evermore || sebastian sallow

Chapter 39 - Delicate

excuse for typos in advance!

Chapter 39 - Delicate

Warning: contains explicit adult content

Y/n's Perspective

"It's not my fault, sir," Garreth denied one morning in Advanced Potions. "It just exploded!"

Sebastian and I bit down our laugh, while Aura let out a giggle and shook her head. Honestly, we were lucky not to have gotten caught in Garreth's disastrous experiment. I liked my hair, thank you very much.

I heard Professor Sharp give a deep, tired exhale. "Mister Weasley, I saw you add an extra shrivel fig in your cauldron. Perhaps next time, you'd be wise to be sneakier about it before lying to me."

Garreth kept muttering excuses, but I'd already stopped paying attention, my brain going fuzzy over my lack of sleep.

It has been a few days since Sebastian Sallow and I dove into the hellscape that was the Black Lake.

This morning had been nothing short of scrambling around trying to get to my first class because I almost slept in. I haven't been getting the best sleep these days, and from what I could observe beside me, Sebastian's been the same.

One night in the Ravenclaw Common Room, Helena warned me about the diadem's temptation, and that I should only use it when absolutely needed, so I haven't gotten around to wearing it. I wanted to take precautions and I've hidden it inside one of my vivariums for safekeeping.

And if I was being honest, I've been very stressed the past few days. School assignments, extra assignments, Quidditch practice, and dealing with everything else life threw my way? It was overwhelming. But it was fine. Nothing I haven't handled before.

By now, I should've also gotten another letter from my father, and I was dreading it. Whatever it was he wanted to demand of me next, I had no good feeling about it.

Mindlessly, I took my ladle and stirred the cauldron. Clear bubbles rose up, the liquid turning into a glimmering violet.

I'd been so lost in the labyrinth of my own mind that I was startled when Sebastian reminded me, "Don't forget to add the shrivelfig."

My elbow accidentally knocked the ingredient off the table, making me groan. "I've got it," I murmured, quickly bending down to pick it up without paying attention to my surroundings.

I would've hit my head on the sharp edge of the table had Sebastian not quickly slid his hand over, covering it with his palm to cushion my forehead. I was surprised at how fast he did it. As if he knew my habits more than I did, memorized me like the back of his hand.

"Careful now." He smiled softly, then focused his attention back on his task.

As for me, I could only focus on him as I slowly straightened up—Slytherin tie slightly undone, robes slightly wrinkled, tousled hair and flushed face, pink lips and glistening cheeks from the humidity of the room... oh, Merlin...

I gulped, suddenly feeling the temptation to lock my lips on his and do more. But surely this was just the stress talking. It was definitely my lack of sleep. Totally. Yup.

"Y/n." His deep voice cut through my reverie. He leaned sideways, putting his lips close to my ear, then whispered, "Stop undressing me with your eyes unless you want me to take you right here where everyone can see."