Hi there! This blog was made and created due to my ongoing obsession with Hogwarts Legacy. I'm not new to Tumblr, I've been wandering around aimlessly, getting a taste here and there. However, this is the first time I created a blog just to enjoy the ride.
I mainly follow and reblog contents related to Hogwarts Legacy, a MDNI at that, as it's currently my main obsession. And since English is not my first language, please be kind.
I may make my own post and create my fanfic in the future, but for now, I'm going to enjoy it from the sidelines.
(Iâll be away from home and staying with my parents for about a month over the summer holidays, so posts will be a little slower during that time! I have a few pieces saved up, so hopefully I can still post about once a week âïžđ¶ïž)
Men who used to have perfect selfâcontrol, but completely fall apart after discovering how wonderful it is to love their partner⊠I think that type is impossibly cute.
There is something alluring about men in general who look aloof, but warm towards the people they truly care about. And it does not have to romantic, it can be platonic, too.
Imagine someone who has this -_- face, and they become >,< when they see cats, or even their little brothers, sisters, nephews, or nieces. I want to see the expressions that they tend to hide.
I know I've been away for so long. And I tremendously sorry for that.
I've been swamped with works lately, and with the school year coming to an end, it also means I need to wrap up everything.
I wish I would have the time to write about Yule Ball. But I'm running out of creative juice. I am personally grateful, for other creators who keep this fandom alive, and especially to @tamayula-hl- sensei.
Hogwarts Legacy was the reason I even made a blog, and I do hope that this fandom will last.
In the meantime, may luck favour the brave!
I started imagining what kind of dates theyâd be going on around this season in a modern AU, and I just couldnât stop myself from sketching this đ
â brushing your thumb over their knuckles while you're both not saying a word, just existing quietly in the same space like it's the most sacred thing.
â them absentmindedly playing with the hem of your sleeve because they want to touch you but arenât ready to say it yet.
â âcan i kiss you?â whispered like theyâre afraid the moment might shatter if they speak too loud.
â their voice cracking just a little when they say your name for the first time in a long time.
â them resting their forehead against yours and just⊠staying there. No words. No movement. Just breath. Just nearness.
â sharing headphones and they keep looking at you during the best part of the song. you donât even know what the song means to them but suddenly it means everything to you.
â "stay the night?"Â said so soft it mightâve been a wish.
â dragging their fingers gently down your back like theyâre trying to memorize the map of your spine.
â tracing your features with their fingertip like you're a sculpture in a museum and they were not supposed to touch you, but god, they canât help it.
â âdonât leave yet.â not because youâre going somewhere. but because being with you is the safest theyâve felt all day.
â their voice in the dark. low. quiet. like the night is just for you two.
â "this reminded me of you" and itâs just a stupid rock or a weird leaf but you hold onto it like it's a diamond because it's you to them.
â laying in bed, face smushed into the pillow, sleep-drunk and murmuring, âyou make me feel like iâm home.â
â them looking at you like you're not just a person, but their favorite story. one theyâve been rereading since forever and still keep finding new parts to fall in love with.
I really wanted to draw them as June brides wearing historically accurate wedding dresses from the late Victorian era.
Iâm deeply fond of the formal, modest bridal fashion of that time, where little skin is shownâit has such an elegant charm.
I recently got a copy of Costume in Detail: Womenâs Dress 1730â1930 by Nancy Margetts Bradfield, and for this piece, I referenced two dresses featured in the book.
Itâs filled with stunning gowns and period undergarments, all illustrated in incredible detailâitâs an absolute joy to read and impossible to get bored ofđ°
I felt like now was the perfect time to remake this piece from two years ago.
I know I keep saying this, but I canât help itâmy ideal DadOminis (and DadSebastian too ) is the kind whoâs gentle and doting during the day⊠and sensual, a little teasing, and very sexy at night.đ„”
In this episode, Ominis just comes off as a jerk â but in this comic that shows them after theyâve started dating, he deeply regrets what happened, and MC even looks back on it fondly enough to laugh about it đ
Moving forward, the next Ominis x MC episode will pick up right after that fateful night, and the next Sebastian x Sakurako episode will start around the Restricted Section quest. I plan to keep the page count light and take my time focusing only on the key moments from Sebastianâs questline đȘ
I have been away during the Christmas and New Year holiday. And when I finally returned home, I immediately played another game other than HL after a new content was released.
To be honest, I've been playing this game for sometime now, even preceding HL (I was at in the middle of playing this game when I began to play HL). Now I'm utterly devastated and heartbroken due to a certain character death.
Some part of me hope that this character will be resurrected, yet it was his sacrifice that makes this character a true and tested hero. He was a man with high moral standard, pride, dignity, and he was still even in his death. So, there are also some part of me who wish that this character stay dead.
I will spend sometime now to study how to write angst and tragedy, and how to develop a wholesome character. Perhaps, even revisit some classic lit that got me hooked in creative writing back when I was a teen. In fact, isn't it through the endless winter night that we appreciate the warmth of the sun?
In the meantime, Ad filios superbiae, dona eis requiem.
Warnings : Not proofread | English is not my first language, I just ran the grammar through free grammarly (I know, I'm sorry). Other than that, all of the sentences are my own.
Featuring : Ominis x f!mc. No mention of a name.
Ominis had stayed awake throughout the night. He was tossing around in his bed until an annoyed Sebastian cast a silencing charm around his four-poster bed. Not wanting to irritate his best friend any further, Ominis draped his velvet robe around his nightshirt and dragged his feet towards the common room, just like in the old days when he first arrived at Hogwarts and had so many sleepless nights. He would rest his worn-out body near the fireplace, facing the black lake window. The whooshing and sploshing white noise from the lake soothed him, the blind blonde often explained to Sebastian.Â
Something preoccupied his mind last night, be they Sebastian's constant nagging of the scriptorium, Aunt Noctuaâs tragic death, or something else that Ominis could not pinpoint whenever he was thinking about her. In fact, he was unable to rest peacefully last night and thatâs why it was so hard for him to keep his eyes open now and follow Professor Binnsâ lecture in the History of Magic class. Usually, he would fall asleep anytime soon but the girl beside him made it infuriatingly hard for him to do his favourite activity - napping.
He was hyper-aware of her. Every fibre in his body, every atom, and every molecule acknowledged her presence. She always smelled like a mix of vanilla, mallowsweet, and some spice. Ominis never had spicy food before in his life, thanks to his so-called pure-blood upbringing. Recipes were passed down from generation to generation of house elves. âOur ancestors had this meal ever since the ninth centuryâ, his father used to say. The truest of pure blood, the Gaunt never strayed away from their orthodox ways. He called bulls.
So Ominis never tried any muggle food. He had never tried kedgeree before in his lifetime although it was a craze among muggles. That was until Amit shared with them his motherâs homemade curry once upon a cheerful day around the astronomy table and he was hooked. It was bloody brilliant!Â
But she was different. She was raised in another country, where spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and chilli were not foreign to her. Once, she had tried to stuff his food with some chilli oil and regretted it immediately when Ominis turned out to be having a bad case of diarrhoea the next day. Ominis and chillies were now sworn enemy.Â
So while he saw chillies as utter torture, she poured that abomination on her every âbland dish of Hogwartsâ. âI need something to warm me up in this cold weatherâ, she tried to reason once. Thereafter, he had associated spices with her. What a masochist, he thought.Â
So there she was, sitting beside him, her vanilla and spicy cinnamon smell occupying his senses. Sheâd been trying to follow Professor Binnsâ class diligently, her quill scribing on her parchment. Then he felt it. A tug on his elbow and her voice, softly calling out to him.Â
âOmi.. hey,â her whisper low, drowned by Professor Binnsâ ongoing lecture about goblin rebellion.Â
Ominis often voiced his annoyance whenever she called him that - âOmiâ although he gotta admit, it had a nice ring to itâ. However, just like any stubborn, bull-headed Gryffindor, she never listened! So, he didnât answer. Instead, he turned his head in her general direction, wordlessly telling her that she got his full attention.
âWhy didnât you sleep? Your eyebags have eyebags you knowâ, she asked, and he swore he could hear a hint of a smile in her voice.
âThis goblin rebellion is so exhilarating that I dare not sleep, for Iâm afraid Urg the Unclean may kill me while I was dreamingâ, he whispered back without opening his eyes.
He could hear her giggle and then shuffle in her seat. A rustling of fabric, then her breath fawning his left cheek so slightly. âIâm not asking why youâre not sleeping right now,â she hesitated, âbut why you did not sleep well last night?â
As if taken by surprise, Ominis jolted on his seat, knocking his quill out of his desk but he managed to catch it graciously before it dropped to the floor, all the while she saw him still in utter disbelief, eyes glued to his wand, lying dormant on his desk. How was his reflex this good?
âDid Sebastian tell you? He must have complained about my sleeping habit while he is the one who snores like a trollâ, Ominis retorted in mockery, his eyes now were open and bore into her with almost perfect accuracy.
âNo, he did notâ, she swatted at him, âHe didnât have to tell me that you didnât get enough sleep. I just know. Sixth sense, you knowâ, she made a gesture with her hands and fingers, trying to imitate the story of some fortune tellers and their crystal balls when she realised that he could not see her.
âHa ha! Very funny,â Ominis chuckled, âI bet you tried to mock me with whatever this isâ Ominis pointed and gestured at her.
âFriends, I think the Professor wants us to follow himâ, Amitâs voice reverberated through the class, waking up some disgruntled students who then immediately followed him into the hall, and making Ominis stop their conversation.
âOmi? I think we need to goâ, she looked at Ominis whose head still resting on his palm, his face serene. Who knew whatever was inside the beautiful head of his.
Slowly, he turned his attention to his desk, and for the untrained eyes, they would easily miss the slight pout on his lips. He reached up for his wand and it glowed red when he scanned his surroundings, trying to detect where she was standing. And thatâs when her hands graze his. It was a soft, lingering touch. Delicate. She was delicate.
âIâm hereâ, she whispered, her fingers gently resting on his hand, âI know that you can sense me, but, itâs easier to show you where I am this wayâ, she grinned, âIf.. If you donât mind, that is. You know, ⊠me, touching youâ.
Ominis was about to answer her. Oh, he would not mind. In fact, he would love her to touch him, to have her hold his hand every single day. He would stop the time just to feel her touch. And he would love to touch her back, and smell her, and bury his nose in the crook of her neck inhaling her scent thatâs mixed with spice and vanilla. Ominis longed to put his hand at the small of her back and to caress her cheeks, and her lips, and to . . .
âOmi? Are you still sleepy?â her innocent question dismissed his wild imagination, his sightless eyes trying to sense where she stood, his mouth agape, struggling to find a word to say. As if she knew that he wanted to enjoy her company juuust a little bit longer, she sat back down, closer to him this time than when the class started.Â
âDo you wish me to stay?â, her voice hitched with nerves, although as soft.
To her surprise, Ominisâ face glowed with delight.
âYes, pleaseâŠâ, he whispered back as tenderly, âStayâ.
Ps : The f!mc in my picture is the first mc that I created. That was before I discovered mods created by some amazing content creator out there (I love this community). Honestly, I was in the middle of playing another game when I gave HL a try, and got myself hooked immediately.
Pps: I've been researching some Indian food that was quite popular during Victorian era, and it showed kedgeree. I'm sorry if it's not historically accurate. My personal favourite is papri chat. In fact, I just had it two days ago.
I wish everyone a joyful season. May happiness find you even in the darkest place.
Summary: Ominis overhears the girls talking about some singer, and decides to write MC a song for Christmas. Sebastian can't help but be his wingman.
A/N: @darch7995 sent me a song and I had to write something fluffy and happy for Ominis! Listen to the audio HERE. Merry Christmas!
Ominis Gaunt was rarely stopped in his tracks, but once heâd heard the low warbling coming from the gramophone, he halted, holding his hands to his ears. He hated the insinuation that his blindness enhanced his other senses, but he did have impeccable hearing, and the song emitting from the sun room next to the Charms classroom had his ears ringing.
âIsnât he just so dreamy?â Poppy sighed.
âClarence Warbeck is my favorite singer of all time.â Leonora Everleigh declared. âI would listen to him all day if I could.â
Ominis rolled his milky blue eyes, ready to walk into the warm, sunlit room to say something snarky, until he heard her voice.
âI think heâs quite the romantic,â she said. His dear friend had a lilt in her voice towards the end of her sentence, as if she hadnât finished her thought. Â
âYou mean easy on the eyes?â Leonora teased.
She let out a laugh that had Ominis shivering, stumbling behind the column to avoid them seeing him.Â
âI just think music is quite lovely.â she mused. âAnd a song? I think thatâs the sweetest gift a person could ever give.â
Ominis bit his bottom lip as he blushed. That was valuable information, he thought, especially with the holidays approaching. The wheels started spinning in his mind as he imagined a song, especially one about herâ
âOh, hi Ominis!â
He blinked, turning towards the voice. His friend had seen him, and now he had nowhere to hide.
âHello, ladies.â Ominis said smoothly.
âCome to take a nap in the light?â Poppy said kindly. He blushed again; clearly his napping habits were quite public knowledge at this point. Â
âCome over,â his friend beckoned him closer. âWe can sit on the cushions, if youâd like.â
âIf you insist,â he stuttered.
Ominis awkwardly scampered over to the sound of her voice, settling down on the various plush cushions that were set on the floor. He felt her sit down next to him, tucking her feet under herself as he splayed out on the floor. One of the many cats that lived in the DADA tower slid against the two of them, purring.
âComfortable?â she asked softly, the sound of the music dulled by her voice.
âVery,â Ominis hummed. He settled onto the cushions, his head falling into her lap. She continued her conversation with the girls as he drifted into a light sleep, the crooning of Clarence Warbeck filling the background noise.
Ominis and Sebastian sat at the Slytherin table in the great hall; with the holidays quickly approaching, most students were busy packing their trunks for the journey home. The Hogwarts Express was departing Hogsmeade station for the holidays the next morning, but per usual, Ominis and Sebastian were spending the holiday at the castle. As Professor Ronen decorated the Christmas tree, the boys sat at the table, loitering before dinner.
âAnd honestly, I took that quite personally. So I donât think I should have gotten a detention for setting Leander on fire, he was the one who was in my wayâŠOminis, are you paying any attention to me?â Sebastian asked, eyebrows quirked.Â
Ominis rolled his unseeing eyes, waving off his best friend. âYes, yes, something about nearly giving Leander Prewett third degree burns because he looked at you funny in potions again.â he said lazily, waving his wand again. His eyebrows were furrowed as he waved his wand again. His dictation quill scratched out a few words on the parchment in front of him.
âWhat are you doing?â Sebastian asked, narrowing his eyes at the many pages in front of his friend.
âNothing,â Ominis said hastily, snatching his pages together before Sebastian could get his grubby hands on them.Â
âWhy so secretive?â Sebastian asked, clearly intrigued by the change in Ominisâs attitude.
âItâs none of your business,â Ominis sniffed. âBack off.â
From the blondâs biting tone, Sebastian knew it was in his best interests not to press. However, his best interests were rarely ever actually on his mind. Lurching forward, Sebastian snatched a piece of parchment from Ominisâs hands, taking glee in how the blond panicked.
âEach year I ask for many different thingsââ
âSebastian stop,â Ominis panted. âItâs not funny.â
âBut now I know what my heartââ
âSebastian!â Ominis screeched, nearly ripping the parchment from his best friendâs hands. âStop it, Iâm begging you.â
âWhat in Merlinâs name are you writing?â Sebastian laughed, watching as his normally impenetrable friend reddened, pushing the wrinkled parchment into his bookbag. âIs that a poem?â
Ominisâs face was bright red. âItâs a song, if you want to know so bad.â he scowled.
Sebastianâs face softened. âI didnât know you were back at the old piano again.â
It wasnât common knowledge that Ominis was an accomplished pianist. Mrs. Gaunt had insisted every child in the Gaunt family mastered an instrument, and heâd spent most of his childhood dreading piano lessons. Despite his initial disdain, Ominis had taken quite well to the instrument, and it became a hobby. Once he was at Hogwarts, heâd slip into the music room every now and then, practicing his rusty skills whenever he was under duress.
âItâs for a gift,â Ominis mumbled.Â
âPardon?â Sebastian asked, now grinning. He had an idea of Ominisâs motivation, but wanted to hear the words from the boy himself.
âIt is a Christmas gift,â Ominis hissed. âFor her. Are you happy, Sebastian?â
âBlissful.â Sebastian leaned into the table, tucking his chin in hand. âThis is richâyouâre writing a song for a girl.â he crooned. âHow sweet, Omi. What gave you the idea?â
Ominis gave him a rude hand gesture, sparking laughter from the brunette. âI overheard her talking with Poppy and Leonora about that singerâClarence Warbeckâand how they loved his songs.â
âRight, the prat who sings all those cheesy love songs the girls are obsessed with.â Sebastian noted. âIsnât he doing a show in London over the holiday break?â
Ominis gave him a dry look. âPrecisely. His lyrics areâŠuninspired, to say the least. And I was already thinking of what to give her for the holidaysâyou know sheâs impossible to shop for. The girl has every piece of clothing known to mankind, every potion, book, broom at her disposal. I thought to myself, she deserves a song. You know, something actually personalized to her.â he said sheepishly.
âWell, I think itâs very kindhearted of you.â Sebastian said smugly. âAre you admitting it then?â
âCould you be any louder, Sebastian?â Ominis hissed. His hands flew to his temples as his best friend chortled next to him. âI justââ
âJust writing her a lovely, romantic song for the holidays.â Sebastian snorted. âOh come on, Iâm just teasing you. I think itâs great; you never play the piano, so it must mean something special.â
Ominis felt his face flush; despite his disdain for Sebastian in the moment, his best friend was right. Ominis had minimal experience with the fairer sex. The concept of romance was lost on the Gaunts, choosing to pair their children in arranged matches to bring honor to the bloodline. Heâd never even imagined the idea of dating someone until sheâd arrived at Hogwarts. Their friendship had gotten off to a rocky start, thanks to the freckled heathen sitting next to him, but the events of their fifth year had only drawn them closer to one another. What had started as an admiration for her bravery turned into a funny twist in his stomach whenever he heard her laughing. As of late, it had gotten so unbearable, Ominis had turned into a blushing mess whenever she sat next to him in class. Â
âSpeak of the devilâsheâs coming in.â Sebastian murmured. âHide your sheets, then.â
Ominis heard her footsteps draw closer and closer as he hurriedly shoved his parchment back into his school bag. Â
âHello you two,â she said sweetly, standing next to them. Ominis could smell her perfume wafting towards him, still smelling like the sweet scent of strawberries in the dead of winter. âWhat are you up to?â
âNothing,â both boys said in unison.
Despite his blindness, Ominis could almost sense the arch of her brow. âAlright, weirdos.â she chuckled. âI have good and bad news.â
âDo tell,â Sebastian said.
âGood news, Leonoraâs mother surprised us with tickets to Clarence Warbeckâs show in London!â she said gleefully. âI was going to stay in the castle for the holidays, but Leonoraâs parents decided to surprise her early so she could bring friends, and she invited me to join!â
âO-oh.â Ominis said, feeling his heart crack in half. âSo youâll be gone, then?â
âYes, well thatâs the bad news, you see. I know itâs such late notice, but I hope the two of you wonât be cross with me,â she said wistfully. âItâs just such a good opportunity, and Iâve never been to a real show beforeââ
âOf course weâre not mad,â Ominis interjected. âIf it makes you happy, weâll be happy for you.â
âOh, Iâm so glad you understand,â she sighed in relief. âI am going to miss you over the holidays, I hope you know that.â
Ominis pursed his lips. âDonât worry, weâll be fine.â
âSpeak for yourself,â Sebastian chuckled. âIâm positively bereft youâre leaving us.â
Despite his inner turmoil, Ominis knew she was excited for the opportunity to visit London. It was silly of him to write the song, he thought; he was no great wordsmith, nor half the performer that Clarence Warbeck was. He felt a pit of jealousy in his stomach as he pictured her singing and cheering for him in a crowd, waiting for his autograph at the side door to the theaterâ
He was broken out of his thoughts at the feeling of her kissing his cheek. Â
âDonât miss me too much, Ominis.â she said kindly.Â
âIâll be counting down the days until youâre back,â he said softly. Realizing just how lovesick he sounded, he quickly covered with a cough. âCanât forgive you for leaving me with this one,â he elbowed Sebastian, who yelped in return.
She gave a sparkling laugh, which brought warmth to his cheeks once more. âIâll try to see you before I leave tomorrow.â she promised, her voice getting further and further away as he heard her walk towards the door.Â
The boys were silent until they heard the door properly shut.
âLots of talk, use of the word we,â Sebastian noted. âWhen youâre the one supposedly preparing a love song for her.â
âShove off,â Ominis mumbled. âI knew it was a stupid idea.â
âDonât say that,â Sebastian assured him. âYou can give it to her when sheâs back.â
Ominis knew he was right, but he was rather hoping to give her his song over the holidays. Heâd already spent so much time planning his confession, and her leaving for the holiday was a major setback. Ominis wasnât sure he could muster up the confidence to play his music for her again, let alone with a castle full of other students who might walk in on them.
âWhatever,â Ominis sighed.Â
It had been a few days since the train had departed for London, taking her to London and far, far away from Hogwarts for the holidays. Ominis had since retreated to the music room nearly every night, wishing to be alone. It was late, and Ominis was seated at the piano again. His long, lithe fingers softly danced across the keys, playing the tune heâd written for her song. Under his breath, he mumbled the lyrics; deep down, he didnât really want to be alone, but she had been the only company heâd desired. He imagined her, standing at the Clarence Warbeck show, swaying to the lame lyrics with her girlfriends, and it made his piano strokes a bit heavier and angrier than heâd wanted them to be.
He was so lost in thought, he hardly noticed the sound of skittering feet approaching the music room. It wasnât until the door burst open that he stumbled over the keys, lifting his wand to identify the intruder.
âSebastian? What in Merlinâs name are you doing?â Ominis barked.
âSheâsâOminis, theyâshow got canceledâsheâs here,â Sebastian rambled, panting for air.
âWhat are you even talking about?â
Sebastian took a big gulp of air. âThe Clarence Warbeck show got canceled,â he breathed. âShe caught the train back to Hogsmeade instead.â
Ominis blinked at his best friend. âSheâs here?â he said, voice strained.
âDo you have your song written?â Sebastian demanded.
âEr, yesâI was just finishing the melody.â Ominis admitted.
âThat settles itâyou have a song to deliver then, Ominis.â Sebastian said proudly. âI can grab her, if you likeââ
âAre you insane?â Ominis gaped. âItâs notâIâm not ready!â he panicked.Â
Sebastian raised an eyebrow. âThereâs a piano, you have your lyrics, what arenât you ready for?â he asked.
Ominis began wringing his hands. âBut it has to be romantic,â he wheezed. âAnd this isnât romantic at all. For Merlinâs sake, Iâm wearing pajamas!â
Sebastian was quiet for a few moments; Ominis could tell the cogs were moving in his best friendâs head. The brunette snapped his fingers. âIâve got it!â he said gleefully. âThe perfect idea.â He could hear Sebastianâs boots scuffling around him, muttering under his breath.
âWhat are you doing?â Ominis asked curiously.
âCandles.â Sebastian said simply, muttering a conjuration charm. âYouâll need a lot of candles, girls love them.â
âIâm not even going to ask how you know that,â Ominis scowled, standing up and raising his wand. He could sense Sebastian conjuring dozens candles, setting them around the piano.Â
âAnd youâyou should change into something a little nicer.â Sebastian tutted. âNot that your pajamas arenât cute and all, but youâll want to look your best.â
âI know that,â Ominis rolled his eyes. However, he couldnât contain the flutter of excitement in his stomach. âAre you suggesting I change now?â
âRun down to the dungeons, Iâll take care of the room.â Sebastian assured him. âAmbiance, by Sebastian Sallow.â he joked.
âI donât know what Iâd do without you,â Ominis said earnestly.
âGet fewer girls, thatâs for sure.â The brunette snorted.
âDonât start.â Ominis warned him, backing up towards the door.
âIs that any way to treat your personal elf?â He didnât need sight to know there was a smug grin stretched across Sebastianâs face. âGo on, get prettied up. Iâll be here, getting everything prepared.â
âI know you canât see yourself, but you look quite dashing.â Sebastian hummed. He adjusted Ominisâs tie, the blonde slapping his hands away in return. âDonât be nervous.â
âIâm not nervous,â Ominis lied. âWhatâs to be nervous about?â
âI dunnoâthe fact that itâs nearly midnight and youâre about to host your first solo concert to the girl youâre in love with.â Sebastian hummed. âI know I had some mistletoe around here somewhereâŠâ
âHello?â A feminine voice called out. âIs anyone there?â
Ominis slapped Sebastianâs arm. âSheâs here!â He hissed. âGet out!â
Sebastian yelped in response; Ominis straightened his waistcoat as he heard his best friend stumble across the music room, his boots clacking against the stairs. Â
âOminis, are you in there?â Her voice sounded nearer, about to turn the corner into the room.
He gulped, twirling his wand rather anxiously at his side. âI am,â he choked out. âDo come in.â
He could hear her delicate footsteps as she walked into the music room; first quickly, and then stopping in her tracks. It felt like eons before her feet picked up again, taking slow deliberate steps towards him in the corner, next to the piano.
âSebastian sent me an owl, saying it was rather time-sensitive.â she said hesitantly. âThat it was an emergency.â
âThat twat,â Ominis grumbled. âItâs not an emergency, per say, but I did want you to meet me here.â
âSo no one is dying, gravely wounded, or in need of protection?â
âDid he say that was the issue?â Ominis choked.
She snorted. âRather implied it was a life or death matter.â
Ominis scolded Sebastian in his head, rolling his eyes. Heâd have to set him straight later on.
âI wanted to ask you to come meet me here,â Ominis chewed on his lower lip. âBecause I knew you were quite disappointed when the Clarence Warbeck show was canceled.â
âOh, right.â she said quickly. âYeah, Leonora was a bit upset over it, and I didnât really have any other reason to be in London, so I caught the train home.â
âWell, with that being the case, I thought this was a good time to give you your Christmas present.â Ominis swallowed thickly.Â
âOmi, I thought we werenât doing presents,â she said, her voice slightly panicked. âI havenât gotten you anythingââ
âThis,â Ominis interjected, pointing his wand towards the piano. âThis is the present.â
She paused, clearly confused. âThe piano? The one thatâs always here in the music room? I mean, thanks Ominis, but I doubt we can steal the school pianoââ
âNo,â Ominis groaned. He tugged her hand towards the bench, gesturing for her to sit next to him. âThis is the present. Meâer, rather, a song for you.â
There was a pregnant pause as she slowly slid into the bench next to him. Her shoulder bumped into his, and he could feel the ends of her braid tickling his skin. Theyâd never sat so closely beforeânot under the pretense of anything other than a friendly afternoon nap in the corridor.Â
âYou wrote a song for me?â she asked, her voice suddenly small and subdued. âOminis, I didnât even know that you could play the piano.â
Ominis set his wand down on the pianoâs ledge with shaky hands. âI didâI do play the piano. I learned when I was younger,â he admitted, his fingers finding the ivory keys. âIâm actually quite good, if I do say so myself. Sebastian tells me I am too.â
âYouâve played for Sebastian, but not me?â she scoffed, a playful tone returning to her voice.Â
Ominis began playing the tune heâd written, the one heâd memorized in a matter of days just for her. âI only share this with people I love,â he said softly. Realizing what heâd just said, he coughed quickly to cover his blunder. âLike my friends. Anne, Sebastian, and now you.â
She rested her chin on Ominisâs shoulder. âWell, go on then. Let me hear it.â
âAnd you wonât make fun of me if Iâm a lousy singer?â Ominis asked, feeling the back of his neck heating up.
âI would never,â she reassured him.
Ominis began singing; he could hear her breath catch as his voice echoed in the room. The words tumbled out of his mouth as his fingers danced across the keys. Despite not having his wand in hand, he started to feel more confident as his tune went on, his voice only cracking slightly when he felt her soft hand on his leg. Â
So just please fall in love with me, this Christmas
Thereâs nothing else that I would need, this Christmas
Wonât be wrapped under a tree, I wish that this would last forever,
So kiss me on this cold December night;
They call it the season of giving; Iâm here, yours for the taking
Iâm here, Iâm yours
The notes trailed off, Ominisâs fingers lifting from the keys. He wasnât sure what to do with his hands; in his nervousness, he clenched his fists in his lap.
âI tried to copy Warbeckâs style,â he gulped. âSince you like him so much. I overheard you talking with the girls last week, that you thought a song was the sweetest gift a person could give.â
âYou listened to me,â she murmured.
Ominis squeezed his eyes shut as he tried to articulate his feelings. âIâŠIâm always listening to you. I want to make you happy.â he wrung his hands together.
âOminis, this isâŠthe songâŠâ she trailed off.
âDo you hate it?â he asked nervously.Â
She threw her arms around him; he yelped as she squeezed him tight.
âHow could one hate a song so beautiful? This is my favorite Christmas gift Iâve ever received, the most perfect gift.â she gasped. âNo one has ever written me a song before.â
Ominis sighed in relief, blushing as he found the courage to wrap his arms around her waist, hugging her in return. âIâm glad you liked it.â he murmured into her shoulder.
She pulled away, pressing her small, warm hands against his cheeks. âLiked it? Ominis, I loved it!â she exclaimed. âI never knew you had such talent. You need to play more often for me.â
Ominis smiled as he pressed her forehead against hers. âWell, now that you know, Iâd be happy to play for you whenever youâd like.â
Her warm hands left his cheeks, falling to hold his hands. There was a brief pause; he could tell she was chewing on her lower lip.
âThe lyrics,â she murmured. âYouâŠyou mean them, right? Theyâre not just lyrics?â
Ominis took in a sharp breath as her fingers entwined with his. âWell, Mr. Warbeck is quite forward with his feelings in all of his songs, so I thought I should do the same.â he whispered. âI wanted it to be romantic, and all I could think of wanting this Christmas was you.â he confessed.
âI thought so,â she mused. âSo you would like me to kiss you?â
Ominis blinked rapidly, his cheeks burning hot. âOnly ifââ he started to say, quickly cut off by her lips pressing against his.Â
She smiled against his lips, and Ominis melted into her touch. His hands cradled her face while she held onto his forearms, keeping him close. He whined softly as she pulled away, pressing a quick kiss to the tip of his nose.Â
âOnly what?â she asked.
âIf you mean it, truly.â Ominis fought the smile that tugged on the corner of his lips. âI hope you do. Or I guess in this case, did.â
She laughed; the melodic sound of her giggles rivaled even the sweetest of songs. Her chin dropped to his shoulder again, and she nuzzled closer.Â
âYou didnât need to write a song to capture my heart, Ominis.â she breathed. âItâs been yours for a while now.â
Ominis went slack jawed. âWhat?â
âWhy do you think I caught the first train back to Hogwarts?â she nudged him with her nose. âI wanted to be back here, to spend Christmas with you, Ominis.â Â
âBut the showâClarence Warbeckââ
âHeâs a good singer,â she laughed. âBut heâs not you.âÂ
Ominis surged forward, and she yelped when he pressed his lips against her face, slightly missing her lips. No matter; she chuckled again, angling her face to meet him perfectly. One of Ominisâs hands tugged her closer at the waist, the other trailing up to her soft, strawberry scented hair. Â
âI love you,â he admitted, rubbing the tip of his nose against hers.
Just as she was about to open her mouth in response, the two heard a cough from the rafters. They jolted apart, Ominis nearly falling off the bench to maintain a proper distance from her in case it was a professor.
It wasnâtâhe could hear a familiar voice huffing at them.
âCan I come down now?â
Ominis furrowed his eyebrows. âSebastian, what the bloody hell are you still doing here?â he gasped.
âWell you didnât give me much time to get down from the rafters,â Sebastian complained. âI was trying to hang the mistletoe for you two.â
âGet out!â Ominis groaned, while she laughed next to him on the piano bench.
Ominis could hear Sebastianâs snickering, and the familiar beat of his steps as he ran out of the music room. He groaned, his head falling against her shoulder.
âSo embarrassing.â he muttered into the fabric of her shirt. âI canât believe he heard the song.â
âNot at all,â she cooed. âWouldnât quite be a moment between us without Sebastian interrupting, would it?â she pressed a soft kiss against his hair. âPlay the song for me again?â
âOnly if I get to kiss you more.â Ominis whispered.
âThat can be arranged,â she said coyly, tilting his chin up towards her. She adoringly pressed kisses against his forehead, his cheeks, the tip of his nose, and then finally his lips again. Pulling away, she leaned her head on his shoulder once more, sighing happily as his fingers started dancing across the keys again.Â
âHappy Christmas, Ominis. I love you too.â
Those four words were music to Ominisâs ears. He played the song for her over and over again, his voice more confident every time he repeated the lyrics. The fourth time he repeated, she stopped him, kissing him breathless. Â
âSaw the mistletoe,â she whispered against his lips, slithering her arms around his waist. âHe managed to hang it after all.â
Grinning into her kiss once more, Ominis reminded himself to thank Sebastian.Â
