KEEP IT, LOSE IT (HOGWARTS LEGACY FANFICTION)

chapter fifty-six

The Undercroft was quiet, the low light casting a soft glow on the two figures still wrapped in each other's warmth. Mary and Ominis slept soundly on the sofa, their breaths steady and synchronized, completely unaware of the world outside their secluded space. That is, until the door to the Undercroft creaked open, followed by the distinct sound of footsteps descending the stairs.

Sebastian had come looking for them after realizing they were nowhere to be found. But the sight that greeted him as he reached the bottom of the stairs stopped him cold. There, on the sofa, was Ominis, holding Mary in his arms, both still fast asleep. His jaw clenched, jealousy flaring in his chest, an ugly, possessive emotion that he couldn't quite tamp down.

He could feel his temper rising as he watched them, the way Ominis's arm was wrapped around Mary protectively, how close they were. He knew it shouldn't bother him as much as it did, but it felt like a punch to the gut. He couldn't stand it-couldn't stand to see them like that. Without thinking, he deliberately knocked over a stack of books on a nearby table, the loud clatter echoing through the Undercroft.

The noise jolted both Mary and Ominis awake, the peaceful atmosphere shattered. Ominis blinked, his senses returning sluggishly as he tried to process what was happening, while Mary sat up, groggily rubbing her eyes. But before either of them could say anything, Sebastian's voice rang out, sharp and dripping with irritation.

"Rise and shine, lovebirds! You've only missed half the day!" he said, his tone a mixture of sarcasm and barely-concealed jealousy. "Care to explain why you're both lounging around like you have all the time in the world?"

Mary and Ominis exchanged bewildered glances, slowly realizing the gravity of the situation. "Half the day?" Mary repeated, eyes widening in shock. "You're joking, right?"

"Does it look like I'm joking?" Sebastian shot back, arms crossed and scowling. "You two were practically glued together, and I had to come looking for you. How do you think that looks?"

Ominis, still groggy and thoroughly annoyed by the rude awakening, sighed heavily as he rubbed his temples. "If we've already missed half the day, then what's the point of waking us up now?" he muttered irritably, sitting up with a wince. "Couldn't you have let us sleep a little longer, Sebastian?"

"That's not the point," Sebastian snapped, barely able to contain his frustration. "You're both in here, alone, missing classes, while the rest of us are actually doing something productive. What on earth happened here last night?"

Mary, meanwhile, had scrambled to her feet, her mind racing. She quickly located a small mirror she'd left in the Undercroft before and began hastily fixing her hair, trying to smooth out the evidence of a night spent on the sofa. As she fussed over her appearance, the tension between Sebastian and Ominis continued to rise, the air thick with unspoken accusations and jealousy.

"You're overreacting, Sebastian," Ominis replied, his voice cool and unbothered despite his inner irritation. "We overslept. It's not the end of the world."

Sebastian's eyes narrowed, his temper flaring again as he pointedly ignored Mary's presence. "Overreacting? You expect me to believe you two just slept here all night?"

Ominis's patience was wearing thin. He stood up, frustration etched across his face. "You know what, Sebastian? what's it to you? Shouldn't you be happy we're safe instead of acting like a jealous prat?"

Mary took a deep breath, trying to steady herself as she faced Sebastian. His eyes were sharp, filled with an emotion she couldn't quite place, but it was clear his jealousy was spiraling out of control. She didn't want to argue with him, especially not after such a tense night, but it seemed unavoidable.

"Sebastian," she began, her voice firm but calm, "nothing happened. Ominis had a nightmare, and I stayed with him. That's all. There's nothing wrong with comforting a friend."

But her attempt to deescalate the situation seemed to only fan the flames. Sebastian's jaw tightened, and he stepped closer, his frustration evident in every tense line of his body.

"Nothing wrong? Mary, you were sleeping next to him, wrapped up in his arms. How do you expect me to just brush that off?"

Mary's frustration finally boiled over, and she couldn't hold back any longer. Her voice rose, sharp and clear as she faced Sebastian, her eyes blazing.

"Why are you acting like this, Sebastian? Why are you so angry over something that wasn't meant to hurt anyone? Do you really think I'd do something improper, just like that?"

Sebastian's jealousy flared, and he shot back, his voice just as loud, "I don't know, Mary! What am I supposed to think when you spend the night with Ominis?"

But even as the words left his mouth, Sebastian felt a pang of guilt, realizing how ridiculous he sounded. He didn't have the right to demand anything from her, to act like this. Deep down, he knew it, but the jealousy had clouded his judgment.

Mary's frustration deepened as she continued, "You should believe in my word, Sebastian, not these baseless accusations. I was just trying to help Ominis, nothing more."

He fell silent, his anger deflating as he looked at Mary, realizing he'd crossed a line again. But the damage was done. Mary's eyes were still locked on his, but now they were filled with a mix of hurt and frustration. She knew he had no right to be this possessive, but it didn't stop her from feeling betrayed by his accusations.

The sting of her words made him recoil, his anger mixed with a pang of regret. But before he could respond, Mary turned away, her decision made.

"I can't stay here and argue about something so ridiculous," she said, her voice tight with emotion. "I thought you knew me better than this."

"Mary, wait-" Sebastian called after her, but she was already gone, her resolve unshakable.

As the door to the Undercroft closed behind her, Mary felt a surge of conflicting emotions-anger, guilt, sadness, and something else she couldn't quite name. She needed space, needed to think, needed to breathe.