I love how when you tell your boss that you're (still) sick and they tell you, "We're already short." As if those are the magic words to make you feel better.
Like, "Sorry, Karen. My viral infection doesn't understand that I had plans to go to work and make money that I need to survive."
âź You were always the quiet kid. You hung out by yourself as you walked the corridors, never really making an attempt to talk to anybody unless completely necessary. In class, you always sat at the back, usually alone. During the rare occurrence when a group project was mandatory, you would beg Professor McGonagall to let you do it alone. You were very oddâan anomaly, many would say.
âź Draco, on the other hand, was always popular. Whether it was for his money or for his handsomely good looks, he never had to worry about his social status or connections. Yet, he was always very lonely, unlike you, who seemed so content in the small hole you had dug for yourself away from the crowds. That was what made you so interesting in Dracoâs eyesâyour contentness.
âź So one day, he decided to approach you. âAhem.â He loudly announced himself with a cough. You looked up and slowly closed the book you were holding, âFantastic Beastsâ by Newt Scamander. You were always into those beasts, werenât you? âCan I help you?â You ask politely. Why would someone like the Draco Malfoy be talking to someone as quiet as you?
âź âMay I sit here?â He asked, his thick British accent popping. You gracefully moved aside, leaving room for him on the intricate concrete bench. You looked at him, a singular blonde hair poking out of his usually slicked back style. âWhat is it?â He nearly sneered before stopping himself. âWhy are you sitting here? Next to me?â You ask curiously, your voice filled with anything but malice.
âź âI just needed a break.â He sighs, looking down. âThe great Draco Malfoy needing a break, huh?â You giggle teasingly. âI never thought Iâd see the day.â You honestly lost track of time, because before you knew it, you had been talking for hours. Draco was a lot funnier than he let on. And for Draco? Maybe it wasnât so bad having someone outside of his usual âfriendâ group to talk to. Whatever it was, this would be the start of a great relationship.
I just imagine sebastian being like wake up sleepy head to ominis (like the vine ) Only for mc to go what the fuck from the bed cue the running and laughing like the vine
Wake-Up Call | Ominis Gaunt x Reader
đ The Vine, for reference. This was so cute and fun to write, thank you for the ask, Anon!!! I hope you love it ahaha
Words: ~1,800
Tags: Reader Insert, Female MC, No Y/N, Friendship, Fluff/Crack
Morning came gently, slipping in through the curtains in soft, golden streaks. The world outside was quiet, still half-dreaming, and Ominis would have liked nothing more than to stay exactly where he was: tucked beneath the blankets, warm, content, and completely tangled up with you.
It still felt unreal.
Your breath ghosted softly against his collarbone, your body pressed against his side as if you belonged there. (And you didâyou always had, he realized.) The weight of your leg draped over his own, anchoring him in place, and one of your hands rested against his bare chest, fingers curled lightly over his heartbeat.
Ominis tightened his hold on you slightly, just enough to feel the give of your body against his. The fabric of his oversized shirtâthe one you had stolen to sleep inâshifted under his fingers, but it wasnât enough. He wanted to feel your skin again, warm and bare under his hands.
For years, he had resigned himself to loving you quietly, distantly, safely. He thought it was better that way, to spare himself the risk of losing you altogether. But last night had shattered all of that. The way you had touched him, whispered his name against his lips, told him you loved himâhe could still hear it now, echoing through his thoughts like a spell he never wanted to break.
He had you. You loved him.
Ominis could have stayed like this forever, just holding you, listening to your steady breathing, pressing lazy kisses to your hair while the rest of the world ceased to matter.
But, of course, Sebastian Sallow had other plans.
The sound of heavy footsteps storming up the stairs made Ominisâs eyes snap open. A flicker of recognitionâand dreadâspread through his drowsy mind, but before he could react, the bedroom door slammed open so violently he almost expected it to come off the hinges.
âWAKE UP, SLEEPYHEAD!â
Sebastianâs voice exploded into the room, and just like that, Ominisâs perfect, dreamlike morning was utterly, violently ruined.
You jerked awake beside him with a startled gasp, sitting upright so fast that the blankets fell away from your shoulders. Your hair was an absolute disaster, your face still slack with sleep, your eyes bleary and unfocused as you processed the intrusion. And your voiceâgroggy, irritated, and utterly unimpressedâcut through the chaos like a knife.
âWhat the fuck?"
Ominis felt Sebastian freeze, could hear the split second it took for realization to dawn.
Then, Sebastian let out the single most obnoxious cackle Ominis had ever heard in his lifeâloud, breathless, utterly delighted.
Ominis didnât move. He didnât breathe. He just sat there, shoulders hunched, gripping the bridge of his nose as the morning crumbled into absolute disaster.
Sebastian was laughing so hard he could barely stand. He was bent at the waist, one hand clutching the doorframe as if it were the only thing keeping him upright, the other pointing wildly in Ominisâs general direction. He gasped between fits of breathless cackling, his voice breaking into high-pitched wheezes, his entire body shaking with uncontrollable mirth.
Ominis inhaled deeply through his nose, his jaw tight, his grip on the bridge of his nose whitening his knuckles. He triedâtriedâto will himself into calm.
It didnât work.
Because Sebastian was still laughing. Because this morningâthe most perfect morning of his entire miserable, tortured existenceâhad been utterly, violently desecrated by Sebastian bloody Sallow, who had apparently appointed himself agent of chaos and ruiner of happiness.
âOHâOH, THISââ Sebastian wheezed, laughing so hard he snorted. âTHIS IS INCREDIBLEââ
That was it. That was the last bloody straw.
Ominis had the vague, dull thought that murder was technically illegal, but at this moment, he was fully willing to risk it.
He flung back the covers with enough force to send a rush of cool air through the room.
Sebastian, meanwhile, still had the audacity to stand there, grinning, hands on his hips, clearly about to launch into a monologue about how he was right all alongâ
Ominis didnât give him the chance. He surged to his feet.
Sebastian had always been fast. Quick on his feet, trained in dodging punches, skilled in knowing exactly when to run for his damn life.
And run, he did.
He scrambled backward so fast he slammed into the doorframe, nearly knocking himself out, before turning and sprinting down the hallway like the devil himself was after him.
Which, to be fair, he was.
âOminis, mateââ
âYOU BLOODY IMBECILEââ
âI WAS JUST SAYING GOOD MORNINGââ
âDON'T YOU KNOW HOW TO FUCKING KNOCKââ
You sat in bed for a long moment, blinking at the now-empty space where Ominis had been while listening to the heavy thud-thud-thud of feet flying down the staircase.
From the bed, you could only stare at the open doorway, watching the last fleeting glimpse of Ominisâs bare back before he disappeared completely down the stairs, hot on the heels of his laughing, screaming best friend.
âMerlinâs sake, Ominis, letâs be rational about thisâ!â
âRational?! You justââ
Then came the sound of furniture scraping against the floorâprobably Sebastian vaulting over the sitting room sofa in his escape. A muffled thud followed, then Ominisâs furious voice.
âSTOP RUNNING AND FACE YOUR FATE, YOU COWARD.â
Sebastianâs response was a hysterical, âAS IFââ
Another loud thud followed. Something crashed. Possibly a chair.
âOkay, ow, that was unnecessaryââ
You groaned, rubbing at your face, exhaustion weighing down your limbs. All you had wanted was one peaceful morningâone slow, perfect, love-drunk morning wrapped up in Ominis.
Instead, this.
That's when the back door slammed open.
You sighed, shoving the blankets off and forcing yourself out of bed, your body sluggish and still aching from last night (not that you were complaining). Tugging Ominisâs oversized shirt down your thighs, you stumbled toward the window, blinking sleepily against the morning light.
What you saw was nothing short of absurd.
Sebastian was sprinting across the grass in the back garden, kicking up damp earth in his wake, absolutely booking it toward the far side of the yard where the trellis climbed up the garden wall, and right on his heelsâfurious, relentless, and hellbent on bloodshedâwas Ominis.
âI WAS JUST TRYING TO BE NICE!â Sebastian yelled, breathless as he dodged a thrown shoe (where did Ominis get that?)
âYOU ARE A PLAGUE UPON THIS EARTH, SALLOW!â Ominis shouted back.
Sebastian shriekedâan actual, honest-to-Merlin shriekâas he realized that Ominis was not slowing down.
He made a desperate grab for the trellis, yanking himself up in a frantic attempt to climb over the garden wall.
Big mistake.
Ominis was on him in seconds, gripping the back of his shirt and yanking so forcefully that Sebastian let out a strangled yelp and tumbled backward, landing in a heap on the grass.
You winced. That sounded painful.
Ominis, meanwhile, did not give him time to recover. He was on him immediately, shoving Sebastian onto his back, pinning him down by the shoulders with an iron grip.
âYou are the worst human being alive,â Ominis seethed, breath still ragged from the chase.
Sebastian grinned up at him, eyes still watery from laughing too hard. âThatâs a bit dramaticââ
Ominis shook him. Sebastian wheezed.
âYouââ Ominis snarled, his voice low and deadly ââare lucky that I respect Anne too much to murder her brother.â
Sebastian, still grinning like an absolute menace, coughed, clearly thrilled by the whole situation. âMerlinâs sake, Ominis, youâre acting like Iâlike I walked in on you shagging herââ
Ominisâs grip tightened. Sebastian immediately regretted everything.
âWAITâWAIT, NOââ
Too late.
Ominis decked him.
It wasnât his full strengthâjust a precise, well-aimed punch to the shoulder, but it was enough. Sebastian yelped, clutching at his arm, curling in on himself like a wounded animal.
âOh, come on,â he groaned, rolling onto his side, still winded. âThat was unnecessaryââ
âSo was your existence in my bedroom this morning, and yet here we are.â Ominis huffed, shaking out his hand as if debating whether or not to go for round two.
You, watching from the window, sighed deeply. You had a feeling that if you didnât intervene, this ridiculous chase was going to last all bloody morning.
You leaned out the window, out just enough for your voice to carry across the garden.
âOminis!â
He didnât let go of Sebastian's shirt.
The brunette, however, perked up, flashing you the smuggest grin imaginable. âGood morning, darling!â he called sweetly, dodging a swipe from Ominis at the last second. âSleep well?â
You rolled your eyes.
âOminis, love,â you tried again, making sure your voice was sickly sweet, laced with just enough teasing to make him falter. âAre you really going to let him take you on a full lap around the garden when you could be back in bed with me?â
That did it.
His grip on Sebastian's shirt slackened, his breath still heaving from the chase, but his priorities had just been rearranged. Because you were right. He had far better things to be doing than entertaining Sebastianâs nonsense.
Ominis stood to his full height and turned on his heel, stalking back toward the house. When he reached the door, he paused, tilting his head slightly in Sebastianâs direction.
âFor the record,â Ominis said smoothly, âif you ever pull something like this again, I wonât stop at one punch.â
Sebastian, sprawled dramatically in the grass, grinned up at the sky. âWorth it,â he sighed contentedly, massaging his shoulder.
Ominis didnât dignify that with a response. Instead, he turned back toward the house, his pace quickening as he climbed the stairs.
As soon as he stepped inside the bedroom, he felt youâwarm hands against his chest, laughter still humming in your throat as you tilted your head up to press a kiss to his jaw.
âYou look murderous.â
âI am murderous,â he muttered, rubbing his temples as if physically willing the memory of the past ten minutes out of his head. âHeâs never going to let this go.â
You grinned. âOf course heâs not.â
Ominis let out a long, suffering sighâbut then you were pulling him back toward the bed, curling your fingers into the fabric of his shirt.
âCome back to bed,â you murmured.
Ominis exhaled slowly, his fingers finding your waist, curling into the hem of the shirt you were wearingâhis shirt. Just like that, the last remnants of frustration, irritation, and righteous fury toward Sebastian Sallow unraveled, dissolving into something softer. Something infinitely more important.
And so he followed you into the sheets without hesitation, sinking into the warmth of your embrace, determined to reclaim the peace that had been so disgracefully stolen from him.
(Sebastian, Ominis, and MC decide to bury Noctua Gauntâs remains, which they wrapped in MCâs robes. They watch as an enchanted shovel fills the grave, Ominis in between Sebastian and MC.)
Sebastian: (leans in front of Ominis to loudly whisper to MC) âI hate to put a damper on this joyous occasion, but I believe youâre also burying your robe at the moment.â
Ominis, flustered: âI didnât even think of that. Iâm so terribly sorry, MC-â
MC: (just trying to make Ominis feel better) âDonât be. Iâm sure itâll keep her warm during the winter.â
(Ominis acknowledges the kind gesture and walks away, taking comfort in MCâs intentionality)
Sebastian: âBut sheâs dead. She canât feel.â
(Ominis hears a loud smack echo from behind him and doesnât bother turning around)
Summary: You died. Sebastian secretly had a portrait of you commissioned.
I profusely apologize for the pain.
Inspired by @sychenb for the prompt idea. Also crediting @sloanesallow for her headcanon about Sebastian keeping track of numbers.
(also sort of inspired by Unus Annus - iykyk - and Taylor Swift, if you couldn't guess by the title)
Tags: Angst, F!Reader POV (you), unreliable narrator, vague ship (Sebastian x reader/Ominis x reader), Sebastian was in love with you but never confessed, death, grief, ambiguous ending, overall the sads in general, I cried while writing this
[AO3] [Wattpad]
It had been 279 days since you died.
At least, thatâs what Sebastian tells you â your portrait, anyway. It was all that was left of you after the devastating battle you had fought and never walked away from. You hadnât even known heâd had a portrait of you commissioned when you were alive until you woke up, your body cold, your face illuminated by the flickering candles of the Undercroft.
He comes to visit you every day â some days, he simply sits in front of you, cross-legged and silent. You creep into the frame and study him, the shadows on his face, a haunted look in his eye â unfamiliar. You can only recall a bright, talkative, charming boy with whom you were once close. You didnât recognize him the first time he visited you, yet his presence brings you comfort.
On other days, you see traces of the boy he was before. He bursts in through the gate talking nonstop about everyone who misses you, about something he saw that you would have liked or that reminded him of you. Sometimes, he even brings you gifts and places them in front of your frame so you can admire them when heâs away.
Thatâs where he keeps you â hidden behind a wooden crate in the Undercroft like a sacred shrine, untouched by anyone but him. He only speaks with you when he is alone.
Another boy comes in on occasion, and you only know because of the sound of his voice and the pulsing red light of his wand that you can see from behind the pile of crates. Ominis, you remember Sebastian telling you, another friend from when you were alive. Sometimes they argue, other times they refuse to acknowledge each other. But Sebastian always keeps you tucked away, his own personal secret.
âItâs almost Christmas,â he sighs as he plops down in front of you. â300 days since youâŠwell, sinceâ â
He could never bring himself to finish that sentence, even after almost a year. You never finish it for him.
âAre you going back to Feldcroft?â you ask, though you already know the answer.
He shakes his head. âI wouldnât leave you here alone. I couldnât do that to you.â
You knew he probably hadnât been back since that dreadful day. He had only spoken of it once to refresh your memory. He never brought it up again.
âSebastian,â you say, and he perks up at the sound of his name leaving your painted lips, âhow come you always hide me away when Ominis comes in? Doesnât he want to talk to me, too?â
His eyes flash with something â anger, perhaps, it was hard to tell from your two-dimensional world â and he stands, approaching your portrait. âHe wouldnât understand.â
âIâm only a portrait,â you tease, trying to lighten the mood. âItâs not like youâve been practicing necromancy.â
It wasnât the right thing to say, but you donât completely understand why. He turns away from you, fists clenched, shoulders tense and hunched over, before running his fingers through his hair and repeating himself more adamantly. âHe wouldnât understand.â
You remember him uttering a similar statement throughout your short life at Hogwarts â secrets that only the two of you shared, unbeknownst to Ominis until it was too late. âSurely he misses me, tooâ â
âDid you love him?â
The question takes you by surprise, though you think itâs not the first time heâs asked it. âWhat?â
Sebastian whirls to face you, his gaze intense, demanding. âDid you love him? Or did you love me?â
Your portrait blinks, confused. Truthfully, you hadnât been alive nearly long enough to confirm your feelings for either of them, but you knew that both boys had been important to you during your last few months of life. The portrait of you had only been a time capsule of your fifteen-year-old self â undecided and immature. Youâre not even certain if the emotions you feel now are real or remnants of what you experienced when you were alive. âIâŠI cared deeply for both of you if thatâs what youâre asking.â
Your answer nearly breaks him, as if heâs heard it a million times before. He tugs at his hair, the movement causing him to look frenzied and mad. âThatâs not what I asked! Who did you â â
âSebastian?â
The voice of the intruder causes both of you to freeze. Sebastian pulls himself out from behind the crate and holds a finger to his lips before pushing it in front of you once more.
âOver here, Ominis.â
You hear footsteps and see the red glow of the other boyâs wand, then shuffling as Sebastian strategically places himself in front of the wooden box. The echoing footsteps grow closer, and you straighten at Ominisâs frantic tone as he speaks.
âWho were you talking to?â he asks. âIâŠI thought I heardâŠher.â
âNo one else is here but me,â Sebastian says, guarded.
You can practically feel Ominisâs internal struggle to believe him. You decide that there have been enough secrets between the three of you â youâre not going to let it carry on post-mortem.
âOminis? Is that you?â you call out. You hear Sebastian press his body against the crate in front of you. Ominis pushes past him, and they both tumble into it, knocking it over and exposing your portrait.
Chaos ensues at Ominisâs realization. The two boys are shouting at each other in front of you as you are helpless to stop them â Ominis, for having yet another secret kept from him, and Sebastian, for defending his reasonings. You arenât sure if itâs because of jealousy, grief, or some combination of the two, but all you want is for the noise to stop.
You call out helplessly from your portrait, wishing you could step between them, just as you had done time and time again all those months ago. Before everything had gone so wrong.
Suddenly, hot, angry tears are pouring down both of their faces, and you are overcome with just how useless you are at this moment â a fragmented memory, trapped within the confines of your magical canvas. You want nothing more than to hug each of them, to let them feel your arms around them in comfort and take their pain away.
But you are gone.
The two boys now stand solemn and silent in front of you. Ominis takes a step closer, his wand hovering over your portrait before he runs his fingers along the gilded frame. âIs itâŠreally you?â
âNo.â You can hear the flatness in Sebastianâs voice, how tired and worn he truly is. He repeats exactly what you thought only moments before as if to confirm it. âShe hardly remembers what happened, or even who we are. Sheâs just a fragment. A memory.â
You want to argue that it is you, but you know that heâs right. You barely remembered your living self until Sebastian explained everything to you on his daily visits. Whispers of your personality still shine through on occasion, but you are otherwise simply existing.
Ominis sighs, and you can hear the weight behind it, as if he had been holding his breath and finally allowed himself to release it. He traces his fingers along the divots of the frame once more, and you try to will yourself to feel it.
The two boys exchange an unspoken conversation that thickens the tension in the air. They seem to come to an agreement, and you let out a small breath â if you can call it that â of relief when they sit down in front of you and appear to bask in your presence. You stay quiet and allow them this moment â itâs the only thing you can do.
The days that follow are the same. No longer is Sebastian coming in alone for covert meetings with your portrait. Now, you see both Sebastian and Ominis at the same time every single day, a religious appointment that theyâve set aside just for you. They take turns talking to you, even if they can only manage a few words, and you learn to appreciate their company, knowing that you were loved by both of them in life.
Just like old times, Sebastian says, and the three of you laugh.
Christmas approaches quickly, or thatâs what they say when they come to visit a short while later. They bring your favorite things from when you were alive â chocolate frogs, flowers, even books, which Sebastian reads to you â and they tell you stories about you and the kind of person they knew you to be. You wonder if itâs true, or if they have created an idealistic image of you since you are no longer there with them. Not really.
Kind, they say that you were, thoughtful, loving, self-sacrificial, and maybe a bit idealistic. You were friends with both of them, after all, the mischievous pair that they were, before everything was taken away from them, before life was unfair. They try to smile for you and remind you that Christmas at the castle is a time for celebration, but you can tell that itâs a weak facade.
You smile back at them anyway.
The anniversary of your death approaches. Neither of them can bring themselves to say anything, aside from a few words to honor you. So the three of you sit in tearful silence, admiring the flowers that they decorated your portrait with. You think you can almost smell the sweet aroma of the bouquets.
Something changes in the air â you can sense it â though you arenât sure what. You notice it when their visits become shorter, with fewer stories to tell, and fewer presents left in front of your frame. Sebastian and Ominis start showing up at separate times, stopping in for a brief hello before leaving with an excuse. You start to wonder what they are doing when they are gone, but you are unable to leave your frame â only one portrait of you was ever commissioned.
Soon, they start missing days, returning at a later time with profuse apologies about how life was busy, but they still miss you. Difficult classes, detention, studying for NEWTs, and preparing for a career â all of these seem to take precedence over you. But they still manage to make time in all of the hectic day-to-day activities, and you look forward to the days when they do come.
You wake up one morning and realize you are in a different location â Feldcroft, most likely, though you hadnât seen it since that fateful day. Sebastian hangs your frame up on the wall, promising that he and Ominis will come to visit you more often now that they have graduated.
They donât.
The length of time in between seeing them grows longer, youâre certain of it. Each time one of them arrives, they look a little bit different â sometimes they have longer hair, other times a bit of scruff around their chins, but they always come in looking more weathered than they had when you last saw them.
You realize that they are doing something that you will never again be able to join them in â growing older. You start to wonder about their lives outside of you, yet your painted mind cannot comprehend what an adult life looks like, forever frozen in your adolescent state. You find that you are unable to relate to any of their stories, and they seem to be holding back in what they choose to share.
I wish you were still here, they always say before they go, and you start to wonder if they mean it.
At long last, the visits from your once two closest friends become scarce, and you arenât certain how much time has passed since someone last spoke to you. The bright flowers that once decorated your golden frame wither and die, and the little gifts they used to leave stay untouched and unopened. The tiny cottage in Feldcroft becomes a sepulcher of your essence â a permanent reminder that you are no longer among the living.
You canât help but wonder if it was something you did, if their reasons for not returning were your fault. You can feel the stories that they used to tell you fading away, unable to retain the memories in your current form.
You decide that itâs time to rest.
In the quiet house, just south of Hogwarts, your portrait closes its eyes. You do not wake again.
This is my first Ominis fic, I hope I do all you Ominis lovers proud :') The plot was heavily inspired by these (1, 2, 3) artworks by @tamayula-hl !!! (they literally create such gorgeous work, I fuckin swoon every time I see them ;.;)
Summary: After years apart, you are forced into a marriage with Ominis Gaunt, someone you once considered a close friend but who pushed you away after Sebastian's breakdown in fifth year. The rift between you has left years of unresolved tension, and on your wedding night, the two of you are forced to confront the fallout.
Words: ~15,700
Tags: Explicit Smut, Pureblood Politics, Slow Burn, Mutual Pining, Friends to Lovers, Drama, Romance, Hurt/Comfort, Reader Insert, Female MC, No Y/N, No Hogwarts House
The Gaunt family estate loomed like a mausoleum under the pale light of the crescent moon. Its dark stone walls seemed to absorb the light, and the air inside carried a suffocating chill that no roaring fire could banish. Ominis sat alone in his room, the only illumination coming from a single flickering candle perched on his desk. The Gaunt family ring, heavy and ornate, turned slowly between his fingers.
Tomorrow, it would sit on your finger.
His chest tightened at the thought of the ceremony, the vows, the look he imagined youâd give him as you forced to say, I do.
He wished you still saw him the way you did all those years ago, back when youâd shared tentative smiles across the library table, before fifth year shattered everything between you. Heâd thought you were remarkable thenâfierce, clever, and endlessly loyal to the people you cared about. He still thought so, though the years had placed a wall between you.
A wall he had built.
His hands clenched into fists, the metal of the ring biting into his palm. He could still hear the echo of your argument, that fateful day when Sebastianâs descent into darkness had reached its breaking point. You had wanted to help him, to pull him back, while Ominis had been determined to stop him at any cost. The two of you had stood on opposite sides of a chasm, and in his frustration, his fear, Ominis had pushed you away.
But now? Now, you were to be his bride.
The marriage contract had been delivered two months ago, the parchment sealed with the Gaunt crest and bearing the oppressive weight of their expectations. You had no grand family name, no wealth or influence to rival the Gaunts, but you had something far more valuable: ancient magic.
Your family had no power to refuse the offerânot when the Gaunts were known for their ruthlessness. Youâd been given no choice, and neither had he.
Ominis exhaled a shaky breath, setting the ring down on the desk with a soft clink.
The bitter irony was that you had been right about Sebastian all along, and Ominis had destroyed what you had years ago for nothing.
Ominis had doubted Sebastianâhad believed that his obsession with dark magic would destroy everything and everyone in its path. But eventually, with time and a painful amount of humility, Sebastian had begun to heal. He had come back to them. He had proven himself capable of change, of redemption.
And youâd seen it all along.
Ominis swallowed hard, the guilt twisting his stomach. Youâd begged him to give Sebastian a chance, to believe in the person he could be. But Ominis had been too blinded by his own fears to listen. His distrust had cost him Sebastianâs friendship for years. And worse, it had cost him you ever since.
He rested his head in his hands, elbows braced on the desk. The weight of it all was suffocating.
The memory of your expression when youâd arrived at the Gaunt manor two days ago lingered in his mind.
Even without the clarity of sight, he could feel the weight you carried. Heâd âseenâ the stiffness in your shoulders, the faint tremor in your hands as youâd clasped them in front of you, your head turning ever so slightly toward him as his parents greeted you. For a fleeting second, heâd felt your attention, a thin, aching tether between you.
But you hadnât spoken to him. Not then, and not since.
What could he possibly say to make this better? âIâm sorryâ was laughable at this point. He was sorry, of courseâsorry for every cruel word spoken in the heat of fifth year, sorry for not trusting you, sorry for not preventing you from falling into the Gaunt nightmareâbut no apology could undo the damage.
A knock at the door startled him from his thoughts. He straightened, smoothing his hair as if that would make any difference. âCome in,â he called, his voice steadier than he felt.
The door creaked open, and one of the Gaunt familyâs house-elves stepped hesitantly into the room. âMaster Ominis,â the elf began, its voice trembling, âyour bride-to-be is in the garden, sir.â
The words hit him like a punch to the gut.
âWhy?â he asked, his throat dry.
âSheâshe is pacing, sir. She looks⊠upset.â
Ominis nodded, rising from his chair. âThank you,â he said, though the elf was already retreating, bowing its way out of the room.
You were upset. Of course, you were. Why wouldnât you be? Tomorrow, you were being forced to marry him and tie yourself to a family that cared only about what they could take from you. And worse, tied to himâa man who had pushed you away when youâd needed him most, who had no right to ask anything of you, least of all forgiveness.
But the thought of you pacing alone in the gardens, trapped in your own swirling emotions, was unbearable. Ominis didnât know if he could say anything to help, but he couldnât just sit here and do nothing.
He moved swiftly through the dark corridors, and when he reached the door to the garden, he paused, letting his wand hum faintly to map the space before him. He sensed the vast openness of the ahead, the night air cool against his skin, carrying the faint scent of damp earth and dying roses.
And there you were.
Your silhouette materialized in his mind like a shadow against the darkness. You were pacing, just as the house-elf had said, your movements quick and restless. It was a knife to Ominisâs chest, seeing the person he cared for so deeply reduced to this.
Care.
No, he thought bitterly, that wasnât the right word. He loved you. He had loved you since before he even understood what love truly was. And that made it all so much worse.
Because you would never love him.
Ominis stood stiffly in the doorway. You hadnât noticed him yet, too consumed by your thoughts and frantic steps that sent gravel crunching underfoot. But when he shifted his weight, the faint sound of his movement caught your attention. You stopped abruptly, your head turning toward him, your posture instantly stiffening.
âOminis,â you said, your voice calm but sharp like the edge of a blade. ââŠCouldnât sleep?â
He hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to answer. He recognized the tension in your tone, the way you carefully shielded yourself with polite indifference. It was the same tone youâd used with his parents when you arrived, the one where heâd sensed every ounce of resentment youâd tucked away beneath a mask of cordiality.
âNo,â he said softly, stepping further into the garden. âI was told you were out here.â
âOf course,â you replied, your voice carrying a detached sort of humor. "Not allowed a moment of solitude, hm?"
Ominis flinched inwardly, his wand picking up on the subtle tremor in your hands as you folded your arms across your chest.
âI thought⊠perhaps you might want to talk,â he said carefully, his voice low.
âWith you? No,â you replied quickly, brushing off the suggestion as though it didnât matter. You turned your back to him. âTalking to you wonât help.â
Ominis winced but didnât respond. The silence stretched between you, the night air growing heavier with each passing second.
âIâm sorry,â he said at length, the words feeling inadequate even as they left his mouth.
You laughed, soft and humorless, as you turned back toward the fountain. âSorry,â you echoed. âOf course. And that makes it all better, does it?â
He took a hesitant step closer, his wand pulsing faintly to track the distance between you. âI mean it,â he said. âI wish things were different.â
âDo you?â you asked, glancing at him over your shoulder. ââBecause last time I checked, youâre the one who pushed me away."
Ominis froze, the accusation cutting through him like a blade. He opened his mouth to respond, but the words caught in his throat.
You turned fully to face him now, your arms crossed tightly over your chest. âDo you think I donât remember?â you asked, your voice trembling slightly with the weight of unspoken emotion. âThe things you said to me? The way you looked at me, like I was⊠like I was the problem?â
âThatâs not what Iââ Ominis started, but you cut him off with a sharp laugh, one that lacked any real humor.
âIt doesnât matter,â you said, your voice quieter now but no less firm. âNothing either of us says now will change anything. And tomorrow, weâll stand in front of your family and say the words they want to hear."
You turned abruptly, your footsteps crunching against the gravel as you moved past him. âGoodnight, Ominis,â you said, your tone clipped and distant as you made your way back toward the manor.
He turned slightly, his wand picking up the blur of your retreating figure as you disappeared into the cold, sterile halls of the estate. The faint trace of your magic lingered in the air, turbulent and raw, and he hated himself for not being able to ease it.
~~~
Morning came like a thief, stealing away the fragile moments of sleep Ominis had clung to in the restless hours of the night. The Gaunt manor, usually oppressive in its quiet, was unnaturally alive with activity. House-elves scurried through the halls, their frantic movements punctuated by the clinking of silver trays and hurried whispers. His parents had spared no effort to make the day grand, though their motives were far from sentimental.
Even worse, his extended family had descended like vultures, eager to witness the union that would bind your ancient magic to the Gaunt bloodline. Even Ominisâs older brother, Marvolo, had returned from his work abroad for the occasion, his mere presence enough to sour the air. Ominis had always loathed Marvoloâarrogant, cruel, and every bit the model Gaunt heir their parents had hoped for. The rest of the family wasnât much better. Aunts, uncles, and distant cousins he resented filled the halls, their haughty laughter echoing off the cold stone walls.
Ominis moved through the chaos like a ghost, his mind as numb as his steps. He had imagined marrying you a hundredâno, a thousandâtimes, but never like this.
In his dreams, you loved him back. Your smiles were soft and unguarded, your laughter warm, your hand reaching for his not out of duty, but out of choice. But those dreams had always been fragile, built on a shaky foundation of what-ifs and hope heâd never dared voice aloud.
You wedding band weighed heavily in his pocket, a cruel reminder of the vows he would unwittingly force you to take. He told himself he was doing this to protect youâthat he was backed into a corner with no way out. It wasnât a lie. His parents had made their expectations clear: defy them, and Ominis would pay the price. The Gaunts had always been dangerous, even to their own blood. Heâd seen it with his older cousins, the ones who had been disowned or âdisappearedâ for daring to cross the family.
And that didnât even encompass what they might do to you.
The sharp knock on his door startled him. Ominis straightened instinctively, brushing a hand over his hair as if readying himself for battle.
âItâs me,â Sebastianâs voice called through the heavy wood, rough but familiar.
âCome in,â Ominis replied, his voice steadier than he felt.
The door creaked open, and Sebastian stepped inside, his expression a mix of concern and irritation. He was dressed sharply, though his tie was slightly crookedâa detail Ominis would have pointed out if heâd had the energy to notice.
âYou look like hell,â Sebastian said, crossing the room and leaning against the desk.
âI feel worse,â Ominis admitted, lowering himself into the chair by the window.
Sebastian tilted his head, scrutinizing Ominis with a sharpness that felt impossible to ignore.
ââŠYou love her, donât you?â Sebastian asked suddenly, his voice blunt and cutting straight to the point. He had never been one to dance around difficult questions.
Ominis let out a hollow laugh, his hands tightening on the arms of the chair. âWhat kind of question is that?â
Ominis sighed heavily, his head tilting back as though seeking answers from the cracked ceiling above. âYou already know the answer to that, Sebastian,â he said, his voice low and bitter. âYouâve always known.â
âHumor me,â Sebastian pressed.
Ominisâs lips curled into a humorless smile. âOf course I love her. Iâve always loved her. Since before I even understood what that meant. And you know that. So why ask?â
Sebastian scoffed, fixing Ominis with an unrelenting stare. âBecause youâre acting like this is the end of the world. You love her. And now youâre marrying her. Sheâs about to be your wife.â
Ominis turned his head sharply, his sightless gaze narrowing slightly. âMy wife?â His voice rose, edged with frustration. âThis isnât a marriage, Sebastian. Itâs a transaction. A cage.â He gestured vaguely toward the window, where the distant hum of laughter and footsteps filled the courtyard. âShe doesnât want this. And she certainly doesnât want me.â
Sebastian didnât flinch, his calmness almost maddening. âBut you love her,â he pointed out again. âThat means you can make something of this. You can try.â
Ominis let out a sharp breath, his hands gripping the arms of the chair so tightly his knuckles turned white. âTry what? To pretend that she doesnât hate me?â He shook his head, his voice quieter now, but no less filled with anguish. âShe does hate me, Sebastian. And why wouldnât she?â
Sebastian frowned, his expression flickering with guilt. âYou were scared. We all were. What happened back thenâŠâ He trailed off, running a hand through his hair. âIt wasnât easy for any of us.â
âIt doesnât matter,â Ominis snapped. âI made my choices. And now, she thinks Iâm no better than my parents.â His voice cracked slightly, the weight of the words cutting deeper than he cared to admit. âShe thinks Iâm just like them, putting her through this. And maybe sheâs right.â
âShe doesnât think that. Youâre nothing like your parents,â Sebastian said firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. âAnd if youâd stop wallowing in self-pity for half a second, you might see that she doesnât actually hate you.â
Ominis scoffed, shaking his head. âYou donât know that.â
âYes, I do,â Sebastian said, beginning to pace the room with his usual restless energy. âIâve seen the way she looks at you, Ominis. Sheâs hurt, sure. Angry. But hate? No.â
Ominis leaned forward, resting his head in his hands. âYouâre imagining things,â he muttered.
âAm I?â Sebastian challenged, stopping in his tracks to face him. âYouâve spent years convincing yourself she hates you, but did you ever stop to actually talk to her about it? Or did you just decide she hated you because it was easier than dealing with the mess you made?â
The words hit their mark, and Ominis flinched. He couldnât deny it. He had avoided you for years, too ashamed of his actions to face you properly. He had assumed the worst because it was safer than hoping for anything else.
Sebastian sighed heavily, glancing over at the ornate clock hanging on the wall. The ticking sound, once faint, now seemed to echo in the room like a countdown to inevitability. He ran a hand through his hair, his gaze flicking back to Ominis.
âWeâre out of time,â he said flatly. âTheyâre going to be expecting us downstairs.â
Ominis didnât move at first, his hands still gripping the arms of his chair. He looked like a man on the edge of breaking, and for a moment, Sebastian considered calling the whole thing off himself. But he knew that wouldnât solve anything. This wasnât a fight they could winânot here, not now.
âCome on,â Sebastian urged, his voice softer. âLetâs get this over with.â
Ominis exhaled slowly, the sound heavy with resignation. He stood, his movements stiff and reluctant, his fingers brushing down the front of his suit as though trying to compose himself. His family had ensured every detail of his appearance was perfectâhe looked every bit the polished Gaunt heir, the image they demanded. But inside, he felt hollow.
Sebastian gave him a faint nod, adjusting his own crooked tie. âYouâll survive this,â he said with a slight smile. âEverything will work out.â
Ominis didnât respond, his throat too tight to form words. Instead, he followed Sebastian out of the room, the sound of their footsteps mingling with the distant hum of activity that filled the manor. Every step felt heavier than the last, the anticipation building in his chest like a storm.
The courtyard garden had been transformed into a grand display of pure-blood prestige. Rows of white chairs lined the manicured lawn, and a narrow aisle flanked by enchanted, softly glowing flowers led to an altar at the far end. Ivy climbed the stone arch that framed the altar, its dark green tendrils twisting delicately around clusters of pale blossoms.
Ominis stood at the altar, his back straight and his hands clasped tightly in front of him, his wand tucked away in his sleeve. The suit he wore was immaculate, tailored perfectly to his tall, lean frame. But even as he stood there, a picture of composure, his mind churned with unease.
Beyond him, countless guests sat in waitingâpure-bloods from every corner of their miserable society, their presence a suffocating reminder of the world he had triedâand failedâto escape.
His extended family dominated the seats closest to the altar, their self-satisfied smirks and sharp whispers grating against his already frayed nerves. The Gaunts had arrived in full force, a parade of arrogance and entitlement, each one more intolerable than the last.
Ominisâs parents sat in the front row, their expressions masks of triumph. His mother, draped in rich emerald, surveyed the scene with quiet pride, while his father sat like a statue, his posture rigid, his face a cold, unyielding mask. And then there was Marvolo, lounging casually in his seat beside them, his smirk a permanent fixture as though the entire event were for his personal amusement.
Across the aisle sat the members of your family, their expressions far less composed. Your motherâs hands were folded tightly in her lap, her face pale and drawn as she avoided meeting anyoneâs gaze, eyes flicking nervously between the guests and the altar.
The contrast between them and the Gaunts couldnât have been starker. Ominisâs family were predators, their confidence unshakable, while yours looked like cornered prey. And you⊠you were the sacrificial offering, the tether between their worlds.
The low hum of chatter faded as the first notes of music filled the courtyard, soft and lilting yet as heavy as a tolling bell. Ominis stiffened, his hands tightening into fists at his sides. This was it. The beginning of the end. The melody floated through the air, a cruel, elegant herald of what was to come.
He couldnât breathe.
The sound of footsteps against the stone aisle cut through the music, and Ominisâs wand pulsed faintly in his sleeve, mapping the space before him. In his mindâs eye, he saw themâtwo figures approaching the altar. Anne and Sebastian. The only two friends he had managed to invite to this sham of a wedding. His parents had objected, of course, but for once, Ominis had refused to yield. If they were going to strip away every ounce of choice from this union, he would at least ensure that two people who truly cared about either of you would stand witness.
Anne walked with quiet grace beside her brother, her head held high and her movements calm, even as the weight of the moment pressed down on her. She had always been your rock, and now, she looked every bit the part.
Sebastian, meanwhile, walked with his usual subtle defiance, his jaw clenched as though he were biting back a dozen remarks that would surely have caused a scene.
As the Sallow twins joined Ominis at the altar, the music softened, a momentary pause that signaled what came next.
And then, you appeared.
The air in the courtyard seemed to shift as the music swelled once more, drawing every gaze to the entrance. Ominisâs wand hummed, and for the first time in his life, he felt as though he could truly see.
Shapes and shadows sharpened in his mind, the lines of the archway and the glow of the enchanted lanterns framing you like a painting. Your figure materialized with unprecedented clarity, every detail irreversibly etching itself into his memory.
You were breathtaking.
The soft glow of the lanterns seemed to chase after you down the aisle, casting a warm, ethereal light as you stepped forward, arm looped through your fatherâs. Your gown was simple yet striking, its flowing fabric a cascade of soft ivory that hugged your figure just enough to suggest elegance without excess.
Your hair was swept into an elegant updo, soft tendrils framing your face and neck, accentuating the graceful curve of your collarbone. The tasteful touch of makeup enhanced your features without overpowering them, the faint flush of color on your cheeks and lips lending you an almost otherworldly glow. You looked every bit the part of a brideârefined, poised, and heartbreakingly beautiful.
Ominisâs heart twisted painfully. Despite everything, despite knowing how wrong this was, he allowed himself a single moment of cruel, fleeting hope. He imagined that this was real. That you had chosen this. That the soft shimmer of your gown, the elegance of your updo, the deliberate grace with which you movedâall of it was for him.
For a heartbeat, he believed it. That you had taken your fatherâs arm and walked toward him because you loved him. That your choice to stand before this crowd, to become his wife, was born of something true, not forced by the iron will of his family.
But reality was cruel.
He could feel it in the tremor of your hand as you reached the altar, in the absence of warmth in your fleeting glance as your eyes locked with his. There was no joy in your expression, no affection, only quiet resolve and resignation. You werenât here for him. You were here because you had no other choice.
Your father released your arm hesitantly, his hand lingering for a brief moment as though reluctant to let go. His face was pale and drawn, his jaw tight as he gave you a faint nod. You stepped forward alone, taking your place across from Ominis.
He caught the slight hitch in your breath as the officiant spoke. It was subtleâso subtle that no one else would have noticedâbut to him, it felt like a scream. He wanted to reach for you, to close the distance, to bridge the gap he had created all those years ago. But his hands remained at his sides, his palms clammy against the cool fabric of his trousers.
The officiantâs words droned on, his low, measured tone a blur in Ominisâs ears. He could barely hear it over the roaring in his chest, the heavy thud of his heartbeat as he focused entirely on you.
And then the moment came.
âDo you, Ominis Gaunt, take her to be your lawfully wedded wife?â
The words cut through the fog in his mind like a knife. For a fraction of a second, he hesitated, his throat tightening painfully. He could feel his parentsâ gaze burning into him, his fatherâs unyielding authority pressing down like a lead weight. The crowdâs silence was deafening, expectant, suffocating.
His lips parted, and the words tumbled out before he could stop them, heavy and hollow.
âI do.â
The officiant turned to you, repeating the same question.
âAnd do you take Ominis Gaunt to be your lawfully wedded husband?â
Ominis held his breath, his entire body tense as he waited for your response. The pause that followed felt endless, each second stretching into an eternity. For a moment, he thought you might refuse.
But when you spoke, your voice was quiet and steady, though devoid of any joy.
âI do.â
The words hung in the air, final and irreversible. The officiantâs voice rose again, completing the ritual with the formal pronouncement that sealed your fates.
âBy the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Mr. Gaunt, you may now kiss your bride.â
Ominis froze.
How had he forgotten about this part? Heâd imagined this twisted mockery of a wedding day a thousand times, and yet this momentâthe one he had once dreamed of with such hopeâhad slipped through the cracks of his planning. The girl of his dreams was standing right there, so close he could feel the warmth of you, and now he was meant to kiss you.
His hands twitched at his sides, his breath catching in his throat as he forced himself to move. The crowd was watching, their silence heavy with expectation. His parentsâ satisfaction was palpable, his extended family practically giddy at the spectacle. But all Ominis could focus on was youâthe tension radiating from your frame, the subtle way your shoulders stiffened as you waited.
He stepped closer, his wand mapping the space between you. His hand hovered near your waist, uncertain, before finally settling there lightly. He could feel the delicate fabric of your gown beneath his palm, the warmth of your body through the material.
Ominis leaned in slowly, his heart pounding so loudly he was certain you could hear it. This wasnât how it was supposed to be. Not like this, not with the weight of obligation hanging between you like a curse.
With his eyes fluttering closed, his lips brushed yours in the faintest, most hesitant of kisses. As he expected, you were stillâfrozen, unmoving, your lips soft but lifeless against his. The kiss was chaste, obligatory, and for a moment, it felt like a dagger to his heart.
And then something expected happened.
You kissed him back.
Ominisâs mind went blank, his senses overwhelmed. It was subtle at firstâa gentle press, a shift in the way your lips moved against his. But then it deepened, and the world seemed to explode around him. Fireworks erupted in his mind, a kaleidoscope of sensation, your warmth spreading through him like wildfire.
The taste of your lips, soft and slightly sweet, was unlike anything he had ever known. It was perfect. You were perfect. In that moment, everything else faded awayâthe oppressive weight of the crowdâs gaze, the suffocating expectations of his family, the years of distance and resentment between you.
His hands tightened instinctively at your waist, pulling you just a fraction closer, and he revelled in the curve of you beneath his fingers. It was everything, you were everything, he had ever dreamed of and infinitely more.
And then, just as suddenly as it had begun, it was over.
You pulled away slowly, your movements deliberate, as though reminding both of you that the moment had passed. Ominisâs hands lingered at your waist for a fraction of a second before he let them drop to his sides, his fingers curling slightly as though trying to hold on to the ghost of your touch.
His breath was unsteady as he straightened, his mind reeling. Youâd kissed him back.
Why?
Had it been part of the performance? A calculated move to play the part of the perfect bride? Or had it been something else entirely?
He didnât have time to dwell on it. The officiantâs voice rose again, announcing the end of the ceremony and you were slipping your hand into his. Swallowing hard, Ominis led you back down the aisle.
The crowd rose to their feet, their clapping a dull roar in his ears as he walked with you at his side. Every step felt surreal, the moment between you still crackling like static in his chest.
He didnât dare look at you. Not now. He wasnât sure he could handle whatever answer your expression might hold.
But as the two of you passed beneath the ivy-draped arch, stepping into the unknown future that awaited you both, Ominis couldnât help but wonder if, just maybe, that kiss had been real after all.
~~~
The reception had been nothing short of torturous for Ominis.
If the kiss at the altar had left him confused, the evening that followed only deepened the storm in his mind. Because from the moment you both entered the grand hall where the reception was held, you played the part of the happy bride.
Youâd smile at Ominis, soft and convincing, allow him to hold your hand, to rest his palm lightly against the small of your back as the two of you made the rounds, greeting the guests who had gathered to witness your union.
You spoke to guests with grace and poise, weaving stories of your Hogwarts days into the conversation with ease. Tales of late-night library study sessions, Quidditch matches, and the occasional mischievous escapade were all recounted with a fondness that left Ominis reeling.
You spoke of those moments as though they had been goldenâuntarnished by the years of bitterness and distance that had followed. And for the guests, it was a perfect performance, a portrait of a couple deeply in love, bound not just by obligation but by shared memories and affection.
The guests were relentless in their attention, each one more insistent than the last in prying into your lives. How you met, what your future plans as a couple might be, when you fell in love, was it love at first sight.
Ominis had been stunned at how quickly you answered the last question. You didnât miss a beat, your lips curling into a soft, polite smile. âOh, absolutely not,â you said, your voice light with humor. âOur first meeting was⊠letâs say, less than ideal.â
His stomach twisted at your words, but you pressed on, the ease in your tone disarming the nosy crowd.
âHe found me in his personal study spot,â you continued, glancing briefly at Ominis with a glimmer of something in your eyes that he couldnât quite place. âIâll never forget how furious he was.â
There were a few chuckles from the guests, and Ominis forced himself to smile faintly, though his mind was racing. He knew exactly what you were referring to. The Undercroft. But youâd never betray that secret, not even after all he'd done to you.
You went on, your tone growing softer, more reflective. âI thought Iâd made a terrible first impression. And, well, I had.â A few more chuckles rippled through the group. âBut a few days later, he apologized. He didnât have toâhe couldâve just ignored me foreverâbut he did. And...we became friends after that. It wasnât easy at first. Weâre both⊠stubborn.â You laughed lightly, the sound so genuine it felt like a blade cutting through the air. âBut we figured it out.â
Ominis felt like the ground beneath him was shifting. These werenât just pretty words spun to entertain the guests or to appease his family. This memory was real. Every moment you described was real.
In fact, he probably knew these memories better than you did, because he had held onto them as tightly as a drowning man clutches a piece of driftwood. They were the only part of you heâd been allowed to keep, and now, here you were, bringing them to life as though the years of distance and pain hadnât fractured them beyond recognition.
âThe moment I realized it was more than just friendship was not long after, right before Christmas,â you continued, your gaze growing distant as though you were looking back into the past. âWeâd spent the day shopping in Hogsmeade. The three of usâOminis, Sebastian, and me.â
Ominisâs heart twisted at the mention of that day. He remembered it vividly, every detail coming to life in his mind as you spoke.
âIt had started snowing that afternoon,â you continued, a soft smile curling at your lips. âWeâd bought sweets at Honeydukes, browsed the shop windows, even picked up a few last-minute gifts. By the time we made it to the Three Broomsticks, we were freezing.â
The guests chuckled, and Ominisâs lips quirked into a faint smile despite himself. He could almost feel the icy wind again, the way your cheeks had flushed red from the cold.
âAnd then,â you said, your smile widening slightly, âSebastianâbeing Sebastianâmanaged to spill an entire mug of butterbeer all over me. It was awful, I was absolutely soaked, sticky, and cold.â
More laughter rippled through the group, and Ominis felt a faint heat rise to his cheeks as he remembered the way youâd lookedâyour expression caught somewhere between exasperation and amusement as you tried to wring out your sleeves.
âBut then,â you continued, glancing briefly at Ominis, âhe gave me his coat.â
That was true. He had. Though Ominis hadnât thought much of it at the timeâheâd just wanted to make sure you were comfortable and warm. But now, hearing you speak of it, he realized maybe it had meant more than heâd ever understood.
âAnd not just that,â you said, your voice softening. âHe left the Three Broomsticks, in the middle of the snowstorm, and went to Gladrags to buy me a clean set of clothes. He didnât have to, but he did. And when he came back, he handed me the bag like it was the most natural thing in the world, like it wasnât a big deal at all.â
Ominisâs throat felt tight, his hands clenching at his sides as he remembered the look on your face when heâd handed you that bag. You had been startled at first, your eyes widening as you glanced between him and the neatly wrapped parcel. Then youâd smiledâa small, genuine smile that had left him momentarily speechless.
âThat was the moment,â you said softly, your voice carrying a note of vulnerability that struck Ominis to his core. âThe moment I realized he wasnât just my friend. That he was⊠more. That I loved him.â
Your words hung in the air, a quiet confession wrapped in the guise of a story for the guestsâ entertainment. Ominis could feel every gaze in the room turn toward him, but he couldnât bring himself to meet any of them. His focus was entirely on youâon the way your voice had softened, the way your smile lingered just a fraction longer than it needed to.
Were you simply using a real memory to bolster your performance? Was this a carefully chosen story to charm the crowd? Or was there a flicker of truth buried beneath the polished delivery?
The rest of the evening passed in a blur for Ominis. The guests continued to press you both with questions, and you answered them all with the same ease and grace. He played his part, too. Smiled when he needed to, laughed when it was expected, but his mind was elsewhere, racing with memories of that day in Hogsmeade so long ago, of the way youâd looked at him then, and the way youâd spoken of it now.
By the time the reception finally came to an end, Ominis was exhaustedânot from the physical effort of the evening, but from the mental and emotional toll it had taken.
And now, as the two of you walked through the opulent halls of the hotel where you would be spending your first night as husband and wife, the weight of it all was beginning to crush him.
The sound of your footsteps echoed softly against the marble floors, mingling with the faint hum of distant conversation and the soft rustle of your gown. The hotel was grand, each detail designed to impress, but Ominis barely noticed any of it. His focus was entirely on youâthe way you walked beside him, close but not quite touching, your silence stretching between you like a chasm.
Finally, the two of you reached the door to your suite. Ominis hesitated for a moment, his fingers brushing against the ornate handle as he inserted the key.
Exhaling slowly, he turned the handle and pushed the door open. The suite beyond was as opulent as the rest of the hotelârichly furnished, with soft, glowing light and an enormous bed draped in luxurious fabrics. A chilled bottle of champagne sat waiting on a nearby table, two crystal flutes beside it.
The two of you stepped inside, and Ominisâs chest tightened as he shut the door behind you, the finality of the moment settling over him like a weight. Here you were. Alone with him, no audience, no expectationsâjust the two of you and the silence that neither of you seemed to know how to break.
You moved toward the corner of the room where the house-elves had neatly arranged your bags, the contents folded with meticulous care.
Without a word, you pulled a set of pajamas and your toothbrush from the bag, your movements quick and purposeful. Without meeting his gaze, you turned on your heel and headed straight for the bathroom. The soft click of the door closing behind you echoed through the stillness of the suite, louder than it had any right to be, and Ominis exhaled slowly, releasing a breath he hadnât even realized heâd been holding.
For a moment, he stood there, motionless, his fingers curling and uncurling at his sides. Then, with a quiet sigh, he began to loosen his tie, the fabric slipping easily from his collar. He tugged it free and let it drop onto the nearest chair before running a hand through his hair. The dayâs events replayed in his mind like a loop he couldnât escapeâyour words, your smile, the warmth of your laughter, and the kiss at the altar that had left him reeling.
It was too much.
Ominis moved to the bed, the mattress dipping under his weight as he sat heavily on the edge. He toed off his shoes, one after the other, and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. His hands came up to his face, fingers pressing lightly against his temples as he tried to push the chaos in his mind into some semblance of order.
But there was no clarity to be found. Only questions he was too afraid to ask and doubts he couldnât shake.
The sound of water running in the bathroom was faint but constant, a reminder that you were just on the other side of the door. He wondered what you were thinking, whether the evening had left you as drained as it had left him. He wondered if youâd meant the things youâd said during the reception, if there was truth hidden in the warmth of your words, or if it had all been part of the carefully orchestrated performance.
More than anything, he wondered what would happen when you came out of that bathroomâif the silence would continue to stretch between you, or if one of you would finally be brave enough to break it.
With a heavy sigh, he sat up, his movements mechanical as he made his way toward his own bag to prepare for bed. He crouched down, his fingers brushing over the neatly packed contents until he found his sleepwear.
He stood, the soft fabric of his dress shirt brushing against his skin as he worked to unbutton it. His fingers moved methodically, one button at a time, but his mind was elsewhereâon you, still behind the closed door, and the way everything about this night felt wrong.
This wasnât how a wedding night was supposed to feel.
It wasnât supposed to feel so strained, so heavy. There should have been laughter, warmth, the giddy sort of nervousness that came with embarking on a new chapter together. Instead, there was unrelenting tension. A chasm of unspoken words and unanswered questions that neither of you seemed ready to bridge.
Ominis shrugged out of his shirt, letting it fall to the floor behind him as he reached for the waistband of his dress pants. He unclasped them, the fabric loosening around his waist.
And then the bathroom door opened.
The quiet click of the handle made him freeze, his hands stilling as he turned his head slightly toward the sound.
You stepped out, and for a moment, neither of you moved.
Without his wand, Ominis couldnât sense the details of your expression, couldnât see the way your eyes might have widened or the way your lips might have parted slightly in surprise. He couldnât tell what you were thinking, how you were reacting, and it left him feeling unmoored.
The air between you felt charged, the silence stretching out like a thread pulled taut. He was acutely aware of his stateâbare-chested, his dress pants undone and hanging low on his hips. He wondered what you thought of himâwhat you saw when you looked at him now.
He had an idea of his appearance, of course. His wandâs mapping magic had given him a sense of his own features over the years, an understanding of the angles and planes of his face, the height and shape of his frame. He had been told, more than once, that he was conventionally attractiveâsharp, aristocratic features that bore the unmistakable stamp of his bloodline.
But those compliments had always left a bitter taste in his mouth. His pale skin, high cheekbones, and long, slicked-back blonde hairâall of it tied him far too clearly to the Gaunt family, to a legacy he resented with every fiber of his being. Even his tall, lithe frame, lean from years of discipline and sparring practice, seemed more like a reminder of his upbringing than something to take pride in.
And now, standing here in this charged silence, he couldnât help but wonder what you thought when you looked at him. Did you find him attractive? Or did you see only the Gaunt heirâa pawn in the endless, suffocating game of pure-blood politics?
He had no way of knowing. And for a moment, he almost reached for his wand, desperate for the faint hum of its magic to ground him. But he resisted, his hands curling into fists at his sides.
âSorry,â you murmured softly, your voice breaking the silence. It wasnât sharp or coldâjust quiet, almost tentative.
âN-no,â Ominis said quickly, his voice low and uneven. He straightened slightly, his hands falling to his sides. âIâI should be the one apologizing.â
You didnât respond immediately, and he could hear the faint rustle of fabric as you shifted, likely clutching your wedding dress tighter against you. âIâm finished in the bathroom, if you want to change in there,â you offered, your tone polite, carefully neutral. âOr⊠I can just turn around, if thatâs easier.â
Ominisâs fingers twitched at his sides, his throat tightening. The absurdity of the situation struck him. You were married, bound by the vows youâd exchanged earlier that day, and yet you could barely manage to exist in the same space without this unbearable awkwardness.
âNo, IâllâIâll use the bathroom,â he said, his voice tight. âThank you.â
His toothbrush and pajamas in hand, Ominis disappeared into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him with a quiet click. He set his things down on the counter and leaned heavily against the sink, exhaling a shaky breath.
The mirror above the sink offered no reflection, but he didnât need to see his face to know what heâd find thereâa pale, drawn expression, tension etched into every line. He let his fingers trail over the cool porcelain of the sink before reaching to splash cold water on his face, hoping it might clear his mind, if only for a moment.
He quickly changed into his sleepwear and brushed his teeth, though the routine didnât do much to ease the tightness in his chest.
When he finally emerged, his hair slightly damp from the water heâd splashed on his face, he reached for his wand then stopped in his tracks. The bed, massive and draped in luxurious fabrics, was untouched. Instead, you had set up a makeshift bed on the floor using a collection of spare blankets and pillows.
You were kneeling beside it, smoothing out a blanket, and when you noticed him, you straightened, brushing your hands against the fabric of your pajamas.
âI thoughtâŠâ you began, your voice trailing off as though you were unsure how to explain yourself. âYou should take the bed.â
Ominis blinked, stunned into silence for a moment. âYou⊠you donât have to do that,â he said quietly, his voice laced with something that sounded almost like guilt. âThe bed is yours too.â
You shook your head, the motion subtle but certain. âItâs fine. Really. Iâll be more comfortable here.â
Ominis stiffened, watching you adjust the blankets and pillows as though you could somehow make the situation less absurd. It struck him all at once just how wrong this was. It was your wedding nightâa night meant for intimacy and closenessâand yet here you were, offering to sleep on the floor.
Did you hate him that much? That the idea of sharing a bed with him, even in the most innocent sense, was so unbearable?
He couldn't keep quiet.
âIâll take the floor,â Ominis said, his voice quiet but firm. He stepped closer, his fingers tightening around his wand. âYou shouldnât have to.â
You looked up at him, startled for a moment, before shaking your head. âOminis, itâs fine,â you said, your tone polite but insistent. âIâll be more comfortable here. Really.â
âItâs not fine,â he replied quickly. âItâs wrong. You shouldnât have to sleep on the floorâespecially not tonight.â
âItâs not wrong if Iâm choosing to,â you countered, folding your arms across your chest. âThe bed is yours. I donât mind.â
Ominisâs frustration began to bubble beneath the surface, his composure slipping. âYou donât have to pretend youâre fine with this,â he insisted, his tone growing sharper despite his efforts to keep it even.
âIâm not pretending,â you shot back. âI said I donât mind, and I meant it.â
âWhy?â Ominis asked, his voice rising slightly. âWhy are we doing this? All this⊠politeness and decorum?â
Your expression shifted, your jaw tightening as you glanced away. âWhat are you talking about?â
âThis,â Ominis said, gesturing vaguely between the two of you. âThe careful words, the pretending that any of this is normal. Why are we bothering? Why are we talking to each other like strangers? Thereâs no one here to see it. No one to keep up appearances for. Itâs just us.â
You stared at him, your expression unreadable. âMaybe because we are strangers, Ominis. We have been for years, havenât we?â
Ominis froze, your words striking him harder than he expected. He opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came out. You didnât look away, your expression steady but tinged with something he couldnât quite placeâresignation, perhaps, or maybe sadness.
âIsnât that what you wanted?â you pressed, your voice quieter now but no less pointed. âAfter fifth year, you made it perfectly clear how you felt.â
He flinched, his jaw tightening as your words sank in. âI was trying to protect you,â he said quietly, his voice strained. âFrom Sebastian.â
âDonât,â you said sharply, cutting him off. âDonât put this on Sebastian. This isnât about him. This is about you.â
Ominis turned his head slightly, his throat tightening as the weight of your accusation settled over him. He couldnât argue with itânot entirely. You were right. It was his choice to push you away, though at the time heâd convinced himself it was the right thing to do.
âSo no, you werenât protecting me,â you continued sharply, your voice rising. âYou were punishing me.â
He flinched as though youâd struck him, his sightless eyes widening. âPunishing you?â he echoed, his voice a mixture of disbelief and pain. âWhy would Iââ
âBecause you didnât trust me,â you cut in, your voice breaking slightly. âYou thought I was wrong. You thought I didnât understand, that I wasnât on your side. So you pushed me away and youâve done it ever since.â
âNo,â Ominis said quickly, shaking his head. âThatâs notââ
âThen what is it?â you demanded, taking a step closer, your anger and pain spilling out in equal measure. âBecause thatâs what it felt like. Thatâs what itâs always felt like. And nowââ Your voice cracked, and you took a shaky breath before continuing. âAnd now, youâre stuck with me.â You lifted your left hand, the Gaunt family ring reflecting the lamplight. âAnd trust me, I know this isnât what you want.â
Ominis froze, the weight of your words taking a moment to settle. And then, he almost laughed. The absurdity of the idea that he wouldnât want youâyou of all peopleâwas almost too much to bear.
Heâd imagined itâdreamed of it, hoped for it in the quiet, unguarded moments of his life. For years, he had spent his nights picturing you by his side, your hand in his, your voice soft and full of laughter as you spoke his name. He had clung to the idea of a future with you like a lifeline, even though, due to his own stupidity, it was impossible.
âIf anyone doesnât want this,â Ominis said finally, his voice trembling as he spoke, âitâs you.â
You blinked, your expression shifting from anger to confusion. âWhat?â
âYouâre right,â he said, his grip tightening on his wand as he forced the words out. âYouâre right about everything. About what I did, about why I pushed you away.â He swallowed hard, his throat tight. âEven if I didnât realize it, I did punish you.â
You stared at him, your anger softening into something more complicated, though you didnât interrupt.
âIâve given you every reason to hate me,â Ominis continued, his voice breaking slightly, âFor what I did to you then, and for what my family has done to you now.â He gestured vaguely at the room around you, at the bands on your fingers, at everything that bound you to him against your will. âI⊠I know you hate me, and I accept that. I know you hate thisâhate usâand I accept that too. But if you think for one second that I didnât want thisâthat I didnât want youâyouâre wrong.â
You rose slowly from where youâd been kneeling, your movements deliberate, your frame tense. Your arms hung loosely at your sides, and your gaze settled on him, unreadable. Ominis didnât move, didnât speak. The silence between you stretched taut, heavy and unbearable, his breath shallow as he waited, his heart pounding fiercely in his chest.
Then, finally, you spoke, your voice quiet, almost hesitant. âSo⊠you... donât hate me?â
âNo,â he said immediately, the word escaping before youâd even finished. âNever.â
You blinked at him, as though startled by his vehemence. For a moment, he thought that would be the end of itâthat you would leave it at that. But then you took a step closer, your voice trembling slightly as you asked, âThen why did youâŠ?â
You trailed off, but he knew exactly what you meant. Why did you push me away for years?
âBecause Iâm an idiot,â Ominis said, the words escaping him sharper than he intended. His voice cracked slightly as he exhaled shakily, lowering his head in a mixture of frustration and shame. âBecause I let fear and pride cloud my judgment. And Merlin, itâs the biggest regret of my life.â
Ominis's throat tightened painfully, the words heâd held back for years clawing their way up to the surface. They pressed against his chest, demanding release, and for once, he didnât push them down. What was the point? You were already married, bound by vows neither of you could escapeâtrapped in this twisted arrangement orchestrated by his family. There was no undoing it, no going back.
âBecause... because Iâve always loved you,â he stammered, his voice faltering but steady enough to carry the truth. He lifted his head slightly, his sightless eyes turned toward you as though he could see the effect of his words. âAlways.â
The weight of his confession hung heavy in the air, and the silence that followed was unbearable. The room felt suffocatingly still, every sound amplified in the oppressive quiet. He could hear the faint rush of blood in his ears, a relentless pounding that seemed to echo his racing thoughts. Even the soft cadence of his own uneven breathing felt deafening, filling the space as though to taunt him with the vulnerability he couldnât take back.
âIâŠâ you began, your voice unsteady, but you trailed off again, clearly struggling to find the words. âYou⊠loved me?â
âLove,â he corrected softly. âPresent tense.â
Your breath hitched, and he could hear the faint tremor in it. âWhy... why didnât you ever say anything?â
He hesitated, his hands tightening at his sides. âBecause I was afraid,â he admitted. âAfraid you didnât feel the same. Afraid of what it would mean if you did. I didnât want you getting tied up with my familyâwith the Gaunts. I didnât want you dragged into⊠into this.â
He gestured vaguely around the room, his frustration with himself evident in the sharpness of his movements. âNot that it ended up mattering,â he added bitterly.
You were silent again, and Ominis felt the weight of your hesitation like a physical thing pressing down on his chest. Heâd said too much. Heâd gone too far. And nowâ
âI wouldnât have cared,â you said softly.
"...Pardon?â
âI wouldnât have cared about your family,â you said again, your voice a little steadier now. âI never cared about any of that.â
Ominis's heart twisted painfully at your words, the faint flicker of hope they ignited almost too much to bear. âYouâŠâ He stopped, his voice faltering as he tried to process what youâd said. "You didn't?"
âNo. In fact, I donât care,â you continued, your voice quieter now, almost shy. âPresent tense.â
Ominis felt as though the ground beneath him had shifted, his entire world tilting on its axis as his mind scattered, his carefully constructed thoughts unraveling at the edges. Present tense.
The implications swirled in his mind, overwhelming and impossible to fully grasp. If you didnât careâif you truly didnât careâthen what did that mean? What did it say about the way you felt about him now?
âYou meanâŠâ he began, his voice faltering as he struggled to form the question that had lodged itself in his throat. âYou mean you stillâŠâ
You looked away, a faint blush coloring your cheeks as you clasped your hands in front of you. âWhat I mean,â you began quietly, your voice barely audible. âIs that I... I love you too.â
Ominis thought he might collapse under the weight of your words. His head swam, his legs trembling as if they could no longer hold him upright. It was too muchâtoo good to be true.
Surely, heâd imagined it.
This had to be some cruel trick of his mind, conjured from the depths of years of longing and guilt. Perhaps he was dreaming, caught in that fragile space between sleep and waking where impossible things felt real. Any moment now, heâd wake in his cold, oppressive bed at the Gaunt manor, the warmth of your voice nothing more than a fleeting echo in the dark.
But the longer he stood there, frozen and breathless, the clearer it became that this was no dream. You were still there, close enough that he could feel the faint warmth of your presence, the soft sound of your breathing in the silence.
âYouâŠâ His voice cracked, his grip on his wand tightening as though it were the only thing keeping him upright. âYou love me?â
âYes,â you said softly, unable to meet his eyes.
Ominis shook his head slightly, as though trying to shake loose the fog clouding his mind. âYou⊠are you sure?â
âYes, Ominis,â you said again, this time with a small, amused smile. The warmth in your voice should have soothed him, but instead, it sent his heart racing even faster.
âYouâre serious. You⊠you loââ
The words caught in his throat as you stepped closer, your movements soft but deliberate. The sudden proximity sent a shockwave through him, and what he was about to say dissolved on his tongue. The world narrowed until there was only youâthe warmth of your presence, the faint rustle of fabric as you drew near, the soft sound of your breath mingling with his.
And then you kissed him.
The contact was gentle at first, tentative, as though testing the boundaries of a moment that neither of you could take back. But the moment his mind registered what was happening, something inside him snapped. Ominis dropped his wand, the dull thud barely registering in the haze of sensation that overtook him. His hands found your waist instinctively, trembling as they settled against you, holding you as though you might disappear if he let go.
It was everythingâmore than he had ever dared to imagine. The taste of you, the softness of your lips against his, the faint sigh you let out as you pressed closer. You were all he could feel, all he could think about, and the overwhelming reality of it, of you, left him breathless.
When you finally pulled away, his chest heaved, his forehead resting against yours as he struggled to find his breath.
âThat storyâŠâ he murmured, his voice low and uneven. âThe one you told at the reception. About Hogsmeade. Was it⊠was it true?â
You pulled back slightly, just enough for him to sense the shift in your posture. He couldnât see your expression, but he could feel the heat rising from you, could hear the faint hitch in your breath.
âYes,â you admitted softly, your voice tinged with embarrassment. âIt was true.â
Ominis felt his knees nearly give out at the confirmation, his grip on your waist tightening reflexively. âMerlin,â he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. âAll this timeâŠâ
He swallowed hard, his throat tight as the weight of everything settled over him. The years heâd spent aching for you, the nights heâd lain awake tormenting himself with what-ifsâit all seemed so absurd now.
âYou reallyâŠâ He trailed off, shaking his head as though he couldnât quite believe it. âYou realized then?â
âAt Hogsmeade?â you asked softly, your voice still tinged with shyness. You hesitated for a moment before nodding. âYes... I did."
Ominis let out a soft, almost disbelieving laugh, his breath hitching as he shook his head slightly. âBecause of some clothes?â he asked, the faintest trace of amusement coloring his voice. âBecause I gave you my coat and bought you something dry to wear?â
"Sounds a lot less romantic when you say it like that," you mumbled, a hint of embarrassment coloring your voice. You glanced away, fidgeting slightly as though unsure how to explain yourself. âIt wasn't just the clothes. Iâd been falling you for some time, but I hadnât really let myself acknowledge it. And then that day, it all just⊠clicked.â
His grip on your waist tightened slightly. âClicked,â he repeated.
You swallowed hard as you cast your gaze downward. âYouâve always been⊠well, you, Ominis,â you began softly, your voice carrying a hesitant edge, as though you werenât sure how much to say. âYou, with your calm, your steadiness. Even when youâre angry, itâs controlled, measured, refined. Itâs like you always know exactly what to do, like you were born knowing how to handle everything.â
He swallowed hard, unsure of how to respond to the quiet admiration in your voice. Heâd spent so much of his life rejecting the parts of himself tied to his familyâs legacyâthe refinement, the composure, the quiet dignity that others associated with the Gaunt name. To hear you speak of it now, as though it were a part of him you valued, left him unsteady.
âAnd me?â you continued, your voice softening. âIâve... I've never been like that. Iâm messy. Emotional. I act too quickly and think too slowly. Iâm⊠I donât know. Chaotic, I guess.â You laughed softly, but there was no humor in it, just a quiet vulnerability that made Ominisâs chest ache.
âThatâs not true,â he said quickly, his brow furrowing. âYouâreââ
âWhat Iâm trying to say is that youâve always been my perfect opposite,â you continued gently, your voice carrying a faint edge of amusement. âMy foil. Youâre steady, and quiet, and level, and Iâve always felt like⊠like you even me out.â
Ominisâs heart twisted painfully at your words, the depth of your confession leaving him breathless. âYou donât need evening out,â he said softly, his voice trembling with emotion. âYouâre brilliant just as you are.â
You gave a faint, self-deprecating laugh. âWell... that doesnât change how Iâve always felt around you. Like you make me better. Like I can stand still and actually think when you're near.â
He was too overwhelmed to trust his voice, too unsure of how to put everything he felt into words. So instead, Ominis reached for you, his hand settling gently at the nape of your neck. And he held you there, his thumb brushing softly against your skin, his lips pressing a tentative kiss to your forehead.
When he finally pulled back, his breath was uneven, his voice quiet and raw as he asked, âWell, Iâm here now. So⊠what are you thinking?â
You hesitated for a moment, your lips curving into the faintest smile. âIâm thinkingâŠâ You glanced toward the untouched bed before meeting his gaze again. âMaybe we can share the bed after all.â
"Is that so?" He murmured.
You nodded, your smile widening slightly. âWell, itâs a big bed. Plenty of room. And besidesâŠâ You reached for his left hand, spinning the wedding band around his finger. âYou are my husband, after all.â
The words were light, teasing, but they sent a rush of warmth through Ominis that left him almost dizzy. Heâd spent the entire day dreading what being your husband would mean, burdened by the weight of your resentment and his own guilt. But now, standing here with you, knowing you loved him, hearing you call him thatâhusbandâfilled him with an overwhelming, almost unbearable mixture of relief, joy, and hope.
Wordlessly, Ominis gently guided you toward the bed, his hand ghosted along your back. When you reached the edge of the mattress, he paused, his fingers brushing yours as he coaxed you to sit.
âWait here,â he murmured softly, his voice warm and steady, though his chest was still tight with the weight of everything that had just happened.
Retrieving his wand from the floor, Ominis turned toward the small table where the champagne sat waiting, the chilled bottle glinting faintly in the soft lamplight. He reached for it with steady hands, though his heart was anything but calm. He needed the drinkâsomething to take the edge off, to dull the sharp, almost unbearable clarity of this momentâthe knowledge that you loved him, that he was about to share a bed with you not as strangers bound by duty, but as something far more significant.
Pouring the champagne into two crystal flutes, he turned back to you, carrying both glasses with a surprising steadiness for someone whose mind was in complete turmoil. Handing you one, he sat down beside you on the edge of the bed, closer than heâd dared to in years.
âTo... new beginnings?â he offered softly, his voice carrying a tentative edge as he raised his glass slightly.
You hesitated for a moment, your gaze meeting his, before a small smile curved your lips. âTo new beginnings,â you echoed, clinking your glass gently against his.
The crystal chime of the glasses meeting seemed to echo in the quiet room, a sound that felt impossibly delicate in the stillness between you. Ominis brought the glass to his lips, taking a small sip as his mind raced, the taste of the champagne crisp and cool against the tension still thrumming in his chest.
He inhaled deeply, steadying himself before speaking. âYou lookedâŠâ His voice caught in his throat, hoarse and unsteady, and he cleared it softly before trying again. âYou looked beautiful today.â
Your eyes widened slightly, and he could sense the faint blush that rose to your cheeks. âOminisâŠâ you began, but he shook his head, stopping you.
âI shouldâve told you earlier,â he said quietly, his voice raw with sincerity. âYou were⊠you are, the most stunning thing Iâve ever laid eyes on. I mean, um. Not that I canâŠâ He trailed off, a faint, self-deprecating smile tugging at his lips. âBut I didnât need to see you the way others do. I could feel it."
Your cheeks flushed faintly, and you glanced down at your own glass, swirling the champagne slightly as if to distract yourself. âThank you,â you murmured, your voice soft but genuine.
âI mean it,â he said softly. âYou have always been beautiful. And today, seeing you in that dress⊠it felt like I was dreaming. I still feel like Iâm dreaming.â
A deep flush spread across your cheeks, the warmth creeping down your neck as his words lingered in the air. You didnât respond right away, instead lifting your glass in a swift motion and draining the champagne in one determined gulp. Ominis raised a brow at your boldness, his expression hovering between amusement and surprise. Before he could say anything, you leaned forward, stretching across his lap to place your empty glass on the bedside table.
The unexpected contact sent a jolt through him. His entire body stiffened, his breath catching in his throat as your warmth seeped through the thin fabric of his shirt.
âSorry,â you murmured, glancing at him as you sat back.
âItâs⊠itâs fine,â he stammered, a rush of warmth crawling up his neck and settling in his cheeks. He gripped his champagne flute more tightly than necessary, the coolness of the glass a poor counterbalance to the fire youâd ignited in his veins.
âYou seem⊠tense,â you remarked, your eyes narrowing slightly.
âTense?â he repeated, forcing his voice to remain steady even as his grip on the flute tightened. âIâm not tense.â
âYouâre holding that glass like itâs about to leap out of your hand,â you pointed out with a soft laugh, leaning in just slightly, your shoulder brushing his. âAre you sure youâre alright?â
âYes,â he said quickly, though his voice cracked slightly on the word.
You hummed softly in response, your amusement now evident. âIf you say so."
Ominis turned his sightless gaze in your direction, his throat tightening as he tried to summon a reply that wouldnât betray the chaos now swirling inside him. But you spoke again before he could, your tone as casual as if you were discussing the weather.
âBy the way,â you said with deliberate slowness, âdid I ever tell you that you clean up very well?â
He froze, his pulse thundering in his ears. âI⊠Iâm sorry?â
âYou,â you said simply, your gaze flicking over him again in a way that made his skin prickle with awareness. âIn your suit earlier. You looked very handsome.â
Ominisâs face burned. He gripped his glass tightly, taking another long sip to buy himself a moment to think. âTh-thank you,â he managed.
âYouâre welcome,â you said, a faint smile tugging at your lips. You leaned back onto your hands, the bed giving under your weight. "You really are very attractive, Ominis," you added softly, the undercurrent of sincerity that making his heart ache.
Youâd never complimented him like that before, never indicated whether you found him attractive or not, and the revelation was dizzying.
âWhy are youâwhy are you saying this?â he asked, his throat tight.
âBecause itâs true,â you said simply. âAnd because I can.â
Ominis exhaled shakily. âYouâre... you're very bold."
âAnd you are shy,â you replied, a playful glint in your eye as you tilted your head toward him. âI told you itâs a good thing we balance each other out.â
He wasnât sure whether to be flustered or comforted by the ease in your voice. The warmth radiating from you, the teasing lilt in your tone, and the sincerity beneath it allâit was overwhelming, intoxicating.
âYouâre relentless,â he muttered.
"Because you make it so easy." You explained smoothly.
Ominis cleared his throat, trying desperately to maintain some semblance of composure. âIâve no idea what youâre talking about."
You tilted your head, eyeing him. âOh, I think you do."
Before he could respond, you leaned forward again, reaching past him toward the small table beside the bed. But this time, your free hand rested on his thigh for balance, the contact sending heat through his veins and a gasp threatening to pass his lips.
âLetâs seeâŠâ you murmured thoughtfully, your fingers brushing against a book as you pulled it toward you. âHuh. A bible. Why do hotels always have these?â
Ominis barely heard your question, his attention consumed by the weight of your hand on his leg, the warmth of your palm seeping through the thin fabric of his pants. He swallowed hard, his throat dry, as he triedâand failedâto focus on anything other than the proximity of your body to his.
âI suppose itâs tradition,â he managed weakly.
âPerhaps youâre right,â you mused, flipping the book closed with an air of exaggerated disappointment. âThough youâd think theyâd leave something more interesting. A mystery novel, maybe.â
You shifted slightly to flip open the pages of the book, humming thoughtfully, but your elbow caught Ominisâs arm, sending champagne spilling directly into his lap, the cool liquid soaking through the fabric and clinging uncomfortably to his skin.
âShit!â you exclaimed, sitting up quickly, your hand flying to your mouth. âIâm so sorry. Let meââ
âItâs fine,â he said quickly, his voice strained as he tried to wave you off. âReally, I canââ
But you were already on your feet, grabbing a towel from the bathroom. Before he could protest further, you were kneeling in front of him on the floor.
âLet me help,â you insisted, your tone sweet but tinged with a something else that Ominis couldnât quite place.
He stiffened further, his entire body locking up as your hand brushed dangerously close to the center of his lap.
âI-itâs fine, truly,â he stammered, his voice rising slightly in pitch. âYou donât need toââ
âNonsense," you said lightly, shaking your head as you continued to blot the fabric. âItâs my fault.â
Ominis held in a groan, fighting to maintain even a shred of composure. Heat had already been pooling in his abdomen, a slow, insistent burn that now threatened to spiral out of control, but with your hands so dangerously close, with you kneeling before him, he felt as though his very sanity was slipping through his fingers.
His mind raced with a flood of thoughtsâimproper, indecent thoughts that he told himself he was far too much of a gentleman to entertain. And yet, he couldnât stop them. Couldnât stop imagining what it would feel like to give in, to let go of the rigid self-control that had defined so much of his life.
He bit down on the inside of his cheek. âY-you really donât need to,â he stammered, his voice cracking slightly as he shifted, trying in vain to create some distance between you. âI can handle it.â
âNo, no," you murmured, your dabbing movements now turning into wiping motions. "Let me help.â
Help. The irony of the word wasnât lost on him. If anything, your proximity, your touch, was undoing him entirely. And what was worseâwhat truly horrified himâwas the knowledge that the evidence of his attraction would soon become blatantly, inescapably obvious.
His breath hitched as your hand brushed closerâtoo closeâand he couldn't handle another moment.
Ominis shot to his feet so suddenly that it startled you, his wand clutched tightly in his trembling hand. The movement sent the towel slipping from your fingers as you instinctively leaned back, your wide eyes snapping up to meet his.
The image that his wand painted in his mind was delicious and utterly disastrous: you, on your knees before him, your hair slightly mussed, your lips slightly parted, and those impossibly wide eyes staring up at him.
He clenched his jaw, quickly lowering his wand, but no matter how hard he tried, the image wouldnât leave him. It was burned into his mind, vivid and unrelenting.
Ominis opened his mouth, but his words came out as a jumble of incoherent stammers. âIâIâm sure the house elves packed⊠somethingâuhâextra pants.â His voice cracked slightly as he gestured vaguely toward the corner of the room where their bags were stacked. âI shouldâprobably justââ
He moved to take a step, desperate to escape, but then your hands were on his thighs, stopping him mid-motion.
"Running off on me, are you?"
"IâI just thoughtâ"
You tutted and gave him a gentle push, coaxing Ominis to sit back down on the edge of the bed. He resisted for a moment, but your persistence, combined with his legs trembling beneath him, left him with little choice. Slowly, he sank back down, his hands gripping at the sheets.
âThere,â you said softly, your tone soothing yet carrying a playful undercurrent that made his pulse quicken. âThatâs better.â
Better? Hardly. Ominis was certain heâd never been in a worse predicament in his life. You were now kneeling right between his legs, your hands still resting on his thighs, the heat of your palms searing through the thin fabric of his sleepwear.
He was painfully, achingly hard now, pressed uncomfortably against the fabric, and he knewâhe knewâyou must have noticed.
How could you not? You were so close, on your knees before him, your face dangerously near to the source of his torment. He clenched his jaw, his hands tightening into fists as he tried to will his body into submission, but it was no use. The evidence of his desire was blatant, inescapable.
And then, as if the situation wasnât unbearable enough, you tilted your head slightly, feigning an expression of concern.
âYou canât be very comfortable like that,â you said softly, your voice laced with innocence. âYour pants, I mean. All damp and cold.â The corners of your mouth tugged into the faintest hint of a smile. âMaybe you should just take them off.â
Ominis stiffened. He knew exactly what you were doingâknew you werenât nearly as innocent as you were pretending to be. And yet, he couldnât bring himself to call you out. Couldnât bring himself to break the fragile thread of tension strung taut between you. Because some part of himâsome reckless, desperate part of himâwanted to see how far you were willing to push him.
âIâI think Iâll just wait untilââ
You leaned in slightly, your expression soft and oh-so-kind. âUntil what?â
Ominis exhaled shakily, his hands tightening into fists. âUntil Iâm alone.â
Your eyebrows lifted slightly. âAlone?â you repeated, tilting your head as though the concept genuinely puzzled you. âWhy? It's just me... and I'm your wife now, aren't I?"
His wife.
He swallowed hard. âYou⊠you are,â he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. âBut that doesnât meanââ
âDoesnât mean what?â you interrupted, trailing your hands further up his thighs. âThat you canât be comfortable around me? That you canât let me take care of you?â
âTake care of me,â he repeated hoarsely, the word catching in his throat as his mind spiraled. He knew exactly what you were insinuating, and it was driving him to the brink of madness.
âIsnât that what a good wife does?â you asked softly, your voice lilting as though you were enjoying this far too much.
Ominis swallowed hard, muttering your name. ââŠThis is a dangerous game you're playing."
Your lips curved into a sly smile, your gaze never leaving his. âIs it?â
He forced himself to take a steadying breath. âYou know exactly what youâre doing.
Your smile didnât waver. If anything, it grew wider, teasing and entirely too confident for his fragile composure. âAnd what happens,â you asked, âif I keep playing?â
Your hands trailed upwards and his entire body went rigid, his fists tightening so hard that his knuckles ached.
And then you did it.
Your fingers hooked under the waistband of his pants, your touch light as you began to tug. And Ominis's composure shattered, the remainder of his control finally giving way.
He reached out, his hands catching your wrists and stilling your movements as he leaned down, his sightless gaze locked on you.
âEnough,â he said, his voice low, dangerous.
You blinked up at him, your playful smile faltering for the first time, though your eyes still held a glint of challenge. âOminisââ
âEnough,â he repeated, his tone sharper this time. âYou wanted to play a game, did you? Let me show you what it feels like to lose."
Ominis stood slowly, bringing your hands with him, guiding them back to the waistband of his pants. His breath was heavy, his voice low and rough when he spoke. âYou started this,â he murmured, his tone carrying a dangerous edge that sent a shiver down your spine. âNow finish it.â
Your eyes widened, your earlier confidence faltering as you stared up at him. âOminis, Iââ you began, but he cut you off, his fingers tightening just slightly around your wrists.
âYou wanted to see how far you could push me?â he muttered. âCongratulations. You found out. Now take them off."
You hesitated, your playful bravado faltering. This wasnât the careful, reserved Ominis you were used to. This was someone raw, unguarded, and utterly unyielding.
But you had pushed him to this point, hadnât you? Teased and taunted, knowing full well what you were doing. And now, you would face the consequences.
Your fingers trembled as they hooked under the waistband of his pants, tugging at the fabric. The damp material clung stubbornly to his skin, and the tension in the room was palpable, thick enough to choke on, but Ominis revelled in it, the faintest trace of a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips.
After a moment, the damp fabric finally gave way, sliding down his hips and pooling at his ankles, and for a moment, there was only silence.
Ominis tilted his head slightly, his fingers trailing along your jaw. âNo teasing comments, hm? Not so bold now, are you?"
âIâŠâ You hesitated, your breath hitching. âI didnât mean toââ
âDidnât mean to what?â he interrupted smoothly, his fingers ghosting along your skin. âTease me? Push me? Make me want you until I could barely think straight?â
Your eyes widened, your lips parting in shock at his bluntness. He tilted his head slightly, his smirk deepening as he took in your reaction.
âBecause if thatâs the case,â he continued, his voice dropping even lower, âthen you failed. Now... where were you?"
He reached for your hands again, skimming them along his legs before hooking them into the fabric of his underwear. Your lips parted, a soft, unsteady exhale escaping as you gazed up at him.
âGo on,â he urged, his tone leaving no room for argument.
With a shaky breath, you complied with his demand, the fabric yielding beneath your touch as you began to tug it down past his hips and over the hard length of him.
Ominisâs breath hitched, his jaw tightening as he fought to maintain his composure. His one hand found your shoulder, the other tangling in your hair as you freed him from the confines of his underwear, the cool air of the room brushing against his heated skin.
He could feel your gaze moving over him, taking in every inch of his body. He didn't need to see her to know exactly what you were looking at. He could feel her hesitation, the quickening pace of your breathing, and it stirred something deep inside him.
"Like what you see?" His voice was low and rough. It wasn't a question so much as a challenge, a dare for her to speak the truth he already knew.
There was a pause, a moment where he could feel her nerves battling with her desire. Then her voice came, soft and trembling, yet unmistakably honest. "Yes. I⊠Ominis, you're... fuck, you're so big.â
Her words hit him like a spark to dry kindling, igniting a fire he could barely contain. A slow, wicked smile curled his lips as his confidence swelled at the admission. He let his thumb trace the curve of your jaw, the movement gentle even as his grip on your neck tightened slightly, coaxing you closer.
Your hands trembled against his thighs, and he felt you hesitate again. That flicker of uncertainty was intoxicating, drawing out the predator in him that wanted to take his time unraveling you.
"I don't even know if I can..." you whispered,
"Oh, you can," he said, his voice a mix of promise and challenge. "And you will. Open your mouth."
Your lips parted without hesitation, your trust in him making something primal surge within his chest. Ominis let out a low, satisfied chuckle as he guided you toward him with deliberate care. "Good girl," he murmured, his voice thick with approval.
He could feel your breath ghosting over him, the slight tremor in your shoulders betraying her nervousness. But when your lips finally made contact, wrapping around him with warmth and softness, a sharp groan tore from his throat. The wet heat of your mouth was intoxicating, your tongue brushing against the sensitive underside of him sending jolts of pleasure rippling through his core.
He groaned, his voice low and gravelly, unrestrained. "God, you feel so good... yes, just like that."
His grip in your hair tightened, controlling your movements as he adjusted the angle with a firm but gentle tug. Each movement was controlled, his hips rocking forward slightly before pulling back just enough to keep you comfortable.
A low moan escaped him as your tongue flicked against the head of his cock, every slight drag of your lips sending waves of pleasure radiating through him like fire. His head tipped back briefly, a ragged exhale slipping from his lips.
"Relax your throat," he ordered breathlessly, his thumb brushing lightly against her cheek. "Let me in. Let me feel you take all of me."
You responded instantly, a muffled moan escaping as you took him deeper, the vibrations sending a shockwave of pleasure through Ominis that left him teetering on the edge. His control slipped, and his hips jerked forward instinctively, driving himself further into the warmth of your mouth. The way your throat tightened around him, the way you surrendered so completely to his leadâit was undoing him, igniting a raw, primal need he couldn't restrain.
"Iâm close," he breathed, his thumb brushing against your chin. "Keep going. Don't fucking stop."
Your kept pace, and every sensation sharpened, from the slick slide of your lips to the pressure of your tongue and the slight resistance of your throat.
Ominis's body shuddered violently when the tension coiled tight within him finally snapped, a guttural groan tearing from his throat as his hips pressed forward, forcing you to take his release. He groaned your name, his voice raw and broken, the sound laced with unrestrained pleasure as waves of his release surged through him. He felt you swallow, the rhythmic pull of your throat around him drawing out every last bit of his pleasure and leaving him utterly wrecked.
âFuck, youâre so good,â he rasped, his voice hoarse and uneven as he brushed his thumb gently against your chin, a subtle caress full of approval. âSo perfect.â
His breaths came in uneven gasps as the intensity began to ebb, though the memory of your mouth on him lingered, searing itself into his mind. The slick warmth of you, your complete submission to him, was something he knew he'd spend his life chasing.
Finally, his grip loosened in your hair, and with a soft, wet pop, he pulled himself from your mouth, the absence of your warmth almost jarring. His legs trembled as he lowered himself to sit on the edge of the bed, his body still buzzing. Yet, even in his post-climactic haze, his hands remained steady, tracing the curve of your jaw with a reverence that felt entirely at odds with the raw dominance he'd displayed moments before.
âAre you alright?â he asked breathlessly, tilting your chin up to brush his thumb over your swollen lips.
Your breath was shallow, quick, and he could feel the faint tremor in your body under his hands. When you didnât immediately answer, his brow furrowed. He withdrew his hand and reached for his wand.
The image of you that materialized made his breath catchâyour breathing ragged, your cheeks flushed a deep, fiery red, your lips parted as you struggled to catch your breath, your eyes glassy.
He breathed your name, his voice tinged with worry as he cupped your face again. âIâI didnât hurt you, did I? Please, tell me I didnât hurt you.â His fingers brushed your hair back, searching for any sign of discomfort, his unseeing eyes filled with an almost frantic need for reassurance.
You blinked slowly, as if coming out of a haze, and the smallest of smiles tugged at your lips. Your breath hitched, and when you finally spoke, your voice was rough and shaky. âNo,â you managed,âNo, you didnât hurt me.â
He let out a shaky exhale. âAre you sure youâre alright? Please tell me the truth.â
You nodded, your unsteady, watery smile sending a wave of relief coursing through Ominis, the tension in his chest easing ever so slightly. But that smileâsoft, trembling, and paired with the glassiness in your eyesâmade his heart falter for an entirely different reason. He had pushed you close to your limit; that much was undeniable. The sheen in your gaze spoke of intensity, perhaps even moments of overwhelming vulnerability. And yet, the faint curve of your lips said it allâyouâd liked it.
You had trusted him so completely, surrendered so fully, giving yourself over to him for his pleasure, even when it stretched the boundaries of your comfort.
It was a realization that hit him hard, an almost overwhelming surge of emotion he wasnât prepared for.
But Ominis couldnât allow himself to dwell on it now. There was something far more important to focus onâtaking care of you.
Ominis inhaled deeply, centering himself as he rose from the edge of the bed. He pulled back the covers with a smooth motion and turned back to you, his expression softening as he reached for you. âCome here,â he said gently.
Reaching down, his arms slid around you, steady and secure, as he helped you up from where you knelt on the floor. One hand pressed lightly against the small of your back, the other brushing against your arm as he guided you onto the bed.
Once you were settled, he tucked the covers around you, his hands lingering for a moment, brushing along your arm before moving to your face.
âThere we are,â he murmured, brushing a stray lock of hair away as he leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to your forehead. âYouâre alright,â he assured, though it felt as much for him as it was for you. âIâve got you.â
Your voice, hoarse and barely above a whisper, cut through the quiet. âOminis, you can stop fussing. Iâm alright.â
He froze for a moment, his lips curving into a faint smile as a soft chuckle escaped him. âYouâre alright, are you?â he asked, his tone a blend of teasing and disbelief. âYou can barely speak. Forgive me if Iâm not entirely convinced.â
You rolled your eyes weakly, the smallest of smiles tugging at your lips. âI mean it,â you said, your voice still raspy. âIâm okay."
He shifted closer to the edge of the bed as he adjusted the covers once more, making sure they were snug around you. âYou need water," he decided, his brow furrowing slightly.
Before you could protest, he was already moving, locating a glass and filling it at the bathroom sink. He returned swiftly, slipping one hand beneath the back of your neck to help you sit up just enough. The other hand brought the glass to your lips.
âDrink,â he murmured softly.
You sipped obediently and he smiled softly, chest rising and falling with a quiet steadiness now that he knew you were truly alright.
"You were so good," he murmured, as his fingers trailed down to your jaw, tilting your face slightly upward. "Do you have any idea how amazing you felt?"
He leaned closer, his lips finding the flushed heat of your cheek, pressing soft, lingering kisses there, each one accompanied by a murmured word of praise. âSo perfect,â he whispered between kisses, his voice low and reverent. "So well behaved."
His lips trailed to your other cheek, brushing against the soft skin as he continued. âIt was overwhelming in the best way possible. The way you felt, the way you took meâit was more than I could have ever imagined.â
You hummed softly, the sound a mixture of contentment and satisfaction as his lips trailed across your flushed skin. A shaky hand lifted from beneath the covers, reaching out to find his cheek, your fingers trembling slightly as you guided his lips to yours.
The kiss was a whisper, soft and delicate, barely more than a brush of your lips against his. Ominis exhaled against your mouth, his breath warm and steady, a low hum of contentment escaping him as he leaned into you. His hand slid from your jaw to the nape of your neck, cradling you as his lips moved against yours.
Your lips barely parted from his as you whispered against them, your voice still raspy but filled with quiet conviction, âI love you.â
The words hung in the air between you, and for a moment, Ominis stilled, as though trying to convince himself they were real. Then, his breath hitched, and he pressed his forehead against yours.
âI love you, too,â he murmured in return, his voice trembling with emotion. âMerlin, I love you so much. I always have.â He paused, his unseeing eyes searching for something he couldnât quite articulate. âAfter everything, after all this time⊠I never dared to hope weâd find each other again like this.â
You smiled faintly, your thumb stroking his cheek as you closed the small distance between you for another kiss, your lips speaking what words couldnât.
Ominis pulled back slowly, his fingers brushing through your hair one last time before he adjusted the covers around you. He slipped into bed beside you, his movements careful, his body naturally finding yours as his arms slid around you, drawing you close. Your head nestled against his chest, your breath warm against his neck, and he felt your heartbeat, steady and sure, beneath his hand.
As he held you, Ominis let his mind wander, reflecting on everything that had brought you both to this moment. The pain, the distance, the longingâit had all been worth it for this, for you. A soft, contented sigh escaped him as he pressed a lingering kiss to the top of your head.
As he closed his eyes, his grip on you tightening slightly in an unconscious promise to never let you go again, a single thought echoed in his mind: This is where Iâm meant to be. With you. Always.
summary: (His parents and Marvolo insist itâs a gift handed down from Slytherin himself, just like the Parseltongue Ominis despises. It is not. It is a curse.)
or: The Gryffindor student has caught on that Ominis can read her thoughts and decides to get her revenge.
(rated M for some language)
tags: I headcanon Ominis is a natural legilimens (I go into what I believe this entails in more detail in my Ominis longfic), fluff, some mature language, but mostly this is silly :)
a/n: It's the one-year anniversary of the day rode the train to the mountains and wrote this up in one sitting. This is the first oneshot I ever wrote, and my first attempts at writing Ominis POV𫶠I hope you enjoy, and if youâre rereading THANK YOUâ„ïž
Ominis Gaunt is a lost case - lost to the whims of one very determined Gryffindor sitting at his side.
They sit in the back of the History of Magic classroom, the only two students not lulled to somnolence by their professor. He: trying his hardest to focus on Professor Binns' droning (easier said than done). She: trying her hardest to distract Ominis while not being entirely sure of being successful or not (easier attempted than understood).
Professor Binns is completely insufferable, of course. Ominis wonders if the ghost is as blind as he is: Binns willfully ignores the fact that all of his students use his class as an excuse to get a nap in (maybe he simply doesn't see them sleeping - only one of many reasons why Ominis has decided he could never be a professor), rambling on and on in the most boring way possible. As if he were trying to be as dull as possible (maybe he does it to avoid interacting with the students which...can't be to blame). In a different life, Ominis could see himself quite liking the subject, but as things stand he despises it.
Especially now.
Ominis fervently wishes that he could fall asleep.
Then, he might avoid hearing her thoughts - they're consuming him and he can't ignore them as much as he would like to.
Normally, he loves this class - not the subject, obviously - but the class itself, for the sheer fact that it is the only time where he gets some peace and quiet. Everyone's minds nice and quiet and shut off for the time being while they sleep. Although he has gotten used to ignoring the thoughts of everyone around him, their various voices mixing and mingling with each other into a dull thrum in the back of his mind, it is nice to have some quiet once in a while.
But right now with everyone asleep except for the Gryffindor at his side, her thoughts are so loud it's like she's screaming at him.
So here he is, wishing he could fall asleep, leave the class, maybe turn off the infernal legilimency that has haunted him his whole life.
(His parents and Marvolo insist it's a gift handed down from Slytherin himself, just like the Parseltongue Ominis despises. It is not. It is a curse.)
He is stuck listening to her.
It doesn't help that she seems to have caught on to him - something he had managed to avoid until now. Nobody else, not even Sebastian or Anne, has ever suspected a thing. But, in all fairness, those two are extremely loud and say every single thought that passes through their minds out loud even when they should remain quiet, and nobody else has had the opportunity to spend enough time with Ominis to begin to suspect anything.
Until her.
He had to go and let that blasted girl worm her way into his life, not leaving him alone ever, always looking for excuses to talk and ask his opinion, and being so intelligent that he wanted to invite her to study with him and talk with him and...
Since it happened a few nights ago, he hasn't stopped cursing himself for that stupid offhand comment he made. They had been studying in silence in the library together, by the history books where nobody else ever ventures (thank you, Professor Binns), and he could have sworn that she asked him if he was finally going to walk her back to her common room (he blames a lack of sleep and wishful thinking for this mishap). His traitorous face had flushed and he had jumped at the chance to escort her - maybe she would let him carry her bag, or... - only to feel his whole body go cold and his stomach drop when her response wasn't what he'd expected.
A pause: then: a confused voice:Â 'Ominis, I didn't say anything.'
His Gryffindor wasn't stupid like Gryffindors were normally wont to be. He knew her, and he knew that after his monumental mistake, the gears in her brain were turning and he was terrified that somehow she had figured it out.
(His Gryffindor?)
She had been unusually quiet around him since then, although he bitterly noticed that she was still acting normally with everyone else. Still finding every opportunity to punch Sebastian in the shoulder and laugh with Anne, still whispering with Natsai about Merlin knows what, still...
But she had been avoiding Ominis. He couldn't stand it.
Well, avoiding him right until this stupid class, when she had to go and sit right next to him (ignoring the fact that she always sits next to him in History of Magic, that everyone already has and adheres to their unofficial seats), and he can't ignore her.
She's pretending to take studious notes, but he knows better. The scratching of her quill blending with the droning of Professor Binns' voice but not drowning out her thoughts. They float above the other noises, her voice sweet and piercing. Ominis wonders vaguely what she's actually writing, because he's positive it isn't notes.
Professor Binns looks so sexy right now with his medieval hat, talking about...whatever it is he's passionate about. I wonder if he would let me talk to him after class without floating through me like he normally does...
Ominis is determined not to react. She's obviously trying to bait him. But...what if she is attracted to Professor Binns? Is he an attractive man? At the thought, the fist that's resting on top of his desk clenches, but he works to make sure his face remains impassive. Apart from a twitch of his lips, he thinks he's been quite successful.
She: huffing and shifting in her chair, her robes rustling as she crosses her legs. He: keeping his head facing forward, steadfastly ignoring her.
She changes tactics.
Maybe she's just as insufferable as the other Gryffindors, after all.
I wonder what Ominis would say if he knew I woke up moaning today after a dream about him -
He shifts slightly in his seat, hoping that she's so busy taking notes (who's he kidding) that she won't notice his discomfort as his trousers tighten -
...the girls in my dorm have been bothering me nonstop about who I've been mooning over but I don't want them to...
His hand is in such a tight fist it's a wonder he's not breaking any fingers as he tries to remain as still as possible, but his traitorous arousal is making her thoughts harder and harder to ignore. Had he ever been able to ignore her?
...his tongue was deep inside my cunt as I screamed his name...
He feels his face heat up at the thought - where had she learned such vulgar language? - and his whole body stiffens. He's sure that she can feel the tension and warmth radiating off of him in waves but that...she...his insane little lion keeps shouting at him in the silence of the classroom. She's now stopped all pretense of taking notes and is sitting stock still.
...his cock deep inside of me as...wait...what else did I hear Garreth say to Leander that night?...um... She shifts uncomfortably, her knee grazing Ominis's as she moves to squeeze her legs together. It's all he can do to not groan and remain impassive. Oh god...I...what's that feeling? This was just supposed to get back at him for probably - maybe - reading my thoughts and I'm officially insane because how would he even be able to do that?...his ears turning red from embarrassment are so adorable and I can't stand this anymore and...
Ominis tries his hardest not to move his head in her direction. His jaw flexes. Maybe he can drown her out if he starts reciting potions ingredients, or if he focuses on what Professor Binns is saying, but even he knows its futile. He's hanging on to her every word - thought? - and his head slowly turns in her direction as she keeps going.
...does he know how much I think about him? Oh god, what if he dreams of me the same way I...
He slams the open book in front of him shut, the loud noise causing Sebastian to jerk awake and babble incoherently for a moment before slumping back over his desk, drooling and snoring lightly. Nobody else in the class seems to notice except her of course. Blissfully, she has stopped talking - thinking - and he can finally -
It's no use. He needs to get out of there. She has invaded his mind and...What if she starts up again with her filthy thoughts that are bleeding into his own and -
Did he hear me? I didn't actually think...oh god, can he hear me now? What have I done?
Ominis very slowly brings his hand over to where he knows hers is. The quill falls out of her hand and he hears a sharp intake of breath at their contact. His fingers trace her knuckles and then he slowly trails them up her arm. His fingertips are so sensitive that he could swear that he feels every thread that he passes, her skin warm and alive underneath the fabric. Then to her neck, her throat bobs and he feels her erratic heartbeat. Finally, he reaches her face. She remains very, very still as his fingers brush over her features for the first time.
He has never touched someone like this before.
Her skin is like velvet, soft everywhere he touches. Now that he knows what it feels like he's not sure he can go back to before. His fingers trace the curve of her eyebrows - he finds that her nose is straight before it flares up a tiny bit at the tip - his fingers ghost over her impossibly soft lips. He drags his thumb across her bottom lip as her tongue darts out to wet them. It's impossibly intimate and the world has melted away and it's just the two of them in that moment.
He leans forward.
"Ominis, I..." she whispers, stricken.
His hand moves to tuck some of her loose hair away from her face - does she always wear it like this? - and his lips brush against her ear. He inhales deeply, her sweet smell invading his senses. She shivers under his touch and he breathes, "I heard everything."
Summary: After an ill-fated confrontation with Ominis' family, you come to learn that they want you for themselves. More specifically, they want your abilities for themselves. Ominis is less than pleased with the revelation and returns home with the intention of proving that the only person you belong to is him.
Alternatively summarized as Dominis turning into a possessive alpha male in the wake of his family's sudden interest in you.
Word Count: 9.3k
Warnings: 18+, aged up characters, minor depictions of violence, explicit sexual content, rough/possessive sex Ă la Dominis
Descriptions of Marvolo and Aleister Gaunt heavily credited to legacyshenanigans
Full fic can be found here on Ao3 (as always with more eclectic tags)
This was a bad idea. Truly one of the worst ones you had come up with in recent timesâ which was saying something when you stopped to consider all the stupid shit youâd gotten yourself into since starting at Hogwarts. But this was a decision born of desperation, and one that you adamantly refused to go back on.Â
Not that you could, realistically. You were already here.Â
The Gaunt Estate was massive. It was an imposing structure, shrouded in a perpetual darkness that seemed to kill off even the tiniest slivers of light, and youâd noted the distinctly foul scent of dark magic that encased the mansion from roughly a mile away. There were no Floo Flames to utilize for travel, so youâd been forced to apparate to Great Hangleton and walk the remaining six miles to reach your destination. This was your first time setting foot anywhere near Ominisâ childhood home, and the threat of splinching yourself by apparating to an unfamiliar location was a very legitimate concern.Â
You almost wished youâd taken the gamble, if only to spare yourself the harrowing journey on foot.Â
Ominis had to already be inside the manor, having left long before you decided you would follow him to essentially eavesdrop on his meeting with his family. You had never seen him so agitated in the hours leading up to his departure, and it was entirely due to the letter heâd received from his father. What it had said, you didnât know, but you knew Ominis well enough to figure out that it wasnât anything good. His entire demeanor had changed upon reading the apparent summons, but he wouldnât tell you a lick of what it was about. Heâd promised to return home as soon as he was able and left without so much as a goodbye kiss.Â
The memory only reinforced the fact that this was a really bad idea. What the hell were you thinking?Â
Now that you were actually here, you had no clue how to go about your poorly thought out plan. Going inside had always been the goal, but now that you were face to face with the blood-chilling building, you found yourself hesitating. Something told you that getting out would be a lot harder than getting in. You didnât even know where Ominis could be, especially if the interior was as gargantuan as the exterior. Getting lostâ or Merlin forbid, caught and torturedâ seemed like the most plausible outcome.Â
It was as the saying went; curiosity killed the cat. You seriously hoped you wouldnât end up dead as a result of your inquisitiveness.Â
Forcing one foot in front of the other, you started down the gravel path towards the arched double doors with your wand in hand. Your anxiety was like a physical entity hiding within your chest, but you smothered it beneath the overwhelming desire to ensure that Ominis was okay. While you knew he could handle himself, his familyâs reputation preceded them, and youâd feared the worst earlier when you had borne witness to his expression shifting into something far more sinister than you were accustomed to.Â
You cast a disillusionment charm for extra measure before giving the handle a testing twist, relieved to find that the door was unlocked. It wouldnât surprise you if there were other safeguards in place that you were unaware of, but pressing on despite that unknown possibility was a risk you were willing to take. You opened the door a crackâ just enough for you to squeeze through before quickly shutting it behind youâ and you were instantly encased in suffocating darkness.Â
The windows that lined the walls were evidently just for show.Â
It smelled distinctly old inside, as though there had never been a time when the mansion wasnât inhabited. The wooden columns that lined the entryway were cracked and worn, stretching all the way towards the vaulted ceilings before disappearing into the inky shadows high above. There was a striking amount of antique looking decor that lined the walls; from suits of armor, to ornate vases perched atop mahogany tables. Straight across from the front door was a giant portrait of what could only be the Gaunt family.
Ominis was nowhere to be found in it.Â
The sound of distant, unintelligible voices echoed throughout the vast foyer from somewhere deeper in the house, drawing your attention and making the hair on the back of your neck stand on end. Your eyes scanned the room once more before you were furtively moving further into the room in the direction of the noise.Â
Following the sound of the voices brought you to a giant oak doorwayâ a mere fraction of the size of the main entrance, but still obscenely large. From within you could hear a man you didnât recognize, his throaty timbre one that seemed to command attention, and you couldnât suppress the shiver that danced down your spine. Nothing about his tone sounded pleasant.Â
âItâs been put off long enough,â you heard the man say as you sidled up directly against the door, careful not to lean on it too much and risk shoving it open. âWe entertained your rebelliousness while you were at school, but Apollonia has anticipated this union for years now. It will happen. Whether youâre a willing participant, however, is up to you.â
âYou already know my stance on the matter.â Ominis. âIâd sooner dig my own grave before I let you marry me off to that deplorable woman. Sheâs psychoticââÂ
âA non-issue,â interjected the older voice.Â
âPerhaps itâs irrelevant to you, but not to me,â Ominis snapped. You hardly recognized the threatening lilt in his voice; he sounded thoroughly fed up with the discussion, and you briefly wondered how long heâd been going at it with the unknown man. âSheâs utterly wicked. Moreover sheâs family. Have you forgotten my opposition to these incestuous relations you continue to shove down my throat?âÂ
At this point, you were almost positive the deeper voice belonged to Ominisâ father. You knew next to nothing about the man, other than the fact that Ominis loathed him with his entire being. Before you could delve further into your thoughts, a distinctly feminine voice filtered through the thin slit in the doorway, sounding colder than ice.Â
âAleister, give it a rest. If he wants to be dragged to the altar instead of walking down it, then so be it.âÂ
Ominisâ laugh was crass and devoid of any genuine humor, and you could practically hear the sneer in his rebuttal. âBold of you to assume Iâll let myself be dragged anywhere. Try it and see what happens.âÂ
âI just donât understand why youâre so opposed to this,â the woman continued as though he hadnât even spoken. âYou never used to fight us to this extentâ youâve always known what was expected of you as a Gaunt. Does that girl from Hogwarts have anything to do with this?âÂ
Your entire body went rigid at the mention of yourself, and a tense silence descended over the room. It was suddenly so quiet that you were certain you could hear a pin dropâ but in this case the lack of sound allowed you to pick up on something shifting across the floorboards closer to you. You had barely glanced over your shoulder before you were jumping away from the door with your heart hammering in your chest.Â
The biggest snake youâd ever seen in your life was slithering across the floor, its iridescent scales somehow reflecting the nonexistent light within the hallway. Your eyes went wider than saucers as you stepped away as much as you could, silently backing yourself into the tiny alcove beside the doorway in a bid to remain undetectedâ because if there was one thing the wizarding world had taught you, it was that beasts of any kind were far more intelligent than they were given credit for. The snakeâs long, forked tongue flicked out incessantly as it made its way towards the doors, but it stopped short of the entryway to pivot its massive head in your direction.Â
It was looking right at you.Â
Fuck.
Your body tensed in anticipation of the worst; maybe it was venomous and youâd die quickly, or maybe it was more inclined to strangle the life out of you before depositing your corpse in front of Ominis and his parents. The thought made your stomach churn, and your eyes flicked down to confirm that yesâ the disillusionment charm was still workingâ but that didnât seem to matter where the reptile was concerned, and you mentally chided yourself for ever having let your curiosity get the better of you.Â
The conversation on the other side of the door continued as your staring contest with the snake pressed on. âThat girl is none of your concern. If you know whatâs good for you, youâll refrain from speaking to me about her.âÂ
âOminis,â Aleister admonished with a rough voice. âDonât you dare speak to your mother that way. Such hostility for some witch we know nothing aboutâ perhaps itâs time to rid you of her influence once and for all. Sheâs proving to be a greater distraction than I had anticipated.â
Your eyes stayed glued to the snakeâs, but your blood ran cold.Â
âOver my dead body. If you so much as look at herââ
âThat can be arranged. No son of mine will be consorting with some harlot of unknown blood purity. Youâd be better off in the graveââÂ
âAleister!â Ominisâ mother yelled, silencing the back and forth bickering instantaneously, and you found the willpower to shift your feet sideways so you could better make a break for the front door.
There was another flick of the creatureâs tongue as it blatantly scented your presence, but it made no move to inch closer to you. While you were grateful to still be breathing, you were also deeply, irrevocably afraid, and you came to the resolute decision that it was time to get the hell out of there.Â
You moved out of the alcove slowly while maintaining what you deemed to be a safe enough distance from the snake, and all the while its thin, slitted pupils followed your movements. The blasted thing had an awareness to it that sent shivers down your spine, overwhelming you with the urge to run and get away, but vigilance was key. It wasnât poised to strike, but that just made you even more nervous.Â
Why wasnât it attacking you?Â
You adamantly refused to turn your back on the reptile, so you kept your front to it as you skirted the edge of the wall in the direction of the entrance. The discussion between Ominis and his parents was muffled nowâ their voices distinctly lower after his mother had cut off their argument with her biting toneâ but you no longer cared to listen in. You craved safety, and nothing about the Gaunt household offered that.Â
As you came upon the final stretch of the hallway, the snake flicked out its tongue once more before it was turning around to begin slithering towards you, and the remnants of your bravery evaporated. Fear overtook you, and the disillusionment charm that had shrouded you in transparency fell away as you pivoted and bolted around the corner. A chill-inducing hiss echoed from down the corridorâ the first real sound youâd heard the animal makeâ and it only served to propel you towards the exit even faster.
The gargantuan double-doors swam into view, and just as you were reaching out to curl your fingers around the handle, a strong arm was coiling around your waist and hauling you backwards with enough force to give you whiplash. A startled, pained yelp was expelled from your lungs as you were slammed into the wall beside the doors, and your hip connected painfully with a tiny side table that careened against the floor. The vase that had been perched atop it shattered loudly, the ceramic pieces scattering across the tile, but you barely got the chance to gauge the extent of the damage before an unfamiliar face was blocking your sight.Â
âWell well well, just look at what the cat dragged in. Get lost on your way home, doll?â Â
It took a second for the statement to register, but once it had, you were craning your head back to glare boldly at the arrogant sounding man. His tawny eyes were narrowed down at you in amusement, his thick forearm pinned horizontally across your chest to restrain you firmly in place between himself and the wall, and the predatory look in his gaze had your stomach sinking into your feet. Everything about him screamed dangerous; from the unruly hair that curled around his temples to the animalistic way he bared his teeth at youâ there wasnât a doubt in your mind that the man would kill you if he deemed it acceptable. You cursed yourself silently for having put yourself in such a predicament in the first place.Â
The imposing man cocked his head to the side coyly as he teased, âI hardly think I deserve such a cruel expression when youâre the one sleuthing around my house uninvited.â
Your mouth opened and shut a few times before you managed to stammer out, âI-I wasnâtââÂ
âDonât deny it,â he cut you off quickly. âWhat other reason would Ominisâ little plaything have for being here? I sincerely doubt the house-elves held the door open for you.âÂ
The term âplaythingâ made you scowl, distracting you from the fact that the man even knew who you were, and you brazenly planted your hands against his firm chest to shove him away. It was like pushing against an immovable boulder. âIâm not his plaything, you pratââ
His free hand shot up in a flash to grip the sides of your jaw painfully, the look on his face darkening tenfold as he growled, âCareful now, Iâd hate to lose my temper and take away my brotherâs pet.â The fingers splayed under your face tightened a fraction as the crazed man angled your head to the side, shamelessly pressing his nose against the sensitive skin of your throat before he inhaled deeply. You shuddered uncomfortably at the contact. âAlthough Iâm beginning to understand his infatuation a bit. You smell⊠different. What is that, exactly?âÂ
You had no fucking clue what he was referring to, nor did you care to find out. Each passing second brought the towering man closer into your personal space, and when one of his legs started to weasel its way in-between yours, you found yourself attempting to writhe out of his ironclad grip. âLet go of me,â you demanded in a low voice, doing your best to keep your words steady and hide the rampant unease in your tone.Â
âAnswer my question,â he countered easily. âOr Iâll snap your scrawny neck and be done with it. Makes no difference to me whether you live or dieââÂ
âIf you have any desire to keep those slimy hands of yours, youâll remove them this instant, Marvolo.âÂ
Your eyes widened at the sound of Ominisâ booming voice echoing throughout the foyer, which had the elder Gaunt smiling wickedly at you. He didnât bother turning around, opting to stay right where he was and drop his fingers lower so he could squeeze around your windpipe, and you knew your choked gasp reached Ominisâ ears when he swore viciously and began walking closer.Â
âDid I stutter? I said to unhand her, you cretin.â
Marvolo tutted disapprovingly, angling his head to the side so he could better keep track of Ominis coming up behind him, but he kept his eyes glued to yours all the while. âCome now, Ominis. You know how I feel about rats, and she was certainly scurrying around like one.â
You finally caught sight of the blond over Marvoloâs shoulder, and the look on his face was downright murderous. His dark, expressive brows were slammed down atop his milky-blue irises, and his pursed lips contorted into a scowl as he leveled his wand with the back of the taller manâs head. Ominis continued to side-step closer, moving with the prowess of a wolf stalking its prey, and to your immense satisfaction Marvolo broke eye contact with you to fix his gaze on his brother.Â
Maybe you were imagining it, but you could have sworn he looked wary.Â
âLast chance,â Ominis grit out through his clenched teeth. âLet her go. Or youâll be nothing more than a stain on the floor.âÂ
The sharp laugh Marvolo let slip past his lips was positively wicked, and Ominisâ threat only served to motivate his brother into tightening his hand around your throat. Stars danced in the corners of your eyes then, and your own hand shot up to grip at the manâs thick wrist in an attempt to pry his fingers away from your windpipe. Panic flooded your brain, your racing heart drowning out the sound of Ominisâ angry voice as your pulse thundered in your ears. Fight or flight was probably an appropriate way to describe what you were feeling, but Marvolo was making both options impossible to act on.Â
He wasnât listening to Ominis. He probably never would. You would have to get yourself out of this mess on your own.Â
Marvolo was barking out insults and threats over his shoulder, taunting Ominis into hurting him as he called his younger brotherâs bluff. You were able to school your nerves long enough to focus and dig deep inside of yourself in search of the magic you so rarely touched. Isidoraâs abilities were as much of an unknown now as they had been when youâd first absorbed them, but it was comparable to a living entity within you, and the phantom presence of her magic roared to life as you called upon it.Â
You felt the strange, darker magic crackle over your skin, and Marvoloâs head whipped back around to stare at you with his pupils blown wide. Whatever he saw reflected in your eyes was enough to spark alarm in his heart, and a sick, twisted part of you relished in the apprehension that washed over his features.Â
âWhat the fuck is that?â His hand around your throat loosened a fraction, but you werenât about to let him walk away from this unscathed. The arm that had been hanging limp at your side stretched out until your palm was directly against his chest, and you couldnât help but grimace when the red bolts of magic skirted across your forearm and blasted straight into his sternum.Â
Marvolo went flying with a barely there gruntâ his arms and legs flailing as he tried to find purchaseâ to no avail. He hit the stone floor and slid an additional ten feet or so until he came to rest just beside the corridor youâd run out of earlier, and your blood ran cold when an older, imposing man with salt-and-pepper hair stepped out from within the hallway. The look on his face was enough to spur you into action then, and you spared a quick, panicked glance at Ominis before you peeled off of the wall and threw the front door open.Â
The cool night air was like a slap to your face, sobering you up instantaneously and driving you to pump your legs harderâ fasterâ as you sprinted down the path that led to the dark forest surrounding the property. There was a bang from somewhere behind you and an animalistic sound you could only describe as a snarl, but you didnât dare look back. Not when it could potentially cost you dearly.Â
âMarvolo!â Ominis shouted, his voice angry and distant, but as the footsteps slapping against the gravel behind you got closer and closer, you realized it had to be him giving chase. Your heart hammered in your chest and in your earsâ drowning out the sound of the encroaching danger hot on your heelsâ but you knew there would be no outrunning Marvolo. That crazed look in his eyes youâd seen earlier told you everything you needed to know; he would pursue you to the end of the damn country on foot if need be, and you had no intention of getting caught to find out what he had planned for you.Â
Another growl sounded from over your shoulder, causing you to will your brain out of flight-mode and force your magic into action. It surged in your blood, coursing through your veins as you thought of homeâ of safety.Â
One second you were running, and in the next you had apparated. Marvoloâs hand came down on empty air, his heels digging into the ground as he skidded to a stop and realized what had happened. You were already long gone, but his rage-filled roar shook the foundation of the manor, somehow echoing in your ears as you collapsed to your knees in the center of your living room.Â
***
Your eyes stung as the steam from the bath wafted up into your face, your gaze never straying from the surface of the water. It had been nearly two hours since your narrow escape from Ominisâ childhood home and you had been in the tub for the majority of itâ calming your frayed nerves and racing heart with deep breaths that did little to quell the anxiety that still riddled you. The hot water had been charmed back to scalding temperatures twice now, having gone cold multiple times already as you sat with your knees curled against your chest and replayed every second of your fortuitous run-in with Marvolo Gaunt.Â
The ache in your hip throbbed to life every time you thought back to the primal glint that had flashed in Marvoloâs eyes as heâd thrown you into that table. What had started as a tender red spot on your side had transformed into a nasty, colossal bruise, stark and obvious against your bare skin. You hadnât been able to so much as glance at the finger shaped bruises that wrapped around your neck without feeling nauseous.Â
Youâd made a mistake in following Ominisâ that much was certain.Â
The man in question had yet to return home, and as a result, the seemingly bottomless pit of unease in your chest only worsened. Part of you was ashamed for having left him alone to face his familyâs scrutiny after literally breaking and entering, but you knew he wouldnât have had it any other way. There wasnât a doubt in your mind that he would have found a way to get you out as quickly as possible if you hadnât done so yourself.Â
Still, you worried.Â
Another fifteen minutes passed without a sound from within the house, and you dimly registered that the water had gone cold once more. You were half tempted to heat it up again and spend the remainder of the night turning yourself into a human-sized prune, but the ache in your back from staying curled up for so long diminished the idea quickly. Swiftly, you hoisted yourself out of the water, using the rim of the tub to steady yourself as you stood and began drying yourself off. Rivulets of water still cascaded down your body as you draped your robe over your shoulders, but you couldnât muster up the energy to care. Fatigue overtook you as you combed through your hair with your fingers and padded into your bedroom, and the second you laid down atop the sheets, your eyes were drifting shut.Â
You had no idea how long you slept before the distinct feeling of the mattress dipping roused you from your light slumber. The room was cloaked in darkness, save for the pulsing, red glow that emanated from Ominisâ wand as he hovered it over you, and you slowly started to blink the fog from your eyes.Â
You had no clue how he realized you were awake, but his voice was unmistakably tight as he asked you, âWhere are you hurt?âÂ
It took your brain a second to fully register the question, and you propped yourself up on your elbow as your eyes adjusted to the dim light and muttered, âWhat?âÂ
âYou screamed,â he gritted through clenched teeth, and despite the low visibility in the room, you watched as his grip on his wand turned white knuckled. âI heard you earlier. You were in painâ I know itâs the truthâ so tell me now, where are you hurt?âÂ
On cue, the bruise on your hip throbbed to life, and you swiftly placed your hand on top of it while silently cursing yourself for not having brewed any Wiggenweld potions after returning home. Evidently your mind had been too jumbled to do the most logical thing following the altercation. âItâs not that badââ you started to say, but Ominis cut you off before you could downplay the injury any further.Â
âPlease,â he implored you, silencing you instantly with his pleading tone. âIâm trying to leave this up to you, but donât think for a second I wonât figure it out for myself if you donât tell me.â
Something about the desperate look on his face made you pause, and you took a moment to really take in the sight of him. He was paleâ far paler than normalâ and the way his brows furrowed told you that he was more anxious than you realized. His posture was still impeccable but less poisedâ closer to rigid. His shoulders barely moved, giving the illusion that he was hardly breathing, and you honestly werenât sure he was at this point.Â
In short, Ominis looked petrified.Â
Your lips formed a hard line as your gaze traversed his stiff form, swallowing thickly before you slid your hand away from your hip to reveal the dark purple blotch that decorated your side. âMy hip,â you murmured, afraid that if you spoke the truth too loudly, the tentative composure Ominis was keeping would vanish.Â
The muscle in his jaw ticked, and the hand he didnât have wrapped around the handle of his wand came to skim along your waist before hovering ever so slightly above the bruise. âWhere else?âÂ
âThis is the worst of the damageââ
âWhere else?â His voice was deeper and rougher than you were accustomed to hearing, and the notable difference had your stomach flipping over on itself. It left you feeling queasy, and you honestly couldnât tell if he was mad at you or at the situation as a whole.Â
ââŠMy neck,â you relented quietly, all too aware of the blatant anger that overtook Ominisâ face. âAt least I returned the favor,â you added quickly with a half-smile, trying to lessen the severity of the claim. It was a failed attempt, however, seeing as the man averted his unseeing gaze to the floor and shook his head minutely. Dimly, you watched as he waved his wand over his free hand, and a small vial of Wiggenweld appeared in the center of his palm before he wordlessly handed it to you. Given his tense demeanor, you opted not to say anything as you took it and removed the cork, then drank down the earthy contents graciously. The relief was instantaneous, and through the darkness of the room you managed to catch sight of the bruise on your hip fading away entirely.Â
Your tiny sigh of relief reached Ominisâ ears, and the tension in his shoulders seemed to dissipateâ albeit barely. âYou should never have gone there. Why would you set foot anywhere near that damnable house? Do you have any idea the kind of danger you put yourself inâ the kind of danger that youâre still in?â
At that, you finally pushed yourself up so you were sitting with your back against the pillows, setting aside the empty vial so you could clasp Ominisâ free hand in yours. His skin was cool to the touch, and you noted the miniscule tremors that emanated from him as you squeezed the appendage to will his attention back to you. âIâm sorry, Ominis. I was worried about youâ you were so upset before you left earlier and I was scared that your family would do something to you.âÂ
âOf course they want to do something to me. Theyâve tried puppeting me into a version of myself they can tolerate for my entire life, but itâs for that very reason that I can handle them. Iâve told you what theyâre likeâ how relentless they areâ and still you went there.â His head finally snapped back in your direction, and the expression on his face was one you were certain you would never forget; it was a mask of desperation, fear, and most notably, rage. âYou have no idea what youâve doneâ what it means now that theyâve seen you and what you can do.â
Youâd hadnât really done much of anything, aside from blasting Marvolo across the foyer before running for your life. Still, his words kindled a spark of fear in your chest, and your hold on his hand turned loose and clammy. âWhat are you talking about?âÂ
âBefore tonight, you were just an unknown witch Iâd been⊠âcavortingâ with, in my fatherâs eyes. Easy to get rid of should the need arise. Until earlier, they didnât believe you to be exceptionally powerful or particularly useful.â
The sudden dryness in your throat became painfully obvious. âUseful how?âÂ
âThe Gauntâs value power and authority over everything. Both things guarantee them the influence they need to further their own ends, and as unknown as your abilities are to them, they are undeniable. Theyâd be fools to ignore such a potent form of magic, and as much as I detest my family and their convoluted values, Iâll be the first to admit that they arenât stupid. They will find a way to make that power their ownâ blood purity be damnedâ and stealing you away and marrying you off to my brother would be their most likely course of action.â
Ominis practically spat the word, his teeth bared and eyes narrowed as murderous thoughts of his brother flew through his mind. Your own head was reeling at the revelation, nausea crashing over you as you thought back to Marvolo and the sadistic way heâd smiled as he tried choking the life out of you. Someone like that wouldnâtâ no, couldnât have a caring bone in their body. But you also knew that someone of his caliber was bound to be determined to get what he wanted, and if Ominis believed that his family now sought to obtain you for their own ends, Marvolo would do everything in his power to make it happen.Â
You had really, really fucked up.Â
Somewhere in-between thinking of Ominisâ brother and the sickening idea of being kidnapped, your breathing had kicked up dramatically. You didnât notice, but the blond man beside you certainly did. Ominis turned fully so his torso was angled towards you, feeling around the bed for your other hand before clasping your trembling limbs in his cooler ones, and your wide eyes flicked back up to meet his. âI wonât let them have you. Do you hear me? If they so much as glance at you, Iâll leave them wishing they had never set their sights on you.â
âYou canât know that,â you whispered, and your voice was unrecognizable to you. It was small and shaky, timid and so very, very afraid. âMarvolo isâ heâs a beast. Heâll kill you in a heartbeat, Ominis. Youâll die and it will be all my fault. I-Iâm sorry, Iâm so sorry, this is all my faultââÂ
In a flash, Ominis silenced you with a kiss. It took you by surprise, but it was far from an unwelcome oneâ especially when his wand bearing hand slid to the back of your neck to pull you impossibly closer towards him. You were pleased to discover that the skin there no longer throbbed with discomfort, the Wiggenweld potion heâd given you having done its job for all the bruises, not just the one on your hip. The revelation calmed you further, and before you knew it you were melting against the taller man, grabbing fistfulls of his shirt to cling to him desperately.
Ominis broke away momentarily to murmur against your parted lips, âNo one will ever take you from me, youâre mine.âÂ
Despite the circumstances that led the two of you to this moment, you found yourself enraptured by the possessive declaration, and you couldnât help but lean closer into the blondâs personal space until your hands were sandwiched between his chest and your breasts. Your mouth found his again, and you fervently bit at his bottom lip as you breathily whispered, âIâm yours, Ominis. Only yours.âÂ
Instantly, Ominis was pushing you back towards the headboard until your head knocked against the wooden frame, not once breaking the kiss as he positioned himself on top of you. His long legs came to cage your own against the mattress as he threw his wand to the edge of the bed, freeing both of his hands so he could plant them on either side of your face. Pulling away seemed physically difficult for him but he didnât stray far, opting to rest his forehead against yours and fix his hazy eyes directly on yours. How he knew where to aim his heady stare, you didnât know, but your toes curled at the ardent need for you that reflected in his blue irises.Â
âSay it again,â he implored you with a voice like pure sin.Â
âIâm yours,â you obliged him without missing a beat, and a sigh slipped past your lips as Ominis lowered his face to pepper featherlight kisses along your jaw and down the now unmarred column of your neck. Goosebumps broke out virtually all over your body when you felt one of his cool hands fall to the neckline of your robe, and as Ominis slowly tugged the material apart to expose your bare chest, he sank his teeth into the tender spot above your clavicle. The pain laced pleasure left you moaning his name in earnest, your voice steadily growing louder as his thumb came to graze over one of your nipples.Â
You felt the pressure from his teeth lessen as you arched into his touch, followed by his kiss-swollen lips latching over the bite to suck lightly. âAgain,â he breathed, continuing to work his searing brand into your flesh.Â
There were too many ways to describe his actions; primal, dominant, and greedy, to name a few. Yet there was a softness to his words that left your heart aching within your chestâ a tenderness that spoke volumes of the fear heâd felt upon realizing you had entered into that nest of vipers. He had nearly lost you tonight, and when the hand against your breast shifted down to curl around your waist, you realized he would never allow for it to happen again.Â
âIâm here, Ominis, Iâm right here,â you moaned, your reedy voice bouncing off the walls of the bedroom and causing the man above you to shudder. âIâm here and Iâm yours.âÂ
Before long, Ominis was moving back into your line of sight to capture your lips in another searing kiss. The hand on your waist traversed the bare expanse of your lower stomach before reaching your aching center, and you mindlessly wound your arms around his neck to tug him closer, bucking your hips into his hand as he slid a slender finger through your folds.Â
âMine,â he growled against your parted lips, and your next breath caught in your throat as he tentatively pushed the digit inside your wet heat. Your contented sigh filtered through Ominisâ hypersensitive ears as he pressed his finger in all the way to the knuckle, and the arm he supported himself with trembled minutely as he fought to control his baser urges.Â
After everything that had transpired tonight, he wanted nothing more than to bury himself deep in your cunt, desperate to feel you clamp down around his cock and suck him in further and further as he claimed you. He longed to mark you, brand you, consume you, in every possible wayâ his familyâs wishes be damned. He would make you his and his alone. Should any of his kin so much as attempt to interject, he vowed he would defend you until his last breathâ and then not even death would stop him. Ominis knew without a shadow of a doubt that he would defy the laws of nature if it meant keeping you safe from harm.Â
As you continued to rock your hips in time with Ominisâ hand, your legs spread apart of their own accord, silently beckoning him closer as you shivered under his dutiful ministrations. Ominis felt the movement and groaned in blatant appreciation, taking advantage of the newfound space to siddle down the bed and kneel comfortably between your legs, and all the while his finger continued to pump in and out of your wet heat languidly. He bestowed another toe-curling kiss upon your lips before breaking away to slide fully down the mattress, your heart stuttering in your chest as he moved low enough to settle between your quivering thighs. It was impossible to overlook the animalistic expression on Ominisâ face as he gazed in your directionâ following the sound of your barely there whimpersâ and your blood ignited in your veins at the sight.Â
All too eager, Ominis wasted little time in securing his grip around your waist with his free arm to better pull you harder onto his finger. The keening sound that slipped from your throat was replaced almost instantly by a guttural moan, drawn forth by the feeling of your loverâs lips latching around your clit to suck enthusiastically, and your head thunked against the headboard as wave after wave of sheer pleasure cascaded through you.Â
Your thighs absentmindedly clenched on either side of Ominisâ head as he shamelessly pulled your bundle of nerves into his mouth, the action accompanied by wet, perverted sounds that had damn near all the blood in your body rushing to your cheeks. âMerlin, Ominisâ fuckââÂ
Beyond a throaty growl, he said nothing. He simply tightened his hold on your waist, his other hand angling itself so he could better curl the finger inside of you, the combined sensations making your head positively spin. Entirely at his mercy, your hands flew to his soft, blond hair as you effectively surrendered to the pure bliss he granted you.Â
If you had been hot and wet already, Ominisâ mouth felt a thousand times more so as he torturously dragged his tongue up your cunt. He removed his finger from your clenching walls and replaced it with the wet muscle, wriggling it as much as he could as though he were desperate to lap up everything that escaped out of you. Your breathing hitched and your hips involuntarily bucked when his ministrations traveled higher towards your clit, and when he finally reached it, the tip of his tongue was slow and methodical as he pressed firm, torturous circles around the throbbing bundle.
Ordinarily, having Ominis appreciatively go down on you would have been the highlight of the night, but given his domineering persona at present, you knew you were just plain fucked now.Â
âOminis, please,â you managed to croak out. âIâm not going to last, Iâ ah!â You practically yelped when the tips of the manâs teeth raked along your inner thigh, nipping at the soft skin there hard enough for you to jolt.Â
âJust relax and let me work,â he muttered coolly, pressing a featherlight kiss to the spot heâd bitten as he dragged his hands down your abdomen to squeeze your tensing thighs.Â
Despite your best efforts, you were quickly losing your grip on anything other than the sensations Ominis was lavishing you with. You felt lightheaded as you attempted to release your tense muscles, struggling to do so as your lover devoured you with reckless abandon. His nose brushed against your clit as he slipped his tongue inside of you once more, the sound of his wet, suckling noises intermingling with your breathy whines as you felt your climax building higher and higher in your gut. You couldnât tell if your arousal was stemming from how Ominis enthusiastically used his tongue, lips, and teeth on you or if it came from the demanding way he directed you, but you decided that you didnât care; every feeling had burrowed deep inside of you and taken root in your mind.Â
You wanted moreâ no, needed more.Â
Head whacking back against the wooden bed frame, you needily tugged at the strands of his hair wrapped around your fingers as you pleaded, âPlease, Ominis, I need youâŠâÂ
Those five words did more to stroke his ego than you would ever know. Right now, Ominis needed you to need him. He wanted you to succumb to his ministrations and bend to his will, all to parry the baseless demands of his deranged family. There wasnât a chance in hell he would ever willingly hand you over to themâ much less to Marvoloâ and through your rapture-filled begging, he knew he had succeeded.Â
You were wholly and unequivocally his.Â
He pulled away for a moment to run his hands up your thighs, over your hips, then along the pebbled peaks of your breasts. The way you trembled at his touch told him everything he needed to know; you were hanging on by a thread, and he didnât need to see you in order to know you looked absolutely wrecked.Â
Unable to endure a second more of the teasing, Ominis raised himself up on his knees to remove his clothing. Swiftly and efficiently, he dexterously undid the catch of his trousers before shoving the constricting attire down his narrow hips. There was no stopping the sigh of relief that spilled through his clenched teeth as his cock finally sprung freeâ long, heavy, and leaking from the red, swollen tip. With his shirt disheveled, hair mussed, and pants haphazardly hanging below his hip bones, he was truly the picture of temptation. You stared up at him through hooded eyes as he stroked himself a few times, taking in the sight of your lover towering over you as you lay prone atop the sheets beneath him.Â
Once again, Ominisâ uncanny ability to feel your eyes on him surprised you, and a cheshire-like smirk blossomed across his face as he asked, âEnjoying the view?âÂ
âMore than you are, Iâd wager,â you retorted, and Ominis scoffed as his smug expression turned into one of amused disbelief. That mouth of yours was bound to land you in trouble one of these days.Â
âSmartass,â he murmured affectionately, keeping one hand on his shaft as the other reached down in search of your waist, squeezing the flesh there with a bruising strength that only served to intensify the ache between your legs. You aided him by wriggling down the sheets in order to press your ass against his bent knees, and Ominis lowered himself once more so the heavy weight of his cock rested against your spit-slick folds. It was hard for you to believe that the wild haired, smokey-eyed man kneeling between your legs was the same boy who had shyly walked with you to your classes all those years ago. Both of his hands pressed against your hips this time as he sat back on his heels, white teeth flashing as he aligned the head of his manhood against your entrance.Â
âAre you ready for me, darling?â Ominis asked, as though you hadnât been begging for this very outcome minutes before.Â
âYes,â you breathed out shakily, your hands twisting in the fabric of your long-abandoned bathrobe beneath you. âIâmââ
Despite his privileged upbringing, Ominis was a fan of the simple things in life. Good food, long walks during the warmer seasons, and the sound of your voice catching when he took you by surprise and slid inside you abruptly. In one fluid motion, he breached your walls, listening intently to your sharp intake of breath as he inched himself forward until his knees were under your rear and heâd bottomed out completely. The small whimper that slipped from your mouth had a deep, throaty chuckle escaping his, and his thumbs took to tracing encouraging circles against your hips as you clenched around him.Â
âIâm sure you are,â he purred in an infuriatingly sexy tone while you struggled to regain control over your breathing. Instantly, the dim embers of lust within you were rekindled, every inch of your body warm and borderline electric. Your hips writhed in Ominisâ hold in an attempt to wriggle closer, the unyielding grip he had on you coupled with the hungry expression on his face almost enough to make you come undone then and there.Â
âFuck, Ominisââ your words were cut short by a stifled moan as the blond slowly withdrew himself, arching back until only the tip of his cock was inside you before slamming his hips forward in one quick, sharp thrust. Your hands flew to his clothed knees as you dug your nails into the rumpled material of his trousers, desperate to touch every inch of him that you could but struggling to catch your breath in the midst of his slow, methodical thrusts.Â
Well, methodical at first.Â
You could feel Ominisâ acute desire for you with every pump of his hips, and a groan snaked its way out of his chest as he freed one of his hands to reach down and thumb over your clit. You hissed triumphantly through your teeth as you saw his expression slowly shift into something needier, his thrusts becoming less precise and more visceral. With how tight he was gripping you, you were positive the healed bruise from earlier would be replaced by long, finger shaped stripes, but you didnât care. If it was Ominis, it was fine. If it was him claiming you, branding you, consuming you, it was more than fine.Â
The blue-eyed incubus above you seemed to think similarly, if the low rumble in his chest was anything to go by. He was absolutely lost in the euphoria that came with being encased in your pulsing, tight heat, causing him to abandon his pretenses of control and give into his want for you with gusto. The hand he had on your sensitive bundle of nerves returned to grasp your waist, and even elevated as he was, he still had to thrust down into youâ shaking the headboard with every plunge as he effectively fucked you into the mattress.Â
The distinction was clear and evident in your mind as your legs came to wind around Ominisâ waist; the two of you had obviously been intimate before, and you had definitely made love before, but you had never been so carnally fucked like this a day in your life. It was hard to recall if Ominis had ever ravished you with such need in every stroke, enough so that you found yourself unable to control your shaking breaths or the volume of your voice. It was enrapturingâ getting caught up in the way he staked his claim on youâ so intent on fucking himself harder and deeper into you that his own husky murmurs of your name fell from his lips like a mantra.Â
Your inability to fight your moans and curses and feverish pleas for more was what Ominis lived for. The blond craved the sound of your voice like a drug, and he drew unparalleled strength from your vocal satisfaction. Maybe it had more to do with the events of the night than anything else, but hearing you cry his name and feeling you claw at the tops of his thighs made his chest swell with possessive affection, thrilled to hear you unwittingly proclaim that you were in fact his. No one else would ever have youâ no one else would ever find themselves lucky enough to have you reduced to such a state beneath them other than him.Â
âM-More,â you practically sobbed the request as Ominis gripped your hips tighter, dimly registering the thundering crack of the headboard banging against the wall. âMoreâ pleaseâ Iâm s-so closeââ
You asked for it with each breath expelled from your lungs, and Ominis would graciously give it to you. He couldnât have refused you any longer if he wanted to. âYou want to come, darling?â He panted, receiving only whimpering nods in return. âAsk.âÂ
âP-Please, please let me come, I canâtââ you gasped, squeezing your eyes shut as your teeth clenched together hard enough to make your jaw pop. You teetered on the brink of oblivion, waiting only on Ominisâ say-so to fall over the edge which seemed to loom so, so close.Â
âBeg,â Ominis rasped thickly, his fingers tightening and digging into the skin of your hips as he bucked harder against your ass. âBeg for itâ beg for me to let you come.âÂ
You couldnât even find the brainpower to realize he was demanding to hear you say it to fuel his unrepentant hold on you. The taunting, the pleasure laced brutalityâ it was all to assuage the bitter anger that had coursed through his veins upon hearing his family refer to you as tradeable cattle. Later on, he would be collected enough to reassure you that you were your own person, free to make your own decisions and go wherever your heart desired.Â
Right now though, his baser urges had won out, and he needed to hear you say it.Â
Your head slammed into the pillows as your back arched off the mattress, doing your best to shut out the mounting pleasure that threatened to break through your crumbling resolve. âPlease, Ominis! Please let meââ you hiccuped around another gasp, the ache in your gut bordering on unbearable. âL-Let me⊠let meâŠâ
One of his hands released your waist to feel up your torso and curl around the back of your neck, lifting your head off of the pillow so your eyes were on him as he uttered five words that struck something deep inside of you.Â
âThen come for me, love.âÂ
Your breaking point smacked into you hard and fast, leaving you equally breathless and brainless as your mouth fell open around a long, drawn out cry of Ominisâ name. Your climax ripped through you ferociously, your vision flashing white and your muscles tensing for a moment of near perfect silence as your lover continued to thrust in and out of you with unwavering focus. Even after youâd collapsed back against the sheets and gone limp in his arms, Ominis continued to chase his own finish, balancing precariously over you on his elbows and burying his face in the crook of your neck to muffle the shaky groans he failed to bite back.Â
Maybe you were imagining it, but you could have sworn he continued to murmur quiet declarations against your skin that sounded a lot like, âMine.âÂ
Before long, Ominis was following you over the edge with a throaty purr that slithered out of his throat. His arms trembled on either side of your head, his hands gathering fistfuls of the pillows as he buried himself completely inside of you with one final plunge of his hips. You heard the blond moan hoarsely in your ear as he spilled into you, grinding against your ass to milk every last drop of his seed from his twitching member, and when he mouthed wetly against the sweat-slick column of throat before biting down, all you could focus on was the warmth that filled you as you quivered under him.Â
After a few moments of the two of you panting softly, you lifted your hands to Ominisâ clothed back in a bid to usher him to the side. He tensed, however, and you paused as he wedged one of his arms under your back to hold you flush to him as he continued to re-center himself. âNot yet,â you heard him grumble into the hollow of your throat. âNot yet⊠give me a second.âÂ
ââŠAlright,â you relented quickly, only mildly concerned as you wrapped your arms around his slender shoulders. With your fingers tracing lazy shapes against his clothed back, you allowed yourself to enjoy the feeling of Ominisâ weight pressing down on you, his gentle exhales fanning against your clammy skin, and the steady rhythm of his heart beating against your sternum.Â
Given the severity of what had happened at his familyâs house, you werenât sure the two of you would ever get another moment like this again. So, you held on tightly to him in the hopes that the night would last just a little bit longer.Â
The two of you stayed like that for what seemed like hours but realistically could only have been a few minutes, and shortly after Ominis began peppering kisses up your throat and along your jaw, your eyes drifted shut as you dozed off once more. When you woke the following morning and found yourself tucked in beneath the sheets, you propped yourself up on your elbow to glance around the otherwise empty room, noting immediately that Ominis was nowhere to be found.Â
In a panicked flurry of movement, you threw off the blankets and were still tying your robe around your waist as you hurriedly shuffled down the hallway. Your dread was smothered in the next instant by overwhelming ease as you rounded the corner to find Ominis in the kitchen, gripping the countertop and working a muscle in his jaw while he hovered his wand over a letter that looked eerily similar to the one heâd received just a day ago.Â
Even though he could hear you approaching, he said nothing as you padded across the room to stand behind him, coiling your arms around his waist to press your front against his back. A shaky sigh escaped him, and you stared at the wall as you contemplated your words before deciding on, âWhat are you reading?âÂ
A pause, âA formal summons for you, inviting you to meet my family officially.âÂ
Your heart fell into your stomach, arms tightening around the taller man a fraction as you pursed your lips in blatant distaste. âWe wonât go,â you announced, and Ominis shifted in your embrace so he could wrap his arms around you to hug you back with a firmness that spoke volumes of his agreement.Â
âWe wonât,â he said. âBut we canât stay here, either. Not anymore.âÂ
âI know.âÂ
He buried his chin in the mess of hair atop your head, shamelessly inhaling your scent before he told you, âWe have to leaveâ go somewhere far awayâ and we canât tell anyone.âÂ
âI know.âÂ
The way his nimble fingers gripped the back of your robe told you of just how conflicted he was to ask this of youâ to uproot your shared lives here to flee the meddling of his family. His voice was laced with remorse as he asked, âAnd youâre okay with that? Truly?â
âI am,â and you really were. There wasnât a lick of hesitation in your voiceâ not a shred of apprehension hidden in your tone at the prospect of packing up and running as far from here as humanly possible. âSo long as weâre together, I am.âÂ
Ominis skimmed his hands up your back to cup your cheeks, angling your head up at him so he could kiss you fully, and you returned the gesture with equal fervor. As long as he was with you, you knew you could do anything. With Ominis by your side, you would fight tooth and nail against every hellish creature or person in existence to ensure your future together.Â
Wherever the two of you ended up, you already knew that your home wouldnât just be some place. It would always be him.
