Alone

Chapter 50

Sleep didn't come easy.

It never did.

With a long-drawn sigh, Ominis turned over, listening to the soft snoring coming from Sebastian's side of the dorm.

He had always considered himself lucky that in their year, only two boys had been sorted into Slytherin. That way, only one other person had been faced with the dread of sharing their sleeping retreat with the infamous heir of their house's founder.

That at least was what he had thought, until that night many years ago, his first night at Hogwarts ever. A night he'd had dreaded for copious reasons.

Marvolo had provided him with plenty tales of what happened to first years, how their heads would get dipped into toilets, how older students would put roaches in their beds.

It was just his luck his older brother had finished school the year before he had started, otherwise he would have found himself with his face in waste water before he even could have entered his dorm.

So, to him it only had been logical to check his bed for cockroaches upon entering.

The other boy he was to share his sleeping space with merely had given him funny looks, announcing that he was claiming the right bed. Ominis hadn't had any objections. He'd had zero intentions of interacting with that Sallow kid.

Six years had passed since then and as he listened to Sebastian's soft snoring, he acknowledged how poorly he had failed at the attempt of not getting too involved with his classmates.

Not that he would have wanted it any other way. Most of his memories with the Sallow twins were happy ones, after all.

His best friend's absence as well as his return over Christmas had given him some time and matter to think. He had come to the conclusion that now wasn't the time to keep holding grudges.

Forgiveness was a virtue he always had considered himself prone to. Calling himself forgiving sounded better than calling himself a coward, after all.

He never had held grudges against people who had made fun of him or had despised him for who he was. What he was.

And making an exception for his best friend didn't seem right to him.

Over the years, especially in the course of their fifth one, Ominis had had enough opportunities to call quits to his friendship with Sebastian and he never had taken one. So he might as well pull through with it.

Also, he was tired of making empty threats and fretting over possible disasters Sebastian might or might not invoke. So instead, he had decided to forgive him and move on.

He tried to keep telling himself it wasn't because of the guilt that kept gnawing at his conscience, especially since their ride back to Hogwarts.

Ominis had cussed at himself in every possible way for being so unmindful, for letting himself get caught in the moment as far as completely disregarding his best friend's presence while Marian and him-...

He forced himself to cease the thoughts about their kisses. He couldn't let himself think about her now. Not when he was alone, in his bed, every fibre of his being aching to be near her.

Yes, he had cussed at himself for losing his composure. But he didn't regret it. Nothing he did with Marian would ever be regretted.

He knew he should be more considerate of Sebastian and his feelings. But he also was tired of hiding. Hiding the fond smile that curled his lips whenever he heard her voice. Hiding the furious blush he felt colouring his cheeks whenever she touched him. Hiding the softness in his own voice when he spoke to her.