A Change of Heart // Sebastian Sallow

Chapter 22 - The Past

"The two of you will be staying back here and scrubbing out the cauldrons from my classes today. No wands allowed. I expect this kind of behaviour from Mr. Sallow but I'm extremely disappointed in you, Miss McCallister. All the cauldrons are there in the corner. I expect them all to be done when I return." Professor Sharp said, looking at both Sebastian and Florence standing at his desk, missing their supper because of Peeves. He left the classroom to attend to business, leaving the two alone.

"Damned poltergeist. How many times must he get us into trouble?" Sebastian groaned, walking over with a cloth to start wiping cauldrons.

"You said it was worth it though." Florence laughed, beginning to sort cauldrons into two piles.

"It absolutely was. I'd cop one hundred detentions if it meant I got to make out with you in the library again." He flirted.

Florence felt her cheeks go red and suddenly it felt hot in the classroom. She removed her robe placing it behind her on a stool, loosened her tie and rolled up her sleeves. Sebastian also removed his robe and jacket to get more comfortable, his sleeves rolled up to reveal his forearms that Florence couldn't help stare at as he scrubbed cauldrons.

They worked hard to scrub, Florence noticing beads of sweat dripping down Sebastian's forehead as he loosened his tie even more to try and get some more air on his body.

"Can I help you?" Sebastian said, snapping Florence out of her trance. She didn't realise she'd been staring at him for so long.

"Sorry. Just admiring your hard work ethic." Florence laughed, obviously lying.

"Sure, McCallister." Sebastian said smirking, before going back to scrubbing.

When he said her last name like that, it almost sent shivers down her spine.

They worked hard and finished all the cauldrons well before Professor Sharp was due to return. Florence sat on top of a desk, waving her arms around to get some feeling back in them after scrubbing for so long.

"That was hard work." She commented, squeezing her forearm muscles, feeling how sore they would be in the morning.

"But don't we just make the best team? Finished it all with time to spare." Sebastian commented. He pulled himself up onto the desk next to Florence, wrapping one sweaty arm around her shoulder, giving it a squeeze. "I'm sorry for getting you into trouble... again."

Florence laughed, responding to his touch by tucking her head into his chest. "It just wouldn't be us without a little bit of trouble, would it?"

Sebastian laughed and placed his free hand on top of Florence's that was resting on the table between them, linking their fingers together. His thumb gently stroked the top of her hand.

"You have made me so happy. You make my life actually worth living. I didn't want to be here anymore over summer. But, I'm glad I came back." Sebastian whispered as he nuzzled into her hair. His warm breath on her scalp sent a wave of shivers through her body. She turned towards his warm, sweaty body and wrapped her arm across his torso, giving him a hug. Sebastian felt at peace for the first time in years, he felt like he had a purpose again holding onto her so tight. After all that had happened, she was the only one out of everyone who knew about the catacombs that decided to stay with him. Even Ominis avoided the Undercroft to not risk running into Sebastian even though the room was his. He liked to think Florence needed him, but he knew it was him that needed her.

The classroom doors bust open, Sharp re-entering to check on them. They quickly broke their embrace and stood up straight, waiting for Professor Sharp to see their progress. He approached them and scanned his eyes over the cauldrons, inspecting their work.

"Very good. I expect next time you're in my class you both won't be tardy when I ask a favour of you. Head down to the kitchens, I got the elves to set aside some supper for you." Sharp's gravelly voice said.

"Thank you, Professor." Florence said, shrugging her robe back on.

They walked down to the kitchen's, Sebastian tickling the pear in the portrait with his wand. The portrait opened and they entered, Sebastian needing to almost crawl on his hands and knees to get through the passage. The elves had neatly set aside two plates of dinner for them both on one of the tables.

"Students! Over here!" one of the elves called, waving them to the table.

They sat on opposite sides of the table from each other, their plates piled high with roasted potatoes, chicken, vegetables and bread.

"Isn't this so romantic?" Sebastian laughed, eating quickly as he was apparently so starved from missing supper, chatter and clanging from the elves around them cleaning up providing the ambience.

"Not really an ideal date location." Florence laughed along with him.

"Well, if you'd be so inclined, I'd like to take you on a real date one day. And I promise it won't involve eating amongst the house elves." Sebastian confidently asked her.

Florence felt jittery. She'd never even had a crush on someone before, let alone been asked on a date. Her cheeks became hot and her face felt like it was burning.

"I'd love to." She softly smiled, trying to show her stomach wasn't doing somersaults on the inside before helping herself to more potatoes.

As they finished their dinner, curfew was approaching, yet Sebastian insisted on walking Florence back to her dormitory.  As they walked up the stairs to Ravenclaw tower, he grazed his hand against hers, judging her reaction. She responded by wrapping her hand around his, intertwining their fingers again as they quickly and quietly walked up the stairs together.

"Goodnight" he whispered to her as they stopped at the Ravenclaw common room entrance. He leaned in and gave her one last, deep kiss, lingering for a few seconds allowing Florence to savour the taste of his lips before pulling back and smiling at her, turning and heading back to the Slytherin dormitory quietly.

She entered the common room feeling like she was walking on clouds, unaware of her surroundings.

"Where have you been?" Samantha called from a lounge, reading a book by the fire place and pulling Florence back into reality.

"Oh, uh. Detention." Florence replied, not wanting to stop and talk about it.

"Sebastian getting you into trouble again?" Samantha asked, referring to detentions she'd been to with him in the past.

"Don't start with that again..." Florence said, excusing herself to retire to her bed for the night where she laid awake, staring at the ceiling, her stomach in knots replaying the days events over and over again.