Cursed (Hogwarts Legacy fanfiction - original in German)

Chapter 77 - Organize your feelings

[Sorry for the long wait. Life got so busy!]

The second leg of the return flight had been considerably easier for Ominis. Not only because the journey had been much shorter, but mainly because his small euphoria apparently kept him from fully noticing his fear. In his heart that night, there was no room for fear or nightmares, and Phina had once again sat so closely behind him that he could hardly concentrate on anything else. Nevertheless, he had been relieved when they had finally reached the school grounds and he could stand on his own feet again.

It was absolutely baffling to Phina how they had managed to sneak back into the castle unnoticed in the middle of the night. She had expected that some professor would catch them, possibly even Professor Drewitt. It would have only been logical for something to go drastically wrong after so much luck and peace, just to balance the scales of fate again.

But now she was standing with Ominis in the deserted Slytherin common room, calculating in her mind how late it probably was and how many hours of sleep she might get before Nerida and Imelda loudly started the new day. At least it was the weekend, which gave Phina a brief hope that they might take the opportunity to sleep in. But then she remembered that she shared a dormitory with the captain of the Quidditch team and Imelda would definitely be getting up early to train.

"Well then, good night," she sighed audibly tired in Ominis' direction and brushed his hand one more time, the hand she hadn't let go of since they had delivered Highwing to her enclosure and walked towards the castle entrance.

For a few seconds, Phina let her gaze wander over his stature and face, as if she still couldn't quite believe that she could finally do this without feeling bad or confused. He was so beautiful, inside and out, that it was completely incomprehensible to Phina how so many of their classmates could judge him so easily and harshly. 

Reluctantly, she finally let him go and had already taken a step away from him when he suddenly grabbed her wrist to stop her. She saw his smile as she looked back at him before he gently pulled her back to him. He wouldn't let her go that easily after this evening. His second hand found her chin with precision and then gently pushed it up so he could plant a heartfelt kiss on her lips. Phina almost lost her balance as his uniquely soothing scent filled her nose.

"Good night," Ominis whispered so seductively softly that Phina felt a heat surge through her body that she had never experienced with such intensity. For a moment, she could only stand there in front of him and try to suppress the urge to keep him locked in a passionately longing kiss for the rest of the night. As if she was afraid that he would change his mind the next morning and conclude that it had all been a stupid mistake and they should better go back to being just best friends. But the way he smiled at her and stroked her cheek with his fingertips made her want to believe that this fear was unfounded.

"Sleep well," Phina attempted another farewell and closed her eyes as Ominis' hand wandered to the back of her neck.
"You too," he replied and then planted another kiss on her forehead, as if he wanted to put a good dream into her head for her sleep.

Indeed, there was plenty of material for Phina's dreams that night from the many events of the past day. After she finally fell into her bed, her body immediately became leaden with all the exertions. It didn't take long for her to fall asleep.

In her mind that night swirled all the things her memory deemed relevant for the future. The letter from Samantha from the orphanage, the names from the donor list. Nathan's glowing red, murderous eyes, followed by his warm voice and trustworthy aura. Anne's way of looking at him because she loved him. Sebastian in the catacombs of Feldcroft. Niamh Fitzgerald's and Clarissa's tears. An amulet of goblin silver and the powerful glow of ancient magic from within it. And then... finally: a shooting star and Ominis, who had finally broken down the wall behind which he had hidden his feelings for her and had finally kissed her. This part of her seemingly endless dream spiral, which replayed itself over and over, was definitely Phina's favorite.