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Sebastian was having a very good day.
By the start of term in his final year at Hogwarts, he could honestly say that for the first time in his life, he didn't have a single care in the world.
He and MC had spent the better part of the past two years researching a cure for Anne, and as he'd expected, it came in the form of his companion's peculiar ancient magic. Just weeks before school picked back up again for seventh year, they'd managed to finally remove Anne's curse. It was a grueling task, but the effects were almost immediate.
Although Anne still decided to enroll in Beaxbatons, stating that she needed to remain away from Scotland a while longer, she'd forgiven Sebastian enough after they'd cured her without Dark Arts that she promised to write him letters and visit Feldcroft over the holidays.
Ominis, as well, had come around in sixth year to mend their friendship. He and Sebastian may have even become closer after having overcome the strain and tragedy they'd endured through fifth year.
And MC, devoted friend that she was, had never once wavered in her boundless loyalty to Sebastian. She'd stayed with him in Feldcroft the summer before sixth year, making sure he was cared for and patiently pulled him from his grief. Always tidying the little cottage, ensuring Sebastian ate, tending the garden, and rousing him from seemingly endless nightmares.
After weeks of allowing her to coddle him, he'd finally found the strength to stand on his own again and thanked her, telling her to go back to her own family home. While he could never express the full extent of his gratitude for her in words, he hoped to spend the rest of his life trying to deserve her friendship.
Still, she'd remained in Feldcroft anyway to keep him company the remainder of that summer - claiming it was because she would feel lonely if she left. He knew it was for his sake, however, but appreciated that she thought prudent to shield his ego. He truly did find comfort in her constant presence, and it had helped to ease the deafening silence left by both Anne and Solomon's absence.
Again, she stayed with him throughout the holidays during their sixth year and had even convinced Ominis to join them for their final summer off this time around. That was when they'd stumbled across the cure in an old tome while exploring the ruins of Isidora's house where Anne was originally cursed. Ominis had been the one to find the book, which was why Anne so readily agreed to let MC try in the first place.
Now, with Anne healthy and finally back to school in France, Sebastian felt like everything was at last as it should be.
He, Ominis, and MC had arrived back at Hogwarts together the previous night, MC heading to her own house for the feast to watch the sorting. Everything had been exceptional that evening, and Sebastian was finally, finally able to let loose with his housemates and enjoy just existing within the castle walls. He'd gone to sleep with a smile still plastered on his face and woke in much the same state.
Now, he was practically hauling Ominis to the Great Hall for breakfast and eager to start the day. More eager still to catch up with MC, whose endless presence he'd become spoiled by over the years.
"Sebastian, slow down this instant before I make you eat with the first years you're so intent on behaving like." Ominis groused, displeased with his best friend's inexplicable enthusiasm at such an unholy hour of the morning.
Unbothered, Sebastian simply grinned and ushered him along. "It's our final year at Hogwarts, Ominis. We must make the most of every second!"
"Does making the most of every second entail spending an extended period of time in the hospital wing? Because if you continue recklessly charging through the castle, that's where we'll both end up." Ominis retorted, earning nothing more than a barking laugh from Sebastian.
To his credit, Sebastian did slow down a bit on the stairs. However, the moment he saw a familiar streak of hair and the flash of her house robes, he released his grip on Ominis entirely and full-on sprinted to greet MC. It had only been a single night, but he'd missed her terribly.
When he waved and shouted her name across the hall, he expected to see her face light up brightly as it so often did when they saw each other at school. Instead, she looked like he kicked her baby mooncalf with the way her expression contorted into something akin to misery. It was only for a moment, but he distinctly saw her displeasure and slowed his steps, dropping his hand uncertainly to his side before carefully approaching.
"Ah, good morning, Sebastian. Sleep well?" She asked, trying to wrench a small smile onto her face.
After living together for two years, it was second nature by now for him to read her expressions. Still, it felt like a gut-punch that she might be unhappy to see him. Especially when he could think of no one else he'd rather be near.
"Of course I did - now that I don't have to listen to all your snoring." He said, trying to get a smile from her. When her face remained tight, he continued, concern growing. "Did you not, though? Has something happened? You seem a bit off-kilter."
Perhaps she really did just have a bad night's sleep? He couldn't think of anything he'd said or done to upset her in the time since they'd been laughing and joking yesterday. Everything had been normal when they'd said goodnight to each other. It couldn't be that she was displeased to see him.
"I - " She started but stopped almost immediately as she began and pressed a forced smile to her face again. "No, I suppose not. Perhaps tonight will be better."
Tension he hadn't realized he'd been holding eased itself from his shoulders at her admission - he could see the dark circles under her eyes. Of course, she was just tired. Knowing MC, she likely stayed up with her housemates catching up and playing games all night.
He approached and easily slid his arm across her shoulders and tugged her into him. "Breakfast ought to fix you up, darling. Come on, let's - "
Not that was odd - she noticeably stiffened under his touch and slipped out from under him, retreating a few paces.
Wearing an apologetic grimace, she said, "Sorry, Sebastian. I'm not really hungry this morning. You and Ominis go on ahead. I'll see you in class."
Not giving him a chance to reply, she skirted away from him and the rest of her friends, escaping quickly up the stairs and out of sight.
"That was certainly concerning. I don't believe that girl would miss a meal even if she were in a coma. Have you done something to offend our dear friend?" Ominis accused from beside him.
"Of course not." Sebastian said, scandalized. But then he recalled the way she recoiled from him and reconsidered, turning to Ominis in a panic. "Have I?"
Ominis simply offered an unhelpful shrug in response and mumbled something about apologizing to her, but for the life of him, Sebastian had no idea what he should apologize for.
Instead of chasing after her, he opted to give her space to cool off while he wracked his brains over breakfast, wondering just what he did to set off the one person who'd never been cross with him. Hell, she'd thanked him after he used Crucio on her. He could think of nothing worse he'd done to her - no great offense he could have possibly committed to warrant that kind of reaction. Still, she'd never lied to him before - perhaps she really was simply sleep-deprived.
Unfortunately, the rest of the week played out much the same. Every time Sebastian would approach her in the corridors or at meals, MC looked like she was physically pained by the mere sight of him and would make some half-assed excuse to scurry off. She avoided the Undercroft like the plague and declined all of his invitations to visit Hogsmeade in the evenings.
By the middle of the week, fed up with her avoidance, he'd gotten so desperate that he'd enchanted a note into a paper bird to dive bomb her in the Library until she opened it.
The message inside had been playful - a simple, 'I give you my explicit permission to hex me to your heart's content if I've offended you, love.'
Rather than a smile, a laugh, or even a hex, she'd hastily scribbled a note of her own and sent it back. The contents were curt. 'If you have time to hound me, perhaps you should concentrate harder on your studies.'
MC's stiff note solidified the fact that she was indeed very upset with him. Frustrated, Sebastian spent the better part of that particular evening blowing off steam in the Undercroft until the entire room was singed and smoking. Ominis made sure to scold him for the mess later on.
He couldn't help it, though. He'd always taken for granted that MC was a constant in his life. And now she was withdrawing from him - after everything. She meant the world to him, and he always thought she shared at least a similar sentiment She was, by far, the most cherished person in his life. He could accept if Ominis and Anne never forgave him and had been endlessly grateful when they had, but if MC left him? It was unthinkable.
Classes weren't much better. Where Sebastian and MC normally partnered up at any given opportunity, she now chose to sit at the opposite side of the room, with a decidedly different desk-mate in every single class. Natty in Charms, Garreth in Potions, and Poppy in Care of Magical Creatures. If she could feel his burning, sullen stare from across the room all day, she certainly gave no indication, instead looking perfectly unbothered while she laughed with her friends - friends who were not Sebastian.
That stung. Was she truly so angry with him? Had he offended her so greatly that she could feel so carefree while shoving him unceremoniously out of her life? There had been scarcely a day since they'd met that he could remember without her by his side, and now he felt like he was losing her for reasons entirely beyond him. He could hardly bear to be without her, and yet she had the audacity to laugh with her peers like her avoidance wasn't slowly killing him. And it was infuriating.
The final straw was when MC had the gall to pair up with Ominis at the end of the week in Defense Against the Dark Arts. Prewett of all fucking people was the partner Sebastian was left with. She may as well have spit in his face. His two best friends, cozying up in front of his face.
Ominis knew how distraught Sebastian had been throughout the whole ordeal - even knew the way he hid his deeper feelings for their friend over the years. He'd never dare risk asking more of her by expressing that well-hidden affection - not when she'd already given him so much, but Ominis understood the way it had been tormenting him to watch the girl he loved suddenly drift away. And there they were, partnering in front of him like his whole world wasn't crumbling.
Partners were lining up along the the room to review Disarming, and Sebastian stood gawking as he enviously watched MC and Ominis chatting while they squared up. Sebastian was sure MC would sooner chew her own arm off than speak with him all week, yet there she was, content as could be to pair up with his best friend.
Had the two been talking this whole time? They certainly didn't seem uncomfortable with each other. Ominis hadn't said anything, but he was always rather tight-lipped about his personal affairs. Could it have been something more? Something they couldn't tell him?
Sebastian couldn't help it - body moving on its own, he knocked his shoulder roughly against Ominis and took his place in front of MC, glaring between them all the while.
"Sebastian, what the hell - " Ominis stumbled slightly at the unexpected contact and complained.
"Prewett needs a partner. Figured you and MC looked far too carefree to take your dueling seriously." He glowered, fighting back the small remorse he felt for nearly toppling his poor friend. But when he heard MC start to protest he interrupted her loudly. "You two can go back to flirting after class for all I care. Right now we should concentrate on our studies, isn't that right?"
He spat the words at her and withdrew his wand. Angry with his friends and himself. Sebastian knew he was being petty - if she didn't want to speak with him, he very well couldn't force her. But the way she flinched and cast her gaze downward when he looked at her only served to fuel his exasperation, and he wanted nothing more than to grab her and make her look at him.
Ominis balked at the suggestion. "Flirt? Have you finally lost your mind, Sebastian?"
"Careful, Ominis." Sebastian warned, barely clinging to the last shred of his self-control.
"It's fine, Ominis. I'll be fine." MC said softly, and Ominis paused a moment longer before shaking his head and making his way to Leander.
Sebastian raised his wand and assumed a dueling stance, eyes flashing angrily up at MC when she meekly raised her own wand - still refusing to look at him.
"Unbelievable. At least look at me while we're dueling." He snapped.
Now she looked up, and he could see her eyes for the first time all week. Tired and red - she'd been crying. She looked on the verge of an outburst right then and there as well. Any other day he'd have dropped his wand and rushed to her side. Today, however? He wanted her to feel as bad as he did. It was cruel, of course, and he knew it. But he was far more wounded by her abandonment than he cared to admit.
"Expelliarmus!" He shot the spell the moment he met her gaze, relishing in the way her wand was violently ripped from her grasp and sent spiraling towards him.
Snatching it out of the air, Sebastian twirled her lost wand mockingly between his fingers, waiting for her to trek across the room the reclaim it.
She seemed to toy with the idea of abandoning her wand with him and simply bolting, if the way her eyes darted between him and the door was any indication, but ultimately trudged forward and planted her feet in front of him. A part of Sebastian that was far too childish to be seventeen decided at the last moment he wanted to bully her - just a bit more.
When she reached to take her wand back from his hand, he dropped it onto the floor and made no move to fetch it for her. He delighted in the annoyed huff she let out - it was the most reaction he'd gotten from her since they'd returned. Crossing his arms, he waited while she collected her wand and briskly turned to stalk back into position.
Again, the urge to rile her up overcame him, and he gripped her wrist firmly and tugged her back to him before she could retreat. She gasped.
Leaning down to whisper sharply in her ear he said, "Don't worry, I'll let your boyfriend partner with you from now on. Didn't realize your dueling had gone to such utter shit over the summer."
He could hear the audible snap of her teeth as she shut her mouth. If he wanted to push her over the edge, calling her ability into question seemed to have done the trick.
Aggressively ripping her arm back from him, she practically sprinted across from him and took on a far more intimidating stance than before. Gone was the meek girl who looked ready to flee in tears. This was the MC he knew in battle - a threat. This was who he wanted to see - the fierce witch who was unafraid to meet his gaze. Someone to match his own frustration.
Again, he wasted no time attacking her, but she was well-versed in battle and wouldn't be caught off guard twice. Shielding, she hurled her own spell back and he blocked it as well.
Then she followed up with a Stunning spell, and he narrowly deflected it.
"Disarming spells only, you two." Hecat's chided, but the warning fell on deaf ears.
Sebastian cast his own flurry of spells, smiling when he made her stumble to dodge a particularly nasty combination.
"Don't fall for me now, darling. Wouldn't want to put out poor Ominis when you've finally got him in your grasp." He teased.
"Bastard!" She snarled, furious.
Now she was crying, and Sebastian felt any urge to fight leave him instantly. His let his wand arm go slack to his side and was about to surrender when -
"Depulso!" MC knocked him clear into a desk, effectively silencing the entire room while Hecat rushed over to help him back to his feet.
"This is why I warned you that we were only practicing Disarming. Why is it always you two?" She tutted, grabbing Sebastian's chin to roughly turn his head into the light so she could inspect the lovely new gash across his forehead.
MC gasped as the stream of bright red streaked down his face, and rushed over as well.
"Gods, Sebastian, I - " She started, looking horrified. She reached out a hand to touch his face, but drew back quickly with a whimper.
"We'll discuss detention later. For now, take responsibility for your actions and bring Mister Sallow to the Hospital Wing." Hecat said sharply. "The rest of you can write me 10 inches of parchment on precisely why the use of Depulso is strictly forbidden in mock duels. You can thank your reckless classmates for that assignment when they return."
Sebastian, coming out of the daze the brutal knock-back had sent him into, heard a collective groan sound from their peers before he felt MC snake a delicate arm around his back, making him drape his own around her shoulders so that she could properly hoist him to his feet. Hecat hushed them all and waved her wand to set the room right.
"Easy now, Sebastian. Just lean against me if you feel dizzy, alright?" MC soothed, gingerly extracting herself from him when he seemed steady. She kept a firm hand wrapped around his arm, keeping a close eye on him as they walked out of the room.
Ringing in his ears subsiding, Sebastian came to his senses when they rounded a familiar corner of the castle. Rather than allow her to guide him to the Hospital Wing, Sebastian grabbed hold of the hand she still kept on him and wheeled them in the opposite direction. Ignoring her increasingly desperate protests, he wordlessly pulled her around the corner and through the opening in the old clock to drag her, at last, into the Undercroft she'd so stubbornly avoided all week.
"Sebastian! Really, you're worrying me. Are you confused? This isn't the Hospital Wing. You hit your head bad. Blainey should see to that." MC rambled worriedly, trying to redirect him back out of the room.
When they'd reached the makeshift seating arrangement comprised of old crates in the far corner, he finally stopped pulling her along and released her hand, taking a seat on one of the wooden boxes and gesturing for her to do the same.
"Just shut up for a moment and sit with me." He said quietly.
Obediently, she stopped speaking and sat next to him. Still, she imitated Hecat and grabbed him by the chin to tilt his face and prod at the wound. He allowed her to fuss, if only to enjoy being close to her again. The mild scent of her perfume soothed his earlier anger almost as much as the softness of her fingers against his face. He watched her nose scrunch up in displeasure and nearly laughed at how adorable she looked as she concentrated, biting at the side of her cheek.
Until she touched the cut, and he yelped while she let out a sympathetic hiss.
Drawing her wand, she wordlessly stitched the skin back together and wiped the trickle of drying blood from his face with her robe sleeve. His vision was obscured by the fabric while she worked to clean him, so he wasn't aware she was crying again until he heard the telltale sound of sniffling, and he pulled her arm away from his face to find her with an absolutely tortured look.
"Oh, stop that. I've given you much worse in our duels. Didn't even need Blainey for this, see? Just surprised me is all. That was an impressive Depulso." He said, offering a crooked smile.
That only made her cry harder, and he grunted when she hurled herself at him to crush him in a hug while she sobbed into his shoulder.
"I'm sorry, Sebastian. I'm so sorry. I let my emotions get the better of me and I just - Gods if you didn't despise me already, I can't possibly blame you for doing so now."
It took him a moment, but he adjusted and wrapped his arms around her, smoothing out her hair and wondering just how they had gone from bitterly arguing to whatever this was.
"Despise you? Why? Because you're dating Ominis?"
She recoiled like he'd slapped her, but the look on her tear-stained face was almost amused.
"Ominis? And me? Whatever gave you an idea like that?" She laughed, wiping at her tears with the back of her hand before placing it back on his shoulder.
"Well you've been ignoring me all bloody week while you've cozied up to him quite nicely. After today, I figured that was why. Thought neither of you wanted to tell me." The words felt ridiculous even as they tumbled out of his mouth, but he hadn't come up with any other explanation for her odd behavior.
That sobered her immediately, and she grimaced, pulling back from him. The Undercroft felt quite cold then, and Sebastian wanted her arms back around his neck and her face buried in his shoulder. But her reaction spoke volumes regarding his suspicion, and when she failed to speak he filled the silence.
"I apologize for reacting the way I did to the news. I guess I just thought - " He stopped, debating his next words and choosing the option that was less likely to widen the rift between them. "I just thought we were all closer than that - keeping secrets from each other, you know?"
She looked up at him ruefully and said, "There's nothing like that between myself and Ominis."
"So then you're actually cross with me? Is that it?" He asked, flabbergasted. "Because it seems to me you've taken no issue with Ominis this past week, yet you won't even look at me."
"I'm not! You've done nothing to wrong me, Sebastian. Rather, I've been an exceptionally poor friend to you and I...simply needed some time to come to terms with it." He watched as she nervously played with the hem of her skirt, slowly working up the nerve to continue. "I sincerely apologize for making you think you were at fault for my actions. You're nothing short of wonderful to me. As always. It's a miracle you've put up with me as long as you have."
"It's not at all like you to be so self-pitying. Has someone slipped something into your pumpkin juice?" Sebastian asked jokingly, and she shook her head no.
He reached a hand out to brush a few stray hairs out of her face. Again, she pulled away from his touch and he let his arm fall to his lap, defeated.
They'd never been strangers to physical shows of affection - having lived and fought together so long, Sebastian thought of MC as an extension of his own being. He could always touch her with ease, never thinking twice. She'd been much the same, always ruffling his hair and falling asleep on his shoulder. Now there was an obvious disconnect - some invisible barrier that prevented him from accessing her. He didn't like it.
"Then what? I must confess, I'm not sure what I've done to earn this treatment from you. You say you're not angry, but..." He made a wide gesture to the space between them.
"It's nothing you've done. I swear to you. I'm angry with myself."
"I'm going to need more than that, MC. Come on, I can tell this week has been as rough on you as it has for me. Just tell me what's wrong. We can fix it. I don't like this anymore than you do."
"That's just it though, isn't it? I hate being apart from you, but it's just as miserable being near you. I can't stand it anymore, Sebastian. It's torture."
"It's - it's torture?" He gaped, mind reeling. She found simply being in his presence torture? Had he simply imagined their closeness all this time?
"Yes! Do you have any idea how excruciating it is to be so hopelessly in love with your best friend when nothing can ever come of it? Gods, I hate myself every day for wishing you to give more of yourself to me than you already have, and yet I can't stand the thought of having anything less." Chest heaving, she threw all caution to the wind and simply blurted it out.
Sebastian went completely still, processing, but she charged forward, unable to stop the words once they'd already begun tumbling out. It was now or never, it seemed.
"I thought I could manage it - just for one more school year. But Violet had to go and open her damn mouth and spoil everything the moment we returned." She said, hysterical, and buried her face in her hands. "Told me how laughable it was that I was still trailing after you like a niffler after treasure even though you were certainly only keeping me around long enough to cure Anne. That you'd want to be rid of me now that I'd played my part."
"Violet McDowell caused this outburst?" He asked, brain slowly catching up with the gravity of it all.
"I've just poured my heart out to you, and you focus on Violet?" She peeked out at him from between her fingers, appalled.
"I'm simply trying to discern whether or not I now owe that vile girl a favor even after she's made you cry." Sebastian said thoughtfully, reaching over to take hold of her hands. She tried to pull back, but he gripped tight.
"A favor?"
Watching her wail as she was, Sebastian thought it might be in poor taste to laugh at that exact moment. If only she knew how absurd she was being. He couldn't restrain the low chuckle that slipped out, however.
"Yes, a favor you silly thing. Do you even hear yourself? Keeping you around until you've played your part. Ridiculous. I'd be incredibly offended if you hadn't just admitted you love me despite thinking so poorly of me." He said, now actually laughing at her.
Looking positively mortified, MC paled considerably.
"I've really ruined it all, haven't I? Our friendship, I mean. I can Obliviate you? Have Ominis do me as well. We can pretend this whole ordeal never happened and go back to the way things were before." She stared up at him, pleading.
"Why? So I can torture you again?" In a single fluid motion, he slipped one of his hands from hers to press beside her head, against the crate she was leaning on. "Especially not when I can finally do this."
Before she could even open her mouth to question him, his mouth was on hers, swallowing her surprised gasp. His lips curled into a smile when he felt her fingers lace between his, and he slid his other hand from the crate and combed it through her hair to rest at the base of her neck.
He waited patiently for her to adjust and allowed her to choose their pace, pleased when she chose to deepen their kiss by fisting her free hand into the front of his robes and tugging him into her further.
The taste of her mingled with the remnants of blood still on his mouth, and her sweet perfume combined with the faint, lingering smoky scent from his outburst in the room earlier that week. Her hands and lips felt impossibly good, and he wasn't sure if he was delirious from hitting his head or from how surreal it was to finally be touching her in ways he'd only dared to dream of.
When they were both panting messes of tangled hair and disheveled robes, Sebastian leaned back to press his forehead against hers, immensely proud of the state he'd put her in. Unwilling to stop touching her entirely, but needing to catch his breath, he opted to litter her flushed cheeks and neck with playful array of kisses until she swatted him away, laughing.
"Do you have any idea how long I've wanted to do that?" He asked, still breathless and grinning like an idiot.
"So why didn't you?" She asked, trying to steady her own rapid breathing.
"Why didn't you?" He quipped, cocking an eyebrow.
"Fair point. I suppose this means Violet was mistaken." She asked, flushing brighter.
"Afraid so. And here I thought I was the lovesick fool. Ominis is always telling me as much." He chuckled.
"Ominis told you that? Ominis told me I ought to just confess to you outright. Said it was simply nauseating the way he could feel me pining after you." She laughed, shaking her head in disbelief. "He was trying to convince me to grow a backbone in class today. Almost had me convinced until you barged in."
"It would appear I've made a bit of ass of myself today." He smiled, amused. "And for the record, so there's no more doubt in that pretty little head of yours - I love you. Have for a while now."
He held her gaze when he said it, and the way he spoke was so genuine that she forgot how to breath for a moment.
"So Ominis has known - this entire time? And he's had to watch us flounder about?"
"It would appear so. Don't worry - I know just the way to repay him for his patience."
"Are you finally going to assist me in convincing him to court Anne?" She asked slyly.
Sebastian looked downright mischievous when he said. "Well, he certainly understands the pain of watching a couple of fools pine after each other. What say we give those two a bit if a nudge?"
MC grinned and made to stand. "I'll write Anne as soon as I get back to my room."
Sebastian tugged her back down into his lap, grin widening and making her blush furiously. "Awfully presumptuous of you to assume I'm letting you go back to your room."