Rekindled Bonds

Chapter 2

After another sleepless night, Ash sat up in her bed and rubbed her tired stinging eyes. She took a deep breath as she mentally prepared to face Ominis. As she inhaled, she smelled something. She took a few more sniffs in the air and her eyes widened as she realized she smelled something burning. She hopped out of bed and burst through her bedroom door to find Ominis standing in the kitchen hacking away at a pan with a spatula. The pan was filled with hard black gunk and was still smoking slightly.

"Ominis what the hell?!" She rushed over and took the pan off the burner, tossing it into the sink. She turned off the stove before turning to Ominis. "Are you trying to burn down Hogwarts?"

Ominis's face turned a deep scarlet as he sheepishly spoke to the floor. "I wanted to make you scrambled eggs. I'm not much of a cook, I hoped they were salvageable."

Ash scoffed and turned away. She wasn't sure if she was irritated or amused, a mix of both, she figured. She turned back towards Ominis. "Thank you for the thought, but maybe let's not start a fire. Why don't you leave the cooking to me or a professional from now on."

Ominis rubbed the back of his neck, his reddened face was still angled towards the floor. Ash took a deep breath and grabbed his hand in hers. "Ominis, about last night–"

Ominis pulled his hand away and spoke quickly as he cut her off. "Where do you want to go for breakfast? I'm absolutely famished."

Ash didn't want to press the matter further, at least not right now. She sighed before answering. "There is a new café that opened in Hogsmeade. We could go there. I haven't had the chance to try it yet."

Ominis gave a sharp nod and headed for the door. "Sounds good, let's go there." He opened the door, wand in hand.

"Ominis I haven't gotten–" The door clicked shut as Ominis left. "–dressed." Ash sighed and hurriedly threw on clothes before racing out the door after Ominis.

They enjoyed a nice breakfast at the newly opened café in Hogsmeade. The warm aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air as they entered. The café was cozy, with wooden tables and chairs, and large windows that let in the morning sunlight. They sat at a corner table, sipping on their coffee and nibbling on pastries. The atmosphere was relaxed, and the conversation flowed easily between them. It felt like they had never been apart, the years melting away as they shared stories and laughter.

As they left the café, the streets of Hogsmeade were beginning to bustle with activity. The quaint village had always held a special place in their hearts. It was a reminder of their school days and the adventures they had embarked upon together.

Ominis turned to Ash with a smile. "Thank you for breakfast, Ash. It's been a wonderful morning."

Ash returned his smile, her eyes filled with warmth. "The pleasure is all mine, Ominis. It's good to have you here again."

As they strolled through the charming streets of Hogsmeade, they couldn't help but feel that this reunion was the start of something beautiful, it was a rekindling of a deep and cherished connection that had endured through the years.

____________

"How would you feel about a picnic?" Ash turned to Ominis who was seated at the dining table in her living quarters.

He smiled. "That sounds lovely. Do you need help packing anything?"

"Sure, you can pack these into the basket on the table." Ash set some parcels wrapped in brown paper in front of Ominis.

Ominis began to pack everything she placed on the table into the basket. "And what's in all these packages?"

"Food," Ash replied as she continued preparing.