KEEP IT, LOSE IT (HOGWARTS LEGACY FANFICTION)

chapter fifty-two

After what felt like only an hour or two, Sebastian stirred. The dimming fire and the stillness of the room brought him back to consciousness. He groaned softly as he removed the book from his face, blinking groggily. As his vision cleared, he first noticed Ominis, still fast asleep by the window. The sight made Sebastian smile—seeing his usually composed friend in such a vulnerable state was amusing.

But when he turned to look at Mary, his smile faded. Her sofa was empty. The spot where she had curled up was now unoccupied, the blanket and gabardine slightly askew. His heart skipped a beat, panic rising in his chest as he quickly scanned the room. Where could she have gone?

His eyes then caught movement near the piano. Relief flooded through him as he realized it was Mary. She was standing there, seemingly lost in thought as she gently ran her fingers over the keys. The soft, almost inaudible notes echoed through the empty common room.

Sebastian rose quietly from the sofa, careful not to wake Ominis. He walked over to Mary, his steps silent on the cold stone floor. When he was close enough, he paused, observing her for a moment. There was a serenity in her posture, but also a hint of something else—something he couldn't quite place.

"Couldn't sleep?" he asked softly, not wanting to startle her.

Mary turned slightly, offering him a small, tired smile. "Not really. I guess I have too much on my mind."

Sebastian nodded, leaning against the piano. "Yeah... I know the feeling." He glanced at the sleeping Ominis before looking back at Mary. "It's been quite the day, hasn't it?"

Mary chuckled softly. "That's putting it mildly."

They both fell silent, the fire crackling softly behind them.

Sebastian shifted awkwardly, clearing his throat as he tried to push down the tension. "You know, I was thinking..." he began, his voice hesitant.

But at that exact moment, Mary spoke up as well. "Earlier, I was thinking..." she started, only to freeze when she realized they had both spoken at once. Their eyes met, surprise evident on their faces as they realized they were both thinking about the same incident that had happened just a few hours earlier.

"You go first," Sebastian offered quickly, trying to hide his unease.

Mary shook her head, giving a small, shy smile. "No, you go ahead. I didn't mean to interrupt."

"No, really, you should—" Sebastian tried again, but Mary started speaking at the same time.

"Are we both thinking about the same thing?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, her eyes darting to the side.

Sebastian chuckled nervously, running a hand through his hair. "I think we are. The Ravenclaw girl...?"

Mary's heart skipped a beat. Of course, that's what was on his mind too. It was a memory that had plagued her ever since it happened. The way she had reacted back then, the jealousy that had flared up inside her, it all seemed so petty now, but the emotions had been real, raw.

She took a deep breath, steadying herself before she spoke. "Sebastian... I'm sorry about what happened earlier. I overreacted. I didn't have any right to be upset, especially about something like that."

Sebastian's expression softened. "You don't need to apologize. I'm the one who should have chosen my words more carefully."

Mary looked up at him, surprise in her eyes. "Still, it wasn't fair of me. You're allowed to do as you pleased, to spend time with whoever you want..."

Sebastian's lips curved into a small, almost self-deprecating smile. "You know, when she asked me to... accompany her, I didn't know what she had in mind. But when we got to the bathroom and she... well, you know..." He trailed off, searching for the right words, then met Mary's gaze. "I made sure she went in first, and then I left."

Mary blinked, taken aback. "You... left?"

Sebastian nodded, looking a bit embarrassed. "Yeah. I didn't want to be part of whatever she had planned. It didn't feel right." He let out a small laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. "I guess I should've handled it better from the start, but when I realized what she was really after, I just... I didn't want to be there."

A warmth spread through Mary, the tension in her chest loosening just a bit. She hadn't expected that—hadn't expected him to be so considerate, especially when it came to something like that. Her cheeks flushed lightly, and she quickly looked away, feeling a bit silly for how much it meant to her.

"I... I didn't know that," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "Thank you for telling me."

Sebastian watched her for a moment, his gaze growing more intense as he struggled to contain what he truly felt. "It wasn't my intention to confuse you... or make you think something happened that didn't. I don't want you to believe I'd be with anyone else," he said, his words heavy with meaning as his eyes bore into hers.

But as the weight of his confession hit him, Sebastian's heart stuttered. He realized he was speaking as if they were something more, something they weren't. Embarrassment flooded him, and he felt foolish for letting his emotions slip. They weren't... anything. And yet, here he was, talking like they were. His cheeks reddened as he quickly dropped his gaze, ashamed of how much he had revealed.

Mary, equally embarrassed, felt her heart race at the sudden shift in their conversation. The way Sebastian had spoken... it felt too intimate, too personal, like they were stepping into territory beyond friendship. Confused, but trying to make sense of the atmosphere between them, she hesitated before asking, 

"What do you mean by that?"