Soft Hazy Blue ( Ominis Gaunt x MC )

Chapter Five: A Dire Question

I made my way into the Three Broomsticks alongside Ominis as he continued to stay silent as we made our way to the bar top. I stole a glance at him from the corner of my eye to see that he still had a curious pensive look on his face as if he was debating whether to mention something to me, but I just let it go determining that he would tell me in his own due time.

I tore my eyes away from his empty gaze he continued to make and looked at the individual who was tending the bar as she shuffled cleaning glasses with her back turned away from us. I smiled noticing the familiar frame of an old friend. She hadn't taken notice of us right away until Ominis finally spoke and greeted her.

"Hello Sirona," he said calmly fooling everyone but me with the façade he was pulling being anything but calm. Sirona whipped her head around and her eyes widened as her eyes went from Ominis straight to mine.

"Y/N?!" She leaned over the counter and clasped my hand between hers and gave it a tight squeeze "Ominis! Why didn't you tell me that she was back?!"

"Never really had the time to visit you recently,"

"Liar, you wanted her all to yourself," she teased at Ominis, who in response turned a bright pink all over from the tip of his ears to the back of his neck.

"How are you Sirona," I quickly interjected trying to save Ominis from the embarrassment of being continuously teased by Sirona's jabber.

"Much better now that you're back!" she exclaimed with glee "How long are you staying here for?" Sirona asked in a curious tone.

"Until Hogwarts no longer needs a temporary instructor for D.A.D.A," I replied simply as I took a sip of the butterbeer Sirona had placed in front of Ominis and me.

"Well, I hope they never find one and you stay here as their permanent instructor!" Sirona exclaimed so confidently that it allowed a laugh to escape my lips at her contagious enthusiasm. Though suddenly in the next instant, Sirona's mood shifted as she gave me a sorrowful look, she opened her mouth but then quickly shut it close as if she was debating to ask the questions that played at her lips.

"What is it?" I questioned in an amusing tone

"Have you heard from Sebastian recently?" my mind went blank as I held Sirona's questioning gaze. I softly smiled at her and cleared my throat "No... I'm sorry. He's reached out to me a couple of times with his owls but... I haven't had the heart to reply to them just yet. I know that many of the letters are asking for us to meet but... I'm just not prepared to see what he has become...." I answered honestly as I stole a quick glance in his direction only to have my breath stop. He was staring in my direction as if he could see into my eyes, his jaw clenched so tightly I worried that he would break his teeth next if he clenched them anymore, my gaze then drifted to his hands which would usually be still in his lap were wrapped into tight fists. My eyes fluttered back to his face as Ominis breathed in a deep breath.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," Ominis interjected our conversation "but would you mind letting us borrow the room upstairs?"

Why do we have to be in private?

Sirona bent slightly underneath the countertop and pulled out a key, placing it in Omini's outstretched hand. "Here's the key," Sirona simply gave a tight smile in his direction as he stood up and made his way up the stairs. I gave Sirona a questioning look but all she answered in return was a shake of her head as she warmly smiled at me "Come visit again soon, I've missed seeing you pop in and out like you used to."

"I'll come back soon! Alone," I smiled back at Sirona as I gathered my belongings and followed Ominis up the stairs to the private room. Ominis locked the door behind him as I settled myself into the seat in front of the fireplace.

"What's this all about?" I finally asked as he took a seat in front of me. Ominis dug into his jacket and pulled out a letter and slid it across the table to me. I picked up the envelope and saw that it was addressed to him.

"Ominis, you know I can't read this, on top of that it's in braille -" I began saying before I was rudely cut off.

"Merlin Y/N. Don't play with me, I know you can read it, "

"H-How did you-"

"That's a topic for another day. Read the letter."

I threw him an irritated look as I opened the envelope and placed the contents flat on the table. I began gliding my fingers over the raised dots that were in its specific set of clumps and began to read the contents that were inside.
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Ominis,

Enough time has passed from your travels in London. You have seen the world as you had so 'desperately' desired. Your duties as a Gaunt remain the same, you cannot disown the name that you have been blessed to be born into. After much discussion, we have arranged the date for the prospective marriage that is to take place with your future fiancé. Her name is Anise Goyle, please attend the date listed below to meet her.

DO NOT BE LATE.

AND IF YOU DO NOT ATTEND.

I will send your brother to retrieve you, by force if necessary.

- Father

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My hand slowly lifted from the page as I read the last sentence, I raised my head and met Ominis pale eyes.

"You're engaged?" I asked not even trying to hide the pain that seeped into my voice.

"No."

"But it says-"

"I KNOW WHAT IT SAYS.... Okay...I know what it says. But I am NOT engaged. I will not marry her; they only contacted me just to further their place as pure-bloods in this world and I will have NOTHING to do with it. "

"Is that why you're here? Teaching?"

Ominis just gave me a barely visible nod as I continued "You ran away from facing them and instead you came here. Not only to separate yourself from the situation but to also make a statement by defying their orders."

"The date to attend was yesterday,"

I leaned back into the chair and sighed at Ominis's predicament as he continued to explain to me the situation "I know that my brother is coming, and I don't know when. I can face him myself if I have to, but I'll take any consequence then marrying her,"

"Anise Goyle?"

"Of course, my family loves her, they love the dark arts almost as much as they do. They want to continue being a part of the wizarding world as one the last few pure-bloods and continue having the right to brag over being descended from Salazar Slytherin."

"Ominis...but have you met her?"

"Once, and that was all I needed to know her character. She mistreated a house-elf, kicking it for just not automatically carrying a handkerchief on them as she sneezed. To see how she treated students that didn't come from pure-blood status families degrading them to seem that they were the same status as a pile of dirt..." Ominis spat out as he told me of her character and her morals.

"Ominis..."

"What is it?"

"Why are you telling me all of this? Why bring us to a room in private?"

"I have a serious question I need to ask of you."

"Why couldn't you ask me in front of Sirona or at Hogwarts?"

"I didn't want anyone to jump to conclusions about us."

"We're already alone in a room together and I can already recount two other situations in which people can make speculations or assumptions about us," I replied blatantly confused over all the secrecy that came from Ominis suddenly.

"Ominis, what is it? You know you can tell me anything, you're my best friend," I gave him a smile to encourage him to ask the question that had been playing at his lips for the longest time, but nothing could prepare me for the question he asked.

"Y/N... will you marry me?"