In the Shadow of Seventh year

Chapter 12: Confessions and Cuddling

Ominis had led them beyond the Hufflepuff chimney since there were some couples here and there getting a bit more intimate. 
They walked over the hill where the dorm rooms would be right underneath until finally they reached a corner between the hill, the castle wall and the low wall where a spectacular view lay behind. 
   Only then did Ominis let go of her hand. He guided her until she was standing right in front of the castle wall and Poppy could see with a quick glance that they were quite secluded here, out of view from the students that were outside. 

When the silence between them dragged on, she couldn't help but feel extremely nervous. She knew what he was going to ask. 
   Of course she knew, it had been too obvious when you made that comment, just as it was now obvious that that is the reason he wanted to talk to her and pulled her outside.

The thing was that even though she had thought they had a little moment in the Undercroft, they had danced the night away having genuine fun and it was clear they enjoyed each other's company, Poppy couldn't help the doubts that were crawling up her mind.
   It didn't have to mean anything more than friendship. Yes, she had told you she had planned to confess to Ominis tonight, but as the night had gone on she didn't know if she still wanted to.

She felt like a princess in her flowing dress, being twirled around by the handsome boy she had fallen in love with. There was this fear that the magic and joy of this night would disappear if she were to tell him about her feelings.
   Like that Muggle story you had told her once about the peasant girl who turned pretty and danced with the prince at the ball, but come midnight, she had to run and turned back to her normal peasant self. 
   Now that she thought of it, Poppy had never heard the end of that story.

The chance of Ominis rejecting her was very much a possible outcome and even though it was certain he would never be mean to her, wouldn't hurt her on purpose, he still could. 
   He would be honest with her no matter what, as that was the right thing to do, but that could also mean he would break her heart.

"Poppy?"
She leaned slightly with her back against the wall behind her for some support. Taking a deep breath in the hopes to somewhat mentally prepare herself, Poppy spoke. 
"Yes?"

"The boy you said you loved...the one you first talked about last year in the library...the one you liked since third year...is it me?" He nearly whispered that last part. Ominis had subconsciously stepped forward, successfully cornering her. 
   Poppy had to look up to be able to see his face as his tall figure loomed over her. 
It made it all the more intimate, but at this point she wasn't sure she liked that.

He was waiting for her answer, his unseeing eyes restlessly shifting from a point near her forehead, to somewhere below her ear, to just above her eyes, not quite meeting them. 
   Breathless and shaking slightly, Poppy pushed herself to answer.
"Yes."

It was like that one word unlocked her vocabulary again. She couldn't stop the waterfall of words coming out of her mouth, her nerves finally getting the better of her as she started rambling. 
   "I'm so sorry! I swear I didn't befriend you with any ulterior motives." Poppy started explaining, tears in her eyes and looking at the ground, suddenly afraid he would think their whole friendship was solely based on her trying to court him. "I mean, I did want to get closer to you because I had a crush on you and I was curious about you, but when we started talking I assure you I was genuine. I value our friendship and I really like your intelligence and wittiness."
   The adrenaline of her rambling didn't leave much room for her to breathe and she knew she had to get to her point before she would panic and start to hyperventilate.

"I just want you to know that I meant everything I ever said to you and I promise I was honest with you. Apart from not telling you I was very much in love with you and I'm just really so- "
   Ominis had reached out for her and put his hands on her cheeks, tilting her face upwards so she would look up at him. Poppy's eyes went to his and even though their gazes could never meet, what she saw in his eyes made her heart skip a beat.