No Choice But You // Ominis Gaunt x Reader

Chapter 11

"Are you just going to sit and wallow all day, or are you going to come to Hogsmeade with us?" Anne asked. I turned over in my bed to face away from her. 

"I'm not wallowing," I groaned. "I'm hungover as hell." 

"So am I, but you don't see me complaining. Take a few potions and meet us in the common room in twenty minutes. I'll be back to rip you out of bed myself if you're not there." 

I let out a hefty sigh and pulled my blankets over my head. The last thing I wanted to do right now was interact with others. Besides--Ominis would most likely be there, and I wasn't sure I was ready to look him in the eye again after last night. 

I really didn't want to go, but after twenty minutes, just as promised, Anne was physically yanking me out of my bed and forcing me to get dressed. I let her drag me along and didn't say anything. I knew I looked like hell, but I didn't care. I didn't want to be doing this anyway. 

"Sleeping Beauty is finally awake," Garreth stated. "You look great!" Two thumbs up from him. I rolled my eyes and trudged along after the others up the stairs and out of the castle. 

I lagged behind the group, but Anne fell back with me and walked alongside me as we made our way to Hogsmeade. 

"What is it with you anyway?" Anne asked. 

"I dunno," I replied, hoping short answers would ward her off. Of course, they didn't, though. 

"You should really try to get out more. Do more. I don't like to see you holed away by yourself all the time. It's not good for anyone to do that, really. And we all want to spend time with you."

"Some of you, maybe," I retorted. 

"If this is more about Ominis, I can guarantee he won't be a problem today." Anne crossed her arms over her chest. 

"What makes you say that?"

"I gave him a talking to this morning," she stated. 

I frowned. I didn't need her talking to him on my behalf. I didn't want to be talking to him anyway. All I did when I was in his life was chafe and cause pain. Like a rash. I was better left by myself, unlike what she was saying. 

"He said he'd try to be nicer," she went on. 

"No he didn't," I stated. "If he's got his mind set on something, there's no changing his course."

"Reminds me of someone else I know," Anne winked. 

"Don't even start," I sighed. "I'm not as stubborn as he is. It's not humanly possible to be as stubborn as Ominis Gaunt." 

"Think again." Anne brushed her bangs from her eyes and gave me a knowing look. "You can say all you want, but I know what I see. And you and him are two peas in a pod." 

I rolled my eyes, yet again. Ominis and I didn't have that much in common, and I was not that stubborn. I did what I did because I knew I had to, which was different. 

I knew the others were better off without me as a fixture in their lives. 

I shook my head, brushing away the thoughts. I didn't need to justify my own actions to myself. That would be a waste of time. 

We made it to Hogsmeade and found ourselves porousing different shops. I followed the group along from shop to shop, doing a little window shopping myself. 

I couldn't deny that it felt nice to get out of the castle a bit. Last year, I didn't make too many trips to Hogsmeade just for fun like this. It was a welcome distraction from everything else. 

We ended up in a little antique shop, and I broke away from the group and browsed the shelves. Nothing really caught my eye as I shopped until I reached the jewelry section. I didn't expect to be buying anything, so I hadn't brought any money with me that day unfortunately, or I would have bought the beautiful little locket on display in the glass case. It was a silver pendant in a raindrop shape with a sapphire on the front. I always liked little trinkets like that and told myself I'd come back to get it another day if it was still there. 

 We ended up in The Three Broomsticks after not too long and by a stroke of unluckiness, I was seated next to Ominis. I just couldn't stand being this close to him after last night. Whenever I looked at him, the air seemed to shift, and I really wasn't sure if that was a good thing. 

I had my hand folded on top of the table, and I listened as everyone chatted and shot jokes back and forth. I didn't say much unless prompted to speak. Ominis reached up for his butterbeer, accidentally reaching too far, and his hand brushed mine. Tingles spread across my skin where he made contact, and I pulled my hands under the table pressing my nails into my palms. 

"Sorry," Ominis muttered, pulling his hand back. He flexed his fingers, grabbed his butterbeer, and took a drink like he'd originally intended to do. 

"It's fine," I responded. My voice came out breathier than I intended. Ominis tensed up beside me, and I looked away, trying to conceal the redness of my cheeks. 

I don't know why my mind kept trying to trick me into thinking there was something there. Of course, there wasn't. I would be stupid to think anything else. Even though he might be one of the most devastatingly beautiful things to look at...

No, no, no. 

I didn't need to let that train of thought leave the station. It needed to stay put, and never even think about going anywhere. I couldn't afford to think like that.