DISGUISED || SEBASTIAN SALLOW

Chapter 9

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I cast the disillusionment charm as I neared the Undercroft.

"That's not going to work, Y/N. You know better than to cast that in broad daylight."

Ominis.

The charm wore off.

I stood up, raising my hands defensively. I stood right in front of the clock, and I slowly turned my head towards the Gaunt. "I may be blind, but I can still hear you. Plus, I heard you cast the charm earlier."

Great.

"Ominis," I began slowly. I turned towards him, dropping my satchels and robes to my feet. His gaze was unreadable, his blonde hair smoothed back and his soft eyes questioning. I saw his fingers anxious, fidgeting with themselves. "What are you doing here?"

"To apologize."

I stared at him, tilting my head to the side. I dropped my eyes to the ground, moving a foot closer, our bodies only inches apart from each other. I looked up to see his face, reaching my arms up. I pressed my four fingers against his cheek. I felt a soft teardrop. He grabbed my hand with his left, squeezing it, rubbing his thumb against my palm. Something was bothering him.

"No," I croaked. "No, just, just fucking no." I bit my bottom lip, my eyes anxious and searching. "You have nothing to apologize for, Ominis."

"No, no—" he let out a half-hearted chuckle, his eyes slightly watery. "I should've told you. I'm so sorry." He was trying so hard to not cry. I'd never seen him like this before.

"I shouldn't have pushed you, Ominis." I murmured, brushing my enclosed pointed finger up to stop the tears. I bore my gaze deep into his irises, wishing he could see me, understand how I felt. "I talk a big game about trust when I haven't learned to trust myself. To trust you."

"Y/N, it's been months." Ominis Gaunt whispered. "I sent you letters."

My heart faltered. I'd never responded to any of them. I was so fed up with myself, with my own pride, my own pain, I hadn't even cared to respond. "Why didn't you say anything at the Sorting Ceremony?" The lights around us went off, signaling most of the students in class by now. I prayed nobody saw Ominis and I hidden near the Undercroft.

"I didn't want to mess anything up. I thought if I acted like everything was fine then it would make everything fine. I betrayed your trust by keeping a secret from you."

Our faces were inches apart now, the tension between us forming more ravenously by the minute. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Ominis looked up, letting out a small giggle. "Sebastian threatened to Crucio me if I said a word." His tone was lighthearted, but his eyes betrayed hurt. "Not really. I planned on explaining, truly, but I didn't know how to explain. How do I tell the girl I love that the boy she loves escaped Azkaban? How do I tell, the love of my life, that the love of her life had gone mad, that he was still trying to cure Anne, after all these months."