The Blood within our veins (Ominis Gaunt)

Chapter Twelve

The bouquet by her bedside flickered changing colors as Gianna slept soundly through the night. Her and Ominis had left the party soon after and talked all night in the common room. Ominis had a sense of humor to him that came out that night. Gianna wondered why he didn't share it much considering how funny he was when he wasn't trying to be.

The morning after all Hallow's Eve was always a bummer. Students who celebrated with pumpkin carvings and decadent treats would have to attend classes the next day and all the festive decorations would be gone. It was no longer the spookiest night of the year. It was just Monday. In fact the spookiest thing that happened on a day like today was how grouchy Sharp was in morning potions.

Gianna came in and swung her book bag with an 'hmph' onto her desk and rested her head and her hands on it groggily. To her right Amit joined her; looking as bright eyed as ever. Gianna didn't think she could take another one of his rambling about stars. Amit was very nice but Gianna was also very grumpy when she was tired. She opened up her book bag and took out her quill and her parchment for class.

"Gianna!" Amit called. "Did you celebrate all Hallow's last night?" Amit bellowed cheerfully unpacking his bag with his textbooks and his potion ingredients. Gianna let out a long yawn and stretched her arms before answering. "Sure did. Did you?" She said although not sure she was ready to hear the answer.

"Absolutely! I spent the night out on the astronomy tower looking out at the stars. There's something so ambient about All Hallow's at night!" Amit cooed.

Gianna nodded. "It is." Her voice was soft. She trailed off when she saw Ominis walking with his wand In front of him. He got to his seat and Gianna noticed the Hufflepuff girl who sat next to him make him chuckle to himself.

Her face contorted into one of annoyance. She held her quill tightly in her palm and a bit of ink dripped from the tip at the pressure. Ominis laughed again and the Hufflepuff knocked his arm returning his laugh gently.

Amit spun around and looked at where Gianna was looking. His eyes seemed to stay there for a second. His excited speech tampered off with a sense of understanding.

"Ah, Ominis!" Amit chortled. He shook his head. "The Slytherin from the House of Gaunt."

Gianna turned and did a once over of the Ravenclaw boy. "Yeah? What about him?" She griped at him.

"I don't mean any harm." Amit insisted. "He seems like a nice guy. He's a good student and stays out of trouble. " Amit said kindly holding his hands up in protest.

Gianna recoiled. "Sorry. I'm used to people taking the rumors a little too seriously." She explained herself. "No need to apologize I understand." Amit laughed. "So you're close?" Amit asked.

"Yeah we're friends." She stated simply gazing back over at the Slytherin and the Hufflepuff.

The girl seemed to be protesting something Ominis was saying giggling and swatting him again. The hell was so funny. Gianna thought to herself. She squeezed the tip of her quill so hard she cracked the shrill of it and ink splattered all over her hand.

"Oh!" Amit gasped offering a handkerchief from his bag. "Be careful with that." He warned. "Ink stains you know." The boy laughed at his own joke.

Gianna wiped at her hand, taking his handkerchief with a murmured thanks. When she finished she handed it back and Amit used his wand to vanish the ink from it; making it brand new. She thanked him again and Amit dismissed it.

"Hey, do you know who the Hufflepuff is sitting with Ominis?" She asked in an attempt to stay level. She didn't know why it bothered her so much but something about the Hufflepuff being so touchy infuriated her. Ominis wasn't the touchy type.

Amit did a double take toward their potions station and stuttered. "I-yes.. she's in my Astronomy class I think-" Amit answered unsurely. "I think her name is Emilia?" Amit shifted in his seat.

Gianna glanced toward them again and saw the girl stand still laughing at something Ominis had said. She started to walk away from their table. As she stood up Gianna didn't break eye contact with her; her eyes following her as she moved about the room.

To her surprise the Hufflepuff came to their own potions station and kneeled over it. "Hi Amit." Emilia beamed. "I had fun looking at the stars in the Astronomy tower last night." Emilia smiled gently.

Oh my god. Gianna put two and two together and felt ashamed for having jumped to the brash conclusion that something was going on between her and Ominis. Because clearly Emilia had feelings for Amit who had certainly left out a plethora of details. She knew as soon as the girl left she would interrogate him promptly on this. Gianna had read the situation completely wrong.

Amit flushed scarlet his eyes darted to Gianna for a second before he addressed her. "Me too! We were lucky it wasn't cloudy last night so we could see everything." Amit managed making nervous eyes at her. Emilia laughed. "We sure were. We should do it again sometime!" She invited somewhat nervously.
Amit leeped at this. "Absolutely! How about tonight? I heard a comet is supposed to be over Hogwarts tonight around midnight." He looked embalmed with how pale he was.

"It's a date." The hufflepuff resounded sauntering back to her table. Amit was baffled by her word choice and could only offer a thumb's up in response. Gianna watched her walk away and faintly heard a 'told you so' from Ominis.

Her stupid jealousy and protectiveness over Ominis made Gianna think. Why had she gotten so upset about the Hufflepuff being friendly with Ominis? It wasn't like he couldn't have other friends or enjoy whoever's company he pleased. Gianna dismissed the thought as Professor Sharp walked in to begin lecture. Sharp instructed students to work on their assignment for the day; Amortentia.

"Amortentia, otherwise known as the love potion, is notorious for its charming effects on the drinker," Sharp had explained to the class pointedly. The potion was one Gianna had been familiar with  before her time at Hogwarts. During her mother's lavish dinner parties the noble women of pure blood would often joke about slipping it in noblemen's drinks. Her father also often complained of its misuse when handling affairs at the ministry. He had handled several conflicts with the concoction in which the effects were very difficult to reverse.

Gianna remembered going shopping with her mother where she encountered some in a potioneer's shop on a tall display at the front of the store. She had picked a bottle and wafted the candy colored liquid Infront of her nose. She smelt the seaside mimicking her childhood home on the water's edge, the smell of crushed grapes from the vineyard on the property, and parchment from her worn copy of beetle and the bard that Eve read to her every night before bed.

When she had finished her own potion she wafted the concoction infront of her nose once more and smelt the salt air, the grapes, and something new.

Gianna scrunched up her nose and concentrated. It was a weak scent. It was drowned out by the other smells and she had a difficult time placing it as is. She frowned. Her brew must not have been perfect. She took out her textbook and reread the instructions. Perhaps she crushed her ingredients instead of cutting them. Frustrated she set the book down and sighed.

Sharp let out lecture soon after that. When he did Gianna turned to Amit and whacked him with said book. He flinched and rubbed his arm. "Ouch! What was that for?" Amit frowned. "You filthy liar." Gianna laughed. "She's not just a girl from Astronomy. You went out with her last night!" Gianna teased her voice fluctuating slightly causing Amit to panic.

"Shh! Lower your voice." Amit instructed. "I-mean it wasn't exactly a date..we just hung out and watched the stars."

Gianna cocked an eyebrow. "Sure okay. Whatever you say.." She rolled her eyes. "But I can't believe you lied!" She laughed as she packed up her stuff and started walking with the slightly nervous Ravenclaw boy.

Amit laughed. "Okay you're right I'm sorry. I just get so nervous whenever she's brought up. " He admitted. He continued to go on about her about how pretty she was and how he loved the way she talked passionately about things. It was endearing how he talked about the girl but slightly made Gianna want to vomit.

"Besides-" Amit continued. "I thought you could tell since I look over at her so much anyways. " He paused. "That's why you were looking over there so much right?" He wondered.

"Yeah." Gianna said. "Something like that."