Palace, Louis expects Prince Harry to be a lot of things—most notably a royally spoilt brat. Never mind that the very same Prince Harry used to star in quite a number of Louis' teenage fantasies.

🌿 Come as You Are by Stylinsoncity (M, 77k)

Louis is a professor of literature at oxford and Harry is his newest and most eager protege. both are caught in a story about forbidden love, loss and second chances, in which one is on the brink of heartbreak and the other comes along when he's needed most.

🌿 Through Eerie Chaos by MediaWhore (G, 102k)

The Ghost Hunter AU where Niall lives to prove ghosts are real, Zayn is a skeptical librarian and Harry gets caught up in a century-old mystery and catches feeling in the process.

#fic rec #hl #hl fics #larry fic #ao3 works #larry #larry fanfic rec #1d fan fiction #hlficlibrary

16 notes · View notes

larry-infidelity-ficfest · 4 months

Text

Coming soon…

A fest to celebrate, promote, and generate H/L fics that centralizes infidelity.

Anything goes as long as Harry and Louis are in some sort of pairing — whether one or both are cheating or being cheating on.

#hl fics #larry fanfiction

1 note · View note

sweetest-devotion · 7 months

Text

need to reread Through Eerie Chaos by mediawhorefics and They Never Quite Leave by kiwikero as spooky season treats

#god i haven't read a hl fic in sooooo long but I have an urge to #hl fics

0 notes

ominist · 7 months

Text

BITTER REWARD

--- Part 5: Deserving ✧ (MINORS DNI, RATED 18+)

Pairings- Dark!Sebastian Sallow x F!Auror!Reader x Auror!Ominis Gaunt Summary- Sebastian escapes from Azkaban after 8 years. The Ministry were on high alert and searching for the escaped fugitive. Newspapers and flyers spread with the danger that could come within encounter. Sebastian Sallow’s face was plastered all over public and communal areas of the Ministry. After working for the Ministry for years, MC and Ominis Gaunt were cut off from the search. The Ministry’s numbers as of late were short due to ongoing violent events and kidnappings. Both aurors were denied any involvement due to conflict of interest. They were secretly put under a watchful eye in case the fugitive decided to reach out to one of his old friends. After 2 weeks, the search proved fruitless. It was almost as if the man had disappeared into thin air. Due to lack of resources, the search and security lessened when it came to Sallow. This was, quote, only a temporary decision until something new came up.This was exactly what Sebastian Sallow was hoping for. After a watchful eye and a calculated risk, he bids his time before cornering you. As painful as it was, waiting a little longer would prove to be rewarding. Warnings- 18+, language, trauma, depression, angst, aged up characters, explicit content. Word Count- 7,276 Words Author’s Notes- *MINORS DNI* This is the last part of the series. It has been great. Thank you for reading, please leave a comment!

Writing Masterlist -- Part 4: Saving -- THE END

3 Years Later..

The landscape was filled with an expanse of whiteness. There was a wide clearance from the trees that surrounded the mountains. There was a town in view from the hill. It was small and it breathed of life. The dark colors of the buildings contrasted heavily against the deep snow. Dark from coal and smoke. It was not snowing but the sky was sunless. It was no later than 3pm on a Sunday. But the sky was spread in a vast blanket of pale grey ink and starless.

MC treaded through the snow, her boots pushing through. The ends of her long cloak dragged behind her as the snow reached her knees. Her scarf hid her face from view, keeping her warm against the frost. She kept walking until she reached the edge of the town. Her eyes were hesitant and watchful. A stranger appearing in such an intimate and isolated town was bound to draw attention.

She hid her gloved hands inside her cloak and her eyes searched for him.

And when her eyes landed on a man standing a distance away with his back to her.. She stopped breathing. She recognized those shoulders and that posture.

Sebastian wore a long dark cloak and black boots. His brown hair was covered in light snow, as he stood under the roof of a Woodwork shop. He was bent over talking to another man, the other man had dark grey hair and was a head shorter than Sebastian. The shorter man was sorting out the piles of wood outside of the building and he was the one that noticed the mysterious woman walking towards them.

Sebastian turned to face her, knowing well who it was. His dark eyes met hers, and he kept staring as she walked closer.

Sebastian had waited for her arrival. And now that she was there.. He felt his insides ache and skin shiver at the sight. The shorter man walked into his shop and Sebastian walked through the snow to reach her. They both walked towards each other until they were at a safe distance. Sebastian did not say a word, and he only watched her. His eyes searched hers, seeing so much but so little. After 3 years, she was still a mystery to him.

“MC,” His voice sounded deep as he addressed her.

“Sebastian, how are you?” MC’s voice could not hide her hesitation and doubt.

Sebastian gestured to his surroundings as he looked at her. His arms raised and he gave her a smile. One she could not read.

“Well, I am alive and well. This is a quiet place as of later. So I will probably need to find somewhere else to keep myself occupied,” He said.

MC gazed into his eyes, trying to truly understand the meaning behind his words. It became obvious that they were both acting civil despite how nervous they were. They were both holding back from the things they really wanted to mention.

“You fit right in,” She told him quietly.

With the snowflakes in his hair, and his dark clothes against the snow.. MC couldn’t help but notice the permanent rosy cheeks of his while he stood outside in the snow. His freckles appeared soft. He looked much healthier than she last saw him. And it made her relieved.

Sebastian didn’t respond right away, but after a moment of silence he looked over his shoulder and then back to her. “Shall we? I know you love butter beer. But we do not have any of that here.”

MC stepped closer until they were walking next to each other.

… *… * …

The night MC had left Sebastian in Sloan’s care, she was found in an empty and cold alley.She was found in a town in the outskirts of London. A local reported it to the Ministry, and she was soon identified.

When she was discharged from St. Mungo’s, she was disoriented and disheveled. The Ministry found her in the same clothes they last saw her in the night before. She was covered in snow and nothing on her person.

The moment the Ministry realized that the escaped prisoner Sebastian Sallow had somehow escaped the country successfully, the case was moved to top priority. MC was not allowed to leave the Ministry for 2 days. She was constantly woken and moved to the interrogation room by no other than Aurors Robert Fawley and Stephen McNulty.

It was too much of a coincidence that their escaped prisoner had left the country around the same time she was found with her memories wiped. But they did not find any useful or incriminating information from her.

MC could not remember the last time she last stayed in her parent’s home. And she was soon sitting in her childhood room, with her old furniture and belongings. The room was used for storage and the boxes were soon moved out. The familiarity of a previous life grounded her as she stayed under her parent’s roof. Her parents looked after her intensively for a couple of weeks.

Her father was extremely careful and protective over his eldest daughter. A healer at St. Mungo’s, he took the responsibility himself. And for some odd reason, he never questioned her about her forgotten memories. Her father knew her well and he feared that the truth behind her obliviated state would impact her gravely. Her mother was reluctant to let MC’s current state be the reason why she would be laid off from the Auror Department. Her mother used her high rank in the Department of Magical Cooperation and rallied for her daughter.

It left MC’s job position in limbo. She was back to being temporarily removed from her position. And she did not know whether she preferred being let go of her job all together.

Autumn soon turned into Winter.

She could not remember much of those first stressful and confining couple of months. All she could focus on was the different sweaters she wore and what days she would wear them through out the week. The frost started to appear on the windows. She started to notice the snow pile outside of her apartment building.

More examinations. Questionings. Holidays. Friends.

Ominis remembered his own memories almost the day after Sebastian escaped the country. He was empathetic to MC’s state, because he too had suffered the same circumstance. And he felt as if she too had been obliviated by the same person. His visits were expected at the end of every week.

Natty and Poppy took turns staying with MC in her apartment event if it was for a couple of days. They had made some unannounced agreement, and MC was sharing her home with one of the two for months. And she didn’t know whether she appreciated the company or dreaded it.

And the only person that seemed to keep their distance, was Anne. MC found herself wondering if she had a falling out with Anne that she did could remember. Anne wrote back, but her letters did not feel the same. Anne was distant and almost reluctant to respond to her.

And that alone was disheartening to her.

But little did MC know that Anne was being careful, for her safety. Anne never told MC what happened that night. Anne had burned the letter at her request, but MC remained unaware. Anne kept her distance as MC remained heavily watched, monitored, and interrogated. Anne feared that MC would remember her memories and that she would be detained. Anne kept her letters short, and she refused to write about anything that would trigger MC to remember anything that had occurred the night.

Then Spring.

The frost melted and the pavements were always wet. MC emptied out most of her home, removing items and clothes that served her no purpose.

The rain and fog returned. More break-ins in the neighboring streets. Poppy’s wedding.

MC remembered wearing a dress that day and watching her dearest friend smiling. The memory of seeing Poppy walking down the aisle arm in arm with Garreth was one she would never forget. The sight felt foreign and almost like a dream. MC saw many of her old classmates from Hogwarts that day. Many who approached her and tried to hold a conversation with her. But given her recent state of mind during that time, she did not seem interested. And many seemed to be confused by her easily distracted gaze.

As the months passed, she kept attending her monthly check-ins at the hospital. Her well being was monitored and the Ministry continued to inquire about her memories. An Auror would request to question her every couple of weeks, exhausting the amount of questions they could possibly come up with. The Auror sent to question her, was the quiet and stoic Jude Layton.

The last time MC had seen her co-worker was the day her superiors told her about Sebastian’s escape from Azkaban. She didn’t remember Jude saying a single word during that meeting. That rainy and confining morning seemed like a whole life time ago.

A while later, MC came to learn that Jude Layton was given her office. And he was now the one sharing the office with her comrade Jeremy Hampton.

Then, one more interrogation. She was examined and forced to be questioned under the influence of Veritaserum.

Again, nothing came out to be valuable for the Auror Department. MC had not recovered her memories, regardless how long it has been. The longer time passed, the more stagnant her life became. Normally, she would have been obsessed with unraveling the truth. But something kept her from doing so.

Her intuition was the only aspect that seemed to provide direction in that confusing time. Her intuition told her to slow down, and not to find the answers she was desperate for.

It told her to remove herself from the Ministry all together.

It made her feel wrong for belonging in such a thankless and guide-less occupation.

These thoughts confused her. But she knew that those couple of hours that she could not remember.. Were keeping her out of trouble. No matter what she failed to obtain, she became less hurried and desolate.

And eventually, she considered quitting her job as an Auror. She did not know why, but again her intuition was urging her to remove herself from the Ministry completely.

She felt as if the blank slate she was given was the opportunity to start over.

When a year since that night roamed closer, MC decided to submit her letter of resignation to the Auror Department.

And she started to resume her research for Anne’s permanent cure when the watch they had over her lessened.

… *… * …

The Present..

The building was small, and narrow. But it was not crowded. The curtains covered the windows and the floating candles gave the pub a soft and intimate glow. Sebastian sat at the counter and MC followed. She took off her scarf and her gloves.

Sebastian noticed the stool she was about to sit on, and he stopped her. He gave her his own seat and he took the next one. MC took the seat he gave her without question. But she looked down at the stool she was about to sit on with curiosity.

“This is the nicest pub compared to the other two. A little more expensive too,” Sebastian told her, drawing her attention away from the the stool.

MC sat next to him for a moment, and she felt the air fill with some certain tension. As if there was a lot to say, but they refused to speak about it just yet. They sat at the counter in a moment in silence.

As they made small talk, they were being overly polite and cautious around the other. Before things became pressured, a man no older than thirty came down the stairs. The man came to stand behind the counter and he spoke to Sebastian. The man’s dark eyes gazed at MC with a curious but stern expression. She was an outsider, that was clear. But the way he spoke to Sebastian, it was almost as if he suspected her to be someone special to him.

MC didn’t understand the language and she remained quiet. The man eventually looked calmer and he started to pull out some drinks.

MC accepted a bottle of ale, one created by a local brewer. And Sebastian took a tankard.

The bartender remained idly by, and he cleaned the counters. MC noticed that the bartender had called Sebastian by a different name when they spoke. His real name was never mentioned, which was not surprising.

“I go by a different name,” He explained to her. “A nickname. Freckled Face.”

MC smiled at the sound of that. Her eyes moved to his face and she could see his freckles. But not just that, she could see how freshly shaven Sebastian currently appeared. She could see the smooth skin of his jaw. He had shaved recently.

MC glanced around, looking at the few men inside of the pub. Every single man in this town had a beard. Given the climate and severe weather, it was only common. Before she could dwell on the detail she noticed, her eyes stopped.

Her eyes landed on three men near the back of the pub. They were hidden by the shadow of a hallway. One handed a small jar with questionable contents to the second. And the third handed the first man a pouch that clinked.

MC’s instincts were screaming at the sight. Her eyes were set, but her expression grew calm as the men left out the back door. Moments like these, she had to remind herself.. She was no longer an Auror.

Sebastian leaned towards her, and his whisper was quiet enough for her to hear.

“Small town business,” Sebastian started to explain quietly to her. “The dark arts.. It is quite common here.”

She listened to his words and she nodded in acceptance. Her eyes gazed at the tables near the windows and she could see the many empty bottles that were not cleaned up from the previous night. Her own fingers moved over the bottle in her hands, feeling the glass.

“Tell me, how is Anne? And Ominis? Are they holding up alright?” Sebastian asked, changing the subject.

“Anne is doing very well actually. She opened her shop in London. She.. Is the happiest she ever been.”

It took her a moment to continue. Her eyes gazed out the window and her voice grew quiet.

“In her eyes, she is fully cured. As long as I am able to hold her current state indefinite.. She will continue to live her life at the fullest.”

MC was being more honest than intended. She had not been able to talk to anyone this openly. But she knew Sebastian deserved to know more about his sister. Sebastian let her words process into his mind. He noticed her tone and her choice of words.

“And Ominis, well let’s just say we haven’t talked in a while. I assume he is still working and busy as usual.”

Sebastian shifted in his seat. Her answers only made him think of more questions.

“How is your job treating you? I reckon you would be the head of the department by now,” Sebastian asked. He had been wanting to touch the subject, that was clear to her.

MC gripped the bottle tightly and she sighed. She took a sip from the ale before she answered. She felt the pit of her stomach somewhat grow uncomfortable. Her former employment was still a sensitive topic.

“Well, my job is non-existent at the moment. I quit almost two years ago,” She told him quietly.

MC’s thoughts took her to the ghost of her previous instincts that resurfaced moments ago. The fact that she happened to see illegal trades occur around her when she was no longer someone of authority was something she was still getting used to. Not as if she would be able to do anything about it, she was in a complete different country.

“You quit?”

MC nodded curtly and she turned to face him.

“Yeah, they kind of.. Kept me on a tight leash for a year. I was still under their watch until quite recently,” She told him.

A sad smile appeared on her face and she drank more of her ale. Sebastian was in complete disbelief at the news. He clearly never anticipated to ever hear about her job loss. Not when being an Auror seemed to matter a lot to her. MC was one of the fairest and most middle grounded people he knew. Her moral compass was unique, and she was not easily controlled. She never conformed with the norms.

“I.. I never thought I would hear you say that,” He admitted.

The silence settled between them once more. MC requested for a second drink. She did not seem to notice whether the ale was strong or good. She did not drink ale often. And she felt Sebastian’s eyes on her constantly. He noticed how the topic bothered her, so he asked another question.

“How have you occupied your time then? I can already see you going rogue,” His tone was light, he tried to lift the mood.

MC smiled and she looked at him. She noticed his arms on the counter, his clothes were thick. They were made of wool and he looked warm. Her tone remained quiet. She did not want others to hear her answer, she was positive they could understand English.

“Sorry to disappoint, but I have occupied my time with wallowing in my apartment. I have resumed searching for Anne’s solution. I think I have a promising lead,” She whispered.

“And what direction is that?” Sebastian asked.

At the mention of Anne and her cure, Sebastian’s eyes became warmer. He regarded MC with a soft gaze and his lips twitched. He kept himself from stating the obvious. But he wanted to help. If their relationship was heading in a good direction, he wanted to offer his aide. But the possibility of her turning it down kept him from mentioning it.

“A direction near Romania,” She whispered vaguely.

MC’s answer gave Sebastian a minute to think. He liked the idea of traveling to Romania. But he did not tell her that. Instead, he continued to look at her.

“Considering everything Sloan told me about you, I really did hope you had gone rogue,” Sebastian explained.

“Sounds like Sloan had a lot to say about me,” MC responded with a nervous laugh.

“He did. He even told me what he did to you.. And why you were not coming around any time soon.”

The words hang in the air for a moment. Sebastian had talked to Sloan, and he had asked about her. And Sebastian did not seem like he wanted to hide the fact that he had. His direct words made her shift in her seat. Considering how poorly he thought of her the last time they spoke, it did not fail to make her somewhat unsettled.

Sebastian noticed her reaction and he took another sip from his tankard.

Sebastian remembered feeling betrayed and upset when he thought about the last time he had talked to her. Upset about the way the night had ended with her. And she never came to see him, not a single word from her. So naturally, when Sloan told Sebastian that a friend was coming to visit.. He was reluctant to meet with her.

That was when Sloan finally told him that she had been obliviated. She had her memories wiped to keep his whereabouts safe.

Sebastian had grown out his beard, but for some reason, he shaved it for her visit. He cleaned up well, but he could not remove the dark magic that clung to him no matter how hard he tried. He wanted to appear like a new man, but he had not changed. He worked off the townspeople’s charity and favors that were asked from him. Such as working as hired security for shops, collecting debts, going after thieves, warning off poachers and unwanted folk..

All things that required his expertise.

MC seemed interested to know more about these small jobs of his. And Sebastian found himself recounting many of his experiences without pressure and discomfort.

As they talked and caught up, they continued to drink. MC started to notice Sebastian’s cheeks become a softer shade of pink. And he smiled more.

The more comfortable they became around the other, the more they fell into their past. Sebastian started to show familiar signs of his childhood. His gestures and his expressions, they were all too recognizable. And she even noticed herself chuckling and returning his banter. The two of them stayed in the pub a little longer than expected as the sky grew darker.

The bartender lit up more candles and lights as the evening neared. And he kept an eye on the couple as they became more and more intimate with each other. The sight was one to behold, since Sebastian was well liked and respected. The townspeople would all soon hear about Sebastian’s visitor, his lady friend.

MC was on her fourth drink by the time she decided to not drink anymore. She had stopped drinking her ale and drank something much stronger. The more she drank, the more she believed that Sebastian had shaved right for their meeting. And the thought made her feel.. Giddy.

MC could not remember the last time she felt anxious over something like that. The feeling of butterflies in her stomach, it was one she had not felt in almost a whole decade.

She smiled and Sebastian noticed. His arm pressed against hers.

“What has you smiling?” He whispered to her. “Is your drink too strong?”

“It’s strong. But it does not have the ability to make me smile,” She told him softly.

MC turned to look at him now, and she could see how much closer he was now. And before Sebastian could as her, her tone dropped to one of clear endearment.

“You are the one that made me smile.”

Sebastian’s brows twitched at her words. His eyes looked into hers more intensely.

“Oh, and why is that?”

Sebastian leaned closer. MC could smell his scent now. And he still smelled the same. But this time, she could smell the smoke from the fireplaces. Without responding, her hand moved to touch his face. Her fingers moved over his jaw, feeling the soft and tender warm skin. Her fingers moved without hesitation.

Along with the smoke, she could still feel the darkness that hung from his clothes. It was something he would never get rid of. And she understood that now.

It felt almost familiar.

… *… * …

The last time she had spoken to Ominis, it was a late afternoon on a Sunday. It was not raining for once. And Ominis wore different shades of gray and green. The colors seemed to match with the interior of her apartment, making him almost belong to the scene in front of her.

She had made tea for him, at his request.

MC had recently resigned from her position as an Auror at that time period. Ominis found out days after.

Tell me the reason why you quit. And tell me the truth.

She grasped the tea cup between her fingers. Her tea was still warm and she pulled it closer to her. She did not look at him directly, almost wanting to avoid the direction in which he tilted his head. Her eyes moved to the curtains she recently purchased. The color was a shade deeper than his button down.

You remember now don’t you?

His pale eyes shifted as he gazed over where she sat.

Ominis was heavily engrossed with MC while she recovered. He understood why she remained away from the office for the past year. But what he did not understand was why she had quit her employment all together. He knew she wore her occupation with pride. Her records were significantly pristine almost monumental.

But somehow, her feelings had changed. And he had failed to notice when that occurred. He had waited with an inkling. An inkling that screamed at him that she had not been entirely honest with him. That he was being kept in the dark. And he waited for his close friend to finally tell him the truth, in confidence.

Things changed, and they are no longer the same. I feel like an imposter in my own office. I can’t escape it. I have changed.

But why? Can you explain to why things have changed?

MC’s finger tapped against the table. Her eyes shifted from the curtains and back to him. Even after years, she still could not talk to him freely. And after a long time, she finally learned to accept it.

I just know they have.

If this is about your office, I can reassure you that they were going to move your space elsewhere. You were not replaced, Y/N.

I do not care about my office Ominis. I do not care about how I feel every time I step into that building. I do not feel like I belong there anymore. After so many of years, they have the audacity to treat me like..

She dreaded the topic completely. Ominis more than anyone must be aware of the way things have changed when it came to her. Ever since Sebastian escaped and she was listed heavily under the investigation..

Please do not make me have to explain what is so obvious Ominis.

Ominis did not let it go. And the more he pressured, the more she found herself reeling back. He was reluctant to abandon the topic all together. To MC, he made it appear as if quitting her job had something to do with the unattained memories of hers.

The last thing she told Ominis, were words she would always regret.

You sound just like the rest of them.

But once those words were said she knew she could not take them back.

She had hurt Ominis.

But Ominis finally understood how vast and distant the space had grown between them. They were no longer on the same side. They no longer confided in one another. And they no longer held the same amount of trust.

To her, he had become like the rest of them.

That was the last time MC had spoken to Ominis Gaunt.

She remembered seeing him get up from his seat and take his cloak off the coat hanger. He walked out of her apartment without another word. The door shut sharply and it echoed through her whole home.

That brought her to finally leaving her home and trying to find where she left off. MC hoped that her notes and her research would provide more clarity to the unmoving fog in her head. When she reached her notes, she flipped through her hand writing with familiarity.

And for the first time in her life, she brought her research notes and everything she kept hidden into her home.

MC went looking for Sloan, and it took her weeks to contact him.

And when she finally found him, Sloan handed her a piece of parchment.

Her gloved hands struggled to open the paper, but when she finally did she recognized her own handwriting. MC read the letter and the contents that were poured into the page, all written messily and in a rush. She could feel the anxiety and fear she felt when she had initially wrote it.

The spell was broken, and she was frozen to her place.

She knew it.

She knew she had done it.

And in that moment, a heavy burden was removed from her chest. Sebastian was safe.

She had successfully gotten him out of the country undetected.

When she looked up from the letter in her hands, she had a tearful smile.

… *… * …

The Present..

MC stepped into Sebastian’s home, closely behind him. There was comfortable glow inside of his home. She could see the the candles that floated and the fireplace burning. There was an axe against the wall near the coat hanger.

She stepped closer to his small living room area. The fireplace crackled and she could see the wood pilled next to it. The rugs on the floor looked hand made and she saw a couple of animal pelts thrown over the couch and armchair. No doubt, he had gotten those himself as well.

“Looks like you kept yourself busy,” MC stated as her hand touched the soft fur on his couch.

“There are not many resources available around here. You need to make yourself useful,” He explained.

“This is nice. I bet it reminds you a little of Feldcroft,” She told him as her eyes rested on the fireplace.

Sebastian leaned against the counter as he watched her walk around his space. MC was interested in his possessions and his furniture. He felt the longing resurface inside of him. Just watching her walk around his small and intimate home..

She eventually walked over to his side and she leaned on the counter next to him. An arm length away.

“I wonder how a little garden can hold up in such weather. Have you tried it?” She said.

Sebastian was no longer listening to her words. He was watching at her expression and the way her lips moved. He took in all the small details, seeing how much she still remained the same. Her cupid’s bow, the shape of her chin, her beauty marks.. And all of these little things made him feel whole for the first time in a while.

Sebastian had slept with a couple of women in the duration of the past three years. All women he met outside of the small town, all leaving him with more emptiness than initially held.

How was it that he could continue to miss her? Even after all of those years.. He only found himself thinking of her. And only her.

Sebastian touched her hand. And she stopped breathing.

Their gaze met once more and neither looked away. They did not speak and let their expressions speak for themselves. They have not talked like this.. In over a decade.

They have not spoken like this and it felt like a whole life time had passed, and in a way it had.

There was so much vulnerability.

Sebastian’s fingers touched the back of her hand, his eyes boring into hers. He took one step closer.

“How long are you thinking of staying?” Sebastian whispered.

She didn’t have an answer to his question. She had came to Bulgaria, to a town in the middle of nowhere with no clear plans or goals. It was the way she had lived her life as of late. She did not have any reliable way of returning to London.

Her eyes reminded him of liquid gold. Melted chocolate. The bottom of the sea. They reminded him of mysterious and forbidden things. All things he claimed desirable and beautiful.

“As long.. As you want me,” She breathed.

In that exact moment, Sebastian knew what awaited the both of them.

Sebastian’s hands were soon on her waist as he pressed her against the counter. His lips found hers and he remembered that cold and windy night on that hill. He remembered how the moonlight shined on her face when they had vented out their pain and their truths. The night he had last kissed her three years ago.

Their hands tugged at each others’s clothes and they were desperate for touch. They felt their bodies over their clothes. They felt each other’s presence. They breathed in smoke, alcohol, pine trees, firewood, lavender, honey.

Their caress and kisses brought them to Sebastian’s narrow room. MC was desperate to touch him. She was desperate to taste him. She grabbed him as hard as she could and she pinned him down against his bed.

As she pushed herself down against him, his hands reached for her thighs. He pulled her down on to him more forcefully.

Her thighs on either side of his, her weight pressed against his groin. Sebastian’s eyes did not move from her as she pulled her clothes off on top of him. Her scarf, her sweater, her shirt.. Her hair was all over her face and she leaned down to kiss his lips.

Her legs straddled him, and she moved over him. And Sebastian felt his body shake in delight. MC pulled his clothes off with urgency. When she reached his shirt, she already noticed his heavily tatted arms and forearms. And when she finally pulled his shirt over his head, her eyes widened.

He watched her expressions, seeing her surprise. Her hands touched his bare skin, her fingers traced the ink on his skin. Sebastian was completely speechless. His heart thundered as he felt her lips roam over his chest, her nose dragged over his skin.

Sebastian leaned his head back against the bed and moaned. Her tongue pressed against his skin after every kiss. MC watched him through half lidded eyes. Her eyes fluttered as she leaned against him. And her lips moved from his stomach, to his chest, and back to his neck.

When she came close to his lips once more, his hands gripped her arms and pulled her back to him. He kissed her neck, pulling her hair away out of the way. Sebastian was shameless when he gripped her thighs and pushed his hips against hers. She grind down against him, her breath coming out short.

Sebastian was breathing hard against her neck. His lips whispered into her ear, pulling on her ear lobe between his teeth.

“Let me finally have you..” He growled. His hands were slightly shaky as he pulled her pants off.

Sebastian had slept with two women the past three years. From brief moments of seduction and heat, he had relieved himself for the first time in years. But now that he had MC half naked in his hold, he realized something very unsettling..

Sebastian was not touch deprived. But he was deprived of having her.

Sebastian tensed when her hand moved down his groin. His breath left his body. He met her gaze, and her eyes were full of hunger. Her lips parted as she continued to stroke him over his pants.

He loved what she was doing to him. And even more when her hand unbuckled his belt.

The fire inside him continued to grow. Sebastian’s hands moved down to her thighs and her rear. And when the fire spread over his arms and his hands, his hold tightened. He pushed her off and he flipped her on to her back.

Sebastian pinned her against the bed now. And his hands gripped her wrists on either side of her body. His mouth moved against hers passionately, pressing her more against the bed with his weight.

Sebastian heard her whisper his name and his lips became rougher against her neck.

When his hands let go of her wrists, her hands moved to his hair. Her fingers ran through his thick strands, pulling him closer to her lips. He kissed her, and it was almost painful. His teeth pressed against hers, and his tongue pushed against hers. He moaned in pleasure.

“You’re all mine. I have you all to myself..”

“All to yourself,” She answered in a whisper, her fingers dug on to his scalp.

He pushed her legs apart, and she let out a long breath. The she felt him between her legs and his hands on her, she moaned. Her hips moved instinctively in response to him. And he pushed into her.

She would let him have all of her.

Sebastian’s lips latched on to her neck, biting her soft skin. MC gasped and gripped his head with his hair between her fingers. He moved faster inside of her, stretching her. He moaned against her neck.

He kissed, licked, and bit her skin over and over again.

MC felt his touch all over her body, gripping her thighs and everything he could hold. He wanted to reach every inch. MC could barely breathe by how intense it all was. She was panting and her breath was hard. She could no longer keep her eyes open, and her eyes rolled back into her head. She was a mess, just as he wanted her to be.

When his thighs moved against hers aggressively, her moans turned into whimpers. Sebastian’s bed creaked and the sound of skin slapping skin filled the room. The crackling of the fire could no longer be heard. The muscles on his arms tensed when he felt her tighten around him.

“Faster.. Harder,” MC managed to beg between her whimpers and moans.

Her words only excited him further. The sounds were wet and lewd, and he moved with such speed and desperation. Sebastian grunted and moaned her name. His cheeks were flushed and his skin was starting to sweat. He didn't stop and his movements only became deeper. Sebastian pounded into her in a rhythm that showed how long he had waited for this exact moment.

His hand moved to her neck, and this made her growl. MC struggled to breathe between her moans, and her insides started to come undone. Every exhale increased the air of anticipation between them.

Sebastian could feel her thighs shake on either side of him, and he moved harder into her. MC let out a strangled moan when she reached her sweet release. Her nails dragged down the skin of his shoulders. She yelled his name as he continued to thrust inside of her.

MC’s release oozed out between their bodies. Her hips twitched against his, and her whimpers were now higher pitched. Her head fell back against the pillow with her eyes closed. MC was close to crying from the over stimulation.

Sebastian gripped her thighs in an unbreakable grip. His thrusts moved her against the bed, and he moaned loudly. Sebastian’s words in between his breathing were filled with wanting and lust.

“Mhmm.. Fuck, yes.. More..”

MC started to move her hips against his, meeting him half way. Sebastian’s head whipped back as she moved against him. He gasped at the feeling.

Then his dark eyes looked down at her. His expression was one of primal desire. MC watched as he closed his eyes and he spilled his seed inside of her. His face contorted from desperation to bliss. She saw the way his brows twitched and his lips parted as he moaned loudly.

Sebastian’s body shook on top of hers, and he finally stopped thrusting inside of her. He filled her, and felt the hot release leak on to his bed. He collapsed over her, his face pressed against her chest. Her arms wrapped around him, holding his burning body against hers.

Sebastian’s bedroom was filled with their heavy breathing. The bedroom windows were no longer covered in frost. Their bodies pressed against each other on his bed gave more warmth than the fireplace place could ever provide for them.

Eventually, Sebastian moved off her. He rested on his back and he pulled her to him. They found comfort in each other’s embrace, and they took the time to let their pleasure fade. They did not speak for a good while.

MC rested her cheek against his chest, her fingers tracing over his tattoos.

“You’re mine. And you’re not going anywhere, I hope you know that,” Sebastian whispered.

She smiled against his chest and she pressed her lips to his skin. She felt him shiver under her.

“I think you’re forgetting.. I’ve been yours,” She answered in a whisper.

MC turned her face to to look at him. She leaned in closer and her hand brushed over his cheeks. Her fingers traced over the freckles on his face. Sebastian closed his eyes as her fingers touched his face softly. Her finger continued to move and drag over his features now, his nose, his brows, his eyes, his jaw, his lips.

Sebastian stopped breathing when he met her gaze, so full of devotion and.. love. She knew there were no looking back. She had him now. And she would continue to have him, and she would fight to keep him in her life.

Sebastian reached for her hands and he kissed them. His eyes bore into hers as he spoke.

“Stay with me,” He told her. “Stay with me and.. We can start a new life together.”

Sebastian was sitting up now. And he was holding her against him, his hands moving to her face. His nose pressed against her cheek and he whispered with pure longing. He had not felt this vulnerable as he did now. Sebastian moved closer to properly look at her.

“Whatever you desire. I will give it you. But just.. Stay,” He whispered.

MC felt his words sink into her skin and she absorbed his tone. She felt the meaning and the promises in those words of his. Her eyes slowly closed until she was breathing softly. She knew she could learn to trust him once more, she felt it. He was already forgiving her.

Sebastian brought her hands to his lips.

“Please,” Sebastian begged. “Don’t leave me again. Stay.”

MC opened her eyes and she cried as she held his gaze. Sebastian’s eyes mirrored her own and he smiled. He kissed her lips and her cheeks. His thumbs wiped her tears away almost eagerly. He saw the answer in her eyes even before she spoke. His heart was pounding, he never felt as alive as he felt right then and there.

“If you mean it,” She finally whispered. “I will.”

“Yes,” Sebastian said. “Yes, yes..”

Sebastian kissed her repeatedly. His lips pulled on hers, his long unfulfilled dream finally became a reality. He had her. He finally had her, and she was going to be his.

“I no longer want to be afraid Sebastian,” She told him.

“And you no longer have to be afraid. You do not have to be afraid of what the future will bring. You no longer have to be alone. You have me.”

MC held his gaze and she met his lips with her own. Sebastian saw the light in her eyes, the candle light reflected in those beautiful eyes. And he whispered to her, all the words he wished he had told after all of those years of betrayal and resentment.

And she believed every single promise he whispered into her ear.

We will live in a cottage by the sea. Or on a mountain. Or a cabin in the woods. I want you by my side for this point and on. We can look for Anne’s cure together. I want to share every single aspect of our life together. You are no longer alone, my love.

MC returned to London after 3 days. And she packed her things and wrote letters to all of her loved ones. It took her days to finally write her final goodbyes, feeling lighter than she ever had before.

She left London by the end of the week. She left the country all together.

Sebastian waited for her. He waited against a bricked wall, his body covered in lighter clothes. He wore his long black cloak and held a smile full of pride upon her arrival. And for once, they shared something in common. They were full of hope.

We are only getting older, and I want to grow old with you.

✧

40 notes · View notes

orqheuss · 1 year

Text

In the pursuit of knowledge

(Ominis/F!Reader SMUT)

Summary:

“Have you ever been kissed, Ominis?”

***

It's after curfew, and you and Ominis are tipsy on firewhiskey in the Undercroft. The sexual tension is heavy in the air-- what are two teenagers secretly in love to do?

Ao3 link here

Smut based on a drawing by @gangstagandalf

“Have you ever been kissed, Ominis?”

You were lying on the floor of the Undercroft, your legs crossed in front of you and your hands resting on your abdomen as you gazed upwards. A small smile creased your face as you asked the blond next to you the question that had been on your mind since the firewhiskey entered your system a few hours ago, your foot lightly tapping his where they touched. Ominis was leaning against one of the many columns in the space, his head resting heavily against the stone and his legs stretched as well, forming an L shape with your bodies. You both were pleasantly tipsy by this point, a soft warmth filling your bodies and a lovely little fog swirling through your minds. Sebastian had left not long ago, claiming that he was off to his bedchambers to sleep off his inevitable hangover; you had a sneaking suspicion that he was actually going to go bother a particular brunette Hufflepuff with a soft spot for beasts, though.

The boy pondered this for a moment, his eyebrows furrowing at his brow. He swirled the bottle of whiskey in his hand around, tapping the base of it against his thigh. A hum left his closed lips before he spoke. “No, never really had the inclination to.” He leaned forward slightly, raising the bottle to his lips and taking a small drag of the amber liquid before letting gravity pull him back towards the pillar with a thump. He sighed heavily and closed his eyes. “Many have tried, but it didn’t feel right.”

A look of confusion passed over your face, your lips tweaking into a small frown as you raised up to your elbows. “What do you mean?”

He lazed his head towards your direction, eyes still closed but a close-lipped smile creeping up his cheeks. “I always thought my first kiss should be with someone I cared deeply for— maybe even loved, if it came to that. My parents have tried to set me up a numerous amount of times, but I didn’t feel anything for the girls they introduced me to.” He turned away from you again, his eyes opening and staring unseeing at the arched ceiling. “I want all the feelings people talk about— the butterflies, the fireworks, the encompassing warmth, not just my name signed next to some random woman that my mother deemed ‘appropriate’ for me so we can keep the bloodline strong.” He cleared his throat, swallowing around the sudden nervousness that rested there. “What about you? Has there been anyone?”

You hummed in thought, nodding along with his words. “I’ve been waiting for the same, though I can’t say I’ve had many strong contenders.”

You watched as a chuckle took over his visage, his perfect teeth glowing in the candlelight and his shoulders lightly shaking with mirth. “Yes, I imagine there aren’t many good choices in our current pool of suitors.”

A snort blew out of your nose against your consent, your expression twisting into one that said “no shit.” “Agreed. Most only want one thing anyway, and if I haven’t kissed anyone yet I’m certainly not doing that. At least, not with just anyone.”

Ominis made a sound of annoyance in the back of his throat, the smile falling from his face as fast as it appeared and his eyebrows pinching downwards. “If those neanderthals only care about getting their dick wet, they don’t deserve your time.”

You laughed loudly, the crassness of his words startling you. After a few moments, he joined you with his own sounds of joy, ending with both of you breathing heavily and a rosy flush across your cheeks. Your hazy, intoxicated eyes floated over to his form, taking a moment in the calm to drink him in entirely. Nearly everyone knew that you liked the blond boy— everyone except him, of course. No matter how many times you’ve tried to hint at your feelings, each one completely went over his head. Some had told you to just give up, that he was never going to get it or he was just trying to spare your feelings by ignoring your advances, but you truly couldn’t help it; the boy was beautiful inside and out. It certainly didn’t help your hunger for him that he had decided it was too hot earlier and undone the first few buttons of his shirt, unknotting his tie in the process and leaving it loose around his neck. You took in his birth marks first, tracing each and every little dot from the corner of his eye, down the tops of his collarbones, all the way to his long, lithe fingers still wrapped around the neck of the square shaped bottle. Merlin, even his fingernails were lovely; you had never admired the small details of someone before him— how his elbows sat outside of his rolled up sleeves, the length of his golden eyelashes, the curve and pale pink color of his cupids brow. Your eyes danced over the curve of his mouth, wishing desperately to know what he tasted like. Would he be sweet, like the candies he loved so much? Would he be bitter like the firewhiskey on his breath? Or would he be something entirely new, something you had never tasted before? Your cheeks burned at the thought. Moving slowly upwards his face, you got caught on the sharpness of his cheekbones next. One wrong move and you could cut yourself on those ridges. You thought that would be a beautiful reason to bleed. Trailing up the soft curve of his ear, you admired his flaxen hair under the low lighting. The tiny blazes of the floating wicks caught each strand growing from his scalp and transformed them into spools of pure golden silk. You wondered if it was as soft as it looked— if it would look as pretty grasped between your fingers, if the light would catch it the same from between your thighs—

Your heartbeat stuttered in your chest, a familiar warmth growing in your lower stomach.

Cutting off your lewd thoughts, you snapped your eyes to his, watching the pale blue irises dance in the firelight. They were almost ethereal— otherworldly, you would say. There was something about the color that drew you in like a moth to a flame. Or maybe it was the sparkle that resided inside, the hidden spark of mischief that rarely saw the light of day? Either way, you could stare into those eyes all day if he would let you. You didn’t know if it was the alcohol in your system or something about the intimacy of the situation at hand, but you wanted to swim in that blue. You wanted to jump in and dive all the way to the bottom of his mini-oceans. Drowning in his eyes would be your favorite way to go.

Your eyes flickered between his eyes and his lips, your tongue poking out to wet yours as you pondered your next move. Crawling up to your knees, you shuffled towards the boy, reaching your hand out for the whiskey in his grasp. You gently unwound his fingers from the neck, minutely shuddering from the dizzying spark that passed between your hands touching, and took a long drag. Ominis laughed at the little cough that escaped from you, his hand reaching up and smoothing his hair before flopping downwards and landing right on your thigh. His fingers slid dangerously under the hem of your skirt, smoothing against the tops of your thigh-high socks. Color spread across your face and down your neck at the pure heat that radiated from his palm— a matching blush stretching across the boys cheeks just the same. Even still, he made no move to change his grip, going as far as to squeeze the skin between his fingers unconsciously.

You swallowed roughly, your gulp near audible as you lifted your own hand into the air, letting it hover for a moment with nerves before steeling yourself and letting it fall atop of his. Pure need burned under your skin. Perhaps it was time to be more direct in your approach.

Clearing your throat, you leaned slightly closer to the very handsome Slytherin. “Ominis, you’d say we’re friends, correct?”

Confusion creased his face, a question dangling at the tip of his tongue. “Yes, you know you’re my closest friend besides Sebastian. Why?”

You shift closer, causing the both of your hands to slip further up your skin. The blond swallowed thickly, shifting slightly to alleviate the pressure building in his pants.

“Would you say you care for me?”

Ominis can smell the tension in the air around the both of you. He inhales it deeply, his eyes fluttering closed at the enticingness of it. His voice comes out as a stuttering breath. “Y-yes, you could say that.” Care was definitely putting it lightly— he had been smitten with you for Merlin knows how long.

In a bold movement, you shifted your weight and threw one of your legs to the other side of his, straddling his hips and pressing your heat against his thigh. His other hand shot up to hold you still at the waist. Both of you were panting, heaving breaths mingling in the space between your faces. Your hands came up to drape around his shoulders, one of your thumbs smoothing back and forth on the skin creeping out from under his starched collar. Leaning forward a bit more, your nose brushed against his, igniting the fireworks in your chest and sending your eyes fluttering shut. There were mere inches between the two of you— one move and you would fall into the sweet oblivion of his kiss.

The boy could hear your heart pounding in your chest; It was a comfort to know that you were just as nervous as he was. His grip tightened at your waist as his thumb mimicked the motions on his neck at the center of your thigh. He could feel himself getting excited where the both of you were connected, and his heart skipped a beat when your lips very lightly brushed against his— barely a touch but still so very tantalizing.

Your words were nothing more than a breath. “Can I kiss you, Ominis?”

He loved how his name sounded on your lips.

A low groan came from his chest, his voice thick with desire. “Please.”

And then there was no more space between the both of you. The kiss was gentle— lips carefully caressing against lips like two fragile pieces of glass. It felt like you were made to kiss him. Neither of you moved in fear of scaring the other away, your bodies stiff and hands trembling where they rested. After a moment you separated, breathing shakily against the other while your foreheads rested together. Ominis’ hands squeezed you harder, pressing his fingerprints into your skin and accidentally dragging his still moving thumb to your inner thigh. You sighed, a small moan humming in the back of your throat.

It was like a switch flipped in the blond at the sound— a primal hunger waking up inside of him at the sound of your pleasure. His lips surged forwards again, capturing yours in a searing kiss for the second time. He pressed you tightly to him, the hand on your thigh moving even farther up your skirt, passing over your bottom and pressing at your lower back. The other moved from your waist up to your head, weaving his fingers through your hair and gripping at your roots. You keened against him at the sudden pain, rolling your hips in search of a delicious friction you’d never known before. The blond’s tongue ran along your bottom lip, drawing a gasp from your throat and opening you up to his invasion. The absolutely sinful sounds of your tongues pressing together sent a shiver of arousal down your spine. Your hand snaked up the side of his neck, slithering into his golden locks and harshly tugging his head back so you could get to the supple skin at his collar. He hissed, mouth falling open in pleasure as you attacked the skin where his shoulder connected to his neck, leaving open mouthed kisses in the wake of each of your love bites. The hand at your back slid down and grabbed hold of your ass, grinding you down on his hard length and sending a tumbling moan from the both of your mouths.

The fingers tangled in your hair tugged you back lightly, dragging your face from his flesh and forcing you to meet his eyes. His pupils were blown out to their full size, the cicle of black nearly taking over the entirety of the soft blue pools in lust. His chest was heaving as he struggled to push air into his lungs and speak at the same time. “Wait— I need to know that you actually want to do this.” It felt like all of the air had been sucked out of your chest at the vulnerable look in his eyes. He was bearing his whole soul to you. “Call me selfish if you wish, but if we continue down this path I do not think I will be able to stop myself. Please tell me you want this as much as I do— that you burn for me as much as I burn for you.”

You breathed a laugh against his open lips, grabbing at the ends of his tie and pulling him closer once again. “I crave you more than I have ever craved anything else in this world.”

You cut off his sigh of relief with your mouth, teeth clashing together from the velocity. You use your hips to slightly rotate the both of you, pushing Ominis’ body backwards with your chest until you were lying back on the cold stone ground. He chuckled against you, biting your lip and pulling gently.

“Eager little minx, aren’t you?” You wanted to kiss that smug look from his face.

Your hands began to unbutton the rest of his shirt, leaning close and just teasing your lips on his neck. You felt wonderful against him. “May as well move to the next step— the pursuit of knowledge awaits no man.”

His barking laugh filled the chasmous space around you, ricocheting off the walls and echoing back to you before it was swallowed by a surprised moan from your teeth digging sharply into his collarbone, your hips rolling downwards in tandem. His large hands squeezed the flesh of your thighs, trembling in hesitation and restraint; he wanted nothing more than to grab you by the hips and drag you down across his throbbing length. You had similar plans it seemed as you pulled back and began unbuttoning your shirt. Ominis quickly captured your lips again, replacing your hands with his and all but ripping the fabric from your form, leaning upwards slightly on his elbows and shucking his own shirt from his body. You undid the button of your skirt as well, leaving you in just your underclothes. You moved to pull the long socks from your feet but a hand stopped you, a growl filled with pure, unfiltered want sending a pulse directly to your already dripping core.

“Leave them on.”

You frantically nodded, dropping your weight back onto his lap and grinding against him again. The sweet, sanguine sounds of each moan you dragged from his bruised throat furthered your movements. Incredibly annoyed at the fact that he still has trousers on, you reached your hands down and began to undo his belt, threading the leather through the buckle and tossing it in the direction of the rest of your clothes. You wanted to lick, to taste every single inch of his skin. Your fingers ghosted at the area where you connected, dragging your fingertips along his hard member and drawing an absolutely lewd whimper from his kiss-bruised mouth.

You whispered against the skin of his chest, taking one of nipples between your teeth and lightly biting. “May I?”

Ominis didn’t care what you were asking for, as long as you didn’t stop. “Fuck— yes, stars, please.”

Him begging for your touch was doing something to you.

You smiled against his ribs, pressing kisses to every freckle and mole you could find as you drifted downwards to his needy manhood. If someone were to tell Ominis that he died and had gone to heaven, he would have believed them— there was no way this was actually happening. A rouged blush dressed his entire body when he felt your fingers drag along the waistband of his trousers, your nails kissing his skin before popping open the button and dragging down the zipper. He lifted his hips to help you, hissing as you pulled his trousers and pants down to his knees and letting the cold air of his secret hideaway brush against his smoldering skin. His cock stood at attention in front of your eyes, the tip a brilliant pink and precum leaking from his slit. Your hot and heavy makeout session really got him going.

You licked your lips, your eyes trailing a particularly prominent vein along the underside. “Merlin, you’re beautiful.”

The praise drew another whine from his throat, and he threw one of his hands over his mouth to muffle the sound in embarrassment. You must have put some sort of spell on him, there was no way these sounds were voluntarily leaving him. You nipped at his hipbone in a warning, trailing your finger along the vein that was currently fascinating you.

“No muffling yourself, my love. Let me hear you— I love your voice so much.”

He hesitantly removed his hand from his mouth, choosing instead to run it through his hair and mess it up even more while his other hand reached down and threaded in your own locks.

You smiled wryly against the skin of his thigh. “Good boy.”

You punctuated your words with your tongue, dragging the appendage along the length of his twitching cock and drawing a long, thunderous moan from the boy below you. My, what lovely sounds he made. You smiled, pressing a kiss to his weeping tip before opening your mouth and taking him into your throat one inch at a time.

He made a choking sound in the back of his throat, pleasure flooding his system. “Fuuuck, you’re lips feel so good around me, darling.”

Darling. The pet name only spurred you along even more, your eyebrows knitting together as you fought against your gag reflex to fit even more of him into your awaiting throat. You were going to take him all the way to the hilt.

A stream of moans and grunts fell from Ominis’ throat as you bobbed your head up and down, finding a rhythm that works for the both of you. His fingers tightened in your hair, struggling against his need to grab your head and fuck into your throat. It wasn’t like he hadn’t experimented sexually before, he was a teenage boy after all. Masturbation was normal at this point in his life, but his hand never felt this good. Each bob of your head, each twist of your tongue along his length, sent a bolt of electricity down his spine and directly to the spot in his lower stomach where a knot of pleasure was forming. You lifted off of him with a pop, heaving air into your lungs and tonguing at his slit, and the blond saw stars. He wasn’t going to last much longer at this rate; his orgasm was fast approaching with every flick of your heavenly muscle. You took a deep breath, preparing yourself for something as you inhaled and exhaled headily from your nose. He was about to ask what you were doing when you took him back into your mouth in his entirety, sliding his cock down your throat and letting your nose rest against the curls at the base. He couldn’t stop the sounds that came from him, each one higher pitched and more needy than the last. Ominis tugged at your hair, trying to pull you off before he finished.

“W-wait— Shit, I’m so close. Please, fuck, I’m gonna cum, wait—”

You didn’t listen, digging your nails into his hips and holding on for dear life. Your throat pulsated around him as you struggled to not gag, drawing a particularly loud and high pitch whimper from the blond. You reached down and thumbed at his taut sack, and he was a goner. A hiss that sounded distinctly like your name flew from his open mouth as he shot down your throat. You swallowed around him, licking at his slit for every last drop and pulling overstimulated keens from your lover’s throat. He yanked you off of him, an absolutely glorious blush covering the entirety of his body. You watched his chest heave up and down for a moment before you made your way back up to his face, smoothing your hand over his cheek and pushing the sweaty hair off of his temple before capturing his lips into a kiss. Ominis squeezed you as tight as he possibly could to his chest. You couldn’t help grinding against his softening dick, coating it with the slick that had begun to seep through the crotch of your panties and run down your leg. The Slytherin hissed between his teeth, grabbing your neck lightly and pulling you away. You chased his mouth and he chuckled.

“I can’t decide if you were sent here to save me, or kill me.”

He could feel your chuckle against his palm. “Why can’t I do both?”

He hooked one of his legs around yours, using the leverage to flip you over and press your back against the floor. Your mouth dropped open in pleasure from the feeling of his fingers tightening around your larynx. Ominis chuckled again, feeling your heartbeat pick up against where his thumb was on your pulse point.

“Oh, you like that? We’ll explore that more text time, I think.”

Next time. You liked the sound of a next time.

He ghosted his hand down your chest, grabbing at your still clothed breast and kneading the flesh, and it was your turn to whimper. Ominis wasted no time reaching behind you and struggling with the clasp of your bra, curses falling from his lips in annoyed desperation. Just as you were about to help him, he retracted his hands and instead wrapped his hands around the band, growling in frustration.

“Blasted thing—”

With a hard yank, he ripped the fabric of your bra and tossed it across the room into some unknown corner. You opened your mouth to protest when he crashed his lips to yours, pawing at your now free breasts and drawing little whines from your chest.

“I’ll buy you a new one.”

The pretty blond kissed down your neck, leaving a scattering of bruises like you did to him before making his way to your heaving chest, taking one of your nipples into his mouth and tweaking it with the tip of his tongue. You ran your hands through his hair in utter bliss, soft hums breaching the space around you. He let go of your peak with a sinful pop, drawing your attention to him as his other hand slid down to the waistband of your panties. Ominis pressed a kiss above your heart, letting his finger run along the underside of your final piece of clothing and listening to your breath hitch. That vulnerable look was back in his eyes.

“I want to return the favor. Please, please let me taste you.”

His sweet words were making your head spin more than the firewhiskey ever could. You made a noise of affirmative, not trusting your voice at the moment, and thread your fingers through his hair again. It truly was as soft as it looked. The blond smiled, his grin full of teeth and like he had just won the lottery, before he kissed his way down your stomach, stopping at your underwear and mouthing hotly at your hipbones. You whined in impatience, and he laughed against your skin before taking the hem of your panties and pulling them down your legs, kicking off the rest of his clothes in the process. Your breathing got increasingly shallow as he threw your legs over his shoulders, his lips pressing against the skin of your inner thighs and biting darker hickies in a spot no one else would see. He got closer and closer to your throbbing center, inhaling your heady scent and nearly losing his last little bit of composure. He looked up at you though his eyelashes, gazing at you like he could actually see how disheveled you were.

“I need you to tell me what to do, can you do that?”

You nodded, pulling lightly at his roots. He bit the mound of skin above where you wanted him.

“Words please, dove.”

You swallowed thickly. “Y-yes, I can do that.”

He smiled, turning your words from earlier back on you. “Good girl.”

A loud mewl spilled from you as he licked a hot stripe along your folds, the tip of his tongue catching on your clit and painting your vision white. He pulled back with an agonized groan.

“You’re so wet, my darling. Did I do this? Merlin, help me.”

He dove back into your sacred place, lapping at you like a man in a drought. You directed him to the best of your ability, telling him what spots made you see stars and the perfect rhythm to make you come undone. He was a quick learner, and soon you were writhing under him in the throes of pleasure. He had his lips wrapped around the bundle of nerves atop your privates, flicking his tongue every so often and sucking as his fingers teased your entrance. Whimpers of curses and his name streamed from your chest like a waterfall. Ominis carefully pressed one of his fingers into you, giving it an experimental thrust in and out, and your back arched off the ground in a desperate attempt to get closer as your thighs clamped tightly against his ears, suffocating him in your sweet center. You were a siren, and he was but a simple sailor entrapped by your hypnotizing song. What a lovely way to die.

Groans of satisfaction sent vibrations through your entire body, dragging you closer and closer to your release.

You keened feebly, begging the boy making you feel this good— for what, you weren’t sure. “Please, Ominis—”

He groaned again, and the knot in your lower stomach got impossibly tighter as he pressed a second finger into you and curled, pressing his fingertips into that delicious place that you had never been able to reach when you were alone in your dorm room. Incoherent whimpers screamed from your throat at the sheer bliss that flowed through your body, your hips wiggling sporadically as he scissored his fingers and prepared you for his length. One particularly hard bit of suction on your clit had you tumbling, your orgasm rocking through you like a speeding bullet and sending blinding fireworks through your brain. Ominis smiled as he worked you through your finish, proud of himself for making you cum on the first try. You tugged at his hair, pulling him up from between your legs and crashing your lips together in need. You could taste the saltiness of your slick on his tongue and you moaned into his mouth. The head of his cock pressed against your entrance, slipping through your folds and sliding slightly inside. You both groaned at the feeling, your fingernails digging into the blond’s shoulders at the minute sting. Ominis pressed his forehead to yours, trying to steady his breathing and heartbeat and whispered against your lips.

“Are you sure you want this, my love?”

You nodded your head, a plea slipping out. “Yes.”

He moaned at how needy you sounded— needy and cock-drunk for him. He kissed you, spilling all of the love he felt for you into it.

“Please tell me if you want to stop; I don’t want to hurt you.”

You huffed, “Why would I ever want to stop?”

You both moaned loudly as he breached your walls, pushing his hot member into your equally sweltering core inch by inch. Your eyebrows scrunched together at the pressure, and Ominis kissed the pain away as he got deeper and deeper. Finally he bottomed out inside of you, and you both stilled for a moment to get used to the feeling. You had never felt so full before, it was like he was touching every part of your body at once. Everything was simultaneously overwhelming and not enough. The blond dug his fingers into your hips as he warded away his encroaching orgasm; he didn’t want to finish before he could even savor the feeling of you wrapped tightly around him. You squeezed his shoulders, giving him the signal that he can start moving, and he began thrusting in and out of you at a carefully slow pace. It was like nothing you had ever felt before— the pleasure was immeasurable. How people weren't doing this every second of the day, you weren't sure. You craned your neck down to were you both were connected and you couldn't help the harlequin moan that ripped from your throat. Whatever you were doing before this moment in your life was a waste— every moment not connected to Ominis Gaunt was an absolute waste. You wrapped your legs around his hips, pressing him deeper inside of you and drawing a growl from Ominis’ very soul. He picked his speed up as his orgasm crept up on him again, needing to feel you finish around him more than anything.

"Merlin, you feel so good around me— like you were made to take my cock."

His uncouth words went straight to your core.

Your mewls and moans filled the room; he was glad the Undercroft was so far under the school, lest someone would have definitely heard your screams of ecstasy. His fingers dug deeper into your flesh, definitely leaving bruises that will only get darker the next day, and slammed his hips against yours. His own wanton moans sang along with yours as the knot in his stomach tightened. You could feel how close he was from the stutter in his rhythm, and you reached your hand between the both of you and rubbed at your clit, pushing your own finish closer to the surface. In a rush of animalistic desire, Ominis leaned forwards and sunk his teeth into your shoulder, giving you the last push you needed to spill over the side of the precipice. Your orgasm crested over the edge, dyeing your vision a stark black as your eyes rolled into the back of your head. You squeezed impossibly tighter around the blond’s thrusting cock, sending stars to the forefront of his mind for the second time that night and causing him to speed up his thrusts even more, chasing his own orgasm as you milked the life from him. His hips grew sporadic at the feeling of your tight cunt swallowing him whole, bringing his finish just out of reach. He panted against your shoulder, holding you against his chest as he whimpered.

“W-where do you want me t-to—”

You cut off his sentence, the throes of your orgasm still shocking through your system. “Inside me. Please, Ominis, I want to feel you fill me— I’m on the potion— Fuck, please!”

That was enough to send him over, his orgasm crashing over him like a tsunami as he spilled his life force deep inside of you. He thrust a few more times inside of you, prolonging his bliss before he stilled, both of you heaving air into your lungs like you would never breathe it again. He rolled off of you, dropping his whole exhausted body weight to the floor and pulling you against his chest. You rested there for a moment, basking in the glow of your first time and listening to the rapid pulse of the blond’s heartbeat. It sang to you a sweet lullaby, lulling you to sleep in the comfort of your lover’s arms. Ominis sighed, completely content for once in his life.

“I have wanted to do that for so long, you have no idea.”

Your head shot up in shock, your jaw dropping nearly down to your chest. “You mean we could have been doing that this whole time?!”

His eyes widened at your shout, processing your words for a moment before a blush spread down his neck again. He brought his hand up to his face, covering it in embarrassment as he laughed at how stupid the both of you were. You joined him after a moment, your head bouncing up and down against his vibrating chest. Once your cackles pittered off to soft chuckles, he pulled you closer, pressing a kiss to your temple and running his fingers through your hair.

“I guess we need to make up for lost time, wouldn’t you agree?”

You shuffled your body upwards, dangling your face over his and bringing your lips close for another sugary kiss. “Indeed we do.”

***

like what you read? here's more!

#tina speaks #smut #hl smut #hogwarts legacy #hl #ominis gaunt smut #hogwarts legacy mc #ominis gaunt x reader #ominis gaunt x you #ominis gaunt x mc #ao3 #ao3 fic #ao3 writer #ominis gaunt #ominis hogwarts legacy #masterlist

2K notes · View notes