Pairing: Ominis Gaunt x fem!reader
Summary: Ominis asks you out on a study date. However, he realises he didn’t make it clear it was a date-date. He’s determined to correct this mistake. In other words, Ominis is head over heels for you, and doesn’t know if you feel the same.
Read on AO3 (account needed)
Wand held aloft, Ominis walked along the maze of corridors in Hogwarts. With practised effort the Slytherin dodged the various obstacles in his way. He skirted past the mess that was broken pieces of armour, humming little tunes, and sidestepped past a boy balancing a precarious stack of books in his hands.
Most importantly, he managed to avoid Peeves who was juggling crystal balls and singing irksome rhymes about future dangers and money exchangers. As was his routine following classes he would lounge around the first floor of the DADA tower, but not today.
No, this late afternoon was special. It could not be wasted in such a frivolous and relaxed manner. Ominis was on a mission to woo you. Gone were the days where he was content to be in your presence, listening to your charming voice, inhaling your calming scent, and cherishing in secrecy the fleeting touches of your bare skin.
Ominis believed it was pathetic to pine after you and not confess his tender feelings. A nagging thought popped into his head, ‘What if you reject him? Leave him heartbroken and miserable for the rest of his life?’
He stopped dead in his tracks. Not for the first time, panic washed over him like a tidal wave. Often, he drowned in the waters and was unable to resurface to admit what he desired. Ominis took a steadying breath and gripped his wand tighter.
Worse still than the growing terror gnawing at his insides was the fact that he had let his actions be dictated by fear. He wouldn’t anymore, no matter the consequences. He would explode if he kept this bottled in for much longer.
In less than ten minutes, he would either be the happiest man in the castle or more depressed than Nearly Headless Nick when his request for membership to the Headless Hunt was denied. He hoped for all he was worth that it was the former.
At last, he came to his destination: the musical corridor. He knew you loved visiting this place for the merry tunes that always seemed to brighten your mood. Already the diverse collection of melodic and cheerful sounds from the instruments filled his ears. It gave him a needed boost of courage.
He sensed a few students sitting on the benches delighting in the festive songs, but you were not among them. He proceeded down the hall until his wand alerted him to your location. You stood facing a painting whose subject sounded as if she were playing the mandolin.
He made his presence known. “Enjoying the music, are we?”
“Oh, Ominis, you gave me a fright!” You were startled. “You’re as quiet as a church mouse sometimes. Did you just get out of Ancient Runes class? How was it?”
He replied, “It went better than usual today. Professor Madmeeke was rather occupied with a new translation he discovered and allowed us to have independent study.” Ominis left out the detail that he was also distracted during class by attempting to plan out this very conversation.
“That must have been nice. I used my free period researching for my Essence of Insanity essay.” You sighed, “Thirty inches on the subject. I think Professor Sharp hates us with the amount he’s giving us. I’ll have to revise it in the morning, but I needed a break before I worked on my star chart for Astronomy. Hm, maybe I’ll leave that til I’ve had dinner though. What about you? What are you going to do tonight?”
Ominis opened his mouth and closed it again. He couldn’t say the words now, could he? It would be all too random and abrupt. Here you were asking mundane questions about what he was going to do this evening, and here he was ready to profess how love-struck he was by you.
That wouldn’t be right. It was too improper… too unexpected. At least, that's the excuse he gave. Abort mission! Abort mission! Gathering what was left of his scattered senses, he answered, “I have homework to complete for herbology.”
The next words pop out before he could stop himself. “Would you consider studying with me in the library? A study date, perhaps?”
Merlin’s beard, what possessed him to suggest that! Mortification overcame his entire being. He was seconds away from fleeing to spare you the embarrassment of having to reply when you spoke up.
“What a wonderful idea! It’d make the work pleasanter to have you with me. Shall we say eight o’clock?” Ominous gave a brief nod. “I’ll see you then. I’d stay a while longer, but I promised Lenora I'd meet her. I best be off if I’m to make it in time. Bye.”
Ominis felt your hand pat his back and heard your retreating footsteps. He laid down against the wall as his legs were wobbling an awful lot. You had said yes.
His head was spinning, in a good way that is. Did your acceptance mean that you were smitten as well? Would this be the first of many, many dates? A sudden, upsetting thought occurred to him.
What if you took the word date to mean a social engagement with a friend rather than a romantic one? Blast it. Why did he have to get so tongue tied around you? He should have made his intentions clear.
But what if you did understand his true meaning and misinterpreted it on purpose? On the other hand, he could be worrying for nothing. It could be possible you did grasp what he meant by date and consented to it in full knowledge.
Why did this have to be this arduous of a process? Because I’m a coward, that’s why. He shook his head and began making his way to the Slytherin common room. A nap was what he needed to soothe his addled brain before the date/not-a-date which would be taking far too soon for his liking.
_
You were already waiting for Ominis when he arrived at the library’s entrance. “I hope I didn’t keep you waiting long,” he greeted.
“Of course not. I came early. I was perusing ‘An Account of the Heavens Told Through 173 Star Patterns’ by Ileana Cardaignory.” You tucked the heavy book back in your bag.
“Professor Shah recommended it to those who were interested in learning more than the eighteen star patterns we focused on in class last week.”
You descended the stairs and opened the doors. “Would you mind if we sat near the back instead of the front. I concentrate better when there aren’t as many students passing by where we sit.”
“Not at all. Whatever is better for you.” In truth, he preferred a private setting on this… outing with you (he couldn’t call it a date if he didn’t know whether you regarded it as one).
Sitting across from you at the circular table, he pulled out his herbology textbook. He heard you unfurl a scroll and set about scribbling down the star’s positions.
He tried to pay attention to his own work; writing twenty-five inches on the uses of sneezewort. He had sixteen inches and needed an additional nine.
By his estimate, thirty minutes had elapsed where he read and you wrote. He could do little else besides read because he worried about disturbing you if he dictated his words for the quill to write.
Oh well, he also brought his Ancient Runes book to examine. He tapped his foot on the floor, his impatience increasing minute by minute. He set down his book and asked, “What time is it?”
You yawned, “It’s 9:08. We’ve been studying for an hour.”
“Shall we consider taking a small recess then?”
“Don’t tempt me, Ominis.” You brushed your quill’s feathery end across his face, making him smile.
“Oh, but I am. I think it would be good to stretch our legs and have a short reprieve. Care to join me for a stroll amongst the shelves?” He stood up and extended his arm in your general direction.
“Well, if you insist.” You hooked your elbow with his and led the way. “My eyes are straining themselves. Why do star charts have to be so small? It’d be easier to see them if they were bigger. However, that would have to be an enormous scroll to fit them all.
“I guess it is preferable for the charts to be compacted instead. If giants were taking the class, the charts would have to be large. Everything would be big for them though. How big would a telescope have to be for a giant to use? If an average sized person used a giant’s telescope, would he see extra stars in greater clarity?”
You continued talking in this manner for several minutes, jumping from one topic to the next. When you paused to inspect a certain spell book, Ominis cut in to inquire if you would be visiting Hogsmeade tomorrow.
You said, “Yes, I need to drop by Scrivenshaft's to purchase a new bundle of quills. Their eagle feather quills are marvellous. I also need to go to Tomes and Scrolls. I’ve been meaning to get the tome ‘Retribution: Call of the Caged Mind’ for a while now. Are you going to buy anything at the shops?”
“I need a new vest and should replenish my stock of Bertie Bott's Beans. Would you like to go together?”
“That'd be nice. Hogsmeade trips are more pleasurable with good company. Would it make any difference if I invited Nellie to come with us. She and I were discussing–”
Ominis interrupted, “As a matter of fact, it would make a difference. Allow me to speak plainly and rephrase my question.” Ominis licked his lips, nervousness seeping into him. He ignored it. “May I have the honour of accompanying you to Hogsmeade as your date?”
You gasped, “My date?” He felt his heart fall into his stomach when you took a step back from him. That couldn’t have been a favourable sign. You stuttered, “W-why?”
Ominis hadn’t been expecting that response. He refrained from saying sarcastically that he had hoped you would pay for his things. Why did you think he asked?
“Because I am interested in pursuing you in a romantic fashion.” Silence followed his frank statement, and not for the thousandth time he wished to see your face. What could your expression tell him that your voice or lack thereof did not?
You whispered, “I-I didn’t know you cared for me in that capacity. I assumed my feelings were… unrequited.”
It was Ominis’ turn to be stunned. “Are you implying that you believed all those instances where I sought you out alone, complimented you, shared my prized confectioneries, slept on your shoulder in History of Magic were platonic in nature?”
“I convinced myself they were the actions of a true friend.”
Shaking his head in disbelief, Ominis couldn’t contain himself. He snorted, “Yes, a true friend who frequently imagines snogging you.” His face dropped at once. He stammered, “Forgive me. That was inappropriate of me to say. Please–”
You laughed and stepped forward to grab his hands with yours, leaning closer to him. You murmured next to his ear which sent his heart beating faster, “I’ll let you in on a secret. I have pondered the exact same thing.”
You squeezed his hands and tilted your face nearer to his until your soft lips kissed his cheek.
Ominis did not dare move or breathe lest he woke up from this sublime dream. Oh, how he wished his lips had been the target. You were teasing him now, weren’t you?
Indeed, he heard you giggle, pulling back from him. “I’d love to go to Hogsmeade with you, Ominis. If you want, we could indulge ourselves further tomorrow.”
He brought you closer again and agreed, “That is an excellent idea, darling.”
My part of an art trade with the ever amazing @tamayula-hl
I really REALLY love her nameless MC, and how Tama-san draws her interactions with Ominis. I had a lot of fun drawing her!!
Tama-san!! Thank you for accepting the art trade!! I hope you like what I made for you <3
And I'd love to do another one someday!!!
Credits to @smilenewfifthyear for helping me look for the BG references😘
