For The Love Of A Snake

Chapter 20: True Feelings

The morning went by fast after the experience at divination class with Ominous. My face was still hot as I left, filled with embarrassment. Even though Ominous didn't seem bothered by what he saw and more bothered by how Sebastian was acting, I still couldn't help feeling embarrassed. It would have been one thing to tell him but for him to see actual images was another thing. I knew he wouldn't tell anyone, he had easily become my best friend.

     As I made my way to the great hall for lunch I looked over at the Slytherin table where Ominous sat waiting for Sebastian. I knew I had to break things off with Garreth if I planned to be with Sebastian but without knowing his intentions long term, I had decided to wait. I felt bad using  Garreth as my back up but if things fell through with Sebastian I would at least have some romantic company to get my mind off of him. I nervously eyed the Slytherin table waiting to see if Ominous would talk to him or not when he arrived.

    As I walked down the hall I felt arms wrap around my waist seductively. The arms made me jump as I knew instantly that they were not Sebastian's. I turned around to see Garreth smiling down at me. "I've been trying to find you all morning Ruby, I was beginning to think that you left me already" he scratched to back of his head at this thought as if he were waiting for me to lay it all on him. As he held his arms around me I could see Ominous saying something to Sebastian out of the corner of my eye. Ominous looked like a scolding parent while Sebastian had gotten up and looked towards Gerreths and my direction.

      Even though I wanted to have a back up plan I realized I'd rather be all alone than with someone I didn't have feelings for. With a split second decision I pulled away from Garreth's grasp. "I'm sorry Garreth, I don't really want this. I thought that maybe I did but I can't do that to you. My heart is somewhere else and has been since the first day I arrived at Hogwarts. I felt like I knew Garreth but in that moment his face and attitude changed.

    As I pulled away he gripped his hand around my small wrist and pulled me back in to him. "Garreth! Let go that hurts!" I yelled out causing enough of a scene to have other students staring.

     "You aren't doing this to me. You will make me look like a fool. I know I can make you love me Ruby. You just have to keep trying" he seemed delusional as he spoke and I struggled against his strength. He then pulled me in and forced me into a kiss which I fought against, slapping him with my free hand.

     "It doesn't work like that Garreth! You knew that there was a good possibility that this would happen! You promised that if it didn't go your way that you would be okay with it!" I yelled at him now. My rage was accompanied by a form of fear, I had never seen him act so unlike himself. This wasn't the Garreth I knew at all. With my response he pushed me to the ground causing my wand to fall out of my pocket and bounce across the floor, out of my reach so I couldn't defend myself if I needed to.

     "I'm going to make it work like that. You won't have a choice!" His words were filled with rage. "I'm just going to take what is mine and what I deserve" he snapped towards me as I picked myself back up from the ground. I was quickly met with his hands grabbing my wrists again, pulling me towards the doors of the great hall. "You'll at least put out once before I'm done with you" 

    "Fuck you Garreth! Don't you even think about touching me!" I struggled against his pull even more as he pulled me towards the doors.

       "Let her go!" Sebastian's voice yelled across the hall stopping Garreth in his tracks. Garreth pulled me into his body, holding my neck in his arms burley arms. I saw Sebastian standing there facing us, his wand was drawn and pointed at Garreth. The anger that laid upon his face was not one of jealously but instead genuine rage at what was happening to me.

     "You think your so tough Sallow, but in reality your weak. Even when you have everything it's never enough for you. Instead you have to run away from your fears instead of facing them head on. You don't deserve her love! She deserves a man, not a coward" Garreth's screamed out towards Sebastian who stood there looking me in the eye. I couldn't help but feel scared and I'm sure my face showed it.

      "If that's your logic then you don't deserve her either! I would never force her to have any feelings towards me. I know I don't deserve her Weasley! I won't let you hurt her more than what I've already done. So let her go before this escalates more than it needs to" Sebastian's face was filled with emotions I hadn't seen before, his eyes seemed pained as he spoke. He kept his wand raised at Garreth who's energy now seemed unstable. He was coming unhinged and it seemed he would do anything it took to get what he wanted.

       "I hate you Sallow!" Garreth's voice faltered as he screamed out. "It's your fault! She could never love me because of you!" With those words Sebastian fired a red arching bolt from his wand at Garreth. Garreth's grasp on me released as he fell back, crashing into the doors from the spell. I fell to the ground in relief as I looked over to see Garreth knocked out against the doors. Sebastian's protective arms wrapped around me shortly after, kissing the top of my head. His hands then found their way to my cheeks holding me to look at him.

     "Are you okay?" His face was concerned as he looked me in the eyes. In return I nodded my head before shoving my face into his chest as he wrapped me up in his arms once more. Soon Ominous was with us.

     "Is she okay?!" He asked Sebastian in a panic.

       "I'm okay Ominous" I then reached out for him bringing him into the hug too. The whole great hall had just witnessed what unfolded but I didn't care. I was with the two people I cared most about. As the boys wrapped me in a group hug I could see Poppy talking to Professor Onai about what had just happened while Professer Hecat picked Garreth up by his ear and led him out of the great hall. I gave a sigh of relief as the boys released me from the hug. Ominous then gave a cough towards Sebastian as if he was suppose to say something.

      "Ruby" Sebastian pulled me to the side of the hall while Ominous smiled and walked back to his spot at the Slytherin table. "I don't ever want to take a chance at loosing you again. While I was gone I couldn't get you out of my mind, it drove me insane. I was trying to find my sister Anne, and I failed to find her. I didn't come back because I was worried you'd never want to see me again. I was afraid of seeing you every day and not having you be mine. Ominous is the one that told me to come back. That he thought you'd still want to be with me. That my absence drove you crazy too. I know I haven't explained everything about my past, but I promise I will. Please give me the chance to make everything right. I want you to truly be mine, Ruby. I love you" My heart pounded at his words, butterflies filled my stomach.

       "That's all I've been waiting for Sebastian. I love you too" His freckled face came closer to my own as I said those three words. I was wrapped up in his protective arms as he passionately kissed me in front everyone. This time with no other intention other than to prove his true feelings for me.